Arsenal Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2013

Fuzzy_Dunlop

eagle eye wrote: »

He has bought two players from one club recently and they have both done well, I think he should go for the trifecta and bring in Isco.

And when wenger leaves, pellegrini too!

speedboatchase

jonneymendoza wrote: »

SACK WENGER!!

Easy there, we're still only fifth and this is our eight season without a trophy... glad you're so excited over a Reading home win though :rolleyes:

jonneymendoza

speedboatchase wrote: »

Easy there, we're still only fifth and this is our eight season without a trophy... glad you're so excited over a Reading home win though :rolleyes:

Glad you fell for it and thought i was serious :pac::pac:

tayto lover

wandatowell wrote: »

True that.
I think Arsene will buy another striker this summer. Your last line describes Oli perfectly "not outstanding, but good"

Giroud is improving all the time. He has great little deft touches and great awareness of what is going on around him.
We have to remember that this is his first season and he is also playing at a higher level.
I think he will be one of Wenger's better buys.
I expect him to continue to improve and next season and the season after he will show his true worth. He is a 100 miles better than Chamack as he shows no fear and gets stuck in. He will not be intimidated either by defenders.

I am actually delighted with him.

Galvasean

I think the optimism* stems for from the fact that the momentum appears to be with us for the Champions League race with both Chelsea and Tottenham looking like they could bottle it.


*remember that?

jonneymendoza

wandatowell wrote: »

True that.
I think Arsene will buy another striker this summer. Your last line describes Oli perfectly "not outstanding, but good"

dont think we need one tbh.

i got a good feeling girud will become an outstanding player

Marty McFly

jonneymendoza wrote: »

dont think we need one tbh.

i got a good feeling girud will become an outstanding player

We certainly need one, Giroud although having a very good debut season hasnt been outstanding and has had a few poor games, Walcott can't be relied on and Wenger clearly doesn't fancy Podolski there meaning that even if we were to have Giroud as our number 1 CF we have no back up.

Frisbee

tayto lover wrote: »

Giroud is improving all the time. He has great little deft touches and great awareness of what is going on around him.

This, his success rate for first touch passes, passes around the corner and blind passes must be crazy high.

Fuzzy_Dunlop

Frisbee wrote: »

This, his success rate for first touch passes, passes around the corner and blind passes must be crazy high.

it's actually crazy how good he is at them. When everyone becomes more in tune with his link up play he'll surely get more effective too. Sure look at the Poldi and Gibbs volleys he set up.


I do think we need a Suarez/ Jovetic type striker too though.

Mr Blobby

Watching the highlights last night. One thing i noticed was how awkward Gervinho is.

Yes I know he got a goal and 2 assists, but he looked extremely awkward getting them.

He first goal I thought he nearly lifted it over the bar.

The second goal came from a good finish from Cazorla. But Gervinho seemed to just run aimlessly at the defence before the pass. It was a good job Santi was near him.

and the third... I can understand why he waited for Giroud. But he didn't look confident to be in that position.

Oranage2

blobby360 wrote: »

Watching the highlights last night. One thing i noticed was how awkward Gervinho is.

Yes I know he got a goal and 2 assists, but he looked extremely awkward getting them.

He first goal I thought he nearly lifted it over the bar.

The second goal came from a good finish from Cazorla. But Gervinho seemed to just run aimlessly at the defence before the pass. It was a good job Santi was near him.

and the third... I can understand why he waited for Giroud. But he didn't look confident to be in that position.

From all the goals I've seen gerdonkeyho score, I wasn't convinced with any of the finishes. either blast and hope or nearly F up a tap in.

Fuzzy_Dunlop

tayto lover

Just looking at our panel and we are really down to the bare numbers -

http://www.arsenal.com/first-team/players

I really think we could struggle if we have many more injuries, let's hope we don't have. With Jack out until at least mid April and now Diaby gone we have the bare bones at midfield.

Looking at the last few games i think Gervinho may not be the lost cause i thought he was. Played very well against Bayern when he came on and possibly could have made it 2-0 on the night 5 minutes before we got the 2nd and since that night he has scored two in two and contributed with assists. If he could make contributions like this from now on then he could prove a useful squad player.
The Arsenal fans are an unforgiving bunch. Wiltord was every bit as frustrating to watch as Gervinho but because of the quality of team he played in, people didnt get on his back as much. I can never understand why people pay so much to attend a match and then boo their own players. If he got encouragement then perhaps it could make a bit of difference

AdamD

His touch has been far more assured in the last couple of games, at one point on Saturday he ran past 2/3 in the box with really good close control then hit it over with his left foot. We don't really have anybody else who can do that and I didn't really know he had it in him tbh. The rest of the season will be huge when it comes to deciding his future at the club. Reading were really really poor though so its difficult to take much from that game.

hsbc

He had a good ACON too so hopefully he can continue the decent form til the end of the season.

Would like to see Ox get a run of games.

gnfnrhead

The problem with Gervinho is when he's good, he's very, very good. But when he's bad, he's awful. He doesnt seem to have a middle ground like everyone else.

Alfred Borden

If Chelsea hold on here, their game against Tottenham is postponed and could go to a near end of season clash. This would really suit us.

batistuta9

Deleted User wrote: »

Looking at the last few games i think Gervinho may not be the lost cause i thought he was. Played very well against Bayern when he came on and possibly could have made it 2-0 on the night 5 minutes before we got the 2nd and since that night he has scored two in two and contributed with assists. If he could make contributions like this from now on then he could prove a useful squad player.
The Arsenal fans are an unforgiving bunch. Wiltord was every bit as frustrating to watch as Gervinho but because of the quality of team he played in, people didnt get on his back as much. I can never understand why people pay so much to attend a match and then boo their own players. If he got encouragement then perhaps it could make a bit of difference

Surely the cost of the tickets can be seen as one reason they're like that...
+ it's not like they're just having an off day, it's pretty standard now if Gervinho isn't playing that well

Harry Deerpark

Chelsea with tough game against Man City added to their already-packed schedule. It's looking very favourable for Arsenal to finish in the top 4.

gnfnrhead

gnfnrhead wrote: »

The problem with Gervinho is when he's good, he's very, very good. But when he's bad, he's awful. He doesnt seem to have a middle ground like everyone else.

His frame of mind is the crucial thing. He is a bit like a football equivalent of Tommy Tiernan's character in Father Ted :P

batistuta9

batistuta9 wrote: »

Surely the cost of the tickets can be seen as one reason they're like that...
+ it's not like they're just having an off day, it's pretty standard now if Gervinho isn't playing that well

I see your point but how do they think hissing and booing is going to solve it? While Gervinho can have his stinkers i think like Eboue his attitude as a pro cant be questioned imho.

12gauge dave

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I see your point but how do they think hissing and booing is going to solve it? While Gervinho can have his stinkers i think like Eboue his attitude as a pro cant be questioned imho.

Yes but its there job and the fans are entitled to a certain standard no fans no club at the end of the day are u allowed to underperfom at work week after week? Theyre not machines but they are too highly paid for any sympathy to be honest

batistuta9

Deleted User wrote: »

I see your point but how do they think hissing and booing is going to solve it? While Gervinho can have his stinkers i think like Eboue his attitude as a pro cant be questioned imho.

They're not trying to solve it, they're showing their displeasure, which i suppose they're entitled to do
& being honest I'd be doubtful if people clapping & singing their hearts out has any more of an effect on them than someone doing it in their sitting room would

obviously they hear it but does it effect them, so they play better or worse, they're aren't going to say anything different in interviews than "the fans were fantastic", etc. are they?

but I think they do it very quickly at the emirates, not on individual players but on the team

Gervais is a really confidence player apparently, read/heard that when the ACN was on, that all the older ones in the Ivory Coast squad try to encourage him a lot or whatever you want to call it

Fuzzy_Dunlop

12gauge dave wrote: »

Yes but its there job and the fans are entitled to a certain standard no fans no club at the end of the day are u allowed to underperfom at work week after week? Theyre not machines but they are too highly paid for any sympathy to be honest

Booing is going to help him improve how? Confidence is a very real thing in sports, not least for someone like Gervinho. And booing him isn't exactly going to help the situation. In fact you are being detrimental to the team you support when you do that the vast majority of the time.

Does there be a lot of booing? I mostly notice a few thousand people just making a sound of exasperation when a play ****s up. :pac: It's almost an involuntary reaction.

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

Does there be a lot of booing? I mostly notice a few thousand people just making a sound of exasperation when a play ****s up. :pac: It's almost an involuntary reaction.

Im no fan of Andros Santos but the booing he received at the Emirates when they played Liverpool a while back from some quarters was disgraceful carry on. Thats not supporting your team. When i was over the last time at the Emirates myself a few years back i have to say though that the supporters i was around were terrific and kept encouraging the team right to the end so its probably only a minority of morons that take the attitude that 'we pay money we expect goals galore and if not, we have the right to boo'

Richie Sadlier often talks about how drowning out the crowd is not as easy as people think and that the supporters role is vital.

There is a common misconception that if you are on thousands a week that you are immune from having the capacity to let things get you down and it would seem that nearly a year and a half after the untimely death of Gary Speed that people in general have learned nothing from the whole tragedy.

Alfred Borden

Cole out for at least two weeks for Chelsea. i think they could be the ones falling out of top 4. Would everyone here be happy if we came 4th but Spurs came 3rd?

Mr Blobby

Raf32 wrote: »

Cole out for at least two weeks for Chelsea. i think they could be the ones falling out of top 4. Would everyone here be happy if we came 4th but Spurs came 3rd?

Wouldn't be happy. But I'd take it.

Raf32

Raf32 wrote: »

Cole out for at least two weeks for Chelsea. i think they could be the ones falling out of top 4. Would everyone here be happy if we came 4th but Spurs came 3rd?

F*ck no.

Irish Aris

Raf32 wrote: »

Cole out for at least two weeks for Chelsea. i think they could be the ones falling out of top 4. Would everyone here be happy if we came 4th but Spurs came 3rd?

I think that if we keep a minimum of good form, we'll probably be above both of them.
I was just checking the remaining program, apart from playing each other, they have a couple of "tricky" games.
Tottenham playing Everton (home) the coming weekend, and in two weeks time it's Tottenham vs Man.City and Liverpool vs Chelsea.
I think it is extremely important to get at least 10 points (if possibly 12) in the next four games: West Brom away, Norwich and Everton home and Fulham away. That way we might be above both of them and we could use the good psychology, them chasing us instead of the other way around.
Bit, as fans said before in the thread, this looks like a race until the last game.

batistuta9

Yeah by the time Tottenham are due to play Man City & Chelsea-L'pool, Arsenal will have played 34 games and them 32 each

That period is going to decide it actually i think, if Arsenal can take 12/12 it'll be massive.

TBH Once we qualify for the Champions league it doesnt matter if we are 3rd or 4th or who were behind. The main objective is to secure qualification. Yes it would be great if we could come 3rd and see Spurs eliminated but so long as we qualify ourselves ill take any scenario. The future success of the club will be impacted by the loss of CL revenue.

Here's a poser. Would posters prefer to finish above Spurs yet out of the CL spots or behind them and qualify for the Champions league? Id take the latter any day of the week

Maire2009

Deleted User wrote: »

TBH Once we qualify for the Champions league it doesnt matter if we are 3rd or 4th or who were behind. The main objective is to secure qualification. Yes it would be great if we could come 3rd and see Spurs eliminated but so long as we qualify ourselves ill take any scenario. The future success of the club will be impacted by the loss of CL revenue.

Here's a poser. Would posters prefer to finish above Spurs yet out of the CL spots or behind them and qualify for the Champions league? Id take the latter any day of the week

The latter but I really want to have my cake and eat it, been a Gooner since 1994 and that 94-95 season was the only one I had to witness Arsenal finish behind Spurs in the League - I was only 9 so probably didn't understand it rightly but if that was me now I'd be in a right huff

TheGunns

Always prefer to finish in CL but given the choice of finishing anywhere, it'd always be above spurs and in the top 4

Frisbee

Couldn't give a fúck where Spurs finish tbh as long as we get Champions League.

AdamD

Spurs 31 55
Chelsea 30 53
Arsenal 30 51

I think I'm right in saying that top 4 isn't out of our hands. If we were to continue winning then we would overtake Spurs if they lost to Chelsea and vice versa, or both if they drew. Our game vs Everton is going to be very important.

Doesn't it matter finishin 3rd or 4th? Doesn't 4th have to qualify but 3rd is straight into group stages?

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

Doesn't it matter finishin 3rd or 4th? Doesn't 4th have to qualify but 3rd is straight into group stages?

Your right and it would be ideal to finish 3rd but ill take anything to be honest and i dont care who finishes above us although it might give Spurs more 'pulling' power in the transfer market if they were automatically in and we had to qualify. Chelsea have more pulling power then us anyhow with their silly owner and his silly money so unless FFP was to be strictly enforced then we wouldn't be able to compete with them no matter where they finished be it either above or below us.

ronjo

If United beat City next Monday its possible we could be 2nd before City play again.

Just putting it out there

Alfred Borden

ronjo wrote: »

If United beat City next Monday its possible we could be 2nd before City play again.

Just putting it out there

Wow, imagine :pac:

Fuzzy_Dunlop

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/apr/01/marco-reus-dortmund-interview

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Marco Reus claims Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere as the ultimate footballer.

Reus, speaking ahead of Dortmund's Champions League clash with Malaga, described Wilshere as "a perfect player", adding: "Boy, he's f***ing good... he's so quick and skillful with the ball at his feet."

Good to see he's appreciated outside England too.

[edit]Changed it to a better link [edit]

Marty McFly

Fuzzy_Dunlop wrote: »

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/apr/01/marco-reus-dortmund-interview



Good to see he's appreciated outside England too.

[edit]Changed it to a better link [edit]

In fairness ever since the Barca game when Wilshere played out of his skin outshining the much lauded Barca midfield, the rest of Europe stood up and took notice.

wandatowell

Cant stand Gervinho but id say if the crowd really supported him at home then he'd be a flyer. Seems nervous on the ball to me

12gauge dave

Whats the story with scezney is he actually injured or is he not playing for other reasons?

Pierce_1991

12gauge dave wrote: »

Whats the story with scezney is he actually injured or is he not playing for other reasons?

No sure he's been on the bench. He's been dropped.

Oranage2

12gauge dave wrote: »

Whats the story with scezney is he actually injured or is he not playing for other reasons?

Well he wasn't playing well, was dropped and fabanski hasn't put a foot wrong so syzcney isn't playing.

that's how it looks to me anyway

Pierce_1991

ronjo wrote: »

If United beat City next Monday its possible we could be 2nd before City play again.

Just putting it out there

We don't play city again till next season so definitely possible

12gauge dave

Oranage2 wrote: »

Well he wasn't playing well, was dropped and fabanski hasn't put a foot wrong so syzcney isn't playing.

that's how it looks to me anyway

Hes had his injuries this season but i dont think he should of ever been given arsenal no.1 so quickly anyway

gnfnrhead

Pierce_1991 wrote: »

We don't play city again till next season so definitely possible

Read it again