Arsenal Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2013/14

Alfred Borden

bad2dabone wrote: »

no Gringo, Mert that high up the pitch would be pure madness, especially with a side as pacey as villa.

A proper DM would have sorted saturday out.

Arteta would have taken care if it in my opinion.

Gringo180

bad2dabone wrote: »

no Gringo, Mert that high up the pitch would be pure madness, especially with a side as pacey as villa.

A proper DM would have sorted saturday out.

We still have never replaced Gilberto Silva. People say Song was good in the DMF position but he wasn't as it didn't come natural to him. Would love a player in the De Rossi mould just to sit on front of the back 4 and break play up.

stuchyg

Apparently guaita will be signed for 15 million, be surprised by this. Essentially makes Szcz back up

Hyzepher

Despite the lack of signings Arsenal are still blessed with some talented players - maybe not title winning but talented enough to place 5th at the least. We obviously all know that better players are needed in at least three positions. But apart from that there is another worrying trend.

With all the negative press etc we are becoming a team that no one fears. Everyone sees us as a possible upset and seem to up their game accordingly - something they don't seem to do with our immediate rivals.

imo this is going to cost us points this season - points that we are going to need.

our squad may not be mid-table quality but if every game we play is like a cup final for the opposition then it's going to be a very long season.

speedboatchase

stuchyg wrote: »

Apparently guaita will be signed for 15 million, be surprised by this. Essentially makes Szcz back up

Very high for a subkeeper.

Just. Sign. Begovic.

tayto lover

Hyzepher wrote: »

Despite the lack of signings Arsenal are still blessed with some talented players - maybe not title winning but talented enough to place 5th at the least. We obviously all know that better players are needed in at least three positions. But apart from that there is another worrying trend.

With all the negative press etc we are becoming a team that no one fears. Everyone sees us as a possible upset and seem to up their game accordingly - something they don't seem to do with our immediate rivals.

imo this is going to cost us points this season - points that we are going to need.

our squad may not be mid-table quality but if every game we play is like a cup final for the opposition then it's going to be a very long season.

That has always been the case.
Remember all the talk about a "soft under-belly" or "they don't like it up them" as teams went out to soften us up.
The best way to beat that is to get at them early and put the game out of their reach. No mercy.
I actually expected that to happen once we went one up last Sat at home but the players are beginning to suffer by the lack of signings now it seems. Even Giroud came out and said that we need another striker. They see it but those that matter seemingly don't. A good DM first.

Gringo180

Gringo180 wrote: »

Mert surely has to behind there forwards out of the picture??

Yeah there is defenders there but still you just cant be that loose in midfield to say 3 men were clustered and unmarked like that.

tayto lover

Cabaye seems to be heading to PSG.

Gringo180

tayto lover wrote: »

Cabaye seems to be heading to PSG.

Seems nobody wants to come to us.

speedboatchase

tayto lover wrote: »

Cabaye seems to be heading to PSG.

Unless we put up a fight over it. Similarly we could lose Kondogbia to Monaco and Utd will likely get Fellaini. Not sure who's left if we lose all three.

overpronator

speedboatchase wrote: »

Unless we put up a fight over it. Similarly we could lose Kondogbia to Monaco and Utd will likely get Fellaini. Not sure who's left if we lose all three.

Flamini. Always Flamini.

overpronator

overpronator wrote: »

Flamini. Always Flamini.

While obviously i would hope we land our targets, if all came to all i wouldn't mind Flamini on a short term deal. Didnt see much of him at Milan but he was always fairly decent for us and an excellent trier to boot. Granted that was a long time ago now.
We let him go for the sake of a few thousand which was shameful and same with Ashley Cole. Cole might be a little b0llocks but 55k was hardly a kings ransom now was it. In famililar style we dug our heels in at 50k.

Marty McFly

speedboatchase wrote: »

Very high for a subkeeper.

Just. Sign. Begovic.

So all summer long fans are moaning were cheap won't spend money etc yet when were linked with a keeper who is very highly rated, who by the way is not a sub keeper Valencia rotate keepers, a keeper who going by most comments I have read about him is a better keeper than Begovic

People give out and say sign Begovic the club just can't win. If he is the better keeper sign him up I don't care how much he costs.

Marty McFly

tayto lover wrote: »

Cabaye seems to be heading to PSG.

Source? Everything I have seen says PSG are interested but have yet to make a bid.

Looper007

tayto lover wrote: »

Over the years I have been following Arsenal we went from poor to excellent and had an odd average team that might have won the odd cup competition.

This present squad is very good and with a bit of foresight and a few 2/3 great additions could challenge for the title. But the powers that be either don't see that or are refusing to strengthen. This has been the case for the last number of years. We have great players in the main but with a few star additions we could have won more titles in my opinion.

We need more then 2/3 for me, about 4/5. I think we're lacking a second squad which all the top teams have. GK, CB, DM, LW and World class ST and all of them have to be of top quality. I blame Wenger for it, he had it this summer to make a statement of intent but total messed it up like he has the last few years. For me, 4th and wining nothing isn't good enough anymore. I think these last two weeks, will either make him or break him.

Looper007

Gringo180 wrote: »

The majority on here were preaching patience too when myself and a few others where losing the plot a few weeks back.

Many still are, I think we're in some serious trouble. 2/3 signings ain't enough in my eyes. I'm nervous and downbeat about the next week and a half. I just don't see Wenger going all out and spending money that he needs to spend. As Jamie Carragher said he comes in with a bid and will never go above it. He's stubbornness has been his downfall. He needs a marque signing and 4 top quality players really. Can't see it happening with Wenger.

Looper007

gosplan wrote: »

You mistake me. I'm not bigging up Giroud like crazy or anything. I'm just saying that in this thread people are talking like Soldado's a bargain at 26 million whereas Giroud is about right for Sunderland or Fulham.

He had a really good first season.

Still not good enough to be Arsenal's main striker. Sorry that might hurt you. He's nowhere near the player we need to spearhead the attack. Not pacey enough,not a striker that put the fear of god up any defence and someone who doesn't take enough of his chances. Good squad player and back up but we should be doing and aiming for better.

Something tells me that even if Giroud was the leagues top scorer some people still wouldn't be happy.

Just realised this kid probably wasn't even born when we completed our first double under Wenger in 1998 and was only about to turn 6 when the Invincibles had won the league

http://arsenalyouth.wordpress.com/2013/08/18/arsenal-sign-swedish-youngster-kristopher-da-graca/

farna_boy

Looper007 wrote: »

Still not good enough to be Arsenal's main striker. Sorry that might hurt you. He's nowhere near the player we need to spearhead the attack. Not pacey enough,not a striker that put the fear of god up any defence and someone who doesn't take enough of his chances. Good squad player and back up but we should be doing and aiming for better.

And how long are you going to give a new striker? According to you, even if we get a striker before the next league game, if he doesn't score 30+ he is not good enough and a failure.

If we are looking for a 30+ striker (or anywhere close), they will be coming from a different league, playing with a team they don't know. What would be a reasonable return for a striker, in these circumstances, for the year? Or would you give him a year? 6 months?

What about any other position? The danger of buying a new first team now is that we could have 3-5 players on the pitch, or one in every position, who does not know what the person next to them will do, never mind those in front or behind them. If we can get maybe one or two established Premier league players and even more good squad players to cover injuries etc of the rest of the team, it could be far more beneficial.

The thing is, there is a growing contingent that won't be happy who we sign until Wenger goes. I believe that would be a mistake now. A new manager won't be able to shape his team until the next transfer window opens. He will have had no off season time with the players to get to know them and I think it would in general just throw the team into turmoil.

If Wenger is going to be replaced, I don't think it should be anytime soon. Wenger has given us consistency, if not success. I think most would agree that there is a reasonable chance we could limp into fourth again this year with Wenger (with some squad signings at the very least). If we were to replace Wenger during the season, I very much doubt we would get fourth and could see us dropping even further down the table.

For now, like it or not, I think we need to get behind the team. Yes we should air our concerns and how worried we are, but we need to support the team every time they play and even leading up to every game. If December comes and we are drifting far away, and there are transfer funds actually available, maybe then we should look at replacing Wenger before the next transfer window opens (although I still think that could be a mistake), but until then our team clearly needs all the support they can get.

Looper007

Deleted User wrote: »

Something tells me that even if Giroud was the leagues top scorer some people still wouldn't be happy.

Here's it's not April fools yet is it :pac:.

Looper007

farna_boy wrote: »

And how long are you going to give a new striker? According to you, even if we get a striker before the next league game, if he doesn't score 30+ he is not good enough and a failure.

If we are looking for a 30+ striker (or anywhere close), they will be coming from a different league, playing with a team they don't know. What would be a reasonable return for a striker, in these circumstances, for the year? Or would you give him a year? 6 months?

What about any other position? The danger of buying a new first team now is that we could have 3-5 players on the pitch, or one in every position, who does not know what the person next to them will do, never mind those in front or behind them. If we can get maybe one or two established Premier league players and even more good squad players to cover injuries etc of the rest of the team, it could be far more beneficial.

The thing is, there is a growing contingent that won't be happy who we sign until Wenger goes. I believe that would be a mistake now. A new manager won't be able to shape his team until the next transfer window opens. He will have had no off season time with the players to get to know them and I think it would in general just throw the team into turmoil.

If Wenger is going to be replaced, I don't think it should be anytime soon. Wenger has given us consistency, if not success. I think most would agree that there is a reasonable chance we could limp into fourth again this year with Wenger (with some squad signings at the very least). If we were to replace Wenger during the season, I very much doubt we would get fourth and could see us dropping even further down the table.

For now, like it or not, I think we need to get behind the team. Yes we should air our concerns and how worried we are, but we need to support the team every time they play and even leading up to every game. If December comes and we are drifting far away, and there are transfer funds actually available, maybe then we should look at replacing Wenger before the next transfer window opens (although I still think that could be a mistake), but until then our team clearly needs all the support they can get.

When we are paying high prices we demand the best players and what we have now isn't worth the crazy prices we pay. I worry for that team anytime they go on the pitch cause you don't know what you going to get. WE understood that paying of the stadium debts meant we weren't able to spend and we supported the team. Now we have the money yet the manager won't spend and is looking at average talent to buy. You think we should sit back support a team,most of those players ain't good enough to put on a Arsenal shirt, and be happy with that. I'm sorry I think it's disgraceful that any fan is happy to sit back and accept what we got.

emergingstar

I love coming in here for a debate

But it's gone fair boring the last few days

Just the same people saying the same things

Going around and around in circles

danlen

tayto lover wrote: »

Cabaye seems to be heading to PSG.

This is probably Mike Ashleys plan all along, hence Newcastle releasing the details of the Arsenal bid themselves.


TBH I wouldn't go past £15m for him.

danlen

emergingstar wrote: »

I love coming in here for a debate

But it's gone fair boring the last few days

Just the same people saying the same things

Going around and around in circles

So true.

There is only so much "Wenger won't buy" stuff I can take. We all know the reality of the situation so let's get over it. What's the point in people saying "oh we won't be able to sign him anyway" or "Wenger will just offer peanuts for him and we'll lose out" or other similarly paraphrased comments?

What value do those comments offer?

If a potential transfer rumour comes in why can't we focus our debate around would he be a good fit for the team/who he replaces/why we should/shouldn't sign him/etc. Rather than use it as another excuse to re-hash the same old stuff about of transfer system.

Similarly, the Giroud talk. I think everyone in here is well aware that a couple of people don't rate him at all, others think he's doing a decent job and others think he could have a big season for us.

Regardless of what 'camp' you're in, right now the fact remains that he is our best option at CF, has had a very good pre-season, and scored in the opening league game.

I don't see the point in coming on and simply saying he's not good enough or won't score enough goals, unless of course you are directly comparing him to someone else who we may possibly sign or you want to discuss his performance in a previous game.

Pierce_1991

emergingstar wrote: »

I love coming in here for a debate

But it's gone fair boring the last few days

Just the same people saying the same things

Going around and around in circles

It's been like that in here for about three months

speedboatchase

Paolo Bandini says we have enquired about Lamela. If we are interested in him then let's go for it; I don't want us to lose out to Sp*rs.

gandalf

danlen wrote: »

This is probably Mike Ashleys plan all along

There is something very wrong with that statement LOL!

Marty McFly

speedboatchase wrote: »

Paolo Bandini says we have enquired about Lamela. If we are interested in him then let's go for it; I don't want us to lose out to Sp*rs.

Excuse my ignorance but who is Paolo Bandini? Does what he says carry much weight?

speedboatchase

Arseblog News says that a Spanish website, superdeporte.es, is reporting that Dick Law went to Valencia yesterday to negotiate the sale of Vicente Guaita but that our bid "did not even come close to the expectations' Valencia had.

Radio Cadena Ser, meanwhile, says that Guaita said goodbye to his team-mates yesterday. I'm not sure which report is more recent and thus, accurate.

Drexel

Think Ramsey and Wilshere will sort it out tonight and have a stormer!!

bad2dabone

Marty McFly wrote: »

Excuse my ignorance but who is Paolo Bandini? Does what he says carry much weight?

according to Wikipedia:

Pietro Paolo Baldini (1614?-1684?) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period. He was active in mid 17th century in Rome, emerging as a pupil and one of the most faithful followers of Pietro da Cortona's style. He was nicknamed il Cortona, and sometimes called Pietro Paolo Ubaldini.

dunno how much he'd know about Italian Football to be honest.

(he's an italian journo)

speedboatchase

Marty McFly wrote: »

Excuse my ignorance but who is Paolo Bandini? Does what he says carry much weight?

He's the main Italian football writer for The Guardian.

emergingstar

jonny666 wrote: »

Think Ramsey and Wilshere will sort it out tonight and have a stormer!!

Going forward yes

In defence in not sure

I still think there too early in there development to work together

Colonialboy

I think Wenger had a strong card to play in the transfer market but he didnt play it. Next summers World Cup in Brazil.

I reckon alot of fringe England squad players would have jumped ship if Arsene came knocking and made a half decent offer. Given playing for Arsenal would help their cause to get into the Eng squad, the likes of Rickie Lambert. This would apply to other nations also. Someone like Kevin Doyle trying to get back into the Irish squad.

Its the exact type of forward that we cant defend against (Holt, Benteke, Lambert) that the club actually needs.
Plus Merts, Kos and the rest of the defence might actually learn how to defend against that type of forward if they were training with a player in that mould.
No wonder Merts,Kos cant defend against them , they practice all week with Walcott pissing past them.

Drexel

emergingstar wrote: »

Going forward yes

In defence in not sure

I still think there too early in there development to work together

One of them needs to sacrifice their game and just sit in front of the defense for this match. It needs to be done. Fenerbahce will know exactly where our weakness lies and will surely try to exploit it. Ramsey would be my preferred option to do this. It will be a ****e match and we will prob look a bit toothless in attack but id rather a boring draw then an exciting defeat

speedboatchase

Colonialboy wrote: »

I think Wenger had a strong card to play in the transfer market but he didnt play it. Next summers World Cup in Brazil.

I reckon alot of fringe England squad players would have jumped ship if Arsene came knocking and made a half decent offer. Given playing for Arsenal would help their cause to get into the Eng squad, the likes of Rickie Lambert. This would apply to other nations also. Someone like Kevin Doyle trying to get back into the Irish squad.

Its the exact type of forward that we cant defend against (Holt, Benteke, Lambert) that the club actually needs.
Plus Merts, Kos and the rest of the defence might actually learn how to defend against that type of forward if they were training with a player in that mould.
No wonder Merts,Kos cant defend against them , they practice all week with Walcott pissing past them.

We're a CL regular with £180m in cash. Not sure if you're trolling (you recommended two Championship strikers in your post) but we can do a lot better than Doyle (13 goals in 80 games for Wolves the past two seasons) or Lambert, both of whom wouldn't start for Arsenal and thus wouldn't get the gametime we need. We messed up the Higuain and Suarez deals but we're don't need to lower our expectations that much!

The strong card that Wenger had in the transfer market that he hasn't played is the £180m in cash.

2ndcoming

Colonialboy wrote: »

I think Wenger had a strong card to play in the transfer market but he didnt play it. Next summers World Cup in Brazil.

I reckon alot of fringe England squad players would have jumped ship if Arsene came knocking and made a half decent offer. Given playing for Arsenal would help their cause to get into the Eng squad, the likes of Rickie Lambert. This would apply to other nations also. Someone like Kevin Doyle trying to get back into the Irish squad.

Its the exact type of forward that we cant defend against (Holt, Benteke, Lambert) that the club actually needs.
Plus Merts, Kos and the rest of the defence might actually learn how to defend against that type of forward if they were training with a player in that mould.
No wonder Merts,Kos cant defend against them , they practice all week with Walcott pissing past them.

Most of the England first team are sh1te, never mind fringe players. Doyle, as much as I like him, is a fringe player to an awful Ireland team who's playing in League One....

Why don't we bid 15m for Christopher Samba while we're at it.

jonneymendoza

EuropeanSon wrote: »

I'd imagine that most of them just aren't good enough for Wenger to think they are improvements.

Just because they've bought lots of players, doesn't mean they've now got a great team. Spending money on players doesn't make those players great. Not saying they aren't, just saying we should chill out a bit. Just because a player was transferred doesn't mean we should've bought them.

I read some fans suggesting we should've been in for the likes of Wanyama, for example, just because another club decided he was worth 10m+ to them. Wanyama would be nowhere near our team, and a completely worthless signing if we actually aim to compete.

Not saying we shouldn't sign players. I'm as pissed off by the shambles that this window has been as anyone. But we shouldn't just sign somebody mediocre just to make a signing.

Its got to a point where we do need to sign someone, anyone because its better then nothing.

we have no backups for your injured players.

The likes of Ashavin and schillachi are better then nothing.

Who are we going to play in defence this week?

You need balance in your team. You can just rely on 15 players and thats it. We are scraping the barral. we need players, any players, be it an ashavin mk2, we need someone.

Numbers are short

2ndcoming

By that logic I'm game to giving up my job for a year and signing a contract!

emergingstar

jonny666 wrote: »

One of them needs to sacrifice their game and just sit in front of the defense for this match. It needs to be done. Fenerbahce will know exactly where our weakness lies and will surely try to exploit it. Ramsey would be my preferred option to do this. It will be a ****e match and we will prob look a bit toothless in attack but id rather a boring draw then an exciting defeat

One of them have to do it and they will prob do it

I just don't trust either of them to do it efficiently yet

Awesomeness

Colonialboy wrote: »

I think Wenger had a strong card to play in the transfer market but he didnt play it. Next summers World Cup in Brazil.

I reckon alot of fringe England squad players would have jumped ship if Arsene came knocking and made a half decent offer. Given playing for Arsenal would help their cause to get into the Eng squad, the likes of Rickie Lambert. This would apply to other nations also. Someone like Kevin Doyle trying to get back into the Irish squad.

Its the exact type of forward that we cant defend against (Holt, Benteke, Lambert) that the club actually needs.
Plus Merts, Kos and the rest of the defence might actually learn how to defend against that type of forward if they were training with a player in that mould.
No wonder Merts,Kos cant defend against them , they practice all week with Walcott pissing past them.

Not fcuking Ricky Lambert again. We had this discussion about him last week along with Shelvey.

If your gonna throw out names can we at least have some new ones.

James beattie, Marcus stewart, Andy Johnson, Emile Heskey, Jay bothroyd

Some other England strikers we could have signed. Please tell me we are not that bad yet

danlen

Colonialboy wrote: »

I think Wenger had a strong card to play in the transfer market but he didnt play it. Next summers World Cup in Brazil.

I reckon alot of fringe England squad players would have jumped ship if Arsene came knocking and made a half decent offer. Given playing for Arsenal would help their cause to get into the Eng squad, the likes of Rickie Lambert. This would apply to other nations also. Someone like Kevin Doyle trying to get back into the Irish squad.

Its the exact type of forward that we cant defend against (Holt, Benteke, Lambert) that the club actually needs.
Plus Merts, Kos and the rest of the defence might actually learn how to defend against that type of forward if they were training with a player in that mould.
No wonder Merts,Kos cant defend against them , they practice all week with Walcott pissing past them.

Jesus Christ. I don't even know where to start.

Godge

speedboatchase wrote: »

Paolo Bandini says we have enquired about Lamela. If we are interested in him then let's go for it; I don't want us to lose out to Sp*rs.

I was happy to lose out to Spurs when they signed Keane, Defoe, Adebayor, Bentley, Parker, Dempsey etc.

What is so special about Lamela?

speedboatchase

Godge wrote: »

I was happy to lose out to Spurs when they signed Keane, Defoe, Adebayor, Bentley, Parker, Dempsey etc.

What is so special about Lamela?

Well we could use him as a second striker or play him out on the left. I haven't seen a huge amount from him bar the odd Roma goal but his stats are impressive: 15 goals last season from a non-striker role, an increase from 6 in his debut season, and he's an Argentine international at just 21. Huge upside and maybe a different solution to our lack of options up front.

astonaidan

Awesomeness wrote: »

Not fcuking Ricky Lambert again. We had this discussion about him last week along with Shelvey.

If your gonna throw out names can we at least have some new ones.

James beattie, Marcus stewart, Andy Johnson, Emile Heskey, Jay bothroyd

Some other England strikers we could have signed. Please tell me we are not that bad yet

And Jay Bothroyd would count as home grown for ye aswell, Make it happen

Mickeroo

emergingstar wrote: »

I love coming in here for a debate

But it's gone fair boring the last few days

Just the same people saying the same things

Going around and around in circles

It's almost like they're enjoying the downer after the weekend, revelling in it even.

speedboatchase wrote: »

Arseblog News says that a Spanish website, superdeporte.es, is reporting that Dick Law went to Valencia yesterday to negotiate the sale of Vicente Guaita but that our bid "did not even come close to the expectations' Valencia had.

Radio Cadena Ser, meanwhile, says that Guaita said goodbye to his team-mates yesterday. I'm not sure which report is more recent and thus, accurate.

Someone posted a story from a spanish site lastnight on reddit, the google translation was terrible but it seemed to say Valencia said he has a release clause of 30m and if we want him that's waht we have to pay. It could very well be bollox since I've not seen anything about it anywhere else, but if it is true then they should just go for Begovic. Hell Casillas would cost less than that.

the untitled user

Mickeroo wrote: »

Someone posted a story from a spanish site lastnight on reddit, the google translation was terrible but it seemed to say Valencia said he has a release clause of 30m and if we want him that's waht we have to pay. It could very well be bollox since I've not seen anything about it anywhere else, but if it is true then they should just go for Begovic. Hell Casillas would cost less than that.

Goal had a translation of that. Release clause €30m, Valencia believed to be willing to accept in the region of €20m for him.

I don't really believe the reports about Dick Law going over just to have the bid rejected outright... Valencia would have been sounded out already and he usually doesn't travel anyway unless there's scope for negotiations.

bad2dabone

colonial boy cannot be for real

Gringo180

Colonialboy wrote: »

This would apply to other nations also. Someone like Kevin Doyle trying to get back into the Irish squad.

.