Arsenal Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2013/14

greendom

wonga77 wrote: »

I dunno about Flamini, I liked him as a player but he sold out and doesnt deserve another chance at the club in my eyes. Plus if he was any good AC would have offered him a short term contract at the least

It's a position we are criminally short in though. Until that changes he can do a job for us I would have thought.

bad2dabone

hate to say it but I agree Gringo.

they should ignore the Europa thgouh

cathalio11

Gringo180 wrote: »

Never mind 4th there is no reason why they cant mount a serious title challenge with that squad of players especially if they keep Bale.

Well, it's the same 5th place squad of last season and then you trim the mid-table players who are now gone and replace them with 4 unproven Premier League players so I don't think it is as definitive as you say.

That being said, "Unproven Premier League Players" is a broad and overused term and I think it's very obvious that Soldado will be quite good and the others won't be too bad; but I wouldn't make them title contenders based on their signings.

cathalio11

bad2dabone wrote: »

hate to say it but I agree Gringo.

they should ignore the Europa thgouh

Completely true. The Europa League can only take several league points off them to no reward.

Gringo180

greendom wrote: »

It's a position we are criminally short in though. Until that changes he can do a job for us I would have thought.

Agree Flamini can do a job for us, can plug holes if there is any injuries to our central midfield players only worry thing is he has really had a whole host of injuries himself the past few years. He's not the signing we want but would be good to get to add some depth to a severely light squad.

cathalio11

Bale out of clash against Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Think Spurs will forfeit to avoid fatigue before their Europa League play-off?

emergingstar

Can we keep the spuds talk to a minimal please I hate the way posters big them up

In other news you might catch me on match Of the day Saturday night, I'm bringing me boots outside chance I make the bench

Gringo180

cathalio11 wrote: »

Well, it's the same 5th place squad of last season and then you trim the mid-table players who are now gone and replace them with 4 unproven Premier League players so I don't think it is as definitive as you say.

That being said, "Unproven Premier League Players" is a broad and overused term and I think it's very obvious that Soldado will be quite good and the others won't be too bad; but I wouldn't make them title contenders based on their signings.

We done it in the early days of Wenger with unproven premier league players and looking at the signings they have made most are international players coming with a big reputation. I have said it before Spurs now remind me of us in the early days of Wenger, some very shrewd business been made by them and have a very capable manager in AVB who is hell bent on proving his critics wrong in England. Don't write them off just because there Spurs, they have a better chance of success with there squad than we do with ours, sadly.

wandatowell

wonga77 wrote: »

I dunno about Flamini, I liked him as a player but he sold out and doesnt deserve another chance at the club in my eyes. Plus if he was any good AC would have offered him a short term contract at the least

He sold out? He signed a four year contract and fulfilled the four years. (Helping getting us to the Champions League final while playing at left back) The last season of which he played fantastically well and that being the season after we tried to off load him during the summer to Birmingham.

Also due to the fact (though I may be incorrect) that his father is from Milan the AC offer was too good to turn down.


He owes us nothing imo and if he still has the energy and game that he had in his last season with us Id have him back in no time.

GeorgeBailey

wonga77 wrote: »

I dunno about Flamini, I liked him as a player but he sold out and doesnt deserve another chance at the club in my eyes. Plus if he was any good AC would have offered him a short term contract at the least

Milan offered him a short-term contract which he turned down.

Mentioned here:
http://news.arseblog.com/2013/08/flamini-training-at-arsenal/

I personally would definitely take him as a squad player, especially given how paper-thin the squad is. Still need a world-class midfielder as well.

TheGunns

GeorgeBailey wrote: »

Milan offered him a short-term contract which he turned down.

Mentioned here:
http://news.arseblog.com/2013/08/flamini-training-at-arsenal/

I personally would definitely take him as a squad player, especially given how paper-thin the squad is. Still need a world-class midfielder as well.

Sounds like he didn't want to stay in Italy though, might be more willing to sign for a year or two at Arsenal

emergingstar

Flamini no thanks think his career is on a downward spiral

We need a pretty decent midfielder signed not just a squad filler

GeorgeBailey

emergingstar wrote: »

Flamini no thanks think his career is on a downward spiral

We need a pretty decent midfielder signed not just a squad filler

But surely we need some squad fillers as well for the inevitable injury pile-up round christmas... obviously only if he's up to the job.

And we don't need a pretty decent midfielder either. We need world-class.

emergingstar

Arteta a doubt
Cazorla ****ed from travelling
Walcott carrying a knock should be ok
Ramsey carrying a knock should be ok
Sagna very doubtful

I'm gonna get a game
I'm gonna get a game

emergingstar

GeorgeBailey wrote: »

But surely we need some squad fillers as well for the inevitable injury pile-up round christmas... obviously only if he's up to the job.

And we don't need a pretty decent midfielder either. We need world-class.

I would be hoping whoever we sign would be a step up from him even of there squad fillers

Gringo180

emergingstar wrote: »

Arteta a doubt
Cazorla ****ed from travelling
Walcott carrying a knock should be ok
Ramsey carrying a knock should be ok
Sagna very doubtful

I'm gonna get a game
I'm gonna get a game

Just imagine they all missed the game it would leave us with a midfield of Gnabry, Ox, Frimpong, Eisfield, Ryo :eek::eek:

Although that's a worse case scenario which is very unlikely to happen.

emergingstar

Team for Saturday

Secz
Jenks, kos, mert, Gibbs,
Ramsey, Wilshere
Walcott, rosicky, Pod,
Giroud

Zelalem, and bellerin will make the bench I reckon

I think Ramsey and Wilshere midfield will leave us vulnerable at the back

They don't have that understanding yet

Gringo180

Is Rosicky fit?

2ndcoming

(Numpty post replying to something that when I refreshed realised had already been replied to about ten times.)

wandatowell

Arsene on injuries.

on Cazorla’s international in Ecuador…
He played almost a full game. He only lands in London tonight [Thursday] so we’ll see how he is tomorrow.

on Mikel Arteta…
Mikel has a slight thigh problem. We have to check that. I don’t know if he will be out for the weekend. He has a scan today.

on Nacho Monreal (back)…
He should join up with the squad for full training in 10 days. He is out for the weekend of course.

on Thomas Vermaelen (back)…
It is a while longer for him. It is difficult to put a timescale on it but it will be a bit longer. He is progressing OK.

on Abou Diaby (knee)…
It is longer still for him but again the timescale is difficult. He is a few months in and it was expected to be nine months.

on Ryo (rib)…
He is close and he should be back with the training group next week.

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/team-news-who-is-fit-to-face-villa-

I reckon we'll never see Diaby again.

Mickeroo

cathalio11 wrote: »

Well, it's the same 5th place squad of last season and then you trim the mid-table players who are now gone and replace them with 4 unproven Premier League players so I don't think it is as definitive as you say.

That being said, "Unproven Premier League Players" is a broad and overused term and I think it's very obvious that Soldado will be quite good and the others won't be too bad; but I wouldn't make them title contenders based on their signings.

Most of us seem to think we're 3 or 4 good signings away from a title push, why is it different for spurs? There's really not a lot between our squads apart from them strengthening and having more depth. If they lose Bale of course(which they probably will) I wouldn't see them improving on 5th by much but at the moment they look like they'll be a force this year.

That's enough about that though, pretty worried about the injuries for this weekend. Squad looking very thin indeed. When did Arteta pick up a knock? At least Theo seemed to think he'll be fit.

cathalio11

The very good thing is that the Arsenal players will be match ready and have played in some tense matches coming up to the opening day.

While with Villa, players like Lowton, Delph, Bannan, Baker etc. really will be playing the first proper game in a while.

overpronator

cathalio11

Mickeroo wrote: »

Most of us seem to think we're 3 or 4 good signings away from a title push, why is it different for spurs? There's really not a lot between our squads apart from them strengthening and having more depth. If they lose Bale of course(which they probably will) I wouldn't see them improving on 5th by much but at the moment they look like they'll be a force this year.

I understand what you're saying but I just feel that the 3 or 4 signings that Spurs brought in are all 3rd-10th place signings. I don't think any of them have proved their worth in winning big European leagues; maybe with the slight exception of Soldado.

I don't think they will definitely be title contenders but I am more than open to be proven wrong. I think they will be more like the season where Bale, Van Der Vaart and Defoe were firing on all cylinders.

keano_afc

Wenger wrote:

on Cazorla’s international in Ecuador…
He played almost a full game. He only lands in London tonight [Thursday] so we’ll see how he is tomorrow.

on Mikel Arteta…
Mikel has a slight thigh problem. We have to check that. I don’t know if he will be out for the weekend. He has a scan today.

on Nacho Monreal (back)…
He should join up with the squad for full training in 10 days. He is out for the weekend of course.

on Thomas Vermaelen (back)…
It is a while longer for him. It is difficult to put a timescale on it but it will be a bit longer. He is progressing OK.

on Abou Diaby (knee)…
It is longer still for him but again the timescale is difficult. He is a few months in and it was expected to be nine months.

on Ryo (rib)…
He is close and he should be back with the training group next week.

This is worrying. Reading through the lines, I dont think we'll see him for a few months.

cathalio11

Well Diaby will easily be out until the New Year. He tore his ACL, I believe, in around March (?) so that should leave him out until December or January.

bad2dabone

Any new signings yet?

JPA

cathalio11 wrote: »

The very good thing is that the Arsenal players will be match ready and have played in some tense matches coming up to the opening day.

While with Villa, players like Lowton, Delph, Bannan, Baker etc. really will be playing the first proper game in a while.

They've been playing friendlies same as Arsenal?

MaxPower89

I have been trying to give the benefit of doubt and judge at the end of the window, but now a few injuries and we could be struggling to field a team and in a worst case senario could have only 13 genuine first teamers available. To call a spade a spade, this is just farsical.

A draw at the weekend and cue a chorus of boos.

The club really don't help themselves sometimes.

dvemail

bad2dabone wrote: »

Any new signings yet?

Not Gustavo anyways. Wolfsburg have called a press conference at their stadium.
Seems we couldn't agree on fee with Bayern nor wages with player. Wanted over 100k a week. Getting close to 120k off Wolfsburg.

keano_afc

Question for the "wait until the end of the window" brigade, are you still of the opinion that its better to wait when it looks like we'll be barely be able to field a team on Saturday?

cathalio11

JPA wrote: »

They've been playing friendlies same as Arsenal?

Yes, though players like Wilshere and Walcott have that big international under their belt; and that game against City was a bit more than your average friendly in terms of intensity.

bad2dabone

I'm getting Jittery about Villa on saturday now. No disrespect to Villa who i'll always have a soft spot for, but..I really shouldn't be worried about them.

I'm worried about Benteke on 2 fronts:
1) goals
2) bashing our only 2 centre backs.

Soups123

keano_afc wrote: »

Question for the "wait until the end of the window" brigade, are you still of the opinion that its better to wait when it looks like we'll be barely be able to field a team on Saturday?

Yes if it means we get 1/2/3 top bracket players rather than a few from bracket 2/3. If we don't sign big I give up, but I do believe we'll get something decent

danlen

keano_afc wrote: »

Question for the "wait until the end of the window" brigade, are you still of the opinion that its better to wait when it looks like we'll be barely be able to field a team on Saturday?

At WORST what we might be looking at is...

Szes
Jenkinson Kos Mert Gibbs

Wilshere Ramsey
Rosicky

Walcott Chambo/Pod
Giroud

**** me, if that's not good enough to take care of Villa then there is something seriously wrong.

Also consider that Arteta, Sagna, Cazorla, may be able to play.

AdamD

Gringo180 wrote: »

If things couldnt get any worse, alot of media outlets are reporting Spurs bidding 30 million for young Argentine Eric Lamela. They seem to have got rid of all there deadwood if you could even call it that (parker,huddleston,caulker,livermore,defoe??) but unlike us have actually gone out and strengthened quite considerably.

If they spend 30m on Lamela it means Bale's gone.

JPA wrote: »

They've been playing friendlies same as Arsenal?

TBF Arsenal have played Napoli, Galatasaray and City. Most have also had the mid week international game but that's more of a hindrance imo.


Some amount of ****e to read in here this morning, at least we aren't signing Voldemort.

cathalio11

Have to agree with Danlen. We have a team perfectly capable for the weekend. And if that is the case above, we would easily have Arteta and Santi back for Fenerbahce.

gosplan

keano_afc wrote: »

Question for the "wait until the end of the window" brigade, are you still of the opinion that its better to wait when it looks like we'll be barely be able to field a team on Saturday?

With due respect. That's not a question, you're just trying to have a go at people I can only assune you consider to be 'opposing Arsenal fans'.

All that said, to answer your extremely petty and divisive question, I can't recall anyone saying that it was 'better to wait', just that going on history it was likely we would have to.

emergingstar

keano_afc wrote: »

Question for the "wait until the end of the window" brigade, are you still of the opinion that its better to wait when it looks like we'll be barely be able to field a team on Saturday?

Yep If we get the right players

bad2dabone

but we don't seem to be in for anyone, and when we are we're unable to close the deal.

i don't understand how we could be left with 2 CB's with 48hrs till the season starts.

it's a poor show.

gosplan

bad2dabone wrote: »

but we don't seem to be in for anyone, and when we are we're unable to close the deal.

i don't understand how we could be left with 2 CB's with 48hrs till the season starts.

it's a poor show.

That it is.

greendom

It's verging on professional negligence. So much money available to buy and a singular inability to do so.

I've been patiently waiting for signings and this is getting ridiculous.

keano_afc

gosplan wrote: »

With due respect. That's not a question, you're just trying to have a go at people I can only assune you consider to be 'opposing Arsenal fans'.

All that said, to answer your extremely petty and divisive question, I can't recall anyone saying that it was 'better to wait', just that going on history it was likely we would have to.

I wasnt having a go at anyone. I just think its folly to keep propigating the end of the window for transfers when the season starts in 2 days. it makes no sense. Some posters in here have said wait until the end of the window to judge. Why? We've had 2 and a half months to strengthen the side. The sutuation is beyond farcical. The transfer market has moved forward but the club are standing still. The value they are looking for just doesnt exist anymore.

As for going by history, this is the first summer Wenger has not spent before the start of the season. Something is wrong here, and I dont think there's anything wrong with trying to highlight that.

wonga77

Re Diaby, is there any point counting him as a player. if he does make it back then he will off injured soon enough. He's an excellent player on his day but his body is not able for football

Paleface

I haven't posted in this thread for a very long time but I'm a constant reader.

Like everyone else I'm just completely baffled by the clubs lack of transfer activity apart from getting rid of the dead wood. This needed to happen and really gave a positive signal in lieu of Gazidis saying that the club now had money to spend.

However the squad is now wafer thin and completely in adequate to compete on multiple fronts for the coming months. I even go as far as to say we must have the fewest amount of first team squad members of any club in the Premier League as things stand! Correct me if I'm wrong on this.

I realise the club are trying to add to the squad judging by the names of that have been linked (Suarez, Gustavo etc.) but so far none of them have materialised and probably won't.

Its impossible to know the real reasons for this. I do not believe anything I read on twitter as its both the greatest and worst tool for conveying information known to man. The most reputable sources seems to get things wrong just as much as they get things right. You just can't tell whats truth or fiction unless the club themselves are the ones saying it.

The club must strengthen before this window is out and I'm completely confident they will. But I'm resigned to the fact that it will be squad players brought in and probably only one who will go straight into the first team.

If you look at the squad I think Wenger has his first choice in mind for each position already apart from a striker. Hence the pursuit of Suarez.

But injuries are already ruling these players out and its a glaring sign of things to come.

Wenger has to buy.

wandatowell

A couple of more quid for the transfer kitty


http://www.sportspromedia.com/news/one_out_one_in_for_arsenal_as_multi_million_pound_deal_confirmed/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SportsProDailyDeal+%28SportsPro+Media+-+Latest+News%29&utm_medium=feed




New Asian betting partner

dvemail

About as positive as it gets i suppose.

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/wenger-we-ll-be-active-before-deadline

gosplan

keano_afc wrote: »

I wasnt having a go at anyone. I just think its folly to keep propigating the end of the window for transfers when the season starts in 2 days. it makes no sense. Some posters in here have said wait until the end of the window to judge. Why? We've had 2 and a half months to strengthen the side. The sutuation is beyond farcical. The transfer market has moved forward but the club are standing still. The value they are looking for just doesnt exist anymore.

As for going by history, this is the first summer Wenger has not spent before the start of the season. Something is wrong here, and I dont think there's anything wrong with trying to highlight that.

I'll do my best to answer your question by stating my opinions as one of the more optimistic posters here.

I've said wait till the end if the window many times.

This isn't necessarily about running the rule over Wenger's competence though. It's just that people in here are transfer starved and have been freaking out for months now.

My point has always been 'look, freak out when it's all over and we've signed no-one'

That doesn't really align itself with 'Wenger's doing an awesome job', it's just there's no point in spending summer on boards going batsh1t mental.

For me, Wenger's big time playing with fire. I'm sure he feels he can justify everything but to the average fan who knows nothing of his transfer plans, it's been a nightmare summer.

To cone out of this with any credit we'd need to drop zero points in the first few games, qualify for the CL handily enough and then sign Suarez, a competent DMF/CMF and a backup CB.

There hasn't been a failure yet but he's seriously playing with fire and backing himself into a corner in terms of his relationship with the fans, and I'm sure st this stage the rest of the board.

If we drop points, fail to get into the CL or fail to land who must surely be our last couple of targets, he's in big trouble.

All that said, my advice to wait till the end of the window is simply that it won't be resolved until then so it's not really worth the endless hours of negativity.

But on the glass is half full note ...

If we won our first few simple enough games and injuries don't cost us, and then sign well, I'd guarantee that most of this thread would go back to saying 'he's our stubborn intransigent old codger'

Santi101

The sooner Wenger goes the better, protect some of his legacy.

Disaster of a window. All huffing and puffing in May when we got Top 4, 2 days before the first game of the season and we've done nothing.

Santi101

Wait until June, players are on holiday.
Wait until July, when the window opens(despite numerous clubs buying before that).
Wait until the Emirates Cup
Wait until the CL qualifier.
Wait until deadline day.
We keep our powder dry for January.
Judge at the end of the season.

Always some bloody excuse with us. Spurs must be laughing at our failure to strengthen. We've given them a window to get at us again.