Arsenal Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2013/14 mod warning post #5144

Looper007

MonsterCookie wrote: »

Of course I want that double, but my point is that as a minimum I'd be happy with the cup.

Realistically I don't believe we are good enough to win the league.

Fair enough but I think it's still there for us cause No one is unbeatable in the league.

Godge

bad2dabone wrote: »

I think Flamini has been great. Great to have him back he's a fighter. I was a doubter before he signed but I think he's a great bloke now.
I think fabi, verm, and maybe poldi will be off all looking for regular first team football. I'll be sad to lose them.

We need to lose a few. Assuming those out of contract (Sagna, Fab, Bendtner) or loaned in (Viviano, Kallstrom) are not retained, we will still be starting with a squad of 27, 2 more than allowed when the loanees return (Campbell, Park, Djourou, Coquelin, Galindo) and the youngsters graduate (Wilshere, Jenkinson, Martinez, Miyaichi, Miquel, Jenkinson, Boateng all move to the over-21 category).

At least 6 of them will be let go I reckon, possibly more, but that gives as least 4 places for signings. For the first time ever, we could have 8 locally qualified players (Ramsey, Gibbs, Szczesny, Walcott, Jenkinson, Martinez, Miyaichi and Wilshere) meaning all four potential signings could be from overseas.

As well as the 25, those under-21 likely to see action next year are the OX, Zelalem and Gnabry. It would be great if someone like Bellerin, Eisfeld, Aneke or Olsson would step up to bring the numbers up to 30.

Looper007

bad2dabone wrote: »

Same here, but with some key additions we're not far off. Problem is Chelsea will invest in a new striker this summer.

As long as we buy a world class striker then we be just as good . Our midfield and defence is every bit as good as Chelsea's.

tayto lover

bad2dabone wrote: »

Same here, but with some key additions we're not far off. Problem is Chelsea will invest in a new striker this summer.

I actually thought we were miles off last night.
Apart from our lack of attacking options we just couldn't string three passes together in midfield last night especially in the first half when it was one-way traffic.
Bayern won in second gear.
I am not too interested in Europe anyway when I know we are not strong enough to win it with our existing squad and our injury woes.
Maybe if Ramsey and Walcott were present we might challenge but every club has injury problems from time to time. Our squad needs strengthening if we are to challenge for European trophies.

I prefer to do well in the EPL and try to win it.

Looper007

tayto lover wrote: »

I actually thought we were miles off last night.
Apart from our lack of attacking options we just couldn't string three passes together in midfield last night especially in the first half when it was one-way traffic.
Bayern won in second gear.
I am not too interested in Europe anyway when I know we are not strong enough to win it with our existing squad and our injury woes.
Maybe if Ramsey and Walcott were present we might challenge but every club has injury problems from time to time. Our squad needs strengthening if we are to challenge for European trophies.

I prefer to do well in the EPL and try to win it.

B.S on Bayern been in second gear.

tayto lover

Looper007 wrote: »

B.S on Bayern been in second gear.

That's my opinion on what I saw. We only started to threaten when we went 3 down on aggregate.

dvemail

In fairness Bayern had keep ball last night and that's what they did. They spent most of the match passing it around the halfway line.

tayto lover

dvemail wrote: »

In fairness Bayern had keep ball last night and that's what they did. They spent most of the match passing it around the halfway line.

Yes. The stats of the game show how comfortable they were.

astonaidan

tayto lover wrote: »

I think we got revenge at your place

That was all part off our letting ye win the title plan so ye dont steal Benteke on us

omega man

Looper007 wrote: »

No I want to win the league/cup double . I won't settle for anything less and any fan shouldn't settle for just that. I be disappointed seen as it's still open to win both.

Oh you had to go and say that word :pac:

could you even imagine it, Christ I'm thinking about it now........damn you and your glass half full!

gosplan

We're a semi final and final away and a couple of good league matches away from this being a very good season IMO.

We don't need to win the league, just finish close. That added to an FA cup and a decent showing in the CL would represent a great season for us IMO.

Then get Walcott back and spend 50 million in the off season and see where we are next year.

The progress has been great.

ronjo

I saw plenty of pages had been added since I logged in earlier. I thought something interesting had happened.

Alas, I was wrong.

Personally I would be very happy with FA Cup and 3rd place at this stage but anything worse than 4th and the Cup would be disaster.

wandatowell

BloodBath wrote: »

In fairness Arsene is a fantastic manager. It's Arsenals lack of spending and low salary cap that stops them being a top top team. You could have built several fantastic teams over the years with more spending.

I salute you Captain Obvious. Yes we could have built several fantastic teams over the years with more spending but we ain't Chelsea or City. We don't spend money the club doesn't have. There isn't some magical bottomless pot of cash that we can dip into when ever we fancy signing a €30m bench warmer.

Colonialboy

I was dissapointed with last nights performance. We sat too deep and didnt pressure them . We should have been pressing them in the middle and not dropping back onto the 18yard line. Wenger should have made changes earlier. Arteta on a yellow there was no point keeping him on but he wasnt subbed till the 77th. I wish Wenger wouldnt spend those important matches hiding in the dugout, wish he would stand in the technical area .
Some of the Bayern players were in second gear, which was all the more reason to press them early, they thought the match was won before it begun and if you start a game in that mentality and suddenly find your self in a battle you cant suddenly move into first gear.
it was a night for more long balls and turn their defense around. Cant believe Fabianski wasted so much of his clearances.
It was a game we could really have done with Kallstrom in. :P

keano_afc

Can't wait to see the papers tomorrow go to town on City and their glorious failure.

extra gravy

keano_afc wrote: »

Can't wait to see the papers tomorrow go to town on City and their glorious failure.

And I'm sure they'll call Aguero a flop after going off injured at half time after completing just one pass.

Marty McFly

keano_afc wrote: »

Can't wait to see the papers tomorrow go to town on City and their glorious failure.

In fairness seen an article the weekend written by Lawrenson on Pellegrini and my god it was hard reading somehow he managed to work Mourinho into every sentence he was only short of declaring he had a horn as he wrote for Mourinho while simultaneously slating Pellegrini.

bad2dabone

keano_afc wrote: »

Can't wait to see the papers tomorrow go to town on City and their glorious failure.

i don't think that'll happen somehow. I saw arsenal described as the "sorry gunners" today.

Sorry??? f*ck you journo!

bad2dabone

Brave City, 1bn spend, 7 CL game wins in 3 years.

It's only a matter of time though before they win it. Time, and money. lots and lots more money.

bad2dabone

bad2dabone wrote: »

i don't think that'll happen somehow. I saw arsenal described as the "sorry gunners" today.

Sorry??? f*ck you journo!

Robbie Savage said Arsenal would be out of two cups in a matter of days while the league is slipping away from them. Wonder will he say the same about City now it actually happened them the fúckin hypocrite? I wont hold my breath

greendom

Ramsey unlikely to be ready for Spurs but we may get to see Kallstrom....

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/mar/12/arsenal-aaron-ramsey-fit-tottenham?CMP=twt_gu

AdamD

BloodBath wrote: »

You have 0 chance of beating City.

This annoys me. City are behind in the league, out of the FA cup and out of the Champions league. Yet they are still referred to as footballing gods in the media.
I'm far far more worried about Chelsea than City in terms of the league title. Its March not November, City have proven themselves to be thoroughly inconsistent.

gosplan

greendom wrote: »

Ramsey unlikely to be ready for Spurs but we may get to see Kallstrom....

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/mar/12/arsenal-aaron-ramsey-fit-tottenham?CMP=twt_gu

So Cazorla middle, Podski left and Ox right??

Flamster and Arteta behind them?

Rosicky available to come on and change it up if needed?

Was worried about rest but realised that Spurs play tomorrow night so that's an advantage.

ronjo

gosplan wrote: »

So Cazorla middle, Podski left and Ox right??

Flamster and Arteta behind them?

Rosicky available to come on and change it up if needed?

Was worried about rest but realised that Spurs play tomorrow night so that's an advantage.

Other option is Ox in middle and Rosicky on right leaving Arteta on Bench.

Options of the bench would be Gnabry or Sanogo if chasing the game.
Arteta or Kallstrom if hanging on.

keano_afc

Ox has to play after that display in Munich. He's in super form.

.jacksparrow.

Same journalist described city valiant in defeat bit slated arsenal.

Check out his tweets about city and us.

keano_afc

.jacksparrow. wrote: »

Same journalist described city valiant in defeat bit slated arsenal.

Check out his tweets about city and us.

Not in the least bit surprising to be honest. The media hate us and always will.

GeorgeBailey

keano_afc wrote: »

Not in the least bit surprising to be honest. The media hate us and always will.

Winding fans up is what gets website clicks. So that's what they do. Ignore them and they'll mostly go away.

bad2dabone

This article from the once respected Guardian newspaper wound me up no end:

Almost Football Club were at it again last night. After giving themselves far too much to do after a typically disastrous first leg, AFC went into the second leg of their Big Cup tie at Bayern Munich with virtually no hope at all of going through and promptly went and treated us to something that vaguely resembled a performance. Indeed, they successfully managed not to make a spectacular show of themselves against a team that was going through the motions, feeling so sorry for their opponents that they contrived to miss not one but two penalties over the course of the tie – not that either spot-kick blunder made a remote difference to the final outcome. So hurrah for AFC! What a team! Our brave boys have done it again! You can always rely on Almost to turn up when the pressure's off and everyone's thinking about watching something else, if only the remote wasn't so far away.
Everyone also got very excited whenever Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain did some expert running up blind alleys, although at least he showed more gumption and quality than the rest of Almost's ponderous attackers. But it wasn't enough, going out at this stage of the competition for the fourth successive year. Mesut Özil is also out, knacked for a few weeks with acute umlaut-strain. But luckily, Arsène Wenger is not out of excuses just yet, the Almost manager deciding to focus on Arjen Robben's jelly-legs in an attempt to shift the blame. Clever Arsène! Clever Professeur!
"Robben is very good at getting the maximum of nothing," whinged the Specialist One. "He's a great player as well as a very good diver but it's part of him." Thing is, it wasn't Robben's fault that Almost didn't win their group – again. It wasn't his fault that they didn't sign Gonzalo Higuaín or Julian Draxler or that they replaced Robin van Persie with Olivier Giroud or that Özil is knackered and was allowed to take that penalty in the first leg or that planned substitute Ryo Miyaichi wasn't eligible to play against Bayern or that Almost only had six players on a bench which contained no striker. No, that was someone else's fault. Nice try, Arsène, you almost hit the target.

CatInABox

bad2dabone wrote: »

This article from the once respected Guardian newspaper wound me up no end:

Yeah, I saw that article, but in fairness to the guardian, that series of articles is meant to be extremely tongue in cheek.

Here's a match report, which I think gets it spot on: See here.

They also had this in their five talking points from the match, which is much more accurate:

No shame in this exit but it's a familiar refrain

Sixteen successive years of qualification, 14 years beyond the group stages. But tonight Wenger must contemplate a 16th consecutive year of falling short in the Champions League. However, the last 10 years have seen them exit three times each to Bayern and Barcelona (including the 2006 final) and once apiece to Milan, Manchester United, Liverpool and PSV. Only the last of those was a genuine blemish. Other than that, as Wenger is often keen to point out, it is "not a small team" that has eliminated Arsenal. But given their omnipresence in the tournament, defeating one of the stellar names over two legs should not be beyond a club whose style seems ideally suited to the Champions League. With each passing season that late capitulation to Barcelona in the Paris rain looks as if it may haunt Wenger to the end.

Think a few more signings this summer, with the extra cash we now have, and we will be competing a lot more.

Fuzzy_Dunlop

keano_afc wrote: »

Ox has to play after that display in Munich. He's in super form.

Well he has to play because we have no players left too!

Ciaran_B

He had to play against Stoke as well but the boss had other ideas. That worked out well.

DenMan

Going to watch Spurs tonight against Benfica! Massive game on Sunday so it will be interesting to see what team they go with tonight! (8:05pm on 3e)

Marty McFly

Ah Bendtner the man who claims to be misunderstood :pac:


http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/mar/13/nicklas-bendtner-accused-dropped-pants-taxi-driver-arsenal

dvemail

So Gibbs and Monreal could be back for the weekend.
But Ramsey won't be there, seems to have suffered another setback. That is his second one now since getting injured, not good news at all.

Fuzzy_Dunlop

Hopefully they're just being cautious with Ramsey.

ronjo

Fuzzy_Dunlop wrote: »

Hopefully they're just being cautious with Ramsey.

With our record I wouldnt be so sure.

Another important player gone for the season possibly :mad:

AdamD

Mesut Özil
dear friends,
now it's clear: during the ‪#‎ucl‬ match against ‪#‎FCBayern‬ I suffered a muscle injury in the second minute. I tried to give my best and played until the end of the first half. rest assured that I'll be back even stronger!


If our players could, you know, come off when they get injured..

extra gravy

The stupidity of professional footballers never ceases to amaze me. How he thought that playing on for 43 minutes with an injury was in any way beneficial to himself or the team is beyond me.

Marty McFly

extra gravy wrote: »

The stupidity of professional footballers never ceases to amaze me. How he thought that playing on for 43 minutes with an injury was in any way beneficial to himself or the team is beyond me.

Yea but is it them or the management that decide to risk it? Thinking run it off be grand.

shano_88

It might have been stupid to try and run off the injury but it adds further to the disgraceful treatment from the english media.

Fuzzy_Dunlop

Marty McFly wrote: »

Yea but is it them or the management that decide to risk it? Thinking run it off be grand.

I read somewhere that he hadn't really had this injury before so figured he'd be ok to run it off.

extra gravy

Is anybody thinking about trying to get tickets to the semi-final or dare I say it, the final? Will it be impossible to get them?

gnfnrhead

To be fair, a lot of injuries can be run off. Think about yourself, if you get hurt unless it is really bad you wont be running off to the hospital. You'll fight through it until it goes away or gets too bad. Thats pretty much what happened with Özil.

dvemail wrote: »

So Gibbs and Monreal could be back for the weekend.
But Ramsey won't be there, seems to have suffered another setback. That is his second one now since getting injured, not good news at all.

Dont think Ramsey was ever set for a comeback at spurs, it was more hoped he would be back around this time. I wouldnt count it as a set back unless he misses the next few games too.

TheGunns

The initial timeline I saw for Ramsey was the Swansea game, was only in the last couple of weeks that I've been seeing Spurs mentioned

jonneymendoza

Marty McFly wrote: »

Yea but is it them or the management that decide to risk it? Thinking run it off be grand.

if it was a final then i would take the risk but no we still have fa cup to play for!

bangkok

is the arsenal doctor any good seeing as a lot of yer players are injured and the fact that ozil went to the munich doc after the game?

Agueroooo

Twitter says 4weeks for Ozil.

Twitter hey?!

greendom

Agueroooo wrote: »

Twitter says 4weeks for Ozil.

Twitter hey?!

On the bench for the semi final ?

jonneymendoza

Agueroooo wrote: »

Twitter says 4weeks for Ozil.

season over