Arsenal Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2014 - Mod Notes in OP 24/08

Pudders

Got the turks again

Soups123

emergingstar wrote: »

I'd hand Ramsey the captains armband straight

He doesn't need the burdening of it.

Kos or Mert for me

So its off too Turkey again.

shano_88

Jeremy Wilson reckons Arteta will get the captains armband.

Soups123

shano_88 wrote: »

Jeremy Wilson reckons Arteta will get the captains armband.

That would be an awful call

Fuzzy_Dunlop

Yeah I don't see the point in giving the armband to someone who's not a guaranteed starter

Ardennes1944

Napoli Bilbao should be a good game

Mickeroo

I'm sure Ramsey could handle the pressure, but it would be silly to give him the captaincy now. Let him work on building on his form from last season and give it to a more senior player like Per or Kosc for now.

shano_88

Soups123 wrote: »

That would be an awful call

I wouldnt be too happy with it either. Arteta could get phased out of the team this year and we could end up with another captain sitting on the bench.

Mertasacker is the obvious choice in my opinion.

shano_88

shano_88 wrote: »

Jeremy Wilson reckons Arteta will get the captains armband.

Should be Mertsacker and no one else. I suppose given Arteta is already vice-captain he will probably get a promotion but there is no guarantee he will start every game whereas Mert should get the nod id imagine.

Oranage2

shano_88 wrote: »

#AFC & #FCB agree fee around £15m for Vermaelen. Terms & medical over weekend. #MUFC ended interest after refusing player swap #bbcsportsday

Ornstein has spoken!

Happy enough with that, £15m is a great fee and he isnt going to United. He must be replaced now...

Anyone know who the swap player is?


On TV, wore his heart on his sleeve and give it his all, sad to see how fast he declined after injuries and loss of form. He deserves better than sitting on our bench again all season so I Wish him all the best at barca.

emergingstar

The reason I said Ramsey is because I think this time next year both arteta and per won't be starters in our team

Mickeroo

emergingstar wrote: »

The reason I said Ramsey is because I think this time next year both arteta and per won't be starters in our team

I would hope Arteta isn't a regular starter even this season. Unless Per has an awful season I don't see why he'd be dropped though.

Ardennes1944

I really think once Vermaelen gets a proper run of games again he will be a very solid defender. He was immense for us when he came first, that player is still there somewhere.

Mickeroo

Oranage2 wrote: »

Anyone know who the swap player is?

Smalling apparently.

Soups123

Great to see us calling the shots.

emergingstar

Mickeroo wrote: »

I would hope Arteta isn't a regular starter even this season. Unless Per has an awful season I don't see why he'd be dropped though.

Chambers will take his spot

DenMan

Will Liverpool's Agger get his move to Barca now with Vermaelen going to the Camp Nou!

HazDanz

We have Besiktas for Champions league. Great news.

gandalf

Not liking getting Besiktas in the play off. Really don't like traveling to Turkey. Hopefully no fans have issues at the away match.

I suppose it could have been worse Napoli v Athletic Bilbao should be a cracker of a match!

Harry Palmr

Turkish sides blow hot and cold, could be feisty but on the other hand Liverpool beat them 8-0 in the CL in 2007/08

HazDanz

We dodged one or two bullets. A trip to Turkey is not an issue. We've done that trek before.

Jaafa

I think if we get Carvalho that'll be good enough to wrap up the window for us. Both him and Chambers can play CB and DMF so I think we could see Chambers as 3rd choice CB with Carvahlo as 4th choice. Carvahlo would then be 1st choice DMF with Flamini/Arteta/Chambers back ups. Thats pretty decent depth if you ask me.

Fuzzy_Dunlop

Sure we went to Turkey last year and won 5-0 on aggregate

Frisbee

Arteta would be a silly choice as captain as if we can sign another midfielder he will only be a bit part player. Better off giving it to Mertesacker imo as he's a nailed on starter.

Oranage2

Mert will most likely get it, not likely but Walcott could stake a claim.

tayto lover

efb wrote: »

Celtic reinstated in UCL hope we draw them - weakest team by far

Feel sorry for Legia.
Does anyone seriously think that any of the big teams like Barca, Mardid or Man Utd etc would be thrown out of the CL for a similar breach? I don't think so.

tayto lover

tayto lover wrote: »

Feel sorry for Legia.
Does anyone seriously think that any of the big teams like Barca, Mardid or Man Utd etc would be thrown out of the CL for a similar breach? I don't think so.

Totally agree. He was given a three game ban and missed the three games so I for one cannot see what the issue is. Shower of total bullies and dictators.

HazDanz

Mert for captain.

Alfred Borden

I may be the only one but i didnt like that at all when Per berated Ozil. Disappointed, new to the league and its traditions while trying to settle, it was harsh on Ozil. A proper captain would have called him aside privately and had a word.

Godge

Jaafa wrote: »

I think if we get Carvalho that'll be good enough to wrap up the window for us. Both him and Chambers can play CB and DMF so I think we could see Chambers as 3rd choice CB with Carvahlo as 4th choice. Carvahlo would then be 1st choice DMF with Flamini/Arteta/Chambers back ups. Thats pretty decent depth if you ask me.

I agree with you, there isn't room in the squad for more than one overseas player and the options in England are very poor.

At the moment, (assuming TV departure) the 17 overseas for Champions League are:

Mathieu Debuchy, Per Mertesacker, Laurent Koscielny, Abou Diaby, Thomas Rosicky, Mikel Arteta, Lucas Podolski, Oliver Giroud, Santi Carzola, Nacho Monreal, Mathieu Flamini, Joel Campbell, David Ospina, Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil, Ryo Miyaichi, Yaya Sanogo.

Of that list, Miyaichi is dispensable and Carvalho could slot in there. Sanogo is U-21 for the Premier League list but not Champions League as he is only one year at Arsenal so in theory he could be dropped from the Champions League list as well but that is very unlikely. Chambers may also have to be included on Champions League list but I am not so sure of that as he was at Southampton rather than abroad.

The 8 homegrown players are:

Wojech Szczesny, Kieran Gibbs, Aaron Ramsey, Theo Walcott, Francis Coquelin, Damian Martinez, Jack Wilshere, Ignasi Miquel

Again Miquel and Coquelin are not essential to the squad and if you could find a reliable home-grown Premier League centre-half willing to be third or fourth-choice, then they could slot in.

Options would include Curtis Davies, Alex Bruce, Ciaran Clark, Nathan Baker, Ashley Williams, Kyle Bartley, Matthew Upson, Jagielka, John Stones, Kolo Toure, Micah Richards, Smalling, Phil Jones, Senderos, Stephen Taylor, Wes Brown, Martin Williamson.

The problem with those names is that they are either

(1) not good enough for Arsenal
(2) previously rejected and sold by Arsenal
(3) not willing to be third or fourth-choice
(4) not for sale
(5) have already left a big club for games
(6) more than one of the above

There is nothing on the list that screams sign me and keep me as fourth choice.

The alternative is to sell a first-team player (Arteta, Cazorla or Podolski) and bring in an overseas centre-half. There are not many substantive rumours around either of those three and all have stated in recent times that they want to stay.

So unless someone can uncover another decent homegrown centre-half or has other ideas on who to sell, I find it hard to see where the fourth-choice centre-half comes from and that Carvalho (or my preference Javi Martinez) or his ilk will be our only other signing.

Soups123

Raf32 wrote: »

I may be the only one but i didnt like that at all when Per berated Ozil. Disappointed, new to the league and its traditions while trying to settle, it was harsh on Ozil. A proper captain would have called him aside privately and had a word.

I'd have went the other way I thought he behaved like a proper captain, Ozil was being a tit and even after Mert explained he still walked off

greendom

Soups123 wrote: »

I'd have went the other way I thought he behaved like a proper captain, Ozil was being a tit and even after Mert explained he still walked off

I agree with Raf - he deserved the telling off, but behind closed doors. No need to embarrass/humiliate in front of millions

Fuzzy_Dunlop

Fuzzy_Dunlop wrote: »

Sure we went to Turkey last year and won 5-0 on aggregate

True, however, in fairness to Fenerbache on that occasion they were facing a European ban. They were banned right after the first leg and told to fulfil the second leg in case they won their appeal. Taking nothing away from ourselves though we done our bit and we done it well.

That all said, the trickiest playoff tie we've had to date has been Udinese back three year ago (wow hasn't time just flew by? ).
We've got through all of the rest with relative ease.

HazDanz

greendom wrote: »

I agree with Raf - he deserved the telling off, but behind closed doors. No need to embarrass/humiliate in front of millions

Should he wait as well behind closed doors if someone is not doing their job properly during a game? It would probable be a bit late waiting for the dressing room to do that.

Granted in that case with Ozil he could have waited until behind closed doors but if it was a game situation I would want someone ready to call someone out straight away if they were not pulling their weight on the pitch. Mert would do that.

Soups123

greendom wrote: »

I agree with Raf - he deserved the telling off, but behind closed doors. No need to embarrass/humiliate in front of millions

It didn't really embarrass or humiliate him though!

Mert has shown many times his leadership skill and I don't see anything wrong with a bollocking.

greendom

greendom wrote: »

I agree with Raf - he deserved the telling off, but behind closed doors. No need to embarrass/humiliate in front of millions

Well i think tbf Mert was trying to save Ozil from a potentially even bigger backlash with the fans and the media.
Fans travelled up to Manchester and paid money to watch Arsenal so its only right that the players show some form of appreciation for this at the whistle. His reaction was one of urgency telling his teammate to cop the fúck on and get over there and clap those fans.

efb

tayto lover wrote: »

Feel sorry for Legia.
Does anyone seriously think that any of the big teams like Barca, Mardid or Man Utd etc would be thrown out of the CL for a similar breach? I don't think so.

Hell no their lawyers would have a field day

Spanish Johnny

Raf32 wrote: »

I may be the only one but i didnt like that at all when Per berated Ozil. Disappointed, new to the league and its traditions while trying to settle, it was harsh on Ozil. A proper captain would have called him aside privately and had a word.

Ah Raf, ffs and usually we agree on a lot but Mesut Ozil is a 25 year old professional footballer who is a league winner with the biggest football club in the world and member of a top international team that wins a world cup soon after and you are making excuses for his attitude and petulance that as if he was a 17 year old kid who never played and lost a big game before. He was 3 months into his career at this stage and as a pro footballer was well used of the 'traditions'.

Delighted to see Mert upset and passionate. I want that type of captain again. All our most successful teams had them.

Alfred Borden

Spanish Johnny wrote: »

Ah Raf, ffs and usually we agree on a lot but Mesut Ozil is a 25 year old professional footballer who is a league winner with the biggest football club in the world and member of a top international team that wins a world cup soon after and you are making excuses for his attitude and petulance that as if he was a 17 year old kid who never played and lost a big game before. He was 3 months into his career at this stage and as a pro footballer was well used of the 'traditions'.

Delighted to see Mert upset and passionate. I want that type of captain again. All our most successful teams had them.

Only Giroud we disagree on i think :pac: ah just some people deal with a bad defeat differently tbh, probably was his first major disappointment with his new club. I love that per is vocal and if Arteta is not starting next year, Per should defo be captain but dont think he needs to root people out at the end of the game when it can be done far more effectively in a private manner.i wouldnt mind him giving out about his performances but over something so trivial was a bit much, better behind closed doors imo. I wouldnt mind but I doubt many would have noticed it unless Per sprinted half the pitch to raise the issue.

greendom

Deleted User wrote: »

Well i think tbf Mert was trying to save Ozil from a potentially even bigger backlash with the fans and the media.
Fans travelled up to Manchester and paid money to watch Arsenal so its only right that the players show some form of appreciation for this at the whistle. His reaction was one of urgency telling his teammate to cop the fúck on and get over there and clap those fans.

it's not a big deal at the end of the day but no harm in a quiet word on the pitch to get him go to fans and then to let rip in the changing room.

Soups123

greendom wrote: »

it's not a big deal at the end of the day but no harm in a quiet word on the pitch to get him go to fans and then to let rip in the changing room.

If I recall the word was had and ignored.

Anyway as you say no big deal, Mert wears his heart on his sleeve and seems a real character in the club.

tayto lover

Raf32 wrote: »

Only Giroud we disagree on i think :pac: ah just some people deal with a bad defeat differently tbh, probably was his first major disappointment with his new club. I love that per is vocal and if Arteta is not starting next year, Per should defo be captain but dont think he needs to root people out at the end of the game when it can be done far more effectively in a private manner.i wouldnt mind him giving out about his performances but over something so trivial was a bit much, better behind closed doors imo. I wouldnt mind but I doubt many would have noticed it unless Per sprinted half the pitch to raise the issue.

What???
I must have missed that :pac:

Alfred Borden

tayto lover wrote: »

What???
I must have missed that :pac:

My memory is fuzzy :pac:

Alfred Borden

City are missing a serious number of players for Sunday, i know its only the community shield but would love to get our hands on it.

Good work not selling to Utd. He might not have been 1st choice at Arsenal but he would have strengthed Utd that's for sure

dorgasm

dorgasm wrote: »

Someone posted this on reddit, our squad depth as of now. Pretty impressive and might put things in perspective to some people.

Care to update the back 4 to reflect our amazing depth?

tayto lover

rarnes1 wrote: »

Good work not selling to Utd. He might not have been 1st choice at Arsenal but he would have strengthed Utd that's for sure

We really need to replace soon though. We are now short of cover. A CB and DMF urgently needed.

wandatowell

Its going to be a utility player for Arsene i feel.

symbolic

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Care to update the back 4 to reflect our amazing depth?

And he's back! ☺