Arsenal Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2014/15

Soups123

I don't think Wenger bought him for the bench but he has struggled to decide how best to use him so far this season

shano_88

Quazzie wrote: »

*you're

:rolleyes:

I think that says alot about your argument.

gosplan

Soups123 wrote: »

I don't think Wenger bought him for the bench but he has struggled to decide how best to use him so far this season

I think Wenger's obsessed with balance and flow, which is probably correct given the way we play. Once Giroud was out Welbeck had to play every game, and after that I think he'll be cautious using too many new players with him. There's also the issue that Wilshire, Welbeck and Alexis playing means we'd lose possession a lot.

Alexis is first team though.

bad2dabone

Quazzie wrote: »

Great player when he is played. Wenger is only playing him because we have so many injuries,.

Jaysus wept.

Still ahead of Spurs so eh, that's something? :P

Gringo180

Its just depressing being an Arsenal fan, so many times we go on a good run of games and looked to have turned a corner only for us to implode again. I thought after the FA cup win and Charity Shield performance that this was the start of something great. Really starting to lose faith in this team and Wenger himself. Season is over already for us I feel.

tayto lover

Gringo180 wrote: »

Its just depressing being an Arsenal fan, so many times we go on a good run of games and looked to have turned a corner only for us to implode again. I thought after the FA cup win and Charity Shield performance that this was the start of something great. Really starting to lose faith in this team and Wenger himself. Season is over already for us I feel.

Agree. The season is gone. No chance of bridging an 11 point gap so we are in our usual competition - Top 4.
We are not playing like a team with belief.

Anderlecht (A)
Sunderland (A)
Burnley (H)
Anderlecht (A)

Anything less than 4 wins from those would be pretty disappointing. Then:

Swansea (A)
United (H)
Dortmund (H)

Any slips in those first 4 matches will leave the Dortmund match important again.

West Brom (A)
Southampton (H)
Stoke (A)
Galatasaray (A)

What should be an easy run on paper, easy to make the Galatasaray match crucial though.



So what do we fancy? Scrape through to the group stages with a draw against Galatasaray? After these matches it'll be 15 matches played in the league, anything more than 16/21 points is looking optimistic and that would leave us on 27 points and scrapping for 4th. Bleh.

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

Anderlecht (A)
Sunderland (A)
Burnley (H)
Anderlecht (A)

Anything less than 4 wins from those would be pretty disappointing. Then:

I don't think the Saints thumping Sunderland yesterday has done us any favours. They will have the home crowd on their back in a big way.

shano_88

Deleted User wrote: »

Still ahead of Spurs so eh, that's something? :P

I must prefer the positive Button. More of these type of posts!

byrneg28

Deleted User wrote: »

Anderlecht (A)
Sunderland (A)
Burnley (H)
Anderlecht (A)

Anything less than 4 wins from those would be pretty disappointing. Then:

Swansea (A)
United (H)
Dortmund (H)

Any slips in those first 4 matches will leave the Dortmund match important again.

West Brom (A)
Southampton (H)
Stoke (A)
Galatasaray (A)

What should be an easy run on paper, easy to make the Galatasaray match crucial though.



So what do we fancy? Scrape through to the group stages with a draw against Galatasaray? After these matches it'll be 15 matches played in the league, anything more than 16/21 points is looking optimistic and that would leave us on 27 points and scrapping for 4th. Bleh.

Even thought I don't think we will win the league, I still think you are being extremely negative.

It's October, haven't got the results we've wanted yes, but also played some tough fixtures. Hull and Leicester are questionable.

After 15 games yes it is possible we will be on 27 points, but you are implying we will be scrapping for 4th?

Manchester City were on 29 points after 15 games last year and won the league?

It's October guys, relax. 2 wins is a shambles yes but there's plenty of time to keep going here. Due to injuries and new signings there's a lot of disruption with the starting 11 and I'm sure players are just getting used to one another's movement and flow.

But thinks will kick into gear, I promise.

Quazzie

I'm just hoping we get 29 more points to get to the magic 40 that secures us being in the league next year.

niallo27

byrneg28 wrote: »

Even thought I don't think we will win the league, I still think you are being extremely negative.

It's October, haven't got the results we've wanted yes, but also played some tough fixtures. Hull and Leicester are questionable.

After 15 games yes it is possible we will be on 27 points, but you are implying we will be scrapping for 4th?

Manchester City were on 29 points after 15 games last year and won the league?

It's October guys, relax. 2 wins is a shambles yes but there's plenty of time to keep going here. Due to injuries and new signings there's a lot of disruption with the starting 11 and I'm sure players are just getting used to one another's movement and flow.

But thinks will kick into gear, I promise.

Injuries aren't a new thing though. It's a regular excuse for arsenals poor performances every year. Is wenger buying soft players or is the way they are being conditioned.

efb

Wenger did insist on playing Özil with an injury

Barlett

Yeah the day of falling back on the excuse of injuries is long gone. When it happens every season its not bad luck.

kronsington

Wengers post match interview with BBC was petulant arrogant and quite patronizing I thought.. His hubris is costing us.. I love the man but **** me I is so frustrating supporting this team. We've all covered every topic to death at this point. The goals we conceded yesterday were utterly embarrassing an simply pitiful. Flaming, Mert and Ox just aren't up to it IMO. Sanchez leaps and bounds of everyone in terms of ability and heart. Wengers interviews just wind me up now, it's the same ****e every week. Went into the season quite positive and confident with realistic expectations but 2 wins in 8 is just not good enough. We're often accused of being impulsive and impatient as fans but supporters are basically being slapped in the face right now. To go into the season with 6 first team defenders is simply incomprehensible and incompetent.

byrneg28

Barlett wrote: »

Yeah the day of falling back on the excuse of injuries is long gone. When it happens every season its not bad luck.

Way to take one point from my argument and completely disect it, and think I'm Arsene Wenger or something

1) Never used it as an argument. Used the upset of flow as the argument, injury to Giroud our Central Striker for the last year and a half meant that Welbeck needed to be drafted as the lone-striker. Completely different player, he plays in behind and when I was at the game on Saturday I could see the 5 mids just wanted a player like Giroud to hold the ball up just a minute. It's not Welbecks style unfortunately and the midfield are trying to get used to that. In fact it's probably quite the opposite Giroud's lack of injuries have actually been the problem here.

2) The injuries we have currently are Debuchy, Giroud, Ozil and Koscielny.

Debuchy and Giroud aren't excuses. They are unavoidable. Most players would have received similar injuries upon the impact, it wasn't an over-trained or backroom issue.

Koscielny has played something like 150 games since 2010, with very few injuries. Unfortunately at his tender age has eroded his achilles, he should be back sometime next week though (so no big deal)

Ozil is the only big question mark.

3) The injuries we are getting seem to be quite short term and players are coming back quickly e.g. Ramsey, Ramsey missed 2 games from injury this time and was back playing in the hull game, compared to nearly 4 months last year with a similar problem.

As I said in the previous argument it's the constant shuffling and new key signings with different styles are trying to adapt. It's in a way similar to signing a load of new players and expecting a fantastic squad e.g. Spuds (2013/14) or Liverpool this season

Barlett

Sorry I hadn't seen your comment, I was referring to Niall's comment. Point still stands though, this is every season it's not a one-off. Similarly we haven't made lots of key signings we made one big signing and then replaced our right back.

Chelsea completely revamped their team and are coping fine. I'm not expecting Arsenal to go out and win the league every season but it would be nice if the glaring shortcomings people have been banging on about for years now were actually addressed.

It's pretty daft having 5/6 technical attacking players yet no proper defensive midfielder to protect them and yet season after season nothing is done to address the issue.

byrneg28

byrneg28 wrote: »

Even thought I don't think we will win the league, I still think you are being extremely negative.

It's October, haven't got the results we've wanted yes, but also played some tough fixtures. Hull and Leicester are questionable.

After 15 games yes it is possible we will be on 27 points, but you are implying we will be scrapping for 4th?

Manchester City were on 29 points after 15 games last year and won the league?

It's October guys, relax. 2 wins is a shambles yes but there's plenty of time to keep going here. Due to injuries and new signings there's a lot of disruption with the starting 11 and I'm sure players are just getting used to one another's movement and flow.

The point is that getting to 27 points is going to take a great set of results in the next few games. Already 2 points short of where City were at the same time last year before they then went on a run dropping 12 points in 23 matches. In the last 11 seasons there's been once when the league has been won with fewer than 86 points. To reach 86 means we can drop just 15 points in the next 30 matches. If thinking there's still a shot at the league makes you a better fan rather than delusional then I guess you're a better fan than I.

But thinks will kick into gear, I promise.

I'll hold you to that.

greendom

efb wrote: »

Wenger did insist on playing Özil with an injury

He has denied that. Ozil didn't tell him about the strain until after the game.

greendom

No Ospina for the Anderlecht game which means Martínez will be in goal.

shano_88

greendom wrote: »

No Ospina for the Anderlecht game which means Martínez will be in goal.

Not ideal at all. Great chance for him to prove himself though.

Bobby Baccala

Just read about 15 pages of this thread since the hull game. Getting very painful to read, very little support and alleged fans slating players and the club itself. Not what supporting a club is all about but how and ever.

Marty McFly

Haven't been on in a few days and missed the game the weekend.

Not going to read back either I like my stress levels low .:)

But what a shambolic season so far Wenger and the team running out of excuses. Not good enough or even close enough imo.


Also has boards gone a bit mad for anyone else? The mobile site doesn't seem to be working.

efb

@BBCSport: Tottenham are lining up a £10m January bid for @Arsenal striker Lukas Podolski. http://t.co/eCp4tJsr3l #Spurs #AFC http://t.co/GNnTQKYMNl

Will he fair better there? I wish him well(ish)

byrneg28

efb wrote: »

@BBCSport: Tottenham are lining up a £10m January bid for @Arsenal striker Lukas Podolski. http://t.co/eCp4tJsr3l #Spurs #AFC http://t.co/GNnTQKYMNl

Will he fair better there? I wish him well(ish)

that's transfer gossip and rumours and the source is caughtoffside, more chance of us signing Messi on a bosman contract

byrneg28

Looper007 wrote: »

Klopp from Dortmund is the man for me, he barely has money at Dortmund and does a brilliant job. He won't play Jose mind games and will buy in great players with the money. Plus he be shouting and screaming on the sidelines when the players need it. That's who I think the club needs.

Yes 60 million pounds this summer alone, lying in 14th, 2 wins, 1 draw and 5 losses after 8 games , 13 points off Bayern

WengerOut! KloppIn!

Marty McFly

byrneg28 wrote: »

Yes 60 million pounds this summer alone, lying in 14th, 2 wins, 1 draw and 5 losses after 8 games , 13 points off Bayern

WengerOut! KloppIn!

He'll be able to slot in seamlessly here so.

AdamD

At least we only have to wait until Wednesday for the next game!

omega man

P4DDY2K11 wrote: »

Just read about 15 pages of this thread since the hull game. Getting very painful to read, very little support and alleged fans slating players and the club itself. Not what supporting a club is all about but how and ever.

What's to be positive about then? Its hard not to feel down about everything arsenal just right now.

By the way fans have every right to whinge and moan if they want. everyone else connected to the club gets paid for their troubles yet it's fans who pay hard earned money on tickets and merchandise etc. so let them vent I say. I hate the moral high ground when it comes to some supporters. We all have different ways in which we support our team. Not to mention forums would be damn boring if we were all nicey nice ;-)

tayto lover

P4DDY2K11 wrote: »

Just read about 15 pages of this thread since the hull game. Getting very painful to read, very little support and alleged fans slating players and the club itself. Not what supporting a club is all about but how and ever.

I read that as saying - support your club even though we are playing sh*** and our manager has been very poor. If that's true then I pity you.

My opinion is that real fans point out faults and where changes need to be made.
It seems to me that the fans are sometimes more astute than the manager.
Fans are true to the club BUT have the right to point our what is and is not working.

greendom

tayto lover wrote: »

I read that as saying - support your club even though we are playing sh*** and our manager has been very poor. If that's true then I pity you.

My opinion is that real fans point out faults and where changes need to be made.
It seems to me that the fans are sometimes more astute than the manager.
Fans are true to the club BUT have the right to point our what is and is not working.

Fans are absolutely entitled to their opinion, but I very much doubt that any of them would come anywhere near Wenger for astuteness. Be a complete disaster if any of them got anywhere near the manager's chair!

tayto lover

greendom wrote: »

Fans are absolutely entitled to their opinion, but I very much doubt that any of them would come anywhere near Wenger for astuteness. Be a complete disaster if any of them got anywhere near the manager's chair!

How come he didn't buy a DM or a CB then as we clearly need them and the fans see that? Wenger even said that we are conceding too many goals.

greendom

tayto lover wrote: »

How come he didn't buy a DM or a CB then as we clearly need them and the fans see that? Wenger even said that we are conceding too many goals.

Manolas, the Roma centre-back has claimed today that he turned down Arsenal (and Juventus) this Summer. There is no doubt he was trying to get one, it just didn't happen.

tayto lover

greendom wrote: »

Manolas, the Roma centre-back has claimed today that he turned down Arsenal (and Juventus) this Summer. There is no doubt he was trying to get one, it just didn't happen.

Managers usually have a list that they go through. If one doesn't happen they try another.
With regards to a DM, we have needed one for more than one season.

greendom

tayto lover wrote: »

Managers usually have a list that they go through. If one doesn't happen they try another.
With regards to a DM, we have needed one for more than one season.

get your cv in then

tayto lover

greendom wrote: »

get your cv in then

There are many good football brains out there who would do it for a lot less than 7 million and who would love a go at it.

Marty McFly

greendom wrote: »

Manolas, the Roma centre-back has claimed today that he turned down Arsenal (and Juventus) this Summer. There is no doubt he was trying to get one, it just didn't happen.

May have tried but again we made a balls of it? Chelsea this season are a shining example know what they wanted and needed and went out and got it done no messing about.

Also a DM has been top of my list and many others list for years and much like a goalkeeper was for years before that it has been ignored and time again.

greendom

tayto lover wrote: »

There are many good football brains out there who would do it for a lot less than 7 million and who would love a go at it.

well if they can do a better job than Wenger for much less, sure it won't be long before thy are snapped up!

greendom

Marty McFly wrote: »

May have tried but again we made a balls of it? Chelsea this season are a shining example know what they wanted and needed and went out and got it done no messing about.

Also a DM has been top of my list and many others list for years and much like a goalkeeper was for years before that it has been ignored and time again.

Yes he's made mistakes, that's not really the argument, I'm responding to the suggestion that internet experts could do a better job, that's laughable really.

WoollyRedHat

Let's go through potential dm targets who we were rumoured to get in-


Carvalho- Third party stipulations hampered any sort of deal.
Schnedierlin- Southampton refused to sale on the basis they had already sold a number of their starting eleven already.
Kheidra- Huge wage demands and potential injury concerns which stood in the way of said wage demands preveneted his signature. If we were to get him on a cut price deal in January with a clean bill of fitness then it would prove a more attractive acquistion.

The above was reported in a number of news outlets during the summer, that we tried to go after a number of dms, but were repeatedly frustrated.
The only other dm I can think of that would of been worthy of consideration is Martinez, who became injured, and Gonalons.

I think we would of defintely have got Schnedierlin had it not been for Liverpool raiding their squad over the summer.
The evidence suggests we defintely were active in this regard.

The failure to sign anybody at the back however is a larger issue of contention; yes Manolas said no, but there were surely others such as Reid that would of proved as able back-ups, why did we fail to sign any? Or loan out Jenkinson and leave a scenario where we had signed somebody who could cover cb, but was also the only other senior lb backup.

Paj

Jenkinson's actually playing well for West Ham, i think he's got 2 assists so far.

AdamD

It was actually reported that we met Southampton with them expecting a bid for Scneiderlin but we actually we there to bid for Chambers instead.

Quazzie

greendom wrote: »

Manolas, the Roma centre-back has claimed today that he turned down Arsenal (and Juventus) this Summer. There is no doubt he was trying to get one, it just didn't happen.

If that's the case then whoever is doing the signing isn't doing enough, if they didn't have more than one transfer target possible, that's simply not good enough.

WoollyRedHat

AdamD wrote: »

It was actually reported that we met Southampton with them expecting a bid for Scneiderlin but we actually we there to bid for Chambers instead.

Wasn't this at the stage where we were still in negiotations to sign Kheidra, having our sights firmly set on him in said position?

greendom

Quazzie wrote: »

If that's the case then whoever is doing the signing isn't doing enough, if they didn't have more than one transfer target possible, that's simply not good enough.

Who's to say we only had one transfer target ?- we only see the tip of the iceberg in all the transfer shenanigans that go on. For one we know that we would have taken Smalling from Man U in exchange for Vermaelen

Ken Shamrock

WoollyRedHat wrote: »

Wasn't this at the stage where we were still in negiotations to sign Kheidra, having our sights firmly set on him in said position?

You mean in the stage where we completely gambled in the hopes Khedira would come and if he didn't then its ok because Arteta and Flamini are all of a sudden world class?

WoollyRedHat

Bob.Carcass wrote: »

You mean in the stage where we completely gambled in the hopes Khedira would come and if he didn't then its ok because Arteta and Flamini are all of a sudden world class?

My understanding was that after the world cup it was Kheidra that was firmly in our sights, and that we had Carv and Schnederlin as back-up options, but those two both also fell through.

tayto lover

Regardless of who we had targeted during the summer the fact of the matter is that we didn't sign them. Nor did we sign a second, third or fourth choice.
That does not happen with the other teams who have aspirations to win the title.

Just seems to happen to Arsenal.

greendom

tayto lover wrote: »

Regardless of who we had targeted during the summer the fact of the matter is that we didn't sign them. Nor did we sign a second, third or fourth choice.
That does not happen with the other teams who have aspirations to win the title.

Just seems to happen to Arsenal.

You can ask United fans if they strengthened in needed areas this Summer