Arsenal Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2016

CatInABox

tayto lover wrote: »

I often played Minor GAA on a Sat and Junior and Senior on a Sunday.
Later in London I played two Sunday league games, one at 11 am and another at 3.30 pm. Great fun too.
These boys don't have another job to go to either. Football is their job. Fitness should not really be an issue except in the case of a long injury and getting back into the pace of the game.

It's not about fitness itself per se, but rather the risk of burnout, something that's widely recognised as a risk at professional level. It's very different to have a couple of intense days at an amateur level than have your entire life revolve around a sport.

gosplan

Being reported now that we've agreed personal terms with Higuain and just need to do a deal with Napoli.

JustTheOne

gosplan wrote: »

Being reported now that we've agreed personal terms with Higuain and just need to do a deal with Napoli.

Stop please stop!

Napoli won't sell for less than 70 million which is his release clause.

Wenger will never do it.

AdamD

Reported where exactly?

Not seeing anything from proper publications

Alfred Borden

AdamD wrote: »

Reported where exactly?

Not seeing anything from proper publications

That Giulianelli fella who is a pure fake. Had signed Benzema last summer for us and we inquired for Ali a few weeks ago too according to him :pac:

DeclanRe

Alfred Borden wrote: »

That Giulianelli fella who is a pure fake. Had signed Benzema last summer for us and we inquired for Ali a few weeks ago too according to him :pac:

Not that i believe any of this, but Gianluca Di Marzio is very different to Giulianelli, Di Marzio is a somewhat respected journalist, Giulianelli is a joke with a twitter account

greendom

I think he is a real option. He wants Champions League and hasn't signed a new contract with Napoli so they will want to sell before he goes on a free.

Fingers crossed !!

Alfred Borden

DeclanRe wrote: »

Not that i believe any of this, but Gianluca Di Marzio is very different to Giulianelli, Di Marzio is a somewhat respected journalist, Giulianelli is a joke with a twitter account

Ya i know. Di Marzio linked us to Higuain and that we might offer Giroud. The other fella said we had agreed wages which is what Gosplan was saying.

greendom

RAI Sport journalist Ciro Venerato says that Napoli President De Laurentis is meeting Wenger on Thursday to discuss the deal

Alfred Borden

greendom wrote: »

RAI Sport journalist Ciro Venerato says that Napoli President De Laurentis is meeting Wenger on Thursday to discuss the deal

Never heard of the media outlet or the journalist. Reliable?

greendom

Alfred Borden wrote: »

Never heard of the media outlet or the journalist. Reliable?

RAI is the Italian equivalent of RTE so reasonably

CatInABox

Until Higuain comes around to my house with some cans, wearing an Arsenal jersey, and holding his signed contract, I'm not going to get my hopes up at all.

Drexel

Seems a very strange decision to buy Higuain and at the same time get rid of Giroud. We are really short up front.

tayto lover

Wenger doesn't do swaps and trades lads.
Surprised at you lot swallowing that story.

greendom

tayto lover wrote: »

Wenger doesn't do swaps and trades lads.
Surprised at you lot swallowing that story.

He hasn't done them but that doesn't mean he won't. It's not like he has an aversion to them or anything.

Alfred Borden

https://twitter.com/JackPittBrooke/status/752857125622349824

domrush

greendom wrote: »

He hasn't done them but that doesn't mean he won't. It's not like he has an aversion to them or anything.

I think Gallas-Cole was a swap deal with cash coming our way along with Gallas no?

Gringo180

Should of signed Higuain 3 seasons ago. He is potent anywhere around the 18 yard box and is very clever with his movement. Reminds me of Van Nistelrooy. Be a terriffic signing but I wont get my hopes up.

DeclanRe

Alfred Borden wrote: »

https://twitter.com/JackPittBrooke/status/752857125622349824

Jesus - that's an upsetting prospect.
I like Akpom, but he is not anywhere ready for that!

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000

Whatever happend to Gnabry? Played a few games for us two seasons ago, looked very good...disappeared.

speedboatchase

DeclanRe wrote: »

Alfred Borden wrote: »

https://twitter.com/JackPittBrooke/status/752857125622349824

Jesus - that's an upsetting prospect.
I like Akpom, but he is not anywhere ready for that!

So we're either going for Higuain or we never had a plan B if Vardy didn't work out. Knowing Wenger, it's the latter option, right?

Fack. Really hope there's something to these Italian stories.

wawaman

speedboatchase wrote: »

Fack. Really hope there's something to these Italian stories.

maybe
https://twitter.com/MessiMinutes/status/752876555517427716?lang=en

Gringo180

wawaman wrote: »

maybe
https://twitter.com/MessiMinutes/status/752876555517427716?lang=en

If it does work out to be a swap deal he will be sorely missed. Not only a very good player but somewhat of a cult hero at the club these last few years.

wawaman

as much as i would love to get Higuain, for the money been mentioned i would much rather keep giroud and spend the £60m on Draxler and maybe Icardi

wawaman

wawaman wrote: »

as much as i would love to get Higuain, for the money been mentioned i would much rather keep giroud and spend the £60m on Draxler and maybe Icardi

^^this

especially because Higuain will definitely get injured, and then we're right royally screwed.

Ken Shamrock

Ken Shamrock wrote: »

But then you have to factor in how long it will take the new player (s) to gel with the current ones even after they come back. Hopefully by December everyone will know eachother.

Then we can build for 2017-18.

Gringo180 wrote: »

Should of signed Higuain 3 seasons ago. He is potent anywhere around the 18 yard box and is very clever with his movement. Reminds me of Van Nistelrooy. Be a terriffic signing but I wont get my hopes up.

Same as Draxler who seems to be getting the odd rumour going.

DeclanRe

Yep - I think losing Giroud to get Higuain is pointless. We need Giroud + a striker. Why the hell cant we pay the full amount for Higuain.
And then shift Walcott, we'd easily get £20M for him.
We are also possibly selling Szczesny for £15M

So we'd recoup £35M back

I know this is football manager talk :pac: - but its definitely possible

Ken Shamrock

Buying Higuain but losing Giroud is taking 1 step forward and 2 steps back. We cannot rely on 1 striker for the year when we're playing PL, CL and cup football. We need a world class striker like Higuain but we also need a very good back up and/or alternative option up front and there's few better than Giroud to play that role.

Skylinehead

Chasing a game and having both on the pitch could be very good as well.

gosplan

At 29 I can see why Giroud would want to leave.

It basically means we need Higuain plus another striker.

Edit: Jesus, now everyone loves Giroud. You guys just want to complain, admit it.

Higuain for Giroud is a massive massive MASSIVE step forward. It just means we still need another striker.

Bobby Baccala

I see we're 2/1 to sign Lukaku. Doubt we could go for both though.

DeclanRe

gosplan wrote: »

At 29 I can see why Giroud would want to leave.

It basically means we need Higuain plus another striker.

Edit: Jesus, now everyone loves Giroud. You guys just want to complain, admit it.

Higuain for Giroud is a massive massive MASSIVE step forward. It just means we still need another striker.

Yes we'd need another striker, a second choice striker, and myself and a lot of other people here would find it very hard to name someone who would make a better back up than Giroud. Why let Giroud go in the first place, just stump up the cash, and then we dont have to go looking for a second striker

Ken Shamrock

gosplan wrote: »

At 29 I can see why Giroud would want to leave.

It basically means we need Higuain plus another striker.

Edit: Jesus, now everyone loves Giroud. You guys just want to complain, admit it.

Higuain for Giroud is a massive massive MASSIVE step forward. It just means we still need another striker.

Or we're just using common sense to realise letting go of arguably the best back up striker in the world so that we can sign a world class striker as opposed to just straight up buying a world class striker is bad business...

gosplan

Ken Shamrock wrote: »

Or we're just using common sense to realise letting go of arguably the best back up striker in the world so that we can sign a world class striker as opposed to just straight up buying a world class striker is bad business...

We'll find a solution if it comes down to it.

Sure people were delighted Welbeck was starting ahead of him towards the end of the season.

Gringo180

Gringo180 wrote: »

If it does work out to be a swap deal he will be sorely missed. Not only a very good player but somewhat of a cult hero at the club these last few years.

Id wish him the very best in the future and tip my hat to him if he left.

He's one of the good guys and ive the height of respect for him. If he stays then well and good he'd be a brilliant squad player. i hope we at least get in a top class player to help him out. Higuain please or Lascazette.

Ken Shamrock

gosplan wrote: »

We'll find a solution if it comes down to it.

Sure people were delighted Welbeck was starting ahead of him towards the end of the season.

I think you're choosing to ignore the fact we're praising him as one of the best back up strikers not one of the best strikers.

speedboatchase

BBC have a small story on Higuain now: http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36776192

Basically says we've got to pay the full 94m release clause to get him.

gosplan

Ken Shamrock wrote: »

I think you're choosing to ignore the fact we're praising him as one of the best back up strikers not one of the best strikers.

I'd be more or less as happy with Welbeck and a new signing with potential.

As backup strikers go, Giroud and Welbeck are about as good as each other IMO.

We know both of them aren't good enough to lead a title charge so sign another young striker with potential and use the extra minutes to bring him through rather than squeeze some more from Giroud.

If we're signing Higuain, we need to be developing someone else at the same time because in three years we can't start another 4 year search for a striker.

On a personal note, Giroud has been a great servant any if he wants to continue a career as a lead striker rather than playing second fiddle to someone, then I say let him go.

I'm just surprised that no-one is the least bit excited about getting Higuain. We're worried about what if he get's injured. Well, we won't challenge for the league - with or without Giroud.

gosplan

gosplan wrote: »

I'd be more or less as happy with Welbeck and a new signing with potential.

As backup strikers go, Giroud and Welbeck are about as good as each other IMO.

We know both of them aren't good enough to lead a title charge so sign another young striker with potential and use the extra minutes to bring him through rather than squeeze some more from Giroud.

If we're signing Higuain, we need to be developing someone else at the same time because in three years we can't start another 4 year search for a striker.

On a personal note, Giroud has been a great servant any if he wants to continue a career as a lead striker rather than playing second fiddle to someone, then I say let him go.

I'm just surprised that no-one is the least bit excited about getting Higuain. We're worried about what if he get's injured. Well, we won't challenge for the league - with or without Giroud.

And just to add. I'm a big fan of Giroud. Tbh I think we've held him back as much as he's held us back. Let him go to a club that will suit him and we'll see how he gets on.

But this is obviously all based on speculation.

Gringo180

speedboatchase wrote: »

BBC have a small story on Higuain now: http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36776192

Basically says we've got to pay the full 94m release clause to get him.

No way should we pay that. Scandalous price for a player who turns 29 in a few months.

speedboatchase

speedboatchase wrote: »

BBC have a small story on Higuain now: http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36776192

Basically says we've got to pay the full 94m release clause to get him.

Ah here. Makes us look like right mugs when you consider we haggled over a few million a couple of years ago. No way should we pay that though. 40m tops and thats an awful lot for a 29 year old.

Keep an eye on Giroud and Evra


https://vine.co/v/5WDrV1Y3HFI

Henry not taking up his role with the u18s. Wenger gave him a choice between punditry and full time commitment to the role and he wouldnt give up the punditry.

Tbh i find it a bit strange that he was given this ultimatum considering that Liam Brady the previous director of youth football was allowed to continue his punditry with RTE (albeit not as often as Henry is involved with Sky and Brady was based in Ireland)

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36774864

Ol' Donie

Christ. Do you not have enough cash already, Thierry?

Don't make me not love you. I meant it.

[Deleted User]

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Henry not taking up his role with the u18s. Wenger gave him a choice between punditry and full time commitment to the role and he wouldnt give up the punditry.

Tbh i find it a bit strange that he was given this ultimatum considering that Liam Brady the previous director of youth football was allowed to continue his punditry with RTE (albeit not as often as Henry is involved with Sky and Brady was based in Ireland)

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36774864

Crazy thing is that sky pay him to be a pundit. He's shocking. Can't think of any time he said anything remotely interesting.

Ol' Donie

Actually, fine. P*ss off, then.

Giving up a chance to work with the club to talk absolute b*llocks on television.

Get up outta that.

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000

Gringo180 wrote: »

No way should we pay that. Scandalous price for a player who turns 29 in a few months.

Shur Wenger wouldn't give 40 million for him 3 years ago. Whole story reeks of BS.

Gringo180

Bageaux Cannes wrote: »

Shur Wenger wouldn't give 40 million for him 3 years ago. Whole story reeks of BS.

Agree. Think we pulled the plug on the deal when it was upped 4 million to 37 million. What a bargain that was for a 25 year old goalscoring machine.

Ol' Donie

Ol' Donie wrote: »

Actually, fine. P*ss off, then.

Giving up a chance to work with the club to talk absolute b*llocks on television.

Get up outta that.

If he is as good a coach as he is a pundit he might be doing us a favour. Freddie is over our u16s.

Tony Adams is over our u18s (he was meant to be joint manager with Henry afaik) with Kvame Ampadu (Dubliner and former irish international?) training them.

Id have liked to get Lee Dixon or Martin Keown in. Both very intelligent guys. Adams was some captain and all round likeable bloke according to his former teammates Romford Pele and Perry Groves, but comes across as a bit 'im so great' in a coaching role.

Gringo180

Gringo180 wrote: »

Agree. Think we pulled the plug on the deal when it was upped 4 million to 37 million. What a bargain that was for a 25 year old goalscoring machine.

We were insane not to. he was ripe for the picking. I mean a measly fúckin 4m.