Arsenal Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2016

The reason I thought the Mertesacker announcement was weird was because I thought that he was announced ages ago, and Cazorla was an interim until he came back.

Didn't realise that Mert was never announced.

Skylinehead

Gringo180 wrote: »

I always believe a club captain should be an indespensible player in the starting XI. Mertesacker is not that. Kos should of been given the armband imo. One of the best central defenders in the game and is one of the first names on the teamsheet.

Kompany is a crock, Terry almost wasn't given a contract, Rooney is awful. There's our 3 main competitors not having an indispensible starting captain, so it clearly isn't taken that seriously.

As for Koscielny, he's a very quiet lad. At least Mertesacker is vocal, and there was that Ozil thing. Like, I don't really care, but who's better for it? Cech maybe, but he's only at the club a year.

JustTheOne

Gringo180 wrote: »

I always believe a club captain should be an indespensible player in the starting XI. Mertesacker is not that. Kos should of been given the armband imo. One of the best central defenders in the game and is one of the first names on the teamsheet.

Did I hear he doesn't want it?

Or didn't when asked few years ago.

keano_afc

This isn't rugby. The captain poses for pictures and shakes the refs hand and that it. I couldn't give a bollocks who it is. Doesn't make a blind bit of difference.

12gauge dave

Here we are the start of the season with a makeshift defence no proper striker available several injuries and next to nothing done in transfer market.

Skylinehead

12gauge dave wrote: »

Here we are the start of the season with a makeshift defence no proper striker available several injuries and next to nothing done in transfer market.

Now there's a real problem. Or four.

emmetlego

12gauge dave wrote: »

Here we are the start of the season with a makeshift defence no proper striker available several injuries and next to nothing done in transfer market.

And this is the real problem. Every point in the league counts, we are currently very understaffed.

mansize

Basil3 wrote: »

The reason I thought the Mertesacker announcement was weird was because I thought that he was announced ages ago, and Cazorla was an interim until he came back.

Didn't realise that Mert was never announced.

Me too

Gringo180

Nightshift done so I have today off to watch the match. Would be great to kick off the season with a win. Really looking forward to seen Xhaka and Elneny midfield with Ramsey playing in the attacking midfield role.

wandatowell

Gringo180 wrote: »

Nightshift done so I have today off to watch the match. Would be great to kick off the season with a win. Really looking forward to seen Xhaka and Elneny midfield with Ramsey playing in the attacking midfield role.

Ditto here. Not finished till 8 though. Hope not for a repeat of the first televised game of last season.

emergingstar

New season starts today

Looking back at our last few opening day fixtures you can't be too confident

emergingstar

Christ wengers interview today

Even if he believes it, all he is doing is going to upset the majority of the fan base

speedboatchase

Hard to know how to feel about today. Obviously I want us to win, but I just know that if we get off to a good start this season Wenger's 3-year deal is announced and he'll feel vindicated in not buying anyone else.

wandatowell

emergingstar wrote: »

New season starts today

Looking back at our last few opening day fixtures you can't be too confident

Did we beat Everton 4-0 on an opening day a few years back?

KaiserGunner

wandatowell wrote: »

Did we beat Everton 4-0 on an opening day a few years back?

6-1 Denilson with a screamer to open the scoring. Was at Goodison park too, but we haven't fared well on the opening day lately.

emergingstar

wandatowell wrote: »

Did we beat Everton 4-0 on an opening day a few years back?

I'm thinking last season
And the game against villa which I was at,
Atmosphere was poisonous

Watch Klopp after the game massage and man manage their players psyche, Wenger will storm off down the tunnel.

Bam Bam Mickey

Bam Bam Mickey wrote: »

Watch Klopp after the game massage and man manage their players psyche, Wenger will storm off down the tunnel.

Personally, I'll just watch the match, and not look for reasons to have a go at Wenger.

Alfred Borden

I'm gonna miss watching us today without this genius. We arent half as a good to watch without him

Gringo180

Alfred Borden wrote: »

I'm gonna miss watching us today without this genius. We arent half as a good to watch without him

Best player in the league by a mile.

TitianGerm

Gringo180 wrote: »

Best player in the league by a mile.

He's not the best player in the league but he is the best in his position.

De Gea is better than him and has won United more points in his time there than Ozil will at Arsenal.

Augero is better as well.

Probably not to many more in fairness though.

mansize

emmetkenny wrote: »

He's not the best player in the league but he is the best in his position.

De Gea is better than him and has won United more points in his time there than Ozil will at Arsenal.

Augero is better as well.

Probably not to many more in fairness though.

De Gea is good but nobetter than Ozil

Pudders

Just passed Lee Dixon outside Piebury corner!

Mickeroo

Elneny & Coq starting according to twitter people. (That dean guy that r/gunners seem to worship for some reason).

Dreading that lot scoring 3+ goals today

omega man

Mickeroo wrote: »

Elneny & Coq starting according to twitter people. (That dean guy that r/gunners seem to worship for some reason).

No Xhaka then? Really hope that's not true.......

Basil3

Basil3 wrote: »

Personally, I'll just watch the match, and avoid any reasons to have a go at Wenger.

Good lad.

Soups123

I think we're in for a tough day today just too many missing.

Could have coped with a bottom 10 team I think but any of the top 8 teams it's a big ask

Gringo180

The mind boggles with that starting 11. Atmosphere will be poisonous if we lose.

Alfred Borden

Thats the best defence we could have gone with. No point dragging Monreal out of position and weakening two positions.

AdamD

Smart team. Bit of protection in midfield for the defence. The Liverpool midfield looks extremely unbalanced and with Mignolet/Moreno/Lovren on the pitch we should really have a chance.

Bobby Baccala

Alfred Borden wrote: »

Thats the best defence we could have gone with. No point dragging Monreal out of position and weakening two positions.

We're already weakened in 2 positions and I'd argue that Monreal is better at centre back than Chambers and Holding.

gosplan

P4DDY2K11 wrote: »

We're already weakened in 2 positions and I'd argue that Monreal is better at centre back than Chambers and Holding.

Perhaps but it's Monreal plus Gibbs vrs Holding plus Monreal.

I'm a big advocate of playing players on their best positions though. Monreal is a class LB and we have more CBs.

Bobby Baccala

gosplan wrote: »

Perhaps but it's Monreal plus Gibbs vrs Holding plus Monreal.

I'm a big advocate of playing players on their best positions though. Monreal is a class LB and we have more CBs.

Yeah Gibbs today probably wouldn't have been a great idea although my main concern is the lack of experience in our back 4. Holding is really getting fùcked in at the deep end.

Hopefully Coquelin and Elneny do the lads a favour.

wandatowell

Gringo180 wrote: »

The mind boggles with that starting 11. Atmosphere will be poisonous if we lose.

Indeed it will. An early goal for the 'Pool will be disastrous.

Of course it was very easily avoidable but for......... eh why bother.

Anyways time to put aside the negativity and get behind the players.

Soups123

I think we had to go with that team from the available selection.

Feels weird going into the first game of the season not looking forward to it.

Really not sure how this will go but my gut things we'll lose

omega man

Campbell didn't even make the bench. Poor lad.

Can't say I'm optimistic whatsoever but still great to be kicking off another season all the same.

Can't call this one but thank Christ we're at home.

Come on Arsenal......

I'm amazed by the respect being shown to Liverpool. Have they looked amazing in preseason or something? I realise they beat an undercooked Barca, but how were their other matches?

tayto lover

Just back from playing great golf, so what's the team lads?

tayto lover

Feckin ridiculous that some of our players cannot play today.
Stupid stupid decision to give them more time off.

Harry Palmr

Basil3 wrote: »

I'm amazed by the respect being shown to Liverpool. Have they looked amazing in preseason or something? I realise they beat an undercooked Barca, but how were their other matches?

Beaten by Chelsea 0-1, Roma 2-1 (should have been a draw, wrong offside given) and Mainz 5-0 (22 hours after Barca with a B team starting 11) five wins.

Pudders

Xhaxa on front cover of programme but doesn't start. But club gave free programme to everyone!

gosplan

tayto lover wrote: »

Feckin ridiculous that some of our players cannot play today.
Stupid stupid decision to give them more time off.

I'm actually OK with that. It seems that Wenger is listening to what Shad and the medical staff say. Players are coming back slower but we're seeing less recurrences.

I've no doubt that a year or two back Wenger would have thrown Kos and Caz in.

It is rediculous that we're starting the year with an injury crisis though.

tayto lover

gosplan wrote: »

I'm actually OK with that. It seems that Wenger is listening to what Shad and the medical staff say. Players are coming back slower but we're seeing less recurrences.

I've no doubt that a year or two back Wenger would have thrown Kos and Caz in.

It is rediculous that we're starting the year with an injury crisis though.

Did any other team give their players more time off though?

wandatowell

Only one defender on our bench. That's a bit of a worry.

wandatowell

And it's on!

omega man

Holding and chambers play together for England u21s. That could be important today.

tayto lover

Unlucky Ramsey. Great move.

tayto lover

Rubbish penalty by Walcott.

omega man

Oh dear.....Walcott