Arsenal Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2017 *Warnings see OP-updated 09/05/17*

omega man

Hunky Monster wrote: »

Good riddance to that season anyway. Chelsea will absolutely wreck us in the cup final.

With the inevitable goal from Cesc too!

Knew we wouldn't get top 4 but these injuries could kill us in the final.

tayto lover

Not interested in the FA Cup.
The last two were used by Wenger to hang onto power.
See where that got us.

Arne_Saknussem

Lovely finish from Ramsey there for the last, hopefully he knocks in a couple next week too.

Albert_Camus

Arne_Saknussem wrote: »

Lovely finish from Ramsey there for the last, hopefully he knocks in a couple next week too.

Let's hope so, great goal alright.

omega man

tayto lover wrote: »

Not interested in the FA Cup.
The last two were used by Wenger to hang onto power.
See where that got us.

I really want him gone too but trophies are for the players & fans and for the clubs cabinet so future generations can look back at and be proud of, not for Wengers personal glorification.

domrush

Ah lads I can't get excited about the FA cup because I know for sure if we did win it Wenger would get 2 more years. It's utterly depressing being so indifferent to a cup final.

Arne_Saknussem

domrush wrote: »

Ah lads I can't get excited about the FA cup because I know for sure if we did win it Wenger would get 2 more years. It's utterly depressing being so indifferent to a cup final.

He's gonna get 2 more years in any case, it's a cup final so might as well make the most of it.

L'prof

domrush wrote: »

Ah lads I can't get excited about the FA cup because I know for sure if we did win it Wenger would get 2 more years. It's utterly depressing being so indifferent to a cup final.

He has his 2 year contract wrapped up already. I want them to win the FA Cup as they're unrelated if you ask me...unfortunately

domrush

That was my initial thought but after publicly stating that they'll be a meeting after the FA cup I'm holding out hope. Makes it sound like it all depends on success in qualification or in the final.

wandatowell

Arne_Saknussem wrote: »

He's gonna get 2 more years in any case,

Shameful stuff from the club :mad:

tayto lover

L'prof wrote: »

He has his 2 year contract wrapped up already. I want them to win the FA Cup as they're unrelated if you ask me...unfortunately

They are not unrelated though.
The last two FA Cup wins were the glue at the top of the cliff that allowed him to hang on, to pretend that all was ok and that he was doing a great job.

I really really want him gone. I get it hard to listen to him with little dry grin on his face as if he's having a secret laugh at everyone.

If he's agreed to stay with Gazidis' restructuring of the way the club functions, it's the first phase of getting him out the door.

L'prof

tayto lover wrote: »

They are not unrelated though.
The last two FA Cup wins were the glue at the top of the cliff that allowed him to hang on, to pretend that all was ok and that he was doing a great job.

I really really want him gone. I get it hard to listen to him with little dry grin on his face as if he's having a secret laugh at everyone.

They're unrelated in the sense that win or lose next week he'll still have a 2 year deal IMO so I'd rather they win

Arne_Saknussem

tayto lover wrote: »

They are not unrelated though.
The last two FA Cup wins were the glue at the top of the cliff that allowed him to hang on, to pretend that all was ok and that he was doing a great job.

I really really want him gone. I get it hard to listen to him with little dry grin on his face as if he's having a secret laugh at everyone.

I know you want him out, but you might be reading too much into that one.

farna_boy

Good win today especially considering we played most of the match with only 10 players.

For all the giving out about Xhaka, it's starting to look like Kos is the bigger liability but it was nice to see us not crumble when he went off this time.

Speaking of Xhaka, all our creativity seemed to dry up when he went off, until the last few minutes where we seemed to make an effort again.

Thought Welbeck was muck throughout. Fair enough his service was almost non-existent but next time someone says he should start ahead of Giroud they should watch Bellerin's goal today.

It also seems bizarre that Wenger wouldn't throw Giroud on, especially after the Liverpool goals went in, to give him a chance to get his two goals before the summer.

Overall, happy enough with the win but with the suspension for Kos and Gabriel's injury, I have even less hope for the cup final (although it was nice to see Mert get a game and put in a good performance today).

Arne_Saknussem

So is it a back 4 for the Cup Final or is the cover of Mustafi & Holding either side enough to trust Per for a starting spot in a back 3?

Arne_Saknussem

Arne_Saknussem wrote: »

So is it a back 4 for the Cup Final or is the cover of Mustafi & Holding either side enough to trust Per for a starting spot in a back 3?

Still have the option of Holding/Mustafi/Monreal if Gibbs isn't injured.

tayto lover

Arne_Saknussem wrote: »

So is it a back 4 for the Cup Final or is the cover of Mustafi & Holding either side enough to trust Per for a starting spot in a back 3?

I'd say that if Gabriel is out now along with Kos he has to revert to a back four. He will keep Mert sidelined in case of a further injury.
Anyone know what the story is with Debuchy??

Albert_Camus

Arne_Saknussem wrote: »

He's gonna get 2 more years in any case, it's a cup final so might as well make the most of it.

Yeah, it's a football match with the team I support, seems pretty straight forward to me ☺️

Arne_Saknussem

Basil3 wrote: »

Still have the option of Holding/Mustafi/Monreal if Gibbs isn't injured.

Ah right, i thought he was ruled with him not being on the bench. Yeah that would work too, if not being ideal.

Arne_Saknussem

Was just reading up on Kroenke's other sports 'franchises' in America. Doesn't paint a pretty picture, especially this piece about his ownership of Colorado Avalanche.

In terms of stature and history, the Avalanche are more similar to Arsenal than any of Stan’s other sides and as such, their fans dislike him about as much as we do. “When he first purchased the team in 2000, it was a wildly successful franchise,” says Cheryl Bradley, the Assistant Editor of Mile High Hockey. “The team had won the Stanley Cup in its first year in Colorado (1995-96) and had been riding a sell-out streak that set league records which still stand.” Sound familiar? So Stan inherited a good side which then won another title in his first year (2001) and stayed competitive until 2004, when there was an NHL ‘lockout’ (a labour dispute which caused a whole season to be cancelled) before play resumed in 2005 with a firm salary cap. Which is where Cheryl picks up the story.

“The Avalanche roster had been gutted of some of its top players because of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement which forced cutbacks in contracts. Subsequently, the team dropped into mediocrity for the next few years, bottoming out in 2008-09. The management essentially blew up the team and went with young players who were on entry-level contracts and journeymen who didn’t command high salaries. At that time, ‘Kroenke is cheap and that’s why the team is losing’ became a common theme among fans.” I’m a novice when it comes to the finer points of the NHL’s structure, but Cheryl goes on to explain that Kroenke played safe by not paying big wages after the lockout and the team hasn’t really recovered since. Next I asked her whether she thought he put the team before his own business interests. “No I don’t,” she scoffed. “He took over the team to make money and build his sports business portfolio. He is not, nor ever has been a hockey guy.”

So where did it all go wrong? “One of the franchise’s biggest weaknesses is in renegotiating contracts. They do little of it. Instead they say, ‘This is our offer. Take it or leave it.’ If players push for more money they are either not re-signed or traded. There was a time when the Avalanche didn’t need to negotiate with players; the team was so successful that players vied for an opportunity to play in Colorado. Despite the allure of the Avalanche wearing off, management still approach contracts in the same way. It’s hurting the team, even if some of the choices they’ve made may have been the right ones.”



“There appears to be a mandate with all media associated with the Kroenke Sports Group that limits criticism of the team,” she explained. “Since KSE owns the media venues that cover the team, there’s nowhere to turn to get an honest assessment of the operations at the Avalanche – which even extends to the Denver Post!” And you thought the Arsenal website was a bit one-sided! No wonder she says Stan sees bloggers as ‘the Devil’s Spawn’.

The titles may have dried up, but Stan is getting his money’s worth. Cheryl’s colleague at MHH David Driscoll-Carignan agreed with her and when I asked him how highly Stan valued the team’s success and he told me that his hockey side have basically been turned into a giant cash machine. “Frankly, I haven’t got a clue if he cares about the team’s success. He’s so secretive about everything it’s hard to see what motivates him. The fact that he bought all the ancillary business surrounding the Avalanche makes me assume he’s motivated by profit more than winning championships. The franchise has a safe future. They aren’t in danger of failing, like some other NHL teams, but without money to bring in star players – or retain current players – it’s hard to picture the team thriving either.”

tayto lover

Yep Arne, we're on our way down to the center of the Earth.

omega man

To be honest now I want to win the cup just to throw it back at my pool supporting mates. They celebrated 4th after slagging arsenal players and fans doing likewise for years. So after been told it's all about trophies I want to remind them of that!! Oh the pettiness :-)

gitzy16v

A few chants from the fans today today telling Kroenke to get out of our club...im hoping it might put a bit of pressure on him to sell up but i wont hold my breath.

Arne_Saknussem

gitzy16v wrote: »

A few chants from the fans today today telling Kroenke to get out of our club...im hoping it might put a bit of pressure on him to sell up but i wont hold my breath.

I think the only thing that will get him out of the club is the fans staying away, and i can't see that happening.

greendom

Arne_Saknussem wrote: »

I think the only thing that will get him out of the club is the fans staying away, and i can't see that happening.

A serious increase in the offer from Usamov may encourage him.

Arne_Saknussem

greendom wrote: »

A serious increase in the offer from Usamov may encourage him.

Possibly but Stan's known not to be a seller. Can't see him offering £2bn for 66% of the club that the Sun were reporting yesterday, that would put the valuation of the club beyond what Forbes list as Real Madrid's value.

sonic85

The problem is he doesn't need to sell. Unless it's an obscene offer then he'll never sell up. His other clubs are crap basically and really unless something changes soon Arsenal will go the same way

jonneymendoza

Im done with arsenal. until wenger and Stan go. its sickening now

tayto lover

sonic85 wrote: »

The problem is he doesn't need to sell. Unless it's an obscene offer then he'll never sell up. His other clubs are crap basically and really unless something changes soon Arsenal will go the same way

Kronke is just using the club as a cash cow to fund his other sporting interests.
He wouldn't know what was inside a football.
He's just a businessman.

sonic85

tayto lover wrote: »

Kronke is just using the club as a cash cow to fund his other sporting interests.
He wouldn't know what was inside a football.
He's just a businessman.

That's what it boils down to basically. Didn't he say he didn't buy Arsenal to win trophies.

I can't believe that so many people backed him when he took over and thought he'd be good for the club when even a glance at his other sports investments would tell you everything you need to know about the man.

gandalf

sonic85 wrote: »

That's what it boils down to basically. Didn't he say he didn't buy Arsenal to win trophies.

I can't believe that so many people backed him when he took over and thought he'd be good for the club when even a glance at his other sports investments would tell you everything you need to know about the man.

I think a lot of us were more concerned at Usamov getting overall control at the time. Tbh I am seriously conflicted still about him taking control if he does increase his offer.

As an aside I don't think I'll be renewing my membership this year if the management and board stay the same, which unfortunately I believe is what will happen.

Wenger admitted that the speculation over his future 'may have affected the team'......well duh Arsene :rolleyes: The best way to remedy this is for you and the board to have been to be more decisive but instead your all as spineless as each other.

This whole season has been a botch job from start to finish. Yet he brazenly reminds us he has turned down every club in the world. :rolleyes: On this showing, a further indication of his sad decline, any other club would be more than welcome to him. I would doubt they would put up with this nonsense and he wouldn't be in charge of his next club.

And Alex Ferguson can piss off and mind his own business too. Who are we going to get that's better says he?
In one way though, perhaps the biggest removal has to be that of kroenke and the board.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/39994392

For Wenger to blame the fans for creating a toxic atmosphere around the club he should be ashamed of himself. An arrogant man. The fans are toxic because, his team have been utterly fúckin poison. :mad:

omega man

[Deleted User] wrote: »

For Wenger to blame the fans for creating a toxic atmosphere around the club he should be ashamed of himself. An arrogant man. The fans are toxic because, his team have been utterly fúckin poison. :mad:

Just saw his comments now, absolutely disgusting and demonstrates the disconnection between the club and the fans.

gandalf

Yeah I watched that interview and laughed at him! It wasn't a laugh of humour it was the wry laugh you make when you really want to shout like a manic but at this stage can't be bothered. At this stage the man has turned into a caricature of the manager that landed the league years ago.

eagle eye

18 years straight in the Champion's league and that comes to an end now. It was some run, pretty incredible actually.

eagle eye

eagle eye wrote: »

18 years straight in the Champion's league and that comes to an end now. It was some run, pretty incredible actually.

Was it only 18? What's more incredible is that they lost 9 matches, and still almost qualified.

keano_afc

We got what we deserved, to be honest. We've been flirting with dropping out of the top 4 for a while now and have been helped out by other teams ineptitude and bottling capabilities when it looked like our time was up.

If you havent seen Wenger's presser after the game, watch it. Truly bizarre. We're about to enter a pretty messy summer.

gandalf

keano_afc wrote: »

We're about to enter a pretty messy summer.

It certainly looks like its going to be a long and frustrating one alright. Wenger staying Ozil and Sanchez fecking off and maybe others. The fight in the board going on "quietly" in the background, the continued mocking from other fans.

Although as an optimist I am hoping that maybe there is some legs in the stories that there are other potential bidders for the club in the background letting Usamov do all the heavy lifting before they make their move.

The longer the whole uncertainty goes on about the manager and the owner and board of the club the more unsettled things get and the less attractive the club will be to high calibre signings.

Unfortunately us Arsenal fans are now living in interesting times!

eagle eye

eagle eye wrote: »

18 years straight in the Champion's league and that comes to an end now. It was some run, pretty incredible actually.

Yeah and we were really tearing up trees in that competition and all

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Yeah and we were really tearing up trees in that competition and all

That's why I'm not even upset at not making it. I'm more upset about qualifying for the Europa league tbh. And yeah yeah "top players are not likely to sign now"...well that's horse sh1t as man united and Chelsea have proved recently. Show ambition and throw enough money down and the will come, neither of which arsenal are good at anyway.

Wenger has held the club to ransom for too long, it's disgusting what's happening.

gandalf

Hunky Monster wrote: »

And yeah yeah "top players are not likely to sign now"...well that's horse sh1t as man united and Chelsea have proved recently. Show ambition and throw enough money down and the will come, neither of which arsenal are good at anyway.

It's not "horse sh1t" from our perspective as the club will not go out and pay the prices necessary and the wages necessary to offset the fact we aren't in the CL. And looking at Kroenke's track record with his American sports teams it is a common theme, there is no investment to try and win trophies. The only trophy that matters to that man is the one showing a nice healthy profit at the bottom of his preferred masturbatory aid, an excel spreadsheet!

farna_boy

keano_afc wrote: »

We got what we deserved, to be honest. We've been flirting with dropping out of the top 4 for a while now and have been helped out by other teams ineptitude and bottling capabilities when it looked like our time was up.

If you havent seen Wenger's presser after the game, watch it. Truly bizarre. We're about to enter a pretty messy summer.

You know, I wish our players and especially Wenger would either get media training or preferably just shut the **** up.

I know you get asked questions that can then later be taken out of context or sometimes you can get caught up in the moment, but Wenger probably wouldn't be in the position he finds himself in now and probably wouldn't get half the grief he gets if he just kept his mouth shut.

I just find the whole "I tried to sign x before he was famous" or "I just let the players express themselves on the pitch" stuff cringe inducing and embarrassing and it's doing him more damage to his reputation than anything else at this stage.

tayto lover

We got 75 points our of a possible 114. A bit less than two-thirds.
Not hectic when you consider the quality of the teams from 8th down but very telling against the teams at the top.

Against the other 6 teams in the Top 7 we got -

3 against Chelsea.
1 against Spurs.
1 against Man City.
0 against Liverpool.
4 against Man United.
3 against Everton.

That's 12 out of a possible 36. Not good enough.
It's also 63 out of a possible 78 against the rest which is not too bad but still not enough to make Top 4.
I think it's the 12 out of 36 against the Top teams that ruined our season and told in the end.

DvB

tayto lover wrote: »

We got 75 points our of a possible 114. A bit less than two-thirds.
Not hectic when you consider the quality of the teams from 8th down but very telling against the teams at the top.

Against the other 6 teams in the Top 7 we got -

3 against Chelsea.
1 against Spurs.
3 against Man City.
0 against Liverpool.
4 against Man United.
3 against Everton.

That's 14 out of a possible 36. Not good enough.
It's also 61 out of a possible 78 against the rest which is not too bad but still not enough to make Top 4.
I think it's the 14 out of 36 against the Top teams that ruined our season and told in the end.

Did we not only get 1 against City? the 2-2 at the emirates? Meaning its 12/36

tayto lover

DvB wrote: »

Did we not only get 1 against City? the 2-2 at the emirates? Meaning its 12/36

Correct. My maths ???

gandalf

tayto lover wrote: »

Correct. My maths ???

Hmmm looks like you have a touch of the Wengers!

keano_afc

keano_afc wrote: »

We got what we deserved, to be honest. We've been flirting with dropping out of the top 4 for a while now and have been helped out by other teams ineptitude and bottling capabilities when it looked like our time was up.

If you havent seen Wenger's presser after the game, watch it. Truly bizarre. We're about to enter a pretty messy summer.

Totally agree.
The worst part to the end of the season was Wengers comments that he turned down every club in the world (his words) to stay at Arsenal, like we are a ****e club.
Can't stand the man.

Bam Bam Mickey

Bam Bam Mickey wrote: »

Totally agree.
The worst part to the end of the season was Wengers comments that he turned down every club in the world (his words) to stay at Arsenal, like we are a ****e club.
Can't stand the man.

He turned down every club in the world because he knew they wouldn't tolerate his mediocrity over such a long period of time. His excuses are doing him no favours.