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Home›General›The Arsenal Week In Review 7.17.2011

The Arsenal Week In Review 7.17.2011

By Michael Price
July 17, 2011
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Another week, another transfer saga but at least there was some action on the pitch to talk about. And that’s where we are going to start.

The Arsenal in Asia Tour:

The week began with the team at the start of what can only be called a highly successful Asian tour. Upon their arrival in Kuala Lumar the team were greeted like rockstars and mobbed everywhere they went. At one particular event it was reported that 6000 screaming Arsenal fans were waiting for Wilshere, Song, Szczesny, and Walcott to make an appearance. And like any junket appearance, it never went off quite as planned as one of Niketown’s reps got a player style welcome when all he did was open a door. However, when the players showed the general enthusiasm was not deterred.

Overall for the club the visit was a financial windfall and gave the players a chance to see how far the Arsenal brand extends. Hopefully its something that resonates with them and makes them reflect on how big Arsenal really are. Little things like this go along way to ingraining on the mind the scope of things.

As for the stuff on the pitch. I am never one who puts too much into the pre-season. I didn’t expect much from a team that had travelled to Malaysia and China with very little practice opportunities and more time for glad-handing. However, there were promising signs and some all too familiar signs.

The promising? You mean besides the fact that Kieran Gibbs went two matches in a row without breaking part of his foot or hyper-extending his ankle? Jenkison is huge, mobile and good on the ball. He still looks like he needs to fully understand the principles of Arsenal’s high line but he has a good mentor in Bacary Sagna. Ryo Miyaichi is going to be good.  He simply has no fear. His talent is raw and needs further development but with his speed and ball skills he certainly looks the part.

Vermaelen looks like he is ready to play some meaningful football and when paired with Koscileny they looked fairly tidy in the back and very adept at speedily getting back. Jack and Rambo gave us a further glimpse of things to come. It’s clear there is a hunger in these two that sometimes seems absent from our more senior players. Hell, that might be said for most of our younger players. Overall the younger players that are being fed into the squad from the reserves  seem to all have a desire that is sorely lacking.

Just a couple of other little positives. Walcott looks good when played in the middle, Vela is overpromising again, Arshavin lost weight and Van Persie looks like he could actually start the season free of injury (there now I’ve gone and jinxed it).

The not so promosing? Two things stood out – Greentown scored on a set piece against Johann Djourou and Sebastien Squillaci. Clearly we haven’t got that whole thing worked out yet. And we also don’t seem to know what to do when an entire team places itself in the box. The Chinese team certainly were intent on showing us what most English teams will have in store for us – a parked bus. And in true Arsenal fashion we had no answer. We tried to chip over,  dribble it or walk it in. But the fact remains noone was trying to take chances from outside the box. Now, I hear that this is something Gervinho likes to do so maybe, just maybe there is some hope in store.

Finally, I am not sure whether it was the pairing of Djourou with Squillaci that made Djourou look awkward but he certainly looked out of sorts.

But anyway, I am neither down or up on the club after these two matches. How much you can take from a team playing on little practice, in higher than average temps and after days of running around doing promotional events? The fact is noone should be feeling anything. If you are optimisitic you live with rose coloured glasses on if you find something negative you continue to find excuses for lynching Wenger.

The team sets off from China to head back the more natural and familiar climes of Europe as they take on FC Cologne in Germany. While it’s still pre-season its a little more robust challenge and gauge then Malaysia XI and Hangzhou Greentown.

Transfer Sagas

On Monday Arsene Wenger finally confirmed what we all had been waiting for, the arrival of former Lille forward Gervinho to Arsenal. Some pundits are already claiming he could be the steal of the summer window for the £10.5 million we reportedly paid for him.  I’ll wait till he actually does something before I make that claim.

We are still inundated with rumours around Cesc and it got a little testy this week with Xiva okay Xavi (But hell he is a Diva) actually being quoted on the official Barcelona Website as saying that Cesc was “suffering” at Arsenal and had done all he could do to move to the Spanish club. Suffering on £110,000 a week, playing a kids game for a living? Yeah, I’d call that suffering.

Xavi was soon followed by the Catalan Mayor, a supposed family friend of the Fabregas’ who came out and said that Arsenal should do the right thing and end this kidnapping and let Cesc go.

But what was great to see was the comments from someone inside the Barcelona family who finally had the decent sense to tell the truth. None other than the legend Johann Cruyff had this to say:

“Arsene Wenger looks after their interests and it is Arsenal who control the situation.”

“Cesc signed for many years and now he has to play for them. If Barcelona  want him, they have to pay for him.

“When you sign for a club, you are bound to it. It is logical to want Cesc  but he is under contract to another club.”

“I have no idea whether Cesc will come here.

“Arsenal are asking for a lot of money. We must use our heads.”

Finally, there is someone attached to Barcelona who is speaking with a sense of sanity. The prevailing thought remains that Barcelona are set to come back with a revised offer for Cesc. As time goes on Arsenal’s position strengthens. And the closer we get to the end of the transfer window.

As for Nasri, Roberto Mancini decided that he needed to weigh in and say that he had hoped to have the Nasri transfer done by the end of the month. That found its way to China and Wenger was none too pleased about the news. He proceeded top smack down Mancini for his lack of respect. Of course Man City came out soon after Mancini made his statement and had to clarify that he was talking about transfers in general. And of course metro-man Mancini came back to say he didn’t understand why Wenger was so upset.

Of course in both instances the club could’ve pursued a complaint of tapping up. With Xavi his comments came on the club’s official site and wasn’t some innocuous comment in the press. As for Mancini his comments were what they were and he did not misspeak. Frankly, stuff like this doesn’t stop until you do something. Sure, if Arsenal were to report either club to FIFA, chances are nothing would come of it. But at least maybe the other clubs would take notice that this is not the way to do business. Until then Barcelona players, political officials and the team mascot will continue to talk about Cesc and Roberto Mancini will continue to coiff his hair and feign ignorance.

I’m all for playing the moral high-ground game however what this really deserves is one big – f**k you.

 

Couldn't have said it better myself

 

In Other Transfer News:

Looks like the transfer market for Arsenal is going to get a little interesting. Finally. There are various reports that Denilson will be going back to his original club Sao Paulo on a season long loan. The two clubs are hopeful that it will lead to a permanent deal. The deal looks to be confirmed as both the Sao Paulo President and Denilson via twitter confirmed it was happening, even though nothing has been announced from either club officially.

Another rumour out there is that Galatarasay is set to make an offer for everyone’s favourite cheerleader – no not the Gunnersaurus – but Eboue. That’s right, with Jenkinson set to become Sagna’s key back up, cult figure Eboue could be on his way out.  Others that may be gone include Manuel Almunia who is said to be finalizing a deal to Atletico Madrid and Nicklas Bendtner who may or may not have a deal in place with Borussia Dortmund (or a host of other German clubs)

Not so sure on the Dortmund/Bendy link. They usually play with one striker up top only and they already have two so the need for a striker seems a little off. The newest Bendy rumour though is that Everton could be interested in a season long loan deal as they are looking for up front help but can’t afford to buy anyone.

A lot of people may scoff at these loans but as we’ve said, Arsenal’s unusual wage structure and the lack of form from our deadwood players means that high priced deals for these players is unlikely. What is more likely is the fact that some of these players will be given long term loans with the aim to be for them to prove themselves to potential suitors.

As for players we’ve been linked to, its been relatively quiet. I suspect it is because most of the key executives have been in Asia so there is no work being done. However, soon after the Hangzou match rumours that Arsenal were close to finalizing a deal for Gary Cahill started to emerge. Not surprising considering the calamity act of Djourou and Squillaci.

The more surprising rumour that came out at the tail end of the week was that Arsenal had tabled a bid of £14 million for 18 year old striker Romalau Lukakau. For most of the summer Lukakau had been linked with Chelsea with a deal looking more and more eminent. However, with Anderlecht’s executives in London they dropped the bombshell that Arsenal had entered the race for his services. I don’t know how much faith I play in this rumour. It could just be that they are trying to get more money out of Chelsea for the striker and by bringing another team into the picture they aim to do just that.

Well, that’s it for this edition. We’ll be back later this week. We’re going to begin raring up for the season with more pieces as we get closer to the start. Until then . . . stay Goonerish!!!

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42 comments

  1. Benton Bielecki 9 November, 2011 at 04:38 Log in to Reply

    Quite informative and exceptional bodily structure of content material , now that’s user friendly (:.

  2. stag133 22 July, 2011 at 14:02 Log in to Reply

    and now… Wenger greasing the skids for the exodus…
    says … “it is not certain that Nasri will stay”…

    OK, so as suspected all along by some….
    Nasri and Cesc are likely gone… and with 3 weeks to go before the season starts, we’ve signed who exactly … that would replace them?

    get the torches… start marching towards the stadium…

  3. stag133 22 July, 2011 at 11:02 Log in to Reply

    Arsenal haven’t won a damned thing since 2005!
    seems like so long ago, and in sports terms, IT IS.

    Patrick Vieira’s last kick in an Arsenal shirt wins the FA Cup…
    and the newly retired Vieira says that the current Arsenal squad may be playing better football than his Arsenal teams… better ball movement, etc…. but they lack the PHYSICAL TOUGHNESS and INTIMIDATION factor to win in ENGLAND… and that players like Bould Adams Winterburn… Petit and himself in midfield… Seaman at the back… were big physical players, that made winning in the EPL possible.

    RIGHT ON PATRICK. Geez, I have said the same damned thing myself for how many years?

    We aren’t winning SHIT without an infusion of physical, tough, experienced players… how many of those did we bring in this off-season to address that issue?
    oh, right… absolutely ZERO.
    so, not a thing will change in terms of adding trophies to the cabinet… until it does.

    But carry on Arsene… carry on Arsenal…. 3 weeks until the season kicks off, and frankly, right now, I’d say we don’t have a snowballs chance in hell… :skeleton:

  4. stag133 22 July, 2011 at 11:02 Log in to Reply

    Arsenal haven’t won a damned thing since 2005!
    seems like so long ago, and in sports terms, IT IS.

    Patrick Vieira’s last kick in an Arsenal shirt wins the FA Cup…
    and the newly retired Vieira says that the current Arsenal squad may be playing better football than his Arsenal teams… better ball movement, etc…. but they lack the PHYSICAL TOUGHNESS and INTIMIDATION factor to win in ENGLAND… and that players like Bould Adams Winterburn… Petit and himself in midfield… Seaman at the back… were big physical players, that made winning in the EPL possible.

    RIGHT ON PATRICK. Geez, I have said the same damned thing myself for how many years?

    We aren’t winning SHIT without an infusion of physical, tough, experienced players… how many of those did we bring in this off-season to address that issue?
    oh, right… absolutely ZERO.
    so, not a thing will change in terms of adding trophies to the cabinet… until it does.

    But carry on Arsene… carry on Arsenal…. 3 weeks until the season kicks off, and frankly, right now, I’d say we don’t have a snowballs chance in hell… :skeleton:

    • Fred 22 July, 2011 at 12:43 Log in to Reply

      @stag133,

      We have needed TWO solid CM/DMs for 6 years and running now.

      We still have NONE!

  5. OziKenyan 21 July, 2011 at 13:25 Log in to Reply

    All financial considerations aside, if you were offered a straight swap, Mata for Nasri, from a purely footballing point of view, how many of you would take it?

    I reckon I would, if for no other reason than we haven’t had an ‘exciting’ signing for so long (yes, I’m a shallow fickle fan). I think the last time a player got me hyped up was Reyes…

    • stag133 21 July, 2011 at 14:20 Log in to Reply

      @OziKenyan, Sometimes I am of the mind that we’re better with the devil we know… we KNOW what Nasri is, and he’s pretty good.
      Now that we’ve offered him and RVP 6 MILLION a year to stay, he’ll have no motivation anyway!

      But if we SELL him… we won’t bring in Mata, or anyone of note… i’m with Fred, in that I think they wait til the last second to sell the player, so they can say… oh, we didn’t have time to buy anyone…
      then… the AKBers forget about the huge profit made, and the money somehow isn’t remembered when the window opens again…

      Pretty simple in my mind:
      I’d go BRITISH… Baines @ LB, Cahill @ CB, Parker @ Midfield (take him on loan if need be for 1 year)…

      I like all 3 players a lot regardless of their nationality, but they wouldn’t be trying to get back to Spain or Italy or wherever our star players try to feck off to when they’ve tired of Arsene and his magic hat routine.

      • OziKenyan 22 July, 2011 at 08:42 Log in to Reply

        @stag133, If he goes, will we replace him? I dunno.. If I had to put money on it I’d say no. But if a genie were to grant you a direct swap between the two… I think I’d take it… I think Mata’s strengths compliment our team better than Nasri’s. From what I’ve seen he’s quicker, more direct, more intent on shooting.. But obv premiership unproven.

        • stag133 22 July, 2011 at 10:19

          @OziKenyan, He might be a better fit … maybe NOT, if we lose Cesc & Nasri, then does it really matter? we become a completely different team, that needs to infuse a LOT of talent.

    • stag133 21 July, 2011 at 14:20 Log in to Reply

      @OziKenyan, Sometimes I am of the mind that we’re better with the devil we know… we KNOW what Nasri is, and he’s pretty good.
      Now that we’ve offered him and RVP 6 MILLION a year to stay, he’ll have no motivation anyway!

      But if we SELL him… we won’t bring in Mata, or anyone of note… i’m with Fred, in that I think they wait til the last second to sell the player, so they can say… oh, we didn’t have time to buy anyone…
      then… the AKBers forget about the huge profit made, and the money somehow isn’t remembered when the window opens again…

      Pretty simple in my mind:
      I’d go BRITISH… Baines @ LB, Cahill @ CB, Parker @ Midfield (take him on loan if need be for 1 year)…

      I like all 3 players a lot regardless of their nationality, but they wouldn’t be trying to get back to Spain or Italy or wherever our star players try to feck off to when they’ve tired of Arsene and his magic hat routine.

  6. OziKenyan 21 July, 2011 at 13:11 Log in to Reply

    By the way, all this talk about our interest in Samba, Cahill and Jagielka, I must say I like Jagielka the best of the 3. Would be quite happy if he were to come in…

    • stag133 21 July, 2011 at 14:16 Log in to Reply

      @OziKenyan, Again, its personal opinion, and probably who we’ve seen most of?
      I would go for Cahill if I had MY pick of the (3)…
      I think he’s a steady solid defender.

      But, getting ANY of these defenders… ANY CB in is ESSENTIAL, as we SUCKED last year.

  7. OziKenyan 21 July, 2011 at 12:49 Log in to Reply

    How bout a new YAMA fantasy season. With Arsenal looking like no-hopers this season, I won’t feel as bad rooting on guys like Van Der Vaart. And it makes the rest of the games sooo much more interesting…

    fantasy.premierleague.com

    Sign-up

    Code – 49128-19374

    • stag133 21 July, 2011 at 14:13 Log in to Reply

      @OziKenyan, I would be in again… I didn’t pay as much attention as I could have….!
      15 or 20 in the pool would be good.

      why don’t we try a PICK’EM pool…. where you make picks on all the premier league games each week, W, L or D… ?

      That would be interesting as well.

      • OziKenyan 22 July, 2011 at 08:42 Log in to Reply

        @stag133, That would be interesting… If anyone’s willing to put in the work to manage it. I guess there should be online sites that can do that.. I’m in for that as well..

    • jroybower 21 July, 2011 at 21:25 Log in to Reply

      @OziKenyan, last time i used that site for fantasy league (6+ years ago) i started getting a lot of “unsolicited” emails in my account… just sayin’.

      i’m down for fantasy league regardless and the more the merrier!

      • OziKenyan 22 July, 2011 at 08:44 Log in to Reply

        @jroybower, Weird… I’ve been using them for over 6 years and have received zero junk from them.. I’m sure it’s just down to the settings but I do know for a fact it’s the most polished and most popular fantasy football game around…

        • stag133 22 July, 2011 at 10:22

          @OziKenyan, I’d say
          http://www.fantasyleague.com

          I’ve used that for years…. love the format… and I pay to play it, because I feel like its better than any other I have tried…

          the thing is… you can only REALLY concentrate on 1 or 2 Fantasy Leagues at a time… throw in the NFL Fantasy League… and you’re spending a lot of time on Fantasy Sports!
          ;)

    • jroybower 21 July, 2011 at 21:25 Log in to Reply

      @OziKenyan, last time i used that site for fantasy league (6+ years ago) i started getting a lot of “unsolicited” emails in my account… just sayin’.

      i’m down for fantasy league regardless and the more the merrier!

  8. stag133 19 July, 2011 at 23:47 Log in to Reply

    The season starts in like 3 1/2 weeks.
    just utterly amazing at where we stand right now…

    the only player of note coming in is Gervinho….
    it was our defense that was just PATHETIC… horrible on set-pieces, no No.1 keeper, and we lost our starting LB…

    unless we sign Cahill or Samba…. Enrique or Baines… and a DM of note… I simply see us being even WORSE than last season… heaven help us if / when Nasri or Cesc depart, and of course, we’ll have “no time” to make a play for a replacement…

    Becomeing more and more difficult to watch this scam… this shell game… frankly it STINKS. :skeleton:

  9. Caribkid 18 July, 2011 at 19:15 Log in to Reply

    @ChicagoGooner,

    The Campbell bid ranks right up there with the ones we made for Henderson and Alvarez, relatively young, inexperienced players with potential. Campbell, while being cheap and having loads of potential, does not qualify for a work permit.

    Like Ryo, we will have to make applications based on the special talent exception. In the past we have had no luck going this road as can be attested by Vela, Galindo, Bothelho and Wellington.

    WTF

    We have also managed to negotiate contracts with Bellen, Toral, Olsson and Jenkinson on a timely basis without any protracted negotiations.

    The question to ask is why this cant be done for tried and proven 1st team additions.

    • DaAdminGooner 18 July, 2011 at 19:22 Log in to Reply

      @Caribkid,

      If I understand it right – reserve and youth contracts are not actually negotiated by the likes of Wenger and Gazidis. They approve the contract but that is handled by the reserve and youth team coaches.

      It could explain it. Plus there is less involved with this prospects than there are with the likes of more senior players.

      Well, thats the way I rationalize it at least.

      • Caribkid 18 July, 2011 at 19:40 Log in to Reply

        @DaAdminGooner,

        Maybe we should let them negotiate our senior contracts :)

      • Fred 19 July, 2011 at 00:21 Log in to Reply

        @DaAdminGooner,

        I find it really hard to believe that reserve and youth COACHES actually get into the nitty gritty of negotiating contracts.

        Wenger negotiating player contracts is already an extreme on-off (he is the ONLY manager in football who actually looks into player wages) in normal clubs, there are general managers or directors of football who do that.

        For the youth coaches to also be “committing a Wenger” would be truly astounding.

        ———————————————————————

        Either way absolutely NO EXCUSES for the complete lack of action in transfers at the Wenger Dictatorship.

        • DaAdminGooner 19 July, 2011 at 01:07

          @Fred,

          I’m just telling it the way it has been explained to me. I know that Steve Bould has a personal hand in the players that come into the youth set up.

          This young kid Olsson from Sweden is a prime example. Bould doesn’t like Swedish players but on the advice of Seb Larsson (or something like that) took the kid on two separate trials and they decided to get him.

          __________________________________________

          Look Fred, the club does its business the way it does it. You may not like. It may not please you that, this is how they go about it. For whatever reason they’ve decided to be a club that goes about their business slow and deliberate.

          All that matter is it gets done. When September 1 comes around if we’re still sitting here and talking about Gervinho, Jenkinson and a handful of kids as our only signings then by all means I will give you the bully pulpit to crucify Wenger.

          Until then get over it. The club does business the way it does. No amount of bitching about it is going to change that.

        • Fred 19 July, 2011 at 01:34

          @DaAdminGooner,

          The youth coach deciding what players to bring in (happens in most British, German, Dutch and north European clubs) is completely different from the youth coach negotiating youth contracts – which is what you said.

          At NO club does a coach negotiate contracts (apart from Dictator Arsene), so for youth coaches to do that at Arsenal would be truly ground-breaking.

          ———————————————————————–

          Last time I checked the POINT of a blog is to chat incessantly about the club.

          Sorry if my opinion is not AKB enough for the blog. But unlike the pussy AKBs who are now in hiding, I am here every day …. and have been on AA and here, pretty much daily for 8+ years! Not gonna change. And I am not gonna “get over it”. Not how the game goes.

          I am certain Wenger is NOT going to buy anybody and we are gonna lose Nasri and Fabregas (like I predicted in February). When that comes to pass, the first thing you will say is “Nothing we can do now, stop whining and see what happens in May”. When May comes, it is “Lets see what happens after the summer”. Ad infinum.

        • DaAdminGooner 19 July, 2011 at 11:02

          Well Fred, had you read what I wrote, I said I was just reporting it as it was explained to me. Make of that what you will.
          ________________________________

          First, consider this a warning – I mentioned in a couple posts ago that I was clamping down on foul language.

          Second, it is always evident when something gets under your skin because you feel the need to tell us how long you’ve been posting on AA or here as some sort of credential. It’s not needed. We all know you’ve been around a while.

          True, the point here is continual discussion. However, my only point was the team is doing something it’s way, you may not like it. I personally feel that it does no good whineging about it like its somehow going to change.

          I think the bigger topic to discuss is how Gazidis and Wenger will look like liars and idiots if they do no further business in the transfer window.

        • Fred 19 July, 2011 at 13:01

          @DaAdminGooner,

          1) Don’t get defensive on me. I said “it would be astounding” and “it would be truly ground-breaking” if that were true. I am not attacking you.

          2) What foul language? I did not attack ANY body personally on this blog. Public figures like managers, players, refs, etc like politicians, celebrities are FAIR game … especially on an internet forum. I don’t see why you get so upset about attacking the manager. If you want to turn Arsenal America on us, feel free.

          And no, I only “brag” about how long I have been on here in response to YOU. And only for the third time on this thread. That is why you remember it!

          3) Whinging is what goes on in ALL blogs. Whether political, sports, cooking, fashion, whatever. That is what happens. People who dont care, do not care that much do not comment.

          4) How will they be liars if they do not get the transfers done?

          Wenger has already come out and said Gibbs is his LB. He has already come out and said our defense is solid. Squillaci is going nowhere, so there is not even any space for additional buys. We are definitely NOT reinforcing DM/CM – as we already have the two Africans who will leave for 2 months in January.

          Wenger also said, 1 or 2 …. well Gervinho is one of those “1 or 2”. And he is a replacement for Nasri. The second one might or might NOT come after we have sold Fabregas. Either way we are much more behind than last season.

          In the meantime we are conceding from SET PIECES against some extremely woeful, midget Chinese team.

          And the season starts in 3 weeks.

        • vibe4arsenal 21 July, 2011 at 22:11

          @DaAdminGooner,

          I think it’s awesome people are still coming here and reading. YAMA’s my jam. But obviously it’s guys like Fred and stagg who are generating a fair amount of the content. So there’s apparently an audience who enjoys reading what they have to say and (presumably) how they say it.

        • vibe4arsenal 21 July, 2011 at 21:30

          @Fred,

          It’s been 3 years since we said we weren’t going to use the phrase Groundhog’s Day around here. Think of all the ardent AKB optimists who have stopped posting over that period of time. Not because they were shouted down or scared away, as myth would have it. (They held their own for years.) But because it became patently more and more ridiculous to claim patience with Wenger and his Master Plan would eventually reap rewards.

          Were it not for the ‘bitching about the way the club does business’, it would be even quieter around here than it already is. Many of us have lost interest and energy because, well, what’s the point? There’s nothing left to argue about. There’s nothing to get excited about. There’s only the same old, same old.

          Take away the spleen venting here, and what’s left? There’s already an Arsenal blog that absolutely nobody comments on. And you created this one as an alternative, no?

        • vibe4arsenal 21 July, 2011 at 21:32

          @vibe4arsenal,

          That was for DAG, obviously.

        • DaAdminGooner 21 July, 2011 at 21:54

          @vibe4arsenal,

          Vibe –

          Well, the good news is that while people don’t comment a lot here – there is still a fair amount of reading of the site. On average the site gets 600+ views a day during the off-season. During the season it increases to about 3000 per day.

          And you can be sure some of the regulars will be back. Its just with nothing

  10. stag133 18 July, 2011 at 16:26 Log in to Reply

    a year later, Shay Given signs for popcorn money at Aston Villa, and we watch and do NOTHING about a No.1 Keeper.
    I guess Sneezy, Fabianski, and Almunia, and Mannone have shown such great work in the past few years, that we’ve decided against going for a PROPER #1.

    Of course Liverpool has 2 keepers now, and United’s No.1 retired and they addressed the issue IMMEDIATELY.
    I am aware that Set-Piece goals against are often the fault of defenders, but a proper goal-keeper also helps quite a bit.

    The beat goes on at Arsenal FC, another Summer of Love.

  11. stag133 18 July, 2011 at 16:26 Log in to Reply

    a year later, Shay Given signs for popcorn money at Aston Villa, and we watch and do NOTHING about a No.1 Keeper.
    I guess Sneezy, Fabianski, and Almunia, and Mannone have shown such great work in the past few years, that we’ve decided against going for a PROPER #1.

    Of course Liverpool has 2 keepers now, and United’s retired and the addressed the issue IMMEDIATELY.
    I am aware that Set-Piece goals against are often the fault of defenders, but a proper goal-keeper also helps quite a bit.

    The beat goes on at Arsenal FC, another Summer of Love.

  12. DaAdminGooner 18 July, 2011 at 12:12 Log in to Reply

    Interesting interview with Ivan Gazidis on Sky Sports:

    http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11670_7045684,00.html

    • Caribkid 18 July, 2011 at 19:37 Log in to Reply

      @DaAdminGooner,

      Two observations immediately spring to mind when I watched the interview.

      1. First sentence by Gazidis in the interview, “We have a very good financial baser and have money to spend”

      I’m real sick and tired of hearing Gazidis talk about our solid financial base and extremely complicated financial model, as if money is the only thing Arsenal represents. Please Ivan, show some passion for once and talk some football shit which fans can appreciate.

      The only thing worse than a politician is an intelligent, well educated politician.

      2. “The challenge for us is a little bit different than some of the other clubs, we don’t have positions where players are coming to the end of their careers and positions where there are holes.

      “We have to find players who can improve on some of the positions that we currently have and add some depth.”

      Are those the reasons why we got Chamakh and Squid last year? Did those 2 improve the squad or was it just because one was cheap and one was free. Chamakh wasn’t too bad a punt as he has the potential to become better although NB is younger and played in the central position might have more to offer. As for Squid, we could just as easily given Bartley or Miquel a chance to play. They could not be worse.

      Are those the reasons we got Jenkinson and bid on Henderson, Alvarez and Campbell. Do any of these 4 immediately improve the squad. Bullshit.

      As the Native Americans used to say in the old western flics, “White man speak with forked tongue”.

      Not being racist here guys, merely speaking tongue in cheek :)

  13. ChicagoGooner 18 July, 2011 at 00:27 Log in to Reply

    Hooray! We have won the race to sign the 19-year old Costa Rican forward Joel Campbell! He has made a grand total of THREE appearances for Saprissa.

    (As far as I know Saprissa is the best team in the Costa Rican league and until recently were owned by the same guy who owns Chivas USA and the real Chivas. I remember they beat the Fire in the CONCACAF Champions League one year.)

    Anyways, onto what I actually want to say: Any organization, no matter its size or nature, has limited resources. Like any club, I’m sure Arsenal have a set team of people that work on the various stages leading up to and involving a player transfer. But these people can only do so much. They have limited time and cannot do everything. Which means when Arsenal spends time pursuing a 19-year old forward it NECESSARILY reduces the amount of time the club can spend working on transfers we actually need, such as experienced defensive players.

    And furthermore, to those who always say “there is no one out there” or “transfers can often be a long and difficult process” this proves both of those arguments wrong. As for the first: If we can find 19-year old talent half a world away I’m sure we could find experienced players from neighboring western Europe or indeed England itself were we to put forth the same level of effort as we do to pursuing 19-year old attacking players we don’t need.

    As for the second argument: if transfers really are a long and difficult process, then how is it that we are able to conduct all these deals for unkown players from afar? I’m sure it takes quite an extensive infrastructure and personnel hierarchy to scour all the corners of the globe looking for and then signing young talent. So though transfers can be difficult to complete, Arsenal clearly have the resources to accomplish this task. And if we are capable of accomplishing the task then WHY do we not put forth the effort to do so when there are much more urgent needs to be filled than who will be our starting forward in 2016?????????????????????????????

    • Fred 18 July, 2011 at 12:16 Log in to Reply

      @ChicagoGooner,

      Hilariously enough, Young Guns are reporting that another club has outbid us for this young, inexperienced Denilson type kid who has only played 3 games.

      Wenger FC is no longer big enough or magnetic enough to lure a young twerp who can not even play for the club till he has gone on loan to Spain for 3 years first! Fun times in the Wenger kingdom.

      ——————————————-

      CG, why bother assuming that Wenger and his AKB apologists use ANY sort of logic when defending the lack of proper transfers????

      According to them, our defense was PERFECT last season!!!

      ——————————————-

      We tied against a random, BS China team, conceding our goal from a …. wait for it …. SET PIECE!

      LMAO!

  14. ChicagoGooner 18 July, 2011 at 00:14 Log in to Reply

    Gael Clichy:
    http://www.football365.com/news/21554/7044447/Clichy-I-Left-Arsenal-To-Win-Trophies

    “After spending eight years with Arsenal it would have been easy to sign a new contract to stay there because they’re a fantastic club that will always be challenging for trophies.

    But it got to a point for me where I didn’t want to just challenge for the titles only to be disappointed in the final weeks of the season.

    I wanted to play for a club that would win them.

    I joined City because I felt that this was a club ready to win important trophies over the next few years.”

  15. ChicagoGooner 18 July, 2011 at 00:12 Log in to Reply

    What a choke job by the US women… that bottled shootout was worthy of the English or Dutch.

    • stag133 18 July, 2011 at 09:56 Log in to Reply

      @ChicagoGooner, Oh, the giving up a lead late… twice… most definitely reminded me of recent Arsenal teams, no doubt about it.

      • David Eshenbaugh 18 July, 2011 at 12:43 Log in to Reply

        @stag133, I had exactly the same thought. Tons of possession and shots on goal with nothing to show for it.

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