Arsenal Week In Review 8.14.2011
Well, the first week of the Premier League season is gone and in the books. The match itself and the activities before and after were all the rage for everyone to talk about. So let’s get right into it.
The Match – Newcastle 0 – Arsenal 0
This had “meh” match written all over it. First, it was never going to match the scorcher that was last season’s 4-4 epic. It is why I predicted a 2-1 score. I just didn’t see either club coming out the way it did last season. But it still wasn’t without its own controversy.
Overall it was a typical Arsenal match of recent memory. Tons of possession and waves of attack but a failure to take quality chances in the final third. We played too “tippy tappy” around the box and again we’re looking for the perfect pass rather than than theright pass. We lacked any overall creativity except for a few moments of possibility.
Arshavin when he rotated to the middle had some nice chances to set Robin Van Persie free. There was an especially a loop over the top that the dutchman couldn’t get on his foot with any ease. Additionally, Rosicky, if he finds his passing range might be worth keeping another season. He had two real nice chances to set someone free but the pass was slightly off. One was more due to the fact that Van Persie had both center backs all over him and he had to hit the ball hard as to not get blacked by them
The defence wasn’t woeful. I never got the sense of panic or foreboding that we’d concede. I still think another CB is needed. As I still don’t think we are a dominating force there. And we are an injury or two away from Djourou and/or Squillaci being on the pitch. I also think a good aerial CB is needed to partner with Vermaelen. Honestly, I think Koscielny is going to be a really good defender for Arsenal. But I think he needs the cover of an experienced CB in front of him.
Now, thats an odd thing to say as Koscielny now has a full season under his belt and has shown that through last season he steadily improved game over game. Positionally, he reads the play really well and he has played some of his better football against some of the biggest names in football. When former Arsenel defending greats laud you then you know you are something.
In the defence I think you have to mention the confidence with which our young goal keeper plays. When he goes up for a ball he is assured and strong. There are no flapping arms or indecisive actions. He knows what he wants to do and he commits to it. It cannot be underestimated what a solid goal keeper will do for the defence. And. . . he is only going to get better.
Up until he got sent off, I thought Gervinho represented our most direct attacking option. He was always looking to take players on and had some really nice crosses that got either were met by a defender or misplayed by an Arsenal attacker. I think he is going to be an outstanding buy and give us something new on our attack.
I don’t think Ramsey and Rosicky represent our midfield at its best. I think the better combination is still Wilshere and Ramsey. Together they posses more guile, heart and skill then the other pairing. Rosicky, is a shell of his former self and I would’ve preferred if we found a way for him to go to Germany. But it didn’t happen or hasn’t happened and frankly he is only fit enough in my opinion to be a back up.
Still, it is one match. There are sterner tests to come shortly. If they handle them well, hopefully some of the outlook on this team will change. If we falter in the next weeks, the din of dissatisfaction will be loud.
The incident
- No wonder he didn’t see Barton grab Gervinho . . . he had his eyes closed.
Seems it’s not a Newcastle match now if Joey Barton isn’t some how involved in some on the field controversy. First, Alex Song should’ve seen red for the stamp. It is childish and stupid and his antics will now likely cost the club a valuable player for important EPL matches. Well done Alex. You managed to supplant Diaby as the biggest idiot on the squad this week. Seriously, I get that our players are getting frustrated with the tugging, pulling, etc. And I know someone may have had in their mind retribution for last season. Here and now was not the place.
As for the Gervinho red. To me, play that drove Barton bat shit was a penalty. No dive. Tiote steps on his foot and goes down. If its not a penalty than Walton has to stop play to warn Gervinho on diving. In both cases by allowing play to play on, Walton gets it wrong. Where he really gets it wrong is the red and yellow for Gervinho and Barton respectively. Its either two reds or two yellows. Not one of each.
If the rule is you are not to put a hand on another player, than Barton picking up Gervinho is a red card offence. It is also an act of instigation which to me is also another punishable offence. Gervinho deserved to get carded because he over reacted to the situation and let it get the best of him. Barton though deserved a red as well and Walton blew it.
Barton is a talented player. But his on the field antics will always over shadow any promise he has. He will never make an England squad or move some place where his talent may be fully recognized because noone wants that crap. To make matters worse for Barton is the fact that feels the need to take on the world and make himself seem more like an idiot as his post game twitter antics showed.
It only got worse for him after he watched MOTD and took to the air waves to say he had been wrong about Gervinho’s dive and that he completely overreacted and was only upset that the stamp by Song had gone unnoticed.
Its Over!
Regardless of what you think of the Cesc Fabregas transfer saga and how it has been handled, it is now over. Cesc will be unveiled as a Barcelona player today. We’ve accepted a fee reported to be €40 million. Well below what I thought I was fair value for the player (had there been a market for him). But he’s gone and now the club can move on.
There is nothing more to be said except to thank Cesc for his 8 years of service and wishing him best on his new venture at Barcelona. Now, Arsene and Ivan do as you’ve promised and reinvest the funds.
Next Up
This could be the header for multiple topics – next up to leave, next up to play against, next up to be linked with a move to the Emirates. I think we’ll give you this nugget the Galatarasay Web site is reporting that the team have entered into negotiations on the transfer of Emmanuel Eboue from Arsenal to the Turkish club.
It was evident this weekend he was a goner when Gervinho showed up on the squad list with the number 27 – Eboue’s number. Eboue also was not even mentioned on the list.
While Eboue didn’t posesses the quality we all expect from an Arsenal player, he clearly had the attitude that I wish more of our players had. Two years ago when he was soundly booed by supporters, Eboue went out of his way to work harder. He never got better but his you could not fault his effort. And the fans for the most part got behind him giving him cult like status. Sure everyone knew he wasn’t the greatest player but he played with heart. If only more players played like he did with that attribute then there wouldn’t be an issue would there.
Well, the teams best cheerleader is likely gone for the Turkish shores and we wish him luck.
In the next up match category is the visit by Udinese for the CL qualifier. Very hard to give it a read as both teams are in a state of flux. It is definitely a match that can be won by Arsenal. Conversely, they could do a lot to cock it up as well. We’ll have a full match preview out on Tuesday before the match.
We’re keeping an eye on the Nasri saga as some reports are saying this could be resolved in the coming week. As far as I have been able to tell there has been no official bid lodged for him and I wonder now that Cesc has gone does that do anything with the relationship between him and the club. But the club, from all indications is tired of his antics, so I wonder if we’ve passed a point of no return.
As always I remain bullish on Arsenal.
Until tomorrow – stay goonerish!!!
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Eboue is gone. sold to Galatasaray.
Good Luck and Happy Diving EE.
just more money into the coffers. it has been a BIG week so far for the clubs PROFITS… now if we can just sell Nasri, it might be our biggest week EVER for sales.
How about getting players in.
Might be the worst Arsenal squad I’ve seen in over 10 to 12 years.
I was only looking at the total sale price of Cesc’s sale and thinking it was bad but I had no idea Arsenal would not get the full 29 million up front. If they are only getting 14.5 million up front now and 14.5 in October, then it is much more of a worse deal. Not to mention the sale clause Barca stuck on Cesc, as pointed out by Ozi below which rubs it in Arsenal’s face.
So clearly Arsene won’t buy anyone more than 15 million because he and Ivan want to ensure they don’t get addicted to a spending habit.
If this is Ivan and Arsene working hard, then I am afraid when they will take it easy.
Why would we wait until the last possible second to SELL players?
it leaves us with little or no time to BUY replacements (that might be by plan, so we can keep the money we receive)…
and…
the teams we are trying to get players from have little or no time to get a replacement for a player we are trying to BUY… thus increasing the price and decreasing the liklihood of the sale happening.
This is simple – 101 – logic.
And yet, we’ve sold Cesc after the season starts… Nasri not playing, waiting for his move… and we’re grasping at the ghosts of names… whom we are rumored to be interested in.
Arsenal are PATHETIC at making business transactions, PATHETIC at gauging the temperature of supporters and communicating with them… PATHETIC at diagnosis and treatment of injuries… these are all GLARING problems… this club is supposed to be on such wonderful firm ground in comparison to others??? thats a really sick joke, because the reality is we are shaky on and off the pitch in numerous areas. a SINKING SHIP right now.
Why would we wait until the last possible second to SELL players?
it leaves us with little or no time to BUY replacements (that might be by plan, so we can keep the money we receive)…
and…
the teams we are trying to get players from have little or no time to get a replacement for a player we are trying to BUY… thus increasing the price and decreasing the liklihood of the sale happening.
This is simple – 101 – logic.
And yet, we’ve sold Cesc after the season starts… Nasri not playing, waiting for his move… and we’re grasping at the ghosts of names… whom we are rumored to be interested in.
Arsenal are PATHETIC at making business transactions, PATHETIC at gauging the temperature of supporters and communicating with them… PATHETIC at diagnosis and treatment of injuries… these are all GLARING problems… this club is supposed to be on such wonderful firm ground in comparison to others??? thats a really sick joke, because the reality is we are shaky on and off the pitch in numerous areas. a SINKING SHIP right now.
@stag133,
Buying has nothing to do with selling. We bought Jenkinson, AOx, Gervinho and 3 juniors.
If we had bought the right pieces early we would not be in this predicament.
at the end of the season, i would have had ivan gazidis send an email to barcelona, cc’d to cesc, clearly stating my stance on cesc. it would have explained that if barcelona wanted to sign cesc, he needed to be signed at my price and before the arsenal pre-season began or that cesc would be unavailable at any price; no exceptions. that way, if barca didn’t come up with the money, cesc would have known where his head needed to be and why. there would have been no big transfer saga. the email would have explained how the current market had nothing to do with the fact that cesc was our crown jewel that we’ve built our team around since 2005 and if barca wanted that jewel, then they would have to pay top dollar for it. no negotiations! lastly, i wouldn’t have spoken a word to the media about it.
if barcelona would have paid up, i would have brought in two midfield players (like parker and mata) with that money, to show all of the players at the club that this arsenal train is not stopping for anything. if cesc left, i likely would have loaned scott parker and switched to a 4-4-2.
second, i would have taken the gael clichy money and offered it to newcastle for jose enrique with clichy’s old wages and even his old number. if traore or gibbs wanted the spot, they would have to take it from enrique like cole took it from sylvinho. there’s talk about vermaelen playing there but i’ve never seen him at lb.
third, i would have bought a center forward; a proper #9 to lead the line. not necessarily big money but someone who can play in the bpl, stretch a defense, and score goals. hugo rodallega comes to mind. chamakh and bendtner can battle it out with him or leave. van persie and arshavin can battle it out to be the starting #10.
fourth, i would have offered 15 million for gary cahill from bolton to test their resolve if they were really willing to lose him for nothing next year.
fifth, i would have told nasri he’s got until pre-season to sign a new contract or i would have sold him and bought someone of comparable talent. arsene wenger has become way too soft. being aggressive in the market and making moves on your own terms will show everyone that you’re not that dude to play games with.
@joshuad,
Agreed on all points.
Unfortunately by the time anything is done we might already have been knocked out of the CL and lost against Liverpool and Man U.
Sad times.
wut up, folk? i’ve been working for the past few weeks/months (without internet) and quite a bit has happened at our beloved club. clichy and fab are gone with nasri’s departure looming. denilson’s on loan, bendtner and almunia are in the wind, and eboue seems on his way to turkey. while these are big deals, what’s even bigger is arsenal don’t seem to have done much to improve the team.
at the end of last season, i theorized a change in tactics was essential for arsenal to challenge for the title. therefore, i was not opposed to selling cesc. however, selling him this late in the summer with little inclination to change arsenal’s tactics or bring in replacements by pre-season is downright foolish. in fairness, i haven’t seen the newcastle match but i can’t imagine what changes/improvements have been made. if you’re not going to change tactics, then why sell the super-talented prototype you developed the current tactics for? sorry folks, but i fear there is a lot of this story that we don’t know. perhaps i’m under-estimating wenger’s audacity. we won’t know the whole truth until he writes a book.
Sachin, I’ve read the AFC comments re price.
For me, if you lose your club captain, 24 years old, midfield general and metronome, the least you try and do is prove you got fair value. We didn’t. That’s it. Any way you look at this we’ve managed it badly. The PR is very bad – but then again, the club is living in this land of denial. It has convinced itself that it doesn’t need to meet what the fans want. It thinks it sets the agenda.
That’s like a company pretending it determines what the customer wants. This will combust, the standoff between the clubs denial (and arrogance) and the anger in the fanbase will make the demise very nasty. Perhaps it’s good that Fabregas left before it gets really ugly. Fabregas, to the end, had a lot of class imo. Watching him join his fabulously successful hometown club – the contrast couldn’t be more stark.
@Kiwi, I should clarify. I do agree with you are saying but I wanted to point out Arsene’s feeble attempt to defend himself. Normally, he never justifies what he does but this time, he tried to. But like you said, it was handled so badly that nothing can justify it. It was handled so badly from every angle — financial, timing (not giving enough time to buy and integrate someone) and even from the fan’s reaction. With this transfer, Wenger has no moral high ground to stand on.
For years, Wenger and co. were living in a comfy bubble. Will the bubble burst? or will Wenger manage to escape again and be given more time?
I do feel bad that Cesc had to leave like he did. He clearly wanted to win something and showed a fighting spirit over the years. He never once said anything negative about his incompetent team-mates who made so many mistakes that cost points. But then again, could any player have criticized this bunch of hyped up arrogant selfish players? If Tony Adams was still playing and he dared say something to Nasri or Diaby, would Adams have been taken seriously?
With this team, one is only left with some many ifs. What if Alonso had been signed a few years ago? Would have that given Cesc the partner that he desired as opposed to the comedic act he had to put up with? For how many years did Wenger try to make a winger out of Eboue? What was the point of it all? Saving money. Which is why the current stat going around the net seems pointless that Arsenal are the only team out of the top 5 who have had a + net transfer since 2004. That +net total made sense from 2001-04 when a successful team was build. But is having a net profit for a failed team such a good thing? For Wenger, it is. You had once made a great comment that Wenger was akin to a CFO. That perfectly describes Wenger. I really wish he had moved onto that role a few years ago. His failures in the last few years is not down to transfer market but tactical and player (mis)management.
Anyway, not saying anything new. Just repeating, but no choice. Just a waste, all of this.
The rumours circulating today are that Arsenal have entered into negotiatons with Sochaux for Marvin Martin.
Also Anelka wants out of Chelsea. I’ll take him.
Also this interesting one – Arsenal have negotiated the right of first refusal should Barcelona try and sell Fabregas at any point and they will also receive 50% of any sell on fee.
@DaAdminGooner,
I’ll take Anelka IMMEDIATELY!
@DaAdminGooner,
Do you ever see him leaving Barcelona? It’s impossible to say never but I doubt it:
– He’s a lifelong fan
– The club love him like one of their own and will have unlimited patience for him (see Valdes for example)
– He’s good enough to get into that team, playing time shouldn’t be an issue at all. A competent manager like Guardiola will sooner move Iniesta to a forward role to accomodate all 3 of their CM maestros before leaving him on the bench.
Nope. As far as I’m concerned, the 50% sell-on fee is an empty, substance free consolation to help keep the price down.
As a final insult, his buy-out clause is set at 200 mill. A bit closer to his true worth than what they paid. LOL
@OziKenyan,
Exactly! He would never ask to leave. And the club establishment including ALL the senior players LOVE him.
Honestly, the club will defend and protect Fabregas and give him countless opportunities. He is one of theirs. Not just a random Spaniard like Villa or a talented but still foreign Messi.
You rightly give the Valdes example. Up to 2 years ago, that guy was a blunder a game keeper. Yet, he is CATALAN. So no one turns on him. (To be fair, he has become quite decent recently).
If he does leave, it will be in over 10 years time at say age 35 … when he ambles off to the MLS on a free transfer.
I wonder what Arsenal would do with 50% of zero.
You can be sure that Gazidis and the Board will be keeping a watchful eye on the clubs blood pressure and heart rate. The ticket sales and chanting from the terraces may seem crude measures, but they alone are the warning signs that all may not be well.
I couldn’t care less about the CL qualifying game. I had a half-interest in Gervinho and then he got red carded!! I know what I need to know about the rest…. There is a deep level of boredom in watching a few crocks and young players struggle in the EPL playing a style that you know won’t be good enough. Bit cold aye.
At this point we need to bring in at least 2 “World Class” players and 2 EPL class players to even have a chance of finishing 4th.
It’s almost as if Arsene has had a prolonged Clichey brain fart and is in a mode of self destruction. Even the lads at 7 AM are depressed. :)
@Caribkid,
“Even the lads at 7 AM are depressed. ”
No waaay! (shocked). Those guys are permanently on happy pills.
@Caribkid, yeah I agree with the first statement. Even if new players are brought in, it will just be a band-aid to limp the team to 4th. There was once a time when Arsenal were 2-3 players away from being a great team but that time has gone now. A good helping of mental strength will not help this bunch either :)
No sooner do rumors circulate about Marvin Martin, some fan goes and updates his wikipedia page to show Arsenal in the stats section albeit minus the date. Also, only the English language page of Martin shows that while the French page still shows Sochaux. Goal.com is saying reports out of France are indicating that he is on Arsenal’s wish list, so either someone knows something or just pure rumor. I suspect more rumors will fly in the next few weeks. I would not be surprised to see Nasri signing a new contract to become Arsenal’s new signing :)
@sachin, and if Nasri signs a new contract, he will be made captain which means he will leave next summer.
Once the dust settles and the emotion of Cesc doing what has been obvious he’s wanted to do for over a year the terms of the transfer to Barcelona will come in to sharper focus. If the deal Barcelona is bragging about is true, or even close to the truth, what a soft-sell. The economics in this transaction are appallingly poor. Fabregas, perhaps the best young midfield general in world football who is entering his prime years has been sold for at a discount for no apparent reason. This was a bad deal – further evidence that Wenger’s Midas touch has long gone. He’s been riding on the fumes of his past glory for a long long time.
If Cesc Fabregas has gone for around 30 million pounds that is a shocker.
This will be Wenger’s last season at Arsenal. How long this season lasts for Wenger will be determined by the team…..and the fans. I have no confidence in his current ability to adapt to the circumstance he has created. The sooner the club makes the painful decision the better.
For me the squad now looks ridiculously lite, if the Board had made the decision to move Wenger on two years ago they would have given the new manager the opportunity to make a few swift critical ‘sells and buys’ and to restructure a winning team involving Cesc. They didn’t make that hard call, and so the new manager now has the shell of a team without the winning elements. For me, aside from Wilshere, Sagna and Vermaelen the rest of the squad looks either fragile,overly youthful or just plain sub-standard. This is the legacy Wenger has left for his successor.
@Kiwi,
WTF, Afobe and Traore came off with groin injuries in game against Manu Reserves.
With Wilshere, Nasri and RVP out against Udinese what will be the team. Never thought I would say it, but at this point Bendtner, Denilson and Eboue would be more than welcome.
The thought of Chamakh starting at the point want’s to make me vomit.
@Caribkid, A player is not a true Arsene player until he gets injured. So Afobe and Traore had no choice but to get injured to prove their loyalty to Arsene. I expect them to be given new contracts in the next few weeks.
@Kiwi, quote on Arsenal.com by Wenger saying the price for Cesc was kept down because Cesc didn’t want to go elsewhere and that Arsenal wanted to keep him. The first part is obvious but seems like the PR folks at Arsenal want Wenger to appease fans but I think it is late now. Piers Morgan is openly telling Arsenal to spend but this is something ex-players have been saying for years. Argh.
Saddest day of my life as an Arsenal fan.
There was always a future, a tomorrow, that I could take heart from after all the massacares that I have witnessed this Arsenal team go through.
The day we had a draw against Tottenham a couple of seasons ago.
After 4-4 at Newcastle.
The day after Henry (the greatest Gunner) left.
The day after our Lord – Dennis Bergkamp left.
The day bloody Wenger left Arshavin on the bench against Chelsea in the FA cup tie.
The night when Thierry missed a couple of penalties against Juventus.
The morning when I read online that we had lost the Champions League final.
The night Valencia sent us out of the Champions League. The day when Eduardo had his leg in his hands.
The day when Ramsey was Shawcrossed.
The day when we haggled and didn’t sign Alonso.
The late goals against Tottenham last season.
The embarassing displays against Chelsea and United.
The year when Hleb and Flamini departed for greener pastures.
This is bigger than all of the above.
Love you Fabregas for the beauty that you bring to the football field.
I dont think there is anyone here who does not relish the prospect of seeing Barcelona play from now on.
@soccerfreak, really?
Cesc was very good at Arsenal, but he couldn’t hold a candle to what Bergkamp, Vieira or Henry meant to the club.
But we all have our favorites.
I already enjoyed watching Barcelona, Cesc being there doesn’t enhance that very much, frankly.
I wish him well.
Would have been nice if Wenger tried to win a few titles while he was here by surrounding him with some proven players … he might have wanted to stay a few years longer.
Oh well.
yeah. really stag.
I think the way he defined the way we play made watching Arsenal bearable, rather fun and pleasing, despite all the mental fragility at tthe end of seasons and scroginess in the transfer market.
I get a sense of hopelessness now, that you have been nourishing for years now.
@stag133 I disagree, but then again, I watch football these days, not only in the past….
Cesc, I think, was (is) at his best operating near the center circle and opening defenses with medium-long balls. Never overtly pacy, he had a wide variety of moves that enabled him to work the ball into passing (and shooting) positions while scanning the pitch and, often enough, delivering a superior ball based on what he saw. His feet may not be as quick as Xavi, nor can he move like Iniesta, but given players like them (and others) he will be getting the ball in better spots, under less pressure and with superior targets. I am quite positive that his goals/assists per minute will improve.
Certainly his frustration per minute will drop….But ours won’t……
@HighburyTerraceSteve, Well Steve, I watched 4 matches this weekend alone! NONE involving Arsenal… until they actually buy someone of note, screw them… at some point, hopefully soon, the club will be returned to some SANITY, and actually trying to win trophies.
In hindsight, the last match at Highbury might have been my saddest day, because that really was the beginning of the end for the Arsenal FC that I know and loved.
@stag133, Fair play, Stag…..And your City boys have finally put the nose in front of Swansea with goals from Dzeko, El Kun, and, as I write, from Silva after Aguero (maybe) keeps a ball from going over the end line…..
Still, With a squad bought for half a billion, it’s not a surprise….
All good fun on the opening weekend, but long term maybe not the best thing for the fans (to have all that talent happy to be rotting on the bench, etc.)
(BTW, do you post on sites representing all your other teams?—winky face, of course…..)
@HighburyTerraceSteve, HTS.
I watch other teams with a bit of interest… QPR, Charlton, PSG… even AFC Wimbledon…
I enjoy watching football, lower division matches, other leagues, but the EPL is by far the best… and Arsenal are truly my only team… that I live and die with, and have with for about 15 to 20 years… I simply can’t allow myself to become invested in them this time around… its absolutely BS… and sadly, almost all the things I feared were happening, ARE happening…. its about GREED and MONEY… and the stupidity and ignorance and arrogance of a few men… RUINING the AFC.
I don’t post or go on blogs or sites for anyone but Arsenal.
City… I don’t care how much they spend… United spend and spent a fortune, and Chelsea did exactly the same thing, but it all blows over and they are accepted now? Now City are the bad guys that bought into the title race?
Is that supposed to be a bad thing for City fans?
At the end of the day, the fact remains, if you don’t like what City are doing, or Chelsea or United…. DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT… beat them…
Until there is a salary cap of some sort, you are going to spend money to win… and Arsenal CAN do that, they just prefer to MAKE MONEY instead of winning trophies.
The Suckers that support that, are the saddest souls there are.
There is a sucker born every minute, and 2 (or more in the case of the Arsenal Board and Wenger) to take him…
I ain’t playing that sucker this season.
SHOW ME THE MONEY (spent!).
@HighburyTerraceSteve, HTS.
I watch other teams with a bit of interest… QPR, Charlton, PSG… even AFC Wimbledon…
I enjoy watching football, lower division matches, other leagues, but the EPL is by far the best… and Arsenal are truly my only team… that I live and die with, and have with for about 15 to 20 years… I simply can’t allow myself to become invested in them this time around… its absolutely BS… and sadly, almost all the things I feared were happening, ARE happening…. its about GREED and MONEY… and the stupidity and ignorance and arrogance of a few men… RUINING the AFC.
I don’t post or go on blogs or sites for anyone but Arsenal.
City… I don’t care how much they spend… United spend and spent a fortune, and Chelsea did exactly the same thing, but it all blows over and they are accepted now? Now City are the bad guys that bought into the title race?
Is that supposed to be a bad thing for City fans?
At the end of the day, the fact remains, if you don’t like what City are doing, or Chelsea or United…. DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT… beat them…
Until there is a salary cap of some sort, you are going to spend money to win… and Arsenal CAN do that, they just prefer to MAKE MONEY instead of winning trophies.
The Suckers that support that, are the saddest souls there are.
There is a sucker born every minute, and 2 (or more in the case of the Arsenal Board and Wenger) to take him…
I ain’t playing that sucker this season.
SHOW ME THE MONEY (spent!).
My only contribution for the day will be a serenade to ARSENAL.
R.I.P.
At least to the Arsenal we have know for the past 12 years.
Udinese ticket sales are now open to the general public. When last has that happened for a CL game?
Even if Arsene buys now, the whole manner in which this offseason from hell has panned out he has totally lost credibility with the fans.
Monday morning and I guess I’m in a pissy mood, but there are several small things I disagree with in the write up about the Newcastle match, etc……
I too think we need another defender, because we are an injury away from having to play Djourou or Squillaci. Djourou as a late sub in a 2nd DM role is nowheresville, witness the way he led the break and Squillaci, well, the less said the better. TV5 and LK6 were very good and Gibbs was at least as good as Clichy ever was. I’m tired of hearing about how Kos isn’t any good in the air, when he is the BEST of our defenders in that regard. Height isn’t everything. Far more important is the ability to read the ball in the air, gather ones body and make the play and LK6 does this extremely well. In addition he’s learning how to beat on players while running with them and maintaining good position as English refs allow. Now he needs to un-learn that skill for tomorrow’s match….
Arshavin, despite my hopes for a miracle, is past it, AND he is not a midfielder. Simply put, he is running player who no longer runs. His attempts at accelerating are the classic “writing checks (cheques?) he can no longer cash.” Given a 2 on 1 (late in the first half) instead of running with the ball and belting it (like 3 of his 4 goals on that magic night at Anfield….) he chose to pass and the lone defender knew he would and was able to make the easy intercept. Sorry, he cannot play pass and move either and according (to my very unstatistical count) he was more responsible than either Ramsey or Rosicky (or RVP or Gervinho or Song) for the failure of our tippy tappy work to manifest in anything good. If we sign ANY decently mature midfielders and/or attackers (without losing further to injury) I see Andrey back on the bench. Hopefully he remains confident, because if he happens to be in the right place at the right time, he is capable of stroking a good shot and/or pass…..
I have less trouble with some of the other analysis re: Song (whose stomp maybe could be construed as accidental….) Barton, or the sadness of losing Cesc. Nasri is out today bumming about chants directed his way and it only makes me wish Ade had been tweeting back when he was making the move from the feeder to the “big” club……Also, I cannot agree about the Eboue stuff. His becoming a cheerleader or fan favorite is more emblematic of the fact that he (and so many others….) is overpaid. Did he work hard? I doubt it. He really contributed NOTHING (on the pitch, at least) since the booing incident, and what did he have (beyond the diving) to offer? I think it shows more how the fans have to “laugh to keep from crying,” as many here often say. Did anybody in the GDC (I missed you there, DAG, BTW…..) ever believe anything good would come of his cameos, no matter how mock-excited we would type AHBOOOEEEEE?…….
I could (probably) go on and on, nitpicking, etc. at various little things. Really I’m just upset that we’re where we are, crucial matches ahead, crazy thin squad at our disposal, already victimized by tons of crap players and refs (the tons, get it, Bar-ton, Wal-ton)…..And now I’m resorting to puns, the lowest form of humor (humour)…..Where’s the shaking sad face emoticon when I need it…..
@HighburyTerraceSteve,
I don’t think there will be too many tears shed about Eboue, and I struggle to see the great effect his clown antics had on team morale.
On the pitch, they had some effect. Most often a detrimental one. The Liverpool penalty incident being the coup de grace of the clownery he’s been contaminating our team with for years.
Basically another of Wenger’s highly rated ‘intelligent’ players – who don’t get the credit they deserve – who behave well and are humble – who are of super super class – insert what ever Wenger nonsense you wish blah blah blah. All in all a very Wengerish player, with all the retarded tendencies that come with it.
I see our new arrival has the same ‘intelligence’ when provoked.
There was a Nasri for Tevez swap RUMOR out there…
I almost CHOKED on my coffee…
I’d personally drive Nasri there, and Tevez back… just let me know!
Cesc getting much love from all the players … and a great deal of respect for what he meant to his team-mates.
He apparently is a top notch person off the field, and a star in they making on it, as we all know.
Nothing to do but wish him good luck.
Nasri apparently was serenaded by the Arsenal fans at the match? Not sure what was sung… but apparently it was “disrespectful” to him… oh well, Samir… either sign a new contract, or go…
And… if you like this years saga(s)… from what I just read, after this season… RVP, Arshavin and Theo … all have 1 year left on their contracts….
NOW.
What the feck are we doing about SIGNING PLAYERS.
Scott Parker is out there, NEEDS to be in the PREM to maintain his status on the National team, and we can surely use him.
Pick a CB Arsene, and make the move NOW… the cash is there, just get it done…. enough of the BS…
Mata? Jadsen? someone else? NOT SURE…
same story… GET IT DONE.
yall have a splendid day.
have to say Cesc looks very happy to be home at Barcelona.
Good for him.
Some nice photos to recap Cesc’s Arsenal career:
http://www.football365.com/photo-gallery/7102520/Farewell-Fabregas#photo=0