Arsenal Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2011/2012

jank · 22-03-2012 8:43am

kryogen wrote: »

A lot of fans (not pointing fingers at anyone in particular on here) owe Wenger a serious apology if he manages to finish 3rd this season!

They are out of here, like this guy.

Radharc na Sleibhte · 22-03-2012 8:46am

Radharc na Sleibhte wrote: »

23rd August 2011
Here comes a MASSIVE eight days.
My wee joke about my annual trip over to the bolton game being a mid table clash this year is getting a bit serious.....

23rd August 2011
At this moment in time, I fear we wont make top half....!!!
Is it time to panic yet?

:o:o:o:o:o:o
I still think we'll struggle to finish ahead of Swansea. :pac:

In my defence, it was early days, we'd signed nobody, we'd sold everybody. CL qualifier was on a knife edge. We'd lost at home to Liverpool. Pre season they looked all over the place.
This was even before the OT drubbing.

God if we could have some of those early season points back, we wouldnt be worrying about Spurs, thats for sure.

Edit: Sorry for the premature panic AW (hugs).

emergingstar · 22-03-2012 8:48am

Back 5 - Szczesny - Sagna - Koscielny - Vermaelen - Gibbs - Played 8 Won 7 Drawn 1 Lost 0 Goals Conceded 4

Now that's a serious backline

Radharc na Sleibhte · 22-03-2012 8:56am

The first five league games of the season and the first three league games of 2012 have been our downfall. I think thats what's so frustrating. A tiny bit more creativity, a tiny bit more spine, a tiny bit more finishing and we'd have been fighting for the title. We could all see it.

Great to see the Manager of the Month curse didnt strike.

Radharc na Sleibhte · 22-03-2012 8:59am

emergingstar wrote: »

Back 5 - Szczesny - Sagna - Koscielny - Vermaelen - Gibbs - Played 8 Won 7 Drawn 1 Lost 0 Goals Conceded 4

Now that's a serious backline

How does our current form coincide with Mertesackers injury and Arshavins exit?

emergingstar · 22-03-2012 9:02am

Radharc na Sleibhte wrote: »

The first five league games of the season and the first three league games of 2012 have been our downfall. I think thats what's so frustrating. A tiny bit more creativity, a tiny bit more spine, a tiny bit more finishing and we'd have been fighting for the title. We could all see it.

Great to see the Manager of the Month curse didnt strike.

I don't blame wenger for the first 5 league games I blame the board, I think its obivious he want allowed spend until we sold, and they didn't sell the two boys until near the end of the window when everyone new they were gonna go

Now the games in jan, wenger deserves to be critised and critised heavily, not signing a full back even on loan at the start of the window cost us them three games

AnCapaillMor · 22-03-2012 9:09am

Radharc na Sleibhte wrote: »

How does our current form coincide with Mertesackers injury and Arshavins exit?

The latter is meant to have been fantastic for Zenit's last few games. Still hasn't lasted a full 90 mins though.

emergingstar · 22-03-2012 9:15am

Radharc na Sleibhte wrote: »

emergingstar wrote: »

Back 5 - Szczesny - Sagna - Koscielny - Vermaelen - Gibbs - Played 8 Won 7 Drawn 1 Lost 0 Goals Conceded 4

Now that's a serious backline

How does our current form coincide with Mertesackers injury and Arshavins exit?

I wouldn't give metersacker to much stick I think he was quiet good once he settled
He will be a good 3rd choice CB next season

Radharc na Sleibhte · 22-03-2012 9:21am

emergingstar wrote: »

He will be a good 3rd choice CB next season

Absolutely.
But thats all he ever was meant to be but for the injuries.

I think he's great if he's deployed correctly ie in a scrap of a game as opposed to v a good technical team.

22-03-2012 10:26am

I think Arshavin's exit is more relevant IMO.
To loan him out was effectively saying we don't need a player like him, and couldn't sell him as no one was interested in paying what Arsenal would value him at.

Anyway, that win puts us back where we should be and Spurs where they should be.:D

AnCapaillMor · 22-03-2012 10:32am

Another important weekend hopefully spuds and chelsea draw and we beat villa.

Reekwind · 22-03-2012 10:34am

emergingstar wrote: »

Back 5 - Szczesny - Sagna - Koscielny - Vermaelen - Gibbs - Played 8 Won 7 Drawn 1 Lost 0 Goals Conceded 4

Now that's a serious backline

The problem - and this has been a major issue for years now - is being able to field a first choice defence throughout an entire season. Three of those five players have missed significant lengths of time this season alone through injury

Which would be merely unfortunate if it wasn't that this has happened for the past few seasons and there is little adequate backup

2ndcoming · 22-03-2012 10:52am

At Christmas after 19 games when we had 36 points I set us a target in my head of 72 for CL football. After the start we had it seemed to me to be very reasonable that we could return the same points over 19 games as we did the previous. Then came the disaster that was January and the faith was rocking again.

Fast forward 10 games and we're 17 points off that target, a point above the spuds, and the next 2 games are winnable and vital, win them and we can be 11 points off 72 with 7 games to go, a fantastic position to be in considering some of the setbacks we've had at various points this season.

Ooooohh to be a Gooner!

22-03-2012 10:52am

AnCapaillMor wrote: »

Another important weekend hopefully spuds and chelsea draw and we beat villa.

That would be really nice.
If Spurs hadn't got that injury time equaliser, that would've been 4 on the bounce for them.:)

2ndcoming · 22-03-2012 11:00am

Reekwind wrote: »

The problem - and this has been a major issue for years now - is being able to field a first choice defence throughout an entire season. Three of those five players have missed significant lengths of time this season alone through injury

Which would be merely unfortunate if it wasn't that this has happened for the past few seasons and there is little adequate backup

Injuries in defence and the lack of decent cover have been an achilles heel (no pun Verm) for us the past 5 or 6 years.

I know confidence is high this morning but I think aside from the best 1st choice back 5 we've had in years, if we could secure the signing of Vertonghen in the summer our stand-ins would be in great shape as well.

Santos offers great attacking options and in his biggest game for us against Chelski he made a few vital interceptions as well.

Mertesacker and Djourou stack up a hell of a lot better compared to the Silvestres, Cygans, Senderos' and Squillachis of recent years.

Yennaris has been shining for the reserves of late and I have faith that there's the makings of a good player in Jenkinson. Call me nuts but he reminds me a bit of Bale when he was at Southampton. A right sided version obviously. Both those two are Arsenal through and through as well which I think is always a good thing.

Pepe LeFrits · 22-03-2012 11:01am

Having fit fullbacks is a big factor in our form. I dont think Arshavin or Per (who has done well) have much to do with it.

jordainius · 22-03-2012 11:54am

Loaning Arshavin has nothing to do with the turnaround, it's just a coincidence. Punting Arshavin into the reserves for a few weeks would have been a statement alright, but loaning him back to his hometime club to give him regular first team football and hopefully find some form was a sensible option for all 3 parties (Arsenal, Zenit, Arshavin). Last thing he did in an Arsenal shirt was provide the assist for Henry's winner against Sunderland.

Upturn in form has more to do with the return to fitness and form of Sagna, a consistent choice at left back of an actual left back (this must be a record run of games for Gibbs) which has allowed us to play Vermaelen back in the centre. And the Tottenham game was a major catalyst, the NLD tends to be a crazy game, and we could just as easily have lost that one, how the team reacted when 2-0 down has saved our season. It's a bit short sighted to think that at two nil down our players suddenly realised that they did not want to be loaned to their favourite club to get regular first team football as a "punishment".

emergingstar · 22-03-2012 12:01pm

2ndcoming wrote: »

Reekwind wrote: »

The problem - and this has been a major issue for years now - is being able to field a first choice defence throughout an entire season. Three of those five players have missed significant lengths of time this season alone through injury

Which would be merely unfortunate if it wasn't that this has happened for the past few seasons and there is little adequate backup

Injuries in defence and the lack of decent cover have been an achilles heel (no pun Verm) for us the past 5 or 6 years.

I know confidence is high this morning but I think aside from the best 1st choice back 5 we've had in years, if we could secure the signing of Vertonghen in the summer our stand-ins would be in great shape as well.

Santos offers great attacking options and in his biggest game for us against Chelski he made a few vital interceptions as well.

Mertesacker and Djourou stack up a hell of a lot better compared to the Silvestres, Cygans, Senderos' and Squillachis of recent years.

Yennaris has been shining for the reserves of late and I have faith that there's the makings of a good player in Jenkinson. Call me nuts but he reminds me a bit of Bale when he was at Southampton. A right sided version obviously. Both those two are Arsenal through and through as well which I think is always a good thing.

Where would ya put vertonghen, I seen this reported in a few places but I don't get it
Good player but would we pay that money for a 3rd/4th choice CB

And I don't see yennaris making it were swamped in midfield as it Is

22-03-2012 12:08pm

jordainius wrote: »

It's a bit short sighted to think that at two nil down our players suddenly realised that they did not want to be loaned to their favourite club to get regular first team football as a "punishment".

What a load of ****e...who said anything about punishment?
:pac:
So Wenger loaned Arshavin out because Zenit needed him so badly to rescue their season with his wonderful work rate and assist rate, and Wenger has already got that in abundance eh?
You don't loan a player out during a mini crisis unless he is adding to that crisis, which he was.

meriwether · 22-03-2012 12:31pm

I only saw MOTD, how did Gibbs play last night for those who saw the lot?

22-03-2012 12:34pm

He did ok, few decent challenges.
Coming along nicely.

jordainius · 22-03-2012 12:34pm

RVP 11 wrote: »

What a load of ****e...who said anything about punishment?
:pac:

Needless profanities and that pacman smily you use when you argue with people- Why are you choosing to be needlessly confrontational?

So Wenger loaned Arshavin out because Zenit needed him so badly to rescue their season with his wonderful work rate and assist rate, and Wenger has already got that in abundance eh?

I can only assume this is your own opinion as I have never said anything like that? Arshavin wanted first team football, he wasn't getting that at Arsenal, either Zenit weren't prepared to actually buy him or Arsenal weren't prepared to sell him, but a loan was the best option for all 3 parties, as I've already said.

RVP 11 wrote:

You don't loan a player out during a mini crisis unless he is adding to that crisis, which he was.

How was Arshavin adding to the "crisis"? Give relevant links and evidence.

meriwether · 22-03-2012 12:36pm

RVP 11 wrote: »

He did ok, few decent challenges.
Coming along nicely.

Great.

I'd be made up for him if he had a long successful run in the team.

I'm also looking forward to Ramsey realising his potential, he hasn't been playing well recently.

Before his injury, he was playing better than Wilshire was last season, IMO.

Add Jack, Ox, and I also like the look of Corporal Jenks.

Interesting times!

22-03-2012 12:39pm

jordainius wrote: »

How was Arshavin adding to the "crisis"? Give relevant links and evidence.

His commitment was highly questionable, the fact you need to ask for evidence shows your rose tinted glasses are working perfectly well.
The fans have been getting on his back for some time, that was evidence enough for Wenger, although you probably believe Wenger needed to reduce the wage bill, or Arshavin needed a holiday.:D

22-03-2012 12:42pm

meriwether wrote: »

Great.

I'd be made up for him if he had a long successful run in the team.

I'm also looking forward to Ramsey realising his potential, he hasn't been playing well recently.

Before his injury, he was playing better than Wilshire was last season, IMO.

Add Jack, Ox, and I also like the look of Corporal Jenks.

Interesting times!

Ramsey is a strange one, he has gone off the boil in recent times, hope he comes back to form.
Yeah the upcoming youth give us interesting times to look forward to.

jordainius · 22-03-2012 12:47pm

RVP 11 wrote: »

His commitment was highly questionable, the fact you need to ask for evidence shows your rose tinted glasses are working perfectly well.

The fact you can't supply evidence says more than your usual childish statements/behaviour. Rose tinted glasses?:rolleyes: Christ....

RVP wrote:

The fans have been getting on his back for some time, that wqas evidence enough for Wenger, although you prbably believe Wenger needed to reduce the wage bill, or Arshavin needed a holiday.:D

Yeah because Wenger is known for listening to the fans...

And I'll say it for a third time, and in bold writing because you seem to have difficulty grasping this, but I'll say it for a third time nonetheless; Arshavin wanted first team football, he wasn't getting that at Arsenal, either Zenit weren't prepared to actually buy him or Arsenal weren't prepared to sell him, but a loan was the best option for all 3 parties, as I've already said. It has nothing to do with wage bills or holidays.... (Yet more baseless assumptions.:rolleyes:)

emergingstar · 22-03-2012 12:47pm

meriwether wrote: »

RVP 11 wrote: »

He did ok, few decent challenges.
Coming along nicely.

Great.

I'd be made up for him if he had a long successful run in the team.

I'm also looking forward to Ramsey realising his potential, he hasn't been playing well recently.

Before his injury, he was playing better than Wilshire was last season, IMO.

Add Jack, Ox, and I also like the look of Corporal Jenks.

Interesting times!

Add in the best underage crop we had in a while where 3/4 could make it, it's very exciting

22-03-2012 12:49pm

Yeah because Wenger is known for listening to the fans...

And I'll say it for a third time, and in bold writing because you seem to have difficulty grasping this, but I'll say it for a third time nonetheless; Arshavin wanted first team football, he wasn't getting that at Arsenal, either Zenit weren't prepared to actually buy him or Arsenal weren't prepared to sell him, but a loan was the best option for all 3 parties, as I've already said. It has nothing to do with wage bills or holidays.... (Yet more baseless assumptions.)

How is a loan deal for one of your highest earners (and assists as you have stated) good for both clubs?
Do you think a loan deal for a senior player shows he is committed to the club and that he has a future at the club?
I don't.

jmayo · 22-03-2012 12:52pm

Ardennes1944 wrote: »

Looking at the table newcastle have to commended for hanging in there. Thought they would be well behind by now

Have to say it is a tad ironic that they are ahead of Liverpool.

kryogen wrote: »

A lot of fans (not pointing fingers at anyone in particular on here) owe Wenger a serious apology if he manages to finish 3rd this season!

Why do fans who have questioned him owe him an apology ?
He was doing a shi** job, a job for which he is on one of the highest salaries in the PL.
In terms of his own track record, even over the last few years, he was performing very poorly.
People should not forget that.
The players who were backup players and had to step up to the plate when injuries occurred are all players ultimately at the club because of him.
The fact these players failed is a failure of his.
Worse still the lack of morale and effort being shown by the team was ultimately down to him and it was up to him to fix it.
Fair dues he has and he deserves credit for that, but an apology.

If you look back at my posts you will find I have already given him huge credit for managing to turn that situation around and get the players actually playing for the club again when it looked like they couldn't give a rats ass about the club.
And as someone else mentioned I actually think the removal of one of the top players, one of the highest paid players has helped in this regard.

But and there is always a but.
If one looks dispassionately beyond the great current run, one can still see the underlying problems.
We have been blessed that RVP is in form of his life and more importantly injury free.
Without him we would be midtable scrambling around looking to the likes of Chamakh or Park. :eek:

Looking at the competition we have been helped hugely that for a second season in a row Chelsea and their management & dressing room have been shooting themselves in the feet.
Also the English FA and Capello helped scupper spurs season.

Then there is Liverpool who have spent a fortune and well ...

I had demanded Wengers exit at end of season, but I now think he should be given the summer to see if he and the backroom staff have learnt anything over the last 5 or 6 years.

If the summer degenerates into another farce like last year where the crud is left at the club, the best player(s) are sold and there is a case of scrambling around Europe on the last days of the transfer window trying to find a few also rans and might bes to fill their massive shoes, then I will be back banging the drum for him to go.
Lets all hope for a good summer. :cool:

meriwether · 22-03-2012 12:53pm

emergingstar wrote: »

Add in the best underage crop we had in a while where 3/4 could make it, it's very exciting

Frimpers is gonna be massive.

Either a massive talent or a massive twit, I can't decide.

Arsenal Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2011/2012

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