Arsenal Transfer Rumours And General Chat

Irish Gunner

TBH I thought we were going to get stuffed

After going 1-0 up I thought we were doing well and for a team savaged by injuries we stuck it up to them

Song did well much better than his last first team appearance v Fulham

Eboue is a big bag of ****e and should be sent home

2 dead ball goals we conceded which we should have contained them free kick nothing we could do about but like to see again the incident the brought about it Sky showed no replays

Ade should have put away in the first half and the ball did not go our way when Drug dodger Rio and waste of space Brown nearly put in for OG, not going to be our day I thought

How the F did Rio get MOM ????

But they can bring on the likes of Tevez Giggs etc and thats were we lack. Arsene saying 'one big signing' but we need competition all over.

Still more than happy we have over achieved this year but bitter pill to swallow when you are 5 pints clear and then bugger it up

Ok will be at the Everton game and still follow the gooners next year

Until then C'mon u Gooners

Mitch Connor

Are there many Arsenal fans that want Gallas to retain the captaincy next season?

He looked like he was a great captain earlier in the season, but over the last month or two he has been terrible. He doesn't seem to try to get the team going in games, or talk to players that need a bit of encouragement. His display at Birmingham was a disgrace and yesterday he looked like he was sulking from the moment he gave the penalty away right to the final whistle and beyond. In comparrison, Rio (who most non-Unite dfans hate and love to havea go at) was constantly talking to the United lads, shouting them on, encouraging them at set pieces and getting them to keep the celebration of the first goal to a minimum and get the focus back on winning the match.

Pighead

Arsenals form in the last 13 games:
L D D D W D D L W D D L L
F 15 A 20

smemon

Arsenal's form was inevitiable, they were never put under serious pressure at any stage up until they lost got hammered at Spurs & Utd. All of a sudden seeds of doubt were sown in their heads and things started going against them.

I agree Gallas is a poor captain and a disruptive influence on the side imo. He believes he's too big for the side and not willling to put the team above himself. Clearly evident against birmingham and the BBC caught him yesterday on camera, when Utd had a corner after having equalised - not one word to his fellow teammates, head down, not looking at whats going on, just chewing gum and walking over to his marker.

They also put on a show imo when it comes to team building. Yesterday it looked like they were holding a team meating amongst themselves when one of their players was down injured - hugging each other and what not

The big motivational speech from gallas before matches also seems to go down a treat :rolleyes:

Just sets them up to fall imo and doing it out in full view of fans, players and camera's serves absolutely no benefit to anyone as imo, it highlights a lack of control by wenger if all of it isn't done internally.

PHB

I think people will talk about Arsneal crumbling, but they failed because they got injuries up front, and they had no depth in central midfield.

arbeitsscheuer

PHB wrote: »

I think people will talk about Arsneal crumbling, but they failed because they got injuries up front, and they had no depth in central midfield.

It's not that simple mate. As Adebayor pointed out in his interview with the Guardian (I think) on Saturday, after the Birmingham game too many players suffered a catastrophic loss of form simultaneously. If one or two players have a few games where they're ineffective somebody else will generally chip in with a big performance, but over the course of march our most influential players had a dip that proved crucial.

Granted, you'd imagine that if Rosicky, van Persie or Eduardo had been fit at that time they might've put in potentially match-winning performances, but that doesn't disguise the fact that had those players who had been so amazing in the first 6 months of the season - Fab, Hleb, Ade - kept that performance level up in March, we would have won the league.

Those four draws against Birmingham, Villa, Wigan and Boro were what cost us.

Mitch Connor

In fairness to all the other sides in the league, it has hardly been plain saling for everyone else. United have missed Rooney for periods, Solskjaer retired and Saha has played about 5 games all season. We lost scholes for a while, hargreaves has been in and out with niggly injuries. Neville and Silvestre have missed the entire season. United haven't had an easy season in comparison really - the difference is the way we have coped with it. You can say Arsenal do not have the depth, but that is all down to Wenger. We have always heard how he has built the side on a shoe-string budget an dhas had no money to spend; but seemingly he did have money to spend and chose not to spend it, keeping faith with what he had. He has also let players like Diarra, Ljundberg and Pires without fully replacing them.

I do think the squad Arsenal have got has done very well, but they should have a better squad cause they have had the money and time to build it.

eZe^

Eboue really need to be shipped out, I can honestly say I never ever expect him to score a goal or to set someone up nicely when I see him get in advanced positions, he's too clumsy. buy someone like David Silva ffs.

arbeitsscheuer

eZe^ wrote: »

Eboue really need to be shipped out, I can honestly say I never ever expect him to score a goal or to set someone up nicely when I see him get in advanced positions, he's too clumsy. buy someone like David Silva ffs.

Yeah I think most of us agree with this. Eboue is appalling, a genuinely ineffectual player who contributes little except dire passing, feigned injuries, laughable dives and non-existant shooting ability. Why Wenger has persisted in him I have no idea, but then Arséne is a genius so I guess I'll shut up...:D

PHB

I think Abedabyour and Hleb could have maintained their levels if they had been able to rotate. Also for example, I think Eduardo would have put away a chance in the first half against United.

Creative central midfield is the only real area where Arsenal are over-reliant on a player, Fabregas, and he has certainly dropped off, largely imo because he's played non-stop.

However I would say that the weakest areas of the squad are certainly the LB's, where as United showed, Hoyte and Traore are just nowhere near high enough quality compared to Clichy and Sagna, who has been a huge injury loss. Wenger has to address those areas this summer.

Royale with Cheese

How many games have Hoyte and Traore played this season though? Sagna's been out for the past few weeks and that's it. Has Clichy missed many games this season? Didn't think so.

Mitch Connor

Royale with Cheese wrote: »

How many games have Hoyte and Traore played this season though? Sagna's been out for the past few weeks and that's it. Has Clichy missed many games this season? Didn't think so.

Indeed - wasn't Traore's game against Liverpool last week his premiership debut.

arbeitsscheuer

Royale with Cheese wrote: »

How many games have Hoyte and Traore played this season though? Sagna's been out for the past few weeks and that's it. Has Clichy missed many games this season? Didn't think so.

Correct. In fact Clichy has played in every Premier League game for Arsenal this season, and Sagna aint far behind with 29 League appearances. Overall, Clichy has played 45 first team games for Arsenal this season - more than any other player - and Sagna has played 40.

The fullbacks have actually been one of our strongest, most reliable, most consistent areas of the field all season. Clichy and Sagna are two of the reasons we have been challenging this season - Clichy should've been given Man of the Match yesterday, he was absolutely immense.

eZe^

Tauren wrote: »

Indeed - wasn't Traore's game against Liverpool last week his premiership debut.

Ill get slated for this, but imo, Traore played quite well against Liverpool, I know he had a howler against united in the FA Cup. But against Liverpool I thought he reminded me of a naive clichy, give him some time.

Mitch Connor

arbeitsscheuer wrote: »

Correct. In fact Clichy has played in every Premier League game for Arsenal this season, and Sagna aint far behind with 29 League appearances. Overall, Clichy has played 45 first team games for Arsenal this season - more than any other player - and Sagna has played 40.

The fullbacks have actually been one of our strongest, most reliable, most consistent areas of the field all season. Clichy and Sagna are two of the reasons we have been challenging this season - Clichy should've been given Man of the Match yesterday, he was absolutely immense.

Does clichy ever actually get tired? He seems to just keep going, and going, and going.

two best LBs in the league on show yesterday, no doubt about that.

PHB

But you have to have cover in case of injuries. Sagna has played most of the season, but the games he's missed he's been sorely missed.

Would Liverpool have even scored against Arsenal if Sagna had been on instead of Sendoros? I'm not sure they would have

Galvasean

Now that theres nothing up for grabs (just make sure pool dont pass us out) is it too much to ask that Walcott be given his starting place ahead of Eboue?
If Arsenal have any real ambition the likes of Eboue, Gilberto and Nicky (squad moral eating) Bendtner need to be shipped out.Ditto, we must hold on to Flamini, give him what he wants.
We also need 3 key signings; an experienced winger, defender and holding midfielder.

I wonder if Wenger will play Lehmann for the last few games so he can get his Euro Championship place.

Pepe LeFrits

We're sorted at full-back. Gallas and Toure are both fine backups, as good as any in the league. The problem is at CB. Gallas and Toure has not been the best pairing and should be broken up, which will free them up to play the full-back positions when required.

I'll be very surprised if Flamini signs a new contract now. I think he's going. Combined with the coming departure of Gilberto and the problems with Denilson (whatever they are), the squad will suddenly look very short there, and reinforcements will be required.

Needing a new winger is a given. In attack I think Adebayor, Bendtner, van Persie, Eduardo, Walcott and Vela is sufficient.

A top class goalkeeper would be nice but I think Almunia will have to do for now.

IrishMike

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

In attack I think Adebayor, Bendtner, van Persie, Eduardo, Walcott and Vela is sufficient.

If i was an Arsenal fan i would be very worried if they were the attacking
options at the club next year.
Adebayor is quality.
Bendtner is an average squad player - 3rd choice striker at best
Van Persie is outstanding but is seriously injury prone.
Eduardo probably wont play for 9 months and may never ever be at the level he once played at
Walcott has had 2 good games since he joined.
Not exactly full of strength in depth if you ask me.

PHB

We're sorted at full-back. Gallas and Toure are both fine backups, as good as any in the league. The problem is at CB. Gallas and Toure has not been the best pairing and should be broken up, which will free them up to play the full-back positions when required.

Fair enough, you just need more defensive cover, whether it comes for full backs or for CB.
IMO you should always try to maintain your CB pairing, as a good partnership is more important there than anywhere else on the pitch.

Do you not think that you need another creative passing midfielder in order to take some of the load off Fabregas?

Royale with Cheese

Hleb can play as Fabregas if more wingers are bought. He's a centre mid playing on the wing anyway. Even Rosicky would be the same if he wasn't made of glass. So buy more wingers and then rotate.

cson

PHB wrote: »

Do you not think that you need another creative passing midfielder in order to take some of the load off Fabregas?

Luka Modric except he's megabucks

eZe^

Theres plenty of creative midfielders on the market this summer anyway, Modric, Diego, Rakitic to name a few. Id always imagined that the perfect person to mentor Fabregas would be Riquelme, I think he'd suit their play nicely. Pity he's 29 now.

IrishMike

eZe^ wrote: »

Theres plenty of creative midfielders on the market this summer anyway, Modric, Diego, Rakitic to name a few. Id always imagined that the perfect person to mentor Fabregas would be Riquelme, I think he'd suit their play nicely. Pity he's 29 now.

Bit slow for the premiership, likes a lot of time on the ball.
When he can get that time on the ball he is amazing, but would not get that
space in the premiership and would struggle extremely badly due to the
tempo of the games and his lack of pace.
Still an absolute genius of a player and probably the most humble player
i have ever seen interviewed.

eZe^

I dont know, I think he's that player who looks like he'll have as much time on the ball as he wants. When Ive seen people try to hussle him off the ball he always seems to make himself another couple of yards of space by bypassing them.

Mr Alan

Wouldnt deem Modric megabucks, we were linked with him last week for around 18 million. In this day and age, thats hardly megabucks.

Pepe LeFrits

PHB wrote: »

Fair enough, you just need more defensive cover, whether it comes for full backs or for CB.
IMO you should always try to maintain your CB pairing, as a good partnership is more important there than anywhere else on the pitch.

Do you not think that you need another creative passing midfielder in order to take some of the load off Fabregas?

I think a creative player is required but not so much of a passing type, we have enough of those in Fabregas, Hleb and Rosicky. Someone like Ribery, Ben Arfa, Villa (although he's more of a striker) would be what I'd like to see Wenger go for. I guess a runner who can dribble, score goals and pick a pass at the right time would be ideal.

Modric would definately improve the team but wouldn't really offer much variation to the existing theme.

arbeitsscheuer

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

I think a creative player is required but not so much of a passing type, we have enough of those in Fabregas, Hleb and Rosicky. Someone like Ribery, Ben Arfa, Villa (although he's more of a striker) would be what I'd like to see Wenger go for. I guess a runner who can dribble, score goals and pick a pass at the right time would be ideal.

Modric would definately improve the team but wouldn't really offer much variation to the existing theme.

I think you've hit the nail on the head there mate.

When we were playing phenomenally well over the first 6 months of the season and looking incredible I don't think anyone was questioning our quality, resilience (we scored most of our bloody goals in the last 10-15 minutes of games ffs), character and so on. But when things began to go wrong and players lost a little form, confidence and sharpness, thinking in particular again of the games against Wigan, Aston Villa and Boro, maybe we lacked just that little bit of variation and real direct football to pummel through despite being poor.

A winger, or at least a proper pacy dribbling player fullstop, looks essential. Ben Arfa might fit the bill, Ribery certainly would have but it's too late to moan about that now, perhaps Villa because altho he is a striker he's more direct and pacy than anyone we have right now with the exception of Walcott and Arsene seems set on playing him from the bench for the time-being.

Fuzzy_Dunlop

Oh yeah i found Denilson!

Hopefully a few of those lads will get a run out against Reading. I must say im kinda looking forward to the match as i enjoyed the Reading matches last year, they usually go out to play.

L'prof

This is hilarious, even if it is meant to be a joke at our expense!