Arsenal Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

IrishMike

No chance, he is not what Arsenal need in their midfield.
They need someone to replace Flamini and for me Barry is not that type of player at all.

Pepe LeFrits

I wouldn't think it likely either.

If Gilberto goes, and it looks likely now, I’d say Wenger will bring in another midfield player. We’ll have lost Gilberto, Flamini and Diarra in the space of the year. While there’s the possibility that he could decide to promote from within and use Denilson, Djourou, Song and Diaby, he hasn’t typically displayed that much confidence in these players before so it’d be surprising if he were to make that leap of faith now. Personally I’d like to promote from within AND keep Gilberto as an insurance policy instead of signing someone new.

Regarding Nordtveit – I’d say he’s a dead cert to start in the Carling Cup this year. He was going to start last season but he suffered an injury that ruled him out. Wenger seems to rate him extremely highly – saying he needs to improve physically but is otherwise ready for Premiership football – and he spent the guts of £2m on him, which he doesn’t do for 17 year olds too often.

Indie18

According to the sky sports news web site hleb is in barcalona for a medical today so i would imagine he will be gone in the next couple of days. although i think he is over rated a little he is still a very good player and they need to bring somebody in to replace him sharpish.

IrishMike

Very suprised Wenger didnt try and do an exchange for Toure in that deal to be honest.
Quality player and exactly what the Arsenal midfield need in my opinion

Indie18

IrishMike wrote: »

Very suprised Wenger didnt try and do an exchange for Toure in that deal to be honest.
Quality player and exactly what the Arsenal midfield need in my opinion

there gonna need a player in that position as well as hlebs position now that gilberto looks to be on the way out. it's gonna be the same type of season for arsenal as the last few where arsen wenger puts too much fate in youth and will just end up with nothing again which in turn will lead to more players leaving next season and the cycle will continue. gloomy for arsenal fans.

yahoo_moe

leninbenjamin wrote: »

also Arseblogger has a nice entry on the weak state of affairs in the transfer market this morning. seems to think that Adebayor will be forced to stay because no one is willing to go in for him.

Much like Drogba, it seems - and almost the way the Hleb transfer went at one point. Seems to be a slow summer with inflated prices making a lot of deals impossible so far. Though from an Arsenal point of view, this might have to change soon if last season is going to be improved upon.

I know Wenger's on record as saying that Walcott will end up as a striker but surely at this stage, he'll be first choice out wide with Rosicky/Nasri taking the other side between them and Ramsey as occasional impact sub? I'm struggling to see who Wenger could possibly bring in now as an established first-teamer (like everyone else, a move for Barry would really surprise me...)

It also looks like Denilson/Fabregas as first choice CM pairing which is messy if we also consider Denilson as our best cover option for Fabregas... lot of ifs and buts at the moment

PHB

I don't think you'll miss Hleb that much. To me he typifies Arsenal of 2 years ago, amazing up to the box, not much after it. His goals and assists record is just utterly shocking for a player of his talents.

I do think you must be looking at another midfielder. If you can get that and another defender or two, experienced if at all possible, you'd be doing well.

gosplan

Indie18 wrote: »

there gonna need a player in that position as well as hlebs position now that gilberto looks to be on the way out. it's gonna be the same type of season for arsenal as the last few where arsen wenger puts too much fate in youth and will just end up with nothing again which in turn will lead to more players leaving next season and the cycle will continue. gloomy for arsenal fans.

Some managers buy good teams, I think Wenger builds them.

He was in the middle of building a new and successful Arsenal team when his plans were derailed by Flamini, Diarra, Hleb and possibly Adebayor.

I think we've no choice but to throw another year at it due to these setbacks because Arsne has never been a chequebook manager.

The worrying thing is that when your style is to buy young players and give them time to settle in, it's a very worrying thing when players agitate for moves away. Team loyalty is really important to Arsenal and it seems that that's on the wane.

(I kind of excuse Flamini cause we didn't show him much loyalty till he got good - trying to flog him to Boro and all that)

gosplan

What about that young dutch man-mountain that played midfield in the Euros.

Enkellar or something?

Was he DMF? He seems like an us signing.

leninbenjamin

gosplan wrote: »

What about that young dutch man-mountain that played midfield in the Euros.

Enkellar or something?

Was he DMF? He seems like an us signing.

Engelaar. just signed for Schalke anyway. overrated imo, i didn't think the dutch midfield looked fantastic, they didn't retain the ball enough for my liking and their offensive presence is almost non existant. they relied on the likes of Schneider, van der vaart coming deep or else a quick counter. not good enough for Arsenal imo.

Arsenal don't need a sitting midfielder anyway, too static for their system. the success Flamini had came from his ability to be everywhere on the pitch. you were just as likely to find him closing down in the opponents half as his own. the ideal signing must be a counterweight for Fabregas, which your typical DMs never do, they just patrol their own patch usually. DMs sit and absorb, where Arsenal need people who press.

Pepe LeFrits

gosplan wrote: »

I think we've no choice but to throw another year at it due to these setbacks because Arsne has never been a chequebook manager.

Frankly if Arsene does not make signings this summer to address the flaws in the squad that have been evident for three seasons now, he should get the sack.

leninbenjamin

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

Arsene ... should get the sack.

:eek:

eZe^

Recently on a Barca forum an apparently intelligent Arsenal fan posted this about Hleb;

''Arsenal fan (and season ticket holder) here. It's no secret that Hleb is about to join Barcelona, and I, for one, am really annoyed. He is a top quality player and the best player Arsenal have -- yes, even better than the vastly overrated for his looks and age, Cesc.

Anyone who will have watched Hleb play more than a couple of games will immediately realise he does create a shedload of chances. It's just fortunate for us (Arsenal) that we have poor finishers getting on the end of what he creates. Those who simply look at the assist figures are showing themselves to be clueless. The "Hleb doesn't create" is a fallacy. And a laughable one at that.

One aspect on which he does need to improve on is his goalscoring. I cannot (and don't wish to) make any excuses about that. For an attacking midfielder (despite being played out of position) he does not score enough. He has been guilty of overplaying which is startling when you consider he does have a decent shot on him.

He isn't young, nor is he too old. He has only just turned 27, so the "he's nearly 28" folk can do one. Just 28 days older than Arshavin, who is not considered too old...go figure. He still has years left in him at the top. Like Bobby Pires, he should be able to carry on going until 31/32, at the least. 4/5 years is a long time.

The best thing for Barcelona is that his game is 100% suited to their style of football and La Liga. The amount of times he gets kicked is ridiculous. It's something Arsene Wenger has complained about, but it still goes on. Hleb is a player opposition in England target because they know just how influential he can be. Without generalising too much, it's suffice to say the rigor of the Premier League has finally got to him, and he knows he'll be able to perform much better in La Liga where there is an emphasis on technical, creative play as opposed to the more physical approach in England. But I'm sure you lot know more than Pep, eh?

All in all, I don't know what you muppets are moaning about. He is due to complete his move in the next couple of days, and I am gutted about it. You have a history of taking our best players, but this will be the most annoyed I've been at a player leaving since you took Overmars in the summer of 2000. I was nowhere near this concerned with you took Thierry because I knew he was past it. Hleb isn't. He is the real deal, and you guys better make sure you give him a warm welcome because he is going to take La Liga by storm.''


Ignore the silly comment about Fabregas, because we all can agree that Fabregas is one of the most ridiculously talented kids of the noughties!

How can an avid fan of Arsenal try to defend Hlebs absolutely atrocious scoring/ assist record? He tries to blame it on arsenals 'lack of cutting edge infront of goal'.. It seems like a bit of a cop out...

Ive been dwelling on this Hleb transfer for a while, and my conclusion is- He'll never come near to replacing Deco or Ronaldinho, and he may not be a first choice player, but he's actually the perfect squad player. He is a very hard worker, and his style of play may suit Barca perfectly, as Arsenal are the closest to Barca's style that I can think of.. Also, reports are claiming he will be quite cheap, which is quite a good thing for us, as we always pay over the odds for Arsenals players as Wenger is a genius in the market...


Another arsenal supporter posted this, and Im much more inclined to agree with this;

''So much rubbish is coming out of the mouth of TH14. Firstly, you blame our poor finishing for Hlebs poor assist record. Ok let me finish that silly argument with four simple points:

1) Walcott has got 12 assists for Arsenal even though he played less minutes (probably half the minutes, in fact) and one less season.
2) Eduardo got 8 assists in 29 matches this season.
3) Fabregas got 23 assists this season alone.
4) Eboue has got 12 assists in his three seasons at Arsenal despite playing at RB for two seasons and barely playing on the wing this season.

I've shown that everyone else's number of assists hasn't been affected at Arsenal despite your claim of poor finishing, so how the f*** has Hleb's been affected? He is not an exception to the rule. How you are blaming finishing is beyond me and I total destroyed that argument. Dont bother replying...

Secondly, these fans are hardly muppets moaning about a player who is quite old but still hasn't shown his football to be anything other than 'art'; what I mean by that is he can produce beautiful moments BUT whats the use of producing these moments when these things rarely turn into goals?

Hleb has only produced key moments (assists and goals) 25 times in three seasons. Now lets compare that to Fabregas's key moments over the past three seasons and then you'll realise your argument has no basis; Fabregas has 66 key moments (goals and assists) in the past three years. Furthermore, Fabregas has 36 key moments from last season alone - more than Hleb has in his three years at Arsenal. They play similarly attacking roles.

I hope you get me there. Key moments = Goals and Assists by a player.

You say he is being played out of position but where is he going to be played at Barca? Out of position. Thus, it is vital to know how effictive he is going to be in that exact position. Therefore, the out of position argument has no basis in this topic.

He poccesses a lot of the qualities of Bergkamp and Deco... only he cannot finish or find the killer ball often enough to play for Barcelona.

Dont try and fool people because they don't watch Arsenal as much as you. You wont get away with that sort of bull**** with me around.''

Galvasean

PHB wrote: »

I don't think you'll miss Hleb that much. To me he typifies Arsenal of 2 years ago, amazing up to the box, not much after it. His goals and assists record is just utterly shocking for a player of his talents.

Agreed, personally i think heis one of the best dribblers of tha ball in the modern game and his positioning is exceptional. But as you said his end product is woeful. At the end of teh day you can do as many beautiful dribbles and skillful moves as you like, but if you don't create goals you are not a good attacking midfielder.

leninbenjamin

I agree with the first poster really. Hleb's contribution to Arsenal over the past few seasons has been immense. he may not be statistically as good as Cesc an co. but so often he was the guy who started off their entire move! plenty of those assists wouldn't have happened if Hleb wasn't on the park.

However while i was disappointed at the prospect of Hleb leaving, it's clear his mentality i all wrong. i'm not convinced he'll be a success at the Camp Nou for this reason alone. he comes across as the type of player who enjoys being a big fish in a small pond, rather than actively challenging and working to improve himself. for this reason i really don't care about him any more.

Pepe LeFrits

Not sure how Guardiola intends on using Hleb so it is hard to say how he will fare there but he is a very good player. He doesn't score many or directly assist many because of his personality - he doesn't take responsibility, he shirks it... which I guess partially explains why he's leaving, because he feels that Arsenal won't win him trophies. At the other end of the spectrum you've got someone like Fabregas, who is staying at Arsenal because he wants to win Arsenal trophies (note the important difference), and this is visible on the pitch as it is Fabregas who takes responsibility and takes risks.

What Hleb will do at Barcelona is make them even silkier, harder to get the ball off, and he'll make Barca more effective at working the ball up the pitch, even against packed defences. He won't put the finishing touches on moves though, so they'll need someone else to do that.

yahoo_moe

Hleb was a huge part of Arsenal's success last season and assist stats (alone) are a load of crap as the basis for an entire argument about a player's ability - is a player who taps the ball 6 inches for an indirect free-kick better than the player who carries the ball past three challenges and wins that free kick?

Hleb's 'end product' wasn't always there but he wasn't always needed (or intended) to be an 'end product' player... even apart from his ball retention/carrying and his passing (often working positions for an assist from Fabregas or anyone else), the amount of free-kicks he won in great attacking positions was unreal...

Time's right for him to go if he wants to but it leaves a big gap in the team and the football they played with him in it.

Galvasean

Tony gets our #3
http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=News&article=492960&lid=NewsHeadline&Title=Gunners%27+Greatest+Players+-+3.+Tony+Adams

As for Hleb, how many times this season alone has he been in a goalscoring opportunity position, only to hesitate, stall and pass it to someone in a worse position, wasting the chance?

jank

Hleb is a very good technical player but flatters to decieve IMO.
What concerns me is the gilberto story. If he goes what will our CM be like?

Its the same old story really. Always building but never stable enough to challenge fully.
That will be 3 players gone from Arsenal now, all of them midfielders. Now with Nasri we have a replacement for Hleb but none whatsoever for flamini or gilberto.
The team is weaker then it was last year and everyone and their dog knew that it needed to be strengthened in key areas. Now if gilberto does go I will think there will definately be a replacement brought in, but that will probably be it for the summer!

The defensive issues will have been ignored again and of course where is our winger we have been craving for the last 2 years? Never mind the luxury of a goalkeeper!

Im telling you now Cesc will be gone next year! After that the game will be up. Wenger cannot work miracles every year. The board want to have their cake but eat it too.

Im_No_Superman

I see Alonso is being linked with Arsenal today, probaly just agent talk but would you see him as a good signing? Himself and Fabregas would be abit too similar to play together imo, an interesting propostion though.

Xabi Alonso's agent has claimed the Liverpool midfielder is aware of interest from Arsenal.

The Spaniard has seen a possible move to Juventus hit the buffers after the Italian giants signed Christian Poulsen from Sevilla.

However, reports continue to suggest that Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is prepared to sell Alonso to fund his own spending plans.

Alonso is rated in the £14million bracket and has now been linked with a move to the Reds' Premier League rivals Arsenal.
Up to Liverpool

Gunners manager Arsene Wenger is in the market for a midfielder after losing Mathieu Flamini, while Gilberto Silva is set to join Panathinaikos.

Reports in Spain suggest contact has been made between the two clubs and the 26-year-old's agent Inaki Ibanez says the player is waiting for Liverpool's decision.

"The player knows about this subject and now the decision lies with Liverpool," Ibanez told Spanish newspaper Publico.

Alonso's sale would give Benitez the funds to sign Aston Villa captain Gareth Barry, who has also been linked with a move to Arsenal.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11670_3825590,00.html

MuPpItJoCkEy

Can Arsenal rely on Almunia this season in goals with no experienced backup.

A rocky defence which has been needing surgery for the last couple of seasons with a moody Gallas to catpain again. Kolo didn't look his best last season either. Will Sanga repeat the performances he put in on his debut season? If 2 of the regular defence get injured, who's there as backup?

Helb & Gilberto seemly gone and Flamini gone. I doubt what is being written in papers that Arsenal are interested in Alonso & Barry. Both too old and expensive for Wenger.

Maybe Ade going too, is Wegner hoping that perhaps Walcot is going to be the next rising star because so far, VP has been injured quiet a bit.

Seems like Arsenal need a fair bit of patch work done to the whole squad. Money in from Helb & Ade (if the Ade move goes ahead) will be what Wenger has to play around with but would you be expecting some big names for the cash being brought in on direct replacements or would Wegner disperse the funds and try fill in all the gaps around the squad?

Pepe LeFrits

It’s looking like Adebayor might find that nobody is willing to buy him and be stuck at Arsenal, although things can change fast.

I’d like to see a good all-rounder come in who is creative but capable of doing the defensive duties, so that he can partner Fabregas, or do the Fabregas role with one of the young DMs we already have. Somebody like Aquilani or Barry would be good. I like Alonso a lot but I’m not sure he’s mobile enough to form a good midfield pairing with Cesc.

Pepe LeFrits

Squad for Barnet on Saturday:

Manuel ALMUNIA (GK)
Nacer BARAZITE
Nicklas BENDTNER
Gael CLICHY
DENILSON
James DUNNE
Rui FONTE
Gavin HOYTE
Justin HOYTE
Henri LANSBURY
Vito MANNONE (GK)
Havard NORDTVEIT
Abu OGOGO
Aaron RAMSEY
Mark RANDALL
Paul RODGERS
Bacary SAGNA
Jay SIMPSON
Rene STEER
Wojciech SZCZESNY (GK)
Armand TRAORE
Carlos VELA
Theo WALCOTT
Jack WILSHERE

gosplan

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

Squad for Barnet on Saturday:

Manuel ALMUNIA (GK)
Nacer BARAZITE
Nicklas BENDTNER
Gael CLICHY
DENILSON
James DUNNE
Rui FONTE
Gavin HOYTE
Justin HOYTE
Henri LANSBURY
Vito MANNONE (GK)
Havard NORDTVEIT
Abu OGOGO
Aaron RAMSEY
Mark RANDALL
Paul RODGERS
Bacary SAGNA
Jay SIMPSON
Rene STEER
Wojciech SZCZESNY (GK)
Armand TRAORE
Carlos VELA
Theo WALCOTT
Jack WILSHERE

Wow, not sure what starting line up I'd like to see.

Something like:

Sagna, Nordtviet, Hoyte, Clichy
Denilson, Ramsay, Walcott, Randall
Vela, Bendtner

Galvasean

Expect tha Carling Cup team to look something like that.

I'd go for a team like:

---

Vito MANNONE (GK)

Paul RODGERS----Havard NORDTVEIT----James DUNNE

---

Armand TRAORE

Jack WILSHERE----Aaron RAMSEY---Nacer BARAZITE----Rui FONTE

---

Theo WALCOTT

---

Carlos VELA


Of course this is mostly based off of my Football Manager experience.


I hear Barca arent allowing Guardiola to make a move for Adebayor until he offloads Eto'o which is proving much harder than once expected.

Tusky

Arsenal linked with Alonso & Barry. What are your thoughts on this ? Neither are really Wenger players. I think Alonso would do really well in the free flowing Arsenal team. Hes a fantastic passer and Arsenals movement would be perfect for him. I'd be gutted to see him go.

IrishMike

Would leave a serious hole in the Arsenal midfield though.
When Gerrard and Alonso played CM for Liverpool they were often left badly exposed
as Alonso isnt a natural DM he is more a CM.

MuPpItJoCkEy

As IrishMike said, Alonso is more of a CM than a DM. I also think that's the problem at Liverpool. He was dragged back to far by Rafa for him to be himself.

AnCapaillMor

I'm hoping they're using the barry bid to open liverpool into selling alonso. Always wished we'd signed alonso that time we hrought Vieira was of to Real.

leninbenjamin

i'd rather Barry than Alonso. he complements Cesc's abilities better imo. Alonso and Cesc could have difficulty working with each other imo seeing as they do essentially the same role for their teams.