Arsenal Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

OPENROAD · 25-12-2008 03:13AM

Know we are going to have lots of these over the next few weeks, thought I would post it anyway.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-sport/article-23607781-details/Wenger+set+to+make+fresh+bid+for+Alonso/article.do

Pepe LeFrits · 25-12-2008 11:11AM

Frisbee wrote: »

Djourou is impressing me this season and we always have Havard to come back aswell, he always impressed me hugely in the CC.

Nordtveit has never played in the CC. He barely got any games at Salamanca so I'd rather see him on loan at a Championship or Premiership side first before considering him for first team duties.

Frisbee · 25-12-2008 11:15AM

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

Nordtveit has never played in the CC. He barely got any games at Salamanca so I'd rather see him on loan at a Championship or Premiership side first before considering him for first team duties.

Sorry, meant to say CC team, aka Reserves.
I was sure he played in the CC at some stage...
And the reason he barely got any games at Salamanca was because they played him out of position and weren't impressed with his displays.
But in fairness if your play a CB in CM thats whats gonna happen...

Green Hornet · 25-12-2008 11:30AM

I notice that there has been a marked decrease in the amount of posts calling for a new goalie. How do people feel about Almunia now? I know we have other areas of the team that we need to strengthen more but the goalie situation was always fairly near the top earlier in the season, particularly after the Spurs debacle.

I'm actually feeling a bit better about him now. Rarely makes game costing errors and in fact in most of the recent games he's made some good saves to prevent losses (including the Liverpool game). Seems to be quite consistent. He'll never be a Cech (who has not been up to his usual standard this year it must be said) but a pretty stable, reliable guardian nevertheless. Bound to drop a clanger agaist Villa now

Frisbee · 25-12-2008 11:34AM

Green Hornet wrote: »

I notice that there has been a marked decrease in the amount of posts calling for a new goalie. How do people feel about Almunia now? I know we have other areas of the team that we need to strengthen more but the goalie situation was always fairly near the top earlier in the season, particularly after the Spurs debacle.

I'm actually feeling a bit better about him now. Rarely makes game costing errors and in fact in most of the recent games he's made some good saves to prevent losses (including the Liverpool game). Seems to be quite consistent. He'll never be a Cech (who has not been up to his usual standard this year it must be said) but a pretty stable, reliable guardian nevertheless. Bound to drop a clanger agaist Villa now

I'm very happy with Almunia. Although we might want to bring a new goalie in next year as I'm not sure Fabianski will cut it as our #1 when Almunia retires/leaves

Green Hornet · 25-12-2008 11:40AM

Frisbee wrote: »

I'm very happy with Almunia. Although we might want to bring a new goalie in next year as I'm not sure Fabianski will cut it as our #1 when Almunia retires/leaves

Agreed. I'm not convinced about Fabianski either. Capable of making good saves obviously but decision making is chronic.

One thing that drives me nuts with Almunia though is his kicking. He is constantly giving away possession by humping long hopeful balls up the pitch. On the other hand I suppose he rarely makes an actual mess of his kicks/miskicks in the area but my heart was always in my mouth when a backpass was sent back to Lehmann.

Frisbee · 25-12-2008 11:43AM

Green Hornet wrote: »

One thing that drives me nuts with Almunia though is his kicking. He is constantly giving away possession by humping long hopeful balls up the pitch.

At least he's willing to do this, especially if we're losing when we still seem content to pass the ball around with no end product.
I'd much rather him kicking than VDS anyway... :cool:

gosplan · 25-12-2008 02:37PM

Green Hornet wrote: »

I notice that there has been a marked decrease in the amount of posts calling for a new goalie. How do people feel about Almunia now? I know we have other areas of the team that we need to strengthen more but the goalie situation was always fairly near the top earlier in the season, particularly after the Spurs debacle.

I'm actually feeling a bit better about him now. Rarely makes game costing errors and in fact in most of the recent games he's made some good saves to prevent losses (including the Liverpool game). Seems to be quite consistent. He'll never be a Cech (who has not been up to his usual standard this year it must be said) but a pretty stable, reliable guardian nevertheless. Bound to drop a clanger agaist Villa now

Bigger fish to fry right now

Galvasean · 25-12-2008 06:50PM

Fabbregas doesn't require surgery. but still should be out for nearly 4 months.
A little bird told me we put in a 20million bid for Arshavin.

Watch

this

space.

Green Hornet · 25-12-2008 08:15PM

Nice if it happens:

http://kop-tv.com/go/arsenal-plans-january-alonso-bid/

This was knocking around in the summer too though and nothing happened.

leninbenjamin · 25-12-2008 08:40PM

Galvasean wrote: »

A little bird told me we put in a 20million bid for Arshavin.

can someone explain to me why Arshavin would be a good buy? it's not like they are short on attacking mids cum forwards...

Galvasean · 25-12-2008 08:57PM

Frisbee wrote: »

Will we buy the players we need though?
Or a 16 year old currently playing in French Ligue 2 who will be amazing in 4 years?

Gael Clichy?

leninbenjamin wrote: »

can someone explain to me why Arshavin would be a good buy? it's not like they are short on attacking mids cum forwards...

We could use a goalscoring midfielder. This season our midfielders haven't scored enough to supplement the strikers. In fact we havent had a proper goalscoring midfielder since Freddie Ljungberg and Bobby Pires (discounting Cesc in the first half of last season).

Mr Alan · 25-12-2008 09:04PM

i'd imagine it would take substantionally more than 18m to interest Liverpool in this deal....that price or the 15m figure that was quoted in the summer was for an out of form unhappy alonso, now he is playing the best ball of his career & been our best player by a mile and is on record as wanting to stay.

cant see it happening tbh

Galvasean · 25-12-2008 09:09PM

Not to mention the fact that it looked certain that 'Pool we're gonna sign Barry.

Royale with Cheese · 26-12-2008 12:27AM

Galvasean wrote: »

We could use a goalscoring midfielder. This season our midfielders haven't scored enough to supplement the strikers. In fact we havent had a proper goalscoring midfielder since Freddie Ljungberg and Bobby Pires (discounting Cesc in the first half of last season).

That's true. But the squad has far bigger problems than that, which is why £20m on Arshavin would be a massive waste of money when it could be spent on a half decent defensive centre mid and a centre back.

Galvasean · 26-12-2008 12:32AM

Personally I'd like to see £10million on Veloso, £20 million of Chilieni and then another £20million on Arshavin.
Heck, even mediocre teams get transfer budgets of 50million.

Royale with Cheese · 26-12-2008 12:33AM

We'd all love to see that, I wouldn't hold your breath though.

Galvasean · 26-12-2008 12:44AM

I'm just hoping that the long term lay off of Fabregas will be the last straw taht makes Wenger see taht he needs to spend money to win the big trophies.
Optimistic I know.

Frisbee · 26-12-2008 01:05AM

Galvasean wrote: »

Gael Clichy?

Aye but for every Clichy there is a load of failures who never make it. And right now we need established players, not people with potential...

Galvasean · 26-12-2008 01:17AM

Oh yeah I completely agree, just when I saw your description it sounded a bit too specific to be coicadence.
We certainly do need some more players for now. Sure we have great players for the future, but what happens when they decide to leave and play out their best years elsewhere because Arsenal arent successful enough?

Frisbee · 26-12-2008 01:21AM

Galvasean wrote: »

what happens when they decide to leave and play out their best years elsewhere because Arsenal arent successful enough?

Wenger?

leninbenjamin · 26-12-2008 01:27AM

Galvasean wrote: »

but what happens when they decide to leave and play out their best years elsewhere because Arsenal arent successful enough?

Wenger decides he's had enough and walks into the France job before retiring.

Beau x1 · 26-12-2008 02:19AM

I bet you Wenger won't buy, if anything he'll see this as an opportunity to let the likes of Diaby, Ramsey etc play more.

There could be something dodgy going on with the clubs finance but who knows, Wenger may just be stubborn right now (or blind). We'll pull through against Villa though, just you wait.

Royale with Cheese · 26-12-2008 02:26AM

Royale with Cheese · 26-12-2008 02:27AM

Royale with Cheese · 26-12-2008 02:28AM

Royale with Cheese · 26-12-2008 02:29AM

Royale with Cheese · 26-12-2008 02:30AM

Sorry I felt like posting about memories of better years. Fed up of being depressed about the current squad.

Bounty Hunter · 26-12-2008 02:34AM

... wait you guys are just posting random pics of Arsenal players to make you feel better aint you? this is an Arsenal player and looking at her makes me feel better:D

Royale with Cheese · 26-12-2008 02:37AM

She looks a bit dangerous, I wouldn't trust her. Better than that Bilbao team though.

Arsenal Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

Comments