Arsenal Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

yahoo_moe · 27-02-2009 05:37PM

Absolutely - which is why he'd be a more attractive signing. But for a one-off match tomorrow, I think I'd plump for Given.

It's hard to judge though so it's obviously very subjective - a Newcastle keeper gets an awful lot more opportunity to show his shot-stopping than a Liverpool keeper.

Bounty Hunter · 27-02-2009 06:10PM

With regardss to Almunia, Arsenal will most certainly have other areas in the team they would wanna improve ahead of GK and Almunia is one of the players im 100% sure will be at Arsenal even if its without CL football next year. First obviously youd need a Quality experienced (not old neccesarily) DM and maybe a top class CB although the defense is good atm to be fair to em. Plus you might need say an Adebayor replacement if you dont get CL football as hed be one youd be likely to sell/get a good price for that i could imagine wanting out, elsewhere you mostly have ready made replacements in players like Eduardo, Vela or even Traore after his loan, not that i see Gael going anywhere. iirc Almunia is now the vice captain (not that that means much esp when Wenger says he places little importance on the captaincy) and id place him around 7th in the list of the leagues goalies

1st: Reina / Given
3rd: Cech
4th: Friedel / VDS / James (their aging but still at the top of the game)
7th: Almunia

Pepe LeFrits · 27-02-2009 06:34PM

That ranking of the keepers is based more on reputation than recent performance, imo.

The only keepers there I'd swap Almunia for are Cech and Reina. That's not to say that he's the third best keeper in the league, but he isn't the seventh either.

Bounty Hunter · 27-02-2009 06:43PM

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

That ranking of the keepers is based more on reputation than recent performance, imo.

The only keepers there I'd swap Almunia for are Cech and Reina. That's not to say that he's the third best keeper in the league, but he isn't the seventh either.

well obviously you wouldent swap him for a player in their late 30s who may only have a season or 2 of top football in em and that only leaves Given (who people seem to either see as average or world class) you wouldent have ahead of him. I wasnt trying to put down Almunia and was actually saying he doesent need replacing, I ranked him ahead of the Scwarzers and Howards and in a years time yes he will probably be ahead of VDS, Friedel and James but IMO he is now around the 7th best Prem goalie. btw if not for his Injury I still think that Cech would be easily the top goalie and believe that atm Reina is easily the one that would be the best signing out of all the prem goalies.

Galvasean · 28-02-2009 09:54AM

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

James

FAR too gaf prone. No way I'd rate him more highly than Almunia.

Wreck · 28-02-2009 02:33PM

Arsenal team for Fulham today - Almunia, Sagna, Toure, Gallas, Clichy, Arshavin, Denilson, Diaby, Nasri, Van Persie, Vela.

Subs: Fabianski, Ramsey, Song Billong, Djourou, Bendtner, Eboue, Gibbs.

It think thats a cracking Arsenal side, and with the exception of Fabregas in for Diaby this is what I believe is our best team. If things click for us today we could hammer Fulham imo. But I'll take any kind of win tbh.

DenMan · 28-02-2009 02:53PM

Vela starts Wreck. Really looking forward to this game. Come on the Gunners.

http://www.iraqgoals.com/en/

We are on Channel 4

itsjaybud · 28-02-2009 03:02PM

Wreck wrote: »

It think thats a cracking Arsenal side, and with the exception of Fabregas in for Diaby this is what I believe is our best team. If things click for us today we could hammer Fulham imo. But I'll take any kind of win tbh.

+1

As for the goalkeeper topic at the moment im very happy with Almunia as our first choice keeper. I think Fabianski has the potential aswell to become a consistent and solid keeper from what he has shown during the cup games this season. There just isnt that many top top goalkeepers in the league since Cech as a had dip in form over the last season or so.

As for Reina hes a good shot stopper but is no way the best keeper in the league imo. His lack of height is always a worry for collecting corners or crosses from play into the box. I think Almunia is a far more comanding figure in those situations and is having a good season for us so far.

The likes of Given/James/Green are all again decent keepers but for me more often than not make a meal out of what are usually standard enough saves for the quality of keeper that they are.

The classic case was Paul Robinson in his spurs days "Englands number 1" a joke of a keeper imo!:)

DenMan · 28-02-2009 05:00PM

I am so mad right now, I don't even want to post here. Fcuk it I just did. :mad:

Wreck · 28-02-2009 05:00PM

Terrible performance today, and I don't think we are going to make fourth spot now. Seriously, why the fcuk can't we score anymore? I'm really pissed off right now.

Helix · 28-02-2009 05:06PM

everton 2 points behind yis now. not on a windup or anything here, but jesus yis would want to sort yourselves out pretty sharpish or you mightnt make europe full stop (only 5th gets uefa afaik)

OPENROAD · 28-02-2009 05:09PM

Helix wrote: »

everton 2 points behind yis now. not on a windup or anything here, but jesus yis would want to sort yourselves out pretty sharpish or you mightnt make europe full stop (only 5th gets uefa afaik)

Still believe Villa will hit a bad patch, Arsenal will turn things around.

DenMan · 28-02-2009 05:10PM

They way it is looking right now it is Man Utd who will be helping us to get into the UEFA Cup for next season. Winning the Carling Cup on Sunday will give an extra slot to the league. 5th and 6th will be in the UEFA Cup, and of course if any of the top 4 win the FA Cup it will also go to the league. (5th, 6th and 7th afaik)

btw.....still angry. :mad:

Royale with Cheese · 28-02-2009 05:10PM

Helix wrote: »

everton 2 points behind yis now. not on a windup or anything here, but jesus yis would want to sort yourselves out pretty sharpish or you mightnt make europe full stop (only 5th gets uefa afaik)

6th will get Europe if United beat Spurs tomorrow I think.

Personally I couldn't care any less about being in the Uefa cup. Sure the English teams in it don't even take it seriously.

Helix · 28-02-2009 05:11PM

OPENROAD wrote: »

Still believe Villa will hit a bad patch, Arsenal will turn things around.

both clubs have united, liverpool and everton still to play, and we have the far easier run in, so i think arsenal really have to be ahead of us when the next 5 games are finished to have any hope whatsoever of finishing above us

thats not to say yis have to finish above us to get cl football, liverpool are looking ropey too

DenMan · 28-02-2009 05:39PM

Portmarnock are in the Premier League.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/soccer_tables_englishpremierdivision.html

invincibleirish · 28-02-2009 05:39PM

OPENROAD wrote: »

Still believe Villa will hit a bad patch, Arsenal will turn things around.

Think Villa are in their bad patch now. our last 4 games in all competitions reads D1 L3. Stoke may not have won away from home in the PL but they beat Villa at theirs so they'll have that at least.

Fulham were good today and worthy of the draw, did same at VP.

L'prof · 28-02-2009 07:56PM

Helix wrote: »

everton 2 points behind yis now. not on a windup or anything here, but jesus yis would want to sort yourselves out pretty sharpish or you mightnt make europe full stop (only 5th gets uefa afaik)

If we don't get CL, I think I'd prefer not to get EC to be honest...I don't think I'd watch it anyway!

L'prof · 28-02-2009 08:15PM

This season v previous seasons:

2008-2009: 27 12 10  5 38 25 13 46
2007-2008: 27 19  7  1 56 20 36 64 ( 3rd)
2006-2007: 27 15  7  5 50 23 27 52 ( 4th)
2005-2006: 27 12  5 10 39 22 17 41 ( 4th)
2004-2005: 27 17  6  4 63 31 32 57 ( 2nd)
2003-2004: 27 20  7  0 53 18 35 67 ( 1st)
2002-2003: 27 17  6  4 57 29 28 57 ( 2nd)
2001-2002: 27 15  9  3 55 31 24 54 ( 1st)
2000-2001: 27 14  8  5 43 23 20 50 ( 2nd)
1999-2000: 27 14  6  7 47 28 19 48 ( 2nd)
1998-1999: 27 13 11  3 35 13 22 50 ( 2nd)
1997-1998: 27 14  9  4 46 26 20 51 ( 1st)
1996-1997: 27 13  9  5 45 25 20 48 ( 3rd)
1995-1996: 27 12  8  7 35 25 10 44 ( 5th)
1994-1995: 27  8  9 10 30 31 -1 33 (12th)
1993-1994: 27 12 10  5 31 14 17 46 ( 4th)
1992-1993: 27 11  5 11 26 25  1 38 (10th)

And so the búllshít continues...

For anyone interested...this is our current unbeaten run:

2008-2009: 13  5  8  0 13  7  6 23

A bit crap really to be honest!

Frisbee · 01-03-2009 11:44AM

Oh for the days of:

1-0, To the Arsenal!

wandatowell · 01-03-2009 12:29PM

Frisbee wrote: »

Oh for the days of:

1-0, To the Arsenal!

so you wanna bring back george graham ya?:D

Frisbee · 01-03-2009 12:31PM

wandatowell wrote: »

so you wanna bring back george graham ya?:D

I wanna bring back 3 points after a game

Frisbee · 01-03-2009 06:22PM

Thank God United won today, means whoever finishes 6th gets a UEFA Cup spot.
And with Everton only 2 points behind us and the way we've been playing it's a very real possibility

OPENROAD · 01-03-2009 06:27PM

Delighted with Stoke today, Villa really had an opportunity to open up a bit of a gap, as it is, six points is not too bad, a huge week comming up. I really think the key player for us will be getting Eduardo back quickly and keeping him fit, I actually think we are starting to play better in recent weeks, we are creating plenty of chances just not finishing them off, hence getting Eduardo back will be key. The season is far from over.

jester77 · 01-03-2009 06:28PM

Just looking at Henry's goal for Barcelona, very nice. Would love to still have him around right now!

OPENROAD · 01-03-2009 06:31PM

jester77 wrote: »

Just looking at Henry's goal for Barcelona, very nice. Would love to still have him around right now!

I still believe we let him go too soon, I never bought that "he was holding back the young players" pony.

invincibleirish · 01-03-2009 07:07PM

OPENROAD wrote: »

The season is far from over.

Indeed it isn't. Arsenal have a congested March but their PL fixtures are all very winnable. Villa have a trickier if quieter month.

L'prof · 02-03-2009 10:13AM

Frisbee wrote: »

Thank God United won today, means whoever finishes 6th gets a UEFA Cup spot.
And with Everton only 2 points behind us and the way we've been playing it's a very real possibility

You really want to play in the Uefa Cup if we miss out on the CL? I wouldn't mind either way to be honest!

Royale with Cheese · 02-03-2009 10:18AM

Indeed. How much money is the UEFA cup actually worth? I heard it's something like 21 games in total if you win the thing next year. Can't see Wenger liking that.

Frisbee · 02-03-2009 11:05AM

jasonorr wrote: »

You really want to play in the Uefa Cup if we miss out on the CL? I wouldn't mind either way to be honest!

Of course I'd want to play in the UEFA Cup if we don't make the Champions League.
Turning your nose down at a second tier European competition that we actually would have a chance of winning?
You'd rather we just didnt play in Europe?

Arsenal Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

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