Arsenal Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2011/2012

L'prof · 23-01-2012 02:16AM

Don't feel any more annoyed after the game than I did beforehand. Didn't think we'd win today and don't think we'll finish top 4. Personally, u blame the board and their policies more than Wenger, but who can really say for sure?

Noo · 23-01-2012 02:46AM

amiable wrote: »

While I'm on it I think Arsenal need a centreback to play along side Vermaelen.
Vermaelen is a beast of a player and he needs the defence built around him.
Mertesacker isn't good enough IMO.

Ya wha?
Are you just plain forgetting one of arsenals players of the season?

Frisbee · 23-01-2012 03:52AM

amiable wrote: »

So signing a sub would help arsenal win the league from the position they are in now?

While I'm on it I think Arsenal need a centreback to play along side Vermaelen.
Vermaelen is a beast of a player and he needs the defence built around him.
Mertesacker isn't good enough IMO.

If they finally ever get to play together Koscielny and Vermaelen is up there with any other CB pairing in the league.

gnfnrhead · 23-01-2012 04:03AM

It's amazing how well Koscielny has come along this season. People were very quick to jump on him last season but I thought he was competitant enough. I didn't expect this sort of improvement though, I was expecting him to be a solid back up, not one of our top players. Think Wenger found a diamond in the rough there if he keeps it up.

gosplan · 23-01-2012 07:09AM

L'prof wrote: »

Don't feel any more annoyed after the game than I did beforehand. Didn't think we'd win today and don't think we'll finish top 4. Personally, u blame the board and their policies more than Wenger, but who can really say for sure?

I'm still pretty confidant we will.

greendom · 23-01-2012 07:40AM

Noo wrote: »

Ya wha?
Are you just plain forgetting one of arsenals players of the season?

He just gets better and better - the tackle he made in the area dispossessing Rafael was superb and then the cherry on the cake was the great ball out to Rosicky which led to the equaliser.

amiable · 23-01-2012 09:10AM

Noo wrote: »

Ya wha?
Are you just plain forgetting one of arsenals players of the season?

Meh, he's on form but I'm still not convinced about him.

He's a bit like Martin Skertl who has been playing well for Liverpool this season but I think there's a lot better out there.

I was asked who I'd sign to improve Arsenal and that's what I think.

I genuinely don't see the sense in saying what Arsenal need is back up for RVP to push on.

The frustrating thing for you Arsenal fans must be that the team is not a million miles away from challenging.

emergingstar · 23-01-2012 09:23AM

I love wenger and don't him to leave
But I come back to what he said a month back it would be foolish to drop points cause we don't have a full back
That's three games we lost cause we don't have natural full backs
We needed someone on loan, wenger or the board or both, wouldn't pay a small fee and wages to lOan a player for a month to get us through
So I blame wenger and board for the last three games, criminal trying to make do when we're chasing fourth

Drexel · 23-01-2012 09:39AM

emergingstar wrote: »

I love wenger and don't him to leave
But I come back to what he said a month back it would be foolish to drop points cause we don't have a full back
That's three games we lost cause we don't have natural full backs
We needed someone on loan, wenger or the board or both, wouldn't pay a small fee and wages to lOan a player for a month to get us through
So I blame wenger and board for the last three games, criminal trying to make do when we're chasing fourth

While I agree with you. Who will he bring in? Not many decent players available on loan in January. Wayne Bridge maybe but he is the only one I can think of

Fuzzy_Dunlop · 23-01-2012 09:55AM

It's amazing how people (mainly opposition fans) still ignore how good kos has been. In fact, I think he's better at defending than vermaelen is.

amiable · 23-01-2012 10:14AM

Fuzzy_Dunlop wrote: »

It's amazing how people (mainly opposition fans) still ignore how good kos has been. In fact, I think he's better at defending than vermaelen is.

Who says its ignoring how good he is.

I've watched him play and I think he's playing well but he's not as good as Vermaelen IMO.

Fuzzy_Dunlop · 23-01-2012 10:29AM

amiable wrote: »

Fuzzy_Dunlop wrote: »

It's amazing how people (mainly opposition fans) still ignore how good kos has been. In fact, I think he's better at defending than vermaelen is.

Who says its ignoring how good he is.

I've watched him play and I think he's playing well but he's not as good as Vermaelen IMO.

well in your original post about cb's you didn't even mention him.

And in any case I'm not specifically talking about you,you never hear pundits or anyone talk about him really. Perhaps that's a good thing though.

emergingstar · 23-01-2012 10:44AM

jonny666 wrote: »

emergingstar wrote: »

I love wenger and don't him to leave
But I come back to what he said a month back it would be foolish to drop points cause we don't have a full back
That's three games we lost cause we don't have natural full backs
We needed someone on loan, wenger or the board or both, wouldn't pay a small fee and wages to lOan a player for a month to get us through
So I blame wenger and board for the last three games, criminal trying to make do when we're chasing fourth

While I agree with you. Who will he bring in? Not many decent players available on loan in January. Wayne Bridge maybe but he is the only one I can think of

While I agree it would be tough surely they could have found someone

Frisbee · 23-01-2012 10:58AM

Koscielny is the better defender. Vermaelen is the better footballer.

imo

Drexel · 23-01-2012 12:41PM

good article on Wenger there.

http://www.football365.com/john-nicholson/7449856/John-Nicholson

amacachi · 23-01-2012 01:07PM

gnfnrhead wrote: »

It's amazing how well Koscielny has come along this season. People were very quick to jump on him last season but I thought he was competitant enough. I didn't expect this sort of improvement though, I was expecting him to be a solid back up, not one of our top players. Think Wenger found a diamond in the rough there if he keeps it up.

Last season when him and Djourou were in the middle Arsenal went something like 15 games unbeaten and rarely conceded.

I'd much prefer Vermaelen in the middle and Koscielny on the left if we have to play Per.
Sagna-Vermaelen-Koscielny-Santos is on paper as good a back 4 as I can think of around at the moment. Some day!

23-01-2012 01:19PM

jonny666 wrote: »

good article on Wenger there.

http://www.football365.com/john-nicholson/7449856/John-Nicholson

lol at that

Fuzzy_Dunlop · 23-01-2012 01:34PM

jonny666 wrote: »

good article on Wenger there.

http://www.football365.com/john-nicholson/7449856/John-Nicholson

What a load of revisionist nonsense. Criticise him now all you want, but he's still the most successful manager in arsenals history.

Drexel · 23-01-2012 01:34PM

AdamD wrote: »

lol at that

Why?

There is a lot in there id agree with.

Noo · 23-01-2012 01:50PM

amiable wrote: »

Meh, he's on form but I'm still not convinced about him.

He's a bit like Martin Skertl who has been playing well for Liverpool this season but I think there's a lot better out there.

I was asked who I'd sign to improve Arsenal and that's what I think.

I genuinely don't see the sense in saying what Arsenal need is back up for RVP to push on.

The frustrating thing for you Arsenal fans must be that the team is not a million miles away from challenging.

You answered what position you would sign not you who'd sign. Kos has been one of arsenals players of the season you can't just say oh we need to replace him with someone better without backing it up and suggesting who. Who would you sign that is available, that arsenal could afford, and that would do a better job than kos is doing right now?

Galvasean · 23-01-2012 01:54PM

LOLworthy because of blinkered and inaccurate statements like this:

The title wins - even though achieved in part with an inherited once-in-a-generation uniformly brilliant defence -

Glossing over the indisputable fact that Arsenal's 'Invincibles' team - the only team in Premier League history to go a full season unbeaten (despite many a sugardaddy throwing around obscene amounts of cash to replicate such success since) - had a back 5 consisting of 4 players Wenger brought in via transfers and one player brought through the youth academy which Wenger was instrumental in making a success.

As Dunlop said, you can criticize him for his current lack of success. That is justifiable. However, to dismiss his past achievements by saying that he 'never knew' is just ignorance disguised as sensationalism.

Galvasean · 23-01-2012 01:56PM

gnfnrhead wrote: »

It's amazing how well Koscielny has come along this season. People were very quick to jump on him last season but I thought he was competitant enough. I didn't expect this sort of improvement though, I was expecting him to be a solid back up, not one of our top players. Think Wenger found a diamond in the rough there if he keeps it up.

I agree. I was a huge critic of him last season but he has really turned a corner this year after a few shakey early season performances. Now I get concerned when I don't see his name in the starting XI.

KeithAFC · 23-01-2012 01:57PM

Complete clear out needed.

Board must go.
Manager needs to move on.

Things getting stale. We are so ****, it is untrue. We can't win the big games any more and have far too many average players.

KeithAFC · 23-01-2012 01:58PM

gnfnrhead wrote: »

It's amazing how well Koscielny has come along this season. People were very quick to jump on him last season but I thought he was competitant enough. I didn't expect this sort of improvement though, I was expecting him to be a solid back up, not one of our top players. Think Wenger found a diamond in the rough there if he keeps it up.

It is even more amazing how well he is doing if you consider he has absolutely no help, no tactical training on the training ground and no experienced old players to help him.

He must be doing it himself.

jmayo · 23-01-2012 01:59PM

AdamD wrote: »

lol at that

Why ?
There is a fair amount of truth in it.

Fuzzy_Dunlop wrote: »

What a load of revisionist nonsense. Criticise him now all you want, but he's still the most successful manager in arsenals history.

He might have been the most successful, but in the grand scheme of things he doesn't rank up there with the truly great managers of English football nevermind world football.
He inherited a fantastic back 5, which had been built up primarily by one of his predessors.

His greatest single achievement was putting together the invincibles.
Sadly in the subsequent years they were dismantled and he replaced them with lesser individuals.
In his time he has found some gems and moulded them into fantastic players.
His achievement in doing this were also highlighted by how some of them fared when they left the club.
But he also found some lemons along the way.

But all of that was years ago and he has been living on his past glories for the last few years.
He has failed misreably to motivate certain players and indeed build a team that fights for each other.
The weak and fragile mindset of the team has been shown up on numerous ocassions.
Some should remember the old saying "you are only as good as your last results".

If Wenger was with any of the big clubs he would have been axed a few years ago.
I heard an ex pro commenting the other evening "there is no room for sentimentality in football" when discussing Trapatoni's so called refusal to select new players and wanting to bring the guys that got Ireland to the Euros.

I think it is about time Arsenal and Arsene started realising that as well.
No one man is bigger than the club.

Noo · 23-01-2012 02:01PM

God we need Sagna back...the Gilberto of our defence.

L'prof · 23-01-2012 04:52PM

Yes, Wenger inherited a great back 5, but he brought them to their first league title in 7 years and first FA cup trophy in 5 years. How can you try and diminish Wenger's achievements by saying "ah sure those defenders were all there when he took over"??? I couldn't give a flying **** if he didn't make a single change to that team, he brought success to the club and made those players winners again. He then went on and assembled a completely new team and won even more trophies with them.

His only downfall, as I see it, is that he bought foreign players rarer than Brittish players, who quite possibly would have been more loyal to the club. Whether or not that was Wenger's choice or a financial nessessity I can't say for sure, but I'd be of the opinion that his hand was forced!

Dercola · 23-01-2012 04:58PM

Ok, so try to bear with me here as I don't have completely my own point my head. But ever since Wenger signed Silvinho to replace Winterburn. He always had someone in the shadows waiting to step up.
Winterburn->Sylvinho->Cole->Clichy-> to Gibbs..
Do we really have no one in the reserves or youth team that has the ability to cover for the first team and get some gametime? Granted, we shafted Traore, but after the 8-2 at united, I never wanted to see him line out for us again.. I'm just thinking ANYONE that will push Vermalen back into cb.

For example that Kid Yerrnes (sp) at right back.. Why is he not getting more game time, now that we have no other option? I know he's young, and gets pulled out of position alot, but Djourou isn't any better

The mind boggles at some of Wengers descisions at times..

I know its been said many times on here before, but Eboue should never have been sold. It must have been the players wish as I cannot fathom how Wenger would leave his squad that exposed in one window..

As for signings who would genuinely improve us this window?? Maybe throw AC Milan a million quid + wages and see can we get Taiwo on loan for a few months. Dude is quick & well able to get forward...
And I feel we missed out big time with Cisse last week. Newcastle picking him up for 7.5 mill was an absolute steal...

Dercola · 23-01-2012 05:09PM

L'prof wrote: »

Yes, Wenger inherited a great back 5, but he brought them to their first league title in 7 years and first FA cup trophy in 5 years. How can you try and diminish Wenger's achievements by saying "ah sure those defenders were all there when he took over"??? I couldn't give a flying **** if he didn't make a single change to that team, he brought success to the club and made those players winners again. He then went on and assembled a completely new team and won even more trophies with them.

His only downfall, as I see it, is that he bought foreign players rarer than Brittish players, who quite possibly would have been more loyal to the club. Whether or not that was Wenger's choice or a financial nessessity I can't say for sure, but I'd be of the opinion that his hand was forced!

I don't think him buying brittish would have changed much in that regard.. The likes of Rooney, Terry, Lampard, Ferdinand & Gerrard to a lesser extent, only stayed at their clubs because they are winning things... Rooney, Lampard & Rio all left their boyhood clubs.. Gerrard nearly joined Chelsea also a few years back if you remember.

The likes of Henry, Berkamp, Viera, Gilberto and so on. Gave everything to the Arsenal cause. And were really only moved on when Wenger felt he had got enough from them..

There is no loyalty in football anymore. Being homegrown or otherwise.. As much as I love Wilshire, and would love him to stay a one club man for his career. In a few years time, do you think he will stick around if we haven't progressed, and Barca or Real come knocking with the chance of winning trophies?? I know what I'd do if I was in his shoes...

jmayo · 23-01-2012 05:40PM

L'prof wrote: »

Yes, Wenger inherited a great back 5, but he brought them to their first league title in 7 years and first FA cup trophy in 5 years. How can you try and diminish Wenger's achievements by saying "ah sure those defenders were all there when he took over"???

I think the point people make when they say this is that he didn't need to worry about the Arsenal defense when he took over.
That defense could manage itself and were as good as rock solid.
Since then he has created one rock solid defense.

L'prof wrote: »

I couldn't give a flying **** if he didn't make a single change to that team, he brought success to the club and made those players winners again. He then went on and assembled a completely new team and won even more trophies with them.

Yes but he hasn't won a trophy now in how many years ?
Not alone that, his teams look weak and not able to win a trophy even against a team that was on course for relegation.

L'prof wrote: »

His only downfall, as I see it, is that he bought foreign players rarer than Brittish players, who quite possibly would have been more loyal to the club. Whether or not that was Wenger's choice or a financial nessessity I can't say for sure, but I'd be of the opinion that his hand was forced!

No his downfall has been his intransigence and pig headedness.
He persisted with his so called youth policy and ended up creating weak teams over the last 4/5 years, when buying in a few seasoned tough pros could have added the necessary steel.
Eventually his great young players get fed up and leave.

The last true leader the team has had was Viera.
Players who showed a bit of bottle have been in short supply at Arsenal over the last few years and that has to be down to management.
He refused to contenance buying a half decent keeper and it is only now four or five years later that one has shown up through the ranks.
Will it now be the same for full backs ?

People say he did not have the money, but ffs he has had enough to blow on some frankly dodgy players.

He no longer appears capable of motivating some players, but yet they appear on the pitch.
He has a backroom full of underperforming wastes of space which it appears can't be offloaded as no one wants them.

Arsenal Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2011/2012

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