Cheaper options Samba, Baines, Demba Ba (£7m release clause?), or people's who's contracts are running out (I think) - De Rossi, Menez, Maicon, Abidal....
de rossi signed a contract extension until 2017. a much better player than the club but loyal give him that, and they outplayed inter the other day!
The other paradox is they have in Alisher Usmanov the second wealthiest man in the country behind Lakshmi Mittal and a shareholder who owns almost 30 per cent of the club. Yet he is not even on the board. Meanwhile, absent landlord Stan Kroenke lets the club drift, more than content for the money to roll in through some of the most expensive season-tickets in the business and the sale of crown jewels like Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri. More and more Arsenal fans are coming round to the belief Usmanov, a far greater football man than the disinterested Kroenke, is the person to take the club forward. Huge sums would be made available in the transfer market and David Dein might even return.
Arsenal have picked up more points from losing positions away from home this season than anyone else in the Premiership. Not denying they have problems, for a start they're going behind too often, and certainly seem to be losing in the heads when it comes to games agianst the other top sides, but maybe they're not quite as mentally frail as is made out.
Don't watch enough non-Charlton football to offer up much in the way of names, but imo they need:
A commanding, organising and physically powerful centre back to partner Vermealan (sp?); A quality left back who is defensively sound before he is expansively attacking; An energetic, aggressive and vocal centre midfielder who can use the ball sensibly without needing to think he is Johan Cruyff (why didn't they sign Parker????); A winger who will work hard to stay in games, do his fair share on the defensive side and contribute goals from the flank (based on his games for Germany in tournaments Podolski seems a good shout); A creative attacking midfielder/deep lying forward who will keep them ticking and score goals, Schneider would be a good signing for this role but I don't know if he's a realistic target, certainly isn't if they're not in the Champions League - we hear they could have had Mata, big mistake turning that one away. Lots of hype about this Goetze kid too, maybe already out of their league and I've not really seen him play. Ditto Hazard. A option to RVP who can also partner him if they want to go 442 (as mentioned Podolski would offer this too).
I think they probably need more than that - at least 3rd/4th choice centre back to be in reserve alongside Kocielny and a third striker to beef up the squad, probably a 2nd choice right back too and then they need a big clearout. Arshavin, Bednter, Rosciky, Djurou, the Morrocan striker whose name escapes me and possibly Walcott can all go imo.
Most of all though, I'd be apppointintg an new fitness team - they get far too many injuries and I don't believe it's just bad luck. Either they are failing to complete thorough medicals before signing players or their training methods are buidling weaknesses into player. How often does Wenger have his best 11 to choose from? Probably less than 10 times a season.
Most of all though, I'd be apppointintg an new fitness team - they get far too many injuries and I don't believe it's just bad luck. Either they are failing to complete thorough medicals before signing players or their training methods are buidling weaknesses into player. How often does Wenger have his best 11 to choose from? Probably less than 10 times a season.
7 mins into his first game back after a hamstring injury, Coquelin has just limped off with a hamstring injury. What the hell does the Physio do to them at Arsenal?
It seems teams can unsettle Arsenal by getting in their faces these days. Teams used to try that but they'd get unpicked because Arsenal could move the ball so quickly and accurately. They just don't have the same class of midfielder these days. Arteta has looked fairly ordinary after being great at Everton but age wise he's past his best years. Says a lot when Arsenal are signing ageing creative midfielders from teams like Everton and putting them in their starting 11.
Hardly think a post on here will alert wegner but i really don't understand why anybody would post that so & so should sign one of our players, just seems wierd to me
I've scanned through some of the posts on here and depressingly I've never heard of half these people touted around as worth £m's and £m's. I'm so out of touch with what's going on.
Don't beat yourself up about it, BA. I doubt even Arsene has heard of half of 'em. Personally, I refuse to believe that players with names like Sahko and Higuain even exist.
But if Arsenal insist on filling the team with exotic names, I reckon you can't beat Oxlade-Chamberlain. It has the advantage of being at least as improbable as Sahko (wasn't that Jimmy Edwards - or was that Whacko?). But it's got so much more more class!
i dont hate arsenal as a club and i admire wenger in his philosophy in playing footy the right but i hate them because every arsenal fan i know are the most arrogant and stuck up w*****s i know.
At the end of the season redknapp to England, mourhino to spurs, winger to real Madrid.
An interesting situation is brewing...
Lets assume Wenger goes, Harry takes the England job, and Roman sacks AVB - thats only a matter of time. Ancelotti has gone to PSG, Hiddink has gone to Russia...so if Mourinho leaves Real, there's gonna be a 3 way tug of war for him.
Maybe it helps that I've always lived outside the South East so don't meet anywhere near as many of them, but all the Arsenal fans I know are decent sorts. Man Utd fans.... now that's a different story. Just cos I grew up with so many cockish Man Utd fans I've always seen Arsenal as my second team because they were Utd's closest challenges while I was at school.
The media stance on them (and all top Premier League teams) is ludicrouse though. According to the BBC, being only fourth in the Premier League means their season is 'in tatters' which is it clearly isn't.
Wow, there's some full on anti-arsenal sentiment on here, eh!
maybe its because i've never lived in london... But the arsenal supporters ive mwt around the world have generally been easier to get on with than liverpool/man u/chelsea ones...
Spurs fans bothered me more when they had a feeling of superiority over us when we were consistently finishing above them
Most man utd fans i know are actually really grounded about football and do actually know their stuff. Arsenal and Tottenham fans are just as bad as each other though. Always the condescending "why do you like charlton? They're shit!" and all that shit about them supporting Arsenal because they're winners. They genuinley know nothing about football outside of Arsenal.
Most man utd fans i know are actually really grounded about football and do actually know their stuff. Arsenal and Tottenham fans are just as bad as each other though. Always the condescending "why do you like charlton? They're shit!" and all that shit about them supporting Arsenal because they're winners. They genuinley know nothing about football outside of Arsenal.
bang on. i know about 10 arsenal/spurs fans and they're all like this. you dont get it from any other sets of fans
Most man utd fans i know are actually really grounded about football and do actually know their stuff. Arsenal and Tottenham fans are just as bad as each other though. Always the condescending "why do you like charlton? They're shit!" and all that shit about them supporting Arsenal because they're winners. They genuinley know nothing about football outside of Arsenal.
bang on. i know about 10 arsenal/spurs fans and they're all like this. you dont get it from any other sets of fans
Well, like I say, in my experience it's the other way around outside of the South East.
Comments
CB I still think is a requirement, a proper defensive midfielder, Parker would've been ideal. De Rossi would be good too.
A winger is important as they lack it. Walcott should end up through the middle as that's where he is best.
Yet he is not even on the board.
Meanwhile, absent landlord Stan Kroenke lets the club drift, more than content for the money to roll in through some of the most expensive season-tickets in the business and the sale of crown jewels like Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri.
More and more Arsenal fans are coming round to the belief Usmanov, a far greater football man than the disinterested Kroenke, is the person to take the club forward.
Huge sums would be made available in the transfer market and David Dein might even return.
Don't watch enough non-Charlton football to offer up much in the way of names, but imo they need:
A commanding, organising and physically powerful centre back to partner Vermealan (sp?);
A quality left back who is defensively sound before he is expansively attacking;
An energetic, aggressive and vocal centre midfielder who can use the ball sensibly without needing to think he is Johan Cruyff (why didn't they sign Parker????);
A winger who will work hard to stay in games, do his fair share on the defensive side and contribute goals from the flank (based on his games for Germany in tournaments Podolski seems a good shout);
A creative attacking midfielder/deep lying forward who will keep them ticking and score goals, Schneider would be a good signing for this role but I don't know if he's a realistic target, certainly isn't if they're not in the Champions League - we hear they could have had Mata, big mistake turning that one away. Lots of hype about this Goetze kid too, maybe already out of their league and I've not really seen him play. Ditto Hazard.
A option to RVP who can also partner him if they want to go 442 (as mentioned Podolski would offer this too).
I think they probably need more than that - at least 3rd/4th choice centre back to be in reserve alongside Kocielny and a third striker to beef up the squad, probably a 2nd choice right back too and then they need a big clearout. Arshavin, Bednter, Rosciky, Djurou, the Morrocan striker whose name escapes me and possibly Walcott can all go imo.
Most of all though, I'd be apppointintg an new fitness team - they get far too many injuries and I don't believe it's just bad luck. Either they are failing to complete thorough medicals before signing players or their training methods are buidling weaknesses into player. How often does Wenger have his best 11 to choose from? Probably less than 10 times a season.
Squilaci and Djorou an absolute car crash of a centre back pairing.
Don't beat yourself up about it, BA. I doubt even Arsene has heard of half of 'em. Personally, I refuse to believe that players with names like Sahko and Higuain even exist.
But if Arsenal insist on filling the team with exotic names, I reckon you can't beat Oxlade-Chamberlain. It has the advantage of being at least as improbable as Sahko (wasn't that Jimmy Edwards - or was that Whacko?). But it's got so much more more class!
Best thing he could do is stay and allow me the privilege of explaining what the term team in decline means
Lets assume Wenger goes, Harry takes the England job, and Roman sacks AVB - thats only a matter of time.
Ancelotti has gone to PSG, Hiddink has gone to Russia...so if Mourinho leaves Real, there's gonna be a 3 way tug of war for him.
The media stance on them (and all top Premier League teams) is ludicrouse though. According to the BBC, being only fourth in the Premier League means their season is 'in tatters' which is it clearly isn't.
maybe its because i've never lived in london... But the arsenal supporters ive mwt around the world have generally been easier to get on with than liverpool/man u/chelsea ones...
Spurs fans bothered me more when they had a feeling of superiority over us when we were consistently finishing above them