Arsenal FC Summer 2008 Thread

I can see why Wenger plays Eboue RM, because he is the opposite of Hleb or Rosicky who play LM. He is direct and very quick.

It seems Wenger thinks Eboue > Walcott.

But i agree you need a winger that can asisst or score goals.

Thats not my name wrote:

It seems Wenger thinks Eboue > Walcott.

No, wenger just doesnt think walcott is ready yet.

and everyone else is injured so he has to play eboue.

If we beat Sunderland tomorrow we will score the highest amount of points for a team finishing 3rd in the top flight.

Rosicky wrote:If we beat Sunderland tomorrow we will score the highest amount of points for a team finishing 3rd in the top flight.

Congratulations on you're magnificent 3rd place finish

Crouching Tiger wrote:

Rosicky wrote:If we beat Sunderland tomorrow we will score the highest amount of points for a team finishing 3rd in the top flight.

Congratulations on you're magnificent 3rd place finish

Progress from last season, unlike a certain other club

when was the last time pool managed 83 points in a season

Rosicky wrote:

Crouching Tiger wrote:

Rosicky wrote:If we beat Sunderland tomorrow we will score the highest amount of points for a team finishing 3rd in the top flight.

Congratulations on you're magnificent 3rd place finish

Progress from last season, unlike a certain other club

when was the last time pool managed 83 points in a season

They managed 82 two seasons ago unless I'm mistaken, and like Arsenal are closer to the top this year than last.

Still, trophyless and third v trophyless and fourth isn't a particularly interesting argument.

Jigaboo wrote:

Rosicky wrote:

Crouching Tiger wrote:

Rosicky wrote:If we beat Sunderland tomorrow we will score the highest amount of points for a team finishing 3rd in the top flight.

Congratulations on you're magnificent 3rd place finish

Progress from last season, unlike a certain other club

when was the last time pool managed 83 points in a season

They managed 82 two seasons ago unless I'm mistaken, and like Arsenal are closer to the top this year than last.

Still, trophyless and third v trophyless and fourth isn't a particularly interesting argument.

I feel the goal posts change rather a lot with Saints.

He spent most of last year pointing out how we were closer to (insert mid table club here) than Chelsea but if when finsish within 4 points of the league winners, its entirely irrlevant.

Hlebadinho wrote:
I feel the goal posts change rather a lot with Saints.

He spent most of last year pointing out how we were closer to (insert mid table club here) than Chelsea but if when finsish within 4 points of the league winners, its entirely irrlevant.

Most of last year? I spent one week pointing out how you were closer to Man City than Man Utd.

It's entirely irrelevant because you're only in this position due to a run of form and results in the first half of the season when the pressure was off. Your team choked, massively, yet again. So what if you're a bit closer to two teams who've underperformed all season?

Jigaboo wrote:

Hlebadinho wrote:
I feel the goal posts change rather a lot with Saints.

He spent most of last year pointing out how we were closer to (insert mid table club here) than Chelsea but if when finsish within 4 points of the league winners, its entirely irrlevant.

Most of last year? I spent one week pointing out how you were closer to Man City than Man Utd.

It's entirely irrelevant because you're only in this position due to a run of form and results in the first half of the season when the pressure was off. Your team choked, massively, yet again. So what if you're a bit closer to two teams who've underperformed all season?

http://www.skysports.com/football/league/0,19540,11687,00.html

Tweedle wrote:

Hlebtastic wrote:

De Guzman wrote:We're striking back immediately!

We'll rob Chelsea of 16 year old French talent Gael Kakuta. He's coming to us, because he's unhappy & says they're all bastards at SB. Very good player, doing well at the U17 EC.

Robbing Roman

Would be a good addition to our CC team.

He plays like Messi but he show boats much more - very exciting and skilful player.

So a bit like Taarabt?

I have seen him play for something like 10mins but I can't recall what sort of player he is, so I can't tell how similar he's to Kakuta.

Hlebtastic wrote:

Jigaboo wrote:

Hlebadinho wrote:
I feel the goal posts change rather a lot with Saints.

He spent most of last year pointing out how we were closer to (insert mid table club here) than Chelsea but if when finsish within 4 points of the league winners, its entirely irrlevant.

Most of last year? I spent one week pointing out how you were closer to Man City than Man Utd.

It's entirely irrelevant because you're only in this position due to a run of form and results in the first half of the season when the pressure was off. Your team choked, massively, yet again. So what if you're a bit closer to two teams who've underperformed all season?

http://www.skysports.com/football/league/0,19540,11687,00.html

Southampton's season finished with a massive pitch invasion from cheering fans who couldn't believe what they'd seen.

Arsenal's season finished with their fans going 'you know, statistically, we've not been bad this year'.

Take your pick, dickcheese.

Jigaboo wrote:

Hlebtastic wrote:

Jigaboo wrote:

Hlebadinho wrote:
I feel the goal posts change rather a lot with Saints.

He spent most of last year pointing out how we were closer to (insert mid table club here) than Chelsea but if when finsish within 4 points of the league winners, its entirely irrlevant.

Most of last year? I spent one week pointing out how you were closer to Man City than Man Utd.

It's entirely irrelevant because you're only in this position due to a run of form and results in the first half of the season when the pressure was off. Your team choked, massively, yet again. So what if you're a bit closer to two teams who've underperformed all season?

http://www.skysports.com/football/league/0,19540,11687,00.html

Southampton's season finished with a massive pitch invasion from cheering fans who couldn't believe what they'd seen.

shows how far this club with no ambition has fallen. Not long ago they were playing in the PL and in an Fa cup final against a big club like Arsenal, now their fans are over the moon for narrowly escaping relegation to league one

We are tired of your boring posts about arsenal. You know 1st time reading your posts might have been fun for the arsenal haters but after repeating the same things over and again it surely must be getting boring for them as well

Now kindly f@ck off to your team thread( I mean the manu thread, or are u still a saints supporter?).

Btw I wanted to waste some minutes of my day and that's what I have done replying to your posts. Off to better things now, expect no more replies bitter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7p4mioawIA

Cesc wrote:Slightly strange.

You would think that Arsenal making a £16 million for a player would be one of the main items, the fact this news is in the "other football stories" section makes me think this is just there to fill some column inches.

Despite Wengers fighting words yesterday, Hleb is still leaving. There is little point of having a player whos heart is not in it anymore.

Vela is joining up this summer, so I assume he will become a left wing reserve for next season. I would like to have two of Nasri/Ben Arfa/Kranjcar - add Rosicky/Walcott/Vela to that and we should be well covered in that area.

Did anyone watch the Q&A between the shareholders and Wenger? Someone on the floor questioned Eboue's place in the team, saying he has added little assists and goals whilst the right winger at our title rivals has banged in 40 this season alone.

Wenger replied that he was a Ray Parlour type player where he doesn't score often but he is a quality player with Arsenal at heart.

How dare he insult the Romford Pele like that?!

As Nutters would say T's Confounded!

When The Romford Pele was played consistently he'd get close to 10 goals a season not like that Big bald headed Ivorian!

Get Wenger out...

Wenger to sign 'within weeks'

Arsene Wenger has promised Arsenal fans that they will soon forget about the departure of Mathieu Flamini and the potential exit of Alexander Hleb when they see his summer signings.

The Arsenal tactician initially stated he would probably only sign one player during the close season, but Flamini’s exit appears to have intensified Wenger’s transfer activity.

With Hleb nearing a likely switch to Inter, Wenger revealed Gunners fans will only have to wait a matter of weeks for his response.

And the Frenchman even hinted that Arsenal could invest in a player already plying his trade in The Premier League, as he seeks to appease sections of bewildered fans.

"I know what I want and I am very confident," said Wenger.

"I hope to turn that around in the next two or three weeks. They (fans) should be re-assured by what they see.

"It would be better to buy someone who has played in England because they are less risky, but it costs more money if they are from The Premier League," he went on.

"Maybe I will try to do both." Jean Makoun’s agent recently revealed that the Cameroon midfielder was on Arsenal’s shortlist, while Niko Kranjcar and Hatem Ben Arfa have also been linked.

http://www.setantasports.com/en/Sport/News/Football/2008/05/10/Prem-Wenger-promises-signings/?facets/great-britain-locale/sport-space/football/

It is good to hear that Wenger isn't sitting on his hands and waiting for things to possibly happen. We sealed the Rosicky deal from two years ago in May, so hopefully the same happens here.

The fact we might be looking at Premier League players is interesting as:

a) Wenger rarely buys English
b) Wenger has only ever bought two foreign players from English clubs

What's the story with Ben Arfa? Have we really bought him?

Anyone here the reports Wenger is interested in signing Mario Gomez?

Steve Stammers covered that story in The Sunday Mirror.

The fact the valuation was set at only £10m pretty much confirmed that the story obviously had little validity.

A striker is the least of our concerns at this moment in time.

does anyone think Wenger might take a gamble on Kelly Smith, Jayne Ludlow or Lianne Sanderson following their excellent performances for the womens team?

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_3555527,00.html

Ben Arfa

Glenn Hysén wrote:does anyone think Wenger might take a gamble on Kelly Smith, Jayne Ludlow or Lianne Sanderson following their excellent performances for the womens team?

Not as ridiculous as it might sound. Perugia tried the same thing a couple of seasons back.

awaits saints telling us why perugia should be compared with arsenal on league form

More likely he'll point out that Wenger won't care if they're women but won't play them because they're English.

The-Frank-Tavern wrote:awaits saints telling us why perugia should be compared with arsenal on league form

awaits the day when Frank realises he's been a massive c**t his whole life

Gilberto eyes new Arsenal deal
Veteran Brazilian keen to stay at Emirates Stadium
Last updated: 12th May 2008

Gilberto: Seeking Wenger discussions

I have always expressed the desire to stay at Arsenal to the end of my career, it would be fantastic.
Gilberto Silva

Arsenal midfielder Gilberto Silva has reiterated his desire to remain at Emirates Stadium until the end of his career.

Gilberto has struggled to secure a place in the Gunners side over the past season, but the Brazil captain enjoyed a brief run in the first-team over the final weeks of the campaign.

Manager Arsene Wenger has already seen midfielder Mathieu Flamini join Milan and it is strongly rumoured that Alexander Hleb is set to buy out his contract at Arsenal in order to secure a move to Internazionale.

However, Gilberto insists he is not about to follow the lead of Flamini and the 32-year-old, who is currently on holiday in Brazil, is keen to discuss his future in North London before the end of the week.

Desire

"Maybe in the next few days we will sit down and see what will happen with my future," Gilberto told Arsenal TV Online.

"Arsene has my number and I have his number, and I can come back and solve the situation, but I have still got one more year on my contract.

"I have always expressed the desire to stay here to the end of my career. If that happens, it would be fantastic.

"I have been here six seasons now and it has all been amazing.

"I would be very happy to stay here and then discuss another contract to the end of my career."

Source:skysports

Int the nicest of ways please go away

I thought it would be interesting to see how many players we are linked with throughout the summer and how many we actually buy, if any from what we have already been linked with.

We all remember when Eduardo signed, no one had even picked up on it. Whilst the sagna deal had been mooted for some time.

Do you think any of the following are realistic Wenger signings?

Inventory of players linked with a summer Arsenal move:

Goalkeepers:

Heurelho Gomes

Defenders:

Raul Albiol
Richard Dunne
Vincent Kompany
Carlos Marchena

Midfielders:

Jean II Makoun
Hatem Ben Arfa
Michael Johnson
Niko Kranjcar
Gareth Barry
Samir Nasri
Alberto Aquilini
Ignacio Camacho
Aaron Ramsey

Strikers:

Mario Gomez
Thierry Henry
Obafemi Martins

http://www.marca.com/edicion/marca/futbol/1a_division/barcelona/es/desarrollo/1122674.html

Yaya rumours in Marca

Not what you wanted to hear:

http://football365.com/story/0,17033,8652_3558883,00.html

If money is tight, how the hell can they offer €20m for Kompany? I still hope that it's just a silly rumour. For Arsenal's sake, and for ours, since giving HSV that kind of money, in addition to some good cash which they'll most probably get for VDV, is not exactly what I want to see happen.

Let him stay in Hamburg and continue to disappoint. Thanks.

kas wrote:Not what you wanted to hear:

http://football365.com/story/0,17033,8652_3558883,00.html

In truth I'm not too bothered, it's a bit more realistic than the figures of £70m that other fans keep turning to as if to justify us being able to spend like Man Utd or Chelsea. The only real concern for me is that the board seem very hard to tie down on any definite sums of money. They make big declarations for PR purposes, but then act vaguely after that.

I think we ought to be able to spend £25-30m this summer after making a net profit on transfers last summer, but otherwise I don't think it is reasonable for us to ever spend more than £20m net in one year. Not at the moment anyway, it's just not prudent with the debt we still have to pay off for the new stadium. Things sound a bit tighter than I would hope at the moment, but in part I think this is because the board are a bit cautious about money, and don't want to risk our debt spiralling out of control. They're trying to keep things as tightly structured as possible at the moment, and as frustrating as that is for our supporters at times, it's not unreasonable.

Blut: If we were to bid for Kompany I can't see us offering that much, it would be a crazy amount of money. It's probably just paper talk, it's pretty rare for any big money deal involving Arsenal to be well publicised. The club tend to operate quite quietly when making deals.