Arsenal

[devilish]

"...Giroud - along with Lukas Podolski - will fill the void left by Van Persie’s departure, but he insists he is a different player to the former Arsenal striker.

“It is up to me to succeed. I’m not here to make people forget Robin,” said Giroud. “He has made beautiful things here but I just want to bring something new.

“People are clever enough to know that Robin took a lot of space here. His last season was wonderful. But before that, he took time to settle..."

*** from Arsenal.com

[mjj]

Apparently you are in for a player called Yaya Banana! Awesome name! :-)

[mrbojangles]

Santi at United Ronaldo was probably the worlds best player,like you say now he maybe is number 2? behind Messi but i still think the Spanish league is easier to play in week in week out than the Premier League.

Only just seen that. He has always been behind Messi

[MrRed]

From when Ronaldo left United yes i agree,but the fact stands that Ronaldo was voted best player in the world in 2008 and then went to Madrid for how much$$$ and Messi took over

[smokie36]

Arse 0 .........better get used to that again!

Hope this isnt symptomatic of the level of erudition in the running commentary we can expect from Spuds fans this season, Smokie

I'm keeping a close eye on your goalscoring average this season!

[MiG16]

Shhhhh

[SantiSuk]

Just seen the second half - power cut at half-time last night (not uncommon in rainy season stormy nights here in Issaan). Went to bed early cursing.

A point at Stoke is never too much to cry over and they were able to strong-arm our midfield very well so that we had not enough time on the ball to be creative. Cazorla, having had three excellent halves of EPL football rather disappeared from view in the second half. He is usually everywhere but he does have a habit of being easily knocked off the ball by 2 or 3 defenders in a physical game. I hope that his second half was because of a (easily recovered) knock.

Obviously it is taking time to find the right connections with 3 new players in the front half.

Having had good games against Sunderland I thought Giroud and Diaby had poor games. Diaby looked like he didnt know where he was supposed to play for much of the game and when he got the ball it usually got stuck under his feet!

I hope the Walcott subs bench start does not indicate that Wenger cant get to an agreement on his contract. The guy wants to stay reprtedly but he wants more money than tight-arse(nal) are willing to pay.

Good defensive performance agianst a team whose aerial threat has frightened the proverbial out of us in the last few seasons. Vermaelan - as always - towering. Mertesacker is finally looking like a German international centre back. Wilkinson continuing to impress, though he seemed curiously nervous in not running at defenders like he usually does.

Disappointing again not to get three points that were there for the taking, but on reflection continuing to set a base on which to build.

[yermanee]

I hope the Walcott subs bench start does not indicate that Wenger cant get to an agreement on his contract. The guy wants to stay reprtedly but he wants more money than tight-arse(nal) are willing to pay.

Good defensive performance agianst a team whose aerial threat has frightened the proverbial out of us in the last few seasons. Vermaelan - as always - towering. Mertesacker is finally looking like a German international centre back. Wilkinson continuing to impress, though he seemed curiously nervous in not running at defenders like he usually does.

Disappointing again not to get three points that were there for the taking, but on reflection continuing to set a base on which to build.

Arsenal has had very little return on having made Walcott a very rich boy.

Anyway good game defensively as you said. The worrying thing for me is that Arteta and Santi don't seem to click. Hope it's early days and that my hunch is wrong. Podolski brings something that Arsenal have been lacking and can't wait for our new look attack to start gelling.

I think we're in for an Arsenal that not only produces flowing football but may surprise a lot of the usual critics.

Oh and can somebody please tell the commentators that we know RVP is no longer with Arsenal and that we don't have to be reminded every few minutes.

Yermanee

[2unique]

Good defensive performance agianst a team whose aerial threat has frightened the proverbial out of us in the last few seasons. Vermaelan - as always - towering. Mertesacker is finally looking like a German international centre back. Wilkinson continuing to impress, though he seemed curiously nervous in not running at defenders like he usually does.

Disappointing again not to get three points that were there for the taking, but on reflection continuing to set a base on which to build.

I just don't see it with Mertesacker, he headers like a frightened schoolboy and is too easily out-muscled. You can clearly see he doesn't want the ball - maybe he's scared of being found out as a tall boy that can't actually play - I'd like to see him put his grrr face on and get in there.

[carmine]

what do you lot think of Arsenes new specs? Certainly freaked me out when he appeared on my tv screen moaning as per usual.....

[SantiSuk]

The clip I saw today - yes he was moaning, but he was moaning about his own team (not being sharp enough up front and therefore not taking the other 2 points)! Not quite the same thing is it?

Hadnt twigged he had new specs but had sort of thought he looked a bit different, I put it down to age/stress

[alfieconn]

The clip I saw today - yes he was moaning, but he was moaning about his own team (not being sharp enough up front and therefore not taking the other 2 points)! Not quite the same thing is it?

Hadnt twigged he had new specs but had sort of thought he looked a bit different, I put it down to age/stress

Santi, some of your players got tackled so believe me thats would he would have been moaning about

[SantiSuk]

Its transfer window closing time and the press are going mad - inventing rumours, parading them in press conferences or interviews and then reporting them as fact. Fans are no better - yes we must sign this or that player. Bet you 90% of these fans have never seen the guy kick a ball!

Last couple of days the rumour mill has shifted from Sahin and M'Vila to Cabaye and Tiote.

It would not surprise me if Arsene makes no more purchases and quietly uses the transfer profits to pay down on the Emirates debt - as they did last year (about £10m transfer surplus last year by my reckoning and maybe the same again if he can scrape a few more sales). Unlikely to be any more bargains around and its worrying that we still havn't received a brass farthing for Bendtner (cost nothing), Squillaci (cost £4m) or Park (cost £2m). Chamakh (free), Djouro (nil) and Arshavin (£11m) might have been quietly put up for sale too.

Arsenal fans have to get used to the sub table-topping refrain, only instead of `next year will be our year` it will have to be `in three to five years time it will be our year`. That's how long it will take for PFP to have any effect IMO, plus longstanding and potentially lucrative sponsorhip deals - lucrative unless we have deteriorate to a mid-table outfit - dont come up for renewal until 2015

, but fact of life if you don't have a sugar-daddy and don't want a financial nightmare.

Edited August 28, 2012 by SantiSuk

[SantiSuk]

Draw for Champions League Group stages at 16:45 UK time this afternoon. Being English and in the tp seeded group we cannot be drawn in the same group as:

Chelsea

Manchester United

Manchester City

Bayern Munich

Real Madrid

Barcelona

FC porto

AC Milan

Would like to avoid:

Valencia

Benfica

Dynamo Kiev

Juve

Paris SG

Galatasaray

Good luck to the Mancs, Chelski (and Celtic except against us) too!

[SantiSuk]

Draw for Champions League Group stages at 16:45 UK time this afternoon. Being English and in the tp seeded group we cannot be drawn in the same group as:

Chelsea

Manchester United

Manchester City

Bayern Munich

Real Madrid

Barcelona

FC porto

AC Milan

Would like to avoid:

Valencia

Benfica

Dynamo Kiev

Juve

Paris SG

Galatasaray

Good luck to the Mancs, Chelski (and Celtic except against us) too!

Great - avoided all of them. Got Schalke, Olympiacos and .... wait for it (bet its Celtic).

Edit: Phew - not Celtic. Montpellier. I'll settle for that, French champions last year but their leading striker left them in the Summer (and came to us!).

Definitely a good draw for Arsenal. Olympiacos could be the surprise that derails us and of course our tema is so new who knows whether we can get out of the group stages like we nearly always have in the past.

Edited August 30, 2012 by SantiSuk

[2unique]

Well we do get derailed by ex players often enough let's hope we can return the favour for once...

And let's hope we go for the top spot rather than foot off the jugular, second is enough - Wenger take note (he reads TV you know)

Sent from Android, please excuse errors in type or judgement.

[SantiSuk]

Agreed, 2unique, Wenger has a habit of regarding the group stage as a blooding ground for his sub-A squad. I don't mind that for the odd upcoming one or two but sometimes he uses too many and often leaves it too late to bring the seventh cavalry on. I guess familiarity with the CL breeds contempt.

I get this feeling that his stubbornness also means that players he has expected to do well keep getting another chance in games that he sees as non-critical. Why else would we keep seeing appearances from Chamakh and Arshavin (he still keeps trying with Arshavin even after Arsenal fans booed him onto the field last season!). I keep thinking that Wenger must be seeing some hopes for a form comeback on the training ground, but my hopes have so far been dashed over an 18 month period.

Contrast with Liverpool. Full squad, or pretty much, started last night against some lesser mortals in the European Milk Cup*. Im surprised, since they face Arsenal on Sunday - peraps familiarity there also breeds contempt.

*Shouldn't be rude about the UEFA League - will come back to haunt me at the season end I suspect!

Edited August 31, 2012 by SantiSuk

[carmine]

Agreed, 2unique, Wenger has a habit of regarding the group stage as a blooding ground for his sub-A squad. I don't mind that for the odd upcoming one or two but sometimes he uses too many and often leaves it too late to bring the seventh cavalry on. I guess familiarity with the CL breeds contempt.

I get this feeling that his stubbornness also means that players he has expected to do well keep getting another chance in games that he sees as non-critical. Why else would we keep seeing appearances from Chamakh and Arshavin (he still keeps trying with Arshavin even after Arsenal fans booed him onto the field last season!). I keep thinking that Wenger must be seeing some hopes for a form comeback on the training ground, but my hopes have so far been dashed over an 18 month period.

Contrast with Liverpool. Full squad, or pretty much, started last night against some lesser mortals in the European Milk Cup*. Im surprised, since they face Arsenal on Sunday - peraps familiarity there also breeds contempt.

*Shouldn't be rude about the UEFA League - will come back to haunt me at the season end I suspect!

If you did a stint in the europa you might win some silverware for once

[SantiSuk]

Agreed, 2unique, Wenger has a habit of regarding the group stage as a blooding ground for his sub-A squad. I don't mind that for the odd upcoming one or two but sometimes he uses too many and often leaves it too late to bring the seventh cavalry on. I guess familiarity with the CL breeds contempt.

I get this feeling that his stubbornness also means that players he has expected to do well keep getting another chance in games that he sees as non-critical. Why else would we keep seeing appearances from Chamakh and Arshavin (he still keeps trying with Arshavin even after Arsenal fans booed him onto the field last season!). I keep thinking that Wenger must be seeing some hopes for a form comeback on the training ground, but my hopes have so far been dashed over an 18 month period.

Contrast with Liverpool. Full squad, or pretty much, started last night against some lesser mortals in the European Milk Cup*. Im surprised, since they face Arsenal on Sunday - peraps familiarity there also breeds contempt.

*Shouldn't be rude about the UEFA League - will come back to haunt me at the season end I suspect!

If you did a stint in the europa you might win some silverware for once

Doesn't seem to work in the English Milk Cup. We haven't been a 'big (like really big) game' team in knock-outs since Henri left. Things might change now we are starting to recover defensive composure

[carmine]

Agreed, 2unique, Wenger has a habit of regarding the group stage as a blooding ground for his sub-A squad. I don't mind that for the odd upcoming one or two but sometimes he uses too many and often leaves it too late to bring the seventh cavalry on. I guess familiarity with the CL breeds contempt.

I get this feeling that his stubbornness also means that players he has expected to do well keep getting another chance in games that he sees as non-critical. Why else would we keep seeing appearances from Chamakh and Arshavin (he still keeps trying with Arshavin even after Arsenal fans booed him onto the field last season!). I keep thinking that Wenger must be seeing some hopes for a form comeback on the training ground, but my hopes have so far been dashed over an 18 month period.

Contrast with Liverpool. Full squad, or pretty much, started last night against some lesser mortals in the European Milk Cup*. Im surprised, since they face Arsenal on Sunday - peraps familiarity there also breeds contempt.

*Shouldn't be rude about the UEFA League - will come back to haunt me at the season end I suspect!

If you did a stint in the europa you might win some silverware for once

Doesn't seem to work in the English Milk Cup. We haven't been a 'big (like really big) game' team in knock-outs since Henri left. Things might change now we are starting to recover defensive composure

Ofcourse you are!

[2unique]

Ofcourse you are!

is it Steve Bould or is it that we faced a Rory Delapless Stoke and an opening day away mentality from Sunderland? Sunday may provide some answers to that score although I fear for Jenkinson ip against Spearing! Defensive Walcott pace for pace?

[carmine]

Fair play to Arsenal for standing up to the wage demands of Walcott. i hope you get the right result for the club, whatever that may be.

[SantiSuk]

Affelay reportedly doing nedical at Schalke. Pity Wenger didnt go for him (or if he did, missed him). Hell probably go and play his socks off against us in the CL.

Things as quiet as a morgue on the rumour threads re Arsenal for the last day or so, except for outgoings. Chamakh seen on the road to the Midlands with driver - possible loan deal. If so, maybe a third striker yet to come. Berbatov? Hes prowling London but not at Fulham according to Sir Red Nose. Bendtner in Juventus doing medical. Good loan for him but they only want a stop-gap.

[2unique]

Tottenham with Adebayor, Dembele and Dempsey must be considered a threat to our continued presence in the top 4!

Wenger still has that aversion to picking up quality EPL players even at vfm prices. 6M for Dempsey is a steal. A powerful player who knows this league well and is a proven squad player season after season. I'd have liked to see him for us in the domestic cups and against teams that will sit deeply parked for a draw.

Sent from Android, please excuse errors in type or judgement.

[SantiSuk]

So now we have 3 strikers who have scored 1 goal between them for Arsenal in the last 18 months. Huge gamble for Wenger. I will be amazed if he pulls it off and keeps us in the top 4 this year.

Yes 2unique - at least you know what you are getting with Wenger. Last years panic buys (only one of the 3 - Arteta - proved worthwhile) were the exception. Like Sir Red Nose he likes to spend Summer transfer window day sipping wine and talking to the press about the next game. Youve got to admire his style even if the product is a bit dodgy.

Unless their salary demands would have breached the Arsenal strategy I think he should have competed for one of Berbatov and Dempsey, both of whom would probably have preferred an Arsenal outcome.

Edited September 1, 2012 by SantiSuk

[yermanee]

So now we have 3 strikers who have scored 1 goal between them for Arsenal in the last 18 months. Huge gamble for Wenger. I will be amazed if he pulls it off and keeps us in the top 4 this year.

I think you're being a bit unfair here Santisuk. A couple of numbers from last season including cups :

Lucas Podolski for Koeln : 20 goals

Olivier Giroud for Montpellier : 25 goals

Santi Cazorla for Malaga : 9 goals

Theo Walcott for the Arse : 11 goals

Oxlade-Chamberlain : 4 goals

And the list goes on with midfield and defense Arteta, Thomas Vermaelen (6) Sagna etc.

I have no insight in what goes on behind the scenes so I don't speculate about it, but I do think we have a team with possibilities this season.

Only question is, how soon will the newcomers adapt.

Defense seems to be going in the right direction and that's a big plus compared to the last few seasons.

I just hope we get a bit better refereeing than these same last few seasons also.

Anyway let's hope tonight is the start of something to cheer for. Fingers crossed.

Yermanee

Edited September 2, 2012 by yermanee

[smokie36]

Hmm so another 0-0 tonight? I will be enjoying the game....

[yermanee]

Hmm so another 0-0 tonight? I will be enjoying the game....

You know I wouldn't mind the 0-0, but I bet the football will be exciting to watch.

More than last night anyway.

Yermanee

[smokie36]

Hmm so another 0-0 tonight? I will be enjoying the game....

You know I wouldn't mind the 0-0, but I bet the football will be exciting to watch.

More than last night anyway.

Yermanee

Yes I enjoy watching your lot try to walk the ball into the net. Entertaining.

[yermanee]

Yes I enjoy watching your lot try to walk the ball into the net. Entertaining.

Oh dear ! A British media platitude. I expected better from you

Yermanee