Arsenal

[smokie36]

also reads somewhere yesterday that there will be a major clear out this summer. with the likes of Arshavin, Clichey and Bentner moving on and the hint that Wenger will be going on a shopping spree.

thing is though the funds are and have been there for some time now, hes just to stubborn to admit that he screwed up.

word is on the gooner grape vine that a lot of season ticket holders have just about had enough and want Arsene out by the start of the new season.

Yeah I read that....he wants Leighton Baines and a trio of kids I never heard of.....carry on Prof!

Yes carry on second prize.....

Its all about the quality.....it was evident all season long....especially in the Nou Camp!!

[SantiSuk]

Yes - I'd rather let Arshavin, Bendtner and Clichy go shopping together and let Arsene move on. Please someone put the for sale stamp on Denilson's head too. It's all his fault anyway - ever since he spouted his mouth off that Arsenal are a leaderless bunch they've been losing [he was of course spot on!!]. It's like they all thought - shit yes he's right and then had a collective loss of confidence.

Not a happy camp behind the fiercely protective wall, I suspect.

Was thinking that Arsenal in theory still have players good enough to stage a late comeback - certainly conceivable that we could win everything, such that the Man U game becomes interesting. Yeah I know it was certainly conceivable we would beat Newcastle, West Brom and Blackburn. So anyway although I am not generally a betting man I thought I might have a little wager and take advantage of the 'woe is us' factor.

But the odds this morning are 6.5 to 1 for Arsenal to win the EPL. No way: at 10 to 1 I might have been interested.

The other worry is that, watching the Barca game against lowly Almeria earlier today, I was struck that Barca actually do need Fabregas (that and the fact that they would have easily been beaten by Man U or Chelsea or RM). They have been so so lucky with their injury list this year and they are starting to look like they are human too - Alvares, Iniesta, Messi and Villa seem to have been playing together forever and they may be wearing out/ peaking too soon. Another bit of impetus in the Summer months may be just the refresher they need.

So come on Fab - stop playing for us like you are on sabbatical to us from Barca (I stole that brilliant observation from someone esle) and go out there today and for the rest of the season and prove your transfer worth.

Song and possibly Walcott on injury list (in addition to the entire decent bit of our defence of course - even Sagna is out too now), but last time I looked it should be possible that Van P, Fabregas, Nasri and Wilshere will be playing - 10 matches ago that prospect would have had my skin tingling and waiting for the game in eager anticipation.

Prediction; 4-5; Arsenal win.

Edited April 10, 2011 by SantiSuk

[SantiSuk]

Well that was a relief. If Lee Mason had given a penalty to Blackpool at 1-2 (as he should have done) then my 4-5 prediction might have come true. If Lehman had been sent off, as well he might have been, then hello 4th choice goalie for the next 2 games and bye bye second place.

Diaby and Eboue stepped up well from the B team and Lehman is still a leader at the back, which is what we have missed. He wasn't put under the kind of pressure that would show whether he can still stop shots, but he can still mix it effectively in the rucking stuff. Amazing that the two oldest guys in the division are playing for the 1st and 2nd placed clubs

Well played Blackpool - I thought they were naive in the first half, running around like demented children. I fully expected them to run out of gas at about 70 minutes but they did not. Ultimately Fabregas's vision made all the difference.

[SantiSuk]

Oh bu&&er: Here come the dam_n Yankees

That English TV institution reports that Stan Kroenke is poised to acquire majority control (which would trigger the need to buy 100%) . I have absolutely nothing against Americans - I lived and worked there and would happily have settled there in my twenties - but Americans and the English game do not mix.

Even though I have been begging for a ruthless streak from the Arsenal, I think I would rather suffer Wenger than see him go courtesy of an American owner. The start of the rot for another great British footballing club - makes me really depressed. I suppose it could have been worse and the bid could have come from the Russian shareholder (maybe there will still be a bidding war).

Since most Americans don't seem to 'get' football I cannot understand the investment fascination for them. Any sensible investor knows that you never make serious money out of investing in airlines, automobiles or sport. Just shows that the West is finally losing the plot and slipping into post industrial decline. The future is all in the East.

[OK so 'Arsenal taken over by American: End of Western civilisation as we know it' is perhaps a headline too far]

[MSingh]

Oh bu&&er: Here come the dam_n Yankees

That English TV institution reports that Stan Kroenke is poised to acquire majority control (which would trigger the need to buy 100%) . I have absolutely nothing against Americans - I lived and worked there and would happily have settled there in my twenties - but Americans and the English game do not mix.

Even though I have been begging for a ruthless streak from the Arsenal, I think I would rather suffer Wenger than see him go courtesy of an American owner. The start of the rot for another great British footballing club - makes me really depressed. I suppose it could have been worse and the bid could have come from the Russian shareholder (maybe there will still be a bidding war).

Since most Americans don't seem to 'get' football I cannot understand the investment fascination for them. Any sensible investor knows that you never make serious money out of investing in airlines, automobiles or sport. Just shows that the West is finally losing the plot and slipping into post industrial decline. The future is all in the East.

[OK so 'Arsenal taken over by American: End of Western civilisation as we know it' is perhaps a headline too far]

Dev wanted me to get him a Red Sox Jersey once upon a time not too long ago Santi, i do have access to Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalaunche & teh St Louis Rams Jersey's if you Migsy or Tigerfish wanted..

[Abrak]

A slightly old but quite detailed article on Stan the man.

http://swissramble.blogspot.com/2010/03/is-stan-man-for-arsenal.html?showComment=1302477852312

[MSingh]

I have absolutely nothing against Americans - I lived and worked there and would happily have settled there in my twenties - but Americans and the English game do not mix.

The most sensible thing you have ever wrote Santi..

[MrRed]

I have absolutely nothing against Americans - I lived and worked there and would happily have settled there in my twenties - but Americans and the English game do not mix.

The most sensible thing you have ever wrote Santi..

Is that business wise.......or success wise

[SantiSuk]

Do I detect a non-wearer of the yellow and green scarf?

[smokie36]

He apparently approves of the austere approach. The prof is safe! more horror for the Arse.

Second prize forever!

[MrRed]

Do I detect a non-wearer of the yellow and green scarf?

I am the Original yellow and green man...Newton Heath.

[tigerfish]

Do I detect a non-wearer of the yellow and green scarf?

I am the Original yellow and green man...Newton Heath.

otherwise known as Walton on thames.

[Tecumseh]

Just easing my way in guys.

IMO Wenger is probably the best manager in the league, bar Fergie. Over the years his Arsenal teams have played consistently good football and he has made a lot of shrewd reasonable money buys, seems to have an eye for young talent and his coaching skills are obviously very good. I know for Arsenal supporters they would like to win more trophies, but to console them all I can say is that on their day they are by far the best 'footballing' outfit in the country and if they didn't try to walk the ball in the net, strengthened the defence in a couple of places (especially centre back and goal) then could have been ahead rather than playing catch up. Yes get rid of the shoot on sight gnome Arshavin and also Bendtner who despite doing a lot of work doesn't fit the bill at centre forward. Buying a class centre forward isn't easy...ask Manchester City... Caroll would have done well in the gunners team. Buy a 'strong man' for the middle back, a decent goalkeeper and then I think you will see a big difference next season.

Any more rumours on possibly buying Alex Oxy whatever Chamberlaine from Southampton?

Edited April 13, 2011 by Tecumseh

[MiG16]

Hi Tecumseh.

Yes Arsene makes a lot of 'business' decisions rather than purely coach decisions. Hencewhy he is still in good books with management but maybe not necessarily some fans.

There are days I get frustrated too. Not buying a new keeper this season for instance. But overall still support him fully and would not want to see him leave

[SantiSuk]

Management will change their ways when the season ticket and corporate sales start drifting away. The parsimonious approach only works if you can keep the play quality up such that you can sell bums on seats at the Emirates. Maybe that drift won't happen over this Summer, but I don't think Arsene has much grace period left.

Having a strategy that seems to secure a place at about number 8 to 10 in Europe is not self-sustaining in the modern game. Arsenal fans would not like to win more trophies - they would like to win some trophies please.

Yes - at the half way mark I would have agreed with the comment that all we need is a good goalkeeper and a centre back. Now I think the problem is deeper rooted than that, particularly if Fab goes. The B team players have not stepped up to the mark this season (except for Wilshere and Djouro) which suggests a much broader clearout, which suggests a season or two of rebuilding and bedding in which suggests a struggle for trophies again next year. I'm convinced Wenger is not the right kind of manager for big match football and IMO he will not last out his contract (2014). Hope I am wrong - as many have said, Wenger has many good qualities and I kind of like the loyalty approach of Arsenal FC up to a point.

Edited April 13, 2011 by SantiSuk

[MrRed]

The parsimonious approach^ sounds like a white paper!

Sometimes these educated types make me feel like a northern monkey.

Edited April 13, 2011 by MrRed

[MrRed]

Arsenal eye Asia pre-season tour instead of Austria

The Asia tour would replace Arsenal's usual pre-season trip to Austria Arsenal are close to finalising plans for a pre-season tour to Asia.

The Gunners have held their training camp in Austria every year since 2001 boss Arsene Wenger rejecting lucrative offers to travel further afield.

But Wenger has been under pressure from the club to alter his stance and agreed after being convinced the tour was not solely aimed at making money.

Wenger's preferred destination was Japan but March's tsunami has prompted Malaysia and China to be considered.

Arsenal will announce full details of the trip shortly but it was planned long before Stan Kroenke launched his bid for full control of the north London outfit on Monday.

Many of their Premier League rivals have made money-spinning tours an annual fixture in their pre-season plans and in recent years the powers that be at Arsenal have been keen to follow suit.

Kroenke, chief executive Ivan Gazidis and chief commercial officer Tom Fox realise the commercial benefits to be gained from developing their brand and fanbase in markets such as the Far East.

And with no European Championship or World Cup this summer, Wenger accepts that his team's preparations for the 2011-12 campaign will not be overly disrupted.

"I am under pressure from the club to do it [pre-season tour]," said the Frenchman, speaking at Arsenal's AGM in October.

"But I want to start the season well. If it's just to make money then no. If for other reasons, then maybe yes.

"We are examining it but not in a year when the Euros [are taking place] or World Cup years. International players, under Fifa rules, must have four weeks' holiday."

[Tecumseh]

Hi Tecumseh.

Yes Arsene makes a lot of 'business' decisions rather than purely coach decisions. Hencewhy he is still in good books with management but maybe not necessarily some fans.

There are days I get frustrated too. Not buying a new keeper this season for instance. But overall still support him fully and would not want to see him leave

Arsenal have given away a lot of really silly points this season for one reason or another. Had they been tighter in a few positions they would be in front by now. I've lost count how many times they should have scored but tried to walk the ball in the net. Most fans are frustrated over the goalkeeper situation and that's why I think he will try for a recognised keeper in the summer, maybe Reina (because I think Dalglish would like the money to buy a wide left man to feed Carroll), or possibly even the aging Buffon. He will be in competition with Man U for obtaining a top class keeper. Gary Cahill would fit the bill in the centre back position. Don't be surprised to see a double bid for Cahill and Elmander.............but you know Arsene, he's just as likely to sign a Frenchman we've never heard of.

[smokie36]

Hi Tecumseh.

Yes Arsene makes a lot of 'business' decisions rather than purely coach decisions. Hencewhy he is still in good books with management but maybe not necessarily some fans.

There are days I get frustrated too. Not buying a new keeper this season for instance. But overall still support him fully and would not want to see him leave

Arsenal have given away a lot of really silly points this season for one reason or another. Had they been tighter in a few positions they would be in front by now. I've lost count how many times they should have scored but tried to walk the ball in the net. Most fans are frustrated over the goalkeeper situation and that's why I think he will try for a recognised keeper in the summer, maybe Reina (because I think Dalglish would like the money to buy a wide left man to feed Carroll), or possibly even the aging Buffon. He will be in competition with Man U for obtaining a top class keeper. Gary Cahill would fit the bill in the centre back position. Don't be surprised to see a double bid for Cahill and Elmander.............but you know Arsene, he's just as likely to sign a Frenchman we've never heard of.

Aha! So you're one of THEM.....

[Tecumseh]

Hi Tecumseh.

Yes Arsene makes a lot of 'business' decisions rather than purely coach decisions. Hencewhy he is still in good books with management but maybe not necessarily some fans.

There are days I get frustrated too. Not buying a new keeper this season for instance. But overall still support him fully and would not want to see him leave

Arsenal have given away a lot of really silly points this season for one reason or another. Had they been tighter in a few positions they would be in front by now. I've lost count how many times they should have scored but tried to walk the ball in the net. Most fans are frustrated over the goalkeeper situation and that's why I think he will try for a recognised keeper in the summer, maybe Reina (because I think Dalglish would like the money to buy a wide left man to feed Carroll), or possibly even the aging Buffon. He will be in competition with Man U for obtaining a top class keeper. Gary Cahill would fit the bill in the centre back position. Don't be surprised to see a double bid for Cahill and Elmander.............but you know Arsene, he's just as likely to sign a Frenchman we've never heard of.

Aha! So you're one of THEM.....

Well I'd definitely be one of them, if only I knew who 'they' are?

[MiG16]

one year I tried to get ticket for their pre-season training in Austria

it was in one of these little known towns that had one train from vienna a day or something like that....

and even in such a remote location, all the tickets were sold out

[MSingh]

I thought Arsenal were playing Leicester in Buri Ram ??

Honestly, it was announce after they pulled out of Japan..

Edit : Here we go

http://www.thebluearmy.co.uk/news/Leicester-City-line-Arsenal-Thai-friendly/article-3387656-detail/article.html

http://jakartacasual.blogspot.com/2011/03/arsenal-play-in-thailand.html

Edited April 14, 2011 by MSingh

[SantiSuk]

I thought Arsenal were playing Leicester in Buri Ram ??

Honestly, it was announce after they pulled out of Japan..

Edit : Here we go

http://www.thebluear...il/article.html

http://jakartacasual...n-thailand.html

A quick scan of those articles and the Arsenal website suggest that all that news was coming out of Thailand and nothing was said by Arsenal. Only a quick scan so I am happy to be corrected. I guess we will just have to wait and see.

I wouldn't bust a gut to watch exhibition stuff against local boyos anyway. The Thai Premier League matches are likely to be closer to real football.

[MiG16]

they were here in 1999 for a friendly against thai national team

we lost 2 nil

the first EPL major team to lose in a friendly to the thai team. ManU and Chelsea were here in preceding years. Liverpool a couple years later. all of them won against Thai. only Arsenal lost

according to inside sources it was cos...welll......PM me for the story

[LaoPo]

they were here in 1999 for a friendly against thai national team

we lost 2 nil

the first EPL major team to lose in a friendly to the thai team. ManU and Chelsea were here in preceding years. Liverpool a couple years later. all of them won against Thai. only Arsenal lost

according to inside sources it was cos...welll......PM me for the story

MiG16:

I wonder, did you buy the ARSENAL OPUS book yet...., being such an ARSENAL fan?

Did ANY of you Arsenal fans buy the ARSENAL OPUS BOOK; a collectors item ?

https://www.krakenopus.com/store/product.php?id=7

LaoPo

[carmine]

Hows it going on here,

You better be up for it on wednesday night.

[alfieconn]

Hows it going on here,

Quiet as usual

[smokie36]

Hows it going on here,

Quiet as usual

Pass me the ginger nuts ta........Zzzzzzzzz....!

[SantiSuk]

they were here in 1999 for a friendly against thai national team

we lost 2 nil

the first EPL major team to lose in a friendly to the thai team. ManU and Chelsea were here in preceding years. Liverpool a couple years later. all of them won against Thai. only Arsenal lost

according to inside sources it was cos...welll......PM me for the story

MiG16:

I wonder, did you buy the ARSENAL OPUS book yet...., being such an ARSENAL fan?

Did ANY of you Arsenal fans buy the ARSENAL OPUS BOOK; a collectors item ?

https://www.krakenop...roduct.php?id=7

LaoPo

Bloody 'ell. Thank you for bringing this piece of ridculata to our attention (I just invented that word I think). I'm speechless. Where is that old stinky heap of BS emoticon when you need it.

Thank you so much oh blessed American messiah for putting such an oracle in the Library and exposing Arsenal fans worldwide to such a heap of derision. I'm almost glad I lost my Arsenal cap in a water fight in Kantaralak on Thursday now.

Told you Americans and football don't mix.

[SantiSuk]

I'm still too livid to do my own pre-match run down so here is a Seapok-esque missive

"This team is focused," said the Frenchman. "I've told you many times I'm very proud to manage this team because they are focused, they want to do well.

"Unfortunately we have been hit very hard but we have not been out of every competition early on having not performed. This team has given absolutely everything to perform in every competition and we are still today in the championship.

"We lost against Barcelona by just a goal, we did not lose against them with an ugly performance, we produced in the two games what we could and we did as well as we could against maybe the best team at the moment in the world and we were very close.

"Nobody takes into consideration that in football you lose sometimes, but it is as well how you lose."

Blah blah - post event rationalisation deleted

"It was strange to see him [Dalglish] back because for a while he was Director of Football at Liverpool so it looked like he had decided not to come back into the game," said Wenger. "But certainly Liverpool has a special meaning for him and that is why he decided to come back.

"Liverpool have done well since then. They had a slow start but you expected them to come back to some decent performances. The confidence dropped early in the season and then it is very difficult. Since they have come back and they had as well the bad luck of Steven Gerrard being ruled out for a long time, but you are not surprised that Liverpool is one of the best teams in this league."

"He [Caroll - scored against Arsenal in Toon's win at the Emirates] is physically very strong, he has a good understanding of the game on crosses, long balls, he uses his body well and he is very good in the air," noted the Frenchman. "He is very young as well so there is still a lot to come from him.

"You certainly have in your mind the goal he scored against Manchester City [on Monday], Liverpool's third goal [in a 3-0 win]. It is typically a striker's goal, good anticipation, good deflection of the ball. He is a typical type of English centre forward, Carroll, so we have to keep him quiet."

"Both teams have always had a very positive philosophy in the games and went forward," reflected Wenger. "We have some good and bad memories but they were always very exciting games.

"Liverpool had a good game on Monday night, we won the day before, so it promises to be a very exciting game. They have a good offensive force with Carroll and Suarez and we are as well an offensive team so it promises to be an interesting game. We have a good opportunity to reduce the distance with Man United and we want of course to take it."

Wenger quotes, of course. I have to catch them while I can because I have no doubt that soon his emtire musings will be under subscription only on Arsenal.com or in the program!

---------------------------------------------------------oooOOOooo--------------------------------------------------------

There is a realistic prospect that Arsenal will be able to call on every one of their first team squad and main B squad players, apart from Vermaelen (who has returned to training at last), for the first time in living memory (ok - about October I think), although Djouro, Sagna and Sczesny may only have a bit part reintroduction or just a bench-warmer. The goalkeeper choice between Sczesny and Lehman must be a real teaser for Arsene and Bob Wilson.

Prediction - very difficult to predict; could go either way depending on individual performances and in-game injuries - always an issue with Arsenal. More than 3 goals in total. If I'm forced: 2-2 and bye bye slim chance of overhauling Man U.

Edited April 16, 2011 by SantiSuk