Arsenal Banter Archive May 22 2013

22 May 2013 23:33:28
Arsenal question please and it's for ed027.

Mate

You answer a lot of questions "we", when asked anything about Arsenal.
Your either an Arsenal fan or something to do with the club, which is it?

Ps, would be interesting if you could share the experience within the football world the eds have.

Regards
Gooner4Life {Ed027's Note - I am a Arsenal fan, most people know this

22 May 2013 21:46:17
Interesting that we're playing Nagoya Grampus in the pre-season friendly.

Eds - any idea what academy players would expect to be making the step up to the first team next season?

I've read that a fair few are off elsewhere. I personally would like to see Eisfeld, Gnabry and Afobe/Aneke.

EMG {Ed027's Note - Bellerin will be playing more, and possibly Yenaris

23 May 2013 09:45:01
Afobe is vastly overrated, he's not Arsenal quality
EF

22 May 2013 20:58:57
Strange how yesterday Jovetic seemed a dead certain to sign, now there are 3 clubs ahead of us in running and we've not even contacted Fiorentina yet? {Ed027's Note - This is the crazy season, it's only just started!, as far as i'm concerned we are still the front runners, but just because we are willing to spend, it doesn't mean we will pay over the odds, that is one of the reasons why we are in a good state

22 May 2013 21:31:01
Forgot to sign off, Cheers Ed

Detroit Gooner

22 May 2013 18:39:29
Chamakh is in talks with Bordeaux about a possible move back. Not sure on compensation, but he will finally be off the wage bill. Let's hope this is the beginning of the clear out of all the driftwood on the roster.

-Birmingham Gooner

22 May 2013 17:17:47
Reid? Get Kouyate or alderweireld instead!

22 May 2013 15:40:38
Yaya Sanogo, a guy that has had a double leg break (see sagna), a thigh injury that stemmed from leg break, and has played 24 games in 4 years (For an average club)

. great

Thomas Eisfeld. Cruciate ligament.

people would like to see jovetic signed. he has definite qualities no doubt about it, but have you looked at his injury record?

Did his cruciate ligament 2 years ago, and since that injury, he has lost well over a full season sitting on the side lines with various muscular problems.

Higuain? Missed 5 months of a season with back pain. missed 2 months this year with muscle trouble.

to be honest, I look at the players arsenal have signed, or want to sign, and their injury records on average, are pretty terrible.

Have a look at abou diaby before he signed for Arsenal, and then its not surprising at how much time he has spent injured at Arsenal. Seems a strange logic that wenger has. Paying 'too much' is out of the question. but an horrific injury record? no problem.

Ian Wright. Broke his leg twice in 1989. He turned out rubbish didn't he? Robert Pires ruptured ACL. He was terrible after wasn't he!

Come on, not everyone is crippled through injury. Even Diaby COULD turn out to be the player he is capable of being. He's just had rotten luck with injuries.

Shearer top scorer in premiership history had some serious injuries.

I think the point is more than valid. comparing to shearer is just ridiculous.

the point i'd like to make is Carlos Vela was a youth player we bought, never used, sent out on loan where he performed and eventually sold where he showed us he's a quality player who scored 14 league goals and got 9 assists is 35 games for Sociodad.
whats the point in a youth system when all you do is buy other teams' youth to loan/sell on 2 or 3 years down the line?

Original AG,

I find your reply utterly ridiculous. Am sure you'd be one of those who'd slate Wenger and Arsenal next year if Jovetic joined another team and put in fantastic performances and we finished fourth again. And Carlos Vela was just not good enough for Arsenal. Certain teams need certain types of players and he wasnt the best for us.

About the youth system, you should be happy that you're supporting a club that has an amazing youth system and gives a chance to academy products. Please do not rant and rave just because you wanna.

Arsenalfan

Paul you make an arguement that players can play after injuries, fair comment, but then to say even diaby COULD play but had rotten luck with injuries. ha, this is exactly what the first poster was pointing out and your arguement against this was to actually back it up. laughable

dave

Dave
My point doesn't back up the original post. Diaby's biggest injuries were a broken ankle and now a ruptured ACL. Are those caused by his previous injuries? Absolutely not.

Arsenalfan - what youth system? How many players of youth system have been sold and how many made a move to the first team? Sorry, but i'm not happy with it.

DrchoGooner

22 May 2013 15:10:05
Reports from Italy particularly on TV are that Jovetic wants to join Juventus, and has told his agent to deal with Juventus first. I really am surprised by all of this and especially the Chelsea talk. The way the media were talking over the past few weeks I thought if we got fourth then he was pretty much ours for the taking and we be sorted out quickly. I just want a quick resolution as to where he is going so that we can then go about getting someone else if the doesn't join.

I hope that price doesn't stop us provided that the fee isn't ridiculous, I think the one thing we can learn from RVP going to United is that sometimes its worth paying what you need to get a player look at the effect he had for United he was worth the money. Still holding hope we can get Jovetic despite what Fiorentina Director was saying about no Arsenal contact they would surely want to sell abroad rather than to a rival though in Italy that doesn't seem to matter as much.

Why in the world would you ever listen to the mainstream media?

You know that we never bought a player that were strongly linked with us: Hazard, Samba, Mata,.

22 May 2013 13:43:29
First of all. LONG LIVE MALAGA!
My perfect summer.
Sell:
Squillaci (?)

Arshavin (great start, could have been special, but failed due to Arsene not playing him in his favoured position and the player becoming one lazy person Can't get away with that in the Prem. )

Coquelin ( at twenty two he wants to start playing and let's be honest, he's not in any of our first team wish list for next season is he. Wouldn't surprise me if he ends up doing a solid job for someone elsewhere. Wish him well.

Diaby (sorry mate. Could have been magnificent for us and his country. A player that you build your team around, but due to biology it just wasn't meant to be. He must have had some dark times and all I hope is he has a smashing future. ( I honestly didn't mean that!) Nobody deserves it more then him. Good luck.

Podolski ( controversial! Discuss amongst yourselves. )

Rosicky ( I would say "depending on medical advice" but I don't know if I have faith in our medical team. If he really wanted to stay I'd offer him a years extension. Always shows character WHEN he's available. He's got us in to the top 4 for the last two years, but if he does go I wish him all the best. Cheers fella. Spect)

Sagna ( after two leg breaks, years of not winning anything, and running up and down that line for us. If psg come in for him I wish him well. A good servant to the shirt. Spect. )

Vermaelen ( started on fire. A goalscoring c. b, great! But as time went on he saw Cesc, Nasri, Van persie leave which pi$$ed me off, so I can't imagine how he felt. Sometimes the time just comes. If we get a good offer then happy days for all parties. Cheers verm. spect. )

Santos (what were you thinking Wenger)

Park (me neither)

Djourou (injuries mixed in with not being good enough)

Bendtner ( ahh Nicklas, if you were as good as you thought you were, or even as good as you were for your country, then what a player we would have had. Wenger never got your best. Playing you up front would have been a start, but you turned into one lazy #$%&. )

Denilson

Frimpong (Dench! I have nothing more to add. )

Chamakh (a good first 6 months then. too much money, the bright lights of London, not wanting it enough. Don't know. Get rid)

Campbell (can't really comment, but I know a fella who can get their hands on some passports)

Fabianski (what was David Seamans nickname? And what is Fabianskis? Say no more)

Mannone (will remain third choice keeper if kept)

Gervinho (too inconsistant. Capable of the sublime, Capable of a road traffic accident. Not good enough)

Can't be asked to do the buys. Maybe another day
UP THE GOONERS
Flybo
GERVINHO (spelt in capitals to enhance the point)

Sell/release
Mannone (Poor keeper, why have we kept him so long?)
Fabianski (Error & injury prone)
Djourou (A big disappointment, not agressive enough)
Squilacci (Dreadful)
Santos (When we signed him, a Turkish friend told me he couldn't defend, surely the scouts & Wenger should have known this)
Coqulein (Hasnt fulfilled his promise, very average)
Frimpong (Hasnt fulfilled his promise, very average)
Denilson (Not good enough)
Abu Diaby (Injury prone sadly)
Bendtner (Has all the tools to be great, but hasn't delivered)
Chamakh (Solid start & has faded terribly)
Arshavin (Great player, often played out of position by Wenger)
Park (Why oh why did we sign him?)
Campbell (We seem to sign young players & plant them overseas, never to be seem again!)
Undecided
Sagna (Not many better RB's available)
Vermaelen (Form dire since being made captain or has serious achilles injuries affected him? Either way, I would probably cash in & buy a replacement)
Podolski (I like him, but I don't think he suits our formations, he looks like he should play off a main striker in a 2 man forward line)
Gervinho (disappointing, would cash I & replace)
Rosicky (Retain for one more season)

Sell podolski? Are you kidding me?

R, e Campbell. We have to "plant him overseas" because of the simple fact that he has not been granted a work permit and thus cannot play in England for the time being. Nothing to do with how good/bad he is, just that we have no other choice but to loan him out. I believe he is spending another season at Betis, so must have impressed.

Sell Podolski? U got to be out of your damn mind. Thank god you are not Arsenal manager. Would have supported u if u said sell Giroud and keep Podolski

22 May 2013 10:43:27
This second half of the season proved to us that when our defence stops mucking around, and we defend as a team instead of just a back 4, we can maintain a rock solid defence.

I think if the PL table was based on the second half of the season, we would've finished first or second. That is not an opinion, that is a fact.

You know what I do would do with this defence? Do you know who I would add to it?

Nothing. Nobody.

Why? Because the second half of the season proved to me that we are capable and we actually do have a good defence. If I had to pick someone to add though, I would pick Richards or Sakho, just for extra cover, but personally I think a back 4 of Gibbs/Monreal, Koscielny, Mertesacker/Vermaelen, Sagna/Jenkinson, is more than capable of doing the job.

Our problem however, is up front. In the final third.

I'm not sure how good this Sanogo kid is, seems decent, but so did chamakh. We also need a current solution.

We need to improve our final 3rd play, by purchasing a quality winger and a quality striker.

Alexis Sanchez and Gonzalo Higuian. Jovetic is overpriced, and is not clinical enough. If we had Van Persie in this team we would have finished first.

If not Sanchez, then Hatem Ben Arfa. If not Higuain, then maybe Benteke or Doumbia. Someone who can only get one chance and still score, a man for the tight 1-0 game.

40-50 mil for a quality winger and striker.

After selling 10 mil + of the 'deadwood', that should be more than ok.

Nick.

I wouldn't change anything except maybe replacement for sagna or buy a younger rb and promote jenkinson.

I'd keep verm and use him as cover, don't see the need in selling him and then buying another cb.

Sorry, but the season is 38 games and throughout the season and specially in the big games, we are missing something. We need someone with more pace than BFG in one type of game. Not saying the end of this season is bad thoug

The defence is the absolute last area that needs strengthening. Unless tommy v says he wants to leave I would leave it as it is, offer sagna a 2 yr extention and allow jenks to make the Rb spot his own

AG

Clearly you don't really know much about football.

if you think ben arfa will add quality. think again. He has had a very average - poor season.

Where we are missing is speed in the midfield. Yes Mr arteta has been a very good player. but I think since he is getting on and won't be able to play every game he needs somone who is young, strong powerful and bloomin adds some height to the middfield and some physical presence. Someone who picks the ball up and runs past people with ease. Its hard to find someone like this thus the reason we are lacking but wanyman suppose has that physical power and coming from celtic would neeed time to abjust which can rotate with arteta who probably won't be able to do many 90minute preformances.

Upfront I think, giroud was only bought in because RVP left. Podolski was going to be used as a back up for van persie. unforuntunately he left and giroud bought in. giroud is a god player and adds that strength and holding the ball up ability. but he lacks speed and his finishing is questionable. Had a very good first season but we need a pure finisher.

Watching jovetic, he isn't that person, he is more of a number 10 player who could play of giroud and finisher those opportunities. a link between the midfield and the striking. I personally would love him, but with wilshere and ox who could play that position. i'd love an out and out finisher to come in and score goals basically.

2nd best defence in the league? who would of believed it? partnership and pairing is what is holding it together. pace and positioning combo of per and kos is ideal. a need right back who is experienced and will be there for 2 years until jenky matures slowly. don't think he is up to starting yet personally even though he grew in confidence I don't see it. It may affect bellerins enhancement, but we need to establish a strong starting eleven first. left back we are fine. i'd like a left winger to be bought in to replace gervinho an out and out winger none of this inside forward BS or someone who wants to play striker. we need someone with speed and technical ability to beat people and deliver a good final ball.

enjoy

Agree Defence as a back 4 is pretty decent, The Kos and Mert partnership has been rock solid of late and the best in the league over teh last 10 Games of the season.

We will need a RB if Sagna leaves mind.

With our High line what is vital though is that DM or defensive minded midfielder that will stay back and put pressure on the opposition playmaker when he gets it running at our defence. A High line without pressure on the ball is suicidal and this was why we lost to Spurs that time, two classics examples of that.

That seems to have sorted itself through the combination of Arteta and Ramsey (Maybe to the detriment of our attack), but I would still like another DM type to come in as Arteta is coming to the end now. We need to free Wilshire and Cazorla in central more attAcking roles.

I think our biggest issue is the lack of any presence in the box when we attack. I have lost count of the times we have been in good crossing postions behind the opposing defence but there is not one player in the box or running into the box.

We lose out on soo many goal opportunities because they all seem to linger back on the edge of the area, when you need one or two of them to gamble in get in there. This really annoys me.

Weather Wenger coaches the art of penalty box play out of strikers I don't know, But we certianly need another Fox in the Box.

Thing is rooney or jovetic would have a huge effect in combining the attack and defense in the number 10 role. They should be the players who are in the box poaching and being the players to help assist the striker. With Giroud up top, and a number ten who can finish (sorry wilshere), our crosses wouldn't be wasted. look at united, they always have 2 players running into the box and assisting the striker. what do we have? the wingers normally enter and help, but instead we have replaced pod with santi who more controls play and we have lost the goal threat in these positions. Love for us to play 4-4-1-1. with
santi - arteta/new dm - ramsey/wilshere - walcott
rooney / jovetic
giroud

personally can see a combo of lots of goals, and a team who can defend with the number 10 being high in defending capabilities, rooney again perfect. I hate the bloke but he is quality.

22 May 2013 09:06:10
I drive the 84 bus through London colbey and this morning whilst serving the Sainsbury's bus stop I saw Theo Walcott and Yaya Sanogo getting out of Theo's black Ferrari. If I could I would upload my pics of them. This was just before 8am. Small crowd around the car when I left. He must be having his medical today!

GoonerTID

I'm sure theo is at a charity golf tournament today

1404

Why would theo pick him up? They don't even kknow each other, I doubt Sanogo speaks English.

^^ Maybe he thought that the black ferrari was a black cab? Or maybe he thought Theo was Lewis Hamilton and he would get there quicker?

337

Firstly, they don't know each other.
Secondly, is there a reason why you cannot upload these 'pictures'?

22 May 2013 07:57:33
Malaga might be full of it but he does make me smile & surely that's what it's all about

It used to really irritate me. Now I accept that he is going to make his rubbish up so I just laugh at it. It is ridiculous now.

The only problem is he is a complete jinx. Every player he links with us ends up not coming.

A bit full of it. wow that's an understatement but every site needs one as you say just to laugh at if nothing else and in this case it is NOTHING else.

dave

Oh I agree, I know he knows very little about what he talks about, but he is very good entertainment value. We love u malaga x
Chris the REDman

22 May 2013 10:09:53
the have the oracle we have malaga {Ed029's Note - Not any more mate.}

22 May 2013 02:19:57
Forget Jovetic he isn't worth 30m (in whatever currency). if we are going to break the bank let's at least throw our hat in the ring for someone absolute class - Cavani!

Unrealistic perhaps with Man City in the ring but let's at least give it a go!

22 May 2013 09:02:43
He is certainly worth 30 million rupees

Detroit Gooner

22 May 2013 01:53:37
Ok so here's the thing I'm worried about.

If we sign Jovetic and play him in a Bergkamp-esque role then what does that do to our formation, and more importantly the shape of the midfield?

As good as Jack is playing in a deep midfield position, he's exceptional playing in the hole like he did for the last 3rd of the season. And as good a Jovetic might be in that position too I'd always prefer Jack or Santi (when he's not playing wide) to be in that position. Because the main thing about playing in that position is providing service which in my opinion Jack and Santi are infinitely better at doing than Jovetic.

If this is the case though and Jack has to drop back, most likely playing aside Ramsey or Arteta, I think it will weaken our midfield because there will be two offensive minded mids in a 3 man midfield set up for 2 holding mids. And I think the key to our success in the last 10 games was that we had Ramsey and Arteta behind Jack so one of them was always covering the gap between the midfield and the back four. With Jack having to drop back it will be harder again for our midfield to cope from a tactical perspective.

So my hopes if we sign Jovetic are that Wenger puts his faith in him to lead the line and score goals. A lot of people criticize his goalscoring record but I think most of you people forget that the lad is 23! He's yet to hit the peak in his career and he's been the best player in an average Serie A side. With the service he'll get at Arsenal I can see him banging them in for fun! Especially with Wenger's guidance.

Here's a few statistics for you.
In 33 apperances (with none in a european competition) Jovetic has scored 12 goals.

Now Sergio Aguero whom I rate as a world class striker:
Aguero has made 6 more appearances in a side who were favourites to win the league this season. And he's only scored 5 more goals. This included champions league, FA Cup and League Cup. And even he would get better service if he came to Arsenal.

A lot of people are way too fast to criticize players these days. So take in that bit of info and think about how much moving to Arsenal will change and improve his game and tell me what you reckon to my midfield theory.

Cheers lads

JG

Out of interest - and I am not dissing your opinion here - but how often do you watch Jovetic play to make a judgement on whether Cazorla and Jack are better providers?

I actually think we looked pretty bad when Wilshere played in the 10 role. For me Wilshere needs to be a lot deeper. Either alongside Ramsey or Arteta.

Problem with Jack playing deeper is that it leaves our midfield too offensive with Ramsey and too lightweight with Arteta. So we'd have to buy a proper CDM and drop Arteta and Ramsey to the bench, which isn't great for either of them.

You might find if Jovetic comes in he's plays in Pod's position and Pod and Giroud share CF position.

I agree. Wilshere is not that good when he plays the attacking role. Way better when he plays deeper