Arsenal Banter Archive June 07 2016

07 Jun 2016 22:19:34
I can't believe some of the posts I read on here today.

Sure, we all wanted Vardy to sign straight away, but trying to sign a player 2 day's before he fly's out to Euro's was always going to be tricky.

Some of you have even said he can "bog off" because he hasn't dropped everything for the mighty Arsenal. Utter rubbish.

Sure, these players live in a world we can only fantasise about. But, they are still family men who have decision's to make, like you and I.

Is the move right for his wife?
Is it right for his kids?
Does he have elderly or unhealthy parent's?

Does he live in a nice leafy suburb of Leicester that he has to swap for the frantic London lifestyle?
Will it effect his kids education?
Do they have lifelong friends they will leave behind?

These are just a few things he has to think about.

Some of you say it's a no brainer.
Why? Did
Leicester just scrape through a relegation battle?
Last time I looked, they were worthy Champion's, qualified for Champs League and are a damn fine team.

No brainer? Get real.

We normally do our business in last few days of window.
Wenger is trying to wrap things up early, but it doesn't always happen.

Players aren't stickers in a Panini book, they are real life family men, like you and I, and like you and I, need time to make a life changing decision.

He will be a great asset to Arsenal, but give the man time.

07 Jun 2016 23:12:44
Hear hear hear. The voice of reason the right honorable dags. Now let that be an end to it.

07 Jun 2016 23:31:46
I'd hardly call life in Totteridge or Hadley Wood, where a lot of arsenal players live frantic, but apart from that I agree.

08 Jun 2016 02:38:56
Dags I know he lives in Melton Mowbray, with no kebab shop around.

08 Jun 2016 05:53:15
Dag
Cant agree. mate
Vardy is no saint, His dughter is two so, i'm sure he has time to find a great school.
18 million buys you a nice two bed semi most places.
Yes, leister won the league In a crazy year, but, nobody on here thinks they will do it again. lol
He is not consistent, the year before he scored 5 goals (not prolific)
IMO leister will be in the bottom 6 and in a relegation battle. Please remind m if I'm wrong.
I would cancel the dael and throw that 20 million towards other TOP striker
Vardy has had one good season . Yes one good season in the premiership at 29 where has he been if he is prolific,
People on he laughed when we sold RVP, no sell on value, they said. Well we are paying 38 million, 20 on signing and 18 on wages.
He could be good at Arsenal, But don't make us wait, Vardy is not good enough and done very little in football, to make us wait.

08 Jun 2016 06:37:23
Welsh there's more chance that sam dingle will win miss world than your predictions coming true. You never got one right last season.

08 Jun 2016 06:46:19
Welsh your nick name is officially bitter lemon. Is it wenger out then, its his call. This is wengers master plan to win the league and you are deserting him all ready.

08 Jun 2016 06:56:34
Welsh and when we sold rvp after one good season, with no resale value to a rival by wenger, what did that team do off the back of it, for the manager in his last year. Ring any bells or shake any trees. By the way you said leicester wouldn't finish top four every week until they did and then said they wouldn't win the league every week until they did. Lol.

08 Jun 2016 08:04:08
Obviously you haven't been outside the tourist parts of London, or know where London Colney is where they train.

London Colney is actually based in Hertfordshire where AFC do all of their training. A lot of the players live in Hertfordshire, St Albans, West Hampstead which is commutable to training. not exactly flats above a nightclub mate. Think lavish houses with big gardens and swimming pools.

If you think that he is being offered a 2 up 2 down in between a chippy and a local boozer, than you're even more mental than Vardy himself.

08 Jun 2016 09:02:17
To be honest, living between a pub and a chippy sounds ideal, 5kywalker.

08 Jun 2016 13:12:38
I thought that would get you lot replying :-)

07 Jun 2016 20:59:35
Not quite the news i wanted to hear, Citeh in advanced talks for aubameyang but I'm intrigued to know how much they will pay for him if all goes through of course. It would have to be £45-50mil+ surely because of its less than £40mil then we've got to wonder why we didn't go for him. Still you have to build a team and this is the first time in Pep's career that he's had to build one whereas at Barcelona and Bayern the team was there he just added to it. Thoughts guys? Any of you surprised by this.

07 Jun 2016 21:19:47
Thoughts?

OUCH.

07 Jun 2016 21:40:09
Us hoping for Aubameyang to come to us is like shaking Stevens turning up to and hoping to be nominated at the 2017 Brit awards, like us Shakey would need a few more recent hits first as Green door and This Old House don't mean much in the modern era :-)
Surely Higuain choosing Napoli over us and Benzema taking the posh out of us on twotter last summer leaving us empty handed has taught us to be a little more realistic until we get ourselves a little more competive both at home and in Europe, a Pl win or even a CL last 4 appearance would make us a lot more viable option for bigger names but for now we are surely better off accepting we've work to do than keep pretending to ourselves we're a big draw club right at this moment in time.

07 Jun 2016 21:45:59
Had our chances last few seasons. Teams are going to spend big, especially with TV money.

No point in getting excited.

07 Jun 2016 21:57:53
Chickens home roost.

07 Jun 2016 21:59:43
If I was aubameyang I would want to go where I was number 1. Is he going to take augeros place. I'm sure we could afford the price not the wages tho.

07 Jun 2016 22:08:38
Cant beat a bit of shaking Stevens gunner, I used to love jigging to his music in front of the tv when I was younger.

07 Jun 2016 22:19:58
Aubamayang gave us the cold shoulder months ago, we aren't ambitious enough for him.

07 Jun 2016 22:21:26
Who is Shakin Stevens? :-)

07 Jun 2016 22:24:01
You and me both Raver mate and who could forget Bernie Flint :-)

07 Jun 2016 22:39:44
I'd want to go where I was number 1 too Sanogo but I'd also want to go where I was number 1 and would also challenge and have a real chance of winning big prizes, I'd want a decent chance to play in a CL final and I'd definitely want to end my career with a decent medal collection, at this moment we're not a good bet for any of those things accept being first choice striker.
Let's not do another Benzema summer waiting for players who are not going to come let's get the best we can and not worry about those we can't get no matter how brilliant they are.

07 Jun 2016 20:41:20
Anyone interested in joining in the Euro '16 correct score comp, the group game fixtures are now up on

Euro 16 Competition

simply log in as usual - scores have to be in by midnight thursday and the comp will be updated on 22nd June after the group games have finished leaving 2 days for you to put your next scores in.

Good luck everyone

07 Jun 2016 21:11:27
Mine is in ed, I can't wait to win my prizes, I hope its a furry dice for my Subaru.

{Ed033's Note - More like an Odd Bod doll that continually repeats the words, "Beep Beep".

07 Jun 2016 21:48:10
Cheers Ed003 will have a go at it tomorrow, thanks for putting it together.

07 Jun 2016 23:06:53
A furry dice for a Subaru. That sounds like a fair swap Raver.

07 Jun 2016 15:20:09
If Vardy has to 'think' about swapping Leicester for Arsenal, then I am sorry, but he is not for us.

I get that he and Leicester have an outstanding accomplishment under their belts now, but really, Leicester and Arsenal are different breeds.

I very much doubt that we only submitted a bid on Friday, from what I read we have been in discussions for a week to 10 days, so the player would know where he's going, what the wages would be, where he would live etc - that would have all taken place long before getting on plane yesterday - for Vardy to be egotistical enough to think we would wait around for him, out of principle I'd give Sanogo the number 9 shirt and send a big '**** you' Vardy's way.

I was never 'sold' on this signing, and I don't think that he should be the sum of all our efforts this summer for a striker.

Xhaka is a great start, but we need a serious striker and I worry that Vardy just won't cut it up front for AFC.

07 Jun 2016 16:04:55
he is exactly the type of player we need, always running, always creating problems for the CB's what i read recently sums him up perfectly what he lacks in technique he makes up for in desire.

he may not bang in 25 goals but if he can score in the big games that's all we need. someone who can kill off big games when we need to counter the hell out of them, and ozil and sanchez breaking with a striker that can also run like the wind. oh my oh my.

07 Jun 2016 16:04:55
he is exactly the type of player we need, always running, always creating problems for the CB's what i read recently sums him up perfectly what he lacks in technique he makes up for in desire.

he may not bang in 25 goals but if he can score in the big games that's all we need. someone who can kill off big games when we need to counter the hell out of them, and ozil and sanchez breaking with a striker that can also run like the wind. oh my oh my.

07 Jun 2016 16:51:07
I agree with you sky walker in the respect that I'm not sold on the idea but to call him egotistical etc is unfair, it's a big decision and I would have loved some of our past turncoats (nasri, rvp, clichy etc) to have at least thought but they all left like a flash.

07 Jun 2016 17:03:27
Laker, oh and he can score too. Just pass him the ball and he won't be shy of the goal. He isn't as wasteful as Theo or Giroud is.
Would like us to get Mkihtaryan if Vardy's deal collapses.

07 Jun 2016 17:25:09
I disagree laker

We need more than someone who just scores in the big games, we need a prolific 20/ 25+ goals a season, a commanding leader, score a goal outa nothing, drags the team forward, has age on there side.
Vardy has some of what we are looking for and is a good player, I would have him fo sure but as back up.
No disrespect to Vardy but I demand Arsenal fc do better for a first choice striker. How long have we been waiting for a real proper striker? This is the summer to go all out n get the best, you mean to tell me there isn't better out there that we can get? We have worldys like ozil and Sanchez in our team, we can mount a challenge on all trophy fronts, we have one of the greatest n well respected managers in the game.
We have the pulling power surely?

07 Jun 2016 18:10:59
Jegooner,

take a look at the strikers that are available on the current market prior to the euros and what prices they are going for. Then think about an average striker that may get a good run of games and score a few goals in the euros. He is average at best but his price trebbled cause he banged 4 goals in, in 3 games. Welcome to silly season.

Vardy has a work rate of a mule, the esteem of a god and work rate of 3 walcots. We need more players in the team like that and for 20million, that's a steal (prem proven now also) .

I am not saying he is the be all and end all, but be realistic here. What other strikers do you expect to come available in the next few weeks that the rest of europe don't want that can score 20 goals+ a season.

I think we will be lucky if he does come join us. He will make Giroud work a lot harder at any rate.

{Ed025's Note - no argument from me gavsta mate..

07 Jun 2016 18:15:48
I'm not sold on Vardy either. Even at Leicester I don't think he'll have another season like this. I say just go all out and get Griezman. He possesses all of Vardy's qualities (fast, agile, strong, good work rates etc) and he's a fantastic finisher, not to mention he has 5 years on JV. He would cost a lot but as the eds say, it's not our money, so why worry?

{Ed025's Note - for the money NE, vardy seems a great deal to me, i do like griezman as well but hpw well he would do in the prem is a gamble, well it is for the money they would want mate..

07 Jun 2016 18:34:48
For me if he is making us wait then tell him forget it and move onto the next target. We've had too many windows we've messed around.

07 Jun 2016 18:41:46
Mkihtarayan anyway. He's not a striker so getting vardy or not would have no influence on getting him they don't play the same position.

07 Jun 2016 19:09:44
Is it me
Arsenal or Leicester, If you can't make you mind up then go enjoy the relegation scrap.
I'm not the greatest fan of Vardy (I don't know why )
But if he doesn't row the channel and run to London then
Bye bye, Wenger is taking a massive gamble.
120k, 3 year deal ummmmmm I wonder what I will do,
Wenger give his agent a call and say hrs or we pull the plug.
As he got super Nicks agent or what.
Arsenal wait for no player, unless your Messi, Ronaldo or the great welsh wizard, Jesus if Welbeck was fit, Vardy would be sat on his Arse At home.

07 Jun 2016 19:10:16
I don't think this has anything to do with Vardy being 'egotistical' I do actually believe this is a hard choice for him.

Let's not forget, a few years ago, he was playing non league football.
Now he's just won the league with a club who gave him a chance in the championship and stuck with him in the big time.

There are so many people claiming to know the reason why he's not agreed/ agreed yet.
From him being scared he won't be the big fish anymore, to him wanting a 4 year deal and is only offering a 3 year.

Vardy also doesn't have the luxury of another chance, so to speak.
If he's 24, comes to Arsenal, it doesn't work and we ship him off after 2 years, he's got 6-7 years left of his career, to make it work again.

If he comes here now, at 29, doesn't work out and we ship him off at 31, he's got 1-2 years of career left and he's not going to be able to go to another big team at that age, with a 'failed' spell at Arsenal.

As for people saying we should go after 'better' strikers, who?

Aubamayeng will probably end up at City or Real Madrid, he's always wanted Madrid and has never pretended otherwise.

Lewandowski won't leave Bayern just yet, unless someone comes in with stupid money.

Higauin, maybe, but he's 29 too, lacks the fitness levels to be playing much more than 2-3 years and will cost is at least twice what's being quoted for Vardy.

Morata, not really prolific yet and for one reason or another, seems we've gone off him.

Benzema, may leave if Madrid get Aubamayeng, but I wouldn't touch him with a 10 foot pole.

Trust me, in a peferct world, Vardy isn't my first choice either.
He's not my first choice now for that matter.

However, he is a realistic option, with a proven premier league record, in his prime, who'll give us goals for at least a couple years.

And a couple years is a long time in football, by the time Vardy is getting on, we'll be talking about a whole new crop of strikers Arsenal should be signing/ can't afford/ aren't realistic. (Enes Unal of City, Andre Silva of Porto and Neal Maupay of St Ettienne are my shouts)

Who knows, Yaya Sanogo is only 24.

{Ed025's Note - good post that D..

07 Jun 2016 19:39:11
D
I agree with a lot of what you say
But please don't think that 120k on a 3 year deal is putting Vardy on the bread line, as a rough guess that 18 million.
5 yrs ago he was on £1000 a week.
The bookies have Vardy to stay at Leicester.
I can't beleave we are discussing this, 2 yrs ago most on here would want Wengers head on a spike if we where talking about Vardy.
We are TALKING £120 k a week 3 year deal, Please can someone tell me the negatives in that. pop them on a post card
He is know Ian Wright,
I'm having a melt down.

07 Jun 2016 19:59:28
Chill out people the blokes being asked to leave the champions of England where he's not unhappy for a move to a very big club but one who's failed to put in a realistic challenge for over a decade where he may or may not be happy.
Its not unreasonable for him to need a bit of time to decide if he wants to gamble what he has for what he might or might not get with us.

One things for Certain Europes elite strikers wouldn't need much time at o to make a dedecision on joining us or not theyd probably take longer deciding what to have for lunch, a bit of realistic humility might be more inline than over inflated opinion of our own standing as a team which doesn't currently match the size of our club.

07 Jun 2016 20:12:40
Can people please tell me how they know what players will cost and where they want to play their football. I'm sure we could have all these bizarre ideas about ozil and then he signs for Arsenal so unless anyone knows these players you can't say where and how much etc. Vardy if he has another season like last would be a bargain if the prices been quoted are correct and would be a good addition to the squad. You can't buy him and put him straight in at no1 choice.

07 Jun 2016 20:38:14
Gavsta
It's not about the money for me mate, it used to be but not anymore since the prices paid for anyone in my eyes is ridiculous.
I know he works hard etc and has had an amazing season but is it a one off just like Leicester winning the league (no disrespect) and has he got the intelligence to match our style of play? Can he learn quick enough? It's a completely different game we play and at 29 he has no time to learn. Like I said a big fat YES but as back up.
If players aren't available make them available! Isn't that what the big boys do?

D
You do talk sense mate and I hear ya but surely there's better that we could prize away? A striker WAS and IS our main position to upgrade so we should be sweet talking the crap outa some worldy.
Marco Rues would be a big shout for me
Icardi (has potential to be aguero like)
lukaku (prem proven/ beast/ young)

There's a long list of players we could go all out gun hoe for that would be dramatic improvements, like someone said it kinda seems abit of a cop-out.
I'd be happy if he signed but only if another came in.

07 Jun 2016 22:21:39
Jegooner I know what you are saying, I just don't agree with your way off thinking is all. There are some great players out there and yes for good money. The question lays with are they available, if so are they within our budget when we still need another CB. We all have read the papers and the carp that they put out saying we have x amount of millions to spent. It is just that, a story in a gloryfied comic book mate.

Reus-pretty sure we have tried to sail that ship many times and it sank next to the titanic of Higuian and Benzema.
Icardi- Seen the guy a few times looks good. Young fresh and scores a few. I certainly would not say no. BUT (here is where I will get slammed no doubt) . I think he would cost a bomb and that's only if Inter let him go. To me he seems slower then Aguero so a bad comparison for me and I am not so sure he could cut the mustard in a faster paced league (but hey I am no football scout just opinion) .
Lukaku- Great player, has PL experience and can only get better. Is he worth 60mill+, nah is he a male cows testicles lol.

To get to the point, I know your frustration and I feel it too. I am just trying to be realistic as this happens every worldcup and euros accept the last as we got Sanchez. Prices just go mental for average players and bidding wars start, so just try to keep it a little realistic is all.

good post though Jeg and I like the ambition.

07 Jun 2016 13:24:08
Could sissoko fit in the team?

I know he plays RM a lot but he seems be a more complete CM.

Would you move on one of jack/ Le coq/ Rambo/ Santi to make space?

He is a force and seems he would play for the badge with his desired love for the club.

Another leader?

07 Jun 2016 13:39:50
Way too inconsistent.

07 Jun 2016 14:58:15
He would possibly fit but to upgrade our past 10 years league position's, any incoming player needs to be an upgrade on what we have.

No point selling your 2012 Fiesta and replacing it with another 2012 Fiesta.

07 Jun 2016 15:00:11
He was originally a centre mid whilst at Tolouse, it's only whilst at Newcastle he really began to play wide.

He wouldn't be a bad option, but we have plenty of centre midfielders and I wouldn't really swap any for Sissoko.
Even as a wide player, there are many better we could aim for i feel.

07 Jun 2016 17:03:19
Yeah I completely agree, no better then what we have and if it is seen as an upgrade it ain't much of one.

Just wanted people's thoughts after seeing sissoko' comments today :)

07 Jun 2016 10:06:07
It shows the absolute dearth of top strikers, when we are getting excited at the prospect of signing Jamie Vardy, who is in his 30th year, having had only one season at the top in the PL. Even he will cosy us a reported £22m, plus wages over 4 years of approx £24m, a total of £46m for one player who will have little or no resale value at the end of his deal. The alternative appears to be Morata at £48m, plus 5 years at say £7m, which makes a grand total of £83m. Admittedly you would expect him to have a resale value. If one of the top strikers, such as Lewandowski were available, he would probably cost £60m, plus wages of say £50m over 5 years, a total of £110m, with a low resale value at the end, due to his age.
The interesting thing is that, even at these high transfer fees and wages, we still might not succeed in signing any of these three players.

07 Jun 2016 10:40:42
Agree RG mate, I was excited for about a day, don't get me wrong he is good player and had a great season with Leicester but Vardy is not the answer.

Like I mentioned in a post below Theo could have done the same thing at Leicester as what vardy has done given the chance (n i don't rate Theo)
It's not about the money (it's not mine) it's the player, this is a massive decision for us because this person is going to be our new leader up-front, I'd take him as back-up but not as my 1st choice.

Just my opinion ofcourse ladies :)

07 Jun 2016 13:17:17
I thought I was alone. Summed it up really I'm not convinced and think it's a cop out buy.

07 Jun 2016 13:44:27
And I thought I was hard too please.

07 Jun 2016 15:00:34
Is everybody on this site turning into Steve?

(Only kidding mate :-)

07 Jun 2016 16:08:24
To be fair arsenal could sign a one legged pony and u will get gooner salivating over him declaring him a star (see red dogs garbreal comments a couple of months ago)

This is nothing new.

07 Jun 2016 16:08:24
To be fair arsenal could sign a one legged pony and u will get gooner salivating over him declaring him a star (see red dogs garbreal comments a couple of months ago)

This is nothing new.

07 Jun 2016 16:28:38
Oh come on Chris,

Read the post's on Utd page, where you boy's say Chris Smalling is world Class.

Do me a lemon mate :-)

07 Jun 2016 16:54:48
You guys passed up on vardy so the story goes so if he ain't good enough for you then he ain't good enough for us.

07 Jun 2016 18:09:11
Sano man u are not in the champs lrague so could sctivate release clause. My guess is they would have had to offer silly money for him because of that.

07 Jun 2016 19:14:19
Didn't have specs on. Couldn't activate release clause.

07 Jun 2016 19:15:53
Dags I've lost my crown big style this week. i'm lost for words by some of the moaning and that's saying something. I think we have a few more wenger out after this. lol.

{Ed025's Note - your crown is still firmly in place for me steve..unless victor meldrew gets a cannon tattooed on his arse.. :)

07 Jun 2016 20:50:58
Im really going to have to get a moan on to challenge some of these whingers ed.

{Ed025's Note - im sure your up to the task steve.. :)

07 Jun 2016 07:51:37
Eds.
Just a thought here.
Could it be that Vardys advisors have said something along the lines of .
"Go the Euros if you have a blinder then we can squeeze some more money. If nothing else the same offer will be there when you come back "
Could this be the reason for his delay.
Would make a lot of sense to me.

{Ed001's Note - nothing to do with money mate, he just doesn't know whether to leave Leicester or not. He is very happy where he is, but this is a chance to move to a club like Arsenal, that ensure regular Champions League football, rather than the chance of staying and they might lose other players and never challenge again. It is the biggest decision of his life.}

07 Jun 2016 08:09:10
Put like that Ed01 makes a lot of sense.
Good reply mate.

{Ed001's Note - I was trying to decide what I would do in his position, but I really don't know! I mean Leicester is a great place to be, but Arsenal offer a step up, potentially, in the longer term.}

07 Jun 2016 09:14:13
Ed,
I posted similar yesterday.

Contacting a player and trying to tie up a deal 24/ 48 hours before he flies out on International duty, and expecting an answer, is pretty much a pi55 take.

{Ed001's Note - true, it is a bit of a tough decision to make quickly.}

07 Jun 2016 09:26:20
Sorry to throw my opinion in over here but will he play regular at Arsenal Ed, is he the tippy tappy type of player that Arsenal play or am I not giving Vardy enough credit to his versatility? At Leicester he will be a legend, I just worry he might get lost at Arsenal.

{Ed001's Note - Arsenal do not need a tippy tappy player up top, he would be the ideal player to create space for those players though.}

07 Jun 2016 09:34:08
Ah I see, is he seen as a starter ahead of Giroud then? Thanks Ed and no offence my gunner friends if any taken just an interesting deal if it goes through, was thinking it may be a shift in Arsene's philosophy.

07 Jun 2016 09:34:08
Ah I see, is he seen as a starter ahead of Giroud then? Thanks Ed and no offence my gunner friends if any taken just an interesting deal if it goes through, was thinking it may be a shift in Arsene's philosophy.

{Ed001's Note - yes, he is being targeted as a first choice striker.}

07 Jun 2016 10:15:47
Welsh,
No offence taken mate.
You are always welcome here. Good poster.

In fact, I have expressed the same concerns myself about Vardy fitting in.

07 Jun 2016 11:38:01
Ah knew I like you for a reason Dags 😉 Thanks. How you think he will fit in then mate?

07 Jun 2016 11:56:07
Dags I wish we'd take the piss more often if it means only caring for ourselves by identifying a target and just going for them regardless of how it makes others feel :)