Arsenal

[Liamness]

Umm, but jealous of how things are shaping up for you to be honest. Carzorla is a fine player, and I imagine he will be switching with Rosicky in the role driving forward from midfield. On the wings, Podolski and AOC offer very different threats. I don't know anything about Giroud except that he's dreamy. I think if you get some cover for Song, you're basically sorted.

[Daley]

Hold your horses there chief.

Cazorla (let's see how many ways we can spell that wrong) hasn't signed yet. Far from it.

Rosicky is out for two months. Injured. Shocking I know.

Podolski and Giroud are new to the league and likely to need some time to adapt.

Cover for Song? Sorted? This is Arsenal we are talking about.

And don't forget the 30-odd goal striker that is hanging around outside Arsenal with his thumb in the air with a "Manchester" sign in his hand.

Oh and Walcott is also in the last year of his contract but nobody seems to have noticed/cares.

[The Fox]

Coquelin is the cover for Song!

[Rev]

Coquelin is also the cover for Ramsey. And Sagna. And Gibbs. And Szczesny.

[Petrousgyre]

Cazorla (let's see how many ways we can spell that wrong) hasn't signed yet. Far from it.

Cazorla hasn't signed because Dalglish was sacked?

[Daley]

Cazorla hasn't signed because Dalglish was sacked?

Could be...but more likely is that Yahoo replaced the story as they realised it was using a non-verified Twitter account as its source.

Was this basically:

Malaga winger Santi Cazorla has taken to twitter to dismiss speculation that he is on the verge of joining Premier League giants Arsenal.

Reports on Wednesday suggested that the playmaker was desperate to leave the La Liga club after a bitter pay dispute and had agreed personal terms with the Gunners over a £16.5 million switch.

But the Euro 2012 winner has updated his personal description on the social networking site twitter to read:

The update roughly translates as: “I am 27 years old, I’m a player for Malaga FC and the Spanish national team and I AM VERY HAPPY TO BE WITH THESE GREAT TEAMS!”

http://www.caughtoff...m-arsenal-move/

Just noticed the yahoo link still says: eurosport.yahoo.com/news/cazorla-plays-arsenal-claims-085357739 but takes you to the Daglish story.

[Petrousgyre]

Could be...but more likely is that Yahoo replaced the story as they realised it was using a non-verified Twitter account as its source.

Ah, I see. It seems that twitter account has nothing to do with Cazorla, happily.

[Rocafella]

Rumours doing the rounds that we're signing Sahin from Real Madrid on a year long loan.

[Daley]

I can't get my head round it. Surely Sp*rs is much more likely as part of the Modric deal. Think people have put two and two together and got 27.

The rumours are he's headed to a PL on loan. I would be amazed if it is to AFC.

[Rev]

I can't get my head round it. Surely Sp*rs is much more likely as part of the Modric deal. Think people have put two and two together and got 27.

The rumours are he's headed to a PL on loan. I would be amazed if it is to AFC.

2 (He's going to the Premiership on loan) + 2 (He's becoming famous for being injured) = Arsenal

[Rocafella]

Well apparently Marca are saying it's us. The consensus seems to be that he's definitely moving to a Prem club on loan.

Mourinho's left him out of the Madrid squad taking part in the Eusebio cup, so we'll find out soon enough.

Edit: Marca: Real Madrid offered Sahin as part of "operation Modric" deal, but Spurs rejected move. Sahin is a "Gunner"

[Daley]

Although apparently Marca who reported the news originally said he is being loaned to a big PL club, so that rules out Sp*rs.

[Rev]

Sahin got fairly linked with us before he want to Real anyway, so it's not a massive surprise. Also, lol:

[The Fox]

Sahin was great at Dortmund. It does make sense with lingering doubts over Wilshere - we're a bit short of options for deep-lying midfielders.

I'd have thought Man Utd need a player like him a lot more, though.

[BlinkyBear]

I'm sorry but this is all too much. ST renewals have taken place so why are we not only signing decent players but being seriously linked with genuinely excellent players. I don't want to be caught up in the hype, but fuck, Sahin and Cazorla would be astonishing (for us) business. Therefore, it won't happen.

[Gotters]

so we weren't bad in the first half, good possession, couple of chances not taken, 2 nil down.

good to see the footy back and nothing changes.

[carlito]

Pre-Season.

[Dude Ranch]

All well and good. Means absolutely nothing. Losing twice in the league will sting though.

[mop]

Well, I only caught the second half but we looked pretty decent in possession and the lads deserved at least one goal for some of their play. The Ox hit both posts with a single shot at one stage. Anyway, like has been said its only a pre season game.

The rain was insane.

[Dude Ranch]

Arsène Wenger says there are a number of rising stars at the Club who will "certainly" get their chance in the first team this season.

The Frenchman has brought a mix of youth and experience with him to the Far East for the 2012 Tour, presented by Emirates and has been impressed by some of the younger members of his squad.

Chuks Aneke and Thomas Eisfeld both scored against a Malaysia XI, while the likes of Benik Afobe, Nico Yennaris and Ryo have all caught the eye. And Wenger is excited by the new generation of players who are forcing their way into the first-team picture.

"We have some young players who are already experienced, for example if I tell you Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, you will tell me he is not young but he is 18 years old," Wenger told a press conference in Hong Kong.

"Jack Wilshere is 20, Aaron Ramsey is 21 and we have some more young players who might push up this season.

"On tour we have Chuks Aneke who has shown quality and of course Ryo. We also have younger players who are 16 or 17, who are not with us on tour, who will certainly appear this season. We are faithful to what we want to do whicih is to promote young players and give them a chance at that level."

He's doing it again. Getting me a bit excited about project youth. Surely we must come up with a crop of players to do something at some point, anyone feel optimistic about our current youngsters? Wilshere and Chamberlain are obviously mustard, can we pull a few more rabbits from Arsene's magic hat?

Also, been thinking about our ever elusive first choice team and the keeper, Sagna, Vermaelen and Kos, Arteta, Wilshere, Podolski, Song, Chamberlain, Giroud, Gervinho potentially, Walcott, Ramsey hopefully, Ryo. If we can get a run with no injuries (HA!) doesn't it read quite well? Lacking in depth maybe.

[wev]

Once again its "promising", unfortunately thats been the case for a number of years now and you have to wonder where that extra edge to keep form going and get difficult results is going to come from, losing a top player every year isn't going to help matters one bit.

[Dude Ranch]

The feeder Club vibe definitely doesn't help.

[The Fox]

Sahin and Cazorla stuff isn't going away is it. Imagine if we somehow signed both of them. It'd be ridiculous and confusing and brilliant.

Totally won't happen and I'm getting ahead of myself, but check this squad:

Keepers: Szczesny, ?, ?

Defenders: Sagna, Jenks, Mert, Kos, Verm, JD, Bartley, Gibbs, Santos

Deep-lying midfielders: Song, Arteta, Sahin, Coquelin

Attacking midfielders: Cazorla, Rosicky, Ramsey, Diaby, Wilshere

Wide players: The Ox, The Forehead, maybe Theo

Strikers: Giroud, Podolski

I mean that's pretty sweet, right? And obviously some players are quite versatile: Wilshere can play deep; Ox, Poldi and Cazorla can play wide etc.

Sadly though the club lacks ambition so it can never come to pass.

[Dude Ranch]

I mean that's pretty sweet, right?

This is my point. It is pretty good already. Bould can only help, funny if he suddenly makes a massive difference. I hope he doesn't turn out to be a younger Pat, bless his heart. I hope he can have some proper input especially at the back. You read through our squad and surely there's a trophy there somewhere. There must be.

[Gotters]

i know all the 'its only pre season' standard wisdom but if anybody looks at our comedy defence and comedy keeper (Woj rarely stops on target shots) and doesn't think its cause for concern I just don't get it. 2 more comedy goals today in the first 30 in hong kong

we still don't make any opposition actually work for goals - it was pre season for City on Friday but you could see they wanted a clean sheet against.

I know the results don't matter, we've got players coming in etc but looking at the manner of play and the goals conceded not looking like much changed so far.

[Steve007]

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/7947385/Wilshere-out-until-October

Wilshere out until October

Wenger:

"Hopefully, we will get Wilshere back playing for October. With Abou Diaby returning, it will be like signing two new players. This season, the squad will be strong and competitive."

Where have we heard this bullshit before?

[carlito]

I have a feeling that there is a real worry about Wilshere's long term fitness at the club.

It's crazy that people are talking about Wilshire taking an attacking midfield spot in the first team when he's fit again. He played one season as a deep lying midfielder which he grew into after a bit of a shakey start and it's just beyond realistic for him to fill the creative void of Fabregas and van Persie departure's.

It's the Ramsey situation all over again unfortunately.

[Rocafella]

Wilshere's return date is an unknown and it's a fair assumption to say Diaby won't make it to the end of October without picking an injury up.

This mean's it's essential we reinforce the midfield, which I think Wenger is definitely trying to do. We're very short of quality there and we all saw what happened when Arteta got injured towards the back end of last season.

[Rev]

It's the Ramsey situation all over again unfortunately.

On the plus side, Ramsey has been doing fairly well in a GB shirt of late. Not brilliant, but he had quite a few nice touches today.

[The Fox]

I have a feeling that there is a real worry about Wilshere's long term fitness at the club.

It's crazy that people are talking about Wilshire taking an attacking midfield spot in the first team when he's fit again. He played one season as a deep lying midfielder which he grew into after a bit of a shakey start and it's just beyond realistic for him to fill the creative void of Fabregas and van Persie departure's.

It's the Ramsey situation all over again unfortunately.

Aside from ENGERLUND retards on TalkSport, who is saying he's going to "fill the creative void of Fabregas and van Persie departures"? I'm not sure anyone has said it in here, anyway. I just put him in the attacking midfielders section up there because a) it's his 'natural' position, and b) I don't think he'd get a sniff as a regista in front of Arteta or Sahin. But I don't think anyone here is expecting much from Wilshere if and when he returns.