Arsenal

[Lucky Gonk]

Haha, that's a great photo. I'm really looking forward to seeing what those two and Giroud bring to the team.

So with the Juventus manager, Antonio Conte, facing a 10-month ban for match-fixing, Man City having to ship players out before they can spend to comply with FFP, and the Glazers finding ever more economically creative ways to fuck Man U in to the ground it's looking increasingly likely that his Lordship will still be an Arsenal player at the start of the season. Is that a fair assessment, or am I hopelessly misreading the situation?

Bear in mind I don't necessarily regard this as a cause for celebration. Van Persie staying brings with it a miriad of problems I won't pretend I'm qualified to answer. I don't honestly see that there's any way back for him, what with the catastrophically ill-judged statement he spunked out, but by the same token I don't really see anyone moving heaven and earth to sign him. Man U have been making the loudest overtures this week, but from the way Fergie's talking I got the impression we're doing the sum total of fuck all to make life easy for either party (which, of course, is exactly as it should be). Besides, I'm not sure how genuine Man U's persuit of Van Persie is. Part of me wonder if it's nothing more than a figleaf to keep the fans onside and distract from their upcoming IPO floatation.

Of course, we've been here many times before and all of this may account for jack shit come the last day of the transfer window, but my gut instinct at this point is that he'll stay. Does anyone else feel the same?

[The Fox]

I don't really want him to stay at this point at all. It'd just be really fucking awkward for all concerned.

What a monumentally stupid thing that statement was.

[Petrousgyre]

Park scored a well taken goal to help Korea win bronze yesterday. Highlights here if anyone's interested.

[Professor_k]

I'm totally pumped to see the new boys in action today against FC Cologne

The ever reliable tabloids are saying that RVP will be playing for 45 minutes... A pretty big statement of intent that Arsene will have him starting the season with us unless the right offer comes along. As long as he doesn't skulk about looking like he doesn't wanna be there I'd rarther see him playing for us than Fergie snapping up a 15 million "bargain".

[Lucas]

I'd rather take the 15 million.

[The Fox]

I'd be amazed if the club sold him to an English club for £15m. If he has to stay he's not going to be able to sulk, otherwise no club will offer him megabucks next summer. He'll need to put himself in the shop window all over again, and RVP doing the business has got to be worth more than £15m in competition progress/success. He could easily make the difference between success and failure in several EPL/CL games.

I still think he'll probably be sold, but not for £15m to Man Utd.

[carlito]

Cazorla looks fucking sharp eh?

[Professor_k]

Oh God I'm still commuting back from work and arsenal player ain't streaming on the bus.... Garrrgh

[carlito]

Cazorla is actual magic.

Likely to spend most of next week semi-blooded after what he's shown so far.

[Gotters]

Cazorla looks very impressive, albeit against a pre season relegated german team, love the way he threading in the front players. still signs of our soft centre in defence (and dont say it doesn't matter its pre season, shitty play is shitty play and doesn't turn off like a switch next weekend by magic.

Giroud looks very wasteful to me, I reckon 20 goals in france = 10 or less in the perm, he's hit several good chances straight at keeper when not under great pressure.

Very postiive first half though and getting me in mood for trip to the game next Sat now

[carlito]

Really? Giroud looked excellent I thought. Good touch, good hold up play, good movement and a couple of good shots. He was unlucky not to score.

[Gotters]

time will of course tell but this lot are tat and Giroud had several lovely chances to open his account and he hit them all at the keeper - he didn't play badly I agree, just not very clinical.

we'll see but on what I've seen so far (and his FIFA 12 stats of course) he appears wasteful - only an early view and happy to be proven wrong.

[carlito]

I just don't know how you could possibly get that impression from watching him today.

Perhaps he could have scored when Ox squared it, but he had about four defenders around him and it was still a decent effort, but that about the only thing I can think of that wasn't good.

Pretty much everything else suggested to me that he's got what he needs to do the business.

[Gotters]

we'll see, I'm not making a definitive judgement on the basis of that, just my view on basis of limited viewing. Having watched loads of footy you make snap judgements, some are right, some aren't.

I hope he bangs them in left right and centre starting with humiliating that prize shite Martin O'Neill next weekend.

[carlito]

It just seems a bizarre thing to say - the goalkeeper had to make at least three or four cracking saves to stop him scoring.

[Sirloin]

Koln aren't preseason, they played at the weekend in B2.

[Dude Ranch]

New boys all looked good, very promising IMHO. As much us getting used to them as the other way around.

[Petrousgyre]

Good first half that, Giroud played well I thought. Santos looks slimmer and seemed marginally more sane defensively.

[The Fox]

Barcelona have allegedly offered £12m for Alex Song. Good luck with that.

[toythatkills]

I can't remember the last time I was actually excited for the start of a season. Even the RvP shit isn't getting me down, if he stays, great, if he goes, whatever. It feels like forever since we seemed stronger at the start of a season than we were at the end of the previous one.

The only real problem is that I want to put Cazorla in my Fantasy Football team but I'm afraid I'll jinx him.

[Petrousgyre]

The only real problem is that I want to put Cazorla in my Fantasy Football team but I'm afraid I'll jinx him.

I wouldn't have him in week 1. He's flying to Puerto Rico with the Spain squad to play in a friendly on Wednesday so it's highly unlikely he'll be any more than a substitute in the Sunderland game.

[Cosmic_Guru]

Decision time on the captaincy fast coming up and with the international break it could get tricky - not sure what the print deadline will be for the programme for example.

[toythatkills]

Ryo's off to Wigan for a year, which is probably fair enough. He seems a decent fit for them. I really hope he makes it at Arsenal one day though, and doesn't just become another Vela.

[hauk]

Interesting to see Wenger saying Giroud and Podolski haven't been signed as replacements for Van Persie. The Squad looks very good this year, best in years. Wonder if there will be any more action in the transfer market before the end of August?

[Petrousgyre]

Wonder if there will be any more action in the transfer market before the end of August?

It seems a possibility, regardless of what happens with Song it seems another deep lying midfielder is on the cards, Sahin, M'Vila or Wanyama have all been mentioned. AS.com (another Real Madrid rag) reckon a loan deal for Sahin is pretty much done but who knows.

Right back is another position that might be strengthened with Ajax's Van der Wiel an option. Certainly Sagna's leg breaks are a worry and Jenkinson didn't exactly inspire confidence pre-season.

[hauk]

It seems a possibility, regardless of what happens with Song it seems another deep lying midfielder is on the cards, Sahin, M'Vila or Wanyama have all been mentioned. AS.com (another Real Madrid rag) reckon a loan deal for Sahin is pretty much done but who knows.

Right back is another position that might be strengthened with Ajax's Van der Wiel an option. Certainly Sagna's leg breaks are a worry and Jenkinson didn't exactly inspire confidence pre-season.

I'm undecided about Song. He can be excellent, man of the match stuff, but has a lot of off games and seems a little undisciplined to play DM. I was impressed with M'Vila in the Euro's, seemed to just stick to defending without bombing forward too much.

Can Vermaelen or any of the other Center Backs play on the right?

[Petrousgyre]

I'm undecided about Song. He can be excellent, man of the match stuff, but has a lot of off games and seems a little undisciplined to play DM. I was impressed with M'Vila in the Euro's, seemed to just stick to defending without bombing forward too much.

I still find Barcas interest in him bizarre, much as I rate Song his passing and general ball retention aren't what's required of Barca, and they can't have one player give the ball away using their system or it all falls apart.

[carlito]

I think Jenkinson is easily competent enough to deputise while Sagna's out. I am not quite sure why so many people don't like him.

[Petrousgyre]

I think Jenkinson's got a future but his positional play is suspect - I know its just a pre-season nonsense but I thought he was culpable for both of City's goals a few weeks back.

[Rev]

He did pretty well when he was thrown in at the deep end last season. He's not perfect, obviously, but he doesn't worry me massively when I see his name on the team sheet.