Arsenal

[carlito]

I think he made a few mistakes, but no more than Clichy, say, in his final season for the club. He's a step down from Sagna no doubt but you could say that about any other rightback in the league. I feel he's already an improvement on anyone we've stuck in that position since Lauren.

Also puts the best crosses into the box I've seen from an Arsenal player in years and years.

[The Fox]

Yeah Jenks' crossing really is excellent. As mentioned, it's getting caught wildly out of position that seems to be his main problem at the moment.

[Petrousgyre]

Talking of things we've not seen in a while; Podolskis second last night - he absolutely smashed it in - the odd RVP strike aside we've not had a striker who just enjoys putting his laces through a ball.

[Daley]

Talk that Malaga are also about to let Isco go and Wenger is sniffing around. Don't know too much about him myself (not the one that dyed his hair and sung Thong Song apparently) but looks like Malaga are proper fucked. Their chairman has asked PSG's chairman (his cousin) for a loan of any players they are willing to let go.

[Sirloin]

Isco is great, similar sort of player to Cazorla.

[toythatkills]

Why haven't PSG been linked with van Persie? That seems like a really easy one for journalists to make up

[Daley]

Isco is great, similar sort of player to Cazorla.

Mmmm might be a bit too much of a stretch and the sites doing the linking weren't what you would call reliable. But Wilshere is out until godknowswhen, Arteta is injured already and if Song really does go to Barca then maybe. Plus AW loves a bargain so worth keeping an eye on I reckon. Although also talk that once Modric goes to Madrin the Sahin deal is ready to happen. I am not sure I know what Wenger is thinking this summer. He's actually getting involved.

Why haven't PSG been linked with van Persie? That seems like a really easy one for journalists to make up

The huge cartload of cash they spunked on Ibra probably rules them out.

[redbloodcell]

They already bought The Zlatan!

[anders limpar]

Now I'm a registered heterosexual, but that Giroud is proper fit.

[Daley]

Now I'm a registered heterosexual, but that Giroud is proper fit.

I think he likes you too.

[toythatkills]

They already bought The Zlatan!

You're letting logic get in the way of an easy bunch of column inches!

[The Fox]

This is now the sexy Giroud thread.

[Art Vandelay]

Christ alive. What a dreamboat.

[carlito]

He likes a little bit of on pitch Gallic posturing too.

Not Henry grade yet, but there's hope.

[The Fox]

RVP to Man Utd talk has intensified a lot, at least on Twatter. I'm starting to think it probably will happen, if only because his relationship with Arsene must have taken a huge hit over this. I can't imagine though that this is what Van Persie had in mind when he released that statement. He must have thought City would be in for him like a rat up a drainpipe, waving £250k a week contracts around the place.

[toythatkills]

But he already signed for City! Remember! About six months ago when loads of people in this thread were quoting their "inside sources" and saying he'd already agreed terms with City and he was definitely going there!

[Daley]

Fuck RvP. We can't talk beefcake and forget this guy.

His hair is simply amazing.

[The Fox]

But he already signed for City! Remember! About six months ago when loads of people in this thread were quoting their "inside sources" and saying he'd already agreed terms with City and he was definitely going there!

I think that was just Steve, to be fair to the rest of us.

[carlito]

It's not over yet with RVP.

He's worth a Man City bid just to stop Utd getting him. City already have a few reliable goalscorers and creativity in attack, United not so much.

I personally don't think he fits in with the way United play relying on quick counters with minimal bodies committed forward, but he might and that's a bit frightening. The maximum possible improvement he could make to the Man City squad as a whole is way, way less than the maximum possible improvement he could make at United.

[Rev]

Can we go back to the bit where we're signing Isco please? According to random news it's Bendtner+Money for Isco which would be amazing for two reasons:

1) Isco is very good and could easily become very, very good.

2) Bendtner going to a team I support where he'd probably be the most sensible person there. I'll definitely be getting a shirt and/or a season ticket.

MAKE IT SO.

[carlito]

Do we really have a pressing need for more young midfielders?

[Rev]

Ones like that? Yeah. He's in a different league to any of the current youngsters we've got and he already works well with Cazorla. I'd buy him without thinking twice.

I think he likes you too.

I'm looking at that picture and I'm pretty sure it's me he likes. Why else would he sit in front of my name?

[Daley]

That van Persie, he was shit anyway. We don't need him, plenty of players can replace him.

[Rev]

Kos earning thousands more points in that video. It could only be improved by him nutting RVP, flipping the bird and wandering off.

Chamakh and Djourou are still a bit shit, mind.

[The Fox]

It looks increasingly likely that we're going to sell Song to Barcelona if they can come up with something more like €20m+. We're not under any pressure to sell him so you have to assume, if it does happen, that Wenger has similar views on him to most of us in this thread.

[Daley]

Yea. Arseblog today is a good read. He is under contract for another three years so if we sell it's very much Wenger's decision. I appreciate how much Song has improved and going forward last year he was very good, but if we are talking about a "proper" DM we can do better. Who? Well M'Villa seems to be the easy answer and Capoue seems to keep cropping up but i've not seen much of him.

Although Arsene being Arsene he will probably say "no i'm covered for DMs thanks. Coq can play there and Frimpong is nearly fit and when he is, well, it will be like..."

[toythatkills]

I hope we get M'Vila. There were rumours the other day that he'd agreed terms with a London club, and further rumours that it was Spurs. I always feel really sorry for former Arsenal targets who end up at Spurs because it must be literally the only option open to them.

Although, he did basically respond to the rumours with "lol? Spurs? Er, no." which is nice.

[Daley]

I think he responded by saying he only wants to sign for a CL club. Which is nice.

He may have looked like this at the time but i'm not sure.

[carlito]

Terms agreed for RVP

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/terms-agreed-for-van-persie-transfer

[Varnsen]

I hope this means we swoop in for Llorente. Even though it's Man U sucks, at least it's done now and there's time (if there's the intent) to get some other players in.