Arsenal

[redbloodcell]

Maybe it's to do with it being 1000c* out there in the summer.

*Massive exaggeration.

Oh yeah, suppose so.

[Lucky]

This African Nations cup, is it every two years?

[213]

Why don't they just move it to the actual off-season, or do their leagues play to a different timetable?

Because they've been playing it apparently at that time of year, every two years (I think), since 1958 and it predates even the European championship (Euro XXXX).

Basically no one cared until clubs started importing footballers from Africa who were good and cheap - you could argue that as clubs knew the rules when they signed the player then it's their problem. Kanote was a bit different but frankly Pleat acted like an arse over the whole thing, once his mind was made to play for the country of his (fore)father(s) they should have arranged a nice send off, a bunch of flowers, a jet to get him to the tornament and handled the whole thing with class. You cannot stop a player playing for his country, the reason there's such interest in football in this country is the excitement over the England team post 1990/96, this is the other side of the coin - IMHO.

Everyone knows it's going to happen so clubs should just get on with it and deal with it, they could just develop their own players and problem solved but that seems too straightforward.

[hercules]

I always watch the African cup of nations, iagree that its troublesome for most of the premiership as we lose players but all managers know this when they are buying an african player. It will be a big blow for us to lose Toure, Eboue and Adebayor so i'm hoping we go in for Richards in the summer to help in defence and with bendtner back and maybe Carlos Vela who i've heard rave reviews about, we should be alright

[Kelthink]

Maybe it's to do with it being 1000c* out there in the summer.

*Massive exaggeration.

Their seasons are reversed, being in the Southern hemisphere...

[Petrousgyre]

Their seasons are reversed, being in the Southern hemisphere...

It's played in January which is summer in the Southern Hemisphere, but worth pointing out that most of Africa is in the northern hemisphere - certainly Ghana is, the hosts in 2008.

Africa Cup of Nations is a great tournament with a long history - it's extremely popular in Africa - it's generally very exciting with some of the worlds best attacking football on display. Incredibly arrogant to expect Africa to cancel or rearrange its biggest sporting event because it inconveniences some big European clubs.

[Mars]

Reo-Coker set to leave West Ham for a fee of 8+ mil, wortha punt? I know they were linked with Freddie as well...

[hercules]

i don't think we need another midfielder although i do like Reo-coker and 8mil would be better compared with the 15mil we bid last summer

[Dude Ranch]

Reo-Coker set to leave West Ham for a fee of 8+ mil, wortha punt? I know they were linked with Freddie as well...

I think keeping Muamba would have been preferable.

[Mars]

Good point, Reo Coker would be better in terms of ready-made Premiership experience though.

[hercules]

thats true. I don't think we'll go in for him again, a winger and a defender is more likely

[anders limpar]

*shrugs*

I'm only quoting what I read, I can't vouch for it's validity.

sorry, that read more tetchy than intended. i was referring to the journalist's imagination/desperation to file any old copy before he goes to the pub

[The Grand Pursuivant]

Poom off to Watford then. A bit of a shame really, I'd rather have kept him than Calamity Manuel.

[Lucas]

Poom had good pedigree. I felt we could have come more out of him then we did out of the hapless alumnia.

Flamini says he's off according to NoTW today. Does this mean I wont be able to sing "The Matty Flamini Society" anymore?

[g wings]

I guess they weren't going to be able tro keep Poom but I think I would have preferred to offload Almunia.

Flamini's departure is no big surprise...will we get more than a bag of chips for him?

There were rumours of Arsene looking at some young winger and a striker over the last couple of days but I can't remember their names...seems about right!

[Dude Ranch]

I think he will add a little more steel to the squad. Arsenal probably need two or three new players and with the club not in a position to throw money round you might see Wenger targetting a couple of pros who’ve already had the experience of winning trophies.

Going back to something I said earlier.. Why the fuck haven't we got any money? What is the point of the Emirates? Are we fucked for 15 years?

[g wings]

Going back to something I said earlier.. Why the fuck haven't we got any money? What is the point of the Emirates? Are we fucked for 15 years?

What he said...

Although, lets face it, Wenger doesn't exactly like to throw money around even when he does have it.

I see a 'come get me' plea by B McCarthy has been sent out...he could work well for us.

[Idonex]

We do have cash for players and the new stadium is bringing in far more money, it's just they wont ever spend any..I predict another summer of 'new exciting youngsters who'll set the premiership on fire'. Then leave on free transfers next year.

[Dude Ranch]

We do have cash for players

No-one inside the Club seems to think so.

the new stadium is bringing in far more money

Exactly. When do we see the benefit?

Obviously it's all rumours this that and the other but I'm worried that we don't appear to be investing in the side. We've made a couple of sales here and there, we always do, so I'm thinking the money must be adding up. I'm just thinking 'go out and sign two £25m players'. Jesus, make a statement of intent. Show the fans, other clubs etc. what we're doing. I know you need financial stability but what is the stadium for if not to generate cash for new players? We had more cash before the move!

[hercules]

Wenger won't spend big money on players, Babel seems like a really likely signing. Supposedly wenger is debating bringing Carlos Vela back from his loan spell in spain to fight for a first team place. And there have been reports that we've been tracking a young striker, tbh i just don't know what to believe.

[Dude Ranch]

Wenger won't spend big money on players

Yeah, has always seemed the case.

But if our strategy is buying young foreign players on the cheap and assume, say, 30% make it good, then where was the need for the Emirates? All that money and no intention to spend it? Sounds a bit daft. I mean, Wenger pushed for the move and was instrumental at every stage. So what was the point?

The Arsenal experience is worse at the Emirates, the crowd is quieter, the travel is a pain, the facilities aren't exactly great. It cost us points this season, I think we can agree on that. So all the financial investment, grief, work etc. to secure the move was for what, exactly?

Plus there's exposure to the game collapsing, crowds falling, not qualifying for the Champions League etc. With the debt we have we could end up in the shit.

There must be a master plan but if it's not major investment in the team (and I'm not talking post debt in 15 years) then what is it?

[Daley]

Here we go...

Ribery news

[mop]

Here we go...

Ribery news

Intresting. If we do get him, it'll happen next week and then fuck all else, transfer wise, will happen at all this summer. Just like with Rosicky last year.

I'd be happy with Ribery coming but I wouldn't mind maybe a 2nd winger also.

[Daley]

Intresting. If we do get him, it'll happen next week and then fuck all else, transfer wise, will happen at all this summer. Just like with Rosicky last year.

I'd be happy with Ribery coming but I wouldn't mind maybe a 2nd winger also.

To be honest with the way things are if we signed Ribery and didn't sell anyone else I would probably take that.

[mop]

To be honest with the way things are if we signed Ribery and didn't sell anyone else I would probably take that.

I hear that. Let's just hope when\if we bring someone in they're the type of player that's going to bring a bit of energy to both the team and the fans, just so that maybe we could start next season running.

[Daley]

I hear that. Let's just hope when\if we bring someone in they're the type of player that's going to bring a bit of energy to both the team and the fans, just so that maybe we could start next season running.

Exactly. I cling to the hope that signing Ribery (or someone like him) could give the fans/players a boost and also add a new dimension to the team and the way we play so hopefully a few of the underachieving players start performing. Hleb springs to mind. He needs fast players around him or he looks very ordinary.

[Lucky]

It's so important to start the season running. The standard in the PL is so high you can't afford a bad start, it seems you can't even have the inevitable dodgy patch.

Feruson said before this season that utd needed to hit the ground running, they did and never looked back. Chelsea were chasing the whole season and even though they were consistent they just couldn't catch utd.

We need to sign a player or two earlier rather than later, get everyony fit/rested have a good pre season then start the season 100 miles an hour.

To win the PL nowadays you've got to be super consistent. None of this bollocks in Spain, exciting as it is, where Real look like winning the league even though they've lost 8 games out of 36. Lose 8 games out of 36 in the PL and you might just make the UEFA cup.

[Mars]

Ribery plus a fit and fighting Theo would be bloody magic tbh

[Lucas]

Yeah, has always seemed the case.

But if our strategy is buying young foreign players on the cheap and assume, say, 30% make it good, then where was the need for the Emirates? All that money and no intention to spend it? Sounds a bit daft. I mean, Wenger pushed for the move and was instrumental at every stage. So what was the point?

The Arsenal experience is worse at the Emirates, the crowd is quieter, the travel is a pain, the facilities aren't exactly great. It cost us points this season, I think we can agree on that. So all the financial investment, grief, work etc. to secure the move was for what, exactly?

Plus there's exposure to the game collapsing, crowds falling, not qualifying for the Champions League etc. With the debt we have we could end up in the shit.

There must be a master plan but if it's not major investment in the team (and I'm not talking post debt in 15 years) then what is it?

These are all bloody good points! But, the one thing that I would say is that Wenger has only ever brought one established world class player to the club (Gallas) and that was as part of a funny deal anyway. He prefers to make players, to mould them to his way of thinking.

That's why I firmly believe Henry would not enjoy the success he has had at Arsenal anywhere else.

Ribery plus a fit and fighting Theo would be bloody magic tbh

Why do you think that? What did Theo do last season to convince you he would be a decent and consistent 50 matches a season player next year? After all the hype he seemed exactly what he was, a boy out of his depth. Maybe in a couple of seasons he'll be better, more heavyweight, but I wont expect him to deliver next year.

I'd like to see 2 wingers coming to Arsenal. As Freddie looks likely to go, that only leaves us with Hleb as a proper winger. I know Wenger seems to think that Rosicky is a left winger, but he is clearly wasted in that position. Ribery and Babel would be good, but I expect to see 2 foreign fringe/youth players arrive.

In other news, in today's "the Game" supplement, The Times say that statistically Gilberto was the third best prem player last season, Lehman the fifth and Hleb the tenth.

[Dude Ranch]

In other news, in today's "the Game" supplement, The Times say that statistically Gilberto was the third best prem player last season, Lehman the fifth and Hleb the tenth.

Yeah, I read that. More here.

Gilberto Silva added more points to Arsenal than any player did to any team in England.

I'm not the biggest fan of these stat based comparisons though. They have their place but to see Hleb at ten and then Febregas at thirteen and Clichy at fifty seven is a bit bonkers.