Arsenal

[213]

Yeah, ta. That's what I'm thinking. Have you seen much of him? I remember him against us and the goal versus England but it's youtube and anecdotal evidence after that for me .

Well he looks to be able to score with his head which is something that you simply need - all this fancy stuff is very nice but without end product it's nothing - you face a real fight for 4th this year and the likes of Villa etc. have money to spend and could spring a suprise, being able to win ugly from a cross or a opportunistic poachers goal is more important than ever. The longer you go without winning something but going on about being entertaining and all that more you sound like my lot crowing that we played fancy football in years gone by but without any kind of success in recent times. It's hollow, the history books will not show how, just where the cups went. (I find it very frustrating that certain parts of my clubs support cannot see the need for a player that has that drive and the ability to kick the opposition all over the part and defend the back 4 and that refuses to accept defeat but thats another matter.)

Then there's the nightmare scenario for your lot next year, failure to qualify for the CL, manager at end of contract, debt of stadium kicking around, no CL cash. If the price of avoiding that is this guy (16 million or not) and a few one nils via a poachers or a headed goal then it's a price well worth paying.

As unpopular an opinion as it is I'm of the opinion that if you'd kept Hartson you'd have won at least one more title and probably something in Europe as you'd have been able to take to the wings and the air when a team simply decided to choke the midfield as you played so narrow. He was a player that wasn't great BUT he had the ability to score and he was something different, something that continental defenders didn't like to play against , unfashionable if you like but effective if played in the right way and at the right time.

[Steve007]

Lots of rumours today about who Wenger is going to buy next just because he dusted off the cheque book yesterday. How predicable.

I never pay attention to rumours which is why I find yesterday's transfer so hilarious. None of the rags had any clue about it, nor any websites and then *BANG* a signing out of nowhere

[Lucky]

Typical Wenger, typical Arsenal.

If the papers say we're linked with someone the best thing we can do is ignore it as it's probably a load of bollocks.

If we are to buy someone else, I hope we are, then we probably wont hear about it until it's a done deal.

[Lucky]

Dinamo Zagreb claim Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is plotting another raid — for £5m-rated midfielder Ognjen Vukojevic.

Scouts watched the powerhouse in a friendly last week against Austrian side Rapid Vienna.

Dinamo coach Branko Ivankovic said: “Arsene’s been talking to me a lot about Ognjen. He told me exactly how many miles he had run in the game.

“He then told me the player’s height, weight and even the colour of his hair. I was very impressed.”

I think it's fair to say that Wenger does his homework before he buys a player.

[anders limpar]

i wonder what squad number he'll get. bit scared of him wearing 9 to be honest, it's somewhat cursed. previous careful owners:

kevin campbell - he went quite shit didn't he

merson - unceremoniously ejected to boro

suker - thanks for the penalty miss!

franny jeffers - jug eared cheat, made of glass

jose reyes - ran off home to suckle goats in the mountains

julio baptista - there are no words

[Dude Ranch]

i wonder what squad number he'll get.

I was thinking this. During a cider moment last night I convinced myself that 14 was the best option. Not quite so sure now . I think we can safely say that he'll do the 9 shirt more justice than your list of under achievers.

[g wings]

jose reyes - ran off home to suckle goats in the mountains

julio baptista - there are no words

LOL...brilliant summary

[Daley]

I was listening to talkshit radio last night and they had an eastern European football "expert" on there and he said the confusion about the fee was something lost in translation. The chairman of Zagreb said something along the lines of "Arsenal sold a €24m player (Henry) and replaced him with another." This bit from the UEFA website seems to be the bit that got them confused: "'Dinamo president Mirko Barišić added: "The transfer is certainly worth some of the €24m Arsenal got for selling Henry to Barcelona." Really i'm not too bothered about the fee, obviously the less the better so there may be more for other players.

They then went on to talk about why a Brazilian 15 year old ended up in Croatia, and I think the words "modern day slave trade" were used along with "rounding up Brazilian 15-year olds". Amazing scenes. Like the same thing doesn't happen over here. Cesc anyone?

With regards to other signings it seems like a defender may be next with that Bakari Sagna desperate to join us. Strange to sign a right back as that seems to be where we have most cover. Unless Wenger has some ideas about converting Eboue to a right winger as said above or making this guy a centre half. I do hope Hoyte stays though. Few survive the going out on loan phase at Arsenal and he has, got his head down and worked hard and, for me, he's a better defender than Eboue, but Eboue is better going forward so the right wing move may make sense. Senderos has not progressed as hoped and I think he has one more season to prove himself. Djourou is quality cover in my opinion. Not sure what the point would be on sending him out on loan.

I still think we need a left winger. Some pace, someone who can exploit the big pitch at Emirates and maybe get a cross in the box if needed. I wouldn't want him back as he seems desperate to leave but surely the time is approaching for Reyes to leave or return to pre-season training, he is still our player after all. I wonder if he would come back, especially taking recent departures into account.

Anyway we have signed a player and as arseblog says: "How very Arsenal. One moment nothing, the next we’ve signed a player and a player that not one Arsenal website, not one tabloid, not one reader of Arsenal websites and tabloids had predicted for a second. Classic Arsene."

[Lucky]

I suppose it probably will be no.9, even though that list does look a bit scary.

That said, maybe it's about time someone had a bit of luck with that number.

[hobo]

As unpopular an opinion as it is I'm of the opinion that if you'd kept Hartson you'd have won at least one more title and probably something in Europe as you'd have been able to take to the wings and the air when a team simply decided to choke the midfield as you played so narrow. He was a player that wasn't great BUT he had the ability to score and he was something different, something that continental defenders didn't like to play against , unfashionable if you like but effective if played in the right way and at the right time.

Ok I have to call that one out....Hartson!

He was booted out in 97 and Arsenal signed Anelka, Arsenal then went on to win the double with a side that was based on super-fast super-skilled break away football and the rest is history!

And you seriously think that the overweight tug-boat bruiser John Hartson could have improved things?

Ok in the last two seasons Arsenals 'over elaboration' tag has justly stuck. Wenger has had trouble recreating the teams of 98/02/04 so if you apply your theory now I can see what your getting at, a player who can mix it up a bit, throw his weight around, Do a Drogba. Adebayour and Da Silva should provide these options.

[Steve007]

i wonder what squad number he'll get. bit scared of him wearing 9 to be honest, it's somewhat cursed. previous careful owners:

kevin campbell - he went quite shit didn't he

merson - unceremoniously ejected to boro

suker - thanks for the penalty miss!

franny jeffers - jug eared cheat, made of glass

jose reyes - ran off home to suckle goats in the mountains

julio baptista - there are no words

Campbell did ok for us, especially when he was younger. It was to my surprise that Forest gave us £2.5m for him when were about to let him go on a free

The Merse - Had his best years at Arsenal wearing the number 10 shirt

Suker - A genius that did a decent job for us for a season

Jeffers - Lazy cunt, glad he got booted out

Reyes - Cunt. Hope he never comes back, the disloyal moaning wanker

The Beast - My Mum looks a more convincing forward than him

[anders limpar]

LOL...brilliant summary

seriously. there were times last season when people round me thought i was going to have some sort of heart attack losing my rag at that useless cunt baptista. i'm sitting at work wincing thinking of just how painful it was to watch. i think spurs away was probably the worst - it was as if he was doing it on fucking purpose. lovely afternoon it was; old fatty arbuckle misses about three sitters to put us 3-1 up, ashley's boyfriend scores a jammy equaliser, and we only just managed to get to seven sisters without the friendly locals giving us a shoeing. christ, tottenham is such a shithole. it's even worse than wales.

[g wings]

seriously. there were times last season when people round me thought i was going to have some sort of heart attack losing my rag at that useless cunt baptista. i'm sitting at work wincing thinking of just how painful it was to watch. i think spurs away was probably the worst - it was as if he was doing it on fucking purpose. lovely afternoon it was; old fatty arbuckle misses about three sitters to put us 3-1 up, ashley's boyfriend scores a jammy equaliser, and we only just managed to get to seven sisters without the friendly locals giving us a shoeing. christ, tottenham is such a shithole. it's even worse than wales.

LOL...and yet not, as I am welsh.

[anders limpar]

LOL...and yet not, as I am welsh.

hey, i'm quarter welsh. i feel your taff pain.

[Daley]

More Da Silva goodness:

Bilic getting excited again:

He said: "He's a brilliant striker and a complete player. He's going to be amazing for Arsenal. He's a goalscorer but his game does not just depend on scoring goals. He's a team player and he opens up space for others. There will be big pressure on him - but he got used to that in Croatia."

Wenger stalks him before signing him!:

It is understood that the Rio-born striker was watched 40 times by Arsenal's scouts last season.

Also says in the Evening Standard paper (but not in that link for some reason which says £8m) that the fee is £10m and the wages are £30,000 a week for four years taking the total deal to £16m which may also explain some of the fee confusion.

And finally:

Da Silva is Arsenal's second signing of the summer following the £2m capture of Polish keeper Lukasz Fabianski.

The pair could soon be joined by 24-year-old French international Bakari Sagna, who has told Auxerre he wants to join the Gunners.

Negotiations are said to be 'ongoing' and a £6m deal for the defender could be completed by the end of the week.

Without getting carried away I certainly feel more optimistic than I did before yesterday. Nice to see Wenger is relaxed. He even had time for a bit of Wimbledon yesterday.

[Mars]

http://www.football365.com/mediawatch/0,17...2464181,00.html (also seen on arseblog).

Jesus Christ.

[213]

Ok I have to call that one out....Hartson!

history!

And you seriously think that the overweight tug-boat bruiser John Hartson could have improved things?

There were times he may have got you a goal when a team choked the midfield and you still tried to play through the centre. Theres nothing wrong with variety and having a plan B, threat from all sides, that sort of thing, you have become predictable at times, teams can go out there and stop you playing, play for the draw etc.

You won the double yes but my point was that a goal or two here and there in other seasons may have won you more when plan A didn't work.

I mean didn't you lose the title the following season by one lousy point? Margins are slim at that level and it is a squad game.

I just don't have a problem with having a bloke on the bench who does something different.

[Dude Ranch]

Eduardo will be number 9 apparently.

[Dude Ranch]

I just don't have a problem with having a bloke on the bench who does something different.

There absolutely have been times when it seemed we needed a big ugly lump up front. I quite liked Hartson, but I think our game would pass him by even on his best day. He'd be chasing shadows and end up a liability. We don't play much of a crossing game either, although this might possibly be about to change.

[Daley]

Eduardo will be number 9 apparently.

Wikipedia seems to agree.

Wasn't Alan Smith number 9? He did okay?

Someone has to break the curse!

[Dude Ranch]

Wasn't Alan Smith number 9? He did okay?

I fucking loved Alan Smith. A first touch to die for and such an appreciation of the game. Knew where the goal was too.

[anders limpar]

I fucking loved Alan Smith. A first touch to die for and such an appreciation of the game. Knew where the goal was too.

i think he's probably the most underrated striker of my lifetime. people think he's shit because gary 'rapey hands' lineker got subbed for him in his last game by graham taylor. you don't win two golden boots by being rubbish. the bloke's a total legend, and comes across as a Thoroughly Nice Bloke.

[Dude Ranch]

You just knew that he was a dream for the other strikers to play with him. So clever and unselfish. A genuinely proper footballer and team man.

[Mars]

Definitely number 9 according to arsenal.com

[hobo]

There were times he may have got you a goal when a team choked the midfield and you still tried to play through the centre. Theres nothing wrong with variety and having a plan B, threat from all sides, that sort of thing, you have become predictable at times, teams can go out there and stop you playing, play for the draw etc.

You won the double yes but my point was that a goal or two here and there in other seasons may have won you more when plan A didn't work.

I mean didn't you lose the title the following season by one lousy point? Margins are slim at that level and it is a squad game.

I just don't have a problem with having a bloke on the bench who does something different.

I understand your argument, but well agree to disagree on your choice of player to solve the problem.

[Lucky]

Arsenal.com

Eduardo will wear the No 9 shirt and will join up shortly with his new team-mates for pre-season training.

Alan Smith was superb, we'll always remember him for the 1st goal in that game at Anfield and the assist for the Mickey did it goal.

What a 1st touch and what a pass.

He could play in todays team, no doubt about that.

Still brings a lump to your throat.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=zVQUybYpLfA

[Daley]

I fucking loved Alan Smith. A first touch to die for and such an appreciation of the game. Knew where the goal was too.

And let's not forget that not only did he score the first at Anfield in '89 but he produced a lovely little touch and through ball for Thomas in the last minute. What do you mean you can't remember it? OK here it is again: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=zVQUybYpLfA

EDIT: Amazing timing Lucky!

EDIT: And we shouldn't forget Parma either: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=E_Xis15i2Yc

[Lucky]

Great minds think alike.

Fucking scary though.

[The Grand Pursuivant]

I was 8 when Smith scored that goal. The next day I got my parents to go out and get his name printed on the back of my shirt.

Total legend.

[hercules]

People can't expect this guy to fit straight into the team, he will probably need time to adjust to the league but once he does you never know