Arsenal

[Lucas]

Sorry, probably didnt word that very well.

Not a great game as in too many heart in mouth moments, given we nearly threw it away!

Would have been much more fun as a neutral, I'm sure!

Cracking atmosphere and a lovely day for footie!

[SeanR]

I dunno. I think the quietness of the crowd for much of the game was as much as reflection of the action on the pitch, as it was RESPONSIBLE for it. Do you get me?

http://www.seanr.test.co.uk/oct07/mackems/

seriously, it didn't REALLY pick up until THEO THEO THEO came on.

My god! Sunderland were only there to run the clock down though when it was 2-2. Soon as it went 3-2 they suddenly remembered the aim of the game.

specially that cunt Gordon...

Best part? At 2-2 the sunderland fans singing "Are you Tottenham in disguise", which we applauded them for, cos you know, it was funny

oh, and "dirty northern bastards"* followed by "just like your manager" after the red card.

Didn't see the banner(s)

* in a northern accent, funnily enough: "you dorty norfen bastads"

[SeanR]

ps. that was close, eh?

so, any predictions for Sunday?

2-0 at half time.

Keane gives a "half-time speech", mostly consisting of throttling and a well aimed kick

2-2 at the final whistle.

Could happen.

[hercules]

Personally i thought theo shouild've started today and you saw the difference he made when he came on. He set up the winner with a great turn and hit the post, can't ask for much more. At 2-0 up the game just seemed too easy for us and it worried me as i hoped we wouldn't get complacent which we did. Almunia didn't do great for their equaliser but the bigger worry for me was that we sat back and didn't do the things that have got us to the top of the league this year, like close down and work defensively as a team. Thank god for Van Persie!! The man is a genius.

[Dude Ranch]

IMO, if we have all this money to spend, I think we should go out and buy the best available keeper in the world, money no object. Lehmann is on the way out, Almunia fails to properly impress and the Pole is probably too young.

Crucial game for Theo today. I hope he takes confidence from it.

[hercules]

IMO, if we have all this money to spend, I think we should go out and buy the best available keeper in the world, money no object. Lehmann is on the way out, Almunia fails to properly impress and the Pole is probably too young.

Crucial game for Theo today. I hope he takes confidence from it.

Funnily enough i said to Gabzy today that we should just go out and buy buffon as we don't need to fill any other positions. Hopefully Fabianski will be ready for next season

[Lucas]

Fabianski looked good in the Carling Cup the other week. He's already been capped by Poland as well, and they're not short of decent keepers.

The NOTW linked us with Green yesterday, so it must be true.

Having seen MOTD, there's no way that the third goal should have been disallowed. At 3-0, I think it would have been a different game.

[Daley]

Having seen MOTD, there's no way that the third goal should have been disallowed. At 3-0, I think it would have been a different game.

That's a good point. If that had gone in I think it would have been a bit of a battering. Fair play to Sunderland they made it hard for us and apart from the shocking tackle for the red card ("Just like your manager, just like your manager" ) and their goalie taking all fucking day to take kicks, then suddenly speeding up when they fell behind, I think they can be proud of the way they played and are in with a decent shout of staying up.

Saw this in Paris on Friday.

Not sure if it was an actual Arsenal bar with pictures and things as I didn't have time to go in but clearly the French are feeling the Arsenal love.

[hercules]

It was a good test for us yesterday and we done well to come away with the 3 points. We're looking good at the top of the league, its a shame we dropped 2points at blackburn but we've still got a potential five point lead over man utd

[Lucky]

I know there's an International break but where the fuck is everyone.

Here's a list of our players called up for their countries.

http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav...esc+get+the+nod

William Gallas, Gael Clichy. Bacary Sagna, Mathieu Flamini, Abou Diaby

Faroe Islands v France, October 13, France v Lithuania, October 17

Five Arsenal players have been provisionally selected to represent France in their Euro 2008 qualifiers against the Faroe Islands and Lithuania on October 13 and 17 respectively.

Is this correct? I thought Diarra was in and Clichy wasn't. If he isn't then surely it's just a matter of time.

And interestingly

Despite currently suffering from an injury, Jens Lehmann is part of the Germany squad that will play in Dublin on October 13 and then at home against the Czech Republic four days later.

[hercules]

I don't believe lehmann was injured it was just a cover up so it didn't look like wenger dropped him.

We're being linked with robert green again, i like him and i thought we should've signed him on the cheap when he was at norwich. He is in good form but is he good enough to play for a top four side..... i'm not sure.

[Ravern]

I don't believe lehmann was injured it was just a cover up so it didn't look like wenger dropped him.

Yeah, I thought everyone knew this? He played against England, didn't he?

[Lucky]

Well the story is that he got injured after the Blackburn game, recovered and played in the last round of Internationals (the first one), got injured again and has now recovered again.

Lets see if he comes back injured from this International break too.

[hercules]

It's just time he left really, i dunno if almunia is the long term option though i would keep him in goal this season. I see fabianski as the long term no1 and i'm hoping he's settling in well and that he plays great in the carling cup.

[Lucky]

It does seem that Lehmann's days as an Arsenal player are numbered and I wouldn't be suprised in the slightest if he left in January, I would be suprised though if we see hin in an Arsenal shirt again actually.

It's a bit of a shame that his career at Arsenal could end this way as he will definitely be remembered as a bit of a cult hero/legend I imagine, even if it is just for being a complete nutter.

Actually a couple of years ago, the CL final / World Cup year he really was fantastic, one of the best keepers in the world.

I'm not totally sure about Almunia even though he has been pretty good this season, not really done anything wrong, but I think if you're going to be the best team around it's important to have the best keeper around.

Like when we went out and bought Seamen, United with Schmeichel and Chelsea with Cech.

Time will tell if Fabianski can turn into the best but until then we should go out and buy the best around.

[hercules]

Who in your opinion is the best? if we're gonna buy another keeper then we need to buy a keeper that'll instantly be first choice.

[Lucky]

Who in your opinion is the best? if we're gonna buy another keeper then we need to buy a keeper that'll instantly be first choice.

It's a hard one.

I think Petr Cech & Buffon are the best keepers around at the moment but there's not much chance of Cech happening so why not go for Buffon?

I know he's not the youngest but surely he's got a good few years left, and this would give Fabianski time to develope.

[Steve007]

It's just time he left really, i dunno if almunia is the long term option though i would keep him in goal this season. I see fabianski as the long term no1 and i'm hoping he's settling in well and that he plays great in the carling cup.

Apparently Wenger is far from impressed with Fabianski hence the reason why we are being linked with other GK's at the moment. Almunia always gives 100% but I don't think he's good enough to be our number 1 as he's prone to some erratic decision making.

Jens has been fantastic over the last few years but he's just not good enough anymore so it's auf wiedersehen Jens come January.

Not sure who we will buy though as Liverpool have cornered the market by signing just about anyone that can catch a ball over the last 5 years.

[Lucky]

If it's true that Wenger isn't impressed with Fabianski then maybe we should stop fucking about with these keepers no one has heard of that might be good one day and go out and buy the best.

Who that is exactly? I couldn't tell you.

[SeanR]

I'll do it!

[Lucky]

Ouch!

Arsenal are expected to stump up the bill for a €3.2million (£2.23 million) compensation payment that Fran Merida has been ordered to pay his former club Barcelona.

Merida moved to Emirates Stadium at the age of 16 last summer and made his first team debut for The Gunners in the 2-0 win over Newcastle United in the Carling Cup in September.

However Barcelona were angered by the circumstances of his exit, which had echoes of Cesc Fabregas’ own switch to Arsenal in 2003, and took action against the promising midfielder.

The Primera Liga club reportedly claimed that Merida signed a pre-contract agreement at the age of 14 which would ensure he signed professional terms at Camp Nou two years later.

An independent tribunal has ruled in favour of Barca and Merida has now been instructed to pay £2.23 million to his former club.

Arsenal were not involved in the court case as the issue was between the player and Barcelona, but it is understood that the Premier League leaders will pay the fine on behalf of Merida.

The Gunners were instructed to pay £700,000 compensation to Barcelona after the Spanish side called in Fifa following Fabregas’ departure in 2003

[Lucas]

Apparently Wenger is far from impressed with Fabianski hence the reason why we are being linked with other GK's at the moment. Almunia always gives 100% but I don't think he's good enough to be our number 1 as he's prone to some erratic decision making.

Jens has been fantastic over the last few years but he's just not good enough anymore so it's auf wiedersehen Jens come January.

Not sure who we will buy though as Liverpool have cornered the market by signing just about anyone that can catch a ball over the last 5 years.

Source?

[Mars]

Ouch!

If he ends up being half as good as Cesc than thats money extemely well spent.

Also note arseblog's comments on this happening on the same week as Barca stating they will crank the pressure up on getting Cesc to go back. Hypocrite-a-go-go!

[Lucas]

£2m? HAHAHAHAHA

Less than one game's worth of gate receipts!

[Lucky]

Yeah £2million aint bad if he even turns out half as good as expected, but even though Arsenal will obviously cough up the dough he is the one who has been 'fined' this ridiculous amount.

If this is a fine then it's bollocks, but if it is Arsenal having to pay compensation to Barcelona for nicking their palyer then it would be nice if they just said so.

I think Merida should appeal.

The Primera Liga club reportedly claimed that Merida signed a pre-contract agreement at the age of 14 which would ensure he signed professional terms at Camp Nou two years later.

This stood up in court?

[hercules]

Merida will be worth it. I don't quite believe wenger isn't impressed with fabianski, i mean he watched him for 3 years and fabianski trained with us 3 or for times in that period. Why would you watch someone repeatedly then go out and buy him if he wasn't impressed.

[Steve007]

I reckon that phone was rammed in too far....

[g wings]

From the BBC gossip and rumour page...

Valencia are set to take Arsenal midfielder Gilberto Silva to Spain in a £7m deal. (News of the World)

Could this be true? He certainly isn't shoe-in for a start at the moment so I guess it could be possible.

[faek]

They made a bid during the summer and at the end of the transfer window they said they'd be back in with another bid in January. Coupled with his lack of first team opportunities, it looks like a very real possibility.

[Lucas]

ANR did a piece a few weeks ago speculating that if we had got Diarra earlier then Gilberto would have gone in the summer.

Of course, no-one had really reckoned on the emergence of Flamini either.

Certainly, Gilberto doesn't fit into the "pass and move" philosphy of the team as well as Diaby/Diarra/Flamini. And we all know how Wenger feels about players over 30.