Ferdinand – Man Utd should have massacred Arsenal

Posted on November 05, 2012 by admin

The Man United defender Rio Ferdinand has told the press that his team were terribly disappointed that they didn’t beat Arsenal by a very wide margin on Saturday after being totally in control of the game from start to finish.

He said: “We should have finished that game off ages ago. That’s the most disappointing thing, If you had been in our changing room you’d have thought we lost the game, the way the mood was. At the end of the day it is three points. I thought it was the best shape we have had for a while, this season, and we defended as a team. That showed in the amount of chances we created but we should have maybe had the game won by five, six or seven but it wasn’t to be.”

Sir Alex Ferguson felt exactly the same and thought that United should have used the opportunity to boost their goal difference with some glaring misses and even the missed penalty by Wayne Rooney (Thank God RVP didn’t take it!). Fergie said: “We lost on goal difference last season and I don’t want that to happen again, we should have scored five or six or maybe even more than that. I’m disappointed by our inability to hammer home the advantage. You look at that scoreline and think it was a close game but it wasn’t.”

“It looked as though it was going to be self-destruction. It only takes a second to lose a goal. They had some possession without threatening us but thank God we got the second one because with them scoring right on time, it would have been an embarrassment.”

What does this say about Arsenal? That Fergie would consider a draw against Arsenal as an embarrasment? Since when did we become pushovers to a team that used to fear playing the Gunners every year……..

MEGAN FOX talks to Dolphins with ACERTags: Ferdinand, massacre, pushovers
Category Arsenal game review, Arsenal News
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Who should Arsenal buy with their £40 million warchest? (Part 1)

Posted on October 10, 2012 by admin

Wenger has the money, who do you think he should buy?

After yesterday’s AST meeting, it was confirmed that Wenger has something along the lines of £40 million at his disposal come January. This was pretty much common news previously but I thought it would make an interesting article to postulate who Wenger could actually get for that money and for what positions (it’s also going to be a very slow news day for the next couple of weeks!).

Firstly, it’s imperative we get a new striker in this January. We are threadbare in that position at the moment and without Giroud, we will have to resort to players like Gervinho (whom is going through a purple patch but will eventually fade). We need a player that will challenge Giroud for his position. We won’t win a title with one striker, you need at least 2 top class players in that position, may be even 3.

My suggestions would be:

Llorente – A proven European striker with only a year left on his contract. He’s already been frozen out of Bilbao’s setup and the fans are livid with him (possibly the same situation as RVP for them), however he could show respect and join us ( a team with no rivalry at all with Bilbao). He’s similar to Giroud but that shouldn’t really matter. RVP is similar to Rooney, Aguero is similar to Tevez etc. It doesn’t stop managers buying them – that’s because they are world class players. So is Llorente. He’d only cost £10 million in my opinion come January. Bilbao won’t be in any position to negotiate.

Soldado – Another Spaniard who’s had a meteoric rise in La Liga. He’s become a big player for Valencia and is most similar to Higuain. He’s a finisher; a lethal one at that. He could cost something along the lines of £15 million which is easily affordable to the club.

In the second part, I’ll discuss what other parts of the team we could potentially bulk up come January.

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Category Arsenal News, Arsenal opinion, Arsenal rumours
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What should Arsenal do with Arshavin?

Posted on September 19, 2012 by Bob

Arshavin is costing Arsenal by TS

He cost Arsenal a reported £13m to bring in from Zenit. Wenger couldn’t have been happier signing the player in the last hour of the transfer window and beating off the likes of Barcelona for his signature. When he arrived, the first couple of games he played for the Gunners, everyone loved him. Fan’s cheered his name, magazines printed covers of his face and everyone was hailing him as Arsenal’s next big thing. And who could ever forget those four goals he slotted in at Anfield?

Fast forward three years and the Russian has hit an all time low by not even being included in the 18 man squad that traveled to France in yesterday’s Champions League match. No reports of an injury have surfaced so one has to assume that Arshavin has been dropped from the bench.  The scary thing is that at £80k per week, Arshavin is the highest paid player in the Arsenal squad.

What’s happened here is very strange in that, even tempted with a free transfer, no other club is willing to pay that type of wage to a player who is 31 years old and Arshavin seems very happy to sit and collect his paycheck every week. Arshavin’s contract expires in June next year and I can’t see the point of not playing him.

What’s effectively happened now is that Arshavin doesn’t travel with the squad, doesn’t play in matches, and gets paid £4.2m a year to basically stay fit and attend some functions. Not a bad gig, if you ask me.  Arsenal and Arshavin are thus at a stalemate until next year but should Wenger use him or should Arsenal just run his contract down and cut their losses?

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Category Arsenal Debate, Arsenal News
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Should Arsenal play Coquelin or Ramsey against Man City?

Posted on September 19, 2012 by Bob

I am not saying that Arsene Wenger is going to play either Aaron Ramsey or Francis Coquelin against Manchester City this Sunday but, following my earlier post, I am asking who should come in if Abou Diaby is rested at the Etihad stadium.

Arsenal this season have been more flexible and have employed different tactics depending on who they have played. Obviously, Wenger will approach an away tie against Man City differently than a home tie against Southampton but the players are all fairly versatile and can change systems during a match.

The back four is fairly set and are looking good. Gibbs’ average position on the pitch has got further forward as the season has progressed and his confidence has grown, but he will need to mind his defensive duties against the champions, as will Jenkinson on the right.

The stalwart and unsung hero of the Gunners this season has been Mikel Arteta. He has been the deepest lying midfielder but has played more as a distributor than a traditional defensive midfielder. Diaby has played alongside him but has looked to go forward more with and without the ball. If he is rested, then Arteta will need either Coquelin or Ramsey to help him in the middle.

If Coquelin got the nod, he could play deeper than Arteta, using his speed and tackling ability to break up City attacks and allow Arteta to move forward and help the attackers. If it was Ramsey then he would be the more advanced and would play as a box to box midfielder, more of a direct replacement for Diaby.

Will Wenger be adventurous or will he try to stifle the flow of Man City? Is Ramsey too much of a risk because of his fragile confidence? Has Coquelin got enough experience to be thrown in to such a big game?

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Category Arsenal Debate, Arsenal News, Arsenal opinion
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Should Arsenal rest Diaby and The Ox?

Posted on September 12, 2012 by Bob

I know that Abou Diaby and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have been two of Arsenal’s best players so far this season, but that is one of the reasons why they should possibly be left out of the starting eleven on Saturday.

Arsene Wenger has said that Diaby is still feeling the pain in his Sartorius muscle around his hip that forced him to miss France’s second World Cup qualifier last night against Belarus. Wenger also said that it didn’t seem like much and that he may be able to play on Saturday against Southampton. The reason he missed the France game in the first place is that the French manager Didier Deschamps played Diaby for the whole 90 minutes when he knew he had taken a knock.

What is more important, a home game against Southampton or the next three games? Arsenal travel to Montpellier next Tuesday then go to the Etihad to play Man City next Tuesday, before hosting Chelsea the following Friday. We have a home tie against Coventry on the Capital One Cup as well but that will probably be reserves.

My point is, why risk Diaby when there are some massive games on the horizon? He is probably dying to play as much as possible after all the football he has missed over the years, but just because you love Big Macs doesn’t mean you should eat them every day, it’s probably not good for you. Arsenal have enough quality in midfield to cover for the absence of Diaby against Southampton, and he will be rested and fit for the next games.

The Ox, to me, looked tired for England against Ukraine. He is still only 19 but he is being loaded with expectation by Arsenal and England fans. He does cope with it well but I think a short rest would do wonders for him. His energy and strength are crucial to his game and we don’t want to blunt his edge. The problem is, dare we risk resting them both? Maybe resting Chamberlain against Montpellier would be the better option, especially if Walcott has recovered from his illness. What do you think Gooners?

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Category Arsenal, Arsenal Debate, Arsenal Injury News, Arsenal News, Arsenal opinion, Champions League News
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Per Mertesacker should keep his place in the Arsenal defence – He’s earned it!

Mertesacker- New and improved! by TS

So our defensive line is looking good you say? Not conceded a goal in the EPL yet, you announce? Well, Ill have you know, that you’re RIGHT! That’s right, Arsenal have got the best defensive record! Early days, sure, but who cares? If it was any other team, they’d be rubbing it every chance they get, so as Arsenal fans, we’ll do the same!

A big part of that, we have to give credit to Wenger and Bould and of course our entire team but especially our back four who are looking rock solid at the moment. Apart from some jitters and isolated mistakes, we’ve done an exceptional job at shutting out three teams so far. So I think enough has been said about our Captain Vermaelen, the attacking style of Gibbs and the upcoming Jenkinson, so I thought I’d dedicate this piece to our friendly giant.

Per Metersacker has had his frustrations with injury. He’s constantly fighting with fitness and now has seen some game time for Arsenal which has given us a chance to view the German international this season. Speaking at press conference, Per had this to say, “Finally I can play again, this is very simple. I can finally run again. It’s (the win over Liverpool) a good start, everything else you have to see.”Then, when asked about playing in the Premier League, Champions League and for the national team he said, “I want to be everywhere.”

Towering over the 6ft4 Giroud, one gets the feeling that he already is everywhere. Its no shame that Arsenal have worked on Mertesackers pace for this upcoming season, with Steve Bould taking the reins and specifically working on the Arsenal defender’s movement in and around the box. Already, from the first couple of games, you notice Mertesacker has improved from last season, where at times he was caught stranded or back pedaling to recover his line.

Arsenal won’t be short of central defenders this season with Koscielny already coming in as a sub and recovering from his injury and fitness problems. It looks that Wenger is now facing constant decisions on who to replace- a job found more difficult under a team who are playing well together and finding form. I for one, would love to see Mertesacker keep his place as a starter. In fact, all the defenders who played against Liverpool should go into the Southampton game as first choice starters, given that there are no injuries after the international break! After all, why fix what isn’t broken!

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Arsenal Debate: Should Oxlade-Chamberlain replace Alex Song in the middle?

Posted on August 27, 2012 by admin

Arsenal certainly have a hell of a lot of midfielders at the moment, although Tomas Rosicky, Jack Wilshere and Emmanuel Frimpong won’t be available for another couple of months at least, so you would think that Wenger would have an array of different choices of who to play down the middle now that Alex Song has moved to Barcelona.

But it seems that the young Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is very keen on taking Song’s mantle in the middle of the park, and he is practically begging Wenger to let him move inside from his usual wing position. ‘They are big shoes to fill but you’ve got that anywhere at Arsenal,’ the Ox said.

‘In any position you’ve got a big role to play and big shoes to fill. You only have to look back at the “Invincibles” and the team that won the league — they are massive shoes to fill for us.

‘Whenever you’re playing on the pitch you have to step up to the plate and perform.

‘Alex Song was a great player for us and he was a big player for us — but we’ve got a strong enough squad. I’m definitely confident of that and I’m definitely confident of filling Alex’s role.’

‘I remember on the day I actually signed he asked me where I saw myself playing.

‘My dad was in the room and said ‘Centre mid, he’s a midfielder

‘The boss sort of laughed and said ‘I think he could be as well’. He said maybe to start off with I would be out wide and last season I did play the majority of my games on the wing.

‘But the boss has been pushing more this season to try my hand in a more central position.

‘If I can prove I can play in that position as well then that will help me and my career at Arsenal.’

Now that Diaby is back to fitness it seems that Wenger is keen for the Frenchman to start every game in Songs old position, while Oxlade-Chamberlain only played the last 20 minutes of yesterday’s game (out on the wing again), but surely Diaby won’t stay fit for ever and leave a gap again in the middle.

Do you think that Oxlade-Chamberlain should be given his wish to play in the centre at some point this season?

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Category Arsenal Debate, Arsenal News, Arsenal opinion
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Should Arsenal refuse to deal with Barcelona and Man City?

Is Selling To Barcelona and Manchester City good? By AH

Today I saw an interesting point raised on Social Networking site Twitter and I wondered what the readers of JustArsenal.com thought?

Now, don’t take the title to literally, as it’s a topic that’s up for debate

I think we can all agree that no Gooner likes either of these teams, they take a lot of our players, tap our team up, slate us off and just generally tend to annoy us. But we do seem to get some positives from it.

Most years, Barcelona bid and sign a lot of our players, in fact they have paid us £135million in transfer fees over the past 12 years, signing Marc Overmars, Emmanuel Petit, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Thierry Henry, Alex Hleb, Cesc Fabregas and now Alex Song – averaging at over £11million per season.

As for Manchester City, they have paid Arsenal £73million in transfer fees since 2009, signing Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Adebayor, Gael Clichy and Samir Nasri – averaging almost £25million per year.

So, they may be frustrating but when it comes to transfer dealings we definitely seem to get the better hand. Of those 11 players (not including Song as he has only just moved), how many have made an improvement in their career?

From the list I’d say that  all of those Man City players have done well, apart from Adebayor, who today made his transfer to Spurs permanent. As for Barcelona, I’d say only Van Bronckhorst, Henry and Fabregas have been successful and made their career better in Spain. I mean, Barcelona paid £25 million for Overmars in the year 2000 – which was massive in the transfer market then, and it’s still pretty big today.

So, are Arsenal a selling club, or is Arsene Wenger a genius for buying cheap, getting the best out of a player and selling them on for a huge profit, when he thinks they are done?

It’s a tough topic and I don’t think it’s great that we strengthen our rivals year in, year out, but for the price we keep on getting for these players, I’m more than happy – as long as the club re-invests the money.

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Arsenal Should Allow Ryo Miyaichi to go to Wigan this Season

Posted on August 12, 2012 by admin

Miyaichi to Wigan on loan. by KJ

The latest Arsenal rumours going about at the moment are that our young Japanese sensation, Ryo Miyaichi is going on loan to Wigan for the season. He’s one of the youngsters that Arsene has signed quite recently (more specifically, during the winter transfer window of the 2010/2011 season).

No one really knew about him and he was one of those “typical Arsene” signings; a relatively unknown youngster with everything to do to prove his worth in the Premier League. He was immediately sent on loan to Feyenoord where he was deemed the Japanese Ronaldinho by fans.

He returned with good reviews from Holland and looked possible to have a (albeit small) impact at Arsenal for the 2011/2012 season. Unfortunately, his appearances were only reserved for the Carling cup games which on reflection was the correct move by Arsene as he to this day is still too young and raw.

His time at Bolton was vital. We have a great relationship with them now in terms of loaning players. He managed to become player of the month straight away. He eventually finished on his loan with it being relatively successful. Unfortunately they did get relegated but at least he learnt it the hard way.

Now, the opportunity to play for Wigan seems too big to turn down. They are constant relegation strugglers and somehow manage to always claw their way back. They might actually have a chance at a decent season with a new and relatively successful system put into place. Finally, Martinez is a big fan of the touch and go system meaning he’ll learn the football that he’ll be expected to play at Arsenal week in week out.

I am really excited by our Japanese international. He has all the tools to become a successful Arsenal winger and hopefully we can get him that much needed game time that’ll transform him into an Arsenal starter.

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Category Arsenal News, Arsenal opinion, Arsenal rumours Check Out what ALL the ARSENAL BLOGS are saying at JustArsenalBlogs.com
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Ozzy: Forget Usmanov and Kroenke – Arsenal Fans should pull together!

Posted on August 09, 2012 by admin

Let’s see what happens in the coming months by OzzyAFC

Well so far its been an interesting and somewhat nail biting closed season for Arsenal fans, we’ve done some superb business so far with the acquisition of Podolski, Giroud and most recently Cazorla and we have thus far managed to retain the possible “want outs” in the shape of Walcott and Van Persie. We are still in the chase for Sahin and possibly Wanyamma as well as the tall Korean from Celtic.

All in all it’s looking like an exciting time ahead if you’re of the north London red and white persuasion.

Mean while Alex Ferguson bemoans the fact that we are “not speaking” to him regarding RVP’s transfer to the hated red devils and also about the fact that FIFA appear to be turning a blind eye to PSG’s mammoth spending and therefore flaunting the FFP rules brought in by the illustrious Mr Platini.

Back in our own camp Alisher Usmanov is coming under fire for stating that the board’s current policy will ruin the club as a footballing power and Many Pro board fans are calling him a rapist and a gangster.

Well I’ve always been a pro Usmanov advocate and I have come under a great deal of flack for being so, I’ve been the first to criticise the Boards lack of ambition and the reluctance to spend money however even I have to say that so far I’ve been happy with the business done in the transfer window and also the apparent surge in ambition that has previously not been shown.

I still advocate Usmanov being represented on the board and having a little extra to spend in the transfer market and a little more in the wage structure to retain and buy top class players but as that not going to happen any time soon I have to carry on supporting my club and tentatively backing the moves that they are making.

We are currently in a very good position and if we can retain the services of a certain Dutchman AND players like Wilshere and Rosicky can come back quickly we may just have a good shot at some silverware this season. Its with this in mind that I say Perhaps the expenditure we have made this season will lead us back down the path of glory and we have really gone out of our way as a club to get this business done early and have not held back on the monies which leaves my argument about breaking the boards recent policy about not spending a fair argument.

Perhaps the moaning and protests from the Anti Kroenke Pro Usmanov side has had some impact after all and if this is the case then wont ALL Arsenal fans benefit from this next season?? I think its way past time that we all just got on with it together as the pro Kroenke side have what they want and the pro Usmanov side have a lot to look forward to under the current regime so lets stop the insults and backbiting and pull together as its all to play for in the coming months.

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Who should be in Arsenal’s midfield for the opening League Game?

Arsenal’s Midfield Against Sunderland: by SV

With the Cazorla deal edging agonizingly closer, and the Sahin move gathering pace,it seems that Arsenal will have an embarassment of talent in midfield. But,unfortunately, we can’t play them all at once – though they will all play a part as injuries come in; so we must select a starting three. Today’s article will focus on who I think will start on August 18th. Please note that this article is made with a couple of assumptions in terms of transfers; that Song will stay and Sahin will sign.

Well, I am sure that we can all agree that Song is a must start if he is still here. He is our only proper defensive midfielder with EPL experience so there are no real questions about him. I also suspect that the player who will play alongside Song will be chosen partly to allow the Cameroonian to express his creative side and venture forward.

There are, in my opinion, two players vying for this aforementioned position: Diaby and Arteta. Arteta has become a fans’ favourite since his transfer, and his professional performances have certainly deserved the praise. He brings calm, composition and experience to our midfield and we suffered when he was injured at the end of last season.

But the ability and class of Diaby cannot be underestimated. Before his injury problems, he was being toted as the next Vieira and I honestly think that, with time and commitment, he could become our answer to Yaya Toure. I rate his defensive abilities higher than Arteta’s and, on his day, his attacking influence can be greater too. However, he doesn’t bring that consistency and unfailing reliablility that you get with the Spaniard so, overall, I would still start Mikel. Another positive from this pairing (Song – Arteta) is that they already have a strong understanding from all those games last season. Besides, Diaby will need to be eased back into Premier League action.

The final position to be filled is the attacking role. With the injuries to Wilshere and Rosicky, we have lost our two preferred players in that position. However, we still have Ramsey and (hopefully) Sahin and Cazorla available. Sahin is a classy player with a good passing range but, from watching him at Dortmund, I would say that he might be more suited to the slightly deeper ‘Arteta’ role. I think that both Ramsey (yes, Ramsey) and Cazorla both have more creativity than him.

Ramsey has had an excellent Olympics so far and has looked truly top class. He has looked confident and his passes have been very accurate in the most part. If you were to look at his highlights, you would see a range of exquisite passes, from dinks to arrowed through balls. All in all, I really wouldn’t mind at all if he were to start.

However, we must consider the abilities of our new signing Santi Cazorla (touchwood, touchwood, touchwood). He really is a top class player and could turn out like the player that Arshavin intially promised to be. Cazorla’s a tidy passer, got a great shot and (like seemingly all Spanish players) is a decent dribbler. I said before that he can provide that explosive burst in the final third which is extremely useful; he can commit a man or two and lay the ball on a plate for a striker. So he would be my first choice, if he does eventually sign.

I realise that there are some options that I didn’t consider, such as Diaby in the attacking role, or perhaps even AOC there – after all, Wenger did say that he would play there eventually. But I don’t think that either of these options are as good as the ones I’ve detailed above, which is why I didn’t into detail.

But I’m rambling a bit. Overall, my starting midfield would be Song – Arteta – Cazorla as it would provide a pretty good balance between attack and defence, experience and youth, composure and explosiveness. I would also have Ramsey and Diaby on the bench, in case we need a bit of impetus and solidity respectively.

And that’s all folks.
Till tomorrow.

If you liked this article, you can follow me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SVGunner.

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Wenger should sign this man to cover Jack

Posted on Thursday, 2nd August 2012 by Taaza

It’s hard to look back at our recent summer breaks and say they have been reasonably good. The transfer drama and the ever growing injury lists never seem to faraway.

Having been on the path to recovery, Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere suffered a major setback, with the young star thought to be making a return at least two months from now.

It seems most of our talented players are made of glass.

So what now? Simple – buy a midfielder to cover for Wilshere’s potential long-term absence, and for any other players who may suffer the same fate during the upcoming season.

But who do we go for? That’s the main question.

Well, to be honest, this question really made me think.

Do we buy someone who plays the exact same role as Jack, or a player who plays much higher up the field?

Then it hit me. We have quite a good number of centre midfielder already in our squad to offer cover, so why not get a more attack-minded player.

We’ve been linked with so many midfielders in the past, and one who I’ve always wanted to see join us is Lyon’s Yoann Gourcuff.

I’m a big fan of the Frenchman. He has the skill and ability to potentially perform well at our club.

I know he’s another French player – we have enough of them – but for me he would be a good buy, a sensible one.

Having another natural attacking midfielder would be very beneficial to the team in whole. I know we have been linked with other players like Santi Carzola, but with reports of a move fading and both Real Madrid and Chelsea rumoured to be in the hunt for the Spaniard, its beginning to look like the usual transfer window stress.

So let’s go for someone people don’t have on their radar. Gourcuff is a good player and I’m sure most would take him in, even on a loan.

 

Should Arsenal keep van Persie?

Juventus (possibly) compiling massive £70m package. Deal or no deal? By SV

A couple of days ago, it was reported that Italian giants Juventus had put together a giant package of £70m (including wages) to tempt our skipper to join them, and to tempt Arsenal to allow him to. This supposedly includes a £20m transfer fee for us and a £190k per week pay package after tax for him. I realize that there is a high chance that this story’s total bollocks, but hey, this is a news website and has to report all news. Anyway, here is a quote from the Mirror’s article:

“Juventus are set to launch a stunning SEVENTY million pound attempt to lure Robin van Persie to Italy.

Giuseppe Marotta, the Serie A champions’ general manager, has held further talks with van Persie’s representatives and made it clear they will top any offer made by rivals Manchester United….Van Persie will also be offered a five-year deal worth £190,000 a week AFTER tax….And Juve have told his agents that they will make a £20m offer to Arsenal for his services.”

Sounds like Class A journalism to me. Let’s take a look at it.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think that Italy is pretty much the same as Britain, in that the very top earners pay about 40% tax. So for RVP to be offered 190k AFTER tax, his salary, before tax, would have to be around £315k…per week. That’s about 50% more than the wage of the Premier League’s highest paid player. Now I ask you, does it seem likely that Juventus are willing to splash that kind of cash on a 28 year old player with a dreadful injury record?

It doesn’t seem likely to me.

No, what I was most interested in, obviously, was the fee which might be paid to us. If current rumours are to be believed, then no bid for our captain has yet topped £15m. Most pundits reckon that £20m is a reasonable figure for his services, given that he only has a year left on his contract.

I think that this is ridiculous. I realize that he may have alienated many of the fans (I personally think he can still have a future with us), but he is still a world class striker who has just been Player of the Year in the hardest league on the world.
He’s about as good a player as you can get. On last season’s evidence, he’s right up there with the likes of Iniesta, Ronaldo and Messi. So, for someone to suggest that we should sell him for £20m – when crap like Modric is going for 30 – is unbelievable.

I could be wrong, but RVP could well be the difference between silverware and failure, so I seriously suggest this: reject the £15m offers, keep RVP, win the title, recoup the 15m in prize money. Simple. What do you think?

If you liked this article, you can follow me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SVGunner.

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Should Arsenal send Ryo Miyaichi on loan?

Posted on July 20, 2012 by admin

Ryo Miyaichi loan deal by AH

According to some Sources, Premier League clubs are lining up loan bids for Arsenal player Ryo Miyaichi. The teenager has been tipped by many to take a squad place next season for Arsenal as he continues to impress whenever he plays.

In January, Miyaichi joined Bolton on loan and it’s fair to say that he impressed in almost all of the games he played in. He looked like he may just have saved the team from dropping down the table, just like Daniel Sturridge had done last year and Jack Wilshere had done two years ago.

It’s understood that Reading, QPR, Fulham and Everton are all interested in the Japanese winger, whilst Bolton are still keen on bringing him in on-loan for the second time, despite their relegation from the Premier League.

Bolton Manager Owen Coyle confirmed;
“We’d love to have him back – he’s an exciting young player and that’s what we want for next year,” Coyle told the Bolton News.
“I’ve had a discussion with Arsenal already and it’s only early days in the summer but we’ll see how that pans out. Ryo certainly loved his time at the club. If we could get him back with us again, then that would be great.”

Some Arsenal fans have called for Ryo Miyaichi to stay at the club this season in order to fill in a squad place, after many have been impressed with his talent, despite the little playing time he has had. But I think we should loan him out once again, this time to a mid-table team that would give him competitive Premier league experience which will, ultimately, help his talent grow. For that reason I think that both offers from Fulham and Everton are the most attractive, but its what’s best for the player that counts and we all know that Arséne Knows.

But what are the opinions of Arsenal Fans, when thinking of sending him out on-loan? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below

Tags: Bolton, Everton, Fulham, Miyaichi, QPR, Wenger
Category Arsenal Debate, Arsenal opinion, Arsenal rumours, Arsenal Transfer News CALLING ALL GOTHS !!!! UNIQUE HAND-MADE GOTH JEWELLERY AT GothicChameleon.com
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10 things you should know about Arsenal trialist M’baye Niang

Posted on Wednesday, 18th July 2012 by Iain Culverhouse

With three Premier League clubs reportedly tracking Caen youngster M’Baye Niang, I think it’s only appropriate that we look at the French youth who recently had a trial at Arsenal.

So here are 10 things you should know about Niang:

1. M’Baye Babacar Niang was born on the 19th of December 1994 in Meulan, France.

2. Niang started his football career at the tender age of seven playing for local side Basse-Seine Les Mureaux, where he spent two years before he was spotted by amateur club Poissy.

3. It was at Poissy that word of the youngster spread and lead to Caen expressing an interest and after a short trial, the French club signed him at the age of 13.

4. At Caen Niang immediately showed what he was capable of doing, scoring a hat-trick during his trial. By the age of 15 he was competing at an Under-19 level for the club.

5. In December 2009 Niang received his first international call up at Under-16 level. He played six games at this level, netting three goals along the way. There was no doubting that Caen had placed there hopes on Niang being a diamond for them but was quickly drawing attention from other clubs.

Let’s take a look at some highlights of him in one of his matches:

6. On the 18th of February 2011, Niang signed his first professional contract with Caen, a deal which would potentially keep him at the club until 2014.e

7. He made his professional debut on the 24th of April, coming on in the second half as a substitute. He was handed the number 9 shirt. He became the youngest ever player to appear for Caen at the age of 16 years and 114 days old.

8. It was on the 7th of May that saw him net his first goal for the French outfit as the club drew 1-1 against Lens – this made him the second youngest player to score in Ligue 1.

9. It was reported that at the start of the 2011/12 season Tottenham had made an offer of €8 million for the player, which was turned down.

10. Currently, Niang has made 30 appearances for Caen and has scored 5 goals. However, it is looking likely that his future lies away from France as the player himself has expressed a desire to leave and has recently had a trial at Arsenal, with both Manchester City and Tottenham said to be looking to do the same thing.

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Arsenal Debate: Should we make a loss by selling to Juventus instead of Man City?

Posted on July 18, 2012 by admin

All the latest Arsenal transfer rumours concerning Robin Van Persie appear to indicate that Juventus and Man City are the front-runners for his signature, with Man United as outsiders, although a partnership with Wayne Rooney would make more sense if he stays in the Premier League rather than fighting for a place in Man City’s star-studded team.

It is being reported that Robin’s favoured destination is Italy with the Serie A Champions, but it is a matter of record that they simply cannot afford to compete with the likely bids to come out of Manchester.

So with Arsenal (including our captain) are set to fly out on tour to the Far East, Arsene Wenger and the board are left with an intriguing dilemma. Should they let Robin go to Juventus on the cheap, or should they take the extra money on offer from City even though it will strengthen one of our rvals even more?

There is of course the other possibility that Arsenal will hold RVP to his contract for the last year, but with Sky Sports reporting that there are many offers on the table, plus the boards past performance of cashing in on contract rebels, it now seems certain that he will be leaving.

So back to the original question. Sell to Juventus at a loss? Or take the (extra) millions on offer from Manchester?

What do you think?

Tags: Juventus, Man City, millions, profit, Van Persie
Category Arsenal Debate, Arsenal opinion, Arsenal Transfer News CALLING ALL GOTHS !!!! UNIQUE HAND-MADE GOTH JEWELLERY AT GothicChameleon.com
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Arsenal Opinion: Should Ryo Miyaichi be given a chance this season?

What Is To Become of Ryo Miyaichi?

This is a tough subject. Ryo Miyaichi has shown some absolutely “beast-like” attributes since coming onto the premier league scene; but what is to become of him, now that he has proven to be such a killer on the flanks in the most difficult league in the world?

I’m curious to know what fellow gooners think should happen in concerns to Miyaichi. Take into consideration the fact that Walcott hasn’t signed a new contract yet. Take into consideration that Miyaichi has already been loaned twice. Take into consideration the video below, just to refresh your memories of just how dangerous and skilled the Japanese international is, even when playing against teams like Manshitty and chelsevic.

In my opinion Miyaichi should be a bench player next season, or at least in rotation with either Gervinho, Chamberlain, Podolski or Walcott (if he stays); this would allow our wingers to rest / not get overworked. Let us know what you think.

ARSENAL FOR LIFE

by JG

Tags: Arsenal, Arsenal Opinion, JG, loan, Ryo Miyaichi
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Guest Post: Should Arsenal sell RvP?

Robin van Persie has now officially confirmed he will not be signing a contract extension this summer, however Arsenal are still ‘confident’ that he will remain a Gunner next season.

Wenger maintained last year he was confident Fabregas would stay, he was confident Na$ri would at least see out his contract, and now Arsenal and the Frenchman have stated they are confident Van Persie will stay. See the common occurrence?

The Dutchman outlined his main reason for leaving as wanting to win trophies and not for financial reasons – fair enough. Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud have joined the Gunners to win trophies, slightly contradictory to RvP, however the signings show ambition towards fighting for silverware… unlike last summer.

RvP has now thrown Arsenal into turmoil for a consecutive summer and essentially has broken his proposed media ban. He’s completely upset the Gunners hierarchy and fans by claiming the club’s ambitions are different his own after his initial talks with Gunners boss Wenger and chairman Gazidis.

So is it time to let the Premier League golden boot winner depart? While the Gunners have consistently maintained they will not be selling the Dutchman, they do not have the willpower to allow their star player run down his contract and miss out on £20 million. Chelsea managed to with both Kalou and Drogba and they were still big players for the club last season, but the Gunners board will find it hard to resist the temptation to receive a cupboard full of cash, despite Wenger’s best effort.

If the Arsenal board do manage to pull off the improbable and retain RvP for next season, reports are suggesting that Gooners alike do not fancy seeing the Dutchman in red and white next season. This is mainly due to the years the club have stood by the forward through consistent injuries and after one (amazing) full season he is ready to move on, a bit of a slap in the face really.

But time is of the essence for the striker with his 29th birthday fast approaching. He essentially only has another 2-4 years at peak fitness, so it seems more and more likely that the striker will not be leading the Arsenal out the tunnel next season as he looks to secure some trophies.

With Van Persie heading out the door, who will take over the cursed captain armband? This is the third season in a row that a new club captain will be appointed which has again highlighted the constant instability at the club with star players leaving before they should. Thomas Vermaelen seems the obvious choice who is currently vice captain, and he has confirmed he will be at the Emirates for a long time, so (fingers crossed) we will not have to appoint a new club captain in 2013.

What are your thoughts on Van Persie’s situation? Are you keen for the Dutchman to remain a Gunner next season despite not committing to a new contact? Personally I’d be happy if he saw out his contract with the club and it would be a fitting exit for one of the clubs most talented players in it’s modern history.

Feel free to comment below or in Van Persie’s thread in the allArsenal forum.

Tags: Arsenal news, Arsenal rumours, Arsenal transfer rumours, Arsene Wenger, featured, gossip, Robin Van Persie, Rumours

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Arsenal should raid Athletico Bilbao while they can

Can Arsenal cherry pick some of the best talent in Spain? by KJ

Today, there has been a plethora of rumours that the manager of Athletic Bilbao, Marcelo Bielsa has officially resigned. You may think that this doesn’t have any implications for Arsenal but I assure you – it does.

It is common knowledge that Wenger has told his wide range of Spanish scouts to mainly focus their scouting reports on Athletic Bilbao. The reasoning behind this is pretty simple; they have some of the best young talent in Spain that could become world class if nurtured by the genius that is Arsene Wenger.

There are 4 players that I think Arsenal should definitely look into as the departure of Bielsa can only mean that it will be easier to tempt players away from Bilbao.

Javier Martinez: He is arguably the biggest talent that Bilbao has to offer and could potentially be one of Spain’s biggest players in years to come. He operates mainly a defensive midfielder but has been primarily used this season as a centre back. As a centre back, he has been Godly this season and has easily been one of the best in the world at that position. That’s how good of a season he has had. He is also only 23. That is extremely young for a player that is already in my opinion a world class player. He will only get player and could truly lay stake as the best midfielder in the world soon enough.

The only problem is that he’ll easily fetch £30 million in today’s market and even then, that’s a bargain. I just don’t see us having the financial outlay to pay that much for one player (even though he can play 2 positions on the pitch competently).

Fernando Llorente: He is one of the more experienced players in Athletic’s squad but still is only 27. He is also another product of their impressive youth recruitment in the Basque region. He is a big striker towering in at 6ft 5 but is much more than a target man. Like most Spanish players, he is extremely good with the ball at his feet. His dribbling is close, his passing is precise and his shooting is immaculate. He managed to score an impressive 30 goals last season making him one of the most prolific in La Liga.

Again a similar problem arises with his price. He could cost up to £25 million for the Gunners and this could be a steep price to pay for a player who by in large, seems quite similar to the recently acquired Giroud. However, with the imminent departure of Van Persie on the cards, it could also become a likely eventuality that the money made from the Dutchman is immediately invested in this versatile Spaniard.

Iker Muniain: Another amazing talent who is seen as the natural successor to Iniesta in the Spanish National team. That’s how highly rated he is in Spain and rightly so. He is mainly deployed as a left winger and has only scored a meagre 2 goals and made 3 assists. However, we must remember that he’s only 19, younger than our own Jack Wilshere (who managed similar goals/assists in his breakthrough season). The positive with him is that he is only rated at about £13 million which is within our range for sure.

Markel Susaeta: This winger has been linked with Arsenal before and there were rumours that Wenger focussed more recent scouting reports on him solely. We may now be more interested in him after RVP’s likely departure from Arsenal (meaning Podolski will play through the middle). He managed to get an impressive 6 goals and 7 assists. Also more interestingly, he is only got one year left on his contract meaning that Arsene could definitely try to get him for something in the region of £6 million.

There are some great talents to be had from Bilbao. I would love to see Wenger aim for one of the big three as they could drastically increase the quality of our squad. They are however very loyal to their club and it could prove very difficult to tempt them away with a manager or not.

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Should Wenger consider substance over style as Arsenal legend claims?

Posted on Tuesday, 19th April 2011 by Taaza Banda

Arsenal legend David Seaman has called upon on Arsene Wenger to consider shifting away from style in favour of substance.

The ex-England international, who won 3 league championships and 4 F.A Cups trophies with Arsenal, told Sky Sports News:

‘The manager’s done great there, but Arsenal is a club that should be winning trophies – when I joined we were expected to win trophies.’

‘The way we did it wasn’t the best football in the world, but at the moment Arsenal can play the best football in the world but they don’t win anything. It’s about getting that fine balance of effective football as well as playing some great football.’

I totally agree with him here. David Seaman admitted that he played in a team which did not play the best football in the world, but it brought home silverware. Now Arsenal are known for playing the best football in the world, but ultimately, have nothing to show for it. Maybe the former Arsenal player has a point. We need to stop trying to walk the ball into the back of the net and just try belting a few in from outside the area. We always make one pass too many in the opposing box, which leaves a number of fans frustrated and shouting ‘shoot!’ at their TV screens.

It seems Wenger has failed to find the perfect balance between defence and attack, and as a result, footballs biggest critics have tagged Arsenal as a team that attack like men but defend like boys.

Maybe we should change our style of play. Maybe adopt Blackpool’s style of play where their main objective is to out score their opponents. Maybe we should try a more physical approach, or just stick to our free-flowing football which seems to have no effect on physical teams that are able to disrupt our game with their beefy players and hard tackles.

When you have no idea of how a tactical change may affect the team’s performance, a change in philosophy can be described as suicide. However, we have kept the faith for nearly 6 years now and still have no trophies to show for it. Maybe its time we took a gamble.