I’ve pulled an all nighter writing a huge report thats due a few hours from now, so I won’t be posting toady just sleeping!
I thought I’d leave you this video to enjoy, a few highlights and a few lowlights of the season, just remember, theres always next year! Remember Cesc in Milan, Walcott at Anfield? Here you go!
Speak soon Gooners!
We all know the famous saying; “Arsene Knows”. Reading some articles you would think that only total idiots can agree with this, and Arsenal are doomed.
How many times do we have to hear this rubbish?! Arsene Wenger is the best manager Arsenal have ever had. He has brought unprecedented style, attacking football at its best, unearthed gems in players no one has even heard of and won heaps of trophies.
I agree, we have been through a barren patch these last few years, but this year we saw an incredible improvement and in 2005/2006 we got to the Champions League Final.
If you look at the facts it shows Arsenal are building a team of champions, centred around players such as Cesc Fabregas.
Now that one player has left, Flamini, we hear that the squad will fall apart and again that we will be crap next year. Weren’t we hearing the same things last year?
Granted, Flamini has been a revelation this season and will be hard to replace, and there is some speculation about Hleb’s future, but come on. We have a striker who has scored 30 goals in his first season as the main striker, arguably the best midfielder in the world, in Cesc Fabregas, and loads of up and coming youth talent.
Get real is what I say, Wenger would agree with me. Yes, we should be worried about our club, but speculation gets you nowhere!
Wenger has given a bit more detail about the Hleb situation:
“What people say about the buy-out clause, it is not as simple as it looks,” said the Frenchman. “It is much more difficult and the clubs are reluctant to do that.
“We want to keep Hleb, we want him to be part of our team next year. It is as simple as that. We have lost one player, we do not want to lose more.”
Yes it really is that simple, we want to hold on to him and the media do not realise the complexities of football, to use an over-used phrase – this isn’t Football Manager.
Arsene knows what he’s on about, listen:
“If you are a winner you say ‘you beat me now in a game but give me a chance to come back and beat you’. That’s what I expect of a team. If they cannot do that then it means I was wrong completely in my whole judgement of this team.
“But I hope that 95 per cent of the team, the core of the team, says ‘come on, we have only just lost’. And it is ‘just’ because we were leading at Manchester United, we were leading at Chelsea and we were leading at Liverpool in the Champions League, and every time we just lost a little bit of focus and lost the game.
“Let’s come back and show we are winners. That is the real target of the team.”
Inspiring stuff, Wenger does know, because we were close this year, how many people thought it was going to be our season, almost all of you reading right now I bet you. So lets come next season (hopefully with a signing or two) and show what we’re made of.
The Times thinks that Hleb is on his way out of the club. They claim that his ‘representatives’ have agreed a four-year deal with Inter, and that he has told team mates that he will join Inter.
Again this seems speculative, with no quotes and nothing official, but it may happen. Hleb could leave, and we would be in a bit of transfer trouble were this to happen. Wenger would have a bit of a midfield crisis. I’m waiting to hear more on this one.
A player who is linked with a transfer is Fabregas, and this is one I’m sure won’t happen (bar something totally crazy occuring in the next few months).
Ramon Calderon, the Real president has Fabregas as one of his main transfer targets, and said:
“Something nice about Cesc is that he is Spanish and this is one of my objectives – to make Real Madrid more Spanish.”
Only two weeks ago Fabregas said that he was totally comitted to Arsenal though:
“My future belongs to Arsenal, and it is the truth.”
“I have always said I want to play for Arsenal, it is the best team I can be at, the best club for me.”
So I doubt Calderon’s wishes will come true at this point!
Meanwhile, Sagna is set to sign a new contract after only a season at the club, maybe Wenger is getting wary after the situations with Flamini and Hleb.
Wenger also said that Adebayor needs to keep improving:
“I believe if Ade keeps his work ethic, there is still 20% more to come from him. Does he want it enough – to get this extra 20% out?
“Well that is where his future lies. If you lose that desire, you quickly become a nobody.”
Adebayor should be able to keep up his form next season, I don’t see any reason why not, Wenger just wants to stop him getting too comfortable!
I hope we can hold onto Hleb at least, because otherwise we will start the transfer season weakened, rather than ready to strengthen the squad. I think it is more likely he will stay than Flamini, but if he does leave we might have a confidence problem on our hands.
Whatever happens now we will finish in third place this year (click here for league table), and trophyless again.
Not all is bad though, our squad has matured and we have seen a vast improvement in the quality of football and the results. 3rd place is one up from last season, and the QF of the Champions League is one stage further. Had luck been on our side we would have gone further.
Now Flamini has become the first departure of the summer we wait and see who else will come and go. I’m not sure who Wenger will sign, I am pretty sure that we have seen the last of Lehmann and possilbly Gilberto.
At this stage the future of the club is in the balance. Lose players like Hleb, and the squad will be greatly weakened and unsettled. Keep the majority of the players and sign a few more gems and we could be very successful next year.
A few players who I expect to come through more next year are:
A very good player, good passing and can run at defenders as well at being great in the air. He has scored 9 this season, and although not a perfect partner for Adebayor, he will start more next season.
One of the top young players in the Premiership. His style and pace are fantastic. He has started more and more this season and proved himself, i.e. at Anfield. Expect him to start on the right wing, and more up front next year. Maybe some more goals too.
Badmouthed by some fans, he has proven his quality in the new year, first at the ANC, and then with some good performances in defence. A possible replacement for Flamini, or maybe a new centre back
Looks like he may get a chance on the left wing after his conversion from left back. He looked good coming on against Everton, and provided the cross for the goal. Him and Clichy would be a menacing duo on the left flank, pace, power, and passing in attack and defence.
Another much talked about player. He has done well on loan at Osasuna, and Wenger will recall him next season possibly for a starting line up. Don’t know loads about him. Let me know your impressions in the comments.
Just a quick summary, if you think of any more then feel free to add them in the comments section.
Also congratulations to Arsenal Ladies, double winners, the most successful women’s team in the land.
Arsene Wenger has a long term interest in Niko Kranjcar, the 23 year old Croatian midfielder, according to the players father, Zlatko Kranjcar:
“Wenger was interested in Niko in the Croatian League and he has tracked him for sometime.”
It looks like Kranjcar might be a target for us if Hleb goes this summer, the midfielder is skillful and plays good football. He’d be a ready-made player for us, already having proved himself in the Premier League with Portsmouth. Harry Redknapp won’t want to let him go though!
Speaking about Hleb, Wenger has said that he will report Inter to FIFA for their illegal approach of the player:
“I will of course do it, with Inter Milan especially,”
“I now know more about what happened over there. I will keep the information for those who need to know it.
“I don’t want to speak much more on that but it is unfair what happened.”
It is totally illegal if Inter did approach Hleb, and Wenger is well within his rights to report them. I think what has happened is unfair and just unsettles the club and our players. The way some agents and clubs act is despicable and we have seen bad situations caused by this sort of action before.
Hleb did an interview today in the Sunday Times, he said this:
“Who knows what will happen?”“All I can say is that I enjoy the game here and enjoy playing for Arsenal. There is more to come from this team and from me.”
This is his first response to the rumours that he might be leaving Arsenal this summer. It does hint that he might be staying, but he isn’t giving any direct answers.
Hleb also talks about winning more, and getting some silverware:
“We have to accept that sometimes victory will not look beautiful, we need to learn to play to win, not just play the beautiful game. The win is more important than beauty and my feeling is that playing the beautiful game is no compensation for not winning a trophy.”
Hleb tells us why he passes instead of shooting sometimes:
“What is it that stops me from shooting sometimes?”
“I know I pass the ball when I’m in a good position and I’m thinking ‘that was a good chance’. It all goes back to my childhood, to my coach, who always said ‘pass, pass, pass’.”
So no real answer, but a hint maybe that his future lies with Arsenal, as Wenger said, moving to the club who pays the most doesn’t apply any more, the players have to make the right decision for their future, and the team at Arsenal has a bright one.
Clichy wants Flamini to sign new contract, hear from him here.
Also Eduardo is expected to come back from injury sooner than expected, possibly even by August! Click here for more from 1970s Gooner.
Arsene said here:
“There is something in this team which is stronger than a few bucks here and there,
“What is really important is that this team says ‘lets go to the end of our potential together and not walk out for any simpler reason’ – and that is where I expect them to show strength, and care what they can achieve together.”
“We are not any more in a period where you get £100 more at another club and it decides your life.
“Flamini can earn more somewhere else that is for sure because it would be a free transfer – but how much is he ready to sacrifice to stay here?”
This really sums up what Arsenal mean to Arsene and what he wants to see from this group of players. Good players should not be dicated by money if they are already earning large sums.
They need to make decisions about the sort of team they want to play in – look at players like Anelka – he left Arsenal out of greed and has never really fulfilled his potential in terms of success.
The article also mentions Fabianski, and the effect that conceding 5 goals to Spurs had on him. It’s likely that he will start against Derby on Monday.
Meanwhile Ancelotti has confirmed AC Milan’s interest in Flamini:
“A player like him would be good in any team. Since he is expiring, if he wants to come to Milan for us it would be an excellent purchase.”
Mancini, boss of the other Milan club, Inter, has tried to play down his comments on Hleb (see this article), by saying:
“I have never made any declarations regarding Hleb or other players who are under contract with other clubs, for whom I have the utmost respect”
What a load of crap, Inter have gone about this in a very underhand way, first meeting in Milan, and then coming out to the press. Wenger was right to say he might report them to FIFA. As for AC, they can **** off as well.
Another player we are linked to, by Croatia coach Slaven Bilic, is Niko Kranjcar. He’s an impressive player and would work well for us if Hleb went out the door, he has proven his Premiership quality for Portsmouth already. Expect a prohibitive transfer fee though!
Oh and also, because Chelsea beat Man Utd at the Bridge yesterday, we still have a mathematical chance of winning the title. That is, If Man Utd and Chelsea both gain only one point each in the two remaining games!
Wenger has made an improved offer to Flamini to try and get him to stay. Read here. It’s reportedly £55 000 a week. He said this here:
“I believe he wants to stay and we want him to stay. We have made him an offer, if it’s not good enough we will know soon.”I respect our wages structure. We have made an offer. We think it is decent and that is it.”
I am quietly confident that he will sign for us, the deadline is the end of April, so we will know in the next week whether he stays or goes.
Another player linked out, Hleb: and Wenger’s really angry about the way Inter have shown their interest.
“Statements from inside the club saying they are interested in our players, without calling us that is not acceptable. You would never hear me saying that. If I am interested in a player I go to the chairman.
“The newspapers may have the speculation but for a club to come out with a statement like that and not even call… I think it is disrespectful. It is illegal.”
Stupid Inter.. I guess Hleb will stay, why would he want to leave??
Henry. Never say never.
Fabianski to start on Monday and the Boss may not even sign another ‘keeper if Jens leaves.
Sagna out for rest of season, not so suprised about this.
Modric signs for Spurs.
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This morning there’s some controversy about our captiancy.
Toure has said:
“Gallas was really good for us at the start of the season but then after this Birmingham game he made a mistake, he knows that and we all tried to bring him back to the team and he came back well.When you make a mistake it is difficult after that, it was a really important part of our season.”
“I would be really, really proud to be captain. I am now one of the oldest players in the squad so naturally I feel like a captain and it doesn’t matter if I have the armband or not.”
Toure wants the armband desparately. He could be a good captian, but I don’t think he’s a real leader.
Gallas has hit back:
“They [the media] can say what they want… they will not bring me down, I’m stronger than that. It makes me mad because I don’t think [what happened in Birmingham] was our problem. How can you summarise our season with that thing at Birmingham? That is not why we stopped winning matches.
“It’s true, we shouldn’t pin all of our problems on the Birmingham game, we made too many defensive errors in the last few games, that’s what it came down to.
Read the original article here.
Could Adams be the man to sort out our defence? He is out of contract at Portsmouth and willing to come back. He makes a good point about the defence:
“I just feel that people don’t realise that the best back four win the league. The last two seasons Manchester United have had the best back four and, before that, John Terry and his men were fantastic for two years.
“We’ve kept more clean sheets at Portsmouth than Arsenal have, but I’m not going to question the great man [Wenger].
“I love the club, it was part of my life for so many years and if anyone at Arsenal wants to invite me back, I’m willing to give it a shot”
It would be great to see him back, and he could do a good job on the defence!
I’ll start this morning by telling you that it is rumoured that Phil Senderos might be leaving this summer. The 23 year old defender might have played his last game for us at Anfield.
This is just speculation, but added to the possibility that we may also lose Flamini, Hleb and Gilberto, our squad will be streched, as I said before. I think that Senderos will become a good defender, if given the right amount of time. That may be too loing for Arsene though!
Henry has been linked with a move away from Barca, he says the only place he would go to is in England is Arsenal.
“I’m happy – I don’t regret leaving Arsenal. “But there’s only one team in England for me. Everybody knows the love and affection I have for Arsenal. I was so into it, I became a fan.”
“There has been since I arrived here a lot of speculation from day one but, hey, go back where? There’s only one team for me in my heart. It took me a while to understand what that club, Arsenal, meant.”
I don’t believe he will leave them, I believe that Arsenal means a great deal to him, you could always see it when he played. Possibly the best player we have ever had. It’s good to hear him talk about the club in this way.
Toure wants to stay at Arsenal and help us win trophies. Good one Kolo, I hope that certain players follow your lead! Click Here.
He also says he really wants to be captain. It must have hurt when Gallas got picked this season, but his position is now under speculation.Toure would make an excellent captain, and the guy will work really hard to get where he wants to be.
Rosicky is on the mend. We still don’t know when he will be back though. Click here.
How many players are we missing now??? Click here to find out.
Finally, Wenger says here:
“Maybe I’ll have to give the players who go to the European Championships a little breather before they go.”
So we may see some squad rotation in these last 3 games of the season. I have no problem with that. It’s been a very hard season, and players need a break, because if they play all summer then they won’t perform so well next year if overtired.
ArseSpeak 