Pre-season friendlies must be the time where Arsenal TV Online receive the most of their subscriptions as that is the only place where the games are broadcast live. It is a shame that the commentators are so arrogant and the picture quality so shoddy… it is not exactly a ringing advert of competance and value is it? That said, the £3 for three pre-season friendlies is very good value.
There has been a development over the future of Manuel Almunia – it is believed that now Osasuna have dropped out of the race crawl to sign him, Galatasaray have expressed an interest in him. This is a club that could afford his wages and would be attracted by the low fee Arsenal will be willing to sell him for, if that is the case then expect the search for a goalkeeper (if the is one) to be extended and hurried up because things are starting to get rather too close to the start of the season for comfort. The thought of Fabianski in the starting eleven for Liverpool terrifies me, I’m sure in training he is fantastic and he has huge potential – but it gives us an instant handicap, we might as well start a goal down.
I don’t see Almunia being at the club for much longer, the club have to do something about the goalkeeping situation just to save fave and pay lip service. Arsene Wenger declared at the end of last season that the goalkeeping situation would have to be assessed and if necessary improved.. he was left out against Barnet and Sturm Graz, appeared to throw a bit of a strop and was, in my opinion, the target of those “the goalkeepers have to accept competition at this club” comment from Arsene.
However, I just sincerely hope that we go into the market and get a replacement, Chesney isn’t ready yet despite having all the hallmarks of a very good future number one, Mannone has been lightening in training and has potential too, but just hasn’t got the experience, Fabianski doesn’t have the experience and has mental failings. Anything other than a signing will be, (to use that word again…) neglect.
I’m told a fee of £1.5 million will be enough for Galatasaray to get their hands on Almunia, add that to the funds for a keeper already and go to Fulham with an increased bid for Schwarzer. That would do me.
John Cross – a very respectable journalist in my opinion – is running a story about Per Mertesacker being a target for us, which fits in with information that Ivan Gazidis has been in Germany (possibly Bremen) within the past week. Its hard to say whether negotiations will be ongoing because he is no longer in the country and is currently in the USA and expected to return to Blighty on Friday.
Last night the last game in Austria for this pre-season was played, we won 4-0 against FC Neusiedl who ATVO reckoned we could notch up a cricket score against – as it turned out they were a handy team and were by no means humiliated, giving a good account of themselves.
It took a while for us to break the deadlock with Theo Walcott finishing nicely, maybe giving him a little bit of a confidence boost and getting him in shape for the Emirates Cup games. Just a couple of minutes after, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas finished a nice move off, a wonderful ball from Gibbs, he wriggled about a bit (bit difficult for someone of his stature) and finished it into the bottom corner. Great finish and hopefully we will see some of him this season as he has so many wonderful physical attributes to become quite the player for us. A different type of player.
Marouane Chamakh managed to net his first goal for us with a coolly taken penalty after being felled in the area, its good to see him open his account for the club, un-officially at least. He is a player I really want to see more of, even if he does look like the Brylcreem boy.
Fans are starting to get disillusioned and it is understandable why, there’s that team from the Middle Eastlands splashing the cash out on all and sundry whilst theres us who have brought in a striker on a free (with undoubted quality, mind), and Laurent Koscielny who has only played one season of top flight football in his career. There are massive gaps in the squad at center back in particular and it seems we haven’t really pushed the boat out to try and sort that out… its not very inspirational to say the least. Then there is the reticence of the boss to cough up for Mark Schwarzer or Phil Jagielka and the frustration continued to grow, including my own.
There needs to be a signing, one to get excited about too – I’m not talking massive cash splashing but just a name everyone has heard of, a solid name.
If that happens everyone will feel a whole lot better.
Lets wait and see…
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U no longer think Schwarzer is coming? John Cross repeated that he is still Arsenal’s no. 1 target.
Theres nothing new on that front, had conflicting info. Not convinced we will get a keeper right now.
Apparently wenge refused to comment on whether arsenal have made an offer to per mertersacker.
Mertsacker is a good defender very good in the air and composed he would fit in well with koscielny, vermalen, djorou who all have pace wont be a problem.
I hope wenger gives woijech Szcensy a chance i think hes got the whole package.
BUT PPL DONT DELUDE YOURSELF IF YOU THINK WE GET A NEW GOALKEEPER IT WILL HELP OUR DEFENCE.
IT WONT WE ALMUNIA HASNT BEEN THAT BAD HES JUST MADE BIG MISTAKES IN VITAL MOMENTS OF THE SEASON. I DONT REMEBER HIM AMKING TOO MANY HOWLERS
And those big mistakes at vital moments are what we can’t afford. We need a vocal keeper. Szczeny is vocal, Al and FL are not
MArtin was Ivan gazidis in Germany?
Also what do you think of koscielny? I really like him especially today he looked much more convincing and won everything in the air compared to vermaelen and djorou.
I know its pre season you can tell the guys has got class, the question is whether he can handle the big, fast, powerful strikers in the premiership. I personally think he can vermaelen is right he is a “Smart” defender
although i want almunia 2 leave i wud still rather c him in the net against liverpool than trashyanski but wud rather both went (if any 1 will take trashyanski) get some1 else any1 better than these 2 and promote mannone 2 number 2
although i want almunia 2 leave i wud rather c him in the net against liverpool than trashyanski but wud rather both went (if any 1 will take trashyanski ) get some1 else any1 better than these 2 and promote mannone 2 number 2
john. Yep in Germany for a few days. Bremen too where Mertesacker plays.
Got big potential, needs to bulk up though, looks like a sheet of paper
i still wonder why anyone here forgot to praise vito mannone. I see him as a natural replacement to FLAPIANSKI and the spanish waiter. Frimpong and Song would be two defensive midfielders all of which are quite versatile when on the offensive. When last year verminator was signed in everybody was thomas who? (now he is a hero ) lets give laurent a chance and see what he can do for us possibly against Liverfools.
Mertersacker.. Ojala, this week please. everyone will be happy.
Mannone looked good, looks stronger and confident, better than Flapski. If no new signing this week it all depends on form in grove cup or fkups. Manuel knows he’s leaving so shouldnt be risked in prem. why play now?
Per wuld def b a gr8 catch, even for th 14m tht reportedly denied us Jag. Ad ratha if A.W. sold Almunia at wateva cost, get Mark frm Fulham n make Chesny the no.2 and Fabianski no.3. Then loan out Vito 4 a season. But again, don’t u thnk we stil need mo thn 1 c.b. signing? We got 3 out n 1 (or 2) in?
Sed. if Mertersacker comes he’ll be 1st choice obv, so replace gallas. Kos and JD 1st&2nd backups (Sol & Silv), Nordtveit + Song emergency. More would be a luxury and i’d prefer ak is sorted first.
gk i mean
Arsenal will not buy a GK before they find a buyer for Almunia…Almunia`s problem is he is not vocal and this is important and that is one of Schwarzer`s potential..
@martin,would’nt it be better,if you keep your thoughts about ARSENAL to yourself,cause i hate to say every time you open your mouth it’s only criticsm comes from your mouth.Now lets start,FABIANSKY needs people to encourage him,not people like you who is only ctiticizing him,about cesny you muttered that he lacks experience,what a laugh,never knew you were that bright,now i want you to tell us how a keeper or an outfield player for that matter,how is he going to gain experience if he spends most of the time on the bench and not on the playing field?It seems that some people want to see ARSENAL cap in hand,like barca ( look at them more than 77 million in debt,is that the way you want our club to be?)whit your reasoning of buy that and that player,as if you are throwing money like confetti at a wedding?and what about those ridicule wages? if the clubs (all of them )doesnt come to their senses and see the light ( red )at the end of the tunnel,it want be that long when football at this level will be a distant memory,and finally with the players we have,yes, i dont blame Wenger not to sign more players,even in the heart of the defence i wouldnt hesitate to play song and diaby togeter,thats how much fate i have in pour players.
@martin,would’nt it be better,if you keep your thoughts about ARSENAL to yourself,cause i hate to say every time you open your mouth it’s only criticsm comes from your mouth.Now lets start,FABIANSKY needs people to encourage him,not people like you who is only ctiticizing him,about cesny you muttered that he lacks experience,what a laugh,never knew you were that bright,now i want you to tell us how a keeper or an outfield player for that matter,how is he going to gain experience if he spends most of the time on the bench and not on the playing field?It seems that some people want to see ARSENAL cap in hand,like barca ( look at them more than 77 million in debt,is that the way you want our club to be?)whit your reasoning of buy that and that player,as if you are throwing money like confetti at a wedding?and what about those ridiculous wages? if the clubs (all of them )doesnt come to their senses and see the light ( red )at the end of the tunnel,it want be that long when football at this level will be a distant memory,and finally with the players we have,yes, i dont blame Wenger not to sign more players,even in the heart of the defence i wouldnt hesitate to play song and diaby togeter,thats how much faith i have in our players.
Carmelo, if you say something back it up with evidence. The fact is we are not good enough at the moment and its my right to criticize.
There is nigh on £80 million to spend on transfers, just Wenger isn’t spending it
it would be great if we signed Mertesaker….but it seems too good to be true…
Im reading alot of stuff about Marchetti….that Arsenal have bid 5.5mil….is this that true….???
Goonblogger is correct. There is money to spend quite whether it is to the levels of £80m is another matter. However AW at present seems reluctant to spend it. Haggling over a couple of mil on Schwwarzer and took an age to get Kossy due to not wanting to pay +£3m or so more for him!
The fact he offers £6m for Jagielka is an insult in the current climate!
If we do not address the CB and GK issue then we will not have made any further movement forward. Whatever people thought of Gallas neither Kossy or Djourou are anywhere near his level. So you’d have to say at present the defence ahs actually regressed.
Couple that with the fact that AW has publicly said “there is no number 1 GK at present” and you could say that we have a recipe for disaster brewing….
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