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Football Thread 2011/2012 | OT11 | Roll on the Euros and transfer muppetry
- Thread starter PaulLFC
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I hear he is good.
2013. BELIEVE.
Regulus Tera
Romanes Eunt Domus
Everyone is linked to Guardiola. The only team that has actually managed to hire him is Dorados de Culiacán here in Mexico, and that's only for an exhibition match.
I want to
I have a good feeling regarding RVP so we'll see about that. I am sure he will sign for extend his contract with us as well.
The problem is to accommodate three strikers like the ones we've mentioned. Not only they suck on the wings, their ego won't tolerate much bench time.
nah, won't be a problem - Wenger loves putting players on the wing regardless of quality. I'm worried about RVP's appalling form at the Euros... that should be enough to scare away other teams, but if Wenger treats him as undroppable, then we might have a problem. plus, RVP will get injured.
and Dead Cities, Red Seas, Lost Ghosts is my fav M83 album too - Saturdays=Youth was a pretty big disappointment, though I've come to appreciate over the years.
I wouldn't worry about his form at the Euros, unless it messed up with his confidence. He was never that good for the Netherlands anyway. Guy is quality at level club though, and you probably know that better than me!
Podolski is going on the wing, there is little doubt about that. A formation change will be required in order for both RVP and Giroud to be in the starting line up. All 3 favor their left foot as well but the fact that we are biulding a strike force is encourging since last season RVP was left to do too much. If he didn't fire neither did Arsenal and if he got injured we were screwed so now we have options to cover for that and we can also rotate as it was very clear to me that RVP was struggling with fatigue towards the end of last season despite the fact that we were eliminated from all competitions early leaving on the PL but he was still clearly tired.
Defensively we still need some work. Bring in M'Vila and a CB/Fullback and we will have a decent squad next season that may achieve things.
Yeah, RVP' form in the Euros was a real worry for Arsenal fans. He doesn't suit the Dutch system but he was missing sitters, was indecisive and gave the general impression he didn't know what he was doing and yeah he will get injured, there is no doubt about that.
I just hope that, even if we don't play 4-4-2, we start playing RVP in the hole rather than as a lone striker. 2010-11, we had Fabregas, Nasri, Rosicky, Arshavin, even Wilshere who could all play in that position and score goals from midfield/pick out that key pass. Now, we've got... Rosicky? Maybe if Arshavin comes back and stays (which I wouldn't have a problem with - his 4 goals at Anfield came playing behind the striker while half the team was rested) he could play there - we just need to have, at minimum, two players who can finish in the squad at any given point in time.
And I think RVP playing behind Walcott is a partnership with real potential (If Jelavic can play up front and score goals, Walcott can too), if only Wenger would fucking try it. Walcott/Chamakh partnership could work too, if only to force Chamakh back into the team (since... who the hell would buy him?)
something like
M-Vila/Song - Wilshere/Ramsey/Arteta
Walcott/Ox - Rosicky/RVP/Arshavin - Gervinho/Podolski
Giroud/RVP/Podolski
would be ideal, I think, discounting any experimental lineups (walcott up front, Chamakh/Bendtner anywhere near the side, etc.) For once, we'd have some semblance of depth, even if no one's really world class besides RVP.
And I think RVP playing behind Walcott is a partnership with real potential (If Jelavic can play up front and score goals, Walcott can too), if only Wenger would fucking try it. Walcott/Chamakh partnership could work too, if only to force Chamakh back into the team (since... who the hell would buy him?)
something like
M-Vila/Song - Wilshere/Ramsey/Arteta
Walcott/Ox - Rosicky/RVP/Arshavin - Gervinho/Podolski
Giroud/RVP/Podolski
would be ideal, I think, discounting any experimental lineups (walcott up front, Chamakh/Bendtner anywhere near the side, etc.) For once, we'd have some semblance of depth, even if no one's really world class besides RVP.
Arshavin is gone, he will not play for us again.
I don't like Walcott. He is too inconsistent and doesn't string together decent games. He was great against Sweden for example but they are too few and far between for him. I wouldn't mind if for the odd game he played striker but consistently I would be totally against it. When RVP gets injured, we know he will, Giroud and Podolski need to be able to take over in order for us to succeed.
Giroud has consistency in the French league but the premier league is a whole new ball game but he will be surrounded by better and more talented players at Arsenal so I expect things from Giroud and if we can land M'Vila we can also deploy Alex Song further forward which is what he wants and he may do very well, has an impressive amount of assists and we've all seen how great his setup passing can be so that can be an option for us but we need to protect our back 4 in order for it to work.
I don't like Walcott. He is too inconsistent and doesn't string together decent games. He was great against Sweden for example but they are too few and far between for him. I wouldn't mind if for the odd game he played striker but consistently I would be totally against it. When RVP gets injured, we know he will, Giroud and Podolski need to be able to take over in order for us to succeed.
Giroud has consistency in the French league but the premier league is a whole new ball game but he will be surrounded by better and more talented players at Arsenal so I expect things from Giroud and if we can land M'Vila we can also deploy Alex Song further forward which is what he wants and he may do very well, has an impressive amount of assists and we've all seen how great his setup passing can be so that can be an option for us but we need to protect our back 4 in order for it to work.
Arshavin being gone... I can live with that. He clearly does not give a fuck anymore, and... can't say I blame him. For a time, he was proof of the idiocy of Arsenal's transfer policy... but playing out of position, in and out of the team, etc. Shame it didn't work out.
Re:Walcott. I'm becoming more and more convinced that Walcott isn't inconsistent, in so much as his game is always the same - it's more, only a very select few teams are stupid enough to give him the space needed to run 20-30 yards, cut inside, and STILL get a shot off. Playing centrally, he will have far more space to slip in behind defenders and latch onto good balls and with decent service... I dunno. Can't be any worse than his current position since he can't cross. as it is, his current position doesn't utilize his sole strength and magnifies all of his weaknesses. It boggles the mind.
At the very least, Wenger should just play him as a striker in the carling cup. Giroud should be a fantastic purchase, as long as Wenger actually plays him (RVP getting his inevitable injury should ensure that, at the very least). Adebayor did pass 20 goals a season, once upon a time. With proper service (and... crossing? please?) he should do great.
Definitely agree on Song. He's been providing fantastic service all season long, though at the cost of his defensive game at time. M'Vila is an absolute must - need to be able to play 2 DMs in big matches and have solid depth in that DM position, especially with Frimpong's discipline issues and torn ACL.
with luck, loan him back out to Ligue 1 and never see him again. Even if he's good enough (which I've seen nothing to suggest that's the case), with RVP, Podolski, Giroud, even Bendnter as competition for one spot, there's no way he's ever getting back into the squad. If we were looking for a marketing buy, we should have picked up Kagawa - it's not like Park was cheap anyways.
Re:Walcott. I'm becoming more and more convinced that Walcott isn't inconsistent, in so much as his game is always the same - it's more, only a very select few teams are stupid enough to give him the space needed to run 20-30 yards, cut inside, and STILL get a shot off. Playing centrally, he will have far more space to slip in behind defenders and latch onto good balls and with decent service... I dunno. Can't be any worse than his current position since he can't cross. as it is, his current position doesn't utilize his sole strength and magnifies all of his weaknesses. It boggles the mind.
At the very least, Wenger should just play him as a striker in the carling cup. Giroud should be a fantastic purchase, as long as Wenger actually plays him (RVP getting his inevitable injury should ensure that, at the very least). Adebayor did pass 20 goals a season, once upon a time. With proper service (and... crossing? please?) he should do great.
Definitely agree on Song. He's been providing fantastic service all season long, though at the cost of his defensive game at time. M'Vila is an absolute must - need to be able to play 2 DMs in big matches and have solid depth in that DM position, especially with Frimpong's discipline issues and torn ACL.
with luck, loan him back out to Ligue 1 and never see him again. Even if he's good enough (which I've seen nothing to suggest that's the case), with RVP, Podolski, Giroud, even Bendnter as competition for one spot, there's no way he's ever getting back into the squad. If we were looking for a marketing buy, we should have picked up Kagawa - it's not like Park was cheap anyways.
Holy fuck would you people please stop referring to players as "marketing buys?" So tired of hearing talented footballers have their abilities belittled in this manner.
Especially insulting when people suggest that everyone in Asia is going to buy a Kagawa shirt, because he's Asian. Just like everyone in Canada buys a Dempsey shirt, right?
Ugh just stop it. Let the owners and the financial execs be the ones drooling and wringing their hands at the prospect of exploiting foreigners.
Especially insulting when people suggest that everyone in Asia is going to buy a Kagawa shirt, because he's Asian. Just like everyone in Canada buys a Dempsey shirt, right?
Ugh just stop it. Let the owners and the financial execs be the ones drooling and wringing their hands at the prospect of exploiting foreigners.
Haha, so true.
I wasn't insinuating that he was a poor footballer or anything because he was asian or because of he was a "marketing buy". David Beckham was a marketing buy. Ronaldo (both fat and CR7!) was a marketing buy. Park Ji Sung was a marketing buy (well, partly) and loves putting goals past Arsenal. Marketing was taken into account for those purchases, that's just a fact. That doesn't make them shit footballers.
I'm just saying that Park is a legitimatley baffling buy. He cost something around 5m, he's on 60k a week, and he's played a total of one league game. So I think it's fair to bring into question his footballing ability. And I don't think its a secret that, yes, the owners take into consideration commercial potential when buying players - especially ones as stingy as Arsenal's. Doesn't mean we shouldn't discuss it.
If you're suggesting there's a hint of racism in my post, I'm half asian. So... yeah.
Park was purchased as panic in case RVP got injured, that was all. He has no future at Arsenal and needs to be sold. It's as simple as that, way too many players are ahead of him, even for Carling cup games.
Playing Arshavin centrally while we had Fabregas was simply not an option and out of the question which meant the only season he could have played centrally was last season and Wenger is clearly focused on developing Ramsey for that position. Arshavin had to have known this before signing and needs to be moved on. He is far too lazy for my liking, offers absolutely no support in defense and struts around like he doesn't give a toss.
Walcott is inconsistent. He fluffs many chances to score, some games just doesn't get involved period and can be very predictable. You would want us to risk PL points with this guy playing up front? It just can't work. Maybe in Carling cup teams or against the wrost performing PL teams we can give it a go but I don't trust Walcott in front of goal at all.
My preferred team will be like this:
Szczesny
Gibbs/Vermaelen/Koscielny/Sagna
M/Vila/Arteta or Wilshere
Song
Giroud/RVP/Podolski
Bench:
(goal keeper)
Mertersacker
Djourou
Ramsey
Wilshere/Arteta (whoever is not playing)
Gervinho
Chamberlain
The formation of the front 3 would not be like that because Giroud should be in the box with RVP playing slightly behind him but they are the players we should be starting with, imo and that bench has depth to cope with squad rotation and injuries. You even have Ryo Miyaichi and Francis Coquelin who both have great futures at Arsenal who could slot onto the bench as well. Miyaichi & Frimpong could do with more loan time though but only to PL clubs.
Playing Arshavin centrally while we had Fabregas was simply not an option and out of the question which meant the only season he could have played centrally was last season and Wenger is clearly focused on developing Ramsey for that position. Arshavin had to have known this before signing and needs to be moved on. He is far too lazy for my liking, offers absolutely no support in defense and struts around like he doesn't give a toss.
Walcott is inconsistent. He fluffs many chances to score, some games just doesn't get involved period and can be very predictable. You would want us to risk PL points with this guy playing up front? It just can't work. Maybe in Carling cup teams or against the wrost performing PL teams we can give it a go but I don't trust Walcott in front of goal at all.
My preferred team will be like this:
Szczesny
Gibbs/Vermaelen/Koscielny/Sagna
M/Vila/Arteta or Wilshere
Song
Giroud/RVP/Podolski
Bench:
(goal keeper)
Mertersacker
Djourou
Ramsey
Wilshere/Arteta (whoever is not playing)
Gervinho
Chamberlain
The formation of the front 3 would not be like that because Giroud should be in the box with RVP playing slightly behind him but they are the players we should be starting with, imo and that bench has depth to cope with squad rotation and injuries. You even have Ryo Miyaichi and Francis Coquelin who both have great futures at Arsenal who could slot onto the bench as well. Miyaichi & Frimpong could do with more loan time though but only to PL clubs.
Fair enough. It is a pretty common term attached to foreign players, sometimes with thinly veiled xenophobic motives, so I definitely get where you're coming from.
My only issue with that lineup is its so damn narrow. and I'm wary of playing Song at the peak of the midfield triangle - I don't rate his playmaking skills that highly. He reminds me much more of an Alonso-type, great at spraying diagonals, long balls over the top, good tackler, solid retainer of the ball. that type of player is perfect when coupled with decent wingers, and we won't be able to break down teams without some width to pump crosses in the box anyways - and we know Wenger loves to play two fake wingers in his bastardized 4-2-3-1. Just need a backup for Sanga... he broke his leg twice in one season...
PCY is a pretty important part of our NT, especially considering the lack of talent in the forward position atm. We produce good midfielders but not the best forwards and definitely not the best defenders. Right now Ji is our first choice striker Lol.
Anyway hoping for a move for Park as much as the Arsenal fans, although the reasons are obviously different.
Anyway hoping for a move for Park as much as the Arsenal fans, although the reasons are obviously different.
Then you will need to swap Song with Arteta/Wilshere but I don't think either player has the play maker abilities to be effective enough and Song's distribution sucks so our midfield will suffer as a result. Maybe Podolski goes to the bench for Chamberlain? I don't think our new signing will like that very much though but Giroud is an excellent finisher so bench for him seems unlikely.
Has there been any update on the Benayoun situation? Are we bidding for him or not? I've heard nothing... He played damn well for us and played a key role in us obtaining 3rd spot.
I think Wilshere could be that player, and then play RVP as a true number 10 - a bit like Rooney's position - feeding balls to an advanced striker, scoring a fair number of goals himself. But then you have to drop one of the three main midfielders... might make ball retention more difficult. On the other hand, if we get M'Vila, we could field two of M'Vila/Wilshere/Song/Arteta and have two midfielders that can both play the ball and shield the defense, depending on whether they're in possession. Either way, it's a more balanced team than the one we have right now, or even any of the ones of the past couple years. no more one man teams plz.
and I don't think Benayoun is staying. He was fantastic the last couple months of the season - he was excellent on the wing, despite being a natural number 10. good at retaining the ball and build up interplay, if not necessarily making runs/crosses. a good depth player to have, like Rosicky, but I don't think it's essential to make the move permanent. He is 32, after all, and probably on pretty high wages.
I want to
Don't do it. He's got AVB written all over him. Away from Barca he's be like a fish out of water.
I'm joking ... kinda.
There was a feature about him on SSN where he said he loves art. He said after games and training he'd go home and paint and draw. Better then going to clubs where footballers only ever seem to get caught doing something they shouldn't.
I still like AVB
He could do very well at Spurs with the young core they have. The experiences, good and bad, with Chelsea will help him in the future.But he can't take Eva. No no no no no.
bean breath
Member
TS linking us with Torres. Unlink unlink unlink!
I still think Bayern's biggest problem is Nerlinger.
Hah! I'm glad you liked it, it was too obvious
I want to
I still think Bayern's biggest problem is Nerlinger.
Gareth Bale
Member
No City PR this morning? Fine, I'll do it then
Wayne Veysey: Manchester City set £15m limit on bid to sign Van Persie
Wayne Veysey: Manchester City set £15m limit on bid to sign Van Persie
Juventus it is, then.
Our bid for Luuk De Jong is actually a valid reason behind the idea that Demba Ba will leave. We can make 7m off of Ba, allowing us to replace him with De Jong. While this sets us up perfectly for the ACoN (Cisse will go, meaning we'll still have a good striker to lead the line for us in his absence), I will worry about the rest of the season. Two great strikers is still not enough in this league and especially with us competing in Europe. We need THREE at least. Sammy Ameobi isn't up to scratch yet and Shola is just lulz.
Such a dilemma as I also want us to play with one striker (4-3-3 was so fucking good for us last season), not two. De Jong being on the bench might be something we could get away with but him and Ba, providing we buy a winger for that left side? Eh...
Such a dilemma as I also want us to play with one striker (4-3-3 was so fucking good for us last season), not two. De Jong being on the bench might be something we could get away with but him and Ba, providing we buy a winger for that left side? Eh...
What I Learned From The Euro Thread:
-A new offside rule
-It's OK to 'rape' someone in a corner.
-Italy play catenaccio.
-Marchisio shouldn't be in the XI
-Balotelli is our best striker and he's quite underrated.
-Giaccherini was our worst player in two games (He was actually one of our best against Spain)
-'I pity you if you believe that team sports have any sort of meaning beyond entertainment'.
-A new offside rule
-It's OK to 'rape' someone in a corner.
-Italy play catenaccio.
-Marchisio shouldn't be in the XI
-Balotelli is our best striker and he's quite underrated.
-Giaccherini was our worst player in two games (He was actually one of our best against Spain)
-'I pity you if you believe that team sports have any sort of meaning beyond entertainment'.
-I hate the Dutch
Rape culture. It's spreading.
"It means, with Barcelona and Juventus making it clear that Van Persie is not a serious target, the options for the player have seriously narrowed."
Fingers crossed. I hope he stays at Arsenal.
Aurelio De Laurentiis wants 70M..
Perfect, last time I checked Gio was supposedly worth 30M.
If he did, presumably one of Gervinho and Walcott will be on the way out. There is no way Wenger could keep those two and RVP, Podolski, Chamberlain and Giroud happy. Has Chamakh been sold yet?
So Podolski will be played as a winger then, rather than a CF? What about Giroud and Van Persie if the intention is to play all 3 at once? Doesn't seem possible to me, or likely that Van Persie or Giroud playing on the opposite wing would work. I guess anyone is a step up from Arshavin, Gervinho, etc. but Giroud is a striker, not a winger. That leaves shoving Van Persie on the wing and no way would he accept that. Otherwise Giroud would have to be on the bench and I guess that would be a sensible idea as a back-up for Van Persie as Giroud will need time to settle.
Still think it's criminal that Arsenal will get him for 12m. Criminal in the sense that that's a fucking top quality buy. Hope he does well.
Arsenal are shaping a very sexy team. If they score M'Vila as well, will they finally come across the right ingredients to legitimately challenge for the title again?
Still think it's criminal that Arsenal will get him for 12m. Criminal in the sense that that's a fucking top quality buy. Hope he does well.
Arsenal are shaping a very sexy team. If they score M'Vila as well, will they finally come across the right ingredients to legitimately challenge for the title again?
No. The defence is still the worst of the top 4 by far. Chesney is gaffe-prone, Santos/Gibbs are weak defensively and Sagna is fading. They need a quality LB and a more experienced keeper to compete with Chesney.
They certainly look a very tasty attacking team though. In fact it's becoming a bit worrying that Spurs still haven't signed anybody while Arsenal and Chelsea have signed several players. We need to get a move on.
A name that's never really been brought up at all since the season ended is Bruno Soriano. I wonder what fate will befall him? Isn't he like.. the La Liga's best defensive midfielder outside of Busquets? And versatile as well.
The reason I mention it is because he of course plays for Villareal, who are now relegated to the second division. He, Nilmar and Rossi may be hard to keep for them, even if their promotion back up is all but guaranteed.
The reason I mention it is because he of course plays for Villareal, who are now relegated to the second division. He, Nilmar and Rossi may be hard to keep for them, even if their promotion back up is all but guaranteed.
Damiao. I know it, you know it, everybody knows it. :/
I just read an amazing interview with Iaquinta.
Q: What's your biggest regret?
A: The many injuries in the past year and a half. There's nothing you can do about that.
.
.
.
Q: What's the meanest thing they say about you, something you really can't stand.
A: When they say I'm always injured.
YOU. FUCKING. ARE. Even you said so. In the same interview. God, we have him under contract for another year. It's gonna be another Amauri, isn't it?
As I said on Twitter yesterday, for those that follow me, Van Persie is perfect for Juventus. He'd be a lone front man, have the full attention of Juve's supply line, a supply line that just happens to employ Pirlo, and they're a team that have stocked up with pacey, direct wingers.
Don't see RVP at City. At all. He'd always be played with another striker, and City prefer to play little intricate passes, rather than sweeping through balls or a deluge of balls into the box.
If Giroud turns out like the last promising striker they bought from Ligue 1, they'll still desperately need RVP. If both Giroud and Podolski translate the form they showed at their previous clubs into their Arsenal careers then the Dutchman would probably be surplus to requirements, especially considering his worth, which I refuse to believe is as low as some insinuate; he's still a 20 goal a season player, minimum.
Don't see RVP at City. At all. He'd always be played with another striker, and City prefer to play little intricate passes, rather than sweeping through balls or a deluge of balls into the box.
If Giroud turns out like the last promising striker they bought from Ligue 1, they'll still desperately need RVP. If both Giroud and Podolski translate the form they showed at their previous clubs into their Arsenal careers then the Dutchman would probably be surplus to requirements, especially considering his worth, which I refuse to believe is as low as some insinuate; he's still a 20 goal a season player, minimum.
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