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Football Thread 2012/13 |OT7| Wilde things happen afer dark

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L

Lightning

Banned
Wenger seems to really want Walcott to stay. I really doubt we will sell in January even if he hasn't signed which I hope he has. He adds a bit of depth to the squad and can change the course of a game on his day.

Walcott's finishing is outstanding. It's the other aspects of his game that are worrying.
 
L

LTWheels

Member
Lightning said:
Wenger seems to really want Walcott to stay. I really doubt we will sell in January even if he hasn't signed which I hope he has. He adds a bit of depth to the squad and can change the course of a game on his day.

Walcott's finishing is outstanding. It's the other aspects of his game that are worrying.
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The thing is Walcott doesn't want to be 'a bit of depth to the squad.'
 
L

Lightning

Banned
LTWheels said:
The thing is Walcott doesn't want to be 'a bit of depth to the squad.'
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He's not good enough to be anything else for any top side. His contract is the only reason he is not starting for us every week. If that were sorted, he would start, the problem is Walcott wants to be the fulcrum of the attack and he's just not good enough for that. Neither is Giroud though to be fair.
 
S

Sviatoslav

Member
Denisov is finally back with the first team! Fucking excellent news. Season is still salvageable. Plus Danny is coming back this Friday. Maybe we still have hope in the champion's league now.
 
L

LTWheels

Member
Lightning said:
He's not good enough to be anything else for any top side. His contract is the only reason he is not starting for us every week. If that were sorted, he would start, the problem is Walcott wants to be the fulcrum of the attack and he's just not good enough for that. Neither is Giroud though to be fair.
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That's why I believe Arsenal should sell him.
 
S

Salvadora

Member
Arsène Wenger backs Theo Walcott's striking ambitions after hat-trick
Arsène Wenger has declared Theo Walcott is finally ready to play as a striker for Arsenal, increasing the likelihood of the 23-year-old spurning admirers such as Liverpool and Juventus and agreeing to stay at the Emirates Stadium.

Walcott's contract with Arsenal expires at the end of this season and he has so far rejected the club's offers of a new deal because he is frustrated at being stationed either on the wings or the bench. But his hat-trick in Tuesday's extraordinary 7-5 Capital One Cup victory at Reading has proved a powerful piece of negotiation, convincing Wenger that now is the time to deploy the player in his preferred position.

"He was superb," said Wenger of Walcott's display at the Madejski. "I've always said that he will be a striker so we are on the same wavelength there."

Concerns about Walcott's decision-making and finishing are usually cited as the reasons for Wenger's reluctance to entrust him with striking duty, but the manager believes the player has developed the qualities required for the role, with each of his goals at Reading showcasing crucial attributes.

"First of all, he is a good finisher now, as you saw from the way he scored the first goal," said Wenger, delighting at the way Walcott calmly lifted the ball over Adam Federici after racing away from defenders to collect a pass from Andrey Arshavin. "And the second thing is he knows where to be in a box for the rebounds. I like that because that's a quality of strikers that you cannot give to anybody; you either feel it or your don't. Yes, he has the qualities to play as a striker."

Asked whether the player will be given the opportunity to display those qualities for Arsenal on a regular basis rather than have to move in search of satisfaction, Wenger replied: "That's what I hope. I've always said that I want to keep him."

Wenger's pledge of faith in Walcott raises the possibility that he could start up front against Manchester United on Saturday, in direct competition with Robin van Persie, the player whom he aspires to succeed as Arsenal's primary goal-getter.

So far this season, no one has looked truly capable of filling the hole left by the Dutchman, who struck 37 times for Arsenal last season. The £10m summer recruit from Montpellier, Olivier Giroud, has only recently begun to find the net and done so only once in the Premier League, while Gervinho, despite being the side's top league scorer with three goals, has been wasteful and, anyway, is set to miss the next month through injury.

Arsenal were the third-highest scorers in the Premier League last season but are currently joint-sixth this term, behind Everton and Fulham and level with Swansea and Southampton.

Walcott has not started a league game since the 0-0 draw with Sunderland on the opening day of the campaign and when he has been introduced from the bench, it has been as a winger, a position that he considers he has outgrown.

Walcott is keenly aware that his childhood idol, Thierry Henry, switched from the flanks to a central role to become one of the world's greats and that is the career path he aspires to emulating. He is as able as Henry was to blast past defenders with sheer speed, can dribble unstoppably when on song and now, according to Wenger, he has fine-tuned his finishing skills.

He gave an emphatic demonstration at Reading of how dangerous he is playing off the shoulder of defenders, and while doubts may linger about his technique in tight spaces, his physical strength and his ability consistently to make the right decisions, the player is adamant that he has earned the right to be given a chance to prove he is the man for the job. If not at Arsenal, then elsewhere.

Walcott and his representatives are scheduled to have a final round of negotiations with the club this month and, although Walcott has insisted that money is not his main motivation in the talks, Wenger even hinted that he may ask the club to improve the reported £75,000-per-week offer that Walcott rejected last month. "I will talk to my finance minister," quipped the Frenchman.
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/oct/31/arsene-wenger-theo-walcott-arsenal
i1nvrEuhDiN.gif
 
V

Vivalaraza

Member
LabouredSubterfuge said:
Hmmm I'm not sure I was as impressed as you. I thought he was very off the pace. One or two poor passes too. Looked much better when he was pushed higher up the field I thought. Needs to learn a lot before he can play CM properly.
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He has a long way to go but he's very promising. His touch is good and he has a good physique so I think he can cope. I don't mean starts, just 15 min cameos at the end of games. We have some easier games coming up so hopefully he gets a few more chances.

As for CM, I don't think he is a CM or at least hasn't been playing there until now...Fergie loves remoulding a player.

Ushojax said:
I hope the same for Iago Falque. Looked great against Norwich and IMO earned a starting place over Dempsey and Gylfi for Saturday.
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Clint and Gylfi have been disappointing so far I think.
 
LabouredSubterfuge

LabouredSubterfuge

Member
Vivalaraza said:
He has a long way to go but he's very promising. His touch is good and he has a good physique so I think he can cope. I don't mean starts, just 15 min cameos at the end of games. We have some easier games coming up so hopefully he gets a few more chances.

As for CM, I don't think he is a CM or at least hasn't been playing there until now...Fergie loves remoulding a player.

Clint and Gylfi have been disappointing so far I think.
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You know what? Looking at the way he plays - his touch, movement into all areas of the pitch (including drifting to the flanks) and his ability to strike the ball really well off both feet makes me think he'd actually make a really good RVP-esque striker.
 
L

Lightning

Banned
Salvadora said:
November 1: Wenger pre-Man United

** Gervinho out for three weeks

** Szczesny, Gibbs, Diaby still out
S4oAx.jpg
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Oh no....

1am Sunday morning for me so I won't be watching it anyway. Could be a blessing.

I don't get Wenger's argument regarding fatigue. Only Walcott has that excuse as only he from our top squad played 120minutes. Giroud only played 60 minutes so shouldn't be tired.

None of our other starters played.
 
C

Clegg

Member
Saw that story about a possible swap deal with United and Porto.

Swaps very rarely happen between top sides as both want to get the better of the deal.United value Nani and James at £20m, Porto value him at £15m and James at £25m.

And Nani is an ex Sporting Lisbon player. There might be a bit of loyalty for towards his old club still.

FWIW I think United would be interested in James if Nani is sold. It won't be as part of a swap though.
 
L

Lightning

Banned
bud said:
it's like the only time you've seen walcott play was in the game against readng.

his finishing is far from outstanding. and he's terribly inconsistent with his performances.
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You're kidding? I talk about Walcott quite a lot. Remember West Ham? Excellent finish in that game too and many more this season. Walcott's actual finishing is outstanding, it's his aerial play, consistency, ability to win duels etc... that will prove worrying but one can have confidence to a degree with Walcott now that in one on one chances with the goal keeper he is more likely to score than not.
 
Y

Yurt

il capo silenzioso
^Am I the only one seeing Suarez there?
The_Hitcher89 said:
M
Suarez is so, so important. If he carries on like this, will he be world class?
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He IS a world class second striker/supporting striker. You need someone up front.

6iIjm.png


What a fantastic shot of Premier Ass!

K7Qma.jpg
 
Y

Yurt

il capo silenzioso
According to Corriere dello Sport, Nani won't extend his contract with Manchester United and Conte likes him a lot.
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No he doesn't. He's a drama queen, and a winger. No place in our 3-5-2 and quite frankly in the locker room.

...but if the alternative is Walcott I'll take Nani.
 
K

K1LLER7

Member
WJD said:
iEPtIea00qlcK.gif


Got to start on Saturday.
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Best game I've ever seen him play.

Think Fergie isn't playing him due to his lack of fitness. He's cut down and looks slimmer than he was at the start of the season. I'd take him as he is now, he's more physically imposing and doesn't get pushed off the ball. Also, he has his moments when he runs with the ball that seem very Yaya Toure like.
 
W

Willkiller

Banned
Another day, another racism story. Never mind the diving, reading this shit every day is going to make people fall out of love with the game.
 
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