(The not-so-temporary quite-official) Gooner Thread

I knew I shoulda put Bellend lol... agree re Gnabry  Paul - my miss!

I'd like to keep Poldi and Arteta for depth too, my point is that I doubt we will if we bring in a starting striker and DM - they'll want to play.

I think he's talking about the CB you have as Bello?

Shouldn't have mate such a complex post on my iPad; sorry guys - was meant to be one of the kids (ie: Hayden/Bellerin, etc), assuming TV5 leaves.

Thanks for the response Paul. However, it is important to remember that in those 4-4-2 seasons he played next to Gilberto, and then Flamini. Two very good out and out defensive mids who were at the top of their game. Vieira was sold because it was decided that Fabregas was the future but he wouldn't work out next to a box to box man. Once Gilberto and Flamini were gone and Denilson came in, we regularly got over run in midfield and changed the system so that Fabregas became almost a 2nd striker. I don't think he would work out next to box to box Ramsey. He may be a good Ramsey replacement but we don't want to be replacing him just yet and still Have Wilshere to reach his peak. For the 10 role we have a peak Ozil and Cazorla who was our player of the season in that role last season.

What we are missing in midfield as a peak Gilberto/Flamini not a Fabregas. I expect 30 million spent on one player to be instead of buying anyone else and not aswell as. It would be a shame to be over-supplied in number 10s but still be short on strikers for them to actually supply. I would also worry about how a player who has already once forced a move away from the club may disrupt things in the dressing room too. Barcelona are already rumoured to be thinking about Ramsey. Last thing we need is someone getting in his ear every day.

Striker, right back, defensive mid and goalkeeper are what we need this summer. We're covered in box to box and number 10s.

your tip for WC predictions ajc28

Ozil, Ramsey, Wilshire were all injured. Cesc brings the goods. It's madness to not get him back if the opportunity presents itself.

I understand there is arguably more pressing concerns but never look a gift horse in the mouth

Anyone interested in Brede Hangeland as a backup to big Per??

He is on a free after supposedly receiving an email saying he has been released, strange one as he has always looked solid to me.

didn't have his best season the one just gone

certainly brings size. 

Speaking of looking gift horses in the mouth, I have always been perplexed by this proverb. What could it possibly mean! So I just read about it. And now I actually understand why one shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. So much satisfaction. 

Thanks, will make my tip now (been out for a few hours).

That's fair enough but as an economist I prefer to sort out the needs before the wants. If a 30 million fee plus 100k+ a week or whatever it would be is still available after the needs are sorted, then by all means go for the luxury. But the luxury at the expense of the necessities will see us continue to fight for 4th. I'm all for squad depth but at some point there has to be a line drawn on how many players you have for certain positions. If they are all fit, then Wilshere, Ox and perhaps even Ramsey may not play, then it won't be long until they are off to start for City or Chelsea.

That's not to mention that Fabregas is also a nasty piece of work who signed a long term contract and then went on strike to force a move away from us once. To the boyhood club he loved so much he left them once and has tried to leave every summer since rejoining them. Not worth the heartache again.

Ramsey named Arsenal player of the Season

IMO he reallydid deserve it despite nit playing a full season.Really came out of his shell this season and showed what a well rounded midfeilder he is and proved a tonne of people (me included) wrong and showed why Arsene has persisted with him

Arsenal FB page put up a video of him made up of snippets from the season and seeing that hit against Norwich again WOW and who can forget the winner!

If he stays fit next season our midfeild could pack some serious punch COYG

I see your reasoning ajc28 and you're correct when it comes to needs vs wants. I do completely understand that. I wouldn't want this transfer to come ahead of all others in priority either. 

I just feel that Fabregas is too good not to bring back, it is more heart than head but I don't care, I love that guy. 

I would definitely dispute your version of events around his departure though, he did not go on strike in that sense of the word.

He wanted to go to Barca the year before, but Arsene convinced him to stay one more. Throughout that entire last season it felt a bit similar to Ronaldo's last one at ManU - everyone knew deep down he'd be going to Spain at the end of it but no one came out and said it. I don't believe he was on strike in that pre-season, we just knew he was going home and Arsene was driving the hard bargain to get as much coin out of Barca that he could. In the end it was reported that Cesc even paid some of that fee himself so he could go home, and Arsenal could get closer to the fee we wanted. 

Re: the positioning, I agree with your analysis around 4-4-2, but I don't feel we changed after that because of any shortcomings, I feel we changed because Fabregas started scoring goals, and proved that he was the strongest offensive player in the team. It was a no-brainer really with the way football formations changed at the time and the personnel we had available (Diaby or Denilson in the box-to-box role, alongside Song, as well as us lacking a damaging no.10 except for Fabregas). That became Fabregas' most successful position but he was a world class proven performer in the box-to-box role prior to that. 

In any case he was never a defensive mid, we both agree on that, but I feel he would at least match Arteta there so if we weren't able to get Bender or whomever else we've been chasing we could do a lot worse. But I suppose that comes full circle to your economic point - 'we could do worse' isn't really justification for a 30mil plus fee is it... I guess we'll never agree with eachother on this one but personally I hope Fab comes back! 

Interesting calculations as well skinnyB, when you put it like that we could get good business done for fairly cheap, maybe freeing up cash for fab or to spend super big on that defensive mid... javi martinez???

Also had to laugh at this email to Football365, spot on really!

"...As the Cesc Saga continues I've gone from being convinced we'll buy him to being certain we won't. 

I started off thinking that Wenger can't resist a diminutive central midfield playmaker and has a knack of ignoring what we actually need and buying a playmaker instead. We needed a centre-back and he bought Arsharvin, we needed a striker and he bought Ozil. 

Now I've changed my mind and I'm convinced Cesc will go elsewhere in England. That way even if the club spend a bucket-load of money the fans will still end the summer feeling a bit fed-up and arguing with each other. Only Arsenal has the ability to go through a transfer window that on paper is a success and come out of it feeling like failures surrounded by discontent. So my new prediction is that we sign a very good right-back, an excellent defensive midfielder and a superb striker and then spend the autumn moaning about not having Cesc. 
Pete, Gooner"

32milli for Costa......could end of being a great buy for Chelsea IF he's not injured

Fair enough Paul. We're not going to agree on Fabregas so just wait and see what happens.

Fucking international friendlies. Ox was England's best player but looks to have done a cruciate or something similar. Always happens to us doesn't it? Even more important to sign a forward now as we can also pretty much write off Walcott doing anything next season.

FARKEN hell not the knee again Ox...

Already Walcott is unlikely to be fit when the season starts, this would mean our second choice in that position is not available as well. 

That bonus buy of a winger just became that much more of a priority if the Ox has done something big.

Indeed. Another one to go above Fabregas in the order of priorities.... ;)

FFS anything confirmed yet?

Not yet, we'll find out tomorrow. This is what Hodgson had to say:

"Oxlade-Chamberlain is the one that bothers. His knee buckled under the challenge as the player turned into him," said Hodgson. "He'll have a scan tomorrow, I'd imagine. When we've had the scan, we'll know more. We have our fears there might be some ligament damage.

"I'm hoping we don't have to make a decision [on calling up a replacement]. I'm hoping the scan will show that it's not that serious. I doubt he will make Saturday's game, but I will not start thinking about anything else until I get the bad news."

I disagree we need pace big time, without wally and ox we are a pretty slow team. Against some of the lower teams we missed the pace big time last season

Apparently Jack limped off as well

speaking of Jack, i really do hope he takes his game to another level next season. I dont think he would feature in anyone's starting line p at the moment

Send them both home!

I think we need pace BIG TIME in our team

I feel we may have handled the loss of Ramsey a lot better had Walcott been fit.

Even if he doesn't get in the game that much, his frightening pace and constant outside-in runs keep the opposition on their toes and usually stretched, thus making more space for everyone else.

I like the balance of having one of our wide players play quick and direct i.e. Walcott, Poldi or Gnabry, and the other wide player being more technical and involved with the midfielders i.e. Cazorla, Rosicky or even Ramsey or Ozil

Jack always limps off.

And yes - we need pace. Much pace.

Absolutely. It's no coincidence that everything fell apart immediately after we lost Walcott while Chamberlain and Podolski were still out, and then picked up again when Chamberlain and Podolski came back. It's fine to have a playmaker like a Cazorla on one wing, but you have to have a pacey winger on the other side. Otherwise you've got no width, noone who can breeze past a fullback and get to the byline, or cut into the box and invite dodgy challenges (how many penalties has Ox won this way already in his career) and noone helping out your fullbacks when defending.

I'd also question whether we really are surviving by relying on our fullbacks to do all the crossing and attacking down the wing. Cazorla and Ozil on the wings would see us get battered out wide. 3 central players all wanting to stay in the middle is not going to work at this level. You need someone on the wing to provide the width and stretch defences.

That's how it's always worked for Wenger. Even as far back as 1998 when we had Parlour who was really a central midfielder and ball winner on the right wing, and Overmars on the left running and stretching defenders. Then for several years and trophies Pires was more a playmaker on the left while Ljungberg on the right made the runs in behind and finished off the moves. Someone in your front line has to make those runs and be a finisher, there's little point having 3 providers with noone to provide.

Rumoured to be our third shirt next season

^^^ cant say i'm a fan :( i did like the nike jerseys

The colour is ok but what the hell is that collar and buttons?

does seem a bit odd doesnt it

the arsenal badge looks a bit amateur and there's no label inside the collar

If that's real then Puma are making an absolute hash of it lol.

From the book of Face:

http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Football-News/2008/Jun/Ramsey-fee-agreed.aspx

On this day in 2008 Cardiff and Manchester United agreed a fee for promising midfielder Aaron Ramsey. 

A lot funnier now in hindsight. He was supposed to have been a United fan too if I recall correctly. The story was that Ferguson assumed it was wrapped up and just sent Gary Neville to show him around the training ground, whereas Wenger flew him and his parents out to Euro 2008 to meet with them and set out his entire plan for him. That and I guess his track record of bringing young players through clinched it.

Where did I say that? That's what happened with the Ramsey transfer in particular.