talkingOfArsenal.com

euro 2008: arsenal's fabregas unhappy about being super-sub

2008-06-29T11:37:48Z

Not sure how many of you caught the interview with Fabregas on Thursday evening, after his commanding display against the Russians in which he set up both the second and third goals. When asked what he thought his chances were of starting in the first eleven, the Arsenal midfield maestro, unsmiling, turned to one side (away from the camera) and said...

how to tell if arsenal really are interested in a player

2008-06-28T08:41:42Z

When I read about rumours linking players to Arsenal that repeatedly keep coming up, I find myself checking out the player against a number of criteria. If the player passes this criteria, then I consider the rumour a possibility. If the player fails the criteria, then I'm fairly certain that Wenger will not be signing the player. These attributes are quite straightforward - as Arsenal fans, we...

arsenal transfers, summer 2008: andrei arshavin signing on

2008-06-27T08:45:36Z

Over the last few days, Arshavin has been linked to various clubs including Arsenal. The link to Arsenal is mainly due to Le Boss expressing admiration for the strikers prowess, and the way in which, up until Russia crashed out to Spain, he stamped his authority on games he played in. What the sources of these rumours fail to point out, is that Wenger admires lots of players from a distance, with little or no intention of signing them. One thing that stands the striker in ...

arsenal transfers, summer 2008: adebayor signing off

2008-06-19T08:41:45Z

I have to say that of all the transfer rumours flying around, this one's the one that I least expected, but then I guess I should have known that this is Arsenal we're talking about, and this is the transfer window after all. News that Adebayor could be a target for other clubs (or more specifically Inter Milan) first surfaced in the Daily Telegraph a couple of weeks ago, and now various news media are reporting that Barcelona have abandoned...

ronaldo leaving man utd: a lesson for arsenal fans

2008-06-07T08:37:53Z

It feels a little weird to be reading about a premiership club losing their star player, with that club not being Arsenal. That makes a welcome change. Initial stories on the wires about Manchester Utd's Ronaldo wanting away to Real Madrid didn't pique my interest - until I read Alex Ferguson's threat that the Glaziers would "...banish Ronaldo to the stands than sell the midfielder to Real Madrid...". When a manager comes out and makes statements of that nature, you know something serious is up - and Fergie is speaking more...

The importance of Arsenal's Sagna signing

2008-06-05T08:32:05Z

The last few weeks has seen most Gooners hogging the interweb, looking for any reports of new signings and the like. It struck me reading the stories about Sagna's contract extension, that in reality, existing players extending their contract are just as important. The last league campaign saw Arsenal very...

new arsenal physio was attracted by "sicknote" players?

2008-05-31T08:27:30Z

Here's a quote worthy of a wry smile. City physio Neal Reynolds has left Carrow Road for Arsenal. On his leaving, he is reported to have said: "I am very sad about leaving, I love Norfolk and I love the club. I've been here seven years and everybody has made me feel very much at home. I need to challenge myself on the physiotherapy side of things, and as there will be more...

blatters player quota plans unlikely to affect arsenal

2008-05-30T08:47:45Z

So Sepp Blatter's been talking again about how plans to introduce player quota's could be in place by 2010/2011. According to the FIFA president, he has agreement from all the European confederations (whatever that means), and proposes not to fight the EU, but to work together with the EU to achieve common agreement. As far as I can work out, this insistence on restrictions and quota players is simply down to Blatter not...

arsenal finances: "and those who danced were thought insane"

2008-05-28T08:40:17Z

A bit of a strange title that one, but bear with me and it will all (hopefully) soon make a little more sense. "Events, dear boy, events", was how Harold McMillan responded when, as Prime Minister, he was asked what kept him awake at night. Out of the so-called top-four premier league clubs, it is a well known fact that Arsenal spend the least on transfers, although we somewhat match (but only just) the other clubs when it comes to player wages. That we haven't won any silverware for three years, is seen by some, both fans and news media alike, as just...

arsenal transfers, summer 2008: Samir Nasri signing on

2008-05-22T08:15:00Z

An attacking midfielder who begun learning his trade as a kid of nine in the youth set up at Marseille, in May 2007 Nasri was named French Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year ahead of Jimmy Briand and Karim Benzema. As further proof of his quality, Samir Nasri has over time, progressed through the Under-16s, 17s, 18s, 19s and 21s of the French National squad. With a penchant for being direct (a good contrast with existing Arsenal mid-fielders, sad to say), the other plus points in his favour include his age (he is 21), his dynamism on the ball, the fact that he isn't afraid to...

football skills as you have never seen

2008-05-19T00:39:16Z

Stumbled on this video on YouTube and just couldn't help sharing it with you. Some of the skills on display here are just mind-boggling. So amazing in fact, that I've watched it over and over again, half-expecting to find out, work out or be told that it's all been put together by some matrix-style, Hollywood-bound, techno-wizard, effects boffin. But no, they really do seem real... Enjoy!

arsenal transfers, summer 2008: alexander hleb signing off

2008-05-15T08:45:12Z

This one certainly isn't clear cut (are they ever?). It seems to me that there are mixed messages coming from within Hleb's camp which cast doubt on whether the midfielder really wants out. Here are two independent quotes from both Hleb and his agent, just a few days apart. The agent, Nikolai Shpilevski, is reported to have said: "Hleb has been playing in London for three years now and isn't sure whether in the future he can show the level of talent that he is showing currently. I can only confirm that some of the world's biggest clubs are...

arsenal transfers, summer 2008: hatem ben arfa signing on

2008-05-14T08:50:51Z

Described as the French Christiano Ronaldo, this France under-21 international midfielder with a penchant for mazy dribbling as well as the dead-ball fits Wenger's policy of signing multi-positional players - he can double as a striker (and has scored 15 goals in 22 appearances for his national youth team). A strike rate of that level from a midfielder would bode very well indeed in this Arsenal side who, over the course of a season, very likely hold the...

arsenal transfers, summer 2008: the ins and outs

2008-05-14T08:35:29Z

Every transfer window, Arsenal fans (this blogger included) are subjected to rumour and counter-rumour, theory and counter-theory, postulation and counter-postulation, the conclusion being the real risk of ending up a nervous wreckage if you are of anxious disposition.

So in these series of short blog postings I shall attempt in my own small way to ease the nerves (or maybe not!?) with my takes on various transfer news stories, along with a score out of 5 showing what I think of the likelihood of the story being true.

I will try to post as often as possible, depending on media frenzy (or lack of it - but then this is Arsenal and we're approaching a transfer window, so there's fat chance of that).

Enjoy.

funny copper with the hailer

2008-05-07T07:44:35Z

At the end of the Everton game, was making my way down the ramp towards the front of the Armoury Shop to meet an old mate of mine, when I see a copper with a hailer about to make a racket. When he pipes up, I hear this: "WILL ALL LIVERTON FANS PLEASE MAKE THEIR WAY ONTO QUEENSLAND ROAD, WHERE YOU CAN BOARD YOUR COACHES". Eh!? Did I hear right? I listen again...