Emmanuel Adebayor has pledged to stay at the club despite constant speculation linking him with moves. In quotes that look so suspiciously similar to those attributed to Cesc that they could be related, he said,
I came to Arsenal with a mission to succeed. I’ve assured the gaffer Arsene Wenger I’ll stay because I believe in the team and I want to assure the fans my concentration is here. I have no reason to leave so I’ll stay to ensure that together we’ll win silverware. Mathieu’s a good player but his departure doesn’t mean Arsenal is about to collapse. Our team is a deep well of talent. I am confident we are capable of winning titles and we will return for next season hungrier to be successful
Indeed. There were a couple of questioning comments yesterday regarding Kolo Toure’s absence from the quartet of essential players I mentioned in the context of contract negotiations. Well, his form since the ACN has not warranted inclusion in that group. Had you asked me that question at the end of 2006-07 he and Gilberto would have been in the ‘Essentials’ whilst Adebayor would not. Shows how things change in football and as my mother always used to say, ‘the boy changes his mind more than he changes his underwear‘ which is on a very regular basis I can assure you. The underwear bit that is. Anyway enough of personal hygiene matters…
Other stuff over the past few days includes the ‘news’ that Cardiff City have confirmed that they have rebuffed five million overtures from Arsenal and Liverpool for Aaron Ramsey, presumably looking for a similar sum to that which prised Theo Walcott from Southampton’s clutches. As for the speculation surrounding Alexander Hleb, well let’s put it this way, if he were a small child the parents would have probably admonished him for all of the attention-seeking that he is doing. Yoan Gouffran’s representatives are doing a sterling job of keeping his name in the frame with the French press linking him to Arsenal and Tottenham. I have to be honest and say that if they are linked with someone in the same sentence as Arsenal, you know it is probably tosh, piffle and codswallop.
Continued speculation about the goalkeeping as well with Wayne Hennessey of Wolves the latest candidate. In so far as they could do with a third ‘keeper at the club, yes there is some point to it but to believe Arsene is going to pay £8m for someone who would not be in the first team on a regular basis beggars belief. To be honest, I will be surprised if Arsene signs anyone of any substance unless of course in his own mind he has doubts about Almunia. I do not believe this is the case for he would not have continued with him last season were it to be so. Let us not forget that Lehmann only played at the tail-end due to the Spaniard’s injury.
Cesc’s of his desire to stay at Arsenal is commendable and publicly useful to Arsene as it eases somewhat the media perception that eveyone is fed-up, fires that Robin van Persie stoked.
I will stay at Arsenal. I’d love to win the Premier League and I am one of those players who fight for what they want until they achieve it.
Onto a request for help, put out to the Arsenal Mailing List yesterday. Below is a copy of the mail and any questions should be directed to Tim Benyon
Dear all,
Many thanks for your responses to my Gorkana and Sport Media request today regarding research assistance for a new book on the history of Arsenal FC.
I have spoken to some of you already today but, to fill you all in on this project, I have been commissioned to compile an exciting new book on the people and moments who have helped to define and shape Arsenal’s past, present and future.
The book will be broken down in to the following chapters:
1. Arsenal’s top 25 players of all time
2…Top 5 Managers
3…Top 5 Matches
4…Top 5 Goals in terms of spectacle
5…Top 5 Goals in terms of significance
6…Top 5 Transfers
7…Top 5 Keepers
8…Top 5 Goalscorers
9…Worst 5 Players
10…Single best moment in the club’s history
11…Single worst moment in the club’s history
12…All time cult hero
13…Most deserving unsung hero
14…Worst haircut of all time
15…Best Fantasy Team
…and I would like to get your opinions on the players, moments, goals and managers who you believe MUST be included in each of these chapters. Your suggestions will then all be tallied up and the most popular nominees in each category will make the final selection.
Please don’t feel that you have to complete all of these selections as I know how much time it takes to weigh up who deserves to be included and who doesn’t, I’ll be grateful for any suggestions you can offer in any category. And please do feel free to forward this email on to any other Arsenal fans who you believe would like to help, all I ask is that all responses are sent to tim@writeflankmedia.com.
While I cannot unfortunately pay you for your assistance with this I will endeavor to ensure that you are credited in the final book.
Thanks again for your help, it really is very much appreciated.
Kind regards,
Tim
Tim Beynon
Write Flank Media
’til Tomorrow.
Good work Adebayor…Thanks for showing your commitment towards us when you could have easily done otherwise and garnered some more attention…good work…
By: Humble_Gun on May 30, 2008
at 8:09 am
Yeah, nice one Ade… i’m so bored with the press i haven’t bothered reading about Arsenal since the end of the season, i just look on here & the arsenal.com…
The Hleb situation is a joke, a joke his parasite agent no doubt dreamed up, so lets go easy on the kid, he done us proud for the most part of last season…
If rumours are to true and we’re on the cusp of sealing the Nasri deal, surely, all we need is a good tall aerial defender (IF we can keep hold of everyone & the injury situation is a little kinder to us next year…)
By: rev on May 30, 2008
at 8:44 am
FIFA policy of promoting locals are out now, they call it 6&5. Arsenal’s main competitors for the title are mostly compliant. The implementation date is 2012 season and therefore Arsenal should start doing something this year to avoid expensive changeover as English players price will skyrocket.
MANU
1. Ferdinand
2. Brown
3. Scholes
4. Rooney
5. Nerville
Manchester will need to bring in at least 2 more English regulars as Nerville and Scholes might not be around in 2012.
CHAVSKI
1. Terry
2. Lampard
3. Ashley Cole
4. Joe Cole
5. Wright-Philips
6. Sidwell
7. Bridge
CHAVSKI are the only team safe.
LIVERPOOL
1. Callagher
2. Gerrard
3. Carson-now on loan to Villa
They also need to increase their share of locals but they have very good local players Hobbs (CB) and Pesley(CM) coming through. I think they will need 2 more regular players to fulfil the requirement
ARSENAL
1. Justin Hoyte-not likely to make it
2. Walcott-not regular at the moment
We have the following coming through but will they get a chance to look in?
1. Lansbury
2. Randall
3. Wilshare
4. Simpson
5. Kyle Bartley
6. Rodgers
We stand a better chance of meeting the requirement by 2012 if some of these players are gradually brought in but they face a lot of obstacles. Arsenal continues to recruit average foreign young players like Denilson, Sunu, Coquelin etc.
We can also improve our position by going to League 1 and the Championship to replace fringe players of championship quality like the following:
1. Senderos
2. Eboue
3. Djourou
3. Manonne
4. Traore
Instead of looking to bring in a foreign LW, Ben Arfa,or whoever, Arsene can bring in Ashley Young of Villa who can do a similar efficient job and will cost around 12 million, the same amount Capel and Ben Arfa will now cost.
We can also improve our strength in the CB position by going for Richards, who only be better than he is now.
By: Howard on May 30, 2008
at 9:03 am
Good morning everyone.
Howard, re: FIFA’s acceptance of the “6+5″ rule.
This has no chance of being implemented within those countries that fall within the jurisdiction of the European Union.
The EU has already confirmed that it’ll be kicked into touch, so to speak, no matter what Blatter & his cronies say & get upto, as it breaches EU Employment & Equal Opportunity laws.
Blatter is becoming increasingly irrelevant.
By: Magneto on May 30, 2008
at 9:13 am
The rule goes completely against EU LAW. The EU themselves have stated that it cannot be implemented. It will not happen. And it is only being put forward because FIFA hate to see the english premier league being better than other leagues.
By: WengerBall on May 30, 2008
at 9:18 am
Howard FIFA have little or no chance of ever getting this rule through.
The European Union or whoever the authority is are not going to change this ruling because of Football.
Blatter can blabber on all he likes but its going to take a number of industries to take this up together for any pressure to change the current system.
Freedom of movement to work in europe is the way forward and any change is a backward step and detrimental to the future.
Im off to the Emirates tonight to see ‘The Boss’, looking forward to it as i have never seen him live, just hope it dont rain!
By: veteran on May 30, 2008
at 9:30 am
Howard;
I understand your emotion…considering that all the success of epl is actually translating into weaker england side..ur sentiment are understandable..but fact is england are not creating enough talent at the moment…look at the talent coming out of france..or netherland or portugal or spain these days..england is not producing enough quality players..even countries like ivory coast have better options than england..
i cant see us absorbing much english talent atleast from current set of players..in 2012 things cud be different or clubs will find way out ..if this law comes into picture
By: Humble_Gun on May 30, 2008
at 9:46 am
Senderos and Djourou are going to Euro 2008 unlike Terry and Rio! Eboue is a regular for Ivory Coast and an Arican Cup of Nations finalist! Traore is a starter in the french under 19 national team and will make the step up to the full team in due course, Manone has shown more promise than Graham Stack, Stuart Taylor who have all faded into obscurity! And only two days ago Howard you were gushing and praising Ben Arfa urging Wenger to sign him pronto!
By: RuneBreaker on May 30, 2008
at 9:57 am
Hey Howard if Ne’r'ville servive till 2012 he would be playing with the help of a walker. I would love to see him playing till then so our Walcott play circles around him.
By: Gunner4Ever on May 30, 2008
at 10:03 am
“We can also improve our position by going to League 1 and the Championship to replace fringe players of championship quality like the following:
1. Senderos
2. Eboue
3. Djourou
3. Manonne
4. Traore”
If you consider the above players are championship quality, why would we replace them with another championship less quality players? At least four of the five you listed above (Never mind the “English” counting) played Champions league, and Premier league and have much better experience.
By: Gunner4Ever on May 30, 2008
at 10:11 am
Seems hell has broken loose with everybody reeling against FIFA 6+5 decision. However, looking at the positives, it means we can get rid of the foreign craps and keep the best ones.
If all the players that we have are skilled as we boast they are, I don’t have a problem. The issue is we have a lot of foreign players who don’t qualify to wear the Arsenal shirt but they’re there because Arsene brought them in and they’re collecting 15/20/25k per weak doing nothing but warming the bench or playing in the reserves.
In fact for majority of these players, they fall even below the standards of a lot of championship players. Just rewatch, Cardiff/ Portsmouth and you’ll see that the likes of Denilson, Senderos, Djourou, Eboue, Traore and their likes, all receiving not less than 15k a week don’t deserve to be at the Arsenal. There is nothing special about them to warrant their stay with Arsenal and collecting huge wages and bonuses winning nothing.
Since we lost Adams, Dixon, Parlour, Winterburn, Bould, Keown, Cole, Campbell, Seaman as the backbone of the team, we’ve won nothing. We might continue to win nothing.
We have so many average players at Arsenal now, all foreign and lack the fighting spirit and the need to die for the club. They all their dream of making money at expense of the club. Every season they are shopped by clubs and don’t care whether they unsettle the club or not.
Arsene should reverse policy and throw the foreign ‘never-do-well’ away once and for all. We should bring in real foreign quality not the averages we have.
By: Howard on May 30, 2008
at 10:11 am
G4E
They play in the CL and EPL because Arsene want them to but not that they are good enough.
That’s why we’ve failed to win the title since Arsene Wenger decided to recruit stock and barrel from abroad.
By: Howard on May 30, 2008
at 10:19 am
Runebreaker
Terry and Rio got to the CL finals and our crap Senderos let in two goals against Liverppool. Goals Curtis Davies or Richards could’ve prevented.
We don’t want him wearing Arsenal shirt anymore. He can win the cups with Swiss but still not good for Arsenal.
He should leave before he scores more own goals this season.
By: Howard on May 30, 2008
at 10:24 am
Howard…
u have gone a bit too extreme mate.. and many people can take your comments the wrong way and in a rather rascist perspective.
1. All the foreign talent Wenger has brought into the club have pissed all over championship teams in Carling Cup games etc.. so where is your logic there.
2. How do u expect Wenger to replace our previous backbone with English talent when there is barely any english talent around due to the poor development of young players in our country, and because the actual good English talent around is so limited they are well inflated in price.
What do you recommend we buy Richards for 20M.. Joe Cole 25M.. Green 8M… well quite frankly we dont want to be in debt for 50 years or so like United and Liverpool and lose our club to foreign owners… because then that will really annoy u.
By: chris GOONA on May 30, 2008
at 10:30 am
So your blaming Wenger for an over inflated market for Engliosh Talent… nice one
By: chris GOONA on May 30, 2008
at 10:32 am
Humble_Gun
The success of recruiting English players has made Chelsea to have a strong backbone to win the league back to back and added some cups too. Remember the days when Chelsea had all foreign players? During Vialli time? They spent a lot of money bringing in foreign players but they couldn’t win the title.
All the teams that have done well have had strong English and foreign mix.
Arsenal did well with English/Foreign, Chelsea/Manu have done well with English/Foreign. POOL won the CL with foreign/English.
Arsenal has since failed with foreign without English and there will be no change until we reverse that.
By: Howard on May 30, 2008
at 10:32 am
Howard, you seem to take delight in how much you can insult the foreign arsenal players.
Lighten up please.
Denilson, Senderos, Djourou, Eboue, Traore and their likes are light years better than their championship counterarts f the same age an position.
Hence they are at Arsenal… Just because a player is on the bench at arsenal des not make the championship player that plays every week better than him!
All these players are internationals at both under 19 and senior levels, how many of their championship counterparts can boast of same?
I really do not know the yard stick for your measurement of these players
By: team spirit on May 30, 2008
at 10:42 am
Chris GOONA
This is not xenophobia or racism. Its about the truth.
We should buy foreign players of matured quality and refrain from buying average foreign players.
If Arsene has really had a policy of blending English with foreign players, we could’ve gone far by now. He could’ve brought in 1 good English player every season.
I’m yet to be convinced but I believe that without blending English with foreign, we can’t win the title again.
By: Howard on May 30, 2008
at 10:42 am
Hello everyone and YW good post as usual… Howard just made me lose track of intiall pleasantaries.
By: team spirit on May 30, 2008
at 10:46 am
Well said ‘team spirit’..
Howard is jumping on the anti-arsenal/ant-wenger bandwagon that think we have a problem with playing English players. At the end of the day the best player will get to play no matter what race or background. Same as in a normal work situation, the better suited person to the job will get it. U cant say ohh no this person is african.. give it to the English man instead with lower ability!!..
That is how wrong these laws are they are trying to enforce in the premiership.
By: chris GOONA on May 30, 2008
at 10:46 am
team spirit
My yardstick? It’s that simple.Well, we’re competing with CHAVSKI, MANU and POOL for the title.
Can the afore-mentioned players be picked by any of our competitors? In other words, are they players our competitors will try to sign? If yes then they’re okay, if not then crap.
The way I see it, non of them can get into the starting line up of the above but in Arsenal they do.
By: Howard on May 30, 2008
at 10:49 am
I agree that we should be buying more english talent.. look at Wilshire.. Ramsey.. what is Wenger doing there?? the problem is we are lookin further down the lines at younger n younger players due to the stupid prices on good english players. At least if we get them young we can give them the adequate and training to help them prosper and be able to compete for a 1st team spot.
Walcott we got just in time.. and is one of the brightest english talents around and yet still hasnt completely got a guaranteed 1st team spot.
By: chris GOONA on May 30, 2008
at 10:49 am
Our team has always blended foreign with english… The proportions have just usually been different. So nobody is trying to convince you of anything.
Even when it was recorded that we fielded an all foreign team, we have 2 english internationals that were injured or else they would have played.. I am sure we won that match that day if am not mistaken.
.
By: team spirit on May 30, 2008
at 10:54 am
Howard;
We play in english league, so at any point of time there wud be some english player who u can site were spine of trophy winning team..until the recent lot..
also when we won last time more than english spine we had french spine…
but i know where you are coming from..arsene loves buying french players..u cant argue with him on quality there..but nonetheless he buys lots of french players..diara..diaby..flamini..sagna..clichy..traore..nasri..wow..he loves his motherland and does them a great favour..
but then all foreign managers do..jose bought some very avg portuguese players..same with benitez..i dont say wenger buys avg talent from france..they are good talent..but lot of them from france..
By: Humble_Gun on May 30, 2008
at 10:56 am
Chris GOONA
Well, in the normal work environment the best worker always get the job. Its not always so. So many other factors can influence a selection other than ability, right?
In the same vein, you bring in talents from outside when you don’t have any internally. However, if you bring recruits from outside who happen to be no better than what you have internally, then there is real a problem.
By: Howard on May 30, 2008
at 10:56 am
Apart from eboue, all those players are backup and have to player when there are injuries, so dont talk about then getting into the starting line up as if they constitute our first 11; and since when were these teams the basis of picking ours?
Chelsea also ended up trophyless this season in case you have not noticed… English grit and all
By: team spirit on May 30, 2008
at 10:59 am
The problem here is that in it your opinion against AWs opinion that the English players in the championship are better than these ones, it does not make it the truth and if someone whated to be guided by opinions of football talents, be sure they will take AWs as truht before they take yours. You need to make provision for that.
You are too emphatic whne you call these players average… they are very great talents
By: team spirit on May 30, 2008
at 11:02 am
French Spine;
Just to add on Arsenal and french connection ourlast 3 captains have been french..gallas..viera and henry in between
By: Humble_Gun on May 30, 2008
at 11:07 am
So if we won the league with Vieira as captain why cant we do it again now??
By: chris GOONA on May 30, 2008
at 11:18 am
Some things are not even worth engaging in.
The FIFA rule would contravene EU law, it will not happen.
As EU law states:
“1.Freedom of movement for workers shall be secured within the Community.
2.Such freedom of movement shall entail the abolition of any discrimination based on nationality between workers of the Member States as regards employment, remuneration and other conditions of work and employment.”
There has been a lot of banter about UEFA’s attempts to introduce a home grown player quota, however they define a home grown player as: “overseas players must have been with the club for at least 3 years and bought in between 15 – 21 years of age.”.
While their efforts appear to have come to nothing so far as UEFA rules were meant to have come in by 2006 and they clearly didn’t!
By: 1979gooner on May 30, 2008
at 11:21 am
Ur sayin we have no chance of winning the league because we have too much foreign talent to be deemed as chellengers, well im sorry to say but we was leading the league for the vast majority of it with our cheap low quality foreign imports Howard.
So your point there is invalid as we only missed out on another league title by 4 points beacuse of substantial injuries to key players (who happen to be foeign by the way) and not because our team didnt have no English players in it. Our team has as much drive and determination as any other in the league, if not more.. as we were meant to have overachieved this season tells its own story about our low quality imports.. haha ur statements make me laugh
By: chris GOONA on May 30, 2008
at 11:22 am
talking about viera…can someone tell how is he performing for inter..i suspect he is liking it there more than he did in juventus..
i miss him in our midfield agreed that going ahead cesc is more creative..but viera bossed that position in his own way..cud both of them worked together well..did we sell him too soon?
By: Humble_Gun on May 30, 2008
at 11:25 am
The reason why Wenger favours french is simple they have the best system in terms of producing technically acomplished young players. They also have a link with francophone countries who produce some of the best technically gifted players you are likely to see. Simlarly due to the culture, football in italy, spain and portugal emphasises the technical side of the game, the flair, intricate short passing game. This is the football that will most deliver in Europe and on the world stage. England is a team is shockingly devoid of the talent and flair required to become a major force in world football! The kick and rush football that so epitomises English football right through the lower leagues means that we are a long long way from joining the elite football teams in the world. And as Wenger’s sole responsibility is Arsenal invariably it means that he will sign foreign players who are cheaper and technically better than majority of English players.
By: RuneBreaker on May 30, 2008
at 11:28 am
Alot of Vieira’s game was about aggression and strength in midfield where he bossed the game. Ive seen him a number of times for Inter this year and he looks decent but he is a complete shadow to the former Vieira we use to see. In Italy its a different style of play, more slower and tactical so you cant blame him really.
Forget Vieira hes old news.. lets look to the new Vieira in Abou Diaby.. i think hes gonna be amazing for us this season. Him and cesc in the middle will form a great partnership if given the chance.
By: chris GOONA on May 30, 2008
at 11:31 am
moaning All,
Bubble_gum – viera is a FRENCH LOSER who was mates with Henry and Gallas and now spends his time running a rubbishy football magazine…. he played for Arsenal in the LAST century…when I last saw him play for Inter – he played so defensive – HE WAS NEVER IN THE TV PICTURE
Howard – totally agree with all your comments mate – with all those english players back in the frame we wuld wiin the champions league
Blatter – wot a geezer – someone on the world stage who knows we need more english players
By: Muppet on May 30, 2008
at 11:36 am
Runebreaker
agree with u on above comments..
but unfortunately…media and locals get excited by england and engilsh players…lets not forget everybody is chauvinistic…thats the reason they cheer liverpool..manu and even chelsea over us..cause they know there are atleast terry/lampard..gerrard/carreghar..rooney/rio who they can call world class..
one they they ignore that our foreign battalion is only helping us to main our english ownership..which all the other clubs mentioned have lost..but the way things are going we migth even lose our english ownership which wud be sad..considering that barca madrid milan and juventus so much pride over thier ownership..but england only prides on their talent and country performance ..which at moment are both abysmal..
By: Humble_Gun on May 30, 2008
at 11:40 am
chris goona..
i dont see diaby as new viera..cant imagine diaby tackle that well..he is more offensive and i wud say has better shot at goal..imagine wenger said he cud play forward..will he say that about viera?
By: Humble_Gun on May 30, 2008
at 11:44 am
chris GOONA
That injury excuse is overblown. Check the records of our competitors and they are in the same situation.
Teery and Drobga and even Lampard didn’t feature much until the later stages of the campaign. Nerville, Saha have been out all season and Hargreaves and Scholes all suffered injuries at one point or another.
When the chips came down, we were found wanting because our foreign players don’t get it. They don’t see the physical and emotional aspect of winning the title, for the fans and the club. They don’t have the feelings of the locals for winning the title.
Its a culture thing and with lack of locals in the dressing room whipping up feelings at the tail end of the campaign, the foreigners crack under pressure.
Gallas, Hleb, Adebayor all cracked.
Hleb, not strong enough to withstand bullying (Wigan), Gallas at Birmingham (broke down). Ade’s drought over long stretch, losing the taunts and fight.
Adams wrote that he used to taunt Viera in the dressing room to straighten him up and fight. Sol said he never stopped talking to Lauren, Toure and Gilberto to push.
Cole wrote that Senderos refused to listen to him and Keown when they trying to advise him on positioning ( its in Cashley’s stupid book but its an important point).
The locals are very important because they feel the club is theirs and thus have to fight for its survival but they’re all gone and none is being brought in.
We sell the potentials too, as soon as they seem to be having a chance to break in. CB Martin Connolly? Not getting chances?
By: Howard on May 30, 2008
at 11:52 am
http://anotherarsenalblog.blogspot.com/2008/05/homegrown-hysteria.html
FIFA have no chance.
While we have nothing to fear from UEFA’s rules.
By: 1979gooner on May 30, 2008
at 12:04 pm
Howard,
You are either a devils advocate or completely blind to the facts man.
What do you mean the injury situation was overblown ??
YOU MUST BE JOKING.
For starters – EDS, VP and Rosicky missed at least half a season EACH
Terry, Drogba and Lampard featured for more than half a season, and were INFLUENTIAL when they did play.
Neville and Saha were always fringe players. EDS and VP and Rosicky are our KEY ATTACKERS.
Your blog is so LAUGHABLE that it is WORSE than Muppet who is just taking the piss.
By: Phil on May 30, 2008
at 12:06 pm
Howard, you seem to have a lot of time and energy to spare today. Well unless you think FIFA is the sole agency which can amend EU law in the world, the proposal is just that – theory.
But in theory I totally agree with you on the ‘English Spine’ argument that you have (recently?) adopted. Not because of anything else but because Muppet agrees with you. Thats the final word as far as I am concerned.
By: AJ on May 30, 2008
at 12:06 pm
Howard, go easy on Djourou. Opinions differ on Big Phil and Eboue (but seem to be largely negative now) but they have had plenty of chances – Djourou’s big chances are yet to come. I agree that his form on his very limited appearances this season was less striking than in previous Carling Cup seasons but he is a big talent.
Similarly Traore who has massive potential if he can overcome the “rabbit in the headlights” attitude that seemed to afflict him in a couple of games this season (not unlike Theo last season and into the early games of this season).
By: Big Johan on May 30, 2008
at 12:19 pm
lol dis is all crap eu will neva let it happen as its completely ilegal as eu law states dat u cannot stop some1 from working in your country
By: rico on May 30, 2008
at 12:27 pm
by the way Yogi,
by the sounds of it that book is going to be rather woeful,
breaking down such a project into chapters on ‘the best 5….’ smacks of a rather lame gimmicky end product,
steer clear
By: 1979gooner on May 30, 2008
at 12:40 pm
Howard
Your arguments are flawed fundamentally because your assumption is that the english men make the difference. Ronaldo scored 42 goals this season, replace him with a Jermaine Defoe and the league would’ve gone to chelsea. Take away Carvalho and the african contingent, and Chelsea struggles.
The truth is that once in a while a few technically astute english players show up and are acknwledged, but more often than not they are simply overhyped. When last was an english player voted europe’s best talkless of world’s best. The foreign legion invaded the premiership in the nineties but the last time england got to the finals of a world cup was 24 years earlier (in wembley, i might add). Eboue may be crap (I almost agree) but you need to recognise that when he’s playing right back he can be outstanding. The Arsenal style does make some players look like crap. The press is screaming about Diarra but when he played for us he had nothing near the “larger than life” status he enjoys in Pompey (he’s french, by the way). Some of these “average” foreigners could light up any team outside of the big four so I think it’s unfair to say they are not better than english championship players. Look where Hleb and Flamini are rated these days, thank God we did not substitute them with “championship” players.
By: Smokin_Gun on May 30, 2008
at 12:41 pm
Morning all,
You probably don’t care but finally the weather is turning and we are starting to see a summer here
On to all things football. Howard, very interesting read but like many others I cannot see any reason for your assertions other than a lack of understanding concerning “English talent”. I do concede that the character trait most associated with the English player is the backs to wall give it all attitude, which within reason can add to a squad. There is however a clear understanding within the football community that if you want exceptional technique then English players are near the bottom of the barrel. I am not pouring hot tar on the players, after all they are taught to play a certain way with a certain attitude in mind. The play style like we all know is the lump up the middle and see what develops, it is employed my most if not all UK managers. I seem to recall that the young lads from Arsenal that attended the recent U18 world cup (I hope I have that right) mentioned in an interview that the hardest thing they had to cope with was their team mates attitude to possession football. It is also interesting to note that the lads were probably the best players in the team and received rave reviews.
The notion of an English spine is a myth, it is something the media dreamt up to add inches to already boring columns. It is myopic in the extreme to believe such nonsense and merely plays in to the hands of the people that want you to believe that the UK is not part of Europe. It is! You may not like it but that doesn’t change the fact. I support England in football because I lived there for 9 years and enjoyed the country and culture (for the most part, never understood the acceptance of the lad drinking culture). I do however recognise that the way forward for England is to stop this lump it attitude and start investing in possession and play making coaches that teach how to string passes together.
Muppet, once again thanks… I love the contributions as I drink my coffee.
Lastly, we all need to take a step back and realise that a number of players being slated here are even or barely 20 years old. The policy is make stars and buy young, it is creating a visionary model for the club within reasonable financial guidelines and ensuring that Arsenal have a future. I hope you understand the importance of the last part, a future cannot be assured for all those clubs with overwhelming debts. I shiver when I think of United at the moment, even there fans realise that a debt of £600 million plus is far from settling.
Toronto via Leytonstone/Walthamstow
By: Toronto on May 30, 2008
at 12:47 pm
Traore, Djourou, Senderos will walk into any Premier League squad. ANY: They’ll walk into the first team of all but the Premier League Top 6. PROOF?
Our Carling Cup teams regularly thump the likes of Spurs, Liverpool, Blackburn, Newcastle.
MORE PROOF? The players who didn’t even make it here actually do walk into the First team of Premiership Clubs.
By: Ole Gunner on May 30, 2008
at 12:47 pm
Howard,
You are not alone here. I don’t blame the young foreign players for this at Arsenal; I blame AW who seems too excessive with this current policy.
Football is a very big issue that includes many different parameters, such as motivation, physical engagement, mental strentgh and technical ability… You can’t meet all these conditions playing week in, week out all foreign players in the squad. I don’t think it’s racist to suggest this.
We all love our club and it’s obvious the pb we’ve got having all foreign players in the first ‘11′. Often decisions go against us, as not all english ref. like to see us get away with it.
So I think it’s time AW puts this into some prospective, as this current policy is taking us nowhere, apart from dressing Arsenal against so many forces(FA(ref), FIFA and the english hard core fans).
By: lc on May 30, 2008
at 12:53 pm
Toronto, the character trait in relation to English is perhaps their (british players) way of compensating for their lack footballing abilities.
By: RuneBreaker on May 30, 2008
at 1:04 pm
Rune,
True, Tiny Taylor offered a glimpse and whenever another team is unable to complete in pure football terms they employ the same physical approach. Don’t get me wrong I understand that it happens, it’ll always happen until the greater powers start protecting the play makers in the league.
I just happen to think it led to the demise of the English team more than overseas players. You either develop with the game and adapt or you cry everytime you fail to get in to a major competition. I believe that if you look across Europe you’ll see more countries employing coaches with technical skills to develop heir teams, I want England to have the same from the grass roots up
By: Toronto on May 30, 2008
at 1:09 pm
I want to see the best players playing for Arsenal. I’d stop watching football if Blatter’s corrupt FIFA succeeds with this.
I can’t imagine how any sport can operate on this kind of farcical basis. Imagine Arsenal preparing for a Champions League semi-final. The squad train, the 4 best English players don’t show up. But they know they’ll play because FIFA says so. I can’t think of anything more stupid than this.
It is against everything sport is about. Sport is about competition and merit and not entitlement. The IOC might as well decree that in the 100 metres final of the Olympics, 2 athletes from each continent must appear.
It’s so stupid. And the idiocy trapped in Blatter’s latest brainwave reveals why international football is dying. It’s dominated by petty men, with tiny minds who have no vision, are corrupt to death and have no clue whatsoever.
Luckily EU law will kill this nonsense.
By: Ole Gunner on May 30, 2008
at 1:10 pm
lc said:
“Football is a very big issue that includes many different parameters, such as motivation, physical engagement, mental strentgh and technical ability… You can’t meet all these conditions playing week in, week out all foreign players in the squad.”
Why not? With the exception of technical ability, which can be coached, these are all personal qualities. Human beings have these traits, not any particular nationality. So it makes sense to look for the players with the right character traits, not the “right” nationality.
Wherever you go in the world, people will tell you of their nation’s supposedly unique fighting qualities, cunning, courage, tenacity, etc. In other words, Howard, everyone thinks their countrymen are harder than everyone else’s! Plus it would make sense to buy average foreign players instead of average English players (though I do NOT agree that the foreign players you listed are average) because they are cheaper, and keener – they would be, they’re prepared to leave their home country to play for Arsenal.
By: FunGunner on May 30, 2008
at 1:14 pm
If English players are so great why are there so few who leave these islands and go and make it abroad. Look at Cesc. 16 years old, arrives in a big city in a new country by himself. Within 1 year he’s part of one of the best teams that’s been seen in England.
Why don’t we see one of those great special English kids who Arsene Wenger’s supposedly keeping out, why don’t they go to Barcelona and make it there?
The fact is that there’s a natural advantage English players have in England. They are settled. The tendency in any organisation is to go for the local guy. The local guy has more connections with the club. He knows who to call. He gets better press coverage. Referees give him more protection. The fans love him more.
If despite that huge advantage, English players are not making it, IT IS BECAUSE ENGLAND IS NOT GENERATING GOOD ENOUGH PLAYERS WITH ENOUGH QUANTITIES! Get it?
Look at the age-grade FIFA competitions. England has never even been in the semi-finals of one of those. The best players today often come from those age-grade competitions.
Cesc, Messi, Vela, Santos, Ronaldinho, Tevez, Mikkel………………
England is not developing good players. Fucking Face it.
If you make only English players play, you will kill international interest in the Premier League, you will reduce the standard of the Premier League because poor players will play instead of better foreign players, you will reduce the standard of football worldwide overall.
By: Ole Gunner on May 30, 2008
at 1:23 pm
FORGET ABOUT THE FOOL, BLATTER!!
Dont worry gunners, this 6+5 is just a proposal that fifa has decided to pursue, it is not a law.
There is no way that this is going to become a law, it goes completely against EU laws. forget it we wont be affected. sepp blatter can also continue his unsurpassible record of producing dumb ideas!!
BY THE WAY WAYNE HENNESSEY’S RUMOUR IS THE ONLY RUMOUR THAT I AM REALLY EXCITED ABOUT.
I think he is the answer to our goalkeeping problems!!!
By: naga gunner on May 30, 2008
at 1:31 pm
FunGunner,
It’s not exactly the same level of motivation or fighting spirit you experience between two teams, one having five or six home grown players and the other, all foreign on the pitch.
This can explains why team are often more difficult to beat when playing at home then away.
By: lc on May 30, 2008
at 1:33 pm
Howard – dont get me wrong but ur fighting a losing battle, i want to see more english people in the Arsenal first team just as much as any1 else and im foreign myself being born and raised in London. I havent supported Arsenal all my life beacuse of the nationalities of players but because i enjoy watching them play, when success comes then great. But im not willing to watch a bunch of average Englishman get in front of sum of our great players because of the fact they are only English. Every player must earn their spot, and any1 that is brought into the club have to have the right qualities.
Honestly speaking lets name all the English players that have the quality and are in a reasonable budget for us to buy this summer???
By: chris GOONA on May 30, 2008
at 1:52 pm
Ashley Young will be a great buy if he’s priced in the £10-12M range. Does anyone have any idea how much he’d actually cost?
By: Ole Gunner on May 30, 2008
at 2:08 pm
Agree not only that Djourou has not had a fair run, but from glimpses in the last few games I thought Traore has the potential to be the surprise of next season. Everybody knew he had the speed, but as a winger he was in there crossing and shooting with great confidence. Given a quarter of the opportunity that Eboue has had, he could turn out to be the real cat-among-the-chickens deal.
But along with that hopeful thought, now there’s this…..
If we haven’t already had enough starts and stops in this still young transfer season, I note that there is a headline from CaughtOffSide on Newsnow informing us that, “Liverpool and Arsenal fail with 5 million bids for midfielder.”
FFS, how many bids do we need to submit?
By: hkm on May 30, 2008
at 2:09 pm
Howard, I don’t understand why you persist in believing that a FIFA ruling on the nationality of players will have any force or authority when the EU explicitly and firmly gave it a “red card” just this week. That’s the phrase they used (in French) in their reply to Blatter: “carton rouge.”
There was no equivocation on it at all–the response to the proposed policy was very clear. It’s a dead letter.
However, the EC did support UEFA’s policy of raising the number of homegrown players in the CL (nationality is irrelevant). That rule will definitely go thru.
BTW–did you know that last season Chelsea’s and England’s ironman, the indispensible captain John Terry, was in every single game that Chelsea lost, and several of their draws too?
veteran, what is this event tonight at the Emirates with le Boss? Could you please give us a summary of the event tomorrow? I so wish I could see AW live, he’s never boring.
In yesterday’s discussion malaysiangunner referred to a “50 mil” budget for AW to buy players — where in the world did he get that figure from? No way does AW have 50 mil to play around with, that’s Ferguson’s transfer budget.
Both Ade and Cesc this week have come out with terrific quotes committing themselves to the club. (Thanks, RVP, for adding to all the crisis talk about Arsenal). Another player who deserves praise for his attitude is Almunia:
http://www.xpress4me.com/sport/uae/football/20007798.html
“Arsenal keeper Manuel Almunia criticised former team-mate Mathieu Flamini’s decision to dump the Gunners for a lucrative move to AC Milan.
Almunia, who was in Dubai on his way back from holiday courtesy of Arsenal’s sponsors Emirates, said: ‘Money is not everything. He had everything at Arsenal. For me, I could never leave because I have everything over there. And he might not have the same opportunities at Milan because they have a bigger squad.’ Almunia also welcomed the possible signing of young French talent Samir Nasri. ‘Nasri will surely be a great player but I think we need some more players to be a bigger and better squad. We are a very good squad but we are a bit short.’
He added: ‘We always try to play well. But for next season we need to be more aggressive with more character. The base at Arsenal and for Arsene Wenger is beautiful football. The other things come from the player.’”
By: NYmarcus on May 30, 2008
at 2:28 pm
@ lc
“It’s not exactly the same level of motivation or fighting spirit you experience between two teams, one having five or six home grown players and the other, all foreign on the pitch.”
Where’s your evidence for this, and what is the thinking behind this view? How would you explain the team’s fightback against Bolton away, just to give one example? Or the Carling Cup team’s win against Blackburn?
Surely fighting spirit is a personal quality, which can be heightened when an individual is part of a team.
“This can explains why team are often more difficult to beat when playing at home then away.”
Players can be motivated by all sorts of factors – money, pride, desperation, you name it – but teams are harder to beat when they are playing at home because they’re used to the pitch and the general surroundings; they have a nicer dressing room; they haven’t had to travel, they don’t want to lose face; and they (usually) have the support of the majority of the crowd.
But regardless of where they come from, when players join a team, the team becomes their tribe and the ground is their home territory. They fight to defend their territory and their tribe. This is natural human behaviour and it doesn’t matter whether some are of the same nationality and some aren’t – when they wear the shirt, they are all in the same tribe.
By: FunGunner on May 30, 2008
at 2:34 pm
FunGunner,
They are exactly the motivating factors; that why not having a single home grown player at Arsenal at the moment is a problem. I know you will do all your best to deny this; but I respect your opinion on this issue and this is my last word on it.
Fair enough!
By: lc on May 30, 2008
at 2:50 pm
Humble_Gun
re: ‘foreign’ managers buying players from their country of origin, with Arsene as an example.
This is not exactly a new phenomenon that has only come into existence since the formation of the premier league in 1992.
In the 1960s & 1970s, non-English (i.e. ‘foreign’) managers of English clubs tended to sign a number of players from their countries of origin too.
Check out how many Scottish & Irish players were brought to England by the relatively small pool of Scottish & Irish managers working in England during that period, as opposed to the number that were brought over by English managers.
How many were recruited to Arsenal & Man Utd in
those days?
By: Magneto on May 30, 2008
at 2:52 pm
Milan don’t have a bigger squad than Arsenal. What’s Almunia talking about?
By: Ole Gunner on May 30, 2008
at 2:55 pm
@ lc
“FunGunner,
They are exactly the motivating factors; that why not having a single home grown player at Arsenal at the moment is a problem. I know you will do all your best to deny this; but I respect your opinion on this issue and this is my last word on it.
Fair enough!”
Eh? Are you agreeing with me, then? Because I did not cite nationality as a motivating factor.
By: FunGunner on May 30, 2008
at 2:56 pm
NYmarcus,
re: seeing le boss live tommorrow at the Emirates.
Unfortunately it’s not Arsene who’ll be live tommorrow – it’s that American rock star Bruce Springstein.
Although it might be quite an experience to hear Arsene on lead vocals!
By: Magneto on May 30, 2008
at 3:05 pm
@ Magneto
Good point.
It stands to reason that a manager will have good contacts in his homeland, and that more players from there will be keen to join him.
By: FunGunner on May 30, 2008
at 3:08 pm
Interesting arguements from both sides. The truth must lie in between.
There is definitely a grit with english players especially defensive wise. The same goes for Italians. I would much rather go for an english defender than a french one. For the other roles in the field, the english talent are always found wanting. Rooney & co, will never be as effective as a Ronaldo or a Torres or even Adebayo.
By: confidentgoner on May 30, 2008
at 3:37 pm
lc:
“that why not having a single home grown player at Arsenal at the moment is a problem.”
You are mixing up your terms. “Home grown” is not the same as local. Cesc is considered “home grown” because he came to us at the age of 15, tho of course he was first developed at Barca.
Magneto, LOL!! I can’t believe that a huge Boss fan like myself totally forgot about his concert at the Emirates and confused him with Le Boss!! Duh!! I’ve seen the Boss in person (1988), he puts on a fantastic show.
Benitez does the same thing with Spanish players as Arsene does with French players. He mines Spain for Liverpool transfers. Looks like Juande Ramos is doing the same thing. (I really really hate it that Spurs got dos Santos!!!)
By: NYmarcus on May 30, 2008
at 3:41 pm
So where in Europe will they accept a manager to recruit non-stop, foreign players and play XI of them week in week out for years? Spain? Italy?Germany? Holland?
What club in Europe does that?
Why are we encouraging Arsene to do this?
What this policy has done is to render Arsenal trophy cabinet empty.
Every English player that seems to be breaking through is stealthly sold off. In its place is brought in a simliar player from abroad with no special abilities.
I’m not against bringing in the likes of Nasri, RvP, Cesc, Clichy but I’m against bringing in the likes of Eboue, Senderos, Sunu, Coqueln, Djourou etc who have no special talents and nothing special to offer above many players in the championship. Djourou was even a flop at Birmingham where other English players fared better.
How talented is Denilson as compared to Randall, Landsbury and Wilshere? Did we need to buy Denilson at 3.5 million and pay him 20k a week when we have a lot of young English players with similar abilities coming through?
I support FIFA’s decision because Arsene has overplayed his hand on the foreign import issue. Other managers are doing it but its overdone at North London and it has to be stopped now more so when its not backed by trophies for a couple of years.
By: Howard on May 30, 2008
at 3:51 pm
Hey,
Howard is right, we shud recruit more of da TALENTED english players….look at da bright side, they will be really really fresh for next season, since dey missed da euros:)
By: Racist-gunner on May 30, 2008
at 3:57 pm
Inter just won a 3rd consecutive scudetto with a squad containing 2 Italians. Roma which came second had a few more. Barcelona which has a good youth system is a squad dominated by foreigners. I could go on.
This 6+5 Blatter thing is an IQ test. If you support it, it’s a mark of how corrupt or stupid you are or both.
Eboue, Senderos and Djourou have played in the World Cup and they’re full internationals who’d walk into any Premier League team.
Denilson at 18 was one of the best players in the Brazilian championship two years ago. Lansbury and Randall are great players and I am very happy to have them.
In fact, when they make it into the Arsenal team, I’ll be so much happier to see quality Englishmen playing for England.
But I won’t be happy to see some crappy players play for Arsenal just because they’re English.
In 2 years, Man United will have no homegrown English players left. They haven’t brought through any new English players now since Brown almost 10 years ago.
English football is dying because it’s not developing good young players, and quite a few people are blind to it because they’re too busy blaming Johnny Foreigner.
By: Ole Gunner on May 30, 2008
at 4:03 pm
Let’s not forget – its not that Arsene doesnt like English players – its just the ones that he does like are over inflated in price.
Just look at the young players we have coming through the academy and reserves –
Randall, Gibbs, Lansbury, Wishere to name but a few – some of the best prospects in English football.
The problem has been to get these kids up to speed at a technical level to be able to play the football we want.
It just hasnt been available at a fair price, and it has from abroad.
By: Matt on May 30, 2008
at 4:05 pm
Howard, Inter have only 2 Italian players in their starting XI.
The thing is, I am not convinced that MU and Chelsea have all these amazing young English/British players coming thru from their own academies either. I also don’t see them buying any young English players to replenish their quota. Scholes and Giggs are on their way out already. The likes of Ferdinand, Terry, Lampard are a dwindling bunch. I don’t see MU or Chelsea being very different from Arsenal in a few years’ time.
BTW, Howard, don’t include Liverpool among clubs who compete for the league title. They’re out of the title race every year by November/December. They are never serious contenders for the title. Nor are Liverpool a good example of that English/British spine. That English presence is dwindling too, even more so than MU or Chelsea.
Personally I would like more English/British players to come to Arsenal simply because I really do believe that we suffer from an innate, unexamined bias from the FA and referees. Not to mention the media. That’s why I really do hope Arsene will fight to get Ramsay. I just don’t see a lot of English/British players worth buying for the prices they’re asking. There are very few really good English/British players to choose from, the ones who are worth a look are at a premium. Arsene doesn’t have as much money as Benitez, Ferguson or Chelsea’s new manager have.
By: NYmarcus on May 30, 2008
at 4:08 pm
Ole Gunner
So I’m unhappy to see crappy foreigners imported to play for Arsenal. A lot of them have no skills, talent, whatever but have managed to wear the shirt playing crap.
I know a crap player insulting the memory of Arsenal fans wearing Adams number 6 and letting in goals season after season when he’s had his usual chances. Adams was 19 when he broke into the team and became captain at 21 so don’t make any comparism here.
I don’t hate any player but I just don’t understand Arsene importing average players when we have lots of them here in England.
Its just the quality ones which are difficult to come by but the likes of Eboue’s abilities are abound even in the champioship.
By: Howard on May 30, 2008
at 4:31 pm
And Mymarcus, Inter had 2 Italians so we had 2 years back, and we won but what do we have in the first XI now? Not a single English player for years, right?
Are you happy to see average foreign players playing for the Arsenal?
If its average talent, then I’ll prefer an English average player to a foreign average player. We don’t need all those average players hanging out at London Colney bleeding fans of their hard earned money and not winning any trophies.
By: Howard on May 30, 2008
at 4:40 pm
isnt the problem with average english players that once they become arsenal players they have ego issues like bentley and pennant?
By: robgib on May 30, 2008
at 4:44 pm
what is actually going on at Arsenal is a FRENCH CONSPIRICY designed to keep Chelsea and Manchester United winning the title…..
EMPLOY all your french mates from Clairfontaine
take the Eurostar back to disney Paris at the weekend and pay LIP SERVICE to english players
i mean… the dressing room speaks french right… so NOBODY knows what they are saying…. NOT A SINGLE ENGLISH SPEAKING PLAYER
THE FRENCH PLAYERS ARE WIMPS
we need ENGLISH players who know how to JUMP and know where the GOAL is…. Eboue thinks the goal is by the corner flag
mon dieu…..
By: Muppet on May 30, 2008
at 4:51 pm
zut alors
By: robgib on May 30, 2008
at 5:00 pm
I must have learned French without knowing it so cause i can understand Clichy, Gallas and Flamini. Fuck me i can understand German and Spanish too.
Im a fuckin linguistic genius.
By: DeiseGooner on May 30, 2008
at 5:25 pm
Howard & the English Muppet show
You are wrong….we have Walcott. If we paid 12 million in an English kid at the age of 16 and he still can’t force himself in the starting 11, too bad for you. We have English players coming through, and they are more promising than any ones we had before and any ones you want us to buy for huge sums of money.
I have to ask this, are you a disgruntled “Agent” of some English players who can’t make some $$$ of Arsenal because of their foreign policy?
England didn’t even qualify for EURO 08, doesn’t that tell you something? They’re not good enough without the foreign players. Any top 4 club who fields 11 English players will never see silverware…not even in their dreams. Maybe in your dreams, and you are entitled to those.
G4E
By: Gunner4Ever on May 30, 2008
at 5:33 pm
“we need ENGLISH players who know how to JUMP and know where the GOAL is”
Is he talking about Heskey? Or maybe Bent? Did I miss any one? Oh I forgot Owen, who can’t even make it to the England reserves.
By: Gunner4Ever on May 30, 2008
at 5:41 pm
*sigh* Once again, for the thousandth time….
G4E, Muppet is our resident comedian. You should applaud his attempts to keep us laughing during the slow, news-dry spring/summer months. You are wasting your time, energy, emotion and much bandwidth in taking him seriously.
Anyway he’s right — it’s all a FRENCH CONSPIRACY — allez allez! Magnifique!
By: NYmarcus on May 30, 2008
at 6:45 pm
“we need ENGLISH players who know how to JUMP and know where the GOAL is”
why what are they going to be doing…a sack race from one goal to the other ?
By: DeiseGooner on May 30, 2008
at 6:57 pm
Désolé. J’ai oublié NYmarcus, Muppets sont juste là pour nous divertir.
C’est la vie
By: Gunner4Ever on May 30, 2008
at 7:12 pm
G4E
England didn’t qualify. So you’re comparing England with Arsenal now but not with MANU, CHAVSKI and POOL who all have English players?
England didn’t qualify and Arsenal didn’t win but MANU and CHAVSKI and POOL winning something since we went foreign?
MANU- League Cup,Two titles and CL cup
CHAVSKI-Two titles, two league cups and two FA cups
POOL-CL cup and FA cup
What has Arsenal won since all English boys were off?
No FA cup, no title, no league cup no CL? Is that the mediocrity you want?
FA has already approved FIFA decision so is better we start doing something about
Foreign players replaceable:
1. Almunia
2. Gallas
3. Toure
4. Djourou
5. Song
6. Denilson
7. Senderos
Those we need to keep at all cost
1. Cesc
2. Clichy
3. Sagna
4. Ade
5. RvP
6. Nasri-if he comes
WE buy a new DM, CB and GK all English and they are available.
Players to buy after selling those we don’t need:
1. Ashley Young-Villa
2. Richards-City
3. Johnson-(CB)Cardiff
4. Green-Hammers
5. Randall/Gibbs from the Academy
By: Howard on May 30, 2008
at 7:35 pm
FA has already approved FIFA decision so is better we start doing something about
Erm – no they havent. Can you read the fucking report before you go jumping in with you “solutions”
Ill break it down for you
“The Fifa congress has merely backed Blatter to explore the idea – nothing more than that,”
“The vote was about a wish list and does not represent any rule change.”
The Football Association confirmed it voted in favour of further exploration of the ’six-plus-five rule’.
But FA chief executive Brian Barwick is unconvinced by Blatter’s strategy and he said: “It’s about balance.
By: DeiseGooner on May 30, 2008
at 7:42 pm
So most likely the only restrictions will be on ‘homegrown players’ where homegrown will be a player trained either by the club itself or by another club in the same association from ages 15 to 21 – from apprentice contract to first pro contract – regardless of nationality
By: DeiseGooner on May 30, 2008
at 7:45 pm
I remember an almost all-English Arsenal winning fuck all for years in a row in the 1980s.
I remember an Arsenal dominated by foreigners going unbeaten in 2004.
You’re scaring me. Your supremacist ideas are incredible to me.
By: Ole Gunner on May 30, 2008
at 7:51 pm
He aint supremacist , hes just a tool. Who doesnt bother to try understand something before going off on a rant about it.
By: DeiseGooner on May 30, 2008
at 7:56 pm
What did Chaveski win this year? Nothing.
There are no guarantees of wining anything if you have English players or not Howard. Can you bet your house if we buy 2 English players now we would win the title in 2009?
By: Gunner4Ever on May 30, 2008
at 7:58 pm
Ole Gunner
In that case FIFA’s proposal is good for everyone because Arsenal has always done well with foreign/local partnership and have won nothing with total foreign players.
Arsene Wenger just went too far and needed to be stopped and I’m happy he’ll put some breaks into the whole foreign policy.
He’s human and he listens. In fact recently he talked of bringing in a player or two with premiership experience.
I’m certain that at least one of his recruits this summer will be an English.
Arsene just has to review his policy and scale back because it has won us nothing and its hurting us in terms of officiating. We’ve fallen backwards against our main competitors.
Look, the foreign players cracked at the end of the season; they had nothing in mind to fight for and no local to push them.
By: Howard on May 30, 2008
at 8:06 pm
G4E
If we bring in English quality like we had before we’ll win. I’ll bet my mortgaged house on that.
We’ll go for:
1. Ashley Young for 12/13 and sell Hleb for 15
2. Richards of City will also come for 18/20
3. We’ll revive Sidwell’s career and bring him as a DM.
To pay for Richards, we sell:
1. Senderos 5
2. Gilberto 5
3. Djourou 3
4. Hoyte 4
5. Denilson 3
We promote Gibbs, Landsbury, Randall and Gavin Hoyte to cover for Denilson and Senderos.
By: Howard on May 30, 2008
at 8:14 pm
“Look, the foreign players cracked at the end of the season; they had nothing in mind to fight for and no local to push them.”
You do talk a load of bollox at times Howard.
By: Steve on May 30, 2008
at 8:14 pm
We also sell Eboue for 5.
We’ll have 2 million surplus on Hleb’s sale and so net gain of the deals will be 7. That will enable us to bring in Johnson of Cardiff, a very efficient promising CB.
By: Howard on May 30, 2008
at 8:19 pm
Ok Howard, I don’t want to be mean and shoot your dreams down…..So for now, you & Blatter can enjoy the moment
By: Gunner4Ever on May 30, 2008
at 8:20 pm
Howard, you have it all wrong. Wenger had a limited budget to rebuild a team that could keep challenging for titles and champions league places. If he’d gone for buying all-English players we’d be behind Spurs now.
And I can’t take you serious if you take this 6+5 nonsense seriously. I can’t take you serious if you keep insisting there’s some unique magic about English players. I can’t take you serious if you support some bureaucrat telling a coach who should play.
If not having English players is hurting us in terms of officiating, then that’s a serious problem that the FA and English society has to deal with. What happened to good old English meritocracy?
The irony is that Arsene has always spoken glowingly about English players. They are settled. They are loved by the fans. They know their way around.
However, if they’re not good enough, or they cost way too much (£16.5 Million for Bent, £30M for Carrick) then Wenger is not constrained to buy them.
There is overwhelming evidence that England doesn’t have as many above-average players as France for example (could afford to win the World Cup without Cantona & Ginola, can leave out Flamini, Mexes, Trezeguet, Ben Arfa this year). The moron Blatter would not correct that basic problem. He’d make Ligue 1 stronger perhaps at the expense of the Premiership and England will still win fuck all because we’re crap.
We’re crap let’s face it. I mean; 1 World Cup in at home in controversial circumstances.
By: Ole Gunner on May 30, 2008
at 8:21 pm
How are you going to sell Eboue for 5 millions, when you keep putting him down at every game and every chance??
By: Gunner4Ever on May 30, 2008
at 8:21 pm
A quick run down of the reserves and youth players and their nationality. Bear in mind all wont make it to first team obviously but you have to agree theres a whole lot of english talent there. And this is the first time ever that all youth players of the right age have been offered pro contracts at the Arsenal.
Its taken a while but the academy is bearing fruit it would seem.
Vito Mannone – Italian
Gavin Hoyte – English
Paul Rodgers – English
Jay Simpson – English
Rene Steer – English
Vincent van den Berg – Dutch
Fran Merida – Spanish
Nacer Barazite – Dutch
Abu Ogogo – English
Kieran Gibbs – English
James Dunne – English
Wojciech Szczesny – Polish
Henri Lansbury – English
Rui Fonte – Portugese
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas – English
Rhys Murphy – English
Sanchez Watt – English
Luke Ayling – English
Craig Eastmond – English
Havard Nordtveit – Norweigan
Kyle Bartley – English
Anton Blackwood – English
Thomas Cruise – English
Gilles Sunu – Fench
Carlos Vela – Mexican
James Shea – Irish?
Jonas Rasmussen – Danish
Kerrea Gilbert – English
Mark Randall – English
By: DeiseGooner on May 30, 2008
at 8:22 pm
Howars will see Eboue for 5 because he did that in champo manager , so thats the rules – ok
By: DeiseGooner on May 30, 2008
at 8:23 pm
Howard,
You can’t be serious. Sell the Captain of Brazil and two other full internationals to pay for some just above average English kid.
Sell 5 players to buy 1. Randall and Gibbs for Gilberto.
Mate, you’re sure talking some funny stuff.
By: Ole Gunner on May 30, 2008
at 8:24 pm
Real good news – http://arsenalanalysis.blogspot.com/2008/05/eduardo-surprised-with-speed-of.html
By: DeiseGooner on May 30, 2008
at 8:26 pm
Eduardo recovering nicely – http://arsenalanalysis.blogspot.com/2008/05/eduardo-surprised-with-speed-of.html
By: DeiseGooner on May 30, 2008
at 8:28 pm
News are coming that Eduardo is doing so good, he may be back in August. I hope this is true, the guy is just awesome and can easily put Torres to rest for 10 million less.
By: Gunner4Ever on May 30, 2008
at 9:02 pm
G4E, you stole my thunder.
I have just watched this video from Brazilian TV. I didn’t catch it when it aired, tho I subscribe to Globo:
http://arsenalanalysis.blogspot.com/2008/05/eduardo-surprised-with-speed-of.html
Remember when there were some reports in the Croatian press about Eduardo’s comments re Taylor’s so-called apology? Since I don’t know the language I had no idea if these reports were true.
However, with this video I can now finally listen to Eduardo speak in his native language, Portuguese, and understand for myself what he says totally unfiltered by the English press.
What he says is very, very clear, there is not doubt at all in my mind now.
He said that Taylor and his club told all the press in England that he (Taylor) personally apologized to Eduardo and that Eduardo had forgiven him.
Eduardo CLEARLY STATES THAT THIS IS A LIE. That none of that happened at all. He says this with great frustration and sadness.
He also says that Taylor could’ve been more human and apologized to him personally.
By: NYmarcus on May 30, 2008
at 9:16 pm
what is going on with this blog again? my posts aren’t showing up!
By: NYmarcus on May 30, 2008
at 9:28 pm
NYmarcus,
the long range censor is in town…
God.. it’s frustrating… another week gone by and no news except for rumours, whispers and chinese whispers.
Can’t wait until Arsenal thump Man U next season.
With Vela/Nasri/Eduardo/VP/Rosicky back on the pitch the prospect will be absolutely mouth watering. I am convinced that Arsenal can get back to the levels of 2004/2005, when the attacking play to absolutely scintallating. Far better than anything Man U produced this season.
Just got 10 weeks of bs to put up with.
By: Phil on May 30, 2008
at 9:45 pm
I’m going to try once again to post this.
Apparently this blog occasionally refuses to post anything with link. So this time I won’t provide the link.
G4E, you stole my thunder.
I just watched a video from Brazilian TV on the arsenalanalysis.blogspot.com site. I hadn’t seen it even tho I subscribe to Globo TV.
It’s a terrific news report showing Eduardo doing his therapy exercises and talking abou this injury, wanting to return quickly to Arsenal, his Croatian team, etc.
Regarding Taylor and the injury… Eduardo said that Taylor and his club told all the press in England that he personally apologized to Eduardo and that Eduardo had forgiven him. Eduardo CLEARLY STATES THAT THIS IS A LIE. There is no doubt in what he says. He also says that Taylor could’ve been more human and apologize to him personally.
By: NYmarcus on May 30, 2008
at 9:52 pm
wow i just checked it but my portugese is a bit poo but i believe you Tiny Taylor should be ashamed of his self.
I am so glad he is looking so good.
By: Silver Gunner on May 30, 2008
at 10:11 pm
Sorry NYmarcus, if it helps…I couldn’t view the video
but I’m sure you will forgive me for stealing the thunder….it’s good news for Arsenal fans, or at least the ones who like foreigners?
By: Gunner4Ever on May 30, 2008
at 10:25 pm
NYmarcus if you want to put a link to a page paste it into the Website: box and it will come up on your name as a link
By: Steve on May 30, 2008
at 11:48 pm