McDowell its over dude...no more - Hallelujah

[rigsby]

Sorry Baba, but that just show Blanc knows fuck all. Kos is miles better than Kaboul as a defender. Plus when is an International managers selection a sign of what is right? I mean Staurt Downing gets in the English team. Fuck me, even Ray Wilkins played International football!

[Henry Norris 1913]

Sorry Baba, but that just show Blanc knows fuck all. Kos is miles better than Kaboul as a defender. Plus when is an International managers selection a sign of what is right? I mean Staurt Downing gets in the English team. Fuck me, even Ray Wilkins played International football!

shut up, downings better than Ox, just listen to Baba.

just like Barry's better than Carrick

[augie]

Sorry Baba, but that just show Blanc knows fuck all. Kos is miles better than Kaboul as a defender. Plus when is an International managers selection a sign of what is right? I mean Staurt Downing gets in the English team. Fuck me, even Ray Wilkins played International football!

I agree with rigsby - everybody has an opinion and is of course entitled to that opinion but for me kaboul isnt in the same league as a defender as kos is. Yes kos might well be an athlete first but kaboul is neither an athlete nor a good enough defender so I dont know what the fcuk blanc see's in him Would actually like to see kos and mexes as a centre back partnership cos I think they might work well together although they would struggle against a Llorente or andy carroll type centre forward

[highburyJD]

according to many Arsenal fans Koscielny is one of the best in the league (LOL) but Blanc will never ever trust him to start as first choice centre back.

genuinely interested to know who you think was better last season...
for me Kompany was one of the top 3 players of the season and the only defender obviously better than Kos

Ivanovic Chelskis best defender by a country mile (JT and Cahill typically overrated Englishmen) and would be straight in but played RB much of the season
Colocinni was excellent really led the Newcastle backline - I would put those two around the same level as Kos

Lescott Kompany's best partner at the champions has an argument as one of the best
Johnny Evans surprised me and was I think ManUre's best defender (thought Smalling and Jones were both dodgy, age has caught up with Rio)
who else? Skrtel, Distin, Ashley Williams... struggling now
even if you take every player mentioned as better than Kos (I wouldn't) he would be "one of the best in the league"

silly to suggest otherwise
(queue baborietya saying "Champions League winners chalobah, hutchinson and piazon are all better")

Kos leads the league in interceptions - excellent stats when compared to Kompany/Colocinni

[Babatunde]

according to many Arsenal fans Koscielny is one of the best in the league (LOL) but Blanc will never ever trust him to start as first choice centre back.

genuinely interested to know who you think was better last season...
for me Kompany was one of the top 3 players of the season and the only defender obviously better than Kos

Ivanovic Chelskis best defender by a country mile (JT and Cahill typically overrated Englishmen) and would be straight in but played RB much of the season
Colocinni was excellent really led the Newcastle backline - I would put those two around the same level as Kos

Lescott Kompany's best partner at the champions has an argument as one of the best
Johnny Evans surprised me and was I think ManUre's best defender (thought Smalling and Jones were both dodgy, age has caught up with Rio)
who else? Skrtel, Distin, Ashley Williams... struggling now
even if you take every player mentioned as better than Kos (I wouldn't) he would be "one of the best in the league"

silly to suggest otherwise
(queue baborietya saying "Champions League winners chalobah, hutchinson and piazon are all better")

Kos leads the league in interceptions - excellent stats when compared to Kompany/Colocinni

I don't want to go over the Koscielny thing again because it's plain embarrassing.
I used to have the same discussion with Gooners who once claimed Vermaelen was "world class".
Strangely silent now eh

Augie I see what you mean with international managers, but Blanc is an actual defender who was one of the best in the business. What was Hodgson? If Blanc has an opinion on a degensive player then I trust that infinitely. Koscielny was part of a defence that conceded almost FIFTY league goals!

I mean honestly, what else do you need to say?

I think Koscielny is good, but as usual, Arsenal fans are deluded about the abilities of an Arsenal player.
Koscielny isnt near the top end of defenders. That means the likes of Vidic, Kompany, Chiellini, Piqué etc.
In fact Kos isn't as good as the echelon below which is Coloccini, Skrtel etc. he's close to that level to be fair but seriously, a guy who can't start for France is "top quality"? Taking the piss?!

[Babatunde]

To be fair though, plenty of ppl once thought Denilson looked a class midfielder, Clichy was "better than Cole", Vermaelen was "world class" and Almunia was to be England number 1!! This Koscielny one is new: from Lorient to top class, and all it took was conceding 49 goals in a season LOL

[g88ner]

Blanc is an actual defender who was one of the best in the business. What was Hodgson? If Blanc has an opinion on a degensive player then I trust that infinitely. Koscielny was part of a defence that conceded almost FIFTY league goals!

I mean honestly, what else do you need to say?

Agreed, I think you've said enough! - only joking, mate

I do have a few issues with that paragraph though...

Firstly, you trust Blanc "infinitely"? - that's a bit OTT isn't it? I can understand respecting his opinion, but "infinitely"... that's just weird, mate. Sorry.

Secondly, what does "what was Hodgson" mean? you seem to be dismissing his views because he wasn't "one of the best in the business" as a defender, but is that the be all and end all? by that logic... what was Mourinho? what was Graham? what was Wenger? what was Fergie? or... dare I say... what was Baba? - personally, I respect the defensive work achieved by Mourinho and Graham, and I won't let the fact they weren't great defenders change that. I just don't think you should dismiss someone's views just because they didn't play a particular position.

Thirdly, this thing about Koscielny being "part of a defence that conceded almost FIFTY league goals!" is true, but as it's a team game, I think it's a bit of a pants argument for deciding how good a player is. I bet there's plenty of very good defenders who have been in shit teams and have conceded a silly amount (Arsenal conceding 49 in 1994/95 springs to mind, although I bet there's better examples).

That said, I agree with you on Koscielnly. He could be a little overrated, and has definitely got much to prove.

[mcdowell42]

Juventus executives will meet Robin Van Persie's agent in the next few days. #afc #CorrieredelloSport

[jamjc64]

Can we please just not lock this thread. Its like last year revisited. Sorry make that since 2006.

[projoe]

@BFairthorne: This is all second hand as I don't know Darren Dein, but for first time hearing from agent close to Arsene that RVP is leaving. #arsenal

[Chopper]

Why lock this thread? If you don't like it don't read it, there are plenty other threads.

Speculation is half the fun in football, especially with some of the performances last season!

I doubt many on here believe any of the rumours but it's always good banter.

[frankbutcher]

Ben Fairthorne is not to be trusted. I had runs-ins with his some years ago on the Arsenal Facebook pages. In brief, he has been caught out lying, been sacked by The Star and generally just makes up stories for attention. Just google his name and you will find what you need to.

http://www.thespoiler.co.uk/2010/09/28/ ... to-torres/

http://www.oleole.com/blogs/cule-though ... do-you-say

Steer well clear of the guy.

[1989]

Hazard has announced that he's joining the Chavs just now. Hope Terry shags his bird, the little *word censored*.

[highburyJD]

according to many Arsenal fans Koscielny is one of the best in the league (LOL) but Blanc will never ever trust him to start as first choice centre back.

genuinely interested to know who you think was better last season...

I don't want to go over the Koscielny thing again because it's plain embarrassing.
the likes of Vidic, Kompany, Chiellini, Piqué etc.
In fact Kos isn't as good as the echelon below which is Coloccini, Skrtel etc.

so far you've mentioned 4 centrebacks in the league better than him,
one of them (Vidic) didn't play last season...
that would make him one of the best in the league

if only the views of ex-pros matter you should stop posting

[mcdowell42]

Why lock this thread? If you don't like it don't read it, there are plenty other threads.

Speculation is half the fun in football, especially with some of the performances last season!

I doubt many on here believe any of the rumours but it's always good banter.

At last someone who besides from myself treats this thread for what it is a bit of fun and craic.Im amazed at the amount of guys who get worked about some of the stuff on here when we dont know wheather its fact or just rumour.Google the word rumour guys