As we're unlikely to see terraces again at football, this is the virtual equivalent where you can chat to your hearts content about all football matters and, obviously, Arsenal in particular. This forum encourages all Gooners to visit and contribute so please keep it respectful, clean and topical.
Deise Gooner wrote: I still dont think we have seen the best from Theo yet and its easy to forget that he is only 23 and can only improve and become more consistent. .
can he ? - what if he continues for another two years at these high wages. then he's 25....
Tony Adams, Anelka, Cesc, Jack and OX have all shown they've got it by the age of 18. Our Theo is five years past that. by 21 Tony Adams was our captain.
As much as I wanted him to succeed he hasn't. He's England's next Joe Cole. sorry but its true.
Maybe. Maybe not. Some players develop to the highest level late. Ian Wright might be a good example.
I do think there's a sense within the game (Wenger, the media, alot of pundits, other managers etc) that Theo has what it takes to be a top player but for whatever reason it hasn't really happened yet for him. I personally don't think he is top drawer (not at the moment anyway) but I do have this nagging feeling that the minute we sell him he will step up and become a top player... if that did happen it could be down to any number of things - a different coach, a sense of "I have to deliver for the new team", a change of scene or whatever... who knows?
But the question is, do you keep throwing 80 or 90 or 100K a week at "potential", on the off chance it might come good? Which opens up the whole argument about Wenger foolishly rewarding mediocrity and poor quality with improved contracts and pay rises. The fact that Chamakh is possibly on 70K a week says it all about how fucked up our pay policy has become. What exactly has he done to earn that much per week?
arseofacrow wrote:cut our losses or go all out and gamble on these somehow being the years when it all clicks?
To be honest if he demanded 100K a week I'd cut our losses and sell him. We might live to regret it, but I grew up being taught you have to actually earn your money, and tbh in the greater scheme of things Theo has not done enough to warrant demanding that type of money.
I also think maybe we should just go all out and give him a season through the middle and see what happens... if Chamakh is getting paid so much to do fuck all in there then what harm taking a shot on Theo...?
We play him as a right winger who 99 times out of a hundred gets the ball played square to him with a player closing him down so he starts from a stationary position .........play him a through ball when he is moving and he takes some stopping !
We play the wrong way for him and he isnt good from a standing start so yes he would be good for someone else but unless and until we play differently we will never get the best from him .
You can read the same almost from Bendtner,and Vela not to mention lardshavin and even to an extent RVP.
Until and unless our manager adapts styles of play to fit the people he has at his disposal on the day ,we are doomed to fail no matter who we have however he has shown a marked reluctance to do this since 2006 so if Walcott stays or goes makes little difference to me or the club !
It'll be typical if the useless and overrated *word censored* that is Walcott stays, improved terms, longer contract, Wenger, does he really care? He could (I hope) be fucking off the season after this upcoming one, we'll all be still here watching this gay hand clapping *word censored* trying to control a ball, whilst Wenger will be at PSG, knocking one out over his haul of shares in the same club that we've helped him buy.
DB10GOONER wrote:The fact that Chamakh is possibly on 70K a week says it all about how fucked up our pay policy has become. What exactly has he done to earn that much per week?
Chamakh's wages are crazy, but as he signed on a free transfer and we didn't pay a transfer fee, I suppose it's inevtiable that you'll pay a premium on wages instead. terrible signing though.
There's no excuse with Almunia and Denilson though. We've known they're not good enough for years now, yet Wenger rewarded them with golden contracts that basically locked them to the club until their contracts expire... fortunately Almunia's has, but Denilson will have to be loaned out for a year or 2 more before he fucks off on a free
As for Theo - I like him as a Wiltord type squad player, but I don't think he'll even be a regular once Chamberlain and Podolski get going, so I'd get rid now before we do something silly like offer him a £100k a week contract
terrible signing though.
