Gone for a Song?

[augie]

For me no matter what you opinion might be on Song as a footballer, he has always come across as a model pro. No mouthing off in the press, and stated that he would rather sign a new contract than leave, despite interest from the whores.
Seems to me Wenger had decided he was going to let him go, so fair enough, he is gone and if Sahin is a better replacement then I am happy.
In a time however when we are slating players for their lack of loyalty and their self indulgence, I find the reaction to Songs departure, pure hypocrisy.
Unlike rvp, cesc, nasri and many more besides, I wish Alex Song nothing but the best in his future career and rumours of fallouts with Bould and refusing to train seem nothing more than a pr stunt.
Good luck Alex.

Sid there is a touch of hypocrisy there methinks - last summer Cesc never said a word publicly about wanting to leave (even though we all know that he did) and at the time he got severely slated by the fans for not saying publicly what he wanted to do. Then when he does leave all the rumours start about how he demanded to be let go and how he coughed up his own money to push the deal through and this led fans like you to believe the stories to the point that you dislike/hate the guy - why are those stories so believable but these stories are just pr spin ? Why is it ok for song to threaten to strike but not ok for Cesc to do the same ?
The difference here is that Cesc is a world class player that had given us several seasons of outstanding service whilst song has given us a few years of absolute shite and a few ok years. The difference is that Cesc is a world class talent and deserves to play alongside players of that ilk (and like it or not that is barca) whilst songnis average and should be playing in a level no higher than championship and I think that I am being generous at that. Arrogance and confidence is acceptable if you have the talent to back it up like Cesc has but all song has is the arrogance

[topgoon]

For me no matter what you opinion might be on Song as a footballer, he has always come across as a model pro. No mouthing off in the press, and stated that he would rather sign a new contract than leave, despite interest from the whores.
Seems to me Wenger had decided he was going to let him go, so fair enough, he is gone and if Sahin is a better replacement then I am happy.
In a time however when we are slating players for their lack of loyalty and their self indulgence, I find the reaction to Songs departure, pure hypocrisy.
Unlike rvp, cesc, nasri and many more besides, I wish Alex Song nothing but the best in his future career and rumours of fallouts with Bould and refusing to train seem nothing more than a pr stunt.
Good luck Alex.

Sid there is a touch of hypocrisy there methinks - last summer Cesc never said a word publicly about wanting to leave (even though we all know that he did) and at the time he got severely slated by the fans for not saying publicly what he wanted to do. Then when he does leave all the rumours start about how he demanded to be let go and how he coughed up his own money to push the deal through and this led fans like you to believe the stories to the point that you dislike/hate the guy - why are those stories so believable but these stories are just pr spin ? Why is it ok for song to threaten to strike but not ok for Cesc to do the same ?
The difference here is that Cesc is a world class player that had given us several seasons of outstanding service whilst song has given us a few years of absolute shite and a few ok years. The difference is that Cesc is a world class talent and deserves to play alongside players of that ilk (and like it or not that is barca) whilst song is average and should be playing in a level no higher than championship and I think that I am being generous at that. Arrogance and confidence is acceptable if you have the talent to back it up like Cesc has but all song has is the arrogance

And yet Barca are supposed to have put an 80 million release clause on him. I know it's supposed to be mandatory but FFS what did their scouts see that we didn't .

Don't get me wrong I actually liked Song despite his shortcomings but even the most ardent Song fan would question the wisdom of this deal. To coin a phrase AW must have seen Barca coming. Imagine Sandro Rossell was slagging off the last Barca president for wasting money and putting them in debt yet sanctions this deal

[augie]

Clauses are standard practice in Spanish football though and rarely mean anything - any half decent player has a clause stipulating 100m exit fee or some absurd figure like that so don't treat it as a reflection of a players value especially not in this case

[TeeCee]

I've read a few reports/suggestions that Song wanted an improved contract now that he is one of the 'top' players at the club. Arsenal were in no hurry to re-negotiate so Song's attitude got worse and worse, turned up late for training, didn't do what was asked of him (no surprise there). Club got fed up with him so were happy to sell for a very good price indeed.
Good business all round......IF they re-invest the money and don't rely on one season from a loanee!! They should just go and buy M'Vila, get Sahin on loan and try to get a top full back from somewhere, then, Wenger will have had a decent summer.....albeit having left it too late again.

[Babatunde]

The thought of him threatening to go on strike leaves me gobsmacked.

He is one of the luckiest Footballers on the planet when you consider how limited he is and how Wenger persisted with him.

The sooner these big time Charlies are gone the better.

At the end of the day he is breaking up a team that has failed, nothing more, nothing less, a lot of these like Song and Bendtner have had ample chances.

But he's not breaking up a team that's failed is he?
Djourou new contract.
Fat Santos still about.
Ramsey still about.
Arshavin going nowhere.
Chamakh will be getting chances.
Bendtner still hanging around.
Diaby touted as the big I Am.
Fabianski one game away from playing.

In fact almost every single loser involved in that shameful 8-2 is still at the club.

Absolute joke.

[Babatunde]

Arsenal are still desperately short of a quality striker.
Giroud is a player that is Reading or Southampton level.
An elite level striker is still needed...

[Gunnersaurus]

The thought of him threatening to go on strike leaves me gobsmacked.

He is one of the luckiest Footballers on the planet when you consider how limited he is and how Wenger persisted with him.

The sooner these big time Charlies are gone the better.

At the end of the day he is breaking up a team that has failed, nothing more, nothing less, a lot of these like Song and Bendtner have had ample chances.

But he's not breaking up a team that's failed is he?
Djourou new contract.
Fat Santos still about.
Ramsey still about.
Arshavin going nowhere.
Chamakh will be getting chances.
Bendtner still hanging around.
Diaby touted as the big I Am.
Fabianski one game away from playing.


In fact almost every single loser involved in that shameful 8-2 is still at the club.

Absolute joke.

He didn't give Djourou a new contract, he activated a clause in his contract, big difference.

The rest can only go if clubs are stupid enough to want them which they don't, beside, they are all squad players apart from Arshavin who came to play, its the players that have been regulars that blame the club for a lack of success yet have been a big part of it that needs freshening up ie Walcott, Song, van Persie in his own way, that may sound silly but in 8 or 9 years we've been able to rely on him one season from start to finish, that in itself is a problem as shit players play in his absence although that's not his fault to build the squad (even though he tried if you believe everything you hear)

Wenger for all his faults is now doing what he should have done a few years ago.

[Babatunde]

No he's not. Where's the reserve keeper? Where's the left back? Why are we in transfer profit?
How is selling the double Footballer of the Year a smart move?!
You for real? He was the only world class player there and scored 40% of our goals.
Where's the new left back? Why does it matter that Djourou had a clause: why is it there in the first place!!!
Why has Gervinho not been taught to cross a ball?
Why has Wenger retained Diaby? Why has he come out and said Diaby will be a "big player" this season?
Wenger has changed nothing, in fact he's weakened Arsenal again.

I'll have a wager with you that Arsrnal league defeats hit double figure again this season.
If Arsene is ringing the changes as you claim, then you'd take that bet...

But we are in profit again! Yeah Arsene changin...

[TeeCee]

I think clubs want those players, it's just that they can't afford the wages because Wenger has way overpaid most of the average players at the club. They in turn don't want to take a cut in wages so it's stalemate. The big issue is Wenger's policy of rewarding failure for the past 7 years, just to keep his experiment going ie: he felt that keeping a squad together was the blueprint to success.

[1989]

I think clubs want those players, it's just that they can't afford the wages because Wenger has way overpaid most of the average players at the club. They in turn don't want to take a cut in wages so it's stalemate. The big issue is Wenger's policy of rewarding failure for the past 7 years, just to keep his experiment going ie: he felt that keeping a squad together was the blueprint to success.

Yes, Wenger got it completely wrong and for that he'll never be viewed as a top level manager ever again.

But he's shown some change in his approach this summer (scraping the failed youth policy) as well as a new found ruthlessness (fucking Song off) which is promising. He's also freshened up the coaching staff with the appointing of Bould as assistant manager - a man known for his no nonsense and disciplinary style.

[topgoon]

The troll from the scum has turned up, my cue to go to bed....for all those who'll be staying up to read the Arry appreciation society president's drivel I feel for you

[DB10GOONER]

You know, as much as I do not rate Song in our team and want him gone (or at least on the bench, with a proper top DM ahead of him) I will say that I reckon he would do relatively ok in Spain. Their game is a lot slower and less physical than the PL and his slow motion turning arc that resembles an oil tankers will be less of a hinderance. He was never cut out for the PL but he might do ok in Spain.

Also, I think the Whores realise that the type of game they play with Xavi and Iniesta etc has a best before date and it will be very hard to play that style as those players get older and/or they retire/leave. I think the Whores are looking to phase in a new system over the next few years and that's why they rate Song - not as a tippy tappy passer, but as a "solid" (physical) presence in front of the back 4.

[augie]

No he's not. Where's the reserve keeper? Where's the left back? Why are we in transfer profit?
How is selling the double Footballer of the Year a smart move?!
You for real? He was the only world class player there and scored 40% of our goals.
Where's the new left back? Why does it matter that Djourou had a clause: why is it there in the first place!!!
Why has Gervinho not been taught to cross a ball?
Why has Wenger retained Diaby? Why has he come out and said Diaby will be a "big player" this season?
Wenger has changed nothing, in fact he's weakened Arsenal again.

I'll have a wager with you that Arsrnal league defeats hit double figure again this season.
If Arsene is ringing the changes as you claim, then you'd take that bet...

But we are in profit again! Yeah Arsene changin...

There are not many that have been a bigger critic of wenger and for as long but the only problem that can be directly attributed to him for all the above is the bumper contracts that he gave out to average arrogant c**ts as teecee has said.
Selling rvp was the only decision available to him - yes he should have ensured a sale elsewhere (even for less money) but your point is that we were wrong to sell him full stop
Gervinho cant cross a ball but up until now we havent player with a striker that can get on the end of any crosses. Yes that doesnt alter the fact that he still should be able to cross the ball better but the vast vast majority of footballers cant be arsed to do extra practice to improve their flaws such is the arrogant nature of the modern day footballer
Diaby, djouru, santos, bendtner, arshavin are all related to the excessive wage issue - maybe he feels that if he talks them up then some club might be stupid enough to take them off our hands (hell it worked with song ) but sadly I fear we are lumbered with them unless we cough up big time to pay them off to get rid.

All that shouldnt take away from the fact that he is now beginning to offload the average shite - vela and song gone and I have no doubt that he is trying to sell bendtner plus kudo's to somebody at the club who is holding firm on the refusal to give walnut 100k per week Personally I am encouraged by the signings to date....yes they might not work out for us but that is a risk with every transfer but at least so far he has avoided buying any cheap average shite Of course given how many holes exist in the team/squad then it will be an absolute disgrace if we leave this transfer window in profit again but with the weaknesses not properly addressed. I for one am not sure that I support the claim to buy a top quality centre forward unless we change to 4-4-2 simply cos there are other issue's that should be prioritised above it but one way or another and for whatever reason, it cannot be ignored that there is a revolution of sorts within the playing staff and that is long overdue so I am encouraged but it is vital that we do invest the incoming money in real quality additions

[OneBardGooner]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/ ... na-1269692

[flash gunner]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/ ... na-1269692

Well there goes Sids version of events that Song was a model pro To be honest he played in the same manner that he seemed to be