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.
Bendtners Drinking Buddy wrote:He was playing in a new team in a new system (he is MADE for 442 but the stubborn old git wont try it now and again) and im happy, my opinion is he did enough to warrant a place in the side. You can say "bizzare games" but we still had to score the goals, no? They still count! Moreover, the support around him on the flanks (Walcott / Podolski / Ramsey ) was awful at times, a Striker is sometimes only as good as the service.
I agree that Giroud is not World-class, Suarez is, but thats not what is stopping us from winning trophies right now - Suraez would be a luxury buy - we need to sort the fundamentals out first, because without that we will continue to be also-rans.
Fair enough, I thought there was some unusal scorelines that skewed things a little (6-1 vs. Southampton, 5-2 vs. Sp*rs, 7-3 vs. Newcastle, 5-2 vs. Reading, 5-1 vs. West Ham) but I guess that's something you either agree with or you don't, so fair enough if you disagree.
I do think we looked toothless for much of the season though. Again, you may disagree.
Also, you say Giroud is a 4-4-2 man (hinting that he's not suited to our system) yet you say you're happy to go into the season with Giroud? (resumably knowing full well he'll be used as a lone srtiker again..?)
I should add... I do like Giroud. I'm just not convinced he's the lone striker we need to fire us to glory.
Bendtners Drinking Buddy wrote:
Man United have a good Goalkeeper and can defend - thats what won them the league really, they are a good side all round. Van Persie is a world class player, you cannot comapre many strikers to him.
United conceded 43. That's 6 more than us, and also more than Citeh, Chavs and Everton. And the same amount as Liverpool.
You just argued with me that all goals count regardless, so surely your above statement contradicts that if you're saying United's defence (5th best in the league) was the main reason they were crowned champions?
On the other hand, they scored a whopping 86 goals. That's 20 more than 2nd place Citeh.
John W Henry wrote:"We are not going to sell Luis... For all the top clubs it's extremely important [not to sell to a rival] but especially for Liverpool because we're not in Europe this year and have not been in the Champions League for a while. To sell to a rival for those positions, or one of them, would be ludicrous. Liverpool needs to be playing in Europe. It needs to be playing in the Champions League. That's what Liverpool football club is about."
Under John W Henry, Liverpool have previously sold Torres to Chelsea.
John W Henry wrote:"He won't be sold even if a foreign club comes in because we do not have time to sign a suitable replacement... It's a football reason. It's not about finances. That's why at this point, so late in the window, with everyone who's already moved or isn't moving, we can't replace him. So for football reasons we can't sell, and especially to Arsenal."
If Henry is being honest here, it's the board's and Wenger's fault for being slow in the transfer market.
John W Henry wrote:"Players usually want to win. They want to go, generally in any sport, where they can win. That's why I think this particular episode is misguided. We've won more trophies than Arsenal, but I really don't want to get into that."
Liverpool living in the past... Shocker
I think Henry might be bluffing. I recall someone doing the same a few years ago...
"Imagine the worst situation - we lose Fabregas and Nasri. You cannot convince people you are ambitious after that. You cannot pretend you are a big club. A big club holds onto its big players and gives a message out to all the other big clubs that they just cannot come in and take [players] away from you."
As a side issue, on top of the £10 mil thats been added to the mythical war chest, with all the deadwood/fringe players (and those with no fringe)/prospects that we have shipped out this summer I estimate we must be saving close to £500k per week on salaries since May.
I'll bet though, it won't stop the excuses that certain transfers didn't come off because of failure to agree personal terms.
If Liverpool relented this weekend and said you can talk to Suarez for £45 mil that will be the next handy 'obstacle'.
Although I still say once Liverpool give any hint Suarez could leave Real Madrid will be chasing.
Bendtners Drinking Buddy wrote:
Man United have a good Goalkeeper and can defend - thats what won them the league really, they are a good side all round. Van Persie is a world class player, you cannot comapre many strikers to him.
United conceded 43. That's 6 more than us, and also more than Citeh, Chavs and Everton. And the same amount as Liverpool.
You just argued with me that all goals count regardless, so surely your above statement contradicts that if you're saying United's defence (5th best in the league) was the main reason they were crowned champions?
On the other hand, they scored a whopping 86 goals. That's 20 more than 2nd place Citeh.
Absolutely - United won the league despite their defence, not because of it. It's a testament to the quality of their forwards and the lack of competitiveness in the PL that they were able to gift leads away every other week and still come back to win.
Far too many games last year (particularly first half of the season) we scored 0 or 1 goals.
I've said it before - as a team we're generally incapable of putting in a great all-round performance. Plenty of games where we attacked well or defended well but very few come to mind where we did both.
'Practically impossible' for Luis Suarez to leave - PFA chief
Professional Footballers' Association chief Gordon Taylor says it will be "practically impossible" for Luis Suarez to leave Liverpool this month.
"With the transfer window expiring, the difficulties of not only selling him to a competitor but also replacing him makes it practically impossible," Taylor said.
I thought the PFA's job was to give guidance to players?
This has already been mentioned I'm sure, BUT, are the players that 5pur2 have signed or are giving medicals to good enough to bridge the 'ONE POINT' gap between us?
I'm starting to get fidgety...
Macca wrote:This has already been mentioned I'm sure, BUT, are the players that 5pur2 have signed or are giving medicals to good enough to bridge the 'ONE POINT' gap between us?
I'm starting to get fidgety...
I'd say they have the advantage at the moment, but it's impossible to gauge until the transfer window shuts, as we're certain to buy player(s) at some point and Bale's future could be significant as well.
All up in the air for now. Looking forward to September 2nd and the end to this tedious, media driven bollocks.
Macca wrote:This has already been mentioned I'm sure, BUT, are the players that 5pur2 have signed or are giving medicals to good enough to bridge the 'ONE POINT' gap between us?
I'm starting to get fidgety...
Wow like we are aiming for 4th again but good point not only are we going even further away than ever to win the league we will be lucky to get 6th or 7th yes we are ending up like the victims .
Bendtners Drinking Buddy wrote:He was playing in a new team in a new system (he is MADE for 442 but the stubborn old git wont try it now and again) and im happy, my opinion is he did enough to warrant a place in the side. You can say "bizzare games" but we still had to score the goals, no? They still count! Moreover, the support around him on the flanks (Walcott / Podolski / Ramsey ) was awful at times, a Striker is sometimes only as good as the service.
I agree that Giroud is not World-class, Suarez is, but thats not what is stopping us from winning trophies right now - Suraez would be a luxury buy - we need to sort the fundamentals out first, because without that we will continue to be also-rans.
Fair enough, I thought there was some unusal scorelines that skewed things a little (6-1 vs. Southampton, 5-2 vs. Sp*rs, 7-3 vs. Newcastle, 5-2 vs. Reading, 5-1 vs. West Ham) but I guess that's something you either agree with or you don't, so fair enough if you disagree.
I do think we looked toothless for much of the season though. Again, you may disagree.
Also, you say Giroud is a 4-4-2 man (hinting that he's not suited to our system) yet you say you're happy to go into the season with Giroud? (resumably knowing full well he'll be used as a lone srtiker again..?)
I should add... I do like Giroud. I'm just not convinced he's the lone striker we need to fire us to glory.
We both agree there. As i say i like Giroud, i fully accept we need more there - but we have other areas that need more urgent attention.
We can all see it, its obvious, yet again and again noting changes - thats the real issue here.
LOL. Chelsea will surely outbid our transfer-fixing cheapskates for Eto'o.
Plus he's the highest paid football player in the world, making £35.7 million on wages. Doesn't exactly fit our "socialist" profile.
Plus I have to state the sad facts: Sp*rs have absolutely slaughtered us on transfers the last few seasons. Maybe we should sack Gazidis and Law and find some way to lure Daniel Levy over. Loathe the guy, but he's fantastic when it comes to making deals.
) was awful at times, a Striker is sometimes only as good as the service.
- surely it's none of their business?
