When Sol hangs his boots up.....

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.
Post Reply
User avatar
SteveO 35
Posts: 22142
Joined: Sun May 11, 2008 7:01 pm
Location: Abou's fan club

When Sol hangs his boots up.....

Post by SteveO 35 »

I would very much like to read his inevitable book as I think it would contain a lot of interesting insight into the changes in the club between his two periods of employment.

I am the first to admit that I treated his re-signing as a joke.....something I feel a little ashamed about now because watching his application, attitude and ability has been one of the few high spots in the past few weeks.

He has made a number of guarded comments recently hinting that the talent alone is not enough, and almost implying that this current bunch do not have the application or toughness to win things. He has been very diplomatic but I think when he calls time on things it will be interesting to hear his thoughts.

In the shame at the Lane, I could see the frsutration etched all over his face and there were a number of camera shots showing him rallying the troops but seemingly to no avail.

I wonder what he really makes of AFC six years on from the Invincibles

I'm sure, knowing Sol's frank opinions, that we'll find out in the not too distant future and I bet it will confirm some of our worst fears about the current crop. I remember reading Tony Adams account of when PV4 first joined and him thinking how arrogant he was and how he looked down his nose at some of the more experienced English players, but how the leaders at the club knocked him into shape.

Roll on Sol's book.......

User avatar
GunnerDude
Posts: 3176
Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2009 12:57 pm
Location: Here with Christina Hendricks

Post by GunnerDude »

Insight into the workings of the club from any source will be much appreciated at this point.

User avatar
RossieGooner
Posts: 1097
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2008 11:38 pm
Location: Roscommon, Ireland

Re: When Sol hangs his boots up.....

Post by RossieGooner »

SteveO 35 wrote:I remember reading Tony Adams account of when PV4 first joined and him thinking how arrogant he was and how he looked down his nose at some of the more experienced English players, but how the leaders at the club knocked him into shape.
I think if u re-read it you will find this isnt entirely true.

PV4 and others that arrived - including DB10 - looked down their nose and rightly so at how "experienced English players" prepared and trained.

The "leaders" at the club enbraced the changes in diet, training methods, off-field behaviour etc and found that they were able to perform at a higher level. They found themselves behaving as professional athletes - something that the "French" brigade did always.

User avatar
littlefire
Posts: 1224
Joined: Sun May 31, 2009 12:48 am
Location: Another Grove

Post by littlefire »

Yes but in return the old guard showed them what it took to be...
The Arsenal.

User avatar
Kiwi Gooner
Posts: 518
Joined: Thu Feb 04, 2010 12:44 am
Location: Dunedin, New Zealand

Post by Kiwi Gooner »

Why is it that we've lost that leadership and substance?
Arsenal players of old had it in spades.

Yet it's taken the return of an old school Gunner to show our current team the meaning of pride and fighting for the cause.

The only players we've got who really show this are Cesc, TV5 and Sol.
Everybody else is happy not to turn up when it suits.

It's impossible to imagine Tony Adams poncing around in a million pound car and putting in a half-assed effort on game day.

Our players should be on a performance payment system which rewards them for a win and penalises them for a loss/draw.

Then we'd see a different attitude!

NI Gooner
Posts: 18
Joined: Fri Mar 26, 2010 9:51 pm

Post by NI Gooner »

Spot on kiwi but the only problem there is that the whole football world would have to agree to that one or else you'd find the best player going else where knowing if they had a bad game then they'd still get paid.
Nice in theory but reality is its not gonna happren.
Its a bit like having a bad day at work its frustrating but your still gonna get paid !

LeftfootlegendGooner
Posts: 10993
Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2009 1:07 pm

Post by LeftfootlegendGooner »

Kiwi Gooner wrote:Why is it that we've lost that leadership and substance?
Arsenal players of old had it in spades.

Yet it's taken the return of an old school Gunner to show our current team the meaning of pride and fighting for the cause.

The only players we've got who really show this are Cesc, TV5 and Sol.
Everybody else is happy not to turn up when it suits.
It's impossible to imagine Tony Adams poncing around in a million pound car and putting in a half-assed effort on game day.

Our players should be on a performance payment system which rewards them for a win and penalises them for a loss/draw.

Then we'd see a different attitude!
You can deffo add RVP to that list cos he clearly cares

User avatar
Henry Norris 1913
Posts: 8374
Joined: Thu Jun 04, 2009 5:25 pm

Post by Henry Norris 1913 »

sol campbell has been our best player in the last 5 games, truly an arsenal legend. silvestre isn't fit to clean his boots

User avatar
nino_rojo
Posts: 489
Joined: Tue Apr 27, 2010 7:55 pm
Location: Bath/Bristol

Post by nino_rojo »

jtvercetti27 wrote:sol campbell has been our best player in the last 5 games, truly an arsenal legend. silvestre isn't fit to clean his boots
Agreed. Silvestre REALLY struggled again at Blackburn. Sol has the pace and work ethic to cope but Tweety just cant keep up and resorts to giving away stupid fouls.

User avatar
donaldo
Posts: 8175
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 2:33 pm
Location: The gates of hell waiting for Wenger

Post by donaldo »

nino_rojo wrote:
jtvercetti27 wrote:sol campbell has been our best player in the last 5 games, truly an arsenal legend. silvestre isn't fit to clean his boots
Agreed. Silvestre REALLY struggled again at Blackburn. Sol has the pace and work ethic to cope but Tweety just cant keep up and resorts to giving away stupid fouls.
If Silvestre was any good would Fergie have sold him to us?Think about it.

Sol has been great the last month but what does that tell you about the rest of the players that a 36 year old who was playing for Notts County 6 mths agohas been our best player

User avatar
Kiwi Gooner
Posts: 518
Joined: Thu Feb 04, 2010 12:44 am
Location: Dunedin, New Zealand

Post by Kiwi Gooner »

LeftfootlegendGooner wrote:
Kiwi Gooner wrote:Why is it that we've lost that leadership and substance?
Arsenal players of old had it in spades.

Yet it's taken the return of an old school Gunner to show our current team the meaning of pride and fighting for the cause.

The only players we've got who really show this are Cesc, TV5 and Sol.
Everybody else is happy not to turn up when it suits.
It's impossible to imagine Tony Adams poncing around in a million pound car and putting in a half-assed effort on game day.

Our players should be on a performance payment system which rewards them for a win and penalises them for a loss/draw.

Then we'd see a different attitude!
You can deffo add RVP to that list cos he clearly cares
Yeah, very true, Lefty.
(He's just been out so long I'd forgotten we still had him :roll: )

User avatar
VforVictory
Posts: 563
Joined: Mon Feb 01, 2010 6:35 pm
Location: NORTH LONDON

Post by VforVictory »

Kiwi Gooner wrote:
LeftfootlegendGooner wrote:
Kiwi Gooner wrote:Why is it that we've lost that leadership and substance?
Arsenal players of old had it in spades.

Yet it's taken the return of an old school Gunner to show our current team the meaning of pride and fighting for the cause.

The only players we've got who really show this are Cesc, TV5 and Sol.
Everybody else is happy not to turn up when it suits.
It's impossible to imagine Tony Adams poncing around in a million pound car and putting in a half-assed effort on game day.

Our players should be on a performance payment system which rewards them for a win and penalises them for a loss/draw.

Then we'd see a different attitude!
You can deffo add RVP to that list cos he clearly cares
Yeah, very true, Lefty.
(He's just been out so long I'd forgotten we still had him :roll: )
I think others care, it is just that they are not clued up enough to know what to do on the pitch.

Eboue gives 100%, but his 100% is short of the level we need in terms of skill.

Gallas gives 100% too, how many times did he run forward and try and force a goal? A late header? A few times, it shows he is professional, though his Birmingham tantrum was unprofessional it showed he cared.

Song too, Walcott, Clichy, Sagna...all give their best. Clichy was trying to make things happen versus Barcelona, just was not able to, same with Walcott.

For all Bendtner's ineptitude and poor first touch, he tries.

Diaby and Denilson look lost most of the time, but I would not say they are lazy.
Just clueless and bewildered.

1989
Posts: 11832
Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2010 11:50 pm

Post by 1989 »

Can't wait to read his book. :-P

User avatar
Kiwi Gooner
Posts: 518
Joined: Thu Feb 04, 2010 12:44 am
Location: Dunedin, New Zealand

Post by Kiwi Gooner »

I've recently begun to wonder if this practice of blooding young players in the CC against the big boys isn't back-firing, and scarring them with a mentality where they expect to lose when their backs are against the wall.

It's the only way I can explain some of performances this (and last) season.

We fold far too easily in adversity.

That's the bit that scares me, because it's so un-Arsenal.

Post Reply