The Ones that got away

[GranadaJoe]

The Laurie Cunningham documentary last night reminded me what a great player he was. He's still revered by Madrid fans over here. However, I never knew that he had started on our books (mind you, I also forgot he'd gone to Manure and played for the Dons at Wembley). I would have loved to have seen him in an Arsenal shirt.

It got me thinking about a perrenial question I have about the problem of judging a player. I know people like Crouch have been rejected by a number of teams and I know I've heard examples in the past (I've forgotten those as well). The victims kicked out Tom Ince only last year and this year offered 6m to buy him back.

Have we got rid of other young players who went on to make it?

[markyp]

Andy cole,how we kept hold of kevin campbell and released Cole i will never know.

[rodders999]

Andy cole,how we kept hold of kevin campbell and released Cole i will never know.

Whatever your thoughts on Campbell he did a mean goal celebration

What was it, 2 substitute appearnace for Andy Cole? Probably the best ever player that slipped through our fingers for sure.

[OoohToBeAGooner]

Yaya Toure who was apparently not good enough.

[highburyJD]

there are a few current Prem players we released who could do a job
buts thats as much us getting worse as it being a mistake releasing them

big contemporary ones: Yaya Toure had a trial (was apparently rubbish in a friendly v Barnet)
we 'nearly' signed Ibrahimovic but he apparently refused a trial
(then accepted a trial then contract at Ajax - story sounds fishy to me, I blame Dick Law)

those persistent rumours were that Cole was got rid of for behaviour rather than ability
sure we've all heard them

apparently some young chaps called Percy and Cescy are pretty decent

just seen this Harvard Nordveit story http://hereisthecity.com/2013/03/06/sol ... -valued-a/?

didn't we have a short Brazilian fullback (scored v Gillingham) who became a good def min in Germany
was thinking Josue but google says he's somebody else

[worthing_gooner]

Yaya Toure who was apparently not good enough.

To be fair, Yaya was absolutely embarrassing when we had a pre-season friendly at Barnet. He was on trial and all we knew was he was Kolo's brother. Nobody knew if he was any good, nobody really knew Kolo had a brother. Needless to say he was woeful, Barnet's midfield ran him ragged. He was just stumbling around like Diaby does these days, giving the ball away and ambling back. Then he missed an open goal from about five yards.

[clockender1]

Andy cole,how we kept hold of kevin campbell and released Cole i will never know.

We had wrighty and George thought that Campbell was the better link man.

As fine a player as he was he was no.wrighty.

Maybe not a massive miss, but I think.upson has had a decent career and he is certainly better than djourou, senderos or squidgy.

[the playing mantis]

i thought yaya wasnt signed as he didnt want to go to beveren or something? he wanted 1st team football straight away and went to some club behind the iron curtain???

[I Hate Hleb]

Talking of 'ones that got away' seems appropriate seeing as Wenger is as fond as anyone of recounting his version of 'the unlucky fisherman's tales'!!

[highburyJD]

the ones I'm glad got away:
Greedybarndoor for £25M, Na$ri for £24M
I love Kolo but £16M for the post malaria version was a great price
was gutted when we sold Overmars (£20M odd?) and but was also a great deal
Anelka I still think would have been a great player if he stayed
but we def got a far better side of the deal than Real Madrid

[clockender1]

The ones that stayed are worse - denderos, djourou, diaby, vela, denilson, Ramsay, bentner...

[highburyJD]

dont think we turned down multi-million pound bids for many of them...
hope Rambo can still make it

[Mr Eboue]

didn't we have a short Brazilian fullback (scored v Gillingham) who became a good def min in Germany
was thinking Josue but google says he's somebody else

Juan, now plays for Santos.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Maldonado_Jaimez

[highburyJD]

cheers MrEboue

[Chippy]

Just deleted the "rumours" posts unless you have some proof that would stop you and the Forum being sued for libel!