Up the Arse! Goons Thread

[Crow-eater]

On the injury front:

• Nacho is likely to miss the Fulham game
• Rosicky broke is nose in 2 places but is a chance to play
• Verm (Knee), Arteta (calf) and Ramsey will all likely be back for the Soton game
• Lord Bendtner could be back for the FA cup game, but likely the Soton game as well

 

[CotchNCo]

Ros gonna play with a mask? Would be hilarious to see him in one.

 

[Crow-eater]

Ros gonna play with a mask? Would be hilarious to see him in one.

I think he will if he does play. Well that's what Wenger said:

Rosicky had surgery with a general anaesthetic for a broken nose in two places. With a mask he may be available, but we have to monitor it closely.

 

[windyhill]

3 nil Arse

 

[glenferry23]

Should be winning this one quite comfortably. Doubt Rosicky would play, someone who's just had a general anaesthetic would likely not be risked just 3-4 days afterwards.

 

[knife]

Busy day for Arsenal, some club announcements and Wenger Press conference

- Monreal and Rosicky to have a fitness test, Wenger expects both to be alright for the weekend
- Hoping to announce new contracts with Mertesacker and Sagna over the coming weeks
- BBC expecting a contract extension for Wenger to be announced in the coming weeks
- On transfers "At the moment we are not close to signing anybody." -Wenger
- New sponsorship agreement with Huawei announced, not sure on the $$ details

 

[NTRabbit]

- On transfers "At the moment we are not close to signing anybody." -Wenger

He compared the rumour that Draxler had been seen touring the London Colney facility to a UFO sighting, "Some people don't see them, some people see them everywhere"

 

[NTRabbit]

He also put as solid a line through Berbatov as one can without committing to the dreaded "never"

 

[Benno_900]

Reading the quotes may sound emphatic but watch the press conference.

He didn't sound convincing when ruling out either Draxler or Berbatov.

 

[NTRabbit]

Reading the quotes may sound emphatic but watch the press conference.

He didn't sound convincing when ruling out either Draxler or Berbatov.

I watched the press conference, and he sounded very convincing when ruling our Berbatov, as convincing as anyone can possibly be without saying outright "never", because it's fodder for the people who pretend to be journalists. He's absolutely not interested in bringing in Berbatov.

Draxler sounded like we're interested, but nothing happening until the summer window.

 

[Flapjacks]

We don't need Berbs anyway, isn't Lord Bendtner back in a few weeks and we already have Podolski fit as back up to Giroud. If there's any type of player we are looking for it's a Walcott replacement, Berbatov is certainly not that.
Personally I don't see us getting anybody in this window and Walcotts role will be filled by Gnarby and Ox for the remainder of the season.

 

[glenferry23]

Wenger is always coy about these things. My interpretation was that its a straight out no for Berbatov, but something is brewing with Draxler. Whether that's now or in the summer, time will tell.

 

[wally funk]

I'd be stunned if we signed nobody this transfer period. Our best chance of securing some silverware in years, we wanna make damn sure injuries don't catch up with us and we end the season having won nothing...

 

[glenferry23]

I'd be stunned if we signed nobody this transfer period. Our best chance of securing some silverware in years, we wanna make damn sure injuries don't catch up with us and we end the season having won nothing...

I totally agree. There's no time like the present. Planets are aligning for us this season and hopefully we capitalize.

However, we know how Wenger operates. His approach is always:

a) who is actually available? (More difficult now because its January)
b) is that player actually better than what we have currently?

For example, Draxler. He'd be better than all of our AM/wingers aside from Ozil (for now anyway). This bloke is ridiculously good. I would cry like a little girl if he ends up in an Arsenal shirt. But is he available now? Doesn't appear that way especially if Holtby doesn't move there.

Another example, Berbatov. All reports suggest he's available. But b), is he an improvement on what we have? Suarez and Higuain, our previous summer targets, most definitely were, but can't say the same for Berba.

Griezemann next, appears he's available (if release clause is met of ~€30m). That's a lot of coin. Is he better than what we have? From Wenger's view, he'd likely back Santi, Rosicky, Podolski, Ox, Gnabry etc then pay that amount of money.

He quite often speaks publicy about finding a 'special' player or one that is better than existing options.

 

[NTRabbit]

Gnabry has clearly been reading the papers this week. He's been pretty poor, trying too hard.

 

[Benno_900]

Ozil has been trash again and even the crowd is starting to get on his back now.

 

[Latro]

Why is Flamini going forward and Jack sitting back.

 

[tigs2010]

Cazorla!!!!!!!!!! (x2)

 

[Benno_900]

Santi!

That's five in a row now - nothing special about any of our wins but we need to keep the results ticking.

Hopefully United can do us a favour tomorrow but can't see it with Rooney/RvP out.

That Koscielny miss just before the goal was horrendous. Wow.

 

[RickSanchez]

I don't think we will get anyone special, prob some average guy on loan.

 

[tigs2010]

Haven't been playing overly well lately but 3 pts is 3 pts, however you get them.

 

[glenferry23]

We're grinding put results still without blowing anyone away. A touch of brilliance here and there seems to be enough. Glad we kept a clean sheet, the game mirrored the villa match a bit in that it was a flat first half before we got the job done in the second.

Ozil is a difficult one to read. Can't really recall him dominating a game in the last month or two? His passing in the first half was ordinary, lazy even. I kinda feel bad in criticizing him for some reason, its weird. Will definitely need him at his best when we have that season defining run in Feb/March.

Interesting reaction from Podolski when he came on.

 

[AG]

Ozil has a laconic style but agree he hasn't really had a standout performance. Cazorla and Wilshere have been they key players in the midfield over the last month imo. Ozil and Giroud haven't consistently put a run of good performances together.

Gnarby obviously a huge talent but during the 1st half he showed his age. Was better in the 2nd half. I'd like to see Podolski get a mini run of starts in his place.

 

[monty1104]

Jeez, just once I'd like Ozil to back himself and take a shot on instead of passing it. He could've pulled the trigger so many times. I think he's down on confidence right now.

 

[glenferry23]

Jeez, just once I'd like Ozil to back himself and take a shot on instead of passing it. He could've pulled the trigger so many times. I think he's down on confidence right now.

True, he just seems a bit reluctant to get higher up the pitch or into the box at times. Preferring to stay one pass back and allow say Cazorla, Wilshere etc to advance further forward.

For a player with the quality of his final ball, he probably should have more goals. Thankfully though we do have a spread of goalscorers. Santi with 2 this morning. Wilshere bobbed up vs Villa with a goal & and assist (and another this morning). Good contributions from midfield, whereas two years ago it was RvP or we're stuffed.