Arsenal boss Arsène Wenger has revealed his plans for Norwegian defender Håvard Nordtveit, saying he expects the 18 year old to step up to his first team during the coming campaign.
During a press conference yesterday afternoon, Wenger was mainly asked about striker Emmanuel Adebayor, but one journalist chose to change the subject. A reporter for Norwegian newspaper “Dagbladet” asked the Gunners chief:
“What do you expect of Nordtveit this season?”
Arsène took no time to ponder the question, and quickly enthused:
“I expect that he takes the step up to the first team and get a few games there.”
Håvard will return to training on July 7th with the first team squad, and although he made the bench during the final Premiership game of the season, Nordtveit admits his long awaited debut should have come much earlier.
The Reserves skipper was penciled in to start the Carling Cup game against Newcastle last January, but after picking up a knee injury, was forced to take a late fitness test.
“Steve Rowley came up to me while I was at the physio. ‘60.000 people is waiting, and you’re in the starting line up.’
“I got the message two minutes later that I couldn’t play the game.”
Whilst the next three months were tinged with disappointment, he returned in stunning form for the Reserves, and helped them establish an eight game unbeaten run. The coming season promises much more for the exciting prospect, and with Wenger not deciding against buying a new central defender, chances will soon open up.
Article By – J.Sanderson
Hehe, yeah I blame Adebayor.. Trouble maker that one, even disrupting the atmosphere here!
Anyway, I hope Nordveit can step up, and I think Song’s looking good now too. Sign a decent holding midfielder (or even promote a surprise player already at the cub), and i think the backline would be relieved much more, therefore already solving defensive issues.
Wow, ok Me, calm down, dont u start. Its done now, over, lets all forget it and move on.
I wont calm down i will say what a bloody well like, spike is an IDIOT.
yeah spike you need to calm down, or someone is going to knock your fucking teeth out of your mouth you cocky bastard. and jay yes we are gunners, with a never say die attitued, along with our fighting attitude. but there has to be limits between cock bitches and annoyi g toe raggs, spike has exceeded that.
ggod nite all.
Must be said. Before Flamini joined who heard of him? This Bischoff could be exactly like that. Wenger and his scouts aren’t going to rush into his signing obviously there’s been much consideration. It seems injury has hampered his progress. Also Diogo for 12mill is alot but if he ends up being Ronaldo (the Brazil one when he wasn’t a fatty) mark 2 then it might be worth a gamble. Honestly I’d prefer Huntelaar who’s prolific and would score 30 goals in our team.
It’d be great too to see Nordtveit step up. He’s seems Tony Adams-esque, not too fast but with a great reading of the game, good defensive awarness and good ball distribution. Sooo glad we haven’t gone for Mertesacker. Big, strong but one of the slowest muthafuckers in the world of defenders.
Great post J. I always look forward to your post and views.
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Wonderful… so no centre back signing – the team seriously needs 2 or 3 quality players to come in, DCM, CB, RW/LW,
I admire our youth policy and wish Nordtveit all the best, but I am concerned that we are not being told the truth re the money available at the club.
This is without doubt the weakest squad we have had going into a new season, if Adebayor and Hleb leave, we have lost our 3 best performers from the previous season and erplaced them with more youth…
I have so much respect for Wenger, I just wonder why refuses to acknowledge that some of the players at the club simply are not good enough and promoting more youth into the first team is not the answer.
There is still 2 months of the transfer window to go… lets see wehat happens, but if we go into this season without at least 3 more additions, I really can’t see us improving on last season.
You got this from my post at the gooner forum, didnt you? :) You run a nice blog.
I seem to agree with Concerned Gooner. I think that another top-class centre back is what Arsenal (and then again, every club, but especially Arsenal) need. I’d choose between Cristian Zapata, Ronald Zubar of Marseille or Jeremy Mathieu of Toulouse. All look Prem class in my opinion. But Wenger’s the boss.
What is it with people and goalscorers!? Concerned Gooner, Adebayor was NOT one of our top performers last year! He is crap and no fellow Gooner or anyone else for that matter can change my mind. He was as good as Senderos was for us! Because he scored 30 goals people see that as some achievement. If we had a Thierry Henry in his prime playing there instead of Ade last season he may have in excess of 50 goals with all the chances the lads created for him. Another thing that drives me absolutely BONKERS is the fact some Gooners say he “SUITS” our style of play. What!? They’ve lost their mind or at least their football know-how (or have as much football know-how as Ade himself) to say such a thing. He flops 8/10 of our attacks with his blatant inability to hold the ball up and his fooking annoying insistence in being our new Titi in the sense that he is always drifting out to the left. Your fucking 6″3 with no technical ability whatsoever (typical Gooner yeh?), playing as the lone striker…”GET in the FOOKING box”….you know how many times i screamed that at the t.v this season? I would be upset if he ended up STAYING….i will jump for joy if he is sold. Same with Hleb! Two unwanted pricks at the Grove as far as i’m concerned!
hahah carzy season has truly begun. i think we should play vela and walcot at CB, almunia and fabinaski as the strikers, and cesc in goal.
“i think we should play vela and walcot at CB, almunia and fabinaski as the strikers, and cesc in goal.”
Now ur talkin my language. Although personally i think we should play Jack Wilshire in goal due to his physical presance and Fabregas should be promoted to tea lady.
“Adebayor was NOT one of our top performers last year! He is crap”
I think u’ll just have to learn to agree to disagree with most fans then if u think hes crap and wont change ur mind.