Arsenal duo Pedro Botelho and Francis Coquelin will fly into London this afternoon ahead of the start of pre-season training on Monday morning.
Pedro has spent the last three weeks holidaying with his family in Brazil, and revealed last month that Arsène Wenger had invited him back to London for pre-season training. Whilst it is not known if the 18 year old will spend the next campaign on loan again, if he impresses during the sessions at London Colney, it could convince the boss to apply for a “special talent” visa to fast-track his arrival.
Coquelin agreed a move to Arsenal during the summer following a trial, but was forced to return to France to undertake his “Le Bac” exams. These tests are similar to the A level papers which are taken by British students.
Both players will be training with the first team squad, and will be joined by the newly signed professional players – Rhys Murphy, Sanchez Watt, Kyle Bartley, Thomas Cruise, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas and Henri Lansbury.
Many of the players who were involved with Euro 2008 will be granted an extra weeks rest, while Cesc Fàbregas will have a further 14 days of rest and recuperation time.
Fran Mérida and Kieran Gibbs are still on holiday, and will not return to the club until July 26th as they have both been selected for their countries for the forthcoming Under 19 European Championships.
New signing Aaron Ramsey will be present at the sessions, and will be joined by various other youngsters including Jay Simpson, Vito Mannone, Håvard Nordtveit, and Mark Randall. Carlos Vela will not be present after competing for Mexico during the summer, but will be back before the end of the month.
Article By – J.Sanderson
That pretty much sums up the beginning of tomorrow’s pre-season training schedule and attendees.
yay..pre season is here
hey j do you do a link swap for non arsenal sites? i run a site on vintage cars. would you be willing to do a lonk swap?
Cheers
Le Bac is the equivalent to A-Levels.
Keep up the good work
HAS ANYONE SEEN THESE TWO PLAY BEFORE .ARE THEY ANY GOOD
We are now a selling club so lets give as much pre-season to these guys as possible. Especially Randall, Nordtveit, Lansbury, Gibbs, Wilshere, Coquelin and Pedro.
CocoRico4, you beat me to it. Le Baccalaureat is the equivalent of the A Levels, and is a much better version in many ways.
Back to football, a special talent permit won’t succeed though, will it? If we couldn’t get one for Vela, I doubt we could for Pedro
Cheers guys for the Le Bac thing.
ahassan06 s – it was a shoddy article in NOTW and you believe it? This is a huge story yet NOTW got it first? its stupid
Internet Gooner – the situations were different because Vela never played for the first team at his previous club.. but Pedro has
J.Sanderson- Sorry it was meant to be a little joke. Executed it wrong though. But I am serious about the players
Vela didn’t play at Celta de Vigo (as they had a full quota of non-EU players), but he did at Salamanca.
I dont wanna get my hopes up about the young players, but it would be effin fantastic if a few come good and become 1st team regulars eventually.
Im also a bit dubious about the NotW article, it seems to have been cobbled together from various different Wenger quotes and not one definitive interview, so may well have been taken out of context and artistic licence used.
Could well be similar to the Ade article they printed last week?
Internet Gooner –
im talking about initally.. Vela did not play for the first team at Deportivo Guadalajara, so we couldnt have got a work permit
Pedro was in the first team at Figurense.. so the situation is a little different. It worked with Denilson.. but as you said it is doubtful he would get one.
Spike – yeah i didnt believe the story.. because its NOTW.. they are shoddy ****
hope these guys enjoy the long winter nights. Maybe we will have the title within our grasp by xmas.
sorry, but what is NOTW?
Adil Chihi is nonsense, just some kid with too much future changed him on Wikipedia.
Future? Lol. Sparetime.
NOTW = News Of The World newspaper……..i think?
NOTW – News Of The World
Dam beaten to it :P
skysports has the story too.
THNKS GUYS
is it me or his Arsene ready to sell diaby and gilberto this season or next season maybe even djoruou who i think is not good enough to play in our team, senderos is better than him, he has not got that awareness and i feel he is on of those players u need to wait until hes about 24/25 till u see the best of him.
Has Barazite not been promoted to the 1st team squad ?
Salamanca has sold Dani López to Las Palmas, a leftdefender/leftwinger. Now they must want Pedro even more!
Skysports is reporting the story from the NotW, not independently of it.
Anyway, Sky sports and the Sun and NotW newspapers are owned by the same company.
Pingback: [::] Arsenal FC News Center - 2007 | 2008 [::] - ÇáÕÝÍÉ 1515
John;
What comments has Wenger made regarding selling Diaby or Djourou for that matter?
I’ve inly seen comments stating he expects Diaby to be one the players who could replace Flamini.
Spike, can you provide a link to these comments? I would be surprised if Diaby did replace Flamini as he is an attacking midfielder, but stranger things have happened!
Arsenal shall announce the triple signing of Nasri,Bischoff,and Arshavin on monday at 3pm according to a very reliable source inside the arsenal tv network.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/arsenal/article3994798.ece
Internet Goon;
Those are the best I couold find fella! He definitely stated soon after Flamini left that he felt Denilson, Diaby or Song could replace him.
Cheers J always grateful for the updates. Also I 100% think that the quotes in the NOTW are bollocks. We’re selling Hleb and possibly Ade and so they’re trying to sell a story about us being a selling club and it’s all doom for next season. While the truth is we’ve never sold a player that wasn’t waning and on the way down like Veira, Petit, Edu, Reyes and most recently Henry. I’m sure Wenger will come out soon and disregard the quotes. I just hope most fans don’t start to get disheartened. I’m not.
Also if we sell Hleb and Ade and replaced them with Arshavin and hopefully Huntelaar. How good would we be next season? Bloody brilliant going forward. We’d be in a much better positon.
Cheer Spike. My preference was always Song (seeing as Diarra left) Denilson will be interesting as he is very similar to Cesc. Still Wenger is full of surprises.
Charles – good points man, Dani was often selected ahead of Pedro last year
Pedro LOL Sounds like a spanish waiter.
Arsenal will not sign a striker if ade leaves we will have : Walcott Da Silva Van Persie Bendtner Barazite, although to fill the void from Walcott freom the midfield we will get either: Arshavin, Agbonlahor, Noble. We might buy a Xtra striker but on one condition:
Any strikers get injured
Walcott drifts back into midfield.
You see guys this is why Walcott is 14, so I’ll say it again
GK Fabianski
CB Zapata, Toure
LB Clichy
CDM Diaby
CM Fabregas
ST Walcott Van persie
What you think J
Wenger has mentionned in French newspaper that Diaby was likely to play in the centre of midfield. That would also explain his quote regarding the route one deficiency. With Diaby in the middle, we have height and therefore are less vulnerable.
Pedro has played in a second-tier team and is unlikely to get an extra talent visa. Carlos Vela was already an international. Denilson was the captain of the Brazil U19 team.
Adebayor may not be the best striker, but he has a very good strike rate and because of his physical presence make like akward for defender. Bentdner despite being a better footballer does not have (yet) that ability to unsettle defenders. He does not know how to use his body as effectively as Adebayor.
Le Bac for le Baccalureat is the equivalent to A-Level, but it is a more rounded type of diploma. There is different types of section: Science, Literature, Languages, Business/Economy. However contrary to the A-levels, every section has at least 7 fields. Whatever the section the following fields are mandatory: Literature, Mathematics, Philosophy, History/Geography and one foreign language.
marca – I would love to hear what your very reliable source is in the arsenal tv network, or would you like to admit now that your talking a load of bull?
If anyone is going to replace Flamini from the inside, it will be Denilson. He is class and I am sure he will develop a lot if given the position.
I don’t think Diaby has what is needed. His development hasn’t been great since his injury.
And we always have Gilberto.
Another big question for the pre-season and the first matches, is who is going to play in the Fabregas position? Nasri and Denilson in the middle maybe?
Wenger stated towards the end of last season that he was playing Diaby on the left because Flamini was in the middle, it was also to help Diaby improve his left foot, which the latter stated in an interview. Just before Diaby got injured he played a DM role for the reserves, so I think Arsene is definitely considering him for that role for next season. Also, I remember a midfield of Diaby, Cesc and Denilson did an excellent job against Chelsea in the CC final. I wouldn’t mind seeing that combo again.
@ Valentin agreed about Bendtner and his inability to use his body as effectively as Adebayor–but then again who can in world football?? But fortunately this can be learned in conjunction with weight training perhaps. Replacing Ade with the Dane would be risky, but who knows? Has he matured enough?
ALSO I have to say, with the relative instability of the first team this summer, reading this site never fails to cheer me up. Thanks J.
about the 4-3-3 with Diaby, Denilson and Fabregas, it would look awesome and be realistic. The team this year might as well be:
Almunia
Sagna-Toure-Gallas-Clichy
Fabregas-Diaby-Denilson
Walcott/nasri-Adebayor/bendtner-van Persie/Nasri
dont trip joshwaaa i bet ma credibility on it .. just wait until 3pm tomorrow.
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballnation/football-news/2008/07/06/ramsey-why-i-decided-on-the-gunners-91466-21269299/
Brazilian players have a little leeway when it comes to special talent visa’s cos they produce so many young players.Also it has something to do with world ranking.
I bet your credibility. I bet you are wrong!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Im soooo bored…
Hahahahaha, i got no beef with you mate but i think its nuff funny hearing the word “credibility” linked with the name “Marca”.
Boomer – I like that team and i believe we need to play that formation next season. Still, dont want Ade here next year and dont really want Billy Gallas. Kolo is a Gooner through and through so he plays. Gallas out! I got nothing against him, he’s great on his day but him and Kolo are too short and are a liability with long balls when playing together. Senderos to play with Kolo there next season IMO. This is what happened to Senderos people. A couple of years ago he got bullied by Drogba and cos it was such a high profile game EVERYONE got on his back. Since then, NOBODY has given him a break and he does more GOOD THINGS than BAD THINGS. It’s just this F***ING BLOOD THIRSTY media that wanna destroy our club just pick up on his mistakes and try and kill the guy’s entire spirit. He’s strong though. He WILL come good. Dont watch the stupid media! They only see us as that “Foreign” club. When he has got confidence he is F***ING great IMO. VERY UNDERRATED. Dont believe the hype people, he is class. It aint a joke. When Kolo went ANC in January he partnered Gallas at the back and i think that was our longest run this past season of clean sheets (not sure tho). Vieira is right tho. Cant just take the armband off Gallas and leave it like that. He has to go cos his head will never be right again once that happens. Remember how proud he was to be given it last summer? He was desperate to lead us to glory this year which pretty much explains his actions up at St Andrews (glad they went down). So basically Kolo gets the nod over Billy cos he is our longest serving player at the moment and the club his in his heart. The Chavs are the club in Billy’s heart. Senderos will thrive at being a first team regular (which will, incidently, be the first time in his whole Arsenal career). His confidence will grow and people will THEN see why he was compared to “Donkey” at a young age. He will also become Switzerland captain in a couple of years, u watch! I’ve always said that he is better than John Terry was at that age. Dont forget JT was quite “KAK” til Jose came along and changed him just like he did with FAT FRANK. How many goals has JT scored for “Arsenal” in his career? LOL. Senderos is a defender in that sort of mould. Not the fastest but he reads the game well and is NUFF BRAVE! He has that leadership quality which is absolutely vital in the face of adversity. We all know we didnt have enough of those on the field last season.
Cesc for captain!! I am convinced he’s the guy for the job now. In my mind i was thinking Kolo before the Euro’s but after seeing what Cesc did for Spain in that tournament i knew Cesc was the guy. I know the GREAT Roger Federer just lost against a deserving champ in the also great Rafael Nadal but i always called Federer the “Zizou” of the tennis world. Simply cos he makes the game look SO BLOODY EASY ITS ANNOYING!!! Zidane is my favourite player of all time, NEVER have i seen a player who makes his teammates, who obviously aint as good as him, actually look/play better, almost supernaturally, i.e Guti, Raul from a few years ago, etc. I never thought i would see a player like that again but guess what? And u can imagine my joy fellow Gooners….Cesc is that man. The game looks effortless for him at the moment and he is NOWHERE near his finished product. NO 21 year-old carries a team on his shoulders like Cesc did for large parts of last season for us and for Spain against the Italians after he came on and Russia, after he came on there. He MADE Xavi, Iniesta and Senna look better. They are all class players as it is but its like Cesc automatically “added” to their abilities just like Zidane would do to his teammates. Cesc MADE Flamini look that good, Cesc MADE Hleb look that, and he CERTAINLY, CERTAINLY, CERTAINLY MADE Ade look that good. I like the look of Nasri but forget that “New Zidane” talk bout him. We already got the “New Zidane” in Cesc. If he carries on like that, i’m gonna have to start calling him “Fifou”….Hahahaha.
Wont even get a replacement for Ade UNLESS, and only UNLESS the replacements name is either David Villa or Karim Benzema, or Fernando Torres for that matter, but if Villa and Benzema seem as though they are near impossible targets then Torres is a dead certain NO, lol. (Should have got him last year but what the hey!). As far as i’m concerned Villa and Benzema are the only two (slightly realistic) “Special Talent” players that we could possibly get. But i would realistically play Bendtner there. Someone up there said he dont know how to use his strength properly like Ade yet, which is very true. But, he is a VERY INTELLIGENT player, he will suit us better than Ade. If he plays 5 games straight as our lone striker through pre-season which i’m hoping if Ade leaves will be the case and with the likes of Theo, Cesc, Nasri, maybe Vela (like everyone else, nuff excited bout him) and maybe Diaby (He better come good this year) floating around him always moving and confusing defences then watch how he shines. He can do it all, dribble, get in behind the man for one of our many creative midfielders to dink him through, quite pacy, his reading of the game will improve as he plays more and more but is quite good right now, he got a MUCH BETTER first touch than Ade, more creativity, more vision, check how many assists he has compared to Ade this past season and compare that stat to time spent on the pitch which shows he is SOOOOOO much more of a team player than Ade, thats the Arsenal way….we play as a unit, no OVER-GREEDY bastards. (even Titi wasnt that greedy which is established through his assists record for us), about the same in the air as Ade and most importantly, he knows the F***ING OFFSIDE RULE FOR PETE’S SAKE!!! Check how many times Ade got caught offside last season. It’s diabolical!!!
Alright guys, i know….long speech but let me just end it by saying Song will probably play instead of Denilson in the holding midfield role. He was head and shoulders above every other defensive mid in the ANC and Wenger will know that all too well. He’s also got the experience from spending half a season on loan at Charlton where he shined too. I like him, excellent technique, excellent strength, vision, creativity, no slouch, extra aerial protection for the defence, ALWAYS keeps it simple. Only 20/21 so has got quite a way to go until he is the finished product. Also, AW works better with french-speaking players, they seem to understand what he wants more and he seems more patient with them. I hate the fact that Diaby wears no 2. So F***ING ANNOYING MAN. Usually i dont mind numbers much but an attacking mid wearing no 2? Please Arsene, give him a new number. Give him 13 after u sell Hleb. Dont want him either! Disloyal. Not good! Disloyal players like him and Ade dont share the same vision as everyone else, i.e, Cesc, Kolo, Gael, Bacary, Phillipe, Nicklas, Theo, Alex Song…..hence, the team doesnt function properly. Thats what happened in Titi’s last year at the club and Vieira’s last year at the club. They weren’t on the same wavelength as everyone else cos their heads had been turned the previous summer and their “Heart” wasnt there for “The Arsenal Cause” anymore and AW knew that so sold them. The way thnigs are right now i would like the following team to take to the field against WBA on the first day of the season:
Almunia (Although a Boruc or even a Hart will be really nice)
Sagna, Toure, Senderos, Clichy
Song, Fabregas, Diaby
Walcott, Bendtner, Van Persie
Subs: Fabianski, Djourou/Nordtveit, Ramsey/Denilson, Nasri, Vela
Ramsey, Nasri and Vela need to brought in slowly and gradually and Eduardo and Rosicky will be back to full fitness, (hopefully), bout a month or two into the season. Toure, Senderous, Song, Diaby, Sagna, Van Persie and Bendtner are all more than capable of competing aerially on both attacking AND defensive set-pieces. If Nasri is the only big-money signing we make this summer after selling Hleb and Ade then we will have money in reserve so that if we are struggling with injuries and have a depleted squad come January then we can go out and cop whats needed.
In the past, the following players that i really didnt like for Arsenal were, Remi Garde, Nelson Vivas, Sylvian Wiltord, Lauren (sometimes at least) and Cristopher Wreh. The only one i really dont like in the current squad is Emmanuel Eboue. (Partly the reason why i agree with AW when he says this is his most talented squad – they’re all “ball players”) He will be my reserve right back this season and only cover for Sagna. If he aint happy with that then get rid. I’m sure we wont shed too many tears at that.
Alright….i’m out now but before i go people…..if ur still reading this then thanks for hearing my thoughts and can someone tell me (only if you’ve seen him play at LEAST 5 TIMES) how good and what sort of midfielder Henri Lansbury is? I mean, i know he’s a central midfielder but is he better at defending in a holding role or is he better at attacking. Basically, is he more like a Lampard (goalscoring midfielder) or a Makele (hardly gets within 30 yards of the opposition goal)? Never seen him play but heard a lot of VERY GOOD things about him. Anyone?
wow good post TJ mate… i agree wit most fings bt not the line up.. it shud be or will be
Almunia
sagna Toure *gallas Clichy
Walcott Fab **Gilberto Rosicky
Van persie Adebayor
*some1 else if not will settle 4 him
**some1 new or from squad if not his fine still..
n e 1 wanna answer the Lansbury Q as i too am curious..
TJ, I don´t blame you for the long answer for the long answer. It happens too me often as well. I read it all at least and enjoyed your thoughts.
I really want to believe that Marca guy but anybody can come in here and make up some stuff. I think we would have heard more about Arshavin if he was about to sign and Nasri´s agent said he wouldn´t sign for 10 days. Bischoff might be announced any day, although I cannot see why we would sign that guy. He is the same age as Fabregas, Djourou and Song, but while they are established internationals, he has played 1 game for Werder Bremen.
If Ade goes, which I hope he does, then I think Arshavin would be a great replacement. Certainly he is not a striker but let me explain. The wingers and strikers positions are closely connected. If Arshavin comes in we will have one more winger, which allows Vela or Walcott to play up front. So instead of having 4 strikers in Ade, Nick, Dudu and RvP we would have Nick, RvP, Dudu and Vela. Then Walcott and Barazite would act as back-ups. I also absolutely agree with JT: I don´t want a new striker unless it´s Villa. I don´t think for a minute that Benzema is any better than Bendtner. The only reason the first gets so much attention is because he is a starter for Lyon, while Bendtner has to fight with the hottest striker in Europe. Villa is too much quality to turn down but we are not gonna get him. So no new striker for me I think, but Adecunt out please.
So the summer looks like Ramsey, Nasri and Bischoff with Vela coming back, while Flamini, Hleb and Adebayor go out for combined 40-45 millions. I sure hope that we get Arshavin, he is truly amazing. That would be a great summer with those 5 players coming in, although that Bischoff guy makes me lost.
With Lansbury. I always thought that he was a Fabregas type of player but JS has said more than once that he is a DM. What kind of DM is he then? Is he a tough tackling fella? I have high hopes for him and just hope that this glandular fever stuff doesn´t hurt him in the long run. He will have a great deal of competition in the future from the likes of Coquelin, Djourou, Song, Diaby, Ramsey and Denilson. The main question for the future at Arsenal is who is going to partner Cesc. Ramsey looks like a great option and amazing stuff to snap him up for 5 millions.
JS. Do you think that Coquelin will feature in any of the first team pre-season friendlies? Barazite and Lansbury must for sure at least.
Veloso or De La Red may come in. I know a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy.
I know several guys that know guys. But none of them think de la Red is coming. Have I missed the point? :P
after reading wengers comments that we have to sell our top players every summer to cover our debts – does that mean we’re not going to be competing for every competition and just be content with 3rd/4th?
@ Stone
Benzema not Better than bendtner, you must be joking mate?!! Have you seen the quality of his goals?!! First of all go compare the difficulty of his goals with Bendtner’s goals than you’ll know who’s better. This guy is destined to be a world class striker, he has it all… Damn that goal against Man Utd was pure class and that for a nineteen year old!!
Here’s a vid look at it at and than tell me that you’ll take the comment back ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkvFU6QMrCo
by the way I’m not saying that we should buy him but he might be the only player worth paying 50 millions, maybe next season if Real Madrid or Barcelona don’t beat us to him. Wishfull thinking…
by the way here is the sweet but classy goal against Man Utd
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZruZFukQWE
I will admit that my opinion of Benzema were mainly based on what I saw at the Euro this summer. Some of his goals are amazing but it´s not enough to convince me that he is worth 40 millions. Bendtner is Denmark´s best player and has proved his class on all international stages, in EPL and CL when he has gotten the chance. Karim would most likely improve all teams but I think that 40-50 million pounds could be used more wisely than splashing it all on one player, especially when we got Bendtner and Vela.
i feel bad for senderos, he was playing so well until the liverpool game; great goal against blackburn too. i’m entirely convinced that if we sell him he will become brilliant. such is life.
also, fabregas for captain is silly. best player is not necessarily best captain. he played very well at the euros but that’s not the same as showing that he would be a good captain- even getting that last penalty. it was great skill and nerve, but that’s hardly uniting the team in the face of adversity. though he does have the character and intelligence. in a few years, maybe…
Sorry I forgot to put euros behind that 50 million. Anyway I think Bendtner can be a good player but not as good as Benzema. Thanks to the incompetence of Domenech (who’s staying can you believe it?, every other coach would be fired for a deisplay like that and askiing your girlfriend to marry you right after being eliminated from the euros) Benzema had a bad euros, but he showed some glimpses of brilliance. He has proven himself in the french league and in the champions league but he has yet to prove himself with france. Main reason, for Bendtner it’s easier to break in the national squad than for Benzema to break in the french squad where there is more competition. he still got a goal on his debut though…
I think that the possibilty of us buying him is next to none. For all the reasons you mentioned and for the fact that he wants to play in spain. But he’s a special player and I was wishfull thinking when I pictured him in our squad :P
We have a great front line if Adebayor stays, and as it looks we are going to be the underdog next season as the media had it for us since April. But we’re gonna strike back hard this time :D
Whats Coquelin size and stature like? Is he similiar to Viera?
Francis Coquelin Player Bio
Name: – Francis Coquelin
DOB : – 13 May 1991 (17 Years Old)
Position : – Defensive Midfield
Height: – 178cm
Transfer Fee : – Free
Contract Status: – Professional
Article By – J.Sanderson
They’re calling Coquelin the new Makele so some idea there mate. Dont want Arshavin…dont think he’ll come either. Contrary to what AW says, he will NOT buy established players – apart from Nasri (who’s quite established). If AW buys a striker to replace Ade, if he is sold of course, it will most probably be Diogo. Football is a business now and we have the most astute manager in WORLD FOOTBALL in that sense. He knows what he’s doing. Even Huntelaar wont come, even though he will DEFINITELY leave Ajax as they have just signed some Serbian striker. I agree, its not worth spending that money on a Benzema or anyone else for that matter. The current squad is alright as it is right now and even though opposition fans will just talk shit about our claims that injuries to key players cost us silverware last season we know the truth. I mean, Rosicky, Van Persie and Eduardo out for so long. Thats like Manure being without Rooney, Tevez and Anderson or like Chelski being without Drogba, Ballack and Joe Cole. Wonder how they would have done then? Kuyt’s uncle was responsible for our CL exit and even the most die hard SPUD will tell you it WAS a penalty (i know many have already told me that anyway). It’s old news now and we need to move on so AW is challenging the Hleb’s and the Adebayor’s of the squad to come back stronger next year and prove they are “WINNERS”. Yes it hurts but this squad will be so much stronger next year because of they experienced last season. They will be ABSOLUTELY DETERMINED to make sure they dont feel like that again. I dont want Cesc as capt cos he “played well” for Spain bro. It’s cos everyone knows he is the jewel in our crown. He is 21 and already COMMANDS the respect of people like Gilberto and Gallas because they know he is a young man with a lot of INTEGRITY (look that word up Ade). He has leadership qualities and hardly ever puts a foot wrong. That’s the best example for his teammates to follow. I mean, how many mistakes did Gallas make last year? That handball against Manure STILL dont make sense to me! How do you think the younger players in the squad felt when they saw his antics up at Birmingham? ESPECIALLY CLICHY!! Cesc would have put his arm around Gael after two very important dropped points and said something along the lines of, “It’s nothing, ur the best left back this league has got and we will get back to winning ways in the next game, what’s happened has happened, FORGET IT, we move on as a unit”. He dedicates his greatest triumph of his career to us. He LOVES the club. He even tells Barca to leave our stars alone! Make him capt next season and tell him “Cesc, we want you to be OUR Pep Guardiola, we want YOU to be Mr Arsenal”. This will make it near enough impossible for him to leave us. Thats exactly what happened with PV4. We will forever be HIS club. Gilberto is a better leader than Cesc, so is Kolo but make Cesc the guy now and let him grow into it. He is a better leader than Titi ever was. Gilberto was brilliant alongside Vieira in the invincibles team but he doesnt suit our team right now as well as he did that team. We play with a more, quick passing, neat and dynamic style of football with this team. It was more about the physical strength and the individual reliance on the Titi’s, Bergkamps, Vieira’s and Pires’ of the team to make something happen. It’s more a team effort now (thats why Ade dont suit us as much u lot may think, he is playing for himself and NOT the team despite whatever he says about his love for the club and the amount of times we sing his song) and even though Gilberto has got the experience, leadership quality and aerial ability i think AW knows he slows our game down a little and we’re nowhere near as dynamic. Flamini didnt! He complimented Cesc better than Gilberto would, hence, couldn’t be dislodged by a man who is Brazil’s captain. I would be VERY surprised if Gilberto wins his place back next season.
So what happened at 3pm?
Those words about Cesc almost brought tears to my eyes TJ. I absolutely agree that he should be our captain for the next 12 years. He is the most talented player ever to play for this club, he loves this club, and he is a winner from heart to skin. Cesc stands up for his team mates (Arteta incident, punching Lampard in the CC). Fabregas never stops, he would never sit down in the ground and cry when we conceded a stupid penalty and lost 2 points. Fabregas would have taken the ball and tried to score in the next attack. I love Cesc Fabregas and I hope that he is the one to lead our team into a new era of greatness. I don´t care if Gallas leaves. He is a great defender but a shitty person. His intentions to score an own goal for Chelsea says it all. It´s just like they say: If he/she cheated with you, he/she will cheat on you. Gallas can´t play with Toure anyway and I rather want Toure at the club than a crying baby who hated the club until Wenger made him captain.
Regarding Gilberto, his days are over. He doesn´t fit with Fabregas. Flamini was not amazing last season, he just fitted so well with Cesc. We need a player that can dribble and play the ball, not some all defensive player.
Lol….exactly…..that player should be Song IMO Stone
Next year’s line up………. GK Almunia
DEF Sagna Toure Gallas Clichy
MID Walcott Fabregas Diaby Nasri
FOW Eduardo V.Persie