Armand Traoré – Portsmouth 2-1 Stoke City
Harry Redknapp described Arsenal loanee Armand Traoré as a ‘Absolutely fantastic player’ and a ‘Nightmare’ to play against this afternoon, as the Frenchman combined well with Nadir Belhadj to help Portsmouth edge a win against Stoke City.
Traoré has been an ever present since his loan move during the summer, and although Redknapp admitted he was keen to try and sign Armand on a permanent basis, he told SkySports News that there was ‘No Chance’ of the Gunners letting the fleet-footed starlet leave.
A stunning over-head kick from Peter Crouch gave the hosts the lead 25 minutes, yet Stoke levelled after half time via a Rory Delap flicked on long throw, which Ricardo Fuller converted. Jermain Defoe’s excellent strike sealed the fixture, yet Traoré nearly added the third after being put through 1-1 with City keeper’ Steve Simonsen, he was booked after coming out of his box and clattering into the 18-year-old.
Armand’s pace, trickery, and neat interplay caught the eye, but after playing extra time in midweek, he was taken off in stoppage time. An exciting game for everybody who watched, with Gooners surely delighted about the former Monaco man’s development.
Havard Nordtveit & Pedro Botelho – Salamanca 0-1 Gimnastic
Havard Nordtveit played his last League game for the next two weeks this afternoon as UD Salamanca’s excellent start to the season ended with a defeat to Gimnastic.
A single goal from Redondo proved to be enough, leaving David Armaral’s side assessing there options with January approaching. Nordtveit was subbed off after playing a particularly poor game in the midfield, he is still adapting to life in Spain, and playing out of position is doing him no favours.
Pedro Botelho did not feature, he is yet to regain a place in the team since his debatable handball cost The Union two points 3 weeks ago.
Article By – J.Sanderson
Is Nordveit being called up for the senior Norwegian side?
Traore is really taking advantage of his stay in the south. I hope he can return to be a real asset to our team.
Was the traore loan til Christmas of for full season ?
Didn’t get to see the Pompey game but I heard Traore was MOTM! Shame about Nordtveit and Botelho though.
With this youthful player arsenal will develop alot very soon.up gunners.
Why the f*uck are they playing him in midfield? Lets get him out of there….
That’s Nordtveit I’m talking about btw…
any news about the south american player that we are going to sign j.s?
None yet, if i have any news on anything, i will update the site. It isn’t going to be Dentinho, because Law said the player would be free, with just compensation to pay.
It was until the end of the season, mrmoss.
We need a left winger and Traore is just the man, the experience he gets under Adams and Redknapp will be invaluable, and he’ll certainly come back as a 2nd choice left back and 3rd choice left winger, unless Rosicky is still out..
http://www.arsene-al.co.uk
Anton, why should they play an inexperinced player at CB, one of the key areas of the team, they are not a charity case setup for arsenal.
Just come back Armand!
As much as I rate Armand I’m not sure he’ll ever be a WENGER type winger. Really hope he adds more to his game, i.e. coming inside more, using his right foot, knowing when to work one-twos effectively.
Forest impressed by young Gunners
Nottingham Forest manager Colin Calderwood has high hopes for three young trialists from Arsenal.
Defenders Paul Rodgers, 18, and Abu Ogogo, 18, and midfielder James Dunne, 19, all played in Forest’s reserve-team 2-1 win at Shrewsbury this week.
The youngsters are on a two-game trial with the Reds.
Calderwood told BBC Radio Nottingham: “We’ll certainly be looking at them to [make] more of an impact with the senior squad than with the youth team.”
“They’re here for a fortnight and they’ll play next week for the reserves again against Lincoln,” he added.
The Reds boss was alerted to the fact that the youngsters would soon be leaving the Gunners, and he admits he is keen to make the moves permanent if he can.
“They’re here with us with a view to them joining us, and them having a look at us as well,” he revealed.
Calderwood is pleased with what he has seen so far, and is especially glad that they arrived in Nottingham in a group.
“It probably helps that there’s three of them together,” he said. “There was some sort of familiarity between them [on the pitch] and they’ve settled really well and we’ll sit and talk to them after next week.”
Traore will be d next left back when GAEL is done at d club,but wat worries me most is dat he’s more effective as a winger.Does anyone knows pedro’s style of play and how good he is?Is he better than GIBBS?Can he make it at da club?
Traore can stay at Pompey. We’ve got Gibbs, Wilshire and Vela.
If anybody wanna knows Merida scores a brace for Spain u19 against Belarus u19.
Sorry for the off topic :)
i always thought vela would be our left winger..
i know hes great upfront but arsene said hes similarr to eduardo…
Watching the replay of the Pompey game. Damn he’s fast! Also works very hard which is what I like to see.
When people say Traore will never be good enough i just cnt underatand it. He is pacey, skillful and creative, not to mention versatile. Ok he needs to work on his passing, crossing and consistancy. But hes 18 for fucks sake, give him time and he can potentially be massive.
I agree with Johnny Maverick. Also why would we not want him back?? We have one of the smallest squads in the premiership? On another topic. I have heard a rumour from a very reliable source that the absense of ROSICKY is not to do with an injury (Although that’sthe official line!) but as the result of some off the field antic’s Amy Winehouse would be proud of? Can someone confirm if they have heard this too?
Same here Johnny, people are soooooo quick to write of players at 18! So ridiculous!!!
i agree it’s sad, we’re all just so used to anomalies like fabregas and wilshere.
Wenger thinks Traore is amazing.
He has somebody watch his every move in training and in matches. Following pre-season LAST year, internally at Arsenal it was widely known that his development is ahead of all the other players which Wenger has ever had at that age – i.e. he is faster than TH14 was over 30 metres, shoots harder than RvP, can cross, tackle and has stamina – oh, and he and can do everything at pace.
Hi team intelligence is not quite there yet, and his attitude has always been a bit, well, young – but that will get better with experience. He is humble and a team player – and that is why he is at Pompey, getting used to top level football.
Make no mistake, Traore is ahead of many players at Arsenal, including gibbs and probably Merida too – who I think is the long term successor to Cesc when he eventually goes to Barcelona for a sum so enormous it could single handedly stop the recession and create fluidity in the property market.
This information was given to me by a board member in a one to one conversation last October.
I’d like to see Traore play on the left flank, he really does look the business. AW wont sell him at any price, he sees him as one for the future.