Arsenal F C (Pride Of London)

[The Artist Known As GTM]

I didn't think they would miss Vieira as much as they have done. His mere precence has been missing from the team and I think the defence has been shaky for a LONG time... It's just never been highlighted as much as they had cover and we're destroying teams at the other end.

Walcott is a great bit of business. 5m and it will only rise IF he is a success - which I wouldn't bet against with Wenger.

They just seem to go from one extreme to the other - destroying Boro then losing to Everton with a whimper it's very frustrating to watch.

But I said it as the start of the season - every year it's the teams who go quietly about their business in the CL that end up winning it.

Arsenal to fail to qualify for Europe BUT win the CL?

Stranger things have happened.
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[pjthefarmer]

Walcott - hmm tricky to comment on

I can definately see why Arsenal bought the boy. He is definately a very special talent. I just feel he shouldve stayed at Southampton until the end of next season. He was used to the surroundings there, knew the people, and there are alot less distractions at Southampton than there are at Arsenal.

I'm afraid that the £10,000 a week he is reportedly going to be earning (when he turns 17 years of age) will go to his head. Its very easy to be led astray in such a busy place as London. Too many players have fallen short of their expected potential because of this. I really hope this doesnt happen to the kid. He's a rare talent and hopefully he'll show that on a global stage.

Another thing, i dont think its fair to compare him to Wayne Rooney. Him and Rooney are completely different players - Rooney a more physical presence compared to Walcott's pacey skills. I hope he can wave off this pressure and show the world his talent

Good luck to the boy!
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[The Artist Known As GTM]

I said on another forum the problem you have is if he gets injured. Every player gets it - Shearer, Owen, Fowler, Keane......none of them were the same players after a big injury.

Brilliant players yes but it takes it toll. This boy has pace and power from what I've seen.

If he gets injured next year or the year after - he's already halved his pace before he gets to 20 years of age.

A lot is riding on him but I think Arsenal should be more concerned about a midfield precence and a defender.

The other new signing looks a lump when he came on against Everton so he could do the job...
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[Magpie]

[The Artist Known As GTM]

Apparently Walcott has a very strong family unit as these concerns have been raised by various people.

I think the problem with younger players is such that is happening in the whole of the UK - footballers are more reknown for being celebrities then they are for being footballers.

It has all happened since the post football boom from Euro 96 and it was more on the front pages then the back. Sure prior to that the explosion had happened with the Premier League but Euro 96 pushed it even further.

Then came Beckham. And the rest as they say is history. They earn too much money and are never given any schooling on how to deal with it.

Being a Charlton fan we very rarely have this problem due to the fact that we either get up and coming talent or talent that is past it's best but still can do a job.

Scott Parker was probably the finest player I've even seen in and Addicks shirt but the way in which he left and the subsequent form he's produced has been NOTHING on what it was before. And he went for the money at Chelsea and has paid the price.

Why? Because his whole game was based on the fact he could express himself - he was the only player to take the ball and run with it but as soon as you go to Chelsea your in a team that is full of stars - every game I saw him play him he got the ball and fed it straight away - hence ending the most important aspect of his game - his drive. The sad thing is if he'd of stayed at Charlton make no mistake he would of gone to Euro 2004... no question!

I was bitterly disapointed he left, I knew he would but in the manner in which he went - so obviously because they threw loads of money at him hurt even more. But who can blame him, or indeed any young lad who gets offered vast somes of money? Just hope at the Toon he can produce the form (when he's back from injury) he did for us. Because I was hoping he would go there as soon as he left (or Liverpool)

And yet on the flip side a year later we had Paolo Di Canio - possibly not the best player to wear the shirt but certainly my favourite. He could of got a lot of money elsewhere - he was in the twighlight years of his career but what passion. Unbelievable and to see him geeing the crowd up in a 3rd round League Cup match on a rainy October night was superb.

The FA are a disgrace, the way they handle their business and the vast sums they are paid.

The problem should be rectified by giving younger players better guidance, stricter laws on agents and POSSIBLY the whole wage capping thing. It's works in Rugby so why couldn't it work in football..

Christ you've got me going all on a tagent now...
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[SE13]

Meaningless though it is, Arsenal crashed out of The Carling Egg-Cup on Tuesday night, despite winning the game on the night. The tie eventually ended up as a 2-2 draw, but by virtue of the fact that Wigan Athletic grabbed that all-important last minute away goal, they proceeded through to the final in Cardiff, where they will face anchester United.

Time to move on, and look at another competition.. The FA Cup is this weekend, and Arsenal face a potential banana-skin away to Bolton Wanderers at The Reebok Stadium. Sam Allerdyce is all too aware of how to construct a side to pull Arsenal apart, and I expect nothing diferent from him this coming weekend. There is a potential downside of crashing out of two cup competitions in the space of a mere five days here, and I'm sure that although Arsene Wenger would not want this to happen, unless he can conjure a "Plan B", sadly this is a potential reality...

Then there is just the small matter of Real Madrid in The Champions League after that.... Can things get much worse..??
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[squibs1989]

well at least we ain't got to play chelsea any more otherwise our luck would have just about run out but i would like to see how this walcott would play within the first team and see how he responds to a 30,000+ crowd at highbury or the emirates stadium. it would be nice if we beat bolton but as someone said it could be a massive upset for us as a club and a set of supporters as we have been on a terrible run since that fascinating win over middlesborough a couple of weeks back. i think that we need to go to the bernabeu and grab an away goal or at least a 1-1 draw so that way we have the away goal advantage and then bring them back to highbury and go for the win or the 0-0 draw. it would be awesome if we beat them because like arsenal real madrid have been having a frustrating season as well. i watched them play barcalona the other month and they played terribly i hated to watch it the defense was all over the place and in the end they lost 3 or 4-0

[SE13]

Considering the strength of the squad put out to face Wigan Athletic, and our past records against Bolton Wanderers, I fear the worst. I take comfort in the fact that we did beat Bolton Wanderers on the way to FA Cup glory last season, and also in the fact that "Big Sam" Allerdyce has players missing in The African Nations Cup as well, to maybe things might equal themselves out a touch.

As for Real Madrid, we really need key players back from the injury table, and quickly. An away goal would be ideal, but the unfortunate side effect could be the potential lack-lustre "we've got the goal" when it comes to the return leg at Highbury. I hope that this will not prove to be the case, but having supported the club for the best part of thirty-five years, nothing can surprise me anymore..
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[halokrieger]

who and what are the Arsenals?

[SE13]

[sofa]

Hmmm 13 pages for Arsenal. Thet is the most interesting Topic her on lifelesspeople.com.

As you know Arsenal is one of my favourite fooball clubs. It is really exiting to watch stars like Tiery Henry in action. Henry is for me one of the best players.

I watched Arsenal' s match against Wigan days ago and I really enjoyed. They play so fast without breaks.

[SE13]

Not exactly all roses in The Arsenal Camp right at this minute in time. Firstly dumped out of The carling Egg-Cup by Wigan in midweek at Highbury, and followed by yesterdays humiliating defeat away to Bolton Wanderers at The Reebok Stadium.

On the bright side, the debutants made a good account of themselves, and there is also some talk of Kolo Toures' brother Yaya joining the club, to bolster the defence/midfield. More news on that, as and when it happens.

We all knew that this period of time was going to be something of a transition period, but we did not think that it could so disasterously wrong. Fifth in the table, and below Tattenham Hotspuds to boot, dumped out of both Cups, with only The Chamions League left to offer any hope of glory, but with the small matter of Real Madrid to overcome before we can dream of proceeding further

Still, we keep the faith, and support them through thick and thin...and in this case, sparse
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[pjthefarmer]

Seen Diaby play for the first time against Bolton on Saturday and to be honest i wasn't impressed. He looked nervous on the ball, always seemed to want to get rid of it quickly. I'm sure he'll learn though. It will all come with experience. Any thoughts on him SE13?
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[squibs1989]

i say that Diaby is the best midfielder in our central midfield role. apart from fabregas and gilberto i wud say that he is going to be the next vieira with gilbertos experience and fabregas being in the same boat as Diaby they should make a really good midfield. when we played west ham and lost to an unfortunate deflection he was all over the ball and controlling the midfield for most of the game along with gilberto.


and as for Sebastien Larson he is a good left back he was outmuscling Bobby Zamora like a ragdoll. time after time he would out jump him and barge him off the ball and then he had that unfortunate slip which led to the third goal and concluded arsenals nite


sol campbell leaving the ground was very very disrespectful to the club and football as a whole. he should of at least stayed and watched the game but no he threw his toys out of the pram and went home.

i dont think he will be playing for a while

i think that our best squad is

Almunia

Gilbert Djourou Toure Larsson


Ljungberg Diaby Gilberto Cole/Reyes


Henry Van Persie


Subs: Lehmann, Senderos, Flamini, Fabregas, Bergkamp

[SE13]

There has been quite a great deal of media speculation regarding the Sol Campbell incident, and now he is apparently seeing a faith healer, and has no string of ladies.

Arsene Wenger reported last night, that Sol would be back with the squad soon, and that he has been granted some time off.

On the bright side, a useful 2-0 victory over Birmingham City at St. Andrews yesterday, which can only give the team the kickstart they need to rescue something out of the remainder of the season.
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