Arsenal F C (Pride Of London)

[StephenG]

One of the United Kingdom Sunday tabloids (and who believes anything they say? Hmm?) claimed that Arsene Wenger already has two summer transfer targets in sight. French midfielder Franck Ribery's name has been thrown about, although the mythical price tag is somewhere in the region of £12 million pounds ( 17,629,688 euros - at current rate of exchange). The 24 year-old was linked with a move to the Gunners two years ago, but Ribery decided to stay in France. Now it looks like his club Marseille are willing to sell him, and Ribery wants the chance to link up with Arsene Wenger again.

The other name in the newspaper was Craig Gordon, the 24 year-old Goalkeeper for Heart Of Midlothian and Scotland. He would be an obvious replacement for Jens Lehmann and would cost in the region of £4.5 million pounds ( 6,611,133 euros). With Manuel Almunia about to celebrate his thirtieth birthday, I doubt there'd be much of a fight for the Number 1 shirt with Gordon, although I think Almunia has done well when he's had to replace Lehmann, and when Arsene Wenger has used the reserves in cup games.

[pjthefarmer]

Craig Gordon? Would be an interesting one that. Good potential but just unproven at Premiership level. He has played for Scotland though.

Personally I think they could do a lot worse than bid to sign Chris Kirkland from Wigan. He's an exceptional keeper and seems to have overcome his injury problems. He'd definately improve the team in my opinion and if Wigan do get relegated he could be available on the cheap.
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[img:2b23f8c1d9]http://i15.tinypic.com/6fq09pl.jpg[/img:2b23f8c1d9]

[SE13]

Arsenal have been linked with Franck Ribery for a couple of seasons now, but nothing has come to fruition. Then Arsenal were linked with Robert Green between the posts, and nothing ever came of that either.

Until I see someone signing on the dotted line, it will all remain as speculation for me, we have been let down by the media making suggestions previously, and all getting our hearts up.

Meanwhile, Manchester City are in town tonight, and despite taking a goal lead through Tomas Rosicky, we are pegged to a one goal apiece draw at half time. Never has the need for a goal rush been so great. Fourtyfive minutes to grab the maximum three points, but from what I can see, I really begin to doubt it will happen

Arsenal Starting Eleven

Jens Lehmann
Gael Clichy
Eboue
Kolo Toure
William Gallas
Diaby
Cesc Fabregas
Gilberto Silva
Alex Hleb
Tomas Rosicky
Emmanuel Adebayor

4-5-1 again
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It feels so empty without a signature, so here is some mindless gabble to occupy the space

[StephenG]

A three - one win, three points and third place (for twenty-four hours at least) in the English Premier League table for Arsenal over Manchester City, last night. Liverpool can retake third spot from Arsenal with a win over Middlesbrough (I'd be more surprised if Liverpool don't take all three points - Middlesbrough don't have a lot left to give this season ) tonight.

Some sections of the Emirates Stadium crowd were taking their frustrations out on the players last night. It's not good to hear at any ground, but what can teams do when the opposition pull back all the outfield players behind the ball and say "Come on then. Break us down, if you think you can?" It showed up in England's last two Euro 2008 qualifying matches with Israel and Andorra. It's a negative tactic and I don't like to see it employed.

There are fresh transfer rumours today, that Cameroon International Midfielder Jean Makoun (who plays for Lille) claims that Arsene Wenger has been in touch, about a possible move to the Emirates Stadium. It also looks like the Arsenal Chairman Peter Hill-Wood is ready to roll up his sleeves and fight off the American investors who bought a share in Arsenal last month - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/h.....566789.stm - this seems to be becoming a more popular pastime with our American cousins, what with Manchester United, Aston Villa and Liverpool in the hands of American owners. What's the appeal? Is it to try and raise the profile of the sport across the pond? Good luck with that, buddy. Is it to try and establish an exchange system - young Arsenal players sampling Major League Soccer and vice versa? Or is it just simply the allure of the almighty dollar? I can't believe that these people are "fans" of Football (don't you dare call it Soccer - it's the guys who play with the odd shaped balls who've got the name of the game wrong) in any way.

[SE13]

I touched on the sell-out to The Americans/Russians thing earlier in the thread. While it is not beyond the realms of possibility, it is highly unlikely. The more likely case scenario is that someone would be allowed to join the board and pump money in, but not be allowed a takeover. Arsenal is virtually a family run business, and has been in the hands of the Hill-Woods for years and years.

While I would love to see money being pumped into Arsenal Football Club, I wish to see Arsenal remain as Arsenal Football Club, and not part of a consortium involving other clubs from other sports from other Countries. And I have a feeling that this is how it will remain.
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It feels so empty without a signature, so here is some mindless gabble to occupy the space

[SE13]

HOLD THE FRONT PAGE!!!

Mods, can you merge this into the last post, as my time has expired

David Dien has quit from the Arsenal board.... Quite what this means is unclear at this stage, but it does leave the door open for the takeover as suggested earlier.

But the thought of this consortium taking over does not fill me with confidence. There is a lot of talk about Roman Abramovic walking out at Chelsea. Effectively if he were to do that, they would go under. I do not want to see this happen at Ashburton Grove....

**Panics**
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It feels so empty without a signature, so here is some mindless gabble to occupy the space

[Graeme]

David Dien will be back once them new owners take over, he will sell his shares to them and return to the club. It just makes sense!

[SE13]

Well, as usual, The Club are saying nothing that really makes any sense. The press and media are hinting that David Dein might well return in part of a take-over bid for Arsenal Football Club. The whole saga is slightly more complicated because Arsenal are a sort of family business, as opposed to the multi-million pound share schemes where Liverpool and Manchester United were concerned.

The whole saga fills me with worry. It is not as though some random Russian is going to pump millions of pounds into Arsenal, it sounds more like a case of shares in the boardroom being sold on, with the club having no real gain.

Until such time as Highbury is redeveloped, the bank are fully supporting the money outlaid for Ashburton Grove. Plus there is the small matter of the money required for the redevelopment of Highbury. Any persons coming into the club need to understand that all this debt has to be written off by one form or another, and not expect to plough a few million into team matters and expect glory.
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It feels so empty without a signature, so here is some mindless gabble to occupy the space

[maskofstabiloboss]

Why do they need this? Why do they need someone to put the club into hundreds of millions of pounds of debt just to take control.

I thought they said when they built Asburton Grove they'd be making what £10m a match day or something mad like that, surely they can fund their own transfers rather than getting someone that the bank favours and will credit a loan to.

Arsenal do need to invest in players though, yes their youth is fantastic, the kids wenger is teaching, but they are just a million miles off the top 2. Hleb hasnt really done it, he needs to score goals! Ljungberg unfortunately is past it, which is a big shame, he was a great player, but about pace, not he doesnt have that pace he can be pretty ineffective. Injuries to Van Persie and Henry have caused problems, infront of goal, if they could have had their goals return this season they'd be above Liverpool right now i am sure.

Its hard to really pick out players that arnt good enough, they are all smashing players, something is missing though and i think when you go away from home with Adebayor upfront by himself you are just asking to be beaten.

I hope Arsenal can get up their and challenge for the title again and play that great football we know they can, it would be great to have a 4 horse race and with Liverpool getting some investment we might just get that. I remember a few years back, we had Arsenal, Man Utd, Liverpool and Newcastle all in with a shout at Easter, thats great stuff that we need, not some 6 7 point gap to 2nd then a 15 point gap after them.

[maskofstabiloboss]

Why do they need this? Why do they need someone to put the club into hundreds of millions of pounds of debt just to take control.

I thought they said when they built Asburton Grove they'd be making what £10m a match day or something mad like that, surely they can fund their own transfers rather than getting someone that the bank favours and will credit a loan to.

Arsenal do need to invest in players though, yes their youth is fantastic, the kids wenger is teaching, but they are just a million miles off the top 2. Hleb hasnt really done it, he needs to score goals! Ljungberg unfortunately is past it, which is a big shame, he was a great player, but about pace, not he doesnt have that pace he can be pretty ineffective. Injuries to Van Persie and Henry have caused problems, infront of goal, if they could have had their goals return this season they'd be above Liverpool right now i am sure.

Its hard to really pick out players that arnt good enough, they are all smashing players, something is missing though and i think when you go away from home with Adebayor upfront by himself you are just asking to be beaten.

I hope Arsenal can get up their and challenge for the title again and play that great football we know they can, it would be great to have a 4 horse race and with Liverpool getting some investment we might just get that. I remember a few years back, we had Arsenal, Man Utd, Liverpool and Newcastle all in with a shout at Easter, thats great stuff that we need, not some 6 7 point gap to 2nd then a 15 point gap after them.

[SE13]

As usual, there is all the summer speculation about Thierry Henry being linked to Barcelona in Spain. From where I see these rumours, they are there purely to sell newspapers, as there is little or no substance. A quick look at Arsenal's own club website features an interview with the great man himself, talking quite eagerly about next season, and the possibility of regaining The Title, and he includes himself firmly in the interview. For me, this one can be dismissed immediately.

As for plunging the club into debt, this will not happen. David Dein has stood down, but I guess he will return in some form or another in the near future. His heart is at Arsenal, and his bond with manager Arsene Wenger is a strong one.

Summer transfers in already see the probability of Legia Warsaw goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski heading in our direction, which could spell the end for the often hapless Jens Lehmann. This is a good start to proceedings in my opinion.
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[Graeme]

I really hope Henry goes to Barca, because then Barca would be more than willing to sell Eto'o and Benitez has Eto'o at the top of his striker wishlist!

[SE13]

I have said on a number of occasions that Thierry Henry is going nowhere. Every transfer window brings up the same transfer speculation linking Henry with a move to Barcelona. One must bear in mind that the player himself signed a four year extension to his current contract at about this time last year, and has been quoted many times about his complete commitment to Arsenal Football Club.

There was an article on Arsenal.com a short time ago where Thierry Henry set out the teams plans for next season, which included recapturing The Premiership title, and those plans included himself at the fore.

As for Samuel Eto'o, I believe that the major forces in English football are all keeping a close eye on proceedings, and are all, with the exception of CSKA Fulham, ready to table a bid. The problem there is that his present team are looking for a major name to go in the opposite direction. We have Jose Antonio Reyes seemingly coming back, but I somehow doubt that he would be the carrot on the end of the stick to lure Eto'o in the opposite direction to North London.

I touched on CSKA Fulham there, and it would seem that Sugar Daddy has pulled the plug on the financial side of things, refusing to further dip his hand into his pocket, meaning Jose Moronho must sell players to gain funds with which to purchase newer players. It puts most of the big players in The Premiership on a more even keel, which in turn will make the new season far less predictable and far more exciting.
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[blightyred]

Breaking news appears to be that Arsenal's erstwhile Chairman David Dein is wanted by North-East sleeping giants Newcastle United!!

A strange one I think you will agree, but after the treatment he received after YEARS of loyal service to Arsenal, he has no moral compunction not to become involved elsewhere.

On the Theory Henry front the rumours are flying more erratically than a U.S missile.

A.C Milan have stated publicly that they would want him, Carlo Ancelloti the Milanese Manager has said that the Frenchman will be a summer target.

Liverpool are linked AGAIN with him, he has always been full of praise for us Merseysiders so it could well happen (longshot).

Times appear a little unsettled ahead for the Arsenal.

[SE13]

I touched on the David Dein saga in the Newcastle United thread. My understanding was that he was going to put together a consortium, and possibly buy back into Arsenal at a higher percentage of ownership, allowing a potential takeover. Arsenal gets a little complicated, because there are so many owners, and the club has been run as a family business for many decades, with assistance from others, and is not a Public Limited Company, so potential buyers have to go a different way around trying to take control. The way I see it, is that if David Dein were to come back with a multi-million pound consortium, the club would be virtually forced into having their own CSKA Fulham-esqe Sugar Daddy. That in itself would give us real power in the transfer market once again.

The situation with Ashburton Grove is all but sorted, and financially it will all take care of itself when Highbury finally becomes habitable, and the developments are sold on, although the bank are bridging in the mean time. So whatever happens at board level, there is no danger of losing Ashburton Grove, nor the potential money to roll in from the sale of Highbury. Which reminds me, I must get some more recent pictures of developments there to post. And believe me, the latest batch I had are not for the faint-hearted Arsenal supporter!
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It feels so empty without a signature, so here is some mindless gabble to occupy the space