Sunday, May 21, 2006

Belletti does Barca no credit, and transfer rumours.

Full story is in the News of the World which can be found here: [please don't sue me for reproducing this - I have credited you!]

JULIANO BELLETTI, the defender who scored Barcelona's Champions League winner, last night sensationally claimed: "Thierry Henry is finished as a top-class striker."

The Spanish giants are furious at Henry's decision to snub them and stay with Arsenal.

And Brazilian Belletti sneered: "Henry is Arsenal's best player but his time at the top level of the game is over.

"He might just make it into the world's top 10 at the moment but that's not for certain.

"He needed to leave London to become one of the top strikers but if he doesn't leave Arsenal, he never will."

Belletti also ACCUSED Arsenal of having problems among the players, LABELLED them a ‘tired' team and TAUNTED Ashley Cole for losing his side the Champions League Final on Wednesday.

The winner was scored down Cole's flank and Belletti said: "We were told Cole was not in the best shape. Ronaldinho said he was going to attack down Arsenal's left. That was the key part to our game-plan."

Belletti added: "Arsenal had no secrets we couldn't unlock. They are a tired team who have problems among the players — and we took advantage.

"We knew there was uncertainty about whether some players were waiting for the season to end so they could leave."

I wonder if the papers will harp on about this lack of class as much as they have about Tel's and arsene's post match comments? I especially loved his comment about us being tired. Although it is true - Fifa automtically assume the world player of the year must come from Spain or Italy, so staying in England probably has seen him wave goodbye to that gong. Regardless of actual talent, naturally.

Personally I think all Tel and Arsene showed is how much they hate losing. Like Mournihio has been doing all season. We must build a well of righteous indignation from which we can build success next season.

Elsewhere, rumours linking us to Andy Johnston have been hotting up. Hmm. Ashton would have been a better buy in this vein. Would be a very interesting purchase, but i'm not entirely favourable to it. Unless we could get him for around 5m ish.

Also, suggestions regarding a possible exit for Rvp are growing. He needs to have a big season next year: not just in terms of goals, but team play as well. Even without the goals, Adebayor is certainly first choice partner for Tel next year, as Tel lurves him. Torres, as ever is linked, and I would not be surprised to see the 'Mozart of football' - Rosicky - arrive. Especially if he's been being watched as much as Ian Grant on ANR suggests.

What's important is that we buy established players, to at least a level like Hleb was - a few seasons in top flight, internatinals, yet still relatively young - and get Ash to definitively stay. We need about 2-3 new players this summer. And, as much as it pains me to say it, perhaps the hunt for a new keeper must begin. Jens is my fave keeper of all time now, but he'll be 37(8?) by end of next year. And we don't want a repeat of the Seaman 'er, when will you actually retire mate' farrago.

I suspect there will be at least one purchase in the, 'eh, well I suppose arsene sait' mould, but at least one guy i've heard of would be nice.

Til later. Gb.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

funny that his career is finish and they, Barca, bidded £50 million pound for Thierry Henry. It funny nobody seems to be talking about the fact that we lost and the celebration of Barca, we outplayed them and they were lucky even Pele, best player ever agreed that Barca were very lucky.

Henry is better than Ronaldihno and he proved it on Wednesday. I am not sure Arsenal would have sold Henry for just £50 million and I think he would easily have cost £80 million pound if the bid really kicked off.

Henry is the best and Barca are angry they would never get him even if he is 40 years old. Barca are our rivals and I like that, it was about time we started mixing with the big boys.

Next year if we meet Barca we will beat them 4-0

Anonymous said...

The word that describes Barcelona and Real Madrid is arrogant.

They promote this idea that nobody ever turns down Real or Barca.

Bollocks!

Paddy turned down Real and Thierry turned down Barca. They just find this hard to accept, as it contradicts their over-inflated view of themselves.

From what I saw on Wednesday, Barca were no better than Arsenal in any respect. They just got lucky late on, after struggling for an hour against 10 men. I suspect that they know that too, which is why it pains them to think that Tel prefers to play for us than for them.

Andy Johnson!! Please, no! What on Earth are we doing if we have started trawling around the Championship for average soccer journeymen?

Anonymous said...

We're going to be linked with a lot of weird and wonderful players over the coming months, so I intend to take most of these rumors with a huge pinch of salt. As for Belleti - sour grapes or what? Thierry is a smart man and he's chosen to stay with a team that's on the way up. Arsenal has a ton of potential and I am hoping we don't have to wait too long to see it realised.

Anonymous said...

What crap. Thierry played better than Ron!!! What bloody game were you watching. TH14 has never scored in a final for the Arse. He is a big game choker. If we had gone 2-0 up we would not have lost from there. We were the better team...CRAP... we were for nineteen minutes. We then sat back and played dumb football. Our goal came from a blatant dive...which disgusted me. Wake up and smell the coffee, for God sake.

Anonymous said...

We definietely need a new goalie... Jens's red card will see him suspended for the qualifiers qualifiers next year and Almunia is a liability.

Anonymous said...

Andy Johnson could be an option. OK he is not a 'fashionable' player but for those of you with very short memories, Ian Wright Wright Wright came to us from division 1. If he can do the business and cost 20mill less than a Torres surely it makes sense?

Remember ARSENE KNOWS

Anonymous said...

thank u Henry for staying,at Barca,there was going to be lot of jealousy from others over rich talent,u have saved your legacy with this decision.

Anonymous said...

henry better than ron. ron better than henry. who cares. what does it matter who's better as both are great player. leave it at that will you. i apreciate both player equally because football is supposed to be the beautiful game and both player plays it the way it was supposed to be played.

Anonymous said...

torres is highly overated. do not let hype fool you he is not as good as some think