Friday, July 21, 2006

Zambrotta to Barca = Cole's off?

I'm surprised more people haven't commentated on this so far this morning, so I thought i would. To me, Barca's signatures of Thuram and Zambrotta is dissapointing on two levels. Firstly we lose out on Lily,although, given his wage demands, one could question whether we were ever really in the running. Secondly, and perhaps more pertinently, if Zambrotta is not going to Chel£ea, this would seem to seal the deal regarding old Cashley. Alea Jacta est. As it were. Myles, on ANR, has even had a phone call apparently 'confirming' the deal. I suppose we'll all have to wait until next wednesday to really find out. Dennis is urging us to hold on to him, but it may be too late. £16m = definite incoming transfers as well.

Another dissapointing bit of news I read this morning was that Kerry Gilbert is going out on loan to Cardiff. I thought he was excellent last season, and I'm not sure how he'll benefit from playing Championship football all season. I would rather he was here contesting Eboue and Lauren for r-b, as neither have a firm grip on the position. I'm really hoping that Kerry will come back from loan and play a real role in the first team, but this doesn't really seem to happen too often does it? For us, going out on loan too often seems to be the first step in a player's denouement at the club.

In other news, the Flamster wants to play back in midfield. If Ashley goes, his future may be at left-back, where i thought he was better than in midfield. In midfield he doesn't have the bite of Vieira or the skill of Fabregas. The BBC gossip is reporting that Silvestre may be on the way to the Spuds in return for money and Carrick to ManU. That would be a hilarious deal. Duff also seems on his way to Newcastle now; here's hoping the Spuds don't get too many good players over the window.

Arsene is also concerned that we're unprepared for the Champions' League campaign. Great. It has made me wonder how much of a break players get nowadays. The World Cup is barely over and these qualifiers are almost upon us.

Thanks to 'Anonymous' who left me the link to the Bergkamp Arsenal CL shirt - not worn by him but still. If anyone knows anywhere else for Dennis shirts let me know; I've looked on ebay but i'm a bit reticent to buy things off it.

Til later.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

zambrotta to barca also means madrid are looking for a LB.

Don't assume its chelski.


tweedy and Victoria couldn't be separated in the WC.

Anonymous said...

i agree, we wont sigh until Ash (if he goes) goes, then i realyy hope we get CD, he really gave TH a hard time last season, so he would be a good buy - but i also believe that AW doesn't give a lot away, look at Rosicky... no-one knew until his international camp let slip and the next thing he was bought - i think the Boss knows we need to sure up our defence, and he will. AC - he has been stupid from the start and got caught... what did he expect the bosses to do, give him a pat on the back, if he wants to follow the money then let him go, we can all then laugh when the Russian pulls the plug and we see another Leeds situation. And in any case GC will fill in nicely...

Thanks Dennis for everything, a true gent and genius, and one who didnt follow the pounds, just played for the club he grew to love.

jane

Goonerboy said...

If Cole does leave, will anyone else join me in a campaign to give the number 3 shirt to Flamini?

Anonymous said...

No Goonerboy.

The way Arsenal play calls for an attacking left back to put opposing midfielders and defenders on the back foot and Flamini doesn't fit that role. It may sound a little harsh because he had a great C.L adventure there last season but it is not the long term solution. If Cole goes we need to spend that money to bring in a wing back in the same mould and not a solely defensive player.

One thing that worries me is that Wenger insisting we will bring in 1-2 more players before the season starts. Is that 1 player and another if Cashley goes??

If this is the case we could have problems.

Goonerboy said...

Yeah, I know Flamini isn't really the answer to our potential l-b problems. But he just tries so hard in every game I wish he could find a niche for himself in the team somewhere. I can't see it happening though.

I remember when Clichy came on vs Villareal, and suddenly overlaps were being made on the left for the first time in months. It was weird.

Anonymous said...

I can't believe that our entire transfer plan revolves around Ashley Cole. Up until a week ago, it looked likely he would stay and Arsene was saying then that he wanted 1 or 2 players. Keith Edelman said yesterday that income from the new stadium will exceed debt repayments 4x. We have money for the right players, and I for one am glad that we refuse to pay over the odds for players.

Anonymous said...

I don't know about you but I'm a bit fed up each summer hearing that we are going to bring in one or two really special players - only to fiund out each season that it is a lie. I just don't believe it anymore. Sorry. If we sign a known name I'll eat my mousemat.

Anonymous said...

Sorry anon 4:11, but that is such a smplistic way of looking at the transfer market for Arsenal. Don't you think Baptista and Robhino would have been "special" transfers?
Hey we lost out to the sun and sin of Madrid--what's Wenger supposed to do, put a gun to their head?

There really aren't that many players available that aren't outrageously overpriced and are Arsenal quality.
Yes I would like to see Appiah come in and Davies (or Mexes,right!) but Brom are holding us for ransom, and who knows about Fenerbache.

I've said this before but NEVER sell Cole to Chelsea--Real fine. Or, let him rot in the reserves and on the bench all season.

Anonymous said...

Has anyone considered that AW may be thinking about Lauren -- if he's healthy -- moving to that holding midfield spot?

Lauren to midfield was discussed quite a bit a couple years ago but then he settled in at RB.

He certainly would fit the bill as a tough, no-nonsense ball-winner, and if his distribution from that spot is decent, he certainly has all the physical tools.

Anyone know how Lauren is doing physically, by the way? He's been forgotten for some reason, and the guy was a rock for us -- I think he was chosen best RB in the league two years ago.

I'm as anxious as everyone else to get a replacement for Sol and we're all assuming if there's another player brought in, it might be somebody like Yaya or Appiah to play in the middle and link up with Cesc, Rosicky, etc.

Wenger's often WAY ahead of everyone else's ideas, though, and maybe he's got other plans for Lauren. If healthy, he'd sure fit the midfield role better than Flamini, who sadly is just not quick enough for our style at LB for the long haul and doesn't pass or move well enough to be a full-time midfielder for AW.

Any thoughts?

Anonymous said...

nothing has been said of late about hargreves , perhap he is on the move, perhaps to london? I may have missed something there though.

Anonymous said...

If he (cashley cole) does go to chelsea he should only be allowed to go at an artificial high price, justification is that they manufatured the situation. 25 mil should do it as compensation.