Barcelona’s Gerard Pique has lashed out at his team mates over their attempts to unsettle Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas.
The furious 24-year-old Spain international told the Spanish newspaper Sport: “We must leave Cesc in peace and let things run their course.”
His midfield colleague Xavi was the latest Barcelona player to go public about Fabregas earlier this week, earning a stinging rebuke from Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.
Other players from the Blaugranes to have made unprompted comments include Andres Iniesta, Dani Alves and Pedro Rodriguez.
Even the mayor of Fabregas’ home town got in on the act this week, suggesting the Arsenal stalwart had been ‘kidnapped’ by his club.
Many observers see the barrage of comments as an orchestrated campaign by Barcelona FC to unsettle Fabregas and force Arsenal to sell him at under his market value.
There is growing speculation that the blatant nature of the campaign is alarming the European game’s top echelons, with UEFA preparing to step in to remind Barcelona of their responsibilities. If the Catalans ignore the warning sanctions could follow.
Rounding on his colleagues Pique said: “Any player suffers when there’s so much talk about his future.”
He added that although Barcelona’s players had always talked with respect, their comments were damaging the Arsenal number four and they should stop immediately.
End of news story.
Note to Readers:
This story accurately uses the same quotes that were used in yesterday’s coverage of Pique’s remarks.
It’s quite clear that while Pique was offering a partial defence of Xavi, he was also saying that his team mates should stop talking about Cesc.
Strangely the British press chose only to focus on the former interpretation, with not a mention of Pique’s “shut up” message to his fellow players.
A typical headline was “Pique defends Xavi comments” (ITV Football).
There’s a simple reason for that. The media has decided that Arsenal are in crisis, that Fabregas and Nasri are going and that “big” players don’t want to join us.
Once their pack mentality kicks in, they willfully ignore facts that contradict this over-riding narrative (such as the second half of Pique’s comments). In fact, once Fleet Street decides on its narrative it’s harder to turn than a supertanker.
If you want further evidence, just look at the garbage written by Sam Wallace in The Independent, under the headline “Jagielka snub shows Arsenal’s fading appeal.”
Regulars will know I have banged on about this a lot, but it really does my head in.
And by writing the Pique story the way it could quite reasonably have been presented with exactly the same facts, I hope it will go some small way towards helping Arsenal fans realise they should pay less attention to what they read. Most of it is made up and the rest is twisted to suit whatever agenda the journalists and their paymasters want.
Ignore the bullsh*t. Wait for the facts.
RockyLives
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
bang on, great post
….ooops, this was a bit late from yesterday’s post. Off to read today’s.
Morning RA,
How about “Goleador primaria” for specialist goalscorer?
London, this is Denilson apparently going straight down the tunnel after being substituted.
Hi Rocky, 🙂
I read your earlier comment about the distorted presentation of the Pique quote.
Of course you are right, but it is not only the media who are to blame.
If the Barca players, the Mayor and others kept their mouths shut they would not make their words hostage to fortune.
Unfortunately I think you are banging your head against a brick wall.
Closer to home, managers like Ferguson and Mancini are not slow to come forward and make comments to unsettle our players (Nasri in their cases).
When the press accurately (in these cases) report what they have said, both of them act all innocent and say there must have been a misunderstanding.
Football from top (FIFA) to bottom (Citeh) is riddled with corruption and is akin to a cesspit swarming with maggots! (I wish that had not come to mind) 😦
Cracking post, Rocky.
Haha, before your “Note to Readers”, I thought you were just going to leave the story exactly as you’d written it and then see what reaction you received.
AW should go to anger management classes the amount of ‘fury’ that he experiences. 🙂
Side note…..do the posts get ‘tagged’? Love the references to ITV Football and the Independent. They really ought to see them.
Chas,
Goleador primaria (primary goalscorer) would be fine instead of ‘specialist goalscorer’ if you lived in Spain or South America.
In this country it would be met with “What are you on about?”. 🙂
RA,
Even Wayne knows what a ‘libero’ is!!
Having thought about it, calling RvP’s position the shortened version ‘GP’, might confuse rather than clarify.
Excellent post Rocky that demonstrates the tunnel vision employed by so-called jouranlists when dealing with anything relating to Arsenal at the moment.
As if to illustrate your point, football365 have the headline……… ‘Pique leaps to defence of Xavi’ …….. which is based on the same ‘facts’ as your interpretation of the events.
Look the same journalists say Manchester is a nice place to live too? And Chelski are a football team ? In the end its better for all for facts to be used only.
The level of surprise about the utter lack of moral standards of a profession which habitually breaks the law to get stories including bribing the police is amazing. I’ve long since given up buying newspapers for this very reason. The quality and sources of several Arsenal bloggers are infinitely superior to those of journalists with infinite resources at their disposal, just showing quite how talentless they are.
Love it !!!!
this is bulshit let da music continue till august 14
Hi evans,
I hope you understand what you’re talking about because no-one else will?
We don’t publish bullshit and we don’t tolerate our author’s efforts being branded as such – remember that if you wish to place another comment.
Nice one Pirque,the pressure is unnecessary…
it will be better if fab leaves than stay he is not worthy of bein a captain, strip him off
nice to read a good article, only problem you will never get a job on fleet street unless you write what your told too.!!!
My sister works as an editor, wont say who for. met some of her colleges and heard that a story backing wrenger, think it was entitled ” over achieve at your perrel” was thrown in the bin. Made me laugh, but so true. Your right they have all decided arsenal are in crisis. Concidering we have some of the best young tallent in the country coming through. Considering we have the best stadium in the country which will enable us to compete for the next 50 years, considering we have had champions leauge football every year he has been at the club. I can go on and on. the man is amazing, we are all so lucky and we get to watch a great style of play. granted you can pick fault, we need to shoot more, we need a bit more mental toughness. but thats to actually win, which we have no real right too, against teams willing to spend 20m on every position. Glad not all arsenal fans are idiots, that believe what stupid press yes men say and idiot pundits on tv. One other thing arsene himself told every arsenal fan, that we would find it hard to compete for six years due to the finansial constraints of the new stadium, that was before the reccesion that made our last ground worth a hell of a lot less, and before mental billionaires decided to buy into the prem and massively enflate the market. even fergie who is a notoriuos spender has not spent in years until this summer thats when you can tell the good mangers. I think wrenger can continue to find great tallents and continue to compete at the top, maybe once in a while we will win stuff but i can not see another manger in the world doing better with the cash we have. If rednapp had done what wrenger has then the press would be so far up his ass its embarrissing.
Very well said Johnny !!
Hi Rocky, brilliant post. You are our anti-gossip-virus warrior and keep us all sane 🙂
Hi Johnny, great comment 🙂
Hi RA/Chas, agreed ‘Goleador Primaria’ does not really roll off the tongue – even sounds a bit ‘sexual diseasy’ 😆 The anagrams of Goleador Primaria don’t really offer an alternative either, unless you like ‘A Radiogram Ole Rip’. The Dutch word for striker is ‘spits’, meaning sharp – like the end of an arrow/javelin. But again, it has un-sportsman-like associations in English…
A DM is sometimes called a stofzuiger in Dutch: vacuum cleaner/ hoover, as in hoovering up balls to redistribute them as soon as possible. In a 4-2-3-1, we effectively have a double-hoover, but again ‘Dubbele Stofzuiger’ does not roll of the tongue either…. 🙄
I think we’re going to have to give you a title to add to your handle RL- What about “RockyLives, Media Assassin”? Quality piece in a series of posts that could end up being quite a nice collection on how the media misbehaves as seen through the crucible of a football club. A decent counterpoint to the bigger story of hacking and political influence which adds up to even more shame on what used to be a decent profession. I actually wanted to be a journalist when I was 16 *wipes brow at lucky escape*
AW, sell Fabregas to Barca or wherever and use the money to strengthen the team and not lodge it in the bank.
He is not indespendable- nobody is. May God help Arsenal in the upcoming season to win titles so that we can shame our numerous enemies.
Thanks Rocky. Your article brings a lot of relief to us here in Malaysia. News are always twisted to suit the interest of the media. Anyway, I do hope Wenger bring in at least one more tall CB to defend against set pieces. Samba?
Hi Chairma, I like your choice of words ‘shame our numerous enemies’ 🙂 well said.
Hi Dino, many of us really enjoyed the positive attitude of the Arsenal fanbase in Malaysia last week. You guys showed us again what it is all about, well done 🙂 You might well get your wish this season re a tall CB: still more than 6 weeks to go.
Nicely done Rocky, I begin to feel your opinion of the propaganda perpetrated by today’s hacks is perhaps even lower than mine and that would take some doing.
Carlito as a 16 year old I was offered a job as a trainee journalist on a local paper if I came back at 18, by which time I was earning far to much money to want to change and go trawling around the area on my bike covering women’s institute meetings so I didn’t bother :-)The evils of money affect us all it seems 🙂
Well that made me jump.
I thought Adebayor had come back to haunt us.
There is a certain similarity in the fizzog department London, but hopefully the ‘attitude’ is a lot better 🙂
To any who don’t know what London is talking about, scroll to the top of the page and look in the right hand column.
Thanks for comments everyone.
I know I bang on about this subject a lot, so thanks for bearing with me. I’ll try and find a new target for my ire in the future!
Dandan and Carlito – it’s funny that you both had a close shave with becoming a journo. With your writing skills you would both have had excellent careers I’m sure.
Dino
It’s great to hear from a Malaysia Gooner. As has been mentioned, you lot did our great club proud last week.
Hi Rocky, 🙂
Don’t worry about expressing your ire. It makes for good reading anyhow! 🙂
Unlike the handsome Carlito, (unsourced — except by Evonne), or Double D (always recycling my jokes 🙂 ) I have never been offered a journo job, but that’s probably because my prose is crapski! (Source — is the author).
Isn’t that the way (source — no source) it’s done?
Where the hell is 26 May when you want him? I would like to argue with a good looking, intelligent lawyer, but he will have to do because 1 out of 3 of those attributes isn’t bad! 🙂
Rasp this is from todays times transfer window.
this from our football desk. Arsenal and Manchester City are the two clubs with the strongest interest in Gary Cahill. Earlier in the summer, the talk was that Arsenal were prepared to do more to get him. But that has since been complicated by their ongoing interest in Christopher Samba, the Blackburn defender who they almost signed in January. Samba would cost somewhere around £8 million, whereas Cahill’s is £17 million. Arsenal’s interest in him may depend on reusing funds from any potential sale of Cesc Fabregas. If Arsenal’s can’t compete financially it may well leave the way clear for City, who will have no qualms paying the money.
Redders
“because 1 out of 3 of those attributes isn’t bad!” – well, I know he’s a lawyer, so… 🙂
Thanks dandan,
That is exactly what I suspected. AW’s message to Barca to cough up or shut up means he is losing patience. I think he is resigned to losing one of Cesc or Nasri but needs to know how much that will raise before he goes in for a defender.
Some classy comments from Denilson:
“I move away with sadness because I have so many friends at Arsenal and everyone has always been so supportive towards me.
“I want to say thank you to the club, and of course, also a big thank you to all the Arsenal fans who are very special.
“I’m now focused on doing well in Brazil next season, but will always be looking out for the Arsenal results.
“It is a great club with many great players, a good team spirit and a top-class manager. I wish you well for next season.”
Let’s hope he doesn’t start slagging off the club once he’s back in Brazil…
Rocky,
If that doesn’t smoke out our 26, I am doomed to disappointment!! 🙂
I have never really thought Denilson was of a high enough calibre for us, but I think he received too much abuse from some fans. After all he tried hard and I never heard him complain until the end of last season.
I hope he does well back in Brazil, and does not get a touch of the Clichys once he has gone!
Redders
I agree with you about Denilson. He is a good passer and is excellent at keeping possession, but sometimes it felt as if his heart wasn’t in it.
I remember two occasions in the last year when he collapsed with inexplicable injuries (ie not from obviously being kicked) in the middle of opposition attacks where he was the only or main defender. In both cases he was alright a few minutes later – but by then the oppos had had their free runs at goal.
A true “win at all costs” player would see the ball to safety before collapsing even if they had been disembowelled by a velociraptor… then, and only then, would they look for treatment.
Rasp
@ your 2.15
I think AW expects to lose Cesc, which is why he wants to hang on to Nasri, even if only for a year.
However, I think AW has been working on the assumption that Barca would eventually raise their bid to 40 million quid, but now that is looking questionable at least.
We won’t sell for less than that, so if Barca don’t meet the right valuation by the deadline of the end of the month, Cesc will be kept and Nasri sold.
Well, that’s my theory anyway…
Rocky,
My view is similar to your’s re Cesc/barca.
However, I think there is another dimension in that AW wants to bring matters to a conclusion, allowing him to deal with Cesc’s replacement, in good time, or to dispose of Nasri and arrange his replacement.
In other words —
— “Barca put up or shut up by 31st July.”, resulting in;
— “Good bye Cesc it was great having you” or;
— “Sorry Cesc, I gave them plenty of notice – they did not come thru’ – blame them not me – now we go on until next year”.
If the above scenario is correct, my only criticism is that it has taken AW too long to become proactive and set the agenda.
He really needs me to advise him — don’t you think? 🙂 🙂
Poor Eboue, he is the only scapegoat target left now.
If it is accepted that the club will sell Cesc for a certain price then surely it is impossible for Wenger to set any agenda until the transfer window is closed. He can try and make noises of put up or shut up as he is trying to do now in anattempt to hurry things along but once again if some kind of gentlemans agreement has been made then Barça will he in the driving seat until that window is once again closed.
would like to put forward some ideas for comment, would to love to hear feed back. A: would like us too get maybe a couple of new center halfs because i would love to see vermaelan in midfield. pace, passing, goals, engine, leadership qualitys, would tackle a brick wall and offer great protection to the back four. vermaelen reminds me so much of roy kean its scary. I think he could be an inspiration in that position, even though center defence is of major importants. Thoughts??? B:I would like us to buy lakuka and ventonghen, (slighty dreaming) because there both brilliant and young plus along with vermaelen they are all belgium and might help us sign edin hazad. (best and easyiest way to tapp up ha ha) C: you can probably tell i love hazad, i have watched him play quite a bit. i am half french not just a youtube follower (ha ha) and think we need to dive on this guy. he is not perfect yet, but he can do the two things if you put them together makes you almost unplayable dribble at pace and unreal hard acrurate shot at pace. (like ronaldo, messi) more of a team player than ronaldo though, and will never be as good as messi before the comments come. I think we should offer lille big money and then loan him back for a year. which i think lille would go for, they real want him to stay one more year. which he will but one year of him in europe and we wont get him, cause man city, barca, madrid, man utd, will be all over him. One down side to his game he does track back to a decent level, but needs improving. Thoughts??? I may well be dreaming though !!!!
Rocky, I agree with your @ 2:54, what disappoints me is that if AW really wants so sign Cahill (or A N Other) we won’t stump up the relatively small amount of money (in terms of the club’s worth) until we are certain of what we’re getting for either Nasri or Cesc.
Would it really be the end of the world if we kept N & C and still bought a defender?
Hi Johnny, in response to your ideas:
A: Vermaelen as DM sounds attractive, but for me, only as back-up. Song is the man for me. The good thing about TV is he can play in various positions and because of his qualities he will do well almost anywhere. Never thought about, but can see why TV reminds you a bit of RK.
B: Agreed on Vertonghen, not sure about Lukaku as I have not seen him play a lot. What makes you think he will do well in the PL/ what are his key strengths?
C: Eden Hazard: again have not seen him play a lot, so cannot commend. By the sounds of it he is a playmaker/winger: what would be his ideal position? If it is in the centre of midfield or behind the striker, I feel we have plenty of (young and talented) players now who can play in these positions. If he wants to play on the right or left, it would be a different story…
Belgium seems to have a number of great players at the moment, and you clearly have taken a liking to them 🙂 Do you watch a lot of the Belgium footy games?
London,
Re your 3:10, satisfy my curiosity. You mention ‘a gentleman’s agreement’, as you have done previously, between Arsenal and Cesc.
Why do you do so? How do you know?
Surely by definition, a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ is a confidential, verbal, or sometimes unspoken personal understanding or agreement between two people, based on honour, and not legally binding.
As such, neither you, nor anyone else, other than the supposed parties to such an agreement, can possibly know of its terms or existence, unless they chose to make it public?
Have they? When?
just curious. 🙂
Good questions/thoughts Johnny. 🙂
I tend to agree with TA in general.
Altho’ in answer to his question about Lukaku’s strengths I would suggest that he is tall 6’3″ (184cms), fast, great physique, and scores plenty of goals.
None of that matters tho’, because he wants to go to Chelsea his ‘dream’ club, they want him, and Arsene would never pay £18m for a 19 year old unproven player. Desole. 😦
Au revoir but not adieu Denilson.
I hope he goes out there and plays his socks off, proves everybody wrong, comes back to Arsenal and powers himself back into the team. I have always been a fan of Denilson and hoped he would come through. He came here very young, never complained about missing home and family and fought hard to get into the team. His recent performances have been under par, and competition is very tough now. He has made the right decision to chose for regular football rather than sit out his contract on the bench. A career can have many twists and turns, and I think we will hear a lot more from Denilson before the end of his career.
RA
That was the first time I have ever mentioned a gentlemans agreement. My comment was in respose to Rocky who is of the belief that if the club receives the right offer Cesc will be sold. I have been swayed by his arguments. There has been some talk that Wenger promised Cesc this time last year that if he stayed for one more season and the right offer was made in this window then he would not stand in the way of him leaving, hence the reference to the gentlmans agreement.
Personally, I find the idea of such an agreement suspect.
Honestly i have only seen lukaku play a couple of times. But it was enough to convince me, anyone of that size and speed that has the touch and calmness infront of goal is a pure winner for me. I think wrenger will stump up the cash for him, but then it becomes a bidding war and we can not win them against chelsea. But maybe they will go for falcao, they already have some good ones and i hear they want villa too. so who really knows. As for the dream move to chelsea coment i have heard that before, alvevez said that about arsenal, so did hazad i think sometime last year. Gerveinhio said it also about us. Just means they want a big move and that they have heard someone big likes them. And to TotalArsenal: i would sell fabs and naris just to get hazad i really think he will be the next big thing. bit worried about his attitute after he walked out on a belgium game recently, but naris was questionable before he came. He would just play where ever he wanted too, we have good young players but nothing like this guy in the forward positions. my gutt say if and it is a massive if, if he does come arsene will bring him on gradually and in a year or so would just be first choice on the sheet on the left or right. I think he needs to add more goals but exactly what we need someone who is direct and shoots on sight. to go with our passing game, which i also know he can get involve with two as i have seen allot of nice one twos with him and passing that needs vision to pull off. He has good movement off the ball too. i believe in his quality that much. And people on these sight usually get bogged down in positions and where they fit in. I would say not to worry to much about it, seems andy grey has clouded everyones judgement with his crap toys ha ha. Barca, play villa on the left, henry was a winger when he joined us, mourinho plays ronaldo as a lone striker against barca, van percy was a winger at psv, then a number 10 behind henry, now a number 9.. good player are good players. thanks for replys and have a good day TotalArsenal, and Red Arse
TotalArsenal
in answer to your question, no i do not watch allot of belgium footie, but i keep an eye on dutch football, as i lived there for three years and watched many Ajax games. I watch french football too as i am half french. But mainly watch the prem and spanish leagues cause there on tv. the other leagues you have to go trawling the internet, but you get good high def pics theses days and can plug your pc to the tv so pretty easy if your interested in getting hold of these games. You have to watch them in french though.
I fail to see how anyone can believe that the purchase of Cahill is dependant on the sale of Cesc, for goodness sake we are not that hard up.
If Wenger wanted a new CB he could get one and certainly Cahill but subject to Chelsea and City not wanting him, of course, as is always the case.
Hi London,
I totally disagree, it’s an opinion. Past seasons have taught me that we barely have any transfer budget at all (a minus a couple of years) and that such is the straightjacket that our financial management imposes, we will not buy unless we raise money by selling. (apart from Gervinho who was bought with what float we had)
London,
My mistake, I apologise if I maligned you. 😦
You probably have seen, in my previous history on AA, that I am very sceptical about unsubstantiated stories about Arsenal matters that could not possibly be known outside the parties involved.
We can all make guesses and put forward suppositions about things where we have no real knowledge, because it can make interesting debating points, and provided that is made clear, at the outset, and not put forward as fact, I have no problem.
I am sure you would agree with that position. 🙂
I, too, thought we had sufficient funds in the transfer war chest this summer to buy a CB ( in addition to Gervinho) without having to sell.
If not, then it goes some way to explain not getting our business done early in the window. Perhaps we were banking on getting reasonable fees for those wanting to leave i.e. Denilson and Bendtner.
Rasp, London,
I am running with the fox and hunting with the hounds on this one.
Surely london must be right that our ‘transfer kitty’ runs to more than the purchase of a previously unknown (by us) Ivory Coast player for £10m? That sounds like we have funds of squiddly squat.
Altho’ maybe Rasper is also right!
Gervinho’s salary (say) £5m * 4 Yrs = £20m, plus £10 transfer fee = £30m, which is perilously close to the touted budget of £30m available.
[It’s boring guys, but prudent accounting calls for the total package to be costed, and this probably causes a lot of confusion as to what we fans think is available, and what is actually available.]
Could be you are both right, depending on how Arsenal define what is in the ‘transfer chest’. Sorry!
Could be you are spot on, again, Chas!
It’s simple RA, I learn the lessons from history. Just look back at the last 6 years and tell me I’m wrong. We are just breaking even most years = very little transfer budget. We can also see that statements about there being money available if Arsene wants it are pure spin.
Rasp. I have brought my post in draft up to date.
OK dandan, thanks, I was intending to publish it tomorrow if that’s OK with you.
Nice one Rocky, Congratulations to Japan Ladies. I’ll try to catch up on the comments now
Cheers Johnny, I’ll check those players out. See you again on AA 🙂
Wages are paid over 5 years (on that length contract) Surely only the fee and the first years wages can be counted on this years budget. If not the mancs budget is massive.
If we slipped down the league and were in danger of relegation do you think a request by Wenger for a CB would be denied by the board……..no brainer guys.
Very similar situation now, if Wenger believed he needed a CB he would get one irrespective of whether the sale of Cesc went through.
I have always maintained that he isn’t going to buy another but my view has never been based on lack of available funds.
Can’t afford a CB crazy talk what are we West Ham?
Rasper,
It’s not for me to tell you that you are wrong.
In fact I think I have already said that you could be right in your previous discussion with London, but then so could he! 🙂
However, you are now taking a slightly different tack and I must say that a £30/40m transfer chest (including salaries and increased contracts) is a lot of mazumah to Arsenal, and to that extent it does not add up ‘spin’.
I know you agree with the prudent business model that Arsenal adhere to, and they have always said (and Gazidis repeated it today) that Arsenal do have money to spend, if AW needs it, within their budgetry constraints. Equally, I believe that the proceeds of the sale of players will, no doubt, be put into the pot for reinvestment.
Do you not agree?
You always find the money to fix a leaking roof but you only go on holiday when you can afford it.
CBs are leaking roofs and CFs are holidays.
Wenger is not going to buy a CB because he doesn’t think the roof is leaking.
I’m chuckling at my accidental pun.
Denilson’s gone!!!!!!!
GM,
You will probably need someone clever like GIE or Wonderman to talk this budget business thru’ with you rather than a dumdum like me.
But first, I agree with you that the Mancs/Citeh/Chelsea outlay is likely to be huge! But all of them run massive debts funded out of future income or their sugar daddy owners. [That is why Citeh have contracted a £400m stadium rights deal over 10 years to try and counter this].
The total of the transfer fee plus the wages over 4 or 5 years is part of the total financial package. Lets call it £x. Both the transfer fee and the salary are legal obligations and are recognised as such from an accounting perspective.
The transfer fee may be paid to the selling club either in one payment or in instalments over a period of time, and the salaries are paid over the life of the contract.
Nevertheless, what is charged to the accounts each year has to recognise these schedule of payment schemes for £x, (as above) but no prudent ‘going concern’ business would ever enter into fixed contracts without having the wherewithal to make those payments on the due dates over the life of the ‘package’.
As I said, you will need someone smart, unlike me, to explain it better! 🙂
Does anyone know Gervinho’s squad number. It’s not on arse.com.
So all that talk about “Arsene can have a £30m player” is bollocks then?
Depends on the situation, if we were in danger of relegation then the money would be available quicker than you can say London’s cashmere red and white scarf which is a bit of a mouthful I suppose.
For London 🙂
Hey farmer! When you gonna fix that leakin’ roof?
Ah stranger, when it’s a rainin’ it’s too wet to fix it and when it’s dry it’s just as good as any mans house.
From: Arkansas Traveler Michelle Shocked
GM,
I did not say that. I simply do not have the facts on what funds are available, so how could I?
Rasp has referred to this leaking of what monies may be available to AW as ‘spin’, however that is defined. So, if we sell Cesc or Nasri or both, then a £30m player would be possible, for example.
I was just trying to explain that a headline such as “Wenger has a £40m transfer chest” may not be a straightforward as it might seem, when you take contracts into account.
On the other hand, all the ‘surplus’ players that leave Arsenal will obviously not be paid their current salaries, and they can be added to the transfer kitty.
I am stopping my poor explanations at this point, you will be pleased to hear! 🙂
I have never said he shouldn’t I have always said he wouldn’t and tried to guess as to his reasoning.
London,
Who or what are you referring to?
Who shouldn’t or wouldn’t do what, and guessing what reason?
London, you have always been consistent with your views re Wenger getting another CB, and I start to believe that you were right all along. It seems that Wenger does not think it necessary to add another CB regardless whether funds are available or funds will be made available from a future sale. That would be really disappointing, but using Rasp method of using the past as the best guide for future transfer activities, I now unfortunately also believe we will not get another CB 😦 😦
TA,
I am not sure I agree with you regarding the recruitment of another CB. I just thinkavailablity and cost are stumbling blocks.
Even if we do not get a new CB, I think with Vermalen back he and Djourou will form a good partnership, with Kozzer a reasonable backup.
In addition, I think 6’4″ Bartley or 6’3″ Ignasi could well fill our need for tall CBs, even tho’ AW seems to have a frustrating determination for sticking with Squillaci.
The makings, as they say, are all there, either way! 🙂
Hi RA, I think you are exactly reflecting Wenger’s view on things which seem to coincide with your view. For me it would be a miracle if we will have at least two out of Djourou, Vermaelen and Koscielny availble for every game next season. As soon as it is only one out of three, we run the risk of putting out a dodgy defence again. I also believe that without Djourou in defence we will keep leaking goals from set-pieces. We need continuously ‘A Senator Tall’ 😛 in defence, and by getting Cahill or Samba, we should become a lot more solid.
TA
In general I think Rasp’s views on past finances are correct but I don’t think the same rules apply to CBs. We may have thought that Wenger should have bought a new CB at one point or another but I don’t believe Wenger has ever held back on defensive purchases due to lack of funds; that being the case, I find the idea that the purchase of Cahill being dependent on the sale of Fabregas a nonsense.
I wasn’t really referring to anything you sad RA. But if that is the case then we are on a par with Sunderland and way below Liverpool as far as our spending power goes. We take the most matchday revenue of any club in World football but we spend like Sunderland. If I’m wrong I apolgise in advance as I haven’t checked ny facts. 🙂
Rocky, great post, but unfortunately wasted in the sense i would love to shove it rightup the nose of some of these journo’s…..it squite pathetic how they twist to suit……..
I loved the one the other week when we were accused of falling behind in the transfer market by everyone else, when only United were buying, with Liverpool one in, but chelsea were picking the pace up, that was hilarious…….
There is an arguement that we have enough cover at CB with tommyV back, but its a hell of a risk……
London, agreed. I think Wenger just wants to keep the ‘fourth CB spot’ open for excisting (fringe) players, rather than buy, and this has nothing to do with the availability of funds.
GM, we were never in disagreement I was trying, inadequately, to explain some of the financial bits and bobs. 🙂
There is a bit of me that looks on enviously at the unlimited spending power of many of our competitors, — get thee behind me Satan! 🙂
Sunderland are spending a lot of the dosh they got from selling Jordan and before him that great Villa lump. But we are small fry in the spending stakes because of our adherence to a ‘proper’ business model!
For whatever reason I’m in a more positive mood than some of you. I think we will strengthen our defence – and if I had to put money on it I would say it will be Cahill.
However, Jagielka coming this way in a deal involving Bendy going to Everton might have some logic to it. Not that I’m overly keen on Jagielka…
Rocky,
You are obviously my soul brother, that is exactly how I see things too. 🙂
Altho’ I would be happy with Bartley being on the bench. Unlike most of the squad he has a Premier League champions medal, albeit a scottish one!! (I think) 🙂
RA,
In response to your @ 6:06. No I don’t believe the statements that AW has money if he needs it because if they are true he has gone from being a brilliant manager to one that has lost the plot.
I also don’t think he’d spend a significant percentage of the money raised from selling either Nasri or Cesc on new players.
I don’t believe that the positive statements we hear at the start of every summer are anything other than a means of encouraging season ticket holders to renew. They are always followed a few weeks later by those ominous pronouncements to prepare us for inactivity.
Lastly I would remind everyone that he (once again) identified the defence as the area that needed attention and yet he has sold Clichy and does not intend to replace him and so far there are no other defensive signings.
Rocky…I’m with you, I would love Wenger to sign Cahill, for me this would complete our defence.
I think Traore will figure in more games this season. He has returned from Juventus, and together with Gibbs they will perform well I hope. This is another reason why Wenger got rid of Clichy.
Jagielka is not good enough for Arsenal. Also he is only about 5’11” tall so he is not the 6’2/3″ CB we desperately need!
Hello VCC
As someone said on here recently, you would hope that a year in Italy has improved his defending skills!
Martin
I share your feelings. I don’t really think we’ll go for Jag, but it did cross my mind with all the chatter about Bendy going up there.
Clichy was our first choice LB last season therefore AW considered him to be better than Gibbs or Traore – so how does replacing Clichy with either strengthen our defence? If Gibbs is a better player than Clichy why didn’t City buy him?
VCC
I think you are missing an important subtlety: we all want more signings, we would all like to see the club sign Cahill, it is natural for supporters to want their club have as strong a squad as possible. The difference is only that I don’t think that Wenger will buy a new CB where as Rocky does. Hey, if he is right I won’t be upset.
Wenger is still following the same tried and tested route: he is giving the likes of Gibbs and Traore the opportunity to shine before he makes his decision as to whether to buy a new LB. I am sure that choices one, two and three have been lined up in case he decides one of them is needed.
I really do give a whole new depth of the meaning to the term AKB don’t I?…………………………………………lol
By then it will be too late London. He trains with these players all the time, if he doesn’t know by now if they’re good enough I despair. There are good LB’s out there available but if we wait they will sign for someone else.
we have a buget, its still early days in the summer. massive mexican stand off basically. if wrenger gets the chance to sign a big name he wants, ie benzema, hazad, who ever. i think the money will be there. transfers are such tricky things and i think the problem is if he spends it and then someone he really wants comes avalible he will regret it big time. its not about spending its about investing. We hear all the time arsenal want centre halfs, so i am not suprized if we do not get one. imagine your a chairman of a club with a good centre half, and arsenal phone you up inquirering about the player. extra 5million straight away. plus arsene has made a rod for his back, due to his unbelievable record of great signings. as soon as he is linked with someone, the whole world becomes interested. not to shore if inter had any real plans to buy valerez before arsene became interested. sounds far fetched i know but would not be suprized.
If we don’t do anything to improve the defence we have no chance of winning anything. I was quite confident that Wenger was going to add some real quality but I’m beginning to feel deja vu (again) If it pans out like that I’d like to see a new manager come in.
Rasp
Your comment is too logical to argue with and what’s more I don’t really disagree with what you are saying. But let me ask this do you feel we need a new LB or do you think that Gibbs can do the job?
Vermealen’s return will inevitably improve the defence from last year. Koscielny is no longer new to the EPL, I certainly expect him to be better although I didn’t think he was bad. It remains a mystery as to why people think Cahill is better than he but that is another thing. Gibbs was very good going forward on Saturday this has given me renewed hope for him; more will be revealed in the near future.
Evening all,
Rocky thanks for the post, shame you had to put a disclaimer on it, would have been a fun day with BarcaFan 😀
As for the rest of our little debate today I’m not bothered about a new CB, we have Bartley and Vermaelen returning
I’m not bothered about a new LB we have Gibbs and Traore
In fact I’m not bothered full stop, maybe I’ve had a few too many shots of Arsene wisdom, or am just revelling in a haze of burying head in sand, whatever the reason its a more peaceful place over here.
Now Denilson, he’s off on loan i see, he signed his long term deal in 2007/08 season, so assuming long term was 5 years or greater it will end anytime after 2013. Sending him on loan is not going to release any financial burden (long term) unless he is on a guaranteed take him on a free in 12 months (unlikely). Wonder how much of his wages Sao Paulo have agreed to pay?
I understand that there is a new TV money deal in Brazilian football and hence the money that now seems to be available over there.
Hi all
I’m taking a bit of time out to join in here ………………..
Im not sure we need another centre-back except that we always seem to finish the season with a lack of them but thats not a good enough reason to be signing one.
I do agree with Rasp that if Gibbs was so good a) why didnt he play instead of Clichy last season and b) why didnt City want to buy him instead of Clichy?
Im still worried that we dont seem to have cover for Song although I accept that AW might surprise us by using Vermaelen or Koscielny in that position. Trouble is that I’m not very good at surprises and I’d like to know now – stamps feet in a spoilt princess manner 😆
But I am really looking forward to the start of the season.
Sky made me an offer of a new sky+HD box for free when I moved which I thought was very nice of them until the nice young man informed that I’d be waving goodbye to all my sky+ programmes one of which was the Arsenal v Barcelona game 😦 😦 😦
Thanks London, sorry for the delay in responding to your question – I’ve been on daddycab duty.
The answer to your question is no, after having watched Gibb’s performances last season I do not believe he is currently good enough for Arsenal’s left back. Cissokho or Enrique would be much better, Baines will be out of our league price wise.
GiE,
I’m very bothered about Gibbs or Traore at LB. The left hand side was our weakest last season and it will be weaker still next with either of those two. If we leave signings till too late we get Silvestre or Squillaci type signings and we’ve had enough of those.
Gibbs was injured a lot Peaches (Devils advocate here) If TV moves to midfield then the defence would be weaker.
I think the reason City bought Clichy was simply Chapions League experience, we have that in droves within the squad so do not have to bring it in. Unfortunately Gibbs’ slip in that CL semi final will live long in our memory, just as Clichy not clearing the ball in the 90th minute against Birmingham at St Andrews will do and Gallas’ sulk even longer.
On a brighter note I have just written my next post, but its in the form of a song so now I have to spend some time on GarageBand laying down the track. Well i say laying down the track i mean buying a Karaoke track from the web somewhere and singing (talking and autotuning) over the top of it.
Anyone watch the Dispatches thing tonight? Only caught the end of it which was apparently a businessman who claimed to have close links with SAF (and spoke to him on the phone during the show) trying to invest in football clubs, Sheff Utd were the club for sale. Bryan Robson also featured…nowt on Twitter or any other outrages…was it that shocking?
i will give gibbs a chance, i think he is a good player especially going forward. our defence is really good, apart from on set pieces which i am hoping vermaelen can help out and kolshenie will be allot better this year, he was only playing 2nd devision french football the year before came to us and in his first year was our main stay centre back. tall order but did it well considering he played a number of games with squilachi. i thought he had a brilliant first season, and he is class against the more technical teams really compeative, the game he played against barca was quite honestly one of the best defensive games i have ever seen from any player in any team, and if we draw them again this year he would be my first name on the team sheet, I do not blame him for our weekness at set plays either, as that is all about how your whole team defends, and we are a short team over all. but its all swings and round abouts. the trick is do what barca do and do not conceed corners and free kicks. easly said though. be nice to buy some height for certain games though. but we need confidence, leadership, and organisation more when defending set plays. but it does seem to be a big deal in the prem these days set plays and i really believe arsene will treat it as such now if not with personel but with practice on the training pitch, either way it does need sorting out. all in all though quietly confiedent of doing well again this year.. may not win the league but no way we dropping out the top four. biggest wish for next year is that RVP stays fit. best player in the league for me.
Morning AA’ers,
Gazidis speaking in China about money/transfers. No holes in the leaky roof…. 🙂
http://www.skysports.com/skysportsnews/video/0,28704,13987_7045792,00.html
These are all supposedly direct quotes from Gazidis from an article by John Cross of the Mirror…..
“We still will be active in this window,” said Gazidis. “We haven’t finished our business at all. We’re just not conducting it publicly. We’re working hard privately.
“We think very, very carefully about strategy and targets and so on, and are working hard. So we’re not at the end of our activity for this window.
“I still think it will be an active window. We understand where the weaknesses have been. Financially we’re in a strong position, we have resources to spend.
“We’re certainly not sitting there saying, ‘Let’s hold back on our resources’ for some reason. Why would we? The resources are there.
“We’ve got a substantial amount of money that we can invest. The important thing for us, which can be frustrating, is not doing it only in response to a public clamour but in a way that can positively impact our performance next year and that’s the focus.
“Our fans have the right to be excited, to look forward to the season with anticipation and to expect to see top class players and exciting things happening on the pitch. It’s our goal and our target to deliver all of that.”
“Certainly if you sign a name player, that can be an easier way to get that and I’ve got nothing against that, absolutely nothing against that. There’s no point of principle involved there,” he said.
“But if you look at the best players that we have on our team, they were not necessarily superstar players when we signed them – I don’t think any of them were – when they came to Arsenal.
“It’s not that we were against doing that. That could happen. But because we run a self-sufficient club – it’s an important part of who we are because we have a philosophy of wanting to stand on our own two feet – we have to think about the efficiency of spend.
“There are many clubs – not just one or two – that have gone out and done exactly that and spent money on players who perhaps were difficult for them to afford but gave them a big hit, a big buzz, took the pressure off, and a year or two down the road found themselves having to address some difficult issues.
“We, as a club, have transformed ourselves in the last decade or so.
“We have no God-given right to be one of the biggest clubs in the world. The stadium has been a big part of that but we don’t have a God-given right because of our history.
“We’ve elevated ourselves into the ranks of the world-leading clubs because we’ve been really, really disciplined and based our strategy and decisions on clear-eyed assessments of the real underlying benefit to the club rather than the noise surrounding the game.
“Where owners get into trouble – and many do – is when the noise takes over their decision-making and then you can make really bad decisions.”
But Gazidis said: “If we found an established, world class player and we thought the economics made sense and he would add to what we could do on the pitch then there’s no philosophical objection to that.
“Arsene has no point of principle to show the world that he can build his own team of young players. That’s just not the way it is.
“That strategy is the result of some very careful thinking around what it is that can drive this club forward. Along the way we have some disappointments and setbacks.
“It’s easy to lose perspective on what Arsene is trying to do, which, I think, is an extraordinary vision but if you look around, the fans we have around the world, that vision is very attractive and very, very powerful. We should be proud of that.
“People should want that in the game. It’s a fantastic thing for the game, I really believe that. It is one of the points of difference for Arsenal and something that drives admiration around the world.
“But I also think our disappointment is magnified because the ambition is so big.
“Listen, we have to deal with some realities in the game. Domestically, the league has been dominated by Chelsea and Manchester United in recent years.
“They’ve been the biggest spenders and, although they’ve done a fantastic job, their achievements are probably not a coincidence and now you see Manchester City and what they are spending and they are going to be in that bracket as well.
“We have to challenge for trophies in that environment – and we will. But we’ve got to do things differently because we don’t have those kind of resources. Our approach is partly driven by vision, it’s partly driven by a necessary strategy.”
Gazidis added: “There are so many things that I think this tour has delivered. First of all, an engagement with what we have all seen is a massive international fan-base. You can see what it means to these people.
“I think Arsene has had a positive experience. There are some technical aspects that you lose. You lose two days travel for a start.
“In terms of all the metrics and science of preparation, you probably wouldn’t say it is ideal, but there are incredible intangibles that you gain from it.
“And I think having done it, we have seen many of those intangibles become more tangible.”
Chas good research and good quotes too.
Apart from the last one which any Apprentice candidate would have given.
Haha, GIE, watch out for the invisible visibles.
Off out for the day, back on this evening.
chas, GiE,
That’s just words – a load of total spin and baloney – I’ve heard it all before – it is exactly the sort of line we’ve taken in previous seasons. I expect us to end the summer without significantly strengthening the side.
Morning Rasper, 🙂
I have never known you so down and so despondent.
There is nearly 6 weeks still to go in the transfer window, and the sun might still come out to play in this grey old summer! 🙂
Your cynicism is understandable in the face of our lack of spending over the last few years. But that is not really a fair comparison as AW has always made it clear that building and paying for the Stadium came first on the club’s priorities.
Chin up, all your dreams can still come true! BTW, the question why did Citeh buy Clichy and not Gibbs is answered by — Clichy’s contract was into its last year, Gibbs’ isn’t. Anyway, those purchases are made subjectively, by the purchaser, and therefore the question is not really answerable other than by — the purchaser.
Morning RA, I’m sorry but transparently choreographed press statements with cut aways to Arsene in his shorts are such obvious spin it makes my blood boil.
Some very good bloggers and diehard Arsenal supporters of the likes of Micky, 26m, Harry and quite a few others have gone quiet because they are secretly getting very angry at what we are witnessing and I felt it necessary to let them know that they are not alone.
I keep saying it, but just look back at the pattern in recent summers – we are experiencing exactly the same process. One well publicised signing (Gervinho) and then a whole load of excuses and maybe one or two cheapies at the end of the window.
Has anyone asked themselves why when Gervinho was signed some time ago, did the club choose to make a fanfare about it on the Monday of a week of obvious inactivity by Arsenal.
Morning all
There’s a New Post
Hi Rasp, I can understand your frustration and I share some of it with you. I cannot agree with you that all is spin by Gazidis though. Just look at the first three Gazidis quotes (from Chas): it is pretty unambiguous to me.
RA,
In answer to your point about City buying Clichy is that he is a very good proven LB in the premiership – Gibbs is not. The club (AW) were very quick to come out and say that we are not looking for a replacement – therefore our team is now weaker in the left back position.
As an accountant then, is it your conclusion then that we are still burdened by the expense of building the stadium and therefore do not have any money to buy players? If it is, then you too must believe that the Gazidis interview was a load of vacuous spin.
TA,
I know the interpretation of the words is unambiguous – just as they have been in previous seasons. They give a clear message of intent, but that’s all. What are we to conclude if the promised actions do not come to fruition?
Rasp, then just like you I would be disappointed. Especially if we are not buying another defender 😦 Let’s wait and see – nothing else we can do 🙂
I agree TA, it’s a waiting game (I believe I wrote a post to that effect!) but unfortunately we (Arsenal) are having to wait whilst more powerful players decide on their moves.
thank chas.
i really believe they are trying to sign players, but its only a small select few that may improve us and they are rock hard to get these days and no point spending the cash unless its for someone worth while. i do worry about gibbs injurys, and i do believe we could do with a top class centre half, but i also like the ones we have apart from the obvious. barkley might be coming back with rave reviews. plus i wish the media and fans would shut up about the centre half thing. its anoying and damaging. I say this mainly cause of a point i made earlyer. imagine your a chairman of a club with a class centre half. Imagine what they think if arsenal phone up enquirering about that player. the chairman thinks we are desperate and will stick an extra 5m on the price straight away.
thanks for the infomation chas
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