Confirmed by his agent this morning, looks like Milan is the likely destination. Bayern are apparently after Bendtner too.
Word on the street is that Flamini, Hleb and Bendtner all despise Adebayor but Wenger loves him and is considering making him captain next season.
Hmmm...
I'd love to say "LOL all of Arsenal's good players are leaving"
but they've probably got a truckload of young players that they've bought in who can win the title next year.
*Truckload of young players
who will look like they can win the title until January and then fade away meekly
Which street are you hearing this on?
I can understand that Bendtner and Adebayor don't get along, but there's no way Wenger will make Ade captain. I'm f**king annoyed Hleb is leaving (to Inter I assume), feels like the wheels are falling off a bit.
Just a friend who supports Arsenal
Could be utter shite, but you do wonder why there's this sudden exodus.
he'd be a big loss for them
doesn't score too many goals but he's still quality. I almost feel sorry for L'Arse, we need a strong Arsenal to keep the scousers in 4th.
Wenger's going to
have to buy reasonably big and get in some experience this summer. If not then he's just going to continue playing catch up with Manchester United and Chelsea...
I can't imagine Wenger buying much experience
He never really does that, as much as I would love him to. It would be nice to get an experienced centre half at least. I get the feeling next season is going to be trophyless again :(
either that or get napy changing practice
maybe there's a job at the emirates for you ht?
He's signing for Forest
as a direct replacement for Kris Commons.
*we wish*
I'm the nappy demon...
the lack of a football thread
causes this fragmenting of footballing discussions over the social board and will get us all into trouble.
ArsenLOL.
It's not on the BBC
so I'm not going to moan yet.
But if it is true, I hope Wenger gets in some replacements otherwise it could really be ArsenLOL next year.
Mantra: Trust Arsene. Repeat.
Arsene knows
Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows Arsene knows ...i hope
slightly off subject,
but a guy at the emirates calls hleb, "EL-EB" all game.
"GOO ON EL-EB"
grr
Serves you right for going to the Emirates in the first place.
:D
Arsenal are in the shit.
Hleb is a special talent, I don't even think Wenger can find anyone to replace him, I'll miss watching him play. :(
Flamini was a huge loss but can be replaced, Hleb will be much more difficult.
All they need is Fabregas to be sold and they're majorly fucked.
On the up side Milan are going to kick arse next season.
Hleb
is good but not that special imo. Same with Flamini
Hleb is special..
..anyone who can't see that needs their head looking at.
well then I need my head looking at
He's a good player to watch, can dribble well and has a good eye for a pass but I don't think he will be a world great by any stretch.
Yup
I'd file him under 'flatters to deceive' or maybe 'little end product'.
Rubbish
You can't judge a player on end product alone, goals and assists aren't the be all and end all.
There are plenty of players who have scored more then Hleb this season, does this necessarily make them better players, no.
So because someone doesn't
score goals, or create them, but who's primary quality seems to be getting involved in the build up to a goal and not giving the ball away, that means they can be considered a world great? Or just a quite tidy footballer?
^
Flamini = 1 good season
Hleb = massively overrated
Fabregas
will be around next season I guess, but if they don't win anything next season then maybe he'll be off back to Spain...
Hleb is my favourite player in the Premiership
and I don't even support Arsenal. If only he could shoot, he'd one of the best in the world. But alas, he's as bad as Gary Neville in that area.
It's a terrible shame if he leaves though. I can't imagine he would do as well in Italy either - Arsenal's counter-attacking-at-speed one-touch football seems custom-made for him.
Lots of hyphens.
he doesn'tr strike me
as a one touch player really
^ this
his ball retention skills would be ideal for italy
He won't get anything like the space he gets with Arsenal
Although conceded, he was Arsenal's best player at Old Trafford when he was playing more central in the Rosicky role and they couldn't get the ball off him in the 1st half.
Seen him live a good few times this season, and he's pretty incredible - especially when Arsenal break and they start their interplay passing lark.
He's as good at one touch as he is with 40 touches.
he tends to dribble a lot
which isn't in keeping with the point made about one touch football
He does both to be honest.
The little triangles Hleb, Adebayor and Fabregas make are made up of intricate one touch football.
true fact
his one touch through balls are as good as his ability to beat 5 players by dribbling.
not enough end product
Doesn't matter..
..as long as you other players who can score goals and make assists.
rubbish point
his end product is not nearly good enough for such a talented player.
Of course it matters if he scores/creates goals - he's an attacking midfielder.
exactly
goals and assists are quite an important part of being an attacking midfielder. 130 games for Arsenal, 11 goals and 14 assists.
His whole game improves Arsenal's performances..
..which gives other players a chance to score/assist.
Hleb's lack of goals/assists would be ok
if he wan't in a midfield with Eboue and Rosicky (and Fabregas goals wise)who have similarly rubbish end product stats
Fabregas has scored a fair few this season.
Rosicky's always injured otherwise he'd contribute more.
I'm pretty sure Rosicky has hamstrings made of paper
wenger didn't sound confident he'd be fit for next season
apparantly hes still feeling pain. Him and Van Persie - what's the point?
I'm not sure
If they were both fit all season I imagine we would have been much closer to the title. The pair of them can't put in a full season together!
he scored a few at the start of the season
got injured for a couple of weeks and then forgot how to do it.
possibly
or his overplaying on the edge of the box can sometimes cost goals
I watched the Shareholders interview with Wenger last night
and I really think he'll leave soon if this team breaks up. He's put a lot into this group of players and you could tell it hurt him a lot that they won't repay him.
Can Rosicky play more now please?
I hate Arsenal but I do love him
He's crippled innit
PUT HIM IN THE HOLE
Bit rude for the football thread!
I like Arsenal and..
<3 Rosicky. I have an irrational love for the Czech Rebublic. Pavel Nedved FTW!
Karel Poborsky?
I love rosicky too
he's a great player
Rosick-note
2/10
Cheers.
Hleb is fucking class
Arsenal won't be the same without him. Can you see Diaby filling that role? I think he's class just behind Adebayor. Can't believe they're gonna let him go.
I can imagine Adebayor being a right cunt
*Adebayor is a right cunt
You met him?
No but you don't have to be a genius to work it out.
Hmmm...
but some of the biggest pricks on the pitch, are the nicest of it. (Robbie Savage)
I've always thought Robbie Savage was nice.
I'm not judging him on the pitch, it's more to do with his seemingly arrogant ways. He argued with his Togo coach a lot and got dropped becasue of it. Him and Bendtner keep fighting amongst themselves, although the Dane has to be a twat also.
If Arsenal don't buy big they won't be able to keep up with Manchester Utd. and Chelsea
Except, oh wait, that's what everyone said at the end of last season. Arsenal did keep up with Chelsea and Man U this season and were only mathematically out of the running last week, therefore meaning they were closer to the top than most second placed teams have been in the last few years. If it hadn't been for a disastrous month or so we would have won the title. The loss of players does mean Arsene needs to buy but this idea that Arsenal are far behind the other title challengers is ludicrous. Two more victories this year and they would have won the league.
Their squad is nowhere near good enough
This is my point
and the fact that they're losing at least 2 important first teamers means they need to be replaced. I don't think Wenger can afford to rely on youngsters to continually fill the gaps when players leave because it's going to leave the squad wafer thin. The reason Arsenal had this bad month was because their squad wasn't big enough...
^This
They need a bigger squad to realistically stand a chance of winning the title, you have to be prepared in case players get tired or injured.
Look at Chelsea, injuries to key players pretty much constantly, through the first half of the season especially and we've managed to keep pace (well catch up actually) with Man Utd and reach the CL final.
We lost first teamers last year
one of which was the centre of the team, and the youngsters were excellent at filling the gaps. True we didn't win anything but there's no doubt that the 07/08 team was more competitive than the 06/07 one.
yeah
because poaching talented youngsters from continental youth academies is far more legitimate than buying "big players".
who said it was more legitimate?
Hmmm.
I think L'Arse will be ok next season without signing anybody, excepting maybe a centre back as senderos, and especially djorou haven't lived up to expectations.
Walcott's starting to get good, Eduardo should be back in November or so, Rosicky might be fit, then we;ve also got Fran Merida, Carlos Vela and Bazarite coming through, alongside the young Jack Wilkshire, Randall and Gibbs (las three all English as well).
I think most Arsenal fans won't be that sad to see Hleb/Flamini go. It gives some of the other young'uns a chance. it's quite clear that Diaby, for example is a class player, but needs to play in centre mid, not the left. Likewise Denilson. We might miss the closing-down that flamini used to do though. He did work v. hard on the pitch, so I hope someone steps into that role, its necessary as it allows Cesc to take a bit more of a creative role.
Saying that I'd be pretty stoked if we signed Ribery or Hatem Ben Arfa.
All of which leads me to believe
that you'll be close but no cigar again. Then what? Adebayor and Fabregas leave and you're back to square one again.
I agree.
Can that be the new phrase to describe Arsenal, close but no cigar.