The international break sprang into life last night with the first round of matches in this double-header. England took the attention – here at least – with an amble in Moldova with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain putting in a bright performance with sharp passing and movement, exemplified in his contribution to Defoe’s goal. England were not tested particularly so it is difficult to judge his progress for the national team and a fair few will not care either, beyond him coming home uninjured.
Theo Walcott found his inability to convince Arsène that he merits a place in the Arsenal starting line-up, has international implications. Mind you, he found in the summer that having a place in the Arsenal starting XI is no guarantee of a place in the England team whilst Oxlade-Chamberlain happens to be able to cover a number of positions across the middle, versatility helping to progress his cause. Perhaps that is food for thought for the older of the Arsenal duo, working on distribution with his left might help his desire to play centrally as well. The successful strikers in the modern game are rarely one-footed, most show that their weaker foot is not as demonstrably different from the favoured shooting boot.
Another player with contract thoughts on his mind appears to have provoked a reaction from the manager. Bacary Sagna’s negotiating stance has pricked Arsène into redefining the summer’s transfer activity. Mindful that the French defender was concerned about the lack of communication over the sale of Alex Song – maybe Bacary was in rehab when that squad conversation took place, no, no, no – Wenger was at pains to point out that Nicklas Bendtner has not been sold, simply loaned to Juventus,
He can do well in Italy. He’s a top player for me, but he’s had difficulties here. You can’t doubt the player’s value though. We believe in him and that is why we only gave him to Juventus on loan. I think he can resolve his problems with us and prove himself. We believe in him.
At one point this summer, it seemed that it was going to be easier to loan the Dane to Weightwatchers for an advertising campaign than move him on to another club. Bendtner was widely viewed as the least bad of the striking options in support of Podolski and Giroud. Arguably, he is too similar to the Frenchman to have a long-term future, presuming that Giroud finds his shooting boots; has Bendtner hidden them behind the lockers at London Colney in a last act of defiance?
The Dane’s ego is often derided but it overlooks that he does have ability, a point the manager understandably laboured. Coming through the ranks with Arturo Lupoli, Bendtner and he were great hopes of a promising future. The last I heard of the Italian he was in the depths of Serie B, which just goes to highlight how promising careers at youth level do not always materialise. That perspective underlines Bendtner’s commitment to himself and technical merits; he just has to concentrate on manifesting that consistently on the pitch.
Of course Arsène rarely criticises a player publicly and is not about to undermine a potential sale next summer by claiming that the Dane is a useless lump but a successful season may yet see the deadwood fight back. Elsewhere, Abou Diaby fired home a cracking finish for France against Finland and a few others were scattered around Europe. As of yet, no reports of injury so we’ll take that as a positive.
Diaby’s performance at Anfield is being rightly praised but it needs to be tempered with a nervousness about his injury record. Criticism of a rehabilitation coach does not invalidate the work of the Arsenal medical staff; after all, they act on the diagnosis they are given by specialists and those medical professionals are not infallible. The point is that it is easy to criticise – almost fashionable – employees of the club and presume that everyone else is right. That is not always the case.
When we are halfway through the season with Diaby performing at a consistently high level, then I think it is the time to become more confident that he is on the road to realising his massive potential. Certainly I do not believe you can question his mental attitude and it was nice for once, to read a player underlining his gratitude to the club for standing by him whilst injury has riven a career, rather than bleating about wanting the club to take a new direction and demanding a substantial pay rise. Perhaps some should take more note of Diaby.
’til Tomorrow.
The big RVP merchandise throw away day
The man has obviously no respect for us so why should we have any for him.No gooner surely still wears his shirt or drinks from his cup or wears his scarf or waves his flag or whatever you bought to support his one great year for us,so why not on that fatefull day he returns to our club playing against us dont you just throw it onto the pitch before the Kick off so he actually realises how he has left us feeling.AFC has to know how this unbelievable event has affected the fans.This transfer cant just be brushed under the carpet…….can it.
Bobby Gee – You should not rely on Yogi Berea as a source of wisdom for when he found out that Dublin had a Jewish Lord Mayor, he replied “Only in America!!”. Nuff said
You kind of forget how good Diaby is. I just watched a few YouTube video’s of him after reading this post and its a quick reminder of how feckin’ good a player he really can be. If he can keep fit, its not a case of will he be immense again – because he will be, its how long can he keep injury free.
If he can have a season like Robin (free of injury) , he’ll be the midfielder we’ve all been wanting for a long time, and a candidate for the Arsenal player of the season, I can feel it.
Nice one, YW, and full of chuckles. Re: Abou Diaby, it isn’t only the injuries to watch for. Even when he had a run of games he was inconsistent, with a brilliant and dominant performance one game and then a couple of non-descript performances. It is difficult to achieve that consistency as we know for younger players. AD has to contend with the fact as well that injuries have prevented him from playing all that much in his youth to learn how to produce consistent performances. If he stays healthy, though, he seems very determined and will certainly be focused on achieving his potential. But in microcosm, he’s had two okay games and one excellent one. Hopefully the pattern will become of an even higher consistent standard this season.
Thank you Yogi. Your excellent work helps tide me through this interlull. Can it kindly fuck off now, I am in serious Arsenal-withdrawal.
Bill, if Sagna does manage to return well from this second break, it won’t be very good business to sell him and replace with Jenks etc… Those are very young players who will benefit more from training and playing with Sagna for a couple more years. For Arsenal, it would be great business to hold onto an excellent RB who plays our style and could be part of a winning team this year or next year.
It is time to start shifting the discourse on business from itemizing and isolating transfer and wage values to a broader model that incorporates the value of prize money/tv benefits, global exposure, commercial revenue, enhanced image rights value and so on into our calculations of whether something is “good business” or not.
How about this – if Diaby manages to start more than 30 games this season we could be well be in contention come May?
I would point out that players who develop in a winning team or are major players for a winning side have their transfer values enhanced too. The younger players will likely develop better in a side with experienced players and leaders, one of whom is Bacary Sagna. Let’s remember that his powerful header v. Tottenham when we were behind by two goals turned our season around. That’s what you get with leaders and experienced quality.
If he isn’t fit and his performance drops off this coming season, then its fine and a good idea to seek alternatives (which might be cheaper but needn’t necessarily be).
The interlull, Gosh!!A week away to our next game!
It is good to hear our players did well on international duty and that so far all are in one piece. Here is to hoping they all come back safe.
Lukas that is an absurd story.
the black zidane strikes again
Great assist from Gervinho!
Ox highlights from Moldova game. Sorry ’bout the müzik.
http://www.101greatgoals.com/gvideos/individual-highlights-alex-oxlade-chamberlain-england-v-moldova/
I wouldn’t bet on Diaby not moving out. If there is one thing I’ve learnt from the RVP saga…it is to be cynical about player loyalty. Didn’t Diaby mention last year that he would love to play for Barcelona?
Gervinho scores great goal.
Haha…while looking for gervinho on google the third on the list of recommendations is “Gervinho forehead jokes”
*third item
‘Gervinho earns a penalty. Looks he’s heading for MOTM
no pun intended
Fin thanks for the updates,
Peacefrog that is hilarious.
Limestone @ 5:42 and 5:47.
“Bill, if Sagna does manage to return well from this second break, it won’t be very good business to sell him and replace with Jenks etc… Those are very young players who will benefit more from training and playing with Sagna for a couple more years. For Arsenal, it would be great business to hold onto an excellent RB who plays our style and could be part of a winning team this year or next year.
“It is time to start shifting the discourse on business from itemizing and isolating transfer and wage values to a broader model that incorporates the value of prize money/tv benefits, global exposure, commercial revenue, enhanced image rights value and so on into our calculations of whether something is “good business” or not.”I would point out that players who develop in a winning team or are major players for a winning side have their transfer values enhanced too. The younger players will likely develop better in a side with experienced players and leaders, one of whom is Bacary Sagna. Let’s remember that his powerful header v. Tottenham when we were behind by two goals turned our season around. That’s what you get with leaders and experienced quality.
If he isn’t fit and his performance drops off this coming season, then its fine and a good idea to seek alternatives (which might be cheaper but needn’t necessarily be).”
Virtual cyberspace 5 minute standing ovation for both of those posts.
As always, you say what I want to say in the way I wish I could say it. If that makes any sense.
Ivory Coast – Senegal FT 4-2. Amazing game. Gervinho got an assist, scored off the cross bar, earned a penalty and didn’t get injured.
http://www.101greatgoals.com/gvideos/gervinho-goal-assist-yaya-toure-v-senegal/
Oh how the fuckers have recanted lol, i’ve never known Diaby to be so popular.
I had to throw my van Persie mug away a long time ago – unfortunate incident with an enormous spider in the middle of the night, at least the size of a large orange, and RVP mug was the nearest thing to hand to capture it with.
Managed to get unfeasibly large beast, with legs intact – very tricky manoeuvre that, trying not to squish the bloody thing’s toes = out of the flat inside the mug, and liberated it on the stairwell, but decided couldn’t face drinking out of it any more, and chucked it straight in the bin.
Still have two Cesc mugs, though, not letting either of those go.
I’ll applaud Cesc when he comes back (love him, frankly), but for RVP, will maintain a dignified, if extremely huffy, silence.
Yeah right Clerkenwell, VP would. Come out with some line like “It just wassn’t the same at another club” and you’d be swooning!
But yeah I would welcome Cesc back any day.
“I’ll applaud Cesc when he comes back” confident stance there CG.
I’m in the same camp.
As for RVP:
Nope.
Never. Never. Never.
Clerkenwell Gooner, Markus, Jonny..
Am hoping for a Cesc return too, but don’t you think he’d face the same problem like he is at Barca now knowing that we have Santi, Diaby (injury free), Arteta. Where would he fit in?
Said the same thing recently. I am not hoping for his return but I am not in the ‘jilted lover’ camp either.
He’d be a good option from the bench.
Oh! I said the wrong thing there, should have been,’ I wouldn’t mind a Cesc return…’ Rather than ‘hoping’ for it.
True though, he’ll enhance the quality of the bench.
Any Chicagoans in the vicinity? Where’s the best pub in this city to watch Diaby v Southampton on Wednesday (and Giroud score, naturally)?
ZP, over at 7amkickoff, Arsechicago might be able to guide you. My favorite neighborhood is still Hyde Park, but no soccer pubs in the neighborhood back in the days I lived there.
Hi Limestone. I’m around Edgewater, up north I’m told.
RVP, RIP.
Some great posts and then some pure bullcrap from the resident WUMS
great job GERVINHO. bring it back with you son. ARSENAL NEED THAT FIREWORKS
don’t think back to the players gone.
DIVORCE US. FINAL
no matter how good the sex was
MOVE ON WITH YOUR LIFE.
ARSENALS HAS……
UP THE GUNS. OF ARSENAL!!!!
LONG LIVE THE AWAY FANS AND THE TRUE SUPPORT!!!!
IN ARSENAL I. HAVE TRUST
Interesting to see the excitement generated by the international break – Twitter buzzing, ACLF requiring queues to get on and post!
Probably a reaction to an unwelcome but surprisingly intensive, never ending transfer window followed by the excitement of the first three games. Feels like everyone is getting their breath back.
Main interest in the internationals these days is in seeing how our players – and the key ones if our main opponents perform.
Of them all, the one I’m most pleased for is Diaby. The two France games will, for once, work in our favour as he gets yet more game time and confirms his growing reputation on the world stage.
He, in combination with Arteta and Santi, fill all of us with confidence and hope in equal measure.
That there is a half-hearted debate being conducted around various Cesc-based hypotheses tells us as much about our current midfield as it does the want away who has ended up a sorry slave to his DNA.
Gonnerkam – the caps, the CAPS!!!
Looking at our starting midfield, I can’t see Jack get into first team unless there’s an injury. We can’t bench Arteta, he’s the heart of the team, Cazorla must play, and Diaby is one of the best center mids in the Premier League when he’s truly at his best.
Here’s something for the geeman from one of his heroes. The treaty of Triopoli was submitted to the Senate by President John Adams, receiving ratification unanimously from the U.S. Senate on June 7, 1797 and signed by Adams, taking effect as the law of the land on June 10, 1797:
“As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion,—as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility, of Mussulmen [Muslims],—and as the said States never entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mahometan [Muslim] nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.
ShahiGooner
September 9, 2012 at 9:22 am
Looking at our starting midfield, I can’t see Jack get into first team unless there’s an injury. We can’t bench Arteta, he’s the heart of the team, Cazorla must play, and Diaby is one of the best center mids in the Premier League when he’s truly at his best.
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It’s worth being cautious with Diaby – making him play 45 games in his first season back could be unwise. The great thing about the current position with our midfielders is that we can afford heavy rotation without any effect on the quality of player we’re fielding, obviously Wilshere will need time to bed back in – we’ve seen Ramsey have his own struggles after injury and Jack has been away for so long, but easing him back in with some sub appearances and League Cup games we’ll hopefully see him start to establish a foothold in the first team by the back end of the season and then Wenger will have the luxury of having to decide on which brilliant player to leave on the bench.
http://www.aclfarsenal.co.uk/?p=9464
Today has officially started