No real way to preface this other than to say this is a post with a little bit of team news about Arsenal, and if you don't like Arsenal than don't read.
- Robin Van Persie won't be available against Man U next week. Thankfully though, Almunia, Djourou and Adebayor are fit. I'd expect Wenger to rotate a number of players against Middlesbrough on Sunday, meaning that Ade and maybe Djourou will be on the bench. Just a hunch. [Sky Sports]
- Wenger has confirmed that Gallas and Rosicky "will definitely miss the rest of the season." So that'll make nearly two years that Rosicky has been out, and I doubt anyone would be willing to wager that he's ever going to play again. [Arsenal.com]
- Arsenal's youth team is full of homegrown talent. Take that, Platini! [Guardian]
- An interview with Mathieu Flamini: "Flamini reportedly felt it would cost the Gunners £20 million to sign a genuine replacement, so he wanted that sum spread over a new five-year contract at £75,000 a week." That's simply not how it works, because if Arsenal break their wage structure to pay Flamini than every other player wants a raise too. My take is that Flamini made a huge mistake leaving Arsenal, and Wenger absolutely did the right thing not paying him. You'll see that if Cesc, Ade and Van Persie stick around. They'll look at how Flamini and Hleb left and are now riding the bench and realize they're better off making a little bit less money but being a big part of a team that's on the rise. And if not, than who needs them. [BBC]
- Lastly, Fabregas says that the team needs to do a better job defending. And that, folks, is why he was made the captain.... captain obvious! [Telegraph]
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Your Arsenal Team News Update
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4 comments:
The news about Flamini and Hleb only solidifies what I've always thought: players, no matter the league or sport, will pull an Erick Dampier. They'll bust their ass in a contract year, demand a higher wage, but then revert to their prior, average self.
This is confirmed in my FM career; nary a day passes in the 09-10 season where the newsflash "Flaminin/Hleb desperate for first-team football" appears. Fuck them.
i didn't give a shit hleb left (he would never shoot, just dribble into the box look at the goal then pass it somewhere else) and was kinda happy b/c i thought arsene would use vela on the left the way the mexican nat'l team does (that hasnt happened either b/c nasri and arshavin shit on vela) but losing flamini was terrible. however, now that 7 months have gone by and i dont feel either way about it anymore. its actually funny he took more money to NOT play champions league football and to NOT start in the holding midfield role he excelled at last season.
Hleb banged in a whopping 11 goals in his 130 appearances for the club. Eleven. Couple that with his massive 14 assists....I don't know how we've managed to move on with out him.
Arshavin has six in eight with another 7 assists. Broken out over 130 games, that's 97 goals and 114 assists. I'd take half that output very happily - he'll probably eclipse Hleb's career in half a season
Hleb? I almost don't even remember that guy already. And I too celebrate when Flamini is not in the line-up at Milan, but we miss him.
Cesc isn't the same offensive threat without him. Last season Fabregas was a goal scoring machine when he and Flamini were on the pitch together. Now, less so. Yes, he was hurt and yes his role is slightly different, but he has disappeared for longer stretches this year than I can remember in the two previous seasons.
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