Planetarion Forums

MrPeach · 7 Jan 2006, 04:04

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...al/4583184.stm

This has made my day.

I had been convinced that he would stay all season until this week where hype of a possible transfer to Barcelona reached a peak.

Now all they need is another striker and a strong central midfielder. Oh and perhaps a defender and a goalkeeper!

eJohn · 7 Jan 2006, 04:09

Not definite. Players have said they are deffo staying or going before, though it is slightly "reassuring".

When you fail to get in the CL though, hes going to walk.

Kurashima · 7 Jan 2006, 13:34

I dont see a contract extension signed yet ......

lokken · 7 Jan 2006, 13:48

Smokescreen before he comes to Fratton with our millions innit.

Nondescript Human · 7 Jan 2006, 13:50

I'm an Arsenal fan, but if I was Henry I'd probably leave. If he ever owed Wenger anything for making his career he's more than paid the debt, plus he's 28 and Arsenal are either in transition or decline so any recovery will come when he's passed the age of 30 and has his best years behind him. I can't see Arsenal doing a massive amount in the next few years, which are all Henry has as a top-class forward, whereas at Barca he could be lifting La Liga titles and probably winning the Champions League. He says he loves it here, but I bet he'd love it more at Barcelona.

Still, I'd obviously rather he stayed.

midge5 · 7 Jan 2006, 14:49

I still think he will leave. He will have some excuse not to sign a new contract so Arsenal will sell him out of fear.

If you can get a lot of money out of Barcelona for him i think it could work out well for you.

All Systems Go · 7 Jan 2006, 15:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by midge5

I still think he will leave. He will have some excuse not to sign a new contract so Arsenal will sell him out of fear.

If you can get a lot of money out of Barcelona for him i think it could work out well for you.

they should sell him to Chelsea.

Chelsea will have the world-class striker they need, Arsenal will get more money for him and Henry won't have to go though all the hassle of moving house.

It's a Win-Win-Win situation.

furball · 7 Jan 2006, 15:31

Since we are intending to win the league again in the next five years, I can't see how this would be anything other than a Lose situation. Sure, we'd have more money, but we wouldn't have Thierry - and finding a replacement would be rather difficult.

The Arsenal directors have said that we have £30m to spend. £20m on Torres, £10m on Zokora and Ledley King on a free. Should be doable.

Kurashima · 7 Jan 2006, 15:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by furball

Since we are intending to win the league again in the next five years, I can't see how this would be anything other than a Lose situation. Sure, we'd have more money, but we wouldn't have Thierry - and finding a replacement would be rather difficult.

The Arsenal directors have said that we have £30m to spend. £20m on Torres, £10m on Zokora and Ledley King on a free. Should be doable.

The fact is , your problems are all in midfield , Fabregas is a few years from being good enough, Van Persie is a striker, not a winger , Ljungberg has been playing like hes in retirement, and Pires doesnt give a toss anymore. And Hleb will take years to adjust.

MrPeach · 7 Jan 2006, 15:38

The amount of money Arsenal would get for selling Henry is negligible as he only has one year left on his contract. Especially considering Arsenal are not a poor club and don't need an extra £15 million pounds or so if it means losing their best player.

As for all of you sceptics Henry is a man of his word and if he has pledged that he will play for Arsenal beyond next season then that is what he will do. Did you actually read the artical?

eJohn · 7 Jan 2006, 15:47

He's french and rich, he'll vavavoom off if he decides its in his best intrests. If you dont get into the champions league, even you must admit he'll feck off

MrPeach · 7 Jan 2006, 16:13

a) He is going to have contract talks sooner rather than later, so will already have a new contract by then.

b) He wishes to walk Arsenal out onto Ashburton Grove (next season).

c) Arsenal are going to get into the Champions League.

eJohn · 7 Jan 2006, 16:34

Apart from Arsenal being a "better club" recently than tottenham and Tottenham being bottle merchants, what makes you so sure?

You're both good up front.

Your midfield is lightweight and suspect. Tottenham have strength and depth.

Your defence is slightly better, but the difference is negligible

Tottenham have a better keeper.

The feel good factor is with Spurs, not arsenal.

furball · 7 Jan 2006, 16:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kurashima

The fact is , your problems are all in midfield , Fabregas is a few years from being good enough, Van Persie is a striker, not a winger , Ljungberg has been playing like hes in retirement, and Pires doesnt give a toss anymore. And Hleb will take years to adjust.

King in a couple of years when his contract actually runs out.

We need a new Viera, and Zokora's the best DM in the French league. Best we can get really, without being damn lucky with some Italians (e.g. De Rossi). Up front, we need someone to play with Henry because that's when he's at his best - he needs a foil. Torres will leave Athletico Madrid eventually, and he can head the ball

so would be an excellent signing.

Pires is actually playing fairly well, but his fitness/stamina isn't what it used to be. Ljungberg is appalling at the moment, anonymous in so many matches. I wouldn't miss him, despite what he used to mean to us. Fabregas would be playing alongside Zokora - and I'd say he's good enough now. Technically he's superior to two-thirds of the midfielders in the Premiership, and the rest can only come with experience. Sitting on the bench won't give that to him. I'd rather he only played 30 matches a season, but circumstances dictate.

Hleb will adjust eventually, given time. Having watched some videos of his time at Stuttgart, I think he will be excellent. Remember that very few players have straight away slotted into the Premiership - just look at Henry, who was comparatively useless in his first season.

Cannon_Fodder · 7 Jan 2006, 19:57

Where was this 'We are getting King talk' come from?

Likewise with 'Zokora'

furball · 7 Jan 2006, 20:36

They've been circling for a while now. The Ledley King one may be partly a joke due to Sol's move, but he will be moving if Spurs don't start winning major trophies and giving him CL football. Arsenal need a new centre-back. It's a match made in an Arsenal fan's heaven.

As for Didier Zokora, see here. Wenger's denied that we're after him (to deter Chelsea, me thinks) - and this article makes me think it may well happen.

Cannon_Fodder · 7 Jan 2006, 21:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by furball

They've been circling for a while now. The Ledley King one may be partly a joke due to Sol's move, but he will be moving if Spurs don't start winning major trophies and giving him CL football. Arsenal need a new centre-back. It's a match made in an Arsenal fan's heaven.

Isn't he better as a defensive midfielder?

MrL_JaKiri · 7 Jan 2006, 21:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by sniborp

Isn't he better as a defensive midfielder?

Not really, no.

G.K Zhukov · 7 Jan 2006, 23:21

Didier Zokora comes from the Ivory Coast. Since Arsenal have two Ivory Coast internationals already (Toure, Eboure) and another possible coming soon (Marco Ne), that could be one reason for him wanting to join Arsenal instead of another club.
He also seems to have been playing at Arsenal's belgian farm club, Beveren.

He isnt particulary tall though, just 1.79m, with a weight of 72kg. At 25 years he should be in his prime.

Arsenal desperatly need some mitfielders. Seems Bentley will be sold off, Ljungberg is crap and Pires is on-off. Flamini seems like a descent squadplayer (reminds me a bit of Parlour). Hleb have not settled, and Gilberto isnt showing his best atm. Fabregas is to young yet to be trusted to command games on his own.

It will take a few years before the new crop will be ready to be trusted to take responsibility and to play on a stable level. Djorou (18) and Gilbert (18) started today, and Quincy (19) and Larsson (20) got some minutes as well, but it will take some time.

Blastoderm · 8 Jan 2006, 02:11

Henry is a man of his words.

But he won't be of he doesn't win the CL after the first season at Ashburton Grove. He'll move by then.

Androme · 8 Jan 2006, 02:21

What's wrong with Justin Hoyte? In the reserve matches I've seen, he's done well. He's played first team football once and faired well - Charity Shield iirc. although it might have been another match. He is young but he will he reminds me of Tony Adams. But I haven't seen/heard anything about him in relation to Arsenal?!

Gael Clichy performed well at first... heh.

Henry will go just like Anelka did, despite achieving so much, it's the way with Wenger. He makes players realise their potential, reach it and then lets them go. Will be a sad sight to see Henry go but there will be someone to fill his position the season after he leaves guaranteed.

Zokora is good. I just doubt him playing in the Arsenal squad because it needs to be fixed.

Any thoughts on a new keeper? I haven't heard anything at all in that aspect.

Blastoderm · 8 Jan 2006, 02:31

I still think Flavio Roma and Sebastian Frey as good choices....

G.K Zhukov · 8 Jan 2006, 02:31

Hoyte is loaned out to Sunderland and has played for them regularly since he was loaned out.

Clichy is a real prospect, but it will be months before he is over that injury he picked up.

furball · 8 Jan 2006, 03:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Androme2

Any thoughts on a new keeper? I haven't heard anything at all in that aspect.

Lehmann is fairly strong right now, one of the better keepers in the Premiership. Dropping him in favour of Almunia last season gave him a decent kick up the arse, and it's done wonders for us. He commands the defence excellently, and that's why he's lower down in the saves/shots ratios than he should be - if they get past Campbell/Toure, then they're well on the way to getting past him too.

We'll need to replace him in a couple of years I expect, and it'll be a totally different ball game regarding the hot/not keepers. Frey is the big unsigned name at the moment (i.e. at a smaller club than he belongs). I doubt that'll be the same in 2008.

Androme · 8 Jan 2006, 16:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by G.K Zhukov

Hoyte is loaned out to Sunderland and has played for them regularly since he was loaned out.

Clichy is a real prospect, but it will be months before he is over that injury he picked up.

The first match I saw him play in - or one of his first, he performed really strongly and was able to keep players from passing him (in the absence of Ashley Cole LB). However, about 2-3 months after, the performance I saw from him with Ashley Cole back in LB was poor.

Blastoderm · 9 Jan 2006, 02:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by furball

Frey is the big unsigned name at the moment (i.e. at a smaller club than he belongs). I doubt that'll be the same in 2008.

I wonder whatever happened to him....

furball · 9 Jan 2006, 02:42

??
He's at Fiorentina at the moment, on loan from Parma. Still going strong in the goalkeeping department., but we're getting linked with Isaksson more often these days.

G.K Zhukov · 9 Jan 2006, 02:46

his name is Andreas Isaksson, and he plays for Rennes atm.

Blastoderm · 9 Jan 2006, 02:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by furball

??
He's at Fiorentina at the moment, on loan from Parma. Still going strong in the goalkeeping department.

I never kept up with him that's why.

Thanks.

furball · 9 Jan 2006, 02:50

Since over here we focus mainly on domestic football, you've probably seen far more of him than I have. What's he like?

Blastoderm · 9 Jan 2006, 03:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by furball

Since over here we focus mainly on domestic football, you've probably seen far more of him than I have. What's he like?

During his time at Parma, he reminds me a bit of Paul Robinson.

furball · 9 Jan 2006, 03:11

Oops, that was to Zhukov re: Isaksson.

As for Frey - sounds good. He's been consistently highly rated for the last few seasons.

Androme · 9 Jan 2006, 04:45

Yeah, just needs to make a move!