I am usually largely underwhelmed by the fixtures being released, I must say, as the initial excitement lasts – ooh – about a second. But coming off the back of two weeks of near nothingness – Robin van Persie’s incarceration and Ashley Cole’s engagement notwithstanding – this year it was a blessed tonic.
And haven’t we got a big old start, with Newcastle, Chelski and Liverpool being three of the first four fixtures. And our last competitive fixture, after 93 years at Highbury will be against Wigan. I don’t suppose it really matters who we play last – we’ll all be in floods of tears anyway, tearing our hair out and throwing flowers onto the pitch, or something like that, perhaps. But it would be nice to sign off with a win, and with all due respect, we have a good chance of getting that against Wigan.
If we were to reach the FA Cup semi-final – and we’ve done so for the last five seasons – there’s a chance, I suppose, of the penultimate fixture, against the Totteringhams, being postponed, which might – and there are several ifs on the table here already – mean us playing them last instead. I’m not sure I like the idea of that.
What I do like the idea of is signing loads of really good players this summer.
Current fave rumours include us sniffing around a brace of wingers – some say Wright-Phillips, some Hleb, while some say Pires is leaving, some Freddie might; some say something else and others something different.
The point is, nothing’s happened.
Thunderstorms today. That’s news.
I think starting against Newcastle is going to be harder than people think, now they have Parker & Emre signing somepoint soon, aswell as a few others & all of them eager to impress on their debut I can see it being a very difficult match. Hopefully though we will still be too strong for them.
I am disappointed the Liverpool match has had to be moved, playing them 24 hours after they have played in the super cup would have been good for us especially at anfield & its good to get a tough match like that out of the way early season.
Bongo et al- good morning to everyone!
We seem to be granted permission to talk to Hleb. It looks like he will be on board by the weekend.
Playing the Barcodes- will be a cracking fixture to start with. A great atmosphere. Our extra fitness and team continuity will pay off nicely in that game. Hleby to score the winner?
As for the Liverpool game being cancelled- look at a blessing in disguise- we can have a little breather- in a hectic August.!
I am pleased Wigan Athletic will be our last guests. Who would have predicted that? And it is beacuse of things like that is why we love the game.
Bongo et al (Whose face resembles the color of the new kit!- do not forget to apply sun-screen)
Liverpool will be knackered anyway. They will have played about 17 matches by then. The best news about getting The Russian Globetrrotters early is that Wenger has to make any new signings quickly, to get them integrated and up to speed in time for that match.
I wish they’d just sign SWP, now. Get it over and done with and get him into the team for the full pre-season schedule.
p.s. Wigan won’t be the last game at Highbury. I know from the inside that they are currently deciding whether it will be Bergie’s testie or if they will add another ‘special’ game. But they are more focussed on some interesting wind-up matches at Ashburton Grove. I can say no more …
Depending on what happens with RVP we could be short of strikers for the Newcastle game. RVP could still be in prison & even if he isn’t will he be mentally or physically ready to play, reyes is suspended due to the cup final, so I guess its back to Henry & Bergkamp to lead the line. As fantastic as Bergkamp has been I really did not want him to be first choice this season as against top opposition he really does not perform now.
I think the new season looks good. We tend to start brightly. So it is good that we meet Chelsea, Liverpool and Newcastle in August. Surprisingly we get to meet Chelsea a second time in Premier League in Dec, before any matches with Manu (Jan and Apr 06). Another news is that during the busy months (Dec 05 and Jan 06, when there is high numbers of games being played), there is Champions League matchday 6, followed by Newcastle and Chelsea. It would be fairly taxing to start the busy period, especially if we leave it until CL matchday 6 to confirm our qualification into 2nd round.
To geoff – Obviously the prozac aint working.!
Try suicide bridge.!
Stop taking the piss!
Bongo et al
Bongo, I thought your face would have been red because of your pathetic opening day predictions not because of the sun, although the sun does seem to have had some effect on your brain.
My opinions are just as valid as yours, I like Bergkamp I think he has been a terrific player & against teams like Everton etc who dont have the best players he is excellent still, against better teams he can no longer get the space or time he needs & is therefore ineffective. I am glad he got a new contract as he can certainly help the young players who all look up to him, but I personally do not want him as first choice.
You must be a real moron if all you can do is insult someone just because their opinion is not the same as yours.
Now now boys…..I trust your remarks are all made in jest…..after all, we are all gooners together aren’t we with one aim this season….to bid farewell to THOF in a blaze of unrivalled glory!!!
Come on you REDCURRANTS
I aploligize -if Jeffrey apoligises.
Sorry!
Bongo et al
Oh for Tottenhams problems. Chelski have felt up Arneson and tottenhan could be offered Robert Huth, Glen Johnson and Carlton Cole as compensation. Why didn’t we get offered them. Just the back up players we need.
Bongo when I post my comments, which you obviously dont agree with (thats fair enough), why dont you just come back with your opinion about what I said rather than throwing insults. After all us gooners will always have different opinions on players we want at the club & the tactics wenger uses, but this is where vince is right, we all have a common goal that is having unrivalled glory & getting back our title & hopefully becoming Euro champs for the 1st time in our history. I apologise for insulting you, I only come on these sites to get fellow gooners opinions not to get in rows.
Sky sports are saying we are sighning an African lad.
Looks a a typical wenger player.
Fast and athletic. drogbaesque?
bongo et al
Do you think wenger will sign anymore african players this year what with the african cup of nations mid season??
Talking of which do u think wenger will sign any new defenders if we are going to lose Toure for a month or so?? Also does anyone know if cygan’s contract is up as I thought they said last year he only had one season remaining??
bongo et al
I love your colourful expressions, Newcastle = Barcode, drogbaesque = fast, athletic (and some pathetic misses in front of goal?). Hahaha!
Also, the Jack ‘obbs deal looks to be off….shame.
The African player, Emmanuel something is at Monaco at the moment, his record is 9 goals in 34 games….very drogbaesque!! I think we can do better than that can’t we, it’s not going to set the league alight is it. That’s what I think we need, a real star to get us all going.
Bongo/Geoff, glad you’ve made up and keep the opinions coming. I like hearing all these comments, unlike some other gooner sites, this one does seem to only talk about football matters which is good, but a little bit of spice thrown in is good as well, just to lighten things up.
I dont usually relay gossip I hear, but seen as I have been quite negative over the past few days about arsenal signing players I thought I would this time. A friend who works in the media has just heard from the arsenal pr team that a press conference is to be called for next thursday/friday where two players will be unveiled.
Take that for what its worth.
Whoa Geoff, forget Cygan (he is Arsenal for life). Cannot see anyon else being signed because Senderos, Cygan can fill the gap. Indeed it just might be the case that Toure was on the bench anyway with Senderos and Campbell as the preferred pair. Not my preferred pair mind you.
I personally think if we had Drogba -we would win the Champions League.!
The bloke is a nightmare to play against.!
I saw him warm up last season against Campbell- on the touchline@thof AND he made Campbell look like lUIS bOA mORTE!
With the way Chelsea play – it is my humble opinion that he (Drogba) is the best CENTRE HALF
Oh God, why can’t we just stop scrimping, get out buy Owen and SWP and get back to winning the League and the Champions League. We are missing opportunities the longer we pfaff about. These players will pay for themselves. Let’s grow up and act like the big team we are supposed to be. OK, we don’t have to buy everyone like Russia and ManUtd, but just this once the solution is screamingly obvious. Surely we have the cash to do it?
As always, trust in Sir Arsene. He knows what he’s doing. The only reason we didn’t beat the bank of russia last year was because of unforseen injuries, and we still came pretty close after our abysmal mid-season. This year, AW knows what he wants, and he’ll get it. There will be no more defensive cracks. As for SWP…. maybe not this year, but he will be a gooner, mark my words
Drogba? The guys good at having long balls hit at him – thats all. As you may have noticed Bongo – we don’t do the long ball thing!
I work in an office full of Chavski scum and I can tell you that not one of them is impressed by Drogba.
Personally, I could think of much better ways of 24.5 million quid. Like avoiding getting chucked back in front of the Premier League for being arrogant filth.
BTW Anti – It’s anyone. Not ‘anyon’.
Giving you a dose of your own medicine!!!
Memo to Simon.
Do not talk to people affiliated with Chelsea Limited/ village!
They are not a football team -they are The Patriotic Russain’s toy.
Like most fads with toys- they end up out of favour, damaged and invariably in A Car Boot Sale.
We should do our own thing.! The Arsenal Way.
We have Wenger. We have Class and We have honour.
And long may it reign.
Bongo et al
erm – nice one bongo.
Drogba is a really good player. I think he just hasn’t had the confidence to deal with the pressure of being a 24 mil. Chelski signing, affecting his finishing which was piss poor last year but pretty damn good the two years before with Marseille and Guingamp in the French League. As a gooner I hope he never gets it together, because he has all the attributes to be really great.
I concur with the above, (goonermtl)
UnfortunatelyI have a feeling we will see the best of DD this year.
Hopefully, the chap we are being linked with today. Will give us the raw physical edge we need up front- to give us Plan B.
Wenger apparently(THe Beeb) has stated that The Hleb deal is a done deal.
And HLeb is a crosser supreme. So we are changing tact slightly this year.
bongo et al
Bongo – you’re on form today.
Hleb eh – nearly here?
Rotor goat ( what sort of name is that?)
I do have my monents! Because of the Hleb signing ……………
Alas, No swp THIS YEAR. The Alsatian obviously wants him for the opening game next season in Emirates Stadium.
I do think we will lose a high profile player shortly.
My guess: Freddie. Freddie to Juve?
Bongo et al
Bongo, this time you might be right.
SWP looks like he’s SW6 bound – a move he’ll regret after getting only 20 games in the 1st year. If that happens expect Hleb or Owen to be wrapped up very quickly. Freddie or Bob to leave, but I hope neither.
Spurz as last game at THOF thrashing them in party style – having already won the league at OT again.
I must say I think its a really poor show if SWP does go ahead & sign for Chelsea. Ian Wright was one of my all time favourite players but having seen that article he did in the sun a couple of months ago about how the only club to play for now is chelsea I lost all respect for him. He proclaims to be arsenal through & through yet that article shows he is just a money grabber who would jump ship at the first opportunity.
I always believed that if arsenal had shown real interest in signing SWP he would have come, I now realise how misguided that faith was. SWP with the advice of his dad has decided that money is more important than playing. After all when all the Chelski players are fit Duff & Robben will be first choice & SWP will be on the bench. Bang goes his chance of making the world cup squad & if chelsea reach a big final like the champions league or FA cup does SWP really think he will be playing above the other two……I think not.
Maybe at the price man city wanted arsenal would not have been able to afford him, but I still expected more of a player who seemed like he had a genuine love of the game & is not just in it for the money. Had he gone man utd or newcastle that would have been fair enough. I would not have liked it but would of respected his decision, but going to chelski is just selling out. I also genuinely believe the only reason they are signing him is to block arsenal from having him cos they are scared of us.
If SWP signs for chavski so what its his judgement that comes into question who cares if he sits on the bench lets be honest players only go there for the money before the Ivan bought them they were nomarks and will be again when he leaves then we will see the rats jump the sinking ship i look forward to that day,just care for our great club and bugger the rest,things will be hunky dory by the start of the season.
Re: SWP.
It is hardly SWP fault that Man City are tacitly trying to flog him to the highest bidder- naturally Chelsea.
And he would not be the only person ever, to accept the gargantuan wage hike he is about to be offered. We should not be too hard on him!
As for sitting on the bench for most of the season – YOU WILL BE SUPRISED!
We might not like it- but HE will be a success for them and be a regular.
This transfer- albeit- is A CRYING SHAME!
I am afraid money has finally polluted the BEAUTIFUL GAME- forever!
BONgo et al
SWP won’t sit on the bench at any team in the world – he’s that good.
Am I the only one who thinks that maybe it’s time that premiership teams have a salary cap imposed on them like they have in American sports? Otherwise teams funded by criminal billionaires will buy up all the best players.
On a completely different note, I saw the redcurrant shirt in a shop yesterday (long after everyone else, I know) and I think it’s hideous! Maybe it’ll grow on me, but it hasn’t yet.
maybe your right but i dont think his dad helped matters by saying chavski was the only place to go maybe we wont pay man city’s ludicrous tranfer fee where stupid chavski will pay almost anything if i am being hard on SWP its just the way i feel the filthy lucre as corrupted this as you say the beautiful game still if we get some good players in who perform i for one will be happy for that and SWP will be a distant memory
The whole Chelsea episode leaves a very poisonous taste in the mouth.
They have just paid Hush-money to spurs to keep quiet over poaching Arnesson, iILLEGALLY.
The signing of SWP’s is sheer indulgence.
They have just given away Veron. Another Indulgence signing!
They are paying SWP such an outrageous salary- that will eventually effect the whole salary system. especially for England Players.
Enough is Enough- action is required!
BOngo et al
Salary cap would be a great idea i think it would be like turkey’s voting for xmas the clubs might go for it the players no chance would we be crowing about SWP so much if his dad was not ian wright as for the new shirt did not like it at first but it is slowly growing on me i hope they dont keep it on after this season though,any body seen new away kit yet?
Bongo your right what you say but calm down they are crass arrogant and they are stinking the place out its a sorry day when Ivan showed up with dough.
I think all football fans should PROTEST -by REFUSING to attend matches when Chelsea Limited visit their ground.
They are ARTIFICIAL -and we should make it REALLY ARTIFICIAL.
Its not Chelsea I dislike -Its the oliarchs!
Bongo et al
good idea fans should not go to Stamford bridge either
Its the arrogance from Chelski, just because everyone hates them it must be jealousy cos they have more money………rubbish. Man utd were a lot richer than us until Glazer but I am not jealous of them, Liverpool have had more success over the years than us but I am not jealous of them. I hate chelsea cos they are ruining football, no club can compete with chelsea, in a one off match someone can beat them but over the course of 38 games no team can compete. They are no longer buying players they want for their team they are buying to stop other clubs getting them. If chelski win the title for the next five years then & only then will they look to bring in a wage cap to stop them. Nothing they win or do is an achievement its all bought with dirty money…….how proud their fans must be no matter what they say.
if a russian dodgepot turned up with loads of wonger i would not want him no matter how much he offered,to be tied to the same brush as chavski would cause me to give up on football they suck and are buying players for the sake of it. Its to show the others they can buy who they like,but money does not buy class integrity or manners or away to conduct themselves in buisness it show,disrespect and a spiv like manner it fits well with chavski
If we had the misfortune to be taken over by a faceless Russain- and we lost our Hill- Wood heritage.
There would be no more Bongo Et al!
Its ironic- we are the lucky ones- we still have a CLUB still worth supporting!
bONGO ET AL
If anyone can read german could they translate what Hleb says on his website??? http://www.aliaksandr-hleb.de/
I have no idea but he is certainly talking about arsenal.
Geoff all he is really saying is that he is aware of Aresnal’s interest but it is up to the two the to teams to come to an agreement and then he will decide,he goes on to say he as a contract until 2008,but he goes on to say it would be a challenge to play in England
Hleby to score the winner in the opening game.
It seems that there is something concrete in the Toulouse African lad -pure wenger!
Best news recently- Alliardere has agreed a new contract.
He will score 12-15 goals for us this season
bongo et al
yeah i am glad jerry is staying i hope his run of bad injuries are over it looks tall african lad might be next target especially as he is tall looks like Owen wont be with us as he is on the short side.
My error- the name of a Future Arsenal Legend is Emmanuel Adebayor.
He plays for Monaco- not Toulouse.
We should not be so blase!
Adebayor to score the winner against Chelsea Limited second game up!
Bongo et al
Emmanuel Adebayor is a good player. And since he’s Togolese he’s unlikely to be away on international duty much. (Although it looks like Togo might qualify for next year’s World Cup instead of Senegal). Are we being linked with him?
we got hleb… we got hleb… i am sure he is good.