Where do you go when you want to sign a new midfield? Highbury, apparently. There are several stories this morning suggesting that Juve are in town to pursue not one, but two of our esteemed French midfielders, Patrick Vieira and Robert Pires.
I must say, we’ve not had a proper Vieira rumour all summer, so this one’s a bit surprising, if a little late. The Grauniad, like me, is a bit sceptical; pointing out that Pat would hardly want to go to a country where he’s been racially abused. Furthermore, he’s not agitated this close season at all, unlike the last two, and to top it all off with icing, with Edu gone, we’d hardly get rid of the Patman too, now would we? Would we?
Well, the Daily Mail is pretty insistent about this, suggesting both parties (Arsenal and Vieira) think it’s a mutually beneficial time for him to go, with Arsenal even going so far as to invite the Italian contingent over to get the ball rolling.
Vieira is a crucial player, even if he’s not had the best season – one of the top four midfielders in the country, no doubt. So if there’s truth in this – big if – then he must want to go, and Arsenal must realise that this time there’s no stopping him. Keen to get £12m for him while they can, maybe.
But I’m just speculating.
As for the Bobster, that one’s been a bit of a lingerer this summer. Contract=still unresolved, and all that.
Wenger did say a few weeks back that none of his big players were going.
Let’s hope he’s right.
I agree, Paddy didn’t have a great season just gone but did finish well, with a bit of luck he can carry that through to the start of this season and go on from there. As for Bobby, again, not a great season but did still score a load of goals, I suppose he had a good season then!! Either way, I’d rather they stayed.
This time round we’ve not eard any of Paddy’s ‘mates’/agent stirring it up so I don’t read too much into it.
As for other french related stuff…..WE WON THE OLYMPICS…..chew on yer frogs legs and snails now chirac!!!! Love it!!!
I am not concerned to lose pat, but to lose robert would be a pity – he’s the best goalscoring midfielder in england, perhaps even in europe. he made much more goals than van nistelroy, rooney, shearer and the lots … to find a replacement for him will be much more difficult than for vieira, as our kids demonstrated last year against chelsea (where cesc and flamini were as good as makelele and lampard).
Yes, Bobby would be a bigger loss. The point is that, I don’t like the idea that we sell when a ‘big club’ comes knocking. I want to sell when The Real Chosen One thinks it’s the right time. If he thinks it’s time for Paddy to move on, so be it.
Good morrning,
This story is nonsense. It does not make sense.
IAn McGary the Daily Mail’s continually mistaken hack- has stirred the pot again.
Every summer- he has a bee in his bonnet that Pat V. will be on his way.
He claims he has links with PV agent (kutner?) and spills out this garbage.
The time to sell PV was last year. It does not make sense this time.
Why PV would want to play for JUve- and their tacit racicts- and their dull, dull football is beyond me.!
The Alsatian (wenger) has continualy stated we require experience and strives for continuity and this inept reporter tries to spin a story so absurd I am surprised the sports editor of his paper has not given him his P45.
Two things i recommend.
Do not buy the DAily MAil.
E-mail: ian mcgarry@dailymail.co.uk
For Mcgarry to stay that Wenger wants to get rid of PV is bollox.!
Why would he have his photo taken in the MArble Halls with the new fabled kit?
A fuming Bongo et al
I hope this is the s*** it sounds like. We are allegedly after Appiah, which could be a direct replacement for Edu. I doubt PV is interested in going to Italy – he had a bad time there plus the racist thing is quite out of hand in italy – even beyond footie. Naaaah! if he was going somewhere it would be Real or Barca, but that’s unlikely now, though what with poor little mummy’s boy Stevie Stevie G not leaving L’Pool, Real might still be interested in him. The time to sell PV _was_ last year when we could have had a tidy sum and maybe compete for Essien this summer.
To see Bobby Peru leave would be a shame but despite his sublime goals he does go down eh? Get rid now and get some new blood in … Who would go wide right? Reyes? not big and tough enough for a striker yet … Tommo
pires must stay….. how can they even think of selling him? i’d give him 3 years instead of the 2 he’s asking for.
If we have to sell both Pires and Viera then it is only wise that we use the cash to buy either Essien or King (who is as good in midfield as he is in defence) and a left footed midfielder like Gray or buy Tores so that we can push Henry to the left. Otherwise Arsenal should strongly resist the move.
The stories about PV4 & RP7 leaving are a concern, if you belive them. So far we have only “bought” Hleb, but he has still not actually signed a contract with us, and I notice an article on him has been pulled from the Arsenal official web site – so don’t take that as a done-deal just yet.
RP7 does seem to be heading for the exit due to his contract situation; maybe not this summer, but maybe AW would grab a chance to swap for a replacement. It would be a loss to us though – we’d miss his goals and assists – he is one of the players who can provide a match-winning moment when you wonder where a goal is going to come from. Few replacements could fully replace him.
PV4 seems more settled now than past summers, but who knows. Maybe he has moaned to AW once too often. I’d have prefered to have kept Edu if PV is going though.
Maybe the board is putting pressure on AW to sell players before they pass their sell by date?
Oh for goodness sake don’t give this clearly planted Italian press rumour any more oxygen of publicity
To F. gunner.
If I may say so -I think you are right (for once)!
If A Juve contingent in are in town- it will probably mean two things:
1. The purchase of Pires /Llungberg to the Old Ladies. (it will not be PV). i think I am correct in saying – that there areNO PICS OF RP IN ALL THE NEW MAROON KIT?
2. The sale of David TResquet (massively overrated- i hasten too add) to The Patriotic Russians play thing- “chelsea village people”
A sad bongo et al
I for one would not be to worried if PV4 left as Cesc and Flamini have had a years experience i am sick of these Paddy rumours every bloody year as Paddy nears 30 maybe AW has his eyes on a younger player it would not surprise me he is ruthless when he feels a player is past is best,Paddy will not get any better so maybe its payola time with Juve also injuries will start to rack up as 30 approaches.Its not the end of the Arse if Paddy goes its the begining of a new chapter in the life of this great club.I would like to send my best wishes and condolences to all those who have been affected by today,s explosions.
well said unc!
I’m a little concerned that there seems to be more talk of players leaving rather than joining Arsenal. As I said earlier, even Hleb has not actually signed yet. Maybe AW has some players lined up but needs to raise some cash first, but he is cutting it a bit fine now.
With Taylor and Stack gone we only have Alminia as cover for Lehman, who has a European ban to serve at the start of the next campaign.
No new defenders.
No new striker (Baptista maybe?).
Edu gone.
The Cole situation still unresolved – how can he just turn out for us next season without him maiking some gesture, like signing a new contract and commiting himself to the club, rather than threatening to go on a Bosman in 2 years (and Wenger letting him do it!).
RP7 looks like going before too long, unless he sees sense and accepts that the club cannot treat him better than DB10, who has lived one 1 year contracts since 30.
Really, the possibility of losing PV4 is the least of my worries; as Uncle Fester says, I am sick of the PV4 panto every summer, and although we will miss him we have adequate cover (unless we sell too many other midfielders). For a long period last season the team actually did better with PV4 than with him; although he did find better form towards the end of the season I got the impression his heart was not in it throughout. Maybe he needs a new challenge. Or maybe this is a case where money in the bank is worth more to us than a player who is probably past his best and likely to have more and more problems with injuries in coming seasons.
We let too many players run down their contracts, rather than raise much needed income by bringing matters to a head a year or two earlier. I don’t want us to start selling players en-masse, but we need to avoid letting them run down their contracts.
I also think a few departures would avoid the complacency that creeps in from time to time.
I just hope we can buy some players.
(I meant we did better withOUT him than with him at times!)
to FG.
cheer up! things are very rosy in Arsenes’ garden.
WHatever player leaves- it will be because The Alsatian wants him to leave!
New young blood has arrived and is arriving! And theres a chance of getting the Big Beast baptiste from Brazil.
A reflective Bongo et al
Thanks Bongo.
I have faith in “The Alsatian” (an excellent and clever nickname – the Mancs & Chavs will never undertand it!).
I also believe that the experience the younger payers got last season will effectively strengthen our squad for the next season anyway. And the current squad have the extra motivation of revenge to fire them on.
Let Vieira go! are you crazy?and Pires as well? You should remember that these two were our best players 2 seasons ago. Pires is past his prime, but is still is a useful player. AS for pat, he is irreplaceble. Juventus is a fucked up team that can’t play football. I can never watch any of their matches for more than 5 mins. The old lady can give capello a blowjob and FUCK OFF.
Nobody is irreplacable not even Paddy there comes a time when all players leave or retire its just the way it is i have heard it so many times all great teams carry on and bring on young new talent as i have said Paddy will not get any better,but i am not advocating selling him but it would not concern me if the Arse did which i doubt,as AW will have players lined up.Newspapers really should be ignored they are full of bull the only truth in them is the date i stopped reading them years ago.In the next couple of years the make up of the team will start to look very different its in the way its handled that counts and AW will make it as painless as possible because this great club will do it the right way.
Spot on, Uncle Fester.
Whatever our thoughts on these great players- if the Alsatian wants them too leave -it is because he wants them too leave.
As we know wenger is very strong on stats and body bio-rhytmns.
He will decide who stays and who goes. and their saleable price.
but this is also a man who is Mr. Continuity.
Just reflect for a moment and look at the new photo of the players in the marble halls wearing the new kit. Just remember the quotes.
I bet none of these players will be leaving.
The only one who is vulnerable is Fading Fred
a frustrated Bongo et al
I think your on the money Bongo Fred’s position looks shaky he did himself no fayours with his media comments but did he really say them,after all its still early days in the transfer window contracts cannot be signed until August the 1st at the earliest,those Jackals in the gutter press love it when the Arse are in the market they make up bulls**t all day long,the only time to beleive the rumours are when AW or DD say they are correct until then Arse fans just treat them like a fly on a cow’s harris flick em away.
World exclusive;
cygan to The Hammers.
bongo et al