Van Persie Arrested/Pires/The Grove

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Not the kind of breaking story we were hoping for: Robin van Persie has been held on suspicion of rape. More here and here, though there’s little to go on at the moment.

Bob

So, Robert Pires, eh?

Arsenal have made a pig’s ear of one or two contract deals in the past, if we believe some of the stuff we read, but in the instance of the above, I think they’ve got their heads screwed on. Pires is 32 years old in October, and has a year left on his current deal. Arsenal have tabled a one-year extension, which would take him up to (almost) 34 years of age. It’s a perfectly reasonable assumption that he won’t be as effective at 34¾ (the age he would be if we gave him a two year extension), so I think Bob himself needs to be realistic here.

Of course, I understand he wants a good deal to see his career off, and believe me, I think he’s a crucial player for us on several levels, and that it’s a matter of urgency that we sort it out, but I can see both points of view here.

As with all European conundrums, let’s hope the bluster is followed by a compromise.

Stadium Spotters

I’ve driven past it on my scooter, I’ve gone past it on a train and I’ve ogled it from Highgate Hill; I’ve seen it growing up over the West Stand and I’ve spent many a minute spying it on the webcam. Several of us here have even had discussions on the merits of trusses, God help us. (And you know who you are).

Well now there’s more! Certified, mentally unstable stadium-o-philes like myself can now go one step further by soaking in models, designs and drawings of the new stadium by going to the RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) for their exhibition entitled: ‘The Stadium: Architecture for the New Global Culture’. Anyway, there’s more information here if you’re really that interested. I have to say, I probably won’t be attending. The webcam is sufficient for me, and now that it’s been limited to five minutes viewing (we’ve been rumbled), it’s sufficient for a stadium snack whenever one is required.

Jim

Arsenal since about 1979. Thick, thin and all that.

This Post Has 32 Comments

  1. Nick

    has everyone heard about RVP, please dont say its true!
    hes been detained on RAPE charges!
    only seen it on sky sports and doesn’t give much info there!

  2. Mark

    According to Reuters he’s been detained, but as yet hasn’t been charged with anything.

  3. RotorGoat

    Yeah – innocent until proven guilty and all that.

  4. bongo et al.

    They should not do this.
    Like the alleged victim -V-Percy is entitled to anominity. (as in all cases)
    .
    Lets hope either way – Justice Prevails.
    ********************* *****************************
    I am sure it will be a great stadium – but my goodness- it is a bloody eyesore. Especially as you come out of Holloway Tube. Shame we could not have built something a tad more refined (ala HIghbury).
    Bongo et al

  5. vince

    Somebody just phoned me up to tell me….could not believe it! After colegate, that’s all we bloody need! God I hope there’s nothing in it.

    On another subject, don’t know if there is a problem or not. I posted something yesterday but after clicking “Say It” a box came up saying something about a virus being picked up and that, in order for my post to go through I had to answer some questions….but nothing else happened and my post did appear. I’ve just had a virus thing at my office computer so….Roto and others….be careful!! (Hopefully, like the RvP story, nothing will come of it)

  6. bongo et al.

    As for Robert Pires. You can not blame AFC policy on wages.
    The last figures by D&T showed that our Wages to Turnover is creeping towards the dangerous 65-70%.
    I suppose the board (rightly) believe it is better to be more cautious and frugal on wages in regards to players coming to the end of the careers.

    Nethertheless- we should do all we can to keep the goalscoring midfield meastro. How we would miss those goals.
    indeed T>ADams said he was the best player – he played with or against in his illustrous career.
    Bongo ET al

  7. ...

    yeah hopefully nothin will come of rvp case…..rvp n arsenal dnt nd this

  8. RotorGoat

    Vince – I have a spam plugin installed, that might be what’s doing it. Sometimes it gets confused I think, but I’ll keep an eye out, cheers.

    As for the stadium – eyesore? I think not. Though I grant you, it’s not small. It’s immense.

  9. bongo et al.

    You have to give credit, where credit is due. Hearty Congratulations to messrs Fizsman, friar, Edelman et al to pull this logistical and complex operation off.
    A suitable monolith for the Legend that is The Arsenal to perform their sublime skills.
    Bongo Et Al

  10. vivb

    An eyesore on the Holloway Road, not sure that’s possible, just look at the North London University Building. Impressive thing is the stadium is ahead of schedule especially when you look at the Wembley shambles.

    Pires will hopefully look at DB and know AW will reward players that can still do a job for him on a season by season basis. If he does look to move on that allows Reyes to take the left position and AW to bring in a out and out centre forward, or Cole and Clichy could double up on the left wing. My concern is still giving the younger players more games this season.

    RVP and Stack both on rape charges Quincy on assault charges Pennant doing time for drunk driving isn’t it just like the old days.

  11. RotorGoat

    What’s happened with the whole Stack thing? Not heard anything for months.

  12. Farnborough Gunner

    The latest news I can find about the Graham Stack case is from last November, when he was charged. It is possible that the case has yet to get to court, or it may have been dropped because he had no case to answer, which would not be considered very newsworthy by most of the media. I assume we would have heard if he had been tried & found guilty.

    However, there is no recent mention of him on arsenal.com and his name does not appear on the squad lists. So, I suspect his case is still outstanding and Arsenal have disowned him.

    A shame if RvP goes the same way – but nothing is even vaguely certain yet; the news stories indicate he has only been arrested at this stage – a lot hinges on whether he get released or charged.

    If Michael “OJ” Jackson is innocent then anything is possible!

  13. bongo et al.

    There seems to be a common theme , here. Footballers being questioned for rape but no convictions as yet.
    It seems a two way street. People accused of this dreadful crime should have the same rights as the alleged victim. Anonymous-ness.
    Eg. Snooker player Quentin Hann.
    Because paradoxically:
    More higher the profile the more chance of the accusation.
    bongo

  14. edmondy

    I really hope its not true. But it does seem like its always the players that you would think most likely to commit such a crime or other similar ones who are charged.

    I wouldn’t trust a footballer around my daughter.

  15. uncle fester

    the last i heard he was in custody and a full investigation is on going its just a waiting game,as for pires he should realise the Arse only give players over 30 1 year contracts if he does not agree then the Arse should sell him on,Pires has been a good servent to the Arse and i for one would be sad to see him leave but the club have to be realistic he wont get any better,and the new stadium call it ugly if you wont it will always be better then WHL and that other pit down the fulham road

  16. Lee.

    RVP, I’m not even going to comment other than to say lets wait & see, as we have seen too many of these stories come to nothing, I’ll save it for a guilty verdict.

    I know I’m not going to popular here but the Pires thing could be blessings in disguise, I for one have always seen him as a bit of an enigma.
    I still remember the days when TA would give him a roasting after every game after his defensive antics.
    Well he did improve over the years but he has always been an all-out attacking player. For me he has lapsed back into that same mould, were he’s not there when you need him.
    Especially when a good team plays 5 across the middle, & were getting more & more teams in the perm playing this way now & Europe’s full of them.
    We have enough flair players in the team to do without him now.
    & For me he’s also lost that yard of pace he used to have.

  17. tommigooner

    Two things:

    1. WHO thinks the new stadium is ugly? have you not seen the way it’s captured on the AFC DVD? The stadium looks like its from the future and will be the blue print of many new stadiums to come. I reckon it’s the dogg’s!

    2. I did say yesterday that in my praise of RvP over SWP I hope I don’t jinx the boy, f**k wish I didn’t say anything now. However guilty until proven guilty and all that. But however said ‘I don’t think he did it’ I’m surprised you can even make an assumption as no real facts are out. Think the only reason you say that is because of The Arsenal and anyone associated with it, bit of blindness. I’m not saying I think he did do it – I dont know, NO ONE knows at the moment until the facts are revealed. The only ones who know the truth is RvP and the said girl. Although I make El Bongo right – his anonymity should be protected, unitl he is proven guilty not before. Doesn’t really make for a fair trail should it come to that. Hopefully it wont.

    oh lastly – I know this it No: 3.
    Bobby knows the rules, regarding The Arsenal given contracts to the over 30’s. Dennis is THE master and he’s not complained (not really anyway) and he’s been on rolling contracts for six years.

    over and out.

  18. bongo et al.

    to tommy gooner.

    I see you are talking some sense at last.
    but you are obviously not an architecture expert. the new stadium might be a terrific ampitheatre and might be a superb venue for football – but it still looks an eye sore to me!
    I suppose you did not object to the twin towers being demolished for that new monstrosity on theA406.
    BONGO eT al

  19. uncle fester

    does it really matter what the bloody stadium looks like as long as the facillities are good and the Arse are doing the buisness on the pitch, sod the twin towers sentimental bollocks lets look to the future not the past.

  20. tommigooner

    Mr Bongo, good chatting to again you cheeyk bstad!! I’m ‘not obviously not an architecture expert’ in your words – however I am a designer, OK I’m not being a prima donna or giving it the ‘big ‘un’ However I think the stadium is proper and I know good design when I see it. Also at first I didn’t want the twin towers to be knocked down, however the new wembley is better than the old, you need to get over the sentimental factor.

    But I make uncle fester right in saying – who gives a toss what the stadium looks like as long as we have the players to do the business on the pitch, that’s where stuff is won. If the architectures win an award for the design of the stadium it’s not really going to make a differrence in the trophy cabinet now will it?

  21. Lee.

    Bongo, you’re off on one again are you a professional wind-up artist!!!
    As much as I love the old stadium & would prefer to see a carbon copy (with some class) + 30 thousand more seats half a mile up the road.
    From a commercial sense can you imagine the costs involved here. Art deco in the 2000’s we had to borrow the money from banks for god sake we don’t own them.
    Or perhaps you know were we can refinance @ a more favourable rate?

  22. bongo et al

    To Mr Original (yes that is you tommy boy)

    We are The Arsenal- we should demand the best ground- we do not want it be something similiar to OT.
    A SOULESS SHELL. the reason we AFC fanatics is because of the history of the club.Yes that includes Highbury. A monument to class and history.

    It seems to me you could not care less if we had moved to Wembley and out of the borough. You as a designer should not be so bloody expedient!!
    Bongo et al

  23. uncle fester

    Bongo old son come down off your golden throne and join the rest of us we all want the best but on the bloody pitch look if we dont move we will not survive as a club get over it think of the future its great to think of the history of the club i love it but you have to be realistic if you dont like the new ground you either shut your eyes as you approach it or dont go its easy really

  24. gunnergirl

    Isn’t Van Perise married?

  25. bongo et al.

    Unfortunately Unc- some of us are not Yes men.
    The new ground is INDEEDa testament to the skills and tenacity of the directors of AFC – Indeed i have mentioned them by name above.
    But it is still a bloody eyesore – in comparison to Highbury, Ibrox, villa, Wednesday, Goodison .

    Good night – my name is bongo et al.

  26. uncle fester

    Yes RVP is married,and to you Bongo if you dont like the new stadium sod off to to one of the grounds above you blue nose

  27. vince

    I agree that it will be a sad day when we play the last game at THOF but it has to happen. The new stadium has to look….well new/modern with proper facilities (hope the half time bog queue dissapears, I have to take my son then get him a hotdog every game!) so as far as that goes, I think it will look great, inside and out.

    As for the history, the team/clubsupporters are and make the history, this will be a new chapter, a great one hopefully. Remember we went from Dial Square to Woolwich Arsenal then moved to north London from south of the river in 1914/15, dropped the Woolwich bit and…..the rest is history. If that hadn’t happened who would we have been following now…..think about that if you dare….I cant even say it, truly frigthening!!

    And yes, I think RvP is married.

  28. vince

    Rotor,
    It’s happened again, this is what comes up:

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  29. vince

    We atarted as Dial Square then we became Woolwich Arsenal then, the big one, 1914/15 we moved from south to north of the river and became The Arsenal and the rest, as they say is history. The fact is the club/team/suporters make the history, the ground is part of it. If we weren’t as successful as we are there would be no history to worry about, and that would include THOF. We have to move on and write a new chapter in out great story. As far as I’m concerned, the stadium looks as good as, if not better than any new stadium around and lets face it, we need proper facilities now (try queueing up at half time to take your son to the bog then rushing to get a hotdog for him, evry game!)

    And yes, I think RvP is married!!

    PS. Something to think about. I asume that most gooners are from north London who would we be following if we hadn’t made that move….frightening or what!!!

  30. Farnborough Gunner

    I used to get the same problem Vince describes when trying to post to this forum. It only seemed to happen when I was at work but not when I was at home, so I don’t know if connecting from a corporate network was a factor. It hasn’t happened atall for ages now (probably happen to this posting now I’ve said that).

  31. Farnborough Gunner

    Garham Stack was mentioned earlier in this thread; I’ve just heard that his rape case is due to come up in September. I’m not sure if he is being held in custody or out on bail, but we can probably assume he won’t feature on the pre season tour.

    Fingers crossed for RvP – for his sake and Arsenal’s. (Don’t get me wrong, if he is guilty then he should be hung out to dry, but I’m hoping it turns out to be a false allegation).

  32. tommigooner

    To Mt Bongo,
    not sure exactly what you’re take is. I love Highbury, I love the history and the tradition that the stadium is held in. However as much as I would love The Arsenal to remain there we cant due to the fact that some parts are ‘listed buildings’ – the directors tried and failed to find a way to remain at Highbury. However the next logical step is to move. Luckily for us its only half a mile up the road. Remember the first moved they made was across the river. Do you really think we should remain at Highbury – what with the revenue OT is turning out and the chavs in SW London and their buying power. Everyone knows AW has been doing remarkable things on a fraction of the budget afforded to Old Alex. He cant do that forever. What would your suggestion be if we didn’t move to a larger stadium in order to make revenue? I’d be interested to hear it.

    Also on the subject of RvP – I have read in one place (cant remember where) he is married, but as everyone knows – don’t believe everything you read.

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