I never thought it would happen quite like this, and with so little resistance from the club, but this morning it looks increasingly as though the Vieira era is drawing to a close.
A career that began as a substitute against Sheffield Wednesday in September 1996 looks set to have ended with that FA Cup winning penalty that sent us all ballistic back in May. As final bows go, it’s not a bad one.
Juve claim the deal will be announced today, though there’s still a chance Madrid will come in for him, just as they have for the last two summers. Of course, there’s a chance he won’t leave at all.
There are reasons for everything, so there’s a good reason for this, I suppose, should it happen. Money, as I mentioned before, is a factor here, but it’s very difficult to gauge whether we need to raise money before we can spend more. If that were the case, why not sell Edu a year ago, or Wiltord the year before that, rather than letting them disappear off into the Bosman distance?
I suspect it’s more fundamental than that – Vieira’s condition, his form perhaps, his desire to be at Arsenal, the shape of the future team. All these things and more, who knows.
More on this in the next few days.
Comforting Words From Cole
We get OK Magazine in our office – the reasons for which escape me – and I took a look at it yesterday – the reasons for which escape me. The cover story features our very own Ashley Cole with his affianced, and as is always the case, most of the editorial is flowery and concerned with dresses and love and things like that.
However, towards the end of the article the interviewer summons up the courage to get down to the nitty-gritty by asking Ash whether he will be playing at Arsenal this season, to which he replied;
“Watch this space”.
It’s nice to know he’s back on side, then…
Any idea on the new captain then ? My usggestion would have to be TH14.
STILL NOT CONVINCED HIS GOING TO JUVE.ITHINK MADRID WILL HAVE AN INPUT.DOES ANYONE THINK APART FROM BEING 30 HIS FITNESS IS POOR,HE IS ALWAYS TROUBLED BY HIS KNEE AND MAYBE TA WAS CORRECT.
If long legs is finally to quit the HoF, he goes with massive thanks for an amazing, rollercoaster nine years. He and arsene are the driving force behind a gooner golden era – long may it continue even without him.
His departure would leave a huge hole not only in the team but in the fabric of the club and you can’t just buy a replacement for that. Still, as above, there has to be a good reason behind it – “Arsene knows”.
Talking of possible replacements – Lyon are trying to outmanouvere le boss on Diarra, who I know little about anyway.
Meanwhie Myles Palmer reckons the Viera shaped hole could be filled by… Kolo Toure!!! er…
What odds Cole threatening to walk out in two seasons time on a Bosman and becoming a cut price offload to Real next year – possibly January?
Why is Ashley Cole so thick! Surely he can’t think a comment like that is witty.
Anyone thought that maybe it’s Cole that Juventus are after, cos with no apology his situation still looks poor to me?
If paddy goes.. we should show some faith in cole and offer him the captains arm band!
“Watch this space”?
Was this accompanied by a close up picture of what’s between his ears?
Cole is almost as stupid as Ferdinand………… and thats stupid.
Dan have you got no pride mate, the man should not even wear an Arsenal shirt this year unless he consumes a large slice of humble pie?
You suspect that Arsenal’s willingness to let Vieira leave is a Petit/Overmars situation. Wenger, i suspect, knows Vieira’s decline will happen quickly and brutally.
Also what odds Cole gets made captain as he signs his new, much improved contract? Wenger hinted as much towards the end of last season and maybe that’s why the board were willing to force him to stay knowing that this scenario was on the horizon.
Either way, Man U’s decline can be traced to the decline of Keane and Fergusons unwillingness to let the past lie. It’s a brutal game game at times. Personally I’ll forgive Vieira anything as he single handedly held the team together in the 3 years after the breaking up of the ’98 team. Undeniably he is not now, the absolute giant of the game he was then.
So if he goes, thanks for everything. Memories that will last a lifetime.
Thanks Paddy for 9 years great service.
With PV gone (a 5 year contract of £85,000 a week must be very attractive for him combined with a less physical league seeing him up to retirement), I guess AW war chest is strengthened both in terms of wages and funds. He can also sell a guaranteed 1st team place to any target rather than them being a squad number as at Chelsea. Important in a world cup year.
Not without risk though, look at Man Utd’s struggles to replace Keane.
The ideal replacement for the departing Vieira would be the seemingly unsettled Michael Ballack of Bayern Munich. He would offer the combination of needed midfield steel and goalscoring abilities far better than Vieira’s.
The ideal replacement for our departing captain would be Bayern Munich’s seemingly unsettled Michael Ballack. He would provide the combination of needed midfield steel and goalscoring abilities far better than Vieira’s.
If PV’s leaving, isn’t it a pity everyone never got a chance to give him the massive farewell he deserves?
Cole captain????? are u fooking stoopid or something. cole is a sellout CUNT we should be getting rid of CUNTS like him from the club not PV.
PV leaving means we will not be winning the title this year. every player has an off season if he was so bad this year he would not have made it into the carling opta team of the season. Check his stats.
A lot of GOONERS are fickle and some of the Arsenal transfer decisions are banal at times. this will be one of those huge mistakes that will take us backwards not forwards.
PS ill be BOOING that CUNT cole everytime he touches the ball. the sooner that wanker is marched out the better.
Vieira’s departure would not be such an issue if we looked like actually buying someone. Rather than strengthening the squad we look more likely to weaken it.
I reckon the club can’t afford to buy the players we need to compete with the Chavs and so they see next season as a transition year before we move to the new stadium. PV, RP etc will have to move on before too long, so maybe AW has decided to take the hit now.
I also think they have learnt their lesson about letting players run down their contracts & leave for nothing.
I just hope they sort out Cole before he craps on us all from an even greater height in 2 years’ time, coutesy of a Bosman. And has Sol actually signed his new contract? It was reported as “agreed” which is a different thing from actually signing.
Cole cannot be captain. It’s unlikely he could even play for us again, let alone leading others by his example.
TH would be an ideal captain – IF Vieira leaves.
IF PV LEFT A FIT SC HAS TO BE CAPTAIN. I’M FROM THE OLD SCHOOL WHERE THE CAPTAIN SHOULD SEE THE GAME IN FRONT OF HIM.SC IS STILL NOT VOCAL ENOUGH BUT DO WE REALLY NEED THE SHRUG OF SHOULDERS WHEN THINGS GO WRONG.CENTRE FORWARDS DO NOT MAKE CAPTAINS!
Cole for captain….you bloody serious, not even worth discussing!
To me it would have to be TH or Sol but lets not forget, he hasn’t gone yet. Still, if he does we MUST have a plan to fill the massive gap, who or what that might be is in Arsene’s capable hands…..something is afoot!
If this is the end of civilisation as we know it- I mean the departure of PV to real. My goodness the boy will be missed!
Just remember his last touch of the ball in an Arsenal shirt- striking the ball sweetly past Xmas Carrol under gigantic pressure to Break the hearts of those Phoney Mancs – it was a fitting present/legacy from our Captain .
Obviously the real reason he is leaving ( I was wrong again -on this one )!
IS BECAUSE HE DOES NOT LIKE MAROON!
MY other hunch is WE HAVE NOT SEEN THE END OF PV. I think he will be back in two/three years time on a Bosman- playing in tony adams’ team -as Libero!
A teary bongo et al
to unc,
It looks like you have saved on your beer offer!
maybe next time, eh?
bongo et al
So who will take PV’s place, not so much as captain but on the field? Please don’t suggest either flamini or cesc with Gilberto as a permanent first team partnership.
Cygan all the way. The problem with cygan is his lack of confidence. if fans are bagging him out, then there’s no way he’s play with confidence and composure. Just imagine what the guy would feel when he reads some blogs.
I want him as our captain, and tip him to have a great season
No worries Bongo,i take no pleasure in this its because the Arse have said nothing there silence is deafening unlike previous years does AW know something about Paddy’s legs and knees are they in a bad way is he worried Paddy might not last a long season.This is the start of this current team being broken up and a new one formed it had to happen sooner or later give it 18 months and this side will be totally different and who’s to say it wont be better give the kids and new players chance after all, did we not wonder who the hell Vieira was when he showed up.There will be signings AW will not leave the club in the crap but who i dont know, i hate to say this but it might be Guti and i still think the beast might come cheer up Bongo,it could be worse we could have Egoiniho as manager.
If Paddy’s knees are so bad he won’t pass a proper medical will he (God knows how Woodgate managed it!!)
Jenas is now being touted as the new PV. For well over £12m!
Dunno how I feel about that – on the one hand it’s laughable, on the other it’s a big bag full of potential. Do we need any more potential tho or is it proven class that’s required?
Guti will not come to N5
Woodgate was already injured when they bought him so what does that say about Real i am not saying he wont pass a medical but as i said maybe AW thinks he wont last a long season or maybe he is sick of this crap every year,but probably he as thought about it for a very long time and realises its time to call it quits as a player i admire Paddy as a player and always will but this transfer saga every year as taken the shine off him you only have to look at the great DB to see how to act.if this offends tough.
i am glad you said that about Guti
“Please AW not Jenus”, he’s got no balls for a fight can do the pretty stuff & has a very good engine but who’s going to get us the ball to play with?
anybody have any thoughts on Jenas
Jenas is a good player but he is not a Vieira is he but….who is? I think you are right unc, Wenger must see the writing on the wall….it’s sad really isn’t it.
AM I MISSING SOMETHING,ALL THE REPORTS ON PV BEING A DONE DEAL ARE FRO JUVE PEOPLE OR FROM ITALIAN PRESS.NOT CONVINCED MADRID STILL MORE LIKELY OR HE WILL STAY!
We will not be signing Jenas- we have enough ungrateful, uneducated, disloyal and spoilt ‘young english players’ on board. I do not think him and Cole together in the same environment is whats required!
They would be too busy spending time discussing their social nocturnal duties.
No ; The Shrewd Alsatian is biding his time. i think Wenger has probably got PV replacement -and its in the Lab @ London Colney.
Forgive my spelling_ its the Vieira SWiss lookalike @Dijaru
I agree Vince AW is not sentimental when its time to go thats it i think its wrong for us to compere anybody with Paddy its unfair on any new players is AW going to change tact in the way we play i doubt it but anything is possible,from a personal point of view i would like to see our own kids come through but with football the way it is instant success is uppermost in people’s thoughts,still we could win with kids it has been done before although a few years ago.Lets get real i doubt any big names will come as i think we dont have the money people think,until Ashburton is up and running this will hamper the buying power,it gives me hope that when teams like PSV can get to CL semi and were the better team against Milan they did it a shoe string. I agree with you Bongo Jenas is the last ommadawn we need just a taller version of Dyer.They should keep Bob even if he leaves next year on a Bosman they wouldn,t get much anyway his experience will help the kids this year ,Fred’s the one they should sell he is becoming injury prone or as other health problems,then go after SWP with the procedes
http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?article=291925&lid=NewsHeadline&sub=Terms+agreed+with+Juventus+for+transfer+of+Patrick+Vieira&navlid=&sublid=&Title=Terms+agreed+with+Juventus+for+transfer+of+Patrick+Vieira
i know its a long-shot, but i would go with phillipe senderos as captain. he is an organiser (unlike campbell), he cajoles and bolsters (unlike campbell) and i think he would make an excellent leader. Yes, i know that he may not be guaranteed a first team place, but there arent too many decent options. Either that, or make DB10 captain for this year and bring PS in for next year.
would be happy for henry to be captain, but think this would be too much of a burden on him.
WE LOVE U SAINT PAT……..