You know this how? Crystal Ball?
You do realise at least at least 4 of the highest rated youngsters at the club are either out on Loan or Cup tied.
Midweek Football Thread *spoilers inside so watch out*
- Thread starter Tummy
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You know this how? Crystal Ball?
You do realise at least at least 4 of the highest rated youngsters at the club are either out on Loan or Cup tied.
Caporegime
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We already have 2 full international Keepers at the club
I should have rephrased that really.
I meant to suggest that we need to look for a Goalkeeper who is first choice for their country, somebody with a proven track record and some decent experience. If you look at the other big clubs in Europe you can't really mention any of our keepers in the same sentence.
Chelsea: Cech.
Man Utd: Van Der Sar.
Real: Casillas.
Barca: Valdes.
Inter: Cesar.
Juve: Buffon
Barring Valdes these are all players who are always the first pick for their country. I'm not sure if Fabianski is Polands number one choice but I think you know what I meant in my post, and are just being pedantic.
Van Der Sar has actually retired now.
Valdes is a bit **** really, and the same could be said of Casillas. Cech isn't the player he once was.
What I'm saying is there is a lack of real class keepers out there at the moment. Certainly none for Sale at the right price. Look at the English keepers out there, Green, Robinson, James, Foster heck wasn't Carson the next best thing at one stage?!
Fabianski was becoming first choice for Poland until his injury. Wojciech Szczęsny has played for Poland aswell now and is on loan with Brentford, he has all the makings of a great keeper.
Valdes is a bit **** really, and the same could be said of Casillas. Cech isn't the player he once was.
What I'm saying is there is a lack of real class keepers out there at the moment. Certainly none for Sale at the right price. Look at the English keepers out there, Green, Robinson, James, Foster heck wasn't Carson the next best thing at one stage?!
Fabianski was becoming first choice for Poland until his injury. Wojciech Szczęsny has played for Poland aswell now and is on loan with Brentford, he has all the makings of a great keeper.
Caporegime
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I don't see how being first choice for your country is really important, hasn't harmed Barca. I do agree Arsenal are lacking in keeper quality compared to the other 'top 4' clubs. Personally I'd take Foster or PIG over Almunia at the moment. Haven't seen enough of Mannone or Fabianski to really judge them though.
Caporegime
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I'd say Fabianski is on a par with Foster when Ben isn't making howlers and flapping at every ball that comes his way.
Mannone has been unimpressive every time I have seen him. When a ball comes toward him it looks like he is waving at it, his legs look wobbly and he just looks uncomfortable, and that rubs off on the defenders in front of him too.
What I meant was that if a goalkeeper is the first choice for one of the top 5 or 6 sides in the world then he is obviously going to be quite good. That isn't to say that there aren't keepers out there who are great and don't play for their country's because there are. I was simply trying (badly) to say that this time Wenger should ditch his normal policy of buying young and unproven, even though using that formula does seem to bring us a lot of very good players.
We've suffered since Seaman left in my opinion, Lehmann was good but not a David Seaman in my opinion. Just this one time I'd like to see the boss buy someone based on experience and reputation, not on a whim that they could one day be good in about 8 years time. And that isn't to say that I don't like his transfer policy, because I do like it I'd just also like him to mix it up now and again.
Caporegime
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Could Arsenal afford him? I would have thought his value would be quite high by now.
Man of Honour
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I think Wenger should try once more to sign an older keeper on the cheap ala Lehmann (ok, yes he was nuts at times, but when he wasn't he was excellent). Somebody a bit more proven.
Not only is our first team keeper a little bit lacking every now and again the backup isn't there, and is thought to be fairly inexperienced too.
Not only is our first team keeper a little bit lacking every now and again the backup isn't there, and is thought to be fairly inexperienced too.
I agree that Arsenal have a weakness in goal but Almunia's better than those 2. Neither look like they've got a chance of being good enough to replace VDS and VDS's not a real top class keeper (not anymore anyway).
Arsenal should have tried to sign Friedel when he left Blackburn.
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Looking forward to that semi-final tie with City, shame it's not the final, but should be an enjoyable two games.
Just reading that Utd have decided against buying Ljajic, anyone hear about this coming? Seems like a strange choice, and possibly a bit of a disappointment, was hearing promising things about him before.
Edit/ Just seen that reported in the January transfer thread. Still a bit surprised though.
Just reading that Utd have decided against buying Ljajic, anyone hear about this coming? Seems like a strange choice, and possibly a bit of a disappointment, was hearing promising things about him before.
Edit/ Just seen that reported in the January transfer thread. Still a bit surprised though.
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Consigliere
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I almost cried. If Blackburn won, £31...Chelsea winning would have got me £71 AND THEY DREW!!!! 
I'm pretty cheesed off about the Arsenal result to be honest. I know Wenger doesn't take the CC seriously, but since we don't look anything like winning the league, and we certainly won't win the CL playing like we are at the moment, the CC was a good chance to put something silver in the trophy cabinet at The Emirates.
To field a mostly reserve team and get beaten solidly for the second time by Man City this season is a disgrace. They're still playing for Arsenal, in Arsenal shirts, no matter what the tie, and with Fabregas already having one foot out of the door this approach is not helping.
To field a mostly reserve team and get beaten solidly for the second time by Man City this season is a disgrace. They're still playing for Arsenal, in Arsenal shirts, no matter what the tie, and with Fabregas already having one foot out of the door this approach is not helping.
CA & AW both paid the price for playing weakened sides and Chelsea's defence looked a joke at times but I guess these are the only games when you can try out different players but you still need a leader on the pitch and we didn't have one last night.
If you're a Chelsea or England fan you can count on losing on pens.
If you're a Chelsea or England fan you can count on losing on pens.
Cant decide whether Im happy that Chelsea are out of the cup or not (its good that they are out but its bad that they can now concerntrate on more important games / no distractions / more rest between games in Jan)
Did laugh that Ballack missed his penalty
Man City didnt really look that great last night (from the highlights), arsenal kids just made them look better than they are (no disrespect to the kids, nigh on a team of internationals vs pretty inexperienced kids)
Should be a good pair of games in Jan - glad OT game is 2nd, hopefully same bunch of lads can play in both of those (excluding Neville who is just far too slow even for this kind of game)
Did laugh that Ballack missed his penalty
Man City didnt really look that great last night (from the highlights), arsenal kids just made them look better than they are (no disrespect to the kids, nigh on a team of internationals vs pretty inexperienced kids)
Should be a good pair of games in Jan - glad OT game is 2nd, hopefully same bunch of lads can play in both of those (excluding Neville who is just far too slow even for this kind of game)
Caporegime
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The lack of goals disturbs me. We've not even looked like scoring, when we get to the edge of the box we stop and pass it instead of taking shots, that just gives the opposition time to get the defence organized.
Vela had a couple of chances last night but to be honest he kept getting outmuscled. Poor display from the kids but would've been a tough game even with a full strength first team. The one thing I'm happy about is that our first team should now be rested, refreshed and ready to start winning again.
It's possible that by the time we go to sign him the club will have been taken over so there would be lots of money.
The takeover won't happen until May at the earliest.
Nail on the head. It's worrying indeed.
We've looked a little shaky at the back all season and got lucky on numerious occasions, but the forwards (namely RvP) have made up for it. Now we don't seem to know what to do once we get in sight of the enemy goal, it makes you wonder what they actually do in training. There's too much faffing around and not enough conviction. Other than Denilson in the CL last week, I don't remember the last time anyone hit the ball at the goal from outside the 18yd box.