Arsenal link roundup for Monday, August 16

by Ted Harwood on Aug 16, 2010 12:37 PM EDT

Good morning, everyone. Here are some Arsenal links for your reading pleasure:

A Cultured Left Foot, Arseblog, and 7AM Kickoff offer their assessments of yesterday's draw with Liverpool. Of particular interest are their thoughts on Manuel Almunia, Marouane Chamakh, Abou Diaby, Tomas Rosicky, and Samir Nasri.
Zonal Marking offers his (or her?) analysis of the match.
And here is ZM on the role of the passing midfielder in the 4-2-3-1 / 4-3-3 formation, which he referenced in regard to Abou Diaby's play yesterday.
Same Name, Different Game discusses Martin O'Neill's tenure at Aston Villa, which is tangentially related to a topic of interest for many Arsenal supporters right now: the homegrown player rule and English talent.
In an interview with Amy Lawrence, Arsène Wenger talks about the need to win trophies and to get the maximum out of the team, every year. Of particular interest: he acknowledges the need to strengthen at the back, but also points out how the transfer market is much different in 2010 than it was even two or three years ago.
Liverpool have decided to accept Joe Cole's three-game ban, according to the Telegraph.

Enjoy Monday, everyone. Watch Manchester United take on Newcastle, kick back, etc.

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Everybody who thinks Wenger is a hidebound dogmatist needs to read that Observer article

Knowing something (short at the back! Need a keeper!) and being able to do something about it (Buy without overpaying!) are two vastly different things. I love that man more than at least one of my own parents and am glad he signed a new contract.

by pdb on Aug 16, 2010 1:09 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

I'm with you there

but I also contend, what is ‘overpaying’? If we can be linked with a 15 million bid for Jagielka, why can’t we offer 15 million for a very good keeper instead? A quality GK is worth his weight in gold.

Unless of course, Wenger isn’t offering 15 million, but 5 million.

This.

by elfboy_ on Aug 17, 2010 12:22 AM EDT up reply actions

arsene

is trying to do a stop-gap until Wojciech Szczesny is ready. Arsene has said,

“I believe one day he will be the No 1 at Arsenal, certainly.”

by PSUkegreen on Aug 17, 2010 12:30 AM EDT up reply actions

Offering and having that offer accepted are two different things though

especially in a world where Man City’s bottomless well of pound notes exists. if a club kinda, sorta, maybe wants to sell a good keeper, but doesn’t need to, and Arsenal come in with a 15 million pound bid, that club will probably say “eh, we’ll wait till City need a keeper and sell him to them for 25”.

by pdb on Aug 17, 2010 12:40 AM EDT up reply actions

I think every "seller" out there is demanding Man City prices for their players

And Arsene just isn’t going to pay that. But you’d think some players out there would want to come play on a Champions League team. But Arsene in the past has been pretty unwilling to put up more than 12m up front for a player, most often it’s about 10m up front with performance clauses that would raise the fee. I’m pretty sure Koscielny was done that way.

by Scrupio on Aug 17, 2010 12:43 AM EDT up reply actions

I should bloody well expect liverpool not to argue Joe Cole's ban

The tackle itself wasn’t particularly deadly (Just unfortunate for Koscielny’s foot to get right between cole’s legs), but the intent was unforgivable. Cole hit Koscielny from behind with a tackle that was so late you could have sat down for a coffee waiting for it, and replays show he wasn’t making any attempt for the ball.

by silverace99 on Aug 16, 2010 4:34 PM EDT reply actions

Almunia is threatening to quit the club if Arsenal bring in another experienced keeper.

I wish he would do more to keep his place than just threaten to quit though.

This.

by elfboy_ on Aug 17, 2010 12:15 AM EDT reply actions

The article didn't indicate that he "threatened" to quit

He just said basically that he knew the writing was on the wall if a new keeper came in and he’d have to find opportunities elsewhere.

by silverace99 on Aug 17, 2010 12:46 AM EDT up reply actions

Which might not be the worst thing in the world

Almunia shows flashes of brilliance, and I like him as a keeper, but I wouldn’t mind seeing what was on the docket elsewhere. So long as it was financially reasonable

Blueshirt Banter: Covering the New York Rangers the only NHL team with three home arenas.

"We can trade Lisin for a gun, then hold it to Drury’s head and make him waive the no-movement clause" - XLII

by Joe Fortunato on Aug 17, 2010 1:52 PM EDT up reply actions