Arsenal Thread

[Nitey]

Can't say I'm surprised to be honest. Been saying it since forever - the club has lost it's ambition, the ambition that some players (like RvP, and to a certain extent Nasri) have for their careers and their personal goals. Football has never been about one man obviously, but with that one man leaving every season for failing to get reassurance from the board, from Gazidis or from Wenger about the future of AFC when it comes to football success, has crippled us.

Monkey see monkey do, apparently. Most of Robin's former collegues have gone on and won huge trophies for their new clubs and he ain't getting any younger. Gonna be funny hearing/reading the usual shit from gooners about how he's a traitor, a villain, and all the rest. It's not the players. It's the people in charge of Arsenal football club that are driving our best players out.

Honestly, Robin is a HUGE Arsenal fan, so by not renewing a contract it speaks volumes about what is going on behind the scenes. Our captain/best-player/biggest-fan says he is at a disagreement with those in charge of AFC about how the club should move forward...that's what hurts me the most to be fair, not just the fact that he's decided not to stay.

Hopefully we do some good business and sell him this summer. Rather that than him leaving next year on a free. We'll get bent over now though, as he's made it clear he has no intention of renewing so he basically wants out.


@Firefox - Yeah and he's being respectful to Arsenal for sticking by him all those years by letting the fans know what's up. Even that one-liner about him disagreeing with how the club moves forward is insight enough as far as I'm concerned. It's all about ambition and it's our fault we are not showing that to him. Many players go for huge wages, it seems Robin is going for trophies. I really can't blame him. We've become too much of a business, rather than a balance..so it seems.

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Lol@twitter comments. Fucking pricks need to get a life and leave him alone. Idiots.

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Edit: Just another thought. At the end of the day RvP isn't getting any younger, like I said, and it's obvious he wants to look back at his career and judge it by the trophies he won. He knows he could walk into nearly any team in the entire world and if trophies are not a realistic option for Arsenal in the near future he deserves to go to a team that give him those opportunities. Would be such a waste of talent if he didn't, in a way.

[Firefox]

I think we've done better this transfer window, we've gone out and bought early on and gotten the likes of Podolski and Giroud. Sure they aren't names like Aguero or Eden Hazard but I think we've done well this off season and just need to get M'Vila.

What more can Van Persie expect from this club? Who else can we buy really? Ambition for us is to provide quality depth to our squad to put us in a position to challenge for the title.. not superstars. A good defensive midfielder and a leftback (I am hoping Gibbs is injury free but is that likely?) and we are set I would think.

[LfCpS3]

If its up to Wenger when he goes, then i do hope he uses his head and sells him this window.

1: you will get money
2: if he stays, he will get booed by many fans

[Nitey]

I agree we've done good business so far and the players coming in could make a big impact, and hopefully they do. But, I think it's more about the future and sustaining success, or building something that lasts, that is of concern to Robin. Realistically, our vision (the fans) is probably close to the same vision that Robin has for the club..and it seems that that isn't the vision the board have for the club. Maybe it's more about how Wenger insists on keeping the shit in the squad that Van Persie is growing increasingly tired of playing with? lol.

I'm just glad this has come out as early as it has. We actually have time to make things right, rather than starting a season off with the kind of anxiety we did this past season.

I'm assuming that we will sell, so my biggest concern is that I hope this doesn't put prospective transfer targets off too much. We have CL football afterall and Wenger has shown that he's interested in adding promise to our squad, so it could be the beginning of something new and fresh, but only if we play our cards that way.

If we don't sell, I won't complain. Ronaldo was fantastic for united the season before he left, as far as I remember. It was almost certain he was going to real madrid too right?

I was kind of expecting this so I guess that's why I don't really come across as upset or heart broken. I've become a pessmistic Gooner since the board started showing their true colours . Twats.

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David Ornstein @ bbcsport_david
Arsenal currently discussing whether to issue a response to Van Persie statement.
Club had no idea this was coming # bbcfootball #afc

[dc89]

A guy who works for the BBC says he will join City in the next two weeks. Contract already agreed, just City and Arsenal to agree a fee.

[Nitey]

Arsenal Football Club has issued the following statement with regard to Robin van Persie's future:

"

We have to respect Robin's decision not to renew his contract. Robin has one year to run on his current contract and we are confident that he will fulfil his commitments to the Club.

"We are planning with ambition and confidence for next season with Arsenal's best interests in mind."

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-arc...bin-van-persie

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKksMZdJdgY

Lmfao

[Firefox]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKksMZdJdgY



....
...
.....
We all love Colin Firth and Fever Pitch.. well..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bq7Vj3GMd1M

[LC77]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKksMZdJdgY

Lmfao

People who don't speak English, will be using that as their version of the Hitler rant video.

[Nitey]

Ah. Over it now. Lol.

So, even if we don't get rid he'll be stripped of captaincy. Vermaelan the likely choice but seeing as our captains leave every summer, I'd prefer to give it to Denilson when he's back from Brazil or perhaps Ramsey.

Btw, I think Walcott is off too. He was stalling on a new contract recently and this news will play a big part in any developments regarding that, imo.

Next year we could be lining up with:

----------Giroud
Podolski------------Chambo/Gerv
-------Rosicky/Wilshere

-------Song - Arteta

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God. We really didn't need this lol. We gotta sort out first what's happening with Arshavin. Walcott, Vela, Bendtner, Denilson, Chamakh, Park.

Bloody hell.

[Firefox]

Nitey I know you think the statement wasn't a big deal but the thing is the statement was very unclassy imo (if his intentions are truly to leave instead of trying to get more signings) I mean the message wasn't for the fans, and Gazidis wasn't on vacation.

The only good thing is that this happened earlier and not late July/August.

[three3-times]

A guy who works for the BBC says he will join City in the next two weeks. Contract already agreed, just City and Arsenal to agree a fee.

Fuck off city!!

U dont even need anymore strikers, u have 4 WC

[Shibby]

[Molo316]

Nitey I know you think the statement wasn't a big deal but the thing is the statement was very unclassy imo (if his intentions are truly to leave instead of trying to get more signings) I mean the message wasn't for the fans, and Gazidis wasn't on vacation.

The only good thing is that this happened earlier and not late July/August.

Where is this disrespectful statement? I saw one on his site addressing the situation and it just seemed like a bog-standard statement that he is going to leave.

[three3-times]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18722962

Now one of your shareholders has weighed in

You know all of this doesnt mean he will leave, remember rooney last winter?

[Firefox]

Where is this disrespectful statement? I saw one on his site addressing the situation and it just seemed like a bog-standard statement that he is going to leave.

This message just seems like it was either written by his agent or Van Persie was in some odd mental state. Claiming the statement is for the fans (yea sure...), saying he loves the club but at the same time talking about how he wants to leave for sure driving down his prices and welcoming all kinds of offers from other clubs, and finally writing the message without the club knowing and talking about how he doesn't like the direction as if he is bigger than the club and after Wenger has LITERALLY been responsible for his success when he wasn't even wanted due to his behaviour, when he was wrongly accused of a crime, and had difficulties with injuries (sadly) all these years.

The message wasn't for the fans. It was clearly for himself ..

I've always loved RVP and this message just seems so out of character it is so odd. And the message is disrespectful no matter how to try to spin it.

I really hope this is something his crazy agents cooked up... I can't see RVP ever mentioning these things so openly...

[Nitey]

I agree with everything you say FF. I didn't mean to suggest that it was a nothing statement. I've slept on it and it is definitely a disrespectful thing for RvP to do.

I even said 'fuck him' to my brother lol. I didn't mean it obviously but this was kinda unclassy of him - way out of character, like you say. Definitely something his slimey agent cooked up and it has self centred motives behind it.

He's probably aware that at the age of 29 (next month) no club will come and offer £25m~ for him which would tempt the board's decision - hence throwing down the gauntlet like this puts bunch of clubs on red alert that he wants to go. He wants to leave. They know Arsenal won't keep an unhappy player - for various reasons - one of which is that we don't have the bottle to do that lol.

Whilst I'm glad that Robin brought to light what seems like low ambitions the club has, the fact is we've spent a lot of money already this window - which is out of character judging by previous seasons. So we're doing our bit. But it now comes across as he had made his mind up a long time ago and had made it clear to Wenger that he wanted to leave. Maybe that's why Wenger has acted hastily in terms of options up front.

None of us really know. But regardless, he (together with his agent) are burning bridges with Arsenal to force himself out the club. Ironically he thinks the cards are in his hands, when it's perhaps the opposite if we decide to "man up". No one is going to come for him next year when he's 30 and he knows it, especially if he can't emulate a successful personal season like the one he just had. It's now or never for him. Burning bridges was never a good idea, though, and if Wenger was a prick - which he isn't - Robin could find himself in the reserves for the remainder of his contract with no one willing to pay him close to the 130k/week next year.

It wouldn't hurt us in the slightest because he's at something like 80k a week.

Quite extreme thought process, I know. Lol. But he should have paid Wenger, the fans, and especially his collegues a bit more respect - if he really does love this club.

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Haven't had the chance to read much about what Usmanov/Rednwhite had to say in their open letter to 'silent' Stan. Been busy and pretty pissed off with this

[Firefox]

Happier memories...

February, 2011

I think some people had forgotten me a little bit. I could sense that when I scored my hat-trick against Wigan.

I had the feeling that some people were surprised that I’d ever come back and do that for my club. Reading one or two articles was quite interesting, because apparently a few people didn’t really think that I would come back as strong a player as I’d previously been.

I don’t have the inclination to go anywhere. This is the best team for me to be in. The bottom line is that I want to win trophies with Arsenal, not with anybody else. I know you can win trophies in many countries and in many ways, but I want to do that in our way and in an Arsenal shirt.

I’m sure I could win things at another team in another country, but would it feel like our trophy, my trophy? I’m not sure it would. Anything we win here will come from the heart and that’s what I want. It’s my dream and I see no point in speaking about other teams when I have these dreams. I think other people know that about me; I’m just hungry to win with Arsenal and that’s it.

[Molo316]

Okay, so I'm under the impression that that statement was put up without the club even knowing his intentions yet [at the time]. Is this what's so disrespectful?

To be honest, I could easily see this coming. It makes sense. It was the same with Thierry - he hit about 30, wanted to win the Champions League, and left, although he made it clear that he was leaving with a heavy heart and expressed his love for Arsenal. Whether Van Persie will do the same remains to be seen.
But to be honest, if there's actually talk about Arsenal keeping him until the end of his contract, it makes no sense. If he is definitely going to leave then we might as well cash in on him, as keeping him could be just as bad as not having him in the team at all.

[Nitey]

Interesting things said by Usmanov. I'm not gonna say I agree with everything written in that letter but I think as a whole it further highlights the direction of the club. I don't know anymore, I just want Arsenal back. Lol. Kroenke or Usmanov, I don't care - I just want us to be able to compete properly and keep our players happy. I have a feeling this summer has just turned from being quite promising, from Arsenal in the market, to damage control. I hope the affects of what RvP and Usmanov have had to say so publicly won't fuck our current players and any new comers.

If there's any man for the job, though, it's Arsene Wenger. Hopefully he can sift through this bullshit and get the players all hungry to go out there with a point to prove. I can't imagine how some of the players feel about what Robin had to say about this club's ambition. Whilst it may be true - how are they meant to feel in all of this? They wanna win trophies too (some of them couldn't care less though, that much I accept), and so do Arsenal. I'm beginning to feel as though this is just about money. Arsenal do not go into a new season without the ambition to win anything.

Wherever the flying dutchman ends up, he will never have the kind of relationship and status with fans as he does with Arsenal. I hope it's worth it. He is was a fucking God in North London, and he could have looked back at his career with a deep sentimental relationship and connection with Arsenal, but that won't be happening now. This isn't like Henry. He'll never be a club legend.

;(

@FF - Hollow words, but happier memories

Edit:

@Molo - It's that he did this without the club's knowledge and the content of what he said. He basically claims that the club has zero ambition, or ambition below his own. Therefore he puts into question the current players and players coming in, and the job that Arsene Wenger has been doing all these years. A lot of which has been being there for RvP to support him, from bringing in from Feyenoord's reserve team for misbehaving to reassuring him through all those injuries, through those rape allegations and making sure he gets paid so he can buy those stupid cars. Poor Arsene doesn't deserve this, God help us the day he finally says fuck it and goes. He also said Gazidis is on holiday right now for 2 weeks which is not the case...

It's an agent driven move which basically is trying to force a move out of Arsenal. I'd respect him a ton more if he just came out and he wants to leave this summer and handed in a transfer request. He wants to leave on good terms with the fans but he ain't fooling anybody...

What more could we have done? We were all like 'we need CL for RVP to stay' - we got third, 'we need to bring in some quality backups for RVP for him to stay' - we bought in the youngest European to reach 100 caps for his national team, top scorer in the french league and are in the running for M'Vila. 'We need to offer him a good contract' - We did.

He doesn't wanna be here anymore. We need less people like him, and it pains me to say that considering he's the last truly World class player we've got anymore. But alas, we've survived better players leaving and we'll do so again


Sorry for the walls of text. I'll stop now

[Molo316]

I initially laughed off reports of us signing Hugo Lloris, but recently, it's picked up some backing.

I'll be over the moon if we were to sign him, and £12million would be a steal!

[Firefox]

Brilliant video... I am still hopeful that he will stay even with the letter..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7f-uyLGTQII&hd=1

[squirrelbo1]

It's almost like a eulogy at a funeral

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

[Nitey]

It's almost like a eulogy at a funeral

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

Yes.

[Cyn]

Gutted at the events of the last few days but let's be honest, Robin had put off signing or even talking about his contract all season and hadn't signed 2 weeks after crashing out of the euro's. The writing was on the wall. This is why I stopped idolising the players a long time ago, it just makes it hard when they inevitably prove they're human.

Unlike Nasri I don't think it's about money, he just doesn't think we can win trophies and who can blame him? I don't think we can win trophies any time soon either. I am a little disappointed with what he decided to put in his statement, not because it wasn't true but because it was unnecessary and a blatant attempt to burn his bridges with the club and give them no option but to sell him. We're in a weaker negotiating position because of it. This is probably that nasty little scrote Darren Dein's handiwork.

As far as the Usmanov thing goes, shamelessly opportunistic bit of propaganda but you can't fault the content of the letter. I could have written it myself, so could a million other fans.

[nickrobbins]

before the euro's i was very optimistic about the future of Arsenal (Podolski signed, Giroud/m'vila strongly rumoured) but now im just fed up of all these players that think they are bigger than the club because thats what all this refusal to sign contracts is... them thinking they are bigger and better than us. The problem isn't with Arsene Wenger i have all the simpathy in the world with him for the fact that he has shown faith in all these assholes that don't show any back, it's with the board and the morons that don't seem to want to help.

i know their is a lot of people that don't like the idea of Usmanov because of a checkered past but i would much rather have him in charge right now because he seems to want to do right by this great football team and at the end of the day isn't that all we want? a chairman and board of directors that actually have ambition and want the team to be successful and can enable us to compete with the very best?