The Arsenal [2008|2009]

[Bobby]

Arsenal Football Club
Holloway, North London
Emirates Stadium (60,335 all-seated)

Current Squad:
01. Manuel Rivero Almunia (Goalkeeper; Valencia, Spain)
02. Vassiriki Abou Diaby (Midfielder; Paris, France)
03. Bacary Sagna (Fullback; Sens, France)
04. Francesc "Cesc" Fàbregas Soler (Midfielder; Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain)
05. Kolo Habib Touré (Defender; Bouake, Côte d'Ivoire) VC
06. Philippe Sylvain Senderos (Defender; Geneva, Switzerland)
07. Tomáš Rosický (Midfielder; Prague, Czech Republic)
09. Eduardo Alves da Silva (Striker; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
10. William Gallas (Defender; Asnières-sur-Seine, France) C
11. Robin van Persie (Striker/Winger; Rotterdam, Netherlands)
12. Carlos Vela (Striker; Cancún, Mexico)
13. Aliaksandr Paŭlavič Hleb (Midfielder; Minsk, Belarus)
15. Denílson Pereira Neves (Midfielder; São Paulo, Brazil)
17. Alexandre Song Billong (Midfielder/Defender; Douala, Cameroon)
19. Gilberto Aparecido da Silva (Midfielder; Lagoa da Prata, Brazil) VC
20. Johan Djourou (Defender/Midfielder; Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire)
21. Łukasz Fabiański (Goalkeeper; Kostrzyn nad Odrą, Poland)
22. Gaël Clichy (Fullback; Toulouse, France)
25. Sheyi Emmanuel Adebayor (Striker; Lomé, Togo)
26. Nicklas Bendtner (Striker; Copenhagen, Denmark)
27. Emmanuel Eboué (Fullback/Midfielder; Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire)
30. Armand Traoré (Fullback/Midfielder; Paris, France)
31. Justin Raymond Hoyte (Fullback; London, England)
32. Theo James Walcott (Striker/Midfieler; London, England)
34. Kieran Gibbs (Midfielder; London, England)
35. Håvard Nordtveit (Defender; Vats, Norway)
36. Mark Randall (Midfielder; Milton Keynes, England)
37. Paul Rodgers (Defender; London, England)
38. Jay Simpson (Midfielder; London, England)
39. Henri Lansbury (Midfielder; London, England)
40. Vito Mannone (Goalkeeper; Desio, Italy)
41. Gavin Hoyte (Defender; London, England)
42. Francisco Mérida Pérez (Midfielder; Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain)
43. Nacer Barazite (Striker/Midfielder; Arnhem, Netherlands)
44. Abu Ogogo (Defender; Epson, England)
45. James Dunne (Midfielder; Farnborough, England)
46. Kerrea Gilbert (Defender; London, England)
47. Rene Steer (Defender; Luton, England)
XX. Samir Nasri (Midfielder; Marseille, France)
XX. Aaron James Ramsey (Midfielder; Caerphilly, Wales)

Unassigned: 1, 8, 12, 14, 16, 18, 23, 28, 29, 33, 48-99

Manager: Arsène Wenger, OBE (Strasbourg, France)
Asst. Manager: Pat Rice (Belfast, Northern Ireland)
First Team Coach: Boro Primorac (Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Reserves Coach: Neil Banfield (London, England)

Chairman: Peter Denis Hill-Wood

Pre-season:
July 19: Barnet (Away)
July 30: Stuttgart (Away)
Aug 3: Juventus (Emirates Cup/Home)
Aug 4: Real Madrid (Emirates Cup/Home)
Aug 6: Huddersfield Town (Away)
Aug 8: Ajax Amsterdam (Amsterdam Tournament/Away)
Aug 9: Sevilla (Amsterdam Tournament/Neutral)

 

[PaPaGeorGeo]

Should be some more in's and out's over the next month once Euro 2008 has finished

Heres our new home kit

 

[cacique4ever]

any news about adebayor?...is he really going to barca?

 

[Gunnersgoal22]

any news about adebayor?...is he really going to barca?

Or Milan.

OMFG wake me up when the season starts and when Wenger stops selling our best players. We can't be decreasing our already thin squad. If Adebayor leaves (which is likely) and Van Persie gets injured (which is likely) our strike partnership will be Bendtner and Walcott.
Anyone else as pissed as me?

 

[Jaboldinho]

Is Nasri a done-deal already?

 

[newbie original]

^^^Yes....

Good thread title....

 

[arsenal_boi]

not pissed off.......if adebayor isnt 100% commited to arsenal then so be it, with the money we get for him, say atleast 20 million

wenger cood by 3 good players with that, which can more then replace adebayor if the wenger spends his money rite which he usually does

dont forget no adebayor or van persie means, bendtner, vela, walcott, eduardo or whoever he buys really.

 

[newbie original]

 

[per75005]

That's nearly official for S. Nasri.... Great news for the gunners, and for this young player who could improve himself with Arsene....

 

[Gunnersgoal22]

Fine Hleb can go if he wants, but please keep Adebayor!!!

BTW can we PLEASE get Arshavin.
Why is it that Wenger said recently he doesn't have enough money yet earlier this year I read that we were practically the richest team in England?
Common get Arshavin I'm having dreams about this guy.

Woow that came out really wrong

 

[jimorrizon]

Carlos Vela will sport #12 for The Arsenal 2008 /2009 season....

 

[Filipower]

Will definitely be interesting to see how will Nasri and Vela get in the squad/team. Ramsey I don't know as well as those two...

Also, it's time that Wenger splashes the cash on a major, guarantee-giver goalie.

 

[arsenal_boi]

how bout splashing on someone in the middle of the park to give fabregas some shielding, i think thats the most important position atm, close second a keeper although almunias decent

 

[Bobby]

Yea, Almunia is good enough. I like him alright.

We do have Gilberto who can play the shield role really well but he's getting older. Djourou has played there too, and obviously Diaby. We're really going to miss Flamini.

Vela is going to be good though, the Mexicans I know are really crazy about him.

 

[PaPaGeorGeo]

Will definitely be interesting to see how will Nasri and Vela get in the squad/team. Ramsey I don't know as well as those two...

Also, it's time that Wenger splashes the cash on a major, guarantee-giver goalie.

I dont think he will, he has alot of faith in Almunia and I think that he has even more faith in the fact that Lukasz Fabianski is going to be an Arsenal no 1.

 

[Filipower]

Well, that keeps being my problem with Wenger, then...

 

[PaPaGeorGeo]

Well, that keeps being my problem with Wenger, then...

There arent really that many good Keepers available atm.


Im surprised no Premier League team has tried to sign Mad Jens

 

[Filipower]

Really?



And there are better keepers than Almunia available man.

 

[arsenal_boi]

personally i dont think that there are that many, with a reasonable price tag attached, better off spending that money on other players, i agree that wenger trusts in fabianski to take over...

 

[Gunnersgoal22]

NOOO! This is really bad. Looks like Adebayor will be going to Milan.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=551430&cc=5901
Assuming Hleb leaves, Nasri comes, and Rosicky is still injured, our lineup without anymore signings for the start of next year would look something like this.
Almunia

Sagna Toure Gallas Clichy

Eboue Fabregas Diaby Nasri

R.V.P. Bendtner/Walcott/Vela?

When I look at that lineup the first thing that comes to mind is we need another striker. This may sound pessimistic but I don't think any of those strikers are really reliable to score many goals. Walcott Bendtner and Vela are all very young and Van Persie is very injury prone. Now I know that I said I really want us to get Arshavin, but that was really a rush of blood more than anything. He's more of a play maker while we now need more of a target man. Some possibilities: Huntelaar? Eto'o? Santa Cruz? They are expensive but we'll get 20-30 million pounds for Ade so I think we can afford it.

Other areas I hope we can strengthen in that lineup are CB, DM, and Eboue. I like Gallas and Toure, but if you can get a quality, tall striker playing against them they'll always have problems. Recall our game at Stamford Bridge where Drogba scored twice?
Buying another DM and replacing ability should be 3rd and 4th priority. I think Diaby/ Song/ Gilberto should be able to handle DM, and while I don't like Eboue, I don't think replacing him is as important as buying another striker.

It's a lot to ask for, but we should have lots of money if Hleb and Ade leave. BTW ty if you read that whole post, I know it was long.