By Tony Attwood, star of stage, screen…. all that stuff.
OK, I have been up all night playing the Puma video over and over again, and indeed have run up a £25,483 phone bill telling friends across the world of the long hold shot on “Making the Arsenal” in the middle of it, and that may have affected my judgement a little bit, but in the middle of it all I found this guy who knows.
I mean really knows.
And he told me the signings:
Signing 1/2/3:
These three are completed. The latest is Ben Sheaf from West Ham United for a fee to be agreed later.
He is 16 year, he is a midfielder, has played twice for England’s under 16. We have also signed Mourgos Savvas (a central midfielder) and Elias Hatzitheodoridis (left back), via the Arsenal elite Academy in Greece established in 2011.
That makes three.
Signing 4: Mathieu Debuchy The Star says (and lots of sites are now repeating, some rather naughtily claiming exclusives,) that “Arsenal will confirm the arrival of France international Mathieu Debuchy after the World Cup.” The fee is £12m fee with Newcastle for the left back. Why after the world cup? Who knows. Signing 5: Alexis Sanchez – terms agreed
The constantly anti-Arsenal Telegraph, looking more each day like it is edited by Desperate Dan, say in a headline “Arsenal try to hijack Liverpool’s Sanchez move”
But the Independent is slightly more clear with “Luis Suarez to Barcelona: Liverpool striker on brink of £80m transfer – but Alexis Sanchez could be Arsenal bound”
The point about all this is that the “troubled” Suárez signed a contract with Liverpool in December, which goes to 2018. But like all Liverpool contracts it has a (totally deniable and “we’ll lie about it if we have to”) release clause in it.
The Guardian, still trying to hide the fact that they failed to get even close to what Arsenal were up to last summer, have re-run today the notion that Liverpool did nothing amiss last summer when they were made to look a little foolish by Arsenal (who were dealing with the Tottenham attempts to stop the sale of Ozil as part of the Bale deal). The paper rather ludicrously states that the contract extension of the disturbed centre forward, was “designed to eradicate the problems that erupted over his thwarted attempt to sign for Arsenal 12 months ago.”
But perhaps closer to reality Spanish journalist Guillem Balague says Arsenal have already agreed contractual terms with Alexis Sanchez, but have yet to agree a fee with Barcelona for the Chilean…
However now that Barce and Liverpool are ready to do a one-off deal for Suarez the Sanchez deal can go through.
Signing 6/7:
CaughtOffside claim that “Arsenal are edging closer to completing a stunning move to bring in Real Madrid duo Karim Benzema and Angel di Maria as part of an overhaul of the Gunners attack.
Benzema’s contract runs out in 12 months (less a couple of days) and he has apparently said that only a doubling of his salary will keep him in Spain.
This means the signing of Loic Remy is now off the agenda.
If Angel di Maria comes in that could mean a departure of Lukas Podolski but not necessarily. The fact that Arsenal went public with their uptake of concerns about the number of contact injuries Arsenal suffer in matches shows that they are taking the Untold revelations about injuries ever more seriously. di Maria, Theo Walcott, and Lukas Podolski – perm any two from three.
The expenditure on these two from Real Mad could be £71m. But Real Mad won’t sign unless their own deals are in place – a bit like the Bale delayed Ozil deal last summer.
On the other hand this does give us quite a few centre forwards. But never mind. You read it here first. Or second. Or third.
Did I tell you about Puma featuring “Making the Arsenal”?
- Making the Arsenal – by Tony Attwood – how the modern Arsenal was born
- Woolwich Arsenal: The club that changed football – the most detailed account of Arsenal south of the river – by Tony Attwood, Andy Kelly and Mark Andrews
- The Crowd at Woolwich Arsenal – an in depth study of who went to the matches at Plumstead and how they behaved – by Mark Andrews
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Thanx 4da update its our prayer fans for arsenal to make serious signings like sancez,dimaria $ any central defender.
I think you mentioned it once…..but don’t worry, ‘mums the word’ 😉
“Arsenal went public with their uptake of concerns about the number of contact injuries Arsenal suffer in matches”
Tony, I know Arsenal expressed concerns about injuries, but I haven’t seen anything specifically about Contact Injuries from the club. Would you post link(s) to that, please.
Look forward to see how the new youngsters get on in our revamped youngster thing going on.
The Sanchez thing is really taking off. Would be a great signing, but caution needed, not that the old wise heads of untold need telling such things of course – As ever, some of these things are dependant on issues beyond the clubs control but if this is all true, we are dealing with Barca, difficult , greedy customers, with who we have a difficult relationship. Also, they clearly need money for the bitey one, which helps us, but could also help the likes of City with a late gazumping bid should the likes of Negredo depart (warned of this scenario by radio interview with Graham Hunter today).
Unless of course it is actually Lawrie Sanchez we are interested in.
But it sounds like things moving in the right direction, and that maybe we have other plans should main targets fall through….as mentioned in the prev article, top players are now chomping at the bit… in a Suarezian manner… to join us.
Debuchy….if that happens as reported, wonder where that leaves Jenkinson – a player I always thought had a lot of potential?
Mandy I think it will leave Jenkinson in the same position he had before: second choice right back. And that is still his position for me. I love him, I like him but he isn’t the finished article yet.
I also noticed that Debuchy gets picked over Sagna for the French team.
Players who are still at the World Cup will be announced as having signed after its over because, if they have a bad game there, it can’t be blamed on us for ‘spoiling their focus’. More importantly they will be announced when the Puma official kit launch happens thereby gaining greater impact for all concerned.
It’s called marketing Tony!
I agree re Jenkinson Walter. This season he had shown an almost complete ineptitude at heading a ball. Given the way Sagna was the alternative outlet for the keeper this is a major drawback. There is also his inability to play the sideways pass a go down the line. I watched, immensely frustrated, during his appearances where time an again, when the forward pass was blocked he would instinctively turn and look for Mertesacker, more than once with dire consequences! It was always a great relief when Bacary returned and was playing triangles with the midfield, giving and going down the wing. If Jenks can correct these two areas – maybe via a loan spell where he can get regular playing time he has a bright future.
Certainly think Jenkinson needs more games -, but would love to see him one day develop into a first choice Arsenal player – but as you say, not there yet.
Have not paid too much attention to Debuchy at Newcastle, but know he played well for France in the last Euros, and the French coach …this time at least……is no fool, if he is playing Debuchy over Sagna, will not argue that one in terms of a signing for us.
The other one constantly mentioned – Aurier, have not seen enough of him to judge, but have read he is a bit raw
Despite reading these from UA and, as no insider man or woman (the grounds man or the tea lady at the Ems) have been quoted as the source, I’ll only believe when I see each one of the yet to happen names holding up a puma Arsenal shirt beside Wenger and at the Ems.
Lets just say that I ‘ve been benumbed by too much vapor transfer and be wearied by too many last minute transfer u-turns to learn to wait for the formal announcement of actual and concluded transfers.
Tony,
Your post says Debuchy is a left back. I presume it should read “right”.
After Gibbs’ reluctance to use his right boot, we surely do not need another left back.
Nicky, it all depends on from which side you look at the pitch I think 😉
When looking from the North bank as Tony does and from his seat, our right back plays to his (Tony) left. And as we usually play towards the North bank in the second half I think Tony still remembers Sagna as playing on the (his) left hand side of the field. 🙂
Tony
Noticed too the Telegraph seems to be about the only publication saying we’re attempting to hijack the Liverpool deal for Sanchez. While everyone else is saying Sanchez refused to go to Liverpool, and would rather go to London instead.
Lol there is no quotes from any players or clubs and the papers are just throwing names around like it’s midnight in a pub.
t’s only six or seven weeks before Palace and the CL qualifier so the urgency is there mate. If the ditherer carries on as before, he’ll be scrabbling around for some last minute reinforcements and 31 August 2014 will see this year’s equivalents of Bischoff, Silvestre and Santos! Why do we have to wait to see who might be left when we have the cash we need, just like last pre-season when we went from Jovetic to Higuain, to Suarez and Rooney before that horror- show on the first day of the season ended in the Ozil buy? I cannot understand this ridiculous mentality where we aspire to be one of the premier sides on the planet, according to Gazidis, let alone in England and our transfer business is always conducted like a Championship side that is about to go out of business. It has led to us losing out on so many top players in recent seasons and yet lessons are never learned. Last summer’s fiasco was bad enough and if by the start of the season we have a repeat of that, our existing stars, let alone fans, will have been let down yet again. £8m a year- has that been earned?
chill pills needed, where are the chill pills? Come on Doctor you got a patient 😉 I must say it has been a while
sounds like some want us to get out there and buy quickly, just to please some of the fans, and media.
Last summer – a fiasco…for some..maybe, but I will take Ozil, Flam and Sanogo anyday over the likes of Soldado, Capoue, Chadli,Lamella,Paulinho, that Romanian defender whose name escapes me….you know, the sort of dross you end up with if you rush into things.
Patience Grasshopper!
There’s a little get together taking place (much to Walter’s disgust) in Brazil. It’s likely as not occupying the thoughts of many a top quality player and coach. The way transfer chains work these days, just because an individual is knocked out of the competition doesn’t mean he’s available to finalise any deal. The Puma deal also complicates the process.
July will be a good month to be a Gooner, just give it a chance.
Say what you like but Man U under van Gaal, and with big-spending owners, are bound to be a tough proposition. So, too, are Spurs with a manager who seems the ‘business’ plus a Chairman desperate for success. So, too, Liverpool, a year on, (even without Suarez but with big money to spend) with UK’s best native manager and owners dedicated to returning LFC to the elite. And those three are the outsiders!!! Mourinho’s Chelsea, a year in with big signings (his pick) and last year’s champions with the best squad of all plus a fine manager – they must be the favourites. I count five. So what about us? You will note that in each of the above I have made a point of mentioning the owners, their spending power, their enthusiasm, their devotion. And therein mayhap lieth the problem. Thus far there is no certainty that WalMart Man is even an Arsenal man. Wenger is, beyond a doubt, a dedicated fan. But if Kroenke does not come through with the Big Money, Wenger and the team do not stand a snowball’s chance in h*ll of winning the EPL.
So business as usual like the last years…
Last year after a “summer fiasco” we won the FA cup and finished only 7 points short in the league with an injury list as long as can be.
Sorry to be OT i thought some might be interested in asking Sol Campbell questions
http://www.reddit.com/r/Gunners/comments/29mzy5/ama_world_cup_2014_sol_campbell/
Vince,
I take it, therefore, that you would be happier to pay higher ticket prices in order to pay the transfer fee premiums needed now?
More broadly, it seems that Liverpool are trying to “do a Tottenham” and spend the Suarez money before they have it (they surely don’t have their own – in a huge hole of debt). So 6th place for them!
I really see Liverpool struggling next season. They don’t currently have the resources to fight on four fronts and have no money. They are adding players but at the likely cost of their best one. Gerrard is getting very old now and I can’t see Sturridge repeating last season.
Tottenham, who fortunately blew their one-off stache last summer, will struggle to progress. I am not convinced about their manager – has never managed at a high level. They also need to find money for their stadium (BTW Tony, I read recently that they are now looking to move in in 3 years time…).
Man Utd to have a good manager but he has a huge rebuilding job on his hands. With half a new team I can see them spending the first few months of the season finding their feet.
With Chelsea, I am not convinced by Costa. He has had 1.5 good seasons having shown very little previously. He will also need to adapt to England. Nevertheless, Mourinho will still have them there or thereabouts. Fabregas will help.
Man City will be very strong though! Keeper is a bit dodgy however…
Also Fabregas’ flag has been removed from Ken Friar Bridge!
Oh Tony I do hope your tongue is firmly in your cheek in this article (leaving aside the youngsters we have signed). Last year you went public with the Higuan transfer only for that to be a red herring (or we were gazumped, who knows). Deals are only deals when the Arsenal website says they are. We have signed no senior professionals as of yet and I doubt we will until much closer to the end of the summer,
let’s all chillax (as the youngsters would say eh Nicky?)
One things seems for sure now. Debuchy will leave Newcastle as he has removed saying he is a Newcastle player on his twitter account. Well that is what they say he did.
Of course this doesn’t mean he will go to Arsenal. He might end up at PSG or so…. 😉
@Walter,
Your 1.29 reminded me of an old English expression which may not have meandered down to your land.
It’s “Extracting the Michael”. 😉
Nicky,
well I didn’t know that expression. And well… yes you might be right. Or left? oh well I hope Tony isn’t too upset about it. 😉
But I swear it is true from Tony his seat they all play on the left 🙂 His left.
Tony
This is a good summary of the present rumor mill, but as I indicated on an earlier thread I don’t get too excited until the announcement is made by Arsenal.com. When that happens I will certainly have a wee dram!!
And thanks for this expression as I usually go on the search of such things and to learn a few things about the language. So now I know all about taking the p*ss and about the process of fixing dye to wool. My god it was a fascinating world in the past…
@Walter,
On a more sober matter, the other day I enquired of you about the present health of Mme B., but received no reply.
Hope she is progressing well.
Well, gentlemen and ladies of arsenal sport loving fans; don’t be carried away so easily with the name of teenager appearing as our signings for the 2014 and 15 battle. We have suffered a lot for the past nine seasons with similar names and faces leading the line in the present of ces fabregas, hleb, song, walcott, villa, all being teenager in the life of soccer has brought to the point where we lost fans to other major clubs due to the lack of winning trophies in the labelled years herein, please put the pressure on arsene wenger to buy good players so that we can torch the premiership crown once again, we are tired being on the losing side, thanks ever so much.
Hello everyone,
It’s a good feeling when someone you followed for a long time, becomes a star. Congratulations Tony!
I don’t really post often here, as Tony usually doesn’t leave space for things to add, but when it comes to transfers, it’s a very sensitive subject.
Apart from the three youngsters(one of them already confirming it on Twitter), I’m not sure about 4, 5, 6 and 7. I would be really excited if Arsenal signed all of them, but for some reason it feels like this article is a joke, maybe because we don’t see transfer news on this page? (except the Higuain thing)
I know that transfers are never a sure thing, until we see the player on the starting eleven, or the bench at least, but is this article serious?
Pete, as you say, Man Utd may well take a while to find their feet, but they will be helped by the easiest run of early season fixtures I have ever seen. Maybe Mr Scudamore is the fixture computers programmer!
I really hope that the Debuchy story is just made up, I dont think he is Worth 12m at all. Serge Aurier for 6m would be a much better deal, and a much more “Wengerlike” transfer. Selling Joel Campbell would be sad aswell but 16m is quite a lot of Money for a youngster though…
I don’t see why Sturridge can’t continue playing well. Of course all Liverpool’s attacking players will suffer with not having Suarez, But Sturridge seems like a genuine talent to me. I think Sterling will be the one to suffer. How much longer can Gerrard hold on?
Yes Liverpool need quite a few players, but at least they’re keeping their manager, unlike Man U. They need a large number of quality players and a they have a new manager, which is a lot of upheaval after one season of Moyes. I’ll be surprised if they’re challenging for the title next season. It is a bit Spurs-like what’s going on there at Old Travesty.
I actually feel sorry for Fabregas going to Chelsea, a team that places so much emphasis on defence. The creative burden for the team will be on him and Hazard, as Costa isn’t that creative, from what I’ve seen of him (mostly Champions League).
@ Walter – Not sure if these are chill pills , but am sure they will tickle the funny bones !
Confucius’s Advice to married men – Morning Laughter
This one is funny – Can you imagine that this was posted by Bangkok’s Tourism Authority
“Loyal husbands will go straight to Heaven and Disloyal will enjoy Heaven on Earth.
The choice is yours!”
Never laugh at your wife’s choices – YOU are one of them !
Never be proud of YOUR choices – your wife is one of them !
THIS OUGHT TO CHILL YOUR BLOOD !
Doctors – Interesting Facts.
Doctors
(A) The number of physicians in the U.S. Is 700,000.
(B) Accidental deaths caused by Physicians Per year are 120,000.
(C) Accidental deaths per physician Is 0.171
Statistics courtesy of U.S. Dept of
Health and Human Services.
Now think about this:
Guns –
(A) The number of gun owners in the U.S. Is 80,000,000. (Yes, that’s 80 million)
(B) The number of accidental gun deaths Per year, all age groups, Is 1,500.
(C) The number of accidental deaths Per gun owner is 0.0000188
Statistics courtesy of FBI
So, statistically, doctors are approximately 9,000 times more dangerous than gun owners.
FACT: NOT EVERYONE HAS A GUN, BUT
Almost everyone has at least one doctor.
This means you are over 9,000 times more likely to be killed by a doctor as by a gun owner!!!
off topic – answer to Nicky
Nicky,
I must have missed that.
But I can’t talk of progress as she is still declining very slowly. We will see a new doctor soon but chronic Lyme disease is a filthy and painful disease. And frustrating as many doctors don’t know it and don’t take it serious.
The good thing is that most people who get it and who are treated quickly will cure and have no problems. I got it 2 years ago myself when I was bitten by a tick but got the antibiotics within days and recovered without any problem.
My wife wasn’t treated at the time as the doctor said it would go away by itself and the chance of any problems was minimal. Well I can assure you that even minimal chances do happen. It turns your live in a living hell. The bacteria is one of the most difficult to beat and can go to places where antibiotics can’t reach them.
But like I said next month we will see a doctor that tries to take it serious and tries to help people who suffer from the chronic version of Lyme disease with long term antibiotics treatment. A very, very long term treatment. It might help her but the odds are 50/50 for the moment. But even stopping the decline would be success for us now.
The good thing is that people more and more getting aware of the dangers of ticks and Lyme disease. And that doctors from all over the world are looking for curing it now. And looking for other methods to cure the chronic version. But sadly it is not just fighting the bacteria, most victims of chronic Lyme disease also have to fight the bureaucracy and the medical world.
My God this must sound depressing…
Well sometimes it is but we still got each other and as long as we are alive we have hope and keep our heads up. Or try to do so.
One final warning: yesterday there was a program on the Flemish TV about Lyme and doctors from all over the world warned as Lyme disease is one of the fastest growing diseases for the moment. Only in colder areas and even there not always, you can feel a bit safe.
Sorry to hear that Walter, wish her a full and as speedy as possible recovery
Walter, I do hope and pray that your wife is cured quickly, it sounds a horrible disease, lets hope the new doctor can get the correct antibiotic (or antibiotic mix).
Walter,
I was hoping for better news than that.
The prayers of your many friends, known and unknown, are with you and your family today. Never under-estimate this power.
Never knew her health was declining. I thought she’s coming up and that gave you the space and time to do the last ref review. All the same, my thoughts continually with you. my prayers for her.
As has been long understood upon Untold, the excessive (outside the long established rules of A.F.) hacking and resultant injuries subjected to the Arsenal squad has been a problem for, oh, since about the time Riley was elevated to his lofty status. Imagine substituting in a fit Diaby (France’s best player in the last WC according to their previous, Blanc) from an alternative universe into that impressive French midfield; it’s safe to say Deschamps has entertained similar thoughts whilst he looked for a replacement/alternatives.
Interesting comments from Jurgen Klinsmann on the importance of ‘match fitness’ at the top top level:
“In order (for the US national team) to get further and further, we need to add the workload, we need to add the competition level, we need to make them understand what recovery time means.”
As others have already said hopefully this exciting, rebuilt and successful squad will get a few extra numbers here and there to help see them through the season ahead. And hopefully the club captain is going nowhere. I’m sure Stevie Bould appreciates the benefits of having three top CBs at the club, long may it continue…if we include Sagna then last season perhaps only Real Madrid had better options at CB in their squad when compared with the Arsenal.
I don’t know you at all Walter, but I recently lost someone to a chronic illness, so I feel very sad for you, and I hope she recovers.
@ Walter- Just saw your reply to nicky – sorry to hear that she is still suffering . Was under the opinion that the corner was turned .Our best wishes and hope that it gets better .
Am unable to see the posters list on the right of the screen ,which make it impossible to see who is on ,and have to go to the individual post to keep up.