• mason

  Reading deeper into Wengers comments about Inler, to say that he was interested in the summer but not now suggests that he has already found and landed someone. the fact he’s been talking of only “absolute class” getting through the doors is very encouraging is this is the case. After getting his fingers burnt with so many failed attempts at signing people in the summer, I would be very suprised if he hasn’t spent the last 3 months lining up someone. I would be very suprised if it gets towards the end of january and we haven’t signed at least one more. I would actually expect someone this week or certainly early next week.On a seperate note, I think it was a nice touch to hand the armband to RVP, I’d like to see it more often, I think he would be one of those players who reponds positively to such an honour. I don’t see any benefit whatsoever in giving the armband to a keeper who doesn’t even talk to his own back four during the game!

• mason

  wait for it: “Language barrier may slam shut and force Hleb out of Spain at the end of the season” Former Arsenal star Alexander Hleb has admitted to being unsettled in Spain, hinting that he may want to leave Barcelona at the end of the season. The 27-year-old Belarus international says he is not getting enough first team action, and revealed he is at odds with his manager over failing to learn Spanish more quickly. ‘Of course I would like to play more. But you should ask the manager why I’m not in the starting line-up most of the time,’ he said to the media in his native Belarus. ‘All I can do is to work hard and prove that I deserve it. Let’s wait until the end of the season.’ According to Hleb Barcelona boss Josep Guardiola has not said he is unhappy with Hleb’s performances on the field. ‘All he says is that I should start speaking the language as soon as possible,’ said the player.” This article was in the dialy mail.

• http://kierandelaney.net/blog kierandelaney.net/blog

  As much as I hate the daily mail, that article has made my day.

• http://kierandelaney.net/blog kierandelaney.net/blog

  < ![CDATA[
  

  I don’t see any benefit whatsoever in giving the armband to a keeper who doesn’t even talk to his own back four during the game!
  I’ve been at two of Almunia’s games as captain and he’s done nothing but talk to his back four. Gallas does appear to roundly ignore him though.]]>

• Fabrez

  < ![CDATA[Hleb is an idiot and Nasri is younger & better anyway! I sooo hope that's a true story! Haha
  I remember reports of Inler saying over the summer that he wasn't ready 2 leave Udinese or something to that effect. I'm guessin that's y Arsene gave up.]]>

• Fabrez

  As for Arshavin, i’m not overly excited about him 4 some reason. If he does come, mite b on loan bcuz u don’t wanna buy another ‘i always wanted 2 go to Barca’ idiot/traitor. With that said…Arsene, PLEASE SELL BENDTNER! And happy Jack is on-board!

• zohaib

  < ![CDATA['Mancity have already signed Scott Parker'

  No they haven't.]]>

• devday

  < ![CDATA[You're right - Parker has not been sold yet.

  http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_4746788,00.html

  Last night, according to SSN and Setanta, he'd signed...!!]]>

• http://kierandelaney.net/blog kierandelaney.net/blog

  Maybe Wenger will pick him up? I rate him quite highly – he’s doing all right for my dream team!!

• zohaib

  < ![CDATA[I'd have to agree with you Kieran. He's got a bit about him that reminds me of Flamini. Similar height, similar determination and grit. Similar attitude to win the ball. Parker can probably pass it around a bit better too. Some of his through balls are quality.

  I hadn't actually thought of this but maybe it wouldn't be a bad signing at all. What are his weaknesses though ?]]>

• zohaib

  I thought Downing was on his way to Tottenham, not ManCity.

• raj

  < ![CDATA[Parker, Upson, Ireland-some of the names we have been linked with. somehow i dont think thats going to happen.
  wenger never signs a player he has sold-hasn't happened till now and dont see why it should happen for average players like parker upson or ireland.
  we will see someone but i have this feeling and i hope im wrong that it maybe the ashravin]]>

• JAT

  maybe barca is too noisy and chaotic for hleb, the poor lad

• Cappz

  LOL, we all thought that he wouldn’t like it in Barcelona! He’s annoying anyway!

• AJ

  < ![CDATA[Hleb? Who's he? =P.

  But yeah I want to see Wilshire play, he's definetly one for the future that actually will improve. As for Bendtner, if he goes in some part of a swap or part exchange I'll be over the moon, the lad clearly wants to do well and play, but he just doesn't cut it at the level we need our players to be performing at.]]>

• http://kierandelaney.net/blog kierandelaney.net/blog

  < ![CDATA[I'd prefer Parker over Ireland.

  Zohaib I don't see many frailties in his game, I'm not sure how old he is but he can't be that old. I think you're dead on the money with the Flamini comparison - he does remind me a lot of the Flamster now I think about it. I think thats why I like him, because he is a no nonsense player who does his job. At West Ham he is always in position and Arsenal need someone who is mature, sensible and has a bit of grit.... Maybe that's why the man city deal fell through?!]]>

• Gooner Get Ya

  < ![CDATA[latest BBC gossip:

  Arsenal want Portsmouth midfielder Niko Kranjcar - and they have also made a move for Everton's Mikel Arteta. The Gunners have also offered striker Nicklas Bendtner and £5m cash for West Ham defender Matthew Upson.

  The most promising news is the Bendtner deal...I think many people would agree.

  Niko Kranjcar would be a good purchase for us as he is young but has prem experience, plays LM/AM role and can score goals.]]>

• AJ

  I can see why you would prefer Parker over Ireland, while Cesc is out he can partly fill in the void of the playmaker role whereas Ireland goes forward alot more and doesn’t take on that role so much as for Kranjcar he would be a good buy, but I think he needs a bit more pace, but yeah didn’t he recently xay he was staying at portsmouth? Who knows.

• http://kierandelaney.net/blog kierandelaney.net/blog

  < ![CDATA[Definately - we can afford to lose a striker, especially one as useless as Bendtner, who's now desperately being played on the wing in case he shows some promise elswhere.

  Upson is a very good defender - I remember Wenger saying he was one of the only players he felt bad about selling, but that at the time he wasn't in the right frame of mind after his injury to play weekly in the first team.

  I just hope after all the speculation Wenger buys someone - anyone really to prove that he realises how thin the squad is. Every year we seem to blame injuries, and to be fair, we've been very unlucky three or so years in a row (even the invincibles saw Pires get injured horrifically) but we never seem to have the depth to cover.

  Even Ferguson went out and coaxed Larson out of retirement for short term cover - we seem to muddle on and fall short right near the end.]]>

• zohaib

  < ![CDATA[How do we feel about Elano ?

  He and Mark Hughes don't get along. And I've seen a report which quotes The Guardian's article on Elano, Jo and another being put on the transfer market because they're trying to raise a mutiny to get a new manager.

  Again, Elano is neither a CB nor a DM. Maybe he's the one we could get on loan till the end of the season. He'd provide some decent cover for Cesc in the middle.]]>

• Gooner Get Ya

  I would have Elano on loan till the summer if we don’t land any one else like Arteta\Arshavin\Kranjcar

• Gooner Get Ya

  Just heard that city have offered Yaya 25m and doubling his wages so I guess he will not be coming to us :0)

• http://kierandelaney.net/blog kierandelaney.net/blog

  < ![CDATA[Elano is ok, but he's not been anywhere near his best - I'd be worried that we were buying yet another player that blows hot and cold.

  I'm also suspicious of his apparent willingness to mutiny - we don't need another Gallas!]]>

• zohaib

  < ![CDATA[We also seem to have forgotten about Michael Johnson of ManCity. Apparently he's up for sale. I think there was a lot of talk about him joining us in the summer.

  What does the rest of the crew here think ?]]>

• zohaib

  Aston Villa are more keen to get 29yr old Upson. Apparently they failed with a 11 million pound bid.

• Steve

  < ![CDATA[Bendtner for Upson would be a great deal, we'd never see Bendtner play again and hopefully see a loy less of Silvestre too.

  I've got nothing against Bendtner as such, but he really should be our 6th choice striker behind Ade, RVP, Edu, Walcott and Vela. Silvestre on the other hand is a medicore player who is getting past it.

  Arshavin, Arteta, Kranjcar and Elano are all class players and pretty much interchangeable IMO. Attacking midfielders who seem to get played on the left wing when they should really play at the top of a diamond, good at long shots and killer pass finders, a bit like Rosicky really.

  I remeber the Brazil Argentina game at the Emirates where Elano and Robinho tore Argentina to shreds, although that was a couple of years ago now.

  Hope their is nothing in the rumours that the board have suddenly got tight with the purse strings just as Wenger was realising he needs to splash a bit of the cash he's been holding back.

  It would seem a bit hypocritical for the board to state that Wenger has cash to spend all the time that he's being prudent, and then pull the rug from underneith him as soon as it looks like he might actually spend some of the money they have said is there.]]>

• http://kierandelaney.net/blog kierandelaney.net/blog

  < ![CDATA[In the boards defence, there has been a global financial crisis since they said there was money to spend!

  Wenger certainly picks his moments to spend doesn't he - 8 months ago we could have bought any footballer from Europe for cheap with the Euro to Pound somewhere near 1.5. Now it'll cost 30% more for any player from European clubs.

  Thats essentially why Man City are picking at the carcass of English football and ignoring Europe. Its also why Ashley Young, Pennant and Owen are attractive to Spanish/Italian clubs - they're become massively cheaper to buy and pay in the last 8 months!]]>

• AJ

  Lol true, guess the prof got his timing all wrong, but yeah we just need to sign some good expierenced players even if it is on loan till the summer.

• Gooner Get Ya

  Just heard that Arsenal are holding talks with Zenit so it’s looking like Arshavin is a possible purchase but I highly doubt it will be a 20m price tag. I have a funny feeling he is the loan deal for some reason with an option to buy in summer but who knows.

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