Category Archives: Guest post

Let Djourou Stay in Germany

The news that on-loan defender, Johan Djourou, doesn’t want to return to the club shouldn’t disappoint too many Arsenal fans, who would rather we would cut our ties with the 26-year-old altogether.
 
The Swiss international told Neue Presse Hannover he is happy at new club, Hannover, where he has made 12 appearances so far this spring.
 
“It would be fantastic if the clubs could agree on a deal,” he revealed. “It is a difficult situation since I still have two years left on my contract in London.”
 
Djourou left the Emirates in January after making just two appearances this season and hasn’t been missed since, boss, Arsene Wenger, finding a reasonably strong partnership in Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny.
 
With Arsenal set to strengthen their defence in the summer, it is becoming increasingly clear Djourou will not be in the first team from next season.
 
DJOUROU Hannover
 
Although the majority of football betting pundits agree  Djourou should be nowhere near the first team, news he wants to leave Arsenal is nevertheless disappointing for a player Wenger put so much trust in during the early years.
 
Since coming up through the ranks in 2005, the defender made over 100 appearances for Arsenal yet is maybe indicative of our recent plight. He’s never won a trophy and ruined his only chance during the Carling Cup final at Wembley.
 
The fact he started in 2011 against Birmingham proved just how fragile Arsenal’s defence was at the time and, although the only real addition has been Mertesacker, at least we have some nous at the back handling dangerous situations.
 
If anything, Djourou is the embodiment of our partially failed youth policy that put too much trust and gave too many shirts to players who simply weren’t good enough. Times are changing and Wenger has realised relying on poor youngsters to come good isn’t the solution to his problems.
 
If Djourou wants to go then let him; Arsenal are better off without a player who has proven incapable of meeting the demands of top-flight football, much to the chagrin of fans who enjoy a football bet
 
Guest post brought to you courtesy of Joe Short.

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Wenger patience wearing thin

With the protracted contract negotiations continuing between Arsenal and winger Theo Walcott, manager Arsene Wenger is clearly getting to the end of his tether.

There has been a distinct lack of apparent progress with the completion of a deal with the England international and as the weeks go by a resolution is looking more and more unlikely.

The other major factor is that Walcott will be out of contract at the end of the season and with the January transfer window edging closer, Arsenal are going to have one last chance to cash in on the former Southampton starlet if a deal can’t be agreed.

 arsene theo

With the Gunners in the midst of a poor run of form in the Premier League, the lack of commitment from one of the first-team players will not be helping matters at the Emirates.

Wenger has expressed his desire to keep Walcott at the North London outfit and believes the player would like to stay too but clearly something is holding up the deal.

The Frenchman said:

“With Theo, I have no news. I personally am not involved in that directly, indirectly of course yes, but at the moment we have not made any progress.

“Honestly, I am frustrated. Between the player and me it is all clear, he knows what he wants and he has to make up his mind.”

“We have been in negotiations with Theo for a long, long time, and we have not been late in our re-negotiations with him.”

“We always try to extend the contracts very early.”

With the likes of Liverpool believed to be interested in signing Walcott, we might well see the 23-year-old in the red of Liverpool instead of the Arsenal red in January.

Ahead of Bradford v Arsenal tonight make sure you check out all the Capital One Cup Betting markets with Betfair, as well as all the latest news, advice and newly updated Betfair Football In-play markets.

Guest post brought to you today by Tom Brown.

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Lack of confidence stems from the strike force – AFC

Very few Arsenal fans would have expected the positive start Arsenal made to the Premier League this August and September, given the gloom surrounding the departure of Robin van Persie over the summer.
But as the nights started to draw in there appeared to be a confidence in the Wenger’s re-built squad both up front and at the back.
However, back-to-back defeats after the international break this month have suddenly exposed old, lingering weaknesses that could once again hinder Arsenal’s chances of a trophy this season.
The Gunners were shambolic in their 1-0 defeat to Norwich City, defending without communication and unable to puncture a solid wall of yellow in their opponent’s half. 
Against Schalke a few days later. admittedly against a stronger team bang in form, the side once again came up against a defence determined not to concede and happy to play on the break, with the 2-0 win the least they deserved
Assistant boss Steve Bould has put Arsenal’s recent slump down to mentality, stating: “It looks like we’re lacking confidence on the ball and that’s unusual. We looked a bit tired and jaded.”
Indeed, there is a distinct absence of confidence in the side, particularly in the forward line. As mentioned in plenty of champions league predictions. Schalke’s players went into the game knowing their defensive duties and kept the Spanish duo of Santi Cazorla and Mikel Arteta at bay. Without Cazorla on the ball, Arsenal were forced more and more to go down the wings – but Theo and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were both out injured.
Whenever Arsenal did make a progressive move the ball inevitably fell to Gervinho, who – with the greatest of respect – consistently looks like he is unable to control the ball or play a quick pass. The striker far too often looks lost without the ball and headless with it and so his team-mates are becoming less and less confident in playing him the ball.
The apparent ‘footballing reasons’ for selling Robin van Persie (yeah, right) look distinctly shaky when you cast a glance at Arsenal’s current lightweight forward line. The win over QPR did give us something to cheer, but it was a thoroughly uninspiring victory and one that hardly gives us confidence going forward.
Arsenal have struck fewer shots that any other team in the Champions League this season – only 22 – with without the assurance of a main striker’s ability to maintain possession they will fare little better as the tournament progresses.
 
Guest post brought to you courtesy of Tom Brown.