Arsenal target Dutch defender while Djourou swaps for Matri
The Arsenal defender Johan Djourou has been a Gunner for his whole career, apart from a loan spell at Birmingham City, but it looks like that could be coming to an end. There was talk of the Swiss international defender moving on this summer, with a few Serie A clubs interested, but Arsene Wenger assured the 25-year old that there was still a role for him at the Emirates.
With just one appearance in the Capital One cup to his name so far, that role seems to involve keeping a seat in the stands warm. With the injury to Koscielny, Djourou might think that now is his chance and if he doesn’t play, then he will want a move. This could be good news for Arsenal, as Juventus are said to be interested in him, while their 28-year old striker Alessandro Matri is looking for a move away.
There are rumours in Italy that a swap deal is on the cards, and Matri could be useful to Arsenal. He played an important part in Juventus’ unbeaten title winning season, and could be a perfect substitute striker.
Of course that would leave Arsenal short of defensive cover, apart from youngsters coming through, so maybe that is why Arsenal have been tracking the young Dutch centre back Stefan de Vrij. The 20-year old is in his fourth season at Feyenoord and is already captain of the team. His impressive form has also caught the eye of Liverpool and Chelsea, according to the Sun, and Feyenoord are expecting offers for him in January.
We have been linked to 100 players so far o_O
Top Gooner!. Agree or not?:
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I would prefer to keep Djourou as 4th choice CB and bring in Huntelaar and a CDM/CM
Opinions divided. What do you think?
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Ramsey is the standard that Arsene Wenger has set for Arsenal…
COULD YOU SEE A DJOUROU, A RAMSEY, A CHAMAKH AND MORE, PLAYING FOR MAN UNITED, MAN CITY OR EVEN CHELSEA?
WELL, “HELL” NO…!!
WENGER HAS SET A MEDIOCRE STANDARD AT ARSENAL, WHICH IS SURPRISING WHEN WE KNOW THE PLAYERS WE HAD BEFORE.
I was talking to some fans in the last game and we were reminiscing about the past. I told them that Arsenal had the midfield of the French national team who won the 1998 world cup ( Viera, Petit, Pires… )… THAT’S HOW MAGNIFICENT AND GREAT WE WERE.
Now Ramsey is first choice winger… !!! What a farce and joke…!!!
Djourou wants show down talks with the manager because he does not play enough !!! I mean, I CAN EASILY SAID THAT HE IS THE WORSE DEFENDER IN THE LEAGUE…!!
That’s where we are now, a squad made of less than average players and with no view, and I mean NO VIEW of winning or getting close to the title… Because it is not the plan.
I know some people still here and in the world of Arsenal still believe to I don’t know what, because nothing positive ( except financially ) is coming to the club.
A TEAM IS BUILT YEARS AFTER YEARS OF HARD WORK… HERE IT SEEMS TO BE THE OPPOSITE… WE HAVE TO REBUILT EVERY SEASON !!! HOW CAN YOU BE SEE OR PLAN FOR THE LONG TERM?
Gazidis and Wenger ( and the board ) are talking about being competitive in 2 years !!!! WTF does that mean ???
What have we been doing for the last 7???
EVEN IF YOU BUILD A STADIUM YOU HAVE TO MAKE SERIOUS EFFORT TO KEEP YOUR BEST PLAYERS, NOT SELL THEM TO FINANCE THE PROJECT !!
THIS TEAM NEEDS SO MUCH ( A LEADER OR LEADERS ) …
Opinions divided. What do you think?
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Djourou-Mertesacker combo would be a disaster against fast srikers,I hope there will be no more injuries at the back.
Top Gooner!. Agree or not?:
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Are we even bothering with this team??!! What happened to the days when arsenal would attract players like bergkamp, Henry, pires, petit, David sukar of all people!!!!! They were house hold names!!! Now were having to make do with players like matri and de vilj, I mean who the f*ck are they???!!!
How does this justify the money we pay to watch the team??? I’d rather spend money on watching Wigan play, at least you don’t hope for win you know you’re going to loose or draw!!!
Opinions divided. What do you think?
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Are we even bothering with this team??!! What happened to the days when arsenal would attract players like bergkamp, Henry, pires, petit, David sukar of all people!!!!! They were house hold names!!! Now were having to make do with players like matri and de vilj, I mean who the f*ck are they???!!!
How does this justify the money we pay to watch the team??? I’d rather spend money on watching Wigan play, at least you don’t hope for win you know you’re going to loose or draw!!!
Opinions divided. What do you think?
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Matri is a poacher with limited technique
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Dojo is a complete donkey. He’s never been Premiership material.
That has been our problem for a number of seasons now. Wenger hanging on to our no hopers for as long as he can before dumping them.
No one in the prem is interseted in our donkeys.
Any short sighted rugby fan could see Dojo was a no hoper he should have got rid of him a few years ago.
That is what is wrong with our Club, we hang on to our c**p too long.it’s called constipation management.
Opinions divided. What do you think?
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5
Bring in a left back, cdm and a top stiker and I’ll be happy again
Top Gooner!. Agree or not?:
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As some have said already how is Matri a top,top,top player?! I for one wouldn’t be happy with this. We need a few proven players and not people who have been struggling to find a club for the last 5yrs!
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We won’t sign Matri. Matri did not play an important part in anything, so do not talk him up into something he isn’t. Matri scored ten goals (if memory serves) in a team that boasts maybe the best midfield trio in football, that, to me, is scraping by. Any mediocre striker could do that.
Also remember that we have taps on Sean Morrison of Reading. He is the most impressive young defender in the world. At 6.3 he is absoloutely enormous and that along with both 1.8 tackles and interceptions per game so far he should be a great back up to Per. Plus, he’s English.
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Get Baines Get Capoue Get Isco or Gotze and get a Versatile Striker who is scoring threat.
Top Gooner!. Agree or not?:
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De Vrij is a young defender from Feyenoord, Rotterdam. He has great potential and talent. It is not unnoticed; he has been selected for the Dutch national team. Only thing is, he has a long-term contract and won’t be “cheap” for such a raw prospect.
Arsenal for life
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CDM, a creative & quality CAM or winger (Isco), LB (cover 4 Gibbs) and striker (Jovetic)
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We need quality and players use to english game. might go down bad with ppl but suarez? hes top scorer so think what he could do for us. morrison should be signed and give them miguel on loan. would love baines and fellaini but wont happen. we will prob get zaha and huntelaar. would take enrique from liverpool as good backup to gibs as liverpool have wasted him
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5 
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no money
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3
to be far ramsey has been okay over the last two games.
Top Gooner!. Agree or not?:
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5
All this dead weight should be put on free transfers and cut our loss
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‘could be a perfect substitute striker.’
DO WE EVER F**KING LEARN!
We need an established goal scorer preferably on the cheap. Is Huntelaar for £6 million not an obvious bloody choice. I hope the Henry deal doesn’t happen and Wenger is put under real pressure to get off his tight arse and spend some money
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@Dean agree with you on the striker. bring in hunterlaar and keep henry training with us to help walcott develop into a striker. then we have 4 international strikers from some of the best countries in the world. Giroud(france),Podolski(germany),Hunterlaar(holland) and walcott(england). with the supply given to them sort of players we should be banging them in left, right and center
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Jan is a one season player. Better give Walcott that money and play him as striker. He is better than Giroud
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CB is the least of my concerns. I think we should just promote Miquel and give the lad a chance as 4th choice for now. Back-up LB is crucial as we all know it’s only a matter of time before Gibbs gets injured. Henry on loan is great cover while Gervinho is away at AFCON. Aside from that, either a striker or defensive mid signing would do wonders. I’m hoping for Huntelaar!
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@Bouba: You have the courage to state the truth – about Ramsey – yet many fans are still in love with him – i don’t get it – it is not a logical attraction.
Djourou is not a good defender but I would take exception to your assessment – Squillachi is the worst – Djourou not far behind.
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@luke: I don’t know what games you were watching but Ramsey was horrible vs. Everton. He made the nice assist but then began game-long onslaught of dangerously mis-placed passes and missed opportunities.
perhaps you could take your “i love ramsey” glasses off and watch the game as it actually is.
even if i accept your premise that Ramsey has been “OK” i still want to scream. Arsenal players should not be poor in most games and “OK” in others. Arsenal players should be amazing most of the time.
How low we have set our expectations is amazing.
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@COYG; I am with you I am disgusted by the low ratings your comments received. There was a time when Arsenal fans celebrated the idea of striving to be the best – to attract the best players – and to make only breathtaking performances. That is what sport is about – striving.
Yet I see the low approval for your great comments and I notice articles and comments which praise Arsenal for getting draws instead of winning and I read from fans who think Ramsey is satisfactory because he played “OK” in a couple of games.
I only hope that such comments from and the weak-minded attitudes revealed in them are only a pathetic minority of Arsenal supporters.
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@BOUBA: To you and I your comments seem childishly obvious. But like you I want to scream at the willful blindness of some fans. You stated merely the truth but the truth is apparently not a praised commodity. Instead, some would rather speak in mild and measured tones about the complacency and mediocrity which has creeped into the Arsenal spirit. Hopefully, those who want to again see the spirit of the Arsenal of old will become the massive majority and Arsenal regain what it has seemingly lost – the forward and winning spirit of yearning and demanding excellence in sport.
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We have been linked with all the best players in football with no hope of having any. Bunch of average, lazy, useless players. Oh where have our arsenal gone?
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Wenger is bringing mediocrity in the club……what is the major difference between Bentner,Chamakh and Giroud? he just wasted our money….we have a lot of avarage players in our team we want three players who can make a difference a left back,DM,and a striker…..if not we should all agree that wenger i an arsenal manager at the wrong time,the board should also be disbanded and we bring in ambitious individuals
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