Traore – I thought “Nightmare, I’m going to stay at Arsenal!”
The QPR defender Armand Traore was convinced that his transfer across London from Arsenal to Loftus Road was going to fall through after he played in Arsenal’s 8-2 thrashing from Man Utd.
Traore only ever played 13 games in six years at Arsenal and he thought that his performance (and the team’s) against United would have made Neil Warnock change his mind about buying him and he would have to continue in the reserves at Arsenal.
Traore said: “I thought that game had cost me my move. I was thinking ‘nightmare, I am going to stay at Arsenal’.
“But my agent spoke to Warnock after the match and he didn’t expect me to play anyway and said the deal was still on.
“I was really happy he still wanted me. I still wondered what he was thinking and what the QPR fans would think of me joining them after that but everyone at the club has been great with me.
“I know people think all those Arsenal players were rubbish that day but, personally, I wasn’t there in my head. I was all set to join QPR on the Thursday and then Arsenal said I had to play this game first.
“The fact is I wasn’t fit. I remember after the first few minutes I went to close someone down and bang, I felt my groin. I tried to play on and at half-time I said to the physio I didn’t think I could play on but they told me I had to. It was a nightmare.
“A lot of Arsenal fans probably hate me and some of the other players. They probably always will because of that game. But we were just a bunch of reserves and players with little confidence taking on a team still on a high from what they’d done last season.”
Traore was never loved by Arsenal fans, but surely he couldn’t be held personally to blame for the rout by Man Utd. Does anyone out there actually hate him? That would be a bit harsh…….
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i dont have anything against him
Top Gooner!. Agree or not?:
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No single player can be blamed for “THAT” game. It was a team collapse.
I think what Traore saying here is admirable.
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Nice words from traore,never really liked him though,gud he is gone cos he wuld av bn d one 2 play our left-back
Opinions divided. What do you think?
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Nice guy, traore is. … But does any arsenal fan hate him personally? I hated the fact that he was an average player and wasnt an arsenal material, but ive got nothing against the guy. See here, i think he just spoke like a cesc fabregas, i mean… Like an ex-player still with a lot of love for the club! All the best at QPR bro!
Top Gooner!. Agree or not?:
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Why would any Arsenal fan hate him? He was just not a good player for us, he never stirred any trouble, he never failed us in any big way and he never talked badly about being at Arsenal, nor did he moan or complain.
As far as I’m concerned he’s one of the many that didn’t make it here but while he was here he gave his all, he treated the fans with dignity and respect and as such I wish him all the best in his future.
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@ Travis Bickle
Agreed! I was everyone’s fault we lost.
Everyone should take responsability, and they all did.
No one likes loosing, never mind 8-2. However I look back at that game and it was a reality check. Sometimes, you have to reach rock bottom before you stand up again. This is what happened with Arsenal. Lets stay focus, lets beat Man City.
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He has been playing well for QPR if only u guys were watching him. Go beat man u for us bros.
Top Gooner!. Agree or not?:
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Traore was not the type of player we need at arsenal but he did not offend us like nasri,adebayor and hleb.gud luck 2 him.
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Lets face it he was good but just not good enough for arsenal
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its nt ur fault,u hv try.humble guy.feel soryy for this kid.please do us a favour beat manu,shitty,chelsea,spudsy for us
its alright troaore 
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I personally have nothing against Traore, there are alot off Former players/ Traitors higher up on my “I Hate You” list Than Troare for example Adebayor, Helb, Flamini and The One whose name we dont say anymore , unless it is in a disrespectful manner of course, “Sam hair Nasty” Now there is a guy i would like to see injured in a freak law mower accident or a good old bad tackle would do
i Know no self-respecting Arsenal Fan would disagree.
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fab n nasri moving,it was a good move, though i didnt like when it happened. other players relied on them.. now they have moved on… n there place n theirs responsibilities are fast overtaken…. ramsey, song they are creating well…
n i hate other saying its a 1 man team, RVP, coz the others are equally doing well to create him chances…
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i liked him, but it would be for him a nightmare to stay with us??!!! whit a club which made him a top footballer…what a jerk…
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basically this guy was scared to death of playing for the greatest club in the world. what a wussie!
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Unlike most Arsenal fans, I actually liked Traore when he was with us. The boy was never given a chance, but I saw qualities in him, that if given more game time, he would have proven his worth to the squad. It’s a shame how quickly people judge a player, when he has one bad game, and only rightfully so if he doesn’t get enough experience. He has better ball control than Gibbs. In fact Wenger once stated that Traore is one of the fastest guys in the team.
Gibbs is a good defender and has high potential, but the boy is as frail as a bread stick. I wonder if Wenger puts him on a special diet to shove 6000 calories a day down his throat to gain some weight and muscle? It frustrates me as much as i’m sure it angers him to be constantly injured. I just hope when he comes back he doesn’t experience anymore setbacks. We can’t afford to keep investing in a player that lies in sick bay. Ledley King, a perfect example of that with Spuds.
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thats not only his fault.
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I think Traore has a better opinion on himself than he should have. He never was a player important enough to be hated for a result. The fact that he never met the expectations was the only reason why he ended up at QPR. Enough said, let the lad prove I’m wrong (he didn’t, yet).
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