Re: The Official Summer Transfer Rumours Thread

by MJ Tue Jun 17, 2014 2:55 pm

Has to be one of the best individual GK performances I've seen in a while, or ever actually.

Saw Wenger afterwards with the Arab pundits beaming haha.

by urbaNRoots Tue Jun 17, 2014 3:01 pm

MJGunner wrote:I may not be keeping up with Milan well enough but I don't think Balotelli's been as disruptive or plain stupid as he was in his City days.

He still is.

And yes to Ochoa! Free agent, low wages, right age. That can't go much wrong.

by MJ Tue Jun 17, 2014 3:07 pm

urbaNRoots wrote:
MJGunner wrote:I may not be keeping up with Milan well enough but I don't think Balotelli's been as disruptive or plain stupid as he was in his City days.

He still is.

How so?

Plenty wanted Suarez for the ridiculously talented striker he is and he's twice as nuts as Balotelli in a way that makes him a bigger liability, serving lengthy suspensions.

But I'm asking if there were notable incidents of him embarrassing himself like he used to.

by REWB Tue Jun 17, 2014 3:09 pm

would ochoa accept a bench role though? he is only 28.

by VendettaRed07 Tue Jun 17, 2014 3:15 pm

If he keeps playing like that he won't have to accept a bench role

by MJ Tue Jun 17, 2014 3:17 pm

I'd love to have someone around Szczesny's age and capability so they'd keep forcing the best out of each other.

by RealGunner Tue Jun 17, 2014 3:18 pm

Chris Wheatley ‏@GoonerTalk 11m
Olympiakos confirm that they've made an offer for Joel Campbell but Arsenal won't begin negotiations until after the World Cup.

Chris Wheatley ‏@GoonerTalk 2m
Campbell will be involved in latter stage of #afc's pre-season fixtures but the club remain open to offers. Player wants to fight for place.

by Sina Tue Jun 17, 2014 3:25 pm

should try Alexis if not possible then Balo
last resort Mandzu

the rest not good enough
Benzema not attainable

by urbaNRoots Tue Jun 17, 2014 3:27 pm

MJGunner wrote:
urbaNRoots wrote:
MJGunner wrote:I may not be keeping up with Milan well enough but I don't think Balotelli's been as disruptive or plain stupid as he was in his City days.

He still is.

How so?

Plenty wanted Suarez for the ridiculously talented striker he is and he's twice as nuts as Balotelli in a way that makes him a bigger liability, serving lengthy suspensions.

But I'm asking if there were notable incidents of him embarrassing himself like he used to.

http://m.bbc.com/sport/football/24295681
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/serie-a/9982639/AC-Milan-striker-Mario-Balotelli-banned-for-three-games-following-post-match-tirade-at-official.html
http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/worldcup/story/czech-republic-0-0-italy-uefa-world-cup-qualifying-match-report-mario-balotelli-red-card-060713
http://www.espnfc.com/italian-serie-a/story/1597427/ac-milan-coach-massimiliano-allegri-unhappy-with-mario-balotelli-performance
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11945/9209504/italian-papers-blast-mario-balotelli-following-ac-milans-champions-league-exit

by 6unner Tue Jun 17, 2014 4:00 pm

Just not sure what Wenger thinks he can do with Balotelli when he could not control Bendtner.

by El Gunner Tue Jun 17, 2014 4:13 pm

Bendtner had this crazy fantasy that he was the greatest thing that ever lived.
Can't do anything with someone like that tbh.

by MJ Tue Jun 17, 2014 4:23 pm

urbaNRoots wrote:

http://m.bbc.com/sport/football/24295681
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/serie-a/9982639/AC-Milan-striker-Mario-Balotelli-banned-for-three-games-following-post-match-tirade-at-official.html
http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/worldcup/story/czech-republic-0-0-italy-uefa-world-cup-qualifying-match-report-mario-balotelli-red-card-060713
http://www.espnfc.com/italian-serie-a/story/1597427/ac-milan-coach-massimiliano-allegri-unhappy-with-mario-balotelli-performance
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11945/9209504/italian-papers-blast-mario-balotelli-following-ac-milans-champions-league-exit

Thanks, fair enough, he's been sent off a few times.

Still, how many matches has Suarez been suspended for and yet Wenger still went after him.

If he tamed RVP who was embroiled in a rape case and sold for peanuts by Feyenoord because of his attitude, maybe he can work with Balo.

by urbaNRoots Tue Jun 17, 2014 4:36 pm

RvP was a different case, he had an attitude but when he was on the pitch he worked his ass off and worked on his game every day to get better which is not the case with Balotelli.

by Jay29 Tue Jun 17, 2014 5:07 pm

Suarez never had any off-the-field issues, and nobody ever questioned his application on the pitch. It was the theatrics, racism and biting that lead people to question him, but last season his behaviour improved when he was under intense scrutiny.

It was the same with van Persie. He was a hot-head and had an attitude problem, but he was surrounded by mature professionals, particularly Bergkamp, and he realised he needed to follow their lead if he wanted to fulfil his potential.

Contrast that with Balotelli, who's always involved in something controversial, has been for several seasons at different clubs under different managers, with all sorts of professionals, yet has not improved at all, and still has his application on the pitch routinely questioned.

Balotelli is more comparable to Anelka than anyone; supremely talented, but could never settle down. Anelka went around several clubs - PSG, Arsenal, Madrid, Fenerbahce, Bolton, Chelsea - and never became as good on a consistent basis as his early promise suggested, and I can see Balotelli going the same way at this rate.

by Peccadillo Tue Jun 17, 2014 5:28 pm

I would still take a punt Balo. We have Giroud as back-up for those inevitable 3 match bans.
Balo is a class player and is the best quality striker that is attainable.

I admit there is an element of risk with him.. Young guy with ego, troubled upbringing, more money than he needs, beautiful women throwing themselves at hime 24/7. The Balotelli story will end one of two ways, a 30 year old beer bellied, washed up footballer snorting coke in his stately home or a reformed idiot who sorted himself out and realised his full potential.

Don't forget he is only 23 - he can still mature, some do so later than others is all. Don't forget he just got engaged - even if him missus name is "fanny", usually it takes a woman to centre morons.

He is a big game player which is what we need. Giroud is always there to pick up his mess when things go bad.

What would you really rather when facing the likes of City, Real Madrid, Juventus..?
Balotelli, Ozil, Walcott, Cazorla, Ramsey, or
Remy, Ozil, Walcott, Cazorla, Ramsey

In other news, apparently Cleverley deal looking grim due to severe backlash on twitter - thank puck.

by MJ Tue Jun 17, 2014 5:36 pm

I'd call RVP's rape case an off-the-field issue and biting players and racially abusing them worse for a football club's image then some of the silly stuff Balo did off the pitch.

Now, Suarez did come clean, relatively, the diving persists, but yes, his work ethic was never in question. But Balotelli still has time on his side, if Wenger is absolutely certain he can be the manager to tame him then there's no doubt about it, he's probably one of the most talented strikers on the market.

Kike Marin, who broke the news that Arsenal would be activating Vela's buyback clause, claims Arsenal's main target this summer is Marco Reus but that a move is unlikely.

by MJ Tue Jun 17, 2014 5:37 pm

Peccadillo wrote:
In other news, apparently Cleverley deal looking grim due to severe backlash on twitter - thank puck.

I would hope that it would be looking grim due to being made up by scrub journos hmm

by Peccadillo Tue Jun 17, 2014 5:48 pm

Well maybe baseless, but nice to be put to bed early regardless..

Speaking of potentially baseless rumours, Arsenal reportedly demanding Nani as part of a swap deal with ManYoo for Vermaelen. Not completely unbelievable, not sure how Nani will figure in Van Gaals plans.

by Raptorgunner Tue Jun 17, 2014 5:54 pm

Nani, Cleverly and Smalling, wonder who is next. rofl

by Raptorgunner Tue Jun 17, 2014 5:59 pm

Santi Cazorla hmm

"When the World Cup is over, I’ll start thinking about my situation," he told Spanish newspaper AS. "I don’t want to be thinking about it right now and I’ve told my agents not to tell me anything if an offer comes in. "But I know a few of the Atlético players – Godín, Juanfran and I know the side well from when I was playing the Spanish league but until the tournament is over, I won’t know if the rumours are true or not." wrote:

by REWB Tue Jun 17, 2014 6:21 pm

its impossible for cazorla to leave us for atletico, we pay 2x more than anything he'd earn there. he'd have to take a wage cut to go there which is ridiculous.

by RealGunner Tue Jun 17, 2014 6:31 pm

The only way I won't mind Cazorla leaving is we get some absolute marquee player in like Reus. Which won't happen obviously.

Cazorla is still an excellent player. Losing him shouldn't be considered imo

by lenear1030 Tue Jun 17, 2014 8:33 pm

Told you guys about the Santi to Atletico rumors.

Inb4 he has Atleti DNA

by Peccadillo Tue Jun 17, 2014 8:45 pm

He hasn't been quoted as saying anything that troubling. He just refuses to be drawn into a proper response and hasn't quashed the rumours. Why would he? He is not even a guaranteed starter with us with Ozil in taking up his preferred position.

He doesn't know what Wengers plans are for him next season. He needs to keep his options open is all - I can't see him preferring Atletico, who probably can't match the 80k a week we pay him, to us.

by sportsczy Wed Jun 18, 2014 1:54 am

Atleti can pay just as much as Arsenal or close.... that's not the issue. I don't think Cazorla enjoys EPL-style footy much. He's looked a level below his La Liga play other than the early part of last year.

by urbaNRoots Wed Jun 18, 2014 2:57 am

He has said before that he enjoys it very much here, and if he didn't he wouldn't sign a new contract and we wouldn't offer him higher wages if we weren't happy with him either. I'm amazed that this is even a discussion, we need to keep our best players here.

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