Seeing the Dutch fail last night was quite disturbing. How can a team with such obvious talent have been so bad ? How can a team who got to the World Cup final by playing good football get knocked out in the Euros before the knockout stages ? Shades of France at the World Cup in 2002, they won Euro 2000 and then didn't make it out of their group at the World Cup. How is Robin Van Persie feeling ? Is he on the warpath thinking "fcuk the world - I'm in this for ME now" ? Will his desire to leave and win things be greater as a result. Am I one of the few people who actually think IF RVP leaves and Giroud comes in and the DM we desperately crave that we wouldn't necessarily be much worse off ? I mean, we'd change the way we play to suit, but, maybe it wouldn't all be doom and gloom if he left. Wrighty left, Vieira left, Henry left, Fabregas left .. .and we are still here doing ok. Is RVP leaving the worst thing that can happen ? I feel quite indifferent about it if truth be told. If we capture the targets being mentioned, with Wilshere back and hopefully Gervinho finding form and Walcott continuing his - maybe even getting his wish to play more as a forward, I'd be pretty happy !!
i think this will convince him to say. the dutch at the euro's just showed everyone how good (or bad) a team of individual's really is. WEnger will convince him of what he already knows: at arsenal we don't play like that, we are a team. but other clubs can be very different, and could end up like the dutch
It is difficult to call, I admit. My heart says - keep RVP for the last year - even if he won't re-sign. If we have Giroud, AND another signing , maybe M'Vila - then perhaps we will still be competitive without RVP. If Wilshere does return as he was, and Arteta, Rosicky, Song play well - then it comes down to getting the leaky defence sorted. No pressure Mr Bould !!
I was thinking about this too... If nothing else we can sort his contract out sooner rather than later! Poor Robin though, that must have been heartbreaking being involved in such a shambles. IMO there were too many egos on display and I hope that might be a lesson for him to learn. He's (currently) a big fish at Arsenal and much loved by everyone around him. Will he get that at another club? I doubt it. I think we've made some very shrewd moves with Podolski and (hopefully) Giroud. Yes we need to strengthen elsewhere too but that is a great start. Last season we were at least one proper striker short, no we've that player and strength in depth. In the worst case scenario (RVP not re-signing) I'd not object to us keeping RVP for his final year and give our new boys time to settle in the EPL. I have disturbingly high hopes for them both but this is a notoriously difficult league to adjust to. I think we're an M'Vila esq player, a back up goal keeper and a creative playmaker off being a real force. So that's about... £30-40m I reckon. Caps out lads, dig deep
I've seen articles claiming we would need to spend £17m for M'Villa but only willing to spend £15m. If this turns out to be the case I will be angry, very angry, very very angry
It all goes down to, whats best of Arsenal FC. If we strengthen the team with all the highly linked players, then we will be stronger, even if we lose RVP. What should happen is we get the reinforcements and keep RVP for the rest of his career. Unfortunately, this is not the way we operate anymore. If any of the top teams was faced with a simular situation, then they would all keep RVP and add players. This is why we are struggling to be competitive.
M'Vila is coming across as a massive flirt with Arsenal. At no point have I read anywhere that Arsene is interested. Nearly all of this appears to have been generated by his desire to play for us. I love the fact he would want to play for us but it may just be that we're not interested. I think he'd be ideal, or someone just like him.
To be honest I hardly ever see Arsene say we are going for any player so .... maybe no news is good news in this case. If we can get a specialist DM that would be fantastic.
Completely agree. Sometimes no news is no news though. I'd not be devastated if we didn't get him as long as we got a solid DM who has the discipline to stay in that position.
The club never confirm or deny targets,the first you hear of it is when the deal is done or when a photo is posted in the press
- and that is right. I wouldn't want any manager of ours to go pimping around football for his next signing.
With all the money going around I can't say I am not happy we don't publicise our targets. RVP must be bloody annoyed right now though. A Penny for his thoughts after that Dutch debacle ....
Comparing the Dutch team from this tournament to the last one, and there is no major difference, really. So as the OP says, it really is shocking to see how they performed. RVP has had two very average tournaments in a row now. I hope RVP appreciates the fact that at Arsenal, he had/hopefully has a team that was built around him. People like Song and Walcott just looked for him every time they had the ball. I think RVP's ego will have taken a serious bruising after this tournament.
- and I like to think he values us loving him to bits - can't see that happening in Italy - or at the northern Oilwell. He may be only 2/3 more years becoming a Legend for us..... lifetime of respect and memories - that doesn't come easy. Stay - please stay.
If he wants to play for us, then we should sign him. We aren't going to get a better alternative for 17 million.
