(The not-so-temporary quite-official) Gooner Thread (Part 1)

agreed if santi can carry on the form he had last season we will go very well. i think we can make it to Jan with theo and Poli filling in as striker.

you also missed Gnabry off the list :) a loan might do him the world of good once everyone is fit

anyone got injury update? i know Santi should be back after international break

Don't count your chickens too soon Paulm, it's the international break we've got to survive and hope we don't add to that list!

Also just an aside, how strong are Belgian looking these days? This is the starting 11 from this year in a friendly against the USA...

Kompany,Dembélé, Fellaini, Lukaku, Vertonghen, Mignolet  Mirallas, Alderweireld, De Bruyne, Defour, Vermaelen.

That's a team that has the individual ability to be World Cup contenders.

Add hazard Benteke migalot n the athletico keepee

Currently paying 16/1, could be worth a tipple.

few others on the fringes too that are playing at decent levels - chadli from spurs, mertens from napoli, witsel from zenit (who actually starts a lot of belgian games)

And as RTJ says, missing from that lineup are some big names - Hazard, Benteke, Courtouis

Very decent squad, but only just starting to realise their potential now - this qualifying campaign has been good but their results in recent years have left a lot to be desired, hence the 16/1 odds I would think. Definitely worth throwing something at it if you're that way inclined. 

first interlull casualty... koscielny calf strain, he's outta the french games, no word yet on whether he'll miss games for us

also rumoured we're looking to get llorente on loan in jan

it'd be a bit premature to write off a squad with those names in it

Not one of them is world class.

ok then

good contribution

Well apart from Hazard at a stretch, they don't. And they traditionally don't play well together as one part of the country hates the other. And there are at least 5-6 national teams that are better as an overall unit.

i guess if you set a benchmark for world class i.e. a top 20 or 50 in the world or something like that,then not many of them may qualify, but there are a lot of players in there performing for very big club sides.

Agree with everything else you said. But I think being capable of holding your own with the top 5 or 6 sides in the world gives you a chance of winning it, if you can gel at the right time

dark horse...

Buffy is right Belguim won't win. Biggest single reason is where the tournament is being held IMO

If they kept the squad together and individuals kept their form then 2018 is a better fit. 

If Uruguay hadn't totally overachieved at the last WC I'd have been pilin it on them, despite the fact they haven't actually qualified yet. 

ozil scored this morn

Monreal subbed off at HT for spain, not sure why

Bendtner 2 goals for denmark, good news for us, hopefully he can get his confidence up, we may need him

Good call re: belgium 2018, they'll have a very experienced team by then, only van buyten will likely retire before then out of that entire squad

I'll buy 2018 as them being a chance for sure.

Don't think Bendtner's confidence has ever been an issue haha. The actual reality of him being in form is definitely good news though.

giroud got a double for france against australia too, quality stuff - keeping benzema outta that team;

https://www.101greatgoals.com/goals/internationals/france-v-australia-live-video-updates/

that first one looks deflected though?

I love bendtner's 2 headers, check them out

https://www.101greatgoals.com/goals/world-cup/denmark-v-italy-live-video-updates/

and ozil's goal on this page;

https://www.101greatgoals.com/goals/world-cup/germany-v-ireland-team-sheets/

Come on international break, be done already! Really looking forward to this weekends match!

Thought Girouds first goal against the Socceroos was an amazing finish - shows how high is confidence is at the moment.

Good to hear Bendtner in a bit of form, no doubt he will be get a few chances over the coming week. And no injuries over the international break - too good to be true?

2 year deal for Bacary? I say yes. 

absolutely

give him a big payday too, signing bonus, the works

Few bits of gossip out there...

1) Valdes turning us down for Monaco

2) Possibly having a crack at Micah Richards

3) Benzema available for 20m in January

4) Llorente on loan from Juventus...

I'd be happy with Richards and Benzema, not sold on Llorente if it's just a loan...

1) Valdes turning us down for Monaco- Personally dont rate him highly

2) Possibly having a crack at Micah Richards-I'm a big fan but do we really need him?

3) Benzema available for 20m in January- He hasnt been scoring much for a while but could be handy at 20milli, not sure if he's any better the giroud, he would also be cup tied

4) Llorente on loan from Juventus.....might be a good option then going to get someone good in the off season

SB:  Pretty sure the 1 year contract for 30+ year olds thing went out the window a few seasons back. Sagna will see this as his last big payday, so i can understand why he might be considering going back to France for some big money at Monaco/PSG. In saying that, we're rich now, so pay him what he wants Arsene! His ability to cover CB is so valuable as well. Not to mention his influence on Jenkinson.

On the rumours, I pretty much agree with RTJ. I don't rate Valdes, never have. His distribution and football skills are excellent for a goalie, that's why he suits barca so well, but I think he'd be a disaster in the premier league. Gives up goals at the near post with regularity, and is not a dominant in the air type of keeper that is so essential for english football. Personally I think he's an idiot for wanting to leave Barca as he's got such a good thing going there. I guess sometimes people just want new challenges. 

Richards, not sold on him, but if Sagna goes we could do worse. 

Couple of months ago I'd been all over benzema but now not so much. I worry about squad unity if giroud/benzema are head to head for that french starting spot. Not sure benzema would want to come here for that reason as well. 

Don't know a lot about llorente but I'd be happy to take someone half decent on loan if we cant get the top striker we want in Jan. 

I know everyone says he's signed for Bayern but what about making a play for lewandoski? Apparently we can afford it, he might like the idea of playing with Ozil... long shot but you'd hope we'd enquire - the transfer fee would either be cheap in Jan or free at the end of the season, so we could compensate by offering him absolutely massive wages, the equal of whatever bayern might offer...

oh and if one sentence could sum up just how much giroud has proved his doubters wrong, it would be this from RTJ;

3) Benzema available for 20m in January- He hasnt been scoring much for a while but could be handy at 20milli, not sure if he's any better the giroud, he would also be cup tied

Agreed Paulm. That said the guy has played 10 games for RM this season, notching 4 goals and 3 assists. He's not exactly lost his way here...

In other news Vermalen wanting time ahead of World Cup rumours are circulating, which seems logical.

Hopefully he can see that we've got a legit partnership going that doesn't include him, and he should be waiting for them to be rested/injured to take his moment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=AXzMMVo3qc8

Rambo scores for Wales, tight angle too against a good keeper!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=hpU43rkri1A

Mesut scored as well in a crazy game for Germany, and on his birthday :)

Alt+0214 = Ö

Kapeesh?

Heard Ozil went off with a knock. Nothing serious i hope.

WOW that Wales jerseys is mmmmmmm interesting

any confirmed reports if theo and santi are back this weekend?

RTJ that wales jersey is indeed something...

cazorla is apparently now fit and available.

walcott is expected to return to first team training tomorrow, and will likely be available but not fully fit.

I'd say walcott will surely be on the bench but santi is a chance to start. 

And koscielny's injury was definitely minor, he started for france this morning. I will be hoping for this lineup on the weekend;

                       Szczesny

Jenkinson-Mertesacker-Koscielny-Gibbs

                   Flamini-Arteta

            Ramsey-Ozil-Cazorla

                        Giroud

But in reality there are many possible permutations. We could see santi on the right, wilshere on the left, and one of flam/arteta left out for ramsey in the middle. Or Koscielny could be rested for Vermaelen given he played this morning and has had a calf niggle. Could also see Gnabry or Rosicky get a start out wide. Cazorla could be eased in with a bench role. Ozil may yet be ruled out with injury. Who knows.

Aint it great to have some good options :) Once Wally is fit he could fill in for giroud so the poor lad can have a break