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

Sanogo needs to be as far away from the first team as possible. Loan and a year of playing would be ideal.

Heads up for anyone wanting to buy the new shirt in Wellington, Football Central now have the home and away shirts in stock for $109.90. It's 50GBP from arsenal.com so with the exchange rate at the moment plus postage it will be about the same, maybe even a few dollars cheaper here depending on foreign exchange fees etc. Surprised as I thought they were usually much more (like approaching $150), but then I've not bought one for a few years and not in NZ. Tossing up which one to get so I might go have a look tomorrow lunch time and probably end up buying both!

I love this photo. Michel Platini apparently asked for Ozil's shirt

Let us know a) what size you buy, b) what size your last nike one is, and c) how fitting it is......

Keeping true to your word I see Paul  ;) 

keen on the away shirt but want long sleeve

fussy

sounds like khedira deal might get pulled due to wages

If ye sit back from your screen a bit that Lion tat that Ozil has looks more like a fierce otter.

why does Ozil get so much shit from the UK Press?

Because he plays for Arsenal

Will do. They are described as "regular fit" on arsenal.com so I don't think the retail versions are as skin tight as the player ones.

F*ck me that photo rendered big. Anyway screen grab for the F365 transfer blog. Over 50% of viewers voted us having the best transfer window to date, even though Chelsea have Costa & Fabregas, Liverpool have signed Southampton and United have Herrera.

Yeah. My workmate, who is normally a Nike small, got a Puma medium ("regular fit") and it's a bit baggy. 

Arsenal won't be buying Khedira. In fact, they were never even interested in him. Had a good chat today with someone in London, very, very highup in the Arsenal empire. Also told me Vermaelen will not be going to United.

This mysterious man didn't say Arsenal aren't buying Khedira, they're buying <<insert name here>> did he?

I'd be stoked if Vermaelen stays.

I agree re. the statement it would make, but would certainly prefer a specifically defensive midfielder as we're loaded with box to box and roaming midfielders as it is.

I love the idea of Khedira and have been getting excited about that so I will be disappointed if it doesn't happen. But as some have said, he is really more suited to the role that Ramsey and Wilshere play for us (Diaby too...), so we'd be asking him to play further back than he is used to.

We would probably be better off with someone comfortable playing the deepest role, just sitting in there, without bombing forward so much, even if it's not quite as exciting as signing Khedira...

Also ChopperNZ I am always interested when people say things like that, how confident are you that this guy knows what he's talking about?

I'd be stoked if we kept Vermaelen, that would be a statement in itself really, to hold onto such a quality back-up. Although I notice you didn't say he was staying, just that he isn't going to ManU... hmmmm did he elaborate? Are we just going to keep him on for his last year of his contract or are we offering him something new?

So many unanswered questions! I know Chopper, and have confirmed who he's talking about and certainly is reliable. But is a customer of his, so he can be the one who divulges any more information about that if he wants to.

I'd say his comment about Vermaelen not going to united is a Vermaelen is staying - it's just that Chopper is a united fan, so they always make things about themselves! Haha

Jokes Chopper, thanks for the info!

Lukas Podolski shouting "Arsenal" when Khedira's asked who he's playing for next season. Legend! https://t.co/RTt5VCRo0b

— Özil Wizardry (@OzilWizardry) July 15, 2014

New Puma kit ad with Ian Poulter:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyEAQh-Euo0

I don't subscribe to this.

Top teams play without pure DM's all the time.

Yeah, I change my mind with my underpants and flip between thinking it's necessary and then not. I've always, always liked the idea of having a DMF. I think they're great, I love the position, I love the work they do - but know that teams, top teams, play without that classic break up play / anchored to one spot sort of player.

But then it becomes semantics, because while we wouldn't call Arteta a DMF that's basically the job he does. We need someone to replace Arteta, not a new role invented. I think the arguement is that Khedira might not be that player. If you've got, say, Ramsey, Ozil and Khedira in midfield, then someone has to sit deeper than the other two, like Arteta does, and who could that player be? I don't know. But I hope we buy him.

Well we don't usually play with one, so we're our own yardstick to measure by, and in the big games last season we were found wanting defensively. Our fullbacks always play high so I feel we need someone who can manage that in transition i.e. they spot the danger and get there. That requires intelligent reading of the game and positioning. Arteta has sufficed to some degree, and has been a great club servant, but I think we need an extra yard of pace and an extra ounce of strength than what he can provide.  

Edit: was responding to valeo's post

This is how I feel, regardless of what we call that position. We need an Arteta 2.0.

Tactically speaking I've always found that your DMF has 2 key roles to play:

1) Look to break up the counter attack through the middle if possible

2) Cover the fullback/CB if out of position due to said counter attack.

I actually felt Flamini was better at point #2 than Arteta, as Arteta always stayed central out of instinct, where as Flamini was happy drifting back into full back.

Based on the big games, tactically speaking we were caught out BIG time by BOTH full backs being up. If the ball is on the left wing we should have 2 CB's covering and our RB marginally ahead of them, with a DMF screening read to cover the LB or drop into the hole to cover.

What we were often left with was a DMF trying to cover 2 full backs with balls being put behind a slow Per Mertesacker and Arteta wasn't getting back quickly enough to break it up, with Koscielny & Szy left to deal with 3-4 of the opposition...

Arteta is certainly worth keeping and will still be an important player and leader. The first signing Wenger has made that made me punch the air (second being Sanchez last week when I saw the news on the bus). He was a player I wanted us to sign for years, would have been exactly what we needed. And given Ferguson's history for buying players from within the league, particularly the star players of clubs in the Everton sort of tier, I still can't believe he didn't pay big money for him years before we got him. He's going to be a key player in the early part of the season at least having had the full summer off. I mentioned this before, but being able to have had every summer off must add up to a lot of extra games across a career and probably adds years onto the end of the career. Giggs is a prime example.

Anyway just been to Football Central and got both the home and away shirts. Tried them on and XL it was for me. My last Nike home shirt (2008-09) was L but that may be more to do with me growing outwards since then than the style of it! Although the 08 one did fit OK when I last wore it for the FA Cup Final this year so these ones could be slightly smaller, and I think Puma generally are a bit smaller than other brands - I tried on some Puma boots in the weekend so I could order the right size in the red and white ones and half a size up from normal was best in their range. The shirts are not the skin tight style that the players will wear. They only had 1 of each size on the rack but probably had more in the back. They also offer free name and number printing which I didn't want, but it's noted on the receipt in case I decide I do want it later.

Also think it's the first away shirt I've had. Official anyway, I had some pirate ones when I was a kid, but have only had official home shirts before.

nice one

good for buying local too, retail is struggling in NZ

did they have Long Sleeve, asks the self-interested? I looked at their website but it appears not?

thanks. 

I think when I get one I'll go with name and number

The Ox.

he wasn't a bad bassplayer either. 

No they didn't have a long sleeve, not sure if they will be getting any so you'd have to ask. I've always preferred to not get a name and number for fear of not being able to wear the shirt in future. Was originally planning to just try it on for size in a store here and order from arsenal.com but the price here was less than I'd expected and made it about the same once you add on postage and foreign exchange fees, and I was happy enough with short sleeve.

thanks

looked at arsenal.com, I like the Black GK shirt too...crikey dick. Can I buy 4 shirts? 

If other gooners are like this then Puma are getting their money's worth on this sponsorship deal!

So ajc28, if I'm reading your post right, you are suggesting a Puma XL will fit in a similar manner to a Nike L?

What's your opinion on the shirts overall compared to your nike ones?

If anyone would like to buy me one, that would be great.

Debuchy signing 'imminent' now that Newcastle have signed Janmaat (not a bad signing for them as a replacement to be fair).

Also despite Chopper's assertion and the apparent validity of it, these Khedira rumours have only gotten stronger this evening. Is it his agent blowing smoke to get things moving? 

He is clearly leaving Madrid after the signing of Kroos and turning down the new contract, be interesting to see how this one plays out.

Yeah, seeing that too. He has to leave Madrid, and Arsenal is the only destination that keeps coming up. I hope Chopper tells you guys who he met, and then if Khedira signs it would seem he got ultimately trolled.

Random claims a 6 mill bid for Ron Vlaar has been made overnight??

Well it's been 5 years between shirts for me so probably won't get it every season, but I do fancy some of the new Puma clothing on arsenal.com aswell.

It's a little bigger than the Nike L but the Puma L was smaller and tighter than the Nike L if that makes sense. Like I found with the Puma boots in the weekend I guess there's about half a size difference so it's probably between a Nike L and XL. Safest to try it one somewhere before ordering. 

They are really nice looking shirts, especially the away which is a thing of beauty and it's the first away shirt I've ever bought so that should say something. Love the Victorious concept, modelling it on the shirt worn in some of our greatest moments like Anfield 89 and Wembley 71 etc. One notable thing is the crest is some sort of plastic rather than the embroidered patch as in previous shirts.

Source?

I'd happily take him into the fold after that world up.

Hmmm, he's never really shown that in the Premier League though. Could do worse for a 3rd or 4th choice CB I guess.

Agree with ajc. Didn't think that much of him for Villa but he was an absolute beast for Holland at the world cup. Don't let him take any penos though ;)

I'd definitely take him as a back-up option for sure. 

Thanks for shirt info, sounds perfect for me - I usually buy L but last season bought an XL because the previous season's L was slightly smaller than the years before. The XL was a bit big on me, so these Puma XL's will hopefully be perfect... think I'll go for long sleeves this time too. 

Khedira's agent has said no fee has been agreed and that they aren't in talks with anyone at all except Madrid. Adds weight to chopper's comment.

It's pretty pathetic (but far from unbelievable) that stories can be in the press this strongly, potentially based on absolutely nothing.