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

I'd say he's too good to come as third choice, especially at 25m.

Edit: but I would fucking love it if he did come.

The rest of the stadium is near paid off by City with Clichy, Nasri, Toure and Adebayor

Think he would start over Mertesacker.

I mean that I don't think Wenger is looking for a starter. But who knows...

Currently hammering down in London with thunder and lightning. Going to be a wet day out at Wembley.

As amazing as bfg was last season, if we can get an upgrade, ill take it.

Decent day out at Wembley!

Not a bad warm up for the season. For me the biggest part of the result this morning is the belief we can beat teams like City, who we play in the fourth round. Everyone knows the community sheild doesn't mean much (see: Manchester United), I'm just happy for the fact we won against them, and hope that carries on in to the premier league.

Arteta being made captain, what do we think? Surely if you were planning to find a replacement for him you wouldn't make him captain.. would you?

Just like Hummels being made captain, surely he's going nowhere.

post-match comments from Wenger - is this the 'we're set for centre back and midfield but will see if something happens, but not imperative' comment?

Don't care who is captain. But I read from Wenger's comments that we are still the market for a cb, as we should be.

Koscielny had a niggle this morning so we're in real danger of having Chambers and Monreal starting together as CBs next week - I think Arsene will be looking a bit harder for a CB than his comments suggest... hopefully! He mentions the value of getting a more versatile player in to cover a few positions which isn't a bad idea either. Particularly if Chambers is seen as a CB now that Jenkinson is out on loan, we may be light at RB when Chambers is needed in the middle. Bellerin looks exciting but he's un-tested at this level.

Great result this morning, good for the confidence. Robson crapping on about a deflection for Giroud's goal, please d*ck, there wasn't no deflection there. Annoyed me that they were going on about Man City's missing players so much too, we weren't much different in that respect. 

I think Mertesacker may have been named captain if it wasn't for the World Cup. Arteta has been there since the first day of pre-season and would've already established relationships with the new players. He'll play a key role in the early part of the season and even if we get a DMF and he falls out of the starting lineup, he'll be the right kind of professional to captain the club even when not playing, in which case we'll have Mertesacker as our on-field leader. I think Ramsey also looks to be a leader for us on the pitch now as well.

Arteta's effectively been captain for the last 2 seasons anyway. Mertesacker would be my choice but it makes sense to stick with Arteta if we're not signing anyone to take his pace in the side.

It's essential to get another CB very quickly. Koscielny going off with a niggle is worrying and leaves us with the possibility or starting an away CL qualifier in Turkey with Chambers and Monreal as our CB pairing. Every other position we've probably got enough, even though a top quality DM would be nice. But another CB has to be non negotiable.

Anyway great result and really good finishes for all the goals. Hopefully this is a big psychological and confidence boost for the squad. I know we beat City in a friendly last year and it didn't end up helping much but this was at Wembley with a traditional, albeit not major, piece of silverware on the line. And we beat then 3-0 comfortably.

Last season we kept losing by 5 or 6 goals to these big teams and being out of the game by 20 minutes so this has to do some of the players the world of good.

Certainly feels good to be lifting trophies again. It's been long enough. Seriously, list out the things that happened and what you achieved in your life in between trophies and it looks ridiculous!

That was some of the best football I've seen us played for awhile. The midfield 3 of Ramsey/Wilshere/Arteta worked really well, Cazorla & Alexis drifting it were an ever present threat & I thought Sanogo's runs off the ball were good, although for a player of his size I feel he should be more dominant in the air.

Chambers was hella impressive, I couldn't believe how composed he was on the ball. Hopefully he gets plenty of playing time this season, but ideally alongside Kos/Per. Chambers one weakness looks to be his pace, he got done a couple of times. Hopefully that'll be something he can work on.

I echo all your thoughts about CB, surely we must be in the market. Agger or Hummels would be great, I wouldn't mind Nastasic either. Still think Reid would be a good buy though, especially given he'd get the chance to start pretty darn quick.

Reid, Agger, both fine in my books.

Looks like Hummels will be a no go - huge fees being bandied about in the press plus he might stay at Dortmund anyway, did someone say he's been made captain?

top result

buffon can you please update your profile postscript?

Great game nice to get a win over city and build confidence ahead of next weekend.Thought that Chambers played really well again . Also impressed by Alexis , hes quick and adds real flair down that side.Thought Wilshire and Rambo were good too.
Overall bloody exited for the season to get underway and I really think we're going to challenge for more silverware. COYG

So it sounds like Chambers is covering RB, CB and DM this season. That's going to end well!

Great result and performance this morning, City were a few players down but obviously so were we. Chambers and Wilshere were my two best from the game, Sanchez showed glimpses of his class too.

Bit disappointed that Arteta is captain for two reasons. One, I think we need someone better than him in his position and two, I would have chosen Ramsey/Mertesacker. Hoping we can pick up a few more bodies by the end of the window.

Looking forward to Palace at home this weekend.

My MOTM was Gibbs.  He was absolutely excellent the whole game.  Defensively as well as offensively.

Navas (Citeh's most threatening player) was giving Debuchy a few probs down that RHS.  I can certainly see that letting in a few goals however Debuchy is far better than the man he replaced when on attack.  

And the Welsh Jesus was ticking along nicely.  Best Welsh player in the world.

Holy heck Man Citeh have some average second stringers.  That second string defensive unit was utter pants.

yes, Gibbs was good. Thinking he's the goal when I get these shirts.

Are we up for Arsenal tips thread? If so it'll be seperate to her to keep track if that is OK?

Sounds good to me.

Im in..

Keen...

Watching the replay in a much more awake state and how good was the booing of Nasri

No deflection...

http://www.gfycat.com/UncomfortableRealBuck

Was a great strike.

Also:

Robin Van Persie - 277 apps - 132 goals = 1 FA Cup, 1 Community Shield.
Yaya Sanogo - 14 apps, 0 goals = 1 FA Cup, 1 Community Shield.

http://www.sport.co.uk/football/arsenal-emirates-s...

Combined City & Barcelona have paid for more than half the stadium. I know it echoes sentiment already posted, but this is top stuff.

On the defensive front it looks like Agger & Howedes of Shalke are the names being bandied around.

Aside from this apparently Galatasary are considering a 28m bid for Podolski & Campbell. That's seriously tempting money for a squad player & a future star. I'd be happy if that lead to a move for Reus

Woah.

And regarding defenders, big rumours around Greek defender Manolas. Anyone read anything official on Koscielny's injury?

Yea I read that about the greek kid too. Sounds like kosc injury might be a reoccurring one. I dont know anything about him thou. Talked is that he is the next vermarlen....

Manolas could be a decent 3rd/4th CB. Would like Agger too, if only because it would be quite funny to have a player with a YNWA tatoo. That would be sure to get them all worked up over at RAWK!

That reminds me, you guys see the picture of this muppet?

Haha, yeah saw that yesterday.

I like the sound of Howedes as apparently he can play right across the back 4 and in midfield, that versatility Wenger has been very excited about in Chambers.

Great write up here on the tactics of the squad thus far in pre-season:

http://arseblog.com/2014/08/how-arsenal-have-been-...

Daily Mirror now has us linked with Tiote from Newcastle,8mil.

That would be rather underwhelming.

Interesting write up on predictions here from the beebs:

Chelsea

City

United

Pool

Arsenal

Apparently 5th place is due to a lack of a replacement for Vermalen (who has to be world class, because Kosc & Per wern't good enough last season!) and a world class DMF. When you look at the squad I'd have to agree that a world class DMF can be the difference in the title challenge, but I'm loathe to suggest we need to sign a CB who would be better than Kosc or Per. It'd be nice, but an early twenties up & coming defender would be a much better signing for the long term who in two-three seasons can be Kosc/Per's heirs to the defensive throne.

Edit: original article here http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/28742392

Everyone has been predicting us to fall out of the top 4 for years yet we are still the only one of the traditional top clubs not to have done so. United, Chelsea and Liverpool have all fallen out, but not us. If there's one thing Wenger knows, it's how to secure 4th. With the addition of Sanchez this season and not losing any stars, plsu the likely addition of a replacement for Vermaelen we should be OK for top 4. Think it's much more likely Liverpool fall out this season having lost Suarez and with midweek European games that they benefitted without last season, having less games and more rest between games to keep players more fresh. United will be this season's Liverpool and be there or thereabouts without Europe.

I don't think for one second we'll be out of the top 4, Liverpool is my guess. Just not Arsenal. 

All is quiet on the defensive front. Reid rumours have resurfaced.