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

Players and agents will often falsely claim interest from a club simply to get attention from lesser clubs who might actually be interested in signing them.

This could be a ploy to get Reid/west ham to agree a deal sooner rather than later.

I think the Cocks already have 1 Paulista Paul.

Linked with Tiote again

Paulista talk gets stronger... dont understand it, where's the work permit coming from? Have the rules changed?

You'd think we'd have done our homework on it if we're serious.

The Tiote story is about 2 years too late. He has been predominately mediocre since that time.

Apparently Arsenal are expecting £12m for Jenkinson from West Ham, which is about double what I think we would be expecting to pay. I hope the transfer does go through in the summer although I think that our left back (Cresswell) is proof that there is quality in the lower leagues and clubs do not need to pay a premium for players just because they have played for a "big" club.

Confirmed the signing of the paper thin Bielik about an hour ago.

So who do you play against brighton? I'd try something like...

                   Martinez

Bellerin Chambers Kosc Gibbs

                Bielek/Flamini

Walcott Rosicky Ozil Campbell

                Akpom

Good chance to give some players a solid run, with the safety of Ramsey, Cazorla, Giroud on the bench to back them up should they need it.

Koscielny shouldn't be anywhere near the Brighton game given we've only just got him back. Probably start Monreal alongside Chambers if Gibbs is fit to start.

Wegner has just said in his pre-Brighton presser that the Paulista negotiations are ongoing and he would rate it as a 50-50 chance. Wonder what all this means for Winston.

Probably play Ospina in goal hes in a good run of form

Along with the almost inevitable links with Man U.

When I first read the story about Walcott talking up this attacking line as the best ever, I began to question his sanity as most wouldn't be fit to tie the laces of most of Invincibles. Having read a story since, it has all been fabricated with the actual quote "When we achieve a bit more than winning the FA Cup, we can stand up and say this is the best attacking line-up we've ever had."

The original reference was around the line "when I came to Arsenal" which was in Jan 06, 18 months after the end of the Invincibles season so again makes the Mirror look exactly the rubbish it is known for.

It's really just such a balancing act with that back 4 isn't it? Because Per really needs a rest too.

It'd be risky but we could rest them both...

Bellerin-Chambers-Monreal-Gibbs

That back four would be a worry though... definitely have to rest Kosc though, sounds like those achilles' are troublesome. 

Per seems to have been a rock of fitness this season thank god.

We could go super make-shift and have coq or flam fill in at fullback too.

Plenty of options, all risky...

Thankfully we've got a week between games at the moment. 

Robson whacking off again on ESPN

Ospina

Bell-Kos-Chambers-Gibbs

Flam and Coq

Rosicky-Ozil - Walcott

Giroud

Need the win, can't cock this up.

Would like to think Chambers-Monreal would be OK against lower league opposition, but we probably do need one of Kos or Per to be safe. Noone could have predicted this when we didn't sign a CB could they?

LOL at rumors Manure trying to hijack Paulista deal. The player sounds like he is smart enough to make the right choice, Im assuming the Man U scouts are so inept the just search the redtops for articles and linking defenders to other teams, and phone the papers asking for the number of someone at the parent club. having been told to get lost by Hummels, Savic, Pique and then Marquinhos you would think they would take the hint that they cant attract quality without overpaying for it.

Yep live on ESPN 4.55am Monday.

After todays results, I really hope we don't take Brighton lightly. Chelsea, City, Spurs and Saints all out. Great chance for us to defend the cup if we can get past the Seagulls.

And they knocked Soton outta the cup this morn!

Rumours that Campbell is signing a new deal with us, then immediately going on loan at villareall, while paulista has apparently agreed a deal to come to us permanently... Interesting to see if that all plays out over the next couple of days.

I love The FA Cup

£98 000 000 2 lost to £7500 4.

Specialist in Failure. A "disgrace" no less.

cannot look a Gift Horse in the Mouth

Strongest possible XI please Arsene.

Lawyers must be confident on getting a visa sorted for Paulista.....

seems like it's a done deal

Not a bad morning so far

Bloody hell only just seen the results. What an opportunity this could be. Think I'd be starting Sanchez tomorrow now. No messing around.

At first I was a little unsure about this Campbell loan, since we'd just got rid of poldi and sent sanogo out, but I guess with Walcott, Ozil, Gnabry and now Welbeck fit, to add to Sanchez, Giroud, Cazorla, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Rosicky, we have plenty of options for the front three.

might go to work late tomorrow and catch the game live

By gum we better win.

Going well presently. Rosicky brings a lot of energy, seems a very positive player. Always good to see returning players score.

When is the draw for the next round?

From wikipedia;

"The Fifth Round draw will take place on Monday 26 January 2015 at 7:20 pm on The One Show, which will be broadcast live on BBC One, and the matches will take place across the weekend of 14 and 15 February 2015."

So that'll be 8.20am tomorrow morning our time.

Phew. That turned out a bit more stressful than it should have been in the end. Wouldn't be Arsenal if there wasn't a last 5 minute nightmare clinging on period though would it?

Happy to be through but would be just our luck to get United away with everyone else out.

Would be more confident with them as we often tend to beat them in the Cup, and did so last season (albeit at home). Still, neither them or United are actually through yet to be fair!