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

https://interactive.twitter.com/premierleague/#?mode=team&teamId=all

Interactive map showing global support of Premier League clubs in terms of twitter followers. Surprised to see Arsenal 2nd in NZ. Knew Liverpool have always been the biggest supported club here but had thought United would be ahead of us. You can click on NZ to get a closer look of the spread around the country and we look to be number 1 in the Wellington region while Liverpool dominate Auckland. We also seem to be 1st in America, most of northern Europe and various parts of Africa.

We can thank Arsene for that big yellow France and big yellow Japan.

Freddie Ljungberg can probably be thanked for Sweden, Fabianski/Szczesny for Poland, Kanu for Nigeria, Sanchez for Chile, and what, Chamakh for Morocco??? Guess our German flavour is pulling a few in from there these days too. 

What would be the reason for USA? Can't be Kroenke surely and there have been American owners of other clubs. Guess the club does a lot of promotion over there, and there was Henry but several clubs have relationships with MLS clubs etc.

What's with this Palermo kid Dybala? Seems that they're very vocal about both us & Juventus having lodged bids for the 'new messi'.

This much speculation/commenteray from Palermo must be them trying to get the prices up!

Yeah it's approaching the transfer window so time for agents to start earning their money.

Never stops assisting...

Looks like Dybala has got a bit in his locker... lefty too

Arsenal = Guns

We love Guns

This is absolutely correct. Seems like you're never more than 10 metres from a Liverpool fan up here. Part of me wanted them to get to the FA Cup final just so we could beat them and i could laud it over all my mates who support them.

Stepanovs for Latvia.

double post

And Chelsea lol:

https://twitter.com/ArsenalGent/status/591143909834641409?s=09

Confirmed we're wearing yellow in the final. It's tended to be kind to us with trophies on the line.

Some quite significant moments in the clubs history wearing yellow like the 70/71 double being secured yellow, 1950 final, 1979 final, winning the league at Old Trafford (OK gold). Guess blue would have clashed too much. Prefer yellow anyway, traditional club colours with lots of history.

Worse still apart from '69 I got to see these games. 

Wtf is wrong with Sagna? Change his name to Nasri and I'm on board.

Same. My first game supporting Arsenal was the 1978 FA Cup Final. Damn you Roger Osbourne.

Right, so depending on what pub we end up at (Hoping we organize somewhere in the next 4 weeks) I'll be wearing last years yellow away shirt with Cazorla 19 on the back in the cup font.

He left to 'win trophies' and in turn has hardly played all season & isn't going to win a thing. Massive fail.

10 Minutes, come on

Wenger subbing off Coq.

Frustrating game as expected. Chelsea really are dull.

After today we've got a very decent chance of finishing second. On that note, great to see the scum get their annual seeing to at Goodison. 

We just couldn't break down Expensive Stoke

Electric 90 mins, although still dissapointing to not get a winner still an upgrade on previous seasons just in spirit alone.

Gutted we couldn't take them down but we were a bit lucky with some of those peno calls.

I love the stick they got for being boring, and cesc's return felt beautifully scripted - it was like this ugly gross anti-cesc in that mask, an evil twin who apparently isn't as good as the real thing we remember.

Frustrating game but as expected. Wish I'd put money on as I thought 0-0 was so certain. Thought about it yesterday but I don't bet on our games as a general rule. Didn't really look like scoring which was disappointing but glad not to lose to them again at least.

Santi Sausage should of scored and Ozil and Meat possibly .

Congragulations to Chelsea on winning the Prem.

(Gritted teeth).

Apparently Poldi wants to come back and play the last year of his contract. I wouldn't be averse to that as long as he accepts a spot on the bench. Although now we have Welbeck, so I'm not sure if this is really feasible unless Walcott is sold. 

We still have work to do to ensure top 4 this season. And we don't just want 4th and a playoff again. 

If results go a certain way then it's possibly by the time we kick off this weekend that we'll be in 4th, with just a point back to Liverpool, albeit with multiple games in hand. Just shows we really need to go on and win these games. 

Must get 9 pts from the next three and then see where we're at when we go to Old Trafford. Perhaps a point there might be enough for us to take 2nd if we go well. 

Finally caught some highlights of the chelski game. We couldn't a bloody barn door. That wasn't booring booring chelski, that was awful aiming arsenal. 

Yeah bro we made chances.

If any here gives a fudge about stats  take Fab out of Expensive Stoke and put him in the Arse we win EPL 2015

Moan, groan, whinge

Lukas clearly likes both the club and Arsene.

Let's assume Giroud starts up front, Alexis out wide, Cazorla deep next to Coquellin, and Ozil behind Giroud. You've got one spot for a winger; how would you order this list for priority for starting?

1. Ox
2. Welbeck
3. Walcott
4. Ramsey
   
5. Podolski
6. Gnabry
7. Rosicky

My concern for Podolski is there's no way he starts ahead of those top 4 players for me, and the only two behind his are injury prone talents at the start & end of their career.

Should Podolski come back will his presence prevent us picking up someone who could get to the top of that list?

No way Theo will stay past this season imo. We're paying a shark tonne for a bench player.

$30m for Jack?... yes thanks!

Put it in context that Arteta will be struggling to be a full timer, Flamini & Rosicky will likely be gone, as well as Diaby.

We'll be left with Cazorla/Ramsey/Coquelin/Wilshere to play in that central role, with Zelalem & Bielek coming through, and the Ox looking to play centrally more, and Chambers possibly pegged as a CDM.

Ideally we'll hang on to jack & spent $30m+ on a class centre midfielder too.

I'd say Ox, Ramsey and Rosicky should come off that list when it comes to competing wingers. I imagine we'll see the Ox moving more and more centrally in future.

That leaves Welbeck, Walcott, Gnabry and Podolski. As I said, I can't see Poldi being of use unless Walcott goes, which would then leave us with Welbeck, Poldi and Gnabry to cover one side. That to me is quite good. Welbeck will get time in other positions too, Gnabry is a young up and comer, so having the experience and quality of Poldi would compliment quite well. 

Having said all that, it is very hard to peg players into positions in this team. Ramsey is on the wing now. Santi is playing deeper in midfield. Welbeck and Sanchez seem equally adept playing anywhere across the front 3. Ozil can be very good on the left with Cazorla or Wilshere central. Wilshere has played as a forward this season too. Although I said Ox should be central, Wenger still seems to pick him as first choice on the wing whenever he's fit. 

These guys can play anywhere.

I said it a few pages back, but the definition of squad depth is keeping players like Wilshere and Walcott, not selling them just because they don't happen to be in the side at the moment. There are plenty of games to go around across a season, especially at a club with the number of injuries we get. Walcott has come back from a year out to a team that's been in incredible form. It's difficult to force a way in at the moment having been out for so long, although I personally think he should be getting Welbeck's minutes. Same with Wilshere, there's no one in midfield you can drop at the moment so he'll just have to wait for his chance.

Saw this on the line today:

Arsenal Supporters' Trust interview with reporter Laurens Julien(JL)

JL : The Premier League is the most popular league to watch in France & that Arsenal are the most popular team

JL : There is evidence from this season's performances that he is more pragmatic and a little less dogmatic; he's made changes. There was a time I wrote an article critical of Arsène's set up at a match against Chelsea. Arsène didn't talk to me for 18-months!

JL : Yann M'Vila was very, very close to signing for Arsenal but Arsène thought he'd be a liability at the club so pulled out.

JL : Hugo Lloris has a €20m release clause for a Champions League Club if Spurs don't qualify.

JL : During Cazorla's first training session Koscielny called him saying he was shocked. Had to ask Santi what foot he uses.

JL : Wenger prefers Gibbs to Nacho but is sticking with Monreal due to understanding with Alexis.

JL : Diaby is a wonderful footballer & if he was fit, would be the best midfielder at the club.

JL : Wenger is disappointed with the lack of progress made by Walcott in recent years.

JL : Jack wants to play but with Ramsey & Cazorla's form, he's not getting a chance. City might bid in summer.

JL : Cazorla, Theo and Wilshere might leave this summer

JL : Nabil Fekir has been scouted 17 times by Giles Grimandi & various Arsenal scouts this season.

JL : Suarez wanted to come to Arsenal & that £40,000,001 would have released him. Liverpool rejected bid & Arsenal 'bottled' court case.

JL : Wenger is considering Sterling (potential Santi replacement) but he also knows that Liverpool would never sell to Arsenal.

JL : Buying Gabriel was heavily influenced by Bould.

JL : Both Arsène Wenger & Ivan Gazidis want Pep Guardiola to manage Arsenal in future. He is 'the dream.'