***The Official Arsenal Gunners" Thread***

[Krebstar]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal "Gunners" Thread***

Reports surfacing in Spain suggest that Barcelona are going to come in with a bid of 43 million pounds. If that happens I think Cesc is gone.

I'm not going to lie, part of me will be sad to see him go, but another part will be happy. He doesn't want to be here, then you're welcome to leave. The grass isn't always greener and while I'll always like him as a player, I will not be wishing him success at Barca, as I loathe that club.

I want him to stay, but he inevitably wants to go, so we might as well let him go and remove the biggest distraction this team has had for the past several years.

If he goes, I'd love to see where he'll be starting each week. I can't wait to see that club fall into financial ruin. I wonder how arrogant they'll be then.

[ImTellinTim]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal "Gunners" Thread***

I'm 100% behind that deal. I just hope its not just some hogwash made up by the media.

You almost have to default to that assumption.

[j_tinkler21]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal "Gunners" Thread***

Just saw a report on Goal.com saying that Barcelona will announce both Cesc and Sanchez on Friday. Again, just a report but at this point I think it is becoming more and more clear. They reported the deal was for 35 million euros. I can't say I'd be happy with that fee unless a player is included. Especially after Liverpool just payed a similar fee for Andy Carroll, a good but largely unproven player.

After this debacle, and the way Barcelona has publicly made a mockery of Cesc and Arsenal, plus the ridiculous red card against RvP last year, I have lost what little respect I had for Barcelona.

Edit: Also just read that Barcelona just locked up Thiago Alcantara with a 90 million euro buyout clause. It is just ridiculous that Barcelona has 5 or so very good Midfield options but feel they need to pay to get Cesc too just because he's from their youth program. It's also ridiculous that he would go, seeing as how I am guessing he will be a rotational player until Xavi/Iniesta retire or go into decline. But I guess if it is worth sitting on the bench to have a chance at a trophy in a much more top heavy league than the EPL and what goes along with it, so be it.

Now we have to hold onto Nasri. Although that could be tough if the rumored offer of 20 million from Man United is true, with only one year remaining on his current deal.

[rsnomar05]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal "Gunners" Thread***

Just saw a report on Goal.com saying that Barcelona will announce both Cesc and Sanchez on Friday. Again, just a report but at this point I think it is becoming more and more clear. They reported the deal was for 35 million euros. I can't say I'd be happy with that fee unless a player is included. Especially after Liverpool just payed a similar fee for Andy Carroll, a good but largely unproven player.

After this debacle, and the way Barcelona has publicly made a mockery of Cesc and Arsenal, plus the ridiculous red card against RvP last year, I have lost what little respect I had for Barcelona.

Goal.com is about as reliable as Joe Morgan's analysis of baseball. Plus there were reports that Arsenal turned down the 35 million dollar bid, so I'm pretty sure the story is bogus.

[j_tinkler21]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal "Gunners" Thread***

Goal.com is about as reliable as Joe Morgan's analysis of baseball. Plus there were reports that Arsenal turned down the 35 million dollar bid, so I'm pretty sure the story is bogus.

Probably, which is why I said that it's just a report. But I do think we are getting closer and closer to the imminent occurring, and honestly if it's going to happen I'd rather have sooner than later. I will be sad to see Cesc go, but happy at the same time (if we can use the money wisely). I still can't understand what he hopes to gain by going to Barcelona other than a coming home party and a few weeks of being the main man there. Trophies are trophies, but I personally think I'd rather win one while being the captain of a squad rather than a rotational player or maybe more.

Saw another report which is probably bogus saying that Real Madrid could bid for Cesc as well. Probably not likely, but that would just be perfect to see Real Madrid jack up the asking price instead of Barcelona thinking they should get a discount.

[Acid]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal "Gunners" Thread***

Goal.com could have an article saying we landed on the moon, and I'd still be skeptical.

I love Cesc, 100% mancrush. However, I'll take 43 million for him. He doesn't want to stay, so I say we use that money, sign Nasri long-term and put him in the middle. Get Cahill/Samba, Barton, Alvarez, Mata, AKINFEEV, Gervinho, and Hazard (PSG frontrunners now? bollocks, he'd prefer Arsenal).

It'll be a sad day to see Cesc leave the Gunners, but I've been expecting it since last summer and now I just want it to be over with. I'm tired of Barca's HS girl antics.

[j_tinkler21]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal "Gunners" Thread***

Goal.com could have an article saying we landed on the moon, and I'd still be skeptical.

I love Cesc, 100% mancrush. However, I'll take 43 million for him. He doesn't want to stay, so I say we use that money, sign Nasri long-term and put him in the middle. Get Cahill/Samba, Barton, Alvarez, Mata, AKINFEEV, Gervinho, and Hazard (PSG frontrunners now? bollocks, he'd prefer Arsenal).

It'll be a sad day to see Cesc leave the Gunners, but I've been expecting it since last summer and now I just want it to be over with. I'm tired of Barca's HS girl antics.

Couldn't agree more, except Alvarez. I can't say I'm too familiar with him, but from much of what I've read and seen (on youtube, albeit) he looks like he would be worth the price if he were a bit younger. Also not too sure about Akinfeev, but I couldn't care less as long as we find a GK with a pulse and a brain.

[Acid]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal "Gunners" Thread***

Couldn't agree more, except Alvarez. I can't say I'm too familiar with him, but from much of what I've read and seen (on youtube, albeit) he looks like he would be worth the price if he were a bit younger. Also not too sure about Akinfeev, but I couldn't care less as long as we find a GK with a pulse and a brain.

Alvarez obviously wasn't playing in the best league, but when I saw him play I liked him. Tall, has pace, and tremendous skill. He reminds me a lot of Hleb but he seems to be more willing to shoot which is a good thing. I figure he'll play mostly in cup games and off the bench, so it's not a bad signing IMO. Play him in the cup games and keep Walcott/Vela/Nasri/Ramsey fit.

What's the word on Arshavin leaving? I'm tired of his midget Russian body running (or walking might be a little more appropriate) around the Emirates.

[Mo]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal "Gunners" Thread***

goal.com has actually got a lot right of late, but yeah they aint very reliable.

[misterbroom12]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal "Gunners" Thread***

Hopefully Barca do offer 43M because I would be happy to see him leave then. We can do without him and I don't want a player captaining our side who can't even pretend to love the club while he's here. A lot of his performances from last season seemed emptier than they were before all the rumors of him going back to Barca. He just appeared to already have checked out as a Gunner, regardless of what he said about finishing out his contract and owing debt for what we've done for his career thus far. Plus, nothing would please me more than seeing Barca just build more debt and drive their pretentious club and followers into the ground, resulting in loads more moaning when they can't financially qualify for the Champions League.

[rsnomar05]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal "Gunners" Thread***

Well, Thiago signed a new deal with Barca, and I think that will lower their incentive to up their offer for Cesc, as there is no way Barca's midfield with Cesc added in can all get a fair share of playing time. Unless they loan Thiago out for a year, I don't see either Cesc or Thiago willing to ride the bench and only get starts in Copa matches.

[ZM Punk]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal "Gunners" Thread***

Barca has done exactly what they wanted to do with this whole charade. They have just kept pecking away trying to get everyone to the point where they just want the whole mess done with. I think it has reached that point both with ownership and with the supporters.

[NaturalSelected]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal "Gunners" Thread***

Barca has done exactly what they wanted to do with this whole charade. They have just kept pecking away trying to get everyone to the point where they just want the whole mess done with. I think it has reached that point both with ownership and with the supporters.

Next week is going to be very interesting. Should be a lot going on.

Let's hope if the team has reached the point you mention, they at least get paid and reinvest.

[ZM Punk]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal "Gunners" Thread***

Next week is going to be very interesting. Should be a lot going on.

Let's hope if the team has reached the point you mention, they at least get paid and reinvest.

I really hope they haven't. I don't understand how losing our best player is going to help us. Especially considering how everyone else is strengthening there sides while there is a chance we could lose 2 out of our best 3 players.

I'm really growing disenchanted with this team. It feels like I'm cheering for a bank sometimes. Don't get me wrong I'm glad we are a well ran club, but damn, I could care less how our bottom line looks as long as were not going bankrupt. I wanna win trophies, I wanna buy top quality players every once and a while, and most importantly I want to keep our top quality players at Arsenal instead of it being a stepping stone to a club that spends money and wins trophies.

Cesc is probably my favorite player ever. So this really hurts to see us give him up like this and be bullied for someone who has 4 years left on his contract. If we give him up for less than 40 million pounds, it will take a major signing for me to restore any kind of faith for the future of this club.

[Krebstar]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal "Gunners" Thread***

I really hope they haven't. I don't understand how losing our best player is going to help us. Especially considering how everyone else is strengthening there sides while there is a chance we could lose 2 out of our best 3 players.

That is one of the biggest points of all of this. Nobody can argue that losing him makes us better. Hell, it would even be hard to bring a few people in that make us as good. Can we? Yes. But can we get better after selling him? I highly doubt it.