Nasri breaks a leg, Chamakh on the radar

How much for this Marouane Chamakh?

Arseblog is strongly linking Arsenal with Marouane Chamakh today, despite the player’s insistence yesterday that he hadn’t heard of any bids from Arsenal and the boss’ insistence that he wants to examine his strike options before buying any more firepower up front. Still, I’d trust Arseblogger over those two any day!

No, seriously, if Arseblogger is reporting it then we must believe that he’s confident in his sources. Me, I’m getting to the point with this transfer window that I just want it to be over and if the boss wants to add some depth to the attack, then more power to him. Depth is good, look at what happened in our defense last year; decimated by lack of depth.

Marouane Chamakh, come on down! You’re the next contestant on the price is right.

BREAKING: With the dot com reporting that Nasri suffered a broken leg in practice today and being out for maybe three months, depth is already needed. My feelings on this latest Nasri injury news can be summed up with this direct quote:

F*ck F*ck F*ck F*ck F*ck F*ck F*ck FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK.

Why the fuck do our guys get injured in practice so often? Why can’t we turn some of this angst outward and give fat lumps to cunts like Kevin “England International” Davies?

F*ck F*ck F*ck F*ck F*ck F*ck F*ck FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK…

Well, think of it this way, it just means that Arsenal need, more than ever, to add some midfield depth. Nasri is one of the guys who are supposedly able to cover our  holding midfield role. He also covers the left side if Arsene wants to play Arshavin more centrally up front. And on any given Saturday he’s a starter on the left, middle, or wide right adding class in each of those spots. So, given this latest development, recruits are imperative in midfield.

It’s a long, hard season, we need all the help we can get if we’re going to win something this year. To a man they have spoken about the need to get this season off to a great start and to a fan we all agree. Before the injury, Wenger said that he feels the squad is “big enough” to hit our targets, and you have to wonder if he still thinks that. If this latest injury blow doesn’t shake Wenger to buy a midfielder, nothing will.

But the season doesn’t start for… hey, 3.5 weeks, just long enough to get someone in, get them acclimated to the system, whip them into shape…

*sigh*

There’s a pre-season friendly against SC Columbia Floridsdorf today, which is a name that reminds me of Tim Conway, South Carolina, Columbia University, and Florida all at once. The match is only available on Arsenal TV Online so, if you’re a subscriber, have fun watching today. Me, I’ll be at work, booo!

Feel free to post your thoughts on the match in the comments section, my regular reader knows how much I like all of your input on various topics.

Also, for you ATVO subscribers, check out Arshavin’s second goal against Liverpool; it’s made the top 10 of the Gunner’s Greatest 50 Goals poll they did this summer. Amazing stuff and it was my favorite goal of last season but many of you liked Andrei’s first goal even better. Will the first top the second goal in the GGG? Gripping stuff, really.

Anyway, that’s it for today, I’m sure the boss will have more to say about the Nasri situation tonight or tomorrow.

In the mean-time, you can win yourself a free shirt!

I am very proud to remind you about our second ever tee-shirt giveaway contest in conjunction with Philosophy Football dot comThe last giveaway of the Anfield ’89 shirt was very successful and they have come back for seconds! This time, they are offing a chance to get a red shirt with white sleeves, hell, it may be your only chance to get a shirt like that for years, if Nike have their way.  Anyway, enough of me editorializing on Arsenal’s rather ‘shirty’ kits, here’s the contest:

Win an Arsènal T-shirt

Strictly unofficial, Philosophy Football have franglaised ‘Arsenal’ in tribute to Monsieur Wenger who has brought so much joie de vivre to the red half of North London. Available fromwww.philosophyfootball.com we have 5 to be won in our July competition.

To enter simply answer the following question:

“In what year was Arsène Wenger appointed Arsenal manager?”

Send your answer with name, address, preferred T-shirt size to:

admin@philosophyfootball.com

Entries close 26 July ’09, no purchase necessary to enter.

arsenalgooner

0 comments

  1. i say go get reyes back for 4 million cheap as chips, i also say go get hangeland and cana or bring back flamini

  2. Fuuuuckk.

    I am hearing 6-8 weeks for Nasri, so if everything goes as planned, he should be back mid-september, just in time for the Champions League group stage (providing we qualify). As long as he is back before the god-awful January/February stretch of matches, I will be happy – as that is when we will really, really, really, REALLY need depth in the squad.

    I am home today and will be watching the friendly. I will post anything note-worthy.

  3. ‘Fuck’ was pretty much the only word I could muster up after stumbling on the news of nasri’s broken leg.. was avoiding my studies and watching arsenal clips on youtube that had given me a brief bit of extreme optimism for the season ahead.. oh well, pessimism will have to do for now. Fair point you’ve made there though- who in the arsenal squad is capable of doing that to an opponent let alone a teammate?.. Song or Denilson trying to snuff out competition for their CDM spot?! On a serious note though, personally I’d be happy with the addition of just a decent striker in case eddy/RVP suffer an injury themselves, hopefully we have enough attacking midfielders to get us through until nasri returns. Rosicky’s fitness all of a sudden very fucking important

  4. Terrible news. I hope Samir is healthy as soon as possible.

    If Wenger is confident in Chamakh, I am ready to see him sign. If not, let’s drop this talk. Regardless, this exposes how one injury leaves us vulnerable at this position.

  5. Shiat. Really bad news, but on the bright side(if there can be some) maybe this will put some pressure on Le Boss to strenghten the midfield. I hope Samir gets well soon.

  6. Well, it seems that Diaby’s special szchwarzegger pre preseason worked. According to some sources it was his challenge that ended with samir’s broken leg.:-(

  7. 13th minute and Arsenal is already in mid-season form. Lots and lots of pretty passing, with ZERO finishing.

  8. Also, a couple notes about Arsenal’s opposition today:

    # SC Columbia are an amateur team with no professional or semi-professionals in the squad
    # They currently compete in Austrian’s Fourth Division, the highest amateur league in the country

    Their best player is 44 years old.

    27th minute, still nil-nil. Yeah, I know it is pre-season, but c’mon!

  9. MF: Diaby, Ramsey, Wilshere, Denilson (no particular order).

    Sylvestre, Djourou, Vermin, and Eboue are the back four.

  10. Rambo! Smiles all around.

    There isn’t a whole lot of youth on the bench. Maybe we will see Senderos in the second half?

  11. Second Half “Least Valuable Player” award goes to Sylvestre. Dude cannot, CANNOT, play left back. I have seen better crossing from the nine year olds that play in the park across the street. And when he goes forward, he seems to have nary a clue what to do when it gets there…

    Okay, 3-1, very pretty goal. Rambo and Wilshere look fantastic. Bendt’s second. Time for lunch.

    1. @Matt, agree with your 1st half comments:
      Sylvestre – wearing an SC Columbia jersey would explain his play
      Diaby – there is no difference in his play from last season: holds the ball 1 touch too long; decision making with the ball, poor.
      Almunia – he is a liability; no excuse for his error / lack of concentration

      Ramsey, Wilshere, and Bendtner – seems to be good chemistry

  12. So we’re all saying this is Nicky’s year and I hope so and that we don’t need more players but I still feel differently about that. I’m watching the SC game and though Nicky did score a tap in, it took him over half an hour and about half a dozen other misses before he got it right. We have Eduardo you say? Will he be playing 50 games a season? I highly doubt it. Tim talked about depth and even superstars need rest and the season is unpredictable so we don’t know who will get injured when and for how long. Sure we have 40 players available but is there enough quality in that roster to win trophies? I think the answer would divide the masses. Nicky looks good against a non-professional team but the EPL is the best of the best and his life will be made alot harder in the real season and he could very well frustrate us again. I’m still of the mind that we could use Huntelaar beause we really don’t know Eddie’s condition – a broken leg is not something you just shake off.

    Samir is out and I don’t like it but I suppose Traore has his chance to prove himself because otherwise he’d be bench fodder.

    Diaby is still just not that good and I just don’t see what Wenger sees in him. He looks clumsy against SC Columbia.

  13. I have to agree that Tricky Nick looks good. He gets himself into great positions and we’ll see if he can continue to finish

  14. Apparently Senderos is playing as a holding midfielder… interesting. Ill let you all know if he stays there and if he is any good.

  15. Watching the ATVO halftime…loved the player comments about the new away kit.

    Fabregas: i hate the color, i guess we’ll have to deal with it

    Walcott: they switched the fabric on us, it sucks.

    And these were presumably the positive comments 🙂 Glad our players are filled with confidence in their new kit….

  16. 2nd half lineup:
    Sagna Toure Gallas Traore
    Denilson Senderos
    Eboue Song Arshavin
    Rvp

    1. @Tim, No, we just decided to put our big players on in the second half. The first half was short vs short for the most part.

  17. OMG, I just want to say that Senderos is absolutely NOT the holding midfielder we are looking for.

    1. @Tim, Note Ramsey and Wilshere are back on… and he isn’t doing too poorly so far, but he wasn’t had much to do.

    2. @Tim, Well we all thought that maybe Vermaelen might be another of Wenger’s amazing position switchs, but maybe its Senderos. If anyone can make Senderos into a worldbeating holding midfielder its Arsene… Senderos just get an assist, thats a start.

      1. @Darkhail, Hell no!!!! Senderos is neither fast enough nor smart enough for the CM position. Sure he can keep up with SC Columbia but let’s face it, they’re not Man Utd or Liverpool. I’m fine keeping him as a cover for central defense but no way in Hell I want to see him start or play CM.

        1. @WC, I haven’t seen him move around much and make himself available for passes like he needs to, either. I doubt he has the stamina for any midfield position much less the all-action person we need.

          Though he is TALL!

        2. @WC, We will have to see how it goes, assuming Arsene decides to make the transition permanent. We can complain all we like about his faults but if Wenger sees something in him in that position then all we can do is hope for the best. (I’m trying my best to be positive but I really don’t see how he can fit into a holding midfield position).

  18. Ahhh finally got to watch a “Match” not much of a team I think I could play for them (if i lost a few pounds) but good to see alot of goals and no injuries excluding the practice injury of big sam nasri

  19. Wenger please save Cana from the Wearside oblivion!!! I’ll die a little inside if he lines up for Sunderland.

    Also why do Spuds think we need their charity by offering us Pavyluchenko at a cut price? If he’s not good enough for White Hart Lane why would we want him?

      1. @Yan, That’s all and well for Russia but this is Arsenal and the game is too fast and too technical for Pavyluchenko

  20. Nasri breaking his leg is a big blow for us because he is the only other player we have who can effectively play the “Fab” role. Without his availability we will have to work Fab to death or use Mr. “bulked up” Diaby or “inexperienced” Ramsey to give Fab rest. Neither situation gives me confidence.

    I also keep getting these sneaky suspicions that Toure will be at City soon and we will have to endure “Mr. geriatric”, Silvestre, for another season.

    Arsene is causing me severe angst at this point by not getting an experienced DM and a monster CB. Hopefully this will happen soon, as the current squad lacks the quality to compete in the EPL. As of today we have the shortest back 4 in modern EPL history.

    Relying on NB as our featured striker also does not instill confidence in me

  21. Thanks guys, I was too busy to watch the match, but you guys talk me through it nicely. Thanks once again.

  22. CD, permutate any two from Vermin, Song, Senderos and Gallas, and Toure if he stays. Sylvestre to clean boots and make tea.

    Viva!

  23. Roman Pavlyuchenko now being touted to come to Arsenal on a 6M fire sale offering from “Ole Arry”. At that price, I can see Arsene acquiring him so he can sell him for 15M next year. Plus, he and fellow Russian, Arshavin could take English lessons together.

    Also, the seer, Myles Palmer, has it from good sources that Toure will join Ade at City within the next week.

    http://www.arsenalnewsreview.co.uk/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=1336&cntnt01origid=30&cntnt01returnid=42

    1. @CaribKid69, My favorite thing about Myles Palmer is that the first, like, 8 links are all slagging him off. He is a thoroughly unreliable source.

      1. @Tim, Pavyluchenko is terrible. He simply couldn’t even keep pace with Spuds’ style of play so I have no clue how he will manage to do that at Arsenal. Nicky B is better than the Russian. If we want a good Russian striker who Arshavin actually can play with then go look at Pogrebnyak. Otherwise I could really do without him in a red shirt.

        1. @WC, Pav had moments, but I’ll admit that he didn’t look very good for them.

          Here’s the thing though: Tottenham have notoriously poor fitness and training habits while Wenger is a lunatic, down to controlling every bit of food his players eat. He’s 27 years old and was the top scorer in Russia for two years prior to coming to England. After Harry came in, Pav looked a bit better, if this is true, I’d bank on Wenger turning him around.

    2. @CaribKid69, We are looking for the ‘unknown’ striker who we can polish into a gem. Pavyluchenko is now a known commodity. I have the stark memory of Pavyluchenko ‘crying’ about how hard training was compared to Spartak. New team, new country, new regimen, suck it the f**k up. Besides he doesn’t get along w/ Arshavin so ‘arry can keep keep him.

      1. At 6M is a better buy than Chamakh in the short term. Way more clinical than Bendtner, could score 15-20 goals with decent service and is excellent header of the ball.

        Like I said, buy him for 6M now and sell for 15-20M next year.

  24. AAAARGGGH!!!! been too busy at work today to keep up with the news and this is the first news I get? Wenger must buy a CM now… but wait! Sendy playing CM??? well there you go.. he’s “like a new signing” and will fix all our midfield woes. C’mon Arsene – let’s bring in Huntelaar and Van der Vaart.

      1. The only MF we need now is a DM. We are overloaded at all the other MF positions. I like VDV but we just don’t need him at this point.

        Just give me a bruising DM and CB and I’ll suffer less angst. A proven striker to replace Ade would be nice also.

    1. @nycgunner, So you cry for a CM and then want Wenger to buy Huntelaar and Van Der Vaart – your logic is severely flawed. We had the game up to about 5-1 when Senderos came on. They could have put Fat Pat Rice in CM and we’d still run out winners. Wenger already hinted in a post-match interview that Senderos could very well leave, I think he just wanted the guy to have a run out.

      1. @WC, Putting Senderos in at DM, is that like putting your 12yo son on at RM, no harm, no foul and it generates press.

        1. Anyone notice that Toure has not had a run out yet? Am I being too sensitive about that?

  25. Trying to think of positives in the Nasri injury. It’s only the ‘minor’ bone in the lower leg. Not a knee ligament injury. Not a muscle tear. Only 6 wks in a cast then physical therapy.

    The negatives in the Nasri injury are: Diaby at LM. Traore although preferable to Diaby was lacking in the final 1/3 at Portsmouth (on those occassions when I watched them). Arsehavin at LM (instead of central). RVP at LM was a waste. Senderos at LM (I wouldn’t put this pass Wenger);)

    A few blogs are trying to generate hits w/ “Chamakh signs… or Chamakh agrees terms”. We do have Arseblog citing 2 sources that say we’re in the mix to do this deal. I will caution you that Gabriel Marcotti practically had Melo singing “God Bless the Queen” and you see where that ended up.

    I saw some highlights of todays game w/ South Carolina, er Columbia, FL or whatever. All you can say is that the opponents should have been wearing red instead of white since thats the color of ‘training cones’. The other thing I will say is that this Arsenal team is showing the same mentality as last season’ Arsenal team. They need their usual kick up the backside (as provided by that eminent psychologist Dr. Almunia) to get the motivation to play.

    I would love to face Celtic in our CL qualifier.

    It is nice to see that there is at least one tall gangly striker whose head cannot be turn by money (Peter Crouch).

    We now know why Benitez is desperate to hold onto Alonso if Gerrard gets convicted of affray and gets time in prison.

    I love those pundits who are salivating over Man City’s ascension into 4th at our presume expense. What I saw today against the Kaiser Chief’s was maybe a top 10 team.

    Bolivian club team played the coache’ 12yo son at RM for the final 9min of a 0-1 loss. The player prompty got elbowed and started crying. First of all there’s no crying football 🙂 Second, the coach just put Wenger to shame.

    1. Chamakh does nothing for us this year and will be at ANC. Heck, might as well stick Barazite up front as he is more familiar with the Arsenal way.

  26. Real shame about Nasri. These serious injuries over recent seasons (Eduardo, Rosicky, RvP, Walcott and now Nasri) make it impossible to get a sense of what type of attacking formation Wenger is trying to create. For a team that relies on momentum and continuity in their play it is particularly cruel.

    There isn’t a lot more one can say, Wenger is very loyal to his players and he is reluctant to make ruthless calls so unfortunately we will likely have to cope with Nasri’s injury in addition to the other uncertainties. I think he will be gutted. He would have been hoping for the best with Rosicky, Eduardo and Walcott and hoping that RvP continues to show increasing levels of robustness. Now this. Just as well he bought Arshavin – a lot is now on his shoulders.

  27. The Nasri injury felt like a huge blow today. This was something I didn’t expect. I only expect Arsenal players to get injured in useless friendlies. But there is still time to get someone in the transfer market although I fear nothing much will happen there. Which means Diaby will be given more chances to roam around where ever he wants and do what ever wants (or do nothing as the case may be).

    I long for the day when Arsenal will have every single player 100% fit so that there are good options for the team. I think after the invincible year, it has been constant seasons of injuries, or was it after the 04/05 season? I forget. Seems too long now. Interestingly, the last trophy came around that time as well in 2005. Hmmmm…

  28. If Rosicky can maintain his health, the Nasri loss is neutralized. Nasri’s return will be pivotal as we move into the middle and later stages of the season.

    Kiwi and Sachin make excellent posts for injuries to key players disrupting our system and level of competition. Playing 60 matches (just for Arsenal) is too physically demanding. If we are to raise our level of play, roster depth is critical.

  29. Wenger confirms 6 wks out for Nasri. That is the minimum for a broken bone. More concerning for me is that Eduardo and back in 2mo were mentioned in the same statement. WTF. The other item not mentioned where is Clichy in his progress back.

    Chamakh allegedly saying he’ll go to Sunderland if Arsenal don’t come for him. “Goodbye, you are the weakest link”.

    Wenger says Senderos has to decide among the offers for his services. Yesterday’s run out at DM was just a demo of Senderos’ versatility.

    I am impressed by how sharp Chelsea has looked in preseason especially against Inter.

    Thailand losing 1-0 to Liverpool so far. Thailand are very poor against a weakened Liverpool team.

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