Arsenal Thread

[Liam]

I'd arguably say the Porto job was a lot tougher, considering the gulf between the main European leagues and the Portugese league.

If I was an Arsenal fan, I'd definitely be encouraged by the game today, even if you lost. The main problem I saw was Arsenal's need to over-complicate things at times, but that's always been a slight problem, as they always seem to be looking for the perfect goal, rather than just scoring. But, considering Wenger has barely touched the cheque book, and they for the most part outplayed Chelsea, it looks good, I guess.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Maybe it's just me, but has Henry lost a tonne of weight? He looked quite skinny today and slower than usual at times. Something just didn't feel right, hope he picks it up next Sunday.

Both played good football, damn exciting match I thought. Who was it doing some sick skills? Henry and Gilberto? Was loving some of the tricks. Crespo looked promising too, as did SWP. Still not superly impressed by Hleb over the two games I've seen. Good passer but I've not seen enough to be convinced, but I'll give him more of a chance.

Very unlucky not to win either way. Whether or not it'll spur Arsenal on, who knows.

[TheArsenal]

Chelsea took their chances well, but as for how much they made the chances or how much we gave them those chances is still undecided.

We were all over them in the second half, and were unlucky not to finish the game as winners.

[lafunky xxvii]

Maybe it's just me, but has Henry lost a tonne of weight? He looked quite skinny today and slower than usual at times. Something just didn't feel right, hope he picks it up next Sunday.

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[fineintent]

Gilberto has to play if Arsenal want to win things this year, Flamini couldn't deal with Chelsea's midfield at all, Fabregras put himself about and looked decent. Senderos had a bad game, maybe Campbell needs to come back or, hopefully for Arsenal, it was just a one off. Lehmann is still a liability, but I think a new keeper is coming, so that's ok.

Hopefully Arsenal are passed the playing Pires in the centre thing, because the midfield would be even more lightweight. You missed Gilberto last season, and to not play him this season would be stupid.

[Guest Pirate Chasin' Booty]

If we don't buy anyone influencial whilst the window is still open, we won't win a thing, this has been the most frustrating summer ever.

[FLiam]

I want that fucking keeper.

I personally don't think we need anyone right now to replace Vieira, we pissed all over them in the 2nd half, they jsut sat back with 11 men. But this is why signing Baptista would have been so good, we could have launched it to him, or he could have just steamrolled his way through the defence.

Overall, I was happy with the peformance, except Senderos looked a tad dodgy. And why does Drogba always have to roll around like he has been shot at least once a game.

I was amazed when Gilberto did that skill, I thought it was Henry, then realised it was Gilberto and went "Wait a minute, that wasn't Gilberto, surely?". It was great.

[Turbo Yannis]

And why does Drogba always have to roll around like he has been shot at least once a game.

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[FLiam]

Well, he didn't Sunday......

[Summers]

But he does, so stop being bias.

[Liam]

Although Drogba made the most of it, whoever made the challenge (Lauren, I believe?) was stupid to make the challenge in the first place, as it was reckless, and he was nowhere near the ball.

[FLiam]

Apparently, Viera has failed his medical.

This summer is offically the worst one ever, losing our skipper, Beast rejecting us, now this. Look's like we might be stuck with Almunia for another year, or more.

[TMM]

Cole planning new appeal

Ashley Cole is ready to take his case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after seeing his guilty verdict in the Premier League 'tapping up' case upheld.

The England defender saw his fine reduced from £100,000 to £75,000 but is still unhappy at being found guilty over the affair.

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho also saw his appeal against the verdict dismissed but is prepared to put the matter to bed after seeing his fine cut from £200,000 to £75,000 as well.

Cole is less satisfied, though, and his legal team have revealed it is 'very likely' he will be launching a new appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland.

"Whilst the decision to reduce Ashley Cole's fine was encouraging, we were very surprised with the result because the appeal commission seemed receptive and sympathetic to our arguments on restraint of trade," stated Cole's lawyer Graham Shear.

"I will await the commission's reasons, which are due next week, and will then discuss the situation further with Ashley.

"However at this time my instructions from Ashley are clear and an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne is very likely."

Chelsea and Mourinho were both left satisfied by the result of the appeal and will not now pursue the matter any further.

"Jose Mourinho and Chelsea are pleased the Premier League appeals committee have significantly reduced the fine imposed on Jose," read a Chelsea statement.

"We always regarded the original fine as completely disproportionate to the alleged offence.

"We are also pleased the appeals committee have publicly recognised that Jose's culpability with respect to the arranged meeting was less than Ashley Cole's.

"Although we are disappointed the original verdict still stands, we accept the verdict and believe it is time to move on and look forward to the new Premiership season."

Credit: SkySports.com

Ok, first of all, I really wish this thing would just die already. Cole's dragging it out, and I think it's fairly clear to everyone that he won't have the decision changed.

Secondly, how did Mourinho have his fine cut by £125,000 while Cole had his cut by only £25,000!?! I mean, maybe this is a biased Arsenal fan's view, but I really seem to think that Mourinho (and Cole's agent) have more blame than Ashley Cole. I'm just confused.

[botchedpiledriver]

I'm feeling less and less confident about us buying Stuart Taylor from you. You sold him during a goalkeeper crisis. Just shows how good he is really.

[TMM]

I'm feeling less and less confident about us buying Stuart Taylor from you.  You sold him during a goalkeeper crisis.  Just shows how good he is really.

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I can see why you think that, but he was honestly a very good 'keeper a few years back when he played in the Premeirship for us and won a Premiership medal. That was the 2001/02 season, and since then he's had one injury after the other and it's just been crap for him. But he was a very good 'keeper when he played.

Ask someone like TAFKA Castroneves what he was like when he was at Leicester, that's the last team he was at and I think he did decent for them.

[FLiam]

Well, I have heard that since his shoulder injury, he sucks. But we will have to wait and see.

We signed Song on a year loan, not a bad signing, he looked good in pre-season.

Viera apparently failed a medical but the club has refused to comment, some people have said that they have been told by their sources that he had a bad cold which is why he failed, and we have another medical planned on Friday for him. Another story is that he turned up to the training ground and the staff found that he was a tiny bit taller than Ashley Cole. Not sure what to believe, I'm hoping the illness story is true, guess we will find out at the weekend.

[Guest Pirate Chasin' Booty]

He's six foot, they'd of known how big he was before they actually came to signing him, its generally the thing. If you haven't seen him, you're probably not going to put in a bid.

[FLiam]

What a shit day.

No Viera for sure and Bentley is going.

We can't really afford to let Bentley go I don't think, our squad is already very, very small. I thought he would be in the first team more regulary once Bergkamp retired.

[Guest Pirate Chasin' Booty]

Arsene has spoken too much about potential targets this season and each time it seems to have failed. Usually he keeps stum until the last minute, the moment he speaks is the moment it fails.

Its a good way of pissing of the supporters.

[FLiam]

So, how awesome are those 'Highbury 1913-2006' marks in the grass?