Arsenal Thread

[FLiam]

The main talking point still is the Ashley Cole case and yesterday the News of the World got the interview everybody wanted' with Cole himself in which he took it upon himself to slate the club, David Dein, criticise the manager for not doing enough for him and the Arsenal tea lady for forgetting his sugar one morning. He's blaming everyone, left right and centre, except for himself and his agent who, of course, have been whiter than white and done nothing to warrant any kind of criticism. Quoth the Raven "If they offer me £100,000 or £200,000 a week now I would not accept it. I blame David Dein for trying to force me out. It's all over. I feel betrayed, confused and badly let down. It's hard to forgive."

Yes, it must be hard to forgive Arsenal for going to meet Chelsea to discuss the sale of Cole behind his back even though he didn't want to leave. Erm...wait a second, that's not quite right. Maybe it's hard to forgive Arsenal for giving you the chance to be a world class defender, establish you as an England international and offer to more than double your £27,000 a week wages. I know I'd find that hard to forgive.

Of course it's just a huge 'poor me' PR stunt and yet another attempt by the guilty parties in all this to shift the blame elsewhere and refuse to accept responsibility for their own actions. This bit in particular made me laugh when Cole said "I won't sign for another Premiership club because I can't imagine myself playing against Arsenal. I would only want to play abroad."

Right, so why the fuck did you go meet Chelsea then, Ashley? If you couldn't imagine playing against Arsenal why would you go and meet a team who we play at least twice a year, a team who we're going to battle with for the title for the foreseeable future, a team who you should be playing against as Arsenal's left back? It's a fairly lame attempt to reclaim some favour but it's so transparent as to be laughable. I wonder how much Barnett paid the NOTW for the friendly article, remember it was the News of the World and The Sun that broke the story about the meeting in the first place. Cole tries to suggest that because Arsenal didn't give him exactly what he wanted it was ok for him to take matters into his own hands and go and meet a team he knew he shouldn't have. I think Ashley Cole's time at Arsenal is well and truly up. This interview has put paid to any slim chance there might have been for reconcilation between all concerned. He's chosen the easy way out, to deny, to dissemble, to spoof and to cloud the waters rather than take the admittedly more difficult path of accepting the fact it's his actions that have brought all this about. If he wasn't happy with Arsenal's contract offer he could have continued to negotiate, he still has two years on his deal, running off to meet Chelsea was unacceptable no matter what the circumstances.

I have to have a word about Peter Kenyon too although Tom did mention it and his description of Kenyon's comments is spot on. He's been shooting his mouth off about how Arsenal is run by the French clique, about how there's no team spirit, about the supposed failings of Arsene Wenger as manager (read Jens Lehmann's denials of that here). Let's remember he denied any such meeting when the first story broke so he's a liar with an obvious agenda against Arsenal. He's crossed a line now in my opinion. You don't say things like that about another team or another manager and use one of their current players to do it. It's just low, although you wouldn't expect much more from him. Let's also remember Jonathan Barnett called stories about the meeting 'ridiculous' and said there was no problem between Arsenal and Cole. That makes him a liar. Mourinho denied being at the meeting as well saying 'I have never met the boy' and that he was in Milan. Yep, he's a liar too. And Cole himself said that Mourinho and Kenyon walked into the meeting 'by accident' so I don't need to tell you what that makes Ashley.

Got that from ArseBlog, couldn't have put it any better myself.

[TheArsenal]

There's some pictures of the stadium on the official site now that's it's half built. It already looks fantastic. Could be one of the best in Europe from what it looks like now....

[TMM]

I think our stadium looks better than the new Wembley thus far, but this "architects impression of the new Coventry City stadium" looks friggin nice.

Looks nice. I can't find any ACTUAL pics of their stadium mind you.

Edited June 13, 2005 by The Monkey Molester

[TheArsenal]

I don't like the look of the huge stadium-sized triangular "add-on".....but it doesn't look too bad.

Anyone know if Ashburton Grove is extendable?

[TMM]

I don't think it is, just looking at some overhead pics at the moment and there doesn't seem to be any room for expansion.

[public enemy]

Gunners star arrested

Arsenal striker Robin van Persie has been arrested on rape allegations.

The 21-year-old, who joined The Gunners from Feyenoord last summer, was detained in Rotterdam on Monday night.

Prosecutors' spokesman Jeichin de Graaf confirmed van Persie's arrest and that he is a suspect in the claim.

"He was arrested last night and is considered a suspect following an allegation of rape," prosecutors' de Graaf told AFP.

The Holland international had finished the season in style with Arsenal after helping the North London side win the FA Cup and secure second in The Premiership.

[Guest Pirate Chasin' Booty]

Unless the person he is suppose to of raped is a bloke, I don't believe it, he's blatantly a woofter.

He'll be cleared, just like every other footballer accused of rape.

[public enemy]

Didn't Stack get arrested though? I never remember hearing he was cleared.

[Guest Pirate Chasin' Booty]

He was cleared, you just never get to hear that part.

[TheArsenal]

Well either way, I'm gonna be looking for Bentley to get some chances next season. This next season could build him up ready to be a real big time player for when Bergkamp goes.

[Guest Pirate Chasin' Booty]

Suker questioned in murder enquiry

Former Arsenal striker Davor Suker has been questioned by police in Croatia following the murder of football agent Dino Pokrovac. 

A police report stated that Suker, who co-managed several players with Pokrovac, was questioned for more than three hours, in which time he gave details about his business relations with the popular agent, who was murdered outside his home in Zagreb over the weekend.

Police have released a sketch of a potential suspect and continue to follow up leads that suggest that Pokrovac was involved in Zagreb's underworld, where he supposedly acted as a loan-shark.

Suker refused to comment to the media after the talks.

Edited June 14, 2005 by muddatrucker

[supergrass]

Good to see the likes of Suker and van Persie reliving the glory law-breaking days of Merson, Adams and Hillier.

[Guest Pirate Chasin' Booty]

Its a shame Suker didn't kill Ashley Coles agent.

[lanky316]

Unless the person he is suppose to of raped is a bloke, I don't believe it, he's blatantly a woofter.

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[FLiam]

This van Persie stuff is bullshit imo. Some woman wanting some money.

He just doesn't seem the type and also, he has just broken into the Arsenal and Holland first team, got the fans behind him, starting to become a mini-national hero, I am certain he is not stupid enough to throw it all away.

[Summers]

Unless his sudden surge made him think it was okay to do so.

He's only young, and he's just broke into both first team set ups, as you said.

It could have gone to head.

I do agree though, he doesn't seem the type.

[botchedpiledriver]

Was Davor Suker anygood for Arsenal? I can only remember him being shite at West Ham, I don't remember his Arsenal stint.

[Monkey D. Lars]

I dont believe the news of van Persie, and he has 1 of the best lawyers out the, Moskovitch, and MOskovitch believes he didn't do it that's why he defends Van Persie

[Guest Pirate Chasin' Booty]

Legally, if a lawyer doesn't believe his client is innocent, he must pass the case on to someone else.

[TMM]

Was Davor Suker anygood for Arsenal?  I can only remember him being shite at West Ham, I don't remember his Arsenal stint.

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I don't remember him doing anything of note, that generally means he was pretty crap. I know he only scored about 6 goals all season I think it was. He wasn't as bad as Kaba Diawara though...