Arsenal Thread

[TMM]

Well Arsenal could bring in another great player into the Premiership by finally buying Fernando Torres.

As great as he is, where would he play? Henry and van Persie have the front two taken, and the only place other than that is left-wing, which Reyes has almost made his own if/when Pires goes. I'd love to have Torres, but not at the cost of possibly dropping van Persie.

[Buford Ripley]

If Pires goes over the Summer, which seems likely, Van Persie can be opted out onto the left and the two can be alternated up front.

[TheArsenal]

Well Arsenal could bring in another great player into the Premiership by finally buying Fernando Torres.

[TMM]

If Pires goes over the Summer, which seems likely, Van Persie can be opted out onto the left and the two can be alternated up front.

No. Van Persie is a striker first and fore-most and is best played up there, and personally, I think van Persie is better than Torres anyway.

[Buford Ripley]

Fair enough.

Moving away from that; does anyone have any idea when the new Arsenal home kit is going to be revealed or is it going to be the same as last season's?

[TheArsenal]

Fair enough.

Moving away from that; does anyone have any idea when the new Arsenal home kit is going to be revealed or is it going to be the same as last season's?

[Guest Kliq Masterson]

Edited May 22, 2006 by Kliq Masterson

[Guest muddatrucker]

Well for a start Emirates are redoing their logo, apparently its going to be the one you see on the side of their planes (of the arab symbol and Emirates beneath it).

That pic came out absolutely ages ago so I doubt its credibility.

It'll probably be on one of the current Nike templates (hopefully not Holland) which I think sucks since they're all retro and we've done the retro thing.

EDIT: Plus, the compression around the logo and nike swoosh suggests its been pasted on, it was the same on the bigger picture I saw.

EDIT2: And that collar is too small for it to be the Brazil template, which I think it was going on, so I reckon that confirms it.

Edited May 22, 2006 by muddatrucker

[FLiam]

Getting Rosicky will be a great signing, he's been linked with us for years and I have always wanted us to get him. Hopefully it'll be completed in the next few days.

I think Wenger is going to try and get his signings before the World Cup. Hopefully a defender follows.

[Jonny D]

I think Wenger is going to try and get his signings before the World Cup.

[TMM]

Czech midfielder Tomas Rosicky signs for Arsenal

Czech Republic international Tomas Rosicky has today joined Arsenal Football Club from Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund on a long-term contract for an undisclosed fee.

Attacking midfielder Rosicky, 25, who has made 31 appearances in the UEFA Champions League for Borussia Dortmund and Sparta Prague, secured World Cup football for the Czech Republic this summer by scoring the winning goal in the decisive qualifying play-off second leg against Norway last November.

After joining Borussia Dortmund in January 2001, Tomas won the Bundesliga and reached the UEFA Cup Final in his first full season with the club (2001/02). He also enjoyed success with Sparta Prague, where he won back-to-back Czech Republic league titles in 1999 and 2000.

Rosicky made his international debut aged 17 and represented his country at the 2000 and 2004 European Championships. Tomas was also recognised in his home country by becoming the youngest ever winner of the Czech Player of the Year award in 2001 aged 20, and he went on to repeat the honour the following season.

Manager Arsène Wenger said: “We are delighted to welcome Tomas to our squad. He has great technique, skill on the ball and sharp passing. Tomas has good experience at all levels for club and country, and we look forward to welcoming him to Arsenal after what will hopefully be a successful summer for him at the World Cup.”

New Arsenal signing Rosicky said: “I’m really happy to be here at Arsenal, it is a great day for me. The team showed its strength recently in the Champions League and it has big potential with a lot of young players, I think we can be even better next season. This is the best club in Europe and I will give everything for Arsenal.”

Rosicky will join up with his new team-mates after competing in this summer’s FIFA World Cup.

Arsenal.com

YAY! The deal is reported to be around £6.8m according to Sky Sports News because of a clause in his contract. He is going to be awesome.

[Guest muddatrucker]

I wish you couldn't sign people for undisclosed fees, I know we find out in the end but it just ruins the fun of everything.

I just hope he adapts to the English game, since the Bundesliga is about as good as the Vauxhall conference.

[TheArsenal]

That's a damn good price if it's accurate.

Can't wait to see him in ation, and glad to see our squad getting better, enough so that it might take some pressure off of our first 11, especially when injuries come round again.

[public enemy]

Bollocks, I actually liked Rosicky. >_<

Apparently his deal with Athletico fell through due to them not affording the transfer fee. That, and the fact that Dortmund are near-bankrupt is probably why Arsenal's got him for so cheap.

[fineintent]

Arsenal winger Robert Pires has agreed a two-year contract with Villarreal.

Pires will join on a free transfer subject to passing a medical - bringing to an end his six-career career as an Arsenal player.

"I hope I will be able to help them build on their impressive achievements of the last two years," said Pires on the Spanish club's website.

Pires, 33, would have been out of contract with the Gunners in June but had been offered a new one-year deal.

Arsenal defeated Villarreal at the semi-final stage of this season's Champions League.

Pires added that he expected to be officially unveiled as a Villarreal player on either 2 or 3 July.

Arsenal signed Pires from Marseille for £6m in 2000.

[TMM]

He is still a very good player, better than a lot of Premiership players still, but he wanted security and a 1-year deal wasn't enough so I get why he's gone. I'm sad to see him leave because he coulde've done a good job for us next year, but I get why he went.

[TheArsenal]

He was great for us in his day, but isn't the player he used to be. Seeing Reyes on the left is much better these days, and Hleb does a decent enough job out there too. Pires hasn't had as many chances in the last year, and what with us giving him little security, I guess the grass looks greener.

He could probably still play for most Premiership sides, but we need to keep our team fresh. He's been a great servant to the club, and I wish him well.

[TMM]

He was great for us in his day, but isn't the player he used to be. Seeing Reyes on the left is much better these days, and Hleb does a decent enough job out there too. Pires hasn't had as many chances in the last year, and what with us giving him little security, I guess the grass looks greener.

He could probably still play for most Premiership sides, but we need to keep our team fresh. He's been a great servant to the club, and I wish him well.

I think the biggest reason Wenger wanted to keep him was because of the experience he brings to a team full of young players. But he's gone now, and it'll be very interesting to see who Wenger brings in now in addition to Rosicky.

[TheArsenal]

I agree with the point about experience, but that was never going to be enough of a role for Pires, and as far as the on-the-pitch stuff, I'm not sure we'll miss his as much as his ability starts to diminish and our younger players progress within themselves.

[Guest Professor Kou]

Does Emirates have a pool built in somewhere?