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ORIGINAL: brampski

Well, that was pretty dire yesterday, but at least we didn't lose like we probably would have earlier in the season. 7 from 9 is not a bad return over Christmas, but we now have to face ManYoo without Cygan at left back. Lauren will have to switch to a position he's not comfortable with like he did earlier in the month when we managed to lose three on the spin.



Coming to something when we're gonna miss Cygan!

and the people are "reporting" that Arsenal might resign Vieira!

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Looking at the French League 1, our target could be club by club:

Bordeaux: Rio Mavuba. Wenger is a long term admirer, he has already been selected a few times for France without really making a big impression. He is very young (22yo) and wouldnt offer what we need right now. He would just be another good prospect for the future.
Le Mans: Matsui. Japonese international, a player to watch in the future (will be interesting to see how he fares at the WC). He has been a revelation this season. But more in the Hleb or Fabregas style than a Vieira type of player.
Lens: Alou Diarra. Not the Diarra from Lyon, he's a french international and he has impressed in the last 2matchs for France. He's a big part of Lens good start of the season. I don't know if Lens would be keen to sell him while chasing a CL spot. But if the money is good...
Lille: Mathieu Bodmer. Wenger is a known admirer of him. Problem, he is cup tied. Wouldn't come cheap either as Lille don't need to sell. Still, one of the front runner for me.
Lyon: Mamadou Diarra. For me, he would be the best player we could get to replace Vieira. But no way we will get him half way through the season while Lyon are chasing a 5th title and are one of the favourite for this year CL. It would take an insane bid from us to take him away from Lyon.
Benoit Pedretti. He's a part player for them (only 9matchs) and cup tied for having played Lyon's last group game. He would need a lot of time to adapt and with the little impact he had since he arrived in Lyon, no chance he could come good for us before the end of the season. Paris are on his trail and to get a chance to make the WC squad, he will rather choose them over us to guarantee 1st team football.
Nantes: Jeremy Toulalan. We sent scout to watch him several times, he's an under 21 for France and will be with the seniors in a couple of years time. I rate him very highly. This guy has it all, vision, passing, tackling and a big heart. He's suited to the premiership, my only concern would be the few injuries he picked up this season (I think he hates Man Utd already after Richardson almost broke his leg during the England-France under21 playofff ). Nantes are in financial trouble and they wouldnt be against selling him if the price is right.
Emerse Fae: 20yo Franco-Ivorian player. A good prospect and one too watch for the future, but too young and unexperienced for us.
PSG: Modeste M'Bami. Cameroon international so he will be gone to the ANC. Only last season he was rated as high as Essien, but his form has been erratic and rumours of him leaving haven't stopped for the last year. Hard to tell if he could cut it at a higher level because PSG are great at distroying players career by changing manager and half the team every 6months. But if Wenger was going for him, i have no doubt he would be a success ... cos Arsene knows.
Rennes: Yohann Gourcuf. We've been linked with him before. He's only 19 so not what we need right now. A player to watch for the future.
St Etienne: Didier Zokora. 24yo from Ivory Coast. We want him for sure but so does Man Utd or Real Madrid to name a few. He's definitly a player we could do with. Problems are his price tag, the fact that he doesnt want to leave in the middle of the season, that the club won't sell him before the summer and that he will go to the ANC. He would be my favourite but i don't see it happening except if we offer a stupid bid and are ready to do without him for a month (in fact, i wouldnt be surprised if we did )
Toulouse: Jeremy Mathieu. 21yo. I don't remember us being linked with him which is quite surprising. He was the heart of Sochaux during the last 2 season and helped them to win the league cup. He signed for Toulouse after the squad exploded in Sochaux, thinking they would play for a european spot. Season hasn't gone well for them and i wouldn't be surprised if we wanted to leave. He's a strong, big hearted midfielder. I haven't seen that much of him but he looked good the few times i saw him. And when you see the number of games he played and goals he scored in the last 3 seasons, he can't be a bad player.
Achille Emana. We've been linked with him for a late move after the Baptista deal collapsed. Toulouse season doesn't go very well and it is unlikely they will challenge for Europe so they might be willing to cut their losses and sell a couple of players. His price tag was 7m€ which is not too bad.

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Cygan has statistacly been the best left-back over the festive period and isn't a bad 3rd choic left-back/ 4th choice centre-back.

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Chelsea and Arsenal are locked in a fight to land Vassiriki Diaby according to the player's agent.
The powerhouse midfielder, a France Under-19 international, is rated as one of Europe's best young talents and a series of mature displays for Auxerre have not gone unnoticed across Europe.
Diaby is seen by Arsene Wenger to be a ready-made replacement for Patrick Vieira, whilst Chelsea are always in the market for emerging young talent, according to his agent, Roger Boli.
''Arsenal made an offer to Auxerre and are very keen to get him,'' Boli told the News of the World.
''But Chelsea want him as well. Auxerre are prepared to let him go but they have not agreed a fee yet.
''We have to wait two or three days and see what Chelsea do. They will also make an offer this week and it'll be up to Auxerre.
''Arsenal are very hot on the player and are close to signing him although you know nobody can compete with Chelsea when it comes to money.
''Maybe he will have more chance to play at Arsenal but who's to say he won't earn a Chelsea place?
''He's that good. Wenger thinks he can be the new Vieira.''

I'm not sure if he is the new Vieira, I would prefer someone with a bit more experience.

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ORIGINAL: brampski

Exactly, coming 3 days after Chelsea sign Maniche and Mourinho calls him the final piece in his midfield, it sounds a desperate attempt by this guys agent to get him noticed.

We'll still have him tho, badly need a bit more bite in the middle.

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ORIGINAL: My Life in Pictures

Although did your hear Mourinho's comment that if anyone isn't happy they can leave. Hopefully SWP wakes up and becomes available.

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ORIGINAL: brampski

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ORIGINAL: My Life in Pictures

Although did your hear Mourinho's comment that if anyone isn't happy they can leave. Hopefully SWP wakes up and becomes available.

Would be very nice to see, but can't see Chelsea doing business with one of their rivals.As an aside, Ian Wright really is undoing his Arsenal legend status. After back in the summer, he advised his son to chase the Chelski money and thus totally stall his career, he came out this week to say that if he were Henry he'd go to Barcleona.

The guy really needs to shut up. And be sacked by the BBC asap, he's useless.

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  Arsenal face competition if they decide to make a bid for Heerenveen's highly-rated striker Georgios Samaras.
Reports claim Arsenal are to sign the 20-year-old and Heerenveen team manager Joop Heida confirmed Arsenal had watched the Greek forward.
But he told BBC Sport: "Arsenal are not the only club interested in Georgios.
"He will not be going in January. If he goes it will be at the end of the season. In the summer we can look and see what is best for him."
Samaras has helped the club to the last 32 of the Uefa Cup and to fifth place in the Dutch league.
But they have already sold top scorer Klaas Jan Huntelaar to Dutch rivals Ajax in the transfer window and Heida has insisted that no more players will be leaving in January.
The 6ft 3in Samaras is under contract with Heerenveen until 2008 but Arsenal are said to be leading the way to sign him for a reported fee of £3.75m.
Heida added: "Everybody is for sale but that is not enough for Georgios Samaras. I think it would be much more.
"They have made no bid but scouts from Arsenal have watched games here in Holland but I don't know exactly what their interest is."

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ORIGINAL: brampski

Diaby signs on at Arsenal, and the Theo Walcott rumours are still circulating. Seems we're making some moves at last in the transfer market

That is good news!!!

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Arsenal have signed 19-year-old midfielder Vassiriki Diaby according to the player's current club Auxerre.
Diaby has started just three times for Auxerre this term but has shown significant promise for Arsenal to have offered him a four-year deal.
The France Under-19 international has always stated a preference for North London rather than West, with Chelsea having also been interested and it would appear Arsene Wenger has now landed his man.
Diaby is a powerful midfielder in the mould of the departed Patrick Vieira, with The Gunners hopeful that he will eventually be ready to replace their former captain as a Highbury favourite.
Arsenal have yet to comments on reports emanating from France but it is expected that an official confirmation could be forthcoming.

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Arsenal defender Ashley Cole has moved to reassure the club's fans by insisting he plans to run out for The Gunners at their new stadium.
Despite being on the sidelines with a foot complaint, Cole has been the subject of intense transfer talk in recent weeks.
Real Madrid are rumoured to be tracking the England international and reportedly see him as the ideal man to replace Roberto Carlos.
Cole could well have his head turned by a huge offer from Real, but the defender says he intends to taste life at Arsenal's new stadium at Ashburton Grove.
"I've got three years left (on my contract) and I'm looking forward to playing in the new stadium," said Cole.
Cole claims he is unfazed by the constant media attention surrounding his future.
"It has been in every paper since the start of the season and there is nothing I can do," he added. "People are going to write stories.
"I have just got to get back fit and that's my main aspiration at the moment, as well as trying to win things with Arsenal."

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ORIGINAL: Your Funny Uncle
Now for the bad news!

 

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 Real Madrid is considering an offer of 15 million euros ($18.1 million) for Arsenal left-back Ashley Cole, Spanish sports daily Marca reported.
The 25-year-old England international, who in July signed a three-year contract after being fined for illegally meeting Chelsea representatives without his club's permission, is ``receptive'' to the advances of the record nine-time European champion, the paper said.
Cole, currently sidelined with a broken bone in his foot, is wanted by Madrid as a successor to Brazil's Roberto Carlos, who will quit the club at the end of the season, a year before the end of the contract.
Madrid's next step will be to approach Arsenal's directors, Marca reported.

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Arsenal star Manuel Almunia has singled out his goalkeeping rival Jens Lehmann for criticism, insisting the German international is selfish and withdrawn.
Lehmann is firmly established as The Gunners' number one and Almunia has to be content with fleeting cup appearances at present.
The Spaniard has now attacked his Highbury team-mate for being 'cold and closed' in a row that does not bode well for team spirit at the North London outfit.
"My relationship with Lehmann is the same as ever, we don't really have one," Almunia is quoted as saying in The Sun.
"We hardly speak, despite the fact I'm an easy going and friendly guy who gets on well with everyone.
"Some people are only interested in themselves and Jens is very cold and closed.
"In life there are all sorts of people, the good, the bad, the friendly and the not so friendly."
Almunia remains convinced that he will carve out a spot in the starting XI, despite rumours that Wenger is looking to bring in a new shot-stopper.
"My present situation is good despite often being a substitute," Alumnia continued.
"I'm calm and waiting for my chance which is certain to come.
"Arsene Wenger and I haven't spoken at length about things but he always says the same.
"He tells me I will be first choice if I keep performing as I am."

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ORIGINAL: Your Funny Uncle

Sounds like sour grapes to me, at one stage they were neck and neck for the number 1 jersey, almost swapping every game. Now Lehmann has firmly established himself as the best at Highbury and it sounds like Almunia is trying to unsettle him. Hope he remembers what happened to Roy Keane at United, and he was captain!

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Heerenveen's highly-rated striker Georgios Samaras is flattered by reported interest from Arsenal and would relish a move abroad in January.
"Should Bayern Munich and Arsenal be interested and Bayern offer more, it's possible I will still choose Arsenal.

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ORIGINAL: My Life in Pictures

What has gone wrong with one of the most consistant English teams of the last 5 years? Who should be brought in and who is not good enough to be playing for the FA Cup winners?