A Typical Arsenal Conversation: Is Theo a Lost Cause? And Do We Need Cole?

The article below was inspired by a true life conversation between six football fans in Nigeria. GG, TN , BB , CN , DB support Arsenal while MAF supports Man Utd.

Certain details have been changed to make the article more believable.

TN

I hear Arsenal have turned down a bid for Cesc Fabregas.

GG

Yeah, and I also hear that Joe Cole is on the verge of signing for Arsenal .

TN

Until it’s announced I won’t believe. Can we pay his fees?

BB

Until it is announced on the Arsenal website I will not believe. Why will he leave a double winning team for a team with "potential" and no power?

The Cescy saga is not yet concluded, though the Arsenal Board are deluded that it is. The spirit of Cescgate will rise again after the World Cup when Spain leave the mundial.

I am happy that Walcott is not going so he can stay home and develop his football brain.

He is however, not lacking company as he is with Dinho, Benzema, Nasri. The only mistake I think Fabio made is leaving City’s Adam Johnson. That boy has the potential to become the next Giggs/Overmars.

DB

Wenger wants to go shrewd on all and sundry! He has become the new Sam Allardyce—only go for them if they are on a free or they are ridiculously cheap!

What a geek!

Because he lost two players on a free, he too has started going for the free ones. How pathetic!

BB

Arsene Cheapskate Whinger! Joe Cole is not the solution.

I still think we need a keeper, two central defenders, a left winger (to add pace when we remove Arshavin and inject some urgency there), and a central midfielder who can replace song in the DM role and at times play aside him.

DB

We all know what the squad needs—everyone in the world of soccer knows that!

However, Wenger will only buy what he does not need and he’ll never buy what he needs.

GG

I have it on good authority from a source  that claims the deal is as sure as it can be for not being signed, and that it will happen after the World Cup.

As the ever pessimistic BB says, Joe Cole is not the solution. However, if we do sign him, it will form part of the solution as it will strengthen our squad.

Signing him does not remove the need to strengthen in our other areas. However, I don’t believe we will sign a winger.

The manager’s priorities still remain first the central defence, and then possibly a defensive midfield signing. The longer the window is open, the more I believe we won’t sign a goalkeeper.

I disagree with DB when he says Wenger buys what he does not need.

DB

I take that back

BB

Me, I am not pessimistic.

Wenger has made me one.

Joe Cole is an addition to the squad but he is potentially an injury prone one and he adds no physicality to the squad. I still think a Yaya who can play DM or CM will be more useful.

The Arsenal Squad needs strength! Not more flair!

We can spin off Denilson and maybe Diaby and do this.

MAF

I would like to share GG’s optimism.

I think the arrival of Joe Cole (if true) will only herald the departure of Cesc next season especially if Mourinho Madrid blows them out of the water (which is most likely.)

I hear of one of your players will be going on loan to FC L’Orient as you plan to bring in their centre back to partner Vermaelen. I hear that the he is an elegant sweeper.

As for other signings, as I have often said, Arsenal need one Centre Back and one Centre Forward. BB, you guys don’t need a winger as your 4-3-3 doesn’t favour one.

While we continue to arrange our team, we will keep a good eye on you as the saying goes “keep your friend close and...even closer.”

We are waiting for Mourinho Madrid to come with their ridiculous 97 million pound offer for Wayne Rooney (like the boy would want to go), but like I said we sold Sparky, Stam, Beckham, Ruud, Forlan and of late Ronaldo. 

If we ever sold Rooney, Manchunians would certainly lynch the Glazers, ostracize SAF, and David Gill, and probably burn down OT but then with that kind of money who said the club wont get better?

GG

By the way, Coquelin’s loan spell to L’Orient has nothing to do with their sweeper.

(I can’t spell his name Kosc…something?)

This is the first time I see the club trying to hold on to a star rather than seek for a replacement.

It could backfire, but still if we succeed in signing these reinforcements we just might gain an edge in having Cesc Stay not because he doesn’t think he wants to go to Barca, but because he sees a stronger squad.

DB

You are right.

I believe that is probably one of the cards Cescy has on the plate. He knows the club can win stuff. He knows we can’t with the size and type of players on the ground.

We never had a replacement for him after the injury (putting Ramsey’s injury into account), I know if Rambo had been around he would have made people like brainless Diaby and slow Denilson look good.

CA

I must tell you—if you lose Rooney, you will struggle for a top four position next season!

You called Sparky, Ruud, and Ronaldo—but you have never been this dependent on a player—look what happened to your season after he got crocked. Please sell him—and give Arsenal a realistic second place position next season.

MAF

Hmm.

I think Cesc would be better off staying at arsenal. I just hope he doesn’t become another Shearer, Gascoigne, or Valeron faithful to a course and not to a cause!

Please while arsenal fans continue to ridicule the potential in Diaby, please could you release him on a free to us at Manchester United.

I want to challenge everyone to a contest its World Cup time, neither Cesc nor Diaby will be a certain starter but let’s see who has a better World Cup on strictly individual performances.

BB

We shall see Abou at the World Cup.

He is a very skilful player and can make one or two interceptions but he is Wenger’s player first and foremost.

Since the 2008-2009 season when he played a lot more games—we noticed that he loses possession in crucial aspects of the field, tends to forget where he is and takes too long to give the ball always choosing to dribble past three or four players.

At the beginning of the 2009-2010 season we noticed this was curbed as he started playing more for the team rather than for his individualistic self, especially after the first game at old Trafford, but he forgot himself towards the end of the season culminating  in the disaster against Barcelona (home and away.)

Wenger watches and analyses footie games. He should have spoken to him so that he can step up his game which is why I think Theo is a lost cause.

If AW with all his footie knowledge and patience can not make TW improve his game, his cause may be lost.

As for Cesc, if he knows what is good for him, he should go back home, get a wife and a kid, and send the boy to la masia.

He will earn more as a result of the better tax structure in Spain.

He also has the added bonus of being in the most exciting league in the world for the 2010-2011 season.

Yes, I say so (Mourinho, Villa, Messi, and of course Ronaldo) as compared to the same old same old. Man. Utd. or Chelsea will still win the league and FA cup again. It is better to be a cub among lions than to be a lion among cubs.

TO BE CONTINUED