Perry Groves - There's Only One.....

[OneBardGooner]

I was on Arsenal's website last nite and there was a Poll - asking for fans to vote what positions in the team/squad they thought needed strengthening -

Now whether this is purely some kind of lame exercise to try and pacify some of the ill feeling around our teams lack of experience, muscle and strength - or a genuine 'poll' to genuinely gauge fans opinions....?

Anyway Perry Groves has done an interview on there which I think is a very good pointer towards what Arsene Wenger is intending to do.

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"Perry Groves believes Arsenal are better equipped than any club to topple Manchester United next season.

Sir Alex Ferguson's team secured a third consecutive Premier League crown last month, leaving Arsenal trailing in their wake. Arsène Wenger's side could not fully recover from a sluggish start to the season and eventually finished 18 points behind the champions.

Arsenal were also 11 points adrift of Chelsea and 14 behind Liverpool in the final table, yet Groves is confident that Arsenal can emerge as United's biggest challengers next term.

"United have a maturity about them, they are physically mature," said the former Gunner. "They have been together for a number of years now and this is their third title in a row so they know how to win championships. They have players who know how to perform in the big games.

"If you look at the age of our squad it's very young and sometimes as a youngster you need a few experienced players around you when things aren't going well to galvanise everybody. But I actually think as a squad we're closer to challenging Manchester United than Liverpool or Chelsea because I think we are only two players away.

"The squad looks strong and they are all excellent players technically. I think if we make the right signings we'll be up there challenging again."

The common consensus is that Arsenal will NOT be challenging again if they repeat the slow start which dogged them last term. A run of five defeats in the opening 14 games left Wenger's team with too much to do and the Frenchman is sure to impress on his players the importance of a solid opening to next season.

"A good start is vital," agreed Groves. "Most managers always say that you don't win it before Christmas but you can certainly lose it.

"When you lose players like Flamini, Lehmann, Gilberto and Hleb - four senior players - it does create a hole because younger players who come into the side haven't been in that situation before. That's what happened last season but the youngsters matured during the campaign and they will be better for the experience."

[Thursday, June 04, 2009]"

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Now I'm sure Perry would have nothing to do with any kind of public relations stunt by the board/Arsenal - which only leads me to conclude that Arsene Wenger Fully Knows and Accepts that he MUST get at least Two defensive players in....Perry groves states that it is at least Two that are needed....

So maybe all the complaints etc have finally worked....


At Least I hope so...All we need now is for the tightarsed board to back Arsene Wenger when he starts wheeling and Dealing...




COME ON YOU GUNNERS!

[Boomer]

Bollox! Read the title and thought he'd re-sign!

[Perryashburtongroves]

Perry for manager. Sack the boss and board and bring in the 1989 World Tintin look-a-like Champion to steady the ship.

If you look at the age of our squad

I love it when former players, especially cult heroes refer to the club as 'us'. I know Mclintock does it loads and so does Charlie Nicholas on occasions.

[OneBardGooner]

and now Smudger says the same....

Alan Smith believes a couple of astute signings can turn Arsenal's potential into tangible reward.

Arsène Wenger's side finished 18 points adrift of champions Manchester United last season but the Frenchman revealed before the end of the campaign that he is in the market for "one or two experienced players" to bolster his talented squad.

Smith knows what it takes to win the title after playing a starring role in George Graham's championship triumphs of 1989 and 1991. The two-time Golden Boot winner would love to see Arsenal return to the Premier League summit next season and expects this summer's new arrivals to give them a fighting chance.

"There were periods last season in which they produced some outstanding football but they never looked like a title-winning team in my book," Smith told Arsenal.com.

"I suppose that was hammered home in the games against Manchester United in the Champions League and then Chelsea. They were just a bit short.

"There is so much talent, so much potential, but the mix isn't quite right at the moment. Everybody is telling Arsène Wenger that so I think it will be interesting to see who arrives in the summer, I think one or two will come in to give the squad a better balance.

"I would like to see a commanding stopper brought in," added Smith. "He doesn't need to be technically brilliant, but someone who can head balls away and command the box. It would be nice to see a holding midfielder too, someone to work alongside Cesc Fabregas when we need someone to sit there and break up the play."


[Thursday, June 04, 2009]

[DB10GOONER]

That's the thing that we "realists" have been saying; the team is only 3 or 4 signings from greatness. Unfortunately that only really gives us a great first 11. With our recent hilariously fucking OTT run of injuries 11 great players isn't enough. So while 11 great players on form on their day can beat anyone, how many days would we have all 11 great players fit? He needs to think of the squad too.

Wenger's real problem is that he tried to bring on too many young players all at once with not enough quality experienced players in the team to help bring on the youngsters. Effectively AW through them in at the deep end. You just cannot do that; you have to have a central core of quality experienced pros to carry the youngsters through until they too are experienced.