*Official* English Football Season 2011-12

[roseboy64]

Yeah, I'm not a fan at all. But honestly, suggesting Spurs ought to sack him? Nonsense.

This anti-Redknapp backlash is getting a bit ridiculous, he's horribly overhyped by the media for sure but there's no way they should even be thinking about letting him go.

FFS. I was simply saying if Spurs had a chance of getting Capello they'd be mad to not take it. Capello>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Redknapp. The latter's a perfectly capable manager and I'm not bashing him. He's got a year left on his contract and so far they haven't thought to extend it yet. If you had the choice to get rid of him and appoint Capello you wouldn't if you were in charge of Spurs?

 

[sledger]

No, absolutely not. Sacking arguably the most popular and successful manager the club has had for about two decades simply because a manager with a better reputation has become available is a ridiculous idea. The idea that Spurs would become better because they now had a "better" coach is a paper possibility. If Spurs harbour the serious ambitions they claim to, then any move than could potentially destabilise their current status would be completely undesirable, particularly if such a move entails sacking a manager who's turned the team into a team capable of qualifying for Champions League spaces. If it ain't broke, don't fix it etc...

 

[BoyBrumby]

In all fairness the "'Arry fer Ing-er-land" clamour seemed to do a pretty decent unsettling job on the Spurts anyway.

 

[sledger]

Probably just as well too, from an Arsenal perspective anyway.

 

[The Sean]

Papers on both sides of the channel seemingly in agreement that M'Vila to Arsenal a done deal - 22 million Euros the reported fee. Fantastic signing if true.

Oh, and well done Citeh and all that.

 

[Spikey]

Blackburn Manager Steve Kean

A wild chicken that has been let loose onto the ground

 

[Ikki]

Agree with Sledge. Ramos and Jol were/are better coaches too but Harry deserves his keep at WHL.

 

[Ausage]

The chicken was the best thing about getting up at 5 to watch that.

 

[duffer]

Papers on both sides of the channel seemingly in agreement that M'Vila to Arsenal a done deal - 22 million Euros the reported fee. Fantastic signing if true.

He really is. One of the true world class talents in Ligue 1. A proper defensive midfielder who keeps it simple in the pass and does it so damn effectively. Major upgrade on what we have and will work well with Wilshere and Song. In theory we should be really solid in the centre of the park next season. If it's true.

 

[marc71178]

In all fairness the "'Arry fer Ing-er-land" clamour seemed to do a pretty decent unsettling job on the Spurts anyway.

A convenient smokescreen IMO - Spurs were never that good and have struggled to beat the better sides even before that all started up.

 

[Jarquis]

I've been majorly excited by the M'Villa rumours for ages (were around last summer IIRC) so if it happens I'll probably wee a little bit.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Hmmm. M'Vila is very good but who is he an improvement on exactly? Arsenal are already pretty well served in his area of the pitch. I think "world class" is probably pushing it also.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Hmmm. M'Vila is very good but who is he an improvement on exactly? Arsenal are already pretty well served in his area of the pitch. I think "world class" is probably pushing it also.

This.

 

[Jarquis]

He did say world class talent tbf.

As for who he's an improvement on - Frimpong/Coquelin/Ramsey/Diaby really. Ramsey's shown he's not got the legs to be depended on each week and probably isn't quite good enough yet. Rosicky can't be relied upon to play at the level he has for the last 3 months. Wilshere's just missed an entire season so it'll be interesting how quickly he gets back to the level he was and we've seen what happens to our midfield when Arteta gets injured.

I don't see how signing a player who vastly improves our squad is anything other than a good thing, even if he doesn't walk straight into our starting XI.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Yeah but three of those players you've mentioned are back ups and Ramsey plays in a more advanced role. I don't think he's notable better than either Song or Arteta (in fact I'd definitely have Arteta ahead of M'Vila).

If you take the signing on its own then by no means is it a terrible one; as I said, he's a good player. However if the reported fee is true then he's not come very cheap, and if that money means there's less to go on areas that need strengthening far more than the holding midfield, then it isn't the greatest IMO.

 

[Pothas]

To be fair how many of us have actually seen him play? I mean I can't watch the French league.

Having said that all reports from those football writers that I trust rate him very highly indeed, I think getting someone of his nature would be a real statement of intent from Arsenal even if he didn't totally work out.

 

[Uppercut]

He'd be a better signing for United, and Hazard/Kagawa would be a better signing for Arsenal.

 

[Tom Halsey]

He'd be a better signing for United, and Hazard/Kagawa would be a better signing for Arsenal.

Yeah agree with this.

 

[Jarquis]

We've been interested for a while and now was definitely the best time to do it as his value will skyrocket after the Euros. Most people will have only seen him in the friendly vs England and he was great then.

Yeah but three of those players you've mentioned are back ups

And? I said in the last line of my post that even if he doesn't walk into the starting XI he improves our squad massively. The fact that he can outright challenge Song/Arteta for a starting spot isn't something that can be said of anyone else in our squad. When fully fit we have three quality midfielders in Wilshere, Arteta and Song. Now we have four. How is that a bad thing on any level? Each game M'Villa plays is one less that one of the backups has to play. It means it's one less game Ramsey is forced to play so he can be more effective in the games he does play.

He's a great player, touted to become an excellent one. He improves our squad and for those reasons I'm happy. He'll fit our system well IMO and allows us to play a few different combinations in the middle of midfield depending on who we're playing.

Wenger's shown that this transfer window is going to be different. We never usually act this quickly or convincingly. We usually deal in long drawn out affairs before settling for some cut price deal in the last week of August. Neither Podolski or M'Villa are those kind of transfers. They're both established players who are either proven quality or set to be absolutely quality and from what the rumour mill is saying (and I'm talking about the same people who called the Podolski and M'Villa stuff ages back) we're not done in the market and to paraphrase the general stuff being said, one of the players we're now linked with makes M'Villa old news already.

It's going to be an exciting summer as an Arsenal fan. Just need to get RVP to sign a new deal.

 

[sledger]

Would take M'Vila in a heartbeat. Having him in the midfield would add solidity to what is there already (and crucially, depth), and free up other players to play in a more advanced role. Whether he's world class or not, there's no denying that he's widely regarded as being one of the hottest talents out there who's not already signed to a top team. Would be a fantastic signing for my money, and if he's all he's cracked up to be £22m isn't a huge fee, I'd say.