Tuesday, December 3, 2024

Vermaelen wants Walcott stay, ‘this year’

Thomas Vermaelen claims the players don’t know what the future holds for Theo Walcott, saying they don’t talk about it at all, but the Belgian is hopeful the winger will stay. At least for this year.

Although we try and maintain a positive outlook, Arseblog News can’t help but feel a little cynical when players say they don’t know what’s going on with a teammate, but to be fair to them they can’t betray confidences either.

Vermaelen spoke to the Evening Standard, and said, “Of course we want him to stay but that is something that is going on between the player and the club,” the Arsenal captain said.

“I don’t know what is going on behind the scenes — we don’t talk about it. Of course, Theo has been invaluable for us when he played this year. He is dangerous for us and I hope he could stay this year.

“It happened last time with Robin in the summer. It’s the job of the board and the club what they are going to do with it so we can’t do anything about it.

“We know his qualities — he is quick and goes in behind defenders all the time — and I think we could find him yesterday and it helped us score a few goals.”

Meanwhile, former captain Frank McLintock says that Aaron Ramsey is trying too hard, something he himself was guilty of in his younger days.

“Aaron is doing what I did when I first went to Arsenal. I tried too hard as well,” he told BBC Wales Sport.

“I tried to do everybody’s work, and I think that’s what Aaron is trying to do now. He’s a lad that’s got a great engine in him, he’s got a good honest attitude.

“It’s a great aspect to have but he’s trying to do everybody’s job and he should concentrate a little bit on doing his own work and perfecting his own game.

“I would just love to have a chat with him and tell him to improve his performance by a long way by just simplifying his game.

“I feel he takes too many touches on the ball. He’s trying to over-complicate it. I’m not trying to sound too critical, I’m actually trying to give him a little bit of advice and my opinion.”

Sound advice in our opinion. Although he’s struggled this season there’s a good player in there somewhere and he could do a lot worse than listen to Frank McLintock.

Although it’s surely something he’s been told by the coaching staff and the manager too. Maybe he needs to get his ears syringed.

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Lord Vader

Great stuff by McLintock there, succinctly summed up Aaron’s problem. He looks quite good coming on as a substitute because he knows that the pressure is off, he won’t be guillotined for every poor touch/pass. Imo he will be a great player for us, but he tries to do too much at times, perhaps watching Jack’s rise he feels rather hard done by (due to Shawcross’ thuggery) and wants to recapture that pre-injury form. He was clearly our best midfield talent then, when Jack was out on loan and Aaron was starting alongside Fabregas and Song. Given time, we’ll get… Read more »

the king

he is a good player he has got the talent. few years ago he looked great
but that was when he was playing in the middle.

wenger has not helped by putting him on the wing.

A gooner in Manchester

I guess AW plays AR on the wing sometimes to ease him from pressure a bit and give him game time to get some form.

When you struggle with awareness and pace, playing in midfield is a nightmare. On the wing, in contrast, you will have a lot more time and space.

Lapidarij

Play Ramsey in Fulham for a year. That will be a good “position” for our greatest talent of all. Sorry Bendy…

Mike Johnson

Can we stop this nonsense of pretending we know better than the manager! Every young player coming up (including our ‘invincible’ stars), at one time or another, has been played out of position. Our system is geared towards total football, which means a player needs to be comfortable in the different positions surrounding his ideal one. Moreover, if you’re good? ..you’re good. And if you’re not, you put your head down and work hard to be on par. Which is why I can’t stand some of the vitriol aimed at Ramsey (though his tireless running is often misplaced, I see… Read more »

Mike Johnson

Frank McLintoch’s right on the money with that comment.

xxxrob

I think Ramsey needs a loan to the end of the season to a possession based side to get his touch down pat. I can’t imagine Swansea or Liverpool turning him away. Even Wigan really. At the moment, the Emirates is a pressure cooker and he is not gaining anything from having his every fuck up oooohhhhddd and ahhhhhdd. And I think Wenger plays him on the wing because as we saw with Benayoun last season, a possession and defensively responsible ‘winger’ can be useful against certain opponents but what we gain defensively (and it is arguable that we gain… Read more »

prhyu

I suppose AW wants Ramsey to play a Benayoun role, a winger-midfielder role that Na$ri flipped out on. One winger is more of a direct runner, the other provides ball retention etc. Pity, because he works better on the tip of the midfield.

remember the invincibles, because we aren't good anymore

meanwhile, Coquelin develops brilliantly.

The Arsenal

I definitely want Theo to stay but as great as he’s been this year I can’t help but think that this has something to do with making himself look more attractive to other clubs and therefore worthy of his wage demands. I also don’t buy into that shit that it’s never been about the money because at the end of the day we all know that if Wenger sat him down and said he’ll play him as a central stricker, he’ll still be on his way. And the most frustrating bit of all is that each time we play him… Read more »

Bonjour

Agreed, I’m guessing it would be about 60% to do with the money, and 0% to do with whether he plays as a striker or not.

And as much as I hate to admit it, the other 40% would probably be to do with whether Arsenal has a chance of winning anything, just like Van Per$ie. Therefore if Theo does go to Liverpool (and not Chelsea/Mancs) my respect for him would increase in a weird way, moving from a top 5 club to your mid-table boyhood favourite club at your prime.

goontang

I think its got something to do with seeing if we have plans to buy a new striker in january. its either that or he’s made his mind up already about leaving…….. but that confuses me also, because if wenger knows this, then i dont see why he would be playing theo as striker all the sudden if he’s off in 3 weeks. But if Theo see’s that another striker is brought in, which many of us are hoping for, than obviously his chances of playing there are not great. But to be fair, i would say his best chance… Read more »

xxxrob

I think Theo is delaying to see if we purchase a striker in January. That would signal that Wenger is never going to play him down the middle which is what he supposedly wants. Based on his game against Reading I think there is a good striker in there somewhere, his pace is second to none and his presence forces the defence deeper which gives our midfield more time on the ball. With Giroud I feel the defence leave a bit more space behind them because they aren’t worried about pace but that then suffocates our midfielders. That’s me giving… Read more »

Teddy

Vermaelen on Ramsey. Spoken like a true captain.

big balls

Memo to Vermaelen: Stop talking and concentrate on your game. You have been absolutely shit this season.

P.S. grow some balls and be a real captain

Lapidarij

Better give away captaincy to Jack asap.

Bonjour

@Teddy: Vermaelen didn’t speak about Ramsey at all. That’s Frank McLintock. Learn to read before commenting, that’s one of the things that separate Gooners from spuds on the internet. Are you a spud in disguise? @Big Balls: I’m guessing you think Vermaelen is shit this season because he isn’t scoring goals like he used to? That’s because of our changed defensive philosophy? After all, his “poor form” only lasted a couple of games, and he’s consistently made individual mistakes every season he’s been with us- this isn’t anything new to this season. If a captain isn’t supposed to talk, you’re… Read more »

goontang

Well said bonjour. Yes vermaelen has had a poor season by his standards, but it hasn’t been shocking. He’s had one or two terrible games sure, but his record for the club is good enough to warrant the arm band. As if stripping him of the captaincy and giving it to jack will help the club at all. Let jack be a boy for Fuck sake and don’t put the sort of pressure we put on cesc even when cesc was 3 years older than jack is now. It’s not like vermaelen has done a William gallas? Plus I think… Read more »

Lapidarij

Vermaelen have said before that for him captaincy is matter of the whole team!
And he is not acting as a strong captain. I do not talk here about mistakes he is making, just about posture during a game. SzCz is much more present then Vermaelen so this is why I think he should give the job to somebody else. Jack is the best option cos Arteta won’t be able to cope with the tempo much longer.

Voldermort

Shame about theo, don’t think people will realise just how much this team needs him until he’s gone and we have to suffer gervinho week in week out. But it’s fansionable to bash the fuck out on theo right know despite being top scorer and playing very well most games he’s played this year. Whereas Ramsey has been nowhere near as consistent but to point that out is a hanging offence. Pay theo the money or just don’t play him at all, hes just making us look like mugs every time he plays well. Better to work on a system… Read more »

Lapidarij

I have a (crazy) feeling that (maybe) Walcott will stay cos of probability. What was a probability for rvp to stay? Very very low, almost none. For Na$ri low. For Fabregas low… for Eboue low 🙂 … so maybe now it’s time for low probability proves it is still a possibility.
btw if Walcott wants to play aside of Messi one day it is wiser for him to stay,… play gooood and then go to barcelona in 2 years time. 🙂

AGunner

What happens when he puts pen to paper on £100k a week, plays week in week out and produces what he did last season? good enough? I think not. Yeah I think Theo is great on his day, and he’s had a decent season so far, but lets not kid ourselves and say he has fulfilled his potential..he’s had the chances for a fair few years to produce and he does it when his contract is running out.. coincidence? Theo wants to play up front, like Henry, but he’s nowhere near powerful, skilful or clinical has him. His goals have… Read more »

AP

I will tell you what happens. People such as Voldermort and Lapidarij will then slam Wenger for offering such high wages to deadwood who the club will have problems selling, which then prevents the club from offering higher wages to the player then in favour.

Voldermort

So who do replace his goals with then ? I’m not saying theo is worth 100k a week or is anywhere near a great player but as I have said many times on here he is worth a fortune to us because we are a team struggling to score in most games. Show me who will take up his goals and assists then fine sell the cunt as I’m sure you will be calling him soon. And you talk about deadwood, does it make sense to pay Chamakh, squillaci, arshavin the money we do and yet they offer absolutely nothing… Read more »

AGunner

That’s the same as saying why doesn’t Theo pay back most of his wages the past 5 years since he hasn’t played his best? RVP is a cunt for going united, I’ve personally never called him one until just now, for Fergie it was a great deal, anyone who says otherwise is talking shit cus he’s already worth every penny they paid for him. They also overpaid for him as not only were they buying real quality, they were weakening us too which is easy worth extra and I’m sure the same reason applies for anyone buying Theo which is… Read more »

Finsbury Park Gooner

Theo may be a shit for the greed and constant lies and mealy-mouthed interview responses, BUT, mark my words, he’ll be some player. He’s some player already. All this, yeah Theo is good BUT, Theo has done ok BUT – no – Theo’s stats speak for themselves. Theo’s pace and finishing speaks for itself. He’ll stretch the game and terrify defenders and put away chances, a combination the Arsenal haven’t had up front since Henry. If we’ll lose him we’re gonna regret it big time. I think Arsene knows it too and is trying to convince the board but is… Read more »

Voldermort

You win a agunner, as you say everyone is doing the business that’s why we are only 18points is it? From manure
But as you say the new signings in January and then the other new lot of signings in the summer will more than make up for Theo’s loss.i can’t argue with logic or blind faith as some may call it like that mate.

AGunner

i win what exactly? didnt realise this was a competition, just expressing my views mate, just cus they’re not yours i have blind faith.. hmm sure. you want to keep theo by giving him an extra £1m a year, by all means, i want to keep him too, but considering the bs hes spewing about playing centrally and not about the money, what does that tell you? he wants to see how we do? surely thats down to him and the rest of the team. so if he lets the team down, he fucks off for free, thats nice of… Read more »

Voldermort

The blind bit may be wrong, but you have faith in arsene and the board to spend in both january and the summer, I don’t and I don’t have the faith that if they do spend it will be of the quality we need. Bottom line is if theo helps us into fourth place then 1 million will be cheap, without his goals I don’t think we will make it, I’m not saying theo is great far from it, had we kept rvp then yeah sell him no problem but we need his goals right now. And of course it’s… Read more »

AGunner

fair point and completely agree. I just think the board don’t have an excuse to not spend anymore which is why I expect some transfers in Jan and the summer, if we don’t end up spending anything then surely Stan Kroenke has to shake things around in the board. We’re in such a shit situation in respect to the owner & board, both seem toothless, so frustrating.

The Lady Eowyn

The only way to get Theo to sign is to have the team scare him into signing. Vermaelen, Wilshere and Jenkinson need to bundle Walcott into the back of a van and stick a bag over his head. Then knock him out and have him wake up tied naked to a chair in a dirty public toilet.

A disturbing clown image of Arsene will appear on a screen and say “Hello Theo, I want to play a game”

Insight

I laughed more than I should. Love it.

Comedian

Probably should have done on a euro trip during champions league group stages. Tell him in mid air sign or he is off the plane. But yeah the clown thing can work too especially with some children and thier book authors.

rangooner

worked for liverpool fans re: gerrard

Nate

love the Saw reference. that would be really effective.

Highbury

ROFLMAO! ;))))

Santi's Sack

I assume Arsene would also say “You’ll notice this saw is rusty and lacking a little bit the sharpness.”

Joel

Hilarious!

Lord Vader

Perhaps BillyBatts was being sarcastic…

Lord Vader

Dammit. Comment system -.-

Wenger says

Theo, it’s time to put up, or fuck off.

You know we all want you to stay, but don’t take the piss.

heihaci

we would be weaker without him(if not replaced with better quality) but not worth 100k a week IMO

Harish

I think that’s a point people miss. He hasn’t shown his quality to be raised in wages by such an amount… He could at the least sign for one year extra and see how it works out with his non-financial demands, and allow Arsenal to see if he will be a consistent and worthy of the pay raise, as it’s only this season he appears to have stepped it up. Not entirely consistently either, i might add.

One Arsenal

He thinks being British, and scoring a few goals is enough to be 100k/week! Disillusioned little boy

Arshavin's Waistline

The question isn’t if he’s worth 100k a week. I don’t think anyone besides Theo believes that. But is it cheaper to pay him 100k instead of spending money on a transfer+wages on his replacement? If we want to replace with similar or better quality, I don’t know if we can do it for cheaper than it would cost to just give him the raise he wants.

goonerbynature

Fairly certain BillyBatts was being sardonic

Heh

My earlier comment is mysteriously awaiting moderation……

Save 75 cents

I am not the biggest Ramsey fan but by God he is an Arsenal player so I get behind him whenever he pulls on the shirt! Perhaps we could sew up the holes for arms on Gervinhos jersey to prevent that….I kid I kid.

merdebag

arsenal should make a deal with Walcott to pay him 75k or whatever it is..

then as a bonus they could offer to buy all remaining copies of his children’s books,

and then they should write it into all players contracts that they are never ever allowed to embarrass fans & themselves by writing children’s books

then maybe Theo could grow up and fulfil his potential with arsenal.

Ivan Drago

If the club is offering 75k and he\his agent is looking for 100k, wouldn’t it be worth it to give him the extra? It’s an extra 1.3m a year, say over five years, that’s 6.5m, and I’m pretty sure it would cost nearly double that to replace

Rocky Balboa

But then other (better) players would want more,too. Walcott wants about 100k a week – problem is that he’s not worth that amount.

Listen to me – I beat you in 1985.

Jsergio

To be honest, Theo probably does what he is told by his cunt agent.

Trevor

I’m still on the fence about Theo. Almost seems like the ultimate ‘damned if you do, damned if you don’t’ scenario.

Can Ryo come back? Surely can’t be worse than Gervinho.

Jordan

Theo had obviously played a big part in our goal scoring exploits this season, however I feel like there is not much use in keeping him at Arsenal any longer. His performance at centre forward last night was very tidy, but I don’t see a natural goal scorer in him. I feel that strikers can adapt themselves in any which way to make sure the ball goes in the net. Theo has never shown he has many tools in the bag to make sure the job gets done. I realize he’s still young, but he has played a hell of… Read more »

Goon Goon Goon

I’m thinking Mayr we should pay up for Theo but tie him down long term

Fonty

£100,000 pw will be what an average player will earn in a few years time….Theo is right to ask for what is the going rate for an established international. If England played a World Cup Final in a couple of years hed be in the side as a first pick.

Arsene's Bored Banker
Mike Johnson

..Then he should get £100,000 or more in a couple of years.

Harbinger Of Goon

For me this deal (contract) isn’t going to happen. Why would Theo change his mind? Well I can give you 25,000 reasons why he won’t sign! And not one of them involve him playing up the middle either. Yes we would be a better team with him in it, but at the end of the day I’m sick of our club being held to ransom by players (que agents arm going up Theo’s arse promting him what to say). RVP said he’s a 20 goal a season player! If that’s the case arsenal should be giving him the extra money… Read more »

Stevo Goono

That’s the problem if he leaves for nothing surely we’re better off paying him the 100k? Either way I want the truth to come out on this one, love Wenger but sometimes better to tell it how it is. If he’s being a greedy prat grass him up!

WeGotCescFabregas

I’m not a cynic but you have to consider that wenger would be happy to sell him for big money, as usual, & has already agreed a fee with some other party. Not happy

Lapidarij

Children on this forum are already hanging another Cunt while Ramsey is a hero cos he is trying too hard? Give me a break people. Ramsey is a player not good enough for Arsenal and we will all miss Walcott when (if) he leaves. I think long term, it is wise for Walcott to stay at Arsenal cos probably we won’t bring somebody much better then him any time soon, so if he players well he can end up in Barcelona in 2 years time, but then he will have to run in both directions thinking on defence too. I… Read more »

Joeos

You sir are a genius. What Campbell did to Spurs, Walcott will do to us. This is the same Campbell that pleaded to be released from his contract so that he could go abroad and then turned up in Portsmouth.

Bonjour

Holy shit mate, reading all your posts, which aim at nothing but destabilising Arsenal, I conclude that you really are a spud in disguise

Lapidarij

If I am spud trol… you are a moron then. Go thru older posts, check me more please… ha ha ha why I’m “destabilising ” our club if I am talking that Ramsey is no good for this club??? And I am not making Walcott (still an arsenal player) or anybody else a cunt before he makes a move? Why is that so bad?
I am afraid that very soon statement as “Wenger forever” will be also bad in your eyes? Or Invincibles were 2 times better then team we are having now… will be also 5pur2 making? Crazy!

Joeos

On further reflection, you ought to test your hypothesis on Campbell’s comments by donning a Sol Campbell mask and taking a stroll down Tottenham High Road this Saturday at 2pm and engaging with the locals on Sol’s views on Walcott’s contract situation. You should then report back on the results from your research.

Heh

Theo’s deluded idea of player-power could come back to haunt him. He could end up alongside Stewart Downing and Jordan Henderson at that mediocre football club up the East Lancs. I wouldn’t wish that on anybody. It’s more prudent to sign with us, get chances of striker every now and then than say go to chelsea and play second fiddle to shit torres or liverpool and share the same dressing room as suarez who is actually so good as striker (a cunt too), theo might get little to no chances for “striker”. If he moves away then I can guarantee… Read more »

ryo smarterfish

Ramsey was really becoming a great player for us before some troll broke his leg. I think at the moment it is a psychological thing that’s holding him back. Us fans need to get behind him. He could be that “runner from midfield” that *gulp* Gary Neville is talking about.

AP

Walcott can get his GBP100k elsewhere because the club doesn’t have to pay the purchase fee, save a signing on fee. That means a club wouldn’t buy him in normal times and pay him that much.

Wengarboyz

verminator’s form is worrying this season.

Andrew Maher

Every time the Walcott contract situation comes up I think about Wengers philosophy on training footballers. “Training a footballer is like building a house, you start with the feet… if you don’t have ball skills by the time you’re 14 you’re never going to have them” see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8G8E01bn7J4 The thing that drives me mental with Theo is he doesn’t have those basic skills. He doesn’t know how to stroke a beautiful pass back to midfield, he can’t beat defenders with skill, sometimes he can’t trap the ball. When he goes missing he’s gone. More than anything that’s what drives me… Read more »

The Loving Hands of Wenger

He has the most goals and assist for us this season. I don’t care if he scores with his asshole, so long as he gets those numbers. Still, Wallycot is off.

The Loving Hands of Wenger

I can’t think of a better case for a loan than Ramsey. It’s exactly what he needs IMO. Could be the thing to take pressure off a bit and get him hungry and back on an even keel.

Class of 71

If anyone is in doubt of Ramseys ability I suggest rerunning the Wales England game when Ramsey was easily the best player on the pitch. He will be that good again i am sure.

[…] frustration with his game. He’d do well to listen to the advice of Frank McLintock who told the BBC during the week: He’s a lad that’s got a great engine in him, he’s got a good honest attitude. I would just […]

[…] frustration with his game. He’d do well to listen to the advice of Frank McLintock who told the BBC during the week: He’s a lad that’s got a great engine in him, he’s got a good honest attitude. I would just […]

[…] McLintock本周对BBC的一席话: […]

[…] understand frustration with his game. He’d do well to listen to the advice of Frank McLintock who told the BBC during the week: He’s a lad that’s got a great engine in him, he’s got a good honest attitude. I would just […]

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