Tony Pulis doesn’t believe Serge Gnabry is ready for regular first team football at West Bromwich Albion claiming Academy matches haven’t prepared the winger for life in the Premier League.
A year on the sidelines, caused by a knee injury, saw the 20-year-old’s career hit a roadblock at the Emirates last season, however, the prospect of regular football this term looked to be the perfect scenario for all parties.
Strangely, the Germany under-21 international has only played 13 minutes of top flight football since moving to the Hawthorns in August on a season-long loan; a state of affairs that has had supporters of both Arsenal and the Baggies wondering what’s going on.
Touching on the situation in local paper The Express and Star, Tony Pulis explained: “Serge has come here to play games but he just hasn’t been for me, at the moment, at that level to play the games.
“He’s come from academy football and not played much league football. Does academy football really prepare players for league football? And we’re talking about Premier League football here.
“As a manager you pick a team that’s going to win a game of football. You pick your best team, you don’t leave people out because you don’t like them, because of this, that and the other.”
To counter Pulis’ argument you might suggest that freezing out a player and claiming he lacks experience isn’t a great way to treat someone who was sent out on loan to gain experience. Alas, it looks as though the ball is very much in Serge’s court right now and he’ll have to do a fair bit to turn the manager’s chav-capped head.
What’s ironic is that with Theo Walcott now a bona fide option up front and Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere, Danny Welbeck and Tomas Rosicky all injured it would only take a knock to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain before we’d struggle to fill the right attacking midfield position – the role Gnabry excelled in when he broke into Wenger’s first team at 17.
Presumably at some point, WBA might have asked for the loan? It sounds as if we’ve wrapped up a turd and marked it for Pulis’ attention, the ungrateful ingrate.
Let’s either bring him back to the Arsenal or send him somewhere the manager might understand that pace, direct running, a willingness to work hard, not being afraid to shoot, and having an Arsenal pedigree are actually *quite good things*
Not as if West Brom were really succesful under Pulis. Just give the kid a chance and WB might improve, if not let’s recall him and send him to a team who can make use of him.
It surprised me that we were loaning a player to Pulis, given our history with him.
“Not ready to play” he says – then why take him on loan?
With Ramsey injury, it would be best to bring him back, would work well for all parties.
Get this lad back off those footballing morons at West Brom before his confidence gets totally destroyed. You can work as hard as you like in training, but if the manager doesn’t like you – you aren’t going to get a game. Plus, Pulis probably hasn’t got a fucking clue how to nuture a young attacking player with bags of raw talent… the tracksuit wearing cunt.
Haha, “Presumably at some point, WBA might have asked for the loan? It sounds as if we’ve wrapped up a turd and marked it for Pulis’ attention, the ungrateful ingrate.”
I wet myself laughing at this.
Was a big mistake sending him to Pulis’ WBA. Recall him now!
it’s not like West Brom are doing that great. I guess Berahino (sp?) is keeping him out of the lineup?
Yes a mistake. Something tells me we are not managing the academy and loan business too well. Sanogo (difficult to associate to academy) stayed on the bench at Crystal Palace. There were many other cases. We only have a very successful one, Bellerin who got his initial training from Barcelona but who else since Jack Wilshere ? Hope Zelalem will succeed but he looks like Giovanni Do Santos (former Barcelona) who did not make it even with Spurs because of the lack of phisicality and boldness.
Perhaps situations like Sanogo and Gnabry are why Liam Brady was brought back to observe Arsenal loanees. Regardless, when the club loans out players, would be great to see them succeed so they’re ready to compete and contribute with the Gunners.
Sanogo had a fair amount of playing time at Palace but he also picked up quite a few injuries (and it looks like he’s getting them at Ajax too).
Serge probably told Pubic to fuck off when he said he wanted Serge to kick the opposition at every possible opportunity!
Under what circumstances can we bring him back I wonder? If Pulis is being as blunt as that he clearly isn’t in his plans. Better to have Serge training with Ozil and Alexis everyday than with the pile of shite the Baggies have.
I’ve seen WBA this season, they are dreadful, it’s hard to believe the Gnabry who made such an impression when he was given a few games two years ago, wouldn’t improve them.
#ComeHomeSerge #PulisIsACunny
Maybe we need a clause in the contract saying he will play x amount of games/minutes. Or at least a gentleman’s agreement that they will be first choice. It might sound silly but the situation is ridiculous. Pulis says he isn’t ready. But we already knew that! Thats why we lent him to you, you pleb!
I call BS on this. I watched Gnarby come on during one of the first games and he was a catalyst in turning the game towards West Brom’s favor. Ultimately West Brom didn’t score but he showed inventiveness, tried to run with the ball. In short he tried something different. Has Pulis ever brought through flair players from any of the academies of the clubs he’s managed? Gnarby is probably incapable as a creative player to stick to a regimented style. He’s literally been taught from the age he started playing football till he joined West Brom to express himself.… Read more »
It looks like Serge is finding out the hard way that it’s difficult to make the next step in your career after exciting as a young player. We’ve seen it lots of times before down the years but hopefully he can get some minutes under his belt. It reminds me when I started my first job and I had some immediate success leading my boss to praise me in front of the entire office one day. After that I felt real pressure to maintain that standard and it wasn’t easy, especially as Norman Jones became my arch-enemy. I don’t know… Read more »
Aaaah rambling pete, I do wonder how long it takes you to come up with these!
Blogs/Hound are you keeping a record of these? I reckon this own column is called for!
Own column?! The man deserves his own blog!
I LOVE THIS RANT
It’s not a rant, old boy, but a ramble. A completely different animal entirely.
you say boating accident, but we all know that the circumstances were very suspicious.
Very very interesting comment there, Pete. I’m still at a loss as to where the ‘Rambling’ bit was earned in your name. I thought you were bang on point in a post that never once wavered from the subject in hand.
I read somewhere WBA has scored the least goals of any team in the league and Gnabry still doesnt get a chance…. Pulis is cluelis! Recall him!
I don’t have anything else to add other than I liked that it rhymed.
I also replaced the “ess” in clueless with “is” because Pulis ends with “is”… but that’s just for you scholars out there. 🙂
You’re a sociolinguist’s dream. Are you from London, or did you learn the correct pronunciation of clueless (Cloo-liss) by watching Eastenders? (If you did, then I suggest you pack it in right now. What a terrible way to learn about English culture. We don’t do nearly half the murder and mayhem and meaningful staring that lot do. We do do a lot of shagging though).
Hmm, not sure quite how much I buy that… Pulls seems to have forgotten that prior to his injury, Gnabry was playing first team football for us, and by no means looking out of place. I wonder how much effect the injury is having on him, whether he’s still getting back to fitness and sharpness. Either way, all the best to him, let’s hope he can stay fit and start to deliver on his considerable potential.
i would rather we take him back and loan him to a decent championship team then, or wherever steve bruce is nowadays…
If only Owen Coyle was still in England.
or charlton
Rather than blame Pulis, Gnabry should shoulder some. When pictures surfaced, showing he and Theo in training after their long absence, I knew he didn’t take his career seriously. Theo had used the time off to bulk up (gained my respect then), Gnabry on the other hand went on a fat and suger spree. If he isn’t careful, his career will flash before his eyes before he realises the oppurtunity he took for granted. The talent is there, the application? Not so sure.
Those lazy Germans, eh… He’s stealing a living, just like Mesut
Oh Puhlease!! Mesut is a professional.
Gnabry and Chambers both attended the U-20 world cup, only one of them came back two weeks earlier to fight for a preseason spot, this was despite Gnabry sitting on the bench through the competition. Makes you wonder.
This pic? https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bz1OASFCMAA_xDD.jpg
To be fair Theo is wearing skin tight clothes while he has a baggy sweater and bib..
I’m sorry but it’s a fact that he was completely overweight on his return.
Leave him alone! He was on the Luke Shaw diet.
I don’t trust anything said by people who go round clasping tightly to other people’s trousers.
Where are your sources?
Where is you categorical proof?
Show us or I’ll bloody well buy Edu a belt.
He wasn’t able to train for months because of a serious knee injury, and you want to hold him accountable for not maintaining fitness as well as Theo?
What has he done to our Gnab?
Needs games and sadly if West Brom are not delivering, then he needs to be taken elsewhere or brought back to the same academy that made him one of our better players for a short period in the Premier League two years ago. As for Pulis, I like his bluntness but not mentioning that the player has been injured a long time is a tad unfair. All the best to Serge!
The stakes are now so high to stay up in the premier league now it’s very difficult to expect a team like West Brom to take what is effectively a £100m gamble on a unproven youngster.
That said you’d like to think that if there’s an agreement for him to play that he’d do just that.
He’s one guy in the squad. It’s not like they were going to drop Messi to give him a game.
Fuck Pulis. Gnabry was a match winner for us on at least two occasions becore hos injury lay off and he was well on course to becoming a top player. This is the same blockhead that disgraced English football with Delap and Stoke RFC. It’s of no suprise that he wouldn’t recognise talent. Why did we punish Gnabry sending him over there?
Much and all as I dislike Pulis he isn’t obliged to pick anyone. Serge just needs to knuckle down and make the best of it. A Pulis team was always an odd choice and that’s on Arsenal. Not the end of the world though, he’s still crazy young and time to recover fully from that injury could be the silver lining.
To me, if we’re going to bring a loanee back in January, it should be Chuba. If the Ox gets hurt, Theo can play there, and then we’ll have several options up front.
Welbeck will be back by then ?
Oxlade chamberlain not looked much better than gnabry. Serge would have relished tomorrows game.
Pulis is a manager who appears to pick players based on how ‘English’ they are, so to speak. He doesn’t appreciate attacking fullbacks, number 10s or tricky wingers. Not only has he done this with Gnabry who was ripping shit up two years ago, but with Sessegnon, Pocognoli and Gamboa, who have all impressed when I’ve watched them (especially Gamboa for Costa Rica). So if I was Gnabry I would tell Pulis he’s a cunt and move on.
West Brom’s starting XI in their last game:
Englishmen: 3
Northern Ireland: 3
Argentine: 1
Irish: 1
Scotland: 1
Benin 1:
Venezuela: 1
I believe he was referring to their play style, rather than their nationality, blogs
Maybe – but then perhaps this will make him improve his clarity on blog comments that only a tiny percentage of one percent of the world’s population will ever see.
I didn’t say they have to be English, but ‘English’. England is renowned for a certain style of play and pulis is keen to stick to that. At no point did I say he only picks English players, but they all fit a certain style. For example, Claudio Yacob is a take no prisoners type midfielder typically associated with the english game.
That many??? Wow, I knew you were popular, but…
Pulis doesn’t exactly strike me as a “teacher”. Bring back Gnabry now!
Recall him in January (if possible) and loan him somewhere like Bournemouth or Norwich perhaps where they at least attempt to play football
You could make a good argument that Tony Pulis isn’t ready for management at this level.
Saw the 11 mins he played (against Everton maybe) and he did look a mile off the pace. Tried to shoot every time and suspect that has cost him. Hopefully he comes back in Jan and gets away from the Troll King.
he need time , he was never going to walk in in the wesbrom team specially after been so long out the game, remenber wilshere got 1 years of coaching with the Walrus at bolton and he was a great learning curve for him, and Jack wasnt always in the bolton team either he need to work very hard to earn a spot, he may more talented than most Westbrom player but you dont get a free pass because you re on loan from arsenal. to be fair i would have loan him to championship side first to gain full… Read more »
Wilshere never played under Sam, he played under Coyle.
It just doesn’t feel right when you omit the “Fat”
Actual WBA fan here. Gnabry is a frustrating player. He has skill but rarely beats a man, he has a low centre of gravity but gets knocked off the ball very easily, and has work rate but not going backwards. Pulis is pulis. He likes his wingers to provide as much going backwards as they do going forwards and to play in this position in a Pulis side is one of the most demanding in world football. Serge is a talented footballer, but he must learn that to be the best you have to sacrifice, and he just doesn’t seem… Read more »
Makes sense. Thanks for the insight.
You can tell all that from 13 minutes?
I watched him in reserve games and in the league cup mate
Are we talking about the same Serge mate!
Knew this move was wrong for him, yes he looked a little off the pace against everton, but Pulis knew gnabry’s year out. Pulis came out recently complaining about mclean – I just think pulis isnt the sort of manager who can develop gifted talented youngsters , West Brom’s form has been pants and pulis likes to play long ball football, with a robust game plan, gnabry is going from playing with talented , ball players to another extreme, which can be a good thing as it will toughen him up, but I would rather Gnabry return , stay or… Read more »
Before I saw this, I’m Irish so I’m not just hating on the guy.
But for heaven’s sake,he’s playing James McClean and he’s never been ready for premier league football!
Yeah, I don’t buy that for a second. Didn’t that Watford coach say the same thing about Bellerin? And what about that coach at Frieburg and his comment about Coquelin?
Yeah, thought so. Let us take him back and loan him out to a coach who actually knows how to handle offensive midfielders.
Frankly; I think Tony Pubis is not ready for first team football…
eh, let’s not pretend that anyone on this blog knows more about football than Pulis. For all his attitude problems and love of skullduggery, he’s incredible effective at managing football teams and if he says Serge isn’t ready, it might be up to Serge to put some hard graft in
shouldnt have given him to pulis. should have given him to a manager that plays good football.
Hope he takes a Coq, and being recalled in january, and then lit the premier league on fire. In your face Pulis!
It is difficult to break into a Pulis team. Maybe Serge should reinvent himself as a centre-back, then he could play in any of the outfield positions for Tony
There should be a clause in a loan contract for him to play a certain amount of games for a club. If not then there is absolutely no use for it.
No way – no club should be able to dictate to another club who plays for them
How can you learn from a chav anyway, come home Serg.
Say what you want about pulis, he makes a good case.
Serge needs to learn the other side of the game and frankly, there isn’t a better coach to learn from than Pulis. One thing is for certain, he’ll come back stronger and a better player all round if he chooses to take pulis words on board.
Gnabry: Pulis not ready for first class players
If he’s not going to even get a look in at being around the first team squad at wba, bring him back into the youth setup at arsenal. Should pulis’ comments be accurate, Gnabry needs to learn more, and he’s not going to learn anything from someone who clearly isn’t keen on developing players and would rather spend money on journeyman cloggers so his side remains a mediocrity.
Idiocy like this is why Tiny Pubis has never won anything except the 17th place trophy.
an arsenal fan talking about trophies. Oh the irony!
–
“…it would only take a knock to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain before we’d struggle to fill the right attacking midfield position.”
Well, Shit.
So…any chance we can bring him back with the injuries (read above) to The Ox and Theo?
You jinxed ox haha