Arsenal have confirmed their squad for the upcoming Asian tour and as expected, Robin van Persie will not be making the trip.
His absence will only add to the speculation regarding his future, especially in the wake of reported bids from Man City, Man Utd and Juventus, with The Guardian suggesting a bid from United was not sufficiently high for Arsenal to consider. The BBC says that the club have rejected bids from all three of the aforementioned club and Arsene Wenger has stated this morning he wants to keep the Dutchman at the club.
Clearly van Persie not traveling with the team, as club captain, suggests that there’s a willingness to ensure this saga doesn’t drag on much longer, but it remains unclear whether or not the decision was mutual or if van Persie refused to travel in order to force the move he wants.
Arsenal will play three matches on their Asian tour, starting on Tuesday against a Malaysia XI before what promises to be a very interesting game against Man City in Beijing this day week. The tour finishes with a fixture against Kitchee FC in the Hong Kong Stadium on July 29th.
Other absentees include Aaron Ramsey, who is with Team GB for the London Olympics, along with Per Mertesacker and Lukas Podolski, while injured stars Rosicky, Sagna, Wilshere and Koscielny all stay behind.
The full squad for the tour is as follows: Vito Mannone, Ignasi Miquel, Chuks Aneke, Thomas Eisfeld, Marouane Chamakh, Ryo Miyaichi, Craig Eastmond, Nico Yennaris, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Francis Coquelin, Kieran Gibbs
Alex Song, Lukasz Fabianski, Carl Jenkinson, Theo Walcott, Wojciech Szczesny, Johan Djourou, Benik Afobe, Thomas Vermaelen, Abou Diaby, Andre Santos, Gervinho, Mikel Arteta
Kyle Bartley
Craig “Nandos” Eastmond. God have mercy.
No ambition in the pre-season, what? No giroud, no poldi ,no rvp. Wenger out.
Shiteh must be really looking forward to the match.
That was probably sarcasm, but oh well.
I really don’t know if this is a try at sarcasm gone wrong or what? Either way it’s weird and I don’t like weird things.
Thumb down.
Come on, let Giroud and Podolski unpack and go house-hunting. Seems I’m the only person who thinks this selection is a positive sign. Wenger must be putting his foot down over these shirt-selling junkets and pointing out to Gazidis and co that proper preparation, i.e. building up fitness, is what matters to him, even though the pre-season training that he set such store by has fallen victim to the marketing men’s belief that Arsenal only exists to sell shirts. Sure, it’s tough on the fans in the Far East not to see the best team but, given Gazidis’s ability to… Read more »
Weird things are fine.
It’s like anything though: BAD weird or GOOD weird. What will you choose? Down to temprement really.
GOOD WEIRD RULES!!!!!
Is this the first pre-season tour you’ve ever seen? Since when do any team put out their strongest team to play Kazakhstan’s finest in late July?
I’m assuming you meant this as a sarcastic joke, but I shan’t give you a thumb up because that’s dirty behaviour that you can go to prison for if you live in Tasmania (or so they say).
No Giroud? Our 3 best strikers seem to not need a pre-season…
Isn’t he going to Nigeria with Podolski and a few others.
Yes, but God knows why Giroud and Podolski aren’t there.
Again, not one of us here is Colin Lewin or Arsene Wenger. We should shut our tramps about “OMG NO STRIKERS”
I reckon they stayed behind for an upclose and in your face! With van persie. (fingers x’d)
Or maybe rvp has requested personal trainning with them.
*trophies……waaaaah, ambition…….waaaaah. *sweat.
Giroud and Podolski needed by our sponsors in Africa more than they are needed by our sponsors in Asia because we are desperate to get a foot in the door in the African “Poor ever-suffering fools who chose to support Arsenal when they could have plumped for a billionaires team like Manchester City and seen their team buy trophies every season” market.
I think Walcott will replace Rvp in 4 4 2 formation.
Until a couple of games into the season when he suddenly signs for Chelsea?
Huh… that can happen also. 🙁
What about Lansbury ??
idd, was thinking the same
Injured.
out for 3-4 weeks apparently.
Such a shame really
That’s an awfully weak squad, even if a few players aren’t there.
Agree. I’m a little confused as to the reasoning behind this. It will in effect leave only leave the freindly against Cologne for our two new signings to integrate with the team in a match enviroment or garner the much vaunted ‘Match fitness’. I hope I’m not alone in scratching a bald spot on my head in bewilderment.
only leave* Not leave only leave. That is a sign to me to finally get my ass to bed off nights, time for Zzzz’s.
Perhaps, like that time in OT where Wenger subbed off Oxlade-Chamberlain, some unforeseen circumstances that only the internal staff of Arsenal FC (oh I don’t know, like catching a cold as Ox did at that time?) would know.
Baffling how people are so surprised and angry at this selection. It’s as if they’re board members.
Not at all. Did I just blame anyone or say that I was disgruntled about left out on all the insider information at club management level ? I just said I was bewildered as to why and what the reasoning was behind it, I didn’t say I was angry or even imply it.
Take the stick out of your ass.
Where’s Giroud? :O
Who is Abou Diaby? Is he a new signing?
Looks like Duncs, Jimbo and Our Kev think you’re being serious. Thumbs descending faster than a pair of knickers do when Giroud enters the room.
Still persisting with Diaby?
He’s trying to get fit. I’m hoping he’ll make it. One thing is certain. He won’t leave after one good season if he can get fit enough to have one.
Not exactly what you could call an attacking force?
Have you seen the latest pictures of Vermaelen????? That is an attacking force.
Really Arsene? None of our key strikers in there?? How will you bed in Giroud and co to our style of play since Robin Van Iscariot is off to shove dollars up his arse?
We are still focusing on playing like barca i.e. without a striker.
Only thing now remains different is barka play with midgets.
Plus with Arshavin seemingly going we really should work on our midget population. Screw this Barca like football, give me trophies anyday.
You’re not Colin Lewin, you wouldn’t know why players like Giroud, Koscielny and Podolski. If he tells you they actually have injuries what would you say? “Oh.” I guessed so.
This isn’t Football Manager/
“why players like Giroud, Koscielny and Podolski…” aren’t joining the pre-season tour.
So Arsenal don’t say why the club captain isn’t going? Or a lack of a strike force [chamakh?] Is this really how we try and improve our image in Asia?
Btw, Can’t wait for ‘our ex captain’ to leave. 90k per week and not going on tour. Pitiful
I don’t know if you heard, it’s been kept pretty hush-hush, but apparently RvP isn’t going to sign a new contract and allegedly there are other teams chasing him too!
That might be part of the reason.
Dick. RVP position is untenable if he stays. If he wants to leave, then he should, but if he’s paid by us he should go.
This tour is important anyway for financial reason [the asian market is huge and look how well utd have done from it]. But we are send a pretty poor team.
Also, looking at the midfield minus jack, tommo, meerkat and rambo [don’t laugh] underlines where we need to buy.
As someone said earlier. Even eastmonds in the squad. God forbid
Les, you just mentioned 4 players out of the 6 that will probably be fighting for3 spots. How does having double the necessary number of players needed show a need to buy?
Do you honestly believe fans who feel betrayed by Robin van Persie would like to see him join an Asian tour that is there to promote the club? Do they want to see Arsenal fans fucking booing at van Persie? Even I have a feeling I would at one point.
IF RVP WANTED TO JOIN THE ASIAN TOUR HE WOULD’VE ISSUED THIS STATEMENT AFTER THE TOUR IN THE FIRST PLACE.
QED, people expect every bit of information to be available to them, like specific reasons as to why Podolski and Giroud aren’t there. You’re not Arsene fucking Wenger.
Anon, I do agree with you to some degree. You may be correct, that booing would be a bad way of advertising. But RVP does have to play does he? RVP as club captain is an ambassador for the club. He represents the high point of the team. He represents our best player. He represent shirt sales [whether they have rvp on it is irrelevant]. As an ambassador [a well paid one], he should still be there for the club that supporting him through his injuries and abuse in the early days. As for the QED. Well, why shouldn’t we… Read more »
Can’t wait to see Chamakh start banging them in regularly.
If you want sell RVP you better do it now to avoid a repeat of fabregas and nasri saga.
Its too late for that. We’ve closed the stable door after the prized stallion has bolted………..again.
Can i suggest we just burn the fucking thing down this summer? At least then next summer we wont be in another groundhog situation ? Cos we clearly cant learn from our fucking mistakes.
(Tho just as well arent equestrian orientated, or RvP would have been put down about 4 years ago)
lovin the horsey theme has rvp got a cock like a stallon that is why barotelli likes him so much
The stable is where you keep your horses. Burn it down…. no more horses.
Wouldn’t it be better to lie in wait and shoot the little fucker who keeps opening the barn door.
charmainemeadkidd, you nailed it on the “crude” but you seem to have overlooked the “funny” or “deeply insightful”
No way in hell wenger would sell rvp to the g.hawks, given his bad relationship with red nose I think wenger would never leave to see such a deal happen.
So get lost rednose, you’re not getting him though you can help us raise the price then we eventually flog him to turin after pulling a couple of good money from their arses!.
what a total joke. Chamakh needs to stay to finalise his move to anywhere.
no Lansbury? WTF!? get a fucking clue Arsene!
Lansbury is injured?? Get a fucking clue moron fans! You’re not fucking Colin Lewin, neither are you Arsene Wenger or Stan fucking Kroenke.
Chamakh needs to score a goal or two so that people remember what he doies for a living. Then, when he has started doing that again… we’ll keep him and play him up the middle and he will score 35 goals for us next season.
Yes, I am going through one of my optimistic phases again, but better than being so angry I start making up imaginary things to beat Arsene with.
partially nice squad bt i don’t think they are capable beating manchester city. hmmmmmmm 8-2 again!! i dont pray so…..
Who gives a flying fuck about the result? We are in pre-season. Chamakh is our only striker who really needs to get a few games under his belt and get a few goals. The only danger is that Shitty will take this as an opportunity to break a leg or two to disrupt our season. Luckily we’re not sending our most important players. Coincidence or smart planning?
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha@€. Diaby lolz i dnt knw him either
Craig Eastmond really?!
Lansbury is injured. Read Jeorge Bird twitter. Eisfeld replaces him.
People chill, it’s just a friendly tour. It’s not our Champions League squad or something. Most of our first team are involved anyways.
The strange thing about that squad going to Asia is the English players(walcott,chamberlain)going to the tour while the French guys(Kos,Giroud) remains in London. Won’t they be at the same stage of Fitness?
I make it 15 of the first team squad not going and i would say that of the first x1 sagna koscielny rosicky podolski giroud will be missing. the worrying thing is that already wenger confirms sagna wilshire frimpong and rosicky are missing the start of the season. also we only have 1 more friendly after this tour to gel the team.so even if we do sign more players they will.only have one friendly before our first game
“People chill, it’s just a friendly tour. It’s not our Champions League squad or something. Most of our first team are involved anyways.”
Thank God for some sense.
I’m thinking something along the lines of injuries. Aside from Podolski and Giroud, other first-teamers not joining are out injured (Sagna, Kos, Wilshere, etc). Also, those two, along with Rosicky (and Sagna?) are going to Nigeria later on too.
I thought oliver giroud was to play in the pre-season. Shit!!!. One less reason for me to catch the one of those gamea.
My shitty grammar ,really has to tell you just how much this no giroud thing is affecting me.
Meh, I want giroud!!! :-{
Am I the only one who thinks this is a pretty decent squad? It’s more clear in the official website, as in, why some of them(Giroud, Podolski) are not included. The strike force is a bit weak, yes but this is probably Arsene giving Chamakh one last chance to prove himself or something. No harm in it, since none of the are “actual” competitive matches. And I’m stoked to see Ryo Miyaichi break into the first team!!
Strange selection – Shame that Wenger lied to the Asian fans by saying they would be the first to see Giroud and Podolski in action..
Wonder if this means Walcott will sign on now? Although wouldn’t bank on it considering Nasri went on tour last year..
I think the fiasco surrounding Nasri’s transfer was much wilder than Walcott now. His only really started after RVP issued his statements.
Maybe this is the chance to play Walcott upfront? Could persuade him to sign a new deal
I also think that will work. 🙂 Walcott will replace Rvp in 4 4 2 formation.
bendtner is missing there,has he been religatd to our feeder tim?
If RVP joins City and he miraculously appears for City in the Beijing match, can really see bad blood among Asian fans.
That won’t happen. It could be that City are holding back until after that match.
The season hasnt even started & I’m already getting worried & stressed! 🙁
Welcome to the wonderful world of the Gooner. It’s been this way since 1886. You’ll enjoy the good years though, and we’ve had more of those than any team in England bar United and Liverpool.
22 man squad NOT going on tour looks better than the one going!
Sagna mertesacker koscielny squillaci botelho
frimpong wilshire rosicky ramsey arshavin rvp
Lansbury park bendtner podolski giroud martinez shea watt wellington galindo henderson
Yes Squillaci does looks good.
Keeps them safe from vicious pre-season leg breakers from the thuggy scumbags of Man Shitty then, doesn’t it?
On another note, Arshavin not going? indicative of a transfer? Or he had one too many food to eat during the break.
That’s quite a weird looking squad. So many big players absent. Still, it means we can see how good some of the youngsters are.
I thought it had been announced that Giroud and Podolski were going to be in the squad, and that the Asian fans were really lucky because they would get to see them first. What happened there then?
Maybe we can resell them before they even played for Arsenal? 😉
The pull out in Nigeria happened.
🙂
What a pleasant @*#¥ And nobel captain Van Persie turned out to be !!!
On the plus side we still have Arsarvin, Bendtner, Diaby & Chamakh !!!!!
Best x1 on tour
szcesney
jenkinson djourou vermaelen gibbs
Song arteta
chamberlain diaby gervinho
walcott
2nd x1
fabianski/mannone
yennaris bartley miquel santos
coquelin eastmond
eisfeld aneke ryo
chamakh/afobe
Best x1 Not on tour
martinez
sagna mertesacker koscielny botelho
wilshire frimpong
rvp arsuavin podolski
giroud
Well, that’s the lists done. Now give us the in-depth review of the teams and what it means for Arsenal’s season to come.
I’m baffled. Why isn’t RvP going? Because he doesn’t want to? Does he call the shots and we obey? Who is the (90k/week) contracted employee here? We just made it official that we want to sell him, not the greatest bargaining position. If he goes to a PL club, then the people at AFC are fucking dumb. Hold him to his contract or sell him abroad. Don’t fucking strengthen your direct rivals by weakening yourself! I don’t normally succumb to Internet anger but this is shambolic. Now is not the time to keep silent! I haven’t felt this let down… Read more »
Maybe because we don’t give a shit about rvp’s fitness and would rather give Walcott or one of the younger players a chance to play in his position?
Personally i’m actually excited for me one of the main things of pre-season is watching the young talent and seeing who possibally has the potential to break through this year. It’s a big chance to see prospects such as Benik, Chuks and Nico, Plus hopefully Diaby can finally crack on and take himself seriously.
Wenger actually made it clear he wants to keep him for the season and he thinks he will give his all for the club. Maybe its just talk but thats what he said. Personally I’d take £10 million from Juventus and say “here Robin on your fuckin bike”….time to move on
If you were smart you’d wait til January and see what you could get in the way of goals from RVP until then.
I hate to be that guy…but Wenger straight up lied to the Asians when he said Giroud and Podolski would be there. Maybe he thought white guys all look the same to them?
Wenger, speaking to Poldi and Giroud: ” So guys, how are you settling in? Unpacked? Found a local curry? ”
Poldi/Giroud: ” Ermmmm… Sorry boss, we haven’t got houses yet…. We’ve been crashing at Squillachi’s house. ”
Wenger: ” C’mon! We’ve got a plane to catch tomorrow! Right, as punishment no tour for you, and erm 20 laps or something, bye 😀 “
Well thanks for suggesting Arsene Wenger is a racist, and I hope you have an absolutely shitty day all week.
Regardless of who goes on tour etc… I appreciate the need to globalise The Arsenal brand, but first and foremost we must be a football club, Winning matches would be the most successful route to global advertising, I can’t see these tours helping in anyway whatsoever in gaining match fitness, what can we seriously gain from playing a Man Citeh team that will have already played 3 or 4 more games than us by that time with a weakened squad. We could fit 4 or 5 games in between now and Aug 11th say and it would all be in… Read more »
“what can we seriously gain from playing a Man Citeh team that will have already played 3 or 4 more games than us by that time with a weakened squad.” Playing the game is what matters, not whether we win. Personally I think it’s a bad decision to play other PL teams in pre-season as frankly I don’t trust the bastards not to try dirty tricks and fould play to try and get a little advantage over us before the season has even kicked off. I recommend all our players wear their extra thick full leg-coverage shinpads when we play… Read more »
Arseblog, why Bendtner, Arshavin and Squillaci is out of the squad?
that is a shit squad
Diaby is back and he’s looking sharp as fuck.
He will be great this season, mark my words.
Why no Lansbury?
Diaby is raring to go?
I’m crying.
I’m glad RVP is not going. That prevents the awful prospect of him lining up against us in the pre-season match should he get a quick transfer to Citeh.
TV5 captain.Man Citeh have been copied in for 2013/14 transfer
I really thin rvp should go with juventus I mean if he really wants to leave wenger has to get him as far away from the premier league