AC 4Eva: Who Should Milan Buy & Lose?

Note To Reader: All this information was based at the time of writing which was 2 days ago.

Who Should Milan Buy & Lose?

Who Should Milan Buy & Lose?
AC Milan may be second but they are far from settled.We currently have an ageing squad and their will be a few players on their way out, a few retiring and a few coming into this wonderful club. This summer will be key for how Milan perform next season as we didn’t recruit properly after Athens and next thing you knew, we didn’t make the 4 or Champions League!That can’t happen again for such a big club as Milan.Thats why we must buy properly and make it worthwhile.

Who Should Leave?

Željko Kalac

The big “Spider” may have performed rather good for Milan two seasons ago but that is the past. His 36 now and with Abbiati taken the number 1 spot I doubt big Kalac even deserves the bench place. Maybe I wouldn’t be saying this if Dida had stuffed up in his return but he hasn’t. When Abbiati got injured either Dida or Kalac would battle out for the number 1 goalkeeper spot, the winner will get the glory and another chance of first team football while the second will surley go….

Giuseppe Favalli

Now some might argue that Fava hasn’t been that bad and his been quite good! But his why Milan have been on the decline.AGE! 37 years old and at one of the top clubs in the world, says it all. His either really good, or the clubs really on a decline. For the moment its a bit of both, but we don’t need Favalli next season and for that reason only, he must go or retire.He can hand the torch over to to some young gun or for someone else to step up to the platform.

Andriy Shevchenko
I never thought I’d see the day when I didn’t want Sheva at Milan but right now, his just taking breathing space up. Whenever I see Sheva on the field he looks miserable and almost hunchbacked. His according to wikipedia at the time of writing , made 16 appearances for Milan and not 1 single goal. Not good enough. Not good for a striker of Milan. He doesn’t even look dangerous. The only reason his not been jeered at yet as what his done for Milan in the past which is fair enough, sorry Sheva but please for Milan, go …

Clarence Seedorf
For a player who has been in the first team all season and scored a few vital goals 3 of the 5 being matchwinners, it might seem funny that I suggest Milan be rid of him. He is able to slow down the play to his pace and dedicate how the match goes and win it for Milan normally or set others up. So why get rid of him you ask? Coz his simply, the weakness. Unless his on purley his best, his one of the worst footballers to watch as he makes mistake after mistake and the opposition takes control. Even small teams like Bologna can easily take over the match. Without Gattuso, Seedorf breaks and looks even worse. Seedorfs cons outweight the pros and his on the wrongside of 30 (33) so he must go.

Massimo Oddo
Now heres the one player which perhaps doesn’t deserve the boot but we need him to go for the good of the club and himself, if he wants gametime. From what I’ve seen his a great defender for Milan and we could possibly rack around 8-12 million for him. His just on the wrong side of 30 (32) but would still be a great addition to any club, we just need him to move on so we can grab some youth. The only reason he isn’t in the first team is because Zambrotta is just a little bit better. Thanks for the service Oddo but better luck next time.

Who Should Come?

Yoann GourcuffThe player we should never have let go of! His now staring for Bordeaux and it is being stated he doesn’t wanna come back, yet it’s not been stated through him yet. He is stated as being the new zidane and he has showed potential for Milan like against Athens scoring a goal from outside the box in his Champions League debut! He has gone onto play 28 something games and scored 7 goals and helped Bordeaux to first place and the French Cup. He would do fine playing behind Kaka and Pato.
I firmly believe with this formation Milan could easily be one of the best in Europe again. Kaka may not like being a striker but he has succeeded and plays his best there and Pato well his a natrual CF and when Kaka backtracks that means Pato is in his best position. Gourcuff sets plays up like Kaka, and scores impossible goals, like Kaka again. So if we get Goucuff back, Kaka could play to his best and Pato could go up another level. On May 31, 2008, Milan would loan Gourcuff to Bordeaux for the 2008-09 season, to allow him more playing time. Which means we could get him for free right back.

Antonio Cassano
Even though his known for his short temper, his been the best in the Serie A this season. Which means he will be very expensive but if we can buy him, we could rotate him on the left wing as he can play there,rotate through the attack force or even attacking midfield. If we don’t get Gourcuff back which is looking more likely. The 26 year old is a must,as his Italian so the 6+5 rule coming in will suit us and we can keep Kaka is an AM/CF and Antonio can partner up with Pato and be one of the best strike forces. His scored 11 goals in 32 games and made 13 assits which is one of the best in the league. He would be very expensive though at 15 million to 25 million.

Daniel Agger

Now your probaly wondering why a player who’s not even in the first team of his club should come to Milan but that is because him and Rafa do not get along. Which could be key insigning him . His only got 18months left on his contract so Liverpool will have to sell, which means we could get him for quite cheap. Milan need him as Sendros probaly will go back to Arsenal, Maldini is retiring and Favalli won’t have much long to go and with Nesta coming back from injury, its foolish not to sign another quality CB. At 24 Agger is young and could partner Thiago Silva at the back for many future years. Which would put Kaladze under pressure to actually perform good for a position as Janku and Zambrotta or even Antoini could be handling the flanks. So his transfer will benefit the whole club and I firmly believe we could get him for under 10 million.

Domenico Criscito

Now young domenic has been making a name for himself at Genoa and helped them to 4th spot all season.He has been very impressive since re-joining Genoaand has proved to be very versatile and of very high quality, maintaining a starting position and playing in the center of defence, the left side of defence, as well as left midfield.Paolo Maldini is just one of several Serie A stars that have named him to be one of the best future defensive talents of Italy. He can overtake Janku & Kaladze on the left and can even be played at centreback which is quite useful. His only 22 and will only get better but his pace and tackling would be vital for Milan especially with Gattuso out at the moment. Also since Juve seem to lack the knowledge of really how good he is, I believe we could get him under 8 million.

Emmanuel Adebayor

Would be a very good buy as we seem to have a transfer link with Arsenal through Flamini and Sendros. But I really doubt we could get Adebayor for cheap so that might stop the transfer. He would be the perfect foil for Kaka & Pato to do the dirty work as he would be the number one striker by a mile and will be on his toes because of Inzaghi’s renaissance which can only benefit Milan. His sprinting and being there at the right moment will make Milan’s strike force very feared as not many defences can run with Kaka,Pato & Adebayor , also Adeb could take all the punishment from Pato. With Adeb in , just like with Cassano, the defence won’t know who to mark the most and wil always be on the backfoot. The only problems though would be that his not Italian and I doubt Arsenal will give him to us for under 15 million.From some quotes from SFB (http://soccerfanbase.com/index.php) that we would be lucky to get him under 30 million which therefore makes him overrated and a little scary to buy.

Víctor Valdés

You may be asking why should the second best goalkeeper in La Liga even think about leaving Barcelona for us? Simple, we rate him they don’t. Barca are all skill and with Kalac having to leave, if we get Valdes we could even afford to get rid of Dida as well or keep him as back-backup. Abbiati will be tested to the fulliest of his abilities. Also Victor has great leadership abilities and can communicate with his defence fabusoly. If he came though , it will only be till Abbiati is fully fit and then I think he will have to go to bench and battle Abbiati from then on as Abbs has earned that right. Also great is that his contracts only got 18 months left which could mean we steal him anyways. But lets be fair to Barcelona and rip them off say about 13 million for him?

Now with at least a couple of those buys, we should be very powerful squad to face and Europe will be much easier to conqueror. But the old ways must go out the door and from now on every 30 year old will only be giving 1 year contracts at a time as their form dips and Emerson saga went on far too long.

With this starting 11 I believe we will be unbeatable but Flamini can come in for Pirlo everytime Andrea loses form.Cassano has enough attacking ability to be a threat on the left every match and Gattuso is more than enough to to cover for Cassano but if needed we can always shove on Flamini for Pirlo and theres enough defensive pressure but this Milan is very offensive and should bring back the glory days. Also half our age goes away as, Kaka 27 , Pato 20, Gourcuff 23,Cassano 26,Gattuso 31,Pirlo 30,Zambrotta 33,Agger 25,Silva 24,Cristico 23 and Abbiati 32 all next season so no longer do we look that old and we now have a mix of youth and Europe requries that level next season. No longer can we 2007 the Champions League where we use mainly 28+s. We must use youth to and skill and expirence. Also this formation allows Cassano to assist , Gourcuff,Kaka & Pato with wonderful balls which has made Cassano a monster this season and we can always shove him forward if need be and we will have depth in our squad. Also Inzaghi can come off the bench for any of our forwards. Basically in this formation it will be very offensive with a solid backline needed for counter attacks but it also shows off the prowless of some of our key players now and for the future. So with this formation we could see another Champions League.

Azzmilan

Armand Traore or Kieran Gibbs? I say Gibbs

Just finished watching the Arsenal vs Middlesbrough game. Great game, excellent performance. Just my thoughts, don’t wanna sidetrack too much here.

Ok, back to the discussion. As we all know, while Kieran Gibbs was making headlines in Arsenal fan sites, we actually have another young left back waiting to return to Arsenal. That person is Armand Traore.

The Arsenal squad doesn’t have room for 2 backup left backs. 1 has to go. We can’t possibly send Gibbs back to the reserves; it seems silly and will ruin his development. Traore to the reserves is even more absurd. So one MUST leave. Now the big question is, who should?

I’m no Arsene Wenger, but I trust Kieran Gibbs and he’s my choice for Clichy’s heir to the throne. For those who have bad English and cannot understand what I’m trying to say, I’m just saying Arsenal should sell Traore.

Honestly, Gibbs has impressed me a lot this season, particularly just recently. He’s fast, he can cross the ball well, and his dribbling is pretty good. From the matches I’ve seen him play, I feel the only area he needs to improve on is his one-on-ones with other players. He lost the ball a number of times when confronted by defenders. So basically he must learn how to beat a man. Tries tricks, or improve even further on his dribbling. If he perfects that I’m pretty sure he would make an excellent left back.

How about Armand Traore? He has played a fair number of matches for Portsmouth, and although he’s shown potential, I feel Gibbs shows MORE potential and it is more ideal to gamble on a young Gibbs than stick to Traore. In my opinion Traore hasn’t proven himself good enough to keep a backup spot. Gibbs on the other hand, can be the perfect left back, and if I’m Arsene Wenger I would be willing to take a shot at him. Maybe Traore is better than Gibbs now, but I see more potential in Gibbs than Traore. From how I see it Traore can only be at most an “above-average” kind of player, much like Lauren’s role at Arsenal few years ago. Gibbs however, can be what Gael Clichy or Bakary Sagna is to Arsenal at the moment. Potential is key here.

Traore in a Pompey shirt

My suggestion for Traore, in fact, is to move to other clubs. Portsmouth doesn’t look like the right club for him. I say go to a decent French club. Build his foundation there, then leave for a bigger clubs seasons later. Another option would be to loan out Gibbs, but I don’t find that ideal. How about loaning out Traore? It would only be a waste of time for both club and player.

Keep Gibbs, sell Traore. That’s my main point in today’s article. Of course that is only my opinion – no one knows the tricks of the trade like Arsene Wenger do. But one thing we can deduce from Wenger’s decision, and that is the player he keeps will be the one who he thinks is easier to develop and has a brighter future. So watch out.

As always tell me your opinions. I would love to hear it regarding this matter. Who would you pick? Armand Traore or Kieran Gibbs? What do you say we do to them? Loan who out? Who to sell and who to keep? Or maybe scrap both and get a new left back? Tell me more. I’m interested in hearing them.

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The FA Cup Final: A Three Way Divide

An ideal Wembley, but surely it should be filled with real fans?

The joy of seeing Everton reach the FA Cup Final for the first time in fourteen years still hasn’t worn off, but even in the face of such a great achievement, I still have to marvel at the incredible stupidity of the English FA. Seeing the ticket allocations for the Final on the 30th of May was a sobering moment, as even though I almost certainly can’t attend, marooned in New Zealand as I am, I feel it is only just that the hardcore season ticket holders of both clubs should have the privilege of watching their teams play at Wembley in the final of the world’s most prestigious domestic competition.

However, because the FA have allocated each team just 25,000 tickets each for the Final in May, that is not going to happen. Despite Wembley having a capacity of about 90,000, the FA has decided that only just over half of the supporters in the stadium should have any emotional involvement with the teams on the pitch. The others will be made up of representatives from ‘regional associations’ and basically, old pals of the bigwigs.

I appreciate that this has always happened, and you may allege that I’m only bothered now because Everton are in the final, but that is not the case. It is simply a coincidence that the year I start this blog Everton reach the final and thus I am exposed directly to the FA’s lunacy first time around. The fact is though, most proper football fans will surely agree that the majority of spectators at such a prestigious event should be fans of Everton and Chelsea.

Because, let’s face it, it’s not as if these teams would struggle to fill a stadium even as big as Wembley is. Everton have for years, even while fighting relegation, consistently attracted around 25,000 season ticket holders to Goodison Park, while Chelsea as one of the glamour clubs of the glitzy Premier League must have plenty more than that figure (I don’t have any information on exact numbers – if you do, let me know!).

Everton consistently fill Goodison Park during the regular season, and have for some time been in the throes of a convoluted stumble towards a new, larger stadium. Indeed, in the semi-final last weekend, Everton’s fans easily out sung Manchester United’s (not hard) and left a massive impression on all the watching spectators; it was arguably the loudest crowd the new Wembley has witnessed and that was during a rather turgid semi-final.

Chelsea, as I mentioned, have plenty of support too, and though some may argue that with their huge wealth and glamour many of their hardcore fans may have been priced out of a season ticket at the Bridge and been replaced by more corporate fair-weathers (and they have a point), there is little doubt that Chelsea could find 45,000 fans to fill half of Wembley and I’m sure they’d create a great atmosphere with the vociferous Evertonians.

Instead though, English football’s showpiece Cup Final, that will be screened all around the world to millions and millions of people (hell, it’s even on free TV in New Zealand!) will be attended by a bunch of day-trippers, football fans yes, but football fans who aren’t emotionally invested in the specific match on show. And for me, that is simply not the way the FA Cup Final should be.

Before anyone jumps down my throat, I do respect the job that these people do. I acknowledge that the people who will benefit from the 40,000 tickets that aren’t going to the fans of Everton and Chelsea do do good work in regional football in the UK. They are the people that run the game at grass-roots level, that work tirelessly to organise the lower, less glamorous, echelons of English football. They do deserve a reward, and some perks to their job, as we all do if we work hard and do our job well, but I think that such a generous allocation of FA Cup Final tickets is actually demeaning to the competition as a whole.

A few times over the past couple of years there has been debate about teams demeaning the competition, when Manchester United declined to enter in favour of the Club World Cup, and numerous times when some of the nation’s bigger clubs have fielded weakened teams in the competition. I sympathised with these complaints, and agree that the FA Cup is a big competition, it’s prestigious, and should be taken seriously.

However, when people are criticising teams for not taking it seriously because they do not allow their star players to attend and play in the matches. But then, how seriously are we to take the competition when it is deemed simply a day-trip for the FA’s workforce, a day out for their employees, an end of season work party? Surely a serious competition allows all of it’s teams’ serious fans to attend the matches and support their team, especially when it comes to the final?

In all, I have to say I feel quite disheartened by the FA’s continued insistence on treating this event as a ‘national get-together’ for it’s old pals. The teams involved work really hard to get to the final for a chance of some silverware, and the fans of those teams too will often have completed rigorous tours of the country following their team through the previous rounds to reach this final hurdle. Why should they therefore be defied one last big day out, the biggest day out of all, simply because the FA wants to reward its fellows for their service.

As I said, I cannot seriously hope to attend the Final, unless of course I manage to win the Lottery before the final and can thus afford flights to England and a ticket (which could perhaps be more expensive than the flight, given their rarity). But for my fellow Evertonians and their Chelsea counterparts, I feel severely let-down by the FA’s ticket allocations. Not only does it deprive some of Everton and Chelsea’s fans of one of the biggest events of the season, it also undermines the prestige of the tournament as a whole.

The last time Everton were at Wembley for the FA Cup Final I was five years old but already a season ticket holder alongside my father, brother, uncle and cousin. However, when it came down to it, we could only get two tickets for the Final and so my Uncle and Cousin went to the game and saw us win the beloved old trophy while I had to watch the greatest footballing event in my life so far on TV.

I don’t know if it was the same back then as it is today but I think it was. I think that I missed out on seeing Everton win the Cup at Wembley because of the FA’s idiotic allocation policy. I also think that my idealistic vision of an FA Cup Final is of a rocking Wembley stadium half in blue and half in red (though this year maybe all blue!) with 90,000 passionate fans singing their hearts out for their team. Unfortunately, the day when that ideal becomes a reality is, like so many ideals in today’s world, seemingly a thing of the distant future.

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AC 4Eva-Gattuso Back Against Juve?

Should Gennaro Gattuso comeback from his injury to face Juventus in two weeks. His only been declared fit this week while Emerson mutually terminated his contract with Milan. Gattuso is a key member of the Milan side no doubt, but would it be worth rushing him back from injury only for him to get reinjured. If he was to play against Juventus, it would be his first game in 7 months and only two weeks after he came back. AC Milan have actually managed quite well without him but we do struggle to add that extra bite.

Gattuso shoudn’t play because… not many players come back after the injuries his suffered and I’ve been worried it’s career threatening , but the fact he will be fit enough for matchtime in two weeks is very encouraging. BUT he did suffer a cruciate ligament damage, broken kneecap and I would rather he wait till next season for his comeback , as if he makes it worse and suffers another injury for the sake of one game it could be it. Looks at it this way, on Milan’s form we are surley top 3. I wouldn’t mind slipping to third and keeping that as 4th was my expectation coming into this season. I rather a fit Gattuso for next season than no Gattuso. He also may play in the side and relise he hasn’t played for ages and not even fit in and that for me would be worse than him getting injured. To see a lost Gattuso.I’d rather him fit for next season than not . He may be as tough as nails but his not immortal.

Conclusion… The Wolverine is a key player for Milan on his day and helps sort out opposition midfields and attacks. His interceptions and tackles are key, yet his injury this season shook me up and reminded me his mortal but his comeback surley deserves some credit. I would only let him play if he is 100% as, seeing a Gattuso lost in the game is much worse than an injured one as he breaks my heart. Based on his earlier form and if he says his fit I would play him. But only just.

AC 4Eva – Next Captain

AC Milan Next Captain
As the whole football world knows, sadly Paolo Maldini is not long for this world, he has indicated he will retire this seasons end. Paolo leaves behind a legacy of having been the most-selected player in the history of the A.C. Milan Club, the Italian Serie A league and the Italian national team. It’s going to be very sad and difficult day seeing the last of Maldini since he has played since 1986.

For the next captain, they have to display all the qualities Paolo showed. Milan is a proud club and may be in a transition phase but needs a fresh start and that will start with a new inspirational captain. There are not that many contenders that will still be around in the next few years, so should Milan grab a player captain for a few years, or perhaps award it to a player who has a long future ahead of him and that might keep him at AC Milan.

First up is Kaka, he has been at AC Milan since 2003 and has slowly become one of the best in the world and heads and shoulders above the rest of the squad. His style of play suits his persona, he can dribble past players often and slam the ball in the back of the net, but he does not hog and will often bring teammates into the game. He practically won us the 2007 Champions League Title. He has stated many times how much he loves the club and has proven this by refusing to go to City for millions . Kaka has also stated how one day it would be a great honor to captain the side. The side is getting older and Kaka is perhaps at the peak of his powers at 26 . Above all he is a dedicated Christian and never puts a foot wrong and only positive and club benefiting PR comes from his mouth. His only negative is that his perhaps coming to a end, with recurring injuries lately but what he can surley bring to the table in playing ability should surely see him worth the risk.

Massimo Ambrosini is another candidate , who supposly came through the ranks in the AC Milan youth system but left to start off with Cesena he then came back to AC Milan where he has been a vital part of the squad ever since. He has sometimes battled form loss and been put on the bench but he has always hit back and showed his metal. He brings a calmness to the team but yet is a very aggressive midfielder who can play in a variety of positions making him much more important to the team. He brings his teammates into the game much like Kaka, but does it way more often. Another thing he has got going for him, is that his been in the Milan youth academy and is 100% Italian.

Winning a world cup is never easy but Andrea Pirlo did it for Italy. The following season he dominated the CL 2007 for Milan. Pirlo started his career as an offensive midfielder until coach Carlo Ancelotti developed for him a deep-seated playmaking role at A.C. Milan. He is widely regarded as one of the best free kick takers in the world. He has been at Milan for nearly a decade and is perhaps the most gifted freekicktaker for Milan. On his day he can set up dangerous plays which can tear oppositions apart but on his worst he is also pathetic to watch. He is one of the true leaders at Milan and one of the few players capable of actually turning a game around and winning it for them. The only reason the Italian hasn’t been appointed captain before is that sometimes his form drops every now and again, but if Milan would award him with the Captaincy, surley that won’t happen.

IL Rino or should I say Gennaro Gattuso is the driving force of AC Milan. He plays with grit determination and hates to lose a contest, which he rarely ever does.He plays with unremarkable passion and never lets another player pass him. In the 2007 CL semi final against Man United at the San Siro there was no better man, as he did all the dirty work, which included stopping Ronaldo and allowing his teammates to have the space to do their work. He sometimes gets into trouble for his take-no-prisoners style tackles but he more than makes up for it when his driving through teams, taking down names and setting up teammates. Perhaps his only downsides is that his now 31 , and coming off a near career threatening injury.

A year ago if you offered up young gun Pato, it would have been as an insult to the club. He couldn’t even break into the first team. But now that he has waited for his chance and then snatched it up, he hasn’t looked back and is fastly becoming one of the best forwards in all of Italy. This season he has sparked some light into a club that desperately needs youth and is raising the heads of all the Rosseneri. This has been his breakout season though he has already kicked 26 goals in 52 outings for AC Milan. Pato brings his fellow forwards like Pippo & R80 into the game with ease and allows them to display how good they are, while he secretly bangs them in himself. When he talks to the media he sounds so modest and is just trying to learn from his legendary role models, like Pippo& Maldini. Giving him the captaincy may allow him to stay for another decade or two, or perhaps even better, his career.

Conclusion:
Even though Gattuso is the heartbeat of the club by a mile, I would give the captaincy to Kaka , he has earnt it and is perhaps the best player capable of leading us out of our dark period. Also the captaincy would keep Kaka at the club and seeing as his our one legendary player left for the next couple of seasons it will perhaps show Pato to stay and become great. Though on the other hand players like Andrea & Massimo have earnt it and have great leadership abilities. Pato is perhaps to young at the moment to have the captaincy thrust on him now but in the future who knows?
Azzmilan

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Toure vs Gallas – Who’s Better and Who Should Leave

Before I start my actual comparison, I want to explain why there’s a need for such a comparison and article in the first place.

The main reason is because I am pretty sure either Toure or Gallas will leave next season. Why? Because both players aren’t young anymore. Toure’s 28 while Gallas’ 31. Furthermore Toure has complained to the media once that he doesn’t really like William Gallas and he has problems working with him. So instead of predicting whether they will leave and for how much, I would rather think and discuss who is more valuable to us, and who should go if we had a choice.

Firstly, let’s compare raw talent. Head to head, who’s the better defender. Who’s the rock at the heart of our defence. In my opinion Kolo Toure is our rock-solid defender for Arsenal. In fact he has been just that for the past few seasons. He’s strong in the air, shoots balls like rockets, and a pretty quick defender. His nickname “The Black Cannavaro” says it all. No offence intended. Gallas, on the other hand, is as good as a defender I believe. His habit of scoring some vital goals pleases some fans, but he lacks concentration sometimes and concede costly goals, which is why I rated Toure a little higher. Toure normally makes flawless sliding tackles, and is more committed in his challenges despite the lack of goals. So in terms of quality, Kolo Toure is the man.

Secondly, attitude. This should be considered a no-contest; every Gooner knows what happened to Gallas. He acted like the Incredible Hulk when Arsenal conceded a penalty, he was caught smoking a cigar with some bitch and he washed Arsenal’s dirty linen in public – he complained how some players in the locker room were showing disrespect and all. However, do not totally rule Toure out. There has been countless reports saying that Toure would have left, if it wasn’t for Arsene Wenger’s brilliant persuasion. Not only that, instead of solving things in a  professional manner, he complained about problems working with Gallas (like I mentioned earlier) to the media. That isn’t something a vice-captain would say. If he continues doing such things he will be the very player he say he doesn’t like (Gallas).

Thirdly, age. This is really simple. Gallas is older, so it sounds more logical to sell a 31 year-old man who’s probably retiring in a few years time than a 28 year-old player who some consider is at the age when the player is at his peak. Plus Kolo Toure has been an Arsenal fan favourite for the past few years, being the longest-serving member in the current Arsenal squad. Also the fact that he is the last of the remaining “Invincibles” team who is still playing at Arsenal earns him extra points.

Finally, interest from other clubs. Kolo Toure is known to have Man City chasing him for his signature, while William Gallas have AC Milan and PSG watching him closely. Honestly there is a higher possibility in Toure moving as Man City is now a football powerhouse in terms of cash. What Man City wants, Man City gets (most of the time). So if Man City offer a very high price for Toure, I doubt Wenger can resist it and he will probably cash in to use the money for other younger talent. However, who knows what will happen next season. Mark Hughes could have been sacked due to their rubbish form despite spending loads of filthy cash. Gallas on the other hand, have AC Milan chasing him, but I really doubt their interest is serious. If Gallas were to move PSG seem like a more plausible choice, although the transfer fee may be a little low. but hey, he’s 31. As long as you get some money, who cares? Well that’s what I think and that’s what I hope Arsene Wenger will.

Conclusion:

Kolo Toure is the better player, talent and attitude-wise. And since some critics have complained about Arsenal lacking experience, Toure is definitely the right player to solve that problem. He’s at his peak yet he has a wealth of experience to provide.

William Gallas has a higher possibility of moving, as he’s the weaker, older and more “disobedient” of the 2. But you’ll never know Wenger, he could sell both, he could sell none, or he might sell Toure, I don’t know. Him selling Gallas is just my prediction. But I really think it’s time Gallas go. Sell him while he’s still wanted, before it’s too late.

Tell me more about your thoughts. I wanna hear your opinions. Who’s better? Toure or Gallas? Who should leave? And who will leave?

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Dariano

Does Bendtner Deserves to Stay?

Yet another rubbish performance from Niklas Bendtner.

I watched on to “Arsenal vs Man City”, and I’m not even thinking what Bendtner will do next whenever he gets the ball. In other words, when he’s given a chance, I don’t even care, don’t even give a damn whether he will score or not. He will miss. That’s my first thought and impression. Such is my confidence in him. Maybe his fellow friends from Denmark will defend him by saying he came on as a substitute, but millions of Gooners can be the witness. This season, he has been nothing but dreadful. There are moments of brilliance but that’s all, it’s only moments and you won’t see them again.

Yes, here and there he has scored some vital goals, but he just doesn’t have the talent and skills to play for Arsenal. One fine example was a great chance supplied to him by Emmanuel Eboue, and at such an angle he could only use his left foot. He did, and it was awful. Way out of range. He’s a right-footer, but surely he can do better than that?

Do not be stubborn Arsene Wenger, cash in on him. Le Prof has said time and again that he “has faith” in Bendtner, and that he has “lots of potential”. Anybody remembers Justin Hoyte? That poor guy, who’s so loyal to the Gunners, yet we all knew honestly, that he just isn’t good enough for Arsenal. We appreciate your loyalty, but hey, if you’re not good enough, you don’t play. That’s football. Bendtner clearly isn’t good enough. And why the fuck is he playing?

My point is, Bendtner may try to improve, but I doubt no matter how hard he tries, he will not reach the level of expectations a Gunner must have. He cannot create; he doesn’t have the creativity and passing range of Robin van Persie. Heck, even Eboue is doing better than him. He can’t really head; he’s tall but he’s not using it to his advantage like Adebayor did. He cannot shoot well; he’s a “right-foot only” player and even if he uses his right foot it makes not much difference from his left foot. He can’t finish; when he’s given a chance, he can’t score. Adebayor has the asme habit, but at least he delivers the goods. Bendtner doesn’t have the natural finishing ability. He is a slow runner; I don’t expect him to have an olympian-like pace, but when he sprints, it isn’t fast enough and you can never beat defenders that way. He doesn’t have skills; he can’t trick defenders with stepovers, he can’t cut inside or outside, and the only thing he can do is hold up the ball. What does he do with that next? He makes a pass that’s bound for interception from the opponent, which brings us back to the first point of him having horrible creativity and passing skills.

I want Bendtner to go. And I hope the rest of you Gooners agree with me. But the decision lies with Arsene Wenger, and seeing Bendtner is Arsene’s favourite boy, it won’t be anytime soon that Bendtner leaves.

Tell me your thoughts on whether Bendtner deserves to stay. Post a comment (click on article title then scroll down), or join our forum for even more discussions. If you like my articles, do subscribe to SFB’s RSS feed and bookmark our site. Thank you for reading.

Dariano

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Once a Blue, always a Red?

Rooney: 100% committed to England... but United?

Fans of Manchester United may be delighted to have read an article on the Sky Sports website today which saw the attacker declare his intention to remain a Red Devil for the remainder of his career. An endearing sentiment I’m sure it was intended to be, but given the player in question, it may be worth considering the true ramifications of the statement before any United fans get carried away with requiting Rooney’s apparently eternal love.

The article I mentioned features a direct quote from the England striker where he claims, “I don’t want to leave . . . I’ll be here for a long time.” Admirable sentiments indeed from one so young, especially in a day and age where the loyalty of footballers is really being called into question, with most happier to follow the money rather than devote themselves to the cause of a club that they love.

"Always", Wayne?

Unfortunately for United fans and Mr. Rooney, he has a history with this sort of statement, and so his word does not mean very much. Indeed, the last time he made such a claim he did so in far more emphatic fashion, having just rifled home a goal for Everton’s youth team he lifted his shirt to reveal the slogan “Once a blue, always a blue”, in a protest at the way in which Francis “Mr. Big Time” Jeffers had just swaggered out of the club.

Unfortunately, a few years later, there was Wayne “I’m an Evertonian” Rooney holding his boyhood club to ransom and walking out on us to join one of our major north-west rivals. Seems then, that when Wayne Rooney decides to declare his intention to remain with one club forever, we would be wise to take as little notice as possible.

What strikes me as odd though, is Rooney’s decision to make such a claim again. He will never live down his earlier proclamation of loyalty, as it is that as much as anything that left such a sour taste in Evertonian mouths when he walked away from Goodison Park. Surely even Rooney, not famed for his intelligence, is not fool enough to repeat the trick.

However, reading into the timing of the statement a little more, one has to wonder whether it is not in actual fact an attempt to bring the United fans back on side. After all, United are not having the best of times in the Premier League at the moment with a commanding lead having been all but tossed casually away thanks to some rather pedestrian performances, not least from Rooney himself.

That Rooney has then gone on to perform so superbly for England in the two international matches against Slovakia and Ukraine may just have got United fans wondering. Why was Rooney so fired up and so motivated to perform so excellently for England when the only passion he showed for United against Fulham was directed at the referee and then, at the unfortunate corner flag?

No, I think Rooney knew what he was doing with this statement. Knowing that his performances for England were so much more convincing than for United and using the fact that he is the national sides’ talisman again to his advantage, he has professed his love for United so that their fans will go all wobbly at the knees at the thought of having such a wonderful player at their disposal for many years to come, all the while forgetting his indifferent performances in red of late.

But contrary to Rooney’s actual statement, I’m wondering if his heart really is with United after all. There is no doubt that Rooney is a committed player, and has given some really great performances over the years, but these tend to come when he is determined to prove himself to his critics, not when United particulalrly need him to stand up and carry them a little.

This sort of passion, determination and desire is present in his performances for England though, where anyone watching knows that Rooney is busting a gut to help his country win. I can’t help but wonder why such a sight is so rarely seen when Rooney sports the Red Devils’ jersey, and thus must conclude that perhaps Rooney isn’t as committed to their cause as he would have them believe.

Once more, I am not saying Rooney does not play brilliantly and with passion for United. He does, but that is usually only when he has a personal reason to do so, like when he tries desperately to help his new club overcome his boyhood one. But in just the run of the mill Premier League matches when Rooney is not under any specific criticism, I can’t help but feel that he slips down a gear and somewhat cruises along.

No, if I were a United fan looking to take something from this statement from Mr. Rooney, it would not be solace in knowing that Rooney will be gracing the Old Trafford years to come. Instead I would be wondering just why the fiery forward shines so brightly for England but seems a little put out when it comes to playing for United, a club he professes to love.

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