The Official Football Thread 2006/2007 (3 Viewers)

[matt#1]

Well Ruud only went to Real for 11m, so 16m for a 30 year old striker who's been increasingly injury prone and had his worst season on record just recently is decent.

11m for Ruud was a joke as well. I thought we got rorted be Madrid pretty badly. An aging Shevchenko was sold to Chelsea for 30m. I think that Henry should be worth a similar amount.

 

[Chelsea FC]

Arsenal announce Henry departure

Henry has scored a club record 226 goals in 364 games for Arsenal



Arsenal have confirmed they have reached an agreement with Barcelona for the transfer of striker Thierry Henry.

The deal, thought to be worth about £16m to the Gunners, is subject to the Frenchman, 29, passing a medical, which is set to take place on Monday.
Henry had already announced he intended to end his eight-year stay at Arsenal to sign a four-year deal with Barca.
"I still must pass a medical on Monday but yes, I have chosen Barcelona," he told French sports daily L'Equipe.
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Earlier, Barcelona revealed that they were close to bringing Henry to the Nou Camp, with vice-president Ferran Soriano telling Spanish sports newspaper Marca that talks were at an "advanced" stage.
Soriano added it was "the wish of all parties" for an agreement to be reached for the transfer of Henry.

This is solely my decision, no-one has forced me to do anything



Thierry Henry


He also insisted that Barcelona waited for the green light from Arsenal before making a move for the France international, who is the club's all-time record goalscorer.
"We don't want to point a gun at anybody," said Soriano. "We have good relationships with the European clubs."
Henry, who only agreed a lucrative new deal with Arsenal 12 months ago, also confirmed his exit in The Sun newspaper.
In an open letter, he blamed the shock departure of Gunners vice-chairman David Dein and continuing doubts over the future of manager Arsene Wenger as the main reasons for his decision to leave.
"Arsene has been part of my life for as long as I can remember," he wrote.
"Unfortunately and understandably, he has said that at this moment he will not commit to the club past the expiration of his current deal, which finishes at the end of the coming season.
"I respect his decision and his honesty but I will be 31 at the end of next season and I cannot take the chance to be there without Arsene Wenger and David Dein.

606: DEBATE
Do you think this is a good deal for Arsenal?

"This is solely my decision, no-one has forced me to do anything and I will represent myself in this transaction. I feel it is something I just had to do."
Henry, who has also been linked with European champions AC Milan, has also revealed why he decided to move to the Nou Camp ahead of other possible destinations.
"Barcelona are a wonderful club steeped in tradition and play beautiful football. I'm sure I will be very happy there," he continued.
"But I will miss the Arsenal fans dearly, they have supported me through thick and thin.
"They will always be in my heart, as will all the fans who make the game here so special. I will always have a special bond with Arsenal Football Club."

Frenchman Henry has long been linked with Barcelona


Henry began his career as a winger with Monaco in 1994 - under the supervision of current Arsenal boss Wenger.
He was in France's 1998 World Cup-winning squad and went on to join Juventus the following season.
But his time in Turin was a largely unsuccessful one and the player was soon heading to north London, with Wenger keen to get the best out of the prodigious talent.
The France international has since blossomed into one of the greatest talents in world football.
He helped Arsenal to two league titles and three FA Cups and led the Gunners to the finals of the 2000 Uefa Cup and 2006 Champions League.
In February 2006, he became the first Arsenal player to score over 200 goals for the club, with a strike against Birmingham, and has bagged a club record 226 goals in 364 appearances for the Gunners.
His consistency in front of goal ensured he finished as the Premier League's top scorer on four occasions. He has won the Professional Footballers' Association player of the year title on two occasions and the football writers' player of the year three times. He has also twice finished runner-up in the Fifa world player of the year.

 

[LMF^^]

Well, now that he's gone, the wait begins to who Arsenal will sign to replace him. And no, Eto'o won't be coming. Maybe you can fight it out with Liverpool for Torres...? Hahaha, and he'll cost more than Henry too, LoL.

I wonder how he will fit in at Barca. Eto'o + Henry and then Ronaldinho and Messi behind...? This means Deco will be going, maybe he'll be part of the deal for Henry...? Hm... but that's unlikely to happen though.

 

[Raginsheep]

God I fuking hate real and barca now...if the officials aren't tapping up players, their players will do the dirty work for them.

 

[LMF^^]

Heh, there's no tap up, Henry just wanted to leave.

And there's always Chelsea, who did the first tap up on Arsenal.

 

[Raiks]

I don't really care if Henry leaves Arsenal, but who's replacing him? I hope of Newcastle's sake it isn't Owen. I can see Owen being worth 12-15 goals to the toon next season and I definitely don't want that to go elsewhere, especially for a 9mil buyout clause.

 

[Raiks]

Well, now that he's gone, the wait begins to who Arsenal will sign to replace him. And no, Eto'o won't be coming. Maybe you can fight it out with Liverpool for Torres...? Hahaha, and he'll cost more than Henry too, LoL.

I wonder how he will fit in at Barca. Eto'o + Henry and then Ronaldinho and Messi behind...? This means Deco will be going, maybe he'll be part of the deal for Henry...? Hm... but that's unlikely to happen though.

Barca could do what Newcastle does, just let one/two/fourteen of the players get injured and solve that whole problem of fitting certain players in the team. One game last season NUFC fielded 5 left midfielders.

 

[HeCtic]

Heh, there's no tap up, Henry just wanted to leave.

And there's always Chelsea, who did the first tap up on Arsenal.

Nope, Henry was negotiating with Barca for weeks now behind the club's back, thanks to a certain Mr Dein whom he loves so much. I don't know why you're laughing about the price either, your club sold Ruud for far less, and just spent 35 million on two prospects who no-one knows if they're ever going to good or not. I'd hardly call your squad stronger than it was last season, and you're financial position isn't anything to write home about either.

I know United and Spurs fans are getting a hard on about Henry leaving, but the reality is Barca aren't signing the Henry of 2001-2005, the one they're getting is Henry-lite, it was time for him to go. He said he loved Arsenal but the reality is he knows he wasn't up to the task of leading a young Arsenal team to further glory, but he can't take responsibility of that truth.

His whole 'I love the club but my heart belongs to David Dein' charade he's been pulling is bollocks to the highest degree. All the quotes the Chelsea troll posted are PR bollocks supporting his I love David Dein campaign.

As far as replacing "him", it all depends on who you're talking about, Henry or Henry-Lite, he went missing for most of last season yet we still dominated games but couldn't put teams away. A top line winger and a couple of good striker's who offer us something different and we're already a far stronger team.

It doesn't take long to turn a team around, as you should know given you guys did this season, we just need to find the right balance. As is obvious, we have the base of a top team, but finding a couple of players with more cutting edge will solve it. There's plenty of them around too, so no reason to cry about Henry leaving, he's played like he didn't give a shit for the past two seasons now.

Cheers Thierry, keep choking on the big occasion for FC Cuntalonya.

Onward and upwards!

 

[adders]

One query though, now that Henry has left how long do u reckon it'll be before wenger and fabregas also call it quits. I understand where ure coming from saying that he didnt play well last season, but henry was an integral element of the club. When players negotiate to come to arsenal it is primarly because of henry and wenger, with them gone or going i feel that the club is in real trouble

 

[HeCtic]

I never understand why Wenger's contract situation is such a big deal. I think he'll do as he always does and stay. Wenger has never re-signed his contract untill it's nearing expiry so all this final season talk is speculative at best.

He's signed so many young players and has already signed 4 more this summer, I doubt he'll be in a rush to leave. Next summer will see us start seeing the full benefits of the stadium too.

Cesc has a few more years left in him with us too. The predicted so called mass-exodus from clubs never really happen, and even if we were to lose Wenger do you think we'll replace him with Graeme Souness or some other second rate tool. I'm sure we've got enough pull to attract a top line manager, considering the stadium, location,talent and budget we'll have at the end of next season.

 

[Raginsheep]

I don't think Wenger will leave. In some repsects, Arsenal has always been one big experiment from him, its a club he's virtually shaped into his image of 'perfect football'. He gets tremendous amounts of freedom to do things his way at Arsenal, probably more than any other manager anywhere else. Leaving anytime soon would be an admission of failure on his behalf.

People call Henry 'Mr Arsenal" and pherhaps he was on the field but Wenger is Arsenal.

On the plus side Hectic, maybe Reyes will come back now with all the 'bad people' gone

 

[RUB!X]

As an Arsenal fan i am sad to see Henry go, he was the greatest player in our history, but the way he handled the situation was a disgrace, and was just not the way any captain should go about doing things ... not that in my opinion he really ever was a great leader.

I agree Wenger needed to let him go now, his behaviour crossed the line.

Why cant he just say he wants to leave and not go on bullshitting about how DD leaving the club and the doubts about Wenger's future were the reasons for leaving, c'mon, what happens in the board room should not affect the players, and they shouldnt be used as an escape, an excuse to leave, the fans can see through it and really it just leaves quite a bad taste in many a mouths of Arsenal supporters ...

Gilberto, Fabregas for captaincy?

Possible replacements?

 

[watthedam]

Manchester United!!! Watch were gonna rip euro apart

 

[Raginsheep]

Gilberto, Fabregas for captaincy?

Possible replacements?

Probably Gilberto will get it. Fabregas is captaincy material if he stays around but he's too young at the moment. Kolo is also a possible choice.

 

[Gilbert1]

Probably Gilberto will get it. Fabregas is captaincy material if he stays around but he's too young at the moment. Kolo is also a possible choice.

My vote's for Gilberto

 

[LMF^^]

Nope, Henry was negotiating with Barca for weeks now behind the club's back, thanks to a certain Mr Dein whom he loves so much. I don't know why you're laughing about the price either, your club sold Ruud for far less, and just spent 35 million on two prospects who no-one knows if they're ever going to good or not. I'd hardly call your squad stronger than it was last season, and you're financial position isn't anything to write home about either.

I know United and Spurs fans are getting a hard on about Henry leaving, but the reality is Barca aren't signing the Henry of 2001-2005, the one they're getting is Henry-lite, it was time for him to go. He said he loved Arsenal but the reality is he knows he wasn't up to the task of leading a young Arsenal team to further glory, but he can't take responsibility of that truth.

His whole 'I love the club but my heart belongs to David Dein' charade he's been pulling is bollocks to the highest degree. All the quotes the Chelsea troll posted are PR bollocks supporting his I love David Dein campaign.

As far as replacing "him", it all depends on who you're talking about, Henry or Henry-Lite, he went missing for most of last season yet we still dominated games but couldn't put teams away. A top line winger and a couple of good striker's who offer us something different and we're already a far stronger team.

It doesn't take long to turn a team around, as you should know given you guys did this season, we just need to find the right balance. As is obvious, we have the base of a top team, but finding a couple of players with more cutting edge will solve it. There's plenty of them around too, so no reason to cry about Henry leaving, he's played like he didn't give a shit for the past two seasons now.

Cheers Thierry, keep choking on the big occasion for FC Cuntalonya.

Onward and upwards!

Yeah, we sold Ruud for dirt cheap, and he became the Spanish league's top scorer. We get ripped off by Madrid all the time, just like the Beckham deal, he went there on the cheap also. But that's no biggie, we won the Premiership after selling the club's most prolific goalscorer, so the money is not the problem.

Does Arsenal have the backbone to win a Premiership after their leading talisman has left the club...? Well, they look promising, but to win the league, is probably one step too far.

Well you probably don't think that our squad now is stronger than last season's, well, we haven't had anyone leaving the club yet, and have had 3 new additions, so by logic and common sense it should suggest that this team is stronger than last season's. The club's financial position isn't a real worry too. The debt is sustainable, the club's reported revenue is amongst the top of Europe. If you're looking for the club to collapse like Leeds, well, that is just highly unlikely.

I certainly ain't creaming my pants now that Henry is gone, to be honest, I wouldn't even be worried if he stayed. Spurs fans are happy though, and that's understandable. You'd be happy too if Berbatov left them, right?

Hoping for a rigged UEFA CL draw so that Arsenal and Barca play against each other in the knockout stages.

 

[Raginsheep]

To be fair, last time we played a certain former Arsenal player in the knockout stages of the CL, we did pretty well

 

[HeCtic]

Does Arsenal have the backbone to win a Premiership after their leading talisman has left the club...? Well, they look promising, but to win the league, is probably one step too far.

Funnily enough most people I've talked to seem to believe that most of the players in the dressing room were either intimidated by him or frankly pissed off at his moodiness/arrogance towrds the younger guys. Talisman for the supporters maybe, but not for the players, he became Mr Johnny Big Balls once guys like Vieira,Bergkamp,Pires,Fatcunt and Keown left. Those guys were the backbone, Henry was the big game bottler. Even Theo has scored more Cup Final goals in his whole career than Henry has.

Well you probably don't think that our squad now is stronger than last season's, well, we haven't had anyone leaving the club yet, and have had 3 new additions, so by logic and common sense it should suggest that this team is stronger than last season's. The club's financial position isn't a real worry too. The debt is sustainable, the club's reported revenue is amongst the top of Europe. If you're looking for the club to collapse like Leeds, well, that is just highly unlikely.

Yeah, but two of them are prospects who won't get too many games next season and the other is untested in the Premiership despite being English(heh). Scholes and Giggs are a year older, can you rely on them and Ronaldo to step up over and over again for two seasons running? If anything you guys are about the same levelas last year in my opinion, which I admit is still a strong squad. But I still think Chelsea will cake walk it this season.

As for your finances, most United columnists I've bothered to read say that your debt is serviceable, ie you can pay off your interest, but Mal has no intention to pay off the actual debt itself. So I don't see how you can paint such a rosey picture on that front either, and there are plenty of United fans who don't like what's happening either.

You won't become a Leeds, but it'll be hilarious when the shit eventually hits the fan with the Glazers.

I certainly ain't creaming my pants now that Henry is gone, to be honest, I wouldn't even be worried if he stayed. Spurs fans are happy though, and that's understandable. You'd be happy too if Berbatov left them, right?

It's irrelevant really. Spurs are too generally mediocre all over there squad to consistently challenge us. The only time they did recently was their 40 game season. Heh, they won't last the distance with us, despite all their recent crowing. They're the North London equivalent of Scouse Cunts fans,who've gone from Rafa will sign Etoo, Alves and Quaresma, to actually signing Voronin, two Hungarians and being linked with Benayoun.

On the plus side Hectic, maybe Reyes will come back now with all the 'bad people' gone

Haha, I'd love that, but he'd still cry about the cold, the shops closing early, the ref's, the Neville sisters. He's such a good makewieght when negotiating with Spanish clubs, might as well get rid while his signature is still worth something.

 

[LMF^^]

Something about Henry being shite.

Something about Leeds being crap.

Something about Spurs being shite.

Yeah, but two of them are prospects who won't get too many games next season and the other is untested in the Premiership despite being English(heh). Scholes and Giggs are a year older, can you rely on them and Ronaldo to step up over and over again for two seasons running? If anything you guys are about the same levelas last year in my opinion, which I admit is still a strong squad. But I still think Chelsea will cake walk it this season.

Yes, Man Utd was supposedly going to fight for a UEFA Cup spot last season, and Liverpool was going to win the Champions League.

I find it ironic when an Arsenal supporter comes out and doubts the ability of our youngsters. You guys have enough young guns yourself to worry about, and whether they will make the cut on the big stage remains to be seen. Yes, I admit they were great in the Carling Cup run, but the league is a different playingfield, and I have my doubts too about Arsenal's depth to make a decent challenge in the league. I don't have anything against you guys atm, it's just that 2 consecutive seasons at 4th place, with the departure of a player like Henry, just isn't the ideal position to be in.

You seem a bit bitter about this whole Henry thing. Well, at least he played the whole situation better than Ashley. Hell, he even told his agent to make a story about suing some newspaper for breaking the news of him and Barca. And then there was the letter on The Sun. Nicely played Thierry, I'll give him props for that.

This whole Henry thing has taken the world by storm, it's making me read a lot of articles about Arsenal. It's not really good for my exam preparation, but oh well.

 

[HeCtic]

Heh, what a shite post. Couldn't actually respond to anything I said so turns it into one giant piece of bait. Haha.