Arsenal 2014-2015: Ugh. Your banter stinks.

[Morgan's Magic Snowplow]

Can someone give me a short resume on Serge Gnabry´s season/future?
I checked his season biography on arsenal.com and it basically said he was out for the entire season due to injury.
What kind of injuries had he? Does he have a realistic chance for 1st team action in next season? What is his best position (it homepage says he "can play anywhere in the front three")?
 
Thanks!

 
Gnabry has been a real mystery all season.  He broke through into the first team last year and put in some promising performances, although it was mainly due to a severe injury crisis (especially with our wide players) that he got into the important games.  At the beginning of this year (in August), Wenger announced that he was injured but was coming along and would be back in training in a month or two, at some point in October he reportedly go back into training, then he seemed to be injured again although Wenger was always very vague about what was happening and whether it was even the same injury (a knee gets mentioned but nothing more specific).  At some point, the media just sort of forgot about him and stopped asking questions about him.  Now he has missed the entire year although about a month ago Wenger said he was close to coming back.
 
I don't think he will play meaningful minutes in the first team next season as he is still young (19), has just lost an entire year, and there are many other players ahead of him on the wing (Sanchez, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Welbeck if played there, Ramsey if played there, Wilshere if played there, Walcott if he stays), which is his best position.  A loan, perhaps to another Premier League team but also maybe to a German club, seems like the best situation for him.  He has good quickness and impressive strength on the ball.  Control and technique are decent enough but I've never been amazed by his dribbles or close control of the ball.  I never saw him play center forward and sort of doubt that he has the finishing and goal scoring instincts to thrive there.  Overall, he seems to have the potential to be a good all-around winger that contributes offensively (although not a star goalscorer or goal creator) but also tracks back, fights on defense, and helps with the build up game.  But he needs consistent playing time and I doubt he will get it at Arsenal next year.
 
Late edit: It appears that he has actually been playing with the U21s for about a month and actually had a goal and two assists today against Wolves.  I don't think that changes his prospects for next season though.

 

[Morgan's Magic Snowplow]

Other business:
 
First, the Special One may be simply fucking with us but he said this about Cech yesterday:
 

 
"My perfect scenario is that he stays with us. He belongs with this club, and this club belongs to his history and his life," he told TalkSport.

“He’s a fantastic goalkeeper, a fantastic squad man in the dressing room. I tried to prove the respect I have for him by playing him in the FA Cup and Capital One Cup final.

“I played him in the Champions League. I gave him matches in the Premier League.

“I tried to make him feel important, as he is, but I can imagine at 32 or 33, he still feels young and has the passion and desire to play every game.

“If it’s in my hands, he would never go. He would never go to big clubs and fantastic teams, big candidates who want to win the Premier League. I would never let him go, but it’s not in my hands.”

 
If Cech is truly free to go anywhere he pleases, I imagine United will also be interested.  But we may have an advantage if he wants to stay in London.
 
In other news, the Emirates Cup lineup was confirmed as Lyon, Villarreal, and Wolfsburg.

 

[Spacemans Bong]

I'm going to the Arsenal/Sunderland match at the Emirates on Wednesday. Any of you Arsenal types have any suggestions about places to hit before or after?

 
I'd meet you there but I can't make it, flip side being I might be securing a ticket for the FA Cup final.../sausage
 
Piebury is definitely the best place for a bite to eat before the match, but go very early - like 6 pm or so. Anything after that and it'll be too busy to get a meal.
 
I usually come down the Holloway Road side and the good bars there are the Horatia (excellent beer selection, lots of Belgians and ales - lots of US beers too but that won't be a big deal for you) and Phibbers (Irish boozer, they serve Guinness and Guinness but the crack is good). Most pubs are much of a muchness, almost everywhere's going to be covered in Arsenal memorabilia and so on. The Gunners on Blackstock Road might be the most covered in Arsenal gear of any pub.
 
After the match it's worth taking a hike to get to a pub that isn't crammed - that might be a good time to hit the Alwyne Castle in St. Paul's Road. Alan Davies was there last week. 

 

[VORP Speed]

Appreciate it!! Not sure yet how early we'll be able to get there so that will probably determine what we do. Will try to check out Piebury if we make it early enough.

 

[sachmoney]

Oops wrong thread.

 

[Morgan's Magic Snowplow]

Between Swansea and Sunderland in the last two Emirates fixtures we've had 51 shots, 17 on net, and zero goals.
 
United can catch us for 3rd if they win, we lose, and they make up a seven goal difference.  I'm not worried or anything (especially given that they are traveling to Hull, who will be playing for their lives) but its annoying that we couldn't just put this to bed completely before the last match of the year.

 

[blueguitar322]

Oy. After Arsenal's amazing post-Tottenham run, they were neutered by Chelsea at home, couldn't score against Swansea at home, escaped Old Trafford with a fortunate draw, and then couldn't score against Sunderland at home.  Not exactly finishing the year with flourish.  Then again, as I said previously, it's all style points as long as they win the FA Cup a week from Saturday.
 
I do feel like the last stretch has brought a little bit of a return of midgetball.  Today, Arsenal started four creative central midfielders (Ozil, Ramsey, Wilshere, Cazorla) who couldn't create anything in the first half.  Even in the second half they didn't create much concrete outside of some Walcott moments of brilliance.
 
Fake edit: Sunderland captain John O'Shea giving credit to copying Swanea's tactics to get the draw.

 

[mikeford]

They clinched top 4 weeks ago and so JOB DONE SEASON OVER

Another blah performance

 

[Luis Taint]

3-0 on 2 strikes from Walcott, and a lightning shot from Wilshire. Talking about having your bags packed.

 

[DLew On Roids]

Looks like I'm rooting for Arsenal in the FA Cup final. What do I need to learn, other than to move to Brooklyn and use "we" as much as possible in reference to club?

 

[sachmoney]

Looks like I'm rooting for Arsenal in the FA Cup final. What do I need to learn, other than to move to Brooklyn and use "we" as much as possible in reference to club?

Have you decided whether you're Arsene Knows Best or Wenger Out yet?

 

[DLew On Roids]

Have you decided whether you're Arsene Knows Best or Wenger Out yet?

Wenger Out seems more bitter and fatalistic. Given how this season has gone, that sounds like my side. I reserve the right to flip if Arsenal are up 5-0 at halftime, though really when does that even happen???

 

[CoRP]

You'll fit in just fine.

 

[Spacemans Bong]

Swot up on our youth team and fake like you know what you're talking about.

 

[Conigliaro's Potential]

An actual article title in The Telegraph: "Arsenal fans are ruining the internet for everyone".
 
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/11633682/Arsenal-fans-are-ruining-the-internet-for-everyone.html
 
Heh.

 

[DLew On Roids]

Thomas Vermaelen made his Barcelona debut last weekend against Deportivo La Coruna.  If they win the Champions League, Barca have to pay Arsenal an extra £2.8 million.

 

[Morgan's Magic Snowplow]

Thomas Vermaelen made his Barcelona debut last weekend against Deportivo La Coruna.  If they win the Champions League, Barca have to pay Arsenal an extra £2.8 million.

 
I'm still rooting for the fascists from Juventus.  Fuck Barcelona.

 

[SoxFanInCali]

Don't screw this up, I really don't want to watch Liverpool games that count in July.

 

[DLew On Roids]

I would laugh if Wembley sang Happy Birthday to Gerrard.

 

[Morgan's Magic Snowplow]

Theo starting instead of Giroud and Woj continuing his role as cup keeper. Gulp.

Woj scares me. You need to start your best XI in a cup final.

 

[ifmanis5]

Let's not get down 2-0 again, thanks.

 

[blueguitar322]

Theo starting instead of Giroud and Woj continuing his role as cup keeper. Gulp.

Woj scares me. You need to start your best XI in a cup final.

I think there is solid logic to playing szcz though - he's far better on set pieces and corners than Ospina and Villa's best chances might come from those.

 

[Morgan's Magic Snowplow]

Should be yellow there.

 

[Morgan's Magic Snowplow]

Ramsey needs to stay wider.

 

[ifmanis5]

Well played by Given.

 

[Morgan's Magic Snowplow]

Theo!!!

 

[ifmanis5]

Who needs Giroud? Theo gets it.

 

[blueguitar322]

Re-sign that man!

 

[ifmanis5]

I'd like a Prince William reaction shot to that goal, please.

 

[Morgan's Magic Snowplow]

Dominant performance do far but 1-0 can disappear in an instant.

Coquelin has been a boss in midfield.

 

[blueguitar322]

Everything except finishing has been top notch imho. Just don't let up off the gas pedal in the 2nd half.

 

[ifmanis5]

What A Strike.

 

[PedroSpecialK]

Holy shit

 

[blueguitar322]

Holy crap Alexis

 

[ifmanis5]

And that should do it.

 

[blueguitar322]

The BFG getting in on the scoring fun

 

[PedroSpecialK]

Alan Hutton calling for the ball every time Villa have possession is inexplicably hilarious

 

[ifmanis5]

Alan Hutton calling for the ball every time Villa have possession is inexplicably hilarious

Yes. And when he finally gets a foot on it, immediately gives it away. Very Dion Waiters-ish.

 

[ifmanis5]

Poor finish from Theo on that.

 

[Morgan's Magic Snowplow]

FA Cup champs again and great way to finish the season. Just a fantastic performance, so different than last year 'a final.

 

[ifmanis5]

Dominant win today. Terrific season save for the Monaco debacle. Feel a lot better about the future than the past few years.

 

[Spacemans Bong]

I liked the part of the game where we cornholed Villa in the most dominant FA Cup performance in over a century.

Zèro goals? That's a paddlin'.

Zèro shots on target? That's a paddlin'.

Zèro CORNERS? Oooooh, you better believe that's a paddlin'.