Hello!
The comments on this profile are unclaimed and thus are unverified.
Do they belong to you? Claim these comments.
Michael
Is this you? Claim Profile »
1 year ago
in Are Hleb and Flamini Really Necessary? on EPL Talk
Flamini is leaving, and Hleb probably will stay but that's because he wouldn't get a game at another big club. Sure, he could go to a big Italian team, but he wouldn't actually play.
Arsenal doesn't need either of those two to be successful. They have capable replacements waiting in the wings.
Arsenal doesn't need either of those two to be successful. They have capable replacements waiting in the wings.
1 year ago
in Manchester City Wins FA Youth Cup on EPL Talk
Alex, yes, Walcott has looked impressive in recent weeks but that's not exactly what I was talking about.
Let me ask you something, would you ever hear Wenger say that Walcott is NOT an important part of the team? Would you ever hear Wenger say that Lehmann is unimportant, even though he's the backup these days? Would you ever hear Wenger say that a guy like Justin Hoyte isn't important?
I don't mean to pick on Wenger, I'm just saying that it's "coachspeak". All managers will say that every one of their players is important, whether it's true or not. Walcott would start for nearly any other club in England but is lucky to come off the bench at Arsenal. The only reason he's played as much as he has recently is because of injuries for Arsenal's wingers this season.
Walcott is a terrific young player, don't get me wrong. I'm just saying that in order for him to further his career, I think he's going to need to leave Arsenal, just like David Bentley did at that same wide right position, and look at where he is today. Look at Fabrice Muamba, who couldn't get a game at Arsenal but now features regularly for Birmingham. Look at Jermaine Pennant, who played just 12 senior games for Arsenal from 1999-2005. Pennant was signed for $4 million when he was 15, couldn't get a game, and then was sent on loan three times before moving to Birmingham City and then Liverpool. All jokes aside, Pennant has carved out a decent career for himself since his move away from London, and will likely return to first-team action when he leaves Liverpool this summer.
Wenger has never been big on using English players and in the summer, he's going to look to buy more established, high-profile players that will just put Walcott even lower on the depth chart.
Let me ask you something, would you ever hear Wenger say that Walcott is NOT an important part of the team? Would you ever hear Wenger say that Lehmann is unimportant, even though he's the backup these days? Would you ever hear Wenger say that a guy like Justin Hoyte isn't important?
I don't mean to pick on Wenger, I'm just saying that it's "coachspeak". All managers will say that every one of their players is important, whether it's true or not. Walcott would start for nearly any other club in England but is lucky to come off the bench at Arsenal. The only reason he's played as much as he has recently is because of injuries for Arsenal's wingers this season.
Walcott is a terrific young player, don't get me wrong. I'm just saying that in order for him to further his career, I think he's going to need to leave Arsenal, just like David Bentley did at that same wide right position, and look at where he is today. Look at Fabrice Muamba, who couldn't get a game at Arsenal but now features regularly for Birmingham. Look at Jermaine Pennant, who played just 12 senior games for Arsenal from 1999-2005. Pennant was signed for $4 million when he was 15, couldn't get a game, and then was sent on loan three times before moving to Birmingham City and then Liverpool. All jokes aside, Pennant has carved out a decent career for himself since his move away from London, and will likely return to first-team action when he leaves Liverpool this summer.
Wenger has never been big on using English players and in the summer, he's going to look to buy more established, high-profile players that will just put Walcott even lower on the depth chart.
1 year ago
in Thoughts from this Past Premier League Weekend on EPL Talk
Berbatov is on a tear right now, but Roque Santa Cruz has 8 goals in his last 5 matches for Blackburn and he's basically had to carry the team; Rovers don't have the same type of players around him like Tottenham does to help support Berbatov.
1 year ago
in Shut Up, Rolando Bianchi! on EPL Talk
Kartik, I know that the issue of cuisine is important, obviously eating the food you're accustomed to makes you feel more comfortable. I understand all that.
My point was that this is something he either knew about prior to coming to England or should have known about. He couldn't have expected to have the same diet he had when he was playing for Reggina in Italy. If you're living and playing in England and you're foreign, you're not going to be able to eat Italian food or whatever food you've grown up eating because that's just now how it works.
You're right about his desire to play for Italy; they are notorious for selecting players who play their domestic soccer in Italy and really are almost biased against players who play overseas unless they are simply too good to be held out of the squad. Bianchi is a fringe player though and probably will have to go back to Italy if he wants to remain in the national scene. That's why I was surprised that he wants to move to Spain next; a move like that wouldn't really help his chances either.
My point was that this is something he either knew about prior to coming to England or should have known about. He couldn't have expected to have the same diet he had when he was playing for Reggina in Italy. If you're living and playing in England and you're foreign, you're not going to be able to eat Italian food or whatever food you've grown up eating because that's just now how it works.
You're right about his desire to play for Italy; they are notorious for selecting players who play their domestic soccer in Italy and really are almost biased against players who play overseas unless they are simply too good to be held out of the squad. Bianchi is a fringe player though and probably will have to go back to Italy if he wants to remain in the national scene. That's why I was surprised that he wants to move to Spain next; a move like that wouldn't really help his chances either.
1 year ago
in Christmas Eve Odds and Sods on EPL Talk
Guarantee you that Spurs won't finish in the top six Spursfan.
Have you not watched Villa, Pompey, and Everton play this year?? Spurs may be a top-10 side and I think they are a better team than Reading and West Ham, but I'm not sure they can finish ahead of Blackburn or City.
I picked Spurs to finish 4th this season but as usual, their back line has let them down and to be honest, their midfield is not nearly as good as I thought they'd be.
Have you not watched Villa, Pompey, and Everton play this year?? Spurs may be a top-10 side and I think they are a better team than Reading and West Ham, but I'm not sure they can finish ahead of Blackburn or City.
I picked Spurs to finish 4th this season but as usual, their back line has let them down and to be honest, their midfield is not nearly as good as I thought they'd be.
1 year ago
in Are Arsenal Premier League Title Contenders? on EPL Talk
I agree with you 100%, Arsenal are not true title contenders. Games like the one the Gunners drew yesterday are the games you absolutely have to win if you want the title: On the road against a top-6-or-7 team in a hostile environment.
United thumped Villa 4-1 at Villa Park earlier this season, beat Everton 1-0 at Goodison, and recently won 1-0 at Anfield. Arsenal, by comparison, managed only a draw at Blackburn, a draw at Liverpool, and were fortunate to escape Villa Park with a 2-1 win.
I knew that once the weather really turned sour and the fixture list grew more and more hectic, Arsenal wasn't going to be able to play the style that they like to play and were able to play at the beginning of the year. It's the time of the year where you really have to earn your victories and grind out games and that's not the type of team Arsenal is. The ground is harder because it's colder and the passes that were easy to control back in the summer are now bouncing up and coming faster, instead of playing once a week they're now playing a couple times a week, and I honestly don't think Arsenal is best suited to play in those conditions.
United are going to win the title and could do it by 5 or 6 points, which leaves the Champions League as the Gunners' other prize but I have a feeling they'll be knocked out by the much more experienced, battle-tested AC Milan in the Round of 16.
United thumped Villa 4-1 at Villa Park earlier this season, beat Everton 1-0 at Goodison, and recently won 1-0 at Anfield. Arsenal, by comparison, managed only a draw at Blackburn, a draw at Liverpool, and were fortunate to escape Villa Park with a 2-1 win.
I knew that once the weather really turned sour and the fixture list grew more and more hectic, Arsenal wasn't going to be able to play the style that they like to play and were able to play at the beginning of the year. It's the time of the year where you really have to earn your victories and grind out games and that's not the type of team Arsenal is. The ground is harder because it's colder and the passes that were easy to control back in the summer are now bouncing up and coming faster, instead of playing once a week they're now playing a couple times a week, and I honestly don't think Arsenal is best suited to play in those conditions.
United are going to win the title and could do it by 5 or 6 points, which leaves the Champions League as the Gunners' other prize but I have a feeling they'll be knocked out by the much more experienced, battle-tested AC Milan in the Round of 16.
