From today's ArseBlog "Pascal Cygan has said he might leave Arsenal. Stop the wailing and crying, please. He says "I've always made it clear I'd look elsewhere if I wasn't playing." Bootle FC are said to be interested and a preparing a bid of £2.50, 3 lambs, some tulip bulbs and a 80 gallon septic tank. True."
I'm glad to see a fellow Arseblogger here... Thought I was alone in the world. On the Cygan issue: how can we ever manage without the Cyganbot? Dear God, what will we do when he's gone? How can we continue to live? To be fair, though, he has been playing decently as of late. I say give him just a little bit more time (I know, I know...) and then release him if he still sucks hardcore.
Cygan's played well in the last 3 matches. There are a lot of important games ahead, and we do have young players coming through, but, would you really rather Stepanovs as back-up?
Um, excuse me, but this is a family forum. We'll not have that s-word used here, thank you very much. Igors, Igors, Igors... The much-maligned defender. He sucks, plain and simple. And I do see your point. I maintain my "wait-and-see" mentality.
sell him and use the money for mexes. mexes mexes, he's our man, if he can't do it...kolo can. i would hate to see toure lose his place as he's playing so well, but i would like to have a true centerback in there. i do enjoy seeing toure playing on the right though
toure is a true centre back! he played there for hi old team on the ivory coast, and for his national team. theres nothing wrong with lauren on the right, i cant wait til it gets back to its recognised backline, at least then you can get back to somesort of stability.
ok ok, so he played center back for his old team in the ivory coast, but why would he be classified as a midfielder when he arrived at arsenal? don't get me wrong, i'm not questioning his talent at center back, but i like to see him get into the attack more. he seems very fast, with a sure touch and makes good attacking passes. during the inter match, it seemed like 90% of the attacks began with him making a run up the right flank
Nice goal at Stamford Bridge last year if i remember correctly... but we dont NEED him up in the midfield, we NEED him in the backline.. IMO of course~~ P
Stop buying center-backs we really don't need! Even if Cygan left we still have Keown and Senderos to fill in the Center and Even Tavlardis and if worse came to worse Gilberto or even Vieira can fill in. We don't need to buy at the back...we need a partner for Henry and sooner rather than later...
Keown is good backup for Toure and Campbell at the moment (if he can get himself fit!). Senderos may be a good buy, we'll have to wait and see. If Tvalaridis was going to make an impression I'd have thought he would have done so by now. The insane ramblings about Gilberto or Vieira filling in at the back should be discarded right now. Gilberto has already filled in there, and he did his best fair play to him, but he was pants. And why would you take arguably the best defensive midfielder and play him in the back line? I wouldn't mind seeing Wenger sign another centre back, but if it is to be Mexes I'm afraid Toure will have to sit down. Saying all that I think he'll be after a striker, the rumours about Reyes from Sevilla have surfaced again, but this time for a more reasonable £5m. The only time I've seen him play was a couple of weeks ago against Real Madrid and he took them apart!
Are we losing Toure to the African cup this year? I hate losing players to that right in the middle of the season, and with Toure being such a stalwart, we'd be looking pretty thin at the back with Toure gone for a significant period.
Van Buyton!! love to see the big belgian anchoring the backline with big Sol.. what a duo in the making.... c'mon AW, use those french connections mate!!!!!!!!!
We need Cygan for the rest of the season. He's established himself and he's been playing an important role, both starting and providing cover for Sol. I'm glad to see him playing well after last season inconsistancy.
If Cygan is not happy and is giving us an ultimatum, lets get the money for him while we can. I like Mexes. I saw him the confed. cup last summer and he was great, however, is center back the most important position to fill right now? We have some young players who can fill in and Keown although injury prone is still around. Next summer perhaps but not right now for a CB. Aliadiere or Bentley may be the future at forward but we need a partner for Henry now. Cygan has put 3 good games together and the word is he has trained very hard to get his position back but we will not start him instead of Toure`. Its just that simple. AW has never been one to get in the way of a player who truly wants to go. If Cygan didn't realise that he had a bad first year and that it will take time to get his position back or be first off the bench then he will be trouble later on. Sell him now then!
Re: Van Buyton!! Van Buyton would be a good matdh with Sol, I think. However, I agree with BayouGooner in saying that Cygan is starting off well. Let's hope he keeps this form up. He's been saying more to the media, as well. Link here.