This should be music to the ears of Arsenal fans everywhere, because ever since the Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich started pumping money into Chelsea, the Blues have regularly been able to beat the Gunners to any transfer targets that both clubs want, as well as being able to poach the likes of Ashley Cole with the offer of a massive hike in salary.
So to see the Metro report which reveals that Chelsea are set to miss out on one of their main transfer targets because the player has set his heart on playing for Arsenal, has got to be good news. The player in question is the Germany international centre back Antonio Rudiger.
The defender said, “I have always dreamed of the Premier League.
“I have been following Arsenal since the days of Henry and Bergkamp. I watch videos of Arsenal all the time on YouTube and I often wear the current Alexis Sanchez shirt.
“My heart beats for Arsenal.”
If you have never heard of him it is because Rudiger is still just 21-years old. But he has already played over 50 games for his Bundesliga club Stuttgart and has made the step up to the senior national side. And the youngster is so highly rated that his manager has admitted that there has been interest from various top clubs and that they will find it very hard to keep him, as reported by Sky Sports.
Armin Veh said, “Antonio is under contract until June 2017 with our club. The thing is, how much longer can we keep hold of such a player?
“He is willing to learn, has power and self-confidence and the willpower he needs to succeed.
“I understand that big clubs are chasing him. But a move will only be considered for Antonio if he joins a really big outfit. Otherwise, it would be better for him to stay at our club.”
So come on Arsene Wenger, what more encouragement do you need?
Eh… Marketing strategy? Honestly, I do not know him, but Metro puts out shyt than any a*s*s out there.
@kickA. And if chelsh!t really wants sign him then arsenal stand no chance #WengerEffect
Lol! @Muda, u mean “no chance in hell”
The boy bleeds us i sear if wenger doesn’t get this done i will dislike him 4ever
Well, I really don’t look down on players due to their age, my only concern is just about how much experience they have.
with 50 appearances for Stuttgart at 21 years old that is pretty impressive. We have players with less experience and not much younger starting for us
Dont know much about this guy but would rather stefan de vrij! Coyg!
De Vrij just moved to Lazio 3 months ago..
And he’s very poor for them. Italy is a country where merciless defenders are being produced, and this kid is not able to bully strikers out of their play.
If we were to sign a Dutchman I’d take Van Dijk any day, amazing prospect imo.
This Rudiger kid had a decent debut for Germany, but a shocker in his last Stuttgart game. He is definitely a guy to watch though, he has alot of similarities to Jerome Boateng at that age.
Rudiger would be nice addition. I also would like Van Dijk. I see him as our CDM, big, good on long balls and can score goals. 6 foot 3 vs the 5 ft 10 of Flamini. Hull would not have scored that goal. These 2 can be had for a combined 20 mil.
I would also want to see Hayden tried in the CDM position, he has to be better then Flamini or Arteta.
Back 4
Debuchy/Bellerin, Merts/Rudiger, Kos/Chambers, Gibbs/Monreal
Midfield
Van Dijk/Hayden, Ramsey/Wilshere/Arteta
To those who are not familiar with Rudiger:
Born in 1993, 190 cm tall, already capped 4 times for Germany and has been through all the youth teams for Germany. Has been a starter for Stuttgart for about 1,5 seasons now.
IMO he’s right there with Matthias Ginter and has an excellent future ahead of him. Major upgrade for Mertesacker who’s pace AND positioning has been exposed in the past few months.
how many defenders are we gonna be linked to before we realize that Wenger will probably panic buys some unknown defender at the last possible second? don’t keep your hopes up guys.
The panic buy period has gone.
I have doubt Wenger before, but he proved to us last two season that he willing to spend when there’s money available to him. And he only bought quality. All our signings this season did well. Even Ozil although is not as good as we expected, he is no flop and still a class above many other average ones.
Whether he bought players at the right position is till up for debate
I wouldnt mind us getting the dutch defender joel veltman! Seen some dutch league games with him playing for ajax, and he is very decent at the back!
I am Dutch and the lad is pretty bad when pressured. Ajax have a walk in the park in all home games, definitely not a good parameter. He’s been shocking for Holland in the mins he played so far. Also he is not nearly as good as Vermaelen and Vertonghen were when they left Ajax.
Welkom
My only concern is Wenger will try converting him into left winger like he does with every other player
Are u trying to call Wenger “The Converter”?
Ok, no problem.
6 foot 3 inches, good in the air, god with the ball at feet is a CB who can play RB or DM, pacey, loves arsenal and also not cup tied .
Arsenal should be looking a house, a wife and kids for this guy right about now, thats how much we need him, would also buy the celtic CB too and allow Kos to go and do his surgery, because his heel will not get any better this season and will only get worse.
Any body can say what has happen to hayden, he haad the potential to feature in both of arsenal recent matches, but no sign of him
Hayden is injured unfortunately. He would have been used.
This might seem controversial, but I don’t really think we need a new centreback. For all I’ve seen of Chambers, he’s a much better centreback than he is a right back. I’ve been far more impressed with Bellerin at right back than Chambers at right back (where he seems to always foul a player when the player gets past him with pace). Bellerin and Chambers are age mates, but we give preference to Chambers as if he has played a champions league final or something.
Left Backs: Gibbs and Monreal
Central Defenders: Koscielny, Mertesacker, Chambers, Hayden
Right Backs: Debuchy, Jenkinson AND Bellerin
What we need is a big guy at the base of midfield who can dominate and dictate play.
Van Dijk is the guy we need.
yes…. until they’re all injured like they are now.
Are u trying to call Wenger “The Converter”?
Ok, no problem.
wenger needs to play “prince podolski” more regular he is our best clinical finisher! Coyg!
he’s our best finisher. but don’t get your hopes up with his performance, it disappears a lot.
Prince Poldi is an amazing finisher but seems to disappear when he starts in games. He’s more like an impact sub but ten again he hasn’t been given the opportunity to start often
I have a dream that Monaco will poach Arsenal for the legendary Arsene Wenger.
him + virgil van djik would be great both can play as cb & cdm ,let’s face it mertasacker should be our 3rd choice cb his performance hasn’t been that good this season + both per & kos are 30 & 29 yrs we need young cb’s
Defenders can be a bit older. But yes we need to a defender that can put Merts on the bench. He has long contract so he can sit that one out.
Anderlecht’s Steven Defour says that while Dortmund outplayed his team, Arsenal were on the same level as Anderlecht.Arsenal were hoping for a moment of brilliance from Alexis Sanchez or Danny Welbeck & didn’t have many runners from midfield.”Dortmund’s midfielders seemed to be coming from everywhere. Dortmund outplayed us. I don’t think Arsenal were stronger than we were.
teams have worked out ways 2 beat arsenal anyone can do these days
a) play him tempo high pressing football like bvb did
b) play with 10 men behind the ball , sit deep defend & attack on counter
c) get physical (stoke) disrupt our rhythm
unfortunately wenger hasn’t found a solution to this
@leo
You just named 3 ways to beat any team…
It seems that the guy is good and pretty much wish to wear arsenal jersey. I don know him but i hope we scout him and make decisions. He is a gunner and that mean something if not everything.
We were very lucky last night, no doubt about that. We absolutely have to beat Sunderland if there’s any chance of us catching Chelsea.
Come on man.we are not catching Chelsea
Chelsea ?? Let us talk about catching Southampton . LOL
I don’t know who is he,don’t heard about him.I don’t think we must”bet”on unproven players because we are not Southampton or other little club who doens’t matter where finish the season.We maybe can take a RB like Richards and for CB are few players who have prove their qualities at the higher level and now are just backup like Nastasic(I think we need a left footed CB to,we feel Vermaelen departure)and Varane for example.Need quality not just many players to can handle a little time in all competition we are playng.
As long as that old twat is here, I dont care who we buy as its not gonna make any difference. We bought ozil, sanchez etc. So many world class and big names we are able to buy now and are buying but we are going backwards. So what use is poaching a player anymore.
I think Mertesacker has been found out now. Since he came back from the World Cup he has been terrible. I think he lost his confidence after being dropped from the starting 11 for Germany..
Seriously, have you seen how poor he has been so far? He looks so slow and disinterested, can’t header away corners, all the crosses coming into the box he misses them or lets the opposition out jump him or get the wrong side of him..
He is easily turned and when that happens he just gives up and just jokes or walks back while opposition players run past him in numbers and crowd our box.
I just don’t know what’s wrong with him, he just looks too relaxed and no fight, last season he was screaming, barking instructions, tackling with passion, always tried his best to track back with real intention whenever he got skinned.
But this season he just looked like a player who decided to retire from International football and thinks he has retired from competitive football, it’s seems like he thinks retiring from International football he now has to take it easy and put his feel up at Arsenal..
I am just fuming with our defending..
“Jogs “
Like you I have been watching Mertesacker and I can’t believe why he is being picked to play every game. He isn’t slow he just can’t run. The man is an utter liability. I can’t watch a game without being obsessed by what he is or isn’t doing. I find myself shouting at the tele and wondering where he is because he’s not on screen. Then you see him walking back not even watching the play that has gone beyond him. Against Anderlecht I don’t think he ran more than 10 yards all game. And yet when some fans are analysing after match perfomances it is usually Jack,Rambo,Ox, Oziil or Giroud who get the vitriol. How come the big man always escapes to the shadows…
Watching Robert Pires in action in the Indian Super League for Goa FC. Of course he looks ordinary at this age but he reminds of our golden times and his golden goals. But but andre santos is also playing alongside him thus neutralizing the pleasing walk down the memory lane .
A new C /M might improve the squad we have.
COACH /MANAGER
A new C /M might improve the squad we have.
COACH /MANAGER
I
Wenger buys who Wenger wanna buy so to hell with all these rumours,I don’t rate them…I’d just be patient enough till January 31st 2015 to see who Wenger brings in.We may be lucky enough to get a Riri this time since we got a Kim K last time out we did business in January lol
Lol! @Muda, u mean “no chance in hell”
The weird thing is that Wenger has always had luck on his side somehow. We are all calling for his head, well at least most of us but we are still pretty early in the season and there is a very long way to go. For all we know Chelsea could crumble under injuries any time or just lose their rhythm and oh what do you know?! Arsenal is top of the EPL by May or something. We are forgetting that by January almost our full team will be available. When we pick up our rhythm and start winning games regularly we will all jump on the Wenger is the best bandwagon again. My point is that football is full of unknowns. By December last year some of us actually thought Arsenal would make it and win the EPL then everybody got injured. By January next year we should have all if not most our top players. Keep that in mind