Serie A: From Bad To Worse For Old Arsenal Captain…
Arsenal’s current captain Thierry Henry had been contemplating a move away from Arsenal over most of last season, but thankfully stayed. He’s lost both the Champions League Final and World Cup Final but will be a stronger player because of it. Arsenal’s future is bright with the new Emirates Stadium as our home and some brilliant young players coming through the ranks.
But with the latest revelations coming out of Serie A things aren’t looking so good for our old captain.
Basically Juventus, Lazio and Fiorentina have been demoted to Serie B, and Juventus will start next season with a 30-point deduction - almost certainly confining them to the second division for at least 2 seasons.
Lazio have been deducted 7 points and Fiorentina 12, so they have a slightly better chance of getting back into Serie A within one season. That’s if they don’t lose all their players!
All the teams involved in the scandal (Juventus, Fiorentina, Lazio and AC Milan) have been barred from European competition, meaning Inter, Roma, Chievo and Palermo will benefit and appear in next seasons Champions League.
And the bottom 3 teams in Serie A - Messina, Lecce and Treviso will stay up as a result.
And Juventus have been stripped of their last two Serie A titles.
Who said the grass was greener on the other side?
July 14th, 2006 at 10:33 pm
I know most Arsenal fans would probably disagree with this but I’d welcome Vieira back at Arsenal. He’s still a great player and although he didn’t play to his best in the last couple of seasons he was with us this whole incident could resurrect his career!
July 14th, 2006 at 10:51 pm
If Vieira is available Arsene ought to grab him. Maybe only to platoon with Gilberto, Cesc, Freddie, Hleb, Rosicky. Flamini, Reyes et al but what a bench it would give us.
We have to replace Diaby and if Cole goes [likely, the way things are panning out] Flamini may be required at left back some of the time.
Unl;ess, of course, YaYa is on the way in which case we should let him go to Man U .
July 14th, 2006 at 11:21 pm
I agree with Stuart, Patrick was a great player for us and did a lot for the developement of the club.
He still has much to offer as was evident from his preformence for France in the world cup.
July 14th, 2006 at 11:36 pm
No no no! Some people seem so easily swayed by a couple of performances in the WC. Overall Vieira did not have a great level of performance in Germany. And over the period of last season at Juve, and the season before with Arsenal, it was evident that Vieira couldn’t produce anywhere near his best for sustained periods. Sure, he has the class to raise his game from time to time, but he is in decline and the decision to let hm go when he did was still the right one. He couldn’t come back and do it again for Arsenal now; that’s all in the past.
July 15th, 2006 at 12:40 am
Let’s just stick with signing Buffon and Trezeguet - would make for some more interesting competition within the squad!
July 15th, 2006 at 1:22 am
Pat did do a great deal for the club fair enough but what a kick in the bollocks that would be to poor Cesc, having got where he is now. The boss knows best and last years decision was spot on. I think Tommy will be massive this year and Buffon would make an excellent addition alongside Yaya as new signings. Has everyone forgot Trabelsi? We offered him and contract so he’ll probably take the bate too.
July 15th, 2006 at 2:01 am
I’m a fan of Vieira but his days with the club are over. We have to move forward and having Vieira back doesn’t hlep Arsenal in the long term
July 15th, 2006 at 2:37 am
Trabelsi???! That will only happen in your dreams. He is 29.
Chellini from Juve will come in if Cole goes…
July 15th, 2006 at 6:14 am
Dudes - anyone who wants Vieira back is insane. He’s past it - over the hill - injury prone etc. See what happened in the world cup? Injured… as usual. In champs league he played against us like he did for us - lame - and Fab ran him ragged. If we’re ever going to mount a serious challenge to Chelsea or Man U we can’t be fucking about with players like Vieira, we need to look to the future.
July 15th, 2006 at 6:34 am
No! I am just amazed at the number of people wanting Vieira back. His decline over the past 2 years is blatantly obvious. And it will never happen, thank God! Wenger has a plan and is trying to build the midfield around Fabregas; Vieia just doesn’t fit in anymore.
July 15th, 2006 at 8:18 am
One thing not mentioned in the report is the fact that we are still owed money for the vieira transfer.
This is a double edged sword, on the one hand we might never see that money again or atleast have a hell of a hard time trying to get it. On the other hand, it could give us a leg up in any race to sign a Juve player.
Here’s hoping it’s the latter, but not if it’s to bring back vieira. Get Buffon, and maybe Thuram or Cannavaro for a year, to help the youngsters out, but thats it, no one else interest me from Juve
July 15th, 2006 at 6:48 pm
Thanks but No thanks Viera’s time at arsenal has passed. We are now in the era of Cesc Fabregas. I say lets break the bank and bring in Buffon. He should be our Goalkeeper for the next five years from which we will gain 15 to 20 points per season.
July 15th, 2006 at 7:10 pm
im sorry but arsenal should never attempt to sign treze, he is the most highly rated player i have ever seen nd by the way a deal is being done for robinho and baptista to arsenal whilst switching reyes and cole to real madrid that would strengthen the team so much with a likely signin of the best keeper in da world only at the age of 28 and such a big name like buffon in the starting X1….
torres will likely be goin in the january transfer session to arsenal with a loan deal for saviola to atletico madrid for the rest of the season and 30 mil on top for him….. this while all happen with a 95% propability.
July 16th, 2006 at 6:16 am
Just think of Pat playing for Manu. The thing that I hope for is Pat playing some where else not in the premier league.
And I think the position that we are looking for is not Midfielder.
But Winger and defender and Striker. Well if we sign yaya that is great because we find the prefect replacement for Gilberto.
Striker like saviola is too small for the premierleague.
Torres is not coming to arsenal, Manu will out bet arsenal. and I think torres is a fans of man u I heard is comment other days.
Ribery is needed, I hope he come and curtis is more like it.
and Buffon will be just perfect.
July 16th, 2006 at 10:18 am
what is with u people. We have one of the best defence shields in the World. (Gilberto). And We have THE best attacking midfielder in the world. (Fabregas). Diaby is a better player than vieira ever was
July 16th, 2006 at 7:19 pm
Well, yes Hopeful, but Diaby is out for a few months at least. Rosicky could probably fill in for Cesc in the center if needed, but we also lack a dmid to back up Gilberto.
Okay, can’t let it slide. Diaby can only hope to become the player Vieira was.
July 21st, 2006 at 4:31 pm
rosicky?? good player but last year we came undone in away games like bolton, bburn etc. how has that been solved…rosicky?
henry is great but not against physical teams, same as fab & reyes, theo will be the same
what we really need is a roy keane in his prime
somebody in the middle of the park that gets stuck in, sweats blood & takes shit of nobody. full stop.
thats all we need, our defence was lethal last year despite a lot of injuries & this year they will only be better.
buffon?? dry your eyes…lehmann was always a quality keeper, tho howler prone. not now, he has been lethal for a year inc the WC.
…arsene knows..