Arsenal Reject Barca's Latest Offer

Vermalaen's response when asked if Cesc should be allowed to leave if he wants to: "You don't know what his real opinion is because you read things in the papers and maybe it's not right so I think he's always determined, he loves Arsenal and I think he's always determined to play for Arsenal." That's positive right?? I mean I know Cesc has remained quiet more or less all summer but he's in a difficult position where he doesn't want to alienate either club becausehe doesn't know where he will be next season.

Wenger is so predictable you wonder how the players are responding to him anymore. He's like Comical Ali from the second Gulf war spewing out his insistences that we are strong, mental strenghts, blah blah blah. I had no faith that he'd take the action required this summer. As for the past 5/6 seasons, he'd come out and say "we know what the problems are, we'll do what's necessary". Then as time goes by and the immediate pain subsides, back come on the rose-tinted specs and he'll be thinking "we were very close last year, the mark of a true champion is to come back again". And so here we are, 7 days before the new season, and we've lost our left-back and not replaced him, and we're one TV5 injury away from having Kos, Djourou and Squillaci as our centre backs. Here's another prediction: we'll continue playing tippy-tappy, not take our chances, and then concede goals. Predictable.

We have sent Bartley back on loan and have had bids refused for a 29 year old experienced defender. That we are looking to buy another defender is obvious. The question is will we secure the player we want by the end of the window. Will the people who have predicted the outcome of the window admit they were wrong in case we buy a defender..

What is wrong Kos DV? I thought for a young playing his first season in the Prem he did very well.

We got Udinese in the Champions League!!

BBC are reporting that Gazidis will be meeting Farca officials today so hopefully we will put an end to this saga one way or another by the end of today. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14418243.stm

Have to say as well as sheer exasperation, I feel truly sad that Cesc is going to leave us. Watching the highlights of his action from last season on youtube makes you really appreciate what a player we have on our books. We'll definitely need to find different ways to play once he leaves. As for Cesc, for all the honours he'll no doubt win, I hope he doesn't regret it when he's not first choice on the team sheet and mostly a squad player for this season and most likely next. :-(

Holding him to a contract is our prerogative...as is yours to hold Modric to his.

Not the same situation. Modric has given three years of service, Fabergas has no doubt given the best years of his career to Woolwich Arsenal. Fabergas is Catalan. The last time I checked Modric wasn't born on the King's Rd, if you know what I mean? This is the first time that Modric has requested a move. And yet a transfer to Barca for Fabregas was agreed last year by Woolwich Arsenal. And that, I should say, takes us right to the heart of the matter. Woolwich Arsenal Football Club said they would let Fabregas go; but now they have renaged on that agreement, and are pushing a hard line on any deal. Wenger convinced Fabregas to stay. He told him that things would improve. But things didn't improve. In fact they have got arguably worse, with the whole sorry saga of failure playing out at the Emirates club pass only stadium once again. It is Woolwich Arsenal who have gone back on the gentleman's agreement that was in place, it is they who have acted inappropriately and unfairly. Not that you'd know it as the Woolwich Arsenal fans have taken it upon themsleves at every opportunity to portray Barca as the liars and the skullduggers, highlighting a few incidents of mere high jinks on the part of the Spanish team as a justfication for their vitriol. At the same time, not a shred of responsibility for this farce has been taken on board by Woolwich Arsenal. I hope Fabergas gets his move and I wish him all the best. He is homesick for Christ's sake! And yet Woolwich Arsenal would deny a mother the longing she has to be with her son! It's wrong, all so very wrong. It makes an honest man's blood boil!

TRH, you are a nutjob's nutjob. Bravo you loon.

I think you are doing the right thing and standing firm, too many players think they can sign a contract one minute and leave the next and clubs like Chelsea think they can wave there open ended cheque book and wages and get what ever player they want well **** them you stand firm and show Barca you are no push overs and if you think he is worth 40 mil which in todays market he is worth every penny then you make sure you get it.