04/18/24
February 02, 2009
Arshavin, finally, joins the Gunners: After two weeks of negotiations, deals falling apart and being remade, and one big snowstorm, Andrei Arshavin has actually left Zenit St. Petersburg to join Arsenal. In other news from the closing of the transfer window, Robbie Keane rejoins Tottenham from Liverpool (and Harry Redknapp is excited), and Charles N'Zogbia leaves Newcastle for Wigan.
posted by boredom_08 to soccer at 11:05 PM - 27 comments
I'm curious to see if Keane returns to the form he had last season, pre-big money Liverpool deal, or if the new Keane is the real Keane. Hoping for the former, as I would rather not see Spurs fall through the relegation soup strainer. 'Twill be interesting to see who does after the mess that is the bottom of the table is sorted out by May.
posted by boredom_08 at 12:43 AM on February 03, 2009
Essentially Spurs were paid ~8m to loan Keane to Liverpool for six months, (If newspaper figures are to be believed). Not a bad piece of business for them. "~8m" should have the Sterling symbol in it, but the new board doesn't like it? Currenciest!
posted by Mr Bismarck at 07:51 AM on February 03, 2009
Spurs ought to be much better with Keane, but this season the club has managed to turn a bunch of new players into shadows of their former selves. I don't understand why Liverpool brought him in and then didn't give him a chance. Premiership management and fans have the least patience of any major sport I've ever followed.
posted by rcade at 09:11 AM on February 03, 2009
And, uhm, Everton got Jo on loan. Plus they had enough left over to buy David Moyes that sandwich he's had his eyes on for weeks.
posted by yerfatma at 10:08 AM on February 03, 2009
I haven't seen anything on arsenal.com yet, so I'm not about to start counting chickens. This has been the most frustrating transfer process I've ever seen--not to mention, Arsenal could have used him over the last few games.
posted by trox at 10:25 AM on February 03, 2009
Arshavin himself believes it's all good, apparently. That is, assuming Premier League administration okays it, which is yet to be seen.
I heard an interesting stat on the Football Weekly podcast from the Guardian yesterday that follows rcade's point on the lack of patience. There have been seventeen managerial changes in English football since Man Utd. last allowed a goal.
posted by boredom_08 at 11:24 AM on February 03, 2009
Update: it's really, really official now.
posted by boredom_08 at 02:36 PM on February 03, 2009
Mr. B, it looks like you can type "£" to get £
posted by scully at 04:53 PM on February 03, 2009
Thank freakin' goodness this transfer finally went through. Arsenal aren't hurting in the midfield due to injuries. I hope succeeds!
posted by scully at 04:54 PM on February 03, 2009
oops, ARE. ARE hurting. I walked away to make brownies and missed my edit window.
posted by scully at 05:17 PM on February 03, 2009
Where will he play in Arsenes lineup. Winger? Midfield? or Forward? From what I've read, he can play all those. I'm guessing he'll take the playmaker spot until Cesc is healed, but where after that?
posted by Ricardo at 06:11 PM on February 03, 2009
Don't know, but I can't wait to have Eduardo, Cesc, Rosicky, and Walcott available to help make the decisions even more challenging.
posted by scully at 06:42 PM on February 03, 2009
Where will he play in Arsenes lineup. Winger? Midfield? or Forward? From what I've read, he can play all those. I'm guessing he'll take the playmaker spot until Cesc is healed, but where after that?
I would suspect he plays the Hleb role -- just behind the striker(s). Perhaps he will shoot more than Hleb (shouldn't be difficult).
posted by holden at 12:14 AM on February 04, 2009
Arseblogger is thinking that for now Arshavin will play on the right side of the midfield. It will be interesting, but he has to get match fit first.
Can we offload Eboue now? Please?
posted by scully at 07:42 AM on February 04, 2009
There may yet be a spot of controversy over this transfer and whether it actually happened before or after the deadline.
posted by billsaysthis at 10:44 AM on February 04, 2009
That hurdle has been cleared too, billsaysthis.
posted by scully at 01:53 PM on February 05, 2009
Does anyone think he plays in the North London Derby this weekend? With Arsenal's injury list, I'm betting he sees some action.
posted by trox at 02:03 PM on February 05, 2009
Arshavin that is... Since Keane was given the armband, he's a shoe in to play.
posted by trox at 02:04 PM on February 05, 2009
I doubt it, trox. Hasn't played since November, hasn't played with his new mates at all, and admits that he is not match fit.
posted by scully at 08:19 PM on February 05, 2009
Saw this at the Guardian website -- Law and Order Russian mob episode, referring to NY Russian underworld types Abramovich, Pavlyuchenko and Arshavin.
posted by holden at 10:32 AM on February 06, 2009
Beeb is reporting that Arshavin may play on Sunday after all. Doesn't look like FSC is covering the derby though, the feckers.
posted by scully at 04:34 PM on February 06, 2009
Arshavin is on the bench so far, but Eboue just picked up a yellow card, so who knows!
posted by scully at 09:01 AM on February 08, 2009
They should get Eboue out of there before he picks up another yellow.
posted by holden at 09:16 AM on February 08, 2009
The silver lining for the gunners is now Arshavin will have to play the next three matches. Freaking Eboue. Every Arsenal fan I know is fed up with his antics.
posted by trox at 12:01 PM on February 08, 2009
Looks like you predicted the future, holden. Another worry for you Arsenal fans would be Emmanuel Adebayor's hamstring, I would think.
posted by boredom_08 at 04:24 PM on February 08, 2009
Like I said, I knew that Jo signing would be a good one. I'm going to keep bad-mouthing everything I want to happen and see if Everton's season stays moving in this positive direction. Which it won't.
posted by yerfatma at 11:43 AM on February 09, 2009
Arsene, Arshavin, Arsenal... the tabloid subbies are licking their lips.