Robbo
Paul Walsh
I'd have him back in a heartbeat! Rather him than Bale!
Agreed, although I fear it would turn out a little like the return of Keane.
I'd have him back in a heartbeat! Rather him than Bale!
What did he do wrong? Do you know something we don't?Wasn't Conte the manager when they bought him? This seems very strange. It's hardly a case that Arsenal or another English club will take him and Inter acted as an intermediary?
I feel for the lad. It ended badly here and I didn't like how he carried on at times but I still have good time for him.
What did he do wrong? Do you know something we don't?
True his form was awful for many months prior to his departure but we may never how much this was or was not affected by what was going on behind the scenes. If there was ever any truth in the more lurid rumours then it's hardly surprising he became so unsettled he wanted out.
Maybe one day the truth will out; meanwhile in the absence of any concrete evidence that he deliberately chose to shortchange the club I'd argue he deserves is the benefit of the doubt.
I think you misjudge him.He also doesn’t seem the sort of character that could walk back into the dressing room and front it out.
He would be returning with his tail between his legs and I think a few players might just let him know that.
I don't specifically recall the Liverpool game but I do agree that on occasion he did appear to 'wimp out,' as you put it. But where I differ totally is in interpretation of what was actually happening.
It seemed pretty obvious to me that here was a player going through a private hell of some sort. It's why I've always suspected there may have been a germ of truth in some of those lurid Twitter rumours.
You may recall they very much coincided with his request for a transfer, his sudden relegation to the bench after having been Mr Reliable for so long, and then the subsequent dramatic loss of form. But whether true or false, those 'revelations' would undoubtedly have affected him. He looked but a shadow of the player we know he can be.
Anyone who's ever been in a similar place will know that that's exactly the sort of thing that mental torture can do to you. The real surprise was that despite his personal problems he continued to play whenever asked. For me that points to bravery rather than abject cowardice.
But I guess we all have our own way of interpreting what we see in front of us, and for all I know it's me who's got it all completely wrong. I just prefer to give him the benefit of the doubt until proved wrong. Especially as until that annus horribilis for him he had always been such an outstanding servant of the club, someone who helped us reach heights we had not seen for decades.
Fair enough, that's your take and you are perfectly entitled to your opinion but in my experience things are rarely as cut and dried as they seem on the surface. I therefore hesitate to judge until at least I've heard the other side of the story.There's a lot of supposition in there about something that's really no more than a fan rumour. However, if that is the case, I'd give him some sympathy but he's a pro and the least he can do is put in the effort when he's on the pitch. Far more likely for me is that fact he was close to the end of his contract and didn't want to get injured. Particularly as the Liverpool game was in January and it was the first time I'd blatantly seen it.
I've no problem with his bad performances. He gave an absolutely terrible performance for 75 mins away to Olympiacos. Really awful. He lost possession a ridiculous amount of times (the commentators gave the figure it was so bad). But I actually gave him credit for that performance because he never shied away from the ball. That took guts. And for the last 15 mins, he started to look like a player again.
I don't believe there is ever any excuse for wimping out of challenges. When you're doing that, you aren't being even remotely professional and that's unforgivable.
What did you make of Jose’s comments in all or nothing around players being out of contract not wanting to fight in 50/50s?Fair enough, that's your take and you are perfectly entitled to your opinion but in my experience things are rarely as cut and dried as they seem on the surface. I therefore hesitate to judge until at least I've heard the other side of the story.
Congratulations on winning his 100th cap tonight.
Looked better as well ..
Arsenal are considering a swap deal with Inter Milan which would see Denmark and former Tottenham defender Christian Eriksen, 28, join the Gunners and Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka, 28, move to the Italian club. (Corriere dello Sport, via Talksport)
It's the price they've said no to. Swapping Eriksen with Xhaka, they'd have to pay at least €120m.Arsenal have said no thanks to CE