Ljungberg pretty much gone to West Ham 23 July, 2007
Posted by lasagnechef in Transfers.trackback
Nothing properly official has been announced yet so I can’t give you a 100% that he’s gone but it looks as though he has. West Ham have announced a 2pm press conference which is believed to be to unveil Freddie. He’s like the only player left from that old Arsenal I used to know, it will be sad seeing him play for another team but if you think about it maturely, it really is time for him to go. He’s 30 now and he’s not the quality he used to be, and with the salary he’s on, it’s just not financially worth keeping him.
Next season he would only get a handful of games which would’ve been sad in it’s own way. Just last week Wenger was saying how valuable Freddie is to Arsenal. After the Barnet game Arsene said it’s 90% that he will stay and after the Gencleribabighisigh game he said this:
“Freddie is a winner. We have a very big squad, maybe not in numbers but in quality. We have many young players so the experienced ones have to show the way – not only footballistically but mentally – for a successful season. Last season Freddie had tremendous problems with his hamstrings so we will see how it goes this season. He will be part of the squad.”
Quite a bit of rubbish there to be honest; ‘we have a very big squad’ no we don’t, and ‘footballistically’ a new word invented by le boss? Anyways, he couldn’t have exactly said ‘yea he’ll be off soon’ so it’s fair enough.
In one way I don’t want Freddie to go, but I know it is what’s right. Even with our lack of wingers he might have a job at Arsenal but obviously not. Now that he’s gone (or at least that’s how it seems) I believe we must make another signing. We need another winger for the squad. Rosicky and Hleb have been brought in recently but both were attacking midfielders, not wingers. We need to sign someone who is a bloody winger. Also, someone who is older than 21 please. If Wenger insists that our ‘very big squad’ is good enough then I’m sorry to say it but he’s wrong. He can’t put it down to money either. We have £10m+ left over from sales this summer not the mention the fee for Ljungberg and Reyes, which are still to be settled. At least one more signing must be made.
I’ll be watching Sky Sports News later to see this 2pm press conference. Will be a bit sad but at least I will officially know that Fredrik Ljungberg has left the club. I leave you with this.
We love you Freddie, because you’ve got no hair,
We love you Freddie, because you’re everywhere,
We love you Freddie, cos’ you’re Arsenal through and through
I’m gonna miss him.
Gotta say it’s a shame for him to go, but it’s gotta be the right choice.
Especially seeing as we now HAVE to sign at least one more wide player!!!
Personally I’d like to see Robinho, tho I don’t see that happening after his good showing at the recent tournament (his price would be higher than the £2.50 AW likes to pay!!!)
class goal! it will be a good signing 4 the mighty hammers but ur right freddie is past his best
Bloody hell….he hasnt gone yet!
Scooch – don’t expect any signings to come in. I think Wenger accepted that Ljunberg wasn’t going to be a first team player. Henry was a first team player so a replacement was bought asap.
Had forgotten how great that goal was – but it sums up why he had to go – look at the pace and thrust he used to have.
One of the Arsenal legends but in recent years unfortunately Freddie with the “red hair” who was “everywhere” became
We love you Freddie in your underwear
We love you Freddie, your ads are everywhere
We love you Freddie, cos you’re y-fronts through and through
It was painful last year to watch Freddie trying to do what he has always been good at and his worn out legs not letting him do so. Time to say goodbye and good business if we can get a hefty transfer fee and lose his demand on the wage bill. Whatever, he has consistently put in the greatest effort of anyone during the Wenger years and will always be a legend to the Arsenal faithful – good luck to him for the future.
If Henry had stayed, I think we would have had a similar experience with his speed gone.
Everyone agrees that we need a replacement winger, but there is no signs yet. I was deadly disappointed when we missed out on Malouda, why do we constanly lose what appears to be transfer targets to other clubs?
Anyway my preference is still Gamst Pedersen. He is far too skillful to be trapped at Blackburn and has proved he can cut it in the PL. He would contribute width on the left with great crossing ability and he scores a goodly amount of amazing goals.
“If Wenger insists that our ‘very big squad’ is good enough then I’m sorry to say it but he’s wrong.”
No offense but I’d rather take his word for it than yours mate
yeah another old faithful gone i just hope we replace him we need a winger but i would of thought arsen would of got one before pre season he must no we need one…..cant beleive he might send djorou on loan and keep shitty senderos ther he is poo aint he ……stephen appiah is a good player i hope wenger buys him he is a bit like essien…..would like robinho but i think he is to expensive for us maybe a loan him and reyes again that would be good does anyone else think we will sign anyone else
Ruddy hell, Its soft cell
Looking at the way Wenger operates, he would never buy a winger before selling either/both Reyes and/or Ljungberg. Now he has at least one position to fill and I believe he will buy one wide player to replace Reyes after he leaves. The question remains if he will replace Freddie…
Wenger did clearly say a big squad ‘maybe not in numbers’, so he knows we need more players. What he is saying is that we have the needed quality in the squad already, but that doesn’t mean he won’t sign anyone else. After the Barnet game he said he wasn’t thinking about anymore signings because neither Freddie or Reyes had left. It seems Freddie will have gone later today & Reyes will probably go before the deadline (Real Madrid have just returned to pre season training in Austria, so its a good time for them & Wenger to talk it over). I can’t believe we wont see one new face arrive before the window closes on august 31st!!
Farrukh, If Freddie goes I can’t see us not signing a wide player. We’ll have lost him and Reyes. I do think that Dudu will possibly play out wide and Theo. We also got TR7 and Hleb (who aren’t really wide players), so, actually, you may have a point haha.
I’m in agreement with ClockendJim up there that Pederson would be a great signing for us. The few occasions that I’ve seen him play he’s been excellent!!!
I like Pederson but when I wrote an article about wanting him on insidearsenal, plenty of fans flamed me for liking him and called him average!
Whatever – I like him
WIDE Players???? When has wenger ever played wide players – the only wingers he ever had were Overmars and Pennant and overmars adjusted his game to cut inside as a support striker, pennant did not and was shipped out. Pires, Ljunberg, Rosicky, Parlour, Reyes and Hleb were all used as support strikers or wide defensive midfielders. In attack they run along the line and change the dynamic of the attack.
Width has always been provided by the overlapping full backs Cole, Clichy, Eboue, Lauren and Dixon. Even Luhzny was brought in for his excellent crossing ability – his problem was a lack of pace and poor defensive.
Wenger will not change his philosophy – Eboue will not be transfered to the middle as he does not have the 5 yard burst which a Wenger midfielder needs – he is however ver fast over 10-15 yards and has a wicked delivery and is perfect as an overlapping fullback.
What we need is a no nonsense centre back – an animal… I think Senderos can be that if he bulks up a little and gets some confidence. But until then we should be looking for the next best centre half that Mourinho hasn’t collected…
Further good news.Reyes will sign for Sevilla.
And even firther good news, Pat Rice has been arrested for buggary
Selling Freddie for 3.5 million plus saving 3.5 million a year on wages, plus 8 million minimum for Reyes, gives AW a healthy surplus plus what he already has. So lets hope someone we ahev never hear of comes along on the wing. Pederson woull be good
I’d love Pederson
And yeah I know he said in quality but it’s still a nothing statement. He’s including our reserves/kids but our 1st team squad is very thin you must admit
Its sad to see Freddie go to be honest. What a player he has been for the Arsenal. One of the all time greats. Ill be on youtube watching his goals all day today.
Is that personal opinion Danish or do you know something we dont about Reyes?
watching the press confrence now. sad stuff
we r looking to thin what happens if rosicky or hleb or walcott get injured who will come in i think we should bid for roysten drenthe he is good and swp would do well for us i like the wide players especially with a goal poacher in the box like dudu dont mind freddie going as long as he is replaced
[...] Ljungberg pretty much gone to West Ham « the-cannon.com 23 07 2007 Ljungberg pretty much gone to West Ham « the-cannon.com [...]
hardly no money though 3million he is easily worth 5million and the money we are going to lose on reyes dont seem to be good buisness to me we seem to loss alot of money on players
you have to let him go cheaper as his wages are so high. the buying club isn’t going to want to pay a high fee and high wages. we are looking so short on numbers and quality, really is time for wenger to pull his finger out.
Farewell, Fred… been great watching him. Some players when you see them leave and show up in different strip, it’s not so odd looking. He’s not one of them. Will be weird seeing him in Hammers gear, getting relegated with the rest of those twats next year
Reyes must be staying!!!!!!!!
……at least he said some nice things at his west ham press conference….not!
Bye Slap-head
No need for the parting shot freddie, West ham will never be in the same league as Arsenal. Financially its the deal of the summer, bought for 3million, he scored 70 odd goals and made 300plus appearances, helped us win a lots a trophies and we sold him for the same price.
Even slap-heads putting the boot in.
Does any player you’ve ever had actually love arsenal?
I am depressed that having wished Freddie Ljunberg all the best for the future as above, to find out that he had to have a pop at Arsenal and Wenger when he left for West Ham. Doesn’t he realise that he has tainted what would have been fond memories of him – I wonder what sort of welcome he will receive at the Emirates now.
He seems to be under the illusion that a new team should have been built around him, when the truth is that he has been a liability over the last two years and certainly not worth the £70,000 per week he has been extracting from us.
good luck freddie. Thanks for the memories. An excellent servant to the club. Can even forgive him for saying he left cos Henry had gone and it was the break up of the invincibles. No Freddie it was cos le boss said you were no longer in his plans and that west ham were only team to match your wages. My bitchyness is only due to a bad day at work but in all seriousness i will miss him. Shame one year away from a testimonial. Who is Arsene gonna bring in? Appiah rumours but he is central midfield. I would go for Navas from Sevilla. Reyes might not go. How much longer can this saga go on, we wont budge, neither will real??!! Don’t want Pedersen. He plays for blackburn for christ sake!!
Rosickyismustard,
Open your eyes moron, Wenger stated a couple of weeks ago that he still had a big role for Ljungberg but Freddie decided to join the hammers and then call you lot a bunch of gays.
Now suck my cock
Navas no please, he can´t stay out of home more than two weeks
i would just make reyes come back shouldnt he be back training with us anyway
[...] Ljungberg pretty much gone to West Ham [image] Nothing properly official has been announced yet so I can’t give you a 100% that he’s gone but it […] [...]
I entirely agree that it was freddy’s time to leave but what happened to him not wanting to go to another premiership club??? I would of felt better if he went to fiorentina. Well you never know maybe Tevez wont be allowed to leave then freddy and him will bring the hammers into champions league football
[...] he absolutely must sign a winger before the start of next season and my sentiments are echoed by The Cannon. I have stated time and time again that this is the area that needs a big boost and the exit of [...]
lol, well like i’ve been saying ALL along about this winger situation, the clearest indication yet that we wont we buying any wingers:
“In the wide positions we can play Alexander Hleb, Theo Walcott, Tomas Rosicky and Emmanuel Eboue.
“All these players are on their way up. They are not over the hill.
“Their level is still rising and they are getting better and better.”
“I am just looking to develop the players we have here.”
Also I believe wenger is planning to use traore’s versitility on the left flanks as cover for both as a left winger and a left back. So as we see there are plenty of options and apart from traore the rest are pretty experienced and I include walcott he’s got a year under his belt and has shown his improvement in pre-season. I hope wenger’s comment’s finally put’s an end to all winger talk, our attention is firmly on a centre back as like ive said for months now we will not start the season with senderos (to leave permanently) OR djourou(birmingham loan soon). Two centre back’s are a priority I think wenger is still planning on using hoyte as right and left back cover with sagna being an almost certain starter with the amount of money wenger has spent. I hope Hoyte stays, Song has played centre back a couple of times in pre season but has not done too well in that position, and we simply do not know whether gallas is staying or going as his next move is simply unpredictable. I hope there’s some news soon on a new centre back.
We have now sold 2 players who have not performed at thier best for the last 2 seasons, yes Freddie was great in the champions league final, but he did nothing else the rest of that season. Henry has only shown glimpses of his true tallent since vieira left. To recoup almost £20 million and get rid of the huge wages they were both picking up is not that bad a deal. I (like most of you) would like to see a big name or 2 brought in before the season starts, but I can see the Reyes saga turning the same way that the Cole ordeal ended last season – 23:59 on August 31st we will agree to part with Reyes to Real for a player and either no cash or a pittance.
If we are going to bring someone in it needs to be sooner rather than later, players need time to adjust and learn our style of football i.e play in the friendly games. We can not expect someone to come in after the season has started not to unsettle the team and we can not afford to be playing catch up after the first few weeks as Man U and Chelsea have shown over the past 2 years that they wont be dropping many points and that once you are out of the chase chances are you wont be getting back in it.
reckon lehman is next out the door……. leyton orient!!
Blog Head your english is so charming. Did you ever go to school?
Wenger stated that yes, but I think everyone knows he told Ljungberg that he will only be seen as a squad player rather than first team player. What with the financial offer from West Ham(which is daft by the way but sums them up) Freddie decided to leave, went back on his stance that he wouldn’t leave Arsenal for another english club and preceeded to blame the Henry sale and broken promises for his departure. Disappointed by his actions but cant really blame him. He is a footballer after all.
Rosisckyismusturd,
Footballers are all wankers you’re right