Match Reaction vs Man City (away).

[The Emirates Gallactico]

According to most outlets Flamini signed a two year contract last year and so should be reaching the end of it this summer. Can't see Wenger renewing it either.

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2892/...r-arsenal-deal

Though I agree with everything else you've said about Coq. There's absolutely no need to rush here and offer him an inflated contract atm. Not that I know much about his character but you have to factor the potential of the the "Adebayor effect" and him exerting a lot more effort then he normally would because he wants a new deal. Best to keep him on his toes tbh.

Wait till close to the end of the season and then offer him a new and improved deal provided his performances don't tail off dramatically. No one better is going to come in for him with guaranteed first team football and unless he wants to take it safe and be first choice at a mid table club like Stoke or Newcastle, he's going to sign.

[Syn]

According to most outlets Flamini signed a two year contract last year and so should be reaching the end of it this summer. Can't see Wenger renewing it either.

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2892/...r-arsenal-deal

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/f...l-8789537.html

http://www.theguardian.com/football/...lukas-podolski

http://news.arseblog.com/2013/08/sig...n-3-year-deal/

And Sky Sports: http://www1.skysports.com/football/n...ilan-departure

"We're very pleased Mathieu has agreed to rejoin us," Wenger told the club website. "He is a player of real quality, with a fantastic work rate and great mentality.

"He is a bit older, but he is still only 29. The best years are in front of him now - the next three years. Physically, he is perfect. He was tested, prepared and he is physically in fantastic shape."

[fakeyank]

According to most outlets Flamini signed a two year contract last year and so should be reaching the end of it this summer. Can't see Wenger renewing it either.

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2892/...r-arsenal-deal

Though I agree with everything else you've said about Coq. There's absolutely no need to rush here and offer him an inflated contract atm. Not that I know much about his character but you have to factor the potential of the the "Adebayor effect" and him exerting a lot more effort then he normally would because he wants a new deal. Best to keep him on his toes tbh.

Wait till close to the end of the season and then offer him a new and improved deal provided his performances don't tail off dramatically. No one better is going to come in for him with guaranteed first team football and unless he wants to take it safe and be first choice at a mid table club like Stoke or Newcastle, he's going to sign.

I guess how we are different in our views on Coq is the urgency. I think we should offer him a deal right now. Of course it should not be unreasonable but something in the range of 50-70K based on appearances and performance is perfectly fine. I agree on the fact that him signing a contract should not stop us from bringing in a world class DM in that position. Arteta and Flamini are finished in my eyes and it's better to have two fantastic players in that same position rather than one.

[AFC Leveller]

I guess this shows that possession is meaningless.

[Power n Glory]

I can't see the benefit of playing poker or worse even, not offering Coq a contract. Make him a reasonable offer and if he doesn't sign it, see if it can be improved later. The cost to us is negligible. Then in the summer, part company with Flamini and bring in another DCM. There's certainly room for for 2/3 in this squad.

I get that Wenger see's this lot in training all the time, but I never really understood why Coquelin went on loan so readily to begin with. The qualities he has shown, he has had for the duration of his career..... and I honestly believe that. In that position it can be difficult to shine at a lower level too because much of what you do is about prevention and stopping bad things happening rather than making good things happen.

I agree. I never understood why we loaned him out. It was a waste because I remember him having very good games for us before being loaned out but he never got a consistent run in the team.

[Power n Glory]

According to most outlets Flamini signed a two year contract last year and so should be reaching the end of it this summer. Can't see Wenger renewing it either.

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2892/...r-arsenal-deal

Though I agree with everything else you've said about Coq. There's absolutely no need to rush here and offer him an inflated contract atm. Not that I know much about his character but you have to factor the potential of the the "Adebayor effect" and him exerting a lot more effort then he normally would because he wants a new deal. Best to keep him on his toes tbh.

Wait till close to the end of the season and then offer him a new and improved deal provided his performances don't tail off dramatically. No one better is going to come in for him with guaranteed first team football and unless he wants to take it safe and be first choice at a mid table club like Stoke or Newcastle, he's going to sign.

Flawed logic on the contract situation. There is an urgency because the ball isn't in our court. After the Man City performance, he's caught a few headlines and eyes are on him. He may not get an offer from a top club but I doubt that's his main concern right now. My guess is he wants playing time and if a mid level team can offer him first team football, I think he'd take it. If he plays well at a smaller club he will get another shot at a big club.

[Özim]

Didn't see this game, but at last a victory over one of the top sides, it's been a long time coming. This might help us kick on and give us confidence for the rest of the season, shame the title is gone really but it should help us in our quest for top 4.

[The Emirates Gallactico]

Well looks like I dun goofed up. This is what you get for trusting goal.com.

I mean what kind of idiot would post goal.com articles on here?

I guess how we are different in our views on Coq is the urgency. I think we should offer him a deal right now. Of course it should not be unreasonable but something in the range of 50-70K based on appearances and performance is perfectly fine. I agree on the fact that him signing a contract should not stop us from bringing in a world class DM in that position. Arteta and Flamini are finished in my eyes and it's better to have two fantastic players in that same position rather than one.

I'd still hesitate to offer him 50 k based on a few good performances. If he turns out to be crap we'd struggle to get rid of him.

It's happened way too many times to us already with players like Bendtner, Almunia, Denilson, who had a few good games and got rewarded with lucrative contracts only for the club to then struggle to get rid of them later on. Hopefully we've learned from that.

Unless a City, Chelsea, Utd or another top club decide to come in, he's not going to get 50k anywhere else.

I guess this shows that possession is meaningless.

Yeah I saw that table last night on MNF. And the one draw was the one against Liverpool where we stupidly conceeded that last minute equaliser.

Surely Wenger's got to learn from this.

Flawed logic on the contract situation. There is an urgency because the ball isn't in our court. After the Man City performance, he's caught a few headlines and eyes are on him. He may not get an offer from a top club but I doubt that's his main concern right now. My guess is he wants playing time and if a mid level team can offer him first team football, I think he'd take it. If he plays well at a smaller club he will get another shot at a big club.

Perhaps. But I'd like to think that Coquelin's at an age where provided he's given some assurances and hints (e.g. Flamini and Arteta being sold), he'd show the ambition to stay and duke it out for a starting role at an elite club rather than waste years establishing himself at mid table teams.

[Power n Glory]

It doesn't have to take years. Look at Bony and Ba. If you can demonstrate your talent with a smaller club for lesser pay, you're more likely to get that move to a massive club.

I think your overplaying the importance of money on this one. With young unestablished players that are underused and underrated, they're more concerned with getting their shot on the pitch. Most of them anyway.

[Master Splinter]

I agree. I never understood why we loaned him out. It was a waste because I remember him having very good games for us before being loaned out but he never got a consistent run in the team.

He looked good in both full-back positions and the very few games he actually played in midfield.

We've seen it before, where a player plays well whenever he's called upon but is unceremoniously dropped or sold. Wenger has favourites and he also favours seniority or the higher earners seemingly. Unless it's Podolski. Bellerin looked to be going that way had Debuchy remained fit. Gnabry, before his injury, completely disappeared last season as soon as players returned from injury. If Ozil, Wilshere and Welbeck instantly return to the starting XI in upcoming big games, we'll know that nothing has changed and performance doesn't actually factor into Wenger's thoughts.