Tag: Monreal

Mr Consistent wants to finish career at Arsenal…

Monreal wants a contract extension at Arsenal!

Whilst the club seems to be surrounded by transfer speculation of potential incoming players, one player who already plays for the Arsenal has announced he wants a new contract to stay longer with the Gunners!

Nacho Monreal has improved massively these past two seasons and is now known as Arsenal’s Mr Consistent. Monreal has commanded the left back position so impressively that Gibbs, who was supposed to be the next Ashley Cole for Arsenal, no longer gets a look in at all. Monreal has improved so much in his time at the club, since joining from La Liga side Malaga in January 2013 and is now surely one of the first names on the teamsheet.

At 30 years old, Monreal is looking at his last big professional contract before his career begins to wind down and understandably he therefore wants to commit his future sooner rather than later. The good news is that he wants to commit his future to the Arsenal and in a recent interview with Spanish media outlet, Marca, he spoke of his intentions to remain at Arsenal. The report was picked up by the Daily Express in which Monreal stated:
“I came from doing some impressive seasons in Spain and here at first it was hard. I was not even in the line-up. I had to adapt to the English football but in the end the hard work paid off. (Now) I am very happy here, playing in one of the best clubs in England. I am very happy with my team mates, with the club… The idea is to continue here. I’m not planning to go anywhere but to stay here and then, when the contract expires [in 2019], we will see how the body reacts and which level I can give at 32-33-years-old. Then, let’s see if I get the opportunity to continue here and if find myself in a good shape I am sure I will continue here.”

Monreal has greatly improved the Arsenal defence since he arrived in 2013, and is now a part of a back line that fans can have more confidence in. Originally Monreal took his time to adapt to the English game but now a back four that includes Monreal, Bellerin and Koscienly, currently looks very strong for the Gunners and it is partly due to the experience of the defence, of which includes an experienced Nacho Monreal. Monreal is currently peaking in his career at Arsenal and we are certainly seeing the best years he will offer professionally, but when his current contract runs out in 2019, will Arsenal be willing to offer him another extension at 32-33 years old, as he quotes?

As Monreal states it will depend on his fitness in a few years time but if he continues in the form that he has for the past two years then I don’t see why the club wouldn’t be pleased with Monreal committing his long term future to the Arsenal. It seems as if Kieren Gibbs’ career with the Gunners may not be revived for a little while longer, if it ever does at all!

FrankLeave a comment

Arsenal star tells Wenger NOT to make big transfer splash

Whether Arsene Wenger manages to lead Arsenal to the Premier League title or not at the end of this season, the chances are that the fans will be hoping and demanding that the boss does what he has not done in the last couple of transfer windows and spend some serious amounts of money to sign some top class players.

If we win the league then people will say that we have to make the most of being in pot one for the Champions League and make some transfers to really give Europe a good go. If we fail to win the EPL then fans will say this proves that the squad is not good enough and needs an overhaul.

Ask the Arsenal defender Nacho Monreal, however, and Wenger will get a much different point of view, as Metro has reported the left back’s opinion that his manager has been doing the right thing by not doing too much in the transfer market. Instead Monreal feels that keeping a close knit and compact squad has actually made Arsenal stronger.

He said, ‘It is very important the atmosphere in the dressing room.

‘It is mandatory to have a really good relationship with your team-mates. We are like a unit. You play like a unit and you spend a lot of time with them.

‘I can see now there is only one group. We are together and in every moment the atmosphere is amazing – this is very important to get trophies.

‘If you want to win something it is necessary to have a good group.

‘In the last few years we have played with the same players.

‘Every summer, we have signed one, two or a maximum of three players. The team is practically the same group so that is very important.’

Do you agree with the Spaniard? And which players would you like to see the boss go for at the end of the current season?

http://thearsenalblog.com/onlline-best-free-dating-sites/top 5 adult dating free for women

black bbw dating sites

If you ask most Arsenal fans which player they would lke to start in the centre of defence next to Laurent Koscielny against Leicester tomorrow then I reckon the cast proportion would go for Gabriel over Per Mertesacker. Even though the German has huge experience, including the small matter of a World Cup win, and has a great record in partnership with Koscielny at the back, we cannot help but feel nervous about his lack of pace being exposed, especially when you are up against a team like the Foxes that has great pace up front and plays on the counter.

After Arsene Wenger kept the Brazilian in the starting line up even when the BFG had served his ban for the red card against Chelsea, I get the impression that the boss was thinking about Gabriel for the Leicester game, but a lot of people have been wondering why Wenger has not used him very much up until now.

Perhaps the answer lies in the Nacho Monreal interview reported by http://thearsenalblog.com/free-millennial-dating-apps/ this week. In it the Spaniard spoke highly of his Brazilian team mate and the left back clearly thinks that Arsenal have got ourselves a real player from the Spanish club Villarreal. But he also feels that the language barrier has been holding Gabriel back, just at it did to Monreal when he first came to the Premier League.

The Spaniard said, “It’s good that I can speak Spanish with him on the pitch, but Gabby knows he needs to improve his English because that will make the football easier.

“Myself, Hector, everyone is helping him every day with it because it’s much better for the team.

“I know exactly how he feels, because it was the same for me when I first arrived. When my English got better, I got better on the pitch too, because when you are playing one of the most important things is confidence.

“If you are confident in yourself, you feel better because you are more relaxed and you feel the authority to correct things you see. You feel more involved in the group.”

With Gabriel, three out of Arsenal’s back four will be Spanish speaking and then you have Alexis Sanchez and possibly Joel Campbell, while Mesut Ozil spent years with Real Madrid in La Liga. Is that helping Gabriel ti feel settled? And as his English improves will he get the nod more often over Mertesacker?

http://thearsenalblog.com/onlline-best-free-dating-sites/Leave a comment

Does 2nd Arsenal transfer bid mean Gibbs is Gunner go?

The Arsenal and England international left back Kieran Gibbs might have been feeling a little bit frustrated and sorry for himself before these Arsenal transfer rumours started hitting the press, although he has showed a strong and professional attitude to not complain and to perform for the Gunners when he does get a chance.

But even though the stats show that Gibbs has played 21 times for Arsenal this season, only two of those were Premier League starts and it is clear that the defender is second choice to his older and more experienced Spanish team mate Nacho Monreal.

With Gibbs hoping for a place with England at this summer’s Euro 2016 tournament, this was already a bad situation but not it appears to be even worse as the Express has reported that Arsene Wenger has stepped up his transfer interest in Leicester City’s talented young left back Ben Chilwell.

Having already had one bid turned down apparently, the Frenchman has tried again with a bigger offer and this has alerted some Premier League clubs such as Newcastle and Crystal Palace to the potential availability of Gibbs. So could we be set to say goodbye to the 26-year old who has been a Gunner since 2004?

http://thearsenalblog.com/onlline-best-free-dating-sites/1 Comment

YES! Arsenal complete signing of BRILLIANT and crucial defender

It looks as though the battle for places in the Arsenal back four is going to be as hot as ever this season and while that may not be the best of news for the England international left back Kieran Gibbs, it is fantastic news for the Gunners and for us fans and our hopes of finally winning the Premier League again.

There had been a few Arsenal transfer rumours recently suggesting that Gibbs’ rival for the starting line-up, Nacho Monreal, might be tempted to accept a transfer back to play in La Liga, but those fears are now over as Metro reports that the 29-year old has agreed a new contract extension.

Monreal has overcome a shaky start to his Arsenal career and his brilliant performances last season saw him as largely the first choice and he is being rewarded for that with a bumper new £75,000 a week salary. Following close on the news that Theo Walcott and Santi Cazorla have also committed their futures to the Gunners, the future really is looking bright.

http://thearsenalblog.com/onlline-best-free-dating-sites/4 Comments

Wenger SLAMS Arsenal defending NOT Ospina!

The TV pundits were pulling no punches on the Arsenal and Colombia keeper David Ospina last night, with both Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher not only blaming him for the winning goal scored by Swansea but claiming it as proof that Ospina has not got what it takes to be the Arsenal number one.

Arsene Wenger, however, saw things differently and is clearly keen to stand up for his keeper, as his post match comments on the Arsenal website show. The Frenchman instead suggested that it was the Arsenal defenders who were at fault for failing to deal with a situation the boss called an easy one.

He said, “When you cannot win a game, don’t lose it. We knew exactly what could happen. It was not even a break. We were warned of the kind of goal they could score with Montero kicking the ball in the air and we were short in jumping for the ball.

“I don’t know [whether to blame Ospina] because I have to see it again. Did the defender not jump or was it that he could have come out? We knew that those kind of crosses are crosses that are easy to defend.”

Looking at the replays there were mistakes from Monreal in the initial build up and then from Bellerin, Koscielny and Monreal again so I do think it was a little harsh to criticise the Colombian keeper so much, especially when it is just about the first mistake he has made this season. Do you agree or do Arsenal need to make a new number one a transfer priority?

http://thearsenalblog.com/onlline-best-free-dating-sites/3 Comments

Arsenal preview and starting XI for Burnley with Gibbs IN

Arsenal are looking to continue the remarkable recent run which has seen us overtake both Man United and the reigning champions Man City, while ending the Champions League hopes of Brendan Rodgers and Liverpool. But this is not time for Wenger and the players to pat each other on the backs as Burnley are no mugs.

They are a very hard working, energetic and physical team and Wenger mentioned in the pre-match build up that his players need to cope with that first and foremost before our superior technical skills can come into force.

We also want to tire the Burnley players out while not letting their high pressing game reap results and that means using the full width of the pitch. That is why I think Wenger will swap Kieran Gibbs for Nacho Monreal at left back. The England player will get forward and give us width on the left where Mesut Ozil tends to come inside and link up with Giroud, Cazorla, Ramsey and Alexis, with the Chilean keeping Burnley busy on the right.

Wenger could go for Welbeck to add width but I cannot see him dropping Ozil or Cazorla so the best option is to use Gibbs. Apart from that the only change I can see is Gabriel for Koscielny if the French defender is not 100 percent.

http://thearsenalblog.com/onlline-best-free-dating-sites/1 Comment

Arsenal prepare BIG money summer swoop for La Liga star

If there really is truth to this latest Arsenal transfer rumour then it shows us fans a few things. One is that Arsene Wenger has no problems in continuing to spend the big money on the sort of transfer deals that we had not seen for years before the stunning signing of Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid.

Because £25 million for a defender would represent another break from tradition for the Arsenal boss and that is what a Metro report claims that we will pay Madrid for another of their stars Fabio Coentrao in the summer.

Another thing this will show the fans is that Wenger is really serious about his defence, which many have blamed for a lot of the club’s struggles this season. And finally it will show that the Frenchman is not entirely happy with one of his current left backs, Kieran Gibbs and Nacho Monreal.

http://thearsenalblog.com/onlline-best-free-dating-sites/Leave a comment

Arsenal boss ready for defender transfer NOW!

We are all used to Arsene Wenger being very tight lipped and playing his Arsenal transfer cards close to his chest, so when you get a straight answer from the Frenchman it is a pretty good sign. Hopefully that means that the Gunners will soon have another defender in the squad, as Wenger admitted after the weekend win over Stoke City that he was in the market for a defensive transfer.

As reported by Arsenal.com, the boss revealed his intent to move for a defender in the transfer markey was strong before the match, so after losing Mathieu Debuchy to a shoulder injury that could keep the French right back out for a while, that need is even more urgent.

Wenger said, “The only negative today is that we lost another experienced defender with a dislocated shoulder. That gives us a problem because we are already short of experienced players at the back.

“He has a dislocated shoulder. It’s difficult – you need a diagnosis from a specialist. We don’t know yet but he will certainly not play next week. Kieran Gibbs still has an inflamed ankle. The test yesterday told us it didn’t work.

“We were in the market anyway. Monreal and Debuchy can play centre back, but if Gibbs is not here Monreal cannot play centre back and if Debuchy is not here he cannot play centre back. This is a position where we are short.”

With a crucial EPL game away to Man City coming up on Sunday, Arsenal need that extra cover at the back sooner rather than later, so will this week see Wenger make his first Arsenal transfer of 2015?

http://thearsenalblog.com/onlline-best-free-dating-sites/Leave a comment

Arsenal handed TRIPLE injury boost for Liverpool clash

Arsenal have had an unbelievable bad run of injury problems this season and even now that they are supposedly on the wane, there is still a whole starting XI of first team Gunners out of action. The Arsenal.com website has 10 players on their list but Abou Diaby is not one of them and we have to assume that the French midfielder is not yet fit to play.

With the likes of Ramsey, Wilshere and Arteta not available, Arsene Wenger would surely have put Diaby on the bench if he could. But the manager has been handed a big boost on the injury front ahead of our trip to Anfield to face Liverpool and I am not referring to the absence of Glen Johnson and possibly Balotelli from Brendan Rodgers’ squad.

Three Arsenal players are set to overcome their knocks and give Wenger more options for Sunday, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain expected to come through a late fitness test, while Nacho Monreal and Tomas Rosicky are said to be fine to play, according to physioroom.com.

The fact that these returning players play in Arsenal’s most stretched positions of central midfield and defence is perhaps a sign that our bad luck is coming to an end. A win at Anfield on Sunday will confirm it.

http://thearsenalblog.com/onlline-best-free-dating-sites/1 Comment