The Gooner's

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Arsenal Football Club have moved into a new stadium this season, the fabulous Emirates Stadium. It took them a wee while to get into their stride in their new home but there aren't a lot of sides in Europe let alone England that play anything like the brand of total football they play.

This season they have had to deal with the retirement of the legendary flying Dutchman Dennis Bergkamp and the departure of the skilful French winger Robert Pires as well as England defender's Ashley Cole and Sol Campbell.

Bergkamp has been replaced by his younger compatriot Robin van Persie, England teenager Theo Walcott and the big African Emmanuel Adebayor. Not that many footballer's I can think of that would require three replacements. Arsenal do however have their enigmatic, mercurial skipper Thierry Henry to usher these exciting, new young forwards into Arsenal's new era.

Pires has been replaced by a younger, more direct and powerful model of himself. Thomas Rosicky starred for The Czech Republic at this Summer's World Cup Finals. Since then and the departure from his national side of the legend that is Pavel Nedved he has become his country's youngest ever captain at the age of 25.

Campbell has gone to Portsmouth with perhaps his best years behind him. His replacement, the versatile French international defender William Gallas has been filling in at left back during his formative Arsenal career with Cole gone and several injuries ar left back. He has taken Bergkamp's number 10 shirt too, meaning nine of the young forward's have to take on that extra burden.

Presumably Gallas will eventually move inside to centre-half and Cole's natural long term replacement from within the squad Gael Clichy will be given his chance to impress before the January transfer window.

What say you Pube? Thought maybe we could waffle on about Arsenal sides from the past, the future and cyber space. Yes I know you're right I am a geek! ;D

[pube]

:oCrikey me, never before have i seen such a good use of the english language, you should be writing for the telegraph, does readers digest have a sports section?

Quite agree with what your saying, those that left the club were getting old with the exception of Ashley Cole who in my mind has made the wrong decision, with his attacking style of play chelsea will make him look above average not great as he was at arsenal!

With regards to sol, he left the club for next to nothing, it suprises me that such a good defender, all be it a over the hill one was allowed to go. Saying that he was no Tony Adams was he.

Onwards and upwards with the gooners me thinks, quite a bit of young blood in the side will take a season or two to develop but looks brilliant for the future as in most cases we are able to hold on to are players, just think for example where west ham would be now if they held on to the likes of carrick and cole, certainly would not have needed any argentinians i know that much. ;D

Either way win or lose, despite being biased it pleases me to see a team still trying to play the best looking football around, any team that tries to do this deserves to win every game.

So what are your thoughts on Gerrard, should he play central or wide?

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You could stick him in goal and he'd still be the best player on the park!

Ljungberg looks like he's back to his best too mate which is an added bonus. He's pretty much in his prime and if he manages to steer clear of the injuries that have blighted the past couple of seasons for him then it will be almost like having another new signing.

Forgot Reyes. Was never quite sure what to make of him. Lots of potential but that was an extraordinary ammount of money for someone as prudent as Wenger normally is. Julio Baptista (or 'The Beast' as he is affectionately known) may well be more suited to the rigours of English football...