When Arsene Wenger brought Sol Campbell back to Arsenal I actually felt for him.
For years many people, including lots of Gooners, said that Wenger needed to bring experience to this Arsenal squad.
Well you won't find many players more experienced than Sol Campbell will you?
Despite Campbells wealth of knowledge the move was probably criticised more than it was acclaimed.
Arsene couldn't win!
He did what people said he needed to do but it was wrong somehow. I can't help but think that if Sir Alex Ferguson took a gamble on Sol it would have been deemed a master-stroke.
Anyways, the former Gunner is now back at his 'spiritual-home'. And I'm glad.
I know Campbell isn't the player he was in his first spell with us but he isn't 'over-the-hill' like people say. In fact, its the opposite. He could be more important to us now than he was before.
Since his return it seems the 'never-say-die' attitude of previous Wenger-title-winning teams is back. Campbell obviously has had a big part in that.
I'll never forget how after beating Stoke City at the Brittania Stadium, the game in which Aaron Ramsey had his leg broken, the whole entire Arsenal team had a post-match huddle. The orchestrator? Sol Campbell.
It was brilliant to watch and I think that his influence is clear to see on these players.
Even the skipper, Cesc Fabregas, appears to look up to Campbell. In my opinion, Cesc has become a better captain since Sol returned. He has learnt, and is learning more all the time, from Campbell just being at the club.
It's no coincidence that Arsenal are hitting form at the right time since the re-arrival of our former defender. His experience must be a calming influence on the squad.
Of course its not the only reason for us peaking perfectly in the campaign, but it has helped and I believe that Arsene Wenger deserves a lot of credit.
Campbell may only be at the club till the summer but if he has helped us win the title, Champions League or even better, both, then he will have enforced his legendary status even further.
Me, I'd keep him for next season too as a player/coach. But then I'm not Wenger and I don't know whats on Le Gaffers mind.
Like many Gooners say, Arsene knows. And I suppose he does.
Keep it Goonerish.............
38 comments:
One of your best posts Wrighty my I also say that javier mascherano is a stupid fucking cunt, dopy cunt cost us two points. Cunt!
Let's see how he could lead them against Barca, hopefully we won't miss Gallas that much cause of him!! Up the Gunners!!
Ta mate!
The Argentine was a donut but that was never a penalty. It was a free-kick.
Just shows when your lucks in though, Rooney has it saved and the rebound falls straight to his feet!
If Rooney picks up an injury United are fucked!
Well, overall, I agree with you except for the stoke post-match huddle. It was Clichy who rallied Fabregas and all the lads just after the final whistle. Surely he had in mind Eduardo's broken leg from 2 years ago and his final mistake against Birmingham that cost us the game and maybe the title.
It was Campbell screaming though!
Blackburn 1-1 Chelsea, final score!
Get in!
I fucking that mob! John Terry and Ashley Cole are two of the biggest cunts in football!
*hate that mob!
i hope sol will be given a 1-year extension by end of the season... he'll be 36 but his presence is needed... and sylvester can leave...
Nice post Wrighty. If A.W. is the professor then surely sol is the headmaster of this still very young side.
i almost totally agree with you wrighty, BUT the big Sol i slow.. and the thought of him and silvestre in the middle of defence against barcelona makes me sick! :(
great read wrighty, as per usual, and as per usual agree 100%. Im dissapointed that lpool are poo but all u can do is look at this weekend and say "well, we gained a point on the leaders" so has to be taken as a good weekend. We need to take it game by game and see. Even if we fall short i'll be immensly proud of this team and considering the injuries we've had this season (TV the only squad player i can think of who's not missed any of the season through injury of ACN) what we have achieved no matter what is class. But still think we'll do it
@arsenalDK
vermaelen will be playing against barca u donut!
Sol may have lost a yard of pace but its all in the nugget these days!
Considering the fact that 9 out of the 11 players were smaller than average before sol came, his big presence alone has given the technically gifted more confidence..was just wondering if wenger had got viera back as well we'd might be 3 points clear at the top with enough goals and a match to spare and not by default!!
Sol is revelation. People said we need a defender, AW signed a defender in form of Vermaelen and Sol. Who said we miss Kolo? Sol maybe lost some pace but he organised the defence better during set piece. it have been a while we haven't concede from set piece. Vermaelen red card might be a blessing in disguise. We will have him fresh against Barca for both leg. We really need a fresh player against Barca. Can't wait for the CL. Come on gunners.
Barcelona was just an example! Any team with a bit of pace up front would cause chaos with those two in defence together.. Dont get me wrong im a fan of Sol, i just hope that if they are paired it doesnt cost us! but as you say wrighty.. I hope that what he lacks in pace, he makes up in experience, positioning and strenght..
At the end of the season Silvestre will leave, and so might Gallas and Campbell. The very promising Djourou will be back next season - let's hope this injury won't set him back too much.
I had some thoughts on the centre-back I'd like us to bring in.....Christopher Samba. I watched him today against the Chavs and he was immense, bullied Drogba for most of the game. Since he's arrived in the Prem, I've always thought he was a rock-solid performer, and his huge frame, positional sense and not inconsiderable pace could prove to be extremely useful for us next season if we were to sign him. Plus he's only 25. Thoughts...?
At the end of the season Silvestre will leave, and so might Gallas and Campbell. The very promising Djourou will be back next season - let's hope this injury won't set him back too much.
I had some thoughts on the centre-back I'd like us to bring in.....Christopher Samba. I watched him today against the Chavs and he was immense, bullied Drogba for most of the game. Since he's arrived in the Prem, I've always thought he was a rock-solid performer, and his huge frame, positional sense and not inconsiderable pace could prove to be extremely useful for us next season if we were to sign him. Plus he's only 25. Thoughts...?
When Sol left us in 2006 and went to Portsmouth, I am sure we all felt it was a sinecure; he would just play out a couple of seasons, giving a helping hand to a little provincial club. It seemed incredible when he walked up the steps at Wembley and collected another FA Cup winners medal. It would be even more incredible if he collects a Premier League medal this year, to go with his others in the collection!
Have to admit I was one of the skeptics but Sol has been a giant! And I LOVE the way he celebrates the goals. He went mental when when we won it at Hull and was the first to grab Fab after the pen yesterday!
Time to get a message to Jacky-Boy Wilshere ... Take out Rooney and score the winner, son!
7 More Wins & We're Champions!
So MU win and C draw. If my math is correct, we are now only 2 points off the top, instead of potentially 3 as of Friday. Not a bad weekend then! I rather stay in the slipstream and overtake at the right moment, then go ahead at this stage and suffer the media abuse, predicting our fall. We really might sneak it this year…
Bolton to draw with ManUre next week - followed by another draw against the Chavs the following week.
2 wins for us against Brum and Wolves and we're legitamately top with no game in hands bullshit or mathematice. Top.
Catch us if you can
All we can do is play our games as well as we can, and we can win all of them with just a little bit of luck behind us.
I'm proud of the lads, they are playing like a proper team at the moment.
AsenalDK vermaelen is available for champions league and he only has 1 game ban.
Sol has been fantastic, but I get tired of people bitching about Silvetstre. He has come in and done a solid job many times for us. Maybe if he got a bit of support he'd do even better.
I think Sol should go to the world cup as a back up player.
Him and Jagelka as the two back ups. No one else has the experience of Campball.
If there was an Injury in a World Cup Semi or final, who would you want?
Upson/Lescott or Campball.
I would always go for Campball.
Almunia had a greta game yesterday - I think maybe Sol has helped there as well
Last week i was saying that West Ham would be our litmus test but with VP due to sit out i am now saying this weekend's will the one. Should we win even without VP our confident level would snowball to an unthinkable level. it may sound cliche but i have this feeling we will nick the big one this year!
Wrighty, as the song goes "I like it,ahh ahh, I like it!". Arsenal are peaking at just the right moments! With slips coming for Manu and Chelski, we might just snatch the crown by the end of May!!
Sol is great, and he is not slow. He hadn't played competitive football for many months so he was lacking match fitness for his first couple of games for us this season. But now he looks fit and quick.
He has also stood up to violent play by the opposition. Looking to bust Shawcross's face, and fighting fire with fire against the likes of Hull and West Ham.
And if he helps us win the league or Champions League, then why shouldn't he go to So. Africa? Ferdinand hasn't been good this season, and Terry has his issues.
The question is whether Capello would want to use a spot on a player who may only be fit to play every other match in the World Cup.
We will have Nordevit and Bartley next season.
But Sol is Needed to Coach them to become rough for Premier league.
Wenger working a low budget miracle... we are getting there... we need more negative vibes heading Manure way ... they almost lost the game the liverpool
Barcelona to drown... we upset team in the past... hope we can do it again..
Sol Campbell will be Arsenal's very own Paolo Maldini and Sylvestre can leave this summer.
Sol made Kolo a great player, without his influence he has become average. He will do the same with our young ones, keep him on for one more year. Sounds a bit like Bergkamp.
It's just so refreshing to see an Arsenal centre back chat, watch big Sol - It's constant communication with the defence and midfield. We've missed that alot in my opinion. As great as the restof the back four are they've never been the most vocal
Everytime I read 'Keep it Goonerish..' I puke a little into my mouth.
Ugh.
when u mention 'never-say-die' attitude, what comes to mind is the game against portsmouth in our 49 match unbeaten run, when we were down 0-1 i think, and sol decides to take matters into his hands and fires in one helluva shot to secure a point for us...
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