• ! ! ! IMPORTANT MESSAGE ! ! !

    Discussions about police investigations

    In light of recent developments about a player from Premier League being arrested and until there is an official announcement, ALL users should refrain from discussing or speculating about situations around personal off-pitch matters related to any Arsenal player. This is to protect you and the forum.

    Users who disregard this reminder will be issued warnings and their posts will get deleted from public.

Arsenal Sign Sol Campbell

M+D

Established Member
Re: Arsenal Sign Sol Campbell On Trial

ATVO Interview with Wenger:
Why have you made a move for Sol Campbell?

"First of all he is in great shape, he has experience which he can add to the squad. And we have plenty of competitions to go for and you want four centre backs, and Philippe Senderos is not fit. And without Senderos we have no right-sided centre backs at all if Gallas is injured.

When he first came back to train with you, was that always in the back of your mind [that you could sign him]?

"No [the idea] came slowly when he worked hard [in training]. I wanted first to test his motivation, his fitness and of course when he arrived here he was not in the best of shape but he put a lot of hard work in, a lot of heart in his dedication and that convinced me.

Is he fit and ready to go now for the weekend?

"He is a bit short. I personally think he is fitter than he thinks he is because [in the reserves] he thought it was good to move out after 45 minutes. I am convinced there is more in him than 45 minutes at the moment because he worked very hard but he hasn't played for 6 months so he was a bit cautious. But he is not far away.

You've never re-signed a player before despite talk of Henry, Anelka, Vieira. Why this time, was it the circumstances?

"Yes. There was a place available, it is only for 6 months and it a relaunch for his career if he can help us and that's what the thinking behind it was. I never ruled it [re-signing players] completely out, I think it is better not to do it but this is in special circumstance and it's very short term."

Is there a possibility of it being longer than short term?

"I wouldn't go as far as that.If it was for longer term, Sol would need to be a regular player to continue his career and so it's very difficult to speak about that at the moment. He can help us, we can help him and he feels well here and I am happy to have him so I believe all is well."
 

stiiphunn

Established Member
Re: Arsenal Sign Sol Campbell On Trial

Thanks M+D! Don't know what he means though when he says Senderos is not fit.
 

Rohit

Established Member
Re: Arsenal Sign Sol Campbell On Trial

Senderos very recently in an interview said the injury was behind him. This is so unlike Wenger.
 

Clarkey

Active Member
Re: Arsenal Sign Sol Campbell On Trial

He did say he was not fit, rather than he is injured (in this interview anyways). Perhaps as has been hinted by many on here and tales murmuring round have hinted at, he is implying that Senderos is not not mentally fit.
 

M+D

Established Member
Re: Arsenal Sign Sol Campbell On Trial

The deal will be completed today apparently.
 

Biggus

Established Member
Re: Arsenal Sign Sol Campbell On Trial

If Sol is up to it he could play central with Gallas and move Vermaelen up to a DM role to replace Song, this could be another Wenger stroke of genius!
 

dreamLord

Established Member
Re: Arsenal Sign Sol Campbell On Trial

Didn't Campbell look a bit flabby around the tummy to you guys? Seemed a bit slow as well - only from the highlights that I saw mind you. Obviously he hasn't played in a while and hasn't had top level training, but I don't want him to start so soon.
 

Bourne

Established Member
Re: Arsenal Sign Sol Campbell On Trial

^ Not sure about that. But he definately looks a lot slimmer and leaner since playing for Notts County in the summer.


According to the BBC the deals completed. Still nothing on the official site yet though.

<a class="postlink" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/8455133.stm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 455133.stm</a>
 

Klaus Daimler

Established Member
Re: Arsenal Sign Sol Campbell On Trial

dreamLord said:
Didn't Campbell look a bit flabby around the tummy to you guys?
Didn't look that way to me. He's probably just too big for the shirt. He always was built like a tank.

I'm thinking that Stoke away will be a good game for him to make his debut in. Perhaps he could even play the second half of the game against Bolton at home preceding it. We can't afford an injury to Gallas this year so Sol should be put to use as soon as possible.
 

patrick42uk

Established Member
Re: Arsenal Sign Sol Campbell On Trial

Some journalist made the point to Arsène that its ironic that Senderos was supposed to be Sol's replacement yet Sol has come back to replace him in effect. Arsène's response was interesting, saying quite passionately that he likes that because it shows that there are no set hierachies in football. That "if you are a top player in January, you can be out of the team in May if your level drops". I just wonder if theres a dig at Senderos there. Cole has already suggested the guy has a suspect character.
 

Gurgen

Established Member
Re: Arsenal Sign Sol Campbell On Trial

Cole being the embodiment of true character of course.
 

Jasard

Forum Issue Troubleshooter
Moderator

Country: England
Re: Arsenal Sign Sol Campbell On Trial

PADDY POWER – WHICH FORMER GUNNER WILL BE THE NEXT TO RE-JOIN ARSENAL?:
Mathieu Flamini – 5/6
Thierry Henry – 3/1
Aleksander Hleb – 9/2
Jose Antonio Reyes – 10/1
Edu – 16/1
Gilberto – 20/1
Robert Pires – 25/1
 

progman07

Established Member
Re: Arsenal Sign Sol Campbell On Trial

Jasard said:
PADDY POWER – WHICH FORMER GUNNER WILL BE THE NEXT TO RE-JOIN ARSENAL?:
Mathieu Flamini – 5/6
Thierry Henry – 3/1
Aleksander Hleb – 9/2
Jose Antonio Reyes – 10/1
Edu – 16/1
Gilberto – 20/1
Robert Pires – 25/1
I wouldn't bet on Reyes or Hleb for 1000/1... nevermind these ridiculous odds. :lol:

Where is A. Cole, by the way? :wink:
 

patrick42uk

Established Member
Re: Arsenal Sign Sol Campbell On Trial

Gurgen said:
Cole being the embodiment of true character of course.

hmmm maybe.

Going on to talk about Arsenal and their plans for the summer, Philippe Senderos is returning from AC Milan and looks likely to challenge Thomas Vermaelen for a starting berth. Ashley Cole claimed in his autobiography that Senderos had shown you a level of disrespect when you were helping with the defensive coaching. Can you shed any light on that?

Well I don’t remember that too much. I think Ashley was probably referring to the general arrogance of Philippe that may have been apparent at that time. Since then I’ve seen the complete opposite; he was very sure of himself but he appears to have gone the other way and become too critical of himself.

I was asked to work in a mentoring fashion and perhaps Ashley saw something which he deemed not overly respectful. However, it wasn’t something that Philippe demonstrated to me. There were a lot of positives from my time with the side and I think many of the guys were disappointed when I left. There was never a problem working with Philippe, I played alongside him after all…I think it was perhaps Ashley not warming to him like he did to the rest of us.
 

AnthonyG

Arse Emeritus
Re: Arsenal Sign Sol Campbell On Trial

Alfonso said:
Wait, I forgot Shava has number 23, my bad.

Number 13 is avaliable, no?
:lol: For a moment there I thought you were making a deliberate point.
 

Bourne

Established Member
Re: Arsenal Sign Sol Campbell On Trial

If, or more likely when Big Phil departs, give Billy 6, Arshavin 10 and Sol 23. Sorted. :D
 

Biggus

Established Member
Re: Arsenal Sign Sol Campbell On Trial

Accomplished said:
Flamini please. It won't happen, which is such a shame.
From the has Wenger changed thread.
Biggus said:
AnthonyG said:
Look for the complete metamorphosis if another signing is completed.
Theres even betting that St Mattieu will return!
http://www.sport.co.uk/news/Footbal...Flamini_as_next_former_Gunner_to_re-join.aspx
If this happens it will be of Kaffkanesque proportions and I'll become a Wengerite again, strange days.
 

Latest posts+

Top Bottom