Fredrik Ljungberg (Out)

[Privetbenjamin]

Will be sad to see Ljungberg go, our longest serving current player. But in the end, this makes good business sense. There was talk of us willing to let him go for free and accepting his wages? 3.5 million pounds is too good to pass up for a player who's reaching near the twilight of his career. He would do better to have more starts at West Ham which he won't get with our young team. So it's all good for both sides.

 

[Paddy from Sweden]

The Sun's story comes from Swedish press reports last night.

Today they're reporting that it's a done deal and that Ljungberg will be presented at Upton Park at 14.00 (CET they report but I guess it's BST).

But then again they've also written that sources have said that AW got the news on Friday that Ljungberg had been sold. Still he's on photos on Arsenal.com that was taken at the training session on Saturday. :roll:

 

[nidza7]

I`m getting excited on a prospect of new winger.

 

[JazzG]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 911613.stm

BBC is reporting West Ham have signed him, thought he was going abroad out of respect for the fans, heh. Anyways if this is true good luck to Freddie but we must move on. Hopefully buy another winger and we are in ok shape for the season

 

[No.8_Wright]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 911613.stm

look like its done and dusted, we need a replacement winger definately now, perhaps a prospect but also someone that can play games this season.

 

[Viper]

Thanks for the memories Freddie, but you are injury-prone and unfortunately, past it.

 

[jay-d]

Yup was just gonna post this. In all honesty as long as a replacement is bought in , it's for the best. I'm suprised West Ham have taken a chance with his Injury record though.

 

[stuart]

Im sad to lose him but it's for the best, like you say. Hopefully this will prompt the arrival of a new winger

I was just saying in the lobby, i wonder how the media, the likes of talksport will react. I wouldn't bet against them branding our club a mini crisis again, Freddie will suddenly become one of our best players and prized assets

 

[mccroix]

Thanks for the memories Freddie, but you are injury-prone and unfortunately, past it.

100% agree.

Unlike others i don't think we'll get a new winger.
For me the wingers are:

Hleb
Rosicky
Walcott
Eboue
(Eduardo)

I'm not saying we don't need an additional winger. To be frank I'd love a quality winger, I just can't see it happening

 

[Asterix]

Looks definite that he's gone, so this thread is history - please post all your fond farewells in the thread in Arsenal Talk.

 

[Bergy_1995]

And this days after Wenger outlining his importance to the squad and his wish to keep him this season.

I'll never work the bloke out.

Fairwell Freddie, it's been a good innings but I'm quite sure it's best for the both of us you moved on.

We need some fresh blood in ASAP to replace him however.

 

[stiiphunn]

Freddie leaving is very sad to be honest. Thanks for all the memories and hope you'll perform at West Ham!

 

[Big_Cake]

Should never have let him leave, has Wenger not learnt his lesson about letting older players leave!?
Vieira - mistake (for one season at least)
Wiltord - would still have been useful, but didn't want to stay
Edu - mistake, Wenger should have played him more
Pires - another season would have been good
Parlour- would have been a fantastic squad player
So what we are left with....
Rosicky - plays out of position
Hleb - well, depends on your view
Walcott - 18/19 and a striker anyway
Eboue -??? who knows

 

[Asterix]

I think is the right time for Freddie to go. Who can forget his contribution to the club though. Some personal favourites:

FA Cup v Chelsea
Scoring run where he fed off Bergkamp several games in a row, particularly remember the goal against Bolton.
The Elvis hair

I really hope we get a replacement - would not be good to rely on Walcott and who else? Diaby? Denilson? Mark Randall?

 

[KY]

can't really think of any good reserve player that could fill the spot left by ljungberg. Randall is more of a central midfielder. Merida is still too young in my opinion. Jay simpson? or vincent van den bergh?

 

[HighburyHeroes]

sad. but for the better of the club

this can only be a positive if wenger replaces freddie with a player that is able to fight for first team

 

[f4evo]

is Toure the longest serving first teamer now? or did Justin Hoyte join Arsenal earlier?

Ljungberg was a great player in his peak and I will always like him, hopefully Wenger signs Van der vaart to replace him

 

[stuart]

Hoyte is, wasn't he here from he was a kid? I think it was actually Ali until he left

 

[qs]

And this days after Wenger outlining his importance to the squad and his wish to keep him this season.

I'll never work the bloke out.

You never know that could've added 500k to the deal. Maybe Friar was telling WHU that Wenger still wanted Freddie.

TBH £3.5m is a bargain but I suppose with his huge wages its a burden lifted from us as well. I just hope Arsène has a replacement organised already. I'd be much less concerned about this if all our previously rumoured targets hadn't already been snapped up.

 

[Glovegun]

Maybe a change of formation is afoot? That would explain why we appear to be signing more central midfielders and strikers as opposed to wide men.

Fabregas, Gilberto, Rosicky

van Persie, Adebayor, Eduardo

backup:

Denilson, Song/Randall?, Diaby

Walcott, Bendtner, Hleb

The personnel we have does seem a little more suited to a 4-3-3. Of the three wingers remaining one is a striker (Theo) and the other two are central playmakers (Rosicky and Hleb). The Diaby experiment out wide has hopefully finished, Song has not yet been moved on (Wenger may see something in him) and the apparent progress of young Mark Randall means that we now have a real glut of central midfielders.

Obviously there is a lot we dont know as of yet:

Will we sign another central striker, eg Gouffran or Anelka?

Will we go for a winger? (Di Maria Id assume)

Is Eboue now seen as a right-winger?

Where does Wenger see Rosicky fitting in?

Where will Eduardo play?

The future of Reyes?

A lot changeable factors in there, but a transition to 4-3-3 could be likely (or a 4-5-1 without the ball).