Just thought I’d send this through, just stuff I thought about after I got back on Weds, and found interesting.

People we chatted to or who spoke and did q & a type thing

Keown

Left coaching staff after a year because he wanted to try something new and wasn’t able to do the things he wanted to do coaching wise.  Realised he needed to go elsewhere to “earn his stripes” before he could get that responsibility, but isn’t prepared to do that at the moment, as has a 16 year old son playing at a decent level in the same position and wants to concentrate on him.  Only way he’d go back into coaching whilst his son is breaking through is if Arsenal came and said they really needed him.  Wouldn’t coach another club whilst his son needs his guidance still.  He decided to try something new after a year and enjoys the media work.  Got the impression he could go back to coaching at some point after his kid has made it, or not.  Very articulate and very opinionated about the game, and Arsenal.  Very complimentary about Wenger too, especially training methods.  Far better than George Graham, who wanted to create a tense and aggressive atmosphere even in training!  When doing one on one training he’d be furious if they weren’t kicking each other as hard as they would their biggest rivals in a game.

Pat Rice

Wenger even more hungry to win things now than when he arrived, and despite what people say although he has a very good idea of the way he thinks things should be done he does consult and listen to the coaching staff and when they have something to say that doesn’t go with what he’s said he’s happy to listen, debate, and sometimes come round to their way of thinking.  Goes off the rail when we lose and tells staff and players (and includes himself in it) that they aren’t fit to be at Arsenal.

Diaby – Probably not fit for City, hopefully fit next week.

Jack – Our conversation went as follows.  “How you feeling, are we not gonna see you out there today?”  Jack – “Yeah good but no not yet.”  “Are you getting there?”  “Yeah, slowly.”  That’s it from the horses mouth.  Other training staff there said that he should be back soon but they’re being incredibly cautious with him.  He’s someone they see as the heart of the team for the next ten years, and aren’t willing to take any risks.  “If it takes a month it takes a month.”  Sounded like he’s close and we should definitely see him this season.  Problem is if he just plays 2-3 games then we couldn’t argue with England taking him to the Euros.  Whatever people say it takes 6 games to get back to 100% physically match-wise, but they could take a risk on him.

Ox – certainly feels that he’s gonna be a centre mid.  Was a centre mid until Southampton put him into the side, and they said he was too small to play centrally so put him out wide to protect him.  He said that Southampton made him do LOADS of weights, and probably too much.  If you get too bulky you lose your agility.  He hardly does any now, but just enough to keep him at his current level.  If anything he feels he needs to trim down a bit. Keown said that he sees him as a centre mid too.  Wenger said that he isn’t ready yet to play there, as he’s too in and out of the game.  Said sometimes he spends time daydreaming wandering around (he did a funny impression here) and then the next moment he’ll do something magical.

Wenger – Said the best part of his job is being out on the pitch training the players.  Worst part of his job is the summer, contract negotiations etc and also press conferences.  Asked about the best youngster at the club and he said Wilshere, when asked to go younger he said Ox, when asked to name someone we might not have heard of he mentioned Serge Gnabry, then also gave honourable mentions to Afobe, Aneke, and also Lansbury.  Said he was surprised Lansbury wasn’t starting at West Ham.  Said he send him there expecting him to play regularly but *shrugs shoulders*.  Said he doesn’t know why Arsenal youngsters don’t play in the Championship, Keown/Parlour came in here to say that it might be the physical side of it.  Wenger said that Wilshere 2 years ago, Frimpong, Miyaichi all start in the Premier League, but when players go to the Championship they don’t play.  Seemed bemused by that.  Said that he’d had the defence in for a meeting that morning, to look at the video from Saturday and discuss why the goals were conceded and what mistakes they made, and they were going to be working on some things specific to that today, along with some corner and free kick training.

Training wise the 10 outfield players who started on Saturday trained together with Coquelin in the morning.  Did some shape training warming up and some basic passing, then some one on one work.  Bloke who oversees training ground talked about injuries.  Mentioned fact that Utd get the same injuries as us and they dominate possession as we do.  In his opinion primary reason is just that if you have the ball more, and especially if you’re playing nice football then you’ll get kicked more.  Said both Vermaelen and Rosicky’s legs are black and blue after the weekend, and it’s the same after every game.

Rest of the first team squad played the first 45 minutes of a behind closed doors “reserve” friendly against Birmingham, of which we caught about half an hour of.  Fabianski, Jenkinson, Squillaci, Djourou, Santos, Ozyakup, Benayoun, Chamberlain, Gervinho, Park, Chamakh.  Not much to get excited about, Ox played probably the deepest of the midfielders, always seeking the ball out and showed nice touches, as did Benayoun and Ozyakup was tidy too and had a good range of passing.  Fabianski saved well from a one on one but they scored from a corner swung in right on top of him into a very crowded six yard box, and the ball bundled in.  We equalised through Ox picking the ball up deep, driving forwards and playing a very nice ball into Park who smashed it hard and low across the keeper from the right hand side.  Chamakh looked useless and devoid of confidence, kept just drifting wide and playing it simple.  Park missed a couple of good chances but had some nice touches and good movement.  Gervinho didn’t do much.  They got in behind our defence, especially in behind Santos a few times which was worrying considering they seemed like essentially an under 18 side!  Ended 1-1 but obviously it was just a way to give players who havn’t played much football some time on the pitch, so shouldn’t be taken TOO seriously.

Very surprised/impressed by the number of players who came to sign autographs and mingle.  Jack and Sagna turned up whilst it was going on and after the friendly Pat Rice, Szczesny, Djourou, Jenkinson, Squillaci, Koscielny, Gibbs, Song, Diaby, Theo, Ox, Gervinho, Chamakh, Park all came to sign autographs, and Pat Rice, Szczesny, Ox and Theo all answered questions as well.  Keown and Parlour took care of us from our arrival to our departure too and were great as well.  In our “training” we were split into four groups and Ray looked after the shooting practice, putting in crosses for us to convert, and Keown took part in the possession games which was a very nice touch.  Gave us all a free shirt when we arrived and breakfast and lunch was very tasty.  Had the pleasure of Keown sitting next to Nick at lunch which is mainly where we chatted to him and got the info about his kid and coaching etc.

Song’s shoes were ridiculous, and JD was wearing flip flops and socks.  Theo had old looking flip flops on with 14 written in marker pen on them.  Nice that players still have sentimental attachments to things like flip flops, asked him why it was written on and he said because the others always wear them otherwise.

Walked through the carpark, 1st teamers park on the right, reserves and youths on the left.  Interesting with regards to wages that he said half the youths/reserves can afford a beamer as soon as they’ve signed their first pro contract and passed their test.

P.S. Alex Song’s shoes