Tag Archives: Arsenal FC

Where are they now? Hajrovic, Gervinho, Chamakh, Bihmoutine & Henderson

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In the final look at the players who have left in the summer (search for the other parts you lazy buggers!) we look at how  Hajrovic, Gervinho, Chamakh, Bihmoutine & Henderson have performed since leaving Arsenal.

Picture: @KieranCPhotoAFC

Picture: @KieranCPhotoAFC

Saed Hajrovic

Was part of a Swiss centre defence last season alongside Martin Angha, both were cast aside this summer after failing to impress. Where as Angha moved to Germany, Hajrovic found he had to return to his native Switzerland and sign for Grasshopper Club Zurich. He is listed as a 1st team player, however has no clickable profile on their website, so I do not have a clue what he is doing, but I can guess it is not much.

Gervinho

After a tough 2 year spell at Arsenal, where red cards, injuries and 2 African Cup of Nations restricted him and severely dented his confidence, few were sad to see him go. He joined Rome for £8 million and made his debut off the bench against Liverno. He has now played 7 games (twice from the bench) scoring 3 goals, including a brace against Bologna for table topping Roma, who coincidently have a record of played 7, won 7. With Arsenal suffering an injury crisis of wingers, you have to feel he would have played for us this season, and in a game such as WBA, his width and pace could have been key. He seems to be settling at Roma and, despite a few negative quotes from the Ivorian about his time at Arsenal, I wish him well.

Marouane Chamakh

Joined Crystal Palace originally on loan, the deal was made permanent a couple of days later after Arsenal mutually agreed to cancel his contract. He has signed a 1 year deal, and I get the feeling Eagle’s fans can not wait for the year to be over. Too think, in 2010, West Ham offered Bordeaux £18million for him. 1 goal in 7 uninspiring games, where he has spent most of his time chucking himself to the ground. Whilst the likes of Dwight Gayle might not be as talented, at least he shows heart, and with Palace in a relegation fight this year, they would be better off with the hard working East Londoner then the disinterest Moroccan. What ever happened to that talented player in France who broke Champiosn League records and scored 10 goals in his 1st 21 games for Arsenal? What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas I guess.

Samir Bihmoutine

The Morrocan youngster has joined the youth side (or development squad) or AFC Bournemouth, after a successful trial match against Coventry City & Oxford City. He has since started 3 youth team games for the Cherries.

Conor Henderson

Once rates so highly by the Arsenal youth team staff, a succession of injuries, including damaging his knee ligaments, led to his Arsenal career being curtailed before it even took off. Signing for Hull he is looking to rebuild his career. A substitute appearance in the League Cup in a 1-0 victory over Huddersfield. He scored as a trialist on his debut for the reserves against Doncaster Rovers, showing his natural talent by curling a free kick into the bottom corner. He has since played a couple more reserve games for the Tigers, but opportunities of 1st team football currently look slim.

Keenos

Thanks to  for the picture.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/goonerpower and https://www.facebook.com/KieranCPhoto

The Arsenal and Me – Paul’s Story

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Tuesday 11th May 1999.. a day that changed my footballing life forever..

For 17 and a half years i had been a massive Nottingham Forest fan, enjoying many a day out at Wembely, FA Cup finals, Rumbelows Cup finals, still basking in the glory of being the only team in Europe to have won the European Cup more times than their domestic league.
Then, that fateful Tuesday, a friend of mine at school, a season ticket holder with his dad at Highbury, came into the common room & announced that his dad couldn’t make it to the Arsenal away game up at Elland Road that night and was there any takers? Well, being a die hard football fan i thrust my hand into the air & the ticket was mine.
We made our way up to leeds & I was really excited about the game, it was the first time I´d been to a game that Forest weren´t playing in so I remember thinking that I just wanted to see a bloody good game & I didn´t honestly care about the result. It wasn´t great, Arsenal lost 1-0 to a late Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink goal after Leeds had missed a penalty in the first half & as I left the ground with all the dejected fans, I kind of felt like someone leaving the house of their lover after having cheated on their wife… almost ashamed. The game had been pretty poor but after having seen the likes of Dennis Bergkamp & Patrick Vieira playing, did i really want to go back to my wife at home after having just been with a supermodel?
Of course it wasn´t an instant thing, I still renewed my season ticket at the City Ground & I still was a big Forest fan, but I always found myself checking the Arsenal scores when I got in, being delighted if they´d won & down if they´d lost. Little by little I found myself taking less interest in Forest during the week and more & more interest in how Arsenal had gone on, who they were playing the next weekend, any signings they were making etc..
Within a year or so I´d made the permanent move. I´ll always have a place in my heart for Forest, they´re like a first girlfriend, you never stop thinking about them or wishing them the best but ultimately, you don´t want to spend your whole life with them. Since then I haven’t been to as many Arsenal games as I would have liked. Living in Nottingham, studying in Sheffield & emigrating to Spain hasn’t helped but nowadays whenever I´m in England I try to catch a game. Villa away a couple of Christmases ago, Wigan last Christmas and this summer I’ve been lucky enough to see them play in Japan.
It´s weird because I got/still get loads of abuse from my friends and family, no one could believe what was happening but whenever people ask me about it, to this day (over 14 years since the first seed was planted in my mind) I give the same response.. football is like love, you can’t choose where and with who it takes you..

Where are they now? Charles-Cook, Meade, Squillaci, Santos & Roberts

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Following on from out other two parts (Angha, Eastmond, Wynter, Monteiro, Ebecilio & Denilson & Arshavin, Watt, Neita, Rees, Shea & Mannone) we now look at how Charles-Cook, Meade, Squillaci, Santos & Roberts have got on since leaving Arsenal in the summer.

Reice Charles-Cook

What do Arsenal and Bury have in common? Reice Charles-Cook has been on the books, but not played for, both. I might be being a bit harsh on the youngster, who is just 19, but he has done nothing of note since leaving us.

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Picture: @KieranCPhotoAFC

Jernade Meade 

Many were unhappy that Jernade Meade was not given a chance at Arsenal, but nearly 20, and with Gibbs, Monreal & Vermaelen ahead of him, it would have been hard to justify giving him a new contract. He joined Premier League Swansea on a free transfer and is 3rd choice left back behind Ben Davies, who is 6 months his senior, and Neil Taylor. He has yet to make his 1st team debut, however has played 3 times for their under 21s. Proof, if needed, that Arsenal were correct to let him go.

Sebastian Squillaci

It would not of taken much to improve on his 1 league goal in 2 seasons for Arsenal and upon signing for French Ligue 1 Bastia, he has played in 8 of the clubs 9 games for Bastia, firmly becoming their 1st choice centre back. He has clearly re-found his level, at a mid table French club.

Andre Santos

After his loan spell at Gremio came to an end, he signed for Brazilian side Flamengo in July this year. Due to the nature of the Brazilian league, he has not yet played for his new side. Report of him hanging around the Arsenal Fish Bar at the top of Blackstock Road are untrue. He was last seen playing against me on FIFA, where he had a shocker of a game at left back.

Phillip Roberts

The 19 year old Irish striker born in Newham is now plying his trade in Scotland for Scottish Championship side Falkirk. Clearly another who did not get away. In 8 league games, he has scored 4 league goals, making him the 7th top scorer in the league. According to Falkirk’s website, you can sponsor his boots.

Tomorrow: Hajrovic, Gervinho, Chamakh, Bihmoutine & Henderson

Keenos

Thanks to  for the picture
http://www.flickr.com/photos/goonerpower and https://www.facebook.com/KieranCPhoto