ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

Arteta?

Michael and co,

I may be out on limb here, but after Arteta's illness keeping him out of the Man Utd game, only to return today, am I the only person to smell a whiff of last year's "gentleman's agreement"? Of course there are often spurious rumours linking him elsewhere, but if our Mikel heads to United after next Tuesday's opening of the window I will be majorly fucked off on a number of levels.

Am I overly cynical and suspicious? Do I need to dig out my tinfoil hat?
Mark Wynne, Bury St Edmunds Posted 26/12/2007 at 23:10:12

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Lyndon

Erm... probably, yes. I think if Arteta signed for United next month there would be outrage on a level beyond Bill Kenwright's imagination. Not only that but Phil Neville being ill yesterday would seem to confirm that the bug is going around the team.

Roy Coyne
1 Posted 27/12/2007 at 02:47:54

Mark mate I think your xmas puds got too much brandy,I love all the conspiracy theories but this ones a none runner

Art Greeth
2 Posted 27/12/2007 at 07:48:28

Oh FFS... nothing to bitch about the team’s performance and how well DM has got them playing, so you have to come up with this.

Ridiculous.

Ray Roche
3 Posted 27/12/2007 at 09:25:50

Arteta is not going to United so calm down..People do get illnesses at this time of the year you know?. I dont think you will have to start searching a space lab to find that out so stop being so negative..Arteta was back yesterday and played well and now Phil Neville is sick also with probably the same illness...Arteta will leave Everton one day probably in the not distant future maybe in the next year or 18 months but that will only be for one of Spains best clubs..

James Elworthy
4 Posted 27/12/2007 at 10:30:49

A daft suggestion.
I wish Arteta wouldnt take the corners they are absolutely dreadful. Moyes has moved Jags to the near post because he doesnt clear the first man ever.

Dean Johnson
5 Posted 27/12/2007 at 10:34:18

Well, when was the last time arteta played at Old Trafford?

I can?t really remember...

Nick Flack
6 Posted 27/12/2007 at 10:34:04

Conspiracy theories? How?s this. Sammy Lee, I think I?ve seen him at 4, def 3 games at Goodison since getting the boot at Belton.

Assistant manager or job on the gates?

Art Greeth
7 Posted 27/12/2007 at 10:50:29

"Dean
Posted 27/12/2007 at 10:34:18
well, when was the last time arteta played at old trafford?

I can?t really remember"

Try last season, in the 3-0 defeat at OT.

Taken of EFC?s OS... but then of course, THAT is controlled by an Orwellian Big Brother, who has lots of little Winstons working feverishly to rewrite old reports in Newspeak.

Give me strength...

Lue Glover
8 Posted 27/12/2007 at 11:16:01

When the lads were warming up before the match yesterday and they came over to the LGS touchline, Mikkey was sweating like hell. He looked really rough and several people noticed the sweat pouring off him even at that early stage. Didnt see much of him close up during the game as he didnt take any corners from ’my’ side.

Gavin Ramejkis
9 Posted 27/12/2007 at 11:32:49

Phil Neville didn’t even make the post game interview as he played through whatever lurgy is at the club so wouldn’t put anything into it, for god’s sake they are only human you know they get sick just like we do.

Alan Clarke
10 Posted 27/12/2007 at 12:19:05

Does that mean Phil Neville is Old Trafford bound too?

Steve Ashton
11 Posted 27/12/2007 at 13:26:40

I saw Sammy Lee in the Garners Arms on Christmas Day - reckon he might be taking over there as manager!!!

Mike Blakey
12 Posted 27/12/2007 at 13:33:02

He’s not going to United.............................................................................................but he is going to Roma in the summer 100%!

Neil Styles
13 Posted 27/12/2007 at 15:27:18

I’m so sick of hearing rumours about Mikel’s departure. And this conspiracy theory is utter nonesense; for starters, where would he play if he were to go to Manchester??? The Mancs are chasing a striker not a midfield playmaker.
I admit, Mikel may leave one day but it will, as was said here, be only to return to his homeland.

PS if anyone has any information on the possibility of Fernandes returning I’d like to hear it.

Dave Brown
14 Posted 27/12/2007 at 15:36:59

lee, riquelme has already resigned for boca juniors. it was on teletext about six weeks ago saying he had turned down a bid from spurs. forget bout him mate.

Mark Perry
15 Posted 27/12/2007 at 15:51:13

Proff Plum in the kitchen with the led piping

Danny Mullally
16 Posted 27/12/2007 at 16:14:34

Ha Ha Ha

Mick Simo
17 Posted 27/12/2007 at 16:12:06

Just seen Vogel has left Betis today and the other lad David Albelda has asked to be released from his club. Are we in for Albelda?

Chris Masey
18 Posted 27/12/2007 at 17:06:51

Mark, I to got that same feeling when I realised he wasn’t in the team with no real explanation. I think it is cynical but you’re not the only one that thought it!

John Martin
19 Posted 27/12/2007 at 17:17:38

No set of fans do conspiracy theories as well as Everton fans.
A few years ago Arteta missed a Derby match because he was about to sign for them, Howard misses all matches matches against Man utd and now Arteta is signing for Man Utd, Well its better than the truth that he was just sick.
Maybe Turner isnt really injured he is making sure he doesnt play in Europe for when Chelsea come in for him in January as cover for Cech

Jeremy B
20 Posted 27/12/2007 at 18:04:06

Yes, John your argument about howard not playing against the mancs....was in fact true, was it not?

A clause in his loan contract was the rumour. Quite usual in loan contracts...

John Martin
21 Posted 28/12/2007 at 00:41:13

Jeremey, i meant this season when Howard hurt his hand but others posted all sorts of conspiracy theories over it.

Mark Joseph
22 Posted 28/12/2007 at 00:43:17

I find it quite scary that "a scource at Everton" says they wouldn’t sell Arteta for less than 25 HUGE ones. Does anyone remember a young chapfrom Crockie by the name of Rooney?

I am prepared to be flattened here but personally I think Spud (Arteta) is worth more to EFC than Rooney ever was.

Mark Wynne
23 Posted 28/12/2007 at 00:51:59

Gents,

I’m not trying to put a downer on things because I can’t do it about Moyes or the football, it’s just that when it comes to Man United and us, you know that the weirdest things always seem to happen. The Rooney deal is something that is still to this day shrouded in mystery. I can’t think of anyone anywhere that has been able to put down on paper the actual full deal with United. The Howard deal saw us leaving him out against them despite having secured ownership rights (apparently against the laws of the Premier League - but since the offender was one of the Big Four it was conveniently forgotten) and of course the constant feeling that we are somehow United’s best mates and feeder club.

The vague rumours of a price tag for Arteta remind me very much of the talk that went on before the Rooney transfer. I don’t for a minute think United wouldn’t take him because he’s not an immediate fit. They bought Carrick and Hargreaves with no hope of accommodating them both and I think they would take Arteta in a heartbeat without worrying about where he would play.

I hope I’m wrong, but I’m glad I’m not the only one out there who considered it a possibility, ridiculous or not Art.

Tim Kirk
24 Posted 28/12/2007 at 01:04:27

I think we should probably be more worried about losing out in the long term on Pienaar.
I?d advise everyone to watch the interview with Arteta and Cahill on youtube; I think you see a real insight into the mentality of both players. Both are absolute quality and are going nowhere.

Peter Galvin
25 Posted 28/12/2007 at 01:29:27

Any heard of the Xabi Alonso rumour going round? Talk of £15m? Had 4 texts off people with this now.

Probably another Riquelme style story as we are nearly at the window!

TBH 15 mil is ridiculous they bought him for £10m and cant get a game - think about 7 or 8 mil at most.

Ricardo Humphries
26 Posted 28/12/2007 at 06:25:43

Have to agree with Tim Kirk, let's focus on securing Pienaar long term. Other teams are keeping an close eye on things and we could end up loosing one of our best players!

Art Greeth
27 Posted 28/12/2007 at 08:03:04

What self-contradictory nonsense, Mark. In your original post you used the phrase ?spurious rumours? in regard to a possible Arteta transfer? and then offered a spurious scenario yourself based on your own wild imagination. So ? yes ? you ARE being ridiculous and ? again in your own words ? ?overly cynical and suspicious?.

Now in your follow-up email you try to justify yourself by alluding to the Rooney deal as being ?shrouded in mystery?, adding ?I can?t think of anyone anywhere that has been able to put down on paper the actual full deal with United?. Then you haven?t been paying much attention. The FULL details of that deal have been posted many, many times, including on this website, but of course, that doesn?t sit easily with your conspiracy, does it?

And then this beauty? ?the constant feeling that we are somehow United?s best mates and feeder club?. Ehrm? other than Rooney, who else has gone from Everton to United in the last 20-30 years? All I can recall is John Gidman and the supposedly retired-through-injury Mark Higgins. THAT makes us United?s feeder club? Does it bollox?

And how desperate are you in your last line ? ?I hope I?m wrong, but I?m glad I?m not the only one out there who considered it a possibility?. ONE other poster in this thread admitted to a similar thought crossing his mind ? and you REJOICE in that, yet tell us you hope you are wrong???

Yeah, Mark ? your two posts are totally, TOTALLY ridiculous.

Dave Trudgeon
28 Posted 28/12/2007 at 09:15:06

Art, reading your comments I feel they are overly aggressive for no reason.
the thread starter ADMITTED he was being crazy.
Everybody worries about losing their star players, its natural.

Art Greeth
29 Posted 28/12/2007 at 10:42:05

Dave... so my posts offend you in some way and you are allowed to say so, but if Mark’s posts irritate me I am not free to challenge them...? As long as I know the ground rules. Thanks.

Feel free to choose to believe in Mark’s conspiracies, or my denunciaton of them, but please don’t lecture me on how I should post. I am not attacking the man - I am attacking his point of view which I continue to say is ridiculous and unfounded.

Dave Trudgeon
30 Posted 28/12/2007 at 17:10:29

Art, I wasn?t offended by them.
I just feel that you were being overly critical on what was quite a lighthearted subject.
You clearly have anger management problems.
By the way disagreeing with someone's views in any way is an "attack" on them, whether justified or not.
So yes, you did in fact attack him by disagreeing with him
It is nice to see someone bought you a Thesaurus for Christmas though

Art Greeth
31 Posted 28/12/2007 at 18:51:45

Dave, I engaged in the points Mark was making. You, by contrast, have not. You have applied the ad hominem argument, attacking me and not replying to (IMO) the very valid counter-arguments I presented.

You have now labelled me aggressive, with anger management problems. Fine. I could describe you as presumptious and pompously overbearing, but it does not advance the discussion under debate in the thread.

When you feel like offering a genuine opinion on the thread’s subject, I’ll look forward to engaging with you, if it is of interest.

You have a nice evening now...

Mark Wynne
32 Posted 30/12/2007 at 08:54:32

Geee whizz Art. I obviously struck a nerve with you. I never said I had insider info or anything concrete. I’m just reacting to previous dealings with Man Utd and voicing my fears. There’s no need to chuck your toys out of the pram over it though.

Anyway, like other posters I agree we need to secure Pienaar. Given the combined ANOC effect and Arteta’s inevitable three match ban, we need to get some new faces in pronto.

Mark Wynne
33 Posted 30/12/2007 at 09:00:36

Or ACON even.

It’s early here.