Gooner Talk have learnt that Arsenal starlet Francis Coquelin will not play in tomorrow’s pre-season friendly against Austrian minnows Burgenland XI after the Frenchman sustained a thigh injury in yesterday’s training session.
Coquelin, 17, impressed in a 7-day trial with the club last month and despite injuring himself during that period, he did enough to impress Arsene Wenger and earned his dream move to north London.
The France under-17 international is a explosive, defensive midfield player blessed with a fantastic range of passing and all the combative qualities to show for it.
He recently shone after making emphatic substitute appearances against Barnet and Austrian side Szombathelyi Haladás and the injury news comes as a blow to the talented young midfielder.
However, Gooner Talk understand that Arsene Wenger isn’t keen on playing Coquelin and after advice from fitness coach Tony Colbert, ‘Sisco’ will not be involved in tomorrow’s friendly.
Gooner Talk 
July 27, 2008 at 2:16 pm
Disaster! And to all those that say “first” HA
July 27, 2008 at 2:16 pm
Ohhh I wanted to see him play again.
July 27, 2008 at 2:22 pm
http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/sport/3550223.ARSENAL_TALK__Wenger_gets_a_double_boost/
gooner chris this article says ade is gonna sign a new 4 year contract worth 75000 a week to stay at the club wot do you think???
July 27, 2008 at 2:23 pm
sorry gooner chris i got your reply on the other article no need to answer my question again!!!
July 27, 2008 at 2:24 pm
haha.
No problems DJ 😉
July 27, 2008 at 2:27 pm
gooner chris wenger has said that he will be making 2 maximum signings. I personally believe it will be a dm and a winger, because i cannot see wenger buying a centre back and then dropping one of gallas and toure, because that would result in one of the two leaving. I think it is more likely he is going to sign a winger because we look a bit short on the wings!!!
July 27, 2008 at 2:27 pm
wot u reckon?
July 27, 2008 at 2:29 pm
Defensive midfielder and a centre back.
We need a replacement for Gilberto and some competition for Diaby and Denilson.
As for centre back, we really only have Djourou and Senderos as back up who I personally feel aren’t good enough.
We’ll see very soon who Wenger goes for.. 😉
July 27, 2008 at 2:35 pm
yes i would love zapata and inler of udinese maybe a double swoop would be good!!!
barry is too expensive we could buy both of these players for the price of barry so it makes sense
plus both players are very tall which is useful when the majority of our team is short, especially our defence!!!
July 27, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Lol you got an idea who hes goin 4 den Chris?
July 27, 2008 at 2:44 pm
Amaury Bischoff will come in soon once he proves his fitness. Then I can see another defender/midfielder coming in, not too sure who at the moment mate. 😀
July 27, 2008 at 2:50 pm
we need a defender in the class of udinese rock CHRITIAN ZAPATA who can put TOURE & GALLAS on their toes he’s young, tall,athletic,powerful with great aerial ability.
July 27, 2008 at 2:56 pm
DJ – your point about centre-backs is pertinent, but I would like us to have a new centre-back for three reasons that I feel outweigh the costs of potentially displacing Toure-Gallas:
1. Injuries, suspension and the squad: given the extent of injuries and suspensions (and future Africa Cup of Nations events / Olympics) we need depth in every position, even if this deprives top players of an automatic first team place.
2. Back-ups: as Chris said, are not good enough. I’m happy with Djourou as a squad CB, but like most feel that Senderos, for all his hard work and dedication, is a constant liability.
3. Full-back cover: both Toure and Gallas can play at full-back, and given the likely injuries / suspensions to Sagna and Clichy, a new centre back would allow us to constantly field four quality defenders at the back without having to field a side with Hoyte and Traore away from home at OT (as last season in the Cup).
July 27, 2008 at 3:02 pm
what can Bischoff ad?
He seems like a young player who is yet to show what he can do?
July 27, 2008 at 3:06 pm
Like a lot of our players mate he’s only a prospect, but with Wenger playing 16-year-old Wilshere in our recent pre-season friendlies – you never know..
July 27, 2008 at 3:28 pm
I can only admire my photo editing talent chris 😉 Inside information is that an “experienced” midfielder is in talks with arsenal, as for a defender I am not sure
July 27, 2008 at 3:41 pm
I think Djourou hasnt really been given n enough of a chance to find out how good he can be. Senderos on the other hand, has had plenty of opportunities.
I think going for Barry has many benefits;
He is proven premier league quality, and can play in 3 positions if needed; left back, centre back and defensive midfielder of course.
This Zapata that loads seem to want, isnt he about the same height as Gallas/Kolo?
July 27, 2008 at 4:28 pm
Djourou’s not good enough 4get barry 4get inler,alonso,veloso it’s all about Michael Johnson this guy’s better than the lot of um Viera,Gerrard, Keane all rolled into one tackles,run’s box 2 box an a leathel finisher the guy has everything plus he’s 20 an a star waiting 2 be made
July 27, 2008 at 4:35 pm
I’d love to see us go 4 Barry as hes versatile meaning we could have experienced class back up for LB and CB and also have a great DM to play with Cesc. Cant see us buying him or Veloso because of how expensive they would be Inler would also be a good signing. I dont want to see Johnson signed and cant see it happening as Wenger said the signing would be over 24 well an truely ruling Johnson out of it
July 27, 2008 at 5:47 pm
I think Barry looks unlikely, he’d cost £17 million and it seems his heart is set on Liverpool; he would be a superb acquistion if we were to get him though.
July 27, 2008 at 6:04 pm
We’d never go for Barry of anyone like that amount. The money just ain’t there.
July 27, 2008 at 6:04 pm
Let’s be honest Veloso is the logical signing cause the other teams interested like Juve, Milan and Utd aren’t interested anymore. He ticks all the right boxes even though I’d prefer we sign Zapata and we could move Toure higher up the pitch cause we know he loves those buccaneering runs.
July 27, 2008 at 6:33 pm
Coquelin looks a real talent. I was looking forward to see how he performs with the first team. He has the same look that Cesc and Clichy had when they were 17. Unlike Song, Diaby and Denilson he’s a Flamini type player
July 27, 2008 at 6:38 pm
I dont think Djourou is good enough. He’s built like a giant but he is a wimp. He never tackles and he doesnt read play at all. He looked a good talent in 2006 but he’s shown no improvement since. No winning mentality
July 27, 2008 at 6:48 pm
Djourou hasbt been given enough games, the fella’s hardly played, maybe he aint good enough, but he aint played much to make that call.
July 27, 2008 at 8:10 pm
DJ
So is Arsene teling us that Kolo and Gallas are more important than Arsenal? Well, we all know that our CB is not good and we need to bolster there. If as a result they want to leave who cares?
I’m all for it to get a CB who can win us the title and either Kolo or Gallas can go as a reult. I’ll prefer Senderos leaving though.
July 27, 2008 at 9:44 pm
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July 27, 2008 at 9:53 pm
I still have not seen him paly 😦
I have heard so many good things about him.. is he good enough for a starting role people???
July 27, 2008 at 10:52 pm
Probbably not just yet. Coquelin’s a bit like Mavuba. Hopefully he’ll have a good season and then step up to the first team.
July 28, 2008 at 1:39 am
Diaby is going to get the nod even Rosicky admited it in an interview.
Barry…? Our record signing would never be a DM.
Despite his versatility and experience 17m is way too much for Wenger. Anyway we already have Diaby, Song, Denilson waiting in the wings.
Don’t forget boys that Diaby & Denilson were captains of their respective countries.
Diaby lifted the European cup U19 with France and Denilson captained Brazil form U15-U19. Be patient their time is coming.
July 28, 2008 at 5:48 am
If AW is every gonna spend $$$$ this is the year coz the 2009/2010 season will see the return of several TOP loanees:
Merida
Barazite
Gibbs
Randall
Boletho
Lansbury
With all of these guys coming back a season more experienced the competition for midfield will be unbelieveable. And even if we only kept 4 (imo Merida, Barazite,Boletho and Gibbs) the sale of the other 2 with K Gilbert would see us pocket few mill.
July 28, 2008 at 7:36 am
buy a centre half and put toure in as dm,
July 28, 2008 at 8:26 am
Rebel Gooner, so right. I thought I was going nutty as all the talk in the press has been more forwards, more midfielders etc. even another old goalie?
I have been saying for three years now that we will NOT win a bloody thing again unless we can shut teams out after taking the lead. Everyone forgets how games are won very soon after the season finishes. So all our great football amounts to sod all IF we never learn our lessons, and Arsene appears very complacent about our soft centre.
Gallas and Toure are very good defending midfielders and nothing more. They are not stoppers like Vidic & Ferdi, or Terry & Carvalleo .
Arsene was gifted remnents of the greatest back 6 in the history of UK football and look at the early trophies….the look at the count after the last of the greats retired. This will tell you why I am so pro defence.
As Rebel said above we have the answer to Defensive Midfield sitting there in Kolo or even Gallas, but I would prefer the sale of the latter and the purchase of a world class center back or two. Zapata is class and so is Cheolllini……….get then and AFC will win the lot.
July 28, 2008 at 9:48 am
I cant believe people are raving about coqeulin after two games against minows hes a good player looks like hes got potential but henri lansbury is a better player better technical, passing distribution and has leadership skills-lanbusry has performed greatly for england under 17 last year he was definitely the best english player in that tournament and they lost to spain mainly because he got injured agiainst france. This kid is the real deal and just needs to gain his fitness up. He his also arsenalk thru and thru which is also a bonus
July 28, 2008 at 1:49 pm
i think he should sign either vincent kompany or pepe(portugese centreback).