Arteta Remembrance Thread

[dowdy]

Gutted he has gone. Will be missed this season.

 

[davek]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14744368.stm

Arteta speaks:"It is a big opportunity for me and my family and I think it is the right time for me to take it," he said.
"It is a big challenge, a different challenge, fresh for me and I want to see myself on the biggest stage, the Champions League.
"I am 29 years old so I haven't got much time left to take a chance like this one. I think I have done my best for Everton.
"I always try hard, I have been as professional as I could and I was grateful for the support and the love that the club and the fans showed me. It is very difficult to say goodbye. I still can't believe it but at the same time I think it is the right moment for everyone," he added on Everton TV. "That is the way football is, there is always a start and an end and today is the end of probably the best time of my career. I am never going to forget it. Obviously I am never going to forget what I have done here and what the people and this club have done for me."

 

[EFCNIK]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14744368.stm

Arteta speaks:"It is a big opportunity for me and my family and I think it is the right time for me to take it," he said.
"It is a big challenge, a different challenge, fresh for me and I want to see myself on the biggest stage, the Champions League.
"I am 29 years old so I haven't got much time left to take a chance like this one. I think I have done my best for Everton.
"I always try hard, I have been as professional as I could and I was grateful for the support and the love that the club and the fans showed me. It is very difficult to say goodbye. I still can't believe it but at the same time I think it is the right moment for everyone," he added on Everton TV. "That is the way football is, there is always a start and an end and today is the end of probably the best time of my career. I am never going to forget it. Obviously I am never going to forget what I have done here and what the people and this club have done for me."

It's so so so sad.

 

[Kever10]

Cut to the chase:
1. He gave us some wonderful memories
2. He couldn't half play football (albeit with a small allowance for when he didn't deliver the perfect cross/corner/free-kick)
3. We had the best of him
4. He (in a sense) screwed Arsenal at their most vulnerable moment (so we gained £10M - all profit - and cut £4M off the wage bill)

The club allowed him to talk to Arsenal earlier in the day so they sanctioned that - no matter what you think it seems Arsenal wanted him, Everton agreed he could talk - perhaps at that stage he was in two minds so wasn't prepared to go for less than his current wage (fair enough). Then either he reconsidered or his agent said the full deal (signing on fee, bonuses) etc. was too good to avoid at this stage of his career. At this point he probably came back to Moyes and said I've had a change of heart, it seems you may not want me etc. etc.

There's no way Arsenal would have moved in for him if Cesc and Nasri hadn't gone - and the previous offers were derisory. So we got a good wedge, we got the best years from the guy and, even if you imagine we might have got a replacement we probably would still have found some reason to not spend it.. so whilst you may not like it we move on with £16M banked and around £6M cut from the wage bill (3 out 2 in). All in all not a bad day if we can progress from here and perhaps spend a bit of that in January.

Sums it up pretty well for me...

Arteta was a good player for us over the years, but he was getting to the stage last year where he could walk away for nothing. He signed a massive new deal as we gambled on the fact we where gonna have a massive season, and it didnt happen, so we sold him to get rid of the massive deal. Never mind 5 years, I think another season of us paying him THAT for what he was giving us in return, would've crippled us. And if Arsenal think they've got a replacement for Fabregas, they are gonna be sadly mistaken.

Someone said before he will be gone from there in 2 years to a mid sized Spannish team (sorry, read it on my phone and cant find the post to reply to now), and I think thats a decent shout as well. If he had stayed here for 5 years, we would've grown to rue the day we didn't sell for 5 times the amount we signed him for 6 years ago, best years served to us.

Arsenal have bougyht Arteta in a panic, no doubt about it.

Just thought I'd get that out before the inevitable "Whisper it quietly..." Article in the Echo...

 

[EFCNIK]

I dont know why people are talking about how its a good thing because he's getting old, we'll save money on wages or that we are covered in centre mid. Your all missing the point ffs. It's Mikel. I'm not too bothered playing wise as I think we have a decent option in Barkley now. It's just the fact that I love him so much and he was a part of the Everton family.

 

[kenada_blue]

I wouldn't say he's been average for 2 seasons....its more that the team is static and play a certain way

Hell get movement and a flowing type of football where he'll get back to his best IMO

 

[HSD]

I'm going to miss him so much
I love Mikel! Best of luck to him though, I just wish he hadn't gone.


I'm starting to get sick of people saying they hate him and saying they'd boo him if he returned to Goodison :/

 

[SteveSC]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14744368.stm

Arteta speaks:"It is a big opportunity for me and my family and I think it is the right time for me to take it," he said.
"It is a big challenge, a different challenge, fresh for me and I want to see myself on the biggest stage, the Champions League.
"I am 29 years old so I haven't got much time left to take a chance like this one. I think I have done my best for Everton.
"I always try hard, I have been as professional as I could and I was grateful for the support and the love that the club and the fans showed me. It is very difficult to say goodbye. I still can't believe it but at the same time I think it is the right moment for everyone," he added on Everton TV. "That is the way football is, there is always a start and an end and today is the end of probably the best time of my career. I am never going to forget it. Obviously I am never going to forget what I have done here and what the people and this club have done for me."

At least now the conspiracy theorists can pipe down. Good luck to him

 

[kenada_blue]

I'm going to miss him so much
I love Mikel! Best of luck to him though, I just wish he hadn't gone.


I'm starting to get sick of people saying they hate him and saying they'd boo him if he returned to Goodison :/

a minority of our fans do that with every transfer. No big deal

 

[Deleted member 28206]

Seeing him and Xabi Alsonso car sharing in Mikels blue porsche

and this....

 

[ToffeeBlueNose]

wish him well and good luck, thanks for the memories Mikel. You deserve champions league football and hopefully now you will get the call from spain that you deserve also.

 

[Leonard Rossiter]

just watched his final interview on the OS. definately worth a look.
Good Luck Mikel.

 

[Dom1878]

I think he is a quality player and i wish him the best of luck at Arsenal. Yes he asked to leave, but its a chance to play for a huge club, get more wages, better chance of champions league, better chance of international football, and lets be honest, Arteta is going to be playing much sexier football now in the Arsenal midfield. He has a family (fittest wife ever) which he needs to put first.

He is perfect for Arsenal, exactly what they need a skillful, older player.

Im going to miss Arteta, but we got him when he was at his best, in the past 2 years he hasnt really shone - purely because our football in general just hasnt been good enough. I think the move suits both him and us, although we would have all preferred for him not to have left.

Ill never forget the moments of genious arteta used to give. His goal against Fiorentina, his freekick against Tottenham, his freekick against Hull, and my personal favourite, his goal against Bolton.

But i feel upset he has gone, i feel like there should be a person behind me playing a very small violin to the tune of "Follow, follow, follow..." very slowly..

 

[Blue 1]

Do you know what?

I've been through the arguments in my head, rationalised it and realise it's probably for the best and blah blah blah...

But every time I try to picture him in an Arsenal shirt I feel like feckin' wailing.

GET A GRIP FFS!!!! SUPPOSED TO BE A GROWN MAN!!!!

 

[Southall]

Good Luck Mikel, you have done us a great service. You deserve to be in the champions league, although I cant help feeling its only going to be this season as that 8-2 result spoke volumes to me last Sunday!