Theo Walcott …. going …. going …. GONE

October 29, 2012

After a couple of pretty abject team performances recently, most can appreciate the extra zip that Theo brings to our wing/forward play. Against QPR we had a chronic lack of pace down the flanks for most of the game. The result was that we were toothless in the final third and Giroud cut a lone and frustrated figure in the centre of our attack. All that changed the minute Theo came on.

Pace is a natural attribute that can be honed but not taught. Its importance on the pitch is never more evident than when it is missing. Pace can be in the legs, in the feet or in the head. Henry had it in all three, Cesc and DB had it in the head and feet and didn’t need it in the legs. With Theo it’s mainly (but not exclusively) in the legs, but still he is a potent weapon in Arsenal’s armoury and a player who defenders know will hurt them if they allow him the space to run at them. It should not be forgotten that he is also one of the best finishers in the squad.

I confess to having changed my mind about him over the last 12 months. I recognise that he has improved in certain areas and he is an asset to the team. He’s a player I’d like to keep. He’ll never be a great help defensively but he can be a game changer and those types of player are few and far between.

Some on this site will know that I have an annoying habit of being right when it comes to predicting whether a player is leaving or not. This doesn’t make me clever, just heartlessly cynical as in the majority of cases we have desperately wanted the player to stay.

My reasoning is simple and it involves observation of body language, analysing individual performance in relation to team performance and assessing their worth to us as a player compared to their monetary value and our ability to replace them. Add to that the imminent expiry of a player’s contract and everything is brought into sharp focus.

The one thing I have learned is that almost everything the player says during the period of speculation can be dismissed. Similarly a lot of what club representatives say will be misleading; in fact, believing the opposite will more often bring you closer to the truth because this is the way the transfer game is played.

But if you look back, there will be times when amongst all the verbal jousting, the player (and sometimes the club) will indicate their true feelings but it just gets lost in the melee of media speculation.

Brave Sir Robin actually told us all he wasn’t staying when interviewed after the last game of the season …. we just didn’t want to hear him. Fast forward this clip to 2 minutes –  you don’t have to be a genius to read between the lines.

So that brings me back to Theo Walcott, a player who has divided supporters as much as Alex Song – and maybe there is a lesson to be learned from his departure.

Theo has said “I want to play for this club (Arsenal) and hopefully something can happen very soon” – hardly a passionate reassurance to supporters.

Add to this the statement that he wants to play centrally and the inference that this forms part of his conditions to sign a new contract. All of a sudden his words take on a different meaning. Everyone in the business knows you cannot dictate where you will be played to a manager and certainly not to one of the best and most respected in the business. I can only view this as a ploy to justify Theo’s decision should he leave.

My belief that Theo is on his way has been growing steadily and recent events have only reinforced that opinion.

These are the bare facts as I see them (and my selective interpretation of the reports in the media):

  1. If Theo does not sign by January, we will sell him if a deal can be done or worse, he’ll leave on a free in the summer. We know we are prepared to sell a player to a rival; the only criterion is getting the best price possible. He could have gone last summer but it appears that no club tabled a sensible offer – I wonder why?
  2. It seems likely that there are now several interested parties including foreign clubs. This is good news as competition should secure us a transfer fee in excess of £6m.
  3. Theo says it’s not about the money. So did Robin. It is … or at least money is the biggest single factor.
  4. On the pitch, Theo is doing his best to impress. His tally of 4 goals and one assist so far this season is very good considering the minutes he’s spent on the pitch. As it stands, he is on course to outstrip his stats for last season and that level of performance will attract interest from other clubs.
  5. Theo has watched teammates like Clichy, Na$ri and Cesc leave and achieve trophies and greater financial reward elsewhere.
  6. Another factor is that we now have The Ox – the new young face of Arsenal’s and England’s future. He’s already on the front cover of FiFA 13 and is fast replacing Theo as a marketing asset to Arsenal.
  7. The time when Arsène Wenger allowed himself to feel pressured by a ‘star player’ is over. He dealt ruthlessly with Alex Song. That must have sent out a message to players and their agents and who knows, Sagna may be in for a shock.
  8. We are looking at potential replacements and have shown interest in Crystal Palace striker Wilfried Zaha as well as Athletico Madrid’s Adrian Lopez and a several others not being touted on the internet.
  9. When in our PL history did we ever re-sign a young first team player in the last year of his contract? I can’t think of a single instance.

The evidence is mounting and Theo’s departure seems inevitable. As I’ve already stated, I’d like him to stay. Not because he’s probably going, but because I really think he can gel with the new set up and we can now get the best out of him playing alongside the likes of Cazorla and Wilshere.

Is he worth more than £75k a week? Probably not when taking into consideration what fellow first team players currently earn. Could we afford to pay him more than £75k a week? Yes, but we choose not to. The question is academic because it is likely that other interested clubs will offer Theo a higher wage than Arsenal can afford.

From what I heard walking away from The Emirates on Saturday, some supporters would prefer he left. Can successive England managers be wrong in preferring Theo to the likes of Aaron Lennon and Adam Johnson? I think not, it seems Theo may be appreciated more by the supporters of other teams than our own.

Saturday showed that a player with Theo’s abilities is important to create the supply to the likes of Giroud and last season proved that he can form successful partnerships with other players of high quality.

We lose Gervinho for up to 6 weeks to the ACN from January 2013. We have the Ox and Ramsey who can play on the right but they are better suited to other positions.

If Theo leaves, it is important we make every attempt to bring in another striker who scores goals, can cross the ball and can play wide right – a tall order. Such players are not easy to find and probably won’t come cheap. All we can hope is that we identify and sign a player who can fill the void quickly.

Written by Rasp

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Arsenal History Lesson

October 19, 2012

A few weeks ago, a good friend of mine came to see me in a distraught state. He was deeply worried that his 12 year old son was showing signs of coming out… as a Tottenham fan. The boy had showed no interest in following his dads hobby of Arsenal or football but now after starting big school he is was doing what all us parents fear, mixing with the wrong sorts, i.e. Tottenham fans. How could this happen? I don’t blame the kid, hes obviously troubled and hence mixing with the wrong crowd. I do blame my friend a bit, he should have been more forceful. But no, the real culprit is this countries educational system.

This got me thinking as to what should change. I believe proper education should start at about five when the kids are infants. I then wondered what if I was a teacher and addressing a class of five year olds, how would I approach it? Well it would be something like this.

I was greeted at the classroom gates by Ms Applegate, an attractive twenty something who would be sitting in whilst I gave the kids a good thrashing…err, I mean lesson . She greeted me warmly but overcome with excitement my first words to her were “Man, you smell good baby” She gave me a startled and worried look, but still led me into the classroom.

Hi kids my name is Terry, and I’m here to give you a history lesson. I usually get a cheer when I enter a room, but never mind, I forgive you. Right, to understand British history you must first understand Arsenal football club” (Ms Applegate looked shocked)

It all started in the 1920’s when a man who was very similar to Father Christmas, but better than him, called Sir Henry Norris, made the modern Arsenal. He was a great man. Before him there was no such thing as North London, so he invented it. He made Arsenal into a great football club, never taking reward for himself. Infact, he gave all his money to children and was loved and cherished throughout the world and beyond

Some people will say that he done some bad things with money but don’t believe them, he was very kind and gave all the children brilliant presents.

Now listen here kids sometimes bad people tell lies about good people. Some people will say that Sir Henry did some bad things but don’t believe them. For instance your parents might read in the local papers soon about how a man with the same name as me, looks exactly like me, and lives in the same house, has been caught swindling money from a local charity. This is very important to understand. It’s not me, just some poor man who has the same name and face and lives in my house”. (Applegate had her face in her hands)

Then Uncle Herbert came to Arsenal. Now Uncle Herbert was the cleverest man ever and some say he walked on water. In the 1930’s Arsenal won the world cup led by Uncle Herbert’s genius. He was such a genius that busts were mad of him all over the world. It is a fact that Her Majesty the Queen and Nelson Mandela have such busts of him in there house. So, Uncle Herbie is remembered as the greatest man that ever lived. The only thing that stopped Uncle Herbert from winning more World cups was that he passed on and became an Angel,

After Uncle Herbie, his son George Allison became leader. He took Arsenal to the Promised Land and won many more World Cups. He would have won more if it wasn’t for a very bad man called Hitler, who didn’t like football because everytime he saw a ball it reminded him that he wanted two balls. Besides, he was a season ticket holder at Tottenham.

Now, after the 1930’s, Arsenal became a force for all that is good in the world, but there were still some bad men who didn’t believe in Arsenal and would do horrible things. They are mostly called Tottenham fans. You can recognise these people because they are very ugly, have a tail, and sing silly songs about a man who is really a woman called Glenda Hoddle. You must never trust them. If a man ever asks if you want to go home with him and play with his Hornby Train Set or says that he has some very cute Rabbits living in his shed, don’t believe him, he is probably one of them”.

Then a little boy put his hand up.

Boy – “But my daddy likes Tottenham. He says they are a brilliant team in Black & White”

Terry – “What’s your name boy?”

Boy – “Timmy Jackson”

Terry – “Well Jackson, I knew there was something dodgy about you. Go and stand in that corner facing the wall. No use crying boy, you will thank me in the long run, I’m saving you from a life of Rabbits”.

All the other kids were looking bewildered, but I quickly put their minds at ease

So you see children, that’s what happens if you’re naughty like Jackson. If you do not follow the path of the Mighty Arsenal, you will have to watch endless replays of Jimmy Greaves and your memories of Hornby Train Sets will not be good.

At this point a couple of other kids were close to tears themselves from Jackson’s sobbing and I could hear groans of when can we play, or I want my mummy. Then Applegate intervened.

“Look Mr Mancini, this whole thing is totally inappropriate and I must ask you to stop now”

I wasn’t having that. These kids needed my help.

Leave it out love, these kids need a proper education not the drivel you teach them. After the lesson I will give you a nice massage and you will probably fall in love with me. Now be a dear and go and make us a nice cup of tea.

She looked shocked (no idea why) and stormed out, so I continued the lesson.

So kids, now I want to tell you about Father Arsene. He came to Arsenal in the nineties and everyone soon realised that he was the kindest, most generous and greatest manager since Uncle Herbie. He won lots of nice prizes, and gave them out to all the good children in the world. But not to little runts like Jackson over there. Father Arsene invented the term good football. Before him everyone just kicked the ball as hard as they could and beat each other up chasing it.

Now children, I want you all to stand up and sing this song. Just repeat what I say and remember to sing it every morning when you wake up. If your good and sing this every day you will get many nice prizes from Father Arsene

Good old Arsenal, were proud to say that name. Whilst we sing this song we will the game, while we win this song we will the game

Now to finish off kids, we will sing a song about how Tottenham went to see the pope

Just at this point I saw Applegate approaching with two rather large men, and there was no massage oils or tea tray.

Alright kids, ive just got to climb out of this window. Remember to sing your Arsenal song every morning.

So that’s what I think should happen to convert all undecided to the Mighty Arsenal. Whats your solution?

God Bless

Terry M

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Box to Box Supporters

October 14, 2012

In the wake of some Club Financials, I am going to assume that future commercial deals are in good hands. That leaves the biggest threat to our business being the renewal/take-up of Corporate Boxes, and the massive contribution to match day income (someone can correct me, but I believe it represents something around 30% of match day revenue). I have noticed some spaces up there, and this is worrying. What’s to be done?

Well, let’s begin by studying these creatures.

I have only been in a box once. While very generous of my host, and I did have a great evening sitting with real die hard Arsenalistas in our compartment, I have to say that the boxes surrounding us were filled with decidedly uninterested looking sorts. Their mobile telephones were very busy and I could only think that it was an okay evening out. Nothing more.

Firstly, I must point out that I have nothing against Corporations or Big Business, although sitting amongst them does not rock my boat. However, we at The Arsenal do need to show them a good time, and I’m not convinced we are doing a very good job. I think the most fundamental error is in assuming these people are here primarily for the football. I don’t think so. It’s to impress someone, meet someone, tick a box, its free, and ok some like a game but probably follow some other team, while overall I would imagine only a tiny percentage are serious Arsenal Fans.

In the name of research, I have just visited The Arsenal site and unearthed this picture. Let’s be honest, if we were comparing to hotels, then these boxes are at the Travelodge end of the market. I also downloaded these prices for the next home game.

Executive Box Package
10 Seater @ £4,500 + vat
12 Seater @ £5,400 + vat
15 Seater @ £6,750 + vat

Right, so £450 a pop including lunch and nibbles. Just had a look around options on the same day, and you can get best tickets to see someone called Cheryl for £100, or Swan Lake at The Royal Opera House for the same price. Alright, so no chicken legs included and no welcoming glass of fizz, but still.

Look, 90% of Corporate are male, and we know what generally constitutes a good night out. Think Stag Party, belching, farting, and throwing up. I know what I would do…ban women, improve the waitresses, cut the quality of the booze and vastly increase the quatity, and turn a blind eye to smoking and inhaling. Re-instate the 3rd floor as THE place to be for rich, fertile and highly obnoxious City high flyers, and turn this tier into a sea of vice.

I do understand that you may have other suggestions.

Written by MickyDidIt89

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Santi Bursts the West Ham Bubble

October 7, 2012

Arsenal: Mannone, Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Gibbs, Ramsey, Arteta, Gervinho, Cazorla, Podolski, Giroud. subs: Martinez, Koscielny, Santos, Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Coquelin, Arshavin

News that the BFG would start with Kos dropping to the bench was greeted with good cheer from the Goonerati after Wednesday’s less than convincing CB performance. Would the blogs’ judgement be seen to be more accurate than last week’s cry to drop the BFG? Certainly with Carroll restored to the Hammers line-up a few extra inches might come in handy. The ex-Wales captain Aaron Ramsey was preferred to Coquelin for the Diaby spot and Olivier Giroud started as centre forward with a massive amount of well-wishing supporters willing him his first premier league goal.

A victory would see Arsene Wenger’s 350th 3 points in the Premier League.

Arsenal began the first half dominating possession. Pod had an early sighter in the 1st minute, quickly followed by Giroud nearly squeezing in a shot from the edge of the box, drawing a good save from Jaaskelainen.

Gibbs had an early cross fall short which became a feature of the first half, crosses either too short or too long from both flanks. West Ham barely touched the ball in the first five minutes.

On 6’ a sweeping Arsenal move started by Ramsey on the edge of his own area ended in a Cazorla shot and Arsenal corner. Meanwhile Mertesacker was continuing where he left off against the Light Blue Oilers – like a beacon of calmness. A superb tackle from the Teutonic tower in the Arsenal penalty area snuffed out a promising West Ham attack.

Arsenal lost their way for a few minutes with crosses going astray. On 17’ a Ramsey cross found the one claret and blue shirt surrounded by three yellow shirts. Santi began pulling the strings but the ball in the final third was lacking. A series of corners ensued, with Big Ollie nearly scoring with a bending effort from the edge of the area, blocked by Carroll. Each corner seemed to find Carroll’s head, the stats for his headers won throughout the game must have been huge.

West Ham’s first real attack ended in an expertly taken goal from Diame which left Mannone no chance. Ramsey was undone by a piece of trickery with Jenks outside him, leaving the Frenchman clear. Yet again Arsenal had had all the play but were 1 down – a familiar story.

On 28’ Diame committed a foul worthy of a 2nd yellow (he’d been booked for his goal celebration) but Phil Dowd waved away Arsenal protests led by Vermaelen. Nolan dived soon after and Dowd bought it hook, line and sinker. West Ham’s only tactic seemed the hoof upfield to the big Geordie pony tail. Not a long ball team, my a*se.

A couple of corners saw the Hammers threaten, Carroll heading straight at the keeper and then launching himself at Mannone who received no protection from the ref. At the other end Santi was buzzing like a yellow hornet. A Gibbs cross was flicked on by the BFG and Big Ollie was inches away from that first elusive Prem goal.

The 41st minute saw that longed-for moment finally arrive. A magnificent driven cross from Podolski was met by a lunge at full stretch from Giroud. At last a well-deserved goal was rapturously received by players and fans alike.

The final minute of the first half saw Phil Dowd again buy a dive, this time from Noble and West Ham nearly profited from the resulting hoof into the Arsenal box. Half time arrived after a fine piece of covering work from Jenkinson, who grows in stature game by game.

The second half began and Don Vito did well under pressure from a corner. Gervinho hesitated when clear in the box and Big Ollie just failed to find Rambo on the burst.

By the 50th minute it was all possession football from the Gunners with the claret and blue bus well and truly parked. The masticating walrus looked somewhat relieved that the West Ham ‘academy’ was still in the game.

On 53’, Santi plucked the ball out of the sky, drove forward and was unlucky to see his efforts end in another poor cross from Gibbs. Kieran was substituted soon after with another knock to be replaced by Andre   ‘ he drives how he wants’ Santos. For some reason the phrase ‘not shy of a pie’ (thanks Rhyle) entered my head and immediately made me smile.

Gervinho then gave the ball away and only a fine challenge from our captain stemmed the West Ham break. From the resulting throw-in, Jarvis skied the ball over the bar after yet another Carroll flick on. This was the first time I remember Jarvis being on the pitch. He saw more of the ball on the ground with a relegated Wolves side than he did playing for West Ham today.

The 61st minute saw Arsenal’s second substitution, Walcott for Gervinho. Definitely a good call, our Mekon had not had one of his better days. A tactical substitution on the hour, whatever next?

Andre Santos looked at home immediately, pinging passes backwards and forwards with Cazorla and dispossessing Nolan when West Ham did break. The game was becoming an end to end affair with chances at both ends. A stunning move from the Gunners ended in a rather lame attempt at a back heel pass from Theo but his impact was proving crucial. Carroll should have scored at the other end when Mannone came but was beaten to the ball. No Arsenal defender was in sight.

Santi missed a great chance on 67’ and then combined with the Pod but the resulting effort was blocked. Mertesacker made an excellent tackle on Nolan at the other end and it seemed for a horrible moment that he was injured again. Thankfully he seemed to run it off.

A penalty appeal was waved away before Podolski drew a fumbled save from Jaaskelainen. A series of Arsenal corners built the pressure mounting on the West Ham goal, including a delightful turn and left foot cross from Mr Cazorla.

In the 76th minute the boys in red and white got their just desserts when Theo coolly finished off a perfectly weighted ball from Giroud. Another goal celebration booking followed. Did anyone give a flying f*ck, I don’t think so.

A couple of minutes after the goal Nolan missed a great chance for an equaliser. Arsenal shut up shop? – not a hope in hell. Theo had a good chance to the far post, then the BFG swivelled and turned in the area as if he was auditioning for Strictly Come Dancing, his shot deflected for yet another corner.

The third Arsenal goal was just sublime. On 83’ a little touch inside by Theo and Santi unleashed a bending, dipping drive with the outside of his left foot and the Away Boys went berserk. What a goal!

Koscielny came on for Podolski on 85’ just before Mannone was forced into a great save from Matt Taylor. Santi produced the pass of the game reversing to Giroud but the keeper managed to block the Frenchman’s effort. There was still time for another blocked shot from Cazorla. The Away Boys now confirming our magnificent Man of the Match with a non-stop rendition of ‘Oh, Santi Cazorla’ .

What a fabulous result, three points earned with a skilful and hard-working performance. And what a superb way to enter another absurd international break in this exciting season.

Ratings:

Mannone – Made a few fine saves and stood up to the usual Fat Sam tactics at corners and free-kicks……7

Mertesacker – Solid and a calming influence. Vermaelen seemed twice the player alongside the BFG……8

Vermaelen – Much improved from our captain. Benefitted from playing with an experienced partner…….8

Jenkinson – Excellent again from the Corporal. The commentator’s description of Jenks as ‘rangy’ made me laugh ….8

Gibbs – Another fine performance ended early with a hopefully minor injury. Needs to improve his crossing…..7

Arteta – Tick tock tick tock…….8

Ramsey – Rambo produced a mature performance linking well with Arteta and Cazorla ……8

Cazorla – Magnificent. A real delight to see a player with such a huge smile on his face bring smiles to countless others’ faces…….9

Podolski – Lukas worked extremely hard again and his assist for Giroud’s goal was superb …..8

Giroud – Off the mark with a great effort, Big Ollie troubled the West Ham defence the whole game. He is growing into the Premiership quite nicely, thank you …..8

Gervinho – Not Gerv’s best performance but again worked his socks off in the Arsenal cause….7

Subs:

Santos – 56′ – Settled in immediately and looked completely at home….8

Walcott – 61′ – Brilliant impact sub cameo from Theo. Found space and made crucial contributions…..8

Koscielny – 85′ – Brought on to secure the victory…..7

Written by chas

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Kos strikes Oil at the Etihad

September 24, 2012

Early news from the Arsenal camp was that the Lion of Flanders had a thorn in his paw and wouldn’t play. Many of the pre-match debates had discussed playing Koscielny in place of the BFG but as it turned out fate had made the decision for us. Ramsey was preferred to either the Ox or Giroud for the 3rd place in the front three. Last season this tactic sometimes left us a little unbalanced. We would see.

With a Mekon and a Klingon lining up against each other, visitors to the Etihad could be forgiven for thinking they’d dropped in on a Science Fiction convention. Would Arsenal reach warp factor 6?

Arsenal began the first half dominating possession. An early Ramsey centre needed a near post run and Santi fired in a long range shot from too far out to trouble Hart. A series of tika taka passes in the City half drew a foul from Kompany who seemed personally affronted that Arsenal were taking the urine on his home ground.

At the other end Corporal Jenkinson easily dealt with a momentary threat from Sinclair and Aguerro managed to force a good save from Don Vito in the Arsenal goal.

On 13’ Arteta played a delightful chipped pass to Gibbs who hurried a first time volleyed pass harmlessly across the goalmouth. Then came, perhaps, Arsenal’s best chance of the first half. A beautiful pass from Ramsey inside Cliché (Niall Quinn trying to outdo David Pleat) to Gervinho but his first touch was as heavy as Na$ri’s wallet.

The Oilers rarely threatened with the BFG and Gibbs particularly impressive. On 18’ an excellent team move resulted in an overhit cross from Gibbs when the area was packed with red shirts begging for a decent ball. Then Jenkinson picked Lescott’s pocket, pulled the ball back to Podolski but the German blazed over with his right foot. Another super attacking move almost resulted in a golden chance for Santi but the man with a dead rat on his head just got back in time to intercept.

In the 37th minute Gervinho hit the side netting and the Gooners at the other end of the ground thought it had gone in for one second, provoking much hilarity from the home fans relieved at something to laugh at having been outclassed at home for the whole of the first half.

A needless corner 5 minutes before half-time then resulted in Don Vito coming and not claiming. Podolski didn’t do enough to stop Lescott from heading in. Mannone made another save from Dzecko immediately after the goal with Arsenal still rattled, disbelieving that with all their first half superiority they were one down. Arsene Wenger shook his head, the curse of Mike Dean seemed to be rearing his ugly head yet again. (to be fair, Dean had a good game and didn’t celebrate when Lescott scored!)

Santi still had time to create another couple of half chances before the break but to no avail. An excellent display from the little Spaniard, Man of the 1st Half by a country mile.

Mankini used his tactical nous at halftime and brought on Rodwell to replace Sinclair who had had to climb out of Jenkinson’s pocket to go for his half-time cuppa. Nullifying Santi was obviously in the Italian’s mind despite his team going in one goal to the good. Citeh’s plan seemed to work immediately the 2nd half began. Either that or the Arsenal squad had been smoking a little something they’d brought back from Montpellier. Arsenal’s build-up became slow and ponderous. Gibbs again put in a poor cross after a delicious Diaby through ball and Jenkinson put the ball too close to the keeper when in a similar position to Tuesday night.

The movement and fluidity of the first half had disappeared. Players on the ball had no options, meaning the ball often worked its way backwards. Gervinho sliced a couple of decent chances well over the bar and his comedy collision with Ramsey seemed to sum up the way the game was progressing for the Gunners.

At the other end Mertesacker made a series of brilliant interceptions when the blue Oilers attempted to catch us on the break. His reading of the game is just sublime.

The substitutions of Diaby and the Pod for Walcott and Giroud then seemed to open up the game. Jenkinson and Walcott fired in dangerous crosses. Mertesacker and Koscielny were called on to make some excellent tackles and interceptions when Citeh broke upfield.

In the 82nd minute a real rasping drive from Santi forced Hart into the best save of the game and resulted in a corner. The ball bounced out from Lescott and Kos drilled the ball high into the net for a glorious equaliser. Cue pandemonium.

A little period of keystone cop defending immediately after the goal saw Mannone make a crucial save before Aguerro put the ball wide. Ramsey made a great run, then the BFG another magnificent interception prompting the Away Boys into a chorus of We’ve Got a Big F*ckin German. The last minute saw another excellent passing move from The Arsenal result in Gervinho again blasting over the bar. It wasn’t our Mekon’s day in front of goal. Garcia pulled down Jenkinson and was rightly booked but we’d already settled for a point.

All in all it was an excellent point for the Gunners, Citeh being unbeaten for over 30 games at home, not many opposition teams even claiming a point in that sequence.

The Away Boys were magnificent as usual keeping a rendition of Money don’t buy History going throughout the game  and they warmly applauded the whole team off the pitch including my Man of the Match, Per Mertesacker.

Ratings:

Mannone – Didn’t get to the ball when coming for the corner but made some decent saves which kept Citeh at bay……7

Mertesacker – Imperious. How could we ever have doubted he could cope with the Citeh attack?……9

Koscielny – Some superb defending and a real humdinger of a goal to give City’s owners the sheikhs……8

Jenkinson – The Corporal controlled Sinclair in the 1st half and had another excellent all-round game….8

Gibbs – Excellent both in defence and joining in the left side attacks…..8

Diaby – A little patchy from the big man, especially just after half time…..7

Arteta – It’s difficult to ever see Mikel having a bad game…….8

Ramsey – Contributed well in the first half and seemed to come to life after he dropped back to replace Diaby……7

Cazorla – Magnificent in the 1st half and his blistering shot led indirectly to Kos’ goal…..8

Podolski – Lukas didn’t fire today but he deserves some slack after recent performances…..7

Gervinho – Not Gerv’s steadiest day in front of goal but worked hard throughout….7

Subs:

Giroud – 71′ – Olivier tried a few flicks and layoffs and caused a nuisance….7

Walcott – 72′ – Some interesting moments in his cameo but looks a little lost…..7

Coquelin – 90′ – Not long enough on the pitch…..7

Written by chas

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Will Arsenal finally fulfill its “Potential”?

September 20, 2012

We’re off to one of our best starts in the Premier League, 8 points out of 12, unbeaten, and only one goal against in the first four games.

Our defence has been very solid, pivoted around exceptionally strong performances by our center back pairing of Mertesacker and Vermaelen. they along with Gibbs and Jenkinson, thanks to the coaching of Steve Bould, have gained a new positional sense, and are stirring up memories of our famous back four.

Before I go overboard I must remind myself that neither Sunderland nor Stoke tried to play offensive football which made our defensive task a whole lot easier, but that’s happened to us many times before and we’ve fallen foul to a sucker punch and had a goal scored against us – so credit is given where credit is due.

The mid-field is pure magic, who could have guessed that a five foot six, two footed Spaniard would make such an enormous difference to our team? Santiago has fitted in better than O.J. Simpson’s glove.

When have we seen a stronger more in depth mid-field? Diaby has a renewed sense of purpose, Arteta is a master technician and seems to thrive in the company of Santi, Ramsey is looking like the player he was developing into, pre Shawcross, Coquelin is a star in the making and we have Rosicky, Frimpong and Wilshere in the wings awaiting return.

What an offensive display we put on against Southampton, simply as good as I’ve seen in 65 seasons – and that is not an exaggeration. Of course I recognize that we played against a defensively weak team – but they were the same team that scared the poop out of the Manchester sides.

Podolski does not just look the part – he IS the part and has improved in each of his games, on Saturday Gervinho put in a masterful display of football – and long may it last. Walcott has to get off of the fence and make a decision on his future. We need fully committed players, i.e. Oxide who gives everything he has in every game.

Giroud will come good, but the longer it takes for him to score the tougher he’s going to find life in the Premier League.

In spite of Saturday’s display I fear for our lack of depth up front, the only other strikers in our squad (until the January 2013 transfer window opens) are Arshavin, Chamakh and under 21’s, so the last thing we need is an injury to one of our main strikers.

Goal keeping has been our Achilles heel for several seasons and our reliance on a 22 year olds confidence level is a tad scary, Mannone has looked like a good replacement and after that we only have Fabianski. It looks like a major omission in not bringing in a top shelf keeper during the summer.

Can we win the Premier League in 2012/13?

Even though I have very positive vibes about our team and our performances I feel that lady luck, and good refereeing decisions, will play a huge part in our fortunes this season.

Injuries to our strikers could hurt us badly and shaky goal tending could be our downfall, the type of errors made against Southampton will cost us points against any of the top teams.

Talking about the top teams, who I see as Arsenal, Man U, Man C, Chelsea, Liverpool, Spurs and Newcastle, I fully believe that our games against them will tell a bigger story.

I’ve broken our schedule down into 4 segments to highlight our games against each of them.

During the 1st segment of 10 games (Aug 18th to Nov 3rd) we play Liverpool (won 2-0) back to back games against Man C and Chelsea and then Man U.

During the 2nd segment of 9 games (Nov 10th to Dec 26th) we only play against Spurs.

During the 3rd segment of 10 games (Dec 29th to Mar 9th) we play Newcastle, and then in consecutive weeks, Man C, Chelsea and Liverpool, and finally Spurs.

During the 4th segment of 9 games (Mar 16th to May 19th) we play Man U and then Newcastle on the final day of the season.

So, in a segment sense, our 1st and 3rd segments are critical with the 3rd segment being immense with 5 out of 10 games being against the top teams.

Having the 3rd segment (Dec 29th to Mar 9th) as our most difficult is not all bad as it falls during the winter transfer window (Jan 1st to Jan 31st) which give us an ideal opportunity to bring in new recruits to strengthen the squad.

All in all I feel that a top 3 is our most realistic goal but I would not be shocked to see us win the league – however I feel that a Cup is our most realistic chance of a trophy.

Written by GunnerN5

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14 Days that will determine Arsenal’s season

September 13, 2012

The inter-lull – I pronounce it with a strong emphasis on the last syllable, as the Dutch word ‘lul’ is a less flattering description of the male reproductive organ – is once again testing our patience. Like LB said the other day: ‘don’t they realise some people have serious addictions to feed?!’

You could say football is football and just make the most of it, but when you have been dining on caviar and champagne for a few weeks, it is hard to be appreciative about a plate full of dried-out fishcakes and a couple of table spoons of sloppy baked beans on your plate. Qualifying games for international tournaments have become so boring, and the only thing that really gets our attention during the inter-lull, is any news regarding injuries of our star players. This leaves us all in continuous state of being bored and full of angst, and that is not a healthy combination!

But the seemingly endless wait is almost over and we can once again look forward to a five-course meal of the finest cuisine:

15 September: Arsenal v Southampton

18 September: Montpellier v Arsenal

23 September: Man City v Arsenal

26 September: Arsenal v Coventry

29 September: Arsenal v Chelsea

After a promising start to the season – especially our excellent performance against Pool has lifted our spirits – I have a feeling the next five games will determine how we will fare this season. Of course, nothing will be lost or won at the end of this month, but with three of the hardest away games out of the way, and having battled with fellow title/top-4 contenders Liverpool, Chelsea and Man City, we will know a lot more about the readiness to fight for the title of our team.

We are no longer a team made out of mainly young, promising players, but stocked to the rafter with experienced players who have arrived at the summit of their professional careers.  This will be a test for them and we should judge them accordingly – or, as Winston Churchill once put it: “It is not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what’s required”!

The first game after an inter-lull is never an easy one, as Managers have ample time to assess the fitness of their players and get them all focussed again on the next game. It is usually a big advantage if it is a home rather than an away game. In recent years, I have always felt we are most vulnerable when we have just beaten one of our direct competitors and we are to play a team that we all believe we should beat. So, I am really hoping that Wenger and Bould will get our players down to earth again and make them realise there are no easy-three-pointers in the league. Southampton leak goals for fun but have also scored a lot of goals and this should be another game in which we can assess the strengths of our defence. Let’s hope it is also a game in which we can acctually find the net several times, as some players are desperate for a goal or two

The first game will be a test of our ability to concentrate and be professional, and to take our opportunities if and when they arrive: we only have to think back about our recent home disasters against Wigan and Norwich to know what is at stake.

The second game, against Montpellier, should be a good test for us. I like it that it is an away game which will help us to concentrate from the start and will avoid any risk of underestimating them. It is great to have Giroud in our team who will be able to explain to Wenger and Bould and fellow players the strengths and weaknesses of his former team. Montpellier will either play for a draw – as they are likely to regard a point against us as a good outcome – or they go all guns blazing with the ‘we have nothing to lose’ attitude. A draw would not be a bad result for us, but I reckon Arsene will want all three points as he will want to qualify for the next round as quickly as possible.

The second game will be another test of our ability to concentrate and be professional. It could also be a test of our squad depth as not all players will be able to play three games in eight days so soon after the international break.

The third game will be the second biggest test we’ll get all season (the biggest test will of course be where brave sir robin and his little-boy-inside-him are currently hiding). I reckon MC will be as nervous about this game as we are. I was there when we beat them 3-0, two years ago, and it was one of my favourite Arsenal away games ever – Song’s goal, right in front of the away fans, especially springs to mind! If we can keep a tight defence against them then we can do it against anybody. This will be one of those typical games we will all approach with a mixture of anticipation and apprehension. A win would mean a hell of a lot this time, and I reckon it will be one of the best PL games of the season. It might turn out that this game just came too early for our new team, but I still have a good feeling about it.

The third game will be a test of our leadership within the team and our level of unity. We will also know how much every single player is (still) capable to perform at the highest level.

The fourth game will be a good test for our strength in depth. A number of just-outside-the core and wider fringe players will be very keen to show how ready they are for the first team. Although this game holds little significance, I am really looking forward to watching it, so we can see how our young talents have developed over the last 6-12 months. Luckily, the core team will be allowed to rest for a week, which will be a welcome break for them.

The fifth game will be against the Chavs, and it is hard to tell against what sort of team we will play. Will it be an attack-minded outfit or will RdM revert to a park-the-bus approach against the bigger teams? Whatever it is, this is an important game for us and a win would do us a world of good. For once since the start of the season, we have home advantage against a main competitor, and it is our first opportunity to get the home crowd really behind the team.

The fifth game will be another test of our leadership within the team and our level of unity and every single player will be thoroughly examined. I have good feeling about this game as I feel we have a better balance in our team and the recent away thrashing of the Chavs will still be in our and their mind.

Once again, a win would mean a hell of a lot and combined with good results against Southampton and Man City, it might well mean we will be catapulted into favourites for the title. It would not come as a big surprise if this was to happen, but the big question is, would we be able to cope with the added pressure? Recent Arsenal teams have not, but this is a different team with experienced players across the spine, and in all three areas of defence, midfield and attack.

However, we might also fail miserably and struggle with the psychological impacts for the rest of the season.

It is make or break time, and we can all look forward to two weeks of awesome, meaningful football. The wait is almost over!

But what do you think: how will we do in those five remaining September games, and would we be able to cope with the pressure if we are upgraded by the press to direct title contenders at the end of the month?

Over to you!

Total Arsenal.

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Will Arsene save his prodigy Cesc?

September 9, 2012

   

Poor Cesc: torn between the love for his adopted family in London and his birth family in Catalonia, he decided last summer to return to his original home, only to find himself not fitting in properly there anymore.

Two’s company, three’s a crowd and you could not find a finer, more strongly joined-at-the-hips couple than the phenomenal central midfielders of Iniesta and Xavi. As fully expected, Cesc has lost out, at least for the moment.

Cesc has suffered a season of being compromised to somehow fit into the Barca team, and although he has shown a fantastic ability to adapt and continue his successful career – 15 goals and 20 assists in 52 games is very impressive indeed – this season, under the new manager Vilanova, it has all become too much, or should I say too little for him; finding himself more regularly on the bench than on the pitch, and seldom being played in his most natural, and favoured position. During a recent interview it became clear that all is not well with Fabregas, as it would take some doing for the normally diplomatic and always professional ex-captain to speak out like that.

I wonder how he really feels now; whether he has any regrets regarding his decision last year to leave his beloved Arsenal – let there be no doubt that he really loves Arsenal and respects Arsene as no other in the world of football – for his homeland; the place where he grew up, and learned most of his football.

I was sad to see him go, but never angry with him. Having left my home country to live in England in my twenties, I know exactly how it feels when you start feeling homesick. Moving at a very tender age to another country, away from your family and friends and everything you know, is especially not to be pooh-poohed at. Without any doubt, he will have felt homesick and lonely on many occasions during his teenage and early-twenty years in London, and at one point the longing to return home can simply no longer be ignored. Only those of you who have lived abroad for a long period will really know what I am talking about.

The call from Barcelona’s manager and boyhood hero, Guardiola, and their players – many of them his friends – was simply too sweet for him to ignore anymore. The flesh is weak but the blood is even weaker, and Cesc was born with Catalonian blood, one of the most patriotic areas in the world. Arsene could not hold him anymore and had to let his prodigy go.

At the time of his imminent departure, I humbly dedicated a post to him urging him to stay at Arsenal for a few more years; saying that now was not the right time to leave Arsenal. His job at Arsenal had not been completed and at Barcelona they did not really need him, at least for the time being. For me, it was all a matter of timing. Inevitably, he would return one day to Barcelona but he should only do so if and when they really needed him.

They didn’t and still don’t need him, and the new manager is, understandably, less willing to somehow fit Cesc in. Cesc is getting restless and might find himself now snookered on the bench of the Nou Camp. The faith of many an Ex-Gunner it seems…

In an interview last season, he said how he always tries to watch all games Arsenal play, and will only miss a game if and when Barcelona and Arsenal play simultaneously. So he will have noticed how his friend and fellow Spaniard – the more mature and seemingly fully adapted to living in England – Arteta has been faring at Arsenal: how he did not fill his spot per se, but nevertheless has fully won over the hearts of the fans with his disciplined and effective displays as one of the deeper laying midfielders.

He must have been wondering how it would be to play alongside the hard working and enthusiastic Basque, and seeing brave sir robin having the season of his life must also have had some impact on him. He will have seen the gap he left behind and was not filled properly last year, and how he could have been really needed, really wanted, and really loved back in London. A love he can only dream of at the Nou Camp.

This feeling of possibly missing out on something will only have become stronger when another fellow countryman and national team colleague, Cazorla, joined Arsenal a month ago. Santi has won over the fans and critics in no time, and has finally filled the gap that Cesc left gaping open for a year.

Besides that, Diaby is showing signs of finally finding and maintaining full fitness and since his departure Arsene has re-invested the income from player-sales in experienced, 25+ year old, quality players – something Cesc had been asking Arsenal for during the last years at our club.

Poor Cesc: he is being torn to pieces between two sets of Spaniards.

On the one hand, Xavi and Iniesta are too good and keeping him out of the first choice team at Barcelona, and on the other hand, both Arteta and Cazorla are inadvertently rubbing in what he is missing out on. Some will say, it is just what he deserves, but I feel truly sorry for him for this cruel twist of fate.

Yes, he did not behave impeccably towards the last few months of his Arsenal career: he might have put his physical (and possibly his mental) health before the needs of the club, and he should not have attended the Spanish GP, but for feck sake, didn’t he give his all for us from the moment he was positioned next to PV4, many years away from becoming a fully grown man?

Our current, new team is one in which Cesc, without any doubt, would love to play, and I would not be surprised if he does not feel at least some regret for leaving us last season.

I would love it if he would return to Arsenal, and rather sooner than later, but it would require more than a small miracle. It would be fantastic if we could field all three Spaniards in our midfield and Cesc and Santi could alternate between the deeper laying and more advanced midfield positions.

But it would mean that the likes of Diaby, Ramsey, Coquelin and JW would be on the bench a lot, or even have to be moved on, and I cannot see Wenger wanting that. Besides, Cesc would be expensive to buy as Barcelona would undoubtedly be hoping to get back most of the money they paid us.

However, of all the players Wenger has developed over the years, Cesc was very special to him; perhaps the most special of all. Cesc was the on-field embodiment of how Arsene wants to play football, his fulcrum, his conductor. There was no doubt how much Arsene regretted having to let Cesc leave for Barca last summer and what a hole he left in his team subsequently. Let there be also no doubt how much Arsene fought for his captain to stay at his adopted home.

And if there is one player I expect Wenger will do everything for, it is for his forlorn son. And that’s why it is still possible we will see Cesc back in the shirt that made him big, at the club where he is loved the most and he fits in to like a glove, and where there is a manager who would once again allow him to conduct the sweetest tunes of football.

Total Arsenal.

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Will Arsène ever be able to complete his vision?

September 6, 2012

“Alas”, said the mouse, “the whole world is growing smaller every day. At the beginning it was so big that I was afraid, I kept running and running, and I was glad when I saw walls far away to the right and left, but these long walls have narrowed so quickly that I am in the last chamber already, and there in the corner stands the trap that I must run into.” “You only need to change your direction,” said the cat, and ate it up.

A Little Fable, by Franz Kafka.

This ‘little fable’ by Kafka has been a favourite of mine ever since I read it for the first time, back in the late eighties. I was introduced to Kafka by the father of one of my housemates during my student years. He was a semi-famous Dutch writer and knew from his son that I was very interested in literature. He handed me a copy of Kafka’s Der Prozess (The Trial) with the words: ‘This will get your brain working’.

I was working as a cleaner in a factory that produced plastic bottles for shampoo etc during the summer holidays, and when I complained to my manager that I had feck all to do, he took me aside and said he knew there was not enough work but they did not want to lose the hours on the contract, and that I should simply try to look busy. For the next few days, I ended up locking myself in the cleaning cupboard reading Kafka’s masterpiece. Anybody who has read The Trial will know that it is a surreal and creepy story, and I could not have wished for a better place to read it than in a dingy cleaning cupboard of a soul-destroying factory in the middle of a colourless industrial estate.

After The Trial, I read more work by Kafka and ‘A little Fable’ always remained at the forefront of my brain. Although Kafka apparently wrote it as just a bit of fun, I feel it is a brilliant anecdote for the cyclical, trial-and-error nature of our lives.

It somehow makes me think about the predicament Arsène Wenger has had to face over the last seven years, and is likely to continue to face for the foreseeable future. The decision to build a new stadium and the unfortunate, simultaneous arrival of the Southern and Northern Oilers, have forced Arsene to ‘change his direction’ a number of times in order to remain competitive and somehow stay firm towards his vision of football for our, and his, beloved Arsenal.

On a number of occasions over the last few years, Arsene had to face the cat that ate him up and spat him out again, telling him every time to change his direction in order to avoid it happening again.

Arsène knew he was entering the final part of his management career and, a visionary as he is, will have foreseen the above mentioned developments and their likely impact on the club and therefore on him, and yet he decided to stay loyal to us – despite strong rumours of a number of overtures by clubs with far superior financial means than Arsenal. For that, I will always remain thankful to him.

Due to a lack of financial means, he invested heavily in bringing through young players. In the meantime, he let go a significant number of experienced (and expensive) players – either by choice or somewhat forced upon him by the club in order to make the books balance. Initially, the departures did not appear to hurt us too much. Vieira was, for example, replaced relatively well by Fabregas, and the departures of Toure and Adebayor to Citeh did not leave large holes for us either.

But Arsène did not have much budget available for quality/experienced player additions, which forced him to field relatively young sides that lacked experience over the last few years.

He built a team around Fabregas and on a number of occasions we came close to winning something. Maybe with a bit more luck, Arsène and Fabregas would have succeeded but it was clear something was missing: experience, strength in depth, cohesion, the right (fighting) spirit; you name it.

Just when Arsène started to get on top of things with his team led by Fabregas, and an improved budget appeared to be made available to him so he could once again add some experienced players, Cesc, Clichy and Nasri all had to be sold, for various reasons. And although he was able to buy a number of experienced new players, it became clear he had to start again and go through another transitional year.

However, after a difficult start, the team started to gel better and better and brave sir robin had the season of his life. We finished third and there is a feeling that with the signing of Podolski, Giroud and Cazorla we could confidently make the final push toward the top-prizes.

But once again our star-players are sold: Song, brave sir robin, and almost Theo – either in order to make the books balance, or to avoid having disgruntled players in our squad whilst losing out on their potential sales value.

Just imagine, we would have been able to keep hold of brave sir robin and Song and added Cazorla and Podolski this summer. We would once again have spent a lot less than the Chavs (1/3) and both manc clubs (1/2) and yet have a team that can compete against anybody.

It just looks like every time Arsène is about to put the final shape of his Russian dolls around his team building work, somebody comes and takes one of the smaller, internal dolls away, forcing him to start again.

As a result, we are in strong danger of being in perpetual transition; of never being able to pick all the fruits of Arsène’s vision and unbelievable hard work.

Early signs, regarding the latest team Arsene has been able to put together are looking promising, though. The new additions have hit the ground running, especially Cazorla and Podolski, and Giroud had a positive impact in the first few games as well. A number of young players are coming through quickly and have claimed, or are competing hard, for first team places. On top of that, the arrival of Steve Bould appears to have given us a better structure and discipline to our defence: an absolute necessity if we are ever to win something again.

The excellent win against Pool offers us real hope of what this team might be capable of. But there remains a feeling of unease for us all.

What will happen when the next summer TW opens again: will we be subject to more transfer shenanigans; will our best players once again leave us? And will Arsène be forced to start building again?

The good news is that Arsène seems to be allowed now to spend the money that comes in from player sales again. Since the summer of 2011, there has been a clear shift by Arsene towards buying experienced, quality players who have either remained below the radar of the oil-sharks or are not deemed good-enough for them. Arsène’s nose for a good player is second to none, whether it is a young talent or an experienced player with additional potential, who would fit perfectly within our team.

It looks like Arsène is now able to foresee future loss of players and subsequently put in effective contingency plans. Our investment in young players is starting to really deliver with the likes of Gibbs, Ramsey, Wilshere, Jenkinson, Diaby, Theo, the Ox and Coquelin all becoming better and better. And there is more to come with the likes of Yenaris, Frimpong, Miquel, Myachi, Eisfeld and Aneke knocking hard on the first squad door.

Add to that, Arsène’s ability to find, and attract, experienced super players like Arteta, Cazorla, Mertesacker, Podolski, Giroud and Koscielny – except for the latter, all bought in the last 12-14 months – and maybe we will become increasingly immune to the annually recurring threat of our best two or three players being bought away from us.

The super overinflated salaries paid by the Oilers, in the UK and abroad, will remain a threat to us which is likely to lead players forcing a move on us again in the future. We cannot compete with them, and neither should we try to.

And I don’t think winning something is going to make much of a difference either. Just look at Dortmund: they keep losing players despite winning a number of trophies in recent years, and having a fantastic stadium and fan base.

But, maybe Arsène has finally found a way to stay away from the claws of the cat. She might scratch us painfully again – just, for one second, imagine TV and Diaby or Szczesny being sold next summer – but Arsene seems to have found a way to heel us quicker now, and to make us stronger every season, against all odds.

It looks like Arsène is finally able to put his vision into practice and hopefully, helped a bit as well by FFP and a quickly improving financial position of the club; we will finally reach the very top again.

We are very lucky that Arsène stayed loyal to our club and let’s hope he’ll stay a lot longer with us to fully complete his vision for Arsenal.

Keep the faith fellow Gooners!

Total Arsenal.

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Arsenal – Hardball or Soft Sell?

August 30, 2012

Today’s post derives from a comment posted by Adrian yesterday. It is fair to say that his opinions are not in keeping with many on this site but they do represent an interesting counterargument that is worthy of debate.

RVP, Song and now maybe Walcott – although the latest reports suggest he may stay. Fabregas, Nasri and Clichy last year. Anyone want to guess whose turn it is to shine this season only to be sold by our great owners at a minimum of 200% or higher profit to the highest bidder the next transfer window?

I’m sorry, but those who are insisting that we are good enough to compete for silverware need a reality check. Don’t get me wrong, the 3 players we brought in are very promising prospects, but so far only Cazorla has truly shone. Even then, you need to remember that Cazorla is no Fabregas and Podolski/Giroud is no RvP.

The point is, the club has been continually selling its BEST players and replacing them with decent players but in some cases not as good as their predecessors. Just take a look at Chelsea/Man city’s squad, it is very unlikely that we will have the squad depth or quality that can match theirs even though we have a fairly decent squad. Diaby is too injury prone, Arteta and Rosicky are getting one year older, Wilshere will be back god knows when, Ramsey is very inconsistent although promising. Therefore while it may appear on paper that we have a decent squad with enough depth, at a closer look you’ll start to notice some cracks and problems.

The last thing we need now is for Theo to leave. I simply cannot understand why some people have mentioned that the business end of the club is being well run. For heavens sake, its 2012 now and wage inflation has already been going on for some time. As of now, it is the norm for the better players to get around 100k a week. For those insisting that players getting 100k a week to play football is unreasonable and absurd, you need to ask yourself this, does 70k and a 100k really makes a big difference? Clubs everywhere are already paying these type of wages to their players for many years and it is time for Arsenal to go along with this concept and start being competitive salary wise, considering that Arsenal season tickets are the HIGHEST in the EPL. For heaven’s sake, we are Arsenal, one of the top clubs in England, not a 1st division side.

As mentioned above, a quality winger would easily cost 10m+, so why the big fuss over the 6m increase in Theo’s salary? Taking a stand against player contracts is very admirable, but once again you have to question the way the board acts in a business sense. Why only take a stand in the LAST THREE days of the transfer window? If they were not prepared to accede to a demand of above 75k (which is absurd as losing 3 vital first team players in a transfer window for 2 seasons consecutively should not happen in any top club), why didn’t they make it clear weeks or even months ago? Why only take a stubborn stand when there are only 3 days left to the transfer window thus leaving us with even less time to find a replacement?

For those saying that the Ox will be a great replacement in the unfortunate event that Theo leaves, he is good but not polished or fully established yet and depth as mentioned before is  vital when we are challenging in 4 competitions. And Gnabry, seriously? You expect a reserves squad member to step up and instantly hit the ground running in the EPL? As for those who mentioned Affelay, he will only be available ON LOAN. Some of you slagged Theo saying that he doesn’t want to play in an Arsenal shirt. What makes you think Affelay who is only on loan from Barca will play for us with all his heart IF he does come, as the club in his heart is Barca?

I must say I am very disappointed with the way the club has operated in the transfer window this season. I thought what happened last season would not be repeated this transfer window, but clearly I was wrong. For now I can only hope that this will not happen again next year. I strongly believe that Theo should be kept and is a vital part of the squad. Too many changes will do us no good.

Written by Adrian

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