Arsenal in crisis! …. what crisis?

July 30, 2010

I am really getting fed up with all the dross coming out of the ‘red tops’. Yesterday, they reported that we are doomed for another season as RVP and Fabregas wouldn’t be fit enough to play in our opening game at Liverpool.  They are certain our spending is finished for another summer and our hopes for next season are all but over. They highlight the fact that Bendtner will also miss the opening games, (which we all knew several weeks ago) and Denilson and Diaby are also a doubt.

Some Arsenal sites panic at all this make-believe stuff. The internet has been littered with headline posts calculated to provoke reaction. Our ‘fantasy predicament’ pales into insignificance compared to the mess Liverpool are in, with an injured Torres, and Carragher, Kuyt and Gerrard burnt out after the World Cup. The new manager, Roy Hodgson has an enormous task ahead in trying to produce a side that meets the expectation of the Liverpool fans.

What Wenger actually said was that he would address the situation on the 5th August. He didn’t say that RVP or Fabregas wouldn’t play. Denilson and Diaby  both have slight groin strains but would most probably be available although Bendtner aggravated his groin problem and was always going to miss the start of the season. Luckily we have Chamakh now who it is likely will compete with Bendtner for a starting place in the side any way.

Year after year the media ‘will us to fail’ and try every conceivable method to brainwash a gullible audience, some of whom fall for it every time.

Wenger isn’t stupid, I’m sure he wants to buy where we need cover.  He knew months ago that Gallas, Silvestre, Senderos and Campbell were out of contract and would probably leave, and at the same time he would have assessed our present cover. The pre-season games in Austria will have given him a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses in the squad .

Look how little activity there is from the top clubs so far this summer. There is a worldwide recession. Most PL clubs are in so much debt that,the penny has finally dropped. The days of buying players at over inflated prices must stop (unless you’re man city) but also, the availability of top players is limited.

Have you seen many who played in the world cup change clubs? City will continue to splash the cash, but making wholesale changes doesn’t always equate to a winning formula .

I feel very confident that we have a good balance now in the squad and will still buy at the least another centre back.

Have faith my friends.

Written by kelsey

58 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by kelsey

We, The Mighty Arsenal, Don’t Have A Number 1 Keeper

July 24, 2010

I keep thinking about what Wenger said recently  “we do not have a number one keeper”.

So I did a bit of research. Gerry Peyton, our goalkeeping coach is leaving for personal reasons (Irish would know a bit about him, having represented Ireland on over 30 occasions). Two years ago Sczesney broke both hands, and most probably Arsene is assessing him, but to be fair in the two pre season matches so far, he has had little or nothing to do.

IMO Schwarzer is still on the radar as a keeper/coach, probably short term in the first team, but I doubt anything will be resolved until Fulham have a new manager in place. That leaves Almunia. I wonder where he really stands in Wenger’s mind.

A good point that I have read several times is that the goals ratio to shots that we concede is very high for a top 3 club, and how often, especially at The Emirates we see keepers have their game of the season when they are continuously bombarded by our attacking options.

It makes sense to me, that a keeper who spends 75% of a game doing next to nothing and then concedes will always come under the spotlight a lot more than a keeper who may concede 3 or 4, but actually have a good game.

This is just another point of view as to our definite keeper problems, though the defensive issues are also a must to be addressed.

Is there really an argument that a keeper can be too young to be a first team choice? Look at Iker Casillas,  a product of Real Madrid’s youth system who started in the junior squad during the 1990–91 season. He was first called up to the first team on the 27 November 1997 at age 16 to face Rosenborg in UEFA Champions League 1997–98, but it wasn’t until the 1998–99 season that he debuted in the senior side.

La liga may not be as strong or physical as the Premier league yet now he is regarded as one of the best in the world, and has shown his class on countless occasions for Spain.

We have three problems and they are all linked – not on ability or coaching but by a mental barrier. Almunia has had personal problems and like it or not is compared to Jens Lehmann. Fabianski was mentally shot last season, so can he come back into the cauldron and Szczesny is unproven at the highest level.

At least, at long last, I feel Wenger knows he has to address this problem sooner rather than later.

Written by kelsey

100 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by kelsey

Fletcher admits ………… Ferguson’s a hypocrite

July 23, 2010

Just over a year ago, having watched Darren Fletcher commit foul after foul against Arsenal without receiving a single booking, Arsene Wenger coined the term “anti-football”.

He said: “’I have seen today a player who plays on the pitch only to make fouls. The players who are never punished and get out of the game without a yellow card.

I think it is anti-football. I don’t know why it is this way. You should ask the referees. Look at how many deliberate fouls some players get away with. That’s a bigger problem because it cuts the flow of the game. And people pay to see football, not free-kicks.”


Of course Fletcher and Ferguson both said afterwards that Wenger was a sore loser and that Fletcher was an honest, skillful footballer.

A year later, and Fletcher has realized that Wenger was completely correct and he has now decided to admit to the error in his ways. Fletcher said that it is his job to “…break up play, sometimes to commit a tactical foul to stop the other team counter-attacking…”


Now I’m no Premiership referee, but I believe that what he is talking about is called unsporting behaviour, and should ON EACH AND EVERY OCCASION be dealt with by a yellow card.

I very much hope that referees were listening to Fletcher’s comments and will act accordingly in the forthcoming season.


And what are Ferguson’s true views on the types of fouls that Fletcher sees as wrtitten into his job description? Well, they are rather different when they happen to his team.

Here is what he said after Manchester United were knocked out of the FA Cup by a Portsmouth team that included the Fletcher-like Lassana Diarra: “He [Lassana Diarra] doesn’t get a booking [for a cynical obstruction of Ronaldo in United’s first attack],” said Ferguson. “That sets a tone for Pompey knowing that they can get away with so many things. He had eight or nine fouls in the match. It’s incredible. I don’t blame Portsmouth. If any team comes here and finds that a referee won’t do anything, won’t do the right thing, then they will keep on doing it. And I think that’s a tragedy.”

Yes that would be a tragedy – so let’s just hope that Premiership referees will call an end to this behaviour this season.

They can make a start by getting Fletcher’s name in the book the first time he makes one of those “tactical fouls”.

I’m not holding my breath though….

Written by mjc

100 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by peachesgÖÖner

Emirates Stadium: A Soulless Bowl or Waiting on History?

July 20, 2010

I bet all you lucky souls out there with tickets in the Orange and Green quadrants can’t wait. Yes, YES, YES, YES no longer are we the Orange, Green, Blue and Yellow Quadrants, its back, we are the North Bank, we are the Clock End …….. um …. we are the North Bank/Clock End Emirates? Arsenal? Highbury?

Does the chant stay the same, will we be hearing the blissful:

WE ARE THE NORTH BANK
WE ARE THE NORTH BANK
WE ARE THE NORTH BANK HIGHBURY

WE ARE THE CLOCK END
WE ARE THE CLOCK END
WE ARE THE CLOCK END HIGHBURY

Are the words staying the same or will they be changed?

First off, I sadly never got to see the mighty Arsenal play at Highbury and its honestly a thing that saddens me. So, for a change in this post instead of rabbling on like I normally do and thinking I’m right about everything, I am going to ask the regulars here, and those of you who pop in, who have been to Highbury regularly and now the Emirates some questions.

Has the Emirates got a raw deal?

I know its a structure made from cement and steel etc. but to me stadiums are living, tactile, almost breathing objects. They echo of battles lost and won, of players who have taken to the field as warriors. Highbury is packed to the gills with this history: Herbert Chapman leading out his groundbreaking Arsenal side through the marble hallways. Liam Brady curling in another screamer with his left foot. Ian Wright scoring goal after goal with a smirk on his face. The battles and hidings we gave them lot down the road. Bergkamp and Henry leaving the opposition looking like idiots (not that it was confined to Highbury). Adams scoring THAT goal to confirm the title, celebrating the Invincibles. Looking up at the Clock for it to hit 3.

There is a certain sense of attachment to Highbury, I have it and have only ever walked past it as a block of flats.

But is it time to move on?

Of course I don’t mean to forget. How could you forget? It would be sinful to forget, but when is it time to stop longing and whining that we are no longer at “home” at Highbury?

The Emirates or rightly Ashburton Grove has done nothing wrong. It is a wonderful stadium, and aside from Wembley I can’t think of a ground in England that comes remotely close to it. It is something to be very proud of. Its only fault is that it has seen us through a tough time (if constantly finishing in the top 4 and getting to the latter stages of the Champions League are indeed tough times) and for that it is almost at times treated with disdain.

There haven’t been too many epic games there, or a single trophy held aloft but we’ve been there for FOUR seasons, not 93 years. They will come, give history a chance to be written.

I was reading an interview with Johnny Lydon in FourFourTwo this month and he reckons the sense of community has gone from the club since the move to the Emirates. Again, that is a question for those of you in the know? Although common sense would tell me that the Clock Enders and North Bankers no longer sit together, have been split and people are getting accustomed to new faces.

But maybe instead of moaning at the club, its time for the fans to do something about it? Personally, I’m a firm believer in “ask not what your club can do for you, but what you can do for your club” The powers that be have given us back The Clock, The North Bank, and have added as much Arsenal features as possible. Why not try to keep the chants going this season – yes, even if we have to sit down. Why not get to know the person sitting next to you? Maybe its just my inability to keep my mouth shut but I met the most fascinating Gooner at the Bolton match two seasons ago who told me of his trips abroad donkeys years ago to see Arsenal play. The club can only do so much, at times we have to help ourselves.

I had planned on going to a home and away match this season. I now think an away match and two home matches are in order – I’ve just got to sit in the North Bank and Clock End.

Whether I like it, you like it, or anyone else likes it or not our home is now the Emirates. Its great to look back on Highbury and it’ll be always here in our hearts (maybe more so yours than mine) but if we keep looking back over our shoulder, we won’t know our way forward, and this club is moving forward.

We may have moved ground, but aren’t we still The Arsenal?

147 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by criochnaithe

Project Youth Means Arsenal Will Have Premiership’s Biggest Squad

July 19, 2010

Written by mjc

There is much confusion about the 25-man squad limit which is being introduced for this season and we’re lucky enough to have  a blogger who was happy to write a detailed explanation of how the new ruling will impact on Arsenal’s squad. It looks like we’re going to be in a very strong position although obviously there are still changes to be made with players coming and going.Thankyou ‘mjc’ for taking the time to put this together for us.

The adoption for the 2010/11 season of the new 25-man squad limit will impact on every team in the Premiership.  But Arsenal look like they have an edge.

The new rule requires that:

–   no more that 25 players over the age of 21 (or more accurately born before 1st January 1989) are allowed

–   a minimum of eight of these must be home-grown, that is to say, must have received three or more seasons of development in England or Wales prior to the season of their 21st birthday

–   any number of players born after 1st January 1989 can be added to this 25-man squad.

So how do Arsenal fare with the above rule? Categorising the first team squad gives us:

Home-grown (Minimum of eight):

  1. Vito Mannone
  2. Johan Djourou
  3. Gael Clichy
  4. (Sol Campbell)
  5. Cesc Fabregas
  6. Denilson
  7. Alex Song
  8. Nicklas Bendtner

So we exactly meet the minimum requirement of eight home-grown players, without having to include any of the under -21 players in the list. Losing Sol Campbell will of course impact on this equation.

Non home-grown (Maximum of 17):

  1. Lukasz Fabianski
  2. Manuel Almunia
  3. Bacary Sagna
  4. Thomas Vermaelen
  5. Laurent Koscielny
  6. (William Gallas)
  7. (Mikael Silvestre)
  8. Abou Diaby
  9. Tomas Rosicky
  10. Samir Nasri
  11. Andrey Arshavin
  12. Emmanuel Eboue
  13. Eduardo
  14. Robin van Persie
  15. Marouane Chamakh

We currently have 15 players registered in this category, although this can be expected to fall to 13 with the departures of both Gallas and Silvestre. In theory a further four players could be added, although both Vela and Szczesny will move into this category for the 2011/12 season.

Under 21 (No Restrictions)

  1. Wojciech Szczesny
  2. Kieran Gibbs
  3. Armand Traore
  4. Aaron Ramsey
  5. Jack Wilshere
  6. Carlos Vela
  7. Theo Walcott

Having seven first teamers (including one-third of our strikers) as “freebies” is certainly not to be sniffed at, and immediately extends the squad size to thirty-two players.

Furthermore, the above players are those with squad numbers from the 2009/10 season, and we can expect to see a number of the reserves (all of whom fall into the under-21 category) make the step up this summer. Many of these already have League Cup and/or Champions League experience:

Havard Nordtveit
Kyle Bartley
Gavin Hoyte
Nacer Barazite
Francis Coquelin
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas
Henri Lansbury
Mark Randall
Sanchez Watt
Gilles Sunu

This means that Arsenal’s squad for 2010/11, as registered with the Premier League, may well exceed forty players – larger than any other Premiership squad.

Certainly, Arsenal’s squad as registered for last season’s Champions League was the largest in that competition by quite some way.

And so, one might ask, what advantage, if any, does the above give to Arsenal? Is there really any benefit in having Novdveit available to face Drogba or Rooney?

Possibly not, but when injuries start mounting up this season, and the 25-man limit starts to bite, you’re going to see teams with more players out of position, and a great deal more blooding of untried youngsters than has previously been the case, and that will come as a shock to all the clubs involved.

Except Arsenal.

99 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by peachesgÖÖner

So, Do You Think We Can Win The League?

July 16, 2010

I don’t know why but I am not as confident about winning the league this season as I was last which is unusual for me because when it comes to optimism and blind faith I make Stevie Wonder look like he has twenty, twenty vision.

This time last year I was getting quite excited, we had just managed to offload the disruptive Adebayor to City while fleecing them shortly after in the form of Toure. Our attack looked solid helped by the long awaited return of Eduardo. The midfield was bolstered by the return of Rosicky and the defence was augmented with Vermaelen. This gave us the partnership in central defence of Gallas and Vermaelen with Senderos, Silvestre and Song as cover all of which sat well with me. Manu had lost Tevez and Ronaldo, the dippers were totally reliant on the fitness of Gerrard and Torres and the chavs, well that one was always going to be the biggest hurdle to get over but nevertheless, I put my faith in my optimism and arrived at the conclusion that we were going to win the league.

This season, I am not so sure, we have Chamakh which is very exciting, although, for those expecting to see an out and out number nine alla Ian Wright I think you are going to be disappointed. From the five full games I have watched him he plays the channels, he is far more of a team player than the selfish Wright, although, that is not to suggest that being selfish is a bad thing for a striker, it just makes the point that they are very different. The clever advantage, above all, of having a player like Chamakh is that by reputation he will not expect to get an automatic starting place  – he will know that he will have to earn it; the other advantage is that the rest of the attack won’t feel threatened but he will keep them on their toes.

The midfield is so obviously reliant on Fabrégas that there seems little point of discussing the possibility of life after Cesc, as far as I am concerned — Denial is a river in Egypt — and Cesc will lead the good guys out at Anfield.

On a serious note there is only one issue out there that the Cesc bashers are still clinging to and that is what his father is rumoured to have said: the next time you get into a debate with one of them ask if there is a shred of evidence to show that Cesc’s father actually said that his son would like to leave and you will find out very quickly that there isn’t and do you know why that is true? Because if there was, those so called Arsenal supporters would be throwing it in our faces at every opportunity — Cesc has acted impeccably throughout this trying time.

I digress or perhaps I was just trying to put this off — the midfield — I have to admit that such a pivotal role falling to Diaby scares the life out of me the idea that he can stay focused for the whole season seems way beyond his capabilities but hey ho in Arsène we trust as they say.

The central defence: “we won’t win anything until we get four world class centre backs.” Don’t you just want to strangle people who make statements like that? It is about as banal as saying grass is green, it also suggests that such a revelation might not have crossed Wenger’s mind. Four world class CB’s at a club at any one time is a mirage, an impossible dream, you may be able to keep two happy but which two other self respecting world class players would be prepared to sit on the bench for what could be the best part of a season if not more, Chelsea with their inflated wages come close but even their situation is far from perfect.

When it comes to Wenger’s signings we as Arsenal supporters are used to having to make a leap of faith; there was a time when the names were so obscure that I was chuffed just to have heard of the country of origin never mind their pedigree.  Last year it was Vermaelen, although, in his case we had the reassuring knowledge that he was captain of Belgium and captain of Ajax. This year we are really being tested with the signing of Koscielny —  I have to admit I am nervous, this is possibly the biggest leap of faith we have ever been asked to make. Still we won’t have to wait long, his first appearance is on Saturday at Barnet when, if all goes well, people will return with glowing reports of how Wenger has unearthed yet another gem and this uncomfortable pessimism will evaporate………I certainly hope so.

Written by London

162 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by LB

A Rivalry Sorely Missed

July 15, 2010

Written by Jay-Jay

When you think about the great sports rivalries, paramount amongst any sort of compilation or discussion should be Arsenal and Manchester United. At its pinnacle, the desire to emerge victorious and the animosity between the two clubs was an absolute joy, and I really miss it.

Since the move to the Emirates, and Arsenal’s slight drop in the pecking order of those who compete for English Football’s most prestigious honour, the rivalry has turned into something less feral and, dare I say it, tame. Arsene Wenger and his pickled counterpart can even be seen these days sharing a forum together and enjoying a bit of friendly banter.

That wouldn’t have happened back in the day.

I fondly recall the battles between the two clubs when the pressure was on and they were both competing for the title. There certainly wasn’t any of today’s friendliness at Old Trafford in 2003.

As a celebrating Martin Keown bounded toward the thoroughly deplorable van Nistelrooy like an angry baboon protecting its young, the public relations between the two clubs hit an all-time low in the melee that ensued. Every other story you read was one side’s statement of disdain at the other.  The season following saw the Vieira/Keane incident in the tunnel after Paddy had a pop at Gary Neville – customarily, a cowardly little girl – and Keane returned the favour once Neville had told on the boy bullying him. As always, the calm, cool head in the Highbury tunnel was Dennis Bergkamp. Man United eventually won the game 4-2 and I would have happily killed Gary Neville after watching him celebrate.

The list of incidents and goings-on between two clubs at the highest levels of the Premiership used to make games at either Highbury or Old Trafford between the two real spectacles and the ones we all looked forward to. The atmosphere at the games was electrifying, the tension palpable and the desire to win on each opposing player’s face was evident. There were individual rivalries, moments of brilliance and moments both sides would sooner forget.

As I said, I really miss it. The rivalry with Spurs has only recently started to have a bit of extra bite since they’ve made a marked improvement – before they were just our second-rate neighbours we’d take great pleasure in beating – and after them there isn’t really anyone else. Yes, we all hate the Chavs and their squad of nefarious hooligans, but it doesn’t have the history yet.  Let’s hope it’s merely a case of things temporarily being off the boil, with proceedings soon to be re-ignited in the future as that competitive edge returns.

God knows I miss the bragging rights over the greasy glory-boys where I work. They’re just not the same at the moment.

So, I put it to you, the humble Gooner, to give me your finest moment between the two clubs…

This post is written by Jay-Jay who has his own blog The Armchair Gooner

55 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by peachesgÖÖner

The Barcelona Inquisition,take a tip Cesc and stay with the ones who love you.

July 9, 2010

Day after day there are alleged reports that one by one the Barcelona players have been speaking to Cesc, pleading with him to return home to his roots, yet little or nothing is being published that he might not even get paid initially,let alone played, as quite frankly, Barcelona are in a real mess financially.

The latest report is that the new president of Barcelona,  Sandro Rossell, is travelling to South Africa to meet Arsène Wenger in what is being viewed as a “make or break bid”. Reports suggest that if they cannot reach an agreement with Wenger this weekend, the Catalan club are likely to turn their attentions elsewhere to bolster their squad. That in itself shows me that they are clutching at straws. Quite simply Barca don’t have the funds and in layman’s terms I will try and explain the complex issues surrounding the club.

As of June this year their total debt is 518 million euros, which included “irregularities” of 57 million from the 1990’s, yet they still have made pre tax profits for the last three years.

Their problem is one of cash flow, and hence they have borrowed 150m euros to pay short term payables such as hefty bonuses to the players  but they will need to continue to sell players before they can even think of putting in a substantial offer for a player such as Fabregas. The main issue revolves around the problems at Mediapro, who are seeking bankruptcy protection. The problems at Mediapro, who manage the tv rights for La Liga clubs, are a knock-on effect from problems at the suppliers of cable tv in Spain.  Strangely, Barcelona appear to have a different deal with Mediapro to Real Madrid with only verbal payment guarantees. If one adds to that the fact that players did not get paid in June, how dare they even try and attempt to belittle our club with a meagre offer for one of the best young players in Europe.

The promises by  media companies to be able to pay out large sums to football clubs and their inability to do so in the current climate are surely going to have an affect on football finances world-wide.

If you want to read more about Mediapro click here

http://www.eufootball.biz/Television/8351-spanish_rights_holder_mediapro_filed_bankruptcy.html

In addition have a look at the source below to see Rossell’s reported take on Arsenals behaviour

http://www.eufootball.biz/finance/8409-barcelona_deal_cash_flow_problem.html

Cesc, you are being conned, forget Barcelona and concentrate your efforts on a club steeped in history that wants you to be part of the exciting times ahead.We have seen you grow from a youngster to a world class player these last seven years, and if, and it’s a big if you leave us now, you may just regret it.

Written by kelsey

98 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by kelsey

Goodbye Silvestre, Gallas and Campbell – Boy Wonder Number 10.

July 8, 2010

Its getting exciting now – you know the season is impending when people are making travel arrangements for our annual trip to Barnet.

This week, Arsenal.com put up the pictures of those of the first team not on international duty who came back for some fitness work. It was nice to see Kieran Gibbs back in training, and word is Aaron Ramsey is back running without any trouble. Our latest recruit Maroune Chamakh seems to have a new BFF in Samir Nasri.

Laurent Koscielny is an Arsenal player. To all those who think he can’t be up to much because he comes from the second tier of French football, consider this; Arsenal is notoriously frugal in its spending and yet we’ve lashed out £8.5m for him (reportedly) when FC Lorient only paid £1.5m a year earlier – he’s going to be some player believe me.

While having a look around the site, I had a look at our lovely new kit again – only problem is the large sponsorship font, but beggars and choosers and all that… Anyways, I went into the online shopping section and happened upon something very interesting.

It seems all the ifs and buts are answered. William Gallas, Mikael Silvestre and Sol Campbell would appear to be no longer Arsenal players. In the drop down section that allows you to select a personalised name and number, the options of Campbell, Silvestre and Campbell are no longer available. (Oddly you can still get Gilbert on your shirt – two things, WHY? and he was released last week, memo mustn’t have gone out). I doubt this is because of uncertainty over their contracts, it must be because they are going and honestly none of the three are a shock.

Silvestre no-body will cry over. Campbell was always bound to go wherever he could get a nice signing-on fee (sorry Peaches) and while Gallas has been a good player for us overall, he’s become increasingly injury prone. What is key here, is that all three are CBs. Its a broken record by now, but signing Koscielny won’t be enough. Vermaelen is now our only tried and trusted CB, Djourou is largely untested and coming back from a long lay-off. We don’t know what Koscielny is like, and I won’t sit here and judge before I see just because I’ve not heard of him. Alex Song can play there but he is needed in midfield, so Wenger must be looking at, at least one more defensive signing – none of the youth’s look ready to come up and its far too risky to chance it. Wenger must know this by now.

Aside from Silvestre’s, Campbell’s and Gallas’ numbers being unavailable (at least in the drop down menu) its also worth noting that Robin van Persie has applied to have his number changed for next season. As Arshavin hasn’t applied (he being the other option) I expect the boy wonder to drop down a number next season and become number 10. Bergkamp is his hero and how nice that he can wear the same number at the same club as his hero once did.

That is unless Cesc is leaving and the number is for a new play-maker but all things considered, its going to Robin – why else apply for a change of number?

World Cup is coming to an end and Barnet is just around the corner – new look Arsenal is beginning to take shape, I hope!

181 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by criochnaithe

Arsenal Sign £30m Star – should have gone to Speculation Savers!

July 7, 2010

Not much has changed since I last tried to reign in the excesses of those supporters who denigrate our club because we have failed to sign Messi (OK I exaggerate – but they started it).

We had a seemingly well informed blogger (Dudulino) on yesterday who claims to have met Koscielny at the training ground. Apparently he will wear squad number 6. The announcement of his arrival will be made with full fanfare on AW’s return from the World Cup – I believe Dudulino, it is totally in line with the way the club is being run now and for the foreseeable future.

Shock Headline from The Sun “Arsenal eye £40m swoop for Italian Stars” – calm down dear, it’s only a commercial …… to attract readers to a gutter newspaper!

Let me put everyone’s mind at rest. We aren’t going to sign any £30m players – but that’s OK, we’ll still be the Arsenal. We are just a couple of years ahead of the way every other club is going to have to operate. For some (pool) that change may come too late.

In the same way as we showed the Premiership how to play football and introduced new training techniques at the start of Wenger’s era, so we are now showing them how a club MUST be run to ensure survival. Most Premiership clubs can only dream of having a stadium like the Emirates, let alone achieve it with manageable debt.

I am optimistic that Schwarzer is already on his way and we will sign a big right sided central defender – Mertesacker will do nicely. I’m not bothered about Joe Cole, we have players as good as him already. I think a player like Mertesacker could be the last piece in the jigsaw for next season and would raise the intriguing prospect of Vermaelen or Djourou being advanced into the defensive midfield role. We have been linked with Ozil for £20m today (yawn), obviously that would only be a possibility if Cesc leaves.

I’m no saint when it comes to my wish list. I’d love us to sign Torres, but more than that, I want us to continue on this path because I wouldn’t risk the stability of the club for anything, if we did, all the hard work of the last 5 years would be wasted.

I hope my light hearted approach (or should that be reproach?) hasn’t upset any of those who crave signings at any price. We are all gooners after all and even those of you who are foaming at the mouth due to our lack of transfer activity will keep supporting the Arsenal come what may.

Written by Rasp

179 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Rasp

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »