Fabregas Stays, Up Yours Barcelona
Posted by Andre The Giant (somewhere in the mountains)
Today, Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas made the following statement:
“Firstly I would like to apologise to all the Arsenal fans for not speaking sooner about my future but I have not known what I was going to do until this moment.
I cannot deny that joining a club like Barcelona was not an attractive move for me. This was the club where I learnt my football, it is my home town where my friends and family are and a club where I have always dreamed of playing. There are not many players in this world who would not want to play for Barcelona.
I have had many conversations with Arsène Wenger both in person and over the phone over the last few months and although the content of those conversations will remain private, the conclusion is that Barcelona have had two formal offers rejected by Arsenal.
I am a professional and I fully understand that it is Arsenal’s prerogative not to sell me.
I owe a lot to the Club, manager and the fans and I will respect their decision and will now concentrate on the new season ahead with Arsenal.
I can assure all the fans that now the negotiations have ended I will be 100 percent focused on playing for Arsenal.
I am an Arsenal player and as soon as I step out on to the pitch, that is the only club I will be thinking about.
I am looking forward to the start of the season and putting this speculation behind me.”
There are four insurmountable facts to the situation.
1/ Cesc wanted to go to Barcelona
2/ Arsenal did not want Cesc to go to Barcelona
3/ Barcelona wanted to buy Cesc but were not prepared to pay market value for him and therefore used every offensive, classless trick in the book to attempt to undermine Arsenal
4/ Arsenal stood their ground and Cesc Fabregas remains the Arsenal captain for the 2010/11 season.
I am not sure I recall reading a statement of such honesty and professionalism from a footballer. Think of the way Adecashmore behaved, then think of the polar opposite and you have Cesc’s statement.
If you follow us on Twitter then you may have picked up on the odds that we were following throughout Cescgate. At one point, he was 3.5 to stay at Arsenal on Betfair. This seemed incredibly generous given the length of his contract, our desire to keep him and the fact that Barcelona are as far into the red as Portsmouth. Hopefully a few people took those odds.
So it’s time to stick two fingers up to the Barcelona contingent who have embarrassed themselves like a granny at a wedding, standing on the table and lifting their skirt to reveal they had forgotten to wear underwear that day. Iniesta, Puyol, Reina (not Barca I know but still), Xavi, Messi and all you other muppets, go fuck yourself with a really big fucking stick you slimy bunch of cunts. We have won the battle and, who knows, when we win the treble perhaps we’ll even win the war.
August 6, 2010 No Comments
Emir Spahic to Arsenal?
Posted by Sonuvagun
Well we’ve been expecting the arrival of one more centre back for some time. It’s rare that Wenger states outright that he is planning to go shopping for a particular position, but even he hasn’t bothered denying the obvious fact that we need another defender. A number of names have been mentioned during the summer that have got us excited. Mertesacker, Cahill and Jagielka are the kind of players that could clearly push the unproven Koscielny and the frequently injured Djourou for a starting place alongside TV. Not for the first time this transfer window though we’ve heard the all too familiar refrain of having our bids rejected… (Wenger too tight? Arsenal losing some of its draw in the light of trophy-less seasons? We’re being too respectful to clubs in the light of what Barca are doing to us?)… and so it seems we’re close to signing Emir Spahic.
Who? Exactly. Like most Arsenal fans – if Spahic is our man – then I’m feeling more than a little underwhelmed. It already seems optimistic to hope that Wenger has pulled off a Vermaelen in buying Koscielny. To think he might have done in twice in one season is stretching even my relentlessly romantic disposition. After all Wenger is also the man who signed Cygan, Stepanovs and Senderos. The signing of a 29 year old virtual unknown, who has spent most of his career in East Europe, smacks of a low cost covering defender – and his physique is hardly reassuring. To the eye he is more Koscielny than Campbell.
What makes me really worried however is this fan video. Usually you can rely on the power of video editing to make the likes of Emile Heskey look like a rampant 30-million-pound rated goal machine. But this clip features the Bosnian blocker doing nothing more impressive than skying a number of volleys, fumbling the ball out of play when trying a trick, and taking throw ins. At one point the vid even shows him getting beaten in the penalty area! All of this nonsense is accompanied by the mega-camp ‘I Don’t Feel Like Dancing’ by the Scissor Sisters. One can only hope the video is a testament to how crap its director is, rather than its lead actor…
Anyhow until the deal is done there’s no point casting judgement on our Emir, and I guess we’ll have to see the man in an Arsenal shirt before we can really say whether this is Wenger magic or madness. It does make you wonder though, if we are spending more than a few million on a 29 year old journeyman might it not have been better simply to fork out the extra Gallas wanted? Although I’m increasingly of the opinion that the Frenchman does more harm than good in the dressing room (esp. now as he no longer the captain, making him a big ego who doesn’t have to be obeyed – far worse than one who does!), you have to ask serious questions about whether in Koscielny and Spahic (if he comes) we have replaced his quality on the pitch…
August 4, 2010 2 Comments
Emirates Cup: Bright Start For New Faces And Young Guns
Posted by SmartArse
Welcome back Arsenal, we’ve missed you. For the third time in four seasons Arsenal came away winners in the now traditional cash cow of a curtain raiser, thanks to a 1-1 draw we rather handed to AC Milan and a rather more convincing win today over Celtic. Of course there’s an extent to which such games teach us very little and we shouldn’t expect them to. As such there’s no need to bother with much of a detailed analysis; we still play extraordinarily pretty football, occasionally defend astoundingly lazily and Theo Walcott is still unbelievably frustrating.
And part time fans will still insist on Mexican waves, second only to vuvuzelas in my list of annoying things at football matches. Hats off to the Celtic fans, otherwise embarrassingly keen, for refusing to join in. The shame. Honestly it’s not bloody Wimbledon, stop dicking around and watch the bleeding game.
Still, pet peeve aside what these games gave us was a great chance to have a look at not only our beautiful new kit, but also some new faces in the shape of signings Marouane Chamakh and Laurent Koscielny and a few key youngsters, especially messrs. Wilshere, Frimpong and the returning Gibbs.
On the new boys I have to say I once again doff my cap to Monsieur Wenger for two excellent finds. Chamakh looks a top player; sublime first touch, excellent awareness and aerial ability to boot. Perhaps more importantly he seems to fit our one striker system perfectly with just the right blend of strength and athleticism, tied in with a tidy ability to play with his back to goal. Rightly rewarded for his efforts against Milan with a standing ovation when substituted.
In defence Koscielny looked excellent in the game against Milan, especially noteworthy given that he had to deal with a real talent in Alex Pato. At first glance he may appear a little similar to Vermaelen – only moderately tall but with a great leap, turn of pace and notch of aggression – but actually appears to have a few extra strings to his bow. He is perhaps a little calmer than Vermaelen’s raging bull of energy and seems particularly excellent with his timing in the tackle, so potentially the two could work together. Enough for first choice? Not sure. I’m happy to ignore his minor moment of madness to allow Samaras to pass him today, but the combined lack of height would be a more pressing worry and he has a frame so skinny Didier Drogba will be salivating over like John Terry in another WAG’s hot tub. Still, a great find, and an exciting prospect. A little time, a few good steaks and and year’s pass to David Lloyd and he’ll be just fine.
Just how good is Jack Wilshere? Honestly I nearly creamed myself when he spanked that first time volley against the bar today. If you havn’t seen it take a look here. Utterly magnificent effort – it would have been nearly as good as RVP vs Charlton. He’s just so confident and classy on the ball and aggressive too, helpful when you’re almost as small as one of Eboue’s miniature ponies. So glad Arsene is keeping him. Thanks to Bolton for giving him plenty of time to develop but this season they can sod off, he’s ours. Hopefully he’ll be given something like the level of opportunity Aaron Ramsey was last season.
Frimpong looks interesting too. A little terrified on the ball and clearly a work in progress but he’s sure as hell strong and aggressive. At least one player literally bounced off him. And unlike Denilson, he’s clearly a defensive midfielder. A nice understudy for Alex Song.
These two have apparently impressed Arsene so much that he’s convinced we don’t need another midfielder. I’m inclined to agree, especially if Ramsey can make a full recovery. Perhaps then we can focus on our rather more pressing defensive needs.
Which brings us to the increasingly confusing situation regarding the goalkeepers. If, as seems increasingly likely we won’t be adding a new keeper, at least not before the start of the season, then who will be the number one? Nobody seems sure. John Cross seems to think Fabianski, but then it was only a little over a week ago he was convinced that Almunia was being frozen out. Intriguing. But I’m sure I’m not alone in thinking that if we are sticking with the current cohort then Almunia must still be the man. Criticism of him can usually be a little strong, that directed at Fabianski is usually completely justified.
But generally a positive start. Samir Nasri in particular is looking great. Hopefully the motivation of not making the French squad will spur him on to the heights we know he’s capable of. His omission will probably doubly beneficial to Arsenal; he’ll be fired up yet completely free from any scars from their farce of a World Cup.
Anyway, I’m rather getting ahead of myself – calm down dear, it’s only a friendly. But I can’t help but feel a little caught up in the nagging optimism the start of the season brings, the little tremors of excitement. Excuse me while I go off and dream about an injury free, trophy laden season with a Champions League won with a Cesc Fabregas goal deflected directly off Xavi’s face. Fuck the World Cup, now football’s coming home.
August 1, 2010 1 Comment
Wot No Signings?
Morning Arsenalists, how are you? Sonuvagun here finally making his presence felt after a long summer siesta in which I felt no urge whatsoever to blog. I suppose I could have thrown in my two pence about Fabregas and the neverending Barcelona saga, but why contribute to a story that is to column inches vs. interest what Oasis once were to adoration vs. musical talent. It’s been clear for some time now that we weren’t prepared to sell him and unless a) Cesc puts in a formal transfer request or b) Barcelona wade in with 60-80 million bid there really isn’t need for more idle chat. As someone who lives in Barcelona, I’ll be fully hoping Ronaldo has the season of his life in 2010/11 and that Mourinho will be dancing up and down the touchline all (domestic) year long, especially during los clasicos.
But back to the point that I was trying to make before you-know-what distracted me, is that re: Arsenal news it has been damn quiet, especially regarding (concrete) transfers. I remember last year it was the same. We made a move for Vermaelen ‘early doors’ and then I found myself frustratingly checking the Arsenal news one million times a day, only to discover nada in the way of new faces…
Ok, this year has been slightly better than last already. Last summer we bought an unknown defender and sold my favourite Arsenal defender Kolo Toure (never understood why Arsene let him fall out of favour!), and our most prolific striker. Hardly the moves of title challengers and the minute Robin Van Persie had his ankle smashed by some Italian tw@t we were never likely to keep pace. In the end we did pretty well I thought, but it’s worth remembering how many points Man U and Chelsea threw away in an eminently winnable race… would the 35 odd million we got from the two sales bankrupted us if we hadn’t cashed in? How much more money is winning the Premiership worth than coming 3rd? Sometimes I think Wenger’s parsimony is a false economy.
This year we’ve at least kept all our (contracted) major players so far. A doffed cap to Eduardo who sadly leaves us, but his impact on the field last year was negligible and it’s hard to feel that footballing-wise we will are going to suffer unduly now he’s gone. A new start is what he needs and let’s wish him well. Re: non-contracted players, Gallas is a huge loss. He may be a dick, and he may be a destabilising influence, but his quality as a defender for me is unquestionable. Arguably we lost the last two titles because of his injuries in the latter parts of the season, and we certainly stacked a lot of goals in the season just gone by without him. Like most Arsenal fans I have my doubts that Wenger has successfully replaced him in Koscielny. I’m sure the Pole/Frenchie is a damn fine defender and he’ll only get better with us, but Gallas was amongst the best of the best. He also scored a lot of vital goals.
So versus last year we’re basically Chamakh instead of Eduardo and Koscielny instead of Gallas. Is that an improvement? With defense a more important area to address right now than attack you’d have to say ‘no’.
I’m stating the obvious to say we need another defender, but what is strange is why haven’t we moved for one already? If Wenger has isolated a target get him. Stop quibbling over 2 million when the whole season is at stake! Now that Djourou has picked up a strain and Campbell has signed for Newcastle we’re in a considerably worse bargaining position with teams who know we are desperate. This should have been sorted weeks ago, as far as I’m concerned!
As for the goalkeeper situation. Well I wouldn’t be surprised if we didn’t see one come in. Wenger has never shared the fans’ opinion that Almunia isn’t good enough and I get the distinct impression he is only in the market to appease us. That’s why he’s trying to pick up a cheapie like Schwarzer (Who, incidentally, I’ve seen make more mistakes over the summer – starting with his match vs us – than Almunia did all season). To be honest I’m happier than most to keep Almunia. It’s my suspicion that Gallas’ bullying personality robbed him of his confidence last year, and its clear that the Spaniard has nerves of, errr, something very unsteely (sorry metaphors beyond me at 4:41am). If Wenger is sticking to his guns (ho ho) then he needs to give him a big vote of confidence, not freeze him out of any more friendlies. Naturally the best scenario is Wenger digs into his pocket and buys a world class keeper. The Dutch chappie would do nicely… but AW’s phobia of spending money makes that more than unlikely IMHO.
So there we have it, the new season is almost upon us and our so-brief-we-didn’t-have-time-to-get-wet dip into the transfer market has barely compensated for the outgoing players. I have a distinct feeling the only action we’re going to see in the final weeks of the season is one more defender and possibly Schwarzer at best.
A bit depressing give the resources we have available to us, but if we do see a) an experienced defender and b) quality keeper arrive in North London then we’re in with a decent chance for some silverware I reckon (not as good as it could have been but as Arsenal fans it’s something we’re used to!). Djourou’s injury has reinforced the need for a) and it’s almost unthinkable that something won’t happen… but, if last’s year’s lack of action is anything to go by, then I wouldn’t hold your breath about seeing a fresh pair of gloves between the sticks when we take to the pitch at Anfield.
July 29, 2010 No Comments
Farewell Eduardo, we hardly knew thee
Posted by SmartArse
Finally after what seems like months there is something to talk about other than Cesc Fabregas. Shame then, that it has to be this.
This rather excellent article from football365 points out a disgraceful article from today’s Daily Mail. The headline tells you all you need to know, ‘Flop Gunner! Eduardo was a big shot joining Arsenal…now he’s their latest striking failure’. If you want an anger free evening, don’t read it. If you do, please, add yourself to the universal condemnation in the comments section. What a wanker. Perhaps someone should shatter Leo Spall’s leg like Eduardo’s and see if he still considers its after-effects merely ‘an excuse for failure’.
Eddy’s departure should be seen as a sad moment for all Arsenal fans, because we all started to see what he was capable of. When he scored those two goals against Everton just after Christmas in 2007 Arsenal fans and players alike started to really believe that we’d win the league. He looked the complete package, a hard as nails Ruud Van Nistelrooy, in possession of superb quick feet and utterly lethal finishing. Time seemed to almost slow around him when through on goal. He was even good in the air. Just imagine what might have been last season if it was a fit and healthy Eduardo stepping in to replace the injured RVP.
But we all know what really happened. Poor little ‘Tiny’ Taylor, gentle, meek gent that he is, brutally snapped Eduardo’s ankle with an horrendous studs-up tackle. Arsenal’s season collapsed, but the real tragedy is that Eduardo never recovered, returning a mere shadow of his former self. Gone was the grit, the poise, the steely-eyed belief, replaced by a crippling timidity. It takes only a sniff of a tackle, even a shoulder barge, to throw him off his stride; the mere glimpse of a defender in his periphery to spurn the easiest of chances. A damning indictment on those who defend Taylor, Shawcross, or any other over-eager thug who quite simply can’t tackle.
It would be nice to see such action so roundly condemned as the Dutch performance in the World Cup final, but I don’t hold much hope. Apparently, only Englishmen are allowed to behave like knuckle-dragging morons. No wonder we’re so shit.
Such is the goodwill with which Arsenal fans regard our departing Crozilian, and the extent of disappointment at seeing such severed potential, that many I know were prepared to postpone the apparently inevitable and give him another chance.
It wasn’t to be. The parting of ways is the obvious solution for both parties. Perhaps a change of scenery, a run of games and (hopefully) a sackful of Ukranian goals will restore him to his former glory, but sadly I doubt it. The damage done is probably terminal.
On a side note Eddy’s departure signals the end of his much loved chant, especially amongst away fans. For those poor folk who don’t know:
He came to us when Henry left, Eddy, Eddy,
He scored more goals than Darren Bent, Eddy, Eddy,
He broke his leg, but he’ll be back,
and Darren Bent will still be cack,
Ed-uardo Da Silva, Arsenal’s number 9
(cue much jumping around to the whole tune again)
Much was ridiculous about it; Darren Bent doesn’t even play for Tottenham anymore, and to be fair is a pretty solid Premier League striker and really, the whole chant loses its flair when every club has its own version (United indeed pack a brilliant one about Torres starting with the hilarious line, ‘He’s half a boy and half a girl, Torres, Torres’), but it’s continuing appearance right through his injury to his jaded final season show just how much we as Arsenal fans appreciated him.
Farewell and good luck, Eduardo Da Silva, Arsenal’s number 9.
July 22, 2010 3 Comments
Tired of Not Using Technology
Ok, we’ve been undeniably slack at Come On The Arsenal of late. And whilst the World Cup has produced plenty of talking points, us Arse-addicts know what we really like, and it isn’t the sight of referees ruining yet another footballing contest…
Yes video technology is undoubtedly the hottest topic in the football sphere right now, so without further ado let me reveal our guest speaker for the afternoon: Robert Szmigielski leads us through the nitty gritty of the ongoing video technology saga…
Is it time for the use of video technology in football?
Thierry Henry’s double-dribble against Ireland reignited the age-old debate on video replays, with animated discussions dominating sports pages across the globe. As usual, FIFA seemed no closer to finding a solution. But following the shocking miss by officials to award Lampard’s chipped goal against the Germans, is now the time for Zurich to stop stalling and finally start acting?
Locked in battle
Football is widely recognised as the world’s most popular sport; its free-flowing essence and the spectacle of players expressing themselves with a ball at their feet has captivated fans and brought joy to millions – from the London boardroom to the African slum.
However, it’s precisely football’s uninterrupted nature that purists believe might vanish if video technology is introduced, turning football into a giant, intermittent chess game like the NFL.
But with the money at stake in modern football, the pro-video technology movement has gained momentum. Many fans, commentators, players and (especially) managers believe it to be a natural progression in a game largely unchanged since it was first played in the mid-19th century. So how close is FIFA to making a decision?
Sport 2.0
With the breathtaking array of electronics available, many sports have evolved alongside technology accordingly. Rugby union uses video replays to decide dubious tries, cricket applies instant replays to run-outs, stumpings and doubtful catches and Hawk-Eye has enabled professional tennis players to dispute umpiring decisions since 2006.
Not that football isn’t trying. Adidas has been working on a ’smart-ball’ which allows the referee, via an electronic watch, to tell whether the ball has crossed the line. Initially tested during the 2005 Under-17 World Cup in Peru, it underwent improvement and was used, successfully, during the 2007 World Club Cup in Japan.
Hawk-Eye’s success forced the International Football Association Board (IFAB) – the governing body that, with FIFA, rules on law changes – to consider introducing the technology for goal-line queries only, providing a decision can made in five seconds. The makers now claim they’ve got it down to 0.5 seconds. Two bureaucracy-filled years later, and still nothing.
Where to draw the line?
The issue is undoubtedly tricky and perhaps explains why FIFA is dragging its heels. Using replays to decide, for example, whether a player dived or was fouled, is not a conclusion based on fact but rather opinion; even with a myriad of hi-resolution replays available, pundits still regularly bicker over such decisions. Officials don’t have that luxury. But why FIFA hasn’t ruled on goal-line technology (the whole ball either crosses the line, or it does not) has mystified the footballing fraternity – even referees.
In October 2008, UK refereeing chief Keith Hackett publicly called on Sepp Blatter to introduce Hawk-Eye to eliminate farcical incidents such as Reading’s phantom goal against Watford and Pedro Mendes’ lob over Roy Carroll in 2005.
“The FA, Premier League and Football League have all been supportive of goal-line technology and I was delighted by what Hawk-Eye produced,” Hackett said at the launch of the Association of Elite Sports Officials. “[But] it really is in the hands of the man at the top.”
Resistance
In June 2009, during the Confederations Cup final between Brazil and the United States, Kaká’s header hit the crossbar and appeared to have crossed the line. The goal was disallowed, but replays showed it should have counted. FIFA’s ‘man at the top’ was present, and was quizzed by reporters the following day.
“Such situations can only be assessed if we had goal-line technology,” he admitted. ‘But [...] all the technologies that have been presented to the IFAB are not accurate – or not accurate at the level where we can honestly decide whether it was in or out.”
UEFA president Michel Platini, meanwhile, has consistently rejected the use of technology, deciding to use two extra referees in all Europa League matches this season as an experiment.
“Video would kill football,” he recently told France Football magazine, before stating his intent to introduce five referees to Champions League matches and for Euro 2012 qualifying. Clearly, as football’s most powerful duo demonstrate, the matter is far from settled.
Art imitating life
Modern football is now a multi-million pound game of risk. The threat of massive debt, job losses and administration loom – not to mention the considerable amounts of money spent by fans every season. Surely, if the difference between success and failure is a matter of centimetres, FIFA is obliged to employ the most precise decision-making methods available.
However, the unpredictability of football has fuelled passions among fans for decades (and in some Latin American countries even ignited civil war). Above all, in an increasingly fragile global society, millions of people see football as the only common link they have left. It’s the closest the world has to a universal language and its error-strewn nature, according to former FIFA general secretary Urs Linsi, is why it’s so precious.
“Players, coaches and referees all make mistakes. It’s part of the game,” he said in 2005. “Football’s human element must be retained. It mirrors life itself and we have to protect it.”
June 30, 2010 1 Comment
What Next For Theo Walcott?
Posted by SmartArse
Theo Walcott deserved to be omitted from Fabio Capello’s World Cup squad. Granted, not for Shaun Wright-Midget, but for Joe Cole definitely. Bottom line is that for whatever reason, injuries, confidence he just hasn’t been good enough for club or country over the last year. Great White Hope 2006, reject pile 2010.
Quite the fall from grace and it must have hit Theo like a sledgehammer. Swift, sudden and ruthless. Apparently Theo didn’t even get time to ask why. Capello’s curt manner has its obvious advantages, but that was no way to treat a struggling youngster. Talent in need of nurturing needs just that, not a vicious kneecapping of confidence. Devastating.
Now to top it off we’re being heavily linked with one of his replacements in Joe Cole. Personally I can’t see us stumping up enough of the readies in wages when cash-rich Chelsea wouldn’t, but it certainly seems to be a case of no smoke without fire. You can imagine how that might look like another cold shoulder to Theo. Arsene is almost universally supportive, sometimes frustratingly so (cough Flappyhandski cough), but when he does cut a player out he does so ruthlessly. Just ask the newly departed Phillipe Senderos. In this case it won’t happen, but it can’t be a situation doing anything other than more damage to Theo’s confidence.
And therein lies the problem. Theo’s omission was the right decision, but he’s also pretty much the biggest confidence player on the planet. The quality of a Theo Walcott performance is usually decided in the first 5 minutes of any game. If his first touch is good you can almost visibly see the confidence grow in him. If not he’ll be careering straight into the opposing full back with every run.
So this decision could effect him in one of two ways. It could absolutely bury him for the foreseeable future or it could represent a major turning point. It has been argued in some quarters that Theo has had it a little easy. Taken to the World Cup at just 17 and his every touch at Arsenal greeted with ‘Theo, Theo’ regardless of how shite that touch was, you can see the potential for allowing him to rest on his laurels a little bit.
This is a huge moment for Walcott. It’ll show whether he has the mental constitution to overcome the little difficulties that affect a footballer and not rely on waves of confidence to be remotely useful. I have every faith that he can go on from here and improve his game, actually learn some methods to beat a man rather than just running straight at him really really fast and improve his crossing.
I really think he will. Fuck Chris Waddle, Fabio Capello and any halfwit hack in the media who thinks he can’t do it. Especially Waddle. He can’t even pronounce the word ‘penalty’ properly. Theo’s got more brains in his left testicle than that quasi-retarded pillock.
There’s still the potential for greatness in them young legs and there’s no better club than Arsenal to let them develop. Have faith and remember, Arsene knows
June 8, 2010 1 Comment
Fair Weather Blogging…
Posted by Sonuvagun
Blogging in the off season is a bit like training for a friendly in the freezing rain. You know you should do it but it seems like all pain and no gain. Despite Arsene Wenger’s statement that he would like to make two or three transfers before the World Cup begins, there’s been precious little in terms of actual news to tempt the fingers to start typing. A player we’ve known was going to arrive since Christmas has finally arrived and Barcelona are trying to prize Fabregas off us for the umpteenth season in a row, in the most predictable transfer link in history. Hardly news. Other than that we’ve had a bid turned down for an unknown French/Polish player and we may be buying an ageing goalkeeper off Fulham.
Perhaps the only exciting transfer prospect right now is the strong links being made between Arsenal and Joe Cole. Arsenal fans seem slightly suspicious of Cole on the whole, and I have my doubts how a stereotypical English ‘chav’ (as he is fairly or unfairly dubbed) will fit in with Wenger’s cosmopolitan outfit, but football isn’t about making bosom buddies at this level and I think he will be a good acquisition – if indeed we do get him.
Other than that and it’s decidedly easier to get excited about the World Cup than think of Arsenal-related matters. Sadly for us Englishmen (a we three bloggers all are) there are no Arsenal players in our squad; but my club-level animosities are slowly subsiding as the build up to the tournament begins for what will undoubtedly be another great competition (regardless of England’s performances). There’s going to be some great players on show and who knows, between Van Persie, Bendtner and Vela I think we’ll see a few fantastic goals by Arsenal players… (not to mention Fabregas who we can only hope stays despite Barcelona’s now semi-respectable bid of 60 million).
Anyway when something actually happens we’ll put pen to paper, but right now I’m feeling quite content to make very little ado about the nothing going on. I guess I’m what they call a fair weather blogger…
June 6, 2010 1 Comment