Comfort from an unusual source
507 comments August 8th, 2011
It has come to something when the words of David Dein provide comfort for Arsenal fans. In recent months he and his family seem to have actively destabilised the club they profess to love. However, in an interview with the BBC, Dein has urged the supporters to stand by manager Arsene Wenger:
”Arsene Wenger will admit he has had the most difficult couple of years of his career, for two reasons.
‘One is the fact the game is getting more competitive, we have seen more money coming in so the competition out there is more intense. ‘Secondly, he has had to contend with the fact he hasn’t achieved what he would have hoped to achieve, albeit he has done remarkably well in the quality and style of play.
‘But he himself, and the fans, want to win trophies. Arsene is very focused and very determined. I see him regularly, I see a man who still has as much fire in the belly today as when he started.
‘He wants to win. I believe in his ability and I know for a fact he is trying very hard to improve the squad this year and I hope he does it. People have got to remember what he has achieved. It is easy in life to get rid of people. Then what?
How do you follow Arsene Wenger? That is going to be the trick for the board and it is not going to be an easy exercise.”
Naturally, Dein is going to defend his friend, but I do think the in-fighting among Arsenal fans over Wenger is decidedly unhelpful. He’s here now, for this season at least, and probably beyond, so let’s get behind him and support him as we would anyone who our crest.
It will certainly help Arsene’s case if he can strengthen the squad in the next few weeks. Dein stated that he knew for a fact that the manager is trying to add “another two or three players”, and after his comments last week about how “something might happen” in the coming days, I’m expecting speculation both from the fans and the media to run riot.
Today’s rumour of choice, printed in the Daily Mail, The Telegraph, and The Times, is that Arsenal will complete a £12m deal for Alex Chamberlain. The young winger missed Southampton’s opening weekend victory over Leeds with an ankle injury, and the suggestion is that he may have played his last game for the club.
Whilst Chamberlain clearly has potential, his acquisition is far from a priority this summer. Granted, he’s been a long-term target, but he remains a long-term prospect. We’ve got plenty of youthful wide attackers – what we need is an experienced centre-half.
Regardless, part of me suspects this report is a question of several journalists putting two and two together. Whether or not they’ve made four or five will become clear in the coming days.
As ever, much of the speculation this week will surround the futures of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri. On Nasri, Arsene said over the weekend:
“I cannot speak about it but there is no major problem between Samir and myself.”
Which does beg the following questions:
1) If there’s nothing to hide, why can’t you speak about it?
2) Does that mean there is a moderate problem, if not a major one?
It does seem like the position on Nasri is shifting. A couple of weeks ago Arsene was insisting he would stay; now the language has returned to “hoping”. Maybe the player has made his desire to leave urgently clear. With £185,000 p/week on offer from Man City, who knows what length a footballer might go to?
Finally, Jack Wilshere is set to be withdrawn from the England squad because he’s injured. Some papers have tried to turn this in to a story about a “bust up” between Capello and Arsene, but I’m not sure I buy that. England want the player; he can’t play. End of.
Right. Let the frenzied, mouth-frothing, eye-popping, rumour-mongering twitter-nonsensing week commence.
