August 28th, 2013
Arsenal 2 – 0 Fenerbahce (5-0 Agg)
Match report | Highlights | Arsene’s reaction
On the pitch, it’s been a good week…
Three wins in seven days is more than I expected after that disastrous opening day defeat. Â The performances in Turkey and at Fulham were both wonderfully cohesive displays of counter-attacking. This match had less dynamism. The tie was essentially dead, and despite a spirited first-half performance from Fenerbahce Arsenal were never less than in control.
The club has now qualified for the Champions League for the 16th successive year. It’s both a laudable achievement and the minimum requirement. I’m pleased but not yet satisfied.
Aaron Ramsey has been outstanding…
It’s amazing what a difference confidence can make. The way he took his second goal was the mark of a player who has absolute faith in his ability at the moment. Having gone through a process of simplifying his game and bringing it back to basics, Ramsey is now supplementing his hard work with the flair he patently possesses. His progress is exciting.
Injuries highlight the weakness of our squad…
With Arsenal holding a 3-0 lead, this match was essentially a dead rubber. It would have taken an extraordinary collapse – even by our standards – for Fenerbahce to progress at our expense. Despite this, barely anyone was rested from our first choice XI. Kieran Gibbs was on bench, but was called for as soon as Lukas Podolski’s picked up a hamstring injury early in the second half.
The youthful trio of Emmanuel Frimpong, Ryo Miyaichi and Yaya Sanogo were all on the bench last night. The latter pair were afforded the opportunity to play, and both looked about as raw as you’d expect. Players of that level of inexperience should simply not be called upon in a Champions League qualifier.
If you discount that fledgling trio, and the forgotten pair of Nicklas Bendtner and Park Chu-Young, Arsenal currently have just 12 fit senior outfield players. If you don’t believe me you can count yourself.
It is simply not enough. Arsene can talk all he likes about his faith in the “quality” of his squad, but it’s the quantity that looks set to give us most problems.
The Juan Mata story looks like a non-starter…
The fact that Juan Mata’s father was at the Emirates last night, just 24 hours after Jose Mourinho left the Spanish playmaker out of his starting XI at Old Trafford, has led to stories circulating that Arsenal might be considering a bid for a player they tracked prior to his move to Stamford Bridge.
First things first: Mata’s dad is a professional agent and represents many players other than his son. His presence at the game does not necessarily mean anything. I’m not familiar with his client list but he may simply look after one of the Fenerbahce boys.
Secondly, I can’t see Mourinho allowing Mata to join another English club. His ego wouldn’t run the risk of a decision backfiring so painfully and publicly.
The only hope for Arsenal is that, having been left out of such an important match, Mata might panic about the amount of game-time he will get this season. It is a World Cup year, and that makes players more jittery than usual. That short-termism is something Arsenal can use to their advantage in what remains of the window: players who would ordinarily be out of our reach might be prepared to come to the Emirates if they are guaranteed playing time.
The Real Madrid trio would all be incredible signings…
Arsenal are being linked with moves for Karim Benzema, Mesut Ozil and Angel Di Maria. All three would add a huge amount to the Arsenal squad, but only the latter seems remotely probable. Madrid seem unlikely to sell Benzema and Higuain in the same window, while Ozil is likely to also be a target for Manchester United. That is not a tug of war I’d fancy us to win.
Intriguingly, the BBC are speculating that the delay in Gareth Bale’s move to Madrid might be part of a deliberate ploy to frustrate us. Madrid are unlikely to sanction the sale of any attacking player until their move for Bale is confirmed.
After watching Arsene Wenger’s post-match interview…
…I have never felt  less confident about the prospect of us making big signings this summer. I expect we’ll tie up a deal for Mathieu Flamini on a free transfer, and possibly add Yohan Cabaye to the mix, but the marquee attacking player we all crave looks set to elude us.
I’d love to be wrong. We’ll know in less than a week.
You might spot a few teething problems with the site…
We’ve moved over to new hosting and that brings with it a few problems. You’ll notice that the comments are now full of spam – although some would argue they were beforehand too. I’m working on a solution and it should all be up and running properly soon. The good news is that the site should be slightly less likely to fall over every time I write a new blog post.
August 20th, 2011
Apologies for the lack of blog yesterday. A sleepless night and a five hour train journey meant sharing my thoughts with you would’ve been an unpleasant situation for us both. Fortunately, I am now slightly recovered, and feeling rather better. About everything, in fact.
This morning I’ll cycle up to the Emirates for my first live game of the season. In fact, work commitments have prevented me actually getting to games since around March. I watched our end of season collapse on the television, or through my computer/fingers.
The summer hasn’t been any easier on the eye. But tomorrow lunchtime, when I’m confronted with the full horror of Liverpool FC and their fans, all I will care about is that the eleven men in red and white triumph over the eleven men in whatever hideous away kit Liverpool’s marketing men have concocted for this season. And that, really, is what football ought to be about.
For ninety minutes, I’m calling a truce with my angst. All I want to do is beat Liverpool. I’m even calling a truce with Samir Nasri, who has been surprisingly recalled to the squad. It shows how stretched we are when the manager is prepared to risk a £23m asset just hours before he’s due to leave the club. The fact that Tomas Rosicky has joined Jack Wilshere, Abou Diaby, Gervinho, Alex Song, Kieran Gibbs, Armand Traore and Johan Djourou on the sidelines has forced Arsene to reconsider Nasri’s position, and I now expect him to start in a midfield trio with Emmanuel Frimpong and Aaron Ramsey.
It’s certainly a change of position from when Arsene said he was only prepared to use players who were 100% committed to the club. And it’s a change brought about, quite clearly, by desperation. Arsene said:
“You do your job until the last day of your life at the Club – the rest is speculation. That doesn’t interfere with your dedication and the way you do your job.
Nasri is in the squad. If I decide to play him he will play. When you are professional you play until the last day.
Everywhere I have worked in my life I have made sure that until the last second of where I was I did the job properly. He is paid this month by Arsenal Football Club so why should he not play?”
Nasri’s impending move to City has seen his relationship with the Arsenal fans very quickly and very publicly disintegrate. There will doubtless be those in the Emirates crowd who want to vent their frustrations at a player who has reneged on a new deal at Arsenal to double his money elsewhere. My advice to you is this: save it for when he comes back with City. There’s no need for a negative atmosphere around the ground on a day when teenagers like Carl Jenkinson and Emmanuel Frimpong could be making their first league starts for the club.
The team will most likely be:
Szczesny – Sagna Koscielny Vermaelen Jenkinson – Frimpong Ramsey – Walcott Nasri Arshavin – Van Persie (c)
Japanese winger Ryo Miyaichi, having completed his paperwork, is also in contention and is likely to be on the bench. Interestingly, there’s been no talk of whether or not Nicklas Bendtner could be involved, perhaps in one of the wide attacking roles. I wouldn’t be adverse to giving the Dane a game, although his lack of match practise might be a worry.
Regardless, it’s a line-up that tells you a lot about the state of the squad and where we require strengthening – especially when you take Nasri out of the equation too. I was encouraged by the news that Arsenal made an enquiry for Lucho Gonzalez – an experienced, quality player – albeit one whose form has dipped in the last twelve months; but seriously, why would Marseille allow one of their best players, who cost them €18m two years ago, to leave on loan? Much like when we bid only £10m for Phil Jagielka, I think we were being optimistic at best, and naieve at worst.
It doesn’t look like we’ll be getting Juan Mata either, with the Spaniard now set to sign for Chelsea. That’s a shame: he’s a great player and would’ve been a good like-for-like replacement for Nasri.
One player who has signed is Joel Campbell. The teenage striker will now wait to hear if he is awarded a work permit before the club decide the next stage of his development.
It’s a huge game today. Our first two matches have come with creditable results, if uninspiring performances. This is a different kind of test, against the team a whole host of pundits have predicted will supercede us in the race for Champions League qualification. It’s an opportunity to make a real statement, and give both the players and fans a much-need boost ahead of a very difficult week in which we travel to Udinese and Manchester United.
Arsene looked as fiery as he ever has done in his press conference yesterday, swatting away journalists with defiant rhetoric. He’s clearly been riled by those hacks and fans who have openly questioned his decision-making this summer, and feels he has a point to prove. As supporters, we should consider that a good thing. Three good results in the next eight days would certainly silence many of his critics.
Come On You Gunners.
August 12th, 2011
Greetings all. Wipe away those tears and sit down for your second blog of a big day for Arsenal. It’s been busy for me too, but I’ve managed to keep an eye on the traumatic events at our beloved club.
First up, at 9am, was Arsene’s press conference. Reading the quotes coming in I was quite sure that our manager had cracked under the strain and gone completely mad. A couple of choice quotes:
“I expect nobody to leave the club.”
“At the moment we have too big a squad – We are not in a position where we are short of players.”
Naturally the twitterverse was up in arms about this. It seemed for all the world as if The Emperor was indeed well and truly naked, and frankly it was becoming a little awkward and embarrassing.
Until, that is, I saw the video. You can have a watch of it here. It proves that, as ever, context is everything. The familiar curl of the lip and the twinkle eye instantly give an entirely different reading to what Arsene says.
He’s playing a game. And the aim of that game is “give nothing away; disturb the squad as little as possible before the Newcastle game”. And, on reflection, he does it rather well.
Of course it’s frustrating for us as fans – when Arsene communicates with the press he communicates indirectly with us, so when he tries to pull the wool over their eyes he simultaneously deceives supporters – but he has his reasons. What’s very clear to me is that Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri due to depart imminently. Both players have accordingly been left out of the squad for tomorrow’s game at Newcastle.
If you believe some reports, the Cesc deal is already done. There are conflicting stories coming out of the two clubs on this one, and the smart money is on the move being finalised on Monday. I for one won’t be saying my goodbyes until he’s definitely off. We’ve put up with this one for so long that another 48 hours or so isn’t going to hurt.
In Manchester, Roberto Mancini said still were “still working” on a deal for Nasri, but conceded it was “not easy”. I’m sure a few million pounds would smooth over any difficulties there.
In his pre-game interview for Arsenal.com, Arsene was asked about Birmingham centre-half Scott Dann. He said:
“He is one of the centre-backs we look at.”
We know Phil Jagielka is one of the others. Hopefully Arsene’s ultimate decision is driven by quality rather than value.
According to The Guardian’s Richard Williams, Arsene later told the newspaper journalists there was no deal for Juan Mata and none was likely, whilst reports of an agreed fee for Jadson are premature.
Finally, the club today announced their squad numbers for the 20011/12 season. New boy and possessor of “exceptional qualities” Alex Chamberlain inherits Denilson’s 15, suggesting the Brazilian probably won’t ever be back, whilst Ryo Miyaichi takes 31, Jenkinson 25, and Szczesny downgrades his 53 to a 13. One the major reasons for the delay in announcing the numbers was that Gervinho wanted compatriot Eboue’s 27, but the club were waiting for the right-back to be sold. Now, they’ve decided to just give it to him anyway, leaving Eboue without a squad number. It’s safe to assume he’ll be joining Cesc and Nasri in leaving the club before August is out.
Right. Tomorrow I’ll be back with a piece more focused on the Newcastle game and the season ahead. Till then.
August 2nd, 2011
In the depths of the transfer window, with scoops and exclusives being hurled at you from every possible angle, sometimes it’s hard to know who to believe. So let’s start by telling you who not to believe.
First up, Guillem Balague. I’ve got nothing against Balague the man. Despite his eerily accurately trimmed beard, he seems like a decent enough sort. I also understand the pressures of his job: as a freelance journalist, he has to generate his own work. The consequence of that, however, is that having “a story” becomes more important than it being a “true story”.
This is all well and good until such a story begins to toy with the emotions of that most vulnerable of creatures, the Arsenal fan. Having already written in AS that a €23m deal for Juan Mata was done, he then spent yesterday telling anyone who’d listen that the buyout clause in Mata’s contract had now expired, and Arsenal could be forced to pay anything up to €60m – the deal, in essence, was off. This, of course, sent morale among Arsenal fans spiraling, as the twits on Twitter tried to decide who to blame: had Arsene forgotten about the expiration of this clause, or was it the fault of Ivan Gazidis, who had crucially forgotten his pin number just as the deal was about to go through?
It is all, of course, nonsense. If such a clause existed – which it may have done – and Arsenal felt that this deadline was essential to us agreeing a deal, then it would have been done. As it is, with Valencia having already signed a potential replacement for Mata in Sergio Canales, we probably remain confident of agreeing a fee regardless. Furthermore, signing a replacement for Cesc before striking a deal with Barca would only weaken our hand.
Fortunately for all of our sanity, the player’s father has cleared up the situation somewhat:
“Valencia simply rejected their offer. After some hesitation they answered ‘no’ to the Gunners’ offer.
“So my son remains a Valencia player, for now. But I don’t think it’s their last offer.
“There are several offers for Mata and I think that Arsenal will come forward again. The situation is still evolving.â€
So it’s exactly the same as where we stand with Jagielka: one bid rejected. Now whether or not we return with improved offers will tell us just how badly we want these players.
Much, of course, depends on what happens with Cesc and Nasri. Neither situation has progressed since the weekend, but The Sun claim City will return with a £22m offer for the Frenchman this week. Whether Arsenal will be in any position to accept or refuse that, without knowing Fabregas’ fate, remains to be seen.
Chairman Peter Hill-Wood has spoken out about transfers once more, saying:
“As Arsene said, we are looking to buy some players but we are not going to do our business in public. They are going to have to be bloody patient – as we are.
It is frustrating for both the fans and Arsene and the board.”
Some would say we already have been quite patient. The season is right around the corner now and so it’s understandable if that patience is beginning to wear a little thing. Nevertheless, I maintain my belief that it will only take a few dominos to fall for this to be a successful summer for Arsenal. Cross all available digits and pray.
Finally, my opinion on a few rumours floating around that I don’t wish to dignify with links: Arsene has neither the money nor the desire to sign both Gary Cahill AND Phil Jagielka; if Stoke couldn’t afford Cameron Jerome then they can’t afford Nicklas Bendtner; and Arsenal signing Joey Barton is about as likely as Arsene bringing Neil Ruddock out of retirement to play as a creative midfielder.
July 29th, 2011
It is one of Premier League football’s great mysteries. Why does Peter Hill-Wood, chairman of one of the clubs who demonstrates the most caution in commenting on transfer speculation, choose to let fly with his occasional volleys in, of all papers, The Daily Star?
Is it the paper that arrives on his front porch every morning? Does he have a close friend on the sports desk? Do they have photographs of him doing unspeakable things with Lady Nina Bracewell-Smith and a horse?
Alas, we’ll probably never know. But thanks to his comments in this morning’s edition, we do know an awful lot more about the transfer situation at Arsenal, particularly as regards Cesc Fabregas. Hill-Wood said of Barca’s interest:
“They have been messing about for a year and a half now and they have got to make up their minds.
The ball is in their court. They have made one bid of around £26m and another rather tentative one.
If they want to buy the player they are going to have to pay the right price – and when you look at what is being paid elsewhere I don’t think what we are asking is at all unreasonable.”
Asked whether the time was approaching we would call off talks, he added: “We are getting close to that.â€
It confirms a few things: first of all, that there has indeed been a second bid from Barcelona, which has also fallen short of our asking price. It’s also the closest the club have come to officially confirming a willingness to sell the captain. All summer long, Arsene has insisted he doesn’t want to lose his captain. But here, Hill-Wood is conceding that if Barcelona come up with the money he’ll be off. The allusion to an “unreasonable” fee suggests that the £40m mark often referenced in the press is probably about right.
He’s clearly irritated by Barca’s dallying, and I would suggest that this public declaration of Arsenal’s frustration is calculated move to flush our their interest once and for all. The player, the club and the fans are clearly all feeling the strain of this situation, and resolution – one way or the other – is essential.
He also spoke about the possibility of bringing in some new faces, saying:
“We are trying to buy a few players but it isn’t going to happen overnight.”
The suggestion we’re after “a few” players lends credibility to stories claiming that we’re attempting a double swoop for Juan Mata and Phil Jagielka, with Hill-Wood going as far as to confirm a bid for the latter has already been rejected:
“We have made a bid for him but they didn’t think it was enough.”
Whether or not that bid will be raised this week, as widely reported, remains to be seen.
The Chairman can occasionally make comments that appear a little ill-judged, but in this instance I think fans should be universally delighted to finally hear a bit of straight talking from the club. I understand why Arsene and Gazidis are often so reticent to comment, and I respect that, but it does feel good to hear from the board just what is really going on, rather than having to rely on what is often guesswork in the national press. Here, the chairman has both reassured supporters that efforts are being made to reinforce the squad, as well as very publicly challenging Barcelona to make the bid they’ve been threatening to make for almost two years now. Good on him.
Finally, rumours of Nicklas Bendtner’s imminent departure to Sporting Lisbon could be a little premature – apparently their President said last night that his wage demands could be beyond their means. It seems that although Arsenal are keen to move on a few members of the squad, finding clubs able to take on their salaries is proving more difficult.
If you enjoyed those quotes from Peter Hill-Wood, their might be more on the way today as Arsene gives a pre-Emirates Cup interview to Arsenal.com. After a very quiet week, the club do seem to be saying and doing the right things.
No need to panic. Yet.
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