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 16th, 2011
You may feel there’s a little hyperbole involved in today’s headline. I don’t.
This is a huge game, in a huge week, in a huge month for Arsene. With Cesc Fabregas’ transfer to Barcelona now finalised (you can read details of his press conference, including praise for Arsene, Jack and Ramsey here), fans will be looking for some hope to cling to. A resounding victory against Udinese would provide just that.
It would also, of course, help us towards Champions League Qualification. Should we fail to progress, it wouldn’t surprise me to see the Cesc money used to compensate for the financial losses incurred by not eating at Europe’s top table. If we do qualify, not only will we have money to spend, but we’ll also have the tour of Champions League football to offer potential acquisitions.
It won’t, however, be easy. Udinese finished fourth in Serie A last year. Like us, they have lost their best player to Barcelona (Alexis Sanchez), but they still have some great players, such as Antonio Di Natale, who has finished as the division’s top goalscorer for two seasons running.
Arsenal, meanwhile, go in to the game with a weakened team. Already shorn of Cesc, we lose both Samir Nasri and Robin van Persie to suspension. Tomas Rosicky also faces a fitness test, meaning their could be a huge creative burden on the trio of Arshavin, Walcott and Gervinho. Hopefully they have enough in them to carry it. There are some suggestions that Nicklas Bendtner could be included – if he is, I can only assume that’s because he is moving to a club where a Champions League cup-tie would have no cost.
Whether Nasri would’ve played tonight anyway is in some doubt. Yesterday, via twitter, he launched a stinging attack in the fans who sang abusive chants at him against Newcastle. It feels very much like a parting shot thrown as he heads out the door – if and when Nasri goes, he won’t receive anything like the fond farewell afforded to Cesc.
Nasri did join in Arsenal training yesterday, as Arsenal.com showed us on this free video, which also revealed the startling and disturbing news that Alex Song insists on training naked from the waist down:
Each to their own, I suppose.
Perhaps it was some kind of protest against his charge from the FA. Arsenal have also decided to appeal Gervinho’s red card, which strikes me as unwise. Unfairly provoked though he was, he did commit a red card offence. Hopefully his appeal won’t see his ban extended on grounds of frivolity.
Song’s partner in silliness, Emmanuel Eboue, is about to leave the club after Galatasaray confirmed they were in talks with the player. A source close to the deal gave me an amusing footnote to this one: Eboue landed in Turkey last night, expecting to be met by the Galatasaray chief exec. Meanwhile, the CEO is landing in London, expecting to meet Eboue there. Only Eboue’s exit could occur in such comical fashion.
Arsene Wenger will not be allowed to take his place on the bench tonight due to a one-match touchline ban. Hopefully those who join him in the stands remember that the players out there in and red and White all take pride in playing for Arsenal. They want to be here, and they need your support. This is a huge test.
Come On You Gunners.
August 12th, 2011
Tomorrow is the first day of a new season. Ordinarily, I’d be hugely and embarrassingly excited about that. Today, it feels like a speck on the horizon as compared to the impending horrors of the transfer market.
The trio of Arsenal, Barcelona and Manchester City have been very quiet about the futures of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri, until last night, when Arsenal.com released this small clip. Give it a watch. Arsene doesn’t say much, but he doesn’t have to. It’s clear that Cesc Fabregas is on the way out, possibly as soon as today.
The player himself has maintained his silence, breaking it only to say:
Presumably it’s a new work phone. Or perhaps this was the clincher in negotiations. €29m + €6m + €5m + blackberry bold 9900.
Joking aside, it looks like I’ll have to roll out the ‘Cesc’s Arsenal career’ obituary imminently. I might start pre-writing them for any decent player we ever have.
On Nasri, meanwhile, Arsene says the situation is “stable”. Stable how, exactly? Even if he’s not sold he’s still at most ten months away from leaving. My increasing feeling is that both players will indeed be sold, and probably over the next few days.
As worried as you are about Jadon coping in the Premier League, he looks far more worried himself
The surest sign yet that the pair of playmakers are on the verge of leaving the club comes in the form that Arsenal have already identified his replacement: the Brazilian Jadson. The Independent go as far as to say a £12m fee has been agreed – and my information is that this deal is very much on Arsenal’s agenda, with the only concern surrounding the playmaker’s eligibility for a work-permit.
With all the talk about Juan Mata, I was reminded of what happened when we lost Thierry Henry. The expectation was that we would move for a big name, like Nicholas Anelka. Instead, Eduardo da Silva appeared from nowhere. It’s much the same with Jadson, who ironically now plays alongside Eduardo currently for Shakhtar Donetsk. Some papers are suggesting Arsenal would like to sign both Mata and Jadson, but I’m not convinced Arsene will move for more than one dwarfish attacker.
Jadson is even smaller than Mata, standing just 5’6″ tall. To put that in perspective, it’s an inch shorter than Arshavin. His age would also make him an unusual Wenger signing – he’ll be 28 in October. Yesterday he tweeted:
“If everything goes to plan, I’ll have some news for everyone at the start of next week. Hope it works out. #happy”
If Jadson does arrive, I hope it’s as part of a concerted spending spree in order to restore morale and strengthen our ever-weakening squad. Joel Campbell, another potential signing from across the Atlantic, is due to hold a press conference in the next 24 hours at which he will announce which club he is due to join.
Speaking of press conferences, Arsene will step before the media at 9am UK-time before travelling to Newcastle. The chances of taking Cesc or Nasri with him have got to be slim to none. The rest of the team news is here.
For more on Cesc, Nasri, Newcastle and the season ahead, keep your eyes peeled on Arseblog for the first Arsecast of the season, with myself and Goonerholic. I won’t, I hasten to add, be rapping.
August 10th, 2011
After completing the signing of Alex Chamberlain on Monday, yesterday Arsenal added another flying winger to their first team-squad, with the news Ryo Miyaichi has been granted a work permit for the forthcoming season.
Arsene Wenger travelled to an FA panel meeting at Wembley Stadium on Tuesday to give evidence as to why Ryo ought to be granted an “exceptional talent” visa. Fortunately, the committee concurred, and Ryo will now be part of the first team squad for 2011/12.
It’s the culmination of a meteoric rise for a player who, a matter of months ago, was playing Japanese schoolboy football. Indeed, a year ago a potential move to Arsenal looked to have been scuppered when he broke his leg and was out for five months injured.
Now, one impressive loan spell at Feyenoord later, Miyaichi is joining the Premier League. It’s comic-book stuff. Manga, even. Arsene said:
“We are absolutely delighted that Ryo has been granted a work permit. This is almost like a new signing for us, as we weren’t completely sure we would be given the authorisation. Ryo has worked extremely hard in pre-season and performed very well during the matches in Asia, Germany and Portugal.
Ryo has natural technical ability. He has good balance and phenomenal pace, and his passing and crossing is consistently of a high quality. He is a very exciting player.”
He’s also hard-working, and genuinely two-footed, although he normally operates from the left-hand side. I don’t expect him to be starting league games any time soon, but he provides us with an option, and will certainly get games in the domestic cups. His permit didn’t arrive in time for him to eligible for the Champions League qualifier, the squad for which has been announced but is not really newsworthy in for any reason other than the slightly surprising omission of Henri Lansbury.
As Goonerholic has pointed out, the arrival of Gervinho, Chamberlain and Miyaichi this summer means we have some real speed out on the flanks to add to last season’s singular threat of Theo Walcott. Clearly Arsene has identified this as a problem last season, and is attempting to give our approach plays a few revs with some sprightly sprinters.
It also means we now have a collection of wide attackers that includes the aforementioned quartet, Andrey Arshavin, Tomas Rosicky, Samir Nasri and Carlos Vela. Eight in to two just doesn’t go, so it seems there will be at least one departure.
Real Sociedad’s Director of Football has confirmed their interest in signing Carlos Vela, and has said that Arsenal would prefer a loan move to a permanent deal. Meanwhile, doubts persist over the future of Samir Nasri. At yesterday’s press conference for the French team, Laurent Blanc said:
“I just know that he is in talks with his club. Not to extend his contract because he said he would not, but to change clubs.”
Nasri is expected to start for France tonight, but I’d be very surprised if Arsene chooses to use him against Newcastle.
Meanwhile, in an interview with French tv show Foot & Co, Marouane Chamakh sounded just as skeptical about the future of Nasri’s partner-in-disruption, Cesc Fabregas:
“I think both of them are likely leaving the club. It’s a difficult situation for the manager.
I don’t think it’s a matter of money for Fabregas or Samir, I think he (Wenger) is looking for their successors and he hasn’t found them. I think before letting them go he wants to find the players to replace them. That’s my opinion about the situation. The problem is the season starts this weekend, and it’s even more difficult for us.”
Today's cover of 'Sport'
Today, Catalan paper Sport lead with the story that the end of a Cesc saga is a “matter of hours” away (see right).
It’s just a few days until the big kick-off, and it’s mad to think that between now and the end of the August, a list of players including Manuel Almunia, Emmanuel Eboue, Fabregas, Nasri, Vela and Bendtner could all depart. Assuming several of those do, it’s impossible not to imagine replacements arriving.
It’s also impossible to write any kind of season preview until those issues are resolved.
It looks like we’ll have to take this month on game-by-game basis, starting on Saturday. I can’t wait.
ps. if you missed it yesterday, listen to ‘Stan’ – Kroenke vs. Wenger, the Arsenal remix.
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.
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