Gunnerblog

Could Hleb hold-up be for all the Wright reasons?…

42 comments June 22nd, 2005

Well, so Arsenal-Mania claim.

Primarily for sentimental reasons, I would love to see Wright-Phillips come to Arsenal. But at what price? And if Chelsea are indeed involved, surely we stand no chance?

I suppose it’s a “wait and see”.

Personally, I believe there’s room for both SWP and Hleb in the squad.

Now that would be newsworthy.

Too Guti-licious for us.

1,170 comments June 21st, 2005

So spanish pretty boy Guti wants to come and play for Arsenal. How nice of him.

The fact is, Guti is just a moderately good creative midfielder whose made a career out of being a perennial subsitute at Real Madrid.

He’s also, as the Guardian helpfully point out, “the one-time boyfriend of Bibi Fernández, an actress that used to be an actor.”

Entertaining? Yes.

A sensible signing? Probably not.

Sorry Guti. With Van Persie’s flailing wrists, we’re probably camp enough just now.

All of the news is dead.

17 comments June 20th, 2005

It has all gone away.

Robinho looks to be off to Madrid, the Hleb rumours have ground to a halt after that £5m bid was rejected, and it’s all eerily quiet.

Over in Holland, whilst Robin van Persie has been getting himself arrested, Quincy has been starring in the World Youth Championships. In fact, his performances have been so impressive so as to alert the attention of Reggina, who are considering bidding to take the flying winger on loan.

Another attacking youngster, Jose Reyes, could be set to discuss terms on a new contract with Arsenal. That would be a very positive step, especially considering how certain it seemed that he would be joining Real Madrid. He did appear to be slightly more settled at the back end of last season, and with Robert Pires’ future somewhat in doubt, it would be a huge bonus for Reyes to stay.

Until something vaguely interesting happens…

Hleb bid rejected – Linked with another Brazilian?

29 comments June 17th, 2005

We told you that yesterday would bring some movement on the Hleb front (possibly accelerated by the potential departure of Robert Pires). However, we were hoping for slightly more than to have our £5m bid rejected outright. Whoops. The Standard seem to think an £8m bid would do it – but once our negotiations become public, Arsenal tend to pull out. Wait and see, I guess.

Arsene is in prime negotiating position, as he is commentating on the Confederations Cup over in Germany. Many also suspected that he would be looking to sneak a chat with nifty striker Robinho, but are we all barking up the wrong Brazilian tree? Julio Baptista, or “The Beast” as he is affectionately known, is a rocket-shotted goal-machine, currently plying his trade in Reyes-land: Seville. It would cost in the region of £10m to reunite the pair, but I promise you it’d be worth it.

Still no good news on Robin van Persie, who has been detained for a further 14 days. Worrying.

Have a good weekend, if I don’t see you.

Robin van Persie might be a rapist.

618 comments June 16th, 2005

But I pray to God he’s not.

I’ve found the past days’ news particularly hard to stomach. Van Persie is one of my favourite Arsenal players, and guilty or innocent, this is an extremely distressing time for both him and his family.

Admittedly, headlines like mine yesterday might not help. But to be honest, I doubt he reads Gunnerblog.

There will be no retraction of my previous article. It takes one glance to see that I only every suggest that van Persie “might” be a rapist. As he might. That is why he is a suspect. He is, thus, a suspected rapist. This is beyond argument. Never did I name him specifically as a rapist. I may included the expression “the rapist” in my headline, but it would not take the most literary mind to see that I might just have been alluding to the general theme, or stereotype of “the rapist”.

I have a function which enables me to delete unwanted comments on my site. But it’s a function I would never choose to use. I respect your opinions, positive or negative.

But please respect mine. Respect my freedom to write what I choose. And for God’s sake, don’t waste your energy castigating me over the wording of a meaningless article.

I admit, it is a frustrating time for Arsenal fans. After the Ashley Cole saga, a cloud now hangs over the future of van Persie, and it’s almost impossible for us to comment.

We can pray that the allegations are false, but if they prove to be true, we will have to do the honourable thing and wash our hands of a player whose career would, essentially, be over. At 21. It’s a horrible, horrible thought.

I won’t be commenting on the matter any further.

For those of you who were so offended yesterday, I do apologise. I feel there has been some misunderstanding. But at the end of the day, I’ll write what I want, and if it means losing some of my readership, so be it.

Much love,

gilbertosilver

Ps. It’s my birthday today, and Arsene might just have arranged a present: there is expected to be some significant movement on the Aleksander Hleb front. Wait and see, I guess.