Archive for August, 2006
August 21st, 2006
Ashley Cole is a better left-back than William Gallas. But he can’t play left-back or centre-back, as Gallas can. With rumours about a potential swap deal on the rise, it has to be said that the arrival of Gallas would allow us to retain the level of proven experience we enjoyed before the departure of Sol Campbell and imminently Cole.
Some, such as arseblogger, have concerns about the halted development of Senderos and Djourou. But Chelsea have managed to give games to Carvalho, Terry, and Gallas – often playing Gallas at left back. Although it’s not his preferred position, I don’t believe the stories that Gallas wants to leave Chelsea because he’s been played out of position – he clearly has personal issues with Mourinho. So there is that possibility, coupled with the potential for rotation that his signing would provide: imagine a squad in which we could actually give Kolo Toure a rest!
Signing Gallas would allow Flamini to push Alex Song yet further away from the first team, and perhaps Djourou could get a few games in central midfield too.
Most importantly, it would allow us to get one over Chelsea. Like it or not, they are about to take the world’s best left-back off us – wouldn’t it be nice to return the favour by taking one of their top players in return?
Gallas’ contract expires next summer, so anything over around £6m is exorbitant for a 29-year-old. However, his ability cannot be questioned.
For years fans have clamoured for big-name signings: would a summer shopping list of Rosicky and Gallas satisfy them?
Ps. Bad luck Bobby. First Edu at Valencia, now this. Clue to Arsenal midfielders: don’t go to Spain.ÂÂ
August 20th, 2006
Well, a day on from our opening game and all the talk is about Theo Walcott, whose introduction helped produce a vital equaliser. Some fans have been quick to criticise the team for their performance, but in truth we were playing against a negative and difficult Aston Villa side with a team some way short of full fitness. A draw is an acceptable start.
The one concern would be our reluctance to shoot and insistence on trying to play through sides. Sometimes, when a team has 6 or 7 men behind the ball, you need an alternative approach. It is no coincidence that when the goal did come it was from a cross deep into the box.
As I say, we now have a platform upon which we can improve. Judging by Man City’s woeful showing today, we stand a good chance of beating them next Saturday. In between then and now we must finish qualifying for the Champions League by protecting our 3-0 lead over Zagreb. Theo to start?
Another way in which we need to build is in terms of our squad. With the news that Jose Reyes is set to stay, the departure of Ashley Cole moves ever closer. I have it on very good authority is that what is holding up the deal is Cole’s refusal to waive his loyalty bonus. Unbelievable. Arsene says:
“We have to sort this situation out quite quickly. The numbers are not so important for Chelsea. They just bought a player. We have not turned down an offer. The problem is not between us and Chelsea.”
The problem, in fact, is Cole, and his incredible greed. If he does go, rumours are resurfacing that William Gallas could come the other way after he was left out of their sixteen today.
Indeed, Jose Mourinho makes no mention of Gallas when assessing his defensive options:
“In a short squad and in a country where you can have only 16 players for a match, it’s important to have cover for many positions. So, for example, now I can have Boulahrouz, Ricardo and John  three options for the centre; I can have Paulo and Boulahrouz  two options for the right side; I can have Boulahrouz and Wayne Bridge  two options for the left side.”
Add in this from Sky Sports:
SSN interviewer: Is there way William Gallas will be involved in a deal for Ashley Cole?Mourinho: At this moment we cannot say that because at the moment the offer is just a financial offer.
And it’s all a bit strange, eh? It could be a very interesting week…
August 19th, 2006
Not just for the season, but for Theo Walcott, who made his Arsenal debut and provided an assist for Gilberto’s late equaliser. I wasn’t at the game, but by all accounts we did OK with the exception of an unfortunately typical unwillingness to shoot.
Whilst it’s not the glamorous opening of our new stadium we all hoped for, at least we didn’t lose. It will take us a while to feel at home at the Emirates, and defeat today would only have lengthened that process.
This isn’t a full length report, just me stopping in to give you a new post to put comments on. Tomorrow will hopefully see a proper write-up of the game.
Thanks to all those of you who’ve been in touch with suggestions for articles – unfortunately, it’s not that I’ve run out of ideas, just that I’m away from home and extremely busy. Come September and everything will be back to normal. Probably.
August 11th, 2006
And José for one is pretty pleased about it:
He’s clearly a desperate man, and I for one just hope Real put him out of his misery. Rumours suggest that they will do so by the end of this week. Arsenal expect to recieve about £9m with another £4m or so going to Sevilla, who retain a sell-on clause should Reyes sign for any Spanish club.
In spite of his impending departure, Reyes was included in the squad photo at the Emirates yesterday. The same can not be said of Ashley Cole, who could be on the verge of a £23m move to Chelsea. The fact he was left out of the photo is promising: either he’ll be sold, or he’ll not be part of the first team squad. If we can’t agree a deal with Chelsea, I’d be delighted to see Cole rot in the reserves.
With two players on the way out, we could soon have up to £40m burning a hole in our pocket. We won’t, however, be spending it on Franck Ribery, who now seems set to stay at Marseilles: he’s also now cup-tied for the group stages of the Champions League.
Although the return from injury of the likes of Lauren sometimes feels like a new signing, we’re still very light just over a week from the start of the Premiership. Fingers crossed that Arsene and Dein will pull something out of their usually reliable bag.
August 9th, 2006
Arsenal played their first competetive game of the season last night, and with this landmark came the end of a period of significant sentiment. Two remarkably similiar yet brilliant strikes from Cesc Fabregas sandwiched a Robin van Persie goal as a young but forceful Arsenal side came through the first leg of a tricky tie with a slightly flatterring scoreline.
Cesc was the undoubted star, and Arsene and I both feel that he definitely has goals in his locker. He was the Golden Boot winner at Youth World Cup a few years back: it’s only a matter of time until he starts banging them in at senior level. To be honest though, it was a good team performance – even the more inexperienced players such as Hoyte and Djourou showed real gritt and determination.
One surprise name on the team-sheet was Tomas Rosicky, who Arsene had been very firm in saying would start on the bench. Instead, he was drafted into the first eleven, with Jose Antonio Reyes sitting on the substitutes bench. Wenger’s decision to exclude Reyes was made all the more obvious when Matthieu Flamini and Jeremie Aliadiere were brought on at left-wing and centre-forward respectively.
Unsurprisingly, having avoided being cup-tied, Reyes now looks even more likely to join Real Madrid. Indeed, the bleating whinger himself wants the deal sorted “as soon as possible”. Arsene insisted he was left out due to being “unsettled” by the rumours, but I think the manager played a rather cleverer game. By declaring his intention to play Reyes, he has forced Madrid’s hand: reports from Spain indicate that talks over the transfer opened today.
Perhaps the long-term plan is to replace the Spaniard with Franck Ribery, as I suggested last month. However, as yet Arsene claims he has made no bid. Personally, I’m a fan of Ribery. He is quite similiar to Freddie Ljungberg: full of running with the potential for goals. What is unthinkable is to sell Reyes and Cole and not bring anybody in. Thierry Henry is understandably concerned.
Reyes is a good player and a decent lad, but as I said earlier, now is a time for an end to the sentiment which clouded the club for so much of last season. Saying goodbye to Highbury and Dennis Bergkamp was an understandable distraction, and now we must move on with a group of players who want to do the business for the club where it matters: on the pitch.
If this means losing the dead weight of unhappy players like Campbell, Cole, and Reyes then so be it. The way in which we conducted our business on the field last night should be continued throughout the club. Enough sentiment, enough transition: now is the time to win.
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