August 24th, 2007
A couple of days ago Gunnerblog brought you the story that Wilson Palacios, the Honduran winger, was having a trial with the club. Well, now it seems that he’s on the verge of signing a permanent deal with Birmingham City. Manager Steve Bruce speaks:
“I’m speaking to his agent today. We’re trying to construct a loan deal to bring him in to have a better look until Christmas, but I don’t know if that’s possible yet.
He’s from Honduras where they call him the magician and he has 40 or 42 international caps.
Mr Wenger rang me up from Arsenal and asked if we wanted to have a look at him, because they already have seven or eight midfield players.
We’ve had a look, but it’s always difficult to judge people on two or three days so the ideal solution is if we can bring him here up until Christmas, but we have to get permission off his club.
There would be a transfer fee involved and there would have to be international clearance and we would have to go through the rigmarole of a sorting out a work permit.”
So that’s one signing that’s not going to happen.
If Bruce’s reported conversation is correct, I’m slightly concerned at Arsene feeling that “seven or eight midfielders” is somehow enough. That’s barely two players for each position. When you consider that some of those midfielders are about as likely to get injured as child playing on the tube tracks, it gets even worse.
Another day, another hope killed. Whilst Palacios is evidently not a world beater, we’re fast running out of time and options before the window closes.
August 24th, 2007
Jens Lehmann is conveniently injured. Too conveniently. I wouldn’t be the investigative journalist that I am if I didn’t investigate this journalistically. Or perhaps more accurately, detectivistically.
The suspects for taking Jens out are many. Captain Gallas and Jens have had there fair share of tension, and I can’t imagine the Frenchman took too kindly to Lehmann’s recent mistakes. Could his attempt to hang out in Clairefontaine be an attempt to escape the glare of the Hertfordshire constabulary?
Manuel Almunia is another prime candidate. He stands to gain the most, with Arsene confirming he will start in Lehmann’s absence. On top of that, the pair have never been the best of friends.
But if you’re asking me, it’s all Arsene Wenger’s handywork. Jens’ injury is wholly down to him. And my sneaky suspicion is that this particular “injury” is fairly fictional.
Plenty of Arsenal players have been similarly “injured” before. Edu and Sylvain Wiltord, for example, were excluded when it emerged they would be leaving the club on a free. Thierry Henry was left out at two stages last season under the guise of injuries – granted, there were fitness issues, but he was potentially capable of playing through them.
And indeed, Arsene has dropped Jens before – this time he is just sparing him the indignity of sitting on the bench. Now, Lehmann has cause to be particularly concerned – Almunia has improved a lot since then, and a good run could see him usurp the ageing Lehmann for good:
“Almunia is equipped to take responsibility because he did very, very well when he played last year. He is mature and he has all the attributes you need to be successful. It was a close decision who is my number one keeper because of his performances.”
Meanwhile, Arsene has hardly given a ringing endorsement of Jens’ status as number 1:
“You have to defend your goalkeeper and your players. You don’t judge it on how many mistakes they make – you have confidence in your goalkeeper.”
Not hugely convincing, is it?
We should get more team news for Saturday today, but early indications are that Emmanuel Adebayor and even Gilberto could come into consideration.  Whether or not Adebayor or Eduardo (who scored in the week and has been backed by former Gunner Davor Suker), I have no idea, but it does seem likely Arsene will go with a more traditional front two.
On this morning’s arsecast I chat with arseblogger about the goalkeeping situation, and various other things. Have a listen.
