Is it really International week?
Add comment October 11th, 2007
It’s very odd. Usually during International week, there’s such a dirth of news that I’m reporting on youth team players’ favourite colours, or what Arsene had for breakfast. Actually, I wish I did know what Arsene has for breakfast. Probably nothing, considering he is the second thinnest man I’ve ever seen behind this one. Today, however, there’s plenty to say.
I’ll start with the news that a Spanish court has ordered Fran Merida to compensate Barcelona to the tune of £2.2m after breaking a pre-contract to sign for Arsenal. What I find remarkable is that the charge is against Merida himself, whilst our club has not been found guilty of any wrongdoing. How exactly a boy, who was 14 or 15 at the time of the “crime”, can be expected to meet that kind of payment is beyond me. Fortunately, the club will step in, and the £2.2m will in time just be seen as a neccessary transfer fee, much like the £700k we paid out for Cesc. Something tells me it’ll prove to be a bargain in the long run.
Mathieu Flamini, who has been called up to the France squad this week, has been likened to Gennaro Gattuso by Kolo Toure. Whilst I don’t think Flamini is quite on the Italian’s level yet, there is a certain fire about his play that is reminiscent of the bearded pitbull.
Lassana Diarra is less of a pitbull, and more of a pixie, and at 15 was told by Nantes that he was “too small” to be play professional football. Well, they’re kicking themselves now. Patrick Vieira used to flick the ball over the heads of the opposition players – the diminuitive Diarra could probably dribble right between their legs.
Nicklas Bendtner says he could leave Arsenal permanently if he doesn’t get more opportunities. I would suggest that he could leave Arsenal permanently if he keeps moaning. With Eduardo ready to return from injury, it’ll probably be January before he gets a look-in in the Premiership. At 19 years of age, that should really be something to inspire, not deter him.
That’ll do for now. Tata.