Hello. It’s Saturday afternoon, and we’ve got a lovely three o’clock kick-off at home in the FA Cup. You can almost smell the romance. Or perhaps that’s just the ethereal whiff of Kevin Keegan’s hairspray.
Cannes’ young left-winger Yoann Gouffran is reportedly close to a move to Arsenal, either now or in the Summer. He’s been linked before, and any renewed interest would not come as surprise. Eurosport have run with the story, which translates roughly as follows:
GOUFFRAN APPARENTLY SIGNS FOR ARSENAL
He was expected in Paris but Yoan Gouffran could be finally crossing the Channel. And not for any English club. According to our sources, the young Caen striker has signed a pre-contract with Arsenal. No big surprise because the Gunners have been watching the U-21 international for a long time. They have taken advantage of the player who was voted best Ligue 2 player last season’s refusal to go to Paris to come back into the frame. The attraction of a contract much more substantial than the one proposed by PSG, which did not impress the young Caennais: (80 000 euro per month)….
Wait and see on this one, I guess.
Emmanuel Eboue claims many big clubs have tried to sign him, including the twin giants of Milan. Considering this video suggests Eboue can’t even remember the names of his own team-mates, I would take anything that comes out of his mouth with a pinch of salt.
Eboue’s Ivorian team-mate Kolo Toure went off injured in their 4-1 win over Benin. Hopefully it’s nothing too serious and he’ll be fit to return to our squad when the time comes.
That means that both players will be available to face Newcastle, whilst Gael Clichy and Philippe Senderos will return from injury. Djourou and Van Persie are both out, and the likes of Aleksandr Hleb and Bacary Sagna could be rested.
At the training ground yesterday, Arsene watched striker Tresor Mputu face Arsenal Reserves in a friendly. Whether or not he will make a permanent move for the striker is as yet undecided. If Theo Walcott is to be sent out on loan, you’d think we’d need to bring someone in. Even so, I suspect Stoke are being a little over-ambitious. I’m sure Arsene will make some comment on Walcott’s future in today’s press conference.
The Daily Mail claims that Arsenal have contacted several Premier League sides about taking teenage striker Theo Walcott on loan. Whilst the story seems unlikely at best – with Robin van Persie injured and Emmanuel Adebayor facing a suspension, we need all the forwards we can get – I believe that sooner or later a loan spell for Walcott is inevitable.
When Arsene signed him he refused to loan him back to Southampton for fear he would be overplayed. Now approaching his nineteenth birthday, Walcott is reaching an age whereby the opposite effect has been engendered: he is not getting enough games to make the neccessary progress.
A temporary move to a smaller club with less pressure to perform could bring out the best in Walcott. If he were able to find a place in a side like Newcastle or Portsmouth, he’d be able to get fairly regular games in a side with attacking ambitions and a style of football that aspires to emulate our own.
Theo is not where any of us expected him to be at this stage in his development. Which means something, somewhere isn’t working. A loan spell could bring about a change in his fortunes, and for that reason alone, I believe it’s a good idea.
It certainly did good things for Nicklas Bendtner, whose fracas with Emmanuel Adebayor has launched all kinds of sensationalist headlines. And to an extent, with reason.
No-one likes to see this kind of thing between team-mates. Adebayor has since excused his actions, and seeing as his frustrations with the evening’s performance were shared by most fans, he can expect a degree of understanding. Nevertheless, he must be careful not to allow his passion to boil over, as in the Carling Cup final last year, and in this incedent with Bendtner.
Hopefully Arsene will put the incident behind us in his press conference tomorrow, and the pair can get on with trying to win some silverware and attone for the various crimes of Tuesday night.
First of all, let’s not pretend that we didn’t want to win yesterday. Let’s not pretend, as we roll into work this morning, that it’s all a big joke to us, and that defeat can be brushed off like the water on the proverbial duck’s back. Because frankly, it won’t wash. Whichever way you look at it, a Wembley final was at stake last night, and this morning that prize belongs to Tottenham. Also at stake was our proud unbeaten record against Spurs – a mighty achievement into which they’ve now inserted the most irritating of dents.
If we’re going to win with style, we’ve got to lose with class. Think of the moaning, excuse-hungry Spurs fans you’ve heard whining over the years. We don’t want to be associated with that kind of behaviour. Let’s not pretend that was an entirely unexperienced side we fielded last night, and let’s acknowledge that Spurs played well and deserved their victory.
BUT…
Let’s not pretend that whilst Tottenham were the better side, that they in any way, shape, or form are the better side.
Let’s not pretend that a side containing the likes of Almunia, Toure, Clichy, Flamini, and Adebayor from the start wouldn’t have taught Spurs yet another footballing lesson they’d long to forget.
And let’s not pretend that the League Cup matters all that much to us.
Let’s not pretend we wouldn’t prioritise all the three other competitions (which, I ought to add, we’re still in with a great chance of winning).
Spurs are having their day in the Sun, but it won’t last. Last night was not just their cup final – it was their chance to attempt to slay the mythical beast that torments them: Arsenal Football Club. But they haven’t succeeded. Sure, we’re wounded –
