“One experienced player” is the only thing on Arsene’s wishlist
Add comment April 12th, 2008
Arsene Wenger has suggested that he is unlikely to sign more than one player this Summer:
“I will buy but not too much in the summer. My priority is to keep this team together because we are still young, especially in some departments of the team. If we can add one player we will do it, not one in each department just one experienced player.”
It’s a remark that will have some fans up in arms, as they struggle to come to terms with what can seem like a wilful refusal to strengthen a weak squad. However, to allay your fears, I think there’s probably more to it than that. The reason Arsene prefaces his declaration by repeating his mantra of wanting to keep the squad together is because the extent to which he can do so will dictate his transfer policy. If everybody stays, then one experienced player will suffice. But if Lehmann, Gilberto, Flamini and others leave, don’t think he will be so foolish as to allow that to pass with recompense.
Ahead of Sunday’s vital clash, Alex Ferguson has expressed his belief that Arsenal haven’t had “the best squad available” – while conceding that a lot of that is down to injuries. One injury that has affected us more than any other is, of course, Eduardo’s broken leg. Obviously there were implications for the squad’s morale, but in a more practical sense, we’ve really missed the Croatian on the pitch. I truly hope he can come back and be the player he looked like he was becoming.
Sometimes I wonder if Sven Goran Eriksson stands to gain something from Theo Walcott’s success. Perhaps he owns 10% of the sprightly winger. Perhaps Theo’s left hand has a little stamp on it that reads, “Property of Sven”. But after dragging the teenager to the World Cup as a sixteen year-old, he’s now claiming he could be the English Diego Maradona. Hopefully the world’s media have learnt to take what Sven says with a pinch of salt.
Finally today, you simply have to read this astonishing interview with Manuel Almunia about his relationship with Jens Lehmann. I must confess, when I read that, I find it remarkable that Arsene even offered Jens the option of staying in January.
Full Man U preview tomorrow. I’m nervous already.
