Archive for January 12th, 2010
January 12th, 2010
Sol Campbell has confirmed in an interview with ESPN that he will be (re-)signing for Arsenal:
“I am signing for Arsenal until the end of the season. There are still a few technicalities to iron out, but I have signed for Arsenal until the end of the season, and it’s fantastic, great, marvellous.”
In what has to go down as a huge shock and equally big departure from Arsene Wenger’s usual transfer policy, Sol has confirmed that his appearance in the Reserve team tonight is part of a rehabilitation process that will end with him putting pen to a paper on a contract that will mean he is back at the top of European football.
“I shall be playing in the reserves at Upton Park tonight – it must be two years since I last played there. I cannot wait. I cannot tell you how much I’ve missed playing after being out so long since leaving Notts County. I need to get minutes under my belt, a couple of reserve games at least before I can start looking any further ahead. The old enthusiasm is back. I’ve got to tell you it seems as though I have never been away. I’m ecstatic really to be back at Arsenal, and I have worked bloody hard to get there.”
Sol was quick to make clear how important a role Arsene had played in the move, saying:
“Arsene Wenger has been an inspiration. He has watched me closely after letting me train at Arsenal for nearly two months now. He’s not stupid – he wouldn’t have taken me back if he didn’t like what he has seen, and I have worked and worked.
I do believe I can contribute. I really have my confidence and fitness back and believe I can make a big, big contribution. There is fantastic quality all around the pitch within this Arsenal team and I want to be part of it, and will make a big push to try to do that, but it’s little steps at a time. First step is at Upton Park; the next step is more football.
There have been a few clubs, quite a bit of speculation, but going back to Arsenal – well, that is serious, and I am serious about this. I’ve missed it and I’ve a gut feeling this is the right move. It’s no longer a hunger to get back – it’s turned into a craving. I am champing at the bit. I’m fresh, I’m raring to go. It’s unbelievable to be back at Arsenal.”
“Unbelievable” is the right word, Sol. What a story. More comment on this tomorrow.
January 12th, 2010
When Sol Campbell signed for Arsenal on a free transfer in the summer of 2001, it was a surprising and sensational story. If, as rumoured, he has signed for them in the winter of 2010, it is all the more remarkable.
When he first signed, the deal was controversial principally because of the team he was leaving: our bitter rivals, Tottenham Hotspur. On this occasion the controversy is born out of a different context. This is the Sol Campbell who departed Arsenal under a cloud, walking out of a game against West Ham (the team it is rumoured he will face for the Reserves tonight) before returning to score in his final game: the Champions League Final of 2006. He told Arsene he wanted to go abroad so was released from his contract, only to turn up a few months later at Portsmouth. After three successful years captaining the South Coast side, he dropped three divisions to join League Two Notts County, only to abandon ship after just one game.
It is, however, also the Sol Campbell who won four trophies in his five years at the club, including managing to go a whole season unbeaten. He has been training with the squad for some weeks now, and Arsene will have had the chance to run the rule over him at close quarters. Perhaps he feels his experience and winning mentality will add something to the squad. Perhaps he feels he represents a better option at centre-half than the often calamitous Mikael Silvestre. What is certain is that any deal for Campbell would be in the short-term, covering for the injured Johan Djourou.
Perhaps Arsene saw Patrick Vieira sign for Man City and in a fit of pique and jealousy decided that he’d hire his own veteran Invincible. Whatever is going on, the picture will doubtless become clearer in the next few hours.
This could be an awful lot of smoke without much of a fire. All I can do is reconfirm that several sources I trust have said signing Sol is a real possibility. Several sources I’m less confident about insist that deal is now done.
It would be an unprecedented move from Arsene. More comment on this as and when.
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UPDATE
1725: Sol Campbell will wear the number six shirt for the Reserves tonight against West Ham. He is essentially playing as a triallist, “on a Reserve League registration, with a view to a permanent move back to Arsenal Football Club”.
January 12th, 2010
Today’s arbitrary transfer links comes from the Daily Mail, and suggests we’re considering a swoop for in-form Everton striker Louis Saha. I don’t think the suggestion itself is so unreasonable – hell, I made it myself just a couple of weeks ago. Saha is aerially proficient, a good finisher (as Arsene admitted in the build-up to Saturday’s game), experienced and, crucially, he’s French.
The problem comes when you look at Saha’s fitness record. Arsene added as a caveat last week:
“His career has always been a little bit bothered by injuries. But when Louis Saha plays ten games on the trot you can compare him with any striker.”
A difficulty in putting a run of ten games together probably equates to being more than “a little bit bothered” by injuries. Having said he wouldn’t buy Carlton Cole due to concerns over his fitness, signing Saha seems even more unlikely. If we are to buy someone, we need to know they’re available immediately.
Gavin Hoyte has extended his loan spell at Brighton. There’s not room for both him and Kerrea Gilbert in the squad, and I have a feeling the younger player, Hoyte, will win through in the end.
Andrey Arshavin makes as many headlines for being outspoken off the pitch as he does for being outrageously talented on it. Whilst headline-writers have jumped straight to “ARSHAVIN SAYS ARSENAL NEED MIRACLE TO WIN TITLE”, the actual quote was actually about our injury situation:
“My greatest dream is to win a title with my club. Naturally, it would be better if we won the Premier League or the Champions League. But to do this we need a miracle – which is to start playing finally with our best line-up! I do not think we have had it once so far this season.”
It’s certainly true that if we’re going to win one of the big trophies we need to keep the likes of Cesc fit. On our transfer policy, Arshavin was devastatingly succinct:
“I have a feeling that Arsenal are not going to buy any new players in the winter transfer window – or, if we do, it will be at the very last moment.”
I have the very same feeling, Andrey.
That’s all for now.
