With the new season eventually getting close enough to actually get excited about, there are few interesting items to report on Arsenal. Since I last wrote about my favourite subject Arsenal have won their latest preseason friendly 2-1 away to FC Cologne. Like most preseason games it was only an exercise in fitness for the players, and also a chance for them to start regaining their sharpness ahead of the big kick off.
There were some real positives in the game for Arsenal in my opinion, and the performances of Gervinho, Jack Wilshere and Thomas Vermaelen were the real bright spots for me. Gervinho only played for the first 30 minutes of the game, but he took his two goals very well and he looked like he really has something to offer to the team. Both Wilshere and Vermaelen showed enough for me to hope they will be the driving forces in the Arsenal team this season.
Since last weekend Arsenal have finally managed to sell a player, but it wasn't the expected sale of Manuel Almunia or Nicklas Bendtner. Jay Emmanuel Thomas has left the club to join Ipswich Town in a deal believed to be worth around €1 million. There is no doubt that JET is a very good technical player, but his attitude has often been called into question.
He never really got the chances that he might have hoped for in the Arsenal team, but he spent plenty of time on loan at other teams over the last few seasons. In those loan spells he showed what he is capable of on occasions, but he also showed a side to his game which possibly convinced Arsene Wenger it was time to sell him. I thought he might have got a run in the Arsenal team early last season when Arsenal had mounting injury problems, and he was scoring goals for the reserves for fun.
It would appear his attitude just wasn't right at the time, and he got no more than a few minutes here and there as a substitute. That left him with very little opportunity to make the impact he looked very capable of making. From an Arsenal point of view I hope he isn't the first of the youngsters sold to come back and haunt Arsenal.
Besides the exit of JET it looked as if Emmanuel Eboue might be on his way to Galatasaray, but according to the latest reports the Turkish club are unwilling to meet Arsenal's valuation. I have never been a fan of Eboue, and I think Arsenal should be happy to get any fee for him as well as saving his annual wages of over €2 million. Besides the controversy of his non performance against Wigan Athletic a couple of seasons ago, I just don't think he's good enough to play at the highest level.
His tendencies to dive, feign injury, and go missing at vital times have cost Arsenal on swveral occasions. He is seen as the back up to Bacary Sagna at right back, but from what I have seen so far Carl Jenkinson would be my prefered option for that role. He may be only 19 years old with very limited experience, but his fundamentals as a defender already look better than those of Eboue.
Continuing the possible exits from Arsenal is Henri Lansbury (thanks to arseblog news)who looks like he might be on his way to Norwich City very soon. He impressed on loan as they gained promotion last season, but Arsenal's glut of midfielders could severely limit his chances of a breakthrough at the club. He's a player I have always rated, but he has only one year left on his contract and he probably won't sign another one without a real chance of playing first team football.
It would also appear that Nicklas Bendtner has finally managed to decide which club he is joining with Arseblog News reporting he will be unveiled by Sporting Lisbon on Saturday. Bendtner has always managed to score goals when he has played in a central role for Arsenal without ever really being convincing. He has huge belief in his own ability, and I'm sure he will do well in Portugal.
I saw him miss an absolute hat full of chances against Burnley in the league a couple of seasons ago, and I was utterly convinced after the game that he was useless. He went on to score a hat trick in the Champions League against Porto only a few days later just to prove how unpredictable he can be. I still think his FA Cup goal against Ipswich Town last season was Arsenal's best goal of the season.
If Bendtner is sold he won't be directly replaced, but new signing Gervinho can play in any of the front three positions and has been very impressive so far in training. As well as that he also took his two goals against FC Cologne very well last Saturday, and I can't wait to see more of him in an Arsenal shirt. That chance should come this weekend when Arsenal play both Boca Juniors and New York Red Bulls in the Emirates Cup.
Those games will be Arsenal's first ones at home so far in the build up to the new season, and it will be good to see how Gervinho plays in the wide open spaces of the Emirates pitch. The tournament will also see the return of Arsenal legend Thierry Henry, and I have no doubt that the home fans will give him a fantastic ovation. He is Arsenal's all time record goalscorer, and he has always expressed his love for the club even when he left to play elsewhere.
All of that transfer news comes in the wake of the announcement from the club that Denilson has left the club to play for Sao Paulo on loan for the coming season. In my opinion he won't be missed, as I never really rated him as good enough to play for Arsenal either. He will be back at the end of the season I'm sure, but hopefully the pace of the game in Brazil will suit him and he will be sold to them next summer.
All of the transfer activity should make some room in the squad, and hopefully Arsene Wenger can find the players Arsenal need to fill those gaps. The usual rumours persist about defenders, but the only real possibility of a player coming in at the moment seems to Juan Mata from Valencia. If the rumours are to be believed he will sign within the next couple of days.
If Mata does sign it will of course increase the speculation of the sales of either Cesc Fabregas or Samir Nasri, or possibly even both of them. I sincerely hope Cesc stays, but it is anybody's guess which shirt he will be wearing by the start of the season. Nasri is a different matter, as he enters the final year of his contract with Arsenal deciding not to sell him.
It's a huge gamble for Arsenal to keep Nasri, as he could command a fee of roughly €20 million at the moment, but the club not a receive a red cent for him next summer if he still refuses to sign the contract offered to him. The patience of the Arsenal fans has grown very thin with Nasri, and he might not get a good reception from them this weekend. Once a player loses the support of the fans life can become very difficult for him at any club.
Arsenal would not be Arsenal without injuries, and with the new season still two weeks away they are already mounting. Theo Walcott was flown home from Germany with yet another ankle problem, and the club are waiting to hear the full extent of his injury at the moment. It's not a good start to the new season for Walcott, and his reputation as an injury prone player is well earned.
Conor Henderson injured his cruciate ligaments against FC Cologne last Saturday, and it looks like his season might be over before it even begins. This coming season was seen as the possible breakthrough season for Henderson, but he will have to put his hopes on hold for another season at least. His injury reminds me of a very similar situation which Emmanuel Frimpong went throughthis time last year, and he has only just returned to the squad now.
There is no further word on the injuries to both Abu Diaby and Armand Traore, but it doesn't look like either player will be available for the start of the season. It's hardly surprising with Diaby's injury record, but Traore was supposed to be second choice left back this season after the sale of Gael Clichy. It means Arsenal are only an injury to injury prone Kieran Gibbs away from playing Thomas Vermaelen at left back.
If Vermaelen has to play in that position it also means they are very close to playing Sebastien Squillaci as a central defender. The thought of Squillaci playing scares me, and another central defender has to be a priority. Hopefully there is plenty of work going on behind the scenes, and the Arsenal fans will get the player they want very soon.
Finally for today Cesc is still not fit enough to play in the Emirates Cup this weekend which has of course fuelled the rumours of his imminent transfer to Barcelona. There are also rumours of him refusing to play again for Arsenal, but I severely doubt there is any truth in them. The ball is firmly in Barcelona's court, and they can have their man if they offer the market value for him.
As it stands they have offered a lot less than his true worth, and the situation hs dragged on for far too long. Cesc's complete silence on the matter hasn't helped, but as Arsenal captain he will be at the Emirates Cup this weekend I'm sure. Hopefully the chance to mingle with his teammates again will encourage him to stay at the club for at least one more year.
That's it for today.
Here's the highlights from Saturday's win in Cologne with thanks to 101greatgoals as always.
See You Tomorrow.
Finally for today this season's Fantasy Premier League is up and running again. My league has almost 100 teams in it already, but I will welcome any new teams. Just go to the site and use the code 125540-42785 to join my league when your team is set up.
If you have any problems don't hesitate to contact me, and I will do what I can to help. Any teams in the league last season should automatically be included this season, as soon as they set up heir team. Good luck if you're taking part, and remember I will have prizes for the top three finishers at the end of the season.
Don't forget you can follow me on Twitter, tumblr and Facebook too.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Friday, July 22, 2011
What Are Barcelina's True Intentions For Cesc Fabregas?
As a self confessed huge fan of both Arsenal and Cesc Fabregas it has yet again been a tough summer for me. The speculation linking Cesc to Barcelona just won't go away, and of course it's not being helped by his silence or Barcelona's lack of it. I would dearly love to see Cesc sit in front of the assembled media and tell them he is Arsenal's captain, and he intends to stay at the club and win trophies with them.
In an ideal world that is exactly what would happen, but of course it's far from an ideal world, as the starving people in the horn of Africa will testify to I'm sure. The draw of Cesc's hometown club is absolutely huge for him, and it cannot be easy for him to stay at Arsenal. Arsenal have put a valuation on his head, but it appears that Barcelona think they can get him for much less as he wants to join them and nobody else.
Last summer Cesc played in the World Cup for Spain, and after they won the trophy the speculation about him joining Barcelona reached a peak. I was told by virtually one and all that Cesc would be leaving Arsenal, but I stood firm in my belief that he would say. Some might say it was a misguided belief, but it turned out to be right as Arsene Wenger refused to sell him.
Cesc didn't have his greatest season for Arsenal last season, but in my opinion it was because of the injuries he suffered and the lack of time off during the previous three summers. He had played in tournaments with Spain in each of the last three summers, and the heavy schedule caught up on him which was to Arsenal's determent. I have no doubt that a fully fit and focused Cesc will be the best player in the Premier League next season.
Of course Barcelona manager Per Guardiola is the latest man from that classless club to make his opinions on Cesc's potential transfer public knowledge. He seems to think Barcelona will pursue Cesc right up until the end of the transfer window if necessary, but he also stated that a forward is their first priority. Guardiola is well known to be Cesc's boyhood idol, and I'm sure he must be delighted to hear that Guardiola wants him at the club.
Guardiola also claimed that Cesc would make Barcelona a better team, and that's not an easy task considering that they are already the best team in the world. Can they seriously expect to buy a player who is still only approaching his prime and would improve the best team in the world for a fee of a mere £26 million when players with a lot less to offer have exchanged hands for much larger fees. It's a dangerous game Barcelona are playing, and I can only hope it backfires on them.
Barcelona have to know that they can get their man if they make a bid which matches Arsenal's valuation of the player, but they continue to claim he isn't worth the asking price. I sincerely doubt their desire to sign him at the moment, and I can only hope it damages his relationship with his hometown club. Surely Cesc must see that Barcelona's valuation of him shows that they don't rate him as highly as some of their other supposed targets this summer.
As it stands I believe Cesc will be an Arsenal player in the coming season because I don't think Barcelona will pay what he is truly worth. I hope he can put the whole business behind him, and show them exactly why Arsenal rate him so highly. With a fully fit Cesc in the team Arsenal are capable of putting up a real challenge for the Premier League, and possibly delivering the trophies he craves.
However, the longer the saga drags on the worse it will be for Arsenal, as their team will be far from settled with the new season approaching rapidly. Arsenal have to draw a line under any potential transfer, and tell both Barcelona and Cesc that it's a matter of pay up or any possibility of a move is off. It's not an unreasonable stance for Arsenal to make, and it will at least bring the whole matter to a climax one way or the other.
It would appear that Cesc will stay behind yet again tomorrow when Arsenal take on FC Cologne in their latest pre-season friendly. He missed the two game tour to Asia as he is still recovering from his injury he received last season, and it seems he still has a way to go to catch up with the rest of the squad in terms of fitness. Until he plays his first game for Arsenal this pre-season the rumours will continue to gain pace, and the club need to see him put in a performance for them.
If the transfer rumours are allowed to continue it will be interesting to see if he is played in Arsenal's Champions League qualifying games later in August. If he is to be sold to Barcelona they will surely not want him cup tied, but Arsenal will need their best players available to advance to the group stages. As it stands those games may be the first real pointer to the true intentions of all parties involved in this saga, and they could bring it all to a very sudden end.
That's it for today.
See You Tomorrow.
Finally for today this season's Fantasy Premier League is up and running again. My league has almost 100 teams in it already, but I will welcome any new teams. Just go to the site and use the code 125540-42785 to join my league when your team is set up.
If you have any problems don't hesitate to contact me, and I will do what I can to help. Any teams in the league last season should automatically be included this season, as soon as they set up heir team. Good luck if you're taking part, and remember I will have prizes for the top three finishers at the end of the season.
Don't forget you can follow me on Twitter, tumblr and Facebook too.
In an ideal world that is exactly what would happen, but of course it's far from an ideal world, as the starving people in the horn of Africa will testify to I'm sure. The draw of Cesc's hometown club is absolutely huge for him, and it cannot be easy for him to stay at Arsenal. Arsenal have put a valuation on his head, but it appears that Barcelona think they can get him for much less as he wants to join them and nobody else.
Last summer Cesc played in the World Cup for Spain, and after they won the trophy the speculation about him joining Barcelona reached a peak. I was told by virtually one and all that Cesc would be leaving Arsenal, but I stood firm in my belief that he would say. Some might say it was a misguided belief, but it turned out to be right as Arsene Wenger refused to sell him.
Cesc didn't have his greatest season for Arsenal last season, but in my opinion it was because of the injuries he suffered and the lack of time off during the previous three summers. He had played in tournaments with Spain in each of the last three summers, and the heavy schedule caught up on him which was to Arsenal's determent. I have no doubt that a fully fit and focused Cesc will be the best player in the Premier League next season.
Of course Barcelona manager Per Guardiola is the latest man from that classless club to make his opinions on Cesc's potential transfer public knowledge. He seems to think Barcelona will pursue Cesc right up until the end of the transfer window if necessary, but he also stated that a forward is their first priority. Guardiola is well known to be Cesc's boyhood idol, and I'm sure he must be delighted to hear that Guardiola wants him at the club.
Guardiola also claimed that Cesc would make Barcelona a better team, and that's not an easy task considering that they are already the best team in the world. Can they seriously expect to buy a player who is still only approaching his prime and would improve the best team in the world for a fee of a mere £26 million when players with a lot less to offer have exchanged hands for much larger fees. It's a dangerous game Barcelona are playing, and I can only hope it backfires on them.
Barcelona have to know that they can get their man if they make a bid which matches Arsenal's valuation of the player, but they continue to claim he isn't worth the asking price. I sincerely doubt their desire to sign him at the moment, and I can only hope it damages his relationship with his hometown club. Surely Cesc must see that Barcelona's valuation of him shows that they don't rate him as highly as some of their other supposed targets this summer.
As it stands I believe Cesc will be an Arsenal player in the coming season because I don't think Barcelona will pay what he is truly worth. I hope he can put the whole business behind him, and show them exactly why Arsenal rate him so highly. With a fully fit Cesc in the team Arsenal are capable of putting up a real challenge for the Premier League, and possibly delivering the trophies he craves.
However, the longer the saga drags on the worse it will be for Arsenal, as their team will be far from settled with the new season approaching rapidly. Arsenal have to draw a line under any potential transfer, and tell both Barcelona and Cesc that it's a matter of pay up or any possibility of a move is off. It's not an unreasonable stance for Arsenal to make, and it will at least bring the whole matter to a climax one way or the other.
It would appear that Cesc will stay behind yet again tomorrow when Arsenal take on FC Cologne in their latest pre-season friendly. He missed the two game tour to Asia as he is still recovering from his injury he received last season, and it seems he still has a way to go to catch up with the rest of the squad in terms of fitness. Until he plays his first game for Arsenal this pre-season the rumours will continue to gain pace, and the club need to see him put in a performance for them.
If the transfer rumours are allowed to continue it will be interesting to see if he is played in Arsenal's Champions League qualifying games later in August. If he is to be sold to Barcelona they will surely not want him cup tied, but Arsenal will need their best players available to advance to the group stages. As it stands those games may be the first real pointer to the true intentions of all parties involved in this saga, and they could bring it all to a very sudden end.
That's it for today.
See You Tomorrow.
Finally for today this season's Fantasy Premier League is up and running again. My league has almost 100 teams in it already, but I will welcome any new teams. Just go to the site and use the code 125540-42785 to join my league when your team is set up.
If you have any problems don't hesitate to contact me, and I will do what I can to help. Any teams in the league last season should automatically be included this season, as soon as they set up heir team. Good luck if you're taking part, and remember I will have prizes for the top three finishers at the end of the season.
Don't forget you can follow me on Twitter, tumblr and Facebook too.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Can Gervinho Help Arsenal To Deliver A Premier League Title?
Arsenal finally announced yesterday that Gervinho had completed his move to the club from French double winners Lille. The player himself has said he is delighted to join Arsenal, and Arsene Wenger is very happy to have signed him too. Arsenal's perceived needs may be in their defence, but Gervinho should be a welcome addition to their forward line in my opinion.
Gervinho has a lot of qualities which will be beneficial to Arsenal, and he should get plenty of chances to display them in the coming season. With Nicklas Bendtner actively looking for a move and Marouane Chamakh and Carlos Vela not living up to expectations Arsenal needed to add some quality to their striking options. Gervinho can play in any of the three advanced roles in the Arsenal attack, and his signature will put some pressure on plenty of other players at the club.
Robin Van Persie cannot be expected to lead the line in every single game Arsenal play, and if Gervinho can take some off the weight off his shoulders it would be a great asset to Arsenal. Van Persie has had an injury ravaged career so far with Arsenal, but if he can stay fit there is no doubt that he is the man to score the goals for Arsenal. It would be great if Gervinho can fill in for him when he needs to be rested, and still keep the overall strength in the team.
Arsenal's current choices in their two wide positions are Theo Walcott, Samir Nasri and Andrei Arshavin, but Gervinho has the added benefit of being able to play on either side of the central striker. He managed 18 goals in all competitions for Lille last season, and he weighed in with quite a few assists as well. His inclusion in the Arsenal squad could see both Walcott's and Arshavin's places under severe pressure, and hopefully that will bring the best out of them.
Gervinho has the ability to take players on and beat them and in my opinion Arsenal need to add that quality to their team. There are other players in the team capable of doing so, but all too often they play square passes rather than attempt to beat their opponent. Arsenal's play has become far too predictable at times, and hopefully he can help to change that.
He should have no problem whatsoever with Arsenal's style of play, as he has shown he has the technical ability required to fit in with the rest of the team. His ability to pick a pass and make chances for his teammates should take some of the pressure off Cesc Fabregas in that department. Cesc is still the best creator of chances in the top five leagues in Europe, but a little bit of help would not go astray.
When Arsenal fell apart at the end of last season they became very predictable for their opponents, as there was a lack of movement and penetration in the team. They had a few very costly home games in the Premier League when they failed to score against mediocre opposition. In those games a player with Gervinho's movement might just have made the difference to enable Arsenal to score the vital breakthrough goal.
He looks to be a very promising signing, but unless the defence can also be bolstered Arsenal will still find it very hard to win the trophies their players and fans crave. The lack of strength in depth of their defence was cruelly exposed last season, and it has to be addressed. The ideal scenario would be for the players needed to arrive as soon as possible, so that they can learn to play with the rest of the team before the season starts.
However, if that isn't possible Wenger still has to strive to bring them in right up until the last minute before the transfer window closes. If he doesn't manage to do so I fear the signing of Gervinho will have been in vain as Arsenal will again concede too many goals to claim their first trophy in what will be seven years when this season ends.
That's it for today.
Here's a little bit of Gervinho at his best.
See You Tomorrow.
Gervinho has a lot of qualities which will be beneficial to Arsenal, and he should get plenty of chances to display them in the coming season. With Nicklas Bendtner actively looking for a move and Marouane Chamakh and Carlos Vela not living up to expectations Arsenal needed to add some quality to their striking options. Gervinho can play in any of the three advanced roles in the Arsenal attack, and his signature will put some pressure on plenty of other players at the club.
Robin Van Persie cannot be expected to lead the line in every single game Arsenal play, and if Gervinho can take some off the weight off his shoulders it would be a great asset to Arsenal. Van Persie has had an injury ravaged career so far with Arsenal, but if he can stay fit there is no doubt that he is the man to score the goals for Arsenal. It would be great if Gervinho can fill in for him when he needs to be rested, and still keep the overall strength in the team.
Arsenal's current choices in their two wide positions are Theo Walcott, Samir Nasri and Andrei Arshavin, but Gervinho has the added benefit of being able to play on either side of the central striker. He managed 18 goals in all competitions for Lille last season, and he weighed in with quite a few assists as well. His inclusion in the Arsenal squad could see both Walcott's and Arshavin's places under severe pressure, and hopefully that will bring the best out of them.
Gervinho has the ability to take players on and beat them and in my opinion Arsenal need to add that quality to their team. There are other players in the team capable of doing so, but all too often they play square passes rather than attempt to beat their opponent. Arsenal's play has become far too predictable at times, and hopefully he can help to change that.
He should have no problem whatsoever with Arsenal's style of play, as he has shown he has the technical ability required to fit in with the rest of the team. His ability to pick a pass and make chances for his teammates should take some of the pressure off Cesc Fabregas in that department. Cesc is still the best creator of chances in the top five leagues in Europe, but a little bit of help would not go astray.
When Arsenal fell apart at the end of last season they became very predictable for their opponents, as there was a lack of movement and penetration in the team. They had a few very costly home games in the Premier League when they failed to score against mediocre opposition. In those games a player with Gervinho's movement might just have made the difference to enable Arsenal to score the vital breakthrough goal.
He looks to be a very promising signing, but unless the defence can also be bolstered Arsenal will still find it very hard to win the trophies their players and fans crave. The lack of strength in depth of their defence was cruelly exposed last season, and it has to be addressed. The ideal scenario would be for the players needed to arrive as soon as possible, so that they can learn to play with the rest of the team before the season starts.
However, if that isn't possible Wenger still has to strive to bring them in right up until the last minute before the transfer window closes. If he doesn't manage to do so I fear the signing of Gervinho will have been in vain as Arsenal will again concede too many goals to claim their first trophy in what will be seven years when this season ends.
That's it for today.
Here's a little bit of Gervinho at his best.
See You Tomorrow.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Arsenal's Asian Tour Draws To A Close As The Search To Strengthen The Team Continues.
It has been a long time since Arsenal took part in a pre season tour, but with their commercial revenues lagging behind those of some of their nearest competitors they did so this week. Usually Arsene Wenger takes the players to Austria for a tough workout in the rarefied air of the Alps, but this season the Arsenal fans in Malaysia and China will get to see their heroes in the flesh for a change. Reporting on the events in both countries from an Arsenal perspective makes a pleasant change from the constant stream of transfer speculation at this time of year.
On Wednesday Arsenal played a Malaysian XI and beat them 4-0 with the goals coming from Aaron Ramsey, Theo Walcott, Carlos Vela and Tomas Rosicky. It was a good workout for their first pre season friendly, and the stifling heat in Kuala Lumpur certainly made things tough for the players. Both Ryo Myaichi and Carl Jenkinson made their debuts for Arsenal, although it will be another while before they get to make their competitive debuts.
Myiachi looks like a very talented player and he would probably get a few chances to show his skills in the Arsenal first team this season, but he may not qualify for a work permit. He joined Arsenal in January from his high school team in Japan, but he was immediately loaned to Feyenoord in Holland. If he is unable to acquire a work permit to play for Arsenal the chances are he will go back to Feyenoord to continue his progress with them, but hopefully the UK authorities will see sense and allow him to play for Arsenal.
Both countries are part of the European Union and they should be subject to the same laws I would imagine, but it appears work permits for non EU players are a lot more difficult to obtain in the UK. He impressed at Feyenoord in the second half of last season and another season of first team football at a fairly high level could be very beneficial to him and Arsenal too. He's still only 18 years old and he hasn't played for his country yet so he probably has an awful lot of room to progress.
Jenkinson was signed from Charlton Athletic last month and he turned 19 earlier this year, but he is still quite inexperienced in footballing terms. He can represent either England or Finland in international football if he makes the grade, and he has played his underage football for Finland to date. He played relatively few games in his time at Charlton, but it would appear that Wenger already sees him as an understudy to regular right back Bacary Sagna.
Both players impressed on Wednesday and they should get another chance to do so again when Arsenal play Hanzghou Greentown in their next game later today. The game will be shown live on Arsenal Player again, but hopefully there won't be a repeat of the problems on Wednesday when the broadcast of most of the first half was missed due to technical difficulties. As a red member of Arsenal I will get to see the game for free on Arsenal player, but it's also live on ESPN as far as I know.
Forbes magazine has rated Arsenal as the seventh most valuable sports franchise in the world, with Manchester United and Real Madrid as the only football clubs more valuable than them. Their rating(thanks to arseblog news) sees Arsenal valued at $1.18 billion and it should hopefully see the spending power of the club increase dramatically in the not too distant future. Of course Arsenal are still saddled with the debt from the construction of the Emirates stadium, but when they are free from that debt they should be in a very healthy financial position.
The spending power of some of the teams below them in the list is far superior to that of Arsenal, but there is very little that can be done when the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City have money poured into them by wealthy sugar daddies. Financial fair play is soon to be introduced to football, but City have already shown there are ways around it with their owners giving them a fortune for their stadium naming rights. I have no doubt that Chelsea and City will continue to find creative ways around financial fair play, and Arsenal will still not be able to compete with them for transfer fees or wages in the future.
If either City or Chelsea were to lose the backing of their owners they would soon disappear from the upper echelons of football, but for the moment there is little that can be done about them. Similarly other clubs manage to operate with huge debts and it doesn't affect them in the transfer market or in the wages they pay either, and it remains to be seen if financial fair play will call a halt to the antics or Real Madrid, Manchester United or even Barcelona. I very much doubt it, but unless Arsenal are prepared to saddle the club with huge debt or get taken over by somebody with more money than sense things will not change.
Arsenal continue to be run as a financially sustainable club, and they operate within the boundaries of their financial limitations. There has been more than a little disquiet among plenty of Arsenal fans, as they see other clubs spending fortunes on new players and exorbitant wages. So far Arsenal's transfer dealings have only seen the arrival of the aforementioned Jenkinson and Gervinho.
At the end of last season Wenger admitted to the failings of his squad, and he said he would be very active in the transfer market in the summer to strengthen the team where it needed it. The Arsenal defence suffered very badly from set pieces last season, and their inability to defend them has to be addressed this summer. It would seem that Wenger is now of the opinion that the return from injury of Thomas Vermaelen will be all that the defence needs to put things right.
I can only hope that he is keeping his cards close to his chest and he does have a new central defender lined up, or Arsenal will yet again concede too many goals to seriously contend for the big trophies. The players can of course practice their defensive technique at set pieces, but I am sure the same promise was made last summer and it most certainly didn't work. The patience of the Arsenal fans is growing thin and the failure to address the team's serious defensive flaws could be the straw that breaks the camel's back.
If Wenger fails to add to his defensive options and Arsenal continue to suffer defensively from set pieces all eyes will be on Wenger. It's a huge risk for him to take and I really hope he does add to the team's defensive options, or it could spell the end of his time at the club. As it stands Arsenal have failed to offload any of their want away players, but if they can sell Nicklas Bendtner, Manuel Almunia and Denilson it could give Wenger the money he needs to make that much needed defensive purchase.
With the fees received from those three players and the wages saved in their departures, Arsenal should surely have enough to buy the player they need. It's all well and good for Wenger to say Thomas Vermaelen is like a new signing, but if there is one injury to any of the central defenders(besides Squillaci) it will leave Arsenal with very few options at the back yet again. Arsenal's chances of competing at the very top and winning trophies cannot be sacrificed because Wenger will not buy a player that the squad desperately needs.
That's it for today.
Here's a look at how Vermaelen fared in his first season at Arsenal.
See You Tomorrow.
Don't forget you can follow me on Twitter, tumblr and Facebook too.
On Wednesday Arsenal played a Malaysian XI and beat them 4-0 with the goals coming from Aaron Ramsey, Theo Walcott, Carlos Vela and Tomas Rosicky. It was a good workout for their first pre season friendly, and the stifling heat in Kuala Lumpur certainly made things tough for the players. Both Ryo Myaichi and Carl Jenkinson made their debuts for Arsenal, although it will be another while before they get to make their competitive debuts.
Myiachi looks like a very talented player and he would probably get a few chances to show his skills in the Arsenal first team this season, but he may not qualify for a work permit. He joined Arsenal in January from his high school team in Japan, but he was immediately loaned to Feyenoord in Holland. If he is unable to acquire a work permit to play for Arsenal the chances are he will go back to Feyenoord to continue his progress with them, but hopefully the UK authorities will see sense and allow him to play for Arsenal.
Both countries are part of the European Union and they should be subject to the same laws I would imagine, but it appears work permits for non EU players are a lot more difficult to obtain in the UK. He impressed at Feyenoord in the second half of last season and another season of first team football at a fairly high level could be very beneficial to him and Arsenal too. He's still only 18 years old and he hasn't played for his country yet so he probably has an awful lot of room to progress.
Jenkinson was signed from Charlton Athletic last month and he turned 19 earlier this year, but he is still quite inexperienced in footballing terms. He can represent either England or Finland in international football if he makes the grade, and he has played his underage football for Finland to date. He played relatively few games in his time at Charlton, but it would appear that Wenger already sees him as an understudy to regular right back Bacary Sagna.
Both players impressed on Wednesday and they should get another chance to do so again when Arsenal play Hanzghou Greentown in their next game later today. The game will be shown live on Arsenal Player again, but hopefully there won't be a repeat of the problems on Wednesday when the broadcast of most of the first half was missed due to technical difficulties. As a red member of Arsenal I will get to see the game for free on Arsenal player, but it's also live on ESPN as far as I know.
Forbes magazine has rated Arsenal as the seventh most valuable sports franchise in the world, with Manchester United and Real Madrid as the only football clubs more valuable than them. Their rating(thanks to arseblog news) sees Arsenal valued at $1.18 billion and it should hopefully see the spending power of the club increase dramatically in the not too distant future. Of course Arsenal are still saddled with the debt from the construction of the Emirates stadium, but when they are free from that debt they should be in a very healthy financial position.
The spending power of some of the teams below them in the list is far superior to that of Arsenal, but there is very little that can be done when the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City have money poured into them by wealthy sugar daddies. Financial fair play is soon to be introduced to football, but City have already shown there are ways around it with their owners giving them a fortune for their stadium naming rights. I have no doubt that Chelsea and City will continue to find creative ways around financial fair play, and Arsenal will still not be able to compete with them for transfer fees or wages in the future.
If either City or Chelsea were to lose the backing of their owners they would soon disappear from the upper echelons of football, but for the moment there is little that can be done about them. Similarly other clubs manage to operate with huge debts and it doesn't affect them in the transfer market or in the wages they pay either, and it remains to be seen if financial fair play will call a halt to the antics or Real Madrid, Manchester United or even Barcelona. I very much doubt it, but unless Arsenal are prepared to saddle the club with huge debt or get taken over by somebody with more money than sense things will not change.
Arsenal continue to be run as a financially sustainable club, and they operate within the boundaries of their financial limitations. There has been more than a little disquiet among plenty of Arsenal fans, as they see other clubs spending fortunes on new players and exorbitant wages. So far Arsenal's transfer dealings have only seen the arrival of the aforementioned Jenkinson and Gervinho.
At the end of last season Wenger admitted to the failings of his squad, and he said he would be very active in the transfer market in the summer to strengthen the team where it needed it. The Arsenal defence suffered very badly from set pieces last season, and their inability to defend them has to be addressed this summer. It would seem that Wenger is now of the opinion that the return from injury of Thomas Vermaelen will be all that the defence needs to put things right.
I can only hope that he is keeping his cards close to his chest and he does have a new central defender lined up, or Arsenal will yet again concede too many goals to seriously contend for the big trophies. The players can of course practice their defensive technique at set pieces, but I am sure the same promise was made last summer and it most certainly didn't work. The patience of the Arsenal fans is growing thin and the failure to address the team's serious defensive flaws could be the straw that breaks the camel's back.
If Wenger fails to add to his defensive options and Arsenal continue to suffer defensively from set pieces all eyes will be on Wenger. It's a huge risk for him to take and I really hope he does add to the team's defensive options, or it could spell the end of his time at the club. As it stands Arsenal have failed to offload any of their want away players, but if they can sell Nicklas Bendtner, Manuel Almunia and Denilson it could give Wenger the money he needs to make that much needed defensive purchase.
With the fees received from those three players and the wages saved in their departures, Arsenal should surely have enough to buy the player they need. It's all well and good for Wenger to say Thomas Vermaelen is like a new signing, but if there is one injury to any of the central defenders(besides Squillaci) it will leave Arsenal with very few options at the back yet again. Arsenal's chances of competing at the very top and winning trophies cannot be sacrificed because Wenger will not buy a player that the squad desperately needs.
That's it for today.
Here's a look at how Vermaelen fared in his first season at Arsenal.
See You Tomorrow.
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Thursday, July 14, 2011
Seven Midfielders Arsene Wenger Could Consider Signing For Arsenal.
With the future of Arsenal's star midfielders Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri still far from certain Arsene Wenger has to consider what players might replace them if they leave. In my opinion there are very few players in the world capable of matching Cesc at his best, but if he leaves Arsenal will need a playmaker. Nasri is a different matter, as he is a good player, but he still has a lot to prove before he can be considered Cesc's equal.
The best case for Arsenal is if both players stay at the club, but it is conceiveable that Arsenal will lose the services of both of them. If that were to happen I'm sure Arsenal could command joint transfer fees of at least €60 million, and that should give them the funds they need to attempt to replace both players. I'll attempt to name a few of the players who could help to fill that huge void, but I hope it doesn't come to both players leaving.
Juan Mata:
Valencia have already stated that Juan Mata is not for sale, but their financial problems continue and the right bid could possibly secure his services. He plays most of his football on the left wing and that's where Nasri played on numerous occasions last season for Arsenal. Mata is quite versatile and he could just as easily play off a central striker which would make him a very valuable purchase for any team.
He's only 23 years old which means he won't reach his peak for a few more years, but he has already shown enough to suggest he will be a real star of he game over the next five years at least. He has a real eye for goal, he can pick a pass, and he is very comfortable in possession. He has managed to make over 10 appearances for World and European champions Spain despite the huge array of talent available to them.
Arsenal would have to break their transfer record to capture Mata, but if either Cesc or Nasri leave he should be one of the first priorities to replace them.
Diego Ribas da Cunha:
Diego Ribas da Cunha is commonly known as Diego, and he is a 26 year old central midfielder who plays for Wolfsburg and has played for Brazil too. He plays in a very similar position to Cesc, and when he puts his mind to his game he is a very good player. He has had disciplinary problems with various clubs, and his spell at Juventus prior to Wolfsburg didn't work out.
When Arsene Wenger came to Arsenal first he made some very good purchases of players who had loads of potential, but were failing to live up to it at their clubs. Both Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry had their careers resurrected at Arsenal, and it could be the move Diego needs to get his career back on track. I was a huge admirer of him when he was a Werder Bremen player a couple of years ago, and with the right stage to perform on he could possibly do it again.
Diego had problems at Wolfsburg last season, and as a result he could possibly be captured for a fee of approximately €15 million. It would be a risk for Arsenal to sign him, but it's a risk they might have to take if Cesc leaves. Diego is one of the few players with the ability to replace Cesc, and desperate times can sometimes call for desperate measures.
Eden Hazard:
Eden Hazard is a 20 year old attacking midfielder who won the double with Lille in France last season. Arsenal have already signed Gervinho from that Lille team, but Hazard is seen as probably the better prospect in the long term. Gervinho had better statistics for Lille last season, but Hazard seems to have that little bit extra in my opinion.
Hazard can play in a wide left role and he could replace Nasri if he were to leave. At only 20 years of age he has already played over 150 games between his club and his country, and he is far from inexperienced. He has an eye for goal, he can pick a pass, and he can take players on and beat them.
If Arsenal need to replace Nasri they could do a lot worse than Hazard, and he would probably be available for around €20 million if Lille could be talked into selling him. They have qualified for next season's Champions League though, and he still has much to learn which probably means he will stay with them for one more season at least.
Wesley Sneijder:
Wesley Sneijder is a play who could step straight into the Arsenal team and replace Cesc if Arsenal's captain was to join Barcelona. He turned 27 last month and he is at his footballing peak, with an eye for a pass and the ability to score too. He likes to play in an advanced midfield role or just behind the main striker, and he is perfectly suited to both roles.
He would probably cost a little less than Cesc will cost Barcelona if they ever manage to persuade Arsenal to sell him. If that were the case Arsenal could certainly afford the transfer fee, but they would probably have to break their wage structure to afford him. Even if Arsenal were to decide to offer Sneijder the wages he would expect the chances are that Inter Milan would be more than unwilling to sell him.
In an ideal world Arsenal would put in an offer for Sneijder that Inter could not refuse if Cesc were to leave, but I just can't see that happening. I cannot see Arsenal paying wages which would probably be twice those of their highest earner, and breaking the club record transfer fee as well.
Willian Borges da Silva:
Willian Borges da Silva is better known as Willian, and he's a 22 year old winger currently playing for Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine. He would certainly fit the bill as a replacement for Nasri if the Frenchman were to leave Arsenal, but he doesn't score as many goals as Nasri. He has plenty of potential and a lot of skill to go with it too, but his transfer fee might be a hindrance for Arsenal.
The chances are Arsenal would have to spend in excess of €20 million for Willian if they were to have any chance of persuading Shakhtar to sell. It's an awful lot of money, but if Nasri leaves he has to be replaced by a player who is at least his equal, and Willian could possibly be that man. I would be surprised to see him sign for Arsenal, but it's certainly not beyond the bounds of possibility.
LuÃs Carlos Almeida da Cunha (Nani):
When Manchester United sold Ronaldo to Real Madrid a couple of seasons ago Nani was seen as the man to fill his boots. He's still only 24 years old and it would appear his face may no longer fit in at Old Trafford. He fell out of favour towards the end of last season on many occasions despite being the player most responsible for keeping them in the title hunt earlier in the season.
His style is similar to that of Ronaldo, but he doesn't have the same goalscoring prowess as his his countryman. However he does set his team mates up far more often than Ronaldo ever did, and he is more than capable of scoring from distance too. He can be a very tricky wide player, but he is criticised for his lack of work at times which is why he is possibly seen as surplus to requirements at United.
I would imagine Nani would cost an awful lot more than Arsenal would be willing to pay, but if United are anxious to offload him they might have a chance of capturing him. His wages would also be prohibitive, but he would certainly add a creative element to Arsenal's wing play as well as the ability to score from distance.
Scott Parker:
Scott Parker will be 31 years old later this year, and he is available for purchase after West Ham United were relegated last season. He was voted the best player in the Premier League last season, but his efforts weren't enough to help West Ham survive the dreaded drop. His experience would certainly be an advantage to Arsenal, but he has never actually played regularly at the very top level in football.
At the very least he would offer a genuine alternative to Alex Song in a defensive midfield role for Arsenal, and he could play alongside Song in certain games as well. The major hindrance to signing Parker for me would be his stature, as I think Arsenal need a player with the height and strength of their former captain Patrick Vieira. Parker would certainly be an asset to the squad, but at his age he would probably want to join a team where he would be guaranteed to play.
He has made his way into the England team recently and he needs to keep playing weekly for a club to ensure he keeps his place. He might not get that chance too often at Arsenal, and that would probably be the biggest factor in him not joining Arsenal.
The majority of the players I have profiled are probably beyond the limit of Arsenal's budget in terms of transfer fees and wages too, but the possible sales of Cesc and Nasri might change that. It would make a pleasant change for Arsenal supporters to see their club chasing some of the best players in the world rather than foraging through the bargain basements of France. I doubt very much if Arsene Wenger or Arsenal will spend anywhere in excess of €20 million on any player, but if club policy does change these players are all possibilities.
I hope Cesc stays at the club for another couple of seasons at least, but the draw of his hometown club is a very big one. Nasri should be sold if he refuses to sign a new contract, but it appears that Wenger is determined to keep him even if it means he leaves on a free transfer next summer. That may not be in the best interest of the club in the long term, but in the short term it suits their needs.
That's it for today.
Here's the goals from Arsenal's first pre season friendly with thanks as always to 101great goals.
See You Tomorrow.
The best case for Arsenal is if both players stay at the club, but it is conceiveable that Arsenal will lose the services of both of them. If that were to happen I'm sure Arsenal could command joint transfer fees of at least €60 million, and that should give them the funds they need to attempt to replace both players. I'll attempt to name a few of the players who could help to fill that huge void, but I hope it doesn't come to both players leaving.
Juan Mata:
Valencia have already stated that Juan Mata is not for sale, but their financial problems continue and the right bid could possibly secure his services. He plays most of his football on the left wing and that's where Nasri played on numerous occasions last season for Arsenal. Mata is quite versatile and he could just as easily play off a central striker which would make him a very valuable purchase for any team.
He's only 23 years old which means he won't reach his peak for a few more years, but he has already shown enough to suggest he will be a real star of he game over the next five years at least. He has a real eye for goal, he can pick a pass, and he is very comfortable in possession. He has managed to make over 10 appearances for World and European champions Spain despite the huge array of talent available to them.
Arsenal would have to break their transfer record to capture Mata, but if either Cesc or Nasri leave he should be one of the first priorities to replace them.
Diego Ribas da Cunha:
Diego Ribas da Cunha is commonly known as Diego, and he is a 26 year old central midfielder who plays for Wolfsburg and has played for Brazil too. He plays in a very similar position to Cesc, and when he puts his mind to his game he is a very good player. He has had disciplinary problems with various clubs, and his spell at Juventus prior to Wolfsburg didn't work out.
When Arsene Wenger came to Arsenal first he made some very good purchases of players who had loads of potential, but were failing to live up to it at their clubs. Both Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry had their careers resurrected at Arsenal, and it could be the move Diego needs to get his career back on track. I was a huge admirer of him when he was a Werder Bremen player a couple of years ago, and with the right stage to perform on he could possibly do it again.
Diego had problems at Wolfsburg last season, and as a result he could possibly be captured for a fee of approximately €15 million. It would be a risk for Arsenal to sign him, but it's a risk they might have to take if Cesc leaves. Diego is one of the few players with the ability to replace Cesc, and desperate times can sometimes call for desperate measures.
Eden Hazard:
Eden Hazard is a 20 year old attacking midfielder who won the double with Lille in France last season. Arsenal have already signed Gervinho from that Lille team, but Hazard is seen as probably the better prospect in the long term. Gervinho had better statistics for Lille last season, but Hazard seems to have that little bit extra in my opinion.
Hazard can play in a wide left role and he could replace Nasri if he were to leave. At only 20 years of age he has already played over 150 games between his club and his country, and he is far from inexperienced. He has an eye for goal, he can pick a pass, and he can take players on and beat them.
If Arsenal need to replace Nasri they could do a lot worse than Hazard, and he would probably be available for around €20 million if Lille could be talked into selling him. They have qualified for next season's Champions League though, and he still has much to learn which probably means he will stay with them for one more season at least.
Wesley Sneijder:
Wesley Sneijder is a play who could step straight into the Arsenal team and replace Cesc if Arsenal's captain was to join Barcelona. He turned 27 last month and he is at his footballing peak, with an eye for a pass and the ability to score too. He likes to play in an advanced midfield role or just behind the main striker, and he is perfectly suited to both roles.
He would probably cost a little less than Cesc will cost Barcelona if they ever manage to persuade Arsenal to sell him. If that were the case Arsenal could certainly afford the transfer fee, but they would probably have to break their wage structure to afford him. Even if Arsenal were to decide to offer Sneijder the wages he would expect the chances are that Inter Milan would be more than unwilling to sell him.
In an ideal world Arsenal would put in an offer for Sneijder that Inter could not refuse if Cesc were to leave, but I just can't see that happening. I cannot see Arsenal paying wages which would probably be twice those of their highest earner, and breaking the club record transfer fee as well.
Willian Borges da Silva:
Willian Borges da Silva is better known as Willian, and he's a 22 year old winger currently playing for Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine. He would certainly fit the bill as a replacement for Nasri if the Frenchman were to leave Arsenal, but he doesn't score as many goals as Nasri. He has plenty of potential and a lot of skill to go with it too, but his transfer fee might be a hindrance for Arsenal.
The chances are Arsenal would have to spend in excess of €20 million for Willian if they were to have any chance of persuading Shakhtar to sell. It's an awful lot of money, but if Nasri leaves he has to be replaced by a player who is at least his equal, and Willian could possibly be that man. I would be surprised to see him sign for Arsenal, but it's certainly not beyond the bounds of possibility.
LuÃs Carlos Almeida da Cunha (Nani):
When Manchester United sold Ronaldo to Real Madrid a couple of seasons ago Nani was seen as the man to fill his boots. He's still only 24 years old and it would appear his face may no longer fit in at Old Trafford. He fell out of favour towards the end of last season on many occasions despite being the player most responsible for keeping them in the title hunt earlier in the season.
His style is similar to that of Ronaldo, but he doesn't have the same goalscoring prowess as his his countryman. However he does set his team mates up far more often than Ronaldo ever did, and he is more than capable of scoring from distance too. He can be a very tricky wide player, but he is criticised for his lack of work at times which is why he is possibly seen as surplus to requirements at United.
I would imagine Nani would cost an awful lot more than Arsenal would be willing to pay, but if United are anxious to offload him they might have a chance of capturing him. His wages would also be prohibitive, but he would certainly add a creative element to Arsenal's wing play as well as the ability to score from distance.
Scott Parker:
Scott Parker will be 31 years old later this year, and he is available for purchase after West Ham United were relegated last season. He was voted the best player in the Premier League last season, but his efforts weren't enough to help West Ham survive the dreaded drop. His experience would certainly be an advantage to Arsenal, but he has never actually played regularly at the very top level in football.
At the very least he would offer a genuine alternative to Alex Song in a defensive midfield role for Arsenal, and he could play alongside Song in certain games as well. The major hindrance to signing Parker for me would be his stature, as I think Arsenal need a player with the height and strength of their former captain Patrick Vieira. Parker would certainly be an asset to the squad, but at his age he would probably want to join a team where he would be guaranteed to play.
He has made his way into the England team recently and he needs to keep playing weekly for a club to ensure he keeps his place. He might not get that chance too often at Arsenal, and that would probably be the biggest factor in him not joining Arsenal.
The majority of the players I have profiled are probably beyond the limit of Arsenal's budget in terms of transfer fees and wages too, but the possible sales of Cesc and Nasri might change that. It would make a pleasant change for Arsenal supporters to see their club chasing some of the best players in the world rather than foraging through the bargain basements of France. I doubt very much if Arsene Wenger or Arsenal will spend anywhere in excess of €20 million on any player, but if club policy does change these players are all possibilities.
I hope Cesc stays at the club for another couple of seasons at least, but the draw of his hometown club is a very big one. Nasri should be sold if he refuses to sign a new contract, but it appears that Wenger is determined to keep him even if it means he leaves on a free transfer next summer. That may not be in the best interest of the club in the long term, but in the short term it suits their needs.
That's it for today.
Here's the goals from Arsenal's first pre season friendly with thanks as always to 101great goals.
See You Tomorrow.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Arsenal Latest As Gervinho Signs And Wenger Says Cesc And Nasri To Stay.
One of the worst kept secrets in football was finally revealed today when Arsenal announced that Gervinho will shortly be signed from French double winners Lille. The only hold up would appear to be what the club call a "regulatory process" which can only mean him receiving a work permit I would imagine. As the Ivory Coast player of the year for 2010 I can only hope that he would be seen as a worthy candidate for a work permit, and he can join up with the rest of the first team squad when they return from their two games in Asia.
Gervinho had a very successful season with Lille last season, and his 15 goals and 10 assists in 40 games were one of the factors which helped them to claim their double. He also managed 13 goals the previous season in 28 games, and it's a good return from a player utilised in a wide attacking role. He only turned 24 in May which should mean Arsenal get his best years as he progresses towards his peak as a professional footballer.
Arsene Wenger held a press conference in Kuala Lumpur ahead of Arsenal's first pre-season friendly on Wednesday against a Malaysian XI, and he revealed his thoughts on both Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri. He said he expects Cesc to stay at Arsenal despite the Barcelona saga going on for years at this stage. He said Arsenal have to close that chapter and focus on the new season, hopefully with Cesc.
Speaking of Nasri he said he expects him to stay also, but there is always speculation when a player has only one year left on his contract. He said Nasri is very happy at the club, and committed to staying. He hopes Nasri will sign a new contract, but he said he is not the only one to decide that.
It's hard to know exactly what to make of the Nasri situation, but it would appear that Arsenal are prepared to keep him at the club for the coming season even if it means losing him on a free transfer next summer. If Nasri is happy to stay and doesn't want to sign a new contract there's not an awful lot Arsenal can do, as he can't really be sold against his will. It will be interesting to see how the fans react to him at the Emirates if he does stay, but refuses to sign a new contract.
Nasri has made it clear that the most important thing to him is supposedly the chance of winning trophies, but if he waits until next summer to decide his future it can only be for monetary reasons. If he thinks Arsenal can deliver the trophies he should sign a new contract, but if he thinks they can't then he should put in a formal transfer request. I have a funny feeling he will see out his contract, and join whatever team can supply him with the biggest sackful of money next summer.
With so little to write about during the summer there was a deluge of Arsenal stories today, and the current situation at left back was yet another thing Wenger spoke about. He said he felt the club had Kieran Gibbs and Armand Traore at left back, and that Thomas Vermaelen can play there too if needed. He seems to think Arsenal have what they need in the position, but I'm not so sure myself.
Gibbs looks to be a promising prospect, but he is far too injury prone to be depended upon to play as first choice left back since the departure of Gael Clichy to Manchester City last week. Traore has spent a season on loan at Juventus, but he hardly set the club alight with his performances. Before his departure he was far from good defensively when he played at left back for Arsenal.
Vermaelen is seen as Arsenal's only certainty in the centre of defence, and unless they can sign at least one more central defender the defence will be weakened if he has to play at left back. I wasn't overly impressed with Clichy in the last two seasons, but as it stands Arsenal do not have anyone better than him to play at left back. There were quite a few Arsenal fans who felt Gibbs should have been given a chance ahead of Clichy last season, and they will know if they were right or not quite soon.
The manager also revealed that both Nicklas Bendtner and Manuel Almunia could be departing the club this summer, as they are currently talking to other clubs. He didn't reveal which clubs, but if the two of them can be sold and Denilson gets his wish to leave as well it will leave room for Arsenal to add to their squad. It should also reduce the wage bill by a large enough amount to pay a couple of top class players if Wenger can identify the players he wants and tie up deals for them.
At the end of last season Arsenal needed to strengthen their defence, and as it stands that has not happened. Clichy has left and Vermaelen has returned from injury, but otherwise their options are the same as last season. The need for a top class central defender is still of paramount importance, and it's an issue which has to be sorted as soon as possible. Arsenal cannot expect to sustain a realistic challenge for the Premier League title if their defence does not improve significantly from last season.
Finally for today the live Premier League matches to be screened between the start of the season and December were announced today. Arsenal will play eight games live on TV in the first four months of the season, and six of those games will be away from home. Arsenal's away form was second to none last season, but I get the feeling the TV companies want to see them on their travels in the hope that they will struggle.
Their opening day fixture away to Newcastle United will be live on ESPN at 5.30pm on Saturday August 13th, and they will also play at home to Liverpool and away to Manchester United live on the TV before August is out. With Champions League qualifiers sandwiched in between those games August should see Arsenal appear live on TV five times in 14 days. It will be a welcome return to action for all armchair fans, but it will be a very tough start for the team.
That's it for today.
Here's what Arsenal could be losing if Nasri leaves.
See You Tomorrow.
Gervinho had a very successful season with Lille last season, and his 15 goals and 10 assists in 40 games were one of the factors which helped them to claim their double. He also managed 13 goals the previous season in 28 games, and it's a good return from a player utilised in a wide attacking role. He only turned 24 in May which should mean Arsenal get his best years as he progresses towards his peak as a professional footballer.
Arsene Wenger held a press conference in Kuala Lumpur ahead of Arsenal's first pre-season friendly on Wednesday against a Malaysian XI, and he revealed his thoughts on both Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri. He said he expects Cesc to stay at Arsenal despite the Barcelona saga going on for years at this stage. He said Arsenal have to close that chapter and focus on the new season, hopefully with Cesc.
Speaking of Nasri he said he expects him to stay also, but there is always speculation when a player has only one year left on his contract. He said Nasri is very happy at the club, and committed to staying. He hopes Nasri will sign a new contract, but he said he is not the only one to decide that.
It's hard to know exactly what to make of the Nasri situation, but it would appear that Arsenal are prepared to keep him at the club for the coming season even if it means losing him on a free transfer next summer. If Nasri is happy to stay and doesn't want to sign a new contract there's not an awful lot Arsenal can do, as he can't really be sold against his will. It will be interesting to see how the fans react to him at the Emirates if he does stay, but refuses to sign a new contract.
Nasri has made it clear that the most important thing to him is supposedly the chance of winning trophies, but if he waits until next summer to decide his future it can only be for monetary reasons. If he thinks Arsenal can deliver the trophies he should sign a new contract, but if he thinks they can't then he should put in a formal transfer request. I have a funny feeling he will see out his contract, and join whatever team can supply him with the biggest sackful of money next summer.
With so little to write about during the summer there was a deluge of Arsenal stories today, and the current situation at left back was yet another thing Wenger spoke about. He said he felt the club had Kieran Gibbs and Armand Traore at left back, and that Thomas Vermaelen can play there too if needed. He seems to think Arsenal have what they need in the position, but I'm not so sure myself.
Gibbs looks to be a promising prospect, but he is far too injury prone to be depended upon to play as first choice left back since the departure of Gael Clichy to Manchester City last week. Traore has spent a season on loan at Juventus, but he hardly set the club alight with his performances. Before his departure he was far from good defensively when he played at left back for Arsenal.
Vermaelen is seen as Arsenal's only certainty in the centre of defence, and unless they can sign at least one more central defender the defence will be weakened if he has to play at left back. I wasn't overly impressed with Clichy in the last two seasons, but as it stands Arsenal do not have anyone better than him to play at left back. There were quite a few Arsenal fans who felt Gibbs should have been given a chance ahead of Clichy last season, and they will know if they were right or not quite soon.
The manager also revealed that both Nicklas Bendtner and Manuel Almunia could be departing the club this summer, as they are currently talking to other clubs. He didn't reveal which clubs, but if the two of them can be sold and Denilson gets his wish to leave as well it will leave room for Arsenal to add to their squad. It should also reduce the wage bill by a large enough amount to pay a couple of top class players if Wenger can identify the players he wants and tie up deals for them.
At the end of last season Arsenal needed to strengthen their defence, and as it stands that has not happened. Clichy has left and Vermaelen has returned from injury, but otherwise their options are the same as last season. The need for a top class central defender is still of paramount importance, and it's an issue which has to be sorted as soon as possible. Arsenal cannot expect to sustain a realistic challenge for the Premier League title if their defence does not improve significantly from last season.
Finally for today the live Premier League matches to be screened between the start of the season and December were announced today. Arsenal will play eight games live on TV in the first four months of the season, and six of those games will be away from home. Arsenal's away form was second to none last season, but I get the feeling the TV companies want to see them on their travels in the hope that they will struggle.
Their opening day fixture away to Newcastle United will be live on ESPN at 5.30pm on Saturday August 13th, and they will also play at home to Liverpool and away to Manchester United live on the TV before August is out. With Champions League qualifiers sandwiched in between those games August should see Arsenal appear live on TV five times in 14 days. It will be a welcome return to action for all armchair fans, but it will be a very tough start for the team.
That's it for today.
Here's what Arsenal could be losing if Nasri leaves.
See You Tomorrow.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Cesc Fabregas Stays Behind As Arsenal Head To Asia.
Arsenal head off on their mini tour of Asia today with two pre-season friendlies to play in Malaysia and China, but their star player and captain Cesc Fabregas is not making the trip. Officially the club have said he is continuing his recovery from the hamstring injury he sustained at the end of last season, but it has led to even more speculation about his future. Barcelona have made no secret of their desire to sign Cesc, but Arsene Wenger has said he will fight to keep both Cesc and Samir Nasri at the club.
A statement from Wenger that both players will be staying at the club would have been much better for Arsenal fans, but from what he did say it looks like their departures are very real possibilities. If Arsenal were not considering selling Cesc I would have expected Wenger to say so, but his admission of a fight to keep him shows that Barcelona can get their man if they really want to. The big question now is whether Barcelona really are serious about buying Cesc, and if so will they make a realistic offer for him.
There is a school of thought that Wenger has told Cesc he can join Barcelona if they meet Arsenal's valuation, but that has not happened so far. I think that's the most likely scenario at the moment, and I also doubt whether Barcelona will meet Arsenal's valuation. They have stated that they are prepared to wait until the very end of the transfer window to get Cesc if they have to, but Arsenal cannot allow that to happen.
Arsenal play their first pre-season friendly on Wednesday afternoon and after that the countdown to the new season will begin with only 31 days to go to their first competitive game. The team come back to London at the end of July to play in the Emirates Cup and I think Arsenal have to tell Barcelona Cesc will not be for sale at any price if they have not made a realistic bid by then. I wish they would tell them he isn't for sale at all, but if Cesc has been told he can go for the right price there has to be a time limit on it.
The speculation about his future is not doing Arsenal or their fans any good, and it can't be helping their efforts to sign new players either. If Cesc is going to leave this summer then Arsenal need to sign a top class replacement, but the longer the whole saga drags on then the harder it will be for them to do just that. It also can't help Arsenal to lure new players to the club if the future of their best player is uncertain, and that's the best thing that can be said of Cesc's future at the moment.
Personally I really hope that Cesc stays at Arsenal, but I cannot say I'm confident of him staying any more. I don't think he will play any worse than he is capable of playing if he is still an Arsenal player next season, but there are many Arsenal fans who feel he should be sold. They have every right to believe no player is bigger than the club, and Cesc should be sold if he will not make a statement committing himself to Arsenal.
The Cesc saga is a lot more complicated than that though because of his links to Barcelona, and if it was simply a case of wanting to leave Arsenal things would be much clearer. If that were the case Arsenal could sell him to any club and not just Barcelona, and they might actually get the price they want.
When it comes to Nasri things are pretty simple though, as he has one year left on his contract and if he refuses to sign another one he must be sold. He has made the trip to Asia which is a little odd if he really wants to leave, but he cannot be allowed to hold the club to ransom. At least Arsenal can offer him to more than one club, and an auction for him might raise a decent price despite having only that one year left.
The squad for the trip to Asia is available on the club site and there are a few notable omissions from it. Both Nicklas Bendtner and Manuel Almunia have been omitted and the chances are they will be sold in this transfer window, but Denilson has made the trip despite wanting to leave the club. It would appear Emmanuel Eboue, Lukasz Fabianski and Abu Diaby are all injured, and have stayed behind as a result.
I'm sure Arsenal fans in Malaysia and China will be bitterly disappointed that they won't get to see Cesc play for their team, but if he is injured he cannot be risked. The doom and gloom merchants will claim he's not injured and he is refusing to play for the club, but I really hope they're wrong. Only time will tell the truth of the matter, and that time is now running out for both the club and the player.
If the worst does happen I will obviously have to change the name of my blog, and I would appreciate any suggestions. I have a few ideas of my own, but I'm also open to any new ideas.
That's it for today.
Here's a look at Cesc at his best.
See You Tomorrow.
A statement from Wenger that both players will be staying at the club would have been much better for Arsenal fans, but from what he did say it looks like their departures are very real possibilities. If Arsenal were not considering selling Cesc I would have expected Wenger to say so, but his admission of a fight to keep him shows that Barcelona can get their man if they really want to. The big question now is whether Barcelona really are serious about buying Cesc, and if so will they make a realistic offer for him.
There is a school of thought that Wenger has told Cesc he can join Barcelona if they meet Arsenal's valuation, but that has not happened so far. I think that's the most likely scenario at the moment, and I also doubt whether Barcelona will meet Arsenal's valuation. They have stated that they are prepared to wait until the very end of the transfer window to get Cesc if they have to, but Arsenal cannot allow that to happen.
Arsenal play their first pre-season friendly on Wednesday afternoon and after that the countdown to the new season will begin with only 31 days to go to their first competitive game. The team come back to London at the end of July to play in the Emirates Cup and I think Arsenal have to tell Barcelona Cesc will not be for sale at any price if they have not made a realistic bid by then. I wish they would tell them he isn't for sale at all, but if Cesc has been told he can go for the right price there has to be a time limit on it.
The speculation about his future is not doing Arsenal or their fans any good, and it can't be helping their efforts to sign new players either. If Cesc is going to leave this summer then Arsenal need to sign a top class replacement, but the longer the whole saga drags on then the harder it will be for them to do just that. It also can't help Arsenal to lure new players to the club if the future of their best player is uncertain, and that's the best thing that can be said of Cesc's future at the moment.
Personally I really hope that Cesc stays at Arsenal, but I cannot say I'm confident of him staying any more. I don't think he will play any worse than he is capable of playing if he is still an Arsenal player next season, but there are many Arsenal fans who feel he should be sold. They have every right to believe no player is bigger than the club, and Cesc should be sold if he will not make a statement committing himself to Arsenal.
The Cesc saga is a lot more complicated than that though because of his links to Barcelona, and if it was simply a case of wanting to leave Arsenal things would be much clearer. If that were the case Arsenal could sell him to any club and not just Barcelona, and they might actually get the price they want.
When it comes to Nasri things are pretty simple though, as he has one year left on his contract and if he refuses to sign another one he must be sold. He has made the trip to Asia which is a little odd if he really wants to leave, but he cannot be allowed to hold the club to ransom. At least Arsenal can offer him to more than one club, and an auction for him might raise a decent price despite having only that one year left.
The squad for the trip to Asia is available on the club site and there are a few notable omissions from it. Both Nicklas Bendtner and Manuel Almunia have been omitted and the chances are they will be sold in this transfer window, but Denilson has made the trip despite wanting to leave the club. It would appear Emmanuel Eboue, Lukasz Fabianski and Abu Diaby are all injured, and have stayed behind as a result.
I'm sure Arsenal fans in Malaysia and China will be bitterly disappointed that they won't get to see Cesc play for their team, but if he is injured he cannot be risked. The doom and gloom merchants will claim he's not injured and he is refusing to play for the club, but I really hope they're wrong. Only time will tell the truth of the matter, and that time is now running out for both the club and the player.
If the worst does happen I will obviously have to change the name of my blog, and I would appreciate any suggestions. I have a few ideas of my own, but I'm also open to any new ideas.
That's it for today.
Here's a look at Cesc at his best.
See You Tomorrow.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Arsene Wenger's 10 Worst Signings For Arsenal.
Arsene Wenger has been in charge for almost 15 years at Arsenal, and in that time he has bought and sold some of the best players in the world. His transfer dealings have been exceptional at times, as he has picked up players at bargain prices and sold them at a huge profit. Of course nobody is perfect, and he has made some mistakes at times as well.
In this article I will attempt to list the 10 worst buys by Wenger in his time at Arsenal. There are a few ways to judge the success or lack of it for the players Wenger bought, and it's not always a case of how much money the players cost. Some of the players were picked up for a fairly small fee, but they turned out to be completely out of their depth at Arsenal.
10: Amaury Bischoff.
Amaury Bischoff was signed by Arsenal in July 2008 for one season only, as Wenger said he was taking a gamble on his talent despite his injury record. He was 21 years old at the time and he had made over 50 appearances for Werder Bremen's reserve side in Germany, but his first team experience was extremely limited. He may not have actually cost Arsenal a transfer fee, but he was paid for a whole season by the club.
He managed one Premier League game for Arsenal towards the end of the 2008/09 season, as well as a few appearances in the Carling Cup and the FA Cup. At the end of the season he was allowed to leave on a free transfer, or he decided to leave himself depending on which side of the story is believed. His time at Arsenal can only be seen as an abject failure, and since then he has gone on to very little else.
9: Tomas Danilevicius.
Tomas Danilevicius was a tall Lituanian striker signed from Lausanne in December 2000 for a fee in the region of €1 million, but he didn't last long at Arsenal. He played a couple of league games for the club before being loaned out to Dunfermline Athletic and then sold to Beveren in July 2001. Since then he has played for five other clubs and he is also the record goalscorer for his country.
Wenger had signed him after he had impressed in a friendly for Arsenal, but he quickly changed his mind after he joined the club. There have been very few players who have spent such a short time at Arsenal during Wenger's reign.
8: Kaba Diawara.
Kaba Diawara joined Arsenal from Bordeaux in the the summer of 1998 when Arsenal were the holders of the domestic double in England. He was signed for a fee of around €3 million and quite remarkably Arsenal managed not to lose any money when he was sold to Marseille the next summer. He made a total of 15 appearances for Arsenal, but most of them were as a substitute and he never managed to score a goal.
He had the chance to make a name for himself in Arsenal's penultimate game of the season when they needed a win to put themselves in a position to retain their title. He came on as a sub late in the game away to Leeds United, but he hit the bar and Arsenal lost to a late goal. Since leaving Arsenal 12 years ago he has played for 13 different clubs, but his goals have been few and far between.
7: Oleg Luzhny.
Oleg Luzhny was signed for roughly €2 million from Dynamo Kiev in the summer of 1999 after he had impressed for them in the Champions League against Arsenal. He looked like a very good right back at the time with a real penchant for getting forward. However, he never really made a permanent place in the team his own over the next four years.
He played over 100 games in total for Arsenal, but he never lived up to the hype which accompanied his signature for the club. When Wenger signed him he was just short of his 31st birthday, and he is one of the few players over the age of 30 signed by Wenger. He left on a free transfer to Wolverhampton Wanderers at the end of 2002/03 season, but he rarely played for them and left after only one season.
6: Mikael Silvestre.
Mikael Silvestre was signed from Manchester United in the summer of 2008 for a small fee, and rarely has a signing been so unpopular among Arsenal fans. He was viewed as being well past his best by the fans, and his appearances in the Arsenal team certainly didn't disprove that theory. He stayed for two seasons, but he was never a first choice during that time.
In the summer of 2010 Silvestre joined Werder Bremen on a free transfer, and rarely have Arsenal fans celebrated a player leaving quite so much. At best he was slow and awkward during his time at Arsenal, but at his worst he was a real liability to the team. He managed to play 43 games during his two seasons at Arsenal, but the defence never looked solid when he played.
5: Jose Antonio Reyes.
Jose Antonio Reyes was only 20 when he joined Arsenal from Sevilla in the January transfer window of 2004 for a fee believed to be in the region of €12 million. He was sold to Real Madrid for a slightly smaller fee in the summer of 2006, and his time at Arsenal was judged to be a failure. He managed to score 23 goals in over 100 games for Arsenal during his two and a half seasons at the club, but he never really settled into life in England.
Reyes had problems learning English and he was homesick despite the fact that his family had come to England with him. He was a very talented player when Arsenal signed him and he showed that talent to varying degrees for the club. The end of his Arsenal career started away to Manchester United when Gary Neville was allowed to continuously foul him, and the referee gave him no protection at all.
After that game it seemed like Reyes lost some heart and despite signing a new contract in 2006 he was allowed to leave before the start of the next season. Despite some excellent performances at times he failed to live up to his potential in an Arsenal shirt.
4: Igor Stepanovs.
Igor Stepanovs was signed from Skonto Riga in 2000 for a fee of around €1 million, and over the next three years he made very few appearances for Arsenal. He was sold to Beveren in 2003 to the relief of all right minded Arsenal fans after his years at the club were a complete failure. He was part of the central defensive partnership that was so easily taken apart in a 6-1 defeat to Manchester United in 2001 and he only managed 17 league appearances in those three years.
Since leaving Arsenal he has gone on to become the most capped Latvian player of all time, and he is not a bad player. There is a step up from an ordinary player to a good player to be made, and unfortunately when he got his chance he simply wasn't up to the task. Since the defence assembled by George Graham retired Wenger has struggled at times to bring quality defenders into his squad, and Stepanovs was certainly one of his biggest mistakes.
3: Jermaine Pennant.
Jermaine Pennant was only 15 years old when Arsenal paid Notts County €2 million for his services in 1999. He was seen as one of the brightest young prospects in English football, and his future at Arsenal looked really bright. However, he never managed to live up to his potential, as a string of disciplinary problems blighted his six years at the club.
He is seen as one of the reasons Wenger is not keen on signing English players, as his behaviour left so much to be desired. There was no doubting his skill, but he just didn't seem to have the application to accompany it. His only goals for Arsenal all came in the one game, as he scored a hat trick on his full debut against Southampton in the league in May 2003.
Since leaving Arsenal he has made a very good living out of football, but he has never managed to become the player he should have been. It was such a pity that such a bright prospect didn't have the mental ability needed to make it at the very top.
2: Richard Wright.
Richard Wright was a 23 year old goalkeeper with an awful lot of potential when he joined Arsenal from Ipswich Town in July 2001. His fee was undisclosed, as is the Arsenal way but it could have been anything up to €6 million. David Seaman was nearing the end of his career at the time, and Wright was seen as a long term replacement for the Arsenal legend.
He got his chance to show what he could do early on, as Seaman picked up an injury, but it soon became apparent that he wasn't up to the task. He lost his place in the team to Stuart Taylor with Seaman still out injured, but the appearances he made still entitled him to a Premier League winners medal when Arsenal lifted the trophy. He was yet another English signing by Wenger who failed to live up to his billing in what was becoming an all too familiar scenario.
Arsenal sold him to Everton after only one season at the club, but his career has been hampered by injuries to his knee in particular. His appearances since then have been limited, and he currently finds himself without a club at the age of 33 when a goalkeeper should be in his prime.
1: Francis Jeffers.
Francis Jeffers was seen as the "fox in the box" Arsenal needed when Wenger signed him from Everton in 2001 for a fee believed to be almost €10 million. He was only 20 years old at the time, but he never really lived up to the billing and his time at Arsenal was also plagued by injury. He was at the club during the domestic double season in 2002 and the FA Cup triumph in 2003, but he failed to pick up any medals himself.
It can't have been easy for him having to compete for a place with Thierry Henry, but it would appear Wenger's judgement on him was very far off as he has done very little since leaving Arsenal. He spent some time on loan at Everton before Arsenal managed to sell him to Charlton for €3 million in 2004. In his time at Arsenal he never looked up to the task in my opinion, and at only 30 years of age he now finds himself without a club.
Wenger has not had a good record signing young English players, but Jeffers was by far the biggest failure of all of them. He cost nearly as much as Henry did a few years earlier, but the Frenchman went on to break all of Arsenal's goal scoring records.
I haven't included any of the current Arsenal squad in my assessment of Wengers 10 worst buys, as there's still the possibility that current flops could turn things around. If there's one thing for Wenger to learn it's that his assessment of young English players is not all it should be, and he should rightly be very careful about buying them. He has promised to be very active in the current transfer window which means my list might well have to be amended in a year or two.
That's it for today.
Here's a look at Pennant's hat trick.
See You Tomorrow
In this article I will attempt to list the 10 worst buys by Wenger in his time at Arsenal. There are a few ways to judge the success or lack of it for the players Wenger bought, and it's not always a case of how much money the players cost. Some of the players were picked up for a fairly small fee, but they turned out to be completely out of their depth at Arsenal.
10: Amaury Bischoff.
Amaury Bischoff was signed by Arsenal in July 2008 for one season only, as Wenger said he was taking a gamble on his talent despite his injury record. He was 21 years old at the time and he had made over 50 appearances for Werder Bremen's reserve side in Germany, but his first team experience was extremely limited. He may not have actually cost Arsenal a transfer fee, but he was paid for a whole season by the club.
He managed one Premier League game for Arsenal towards the end of the 2008/09 season, as well as a few appearances in the Carling Cup and the FA Cup. At the end of the season he was allowed to leave on a free transfer, or he decided to leave himself depending on which side of the story is believed. His time at Arsenal can only be seen as an abject failure, and since then he has gone on to very little else.
9: Tomas Danilevicius.
Tomas Danilevicius was a tall Lituanian striker signed from Lausanne in December 2000 for a fee in the region of €1 million, but he didn't last long at Arsenal. He played a couple of league games for the club before being loaned out to Dunfermline Athletic and then sold to Beveren in July 2001. Since then he has played for five other clubs and he is also the record goalscorer for his country.
Wenger had signed him after he had impressed in a friendly for Arsenal, but he quickly changed his mind after he joined the club. There have been very few players who have spent such a short time at Arsenal during Wenger's reign.
8: Kaba Diawara.
Kaba Diawara joined Arsenal from Bordeaux in the the summer of 1998 when Arsenal were the holders of the domestic double in England. He was signed for a fee of around €3 million and quite remarkably Arsenal managed not to lose any money when he was sold to Marseille the next summer. He made a total of 15 appearances for Arsenal, but most of them were as a substitute and he never managed to score a goal.
He had the chance to make a name for himself in Arsenal's penultimate game of the season when they needed a win to put themselves in a position to retain their title. He came on as a sub late in the game away to Leeds United, but he hit the bar and Arsenal lost to a late goal. Since leaving Arsenal 12 years ago he has played for 13 different clubs, but his goals have been few and far between.
7: Oleg Luzhny.
Oleg Luzhny was signed for roughly €2 million from Dynamo Kiev in the summer of 1999 after he had impressed for them in the Champions League against Arsenal. He looked like a very good right back at the time with a real penchant for getting forward. However, he never really made a permanent place in the team his own over the next four years.
He played over 100 games in total for Arsenal, but he never lived up to the hype which accompanied his signature for the club. When Wenger signed him he was just short of his 31st birthday, and he is one of the few players over the age of 30 signed by Wenger. He left on a free transfer to Wolverhampton Wanderers at the end of 2002/03 season, but he rarely played for them and left after only one season.
6: Mikael Silvestre.
Mikael Silvestre was signed from Manchester United in the summer of 2008 for a small fee, and rarely has a signing been so unpopular among Arsenal fans. He was viewed as being well past his best by the fans, and his appearances in the Arsenal team certainly didn't disprove that theory. He stayed for two seasons, but he was never a first choice during that time.
In the summer of 2010 Silvestre joined Werder Bremen on a free transfer, and rarely have Arsenal fans celebrated a player leaving quite so much. At best he was slow and awkward during his time at Arsenal, but at his worst he was a real liability to the team. He managed to play 43 games during his two seasons at Arsenal, but the defence never looked solid when he played.
5: Jose Antonio Reyes.
Jose Antonio Reyes was only 20 when he joined Arsenal from Sevilla in the January transfer window of 2004 for a fee believed to be in the region of €12 million. He was sold to Real Madrid for a slightly smaller fee in the summer of 2006, and his time at Arsenal was judged to be a failure. He managed to score 23 goals in over 100 games for Arsenal during his two and a half seasons at the club, but he never really settled into life in England.
Reyes had problems learning English and he was homesick despite the fact that his family had come to England with him. He was a very talented player when Arsenal signed him and he showed that talent to varying degrees for the club. The end of his Arsenal career started away to Manchester United when Gary Neville was allowed to continuously foul him, and the referee gave him no protection at all.
After that game it seemed like Reyes lost some heart and despite signing a new contract in 2006 he was allowed to leave before the start of the next season. Despite some excellent performances at times he failed to live up to his potential in an Arsenal shirt.
4: Igor Stepanovs.
Igor Stepanovs was signed from Skonto Riga in 2000 for a fee of around €1 million, and over the next three years he made very few appearances for Arsenal. He was sold to Beveren in 2003 to the relief of all right minded Arsenal fans after his years at the club were a complete failure. He was part of the central defensive partnership that was so easily taken apart in a 6-1 defeat to Manchester United in 2001 and he only managed 17 league appearances in those three years.
Since leaving Arsenal he has gone on to become the most capped Latvian player of all time, and he is not a bad player. There is a step up from an ordinary player to a good player to be made, and unfortunately when he got his chance he simply wasn't up to the task. Since the defence assembled by George Graham retired Wenger has struggled at times to bring quality defenders into his squad, and Stepanovs was certainly one of his biggest mistakes.
3: Jermaine Pennant.
Jermaine Pennant was only 15 years old when Arsenal paid Notts County €2 million for his services in 1999. He was seen as one of the brightest young prospects in English football, and his future at Arsenal looked really bright. However, he never managed to live up to his potential, as a string of disciplinary problems blighted his six years at the club.
He is seen as one of the reasons Wenger is not keen on signing English players, as his behaviour left so much to be desired. There was no doubting his skill, but he just didn't seem to have the application to accompany it. His only goals for Arsenal all came in the one game, as he scored a hat trick on his full debut against Southampton in the league in May 2003.
Since leaving Arsenal he has made a very good living out of football, but he has never managed to become the player he should have been. It was such a pity that such a bright prospect didn't have the mental ability needed to make it at the very top.
2: Richard Wright.
Richard Wright was a 23 year old goalkeeper with an awful lot of potential when he joined Arsenal from Ipswich Town in July 2001. His fee was undisclosed, as is the Arsenal way but it could have been anything up to €6 million. David Seaman was nearing the end of his career at the time, and Wright was seen as a long term replacement for the Arsenal legend.
He got his chance to show what he could do early on, as Seaman picked up an injury, but it soon became apparent that he wasn't up to the task. He lost his place in the team to Stuart Taylor with Seaman still out injured, but the appearances he made still entitled him to a Premier League winners medal when Arsenal lifted the trophy. He was yet another English signing by Wenger who failed to live up to his billing in what was becoming an all too familiar scenario.
Arsenal sold him to Everton after only one season at the club, but his career has been hampered by injuries to his knee in particular. His appearances since then have been limited, and he currently finds himself without a club at the age of 33 when a goalkeeper should be in his prime.
1: Francis Jeffers.
Francis Jeffers was seen as the "fox in the box" Arsenal needed when Wenger signed him from Everton in 2001 for a fee believed to be almost €10 million. He was only 20 years old at the time, but he never really lived up to the billing and his time at Arsenal was also plagued by injury. He was at the club during the domestic double season in 2002 and the FA Cup triumph in 2003, but he failed to pick up any medals himself.
It can't have been easy for him having to compete for a place with Thierry Henry, but it would appear Wenger's judgement on him was very far off as he has done very little since leaving Arsenal. He spent some time on loan at Everton before Arsenal managed to sell him to Charlton for €3 million in 2004. In his time at Arsenal he never looked up to the task in my opinion, and at only 30 years of age he now finds himself without a club.
Wenger has not had a good record signing young English players, but Jeffers was by far the biggest failure of all of them. He cost nearly as much as Henry did a few years earlier, but the Frenchman went on to break all of Arsenal's goal scoring records.
I haven't included any of the current Arsenal squad in my assessment of Wengers 10 worst buys, as there's still the possibility that current flops could turn things around. If there's one thing for Wenger to learn it's that his assessment of young English players is not all it should be, and he should rightly be very careful about buying them. He has promised to be very active in the current transfer window which means my list might well have to be amended in a year or two.
That's it for today.
Here's a look at Pennant's hat trick.
See You Tomorrow
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Is Gael Clichy The Start Of The Arsenal Exodus?
There has been a virtual frenzy of speculation in the media regarding the potential exit of almost every single one of Arsenal's first team this summer. Yesterday the club announced the departure of the first of possibly many first team players when Gael Clichy joined Manchester City for a fee believed to be in the region of £7 million. Clichy has been Arsenal's first choice left back since the departure of Ashley Cole to Chelsea in 2006, and he made over 250 appearances for the club.
Clichy was seen as the last remaining member of the 2003/4 invincible team although he wasn't a regular member of that team. During his five seasons as first choice left back his form reached a peak in his second season, but it has gradually declined since then in my opinion. His inability to clear the ball under pressure from opposition players has marred his game far too often in the last two seasons.
Some of those mistakes were high profile such as the one away to Birmingham City in 2008 which many cite as costing Arsenal a real shot at the league title that season. It was a very emotional game for Arsenal players and fans, as Eduardo had his leg shattered by Martin Taylor early on. With Arsenal trailing 1-0 Theo Walcott scored a brace to put them in charge as the game drew to a close.
Clichy was in possession in his own penalty area when he didn't seem to notice a Birmingham player coming to close him down. By the time he managed to attempt to clear the ball he only managed to catch the Birmingham player and give away a last minute penalty. The reaction of William Gallas and Arsenal's collapse in the league after that game are well documented, but on closer inspection the penalty should never have been given.
The incident seemed to affect Clichy and mistakes crept into his game gradually after that game. He's been a little bit unlucky as well, as his mistakes seem to get punished more often than those of some of the other Arsenal players. It's probably not a bad thing for either the player or the club for him to move this summer, and the club had no real choice but to sell him.
He had only one year left on his Arsenal contract and he was refusing to sign another one so the club had to sell him or face losing him on a free transfer next summer. His choice of Man City will be seen by many as a mercenary move on his part, as they have the money to pay higher wages than any other club. Only two years ago Clichy said players would only join City for money, but it seems he has changed his stance.
To be fair to him City did win the FA Cup last season, and they have qualified for the Champions League too. They will be seen as genuine contenders for the Premier League next season, but if he thinks Arsenal won't be then he might well be wrong. Arsenal have overcome the departure of far better players in the past, and he will not be too difficult to replace.
It's up to Arsene Wenger to find a replacement for Clichy who will improve the team, and maybe even offer something in the opposing half of the pitch. Clichy's attacking abilities were far from those expected at a top club like Arsenal, and a few of the rumoured replacements would offer a lot more in my opinion. It's vital that Arsenal buy a replacement for him, as Kieran Gibbs is still far too raw to be promoted to first choice.
Gibbs has not overly impressed me when he has played, and he is probably the most injury prone player at the club at the moment. With Arsenal's current crop of injury prone players that's a big tag to have hanging around his neck. I hope he goes on to become a star of the future, but he cannot be relied upon for next season.
Arsenal and Arsene Wenger have bigger challenges ahead of them in trying to keep both Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri at the club, and if they manage to do so the loss of Clichy will not be felt too much. I hope things go well for him on a personal level, but I can't say I wish him well at City. They are a real rival to Arsenal next season, and it would not be good for Arsenal to wish him well at a rival.
That's it for today.
Here's a look at that Clichy penalty incident from 2008.
See You Tomorrow.
Clichy was seen as the last remaining member of the 2003/4 invincible team although he wasn't a regular member of that team. During his five seasons as first choice left back his form reached a peak in his second season, but it has gradually declined since then in my opinion. His inability to clear the ball under pressure from opposition players has marred his game far too often in the last two seasons.
Some of those mistakes were high profile such as the one away to Birmingham City in 2008 which many cite as costing Arsenal a real shot at the league title that season. It was a very emotional game for Arsenal players and fans, as Eduardo had his leg shattered by Martin Taylor early on. With Arsenal trailing 1-0 Theo Walcott scored a brace to put them in charge as the game drew to a close.
Clichy was in possession in his own penalty area when he didn't seem to notice a Birmingham player coming to close him down. By the time he managed to attempt to clear the ball he only managed to catch the Birmingham player and give away a last minute penalty. The reaction of William Gallas and Arsenal's collapse in the league after that game are well documented, but on closer inspection the penalty should never have been given.
The incident seemed to affect Clichy and mistakes crept into his game gradually after that game. He's been a little bit unlucky as well, as his mistakes seem to get punished more often than those of some of the other Arsenal players. It's probably not a bad thing for either the player or the club for him to move this summer, and the club had no real choice but to sell him.
He had only one year left on his Arsenal contract and he was refusing to sign another one so the club had to sell him or face losing him on a free transfer next summer. His choice of Man City will be seen by many as a mercenary move on his part, as they have the money to pay higher wages than any other club. Only two years ago Clichy said players would only join City for money, but it seems he has changed his stance.
To be fair to him City did win the FA Cup last season, and they have qualified for the Champions League too. They will be seen as genuine contenders for the Premier League next season, but if he thinks Arsenal won't be then he might well be wrong. Arsenal have overcome the departure of far better players in the past, and he will not be too difficult to replace.
It's up to Arsene Wenger to find a replacement for Clichy who will improve the team, and maybe even offer something in the opposing half of the pitch. Clichy's attacking abilities were far from those expected at a top club like Arsenal, and a few of the rumoured replacements would offer a lot more in my opinion. It's vital that Arsenal buy a replacement for him, as Kieran Gibbs is still far too raw to be promoted to first choice.
Gibbs has not overly impressed me when he has played, and he is probably the most injury prone player at the club at the moment. With Arsenal's current crop of injury prone players that's a big tag to have hanging around his neck. I hope he goes on to become a star of the future, but he cannot be relied upon for next season.
Arsenal and Arsene Wenger have bigger challenges ahead of them in trying to keep both Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri at the club, and if they manage to do so the loss of Clichy will not be felt too much. I hope things go well for him on a personal level, but I can't say I wish him well at City. They are a real rival to Arsenal next season, and it would not be good for Arsenal to wish him well at a rival.
That's it for today.
Here's a look at that Clichy penalty incident from 2008.
See You Tomorrow.
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