Arsenal kick off the new Premier League season with a home game against Sunderland. They go into the game right after the departure of their captain Robin van Persie to Manchester United. It was a real blow for Arsenal to lose him, but he had made his position quite clear, and he had to be sold.
The captaincy will now be handed to Thomas Vermaelen, and hopefully he can prove worthy of the honour. The disrespect the previous holder of that honour showed to his position and the club is something I will not quickly forget. He can make all the arguments he wants to about winning trophies elsewhere, but his claims of being a true Gunner were just a pile of rubbish.
If he genuinely felt the club could not deliver the success he wanted he should have resigned the captaincy and handed in a transfer request. By not doing so he probably received a nice chunk of the transfer for himself, and that was obviously of utmost importance to him. He has joined a club could well deliver the trophies he apparently craves, but if his past injury record is anything to go by they might have to do so without him on a regular basis.
Thankfully Arsenal were proactive in the transfer market, and they signed three players before the transfer of van Persie was announced. Lukasz Podolski, Oliver Giroud and Santi Carzola all have plenty to offer the team, and will more than make up his loss.
For me van Persie is just another ex Arsenal player now, and his exploits at the club are already a distant memory. Arsenal have lost better players in the past and survived, and they will in the future too I'm sure. I hope they have a large stock of horse placenta in the medical room at Old Trafford.
I did hear it suggested that van Persie had a change of heart when he saw the players Arsenal had signed. He supposedly approached Wenger and told him so, but the boss said he was no longer part of his plans and promptly sold him. I don't know if there is any truth in it, but I absolutely love the thought that there might be.
It's not easy to keep up with the build up to a new season from a beach in Spain, but such is my lot at the moment. On the occasions I manage to find some working Wi Fi I try to catch up, as the price of data on my phone plan is absolutely absurd while out of Ireland. As a result I have myself a little out of the loop with events surrounding Alex Song.
The last I heard he had three years left on his contract, and there was no need for Arsenal to consider selling him despite interest from Barcelona. Now it appears his departure is imminent after rumours of a training ground bust up with Arsene Wenger. A lot of Arsenal fans I know have never been over impressed with Song, but he needs to be replaced by a better player if he is allowed to leave.
His departure would see Arsenal breaking even in the transfer market this summer, and it must leave quite a bit of money available for new players. If Nuri Sahin can be tempted on loan from Real Madrid I think he might well make the team stronger.
It certainly promises to be an interesting start to the new season with so many players making their official Arsenal debuts, and more possible transfer activity. The most important thing for me is that the team is ready to hit the ground running this season, and not in the mess it was at this time last year. The performances against Sunderland this week and Stoke next week will hopefully show that the team is properly prepared.
There are a couple of first team certainties still injured, and the returns of Bacary Sagna and Jack Wilshere will be very welcome when they happen. For the moment the team must cope without them, as well as integrating the new boys. The midweek international friendliest didn't make Wenger's task any easier, but little can be done to counter the stupidity of those in charge of football.
The team nearly picks itself in my opinion, but Wenger has a few interesting choices to make. With Vermaelen as captain it's a matter of whether he picks Laurent Koscielny or Per Mertesacker to play alongside him. I would opt for Koscielny, but he may have a slight knock and the choice is not mine.
At left back it's a straight fight between Kieran Gibbs and Andre Santos, and both players will think they should be first choice. I think Gibbs offers a little more defensive stability, and that could just get him the nod.
I hope to see Carzola in an attacking midfield role, but he is the most likely to be fatigued from midweek international travel. Mikael Arteta should be in midfield too, and so should Song if all is well between him and the club. His omission would be a sign that his future lies in the graveyard of so many former Arsenal players at Barcelona.
Both Podolski and Giroud must be certain to start with Theo Walcott making up the other player in the from three. Where is future lies is still uncertain too, but I doubt if he will beefy out.
The bench should have some good options on it too, and hopefully their presence will help to I spire those on the pitch. Sometimes the best inspiration for a player can be the thought of losing his place.
Sunderland have picked up Louis Saha, and he could well feature against Arsenal at some stage. They haven't really gotten any stronger since last season, but Martin O'Neill's teams are never easy to beat. They will work very hard without the ball, and make life as difficult as possible for the Arsenal players.
It's set to be a very hot day in London if the weather forecasters are to believed, and that could make things difficult for Sunderland. If Arsenal can pass the ball around with real pace and purpose I expect Sunderland to tire in the second half. Hopefully it will open the way for Arsenal to bang in a few goals, and get their season off to an ideal start.
I'm predicting a 3-1 win for Arsenal, and I have a feeling Podolski will score at least one of the goals. After the game there's a week before Arsenal play again, and the new players are introduced to football as seen through the eyes of Stoke City RFC. It will be a real challenge for the team, but a good result against Sunderland should hopefully set them up to meet that challenge head on.
Finally for today don't forget to join my Fantasy Premier league for the new season with prizes for the top three teams. To join up just go to the site and use the code 17031-6252 to join my league when your team is set up. If you were in my league last season you should automatically be given a choice to rejoin it once your team is set up. There are over 400 teams in my league at the moment, and I'm hoping to match last season's total of over 1,000 teams.
I'm also running my predictions league again, and it's open to anyone who wants to join too. It's an easy game to play with points awarded for predicting the outcomes of every Premier League game. To sign up just go to the site , http://predictor.talksport.co.uk/landing.htm and use the code FD047-YLG to join my league once you have registered.
See you tomorrow.
Showing posts with label Lukasz Podolski. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lukasz Podolski. Show all posts
Saturday, 18 August 2012
Friday, 6 July 2012
What Effect Will RVP's Decision Have On Arsenal Players
Robin van Persie's decision not to sign a new contract at Arsenal will surely see his departure from the club very soon. He has to be stripped of the captaincy and sold to the highest bidder in my opinion. That could be just the start of the problems for Arsenal though, as the effect of his decision reaches the other players at the club.
It's hard to know what the other players will make of RVP's decision, but it could certainly cause unrest among some of them. The departure of the club captain and current star player could send out all the wrong signals to the other players as they return for pre-season training. Despite losing Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri last summer, and the impending departure of RVP there are still some very good players at Arsenal.
The first of the fall out could be seen very soon, as Theo Walcott also has only one year left on his contract. Despite having a somewhat up and down Arsenal career so far Walcott had his best season for the club last season. A decision by him not to renew his contract could be another blow for the club and the fans too.
Walcott may not have the same status as RVP at the club, but the club cannot afford to see another player decide not to renew his contract. They have to make every effort possible to get Walcott to stay with the club, and avert another crisis. It wouldn't be the end of the world if Walcott left, but on top of the RVP debacle it would be a PR disaster.
I have no doubt that Arsene Wenger will make Arsenal very competitive this coming season, but players do want to genuinely compete for trophies. What happens if the likes of Bacary Sagna, Laurent Koscielny or Thomas Vermaelen decide they want to follow RVP through the exit door next summer. There is no doubt the three of them could play for the clubs who can afford to pay wages which Arsenal simply cannot match.
In the next few years both Jack Wilshere and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will hopefully become huge stars in English and World football. There is no doubt Arsenal can help them to fulfill their potential, but the more world class players they play with the better for them. At the moment it would seem Arsenal have a lot of very good players, but the exit of RVP will see the last of their world class players left at the club gone.
It's been a long time since Arsenal haven't had a true star of football in their team. It has never been Wenger's policy to go out and buy ready made star players, but he has turned many players into stars. He tends to buy players on the up with a lot of potential or players who have suffered a setback and need a new focus in their career.
Both Lukasz Podolski and Oliver Giroud could fit into those categories, and hopefully they will become future stars at Arsenal.
It would seem Arsenal are going to have to become more of a team next season, as their dependence on RVP won't be a factor any more. That may not be a bad thing, but at the big moments special players can make a difference. Wenger needs to bring in a couple of players who can really make things happen to boost the spirits of both the players and the fans.
Who those players are is anybody's guess, but the team needs to find stability before the season starts. The shambolic start Arsenal suffered last season cannot be allowed to happen again, and he has to make sure the team are primed to perform from day one. There are only two Premier League games for Arsenal before the transfer window closes, but they must be ready to perform at their best in those games.
There is still a long way to go before that first game at home to Sunderland on August 18, and plenty of transfer business to be done in that time. Besides the players who will come Arsenal also have quite a few players to sell, and some more to be loaned out too I would imagine. It looks like being a very busy six weeks for Arsenal and their long suffering fans too.
It still has to be remembered that Arsenal managed to finish third in the Premier League last season despite all of the problems. It's hard to see how they can be expected to improve on that position at the stage, but hope springs eternal. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that the come season brings a trophy, but regardless of whether it does or not my loyalties will always be with Arsenal.
I just wish I could say the same thing about certain players who claim to be fans, or to have the club in their blood. There is only one thing certain for fans of any club, and that is that they love their club more than the players do. Players may come and players may go, but true fans support their club through thick and thin.
That doesn't mean they have to believe blindly in everything the manager or owners say or do. It is possible to have differing views and still support the same club of course. The most important thing for Arsenal is that those fans are right behind the players when they take the field against Sunderland on August 18th.
That's it for today.
See you tomorrow.
It's hard to know what the other players will make of RVP's decision, but it could certainly cause unrest among some of them. The departure of the club captain and current star player could send out all the wrong signals to the other players as they return for pre-season training. Despite losing Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri last summer, and the impending departure of RVP there are still some very good players at Arsenal.
The first of the fall out could be seen very soon, as Theo Walcott also has only one year left on his contract. Despite having a somewhat up and down Arsenal career so far Walcott had his best season for the club last season. A decision by him not to renew his contract could be another blow for the club and the fans too.
Walcott may not have the same status as RVP at the club, but the club cannot afford to see another player decide not to renew his contract. They have to make every effort possible to get Walcott to stay with the club, and avert another crisis. It wouldn't be the end of the world if Walcott left, but on top of the RVP debacle it would be a PR disaster.
I have no doubt that Arsene Wenger will make Arsenal very competitive this coming season, but players do want to genuinely compete for trophies. What happens if the likes of Bacary Sagna, Laurent Koscielny or Thomas Vermaelen decide they want to follow RVP through the exit door next summer. There is no doubt the three of them could play for the clubs who can afford to pay wages which Arsenal simply cannot match.
In the next few years both Jack Wilshere and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will hopefully become huge stars in English and World football. There is no doubt Arsenal can help them to fulfill their potential, but the more world class players they play with the better for them. At the moment it would seem Arsenal have a lot of very good players, but the exit of RVP will see the last of their world class players left at the club gone.
It's been a long time since Arsenal haven't had a true star of football in their team. It has never been Wenger's policy to go out and buy ready made star players, but he has turned many players into stars. He tends to buy players on the up with a lot of potential or players who have suffered a setback and need a new focus in their career.
Both Lukasz Podolski and Oliver Giroud could fit into those categories, and hopefully they will become future stars at Arsenal.
It would seem Arsenal are going to have to become more of a team next season, as their dependence on RVP won't be a factor any more. That may not be a bad thing, but at the big moments special players can make a difference. Wenger needs to bring in a couple of players who can really make things happen to boost the spirits of both the players and the fans.
Who those players are is anybody's guess, but the team needs to find stability before the season starts. The shambolic start Arsenal suffered last season cannot be allowed to happen again, and he has to make sure the team are primed to perform from day one. There are only two Premier League games for Arsenal before the transfer window closes, but they must be ready to perform at their best in those games.
There is still a long way to go before that first game at home to Sunderland on August 18, and plenty of transfer business to be done in that time. Besides the players who will come Arsenal also have quite a few players to sell, and some more to be loaned out too I would imagine. It looks like being a very busy six weeks for Arsenal and their long suffering fans too.
It still has to be remembered that Arsenal managed to finish third in the Premier League last season despite all of the problems. It's hard to see how they can be expected to improve on that position at the stage, but hope springs eternal. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that the come season brings a trophy, but regardless of whether it does or not my loyalties will always be with Arsenal.
I just wish I could say the same thing about certain players who claim to be fans, or to have the club in their blood. There is only one thing certain for fans of any club, and that is that they love their club more than the players do. Players may come and players may go, but true fans support their club through thick and thin.
That doesn't mean they have to believe blindly in everything the manager or owners say or do. It is possible to have differing views and still support the same club of course. The most important thing for Arsenal is that those fans are right behind the players when they take the field against Sunderland on August 18th.
That's it for today.
See you tomorrow.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)