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Victor’s Blog
The Arsenal Stadium Mystery.
Written by Kj talk | 29th August 2006 | 8 Comment(s)
With just one day to go before the closing of the transfer window before January my attention focuses on Arsenal's dealings this summer or rather the lack of any. We have seen the high quality signings that Chelsea have brought in this term but as they are in a unique financial position known to all, it's perhaps more interesting to look at the other leading contenders in their search and spending on new players.
Manchester United has spent big on the recrutment of Michael Carrack and it's highly likely that Bayern's Owen Hargreaves will arrive now that Dutch midfielder Mark Van Bommel will sign from Barcelona. Whether this deal goes through or not it's apparent that Manchester United wants this player and the funds have been made available by their board.
Liverpool has been busily recruiting players over the summer and in many people's eyes they are tipped to be the club most likely to be Chelsea's main challengers this term. A heavy outlay on Craig Bellamy and the recent addition of Dutch Striker Dirk Kuyt has increased that optimism for some of the Liverpool faithful.
What of Arsenal who did so well to reach the final of the Champions league last season and acquired millions of pounds along the way? Thus far they have only added one main addition to their squad in Tomas Rosicky and the talk there seems to be more about the players that are set to leave than those that will be joining them in their fabulous new mosque called The Emirates.
During the world cup and afterwards we read that Wenger was keen to add new additions to his promising but raw young squad. Names as illustrious as Gianluigi Buffon, Miroslav Klose Frank Ribery were mooted and West Brom's own Curtis Davies was talked of as an heir apparent to fill the void of the departed Sol Campbell; not one of those arrived.
The long and protracted Ashley Cole saga may well come to an end in the next few days with a move to Chelsea and Willaim Gallas going to Arsenal with a cash payment on top. But even if this does take place Arsenal will still need someone to fill the left back berth. One of the main bones of contention that Gallas has at Chelsea is being played out of position at left back, rather than his preference to be played at centre half.
Also I believe that Gallas is sincere in his desire to leave the premiership and is keen to join an Italian club with AC Milan being the favourites to sign him. If Gallas does not get the move he wants he has stated that he is prepared to sit out the season and let the remaining year of his contract run down where he can then leave on a free transfer. And he can fall back on past experience as he once did when in a contract depute playing for Marseille.
I read with distain that Ashley Cole has said that he is prepared to stay at Arsenal for one more season if necessary and then leave the club in the summer. In doing so of course the price Arsenal can expect to get for him now will be effectively halved as he will then only have one more year remaining on his current deal. That I feel would test the patience and sanity of their fans to the limit. It will be far better to end this unsavoury saga ASAP rather than let it drag on any longer.
I doubt there is anything more frustrating for managers, team mates and fans alike than to read a player has signed an extension to his contract and then less than one year later state he is unhappy at the club and then never wants to play for them again.
That is the situation Arsene Wenger has at the moment with Spanish want away Jose Antonio Reyes. Reyes signed a six year deal last season and in one breath tells everyone he has over come the problems he once had in his new country and then on the other hand normally when back in Spain, he states his desire to return there.
If I read it correctly Wenger has agreed to his departure but not one Spanish club has put in a realistic transfer bid for the player. Maybe that is something to do with the lack lustre performances this player has shown since arriving at the London club. On occasions he has shown some great promise but too often it's against the smaller teams and his goal return has been poor.
When these top foreign players arrive upon our shores there are certain demands that are made upon them. They know at the start that it's a different climate, language and food etc. But I would have thought the fifty free flights per year the top clubs provide for their stars to return home must help along with the £50,000 per week salary.
Then throw in all the social work and pampering the clubs do at making these players feel at home and regular visits from mama and papa these "problems" begin to pale. The poor stricken homesick star is hardly in the front line in Afghanistan is he?
It cannot help the nerve of Arsenal supporters in the fact that Spurs always seem to be busy in the transfer market under manager Martin Jol and the latest player to attract his attention seems to be Middlesbough's Stewart Downing. Another player I note that has just signed a new four year deal so it will be interesting to see if this player will be held to it, after stating he would be keen to talk to the London club. Fulham's Steed Malbranque is another player rumoured to be on the Spurs wanted list.
Of course Wenger mentions the potential of his young players, what else would he say? But if an injury occurred along the Arsenal back line at present the stop gap would be Pascal Cygan to come alongside the likes of Johan Djourou and Justin Hoyte, both just starting out on their Arsenal careers. And where it seems impertinent to criticize a manager that has achieved so much for the club, I doubt whether striker Emmanuel Adebayor is the man to take the weight off of the over reliance on Theirry Henry's shoulders.
One can only wonder if the lack of heavy spending at Arsenal is due to the vast outlay the club has spent on the magnificent state of the art stadium. Their acting managing director Keith Elderman did state after its completion this would not be the case. But until such time as big money signings arrive, there will always be that suspicion amongst Arsenal supporters and the wider football public.
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Comments
Comment by donjohnni on Thursday 31 August 2006 @ 10:22am
Comment by DON on Thursday 31 August 2006 @ 8:41am
Why are you calling it a mosque?? - Do you want a slap?
Comment by Your name here on Thursday 31 August 2006 @ 7:30am
I reckon there is money - errm all that dosh from the Champs league - but as mentioned Wenger is shrewd in his dealings. He's not a fan of big players with big names or big egos. Also Wenger never buy too many players, rather he prefers to make slight 'adjustments' by making one or two signings. He knows it will be hard to catch Chelsea, but he refusing to panic buy, instead concentrating on building this young squad to compete for many seasons, as opposed to a short term term. If Wenger wants to attract the best young talent then he has to set an example. Like he said, it would be wrong to stop the progress the some of these youngsters. We create superstars...we dont' buy them.
Comment by Paddy Murphy on Thursday 31 August 2006 @ 7:29am
It seems to always the case every season since Wenger arrived to "write off"Arsenal chances. Let the window close and let a few more games be played before coming out with the usual crap about that great club.
Comment by 4Gunn on Thursday 31 August 2006 @ 6:39am
U r sooooo funny.
Comment by Your name here on Tuesday 29 August 2006 @ 6:09pm
u lot are boring bastards
Comment by kofi on Tuesday 29 August 2006 @ 5:00pm
We have been linked with players all over the place from Yaya Toure, Stephen Appiah, Reo - Cocker,Mascherano, Ribery, Gallas etc to Buffon but nothing happens. We're concernd that we need cover or competition for Gilberto and experienced defender. I personally would like AW to buy a physically presence and tough tackler player to partner Gilberto for Premiership games and to parner Cescs with TH14 upfront. But lets trust our manager as he always knows what he's doing. But pls, Arsene get a couple of experinced players in for defence & DM. Kofi and all Gooners waiting for U boss.
Comment by shooy on Tuesday 29 August 2006 @ 5:32pm
I agree we are looking a bit light and thin on the squad right now and there seem to be some blind spots with Wenger as regards the squad (particularly defence - he seems to want defenders who are as comfortable on the ball as teh rest of the sqaud) that I don't fully fathom. I'm not convinced that money is a problem. It may be, but Wenger has spent fairly big in the not too distant past, although he is clearly very selective about how he splashes the Arsenal cash (almost as if it's his own!). It ofetn seems that Wenger is so painstakingly particualr in his choice of players and tends to avoid anyone who is either seen as set in his ways or does not conform precisely to the Wenger football philosophy. It seems that when his hand is forced and he gets rushed or pressured into a signing (e.g. Jeffers) he gets it badly wrong . Comparisons with Spurs' policy are very tempting but, whlie they had an excellent season last year, I'm far from convinced that the "revolving door" approach to player acquisition and sale is either astute or likely to be fruitful in the longer term.
Yeah - why a mosque? It's not a Muslim place of worship!!?? Good points though. In all likelyhood us gunners are screwed.