Transfer stuff

Halloo halloo,

Another day in the neighborhood as we offload another center back and look set to sign our 50th forward. It's very Wenger to do something like this after he's spoken about our depth up front. Senderos has all but signed for Everton and we look in for Kalou and out on the Chamack deal. We've offered 6m for each player apparently, definitely for Chamack, Kalou might just be rumors. Bordeaux value Chamack at 18m euros, which is outrageous for a player who scores a goal for every 4 games and can go on a Bosman in a years time. Wenger won't budge on his 6m offer and it seems we're out of the chase. Wenger is quoted as saying:

"My offer seems fair to me, taking the market into account. Chamakh would be good, but there are other options should we wish to pursue them."

He also said:

"In five months, if he doesn't prolong his contract, Chamakh will be free to talk to any club and Bordeaux won't get anything.

"In the current context, to me, it is over. Let's say that at the moment it is terminated."

Bordeaux chairman Jean Louis Triaud said of the matter:

"I will admit that the fee I quoted is excessive, but Arsenal's offer is still a long way short.”

It seems like Bordeaux are playing games that Wenger isn’t interested in and it’s all a bit unfortunate for Chamack who is very upset by the whole thing. I won’t quote him because we have enough quotes but he’s saying he won’t sign a new contract for Bordeaux, that if he looses out on a move to Arsenal then Bordeaux will loose out when he leaves for free next summer.

Our other option in that position is Kalou, who I do admit to liking. Arseblog seems to have no time for him making a stupid list of terrible things he would do to Kalou, which I suppose is all well and good but I don’t see how he would be bad for the team, only that it would stifle Wilshere’s immediate progress with the first team and probably Vela’s too.

Kalou can play all across the front three and can finish well. He’s pretty good in the air and he’s not a small boy so he’d add some physicality, which would be nice, although we need it in midfield more than anywhere else.

Chelsea say we’re 2m short of their asking price but it’s said that Wenger is willing to meet that. Now, like I said, I do like Kalou and I think he’d be more than useful, but at what cost? Wilshere will likely fade out of the first team frame, as he did last season, although he’ll get more games I’m sure. Vela will be one more down the pecking order and will seem all the more surplus as we have so many skillful little left footers. And we won’t have another center mid or center back.

Letting Senderos go not only leaves us with bulbus head fish face as our fourth choice, I know I’ve spoken of his value and wanting him to stay, but that wasn’t taking into account that Toure and Senderos would be leaving. I like Silvestre because he can teach all the younglings a thing or two about a run in and all that, but I never wanted him to play regularly. Senderos’ move will also allow Everton to move Jolean Lescott on to Man City, making another rival stronger. I suppose Wenger would take the stance that we have no time to worry about what other clubs are doing, only what we’re up to, and I suppose that’s fair, it’s just that fuck, I like Senderos and I quite like Lescott and would really hate to see them both move.

With no other moves in looking likely it seems that the only other signing we may make this summer is Soloman Kalou. I haven’t heard much more about Matuidi or whatever his name is and so I doubt that’ll be happening.

In other news 4thegame.com is linking AC Milan with a 35m Euro move for Fabregas, which apparently Wenger has agreed to by promising them Cesc as Andrea Pirlo looks to move to Chelsea. Fuck Off, like Wenger would ever do such a thing.

Not much else, I know I promised another rival analysis but I’ll have to postpone it until tomorrow.

Highbury86

Nothing much more than Wilshere

Not much news around today. I haven't read anything new about Senderos' move to Everton, which I would imagine will happen in the next week. I don't like the idea of selling him without a quality replacement. Unloading a 4th choice center back and bringing in someone who could possibly push the starting two like Bassong or Hangeland would be good business but I don't see it happening.

Wilshere is being touted in the papers as a possible new England savior for the upcoming world cup. That's all a bit over the top for me. He's only just come into the first team, he's not even a regular. I think that in the near future, maybe a few years, he'll be Englands answer to a naturally left sided midfielder since Steward Downing never really managed. The next European Cup maybe.

I admit to going a little crazy over him having watched the last two games and I do think that he'll be one of the best players in the world some day, it's just that Wenger needs to work out how to play it, how to drive down the expectation and proctect him some. I discussed how he may benefit from playing a lot, the way Cesc did at the same age, but others have talked about having to keep a lid on him a bit so he doesn't get ruined by a failure to live up to hype.

Not much else to report, we'll go back to rival analysis tomorrow.

Highbury86

Rangers Review, Wilshere the new Messi, Senderos out

Well, we took care of Rangers pretty tidily today. We never looked too out of control except the couple times when they broke us down way way way too easily. We continued with the 4 3 3 with Almunia playing 90 minutes in goal, Eboue playing 90 minutes at right back, Gallas and Silvestre playing in the middle and Clichy on the left. Cesc, Song and Merida were the center mids with Arshavin, Eduardo and the north London Messi were the three up front.

The game started out pretty quickly with both teams playing nice football. We scored a nice goal, the move starting in our own box with Clichy. He moved it up the line to Arshavin who cut inside and played it across the pitch over to Fabregas, after a dummy by Fran Merida. Fabregas ran inside the box flicked the ball in to Arshavin who was central, he flicked the ball back for Cesc to run on to, but he was tripped. Wilshere was there to finish off the move with a confident finish. It was very nice attacking play, hopefully we'll see more of it in the season.

We continued to play nicely with Merida and Cesc running the game while Song was efficient in his role as DM. We scored again in the tenth minute with good work from Merida, after an awesome header back by Arshavin, to play in Eduardo nicely, who finished like you might expect him to, with perfect precision into the far corner. It was good play again, we went forward nicely and with good directness. It makes me think about Eduardo and what he's gone through. His break was bad and it must have been traumatic and the recovery must have been gruelling and all that, but what a bad time in his career and for Arsenal.

We bought him in the summer of 2007 after sellling Henry. He didn't play all that regularly right away, playing in the Carling Cup and coming off the bench in the league. Injuries to our forwards, namely Robin, saw Eduardo coming into the team more often towards the end of the year. His form was spectacular, he couldn't stop scoring, he was the best finisher in the league. Then in February his leg was snapped by a clumsy tackle in the 3rd minute (or something like that) and the rest is the rest.

Had he not suffered that injury I think Eduardo's form would have carried on and we would have won the league. Maybe Flamini would have stayed and Eduardo would have gone on to score 30 goals last season. We would have had a good all action defensive mid and maybe would have won the league again. Eduardo would now be one of the best strikers in Europe and we wouldn't be unloading players like we stole a truck full of them.

Anyway, we played well for the rest of the half and never really looked under pressure. In the second half we played Song and Silvestre at the back with Traore on the left and Denilson moving into holding mid. Song looked pretty good at center back, even if he was along side bulbus head Silvestre, who was poor, as you'd expect. Ramsey came on at some point and looked alright and Watt came on with Bentner and looked very exciting. I think if Walcott or Vela were available Watt wouldn't have been seen at all, but he looks a good prospect and did good work for the third goal. He ran down a pass that was being ushered out by some Rangers defender and tackled the defender, passing the ball back to Ramsey, who was cool and found Wilshere running in who smashed a half volley into the top corner. He's a good little finisher.

I think that we look good going forward and I'm excited about this coming season but I still worry about shipping goals. Senderos looks like he's going to Everton, which is a shame and isn't going to do us any good. It means that a couple of injuries will put Song and Silvestre together, not only making us weak in the back, but putting us one holding mid short.

Replacing Senderos doesn't look likely though and neither does the arrival of another center mid, but it does look like we'll be keeping Eboue, who has had a fine pre season showing. He's looked good both in midfield and in defense and I think we'll see him take back his spot at right back at some point this season. He brings more going forward and will relieve pressure from the midfield to have to drop back in wide positions, which our formation doesn't really suit. He also wins a lot of free kicks, which will give us more posession and some goal scoring chances.

Everyone has an opinion about our need for players or lack there of. As I've said before I think we need a center mid and without Senderos, a center back. I think our boys up front will deal with the goals we'll miss in Adebayor and that we'll be fine up front. In fact, Wenger's going to have a head ache with his choices for attacking players. Cesc will be the first name on the team sheet, but besides him immediately we've got Walcott, Bentner, Arshavin, Eduardo, RVP, Vela, Ramsey plus Merida and Wilshere. Wenger will work Rosicky in easily over the next couple of months and Nasri will be back around then as well.

There's a lot to talk about here. People have spoken about our starting line up and I think in the beginning of the season it'll look something like this. Almunia in goal, Sagna, Djourou, Gallas, Clichy across the back with Cesc, Denilson and Song central, Wolcott, Arshavin and RVP up front. l'Boss has talked about working Eduardo in with some caution and I think he may gain a starting role later on along with Eboue and the others coming back from injury.

Now, without the injured guys this means that Vela, Bentner, Ramsey, plus Merida and Wilshere and I suppose even Diaby (although he may be battling Song and Denilson to fit into the central trio) will be working for time off the bench. Then in a few months time there will be Rosicky, Eduardo and Nasri fighting too.

Wilshere and Merida will be last on the list, although Fran Merida may be coming on for Cesc as they are more like for like, and I think he'll be capable of doing a good job there. Wilshere is exciting, but he's 17 and with this depth in those positions I don't see him playing more than a dozen league games. This is a tricky situation because he really has some talent, some serious potential. He dribbles sideways too much, but once he turns that into forward running into the box or down the line, he's going to be the next Messi or Pato. Cesc was the same age when injuries to Vieira and Edu forced Wenger to play him and he succeeded and we have the Cesc we now know. I think Wilshere would benefit, and Arsenal, from the same treatment. We'll see what happens but I think his development may be slowed by depth in his position.

Should Wilshere get the nod to be one of the first off the bench it may be at the cost of Carlos Vela. Vela played 19 games for us last season, most off the bench, I think all his starts came in the Carling Cup. He scored a fabulous hatrick in the Carling Cup and a good goal in the next round. He played up front and wide left and was quick and skillful and a very good finisher. He had a few sub par performances and never really made an impact in the league but showed his talent. I watched him play for Mexico in the Gold Cup and he was awesome. He's got great potential, the type of Henry potential, the potential to really be something special, something world class. Having said all that it's hard to see him break into the team regularly, since we've been collecting skillful left footed, short, quick guys for fun. There's been talk of loaning him out to Fulham in a deal that would see Hangeland come over to us. This may be a good idea but I don't see it happening. He was loaned out to Osasuna for two years where he became a full international, what more good would a loan move do except drive up his value in the market should we decide to sell.

Without adding any players we look deep with talent and attacking force, but we're still missing that hard man I think we all would like to see. If Song, Denilson and Diaby can step up and turn that around and with some extra intesified leadership I think we're up for a shot, but we'll have to do something about shipping goals. The defence hasn't been wonderful and it starts in midfield but our goalkeeper isn't any superhero either. He had one fantastic game against Man U last season and made some very good stops here and there throughout, but he never made those special saves, those match winning saves that Lehmann got us. That Seaman in his day go us. That even Manninger got us. I think we should have bought Jaskelinen when we had the chance.

I've spoken about our likely line up in the beginning of the season but I think we'll see a different one, and maybe a different regular formation at some point. I think we'll see Vermaelen come in for Djourou and Eboue come in for Sagna with some rotation up front. We've got Valencia next and then Everton in the league. I think the game with Valencia will be a bit more competitive and involve more senior players, maybe Vela and Walcott.

Come on you Arsenal! Back tomorrow.

Highbury86

Emerites Cup Begins

Hello all, or nobody as the case may be,
Today was our first game in the Emerites Cup, as I'm sure you know. We played Atletico Madrid, who aren't a bad side, they just wouldn't have been our best opposition in the last couple of Emerites Cups. We're the only top four team that doesn't go on a publicity bananza tour for their pre season and perhaps it shows in our very small spending but I like the Emerites Cup, I like that it's our little tradition, that we're raking in the bucks and that we're getting better competition than the others, despite this installments lack of the big boys.

We won the game 2 to 1 somehow. The first half was tame but reasonable for the circumstances. Our line up was interesting, we played a 4 3 3 again with Rosicky startin as one of the midfield three with Eboue playing further up. It was interesting that Eboue started after his goodbye wave, maybe this means we won't be selling him. If we were really intending on banking in on him I don't think we'd risk him getting injured.

Rosicky had a goal disallowed, or rather he scored after the whistle, but what a finish. Really, what a finish! It was bang in the top corner of the far post, it couldn't have got more into the top corner, skimming both post and cross bar on its way in. Rosicky looked athletic and on the pace enough, hopefully he'll come through pre season and be able to get in on the action right away.

The second half saw Rosicky, Eboue and Traore come off and Merida, Clichy and Wilshere come on. The first half midfield three of Rosicky, Denilson and Ramsey never really worked particularly well, although I was fairly impressed with some of Denilson, his body language looks better, he looks more mature and in control. But when Merida and Wilshere came on they were very impressive. I have no real comment on Eboue or Traore except that Eboue gave something a bit below par and Traore wasn't really challenged. Wilshere was far better than Eboue, playing excellently, with great skill and vision and good running and defending, he really tackles hard that boy. Merida was quite impressive as well, really good on the ball, well composed and played very few passes that didn't get to where they were meant to. Clichy wasn't too impressive, but he did look very black, blacker than I've ever seen him.

I'm not sure what to make of Wenger playing Mannone so often. Almunia hasn't had a taxing summer, he played zero internationals and he's not injured. Fabianski hasn't been playing either. Perhaps Fabianski is being surpassed by Mannone and Almunia just wants an extra couple of weeks holiday. Mannone is OK but he's surely not anywhere near a starting keeper. I'm sure Almunia will play at some point in the Emerites Cup and be the not that good but sometimes very good keeper that we're used to.

The second half, (this writing is so loose), was more entertaining than the first with Wilshere running riot down the right and Merida running the game. All of our chances came from Wilshere's good work with Van Persie having a Cryuff flick cleared off the line, Ramsey seeing a shot saved and Bentner missing the target from a narrow angle when he probably should have done better.

The game sort of lulled out after those chances and then Atletico seemed to take over, taking advantage of space between the midfield and defence and countering well. They had a couple of shots from distance and one opportunity in the box after a 4 v 3 that Maxi Rodriguez should have scored.

Then, with a few minutes to go we managed a goal. The ball came to the left side of the area where Cesc cut the ball back and chipped it across to Arshavin who was waiting in a mile of space on the far post. He volleyed first time and the keeper parried it into the goal. It was a fine finish and a good ball over but the defending was gash, we can't expect to score goals like that during the season. And then, as the TV was showing the replay, it cut back to the game and Atletico had a 1 v 1 and scored. I didn't see how it happened but again there was space between the midfield and defense, they beat the offsides trap and Mannone made no effort to do anything and their forward slotted home. And then, as they were playing the replay of that, they cut to Arshavin chasing down a back header to the keeper, sending the ball to the byline wide of the goal with a toe poke away from the keeper, chasing the ball down and sliding to the line to keep it in play and scoring. A truly athletic and skillful goal. Great play from Arshavin, I'm sure we'll see more of it during the season.

It wasn't a totally boring game and it was great to see the boys back in action, really, really, really great. I'm hoping we keep Eboue and that we buy another center mid, but I'm looking forward to Denilson and Song continuing their good work and to Wilshere and Merida coming through the lines.

I'll be back tomorrow with more action from our second game against Rangers, or PSG or whatever.

Highbury86

Blog # 12

Well, Vieira is linked with a move back home, I’d bet my house this won’t happen. Eboue looks set to leave, which is a bad idea. We’re strongly connected with Matuide or whatever his name is. I’ve never seen him play, I’ve done no research on him and I doubt we’ll sign him anyway. I doubt we’ll be signing anyone else this summer. We’ve done good business the other way, having made a 16m pound player profit this year.

Nothing else doing really, my girl is planning her birthday out on the computer, I played some casino poker last night and am feeling the filth this morning, as I’m covered in cigarette smoke and old man burps.

I’ve been reading different Arsenal blogs lately, without much to else to do, and I read on ArsenalAnalysis.blogspot.com that our old boy Edu has recovered from a series of injuries, which limited him to 44 appearances in 4 years at Valencia after they took him on a Bosman, to sign for his old club Corinthians on a 2 year deal. I’m super happy for him and wish him all the best. He left after an improved deal was offered too late and he no longer felt wanted at the club. Aries over at ArsenalAnalysis goes on to write:

“If only Edu was convinced by Arsene Wenger to sign a new contract instead of going to Spain’s Valencia. I believe Arsenal would have gone on to dominate the Premier League for years to come.”

I was sad when he left and I don’t doubt that he would have gone on to do very well for us, but I don’t know about dominating the league for years to come. The very next season Viera and Gilberto were our first choice in the middle and between the injuries to them both a teenage Fabregas was asked to step in and take over. He was 16 or maybe 17, the season before that he became the youngest ever Arsenal player to score a senior goal when he came on as a sub (I think) and scored against … don’t remember now, maybe Derby, they were lower league and in white on the night. He was very much part of the reserves and was moved up to the senior squad and then thrust into the team. He came through and we now have the world class player you see today.

Had Edu stayed it would have given Wenger the left footed/right footed central midfield combo he had with Petit and Viera, a near identical pairing, arguably not quite as good, but you certainly weren’t loosing all that much. Fabregas’ chances to make it into the first team would have been more limited and perhaps we wouldn’t have the captain we have now. But who knows.

Bye Bye King Kolo

King Kolo is out and I’m not at all happy. You can say what you will about the remarkable piece of business Wenger has done the club as Kolo has brought us a title, 2 FA Cups and helped us to a few good long runs in the champions league, including the final in 2006. He stood up and replaced Keown and Adams when nobody else could, he stood up and continued when Campbell left and he’s our longest serving player, he’s our only connection to the invincibles. In a squad with so much youth and such little tradition and leadership, letting go of one of our most experienced leaders, the only player who can carry on the Arsenal tradition left over by the likes of Adams, Keown, Parlour and Bergkamp, is in my mind a mistake. I’m very upset about this transaction and don’t have it in me to write much more. Arseblog said that this is football and players come and go but under our circumstances I don’t think it’s right.

Alright, that was bit dramatic, my heads on straight now but I’m still pissed off. 16million is a lot of money, more than we’ve ever spent on a player and Wenger does know when to let go, particularly when it comes to players around Toure’s age. Overmars, Petit, Vieira, Hleb, Campbell, Edu (I have a bit about him you’ll see later) all left between the ages of 27 and 30 (I think) and have all gone on to less prestige and glamour in their post Arsenal careers. You might say they became slightly useless even. Speaking of Hleb, he was part of the deal that saw Ibrahimovic go to Barca as he was loaned out to Inter for a season with an option of a 10m Euro buy at the end of the season. He couldn’t get a game at Barca, who don’t have a lot of midfielders, going to Inter who have about 900,000 midfielders won’t do his career much good. I doubt we’ll be hearing about Hleb for a long time.

Having said all that, that money better go into the team and we better not let Eboue go. I understand that Eboue, Toure and Adebayor were all great friends and perhaps this will be playing on Eboue’s mind in his decision to leave and it seems that Fiorentina are in talks with him over a move said to be somewhere in the 10m range, which again is very good money.

We’ve spent 25m since January, on Arshavin and Vermaelen and have made that back with the sale of Adebayor. We’ve got another 16m for Toure coming in, which really ought to be enough money to sign a quality center mid like Sissoko. Even if it costs more, I have to imagine that we had money in the kitty without selling Adebayor, there must be something to spend. We obviously won’t replace Kolo, I’m sure we’ll keep Phil the Swiss and probably Silvestre. This is beyond me, I’ve said that I like Senderos and that I see the value that Silvestre can bring but keeping these guys over Toure just sucks.

We’ve signed Vermaelen to be a starter, I don’t think Wenger would have paid that money for a sub. Kolo and Gallas and Djourou would have been scrapping it out to play alongside him and maybe Toure just didn’t have the fight in him. That doesn’t seem right though, Toure has tons of fight doesn’t he? So maybe it was the money. Maybe the excitement of a new project, maybe a chance to join up with his buddy Adebayor and make some new buddies in the process. Or maybe it’s the money. I’m sad to see him go and I thank him for his work with Arsenal but there’s a bad taste in my mouth and I don’t suppose I’ll ever know where it’s coming from.




Highbury86

Double post

Hello everyone, meant to post that last one yesterday but cocked up. It's here today and so will this one be. I was planning on posting some more analysis but have decided to discus some other stuff.

There's been a lot of huff and puff about a BBC interview that the Red & White guys gave about the right's issue that was proposed to the board. I'm bad with business stuff and really don't know much about the ramifications of the right's issue or anything about it really, only that it's a proposed alternative to the club going into debt after borrowing money from Usmanov. I love our club and how it's run and that Wenger has final cut. I don't think I want to see anything change but we have to prove that we can compete as is. We did it for 8 years winning trophies and playing stunning football. Wenger made brilliant discovery after brilliant discovery and turned a number of players from unknown youngsters into superstars, even making Thierry Henry the best player in the world. For a time. He's been critisized for letting players go, but our old stars don't have a good record of going on to do well. The latest of course being Hleb, who said he regrets leaving us. Fuck him.

Anyway, people seem upset about the interview, which I didn't myself see. Arseblog comments as does ACulturedLeftFoot. They both mention the same stuff about Red & White being dispicable and that perhaps David Dein has a hand in the background. I used to love David Dein and really appreciate his time at the club and his relationship with Wenger. Now a days, I'm not sure.

Now to things more football. I watched the Gold Cup final today, seeing Mexico beating the US 5 nil. In the first half it seemed that the US were dominant, although they didn't have their strongest team. In the second half our boy Vela came on for Mexico and turned the game around entirely. I'm not sure if Mexico were playing their strongest team, but I imagine that Carlos Vela would be in it, starting over Giovanni Dos Santos, a totally fluffed, useless player who couldn't even make it at Tottenham after leaving Barca, not managing to get a place over Darren Bent. Vela may have been left out due to his injury but he came on in the second half and really ran the show, setting up 3 of the goals and getting one himself. He ran at defenders with confidence and ease and counter attacked very well. It looked easy for him, nobody could keep up with him and for all his possession and running at defenders he was only tackled twice. His finish was beautiful too, running the ball into the box past three defenders, leaving them all behind. He went a little too far wide it seemed but when the keeper came out he chiped it over him and it fell slowly and deftly into the far corner with the recovering defenders sliding desperately to try and keep it from going over the line. I really hope to see more of him this season, he's a good little player, very skillful and a fine finisher, I think he just needs to work on fitting into the team and really take his chances when he's given them, this is the only way he'll work his way up the pecking order, as he's our last choice striker at the moment.

Another thing is our center mid problem. I still haven't seen any evidence of us trying to chase down our man but it did occur to me that we were once in for a sniff of Ruben de la Red. He's young, only 23, and can play as a holding mid or more of a playmaker. He had a good showing in Euro 2008, where I think he played one game in the group stage after Spain had already qualified. He ran the game and even got himself a goal. I did a little research on him and discovered that last October he collapsed during a game having suffered an effort syncope. This is a complex term for fainting for a number of reasons, but in de la Red's case it was probably due to lack of oxygen in the brain. This ended his season last year and it has been confirmed that he won't take part at all this season as they try to find out what causes him to pass out while he runs, so I suppose we won't be signing him.

Not much else for me to discuss, until tomorrow,

Highbury86