Micheal Essien is not good enough Wenger!

The Deadline Day is upon us and we are no closer to signing any players in any of the positions of which we are in desperate need. Late yesterday BeIn Sports, a television news channel in France, reported an exclusive saying Tiote will be an Arsenal player imminently. Nothing has materialized and the news hasn't seemed to spread so I expect that one to be a non-flyer. This morning I woke up to a piece of news so utterly disheartening. We are asking Chelsea to loan us Micheal Essien. Is this what it has come to? Asking a direct rival to loan us one of their bench player when we have approximately 30mil available to spend. This is Arsenal Football Club people! We should be in for a top class defensive midfielder. And we should have been in for one before we sold Song, not on the last day of the window. I don't know what Wenger has been playing at but this happened last year as well. What possesses us to wait so long? Clubs won't sell their best players with no time to find a replacement. Its just common sense. 

On a more positive note, we are close to offloading 3 deadwood strikers in Chamakh, Bendtner and Park. All had absolutely no part to play last season which indicates none will be replaced. I say this because in Wenger's presser yesterday he said that if players going out never played last season, they would not be compensated for. Which worries me. Last season we were extremely lucky that Robin played in every single Premier League game without getting injured. We didn't have any back up options. This season we only have Giroud as a pure CF. Podolski can play there. But if the aforementioned 3 strikers leave, we will have absolutely no back up for those two. You'd think Wenger has to buy a striker, but I have a sneaky feeling he has promised that role to Walcott. That's Wenger's bargaining tool. He has told Theo he will play striker more often this season and he thinks this will persuade Walcott to sign a new deal. Speculation but very possible. 

As I write this Fulham have accepted a 7mil bid from Aston Villa for Clint Dempsey. He won't go there though, it would be a major step down for a player who was looking for a Champions League club. I expect Liverpool to make an offer. I am hopeful we will make one too, but don't get your hopes up. We first and foremost need a defensive midfielder. Names are running out. Capoue and M'Vila aren't coming. Lars Bender, who has been linked over the last few weeks, isn't coming. I wouldn't think we would pay the 25mil asking price for Tiote. Essien is looking more and more likely unfortunately. To be honest, I would prefer Steven N'Zonzi who was a class act for Blackburn last year. Available for 5mil. Why not?

Praying for a successful day. I said last week that the next week would determine our season. So far we are top 4 contenders. If Arsene surprises us, we could be title contenders by this time tomorrow. 

'Till Tomorrow


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Schalke, Montpellier and Olympiacos - could have been worse!

Evening all,

Champions League Draw:

The Champions League draw has just been completed and lets just say it could have been worse for Arsenal. We were drawn in Group B with Schalke, Olympiacos and Montpellier. The obvious story is the home-coming of Olivier Giroud who will return to France after only just signing this summer. I feel that it is a very winnable group and, providing we don't make it difficult for ourselves, one which we should advance comfortably. Olympiacos proved last year that they can be a challenge in Greece after we lost 1-3, all be it with a very weakened side. Montpellier are the champions of France but don't look as strong this year, yet they will be a tricky opponent. Schalke are seemingly the most difficult of opponents. They possess the firepower of Huntelaar and finished 3rd in the Bundesliga last year. Make of the group what you will.

____


Transfer News:

It has been very quiet yet again with regards to possible signings. The longer we go by without hearing any reliable news, the less likely it seems we will actually sign someone. There was some positive words from Wenger in today's press conference however. He said that we are still looking to sign a top, top player and if a deal can be done it will be. He also said we have a sizable budget and if it isn't spent now, it will be spent in the winter window. 

Please don't think we haven't already entered negotiations with respective clubs. When Wenger says 'if we find' he doesn't mean that he hasn't yet found a player. We know our targets and if we are able to agree the various fees etc.. then we will sign them. We are busy and working hard to bring players in and I am hopeful one or two deals can be done by tomorrow night. Its positive that Wenger doesn't want average players. I do think we could have handled the closing stages of the window better. We should have bought a replacement for Song before he left. We should have learnt our lesson from last year, which I think we have almost done. 

One side of the transfers which is very busy is the sales department. Park Chu Young is having a medical at Celta Vigo  tomorrow according to reports from Korea. Nicklas Bendtner is very close to signing for Juventus reportedly on a loan deal with an option to buy but the club still have to agree a deal with Juve. Marouane Chamakh should be shipped out to Besiktas or Malaga on loan, both clubs are very interested in his signature. 

With those 3 all likely to be gone by the end of tomorrow, it leaves you wondering about our attacking options. We will only have Giroud and Podolski available as strikers. Surely Wenger will act? Loic Remy is available for around 15mil and Wenger last year compared him to Thierry Henry. He is known to be a long term admirer so a deal would make sense. There is also the cheaper and shorter term option of Clint Dempsey. He is EPL proven, a goalscorer and very versatile. A brilliant potential last minute buy. 

Oh I forgot we are actually close to a signing. 17 year old goalkeeper Deni Illiev from Macedonia. I know, typical Arsenal right?

Please Arsenal. Make a statement of intent tomorrow. We need the players. Desperately. We have the squad to finish in the top 4 but I want to actually compete this season. 

____


Walcott Update:

Wenger has said Walcott will stay and play with us this season, or at least until January. He is confident a deal will be agreed because Theo loves Arsenal and 'money is not a big thing for him'. A good decision in my opinion. I am really confident we can agree a deal to keep him at the Emirates for the long term.


____

That's about it today. 

'Till Tomorrow


Follow @RealistGooner

Thoughts on Theo Walcott

Evening all,

I apologise for the late post, been a busy day.

The main Arsenal talking point today has been a certain Theo Walcott. Reports started surfacing late yesterday that he had 'rejected' the latest contract offer and that Arsenal were prepared to offload him for around 12mil. I would go into more detail but as of 30 minutes ago, reports have said that he has completed talks with Wenger and they agreed that he will stay at the club beyond this summer, regardless of whether he signs on or not. Both sets of reports are reliably from the BBC and therefore I am more inclined to believe them. 

Walcott has a very similar relationship with Arsenal fans that Alex Song had. Opinion is very divided as he lacks consistency and a final ball. He often loses the ball needlessly and drifts out of games far too often. The player himself admits to these faults. But when he is on his game, there is very little one can do to stop him. His pace is frightening for defenders and his finishing is pretty good. Personally I would love to see him playing as a second striker. If he fails in the position he claims to be best at, then I will happily see him go. We paid 12.5mil to sign him as a youngster from Southampton. That's a hefty sum for Arsenal and he has yet to fully deliver. 

The fact that he is demanding a reported 100k a week is laughable. He barely deserves the 70k a week we are offering. But this is all Arsenal's fault. We have to learn that we cannot keep dishing out these high wages to young players based on potential. What if their potential isn't realised? Or in Theo's case, what if he doesn't have much potential at all? I read on Le-Grove this morning that he judges quick players on what their potential is without their pace. With Walcott - how effective would he be without that speed? Probably not very effective at all. His technique isn't Arsenal standard, his positioning and off the ball movement isn't the best either. He has limited football instincts. He is an athlete turned footballer.

Yet I feel we cannot lose him, especially this summer. After the sale of Alex Song and Robin van Persie, losing him would be a hammer blow and a major downer. We cannot keep letting this happen. Liverpool, who have been out of top level European football for over 3 years, have recently signed Suarez and Skrtl to new long-term contracts. If they can handle it, we should be able to. I realise that different situations call for different outcomes, but something has to give. We cannot expect to challenge when we are overhauling the squad every season. With new commercial deals being negotiated for next year, stability on and off field is key. Winning trophies should be an expectation not a far off hope. 

Other than Walcott, there has been very little news in terms of incomings. Arsenal are giving nothing away and I would expect things to heat up tomorrow, or it will be another supermarket dash on Friday. I would love to see some quality additions. Remember that players would have to be registered by midday on Friday in order to stand a chance of playing Liverpool on Sunday. Get a move on Arsenal!

'Till Tomorrow


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Lansbury to Nottingham Forest ; Lars Bender linked

Well this is rather awkward. Its the last week of the transfer window and 3 days remaining and yet there is no concrete news to report. I'm sure that hard work is being done behind the scenes but everything seems quiet on the surface. We are working on up to 4 deals and everything is under wraps at this point. Wenger said earlier in the window that he would do everything possible to stop us doing business so late but obviously it has not turned out that way. The higher profile dead-weights are still at the club and we haven't brought in a replacement for Song. Park, Chamakh, Squillaci, Bendtner all remain at the club for now. Arsenal are hopeful that they can find permanent suitors for Park and Bendtner but are less confident about Chamakh. Malaga are rumoured to be 'seriously interested' but a loan move depends on whether they qualify for the Champions League tonight. One player that is set to leave the club is Henri Lansbury. Nottingham Forest look to have tied up a permanent deal worth 1mil which is a tidy sum for a player who has hardly played for us. He has potential and a load of spirit but understandably is not Arsenal quality at the moment. 

There is very little concrete info regarding incoming players. Arsenal are obviously revealing very little and it is understandable given our reluctance to compete for signatures. There are whispers in Germany that we are after Lars Bender of Bayer Leverkusen. He is a defensive midfielder who is comfortable at right back and is rated very highly by pundits. Other than that there really is nothing. I guess this 'last week left of the transfer window' thing is a bit overrated. It should hot up in the next few days though.

Who I want Arsenal to buy: 
1.) Yanga M'biwa
2.) Etienne Capoue
3.) Isco
Luxury signing: Huntelaar

Who I think we'll end up with:
1.) Angel Rangel
2.) Lars Bender
3.) Afellay

That's about it for the day.

'Till Tomorrow


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I want M'biwa, Capoue and Huntelaar: which players do Arsenal need?

Afternoon all,

So the official countdown has begun to the end of the transfer window with 4 days, 7 hours, 57 minutes and 7 seconds left as I write this. Last year our last minute business was prompted by the heavy defeat at Old Trafford but I presume that it won't be the same this year. Things seem calmer and more steady with regards to our squad and we only need a few quality players to challenge this year. I would say at least 3 players are needed realistically and if I was to be critical I would be thinking 4. 

Lets start at the back, where things have been really good so far this season. Jenkinson has performed and although he is not the best technically or tactically, he gives 100% at all times. However, I would still like to see a versatile CB come in, one that can is comfortable at RB. It looks as if we are going for one in the form of Yanga M'biwa of Montpellier. He is their captain at only 22 years of age and has only 1 year remaining on his contract. Louis Nicollin said at the beginning of the summer that they would only consider selling Giroud and M'biwa, the former because he had a relatively low release clause and the latter because they had made a personal agreement that if a big club came in, they would sell. The ever reliable @AFCAMDEN informed us that we have 'serious interest'. 

The next position in need of filling is defensive midfield. There is and has been widespread calls for a proper holding player and Wenger has already stated that he wants a 'top, top completely defensive midfielder'. Earlier in the summer we had agreed a deal with Rennes for Yann M'Vila and everything was set to be completed - remember the 99% done stories? They weren't far off the truth - before Rennes decided to wait until after the Euro's where they presumed M'Vila would shine which would mean more competition for his signature and inevitably an increase in price. Obviously with M'Vila being injured for half the tournament combined with France's poor showing, it completely backfired and we haven't returned to the table since. Whether Wenger has been biding his time and waiting for Rennes to become desperate or if he has simply lost interest, only he knows. 
We have been linked with just about every decent defensive midfielder in the world, from Biglia to Wanyama to De Jong but none of the moves have materialized. I have a soft spot for Etienne Capoue of Toulouse. He has made the Ligue 1 team of the season for the past 2 years - ahead of M'Vila - and is still young at only 23 years of age. I think he would be an excellent signing and I have a suspicion Wenger likes him too. 

The last position I feel is in need of re-enforcement is the striking department. With Chamakh, Bendtner and Park all close to being sold/loaned, that leaves us with only Giroud and Podolski. While I love both players and feel they will be successful, we need a striker willing to run behind, always on the defender's shoulder. I know Wenger hates those types of strikers but I feel it is necessary. Huntelaar is available for only 17mil (release clause) - a pretty low price for a striker who scored 37 goals in 56 appearances. With a fast powerful player like Podolski and a big target man in Giroud, I feel a poacher, fox in the box type, would compliment them well. Other options include Loic Remy of Marseille who Wenger compared to Henry last year and Fernando Llorente who's move to Juventus has gone awfully quiet.

If I was being greedy I would also be in the market for a creative winger. Walcott and Gervinho are too similar. Both fast, direct and have no end product. I would love a player who thinks about what his next move will be and who has the vision and awareness to know when to run in behind and when to drop off and play to feet. Jesus Navas and Ibrahim Afellay have so far been linked this summer.

That's it for today.

Busy week ahead - hopefully.

'Till Tomorrow


Follow @RealistGooner

Stoke 0 - 0 Arsenal: Defense impresses yet again as forward line continue to gel

We have bought three attacking players yet we haven't scored a goal in over 180 minutes. We haven't bought any defensive players yet we have kept a clean sheet for over 180 minutes. The irony of football. I actually enjoyed today's game although it was quite frustrating. We don't need to panic, there is no crisis. We simply need to be patient. Any other season a point away at Stoke is classified as a good result, especially considering they never lost a game at home against a top four side last term. The goals will come but the attacking players still need to gel properly. All of Diaby, Giroud, Podolski and Cazorla are new and that accounts for basically our whole attack. This is a transition period and please don't get drawn into the doomsday talk.

We missed a couple of opportunities but there were no clear cut chances. Podolski probably had the best chance when he capitalized on a slip in the box by Wilkinson. Unfortunately luck was not on our side and his shot was blocked by the recovering defender's arm. Should have been a penalty but it was extremely difficult to spot. Giroud had a half chance in the box with a spectacular overhead kick but it hit the ground and bounced over. I was very frustrated with our lack of shots in and around the box. We always looked for a pass instead of trying our luck. We need to take more risks, especially with our final product. Risks get you goals and we didn't take many. Giroud tried an incredible long range lob but it went just over the bar. If he had scored that relative sitter last week and that shot went two inches lower, he would be an immediate hero. 

We coped with Stoke's physicality really really well. I was very impressed by our whole defensive line as well as the midfielders who closed down quickly and got stuck in to the tackles. Our defense has been a big positive and if we keep that up we will be hard to beat. A successful team is built on a solid back line and when the goals start flowing... well you can just imagine.

The next week will have a massive bearing on where the title lands up. We need at least 3 more players to compete in all the competitions. In my opinion, we need a versatile defender, a defensive midfielder and a creative winger. If I was to be extra greedy, I would call for a goal scorer. Podolski and Giroud will come good though. Lets hope we get the business done before Friday.

'Till Tomorrow


Follow @RealistGooner

Stoke vs Arsenal Preview: opposite styles collide

Morning all,

We kick of our second game of the season this afternoon at Stoke. While I look forward to every game we play, the game at Stoke is always my least favourite. Completely opposite philosophies are pitted against each other and it will be intriguing as to which one wins today, if any at all. Yesterday Swansea set the tone, out passing a physical West Ham and comfortably beating them 3-0. That shows that if we get into gear, they'll find it very difficult to stop us. One advantage we have going into the game is the new Premier League rule which has set a fixed pitch size. Their pitch now has comply with this new rule - therefore  it is thankfully bigger than it has been in previous years - which is explained in this article. That will obviously suit us and our style of play and Stoke will not be able to hide behind a narrow field. It also helps us with Delap's long throws, the pitch is wider and he hopefully won't be able to get it in the danger zone. 

In team news, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is fit once again but Koscielny will miss out due to a calf strain. There have been doubts over Szczesny as he has a slight rib injury - he will undergo a fitness test. Other than that, and the long term absentees, we have a fully fit squad. I expect mainly the same line up to last weeks draw at the Emirates. If Szczesny is fit, he'll start in goals. Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Vermaelan and Gibbs across the back. Diaby and Arteta as deeper lying midfielders and Cazorla in the advanced role. From here its going to change a bit from last week. I expect Podolski to deputize on the left to give us a bigger goal scoring threat, while Walcott will keep his place on the right. Giroud will start up top to impose his physical presence which can be vital in both offense and defense. 


---------------------------Szczesny----------------------------

Jenkinson--------Mertesacker-------Vermaelan--------------Gibbs

----------------------Diaby-------Arteta-----------------------

---------------------------Cazorla-----------------------------

Walcott------------------------------------------------Podolski

----------------------------Giroud------------------------------


We have the option of picking Chamberlain for the left wing to give a more creative threat but I feel Podolski will start. We will need to be on our game from the first whistle and the midfielders will have to work hard off the ball. Mertesacker has to impose himself on Peter Crouch. Crouch has a knack of scoring against us. We also need to stop the deliveries into the box. The fullbacks will have a vital role in stopping the crosses. We cannot give away too many free kicks inside our half. Its vital that we are disciplined when it comes to tackling. If we do all that and continue to play our game, I'm confident of coming away with the 3 points. 

My prediction: 
Stoke 0 - 2 Arsenal

Have a good one, remember their will be a match review after the game.

'Till Then 


Follow @RealistGooner

Tiote linked with Arsenal. Wenger 'looking to spend 20mil on top, top class midfielder'

Its been a very busy day in the Premier League with goals galore. Swansea have kept up their unstoppable form with a convincing 3-0 victory over West Ham. Michu 3rd goal of the season was sandwiched between goals by Rangel and Graham respectively. They have a great team this year. Michu, Ki Sung-Yeung, Chico, De Guzman and Bartley are very shrewd acquisitions. 

Elsewhere van Persie inevitably scored a blinder just to remind everyone what he is capable of - I am so bitter about that transfer. I know it made business sense but that doesn't make it feel any better. Fulham gave a fighting performance and Dembele once again caught my eye. He is such a quality player and its a shame we don't need a CAM. He's very strong - he just shrugs people off at will while he's dribbling. He's creative and has a good shot on him. He can also play across a variety of positions. One side of his game he must improve though is his goal contribution. 

At White Hart Lane, Spurs managed a draw against West Brom. A satisfying result to say the least. Everton won 3-1 against Aston Villa - Fellaini scoring once again. I love Fellaini. He is a complete midfielder - he's strong, tall and has exceptional vision and technique. He can play deep and behind the striker and contributes goals and assists.

Other scores around the league: 
Norwich 1 - 1 QPR
Southampton 0 - 2 Wigan
Sunderland p - p Reading

We have to wait until tomorrow for Arsenal's game and early team news is quite worrying. Szczesny is being assessed after a rib injury while Koscielny will miss out with a calf strain. However, Chamberlain is back in contention. 

The ever reliable @AFCAMDEN posted some very promising news on transfers. The tweet was as follows:

'Wenger's on the look out for "A top, top class midfielder". Looking to spend up to £20m on the right player. Reluctant to buy avg/unproven'

That's very encouraging. I have mentioned Dembele and Fellaini as players I would recommend. They have Premier League experience and are proven - yet at the perfect age to give their best years to Arsenal Football Club. But we know that Wenger is looking for a defensive midfielder and therefore we are unlikely to splash out on more attacking minded players. The player who has been most heavily linked in the last week or so is Cheikh Tiote. Newcastle are willing to let him go for the right price and have brought in Anita as a possible replacement if he does leave. Interestingly, Tiote has been left out of Newcastle's squad against Chelsea. I would welcome his signing. Strong, defensively minded and a stand out player last season. His goal in the 4 - 4 draw 2 seasons ago against us still haunts me. Do you think he is a good option?

That's about it for today. Remember to look out for the match preview in the morning. 

'Till Then


Follow @RealistGooner

The Defensive Midfield Conundrum

"My approach is that we have a very strong squad but if one or two opportunities arise we will take it."

Those were the words of Arsene Wenger in yesterday's press conference in response to a question which asked whether we will be signing any more players. We have heard this before from Le Boss and my initial reaction was a sigh. I crave inside knowledge and I have zero patience when it comes to transfers, especially transfers which are necessary. I accept that Sahin won't sign because he was always a luxury player to have. If, for example, our move for an orthodox defensive midfielder broke down I would be having a much harder time accepting it. So today I am going to be deciding what player is necessary in order to challenge for the title.

Arsenal have done excellently so far this summer in my opinion. We anticipated van Persie's exit with the signings of Cazorla, Giroud and Podolski - a trio well capable of filling the Dutchman's shoes. The transfer which we never prepared for properly was that of Alex Song. The opinion is well and truly split with Song. Some rue his departure and are calling it another loss of a star and most are not too fussed that he has left. But the main consensus is that we need to replace him. 

"If you look at the numbers you will see that Song was more of an offensive player than a defensive midfielder," "Arteta can play deeper - the kind of Pirlo role - and we have Diaby who is a very strong defensive player."

Wenger hinted that he is looking for that replacement but said that he was not going to buy an 'average' midfielder. If someone special is available, he will make it happen. Fair enough but the fact is that we do need a midfielder. When one looks at our midfield we see a long list of good quality players, but that list is misleading. When analysing each player individually you will start to see flaws in the midfield depth. Currently available to Wenger is Diaby, Arteta, Cazorla, Chamberlain, Ramsey and Coquelin. Only Coquelin out of those players is a true defensive midfielder. While I have faith in Le Coq's undoubted potential, he is definitely not ready for regular first team football. Cazorla and Ramsey are not deep midfielders, though Cazorla can play there it would be a massive waste of his attacking talent. Diaby is capable as we saw last Saturday but he is always an injury worry. He is also more accomplished in the attacking role and definitely not a defensively minded player. Arteta is the only one out of all of those players who I genuinely trust. He is as reliable and disciplined a player as I have seen but again, he is an injury worry. In fact, he is so important to our team balance that we never won a game without him until the last match of the season against West Brom.

You might be arguing that, as Wenger said, Song was not a defensive midfielder and therefore we already have players capable of doing his job. I am of a different opinion. I think that we need a different player to Song, not a like-for-like replacement. I genuinely believe that in order to challenge next season, we either need a much more organised midfield or a solid holding player. You just cannot concede 49 goals and expect to come close to the title. Wenger wants the holding midfielder and I expect him to find one suited to our team. 

"If someone top, top class turns up, completely defensive, we will consider it.

He has set the standard pretty high there. There aren't many top, top class defensive midfielders available. Wenger wants a 'completely defensive' player, and that is his biggest hint yet that Yann M'Vila will not be arriving.  As an article from LadyArse said, Yann is not the man. He is a great player but too similar to Song. He likes attacking and is not the rock many seem to believe. I really like the look of Capoue however and if Toulouse do agree to sell him I would be thrilled with his arrival. He would provide that solid base in front of the back four, shielding from relentless counter attacks which are more often than not our undoing. 

I am looking forward to next week. It should be exciting and dramatic - the way Arsenal like it. Hopefully we'll come out the other side as an improved team.

'Till Tomorrow

Follow @RealistGooner

Reasons we pulled out of Sahin deal ; Only 'special' players will be signed

So the painful saga that was Nuri Sahin has finally come to a close and it doesn't look good for Arsenal. He's off to Liverpool on a 1 year loan deal with no option to buy. I have seen clueless 'Arsenal fans' on Twitter calling for Wenger's head because Sahin hasn't signed. The fickleness of some amazes me. Lets be perfectly clear as to why Sahin isn't an Arsenal player.

1) We did not want a player for a year without an option to make it permanent. 

2) We did not want to match Liverpool's ridiculous offer of a 5mil loan fee.

3) We were not willing to pay 70% of Sahin's wages which would be around 90k a week. 

4) He was considered an opportunity too good to turn down - a luxury signing. As the deal got more expensive, our interest dropped significantly.

The saga has taken so many surprise twists and turns that I am actually glad we made a definitive decision. We can now turn our attentions to positions which we need to strengthen. 

Wenger has said in today's press conference that he has a clear vision of what he needs to do and who he needs to sign. He also said that we will only sign 'special' players. The clear positions where we are in need of re-enforcement is the DM and RB positions. We have sold Alex Song but have not brought in a replacement. We know Jenkinson is not ready yet but we haven't brought in cover. These are the things which make the difference between a challenging squad and being also-rans. Wenger has insisted that we have a 'very strong' squad but don't be fooled. He knows exactly what we need. That talk is purely for the team with whom we're negotiating. If they know that we are happy with our squad, our supposed need for that player will have decreased in their eyes. Therefore the price is easier to bring down. I am aware it is not as easy as that, but it is a worthwhile tactic. If we sort out the DM and RB positions and we have cash to spare, then I would go for a forward player. We need a creative winger if possible. That player was Yossi last year. Someone who plays to feet and drifts in field in search of space. Arshavin was supposed to be that player but his form and confidence seems gone. 

I browsed through the training pics on Arsenal.com and was pleasantly surprised to see Jack Wilshere. Progress looks good and if all goes well he should be back by October. A midfield of Arteta, Wilshere and Cazorla looks promising. You may be asking yourself that if we bring in DM, where's Wilshere going to fit in? Arteta has to start as he is vice-captain and one of our most reliable players. The DM will most likely have to start to offset the counters. And Cazorla is the first on the team sheet. To be honest, I have no idea where Jack will fit in. He needs a proper recovery so I wouldn't expect him to be playing game in game out until December. He has been given No. 10 which indicates he will play in the advanced role. I would like to think that Cazorla will then play as our creative winger. He loves it on the right hand side and has produced his best stats from that position. He'd come before Walcott any day of the week. Speaking of Walcott, apparently contract talks are going well and he wants to stay. But if nothing is agreed by the 31 August, expect him to be sold. Wouldn't be a crisis but it would be a massive blow. I know he's inconsistent and frustrating but we have endured and it would be a shame to lose him. At 23 he can only get better and better. 

'Till Tomorrow

Follow @RealistGooner

Liverpool. No. Arsenal. No. Liverpool. No. Definitely Arsenal. This really is getting boring.

This is just getting annoying. I have never seen anything like this transfer in recent years, such is the up and down nature of the deal. Of course, I am talking of Nuri Sahin. The initial speculation started last month and intensified in recent weeks. Until then his destination was Liverpool. We then sold Robin Van Persie. From here we hijacked the proposed Liverpool deal and were heavy favourites for his signature. For the last week the deal has been 'done' or so they say. On Monday, Sahin was expected at Colney to put the finishing touches on the deal and it was expected to be announced on Tuesday. Since then there has been a hold-up. Madrid were not happy with the buy-out fee and wanted 14mil. People reported that it had been sorted but clearly it has not been. Today reports are completely split. Marca reported last night that he was on his way to Arsenal. This morning they say he is off to Liverpool. In the meantime, Sky Sports in Germany have said he passed a medical with Arsenal today and the deal is expected to be announced in the next 24 hours. The Daily Mail have taken Marca's story and made it their own while The Independent have reported the story from Germany. 

If the transfer doesn't happen it will be heart wrenching. We have invested so much time into this deal and have been teased for the last week. "The deal is done" one reliable source said only to be proven wrong the next day. If Sahin goes to Liverpool or any one of our EPL rivals, that will be even worse. But if he doesn't join it won't be the end of the world. A midfielder will be bought in his place. I wonder if Wenger still plans to buy a DM. Sahin isn't a holding midfielder but the common consensus among fans was that we don't need one. If the midfield is disciplined without the ball and is tactically sound then we wouldn't need a specialist DM. Really hoping that we get clarity sooner rather than later. 

In other news, Park is reportedly on his way to Celta Vigo in Spain on a season long loan. It hasn't gone too well for him at Arsenal. I don't even know how good he actually is. I haven't really seen much of him. Wenger did say that Park, Squillaci and Bendtner would be leaving. I guess Park will be the first. 

That's about it for the day.

'Till Tomorrow


Follow @RealistGooner

Sahin deal complete, yet he is training with Madrid. Are you as confused as I am?

Afternoon All,

Andre Santos was arrested last week after a high speed chase involving the police. Now I'm all for fast cars and speed chasing but when its being done by a professional footballer in the streets of London its completely unacceptable. Santos doesn't seem like that sort of guy to me. He's got that harmless, couldn't hurt a fly type vibe. I don't know how exaggerated The Sun's report was, but the BBC certainly had a far lighter version of the events. They simply stated that a man had been caught speeding and was arrested. He then got baled out and will return to a police station in mid-September. Lets hope the sentence is not the 2 years The Sun predicted. 

In transfer news, the Nuri Sahin deal has still not been announced and it is now getting quite annoying. The deal had been wrapped up on Sunday and he was expected to take photographs, give interviews and be announced on Monday. Then a few reliable sources reported a hiccup which involved the buy-out fee. That has seemingly been resolved after Guillem Balague last night said that everything had now been agreed between the 2 clubs. Sky Sports reported that the deal had been agreed and we would announce it some time soon. Now AS, the Spanish newspaper, has said that Sahin trained with Madrid today ahead of their Supercopa clash with Barca. The same newspaper claims the deal is going to be announced imminently. Now I may be crazy, but how is it possible that a deal can be complete if the player is still training with Madrid? If the deal were close surely Sahin would be in London at the very least? Its all very confusing and frustrating. I guess we'll just have to be patient. 

AS have also reported that we have tabled a 11mil bid for Jesus Navas. I know that we have been interested before but his homesickness has been a stumbling block to any proposed move. He's always turned down interest from abroad so what would have changed now? I don't believe for one second that we should be going after a player who suffers from homesickness. That's a very risky game to be playing and a very expensive one too. But if he has overcome his homesickness then he would be a great addition to a squad lacking wingers. We have told Walcott that he will be used more centrally this season, Alex Chamberlain has been playing as a CM recently so that leaves only Gervinho. I feel we need a winger that has an ability to make runs in behind but that is also clever enough to know when to play it to feet. That was what we needed against Sunderland. Walcott and Gervinho were trying to run into spaces which were non existent. Navas would hopefully provide that alternative.

That's it for today. I am as desperate as you are for Arsenal.com to announce the signing. Hopefully it will be done tonight. 

'Till Tomorrow


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Arsene's latest obsession: left-footers ; Sahin deal not quite done yet

Afternoon all,

Yesterday we were told from very reliable sources that the Sahin deal was on the verge of being done. If you follow @DarrenArsenal1 or @AFCAMDEN on Twitter then you will appreciate their reputation as being two of the most reliable in relation to Arsenal news. They both said that the deal was being wrapped up and Darren went on to say that the photo's were being taken and it should be announced today. Then later last night another source came out and said that the deal had hit a snag. The snag being the buy-out clause. Real want the clause to be set at 14mil and we are not willing to agree. I don't see it being a deal-breaker however, and the deal should still go through. I would expect us to find a compromise. Somewhere in the region of 11-12mil should be enough to satisfy both parties. Its a bit frustrating but we will just have to be patient. 

Manchester United lost 1 - 0 to Everton last night. Fellaini was immense and was by far the best player on the pitch. We could use a player like him. He has a massive physical presence, he can defend and attack and has fantastic technique. He would cost something like 25mil though so I cannot see us getting him. Robin van Persie played for a the last third of the game and didn't live up to the massive expectations everyone set in the build up. Its incredible that everyone thinks he scored with every shot he took last season. He's not Lionel Messi or Ronaldo. He's still that injury prone striker he always used to be. He's had one excellent season and that was in a team that, lets be completely honest, nobody expected to win titles. He's now in a team where there is immense pressure from the media, fans, managers, owners, players. I would like to see how he fairs. Judging on last night's performance it is clear that United would have been better served with a midfielder.

That's it for today. Really crossing fingers that the Sahin deal is done swiftly. Would be a major boost. A midfield of Sahin, Arteta and Cazorla. I can see it now.

'Till Tomorrow

P.S: has anybody else noticed Arsene's latest obsession with left footed players? Sahin, Podolski, Giroud and Cazorla (who is 2 footed). Add Wilshere to that and that's one hell of a basket to choose from. 


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Really Tottenham? You want Chamakh?! ; Sahin in for medical

Afternoon all,

The Sahin deal is moving ever closer and more often than not I am hearing that there is a permanent option at the end of the loan. This is great news considering that we will have an assurance that if he does well, we will have the choice to keep him. I sat down this morning and tried to formulate our starting XI including Sahin. It is quite a tough task especially given the fact that we will need a stronger presence like Diaby. 

We are in for another midfielder, this time a more defensive type. Yann M'Vila is looking like the likeliest out of all that have been linked. I like M'Vila though I think people are over-hyping him just a bit. It would be great if he came in and did his job which is to sit and protect without being too fancy. Only 2 goals and 3 assists in Ligue 1 last season will illustrate his style of play. If reports are to be believed and we do sign M'Vila then I have no clue what our midfield would look like. M'Vila would obviously start as our only real holding midfielder. Arteta would have to start given he is our vice-captain and most consistent performer. Surely Cazorla would start in the advanced role. So where does Sahin, Diaby, Ramsey all fit in? This is when you realise the potential strength in depth in midfield. I haven't even considered the returning Wilshere and Rosicky. Nevermind the up and coming Coquelin. But M'Vila and Sahin aren't signed as of yet so I'm trying not to get ahead of myself.

Chamakh is apparently in talks with Spurs about a possible loan deal. I really don't believe this one. Why would they want him? They have Defoe at the moment and have been interested in the likes of Llorente, Soldado, Remy etc... To lower themselves to Chamakh on loan would be quite hilarious. But if they want him they can have him. In fact I would pay for the cab.

That's about it for the day. Arsene has said he is looking for a defender which is encouraging. Probably a full-back as we are really short in those positions. Especially right back.

'Till Tomorrow


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Nuri Sahin set to sign a loan deal according to BBC ; Arsenal need another forward in order to compete

Evening All,

The reaction from the game yesterday has been mixed. Some are taking away the positives and can understand the lack of fluidity and clinical finishing. Other more pessimistic fans are ruing Wenger's decision to sell van Persie as 'he would've finished the chance Giroud missed'. Some are hilariously saying that Song could have been the difference. I really don't understand that. They are gone, get over it. Robin van Persie is a great player. Maybe he would have made a difference, but then you can say that maybe Fabregas could have made a difference last season. You cannot say things like that because its impossible to predict. Robin could just have well missed that Giroud chance. And maybe Giroud would have scored that van Persie sitter against Milan? You can never tell. The opinion is divided on Alex Song's departure. Some say that he was a great player and deserved a pay rise and others are saying good riddance, we can improve. Personally I am the latter of those opinions.

There is some really positive news out for Arsenal fans. According to many reliable sources including the BBC's David Ornstein, Arsenal are set to announce the capture of talented midfielder Nuri Sahin on a season long loan. Depending on who you believe, we have a option to buy clause set in the contract or a first option to buy if Madrid decide to sell. The BBC say we have a permanent option at the end of the loan which would be great news. Rumoured loan deal is around 2 Million Euros and again, depending on who you believe, the permanent fee would be 8 million Euros. Which would be excellent business once again from Wenger. Nuri Sahin was a mainstay of Borussia Dortmund's title winning side 2 seasons ago. Their fans say that while he never played as a holding midfielder that year, he is able to play in the role. He has a magical left foot and will provide another creative outlet. As I have mentioned, he is very similar to Wilshere. Exciting buy.

I am also of the opinion that we need to sign another striker. Giroud and Podolski look excellent but we need someone else to compliment them. A proven marquee signing. I have seen reports saying that we are in for Llorente and he would be welcome. I think having 3 proven, quality forwards will definitely do us no harm. Andrey Arshavin is in Zenit St Petersburg for 'business purposes'. I wonder what that means, possibly a transfer? If he is already in contract negotiations then I would have thought that Arsenal and Zenit have agreed a fee. 

That's about it for today.

'Till Tomorrow


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Song's sale represents a change in style by Wenger.

The sale of Alex Song seems a strange one for many Arsenal fans. He was a mainstay of the team last year and we were all dazzled by the lobbed pass he has made his own. Fans fell in love with his bad-boy attitude, his ridiculous hair and the tucked in shorts. He was our only midfielder that could boast any kind of physical presence and strength. All of these factors have made fans and pundits alike unaware of his faults. 

He is classed as a holding or defensive midfielder. Whether he was instructed to rotate with the other midfielders remains to be seen but he often left gaping holes in front of our defense. This sale means that Wenger has completely overhauled his midfield in the last year. Arteta was brought in on deadline day last summer and Cazorla was only recently acquired. Diaby played in Song's position yesterday and I thought he did reasonably well. No doubt there needs to be someone else coming in though. Nuri Sahin appears to be closing in on a move yet nothing is official. A midfield trio of Arteta, Sahin and Cazorla represents a new tactic by Wenger. One which is dangerous but if implemented the right way, could see us dominating every match we play. All technically superb and all able to tackle - this system is a unique one. I have rarely seen it put into use yet it is one which excites me. The system I am going on about is the midfield interchangeability. Any one of those players can play in any one of the midfield positions. Sahin played as a box-to-box central midfielder for Dortmund in their title winning season 2 years ago. The box-to-box player is an interesting one. That basically means that he is an all round midfielder. He can tackle. He has vision and is technically superb. Arteta is very similar. They have the same characteristics. Cazorla would start off as a more advanced midfielder but his versatility means he can play deep as well. 

However, I still think we need a proper holding midfielder. When we play teams who love to counter attack it is important to have someone designated to break up play. Wenger hinted that a player 'in the defensive area' would be brought in if Song was sold. Whether he classifies Sahin as that player remains to be seen. With Wilshere coming back Sahin represents the perfect stop-gap signing. It would be even better if we could retain Sahin permanently as a long term Arteta replacement. A midfield of Wilshere, Sahin and Cazorla is the stuff of dreams. I find it amazing that even without Fabregas and Nasri, Arsene could potentially create one of the most feared midfields in the world. 


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Arsenal 0 - 0 Sunderland: Anti-climax, but not the end of the world.

That was somewhat of an anti-climax. Arsenal drew a blank against a determined and stubborn Sunderland side. The weather conditions of 35 degrees undoubtedly played a part though it was no excuse for the result. The starting line up was as expected besides for the Diaby inclusion. We lined up with Szczesny in goal; Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Vermaelan, Gibbs along the back; Diaby, Arteta and Cazorla in midfield; Walcott and Gervinho on the wings and Podolski up front. The game was frustrating from start to end and after the first 20 minutes the tempo dropped considerably. However, I can only remember Szczesny having to make one save from McClean. Our defense was superb whenever they were tested. Vermaelan and particularly Gibbs made an impression. Arteta was his usual reliable self and Diaby played well too. Cazorla was man of the match. He was the creator of the side, and whenever he got the ball you thought something would happen. Podolski had a few half chances, most of which were blocked. He was frustrated for the most part. When Giroud came on nothing really changed. I thought that we didn't get enough crosses in the box for him to run on to. He missed a relatively simple chance. I think he and Podolski will need time to get into form.

Overall it was an acceptable performance though we all expected better. That is the third time in a row that we have started the season with a draw. Players weren't always on the same wavelength, particularly Podolski and Gervinho. Only time will fix that problem. Jenkinson was okay at right back. He didn't have much defending to do but did what he had to. Going forward he was extremely disappointing. His crossing was dismal and you need them coming in when a player like Giroud is on the field. I am seeing too many Arsenal fans making conclusions at the moment. You cannot conclude anything from that performance besides the fact that the players lack physical sharpness. I expect the performances to get better and better. We play Stoke away next week. Always a tough game but I expect a win as always.

The Alex Song deal has been announced as I said a few days ago. We won't miss him. He's one of the players in our team that we can improve from. We need a proper holding midfielder who plays it simple and who's priority is to break up play. Let Cazorla and the rest create, its not the holding midfielders job. Yann M'Vila is still being linked but I don't think we will replace one bad attitude player with another. Capoue would be a better option in my opinion. Sahin is rumoured to be next in the pipeline. I like him a lot. I was informed that Wenger isn't actually looking to play with a designated holding mid. Apparently he wants 3 midfielders that can rotate with each other providing some unpredictability and a better side technically. If that's going to solve our defensive problems I'm all for it.

That's it for today.

'Till Tomorrow


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Arsenal vs Sunderland preview: The start of something big.

Welcome to the beginning of the Premier League season. Today we start a new journey which will have extreme highs and some deep lows but one which we should all stick together. The one advantage we have over the Manchester Clubs and Chelsea is unity. Our players have endured some of the toughest times in Arsenal history and have come through the other side with better understanding of what it takes to compete. I would like to think that our players are also more grounded than the mega paid competitors and are more determined than ever to finally get some silverware for the fans. We started terribly last year with the Old Trafford defeat still fresh in the mind of all Gooners. I'm confident that we will begin positively this year. One thing about making mistakes is that you learn from them. We will have learnt from last years beginning and will make sure it does not happen again.

There is some worrying team news for us today. Laurent Koscielny, arguably our best defender, is not available for selection after pulling out of the France squad in midweek with a calf strain. Oxlade Chamberlain will also miss out due to an ankle problem. Both are expected back next week. Santi Cazorla and Theo Walcott will both be assessed after the former played 90 minutes in Puerto Rico and the latter pulled out of the England squad. Both are expected to be available for selection. The longer term injuries are obviously also unavailable - Wilshere, Rosicky, Frimpong, Sagna. Alex Song is not expected to take part as he completes his move to Barca. Its unfortunate that we didn't have a replacement signed by yesterday. This is why squad depth is so important in the modern game. Even though our midfield is packed with quality players, many of them are injury prone. Arteta, Diaby and Rosicky spring to mind. Wilshere and Frimpong are obviously long term. And now that Song is unavailable we have no assigned Defensive Midfielder although he didn't play like one.

Defense:
We cannot look past Szczesny to go in goals. Right back will be an interesting choice. If Giroud starts, we can expect Jenkinson to start as well such is his crossing ability. A more reliable option would be Yennaris or Coquelin. Centre backs are Mertesacker and Vermaelan. Left back should be Gibbs although we know Wenger loves Santos.

Midfield:
As Song won't be playing today, I would naturally select Coquelin for the holding role. Wenger may opt to play Diaby but I have a feeling Wenger will trust the French youngster. Arteta is the obvious choice beside him. In the advanced role we will have Santi Cazorla. If he is fit, he is the first name on the team sheet. We must be wary not to overplay him this season though.

Attack:
On the right wing we will have Walcott. Again if he is fit it is a no-brainer. He was training yesterday so he should be available. On the left Gervinho will start. He has been one of the better players in pre-season and will be looking for a better start than last season. I would go with Podolski up front. Giroud played 90 minutes against Uruguay on Wednesday and could be tired. Podolski offers a more dynamic option.

Starting XI:

-----------------------------------------Szczesny------------------------------------------
Yennaris-----------------Mertesacker------------Vermaelan-------------------------Gibbs
------------------------------Coquelin------------Arteta-----------------------------------
-----------------------------------------Cazorla-------------------------------------------
Walcott----------------------------------------------------------------------------Gervinho
-----------------------------------------Podolski-------------------------------------------

I am genuinely excited about today's game as you all should be. It should be exciting and I cannot wait to see Vermaelan captain the boys on our home turf. If you are lucky enough to be catching the game at the Emirates make sure you contribute to the atmosphere. Home ground advantage could be the difference this season.

Prediction:
Arsenal 3-0 Sunderland

There will be a match review and thoughts later.

Till 'Then


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Excitement building ; Alex packed his bags - announcement by Monday

Good evening to you,

I am delighted to announce that tomorrow is the beginning of the new Barclays Premier League season. I am already over van Persie and you should be too. He is the past. We should be focusing on tomorrow and we should be excited about tomorrow. We have an opportunity to see three world class attackers who have just signed for our club. Forget what might have been or what should have been. Cazorla - man of the match for Spain on Wednesday. That just shows you what he is capable of doing. In a team with Xavi, Iniesta, Navas, Llorente, Busquets etc.. our new signing was the pick. Podolski - scorer of two quality goals in our last match. Giroud - target man and threat in the box. Arguably performed better than Benzema on Wednesday. This is the standard we're talking about people. If you're not excited, you shouldn't be an Arsenal supporter.

Arsene had a press conference this morning. I just watched it and as you'd expect everything asked was related to transfers. In fact, only at the end was he asked about the actual game against Sunderland. Journalists nowadays are looking for stories, for the next money maker. Its sad that it has gotten to a point where the football takes a back seat to the politics surrounding it. Arsene was cool calm and collected. He even made a few jokes! He said that he had almost no choice in the van Persie sale. Which I can understand - for a club like us who run by balancing the books, turning down 24mil would have been unrealistic. If you want to be angry, be angry at van Persie who today said that 'the little kid inside him shouted Manchester United'. Says the guy who was in an Arsenal top as a kid in a room filled with Arsenal posters. Classless I say.

Alex Song has said his farewells and has cleared his locker. The move to Barca will be officially announced this weekend or Monday latest. Many are uneasy with this but I am not. He has improved tremendously under Wenger but just not enough to provide a solid base. His passes looked fantastic and his assist record was commendable but that just papered the cracks. His duels percentage won and successful passes rate actually dropped last season. The fee is rumoured to be anywhere between 15 and 20 million pounds. Not bad business and that takes our transfer income to 44mil. We have around 12mil to spend if we want to have balanced the transfer books. That should be spent on a proper DM.

Sahin is apparently angling for a move to us and Arsenal are confident of tying up a deal. Liverpool are also in the running. I am an Arsenal fan and therefore hope he comes to us. Would be a shrewd loan deal and hopefully would have an option to but at the end. Sahin is very similar to Jack. Both excellent at passing and ball retention. Both strong in the tackle and very dynamic. Can only strengthen the squad.

That's it for today. Will have a match preview in the morning.

'Till Then


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Van Persie and Song money MUST be reinvested.

When I saw the announcement on Arsenal.com last night the first thing that came over me was... relief. I was grateful that the whole thing was over. Now we could look forward to the season without having this saga hanging over our heads. I must reiterate that this sale was not the fault of Arsenal FC. We did all we could to keep him but his demands were over the top. It was Robin's decision to leave and he must live with that now. In the process, he has soured his relationship with everyone related to Arsenal. With Juventus and Manchester City unable to come up with the fee, it left only Man United to deal with and they stumped up the cash. 24mil for an injury prone striker who is going into his 30's is not too shabby. I'm left in a state of anger and disappointment. Robin Van Persie seemed committed to the cause. He seemed to care, to have an understanding of what being a Gunner meant. From that picture of him sitting on his bed in an Arsenal jersey when he was a kid, to when he rallied the troops last season through what was a difficult campaign he genuinely looked the part. Now it will all be forgotten. We are going to get that 24mil and we must reinvest it to make up for that sale. If we don't and we go into the season without reinforcements where we need them then we can start being angry. I don't feel we need another attacking player. There needs to be players bought in the midfield and defense.

Alex Song is almost definitely on his way out. He is on the verge of a 15mil - quite a paltry sum for an experienced Champions League midfielder - move to Barcelona. I am not totally against the sale. His attitude has been dismal and he thinks way too highly of himself. If we get that money and use it for Capoue or M'Vila that will be progress. I know many of you will have fallen in love with his silly bleached hair or his ridiculous tucked in shorts but to be realistic he has to go. He made his contribution and proved to be a decent midfield option but has not done his defensive record any good. His duty is too protect the defense and if he isn't prepared to do that then its best he leaves.

Let's not forget we have recruited Podolski, Giroud and Cazorla. Three players who will go a long way to making us a much improved team. We should still be buzzing with their signings but this Van Persie thing hasn't let us. A defensive midfielder, a deep playmaker and a right back will complete a good summer. We survived with Van Persie on the treatment table all those years, we will survive without him now.


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Sahin transfer doesn't have anything to do with Song ; Llorente linked but is he the right Robin replacement?

Robin Van Persie and Alex Song. Two mainstays of the first team last year have now become two players on the brink of moves away. Van Persie has chosen to tarnish destroy his Arsenal legacy by flirting with our arch rivals Manchester United. I don't think he wanted to go there when  he released that statement of his. I think he thought that he would have tons of offers from European heavyweights across the globe. Turns out he only has a chance of joining one of those heavyweights. Alex Song on the other hand is a different situation all together. We are open to letting him go. If he does go it is with Arsenal Football Club's full permission. The fee being rumoured is a rather poultry 15mil but I don't believe that's accurate. Lets remember that this is Arsene Wenger we are talking about. He won't bend over because Barcelona are interested. We always - or most of the time anyway - get maximum for every player.

Arsene is looking to overhaul the midfield completely. Now that we have signed the likes of Santi Cazorla to fill that creative hole, we don't need Song to do it anymore. In fact we don't need Song at all anymore. He is more of a burden than an asset. I know I sound like I'm contradicting myself - one day saying that we shouldn't sell him to now saying that he is a burden - but I am now speaking from Arsene's point of view. To be honest many of our goals were indirectly caused by Song being out of position or sloppily giving the ball away. Cazorla needs a solid base and Song isn't going to sit back - he just isn't that sort of player, or isn't anymore. So this is what I think Arsene Wenger is going to do with regards to selling players and getting them in:

We are going to sell Alex Song for around 17-20mil. We are going to sell Van Persie for 20-25mil. That gives us at least 37mil to spend. Arsene is looking for a solid defensive midfielder. If we are considering selling our most physical midfielder we will have a replacement on hand. Yann M'Vila and Etienne Capoue are both suitable replacements. We can snap them up at approximately 10-15mil each. Take your pick as to which ones better suited to the holding role. We are looking to bring Nuri Sahin in regardless of whether we sell Song or not. Sahin's role is to be a short term Wilshere replacement. We don't want to rush him back and Sahin will allow us to slowly reintroduce him. We also need another striker now that Van Persie is gone. Llorente is being linked and Juventus have made a bid of 12mil which was rejected. Bilbao want 25mil. I don't think we should pay that kind of money for him. I prefer someone like Jovetic, who can play as a second striker as well. I honestly don't know who Arsene will bring in in the striking department. We will have to re-invest the Van Persie money though.

It looks like all the transfers will drag on unfortunately. We are 3 days away from the start of the season so this isn't ideal. Hopefully we get lucky with regards to injuries tonight. I'll most likely be watching Giroud play for France.

'Till Tomorrow


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UPDATE:
Oliver Kay from the Times reckons Sahin is going to Liverpool. Will apparently be announced tonight or tomorrow. Its a shame but I can understand why he chose Liverpool - guaranteed playing time..

Robin off to United ; Theo Walcott the latest 'injury'

The Robin Van Persie saga is literally a rolercoaster ride at the moment. Some reports said yesterday that he has informed his agent he wanted to re-sign with Arsenal. Today speculation is rife that we have agreed a 22mil fee with United and he should be their by the weekend. I am now resigned to the fact that he is leaving one way or the other. I saw @AFCAMDEN (one of the most reliable Arsenal sources on Twitter) say that he is likely to join United now. He said that once Van Persie leaves, Nuri Sahin will arrive. I know that many of you will question the relation of the two transfers. Well they are not like for like personal replacements but Van Persie's departure frees up a squad place and the necessary wages to pay for Sahin.

Liverpool are also in the race and Guillem Balague - a respected Spanish journalist - says that they are favourites for his signature. Apparently Xabi Alonso has been talking up Liverpool and Brendan Rodgers is using his close relationship with Mourinho to his advantage. I don't know which way the pendulum will swing with thins one. I would prefer Yann M'Vila on a permanent basis as I think we need a holding midfielder but people have been saying that Sahin isn't bad in that respect either.

Kevin Mirallas, an Olympiacos and Belgium international striker, says that Arsenal have contacted his agent with regards to a transfer. He doesn't have bad numbers and is described as a tricky striker with good dribbling skills. He scored something like 38 goals in 52 games for the Greek champions so he can't be that bad. He says that Olympiacos's 6mil asking price could put us off. That doesn't seem too much especially given the fact we paid 3mil for Park last year. People will argue that he is not what we need and complain that we need a proven goal getter like Llorente. I disagree. I think that Mirallas, Giroud, Podolski will give us great options up front. I would rather invest the money in a right back and a defensive midfielder.

Theo Walcott is the latest to pull out of his national team with a 'bruised' thigh. It is now obvious what is going on. None of these players are actually injured! Arsene just doesn't want them to go to these pointless games with the risk of injuring themselves. He should have told Cazorla and Vermaelan to do the same. Ah well you can't win 'em all.

That's about it for the day.

'Till Tomorrow


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Signings were made to compliment RvP, not replace him ; International Friendlies threaten to ruin preparations.

Afternoon All,

News has taken a backseat to the live football we got to see yesterday and so there isn't much to feast our eyes upon today. Some exciting quotes from Arsene after the game was that the signings already made were to compliment Van Persie rather than to prepare for his departure. Does that mean we will buy a replacement should he leave? Of course I am still optimistic that he is going to stay. Manchester United still need to up their bid another 7mil to have a chance of signing him and I am not the only one who doesn't think that will happen. I spoke with some Utd mates this morning and they would love to see Van Persie donning their colours. They want a partnership of Rooney and Van Persie, not considering the amount of money it will take to buy him. They don't care how much he will cost either.

 That's what separates Arsenal fans from the City, Liverpool, Chelsea and United fans. We actually care about the cost of a player. I saw a few Arsenal fans questioning the logic of spending 18mil on Cazorla (although it has been revealed it was a 11.7mil fee). To put that 11.7mil fee into perspective, Liverpool just spent 15mil on Joe Allen of Swansea, Chelsea spent 25mil on unproven Oscar, Man City have spent 17-20mil on Rodwell. No doubt that we have got ourselves one hell of a deal. I also find that Arsenal fans appreciate the quality signings more than those other fans. It usually happens only once every 6 or 7 years and this year we have signed 3. What the signings have done is bring new hope to the fans - I have seen many supporters say that we will have improved the team even if Van Persie leaves. I like the new look Arsenal.

This weekend we begin the new EPL season against Sunderland at the Emirates. The starting XI might be made a bit easier to pick thanks to the absolutely needless internationals taking place on Wednesday. I cannot believe that just a month after the Euros, 3 days before the season, we have to have friendlies. Cazorla will be in Puerto Rica with Spain, Gervinho will be in Russia. Other than that I don't think the players will travel long distances. Oxlade Chamberlain and Laurent Koscielny have pulled out of their respective National teams. Both have injury concerns.

Song has said that he wants to stay at Arsenal amid strong interest from Barcelona. He did admit that their interest was solid. Some refreshing commitment from the Cameroon international. Reports state that he is open to extending his contract. I think some fans have been trying to find faults with his game because they don't want to seem like they care if he leaves. I would care and I think it would be a mistake to let him go.

That's it for the day.

'Till Tomorrow


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