Soccer Clubs

Here’s my strongest Arsenal starting side - now tell me yours

admin — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 07:06:00 +0000

There’s very little going on today. Actually, apart from the news that Robin van Persie is in contract talks and the revelation that Theo Walcott didn’t actually want the #14 shirt there’s absolutely nothing going on.

Now, there’s not much I can say about those two stories so I thought I’d run through the squad and name the team (including substitutes) that I will be hoping starts the first match of the season. In other words, the strongest Arsenal side that is currently available. So here it is:

Manuel Almunia

Bacary Sagna Kolo Toure William Gallas (C) Gael Clichy

Theo Walcott Abou Diaby Cesc Fabregas Samir Nasri

Robin van Persie Emmanuel Adebayor

Subtitutes (7): Lukasz Fabianski, Johan Djourou, Alex Song, Denilson, Jack Wilshere, Carlos Vela, Nicklas Bendtner.

As the title of my post says, this is the side that I would play for the first game of the season based on fitness and form. I think most people will agree with the bulk of the picks - with the most contentious areas likely to be the left and right wing and the second central-midfield slot next to Cesc Fabregas.

I’ve gone with Theo Walcott on the right because I think he’s ready to make an impact this season and he’s looked promising in pre-season thus far. Samir Nasri should start on the left simply because he was brought in to replace Alex Hleb and should be up to it.

As for the defensive midfield slot, I’ve gone for Abou Diaby over the likes of Denilson and Alex Song because he has more experience and physical presence and tends to use the ball better as well. Ideally I would like to see someone else come in to provide competition in this position but if this is how the squad looks when the transfer window slams shut then I think Diaby is the best fit.

When looking at the bench I’ve gone for players to cover a range of different positions. I still see Johan Djourou as a better player than Philippe Senderos while Song can play anywhere across the back and in midfield. Denilson is a sure thing while selecting Carlos Vela, Nicklas Bendtner and the precocious Jack Wilshere gives a huge amount of variety in attack.

As for the players that are currently out of action, I don’t think too many people will argue that both Tomas Rosicky and Eduardo will push very hard for a starting spot once they return to fitness. Their inevitable returns should ensure the likes of Walcott and Nasri as well as Adebayor and van Persie are well and truly on their toes throughout the early part of the season. Indeed, any consistently weak performances and they may find themselves benched.

So that’s about it. I think it’s a pretty good side - what do you think? Would you change anything? Let me know.

And of course - have a great weekend!

Have your say on Arsenal’s strongest starting side by leaving a comment.

Sagna loves Nasri, Wilshere promoted + Wednesday Poll

admin — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 07:00:00 +0000

A bit of Jack Wilshere, some Samir Nasri and the Wednesday Poll is what’s in store today before I rush off to the movies with the girl for a bit of mid-week relaxation.

First up, young Wilshere. I hastily mentioned in yesterday’s post that the 16-year-old Englishman has been rewarded with a spot in the first team this season by Arsene Wenger. Wilshere was given the #19 shirt vacated by Gilberto Silva as a result of his stunning pre-season performances.

As Neil Banfield - coach of the Arsenal reserve team - states:

“Jack was given the opportunity by the manager to go on the Austrian Training Camp, along with five others who have all done really well. Jack has taken his chance, and he is one of quite a few we have here that we have high hopes for.”

It’s another great example of the message that Wenger tries to put across that if you’re good enough, you’re old enough. And everything we’ve seen thus far suggests that Wilshere is more than good enough.

A couple of the Arsenal blogs have cleverly pointed out that with the new ’seven substitutes’ rule coming into effect this season it could be the perfect platform for Wilshere to make a name for himself. Either way, the inclusion in the first team squad should be a huge pat on the back and boost of confidence for a kid who is still yet to finish school. Well done to him.

Next up today are some comments from everybody’s favourite braid-wearing right-back, Bacary Sagna. The Frenchman has been speaking about Arsenal’s chances for next season as well as the impact that new signing Samir Nasri could have for the club. In his own words:

“Samir is a very good player and we are lucky to have signed him. I have played alongside him in the French national team. I believe he will show everyone he can play very well and will find his place in the Arsenal team.”

My personal opinion is that Nasri is going to fit in a lot quicker than people think. There’s little doubt in my mind that with Tomas Rosicky still recovering from his surgery Nasri will start the season as the first-choice left-winger and I think he’s going to do a mighty fine job. I’m not expecting miracles, just consistency, and I think the Frenchman is definitely going to be up to the task.

Now the bit you’ve been waiting for… the Wednesday Poll. Hurrah! I try to keep things interesting with regards to the poll and again I’m quite happy with this one. Observe:

Has Adebayor won your heart back yet?
	Yep, most definitely.
	No, still got a lot more to do.
	He’ll never win my heart back!
	I never had a problem with him in the first place

Web Polls

That’s it for today. Just on the off chance that you’re interested in what movie I’m off to tonight it’s a Brazilian flick called ‘Mutum’ that I’m watching at the Brisbane International Film Festival. I’ll let you know if it turns out to be any good tomorrow.

Cheers!

Have your say on Wilshere’s promotion, Sagna’s Nasri comments or the Wednesday Poll by leaving a comment.

Xabi Alonso the final piece? + Arsenal squad review

admin — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 06:53:00 +0000

Hello there, happy Tuesday to you all. I know it’s not the best day of the week - heck, I’d say it’s probably the worst - but what can you do other than try and enjoy it? My sentiments exactly. Anyhoo, moving on…

It seems that Arsenal have made a move for Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso. According to reports Arsene Wenger has made an inital approach for the Spaniard with the hope of having his £18 million valuation reduced to something around £10.5 million - the amount that Liverpool paid Real Sociedad four years ago. Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez, however, is adament that Alonso will not be going anywhere unless Arsenal fork out the dough.

Speaking after his side’s win over Rangers on the weekend, Benitez said:

“I don’t think it will be easy [for him to leave]. The value of Alonso in the market will be really high. We are really pleased with him and we don’t want him to go unless we get a very good price.”

With Gareth Barry almost certain of moving from Aston Villa to Liverpool it’s understandable that Benitez and the club want to get as much as they can for Alonso. But is he worth £18 million? It’s hard to say.

On one hand he’s 26, in the prime of his career and already seasoned Premiership player. On the other, if Barry comes in to replace Alonso then Liverpool will have a player who will be on the fringes and who - you would have to think - would be looking for a change.

Should he look over for a moment and see the gaping hole in Arsenal’s midfield and the huge opportunity for him then I think he might look to move. Liverpool won’t want an unsettled player and while Wenger might not want to pay £18 million for the Spaniard I can definitely see him forking out £12-13 million for him.

Personally I think it’s going to happen. Call it a hunch, call it whatever you want, but I think Alonso will be Wenger’s last signing this summer. And a mighty good one it will be. Indeed, should Alonso’s move go through then I think Arsenal will have a stronger squad than they had last season.

In goals, Manuel Almunia spent most of last season trying to prove that he was a more able goalkeeper than the outwardly vocal Jens Lehmann. He eventually won, rewarded with the Number One jersey and the knowledge that he will start this season as the undisputed first-choice goalkeeper.

In defence the personnel is exactly the same as last time around but the crucial fact is that each and every player is a year older. That means William Gallas and Kolo Toure’s partnership will be stronger, Philippe Senderos and Johan Djourou will have more vital experience under the belts and Gael Clichy and Bacary Sagna… well… there’s really nothing to worry about there!

Time is also a big factor with regards to the midfielders Wenger has at his disposal. Arsenal may have lost Alex Hleb and Mathieu Flamini but I’d argue that the signings of Samir Nasri, Xabi Alonso (if it goes ahead) and Aaron Ramsey combined with the continued development of Denilson, Abou Diaby and Theo Walcott means the squad have more depth and quality than last time around. There’s more variety too, something that will become vital as Wenger tries to balance his Premier League and Champions League challenges.

There is always the possibility that Alonso’s move does not go through and if that proves to be the case then Wenger needs to look at other options to plug that central midfield hole. It’s not vital to the starting team - indeed, I’m confident that Diaby can start in there - but it is vital to the depth and overall quality of the squad.

Update: I should add in here the revelation that is Jack Wilshere. 16 years old and has just been rewarded with a spot in the first team. Outstanding stuff.

Up front there is absolutely nothing to worry about. Vitally, Emmanuel Adebayor has decided to stay and should he remain fit then there is huge potential in him forming an awesome partnership with Robin van Persie. The few times the pair got to play together last season they were highly effective and some of the combination play they exhibited against Real Madrid suggests the pair are ready for a big year.

As for reserves, I’d argue that no other club in Europe has as much depth and variety in attack as Arsenal do. Nicklas Bendtner is a year older and looks ready to play a big part this season, Carlos Vela has shown he can also be relied upon while Eduardo will return around Christmas and give the side the deadly finisher they lacked at crucial points last season.

So all in all I think things are looking pretty darn good. To be completely honest, just writing all that has got me bloody excited! I hope reading it has made you feel the same way.

Before I go today I want to mention a couple of exciting Arsenal FC Blog-related bits.

Firstly, for all those that have been asking - I have finally set up a Premier League Fantasy Football league for all the readers of the blog. The code you will need to enter is 647594-126298 and you can join the league here. For everyone who entered last season you should be automatically invited back in again.

Secondly, after some careful negotiations my good friends at Pikum have come up with a special offer for the readers of this blog. They’re giving away a no strings attached £10 for users to throw around on any of the pikums that I have set up. They’ve also been nice enough to throw a bonus £15 in the pot for the Arsenal v West Brom Pikum that I have set up for Round One of the Premier League. Check out all the details here.

For those that don’t know, Pikum! is a really cool social betting site where you try and pick results on all sorts of sporting events. In their own words: “Pikum is a fun game you can play with friends, co-workers, or fellow fans to see who’s best at answering the question… What’s going to happen?”. For more details go to their website here. I should also remind you that you don’t have to bet with real money, you can bet just for fun as well.

OK - that’s it. Thanks for reading and have a smashing Tuesday.

Have your say on Xabi Alonso or the Arsenal squad by leaving a comment.

Bentley enjoys immediate Spurs impact

admin — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 11:40:00 +0000

David Bentley has vowed to light up White Hart Lane just like his boyhood hero Paul Gascoigne.

And just two days into his Tottenham career we have already been handed a sneak preview of the ability our new signing has to carry the torch of our progression under Juande Ramos.

His words in the press have been refreshing. The 23 year-old speaks with passion about returning “home” to Spurs, the club he grew up near and who his best mates fanatically support.

He has banished any of his Arsenal roots claiming he cannot wait to grace the turf in his first ever north London derby on October 29 when he dreams of scoring the winner at the Emirates.

His ambitions do not stop there either. Bentley says Spurs can achieve anything the players set their mind to - in reference to gate crashing the Premier League’s domineering top four.

But maybe the most exciting prospect of Bentley’s arrival is his intention live up to his big money price tag and entertain us in the same way as Gazza. He has vowed to dazzle for a club he says has “a place in his heart”.

So Bentley passed the first test with flying colours revving up the engine ahead of a new season and increasing optimism just days after it threatened to come crashing down with the departure of Robbie Keane.

But as has been proved so many times in the past words are cheap and it is ultimately performances on the pitch rather than promises in the media centre which will determine his success.

And Bentley didn’t do too badly in that department either. The right winger took no time at all in opening his Spurs account, scoring in only his first 45 minutes for the club, in last night’s 2-0 win over Celtic in the Jubilee Trophy.

It may have been a tap in but the England hopeful offered much more on an encouraging Spurs debut. His ability to deliver consistent quality balls in and the around penalty shone through even in the infancy of his Tottenham career, and we can expect much more of the same from the hungry wide man as the season gets underway.

All in all, you can be none other than pleased with the addition of Bentley to our ranks this week. His signing ticks all the boxes with only a question mark hanging over the ‘value for money’ column.

Maybe we have paid slightly over the odds for our new man but we can thank Arsenal’s 40% sell on clause for that atrocity.

To be quite honest I couldn’t care how much we paid for Bentley this summer if he proves to be a success on the pitch. If he can provide us with the lack of with and delivery into the box we have been missing over the past few seasons, it will be money well spent.

Bentley may also be the answer to getting the best from his main competitor for a starting spot, Aaron Lennon.

The former Leeds man has flattered to deceive in recent months but the arrival of a possible successor to his throne on the right side of the Spurs midfield may yet produce the finest form of his young career.

This is not all Bentley can add. If he can take us to the next level, score the winner against Arsenal and fill the void as the club’s next Gazza, who cares if we paid £15 million for the pleasure.

By the winger’s own admission, he has a heck of a lot to prove next season but there is all the evidence to suggest he has the bit between the teeth to be a hit at White Hart Lane.

Forget the past, you are Spurs now. Let’s see what you’re made of…

Arsenal 3-1 Stuttgart + Bischoff signing won’t be the last

admin — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 07:10:00 +0000

Although only a pre-season riendly, last night’s impressive 3-1 win over Stuttgart suggests that things are ticking along quite nicely for Arsenal. The game marked the debut of new signing Samir Nasri and Arsene Wenger gave the Frenchman as well as a host of other senior players their first pre-season runouts.

The starting team included Manuel Almunia behind a very strong back four of Bacary Sagna, Johan Djourou, William Gallas - whose captaincy skills were backed by Cesc Fabregas and the manager before the match - and Gael Clichy. Denilson was surprisingly paired with Emmanuel Eboue in the centre of the park, flanked on the right and left by Theo Walcott and Nasri respectively with Robin van Persie and Emmanuel Adebayor starting up front.

I think it’s fair to say that the bigger name players were a little sluggish and lethargic in the first half - understandable given that most had only recently returned to training. Van Persie should have scored from a one-on-one situation with ex-Arsenal keeper Jens Lehmann while Walcott had a close range effort excellently saved by the same player. Aside from that, things were a little flat.

Indeed, it was not until the destroyers of Burgenland - Nicklas Bendtner and Carlos Vela - were brought on at the break that Arsenal’s attack began to click into gear. Even despite the changes it was Stuttgart who took the lead when Yildiray Basturk capitalised on some lose marking by Djourou to shoot through the defender’s legs and past Lukasz Fabianski.

But from that point on it was all Arsenal as Vela, Bendtner and fellow substitute Jack Wilshere all scored second-half goals.

The first involved a lovely pass from Bendtner and a neat bit of control and finishing from Vela, with both players switching roles for the second. The game was put beyond doubt when some lovely tenacity and skill from Gael Clichy allowed 16-year-old Wilshire to fire home a crisp shot.

You can see all the goals and highlights here.

All in all, it was another very encouraging performance from Arsenal. While the big guns were a little off the pace there is little doubt that they will come good once they get more training under their belts. What is encouraging are the recent performances from the players who are genuinely on the fringes of the first-team. Guys like Bendtner, Vela, Wilshere and Walcott are doing really well and their efforts will give the manager a welcome headache regarding his starting team for the first game of the season.

Following the match Wenger singled out the performances of both Vela and Bendtner as well as admitting that while he does not feel the need to sign another striker, he still feels Arsenal are one player short of the what they require for this season:

“Vela is integrating very well into the team. Bendtner was already a force at the end of last season and he will confirm that this year. Overall, we are still maybe one player short. But up front we don’t need anybody.”

Regarding the comment about not needing any more strikers, I totally agree. There is absolutely no need for Wenger to sign any more attacking players. Van Persie is world-class, Adebayor and Eduardo (when fit) are wonderful contributors to the side, Bendtner is a season older and stronger while Vela - as the manager says - is integrating well. Add to that the likes of Walcott, new signing Nasri and of course Tomas Rosicky and I think things are looking pretty good up top.

What is interesting about Wenger’s comments about being ‘one player short’ is that they came even after the announcement of the signing of Portuguese midfielder Amaury Bischoff - which suggests to me that there is more to come from Wenger. Whether it’s a midfielder or a defender who is brought in I’m not too sure, but I am pretty certain that Bischoff’s signing will not be the last. As always, we’ll have to wait and see what happens.

Just on Bischoff, it’s hard to know what sort of role he is set for this season. He’s been given the #28 shirt by Wenger and drafted straight into the first-team squad. I’ve little doubt that if Wenger thinks he’s good enough for Arsenal then he probably is, but I do get the feeling it will be something of a learning year for the Portuguese player.

So that’s about it. An impressive win over a decent side and a new signing - not bad for a day’s work. See you tomorrow.

Have your say on Arsenal v Stuttgart or the signing of Bischoff by leaving a comment.

One hell of a week…

admin — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 20:31:00 +0000

Spurs Offside look back at an action-packed week in N17 with the rumour mill gathering pace as we edge closer to the new campaign…

Spurs steal tips Jordan

The week began with a stroke of excellent news for Tottenham after the tribunal was held to conclude the deal seeing John Bostock join White Hart Lane from across the capital.

Juande Ramos escaped proceedings being told to pay just £700,000 for the Eagles’ 16-year-old gem.

After Spurs had previously offered Palace more in the original deal - the South London Chairman Simon Jordan was left seething. And rightly so.

He has seen one of his club’s brightest ever talents stolen right from under his nose at a pittance. You have to laugh. After all it makes a change for Spurs to get the right side of a bargain these days.

But Jordan’s fury could not be any more justified. Who are we to be the enforcer of such sporting robbery? I am afraid it is just one of the many signs of the demise to the game of football.

On this occasion we have profited but who is to say years down the line we may not turn victim to a similar instance. And if Bostock does become merely the next Wayne Routledge, the club should probably take a long hard look at themselves. We owe it to our fellow Football League clubs and the best young English players, to act honourably.

I hope this is not just another example of the game’s biggest clubs exerted their powers, simply because they can. I hope Tottenham are better than that.

Poyet laughs at United

After the first piece of excellent news last week, a second shortly followed.

Amidst rising speculation the Spurs No 2 Gus Poyet could be moving to Old Trafford to become Sir Alex Ferguson’s new right-hand man - the Uruguayan proved the gossip was just that. Pure rumour.

With the future of several of the club’s most prized personnel still hanging finely in the balance, Poyet gave the club such a welcomed boost.

While the press would have us think the club was close to collapse, ‘Gus’ stepped in to explain it as myth.

He said the thought of leaving either the team’s manager or players could not be further from his mind. Simply brilliant. What a lift this news provided us with.

A departing quartet?

Next up came a quite simply outrageous transfer bid from Premiership rivals Sunderland.

The Black Cats boss Roy Keane was reported to have launched a £23 million offer for the services of Younes Kaboul, Teemu Tainio, Pascal Chimbonda and Steed Marlbranque.

With it well documented Ramos was looking to trim the squad for further summer strengthening this somewhat crazy transfer pitch gradually became quite appealing.

Ramos’ resolve to tighten his ranks was tested to the ultimate. Could he have the nerve to enforce the shake-up he had promised?

The more we thought about the deal the more it seemed good money. It is crazy but just maybe it was going to happen. Until Kaboul hit the press room.

The Frenchmen stoked the fire claiming he wouldn’t move to Weirside even if there was an earthquake. His skills talking to the media still need brushing up. It is not the first time this year he has caused a stir in the newspapers.

Meanwhile, ‘Chimbo’ was quick to meet with ‘Keano’ and is understood to be close to agreeing terms with the club. Since the arrival of Alan Hutton, I suspect there will not be many fans sad to see the back of him despite spells of solidity at the club.

While seeing the back Tainio and Marlbranque would be a little more disappointing, I think it is probably within their best interests to seek new challenges after some of the names enrolled this summer.

This week should bring a conclusion. The departure of all four would not be a surprise. Although I doubt they will all rock up at the Stadium of Light.

Levy blasts United and Liverpool

With the speculation still rife surrounding the futures of Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane, Daniel Levy attempted to appease fans with a statement of intent published on the club’s official website slamming the chasing parties.

While it is honourable to see such fight to retain our most valuable assets, it remains to be seen whether this will have influence on the players’ destination come August.

While the reports linking Keane away from the club have angered me greatly, I believe our chances of retaining the Bulgarian are slim. And if possible even slimmer after this week’s events

A good effort Levy it must be said but actions are needed not words.

If they are still here when the transfer window slams shut he can bask in the plaudits. But until then, maybe we should put it down to a top piece of PR.

Wing duo still on the cards

David Bentley and Diego Capel may still grace the Spurs colours next season, it emerged this week.

While Aston Villa pulled the plug on a further move for the Blackman man, Capel admitted his head could be turned by a bid from former boss Ramos.

While both players are valued at £17 million, the sale of others now seems somewhat essential for these deals to materialise. But we should not give up hope yet.

Just seven days ago the chance of signing either of these talents seemed next to none. But perhaps we should take heart from the new found glimmer.

This week has given us the green light to chase our men.

Berbatov fined?

The Bulgarian was docked £40,000 of wages according to the Sunday newspapers, for continuing his sulks at our pre-season regime in Spain.

You can toss a coin as to whether you believe the stories but I sense things may be turning particularly nasty regarding Berbatov’s future and inevitable exit.

This claim is strengthened with further reports Sir Alex Ferguson is plotting a legal case after Levy’s comments towards the Red Devils on Friday.

I have a sneaky feeling this deal is destined not to run smoothly.

If next week provides us with half as much drama, we could be in for an absolute cracker.

Check back on the Spurs Offside for the latest reaction from events in the Tottenham camp.

Arsenal back in action + Gilberto tributes deserved

admin — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 07:21:00 +0000

Can you believe Arsenal are back playing football this weekend?

I can’t. It seems like forever since I got to watch the boys play. Sure, there was Euro 2008 to fill the void between now and then but it didn’t quite compare to the feeling I get when I watch an Arsenal game. I’m not from London, I’m not even English, but the love I have watching Arsenal play cannot be rivalled by anything else in my life. I’m sure a lot of you feel the same way.

Anyway, I got a bit off track there. My point is that Arsenal are back in action tomorrow. Sure, it’s only Barnet, but those lucky enough to watch the game will get to see the both Carlos Vela and Aaron Ramsey for the first time. Exciting stuff.

I’m not sure I’ll actually get to watch the game but if I do I’ll have a little bit to say about it on Monday. In the meantime if you’re planning on seeing it be sure to let myself and the other readers of the blog in on how things went. Cheers in advance.

Other items of interest today are pretty short and sweet.

Gilberto’s Silva’s transfer to Panathinaikos was made official on the Arsenal website today. I think it’s interesting to note that there are all sorts of tributes posted all over the website. Compare that with a brief article and Arsene Wenger’s “we’re comfortable with him leaving” comment about Alex Hleb’s exit and I have to say it makes me smile a little bit. It’s pretty fair too considering Hleb is already kissing badges in Catalunya. Fool.

Anyway, Gilberto absolutely deserves all the tributes he gets when you think about the way he has gone about his business in the six seasons he has been with Arsenal. Thierry Henry he may not have been, but a truly great man and wonderful professional he was and remains. Thanks Gilberto, I’ve thoroughly appreciated everything you’ve done for this club.

There’s not much else going on today apart from another flip-flop from Andrei Arshavin. Make up your mind buddy.

So, enjoy your weekend, especially if you get to watch Arsenal play. Let me know how it goes and I’ll be back on Monday.

Have your say on Gilberto, Hleb, Arshavin or Arsenal v Barnet by leaving a comment.

Hleb finally leaves Arsenal + the Wednesday Poll has spoken

admin — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 07:23:00 +0000

Well, it finally, finally happened. Alex Hleb has officially left Arsenal. The Belorussian midfielder has joined for a fee around £12million and signed a four-year deal with the Spanish club. Hleb had the following to say about leaving Arsenal for Barcelona:

“I want to give my best for this club. I have realised a dream. My aim is to win many trophies. I am ready to play in any position, I am available to the the coach to play in any position, including goalkeeper.”

I wonder if he’s ready to play off the bench, because I have a feeling that that is where he is going to spending most of his time. Barcelona’s manager Pep Guardiola has already spoken of his desire to utilise Thierry Henry and Bojan Krcic to the fullest next season and with Samuel Eto’o and of course Lionel Messi on the books, Hleb is going to find it hard to get a starting spot.

But, fair play to him. He’s undoubtedly a very good player and although I never felt like Hleb realised his full potential with Arsenal I think he’ll suit the Spanish game. Although he acted like a bit of a prat while trying to weasel his way out of the club, I do wish Hleb good luck for the rest of the career. Yes, I am that nice a guy.

One man who perhaps will not wish Hleb all the best is Arsene Wenger. And even though the manager was professional enough to thank Hleb for his contribution, he also couldn’t refrain from taking a sly dig at the Belorussian:

“We must firstly thank Alex for his contribution towards Arsenal Football Club during his time with us. Alex played a significant role in the three seasons he was with the Club. We are comfortable with our decision to let him go and we are all looking forward to continuing our preparations for the new season ahead.”

Heh, heh, heh. “We are comfortable with our decison”. Classic.

In other words, “We can afford to let you go because you are not as important to the side as you once were.” Which is a fair point to make when you consider the club has just signed Samir Nasri and also has Cesc Fabregas, Tomas Rosicky, Theo Walcott and Carlos Vela on their books. Oh yes, there will certainly be life after Hleb.

Indeed, combining the five players mentioned above with the quartet of out-and-out strikers at the club - Emmanuel Adebayor, Robin van Persie, Eduardo and Nicklas Bendtner - illustrates just how much variety and quality is in the current squad. If Wenger can make the appropriate defensive adjustments then I have every belief that Arsenal can challenge for the title again next season.

In today’s other major news story, Gilberto Silva has moved a step closer to signing for Panathinaikos after flying over to Greece for a medical. I spoke about my feelings on Gilberto’s exit yesterday and you can read them here if you are interested. Otherwise, there’s not much more to say on the issue.

Before I go today I want to reveal the final results from the first Wednesday Poll that was also included in yesterday’s post. The question I posed was: “Do Arsenal need to sign a new Vidic-like centre-back?”.

There were 282 votes and a massive 254 (90%) of you agreed that Arsenal do need to make a signing, while only 28 (10%) of you said it was not necessary. So there you go, Arsene, the fans have spoken. Get out there and bring in the new Tony Adams!

Well I’m done for the day. The weekend is nearing so hold on for dear life until then. Cheers.

Have your say on Hleb or Gilberto’s exits or yesterday’s poll by leaving a comment.

Pre Season - Aberdeen vs. Man United

admin — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 02:18:00 +0000

Pre-Season & Friendly Match
Season 2008/2009
12 July 2008

Aberdeen [0 - 2] Manchester United
45' [0-1] Carrick (pen)
70' [0-2] Rooney

Highlights
Rapidshare or
MediaFire or
Megaupload (English Comm., 62 MB)

Full match
Includes Pre-game, first half, half time, second half and post-game coverage.
Torrent

>> Credit by Hiranmanu, eldiego10

...

NEXT MATCH
19 July 2008: Kaizer Chiefs vs. UNITED

Barcelona confirm Hleb signing

admin — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 21:48:00 +0000

Alex Hleb is finally off to Barcelona. He’s signed a four-year deal and the transfer fee was 15 million euros. All the details here.

Ronaldinho, Adebayor, Gilberto transfer news + Wednesday Poll

admin — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 07:25:00 +0000

Hello there - good to speak to you again. Yesterday’s post about Arsenal’s interest in Gareth Barry got some lovely feedback from the readers and I’m pretty sure today’s news will get something of a similar response.

I’ll start a little bit out in left field today with the news that AC Milan have confirmed they will complete the signing Ronaldinho today (Wednesday). Now, it might not seem like big news to Arsenal fans but I can assure you it is, as it probably means Emmanuel Adebayor will be staying at the club.

Less than a week ago Milan’s vice-president Adriano Galliani made the statement that his club would be signing either Ronaldinho or Adebayor. That they’ve chosen the former means their previous interest in Adebayor has now become meaningless and leaves Barcelona as the only club who are seriously interested in signing the Arsenal man. But with Barca set to fork out upwards of £15million for Alex Hleb and their manager Pep Guardiola claiming that he ‘has the squad he needs’ already at his disposal for next season it seems even their interest may be dwindling.

In my opinion this means that Adebayor’s chances of remaining at Arsenal for next season are as high as they’ve been at any stage during the summer break. There will be people that don’t agree, but I see this as very good news. As I said in a previous post, an Arsenal side with Adebayor in the starting team is better than a side without him, regardless of the ridiculous comments he made a couple of weeks ago.

While Adebayor might be staying the rumours are growing stronger that Gilberto Silva will be leaving Arsenal shortly to join up with Greek club Panathinaikos. According to reports in Greece the Brazilian midfielder is set to sign a huge £6million contract which will make him the highest earner in Greek football.

In all honesty I’m not too concerned about Gilberto leaving. While there’s no denying he’s been a wonderful servant of Arsenal during his time at the club the unfortunate reality is that he is now past his best. There was a distinct lack of dynamism in the midfield whenever he played last season and it is clear to me that if Arsenal are to achieve success this time around they need to have players in that role who can promote the sort of urgency that Mathieu Flamini provided last time around.

Whether that is Abou Diaby, Alex Song, Denilson or a new signing I’m not quite sure yet, but it would’ve been a big step backwards to have Gilberto starting in the middle next season. Gilberto knows it, Arsene Wenger knows it, and that’s why the Brazilian had to go.

And that’s about it for today. I’ll leave you with the first in what will be an ongoing feature on the blog - the Wednesday Poll Question. Today’s focuses on an area that has been talked about quite a bit in the blogs if not by Arsene Wenger himself - the need for Arsenal to bring in a new centre-back in the Nemanja Vidic or Tony Adams mould.

So, do Arsenal need one or are things OK the way they are? Answer the poll question below to let me and everyone else know what you think.

Do Arsenal need to sign a new ‘Vidic-like’ centre-back?
	Yes
	No

Web Polls

I look forward to discussing the results in tomorrow’s post. Adios!

Have your say on Ronaldinho, Adebayor or Gilberto by leaving a comment.

Arsenal have made an official enquiry about Gareth Barry

admin — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 07:08:00 +0000

It’s always nice to kick off the post with an interesting piece of news and today’s is particularly tasty.

According to Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill, Arsenal have enquired about the availability of midfielder Gareth Barry. Indeed, O’Neill was quoted as saying that Arsenal assistant manager Pat Rice had been in contact with Aston Villa’s assistant manager Steve Halford to keep tabs on how negotiations between Barry and the club he is most likely to move to, Liverpool, have been progressing.

In O’Neill’s actual words:

“Myself and Steve Walford both know Arsene Wenger’s assistant Pat Rice. He phoned Steve to ask how the Liverpool thing had gone and said that they might show an interest. At the end of the conversation [Rice] said ‘that’s fine’ and that they’ll let us know. That is exactly what happened.”

I have to say I like what’s going on here. In my opinion we still have a big Mathieu Flamini-sized void to fill in the centre of the park and I can’t think of anyone better than Barry to fill it. He’s experienced, hard-working and skilful and perhaps most importantly, he’s on his way out of Aston Villa with Steve Sidwell already brought in from Chelsea as his replacement.

Whether he signs or not is another matter entirely, of course. But as I said before, I like what Rice and of course Arsene Wenger is up to here. I don’t want to get myself whipped up into too much of a frenzy over the potential signing of Barry but from what has been said it seems a real possibility. Watch this space.

Aside from the interest in Barry there’s not too much going on at the moment apart from another ‘Andrei Arshavin to Arsenal’ plug from the player’s agent, Dennis Lachter:

“If Arsenal go for Arshavin it could be really good for both parties. Arsenal is a very young team and Arshavin is 27. There’s something about combining young and older players, they propagate attacking football.”

While I don’t necessarily disagree with what Lachter is saying about Arshavin and Arsenal being a good match, it’s pretty hard to trust football managers in this day and age. It’s clear to me that interest in Arshavin has dwindled since Zenit St Petersburg slapped a quite ridiculous £24million price tag on his head. And whose job is it to talk up the player to a point where someone might be silly enough to pay such an amount? That’s right, his agent.

Despite all of my agent-phobia I would not be against seeing Arshavin in an Arsenal shirt next season. As you are all aware of by now, he had a magnificent tournament for Russia at Euro 2008 and clearly has all the attributes that are required to make an impact, even in the rough-and-tumble of the Premiership.

But until Zenit lower their price then the chances of Arshavin playing for Arsenal next season are about as low as me playing for them. Perhaps even lower.

Time to go I think. I’m starting to have some crazy delusions about playing for Arsenal.

Let me know what you make of the Barry and Arshavin situations by leaving a comment.

Deals agreed for Berbatov and Bentley - apparently

admin — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 23:43:00 +0000

Time scales. It’s all about time scales. The Bakery’s nearly looking like a home. Let me have a look…

…75% a home. It’s the rug under the coffee table that never itself existed. It’s the three house plants I always planned on buying; the sideboard for storage - two words I’d never really considered. What is a sideboard anyway? I mean, I’m looking it at and I was aware of its kind and existence before but how did such a thing come about? I know, let’s make the room a bit smaller and put some low cupboards and a cutlery draw in it. Surely the sideboard was the last of man’s furniture inventions? We couldn’t even name it properly. We just chucked a couple of other words at it and left it there.

The thing is, I quite like it. I knew I wanted it as soon I saw it, well as soon as I heard I could afford it. It looks pretty good and there’s place at the end to stash all your booze an area for mixing drinks. I’m sure that’s something we were always told to avoid. Sideboards positively encourage it.

So we sit here - me and Sidey - having a little tete-a-teak about change; the change that LB brings with her plant pots and rugs, the change that part of me kicks at and then wonders exactly why. Do I fear the unknown or maybe I just miss who I was, who I’m ceasing to be, or more to the point, is it about what future identity I have.

But then Sidey flaps his doors. We’re getting on pretty well the two if us and who would have thought that’d work out? Just because I have a sideboard, it doesn’t mean I’m not The Bagel.

I think you know where I’m going with this - well, I finally do anyway. I’m just worried about change.

Word comes in tonight that we’ve accepted a £28m bid for Dimitar the Unhappy, just when I’d dared to mention to Jimmy Bluto (nee Crazy Box) that part of me was beginning to secretly think that maybe we’d hang onto the beautiful Bulgarian. Just about all the papers are reporting it. It’s probably about the fairest price for both parties. £25m would have been too near a robbery and £30m to close to a rip off and it looks as if it’s 18 up front with a variety of “if he paints his locker blue and uses his right boot more than his left” clauses for the remaining 10.

We all know he’s a major talent to lose and I shudder to think how we’ll cope having to defend against him. I’m only bolstered by the solace that at least our defenders will know more about him than any other unit in the league. I also take great comfort that he’ll be banging them in against our two favourite London sides.

What bothers me is my fear of who we’ll get in next. I don’t expect them to be able to do the things of which the twinkled-toed one is capable. They don’t have to. All we need is a player who can strike the ball if what I’m reading is true - that Ramos wants to play 4-5-1; again something I fear.

4-5-1 always seems like such a boring formation, a cowards call but then I always thinks of the likes of ‘Boro and Fulham, turning up at WHL with packed midfields and not intention of scoring at all. Even if it was Juande’s plan I’m not sure he’ll have the squad for it with choices like Johnny Two Saints, Little Aaron, Luka the Mod, JJ and Steeeve.

There’s only been one paper I read that predicted the Berbatov move would never happen in perhaps the most flawed piece of logic I’ve seen all summer. The Daily Star are surmising that because Andrei Arseshaven wants to move to the the wrong end of North London that we wont let Dimi go as we were planning on using the Russian as replacement.

>So let me get this straight. We won’t let our 6′1″ striker, who’s near the end of his contract, go because we’re going to miss out on a 5′7″ attacking midfielder? Right. No, if and when we do replace Berbatov it will not be like that. We’ve that list of Podolskis and Garcia and Militos et al to get through before we rely on any dwarfs playing out of position, as good as they might be.

That’s a good point though. Garcia. Luis Garcia. We haven’t talked much about the Espanyol striker. When the rumours first came out I was horrified that we were considering the Liverpool thumb sucker. Thankfully, we’re talking about Luis García Fernández rather than Luis Javier García Sanz. Ferandez is no giant at 5′11″ but big enough to play the lone role, provided he’s got a jump on him.

>He began playing for Real Madrid C, then Real Madrid B but never quite made it to the big time until he became one with the net at Espanyol and Mallorca before that. Here’s his head…

…screaming…

…a lot…

…with his horse-shaped gob.

He should be capable of playing on his own with a frame not disimilar to the likes of Michael Chopra and Darren Huckerby only taller but the worrying part for is that there’s very little evidence of his work on YouTube save several of the same clip of him missing the penalty which handed the Juande Ramos and his Sevilla their second consecutive UEFA Cup. There is this…

Celta 0 - 2 Espanyol (0-1 Luis Garcia)
by GolesTV

…but it’s not exactly a lot to go on.

It did appear as if we’d reached a £9.5m agreement with Espanyol for the services of this 27-year-old recent addition to the Spanish national squad but his club have largely rubbished it.

“We haven’t spoken to anyone, and for me the bid is only genuine if a club gets in touch with us directly,” sad Espanyol president Daniel Sanchez.

“If everything that came out in the media happened then virtually the entire squad would be sold,” he added for a nice nonchalant sounding effect, and it’s worked. I don’t think we’re going to buy him although you do sense the the concern from Mr Sanchez that the players agent has been in contact. If it’s not us, it could well be someone else.

As I sit here, my sore eyes trying to convince my fingers to stop typing, Sidey urging me on, the Mail is reporting we’ve finally agreed a fee for Bentley. A £17m deal made up of England’s No.1 plus £11m cash is what they’re saying as Brad Fri-dell looks to be heading to Villa. With both this and the Berbatalk, should they be correct that the fees have been agreed, then expect the players to follow very, very quickly. Pre-season is under way and both Dimi and David so badly want their moves.

According to the same piece and many others, Roque Santa Cruz has become yet another of the Perfect One’s top targets in order to head our splendid midfield - should the latest deal come true - although I’m not sure how happy Incy Wincey Guvnor will feel about us ducking back in for Slackburn’s other star player.

But while the agents and their fax machines - do they really still use fax machines? - work through the night, the players sleep safe and sound - well, at least the Tottenham ones do. The arsenal players wake up in cold sweats at any movement of the chair they’ve jammed underneath the bedroom doorhandles. But that’s another story.

Yes, the Spurs sleep safe and warm in the comforting glow of their 8-0 drubbing of local Spanish ameoba club Tavernes; a game in which Johnny Two Saints picked up two and Psycho Pekhart, one. It’s a good start but easy enough on the Iberian Peninsula. We’ll see how the little Mexican deals with a icy mid-winter trip up to the North East. I’ll bet he’s a glove wearer.

Take not notice of the goals scored in this game. I’ve just read the full report. It contains the words “Lennon powered home the header”.

The strangeness of this life cannot be measured: in trying to produce my own death, I was elevated to the status of a living bagel.

The Bagel.

Poyet poised for Old Trafford move too?

admin — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 20:05:00 +0000

If it wasn’t enough to digest the thought of Dimitar Berbatov leaving Spurs for Manchester United this summer - it could get even worse.

Yesterday derived fresh speculation assistant manager Gus Poyet could be heading for the White Hart Lane exit, with The Red Devils’ chiefs earmarking the Uruguayan as the replacement to Sir Alex Ferguson’s departed right-hand man Carlos Quieroz.

And with two of our most important benefactors in achieving future success, possibly in line for moves to Manchester, it begs a very serious question. Are we merely a stepping stone to the country’s ‘Big Four’.

Are we sending out the wrong message? Are we becoming a feeder club to the big boys, or more to the point, Manchester United?

Progression in football is marked by the building of a strong set of staff and players. And this is a process I believe Spurs have excelled in over the last few years, irrespective of our inability to break the stranglehold of the top four over the rest of the division.

The last three seasons in particular have seen Spurs gather on the whole a higher quality of player in its ranks, and acquire staff with a greater European pedigree as we continue to aim to the top.

And while many fans including myself have resigned to defeat in our quest to retain the services of Berbatov this summer, the thought of Ramos’ number two jumping in the Bulgarians passenger seat to Old Trafford, is a thought which terrifies me.

Because to lose two such important components in our search for finer achievement would simply be crushing.

In a period where building is essential, to surrender Dimitar and Gus to the English Champions would prove us to be no more than a ‘best of the rest’ team.

Of course it is flattering to see the finest club side in world football circling personnel from our club. But where does it stop?

Where do we realise our own ambition in achieving long-term success? Where is the line between players and coaches wanting to be at Spurs or the lure of Manchester United being too big of an opportunity to turn down?

I believe we can cope with the loss of Berbatov this season. Quite frankly we have to. But as crazy as it sounds losing Poyet would hit us more. If not only for its unexpectedness, then for its impact on life on and off of the White Hart Lane pitch.

While it is key we push on from last season by adding fresh players to the squad, surely the element of consistency in our management team is too important to neglect.

Under two years ago, Poyet was a coach at Swindon Town. Now he is at Spurs. And I am afraid his job is not done here yet.

So Manchester United - you can not have Poyet!

New away kit photos

admin — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 11:56:00 +0000

There are some new photos of next season’s away kits on the official website. You can find them here. The idea behind the kits seem to be a tribute to the title-winning side from 1989 and the photos feature new players like Cesc Fabregas and Theo Walcott mixing with old ones like Steve Bould and Paul Merson.