Arsenal Sign Nuri Sahin from Real Mardrid

"There`s no smoke without fire" goes the old adage, and in the case of Nuri Sahin to Arsenal, there`s a sky full of smoke.



Rumour has had it for much of the summer that Arsene Wenger is looking to bring in the Turkish midfielder on loan (possibly with an option to buy) from Real Madrid, and given the confirmation of Alex Song`s departure to Barcelona, the rumours have gathered much more pace this morning.



Despite interest from Liverpool (Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers served under Mourinho at Chelsea, seemingly giving him the, edge) it appears as though Sahin will opt for Arsene Wenger`s Arsenal.



John Cross of the Daily Mirror is one of the more competent journalists out there and has been in action on Twitter over the past day or so claiming the deal should be announced soon.



As Mr Cross points out, Sahin is a completely different player to Song so his signing might not mean the end to our transfer dealings or the French manager could be looking at an alternate set-up.



Whatever happens, Sahin is a player who I admire greatly and would love to see him in the famous red and white (and blue) of my beloved

Read more: http://www.arsenal.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=530630#ixzz36k9pllaD

Cazorla - Vital to replace duo Arsenal new boy pleased with debut performance

Santi Cazorla has expressed his joy at making his Premier League debut but warned it is important for Arsenal to fill the void created by the departures of Robin van Persie and Alex Song.

The Gunners kicked off the new campaign with a frustrating goalless draw against Sunderland on Saturday, with new strikers Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud unable to provide the firepower that Van Persie so regularly delivered last season.
Arsene Wenger has insisted it would be unfair to make judgments after just one game, while Cazorla is also confident the team will improve as the season develops.
However, the Spaniard admits it is disappointing that Van Persie has joined Manchester United and Song is set to complete a move to Barcelona after a deal was agreed over the weekend.
Cazorla said in the Daily Mirror: "It's clear that Van Persie is a great player and obviously we would all have preferred it if he had stayed. Song has gone as well and there are still 10 days left in the transfer market.

Build

"I do not know if we will sign anyone but obviously it's important to replace players like that because they were so important for the team."
While Arsenal did not get the victory they were looking for against the Black Cats, Cazorla caught the eye with an impressive performance in his first appearance since arriving from Malaga.
He said: "It felt really good making my debut. Of course, it was not the result any of us wanted, but we had chances and we did well.
"It's a long season, so we can build on this. I had one chance and so did a few of my colleagues and that was the key to the game. We had complete control but that final step just eluded us."

I would be nothing without Arsenal says Song

Alex Song has now confirmed that he is close to a move to Barcelona and also reveals that he will always be thankfull to the support, that the gunners provided him
Arsenal agreed a fee with Song of £15m and the deal was announced by both clubs on their official websites yesterday. Song will join Barcelona and wear the number 25 shirt on a five year deal with an €80m release clause in his contract.

Barcelona sign Alex Song from Arsenal

Barcelona have confirmed the signing of Arsenal midfielder Alexandre Song for a fee of €19 million.
The Premier League club announced the signing via their official website on Saturday afternoon following their opening day draw with Sunderland.
The statement read: “Song will now travel to the Catalan club to agree personal terms and undergo a medical ahead of the proposed move.”
Barcelona also confirmed the deal, saying: FC Barcelona and Arsenal FC have reached an agreement for the transfer of Alex Song for 19 million euros.  The player will sign a contract for the next five seasons with a release clause of 80 million.”
The Cameroon international will link up with his new team-mates on Sunday before being presented to the club’s fans before Monday nights Gamper Trophy against Sampdoria at Camp Nou.
Song will sign a five-year contract with the Catalan giants that features a buy-out clause of €80 million.

Victor Wanyama Would Be Ready-Made Replacement for Alex Song, Arsenal

Alex Song is an underrated Premier League player in the grand scheme of things, but there are several players around world football that could do good jobs as his replacement.
The player that I think presents both the most talent and value for money is Victor Wanyama.
I believe he would cost anywhere between £5-8 million, but compared to the silly-money spending in the EPL for players of a similar ilk, it's a bargain.
Despite Song and Wanyama being different players, the core values they bring to teams are the same; they are both versatile and have great distribution despite being primarily defensive-minded players.
As a Rangers fan, I was happy to see that we were linked with the Kenyan international back when he was at Beerschot AC, but Celtic were smart enough to snap up the 21-year-old around a year ago and have never looked back since.
At 6'2" and with a muscular physique, Wanyama can unsurprisingly perform well at centre-back but defensive midfield is where he really thrives the most.
Wanyama is that under-the-radar player that breaks up the play, allowing things to keep ticking over until the team's playmakers get their feet on the ball.
It's not certain that Song even wants to leave, but with a deal appearing to be close, Arsenal could do worse than to open talks with Celtic.
Celtic do not need to sell, but it's clear that Wanyama wants to play at a higher level, and he is one of several SPL players who is actually good enough to do so.
The Daily Mail reported a few weeks back that Arsenal saw Wanyama as an option, and despite no solid quotes in the article, this limited reporting may actually turn out to be true.
Wanyama can do a little bit of everything, whether it be getting his head to the ball, showing some nice touches or drilling 25-yard screamers into the top corner of the net.
Wanyama suits the Arsenal mold well and would also bring a little bit of physicality that may be missing.
At only 21 Wanyama is still raw and has much to learn, but he already has the skills to do well at a higher level, and it wouldn't surprise me if he follows the likes of Nikica Jelavic into the Premier League and does very well.
The competition would be a step up, but he is already accustomed to playing under pressure.
Playing in Glasgow is like playing in a cauldron, and he would actually enjoy the more mild-mannered Arsenal fans, I'm sure.
He is used to more fan pressure with Celtic than he would get in London, and I'm sure that means he will be ready for anything thrown at him.

Report: Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland

REPORT

Arsenal could not find a way past a resolute Sunderland defence as they opened the new campaign with a goalless draw.

Van Persie’s replacements Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud failed to score on the latter missing the best chance of the game in what was a frustrating afternoon for the Gunners.

tsinepa - FourFourTwo

tsinepa - FourFourTwo

BYE BYE SONG

Alex Song attended training this morning ahead of Arsenal’s opening game of the season against Sunderland. The Cameroon international will not be playing, however. Arsene Wenger had a meeting with Song and was told that the midfielder is determined to leave, so he has sanctioned the sale.
Song has now collected his personal belongings and told his team mates that he is off. The transfer fee has apparently been agreed at £17 million, and Song has already sorted out his personal terms with Barcelona.
This situation comes about after Wenger heard about Song being offered to a number of top European clubs, Metro reports. Despite having three years left on his contract, Wenger has agreed to the sale in order to bring in a replacement sooner rather than later. The deal for Song should be closely followed by the arrival of Nuri Sahin from Real Madrid on loan.
Wenger may also be ready to re-invest the money on a permanent deal for Yann M’Vila, Lucas Biglia or Etienne Capoue who are all long term targets for the club.
There are rumours that Song did not actually want to leave Arsenal, but Wenger and the club wanted to sell him, either to balance the books or to free up money for other signings. Whatever the truth is, it seems as if Arsenal fans will not see Song play for the club again.

Barcelona Set to Complete £17m Deal to Sign Arsenal Midfielder Alex Song Within 24 Hours

Emirates Stadium star set for Nou Camp move.


Alex Song set for £17m Barca transfer after demanding to leave Arsenal
Alex Song is on his way to Barcelona in a deal worth £17million after telling Arsenal he does not want to stay at the club.
The news comes after manager Arsene Wenger spent the last seven days deflecting questions about the future of the 24-year-old, who is a subject of interest from Spanish giants Barcelona.
SOURCE: Metro
Speculation is certainly growing over Alex Song’s expected move to Barcelona. After Arsene Wenger stated earlier today that the Cameroon international could indeed be set for a Nou Camp move it would appear that the deal is indeed set to be completed.
Having already seen Robin Van Persie leave for Man United Gunners fans will not be pleased to see another first team regular depart this summer. Clearly if Arsenal want to keep hold of Song then they could do so, unlike the Dutch striker the midfielder has three years to run on his contract and therefore there is no imperative to sell the former Bastia man.
Alex Song has grown into a more complete midfielder over the past year and finished the last campaign as the North London club’s top assist-maker. The 24 year old has made 204 appearances for the Gunners since he joined the club seven years ago.
Barcelona have been relatively quiet in the transfer window, their only notable signing thus far being that of Jordi Alba from Valencia. One would have thought that new boss Tito Vilanova would be looking to ring the changes after the Catalan club lost both their La Liga and Champions League crowns last season.

Arsenal out to hijack Liverpool move For real

Arsenal have made a last minute attempt to stall Nuri Sahin’s loan move from Real Madrid to Liverpool as they consider selling Alex Song to Barcelona for £15m, according to the Daily Mail.
The Gunners asked Sahin to delay any move until the future of Song had been resolved, a request which the 23-year-old Turkish international has agreed to. It is believed that Sahin would prefer a move to a club that can offer Champions League football, a lure which Arsene Wenger hopes will sway the midfielder’s mind.
The centre midfield star was considered the best player in the Bundesliga two seasons ago but has failed to adapt in the Spanish capital under Jose Mourinho. After barely featuring in Real Madrid’s triumphant La Liga campaign in the 2011/12 season and a pre-season of playing in a left-back role, it is obvious both player and club are keen to see a loan move. Sahin has five years remaining on his contract at the Bernabeu, and even a ‘sell and buy-back’ clause is included. There is no lack of confidence that the young midfielder can fulfill his potential and play regularly for the Spanish champions in the future.

Wenger Confirms Sahin Interest & Admits Song Could Go

With the summer transfer window in full swing, Football Talk will be keeping you up-to-date with all the latest transfer news throughout the summer. Today, Arsene Wenger discusses Alex Song and Nuri Sahin.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has confirmed his interest in Real Madrid midfielder Nuri Sahin and admitted Alex Song could be sold this summer.

Speaking to Sky Sports News at his weekly press conference ahead of this weekends Premier League opener against Sunderland, Wenger was quizzed on whether he would be making any further additions to his squad and also if Song would be sold this summer, to which he replied:

“Both could happen, but my focus is on the Sunderland game (on Saturday).”

Song has been strongly linked with a move to Spanish giants Barcelona in recent weeks with the Catalans looking to replace the departed Seydou Kieta.

The Cameroon midfielder has been at the Emirates for over seven years and clocked up over 200 appearances for the club but it’s understood boss Arsene Wenger would be open to selling if a suitable offer came in.

Speaking to Arsenal.com later on, Wenger conceded he had not made his mind up on the future of Song, but revealed no bid had been tabled as yet.

“This decision is not made [on Song],”

“No bid has been made and I cannot tell you more.

“I don’t know [about Song] at the moment, my focus is more on tomorrow’s game.”

The Frenchman was then quizzed about reported interest in Real Madrid midfielder Nuri Sahin, who Wenger is believed to be keen to bring in should Song depart, and Wenger confirmed he is tracking the Turkish ace:

“He is one of the players we are following,”

Wenger is quoted as saying on Arsenal.com

So it looks very much like the papers have this one correct, and Wenger is considering selling Song and may very well bring Sahin in to replace him.

Expectations for new season

Wait a minute, the new league season’s here? Oh wow, time didn’t even let me have to wait for this day to come. But it’s been kind enough to have me mull over his exit. This life.
After 90 minutes against Sunderland I’m sure I’ll have great cause to have time speed things up a little. Before then, we’ve bumped heads together and come up with our thoughts of how the 2012/13 season will go for us off our respective crystal balls.
So here’s our preview of Arsenal’s campaign in the 2012/13 Barclays Premier League…
*********************************************************************

Barclays Premier League logo

First question, Are you satisfied with our current squad? Any additions and/or subtractions needed?
QED:

We are almost there. Defensive cover and we’ll go unbeaten.

Escobar:

Not at all. Exicted, yes. Satisfied? No. We could do with 2-3 additions with one being a defender as I have no faith in Jenkinson, he needs to go on loan and is not solid cover for Sagna. A loan signing should be good. Also a striker and a midfielder. Giroud and Podoslki are good but why can’t we have one more?

Punkenstein:

The current squad looks very good on paper, Wilshere and Rosicky’s injury absence won’t be so much felt but Sagna’s could prove damaging. So, I’m mostly satisfied with the squad but we do need good cover while Sagna is out.

2. Where do you see Arsenal finishing in the league this season?
QED:

We’ll finish champions. 19 points ahead of United.

Escobar:

Hard to say. 3rd. But that would be acceptable if we win the FA Cup and Capital One Cup. I’ve always asked for us to prioritize those over any other competitions.

Punkenstein:

With the new faces, I honestly thought we’d fall just short and get 2nd place… then he made a deal with the devil and 3rd place seems more like it now.

3. How far will we go in the UEFA Champions League?
QED:

Semi finals, losing out to Barcelona on penalties.

Escobar:

Quarterfinal. Don’t see us getting past that.

Punkenstein:

I’d say the quarterfinal stage. But if we happen to get AC Milan in the last eight, we’re definitely making the semis then.

4. How well do you think the Koscielny/Vermaelen combination will work this season?
QED:

Perfectly. We’ve got Bould. We’ll concede less than 10 goals this season.

Escobar:

Of course. What’s stopping them from exploding? Nothing. They are in their primes and can only get better. But I’m not bothered about the players of old, more of the new signings.

Punkenstein:

It will be better, it better be anyway. Verm’s talked of Steve Bould’s influence and now’s the time to show what’s been imparted from the new assistant. As for Kozzer, that would show through (among other areas) not scoring own goals.

5. Which player do you think will surprise everybody this season?
QED:

Diaby. Ramsey close second.

Escobar:

Since you’re going with surprise? I’d say Gervinho. He’s the only one with something to prove from last season. And if he’s going to start the season on the bench, then that’s extra motivation. Can’t say AOC, he’s quality already.

Punkenstein:

First name to my mind here was Vasiriki Glassfeet. Then Wilshere (with a return to full fitness and form) but I’ll go with instinct and settle with Thomas Eisfeld.

6. We have gone 7 seasons without a trophy. Should Arsene Wenger prioritise the Capital One Cup more highly this season?
QED:

Do we have a choice? Let’s start our first XI, or at least something close. We must win a trophy this term.

Escobar:

He would be stupid not to. But he’s stupid enough to go after all four cups. FA Cup and C1Cup should be the targets.

Punkenstein:

Maybe. But he’ll play the Eisfeld, Ox and the likes as usual so I think the FA Cup should be our priority.

7. Who would you play as top striker now that RVP has left and no replacement will be brought in?
QED:

Poldi Goldi

Escobar:

Podolski. Everyone would say Giroud but if we start both Giroud and Podolski, which striker is going to come off the bench? Exactly.

Punkenstein:

Play Giroud there with Poldi from the left flank as an inside forward since Giroud makes for a good target man, which would benefit Poldi (maybe Walcott too).

8. Diaby’s season appears to be a bit make-or-break, which way do you think it will go?
QED:

He’ll surprise us all, stay fit till mid September, and do the usual.

Escobar:

Break. I don’t fancy him at all. For 60k/w he’s done more harm than good. He needs to leave.

Punkenstein:

While not literally bidding him “break a leg this season mate”, this should be a ‘make’ season for Diaby.

9. What about Arsenal’s biggest new name – Santi Cazorla – how will he fit in?
QED:

Too well. I’m creaming all over, just thinking of him and Arteta in midfield.

Escobar:

He’s going to be huge for us. I was against the signing. WAS. Now, he’s going to lead the charge for us from the middle. If he can average 9 goals + 9 assists or more, we’re good.

Punkenstein:

Oh? I thought he already did? I mean.. his height advantage ensures that anyway. And good Lord, his intelligence on and off the ball… oh Santi!!

10. Who do you think will finish as top goalscorer for us?
QED

Podolski. 25 goals. You heard it here first!

Escobar:

Whoever plays the CF position for us. Most likely Podolski

Punkenstein:

Here’s your chance Chamakh, make it happen. But knowing Shisha’s ways… I’ll say Poldi will.

*********************************************************************
And that’s how we see the season going. Can’t wait to read match-day tweets and have a laugh. Before leaving, some bit of club news to put out.
Alex Song’s move to Barcelona is now very close to completion having reportedly agreed terms with the Catalan club after asking to leave earlier today. All that’s left is for Arsenal and Barcelona to agree on a fee with the Gunners seeking at least £17m for the midfielder.
Consequently, a loan move to Arsenal for Turkey midfielder Nuri Sahin looks back on the cards with le boss said to have made a call to the player himself.
This comes on the heels of RvP’s move to Manchester United being confirmed today. As Thierry Henry said though, we’ll move on. A very happy birthday to him, a real legend at 35!
Meanwhile Squad numbers have been updated and Wilshere will take over the number 10 jersey. Podolski gets the 9 while Cazorla will have 19 on the back with Park Chu Young down at number 30.
We’ll leave the rest for tomorrow’s match preview. I’m looking forward to having match ratings back on here.
So, how do you see the season going for us? Do share your thoughts on that and more below or with me on twitter.
Have a great weekend! The EPL is back!!

Song going to Barcelona for real

Cameroonian midfielder Alex Song would appear to be on the verge of a move to Spanish giants Barcelona. The holding midfielder has three years left on his contract, but Arsenal seem to have decided to sell him anyway.

Barcelona's interest has been public for the last couple of weeks, but because of the length of time left on his contract, Arsenal had been seen to be in a strong position, with little inclination to sell. However, Song's agent has reportedly infuriated the club by touting his client around the top clubs in Europe, and there has been some speculation that the club have been having some issues with the player over his attitude.

Other sources have been saying that Arsenal do in fact want to keep Song, but he has had his head turned by Barcelona's interest and that the Arsenal hierarchy just are not interested in yet another transfer saga, so will be naming their price.

In his press conference this morning, Arsene Wenger did little to dispel rumours that another of his star performers from last season could be set for pastures new. He said, "both [Song leaving and new signings] could happen. I don't know [about Song] at the moment.

"This decision [on Song] is not made. No [bid has been made]. I cannot tell you more."

Strong speculation has emerged this evening that Barcelona have successfully negotiated a £20m fee for the 24-year-old and that the Gunners will make a formal announcement that he has left the club by Monday. Spanish paper El Mundo Deportivo are reporting that the Catalans will be announcing his signing in a matter of hours, after the clubs agreed a fee of €20m (£15.7m) - although, as I said, British sources are suggesting a figure of £20m.

If Song does depart, Arsenal will be almost certain to strengthen, with Turk Nuri Sahin, 23, a likely arrival, on a season-long loan from Real Madrid. It had not been clear if Arsenal's move for Sahin was linked with Alex Song's future, but that does now seem the case (although I personally feel it's totally unrelated), with Sahin said to be stalling on a loan move to Liverpool so he can join the Gunners instead.

Another thing that was mentioned by Wenger during the questioning over Song's future, is that he now sees Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as a centre midfielder, rather than playing a wide role as he did last season, "Oxlade-Chamberlain now plays centre midfield - this is an area we have more freedom to make decisions."

Squad numbers updated for start of season

he Club has updated its first-team squad numbers ahead of Saturday’s match against Sunderland, and in line with the Premier League’s deadline for submission of squad numbers for the opening match of the season.

Among the changes, Jack Wilshere has now taken the number 10 shirt, from previously wearing number 19.

The Club can also confirm the shirt numbers for the three new signings. Lukas Podolski will be wearing the number 9 shirt, with Santi Cazorla taking number 19, using ‘S.Cazorla’ on his back. Olivier Giroud had already been confirmed as wearing the number 12 jersey.

Ju Young Park now moves to number 30, which is in addition to the previous confirmed moves of Wojciech Szczesny, who now wears the number 1 shirt from 13, and Francis Coquelin who has moved to 22 from 39.

The Club is pleased to advise that it will replace any 2012/13 replica kit, including ‘Wilshere 19’ or ‘Park 9’, which was purchased from any official Arsenal club outlet or Arsenaldirect.com.

Proof of purchase will be required at time of exchange, which clearly identifies ‘Wilshere 19’ or ‘Park 9’ personalisation on the receipt. All returned ‘Wilshere 19’ or ‘Park 9’ items will be replaced with similar kit. All returned kit will be distributed to worthy causes via the Arsenal Foundation.
This offer will be extended for a two-month period from 17/08/2012 to 17/10/2012. Redemption can be made either through coming into any official Arsenal club outlet or returning it to Arsenal Returns Department, Anchor Works, Holme Lane, Bradford. BD4 6NA (with proof of purchase and return address).

First-team squad as follows:

1          SZCZESNY
2          DIABY
3          SAGNA
4          MERTESACKER
5          VERMAELEN
6          KOSCIELNY
7          ROSICKY
8          ARTETA
9          PODOLSKI
10         WILSHERE
11         SANTOS
12         GIROUD
14         WALCOTT
15         OXLADE-CHAMBERLAIN
16         RAMSEY
17         SONG
18         SQUILLACI
19         S.CAZORLA
20         DJOUROU
21         FABIANSKI
22         COQUELIN
23         ARSHAVIN
24         MANNONE
25         JENKINSON
26         FRIMPONG
27         Gervinho
28         GIBBS
29         CHAMAKH
30         PARK 
52         BENDTNER

Vermaelen - I'm so proud to be captain

Thomas Vermaelen has spoken for the first time about his pride at being named Arsenal captain.

The defender has inherited the armband on a full-time basis following Robin van Persie's departure, and is delighted to be starting a new chapter in his career.

"It makes me really happy and proud to be Arsenal captain - it's a real honour," the Belgian says in his programme notes for Saturday's match with Sunderland.

"I won't change the way I am, though. The boss makes you captain because of the way you are, so I won’t change how I am in the dressing room or outside. I want to lead by example, and do as well as I can on the pitch.

"Maybe I am not much of a talker away from the pitch, but I want to lead the team through the way I play."
Vermaelen, who skippered previous club Ajax as well as the Belgian national team on occasion, said he enjoys the responsibility of captaincy, and paid tribute to his predecessor.

"Every captain is different, everyone has his own personality and does it in his own way," he said. "Robin did it really well last year, and of course what he did on the pitch was great as well.
"But away from that he did a lot of team building, making sure the team was a real team, and I want to do things like that as well."

Wenger says Life goes on after Robin

Arsene Wenger accepts sanctioning the sale of captain Robin van Persie to Manchester United was a "massive gamble", but has faith his team can recover to mount a successful Barclays Premier League campaign.
Holland international Van Persie has finalised a ?24million switch to Old Trafford, having earlier in the summer announced he would not be signing a new deal with the Gunners.
"The reality is when the player doesn't want to stay you have two ways: you either force him to stay or you accept the reality and you let him go. I have chosen the second solution," said Wenger. "I know it is a massive challenge and a massive gamble I took."
He added: "We have the quality to deal with the problem we have, and at the end of the day I can talk and talk and talk but we can only show it on the pitch now."
Van Persie is the latest of Wenger's key men to move on following last summer's departures of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri - with Alex Song the next possible transfer amid reports of a £15million bid from Barcelona.
While the manner of Van Persie's exit may not sit well with many Arsenal fans - following his carefully worded summer statement questioning the direction of the club which stood by him during injury-plagued spells on the sidelines - Wenger maintains it is now time for everyone to look to the future as he prepares for Saturday's season opener against Sunderland.
He added: "Time heals all things and of course at the moment people are hurt, which I understand, but what is important for us is to focus on the season in front of us. Players have gone, life goes on and the football club is 125 years old and other big players have left this club and we have always gone from season to season in a strong way."
While Wenger may not want to go on the record over his personal thought on the saga, there remains a sense of having been let down by the Dutchman, whom he brought to Arsenal as a raw talent in May 2004.
Publicly, though, the Gunners boss maintains people should remember what Van Persie contributed on the pitch, plundering 30 league goals last season to fire them into third place.
"We lose a great player, a world-class player, I don't deny that, it is a massive challenge to replace him, so we have to be even more of a team and work even more together to compensate that loss," he said. "However, we have lost world-class players before and we always survived."

I Am Not Angry, Arsenal Are A Part Of Me - RVP

Robin van Persie disclosed he has no hard feelings with Arsenal.

Robin van Persie told reporters after sealing the move to Manchester United that he has no feelings with Arsenal.

"From my side and Arsenal's side, there is no hard feeling. No one is angry with me and I'm not angry with them," Van Persie told reporters.

"Arsenal are part of my life. They've been great to me. We didn't agree on the future - that's life.


"When I have to make tough decisions in my life I listen to the little boy inside me. That little boy was screaming 'Manchester United'"

Oxlade-Chamberlain hails good Arsenal-We shall win Trophies

Arsenal winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain feels there is a good vibe in the dressing room despite the departure of Robin van Persie.

The Dutchman is set to seal 24 million pound-move to Manchester United after spending eight seasons with the Gunners.

But the 19-year-old feels Arsene Wenger's side has enough quality to cope without their skipper and is impressed with the club's signings.

Oxlade-Chamberlain told the club's official website: "In training I'm seeing the likes of Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud, and then we have Gervinho and Theo Walcott too, so it's looking really good. That brings strong and healthy competition, which can only push us on to do well.

"But we also have a good time and we're all friends - we're together as one and looking to achieve the same goal at the end of the season. We all push ourselves to do better and that can only be a good thing.

"We are all fixed on success, everybody is pushing as hard as we can and we all know what our aims and goals are. We have had meetings about how we are going to achieve it and every little detail - physical, psychological - we are looking at. It is looking really positive for us."

Oxlade-Chamberlain has also hailed the attitude of the club's new arrivals and believes it will help them settle into the English Premier League quickly.

"The new strikers are looking really good - I think Podolski has one of the best shots I've ever seen. Olivier's isn't too bad either - he's scoring a few in training," he said.

"They all look like good signings. Santi (Cazorla) looks fantastic too. He is the typical Spaniard - fantastic technically and lively. He can score, he can dribble and he looks like a brilliant player.

"They are three players who I can say will add quality to the team. And their personalities too - they are really good lads. We've been speaking about positive energy in the camp and they bring it in abundance."

Andre Santos: we’ve lost a lot but we’ll cope

Andre Santos has reacted to the departure of Robin van Persie just as you would expect him to; in a positive manner.
The Brazilian, who can make leaves grow on trees in winter simply by tittering gently at them, told ESPN that he believes the team is more grown up and that competition for places will ensure the players achieve something this season.
“We lost a lot”, he chuckled. “Van Persie is a high quality player, a big idol of the fans and he had a great championship season in 2011/12, but I’m sure the team is much more mature”, he smiled.
“Today we have experienced players and also the arrival of some new players, like Santi Cazorla and Podolski, who are excellent. We are well focused”, he guffawed.
The team is well prepared and well motivated,” he grinned. “I’m sure we’ll have a totally different season from last year. We’ve brought in some top quality players and I’m sure that Arsenal will have a great campaign in the English league”, he beamed.
Santos will battle it out with Kieran Gibbs for the left back position at Arsenal and he believes that healthy competition within the squad will bring rewards.
“We have two or three players for each position”, he chortled. “This is important also for the growth of the team, because everyone wants to play.”
“It creates healthy competition within the group,” he sniggered. “This only strengthens the team and I have no doubt that we are well prepared to start the season”, he said with a straight face.
Before breaking his hole laughing.

My Prayer for RVP

I just had to go to church and reflect...that is, after I got sober

So my heart has been broken, I've drunk a little too much scotch, I've been through a roller-coaster of emotions - Anger, Nausea (If that's an emotion), Contempt, Depression and then indifference. That's where I'm at now.

 The deed has been done, what I feared has finally come upon me but, I've turned sober and thrown away my bottle of scotch. I only want to give RvP my blessings before we send him off riding into the sunset.

My Prayer For Robin "villain" Persie

What else was I to do? I became a desperate, desperate fan.

I pray, gather yourselves together that I might tell you what is to befall "the villain" in the last phase of his career.

O harken to the voice of desperate, hurt and ridiculed fans; hear the pain in our silence, see the pain in our smiles, in our reluctance to ever visit Old Trafford again. See, hear and if you can, feel.

He was our first-born, our might, our vigour, the one who scored 37 goals and managed to keep us in the top 3. This gave him pre-eminence in the heart of the management, in the heart of Wenger, in the heart of us - the supporters. ( I know that's not grammatically correct but I'm beyond caring right now)

Ye, we have seen the true man that lies beneath the grey hair - headstrong, vindictive,deceitful and cruel. Ah! The heart of man has been said to be deceitful and desperately wicked, who can know it except the Lord! RvP has made true this statement, we didn't know his heart's intent until he put it out for us to see. 

Forgive us Father for putting our trust in the man, in the villain because alas!, he has failed us.

So, from the very depths of our hearts, we offer these blessings:

You, Robin villain Persie shall not excel and have pre-eminence at Manchester United because you have defiled the people of the Canon (us) with your lies of loyalty and service; with your foul mouthed declaration of love and trust.

RvP, cursed be your time at the Old Trafford! Cursed be your first play on the pitch. May the trials and tribulations of Fernando Torres be your portion albeit something much worse.

Ye, a goal drought shall befall thee, that which was akin to the 7 year famine/drought in Egypt. We do not pray for injury, nay, we pray for the confounding of your creativity on the field of play. A situation where you give the opposition valuable passes and score own goals.

 A situation where you would be called the worst gamble of the transfer market the English Premiership has ever seen. A situation where Sir Alex Ferguson sends you onto the pitch with much trepidation as he will feel more confident playing with 9 men on the pitch than playing with you as the 12th. 

Ah! Ye! And in years to come when we all are no more, in the time when cars shall fly and dogs shall be able to use cell phones, your story shall be used as a folklore to remind want-away footballers of the consequences of wanting to want-away from a club that has given you its everything.

As you leave us, us who have hung on with hope, this is our prayer for you.

 We wait for your salvation, O Lord! The salvation of Arsenal.  And we wait for the salvation of Arsenal.

Amen

Biglia on Wenger agenda Arsenal consider midfield options

Lucas Biglia: Back on Arsenal agenda

Sky Sports understands that Arsenal have moved into pole position for Argentine international Lucas Biglia.

The 25-year-old Anderlecht player has long been on Arsene Wenger's radar, even from when he first moved to Brussels back in 2006.
Biglia has progressed well in recent seasons and now a number of Europe's top clubs are chasing his signature.
Real Madrid and Inter Milan are amongst the clubs who are keen on Biglia, along with a number of Premier League sides.
But now with Alex Song's future far from certain with Barcelona looking to snap him up, Sky Sports understands Arsenal have returned to the Biglia option.
Biglia is settled in Belgium, but he has never ruled out his desire to link-up with a club like Arsenal.
It is believed that Arsenal's interest in Nuri Sahin would be unaffected by their move for Biglia or another holding midfielder.

Van Persie exit cannot wreck Arsenal, says Vermaelen

Van Persie exit wont wreck Arsenal, says Vermaelen

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Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen is adamant his side can still challenge for silverware despite the disappointment of seeing star striker Robin van Persie sold to Manchester United.
Van Persie is expected to complete his move to Old Trafford within the next 24 hours after Arsenal accepted a bid of around £22 million ($34 million) for their captain.
The Holland international scored 37 goals for Arsenal in all competitions last season and his departure is a significant blow to their hopes of ending a seven-year trophy drought.
But Belgian centre-back Vermaelen, a likely candidate to replace van Persie as captain, insists Arsene Wenger's side must ignore any frustration at the striker's exit and focus on proving they can win without him, starting with Saturday's Premier League opener against Sunderland at Emirates Stadium.
"He was fantastic for us in the last year, scored lots of goals and I am disappointed he is going, but we have to focus on the next season with Arsenal," Vermaelen told Sky Sports News.
"We have to fight and I am confident we have a squad to win something.
"We start Saturday and this is all clear now, Robin is leaving and we have to move on."

Why I simply had to go-RVP

RVP has gone and the speculation as to his reasons for leaving is rife.  In fact a lot of absolute rubbish is being spouted  by a lot of people with rather obvious vested interests.  The photo of Kevin Pietersen is not a mistake, it is there to hint that the team must always come before the individual, and that arrogance can be a great destroyer of team spirit.  I don't think it takes a genius to work out why RVP left and here is my brief analysis from the evidence that is out there.  One key piece of information is RVP's disingenuous and cynical statement from the beginning of July:

"...it has become clear to me that we in many aspects disagree on the way 

Arsenal FC should move forward."

The above section is the key to RVP's departure.  The fact that a player felt he should be having such a say on the management of the club had already been made clear to Wenger and Gazidis earlier in the summer, a series of 'outlandish' demands had been made by RVP and his team, from this moment on the club knew full well that  he had to go, the only question was how to go about extracting as much money for his sale as humanly possible. 
The bottom line is that RVP strengths are his weaknesses, and no doubt his arrogance has cost him here.  The player who had such an erratic history in terms of injury and form had got carried away with one great season and the captaincy.  He had become so cocky and self important that he felt he should be contributing the club's management, including the finances.  The club could not keep a player who was trying to dictate financial policy to them, he simply had to go.  In fact the club never even offered him a deal of any kind after his ridiculous behaviour at the meeting, RVP had in effect signed his own death warrant at the club.

It is indeed sad that a player who many of us thought has his head screwed on has let himself and the club down so very badly.  As comments today, it is likely he had some very bad advice from his agent and will regret this decision when he is old enough to grow some maturity of thought.  RVP can never become a footballing legend, he could have been this at Arsenal, and all he can be at Manu is just another one of their fickle cohort.

I am sure the same old tired arguments will spew forth from certain corners and certain people with vested interests will try to paint RVP as the innocent party, while trying to blame the club for his departure.  This version of events is nowhere near the truth though, RVP left the club with no choice, his ego had got too carried away after one brilliant season, he felt he was entitled to be player, captain, manager and economist.  No player can be bigger than the club and this is unfortunately what RVP wanted to be.  Arsenal will be bigger and stronger without RVP, we simply cannot afford to have this kind of disruptive arrogance in our midst.  Goodbye Robin, thanks for the memories.

we can win with or without rvp_vermalen

Arteta - Things will be different this time

Robin Van Persie: Another One On The C**t List

RVP has decided to join one of Arsenal's biggest rivals, but I blame the departure entirely on him, not the club.

On Tuesday July 3rd, Arsène Wenger wrote the following in his Eurosport blog.
“We want to keep Robin van Persie at all costs, because we depend on him offensively. I have always supported him even in the hardest times, and I hope he will end his career at Arsenal.”
Obviously riled by Arsène’s words, Robin van Persie and his camp (including Darren Dein) replied in kind with two fingers the very next day, releasing a statement outlining a refusal to extend his contract, whilst publicly questioning the direction of our club.
“This is an update for the fans about my current situation.” Note, the statement was for us, the fans. Not himself. The following statement by Robin van Persie was of no benefit to Robin van Persie.
“I have kept quiet all this time out of respect and loyalty for the club and as agreed with Mr. Gazidis and Mr. Wenger, but since there is so much speculation in the media, I think it is fair for you guys to know what’s really going on at the moment.”
“Respect”. “Loyalty”. “Fair”.

 He wants us to believe that his team have not at any time, even wondered out loud, as to how much Arsenal would be willing to pay?

“As announced earlier this year, I had a meeting with the Boss and Mr. Gazidis after the season. This was a meeting about the club’s future strategy and their policy. Financial terms or a contract have not been discussed, since that is not my priority at all.” Not discussed? He wants us to believe that his team have not at any time, even wondered out loud, as to how much Arsenal would be willing to pay? That seems naive. Is that not what an agent is for?
“I personally have had a great season but my goal has been to win trophies with the team and to bring the club back to its glory days.”
“I”, “Personally”, ‘have been f***ing great, but my team mates? Those I captain? Not so good.’
“Out of my huge respect for Mr. Wenger, the players and the fans, I don’t want to go into any details.”
“Huge respect” for Arsène, whose whole vision you are about to belittle, the players who you’ve already alluded to as being inferior, and the fans, whose club you are about to s**t on. Some respect.
“….but unfortunately in this meeting it has again become clear to me that we in many aspects disagree on the way Arsenal FC should move forward. I’ve thought long and hard about it, but I have decided not to extend my contract.”
Sincere apologies, Robin. What players did you want Arsène to sign? Did you have a formation in mind? Let’s play fantasy football (you’re in charge of course). Who will you pick? You’ve got £100m. Let’s see how much money you’ve got left to spend after you’ve paid yourself, the star of RvP FC.

Sincere apologies, Robin. What players did you want Arsène to sign? Did you have a formation in mind?

I wonder, if we’d let Thierry Henry pick and chose the players in 2004, whether he’d have thought to sign a Dutch teenager with a temperament almost as questionable as his jeans?
“You guys, the fans, have of course the right to disagree with my view and decision and I will always respect your opinions.” We do. You’re on the **** list.
“I love the club and the fans, no matter what happens.”
Stop now, Robin. The stench of b****ks is overwhelming.
Let me state that what Robin van Persie said might well be true, but this does not mean he had a right to say so publicly. Now, over a month and three quality signings later, his questioning of Arsenal’s intent have less substance. Had Robin questioned the club’s direction having already left, there’s no such issue. “I had to leave Arsenal because…”. His words came whilst he was captain of Arsenal Football Club. He talked of respect, loyalty and fairness, before releasing words which fly in an opposite ‘direction’ all together.
I understand the cravings of a world-class 29-year-old footballer to win things. The romantic side of me, the side in which my morals reside, thinks that a player whom Arsenal nursed and remunerated through seven injury-ravaged years might offer more than one good year before f***ing off, but that’s football. That’s footballers. The naive nature of a football fan believes their footballing hero when, in February 2011, said footballer talks with apparent genuine affection towards your club.

Stop now, Robin. The stench of b****ks is overwhelming.

“I don’t have the inclination to go anywhere. This is the best team for me to be in. The bottom line is that I want to win trophies with Arsenal. not anybody else.” Bollocks.
Or how about his first programme notes as captain of Arsenal Football Club in August of that year, where he wished Cesc Fabregas well whilst asking Arsenal fans to do the same, remembering that ‘its not as if he has joined another English club.’
How ironic then that Robin should be so adamant in joining Manchester United. What would Robin van Persie 2011 make of the Robin van Persie summer 2012? And what will United fans make of a player who joins them having pulled the same trick as Wayne Rooney did when agitating for a move to City? Wayne Rooney was younger, and United better placed to challenge and, more importantly, pay up.
Arsenal are rightly unwilling to do one, but the investment in Cazorla, Giroud and Podolski suggest efforts are being made to do the other. Such signings were obviously not enough for Robin Van Persie. Neither was the pay. I’d like Arsenal to lower themselves to the level of the Dutchman and reveal the details of his outrageous demands of salary and players. Show him for what he is.
Some will blame the Arsenal board, but for me they have played this summer well, lessons learnt from last summer. New signings arriving early, and although it is horrible to sell to United, rinsing the debt ridden devils for another £24m is good business considering the year left on the 29 year old’s contract. Arsenal did not want to sell to Manchester United unless they received a bid too good to turn down, whilst United’s overall spend on Van Persie, taking into account his wages, stands at a £65m risk, despite the injury record repellent. Remember that the next time Fergie accuses City of buying the title. The club cannot be blamed for letting the player edge so close to the end of his contract either. Not when the alternative would have been brining a pen and paper with £100,000.00 a week offer to the treatment table for the contract to be signed.

Some will blame the Arsenal board, but for me they have played this summer well, lessons learnt from last summer.

Every time you hope they will be different. You expect more from them than history teaches. Robin has removed my last remaining ounce of faith in footballers. Here was a boy pictured wearing the Arsenal kit in his bedroom as a kid like I did. Like Ashley Cole did. It means so little to some, that by the time they regress into a footballer, pounds signs flash and any respect for those who’ve helped along the way, paying for their horse placenta and such, is quickly forgotten.
Stars fade almost as quickly as they shine, and the next hero will mean less than the last.
My own life and the priorities within it are changing fast. I cant wait to dress my kid head to toe in Arsenal, but they’ll never have a name on the back of their shirt because none is ever as important as the name on front. None is beyond betrayal.
Robin Van Persie joins Adebayor, Ashley Cole and Samir Nasri on the c**t list. Mind that ankle won’t you? It would be horrible for you to suffer any sort of injury the minute you pull on the wrong kind of red.
Some will accuse me of being bitter. They’d be right. Is it not a football fans justification to take such actions to heart?
It shows you care, and beats being passive and wishing the greedy swine luck.

Wenger: I was forced to sell Rvp

Arsenal oach arsene wnger hs stated in a alier eport today hat he was forced t sell his captain due t te money nvolved.24million is not a sall money t cash on a injury prone player

Arsenal to sign Llorente to replace Van Persie

As negotiations between Arsenal striker Robin Van Persie and Manchester United continue to gain pace, the Gunners have indicated Fernando Llorente as his replacement.
Confirmation that Llorente will not be renewing his current contract with Athletic Bilbao was announced earlier this week by club president Josu Urrutia, meaning the Spanish international could leave the club next summer on a free transfer.
Italian giants Juventus did have an offer of £16m rejected by the Basque club, who are determined to hold out for a bid in the region of his minimum release fee of £36m.
According to Marca.com, Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger is now resigned to losing Van Persie to Manchester United in a deal reported to be around £26m, which would then be used to attempt a bid for Llorente.

Manchester United Sign Robin van Persie

Manchester United are set to complete the signing of Robin van Persie for £24 million. The move is subject to a medical but is likely to be formally announced within the next 48 hours after van Persie returns from the Dutch national team. The striker will put pen to paper on a four year deal although his weekly wage has yet to be agreed. [More in due course]

BREAKING NEWS: Manchester United agree fee with Arsenal for Robin van Persie

Song, Song, blue (and purple), Sahin, RvP, and a few new season thoughts.

 

 

“What? What do you mean this haircut is fucking ridiculous?”

Well hello beautifuls….
As the days pass, Alex Song’s rumoured departure has gone from a few unsustained bouts of idle chitter-chatter, to what seems to be crushing inevitability. Foolishly, I had thought we might go through a summer without our players being so egregiously coveted by Barcelona and their wretched minions. I should really have known better.
That said, and unlike last summer’s epically dull Fabregas fiasco; I’m not sure I’d miss Song all that much. I know some of you will point to his assists, but I struggle to see past the many occasions our defensive/holding midfielder has been caught sauntering around the left-wing position, and the fuck load of goals we managed to concede last season. Of course, he isn’t responsible for all of those, but do you think we’d have let in as many had Gilberto been playing instead of him?
If indeed, as is suggested by some more ‘ITK’ than I, we already have eyes elsewhere, and Song is to leave, then I hope we opt for someone who’ll play his role with a degree of thought about where he’s supposed to be on the pitch, and someone who doesn’t think he’s a combination of Rivaldo and Christ.
Rumour would have us believe Arsenal are very close to securing a loan deal for Madrid’s Nuri Sahin – quality, quality player – but that move is alleged to be precautionary incase Jack’s return is delayed further. Song’s departure would leave Coquelin as the remaining holder in midfield, and I don’t think it would be wise to head into the new campaign with our only option a relatively untested player – I do rate him highly, however.
We’ll certainly know more in the next few days.
In that time, and for the sake of my sanity, I hope we find ourselves at the point of resolution with Robin van Persie. By now, I’m sick of typing his stupid name with it’s bloody irritating lower-case word in the middle. He may very likely go to Man United, and if that occurs, he’ll be about as revered as a nasty stain on a street urchin’s underpants. He’ll be right up there with Samir Nasri.
Whether or not I’d forgive him if he made a u-turn is fairly irrelevant at this point. Truth be told; I don’t think he’s going to, and if a deal can be reached, he’ll be off playing for Sir Alex. If he’s playing in an Arsenal shirt this year, it won’t be because he wants to be, and players like that are ones I believe we can do without – regardless of how good they might be.
The new season is now mere days away. It’s seems like only yesterday we were all moaning about the lack of ‘proper’ football and trying to watch the Olympic team to secure our fix – I liken that to a heroin addict trying to get high from a tube of Smarties.
I’m hopeful about our chances, I really am. The players we have bought are all looking to be excellent additions, and there appears to be plenty more movement on the horizon. Below are the comments, in those you can tell me who you’d like to see come in if Song leaves, and you can put forward a case for keeping him at all costs. Do you disagree with what I said? Let me know. I look forward to reading some.

Arsenal back as hot favourites to land highly regarded midfielder

According to many Spanish sources Arsenal are now hot favourites to land Real Madrid’s Nuri Sahin on a season-long loan.
The former Borussia Dortmund midfielder joined Real Madrid in 2011 on a six-year-contract but failed to impress in his first season and manager Jose Mourinho cannot grant him regular opportunities.
The Portuguese wants the 23-year-old to play football elsewhere to regain his confidence but is unwilling to sell him permanently.
Arsene Wenger is very much interested in adding him and has already spoken with the player over a possible move.
Liverpool are also an interested party and according to some reports they are ready to hijack the midfielder as the Reds looking to exploit the good relationship between both the managers.
But it is understood that Nuri Sahin has set his heart on Arsenal. The Gunners wanted to make the move permanent for him at the end of the season but Madrid boss is not willing to entertain that offer.
Meanwhile Arsenal winger Ryo Miyaichi is set to join Wigan on a season long loan, possibly clearing the path of Victor Moses, who is poised to join Chelsea.

New Arsenal Star Insists Club Are Gunning For Title

News » Football

      

Aug

15

2012

New Arsenal Star Insists Club Are Gunning For Title

New Arsenal star Lukas Podolski has fired a warning to the Premier League's big guns, by insisting that they will mount a challenge for honours this season.

Podolski, who joined Arsenal at the beginning of the summer, will line up alongside French international Olivier Giroud and Spanish playmaker Santi Cazorla in a new look side, with Gunners boss Arsene Wenger looking to end seven trophyless years.

The last trophy Arsenal won was the F.A. Cup in 2005, winning a nervy penalty shoot-out victory over Manchester United, and former FC Koln hotshot Podolski believes they are now suited to end that disappointing run.

Speaking to the Mirror, he said: “The Premier League has five or six teams who can play for the title - and we are one of them. We really want to win this trophy.”

The 27 year-old, who managed bagged 18 league goals in 29 appearances for Koln last season, has hit the ground running during Arsenal's pre-season campaign, and he is looking to continue in that vein, starting this weekend when the Premier League gets under way again.

“I hope I can score a lot of goals and make some assists to help the club in the Premier League,” he said.

Manchester United are confident a £20M deal can be agreed for the capture of Arsenal striker Rovin Van Persie

Manchester United will hold firm on their valuation of Robin van Persie but remain convinced the player will join them before the transfer window closes at the end of this month.
Arsenal’s insistence on placing a £30m price tag on the 29-year-old Dutch forward has so far stopped any deal taking place. A phone call from Alex Ferguson to Arsène Wenger has helped the situation, but it will not lead to a significant increase in the price United are prepared to pay.
Instead, Ferguson and United will hold firm and offer around the £20m mark that they believe will be enough to land such a key figure from one of their rivals. Van Persie has 12 months remaining on his contract at the Emirates and the possibility remains that he could see out the next six months and then sign a pre-contract with either Manchester United or Juventus, who retain an interest.
However, Ferguson is eager to do the transfer now and hopes that a deal can be concluded before his side begin their Premier League campaign against Everton on Monday evening.
Van Persie was the Premier League’s leading scorer last season with 30 goals, but it was the first time in his career in England that he has played more than 30 top-flight games in a campaign. That appearance record, and the fact he has so short a period of time left on his contract, are why United will not go beyond a £20m fee for the player.

Arsenal’s forward line is well-stocked, with or without van Persie

What a mess we are apparently in, eh? I refer, of course, to Robin van Persie. A player who is, as I write, drawing extreme reactions from Arsenal fans across the globe. While some Gooners write the saga off with a “meh”, some blame the club for not handling the situation properly, and some subject themselves to excruciating pain and anxiety, worrying over the fate of this man. Then there are people like me, who spend a little time on each one of these phases, trying to attain some sort of peace (I have, now).

There are quite a few strings of thought one can thread together from here. The possible implications for Arsenal, the mental state that Arsenal would be left in, the twist that the title race would take, and so on and so forth. However, none of these are really worth pursuing because, as I have found, they bring nothing but suffering (for the most part). So, then, since we are Gooners and can’t possibly think of anything but football and Arsenal, I decided to turn to exactly that.

One theory doing the rounds is that Arsenal will be a place where responsibility is shared on the pitch if Robin leaves. Looking at the options we have in the attacking midfield position – Cazorla, Rosicky, Ramsey, Wilshere (?) – I believe that shared responsibility is not at all an impossible task. We have brought in Giroud and Podolski as well, both strikers who are entering their prime and are eager to do it on a big stage at a big club.

But is it possible for them to work in a system without van Persie? Well, as far as I could make out, it worked pretty brilliantly in the 4-0 win against Koln, where the two of them played together in the first half, and Arsenal scored three. What we saw there might just be a glimpse of the Arsenal of this season. It was an Arsenal brimming with creativity, playing beautiful football, and making it all look ridiculously easy.

The kind of squad we have amassed allows us to work with different permutations and combinations, especially when it comes to the forward line. We saw against Koln how Podolski and Walcott worked so well on either side of Giroud. Podolski’s sense of positioning is second to none and he proved that in his second goal when he hammered in a cut back with his left foot. Giroud helped link play brilliantly, in a way I have rarely seen Chamakh do. He knocked down the ball for players, and always had one eye on the goal, shooting whenever he got the chance. Encouragingly, his understanding with Walcott also seems to be one that will bear significant fruit in the future.

Poldi the prince

Walcott’s role in the side cannot possibly be understated. He adds a zing to the side with his pace, and on his day is one of the best wingers in the world. If he can develop a partnership with Giroud (which, as mentioned, looks promising), it would make us a fearsome force going forward (Yes, I’m aware I narrowly missed out on alliteration there – fearsome force forward).

Another quantity here that we can’t possibly ignore is that man Gervais Lombe Yao Kouassi. Also known affectionately as Gervinho, and not-so-affectionately as Le Forehead, or simple Forehead, he is someone who has the ability to torment defenses. He has had a blinder of a pre season, mercilessly tearing apart every full back he has faced. Judging from his performances, there can be no reason why he doesn’t start in the season opener against Sunderland. However, there are times in any match where he seems utterly clueless about what he is supposed to do, rather aimlessly running around with the ball, achieving very little in the process. It is this diabolical-ness that has led many a Gooner to question his place in the first 11. This season will certainly be vital for him, but I feel that we need his pace and unpredictability in our squad. If Podolski is to play on the wings, that will be great competition for Le Forehead as well, which can only push him on to better things.

Vital season for Gervinho

The fact that, alongside all these options, we have Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on the bench proves how good our squad is in terms of depth. He is certainly set for a massive season, and we can now expect him to seriously contribute to our season. Whether Le Prof uses him in a central role or not remains to be seen, but he was fantastic on the wings last season. He takes players on and isn’t afraid to shoot – a truly explosive talent, and a more than capable back up for Walcott.

One has to remember, however, that our new signings are all from overseas. They are not yet fully match fit, and so an interesting option to explore is Gervinho playing as striker. We saw this with Arshavin the season before last, and well, I have mixed feelings about that. For a match or two, though, I feel it will work just fine. In pre-season, Gervinho has impressed in that false nine-ish role, and I think he can do a decent job against the small teams. His runs into the box and his dribbling skills will be something most central defenders will not have faced.

When the squad is close to full fitness, we may also see a few games where we employ a 4-4-2 formation. That will bring back memories of the Invincibles for a lot of Gooners, and will be intriguing to see. Wenger has hinted that he feels Podolski is a central striker, and Giroud is obviously one as well. So maybe Giroud up front with Podolski in the hole will do the trick? Or maybe Theo gets his chance in the middle, and plays behind Giroud or Poldi? It is certainly fascinating to see how each scenario would play out. Giroud setting up Podolski for a thunder strike, or Cazorla finding Walcott in the middle of one his runs behind the defense – it’s all most enticing. 4-4-2 is also Wenger’s favored formation – he once said that you could cover the highest percentage of the ground with the highest efficiency in a 4-4-2 system – so an occasional shift must not be discounted. What’s more, now we have the players to do it as well.

In a season that lasts nine months, with few breaks in between, rotation is vital. What we have this season is the potential to do just that. Lest we forget, Maroon Chamakh (couldn’t be bothered to look the spelling up) is also sitting on the bench, so there are a few secrets hidden in the depths of our squad. Whisper it softly, but Chu Young Park is another such well kept secret.

All this is honestly quite impressive. The variations that we can play with lend us an advantage that we must make use of. The forward line is the strongest it has been for some time – Walcott is ready, Gervinho is settled, Chambo is waiting to explode, Giroud is eager to impress, and Poldi, well, Poldi is a prince. If you look at these players, their average age is 24. Throw in Arshavin (I haven’t forgotten about him, no, but I think he will play in a central role, if at all) and Chamakh, and that jumps up to 25.6. I think that’s a forward line that is approaching its peak and is ready to fire on all cylinders.

It’s time for us to make our move on the pitch now. Like always, Forward!

Why Arsenal Are A Rising Force

In the early 21st century, Arsenal decided that in order to compete with England’s elite clubs they needed to build a larger stadium. So the club decided to leave their Highbury home in favor of pastures new and so the Emirates was born. Six trophyless years on, Arsenal are finally set to reap the benefits of that move and the astounding growth of the Premier League since the early 2000′s. In the next few paragraphs I will explain to you how Arsenal will set about going from top four contenders to title challengers within the next few years.
It seems unlucky in some ways that despite the promise that a new stadium would lead to the club being more prosperous and successful it has seemed to have the opposite effect. There is an explanation for why one of the world biggest football clubs haven’t reaped the rewards from having such a brand new stadium built, and it involves how they got the funds to build such a stadium in the first place.
When the plans for the Emirates were drawn up, Arsenal opted into several sponsorship deals with Middle Eastern company Emirates Airlines, they seemed remarkable at the time but hindsight has left the Gunners regretting the length of the deals. The Stadium sponsorship deal is what grabbed all the headlines, it is why the clubs ground is referred to as ‘the Emirates’ rather than ‘Ashburton Grove’, and when it was announced that the North London side had agreed a deal worth almost £42 Million over 15 years (£2.8M per season) there were gasps. It was a groundbreaking deal at the time, but the length of it has caused Arsenal much distress.
Just seven years after Arsenal announced they had reached a deal with Emirates, Manchester City announced a stadium naming rights deal of their own. They have managed to extract a astonishing £100 Million from Eithad Airways over 10 years (£10M per season), that’s almost 4 times the amount the Gunners receive if you judge it by yearly income. While you have to take into account the fact that the Eithad deal is likely inflated due to City’s middle eastern owners, it still shows how much revenue Arsenal are missing out on from year to year on stadium sponsorship alone.
It’s worth noting that the Gunners are still hoping to renegotiate the stadium deal, but they are unlikely to find a way to increase their income from naming rights until the deal expires in 2021. They look set to remain with their paltry £2.8M a year income from the deal until they can renegotiate it in 9 years time, meanwhile Manchester City bring in £10M per year for their deal. So how much are Arsenal missing out on compared to City’s deal over the next 9 years in total? A massive £64.8 million.
The next sponsorship deal is the shirt sponsor, Arsenal’s deal with Emirates Airlines in 2004 also included shirt sponsorship of £48M (making to total of deal between the North London side and the airline £90M). Fortunately for Arsenal they only agreed to a eight year kit deal, meaning it is up for renewal in 2014. The current arrangement see’s the Gunners bring in £6 million per year however that is significantly less than rivals Liverpool and Manchester United who earn £20 million during the same period. That’s a £14 million difference per year and something the club are hoping to rectify in two summers time.
The clubs kit supplier, Nike, is also tied down till a deal ending in 2014. The stark contrast between what the Gunners earn when compared to their rivals is also easy to spot with regards to the kit deal. £8 million per season is what the club receive from the contract, compare that to the eye-watering £25 million Liverpool get, a club that doesn’t even have Champions League football. The club is hopeful of renewing these deals/attracting new sponsors that will bring them in-line with England’s other top clubs, the increase from the two new kit and shirt deals alone could bring in an extra £28 million.
The club is working hard to attract more secondary sponsors too, and lots of them have already signed new terms at higher premiums. Arsenal also agreed a deal with Airtel this summer and look set to increase their sponsorship income from secondary sources by £10-£15M in the near future, some increases have already been arranged.
It’s not just from sponsorship agreements that Arsenal will see an influx of cash. The new record breaking Premier League deal which was signed last month has seen TV money increase by an extra £20 million from 2013. At present Arsenal struggle to break even, they are roughly losing £5 million per season if you deduct player sales. This loss is largely due to the £15 million the club have to spend on interest payments on the debt they took on during the stadium move, however with the increase in Premier League money Arsenal will find themselves much more self-sufficient once the new deal comes into play.
While an increase of £40 million from sponsorship alone in 2014 is highly likely, when you combine that with the new TV Money Arsenal stand to make £55 million per season from 2014. That’s £55 million that CAN be spent on players since the wage bill is unlikely to rise significantly in the next two years, players are set for new deals but previous high earners such as van Persie and Arshavin are set to leave meaning their wages can now be spread out over the new contracts for other players such as Alex Song and Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Of course that £55 million is the minimum the club could make, there is potential for an even higher income if Arsenal play their cards right and expand their commercial revenue in the same way Manchester United have done. It’s worth noting that the reason expenditure on players could be attributed to the clubs desire to attract better deals in 2014, the club have already spent £38 million this summer on new players and if they can win a trophy or two before sponsor negotiations begin they could be set for an even larger increase in income.
The future looks bright for Arsenal.