Afternoon all you lot. You find this column on the eve of Arsene Wenger’s first USA-hosted Arsenal game. New York Red Bulls and a certain Monsieur T. Henry await an Arsenal team who, once again, look a little light at the back and upfront.
With plenty of time before the transfer window closes, there is little point stressing, although I for one hope that the mooted David Ospina transfer gets confirmed fairly sharpish. Rumours of an Iker Casillas swoop would ordinarily be cause for great excitement. However, the evidence has been piling up against him that he is swiftly coming to the end of a gobsmackingly impressive career, and I hope any delay in presenting Ospina is not due to Arsenal deluding themselves into thinking that Saint Iker is the answer to their goalkeeping prayers.
What else is there to report? Well, I am on my short teacher’s holiday from today. No more early wake-ups or commuting until September. It’s a hard life but someone has to do it. A month of being a husband and father, rather than a burnt-out, drunken elbow patched jacket wearing flannel of a man for five days each week. I may take up pipe smoking and hire a keen batboy called Carruthers.
I chose, stupidly, this week to venture out into the surrounding towns to get my barnet trimmed. Apparently, Thursday is ‘Cut Your Hair Day’ in West Sussex…well, after driving and walking around in irresponsible heat, that day’s title was one letter out…
What can we expect from Arsenal after this weekend in The States? Next week, pre-The Emirates Cup, a quick trip to Austria beckons…then the aforementioned annual kick-about.
I do enjoy The Emirates Cup. I’ve been to three and seen some teams and players whom I never thought I would; Boca Juniors and Juan Roman Riquelme, being at the fore-front of that statement. Although I had seen Riquelme before, when he put in a shift at the Nou Camp against Osasuna in 2002…ahh, Kluivert…Xavi…Mendieta…
I may try to make it up to this year’s preseason tournament…but money is tighter when you start breeding and it is looking doubtful. We shall see. I know two nephews who have been pleading to go again.
I hope you are all well. Let us hope Arsenal can bring in some talent to add to this blossoming team.
Here are five things I’d like to see Arsenal do before the Community Shield match against Manchester City:
1 – Sign a decent defensive midfielder, instead of relying – yet again – on fragile internal solutions; like Jack Wilshere and Abou Diaby. William Carvalho or Lars Bender would be fine.
2 – Sell Thomas Vermaelen if he wants to leave and sign TWO centre-backs. Frankly Arsenal need more bodies there. Micah Richards and Doria perhaps?
3 – Get contract negotiations started again for Theo Walcott. A ‘Sign da ting’ period isn’t too far off again.
4 – Complete the David Ospina signing. Hopefully by The Emirates Cup fixtures.
5 – Offload Nacho Monreal and Santi Cazorla *if* they really do want out. I HOPE they don’t. However if they do, Arsenal would have to replace them very quickly. I can’t imagine Gooners would appreciate Santi and his soul-warming smile departing N5. Who would I get in? Easy: Fabio Coentrao and Angel Di Maria…Real Madrid have to pay off James Rodriguez somehow!
Thanks for reading you lot,
Cheers then.
Greg Cross
I have been an Arsenal supporter since the 1990/91 season after being introduced to football, aged eight, during the Italia 90 World Cup. My favourite player as a young Gooner was Stefan Schwarz and I have a soft spot now for Theo Walcott.
I am a father and husband and lecturer in a Sussex college. I have written for Sabotage Times and am also a Real Oviedo shareholder.
I try to blog daily too – ‘GregCross82’s Arsenal Blog’ http://arsenalramble.wordpress.com/
You are right on Iker Casillas and why what Wenger is seeing in him after his blunders during the world cup. Why should Arsenal buy a player like Micah Richards? There are affordable world class defenders out there. Carzola to go where, we need depth as Wenger will not buy a replacement.
This Casillas rumour is confusing indeed because I don’t expect Szczesny to be number 2 behind Casillas, afterall the old Casillas is different from this new one.
I am a teacher myself on summer break, lucky me. Definitely agree with all your points, but i will guess we have to wait till next week to hear who is going out and who is coming. None of the player sin the squad have actually come out and say they not going any where and i am sure all news are being monitored by their agents.
My concern is still the Defensive Midfield and i fear Wenger always chose not to fill the positions we are most vulnerable in, i do not know if he does it to spite the media or the fans, but it has cost arsenal time after time. The big loses we suffered last season are a case and point, the case for a big body in the middle of the park (had never failed arsenal before), the case for a pacey forward (had never failed arsenal before). If we have those last season , i have no doubt we would have won the league. (still angry about that)
Yes our forward line may have been slightly filled with sanchez and campbell (still wanted some one else), but defensive midfielder has not been filled, Diaby and Coquelin can do a job , however in the Diaby case we have to worry, therefore a body with less injury problems must be considered for the job.
Anyway hoping wenger have some more goodies for us
WHY SELL SANCHES AND MONREAL TO BUY DI MARIA OR RODRIGUEZ .
GAZIDIS ANNOUNCED £199 MILLION TRANSFER BUDGET WEVE MADE A FURTHER £12 M FROM VELA A ND FABRGAS TRANSFERS .
£ 112 M TOTAL
WE HAVE ONLY SPENT £44 M. FACT
£68 MIN THE BANK THERE READY TO GO TODAY RIGHT NOW ANY TIME THE MANAGEMENT WANT IT .
THE OTHER TOP TEAMS ARE SPENDING BIGGER QUICKER FASTER IN MORE DEPTH THAN
ONLY THE TOP FOUR TEAMS MAKE THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE .
WE ARE IN SERIOUS DANGER OF GOING OUT WITHOUT A FIGHT NOW BEFORE A MATCH IS PLAYED .
2 PLAYERS IN 3 GONE ?
Now I am going to do my breakfast, afterward having my breakfast coming yet again to read more news.