Highbury House

So the news that none of us wanted to hear came out yesterday.

Our captain, our Dutch Master, our main man announced that he would not be signing a new contract.

Let me just clarify that ‘main man’ bit – he was our main man, but for just one season.

He hasn’t done what the likes of Tony Adams, Nigel Winterburn, Lee Dixon, Keown, Bouldy, Wrighty, Dennis, Thierry Henry, Bobby Pires, Freddie, Paddy etc did for us, they all worked hard for more than just one season.

When they left, they went with blessing from most fans, they came, they played and they won our club a few trophies.

They were good, very good…. Maybe even GREAT!!

Robin joined us back in 2004 and apart from that wonder goal against Charlton, nothing really sticks in my mind about what he has done for us up until the 2011/12 season, other than keeping the medical staff busy of course.

Starts/Goals

2004-05 18/10

2005-06 21/11

2006-07 25/13

2007-08 20/9

2008-09 38/20

2009-10 18/10

2010-11 26/22

2011-12 45/37

Total 211/132

Not a great record is it?

Truth be told though, I am very sad, I honestly thought our captain was a better man, a loyal man and one who would stay and lead this side to its first trophy for a few years but it seems he wants to win a trophy at another club, one where it is slightly easier to come by, one where maybe he doesn’t have to work so hard in just one season.

Well, good luck to him I say and that’s because I think he’ll need it. Last season he was on fire, that can never be denied, but for a man who has suffered so many injuries which could at anytime hit him again, he won’t be looked after by any other club in the way that Arsenal have looked after him but I guess he won’t care if he’s picking up £250,000 a week.

Does Robin have a reason to lie?

If what he has said about the way Gazidis and Wenger want to take the club forward is not what he believes in, then that has to ring massive alarm bells.

Out of my huge respect for Mr Wenger, the players and the fans I don’t want to go into any details, 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.

Robin wants to win trophies, do his comments suggest that Gazidis and Wenger don’t share that same view…..?

What’s also interesting is the word “again” in his statement, what does he imply by that?

Robins statement insinuates the club lack the ambition and the intent to bring in the quality players we need to make us a force to compete for trophies again or is this a way of him getting out of the club and not loosing face with the supporters?

Did he mention these concerns to the club when we was laying injured on the treatment table for large parts of the last 4/5 years?

I think not.

Do we read between the lines that Arsenal have told him the buying is over and done with and Podolski and Giroud are it…?

Do the club think we can compete with just those signings alone..?

Is this the ambition and intent we want to see from our club or is it a smokescreen for RVP to leave and milk a huge salary somewhere else…?

Is it a ruse from Arsenal to get out of paying him a new huge salary and signing on bonus when he may be injured the next 2 seasons and have no saleable value when 33………..

A great many question and very few answers…!

Yet again the fans are the ones who suffer, what is the truth what are the facts? We will never know will we.

It’s just us yet again left to pick up the pieces and fork out for those mega expensive season tickets and have the club and players alike pull the wool over our eyes.

However, it’s not always all about the players who choose to leave The Arsenal, it’s about which players we bring in to replace them!

This is now the most important issue for the board and Wenger to resolve and put smiles back onto the faces of the fans. Now is the time to show some ambition and intent and make sure us the fans can see the path the club is going in.

As much as the word coming from the club suggests they hope to keep RvP to his contract and then let him leave for free next summer, I hope we don’t.

He has now made it quite clear he wants to seek pastures new so let the bidding begin…..

Snippet from that good old rumour site:

Thomas Muller is the one that somebody believes could be lined up to replace Robin, and before we dismiss this one totally, he’s unhappy sitting on the bench at Bayern. With Podolski and Merts in the side, maybe a move to us wouldn’t be too daunting for the 22 year old.

Would he be the one to make us think Robin who??

Oh well, reading that made me smile for a moment – we all need a bit of that don’t we?

Have a good day all…..