Highbury House

Morning all,

Christian Benteke wants a move to us in the summer:

There is no point in me getting into a tug-of-war with Villa, and I don’t think there is any need for one. If the chance comes up for me to join a club like Arsenal, I am convinced that we can reach a compromise where everybody comes out a winner.

This guy has been good, very good for Aston Villa and it’s not the first time he has hinted at wanting to join us.

Remember back in 2012 he said this:

Arsenal are the club I love, I like their philosophy of selecting young players and, besides, they had Thierry Henry. 

For me he is the best player in the world and was my boyhood idol. I’m not afraid of making enemies at Villa by saying I love Arsenal.

We always say we need more players who love our club, because when they do, they give a little bit extra. He has to be up there with some of the better strikers in the Premier League right now and if he can score 19 Premier League goals for Villa, I’m sure he’d get a few more in red and white….

Go get him Arsene!

Another who has been strongly linked to us for a while now is Swansea’s Ashley Williams. The latest suggestion is that he and Arsenal have agreed personal terms on a deal that would see him make a move to our club. All that is left to agree on is the fee.

Jacks been talking to Arsenal Player:

The games earlier on don’t decide our season but we have got to think that we have to win them, because that is what champions do.

The likes of Manchester United go away and win games and leave you thinking, ‘they keep winning and winning’ and at the end of the season the points tally shows that.

That is what we have to do [to challenge for the title], and we also have to improve our record against the big teams. It has not been great this season and if you want to become champions you have to beat those sides.

Our first two fixtures of last season (seems funny writing that) saw us drop four points against two very average clubs. Stoke and Sunderland – the latter being at home. But back then, and after conceding 40+ goals in the league during the previous season, most of us were quite impressed at how organised our defence looked.

Finally – we looked like we’d not not reach such an outrageous figure again…..

Funny enough, it was the scoring of goals we struggled with, our main man had gone and we’d started with a goal drought.

Of course, the press loved that…

Then we travelled to Anfield and beat Liverpool 2-0 with both Podolski and Cazorla getting their debut goals and then we battered the new boys Southampton 6-1 at home and all seemed a little brighter. A couple of own-goals, Podolski, Walcott and Gervinho got the others, Gervinho with two.

But then cam Manchester City, the Premier League Champions, the team oozing with class and with a manager who loved to spend money. We faced them away, we battered them. But we only managed a draw.

That’s six points dropped already and it was still September. An even worse result followed that, a 1-0 defeat to Norwich, another who had been promoted from the Championship. Another who we really should have beaten.

Nine points dropped – and yes, dropped….

The next three points we missed out on was at Old Trafford, a 2-1 defeat, a flattering score-line for us. I was glad to see the back of that fixture…..

From 2-0 up at The Emirates, we drew 3-3 with Fulham, we even missed a chance right at the end to clinch all the points, but Arteta’s penalty was kept out by a keeper we once tried to sign……

Eleven points surrendered far too easily….

We battered the neighbours at home 5-2, that was a nice day, Adebayor getting sent off is always pleasing on the eye!

But, again, we dropped two points against a poor Aston Villa side away from home. Thirteen and counting…..

A draw at Everton away was a fair result but a 2-0 defeat at home the following week was simply shocking, we were really all over the place, especially as the game came to and end and they scored twice.

That’s sixteen, not so sweet eh!

Next place to drop points was at St Marys against the side we’d hit for six earlier in the season. Eighteen points by my reckoning and it was only Jan 1st 2013….

Man City and Chelsea both beat us over the next couple of weeks, we deserved nothing from either in my opinion.

Liverpool at home saw us go 2-0 down but somehow we dug in a earned a point.

Then came the 2-1 defeat at WHL, a game we deserved to get something from in the end but defensive errors let us down. I’d say we definitely dropped a point that day, at least. Nineteen and still counting….

By this time, we’d also been knocked out of the two domestic competitions and had been torn apart by Bayern Munich in front of our own fans. The players were down, the fans were down and we looked like a side that would struggle to make the Europa league, let alone get into the top four.

Next up was the return trip to Bayern, the general view was ‘how many we would lose by’….

We didn’t, we turned up, we played great, we won and we did ourselves proud. Very proud!

From that night until the end of the season we didn’t lose again….

A further two points were dropped at home against Man Utd and Everton and yes, they were dropped, we really could have beaten them on the night of each match – that makes it four more dropped – twenty three in total…

Sixteen points was the difference between the Premier League winners and us….

Jack’s right, start the season sharper and start getting much better results against those so called ‘better sides’. Learn to dig a bit deeper and beat a few of the sides down the other end of the table as well and who knows where we could finish next season.

We know what this current squad can do, we’ve seen it over the last couple of months.

Adding stronger, better and experienced players to what we already have will make us so so much stronger…

Roll on July 1st…..

Finally, Emmanuel Frimpong underwent surgery on his knee on Wednesday – hopefully all went well and he’ll make a full recovery.

That’s it for another day, have a good one….

Morning all,

Football seems miles away right now, it has since the news broke yesterday afternoon about how a soldier was brutally murdered by two black males in South East London. Going about his day peacefully and proudly wearing his Help for Heroes t-shirt one minute, he was savagely attacked just 200 yards from his barracks the next.

A truly shocking and horrific day for that young man and his family. May he Rest in Peace and I pray that somehow his loved ones find a way through this….

Makes all of this seem insignificant….

But…….

Over the next couple of months before pre-season season kicks off, the whole footballing world will be full of transfer gossip, all of which I’ll try and round up each morning.

This morning it’s all about captain Thomas Vermaelen. The gossip pages say he is ready to quit in search of regular football with both Manchester United and Barcelona possible destinations. Valued at just £5 million, if he is to quit, I’m sure he’ll soon get snapped up.

What happened to a bit of competition, do players not like having to work hard for their place in the side? No, I don’t think they like it one bit, well tough, it seems that Arsene Wenger has learned to drop players. Now we need a better squad to allow him to drop more if needed.

And this summer is supposed to be ‘the one’, the one which see’s us sign a few classy players, the one which finally see’s us go from good to bloody good, maybe even trophy good.. We’ll see, we’ll hope…

According to Arsenal blog Gunnerstowwn, the club are going to break the current transfer record twice.

Anyway, back to the defence.

Back to March when we travelled across town to face a team which has forever been lost in our shadow. That day, luck was on their side and by that I mean, our defending gifted them two quick goals and an easy three points.

Some believe the loss to Bayern Munich sparked change, maybe it did as far as players being dropped, but for me, it was at WHL the change really took place and that change was so much for the better………

During the remaining eleven fixtures, we conceded just five goals. The previous eleven matches in all competitions had seen us concede twelve goals.

That is a huge difference.

Whatever, whoever sorted that out, I don’t really care do you? As long as that same kind of statistic stays with us from the start through to the finish of next season.

A solid defence, including the keeper will earn the team points. As long as they don’t concede, it’s up to those further up the pitch to take their chances and score us goals and to be fair, they did ok. Of course a top quality striker added to the squad in the next few weeks will make a huge difference.

Which takes me to Olivier Giroud and his comments:

It’s 16 years in a row we’ve succeeded to qualify for the Champions League. We knew it was really important. For me it will be the second season in the Champions League.

When you play in the Champions League, you always improve yourself and it’s better for competition.

We are competitors and want to play in the top games. I really enjoy playing against big clubs like Bayern Munich. I would like to go further next year.

We all want that don’t we?

Well, I’d rather we won a domestic trophy ahead of the big one but I wouldn’t complain I guess…..

Finally, a bit of fun.

The Onlooker….

Lazy so-and-so, I’m sure those cars would get clean a lot quicker if Aaron pulled his weight! Apparently the three are yet to jet off on their holibobs, preferring to stay at the club and participate in an experiment to assess the best conditions for cleaning a car.

Thanks to Citroen of course…..

That’s it for another day…..

Morning all,

No doubt you have all read the comments by Yaya Sanogo who yesterday confirmed that he’s heading to Arsenal next season.

Arsenal could be a great club for me, I scored nine goals this season with Auxerre and they think I can improve my level in England.

I am pleased to be following in the footsteps of Abou Diaby who came through from Auxerre.

There are many teams interested in me, but Arsenal is my choice.

Pray be that the only thing Sanogo will have in common with Diaby is Auxerre, the injury situation is not to be laughed at is it?

Anyway, that seems to be one in the door, good luck to him and I hope for his sake and Arsene Wenger’s, he’s really over his injury problems.

Firstly I’d like to join all fellow Gooners in celebrating our hard fought win on Sunday. Cracking!

Have a slice….

Premature again…..

Ok, at times we struggled but defensively we looked “sound” and the performance from Laurent Koscielny was top draw.

Onwards – Iv’e been watching some of our players who left for pastures new and those who were released or sold on by our club encouraged me to write up an article.

There were players who left us for the cash, others who felt silverware was the order of the day selfishly and players who just wanted to play as they weren’t getting the chance to show their stuff.

This article is predominately about some of the younger stars who were sold for a cut price or released.

Over the last 10 years we have been excited about the following players becoming stars, players who shone ever so brightly at youth level, who either progressed through the academy or were swiped from other clubs academies:

Nacer Barazite
Henri Lansbury
Jay Emmanuel Thomas
Luke Freeman
Jay Simpson
Hoyte brothers
Carlos Vela
Conor Henderson
Luke Ayling
Kyle Bartley

I picked those  ten players as I have followed their progress since they left us. All of them showed true professionalism and respect when they departed our great club but some have fared better than others.

Nacer Barazite

He was meant to be the next Bergkamp, an eye for a pass and wuite a talisman in his early years. Could have played for Holland , got injured and after a loan here and there , and Derby County aside, slipped into mediocrity and ended up in Turkey , albeit for a top end club, and choosing Turkey over Holland hoping for a “Colin Kazim-Richards” fairytale, as his parents are of Turkish descent. Felt this player could have played a role, and left us too early.

Henri Lansbury

I was very upset we let him go for a meagre £1 million. This boy seemed the real deal and our next Romford Pele.  He could shoot, tackle pass. Built at 6ft,  he suffered glandular fever but overcame it and went on to be successful on loan. He was prolific at youth level at club level and internationally and was  a real character in the dressing room. Most rated him as a better prospect than Wilshere at one time. Nottingham Forest are going places, but that isn’t really his level.

JET

Well, from wonder-kid with skill in abundance with a resemblance toKkenwyne Jones frame , this kid looked able to play amongst the best, he was prolific at youth level and had the world at his feet.

Then, before the idiot could show some maturity, he got nicked for smashing up his £100k motorcar before having a license and on loan he didn’t really put much effort in. I felt he went the same way as Pennant and we will look at him as a wasted tale of what could have been. Has now been released by Ipswich, what a drop in fortunes.

Luke Freeman

We paid £2m for him when he was 15 years old. He is a goal-scoring machine..

Well, this kid got so overawed he seemed out of his depth at our reserves and never set our coaches alight with his performances. We kept this lad for ¾ years and now at Stevenage, he hasn’t exactly given them their moneys worth. I think it was his lack of self belief and the attitude of ‘they paid £2m for me’, so I will just turn up and they will make me better. He went the other way, and perhaps a stepping stone at a championship club would have been better.

Jay Simpson

Another who I felt we sold too quick and too cheaply. He knew where the back of the net was and was very much liked by the coaches and players at the club. He , like Lansbury did not want to leave but as Wenger was looking at his forwards, he chose NB52 instead as the better prospect.

Well, he has worked his socks off and while not the quickest or most skilful, his goals have helped Hull City earn promotion and its players like him who inspired me to write the article. He has scored everywhere he has been and the promotion is a true testament to the boy who scored the first goal at The Emirates.

Hoyte brothers

We know Justin was a average right back and not worth the £3m we got from Middlesbrough but he left with dignity and because he wanted to play week in, week out. Always a gent and a friend within the club, but he could have pushed himself a little harder. He’s scored a cracker this season for Boro and it was that goal that made me think. He was better than he showed us. His brother Gavin was meant to be the real deal. What a waster, never fulfilled his talent as the fearsome centre back and now he’s a slacker in the lower leagues. He’ll probably end up as a Sunday pub team player.

Carlos Vela

Well this kid had it all but is a bit of a Taarabt.

Turns up when he wants to. We all saw why we spent £3m on him as a teenager but after 4/5 years at the club he finally got his chance, but seemed more interested in partying. Discipline wise he is immature and does not want to put in a shift. Always came alive when the ball was near him but walked at snails pace uninterested when not. I felt this guy had so so much more.

He now seems to be comfortable in Spain and unlike Lukaku who went to West Brom and had a real go, this kid wasn’t interested at all. It’s interesting to see him looking like a world beater in Spain and when I remember his cameos for us as a sub, I’d wonder if this kid is the same player?

I will never forgive him for forgetting his passport for that game in the Champions League versus Barcelona. C’mon as a kid , they don’t get bigger than that.

Conor Henderson

This kid is a brilliant passer of the ball, the right build and after overcoming serious injury, he started to show for the reserves that he was ready to step up. Wenger was tipping him, like Randall to break through. He finally got himself fit and has now decided to make a dash for it rather than try and get into our midfield.

Come on, Rosicky and Arteta aren’t going to be here forever. Frimpong looks like he’s moving on so there is a space opening up. However, he has chosen to go elsewhere in search of first team football. My question to him would be – ‘what have you shown to merit a chance elsewhere’? I fear Dagenham and Redbridge awaits.

Luke Ayling

He was considered the better player of the Bartley and Ayling partnership but didn’t have the build frame to be a centre back, so off to Yeovil he went , where he became a fans favourite and Captain. Nice to see he has built up his frame and has helped them earn promotion to the Championship.

He may not get to the Premier League with Yeovil, but I feel we will see him in the Premier League not before long. This was a lad we released, keeping Bartley for the extra year instead of keeping both. Most who watched reserve football will tell you it was Ayling who often bailed Bartley out of trouble and had the better technique on the ball. He never slagged off the club and is still good mates with Yennaris.

Kyle Bartley

He made the right decision in moving to Swansea, justified by winning the FA Cup. He did well wherever he went and after playing so well for Rangers, we should have made more effort with this lad, instead of persisting with Djourou. This lad is a no nonsense defender who reminded me of Steve Bould when he played.

Interestingly enough, I heard from a source at the training ground that he left for a £1 million as Wenger thought Ignasi Miguel was the better prospect. We could have saved a bundle by not signing Squid, caning Djourou and keeping him and his mate Ayling as reserve centre backs. I think he’ll end up like Matthew Upson. He knows his limitations and in Michael Laudrup will receive a good education at Swansea. I feel we messed up with him, just like we did with Lansbury. Another who shows effort reaps its rewards.

So, what are your thoughts?

Who will be this years could ‘has-beens’?

Written by George

Morning all,

Couple of snippets from The Daily Express, Mark Schwarzer has not been offered a new deal by Fulham and unless that changes, he’s available for free this summer. We all know Arsene Wenger tried to sign him, will he try again now he’s free? Is 40 years old just a bit too old? Staying with the same club, our asking price of £6 million for Emmanuel Frimpong is far too high for Martin Jol so they won’t consider making his loan move permanent.

Jose Mourinho has finally left Real Madrid, so having see one old big head retire from the Premier League, back comes another!

We have to keep chuckling at the expense of the club down the road.

Darn, not again…….

I’d love to Arsene Wenger bring in 2, 3 or 4 really top players this summer. Players who, because of their level of quality, demand a £20-£25 million  price tag.

However,  past experience would suggest that we’ll probably only see one player in that category.

Looking ahead to next season, I’ll give you my thoughts on what Arsene Wenger might do to strengthen our squad. I will ignore hysterical  rumours linking us to the likes of Rooney and Fabregas along the way……….

Wenger is, and always has been very conservative in his transfer business. So I will too.

Looking at our senior squad of twenty five players, I think it could be broken down as thus:

3 goalkeepers

4 full-backs

4 centre backs

6 central midfielders

4 wide midfielders

4 strikers

So – I would offer Fabianski a new contract and tell him that it’s a straight forward fight between him and his fellow Pole for the number one place. That should be a good motivating tool.

I’d also sign Mark Schwarzer on a freebie from Fulham on a short-term contract, he’d be a great experienced backup keeper and I’d offer him a coaching role as part of the deal.

I would retain both Sagna and Vermaelen and add Ashley Williams from Swansea to the squad.

Meanwhile, both Miquel and Bellerin would go off out on loan to the championship or  to another Premier League club for a season with a view to them replacing  both Sagna and/or Vermaelen in 12 months time if need be.

Time for another..

Thanks Lee

Back to the summer and I’m sure Arsene Wenger will almost certainly pay only one big fee this summer and that seems likely to be Jovetic.  Therefore, Remy seems a logical and inexpensive choice to give us four strikers. (pending his police investigation of course)

Higuain is another possibility, maybe instead of Remy but I doubt that Ebenezer Kroenke would sanction two multi-million pound signings…..

I know I was having a bit of a rant the other day, which does seems at odds with the post I have done, but my post is about how I think Wenger will act this summer, not what  I what I would would like to see happen this summer.

Personally, I would ditch Diaby! Or I would send him out on loan to France in a less physical league and try to see if he can stay fit. Then maybe he will encourage interest from other clubs….. That would allow Wenger the option of signing two new centre midfielders.

The possible sale of Djourou, Denilson and Bendtner will help the clubs bank balance sheet and get rid of them from the wage bill.

We could also get some compensation from the younger members who leave.

Added to them of course is  Mannone, Arshavin, Chamakh, Squillaci, Frimpong, Coquelin, Eastmond, Watt, Henderson, Monterio, Ebecilio, plus a few other young fringe players..

Our midfield is always an interesting area of debate among us fans and I can only see Wenger signing one player in this key area.

The two French guys from Lyon, Maxime Gonolans and Clement Grenier sound like typical Wenger business and of course, Capoue is still on the radar of our manager. To be honest, any one of those would fit the bill, possibly all three so that’s one big signing, three moderate signings and one bargain basement signing.

Last one for today.

Thanks Rammers..

So, that makes my estimated total transfer outgoing at approx £50 million…

My senior squad for next season might look something like this.

Szczesny,  Fabianski, Schwarzer, Sagna Jenkinson, Monreal, Gibbs

Mertesacker, Koscielny, Vermaelen, Williams

Arteta, Ramsey, Wilshere, Rosicky, Diaby (New signing)

Gervinho, Walcott, CAZORLA, Oxlade-Chamberlain Gnabry/Miyaichi

Giroud Podolski Jovetic Remy (Higuain or A.N. Other)

That’s how I see things at the start of the season…

How do you see things shaping up over the summer?

Written by Allezkev

Morning all,

I spotted this on NewsNow yesterday and had to share, just in case you missed it.

Gervinho is reported to be off to Lyon in the summer for €14 million, have a read here.

Had to be done…..

Actually, how we didn’t finish up yesterday laughing at ourselves I don’t know.

As a unit I thought we were awful for a lot of the game but Koscielny was absolutely awesome from start to finish. How fitting that he finished his chance in front of goal much better than our ‘I want to play central’ player did later on in the game..

Ramsey too put in a good shift, he took a couple of nasties, this one of them…

Could have been nasty….

However, no point in moaning and groaning, we wanted three points and we got them, now it’s all about what we as a club do to stop something like what we witnessed yesterday happening again next season.

We got lucky, we got 4th place but clearly, others ‘below’ us are getting stronger and stronger each season and they again will be all out to close that ‘gap’ we have for so many years bragged about.

The debts are lessening, the income is increasing and a few players who are earning hefty salaries are on their way out. No doubt over the next few weeks those names will no doubt be confirmed…

Here is what Arsene Wenger said after the game:

In the last three months, I believe we have been remarkably consistent. We won every away game so it’s a good springboard for next season, to transfer that belief into the start of next season.

That means we need stability and to strengthen our group if possible. There are many clubs out there with a lot of money so the competition is very hard.

There’s not as much talent as money today in football.

There cannot be any ‘if possible’!

No more false hopes, no more spin, no more empty promises.

Arsene Wenger is reported to have gone on and said this:

The last three months are a springboard for next season, we have to transfer that belief into the start of next season.

We need stability and to strengthen. Is it spending a lot on one player or buying many players?

We want additions but we want to keep the structure and spirit and quality of the team.

Let’s not forget there are many clubs with big money and not enough talent to strengthen all the teams. But we will go out in a proactive way.

That’s a bit more promising.

Proactive, well I hope that means that the looking and talking doesn’t begin here, I’m hoping all that started months ago and all we have been waiting for is the season to end, with us getting a top four place.

Well we have it, now for Ivan Gazidis and Arsene Wenger to go and do some serious business this summer.

That’s it for another day, have a good one…..

Morning all,

So here we are, last day of the season – a season which has been very mixed.

Some moments of brilliant football, albeit those moments mostly came against clubs who were either placed below us in the league or had been reduced to ten men.

We played a good half against both Manchester clubs, City away when really we should have battered them but came away with just a point and then United at The Emirates. In that game we played some of our best football of the season in my opinion, we clearly wanted to beat them, we should have beaten them, only an error gifted them a penalty which in turn, gifted them a point…

Had we played all season, we wouldn’t be where we are today, hoping and praying that the players can hold their nerve for one more game and get three points at St James Park.

Wenger thinks needing the victory is a good thing:

Sometimes you think it would be nice to play without pressure but, after, you think let’s get it back because it’s so boring.  

It would be worse to go to Newcastle with nothing at stake for us. We have what we wanted. Let’s do the job.

I really don’t get that at all.

I’d love us to be going to St James Park with the PL trophy in the bag, 2nd, 3rd or even 4th spot already secure and have nothing to play for.

I’d love for us fans to be either present in the stands or watching on a screen somewhere, to able to do so without so much stress, anxiety and praying we can finish above the neighbours for another season!

Unless of course those the points would secure the title……

Anyway, it wasn’t to be so here we are needing three points against Newcastle this afternoon if we are to secure Champions League football.

Newcastle, now they are a team with nothing to play for having already secured their Premier League status for another season. Just. However, they too would get a financial boost if they beat us and take 10th place. £5 million is that figure!

Today will be tough…

There is ‘history’ between Alan Pardew and Arsene Wenger, there’s history between Newcastle and Arsenal, just a couple of seasons ago we saw that in this very same fixture when Gervinho got sent off so we won’t get things all our own way. Pardew will want to finish with a win and I’m sure he’d love to be the one who prevents us from playing Champions League football next season.

In goal for Newcastle will be long-serving Steve Harper, it’s an emotional day for him as he’s hanging up his gloves after a record-breaking 19 years at St James Park. ( I hope he has a howler!)

For us it’s all about will Giroud start up front, or will Wenger stand by a winning side and has Arteta recovered from his injury?

Oh and the extra £50 million the club will pocket should we win, although Arsene Wenger strenuously denies that:

What is at stake is a desire to stay at the top and to play top-level European football.

There is a difference between the Champions League and Europa League. Why? The Champions League plays with the best teams in Europe and that is what we want to do.

Yes, the financial consequences are big but that is not the most important thing for me.

Regardless of whether it is or not, we just need a win.

The away fans have been outstanding this season, when things have been rocky, they have kept going. No ground has been too far to travel to. No performance has stopped them from shouting from the rooftops, sometimes in desperation to get the team playing well. They deserve one more victory….

Regardless of what goes on behind closed doors, it’s about getting behind the players who feature today and securing a victory us all.

Today is about ending the season on a positive note, leaving Stan Kroenke, Ivan Gazidis and Arsene Wenger to head off into the summer and FINALLY make the kind of signings this club deserves and needs to take our squad from being good, to being great.

The kind of signings that will next season give us a real chance of having something ‘at stake’ on the final day…….

That’s it for another day.

I really hope it’s a good one…….

Morning all,

Getting nervous yet?

Me too….

Forget the Rooney rumours, if of course you gave them much thought in the first place:

At the moment we have no interest in anybody. We have only one interest, which is of course Sunday’s game.

I don’t know if Man United will sell Rooney and that is the best sign to show you we have not made any approach for him because the first move is to contact Manchester United, which we did not do. At the moment we are focused on Sunday.

He’s a fibber isn’t he, yesterday he also said:

We are advanced with him, but it’s not done. I’m very confident (it will be done).

He’s a young striker who is promising. He has some talent. Big talent.

No, that’s not in relation to Rooney, but Yaya Sanogo.

Andrew Gibney is the Daily Mirror’s so-called Ligue 1 ‘expert’ has written a report on the player who looks quite likely to be heading to The Emirates. The entire article is here if you are interested in reading.

Just a few comments of his though are these:

Sanogo is an impressive physical specimen, with his size and imposing strength

He also brings speed and an electric quickness that can terrify defenders.

Still to fully develop he is already very athletic, similar to Aston Villa’s Christian Benteke.

He attributes his technical skills to the endless five-a-side matches during his time as a child at CO Les Ulis, the same side where Thierry Henry started his career.

Blessed with a good first touch – not just with his feet – he is very capable of holding the ball up with his back to goal much like current Gunner Olivier Giroud.

Unlike Giroud, Sanogo can then also use his muscle and explosive speed to burst past his defender and finish confidently.

The downside is his last two years have been hit by injury. That’s the worry but he’s young and strong and it could be that his body can repair and he’ll go on to have a good career with us.

As long as this signing isn’t to be seen by the club as our strike force saviour, and he’s not going to be paid a silly wage, then ok, take a chance. But, if it doesn’t work out, we need to be in a position to sell him on easily, not get left lumbered with him like we have been with so many…

With Bendtner, Chamakh and Arshavin all likely to depart, a pacey young striker who “when fit is excellent” according to Gibney, then I’m all prepared to give him a chance…

Maybe after tomorrow, Arsene Wenger will make that approach to Manchester United and get us Wayne Rooney because relying on a player who has scored 16 goals in 24 games  isn’t good enough….

Not when it’s taken four seasons to tot up those 24 appearances…..

That’s it for another day….

Morning all,

The main football headlines are about David Beckham retiring at the end of the season. He’s been a super player, a fine gentleman and one of a small number who can say he always gave 100% for his country, both on and off the field…

I truly wish him and his family the best, I doubt they will ever go short….

Next up, according to French website RMC Sport, we have all but completed the signing of Auxerre forward Yaya Sanogo on a free transfer. The 20-year-old 6.3ft striker has impressed for France at youth level as well as becoming a regular at Auxerre this season and he’s apparently declined the offer of a new contract at his current club having agreed to join us a couple of months ago.

Other news, or rather speculation surrounds Peter Hill-Wood, it’s suggested that he’s to finally step down from board this summer. Well that’s all good news isn’t it, so many of us have got a bit fed up with his tired old comments. especially the one’s that tell us all the club have no reason to sell a player and they won’t be doing so. That usually spells the end of that players Arsenal career…

Anyway, maybe that old saying ‘be careful what you wish for’ could come true as it’s very possibly that Josh Kroenke could be the one to step into the old Etonian’s shoes. One Kroenke involved in our club is bad enough, two would be simply awful….

How many times are the newspapers going to run with the headline, ‘Wenger is staying’ ?

We get the message, he is seeing out his current contract!

That’s because he’s loyal, over the years it’s been reported that many top clubs like Real Madrid and er, Real Madrid, oh and now PSG (not so top but have plenty of money) have desperately tried to entice Wenger away from Arsenal. However, they have always failed, I strongly suspect there are other clubs who, when we were winning trophies, also tried to lure the Frenchman away but to no avail..

Like I said, that’s because he’s been loyal, to his bank manager employers and his players and of course, his contract.

This season alone we have seen numerous managers sacked throughout the league. Some have obviously been far more high profile than others, some have been after a very short career.

Old red nose, since announcing his retirement has been a little more loose with his tongue, in an interview yesterday he not admitted that the ‘hair-drier’ is a very exaggerated story but he’s also confirmed that he is guilty of putting referees under immense pressure as extra time approached if his team were losing – he and his son reckon 30+ goals have been scored in ‘Fergie time’. I make that at least 90 points if all were PL games! Cheats!

In relation to the constant change in managerial posts he said this:

This is an unusual club. Look at the behaviour of some clubs sacking managers. I’m not naming names — the whole bloody lot of them. We show patience, trust, loyalty — and it’s rewarded.

But how far does that loyalty go?

How many seasons without success on the pitch can go by before a manager be sacked?

What is success?

Winning trophies?

Playing wonderful football?

Staying in the top four?

Staying in the Premier League alone?

Making sure a club lives within it’s own means?

Each and every club clearly has it’s own agenda, it’s own idea’s of where it should be within it’s own league.

So so many Arsenal fans believe that our clubs own agenda is first and foremost to get a top four place, anything other than that is a bonus. I’m not convinced by that theory, true sporting people want to win all they can and at any cost within reason.

But, if that is the club’s agenda, and by that I mean the majority shareholder, what happens if we finish 5th this season.

How far will Stan Kroenke’s loyalty towards Arsene Wenger go……

Or, if the rumours about Alisher Usmanov being one share away from a 30% stake are true, is the American’s own loyalty to Arsenal about to be tested?

I hope so, and I hope he shows what I believe to be, his true colours……

That’s it for another day.

Have a good one..

Morning Gooners,

First up is the gossip.

According to L’Equipe, German side Schalke are close to agreeing a deal to take Francis Coquelin to the Bundesliga. His contract doesn’t expire until 2015 but it seems he could be getting fed up with his lack of chances in the first team.

Juve are reported to have made an offer for Stevan Jovetic according to Italian paper Tuttosport. The offer of £18.5 million falls well short of Fiorentina’s valuation.

Finally, Bacary Sagna has hinted he might leave in the summer. In an interview with Le 10 Sport he said:

Of course it makes me proud to read PSG are interested. They are a very attractive club. Personally I’ve not been approached by PSG. I don’t know if they have contacted my agent or if these are rumours I don’t close any door.

I could very well extend my contract here in London but equally I could leave at the end of the season. I only have one year left on my contract – we will see. At the moment I am fully focused on Arsenal. I don’t know what will happen this summer.

Of course, he also hints that he could stay….

Onto today’s post..

Arsene Wenger has said many times that spending vast amounts of millions does not guarantee trophies he has backed that statement up by making sure he cannot be likened to those club’s either as he only buys players that do not break his own record of £15 million and that was for Andrey Arshavin. Wasn’t he a duff signing, he has sat in the stands for what seems an eternity as we haven’t been able to offload him, yet still he collects a nice wage packet.

He’s not alone though, we have quite a few players like Arshavin, they are also sitting with him or have been farmed out on loan to other clubs, but no other club wants to buy them when the season ends.

Wenger has said on many occasions that he will always honour contracts and expects himself and his players to do do the same.

I now don’t worry about who’s joining in the summer, more so who’s going and lets face it we don’t have too many that other teams want to buy now.

As for Wenger, if you want more of what you have had in the last 8 years then give him your honest support. Me, I guess I will be writing some of the same old stuff this time next season.

Have a nice day all and don’t forget to see who were linked with, I always look forward to that part of the post….

‘Til next time…..

Written by Steve Palmer.

Morning all.

Update on Arteta’s injury from Arsene Wenger:

He is not alright, he pulled his calf so that could be a problem for Sunday. We don’t know, we have to wait for 24 hours.

Fingers crossed he recovers.

According to John Cross in The Daily Mirror, Gonzalo Higuain can be ours if we are prepared to pay Real Madrid £22 million. City tried to sign the player last summer, I strongly suspect they’ll try again this time around. The Daily Express have jumped on the ‘done deal’ story. I doubt that is true.

Onto Scott’s write up on last’s night’s match..

Firstly, of all the clubs currently in the Premier League, the last I’d have chosen to see  relegated by last night’s result is Wigan, and I believe I’m am not alone in that sentiment.

They are a decent side who carry themselves with pride and class, as does their manager, a manager who I believe has a great future.
I hope to see them back in the Premier League after their first attempt.

Enough of that…..GO YOU MIGHTY GUNNERS!!!

What a result, and for the most part, what a performance?

Arsenal were definitely there to play and were on the front foot from kick off, and I mean every one of our starting 11.

To see Theo working hard in defence was something to warm the cockles of any Gooners heart, as well as adding another dimension to his game which will go a long way to completing him as a footballer.

He was simply superb.

The work of Theo doesn’t just make him look a better player, as the pressure he took off Sagna meant we looked more solid on the right in defence than we have for a long, long time.

You have set the bar, Theo……  Maintain that level of play you can become a great player!

Our back 5 were brilliant, and I would like to know of a better centre back pairing in the League than Mertesacker and Koscielny. They complement each other just beautifully, and are at an age where, if we keep them, can continue to do so for several years to come.

Gibbs will be a better left back than Ashley Cole in time…. I really believe that. He had by far the better of a player who tore Clichy to pieces merely a few days ago…..good business, that sale was.  :)

Ramsey was scrappy in parts, but worked his backside off with and without the ball. He scored a fantastic goal, a much deserved one in my opinion. He misses too many shots and still makes a few too many errors but he’s getting better. His entire game is improving all the time to the point where, if he CAN start scoring more goals, will soon be considered an elite player (that is an unbiased opinion, of course). His work rate is absolutely incredible, and for the 5th game in a row, led Arsenal players for passes completed.

Santi Cazorla, I have nothing to add to anything people said during and shortly after the game.

A masterclass!

Watch the replay….enjoy.

Podolski went about his work clinically and took his chances well, the second in particular. He can become a top CF for us in time.

I would like to clarify something and defend him.

When Wigan scored from a free kick, Podolski did not duck his head out of the way. He jumped as part of the wall, and was actually attempting to head the ball which was to his left and at shoulder height. So I think a few were harsh, though it didn’t look good at the time, admittedly.

I hope Stan realises exactly how close Arsenal are to being a great side, a regular trophy winning side, as it will not take much to transform us into one.

Apart from our deadwood, and they are obvious to all, there can be no sales of players. Two/three new and top class players will make us Premier League contenders next season, and that is all that’s required. Selling off our deadwood will certainly go a long way to funding these purchases, as we all know that the guys in question are earning damn good wages!!

The entire team played Wigan with passion and fight and if Stan could just embrace some of that passion, then our club will better for it.

Newcastle next up, we have our short term destiny in our own hands and that is the way we should want it.

With those 2-3 new guys, this time next year I suspect we will be fighting for the League.

Go you good things!!!

Written by Scott from Oz