Neville rates us, Fulham to keep Schwarzer and Milan keeping tabs on Nikki

Phil Neville reckons we are genuine title contenders after the match on Sunday. He suggests we have finally found a gritty side to our game and have learned how to win when the chips are down.

Everton skipper Neville said: “They seem a little more resilient now. They’re always going to play fantastic football, that’s never going to change.
“But at the end they were getting men behind the ball. You always fancy yourself to rough them up, but we couldn’t do it and that’s where they have improved.

Not that I really care what he thinks but it’s always good to read positive stuff.

Mark Hughes wants to keep Schwarzer and he’s confident the player will stay. Well as far as I’m concerned, that’s good news as we don’t need him, unless it’s to be a ‘coach signing’ and ‘use him if desperate’ situation. Yes he’s a good keeper by he’s getting on and we have to look ahead, not back!

AC Milan are supposedly keeping tabs on Nikki, the Italian side believe that he’s unsettled and should Nikki choose to give up the fight for his place in the side then they would be interested in signing him. Wenger though says there is no problem with Nikki and expects him to stay, at least until his contract expires and that’s not for a few years yet, so best knuckle down Nikki and be a man, fight for your place. Who knows, it might turn him in to a better player.

Talking of players who want to leave their club, Adam Johnson is definitely getting restless at Manchester City, he’s fed up with being a bit part player and would consider a move to get regular football. Go on Arsene, this is one player who would excite all Arsenal fans if you prized him away, I’m sure of that.

I found something out the other week which shows just how global Arsenal Football Club is. We know our club is supported by many from around the world who live in the ‘ordinary world’ but this fella is big in Qatar!
When I say big, I don’t quite mean as in the Alisher Usmanov way but big as in the Sheikh way – he’s the owner of Harrods and many other significant pieces of real estate and he’s a Gooner…

The man I’m talking about is Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani. (Hamad)

A few weeks ago, Hamad and his consort travelled to England and met up with the Queen of England no, not Julian Clarey, England’s very own Queen Elizabeth. They were here on a three-day visit.
During the visit to England, and I think this is the real reason he popped over, he was presented with a gift, a very important gift that he couldn’t get at Harrods for himself.

The Lord Major of London had the honor of presenting this gift and it was indeed an Arsenal shirt. Not any old Arsenal shirt though, it was signed by the first team and had ‘HHT Emir’ stamped on the back….

He was a happy man….. Just wish he was rich enough to buy us outright, if of course we are to be bought!

That’s it for today, have a good one all….