No Podolski! Demba Ba and Musa linked? The Master and The Apprentice for now though….

First off, reports suggest that we are interested in Nigerian winger Ahmed Musa, I have never heard of him either but he’s 19 years old, plays for CSKA Moscow and has already played for his national side. Many other clubs are supposed to be looking at him too so if he’s that good, we best act quickly. Ah, we don’t do that do we…..

Other stories in the sports news is that we are considering paying the ‘get out clause’ figure to sign Demba Ba, as are Liverpool but then he wouldn’t want to join a club that has been in deep trouble for racism would he? Another is that Wenger has seen enough of Arshavin and wants to sell him this month. The same paper reports that the sale is the key to our manager buying any new player!

Another rumour going around is that we have shelved any plans to sign Podolski until the summer as we have Thierry Henry all signed and sealed. Well, I honestly don’t believe we had any intention of signing him in the first place so this no doubt is something about nothing.

In fact, apart from Henry, I doubt we’ll sign anyone…

Talking of Henry, onto today’s post:

I’m writing this on Saturday evening, so Messrs Henry has not graced the field yet. I know a lot of you are excited at the prospect of Thierry dancing down the field , his magic dribbling, his electric defence splitting runs and even a good header which has been sadly missing from our team for quite sometime.

I don’t want to be a Killjoy here but don’t expect the old Henry back, the player who once did all those wonderful things stated above.

Henry is now 34 years old, he plays his normal football for New York Red bulls, I am not going to knock the American Football League  but it’s not Premier league is?

Wenger bringing Henry back is in a way a fluke, The Red Bulls are on their break, Thierry wants to keep fit and also visit friends here in England, so the natural thing to do if your 34 years of age and want to stay in football, is to try and keep your fitness up at every opportunity you get.

Don’t get me wrong Thierry is an Arsenal legend, a player that we watched come in as a winger and eventually Wenger saw his future as a central striker and from that day a legend was born. Now Wenger has seen a chance to use him at a time when two of our players are off to the ACON – It’s a chance to use the legends iconic talents of the past one more time….

I Henry doubt will play that roll in the Arsenal team tomorrow, he will probably play the roll that Arshavin has been trying to and get in the hole behind the striker.

I can see a scenario where Walcott will finally get his chance and Thierry right behind him feeding and using Theo’s speed that we all know he has got. In the past Theo has never managed to get the chances that perhaps he should have had by now but without being unkind to Theo, he just hasn’t had the football brain.

With Henry directing, encouraging and also feeding, who knows, Wenger may have found the key to finding the footballing brain that sits somewhere inside Theo Walcott.

Alex Chamberlain is a made to measure replacement for Theo on the wing and personally, I believe he will be better than Theo up front but I think Theo deserves a chance before the young Ox, who would no doubt just be happy to be playing.

Thierry will have his usual swagger  but whether he starts or not, I wouldn’t like to say for sure but I am convinced that will be the way they will play, when both of them are on the field.

I envisage Theo being caught offside many times as he will be eager to impress and balls through from Thierry will be slower than what he would expect.

Theo’s legs go twenty to the dozen but sadly the brain is not connected, maybe our legend can change this but I doubt it.

Then again my brain may be smaller than Theo’s and I’m talking a load of old rubbish, so I suppose we will just have to wait and see. 😉

Leeds will be no pushover and Henry will be a target but at the end of the day, Henry is 34 and their defenders in their twenties, I don’t see too many surprises .

COYG

Written by Steve Palmer

145 thoughts on “No Podolski! Demba Ba and Musa linked? The Master and The Apprentice for now though….

  1. rico says:

    Morning all, good post again SSP 🙂

    I think you could have hit the nail on the head – maybe that is behind Wengers thinking when signing TH12 – ok, he still has a role on the pitch but as you say and AK did yesterday, Henry can teach a few players a thing or too, Ox, Theo and one or two others…

  2. Judith Le'Strange says:

    If Wenger waits until the summer transfer window in the hope that Podolski will still be available then he is delusional, by then he will have been picked up by one of our rivals and we’ll end up with yet more dross. We should try to get a pre season agreement now rather than later, the same with Goetz plus we definitely need a couple of defenders, we could have had Cahill or Samba but now they could both be going to other clubs. Same oh same oh

  3. rico says:

    Moring Judith, totally agree re Podolski, if he really wants to sign him, now is the time when we are far from out of this title chase, been saying the same about Samba and Cahill too, both are available and for peanuts….

  4. Israel says:

    Reports says that musa has just agreed a Move †̥o cska moscow from vvv venlo. So Ω̴̩̩̩̥o longer a link †̥o arsenal

  5. Wisdom says:

    GUYS! GUYS! AHMD MUSA IS A 1DEFUL PLAYER IF YOU ASK ME HE IS BETTER DAN THEO LET WINGER GET DA NIGERIAN WHIZKID 😉

  6. stevepalmer1 says:

    Morning all,
    Looks very quiet on here to day, must be a church day. Don’t suppose much has happened since yesterday but you never know do ya:)

  7. Joaquim Moreira says:

    I’m watching the mancs. Another “red” referee…
    De Gea is definetelly out…
    Cahil didn’t play yesterday
    Podorsky forget for the moment.
    About Suarez?

  8. Micko says:

    Afternoon all,
    Steve, theirry has a bit more mileage on the clock but he also has a nose for goal, something we lack, our front line look like rabbits in the headlights more often than not, whose to say he won’t score 3 or 4 goals to overtake half of our team, that’s if wenger decides to play him that is.

    Citeh getting a spanking and down to 10 men with a couple of minutes left to play in the 1st half.

  9. allezkev says:

    Afternoon Gooners.
    Afternoon Rico.
    Great post by the Reverend Steve.
    God bless you.:-). :-). :-). 🙂

  10. allezkev says:

    Shame about Podolski.
    But not a big suprise.
    He wants to play for Germany in the Euros in Poland.
    He doesn’t want to risk his place by moving to England halfway through the season.

    Notice that Nasri is really digging in to help his team out in it’s hour of need!!!
    Reverting to type the moneygrabbing tosser.

  11. stevepalmer1 says:

    Afternoon all,Cheers s.kev
    Watching the Manc’s game, you couldn’t have written it any better could you, straight after the sending off it looked like Mancini was gestering with his hand that the ref was taking a bung. ( now come on Mancini your holding all the money) or have you been suckered by Red nose getting in first.Id lay a penny to a pinch of shit that theres another card this half

  12. allezkev says:

    Wonder if the Shittie fans will get a ManUre player sent~off?
    Lets hope so.3~1.
    Come on.
    Lets see a 3~3.

  13. rico says:

    Afternoon guys and gals – and welcome to those just let on, sorry for the delay, all first comments go into moderation and i was out 🙁

  14. DutchGooner10 says:

    Hola Amigos

    Rico,Micko,AK,JM

    SP superb post, really hope Henry is the memory stick for Walcott to update his software

  15. DutchGooner10 says:

    A note on Musa

    Musa has been recently purchased by CSKA. (Sold by VVV Venlo Holland 7 January 2012 for around 5mil).

  16. agirlagunner says:

    As I have said, I’d be happy to see Henry again; but I shall manage my expectations. As for AA, who would want to be buying him at all? He is in appalling form; it quite boggles the mind to remember what a truly fantastic player he was. Oh, and poor Theo! Forever under suspicion of having no footballing grey matter. 😀

    Hello, rico, Sir Kev, and Dutch! 🙂 Howdy?

  17. alan b'stard M P says:

    See, the ACON has caused this trouble and what does Aw do? Go looking for Africans

    I am willing to make the odd exception, such as Drogba and Ba is loong good, but we have plenty of English players with ePL experience

  18. Micko says:

    DG10, i hope your right, I really thought walcott was gonna go on to have a great season but he looks to have stalled lately, I hope its not an intermittent fault and that memory stick does the business.

    The northern monkeys are putting on a good show, I thought scholes had retired.

  19. stevepalmer1 says:

    This premier league makes you laugh, Giggs 38 Scholes 38 Hargreaves comming on, and i thought Henry was past it.

  20. DutchGooner10 says:

    Me to Micko.

    Walcott really beefed up physicaly but wondering if that constrains his technique.

  21. agirlagunner says:

    Nah, AA ate too many English brekkies, Dutch. 😉 I know he was played out of position, but he has had years to deal with it, and adjust his game; seeing as AW wasn’t going to tweak our formation to suit him.

    Sir Steve, finished my online shopping. Crunching numbers now. I had a battle on my hands last week with Saks canceling my order. And subsequently getting the prices wrong on my next purchase. It was war!!

    Watching the Mancs as well, rico. I love how the commentators were saying how Nasri is no more than a marginal figure at Citeh. I love it when ex-players who move for money struggle in their new teams.

  22. alan b'stard M P says:

    Unlikely we will get Ganso

    Arsenal have tracked Ganso for quite some time but have stepped it up recently and reports in the Brazillian press claim that Manchester United are also circling. Chelsea seem to be in the front seat to snare him (as reported yesterday) at the moment but are extremely worried over Arsenal’s interest. Lyon have already had a bid worth £12m rejected in 2010.

    Inter Milan boss Leonardo is also interested in the midfielder stating in the Italian press recently that Ganso is ‘an option for the future’.

  23. allezkev says:

    Hiya agag. It was great at Westfield yesterday.
    There were some mega bargains… 🙂

    Exhausting cup tie for Northern Oil.
    Now Liverpool will be rubbing their hands in anticipation.

    Ah the killing field that is English football.
    Get in…

  24. rico says:

    Hi agag, only got in in time to watch the second half, had a really long walk with Fido, such a lovely winters days here 🙂

    Shame for Nasri eh, bet he wishes he’d stayed now 😆

  25. DutchGooner10 says:

    Agag

    Think the Leeds game will be curtain call for AA. If he can’t muster a standing ovation he will be slapped with a discount sticker.

  26. agirlagunner says:

    Haha, SSP. I cannot seem to get time out for hols; so I’m trying to compensate with the shopping. My life is win-win. 😀

    SAK; I have now confirmed that the “S” in your moniker is for “Shopaholic”. How are your new shoes??

    rico, I think even if Citeh win the league, Nasri won’t feel as part of their success; as he would with us winning the Champions League. 😀 I can it feel it in my bones, we have a good chance this year of finally getting that elusive trophy.

    alan, how good is this Ganso?

  27. alan b'stard M P says:

    hi agag

    Neymar in Brazil says he is excellent and called him the left footed Zidane. So I guess he’s OK

    Neymar is keeping him out of a regular spot from what I can see

  28. DutchGooner10 says:

    Alan MP

    It’s a snow sledge thing. If your not the lead dog the view never changes.
    We will look top dogs in the arse for some time to come.

    Ivan and Hill Tree should go for a wedding planner. So many candidates that never get married.Putting us on top of the altar instead of in front.

  29. Joaquim Moreira says:

    Hi!
    Allez, Leonardo is the manager of PSG.
    milan is playing…Atlanta 0 Milan 1
    Ganso is a midfield player. Now all the teams are interesting in him.

  30. agirlagunner says:

    Dutch, you have a way with words, go get writing for Lady rico (who is a girl, by the way; goonster says he’s not a girl, let’s take his word for it). 🙂 Grey Goose is not cheap here though. 😉 I’m not at all fashionable; I just like shoes. 🙂

    alan, if we are truly interested, that sounds promising; what I have seen of Neymar… he’s likely to keep out most other players.

  31. stevepalmer1 says:

    Agag, a woman standing only in a pair of high heels and clutching a bottle of GG now i call that the height of fashion and hope it catches on.

  32. Joaquim Moreira says:

    Milan 2-0. They are very strong.They are the leaders of the Calcio.
    yes, we wil have a new winner of the F.A. cup

  33. allezkev says:

    Agag, the shoes i wanted weren’t in the sale sadly, but i got a nice pair of trousers & a shirt. 🙂
    Yeah where is Miss Stan. Washing his hair?

    Rico, what time is the draw???

  34. rico says:

    Citeh are appealing Kompany’s red card, good – hope they get it overturned too, don’t want him missing their game against the spuds….

  35. allezkev says:

    Don’t want to underestimate Leeds because it won’t be easy.
    But as long as we get a home draw i’ll be happy.
    Spuds [a] at Old Toilet would be perfect…

  36. rico says:

    It’s be a tough game AK, especially if too many tweaks are made, RvP apart we need to play our strongest, hope Chamberlain comes in for Gerv…

  37. agirlagunner says:

    Steve, that may be a terrifying sight. 😀

    Well done, Mr. Shopaholic. Let us periodically compare notes. I’m definitely going there when I visit England. 🙂 🙂

    That was not a red, rico. Again, the ref ruined the game. Not that I care, really. 😀

  38. DutchGooner10 says:

    Rico

    Kompany could have been ours a couple seasons ago. Gutted we slipped on that one.

    Sometimes I wonder why we are bothered a banana has a hernia.

  39. Micko says:

    We do huff and puff against the minnows, you only have to look back to leeds, huddersfield and leyton orient last season to see that.

    I’d settle for qpr away and a pint in the British Queen before the game.

  40. rico says:

    I’d rather the money bags had won that match agag, we need any confidence red nose lot has got knocked out of them before they come to us…..

    DG10, how many times have we said that about players, so many seems to have slipped through Wenger’s net, maybe he needs a needle and cotton to do a bit of repair work…..

    Micko, qpr away, that would be a tough draw, if we can overcome Leeds…

  41. DutchGooner10 says:

    Rico

    We would catch more throwing dynamite in the pond. Our net is made for sardines in a tin.The whales we catch are from the Asian market. 😉

    Micko Steve

    Leeds have more to gain than lose with a draw. They will park a coaster.

  42. agirlagunner says:

    Steve, the world is indeed rosier through GG glazed glasses. 😉

    Micko, you missed AK, you were looking for him the other day, I remember. He’s also busy shopping.

    rico, on the other hand, if the Mancs had won, they may be in a mood to school us yet again. 😉 I’ll personally kill Chesney if he leaks 8 goals again.

    Dutch, there are many players that could have been ours. I think we made a mistake not signing Mata. He’s been good for the Chavs; so imagine how great he would have been with us.

    JM, are we also in for Richardson?

  43. stevepalmer1 says:

    We’ll make chances Dutch, we just need to finish them.
    Rico, Probably be sleeping on a sunbed, being massaged to keep him flexible, just in case he’s needed. this premier league is so tireing.I can see him now, Yawning between rumpunches

  44. Joaquim Moreira says:

    agag, I hope not but rumours.They are many rumours, indeed. Sud-american Arsenal facebook members talking a lot about Suarez

  45. rico says:

    DG10 😆

    Wonder where devilgunner is, haven’t seen him for a couple of days, not Kt 🙁

    They did win though agag 🙁

  46. DutchGooner10 says:

    Agag

    Being half drunk is a sign of complacency. 🙂 Ask Bendtner totally pissed will get you free pizzas.

    Mata deal got hijacked by the Chavs in my opinion. Once they knew he was ready to pick up the Arsenal branded pencil they texted his manager.

  47. stevepalmer1 says:

    Lets face it our winning days are over, we let all the good players go and get nice cheap Chamakhs and Bentners, worn out AA’s useless denilsons and persevere with the glassman Diaby Gibbs and that useless Djourou wannabee Squillachi, sorry had a mad moment there for a minute but i’m all right nooooooow must be a full moon

  48. DutchGooner10 says:

    Steve

    That’s why suspect Arsenal contracts are being offered accompanied by a pencil with rubber on top.

  49. rico says:

    If only they realised eh Steve, just two players this window would change so much and, so many of us….

  50. stevepalmer1 says:

    I was looking up on some of our players the other day mostly the new guys, you know the ones the ones we never see, their transfers are not straightforward they all have some kind of add ons, where if they play so many games for the club we have to pay their last club money , also if they play for their countries we have to pay, proba bly why we never see them. it didn’t say how long for but i’m guessing at least a year, so don’t expect to see to many of them. thats why ive got the hump.

  51. rico says:

    I saw all those stories too Steve, if they are true, what a joke, no doubt the clauses knocked down the transfer fee….

    DG10, if wenger has a lightbulb, it’s gone out!

    Lada, now i thought they had got better in the motoring trade 😉

  52. stevepalmer1 says:

    Maybe answers some of the reasons theo hasn’t progressed as well as he should have, he was transfered for 5mill with another 5mill later on and a couple of mill if he played for his country. then theo had shoulder problem where he was out for a while Southampton accepted a knockdown one off payment as Theo’s future was in doubt and we paid 9.1 mill for him in the end, Theo was called up to the world cup but didn’t play but whether that had anything to do with his transfer and payments i am not sure maybe a bung somewhere.but why take a player to the world cup who hasn’t even played for his club.

  53. agirlagunner says:

    Good night, friends! 🙂 I am off now. save that GG for me, SSP. 😛

    Nighty, Dutch and JM. 🙂 SAK, enjoy your new purchases. 🙂

    rico, enjoy your dinner! I hope there’s some pork in there! Hah.

  54. allezkev says:

    Hi Steve. No mate, a couple more hours.
    But i feel like knocking off now due to a bad dose of flu.
    See ya agag.

  55. Marinello says:

    Hi Steve, Rico, Goonster, Micko, Agag, Interesting draw, Liverpool v Mancs.
    Aston Villa at home if we beat Leeds, which we should.
    Good post Steve. Yeh, it would be good for Arsene to give Theo a run up front in the middle. He’s always said that is his best position. The quicker Arshavin goes the better. His body language says it all. I reckon he’ll return home.
    What a surprise Scholes coming out of retirement and back at United.
    I predict a 2-0 win tomorrow.

  56. Marinello says:

    Allezkev, try a tin of chicken broth or chicken soup. Its an old remedy that baffles Doctors but it helps with the immune system.

  57. rico says:

    Night Steve, thanks again for today, night DG10…

    Hi Marinello – 1-1 draw imho….

    AK, has warnock really been sacked? Shame eh….

  58. Marinello says:

    Night all. I was out all day today, but logged on when I got in.
    Have a good day all of you tomorrow.
    Here’s to a resounding win tomorrow.
    Take care now.
    Marinello.

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