Reliable source talks done deals. Walking back to…. stormy weather.

Morning all.

Time in Dubai is up. The cold, wet and extremely windy weather will greet the Arsenal squad as they arrive home to the news that Storm Dennis the Menace is on its way. Sounds grim doesn’t it but it’s no different to what we Brits go through after taking a winter vacation. At least the Arsenal guys haven’t had to pay for their break but they have had to work hard. Away from the training ground they’ve enjoyed plenty of downtime together which David Price has captured great moments of on film.

All the photographs I’ve seen online of this mini break have been of the squad/staff together regardless of whether they are training or not but then that’s what Mikel Arteta said this last few days have been about. Getting to know each other that little bit more, bringing the two new signings into the group and making them feel at home. Every player, every  member of the backroom staff being part of what not only the next three and a bit months is about but the years ahead too. Some may not be part of next season’s campaign, but all are part of what’s left of this one.

Whilst I don’t give a hoot what the Utd players get up to, isn’t it better seeing our group together than a few heading off to the city’s big celebrity nightclub? I know comparing Dubai with Marbella is like comparing chalk with cheese but even so.

Our opposition on Sunday, Newcastle Utd, have also had the benefit of a break although theirs was delayed for a few days thanks to an FA Cup replay against Oxford Utd which needed extra-time to gain a result. I watched much of that game and Oxford really were unlucky. It seems to be a similar story when one of the lower league clubs come close to causing an Cup upset, ‘if only they could take their chances.’

Mind you, wouldn’t Arsenal be in a very different situation right now if we could take ours? I guess the same could be said for other clubs in the league but ours our more important, to us anyway.

I’m sure the lack of goals is as frustrating for the players as it us and the more the chances go high, wide or get saved, that frustration must build. The pressure too. They don’t miss on purpose, of course they don’t but for the likes of Lacazette, Pepe and Ozil, they need that lucky break. How they break this rotten baron run matters not, they just need to break it and then perhaps the player will relax more through relief as much as anything. I know it’s their job, they should be scoring goals, should be better etc etc etc but they are also human too. It’s very easy for the media, fans even to compare Pepe with Martinelli and suggest it’s the latter who looks like the big money signing but that’s the thing, Martinelli hasn’t that price tag hanging around his neck. The stick everyone who criticises him uses to justify such criticism, whereas if a much cheaper or an unknown player arrives at the club, exceptions are lower from the beginning.

How many times have you/I heard Souness, Carragher or some other football pundit suggest that Arsenal need to go and spend £50m on a defensive midfielder or defender, winger etc? Why should money come into a players value when it’s what they do and how they play which matters more? It’s always been a view I’ve not understood, or believed in for that matter.

On that very subject, Le Havre starlet Pape Gueye is linked with a move to us in the summer. He’s French, 6’ 2” tall and he’s a defensive midfielder. He’d cost around £6 million according to the headlines on NN although transfermarket have him valued for under £2million.

Sports journalist Kike Marin, Spain’s version of David Ornstein perhaps, has been on Twitter with claims that Arsenal have already ‘closed two summer deals.’ Whether he’s referring to Pablo and Cedric is unclear but who knows, maybe Gueye is one of them….

You’re probably thinking it’s too early to be thinking about summer transfers but it’s not. On the contrary because it’s Euros year and players like Gueye will see their price rocket if they have a good tournament so Raul and Edu need to be busy busy right now.

See you in the comments guys…