Well another week comes to an end and increasingly the running of Arsenal Football Club is becoming more of an issue than the performances on the field. The clock is ticking and with 12 days left in the transfer window, the likelihood of Arsenal strengthening to the level required to mount a realistic assault upon the Premier League Title appears more bleak as our injury jinx comes back to haunt us. Most Gooners would agree that we need at least one centre back, with Djourhou’s hamstring injury and Kyle Bartley’s loan back to Rangers, and Song’s suspension, we will have to face Liverpool and Manchester United with fingers crossed that we don’t lose another centre back. So let’s dive into the mix with Thanks Gooner it’s Friday.
Big Issues
Today I am going to focus on Ivan Gazidis, as I feel that he has alot to answer given the current public image of Arsenal Football club. The accepted wisdom according to his utterances at Q&As is that he knows nothing about the value of football players, certainly compared to Arsene Wenger, which is fair enough. But surely when it comes to our wage policy, he should be sorting that out. Arsenal keep claiming that there are substantial funds for transfers, so why wasn’t Juan Mata bought before his first buy out clause expired? Now Roman Abromovich will snap up the player for alot more admittedly. So what an absolute balls up from the Arsenal perspective as this was a bargain which was let go for what reason??? Yet every decent potentially world class player snapped up by our rivals is denied to the Arsenal, and so is weakening our prospects for success. Each passing day of the transfer window makes the Arsenal transfer buying policy look at best inept and at worst totally incompetent. To lose Fabregas is one thing but to have to lose Nasri and not have viable replacements is UNACCEPTABLE. Each day the end of the window grows nearer the price and availability of likely replacements go up. Because the selling clubs know that Arsenal are under increasing pressure to find the players. This will cost the club dear and lead to chaos. I will hold Ivan Gazidis responsible for the chaos as he is the only figure that is able to stand up to Arsene Wenger and makes sure that he stops making errors.
Feeding Frenzy
AKB Gooners versus WHOAG Gooners, with the media loving it. The Mirror’s football correspondent John Cross claims that it is not the media who are anti-Arsenal, it is actually the Arsenal fans themselves who are responsible for the negative image of Arsene Wenger. He claims that journalists are well received at the Emirates and because Arsene Wenger gives good copy they tend as a group to give him a softer ride. WTF??? Is this for real? Then Mr Cross I suppose it was the Arsenal fans who highlighted Arsene Wenger on Tuesday night which has resulted in the UEFA communications charge? I cannot recall the Mirror being very lenient on Ian Wright following their spat in the 1996 Man U v Arsenal fixture. Some of the calls for the FA to ban those players for their behaviour against Manchester United’s Peter Schmeichel came directly from the Mirror themselves, who then were undone when one of their own readers protested and pointed out that he could lip read and witnessed some possible racial undertones to the Dane’s comments at the end of the game. Get real Mr Cross, it is SKY and the Tabloid media who love to trumpet Arsenal in crisis headlines, so stop being a hypocrite.
Squad matters
Song and Gervinho suspended, Djourhou, Gibbs, Rosicky, Traore, Wilshere and Diaby injured. The Physio room is beginning to look like a training session at London Colney. The news that Samir Nasri is included in the squad is clearly an attempt to screw the best possible deal from Manchester City, and if it makes sure that we get the £22 million fair enough, but if Samir Nasri gets injured, it will be a very expensive gamble that back fires. My tip for the next Arsenal Legend Ryo Miyaichi looks likely to play, and I am really looking forward to his full senior debut.
The weekend’s Game
Kenny Dagleish has joined the race for the signature of Gary Cahill and comes to the Emirates after a draw against Sunderland. He has spent a considerable amount of money at the end of last season and now has to prove his pedigree. Liverpool seem eager to lay down a marker, and most reports from Anfield seem to indicate that there will never be a better time to come and play Arsenal. They are keen to show that Andy Carroll, Charlie Adam and Stuart Downing will give our defence a severe test. With Enrique, Suarez and Henderson, the rebuilt red army is ready to rumble. At least their defence has the likes of Agger and Carragher, but RvP will have to be on top form to undo the resolve of Pepe Reina.
Our team is likely to be from
Szczesny, Sagna, Jenkinson, Vermaelen, Koscielny, Frimpong, Eastmond, Miquel, Miyaichi, Ramsey, Arshavin, Walcott, van Persie Oxlade-Chamberlain, Chamakh
With my eleven would be
Szczesny, Jenkinson,Vermaelen,Koscielny, Sagna, Ramsey, Frimpong, Arshavin, Miyaichi, Walcott, van Persie
I cannot see him playing either Samir Nasri or Niklas Bendtner as they are close to leaving the club.
Liverpool will probably line up with
Reina, Kelly, Carragher, Agger, Enrique, Lucas, Adam, Kuyt, Downing, Suarez, Caroll
meaning lots of pressure aerially, but Szczesny will rule the skies!!!
Ok it’s a 12:45 kick off and squeaky bum time!
Arsene Quote
“You can question my decisions but not my loyalty to the club…”
I will allow Arsene his dignity and remind you all that as David Dein has said, we as Arsenal fans should respect Arsene Wenger for what he has accomplished at the Arsenal, but that does not mean that we should be completely in awe of the man. Many will question his decisions and come to the conclusion that in 1996 He was ahead of his time as a football coach, the problem is that in 2011, he is now falling steadily behind his competitors, and has lost his magic hat.
E.i.E
Aright me muckers? Gotta get a few jars down my neck at brekkie, cos the Scousers have tried to catch us early this week. I love playing the ‘Pool now that muppet Owen isn’t playing. Gordon Bennett, he was a pain in our Arsenal, wasn’t ‘e? Do ya remember the Millenium stadium when he broke our hearts? Then at Highbury? Oh sorry mates, if you want me to comment about King Dagleish? Nah pal, never. I’m Arsenal thru an thru, so I aint supporting no Scottish git. We are a proud English side, the Gunners. I mean we got Walcott and Wilshere and, and Eastmond and, and well a few other English blokes somewhere I think.
‘Ere Arsene, that’s what we need a little less international lah de dah, and a bit of old fashioned English put it up ‘em. I reckon we should paint the shirts on our backs and wear Halloween masks and do an Islington version of the Kiwi Haka before the Scousers kick off. Now that will scare the living out of ‘em. Whaddya thinks guys? Anyway my mate down the Dog and Goose tells me that we only have 10 fit players for the match tomorrow, so i had better go down the Emirates with my boots just in case… He’s joking aint he…? Aint he???
Cor blimey, till next week Gooners
COME ON YOU GUNNERS!!!
Friday Finger
Skysports News for showing the footage of Arsene Wenger speaking to Primorac at the Emirates during the Udinese fixture, and the Song stamp on Barton at least 1000 times so that charges could be levelled by UEFA and the FA respectively
Video of the week
The Skills of Ryo Miyaichi, lets enjoy this and hope that he will be let loose very soon.
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