Ljungberg pretty much gone to West Ham 23 July, 2007

Nothing properly official has been announced yet so I can’t give you a 100% that he’s gone but it looks as though he has. West Ham have announced a 2pm press conference which is believed to be to unveil Freddie. He’s like the only player left from that old Arsenal I used to know, it will be sad seeing him play for another team but if you think about it maturely, it really is time for him to go. He’s 30 now and he’s not the quality he used to be, and with the salary he’s on, it’s just not financially worth keeping him.

Next season he would only get a handful of games which would’ve been sad in it’s own way. Just last week Wenger was saying how valuable Freddie is to Arsenal. After the Barnet game Arsene said it’s 90% that he will stay and after the Gencleribabighisigh game he said this:

“Freddie is a winner. We have a very big squad, maybe not in numbers but in quality. We have many young players so the experienced ones have to show the way – not only footballistically but mentally – for a successful season. Last season Freddie had tremendous problems with his hamstrings so we will see how it goes this season. He will be part of the squad.”

Quite a bit of rubbish there to be honest; ‘we have a very big squad’ no we don’t, and ‘footballistically’ a new word invented by le boss? Anyways, he couldn’t have exactly said ‘yea he’ll be off soon’ so it’s fair enough.

In one way I don’t want Freddie to go, but I know it is what’s right. Even with our lack of wingers he might have a job at Arsenal but obviously not. Now that he’s gone (or at least that’s how it seems) I believe we must make another signing. We need another winger for the squad. Rosicky and Hleb have been brought in recently but both were attacking midfielders, not wingers. We need to sign someone who is a bloody winger. Also, someone who is older than 21 please. If Wenger insists that our ‘very big squad’ is good enough then I’m sorry to say it but he’s wrong. He can’t put it down to money either. We have £10m+ left over from sales this summer not the mention the fee for Ljungberg and Reyes, which are still to be settled. At least one more signing must be made.

I’ll be watching Sky Sports News later to see this 2pm press conference. Will be a bit sad but at least I will officially know that Fredrik Ljungberg has left the club. I leave you with this.