Transfer talk and injury update 15 January, 2009
Posted by lasagnechef in Arsenal News.trackback
After just watching Arsene Wenger’s press conference I am confident that a deal for Andrei Arshavin will be reached. The manager as usual, gave nothing away but hinted that negotiations were going well. If you watched today’s press conference, and you are used to watching Arsene Wenger I think you will agree that things were going well.
He said there was no news as yet and would not confirm if we had made an improved offer. I don’t expect him to give anything away until the day he signs (if he does). And even then, he won’t disclose any information.
I spoke yesterday about how the threat of Man City could ruin our plans. I said that if Milan don’t get ‘Kaka they will be looking elsewhere for a signing and the availability of Arshavin might interest them. Well apparently the incredible move for the AC Milan star is still on, the player himself has said that he’s happy at Milan and I’m sure the club would want to keep him but the amount of money being offered here might just be too good to turn down.
Arsene Wenger has had his say on the story and described the story as not ‘real’ and ‘in another world’. It’s true, it’s absolutely crazy, I mean ‘Kaka’s a good player but there’s no way you can put a one-hundred million valuation on anybody, it’s just showing off. He’s also said that he is in no way jealous of Man City’s money and I wouldn’t expect him to be. He says that he’s more interested than developing players and teams rather than splashing the cash.
I don’t expect the manager to spend a lot of money this transfer window. In fact, if we don’t get Arshavin I wouldn’t be surprised if no-one else comes in. Arsene has described the return of Eduardo, Walcott, Fabregas and Rosicky as ‘new signings’. It’s an expression he uses a lot and one that does frustrate some Arsenal fans. I do think though that the return of Tomas Rosicky and Eduardo will be like new signings seeing as their recovery itself has been in doubt. Wenger has confirmed that Eduardo is fit and will be back in the first team in about two or three weeks. Exciting times but we have to try not expect too much of him when he does play.
A bit of early team news ahead of the Hull game this weekend and the only possible player back is Alex Song, he’ll face a late fitness test. I’ll save match-talk for tomorrow in the preview- until then.
There are 3 points I’d like to make:
1. There are going to be many deflated Gooners if we don’t sign Arshavin. Even more so if we sign no one during this transfer window. I just hope we don’t jeopardize our ability to negotiate transfers for other players that the team is in need of due to focusing entirely on the Arshavin deal.
2. £100m is ridiculous for any player. It’s not just showing off, it’s a disrespectful and dirty way to obtain (read “steal”) players from other clubs. Just like Chelsea when Abrahmovich took over. They unsettled players like Essien and turned footballers into greater mercenaries than they already were. And supporters end up being the ones who pay for it in the end. I remember that we were interested in Essien and he seemed keen on coming to us until Chelsea started offering silly money for him. Not to mention players like Crespo who came for the money and were happy to sit on the bench and collect a big paycheck, or Cudicini who was a good keeper, but has done nothing to create a lasting legacy for his career because he’s been wasting away behind Cech for the last few years when he could have been a starter at almost any other club. Last example is SWP. He seemed set to come to us until Chelsea came in for him. They didn’t need him and didn’t want him but we needed him badly at that time and I feel the only reason Chelsea bought him was so he couldn’t join us and help us to compete with them.
3. All of those players will be returning (we hope!), but it won’t be soon enough, and more importantly, none of them are what we really need right now. I won’t dispute that we aren’t in need of some extra creativity in attack but a defensive midfielder and dominating centerback of proven quality are the areas that I feel we are lacking in and it has cost us this entire season long.
wenger principle ” I DONT FLINCHE EVEN AN INCH.”
A FIRM GUY ,WHEN WE WILL HAPPY?