News Update: DB10 speaks the truth 13 June, 2009

It’s Saturday, and there’s no football. It’s so depressing. However it does mean we are another week closer to action and it’s only five weeks today until we play Barnet at Underhill. I’ve been going to our opening pre-season fixture against Barnet for a few years running now and every year I get even more excited about seeing us playing again.

I’m hoping there’ll be some unfamiliar faces on show that day and Dennis Bergkamp agrees that we need to make some signings:

“It’s wise to get some new players in for the team’s sake. It’s always a good feeling when you get four or five new players in the dressing room.”

It’s true, spirits will be high if the players know the club means business and goes out and makes some quality additions. Dennis also talks about van Persie’s current contract situation saying you have to respect a players decision to make his mind up; maybe a few decent signings and RVP will see that Arsenal are going forward. When asked, Dennis did admit that Yaya Toure could be a decent player to bring in:

“He [Yaya Toure] would fit in straight away, of course, because of family there. He was training with us I think for a few weeks.”

The Yaya Toure rumour has come up so many times but recently the players agent has come out saying he’s upset with his current Barca deal, however it looks like a pay rise is more likely than a transfer at this moment.

We’ve also been linked with Paris St Germain defender Mamadou Sakho after his agent said he will be leaving the club soon. He’s only 19 but apparently Bayern Munich and Barcelona are interested but we are the front-runners. His agent also mentions Man United, not to say that they are interested but just to say they are a better club than us. Cheers. Whether we are actually interested or not, who knows? All we do know is that his agent seems like a bit of a prick.

Lukasz Fabianski has signed a new long-term contract today and Arsene Wenger has been singing is praises. He might’ve made a few mistakes last season and he might not be every Gooner’s favourite player but I have patience for him. He does make some excellent saves but his decision making is 50:50, he doesn’t fill me with confidence but I know it’s early days yet for him. I do wish that we used Almunia for the FA Cup but it’s all great experience and soon enough we will have two solid ‘keepers that we can rely on. For the moment though I will admit that I don’t think he’s quite ready.

Philippe Senderos, we haven’t heard from him in a while. Well he’s due back from his loan at AC Milan around about now and it looks like Milan have turned down the opportunity to take him permanently. Now, apparently he’s returning to Arsenal to fight for his place after a year’s experience in Serie A.

I don’t think Big Phil’s return is such a bad thing you know. He’s as bad as some people say he is and we could do with a few more players in the defense pecking order ahead of Silvestre. He did actually get a fair few games for Milan this season but they don’t see him as Maldini’s replacement, which is fair enough because they are massive boots to fill. I think they will used some of the money for ‘Kaka to get a big name defender. Gallas’ name has been thrown about but we’ll have to see.

With links to Vermaelen and Sakho this week I don’t know if there will be a place for Philippe when he returns but we’ll have to wait and see.

Jack Wilshere says he’s been taking tips from Theo Walcott on how to break into the team whilst Theo himself has been thinking about becoming a striker. I’m sure he’ll get lots of experience this summer up front with the U21′s and maybe if Adebayor does leave this summer then maybe TW14 could get a chance to play striker next season for Arsenal.

Right then, I better be off now. Bit of a long post today but then I guess I missed out yesterday. I’m afraid I’ll be missing for most of next week too, Monday afternoon I’m off to Kent until next weekend and I really doubt I’ll be able to update the blog over there. I’m sorry!

Anyways, I’ll speak to you tomorrow and Monday morning before I go. Until then.