Despite the spate of injuries, Nicklas Bendtner has been a busy boy this year.
He started the season off taking over for the freshly departed Adebayor, followed this up by wrapping his car around a tree at high speed, then started dating a Danish Baroness, followed that all up with surgery for a hernia and now he’s recovering from a post-surgery groin pull. Like I said, it’s been a fun-packed year for ole Bendtner and it only promises to get better… because Wenger has finally revealed that whether Arsenal sign a new player depends on Bendtner’s groin:
It depends on Bendtner and how bad his injury is. He is being treated now and will come back on Friday for tests then we will assess the situation. The real test will be in the next two weeks, with the projection with Bendtner. If he is out for two months, there is no way – we will need someone absolutely. We cannot have just one striker. We are looking anyway and if we find a good bargain then, despite that, we will still do it. But there is still a 50-50 chance that we will sign somebody.
Ok, well, if a bargain falls in their lap they’ll take that too, but otherwise Bendtner’s groin holds the key to Arsenal signing an adult!
Some folks are suggesting that the player Wenger is most interested in is Carlton Cole. This rumor was sparked by Wenger himself when he said “why pay £10m for a player worth £5?” It’s widely known that West Ham want £9-19m for the crocked forward and so many folks saw that as an indication that Wenger is on his trail. You could also argue that Cole is the “bargain” that Wenger is looking to sign and that the price Arsene’s willing to pay for Cole is dependent on Bendtner’s groin: £5m if the groin is good, £9m if the groin is bad.
I’ve read various opinions about Carlton Cole and my favorite is that he’s the next Francis Jeffers. Sorry, but Jeffers is only 2 years older than Cole and is currently plying his trade as a substitute at Sheffield Wednesday. In fact, Jeffers has never established himself as a first team starter at any club. So, huge physical differences, playing differences, and price tag differences aside it’s a tremendous insult to compare the two, Cole is far superior to Jeffers. Anyway, enough of that, Wenger either will or will not buy Cole and it feels a bit odd to be defending a West Ham player from a comparison to a Sheffield Wednesday sub.
One thing that has nothing to do with Bendtner’s groin is Arsenal staying active in the pre-teen transfer market with the latest speculation pitting Wenger against Fergie in a death match over Cardiff teen defensive starlet Adam Matthews. Yay, he can hang out with the other pre-teen that Arsenal signed last week.
And finally, Wenger says that he might break the club’s “over 30 rule” (where they only offer 30+ year old players a 12 month extension) and offer Cappy Gallas more than a one year deal. He’s doing this, even though he let other players go, because, and get this, because Gallas is a defender. For the record, I think that the over 30 rule is arbitrary, stupid, and has caused Arsenal to lose players who still have something to offer to the team. Pires is probably the most famous example but Gilberto is another player who Arsenal let go because he was deemed too old, despite the fact that he had plenty to contribute and never, ever, not once complained or failed to do what the boss asked him to do. Those two still had plenty to give both on and off the pitch and losing their experience is one of the things that Gooners point to to explain the 4 year struggle this club has had winning silverware.
That said, Wenger has been very consistent, some would even say obstinate, in his career so this latest change in the 30+ rule is a bit of a shock. Color me pleasantly surprised, I think Gallas has a lot to offer both on and off the pitch, as I wrote about yesterday (in showing Djourou the ropes) and welcome him signing a two year contract.
Anyway, everything is closed in England today so there wont be any signings, new, like a new, or over 30. I guess I’ll have to see you all tomorrow!
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Perhaps Wenger was just referring to signing a striker and not, more broadly speaking, any other position? Surely Bendy’s groin doesn’t impact our need for cover at centre back, right? Even if Bendtner’s fine, the fact is we’ve lost Robin, Eduardo’s as fragile as ever, Theo’s always hurt (not that he’s getting chances up front), and Vela’s been very inconsistent. Saying that the need for an additional striker hinges on Bendy’s health, I think, is overly optimistic on Arsene’s part. What would be wrong with having Bendy, Diaby and an additional tall forward out on the pitch late in some of the tough, decisive away matches that’ll be determined by 1 goal the rest of the way out? As for Cole, coming off the bench for a late header is all he’d be good for. Too many times have I watched West Ham matches and seen Cole fumble the ball around on the ground with his feet. Given that we seem to like to make 5 passes inside the box before shooting, having Cole crowding things inside the box with his clumsy feet could ultimately prove painfully frustrating.
January 6th, 2010 at 1:27 pm
@ArseChicago, i’m guessing Cole would just get the first pass and shoot, which even if the shot is poor would be far less frustrating than watching five passes turn to nothing…
January 6th, 2010 at 3:20 pm
@b, I’ll gladly watch 5 passes turn to nothing with the knowledge that before the game is over 5 passes will inevitably turn into something special. It’s the Arsene way.
Having defenders stay past 30 isn’t unprecedented for Arsene. He did it with Adams, Dixon, Winterbourn, and Keown, who all stayed several years after their 30th birthdays. Sol Campbell & Lauren both stayed after 30 as well, but I don’t think it was for as long.
Pires was comsi comsa at the end. Gilberto had to make way for Denilson and Song. I’m sure their prozone stats played a role in their departures.
Gallas still has pace and defensive sense and no one on the bench to challenge him.
Bendtner’s Groin. If that’s not a cheesy porn title, I don’t know what is. Either that or a quaint village in the Scottish Highlands.
January 6th, 2010 at 11:35 am
Or a black diamond run at a Danish ski resort?
January 6th, 2010 at 12:26 pm
@ArseChicago, Kinda hard to even imagine in a country with highest peak reaching ca 100 m. Unless the cross country skiers have black diamond pistes?
January 6th, 2010 at 4:13 pm
Sorry, forgot to check my Danish topographical map.
I remember Gilberto being a spent force in his last year at Arsenal. Good for him that he’s turned it around. Maybe he just needed a change of scenery in which case it would not have worked out if he stayed.
As for a new striker, do the Centurions need more goals or something? Nah. Bit more steel in midfield and we’ll be good to go.
I’ve noticed the Arsenal match against Everton isn’t been shown live or delayed on any channel in the US. First time this season for us in the league. I’M PANICKING TIM!!!
January 6th, 2010 at 12:55 pm
@Brice, I see that! I think that something is in the works. We may not see a solid answer until Friday. Like I said though, if we miss a game, it’s not the end of the world as long as we get something better in return.
January 6th, 2010 at 1:06 pm
@Tim, I like to think to myself that if there is any way possible that ESPN can get their hands on Donovan’s first match for Everton, that they will gladly pay that price, just my two cents, not sure if it’s even feasible with all the laws and bylaws
January 6th, 2010 at 1:11 pm
@kevin, Donovan doesn’t know if he’ll even make the bench let alone start
January 6th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
@Tim, oh, and espn has shown one of our matches so far this year, and nearly every chelsea match, so they owe us a little!!!
January 6th, 2010 at 1:29 pm
@kevin, I just saw that they are playing ANOTHER Chelski match and it made me sick to my stomach.
Do any Arsenal supporters know if the early kickoff is a Chelsea tradition?
Bobby Zamora. Now I don’t feel like if it wasn’t for bad luck, Arsenal wouldn’t have no luck at all.
Man U. http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2010/jan/05/sir-alex-ferguson-manchester-united
Refreshing to have the glare of media on a British stalwart for a change.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/david-conn-inside-sport-blog/2010/jan/06/manchester-united-glazers-debt
This is why the Ronaldo money got ‘banked’. This is why Man U is now belatedly copying the Arsenal youth philosophy. This is why any links with expensive players will be pure fantasy by supportive Man U media kiss ups.
I’d hate to see Merida leave and have him become revitalized like Song. Apparently his agent only has eyes for us. Athletic Madrid has to back up their “of we’re interested in Merida” with cash.
23″ left for Huntelaar to show something for AC Milan after he replaces 2 goal Borriello.
January 6th, 2010 at 1:18 pm
@ctpa, Huntelaar scores a PK, Milan’s 3rd PK of the game against Genoa (5-1).
Arsene did not spark the Carlton Cole rumours…they had been doing the rounds long before Arsene’s latest comments about getting value for money.
Furthermore, the iZombies of Fleet Street don’t need any excuse to come up with creative fiction…they do that regularly, week in, week out.
RE: the picture above
take deep breadths bendtner, deep breaths…
The new signing will come sooner or later.
Gallas is still good enough for a two-year contract renewal. If Bendtner is fine, Wenger may not feel compelled to buy and I for one will not press him to. If he believes that a new player is essential in any position, I trust that he will not hesitate to go for it. He has done it before, hasn’t he?
If the Glaziers trash ManIOU, perhaps that will wake them up, and bring them crashing back to earth, from the coocoo land they and their fans have been living.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by David Bundy, Tim. Tim said: Bendtner's Groin the Key to Arsenal Signings @ http://www.7amkickoff.com/2010/bendtners-groin-the-key-to-some-arsenal-signings/ [...]