Little known fact, my dog actually looks like Falkor and who knows, maybe she’s a luck dragon? As far as I can tell Pepper is just a poop dragon.
Badum tish.
As you can tell, there is literally nothing going on as far as Arsenal are concerned which probably just means that the club are working furiously behind the scenes to get the squad settled. At least, that’s what I’m hoping. A sort of “quiet before the storm” situation.
Arsenal have three major player situations to sort out and the longer they drag on (get it?) the more neverending the story seems to get. Rumors from this weekend had Juventus stumping up £20m to Arsenal for the out of favor striker and sweetening the pot by offering the player £190k/week net (after tax). And then news broke today that Juventus manager Antonio Conte has plead guilty to knowledge of match fixing and accepted a Euro 200,000 fine and a three month ban from management. Remember, folks, corruption is like cockroaches: if you see one there are hundreds more behind the walls fucking and laying eggs all over the house. So, if van Persie goes to Juventus now with the team shorn of their manager for the first three months of the season and the stink of corruption hanging about, it certainly cannot be because he wants to win a trophy. There will be £190,000 other reasons, every week, for him to make that move.
For Arsenal, Juventus is the only club that doesn’t start with the letters MANCHESTER who have put in a bid for vain Persie and this corruption case could cause a problem with the player’s transfer. The bottom line is that as much as we fans would rather the club not sell him to either Manchester team, Robin still has a say in this matter and pointing to the turmoil there could refuse Juventus leaving Arsenal with little choice but to either refuse his transfer or sell to Manchester.
Meanwhile, no one is talking about Theo Walcott which probably makes him feel bad. Here’s a player who is a highly marketable England international with a squeaky clean record and a pretty-boy face and he’s not getting any press over the fact that he’s in the last year of his contract. I know that Theo is a bit of a divisive figure among Arsenal supporters because he never really grew the way that we had all hoped. He never developed more than flashes of that killer finish we saw when he first came to Arsenal and consistency is the key difference between a great player and a good player. He’s also dependent on others to create his shot, moreso than a lot of other players, and is consequently frustrating in the Arsenal offensive scheme. Still, I could see him looking brilliant in a team that likes to play football the English way: long balls over the top. Aston Villa, for example.
It’s not like I hate Theo, but to be honest, I just have no idea what he’s worth. What’s a player worth who will sell shirts off the field, and who will both frustrate and delight in equal measure on the field? I think I’ll just leave this up to the club. I will speculate that the lack of speculation on the player’s future might make him consider taking whatever Arsenal have to offer.
And then there’s Cazorla. Some reports have Cazorla in London for a physical with Arsenal RIGHT NOW. Oh, no wait. He’s due to fly in. Next week. Really, there’s nothing to report here. The neverending Cazorla transfer story drags on for another day.
From what i have read, Conte plea has been rejected which means he could face up to one year of ban. That’s another bad news for the propose move of VP to Juve.
I trust Tim (have you ever been wrong?) on Walcott suppose potential in a team with an English style of football. In that way, i believe that there’s a value in keeping Walcott. Not only on his potential, he can also contribute on plan B style if there’s even one.
Increasing news on Cazorla arrival made me had to reread Tim’s by the numbers and got excited again. Hopefully it will go through.
Walcott can maybe be compared to Beckham. Very limited as an overall player, but great at one or two things, with the major bonus of English marketability.
Arsenal Ladies aren’t the subject of Arsenal blogs, but I’ve watched a couple of the Olympics matches (more to see the Canadian national side), but I’ve just discovered how many starting Arsenal players there are on Team GB.
It’s a fair comparison to say that Arsenal Ladies are to Team Great Britain what Barcelona are to Spain. Sunderland Ladies have won the last couple of campaigns, but Arsenal Ladies have pretty much owned the league since the turn of the century. They are a fantastic story and deserve more exposure.
Canada plays Arsenal/Team GB in Coventry on Friday night, and while I’ll always cheer on my national red and white colours, I’ll feel good to see my club’s red and white colours progress as well. May the best team win.
Maybe we could promote Houghton to the men’s team. She plays LB and DM and scores goals. What else could we ask for.
Yankey and White too. Those ladies are beasts (no, like that – you know what I mean…)
Yankey and White too
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Not that there’s anything wrong with that, you understand. (Tim is sensitive.)
So basically you’re calling TIm a white yankee…good thing I’m not a footballer on Twitter…
Congrats for the new dog.
I once met Joey Cramer, who played the kid in The Flight of the Navigator. At the time, he was a bartender in Vancouver.
Lots of news on Cazorla lately, but the Well of Sahin has dried up. Oh please, let me be glutted with signings! If we signed both, and everyone settled in okay, I’d be reasonably confident of a top four finish this season.
As for Van Persie, I could just about find his face beautiful again if he chose Juventus over one of the Manchester clubs. We must sell him before the Netherlands friendly with Belgium later this month, when that Axel Rose character will surely break Van Persie’s pelvis.
Anyone else notice that Dempsey did not travel with Fulham and that Arshavin is rumored to be a Cottagers target? Just sayin.
Dempsey would be a great signing. He plays with that British steel everyone talks about, except that he’s American, so he doesn’t have it, which means he’s not as good as Scott Parker and his stupid WWII RAF haircut. Still, I’d be very happy to replace Arshavin with Dempsey, but I won’t believe it until I see him pulling on a shirt on newsnow.
If you’re implying that it will be like a swap signing, i don’t think Arsenal have ever done it. It is only suggested that Dempsey might leave to a club, seems Liverpool, and Arshavin replace him. It is still good business to offload Arshavin though. Which means, the rumours about Cazorla might take a turn for the right way. Cazorla might be the replacement for Arshavin.
Hate to burst your bubble, but we did a swap deal with the Chavs once. Cashley for Gallas…
1968. One game (with hat trick) wonder David Jenkins to Spurs in straight swap for winger Jimmy Robertson who played big part in our successful Inter Cities Fairs Cup campaign.
He would’ve been strongly linked & linked up well @ Fulham if his fellow native striker Pavel Pogrebynak signed there after his loan. Even if Dempsey ends up at Liverpool, Fulham still have Ruiz/Dembele to play behind their strikers. But I could definitely see them bring Arshavin in if that was the case. More so if you believe the papers Dembele to Madrid/Man United links. Or Fulham find their pants around their ankles like Arsenal last season and pick up Yossi on a lower cost loan for the season.
Bottom line is the dominoes have to fall the right way for us to move Arshavin, etc… and bring in Sahin Claus (I am trademarking this amalgamation.)
With Sahin, Cazorla, and Dempsey… WE WILL WIN THE TREBLE.
Why set your sights so low? I’m gunning for the quad this year.
It may be bravado, it may be machismo, but I LIKE it (It’s only rock and roll).
Many coaches in my past drilled into me to dream big. It rarely worked, but it when it did, it was some of of the most fun I’ve ever had…
As much as I am frequently irked by Walcott’s sometime invisibility, he does provide something different to the rest of our team.
But please, please, please, if we are going to keep him and pay him even more money, could someone please teach him a trick or two? I’d happily do it for the cost of a plane ticket. You know that move where you fake one way and then dribble the other way? That’s not so hard. Cruyff turn? I’m sure even Theo could learn that.
The “run really fast in a straight line” trick is not actually a trick.
The “run really fast in a straight line” trick is not actually a trick.
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Isn’t it? It’s made 80m Gareth “Next Messi” Bale into what he is. I’d say that’s one of the tricks of the century.
I actually think Walcott has okay dribbling ability. His problem seems to be confidence-related at times though. His speed and finishing (not crossing) are his better attributes of course. Whether he deserves a helluva lot more money to stay, I’m not sold on. But he’s a useful player against many teams.
Dempsey for Arshavin sounds good. I don’t think his passing ability is as good as the little Russian but his energy and shooting will come in handy definitely.
If he comes that is
Walcott dribbles just fine as long as there is no defender anywhere near him and he’s not too close to the sideline.
Consider the other players on the team who could be considered speedy wingers – Gervinho, Ox and Ryo. They are miles ahead of Walcott in dribbling ability. I haven’t seen enough of Ryo yet, but Gerv and Ox both have the ability to beat a defender from a standing start. Hell, Diaby can do that and he’s not even fast. Yet I’ve not once seen Theo do that. If he could, even just a little, then he will have properly arrived as a player. But he seems not to have the quick explosive speed that you want from a winger, instead having tremendous speed only after he is able to get going for a few yards.
The case with Walcott…my guess is..if he signs for Arsenal..it should be a deal that sees him get to 27, where he can negotiate another deal. For a person whose reliance is on pace mostly, by 27 you are not faster than at 24. Past 25, you should be more relying on your skills like keeping cool, picking the right pass, holding up for support than running in a straight line..
For some one playing in EPL..its a nightmare to be faster because sooner or later you get into injuries which slows you down..with that skill alone..you dont last in EPL more than 25. Owen being a classic example..you may stick around like lennon, agbonlahor etc but its hard to be menacing.
With Theo who is poor in set piece, is very rarely the central cog in the team, getting the player power is going to be difficult going ahead. He doesnt really see it happening in Arsenal. But if he has to develop any more and not become a flash in the pan, one season, he has to stay…because I dont think any manager will show the patience that Wenger has shown with Theo.
Theo realises this, he wants to stay, but I think there are people advising him to make the move early and get his share of player power in a lesser team, and also warning him of chances that, a Ryo or Ox will take up his place as the fast winger. They will ask him for a better contract, so that, he gets more playing time.
The problem with Theo has been the uncertainity of what he will deliver in the next match..whether the linesman apprentice or the TW14. When you account for that uncertainity for over a season, and for a contract of 4 seasons, the expected value is gonna make no meaning..
Cazorla has had his medical and will travel to germany with RVP oh yes!!!
Walcott is really just a good impact player no more.