Sat 13th March 2010 17:30, KC Stadium
Archive for Transfer Talk
It’s a Sol Comeback
Posted by: | CommentsIs it a stroke of genius to re-sign the former Arsenal vice captain, or a pragmatic move by a froogle manager who needs a job done? We’ll only know that answer in May when honours and trophies are being divvied up.
Two things are not in question. Firstly, there is absolutely no way Wenger would contemplate signing a player who is not going to hack it in the most unforgiving league in the world. The fact that for the last 3 months Sol Campbell has been training day in day out with the Arsenal squad has given the staff at London Colney the opportunity to assess Sol’s fitness and performance, and clearly they think he’s up to the job.
Secondly, in a world cup year, it’s hard to find any defender or player worth their salt who will be willing to sit on the Arsenal bench hoping for a game if and when Gallas and Vermaelen are not available for any reason. Senderos was not allowed to leave following Djourou’s injury and until Djourou returns around March or April, Sendy and Sly have provided back-up cover. We have been very lucky that Gallas and Vermaelen have played every minute of every game in the league and we haven’t had to call on the backups. With Senderos openly expressing his wish to leave Arsenal for regular football elsewhere, we are extremely thin when it comes to cover in the central defence area.
If only for the above 2 reasons, I think Campbell’s return on a performance related pay contract for the rest of the season is a shrewd and pragmatic move. He can plug a hole if and when needed as Djourou makes his way back, and more importantly, his presence and experience in and around the dressing room is invaluable. And I doubt if he’ll mind warming the Arsenal bench.
My sense is that because he has been training with the lads for so long, he will have already built a great rapport and camaraderie with the boys, and his signing will seem like a natural progression. This will be Wenger’s first time to re-sign a player he has let go, and for me, it illustrates Wenger’s ability to be pragmatic and sensible when a few adjustments have to be made to help push the team forward. Vermaelen and Gallas are doing a fantastic job, but there will come a time when cover is needed for whatever reason, and Sol’s the man. I doubt if we can find a bench warming defender who can plug the gap for a period of 6 months. It also takes the pressure off Johan Djourou when he comes back and gives him the space to slowly integrate back into the team.
The question will of course be raised as to whether Sol is past his ‘best before’ date. I think it’s fair to say that Sol has convinced the team at London Colney that he’s not past his best, and credit to him for showing this level of commitment. Of course he won’t be used in the most intense high paced games we have unless he has to come in, but even then, what he lacks in verve, his footballing intelligence will amply suffice. In a season where his experience, professionalism and leadership on and off the pitch will add significant value to this squad, Sol Campbell does have a place in the team for the rest of the season.
Guess Who’s Coming To Arsenal…
Posted by: | CommentsThat seems to be the game being played up and down Fleet Street and on air waves. Some people actually make a living from speculating and rumour mongering when it comes to the transfer window. But let’s face it, for the most part, it’s all bull shit designed to sell papers and bring in the listeners so as to sell advertising.
I was bemused over the weekend when a particular sports radio show proclaimed that they had an ’expert’ in the studio who was clued up on the January transfer window. They were asking people to call in so that their ’expert’ could confirm or deny the transfer rumours for their club. I don’t know what was more tragic – the self proclamation of expertise in transfer rumour mongering, or the fact that the said expert worked for the News of the World.
It’s like a whole new industry designed to peddle hogwash has been unleashed on us, and right on cue, you find Arsenal supporters (in fairness, supporters of other clubs too), lining up to masticate over falsehoods that have been concocted by lazy journalists who have no clue about what cuts.
I laugh when I read stories like ”Player X has been linked to Arsenal”, or ”Player Y is the sort of player that Arsenal need for their midfield”
The question I’d like to ask is “who linked the player with Arsenal?”, If it isn’t a journalist sitting down his local pub on a Tuesday morning racking his brain on how to meet the copy deadline that evening?
”I know what! That kid is tall, he looks like an Adebayor, he’s African and can speak French – wouldn’t it be funny if we linked him to Arsenal”
And
There starts a story about how we’re going to sign the new Adebayor. What then follows is the trail of lazy uncorroborated copy and pasting that gives a non-story a life of its own.
Take the Patrick Vieira to Arsenal story over the summer. I know for a fact because I was listening on the radio on the way home, when Ian Wright, almost in exasperation that Wenger was not going to sign a so called world class defensive midfielder, plucked a thought from the air in the mould of ”What Arsenal really need is a ‘Vieira’ type player who will stamp their authority in the midfield”. Very few people at the time believed that Arsenal had the solutions within. Wright then innocuously suggested “wouldn’t it be nice if Arsenal does bring Vieira back for a season just to provide some leadership and presence within the dressing room and play a few difficult matches”.
Believe it or not, the next day there was an unconfirmed report in a tabloid that proclaimed that sources inside Arsenal suggest that Wenger is looking to re-sign Patrick Vieira to bolster his midfield. This was accompanied with the usual waffle of how Vieira is Mr Arsenal and how he will be a good fit for the inexperienced Arsenal midfield.
Sky Sports news, The gospel according to St. Murdoch included it in their news roundup session – where they essentially read all the sports tabloid headlines without regard to journalistic integrity and in effect giving some of the nonsense credibility.
The Vieira story then started feeding itself like a hungry beast with Italian newswires picking it up as fact because English tabloids had written about a romantic return for Vieira to Arsenal and Sky Sports News reported it. The English papers then quoted the Italian press as more proof of the credibility of the story and the Italian press further obliged by quoting the English press who quoted them in a vicious cycle that forces the story to have an uncontrollable life of its own.
The next thing you know, Wenger has to respond to a question about re-signing Vieira in one of his press conferences, and because Wenger doesn’t want to be blunt, he says he hasn’t thought about it, but just by mentioning it, the story then becomes ”Wenger is thinking about re-signing Vieira”.
You catch my drift, right? And all because a lazy journalist was listening in a pub when he heard Ian Wright romancing about what Ian Wright thought Arsenal needed.
Just thinking about this January transfer window, there seems to be this misguided notion that Arsenal (or any other team for that matter) have to buy and spend big money to give them a chance at whatever. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against improving the squad by bringing in new players. I’ve been vocal about this. What I have a problem with is buying for the sake of buying or because there’s undue pressure from outside. If there’s a player out there who can add value to this Arsenal squad, a player who is better than who we already have, then I’m all for it. No one can argue that our last 3 signings, Vermaelen, Arshavin and Nasri haven’t added significant value to this squad. The core of players being developed at Arsenal can greatly benefit from such a value signing.
It’s this thoughtless ’cheque book’ style of management that has landed many a club with unmanageable debts. Perhaps more teams should consider that solutions for some of their deficiencies so far lie within the club if they could get more of their players fit or playing better. Perhaps its a tactical change for some that will work, or maybe just players actually playing to their true form. It’s folly to think that buying reinforcements is the only solution. I believe it’s one of the solutions, but not the only one – but more importantly, the player being brought in has to be the right fit for the club.
My sense is that if there’s a player out there who can fit our style of play and hit the ground running by playing Wengerball, then our scouting system will find that player and Arsenal will buy such a player. I think it’s wrong to buy a player because of market pressure and to have to change your system of play to fit that new big money acquisition. For the long term health of the team, this is one case where the tail should never be allowed to wag the dog.
Also, I just thought I’d mention a new section of Stone Cold Arsenal, the Stone Cold Article Series. This new section provides a more straightforward way of accessing related articles that cover a similar theme or topic area. The article series can also be accessed from the main menu.
Arsenal Determined To Keep Current Squad Together
Posted by: | CommentsWith the January transfer window in its element, journalists up and down fleet street and news editors on the air waves are racking up their brains concocting rumours and imaginary stories about players moving clubs. It says something about the 24 hour news media culture when any whiff of a story, regardless of how discredited it is, gets air time because papers need to be sold to pay wages and news cycles on air need to guarantee ratings to sell advertising.
Get used to Arsenal being linked with all manner of players from Emile Heskey to Mario Balotelli and Patrick Vieira to Pascal Cygan. Well, maybe not Cygan, but you get the picture. Wenger hasn’t really made it easy for the rumour mill as he’s openly stated that he’s in the market, but let’s face it – being in the market doesn’t mean he’s going to buy for the sake of buying. Arsenal has one of the most comprehensive scouting systems in the world – the kind capable of hiding in the forest to watch Thomas Vermaelen during training, or the kind capable of picking an opportune moment to approach Carlos Vela’s dad at a hotdog stand in an obscure North American football match. Arsenal doesn’t do brochures of the Michael Owen and Emmanuel Adebayor type, or YouTube 8 minute highlights. However, we can be confident that if there’s a player out there that can fit the Arsenal mould, our scouting system will find that player.
Of course we could pay over the odds and totally blow apart our wage structure to get some ’big name’ players in to stroke some egos. If Robinho, Dimitar Berbatov and Andriy Shevchenko are case studies in how not to spend ridiculous money on a player, then those who think big money equal success are in for a big disappointment. Arsenal don’t do big buck transfers, and brazen ’cheque book’ management is not Wenger’s M.O.
What is important though is building on the platform that has been developing during the last 4 years. Arsenal were well on track to great things 2 years ago until we lost Tomas Rosicky who limped off during a 4th round FA cup encounter against Newcastle; and Martin Taylor failed in his attempt to mutilate Eduardo’s ankle. This was followed in the next season with the loss of 75% of the midfield that had been so effective in the 2007-2008 season until that fateful January and February when we lost Rosicky and Eduardo respectively. If you also consider that Fabregas was out for at least 4 months in the 08-09 season, we effectively lost our entire first choice midfield after Rosicky’s injury, and Flamini and Hleb’s mercenary tactics to secure moves to ’greener pastures’.
Sometimes we under-estimate the impact of the decimation of our entire midfield core in this way. Add onto that the fact that during the business end of the 2008-09 season, we were literally operating without 75% of our preferred first choice defence with Clichy, Sagna and Gallas out with long term injuries. That’s why it’s remarkable that Arsenal went on a 21 game unbeaten run with our so called fringe players, and extended that positive run to become the most successful EPL side of the 2009 calendar year.
It would be a travesty to lose the camaraderie, team spirit and determination built during this period over the last 3 years because it has shown that Arsenal can survive through adversity. What is more important than the knee jerk reaction of jumping at the transfer window for reinforcements and a breath of fresh air, is to acknowledge the progress made internally. What better way of doing it than to ensure you give this squad the best ever chance of staying together for the foreseeable future. I would suggest that Ivan Gazidis and Arsene Wenger have illustrated how much of a class act they are by ensuring that since May last year, 15 players from the current squad of 29 have had new long term contracts secured and they can focus on working for the team.
The footballing world is sometimes so pre-occupied with the glamour and romance of big name signings in transfer windows, that it’s easy to forget that the biggest asset you have is within. Our current crop of players have been together for the best part of 4 years and the progress they’ve made as a team is truly remarkable. As much as I would personally welcome any new addition to the squad who will add true value, I’m more encouraged by Arsenal’s determination to keep this magnificent squad together.
I am definitely not a supporter of buying for the sake of buying or to appease the establishment.
Arsenal’s Injury Gremlins
Posted by: | CommentsAfter weekends like the one just past, I sometimes reflect on how good a club Arsenal are. It’s so much easier to focus on critiquing what doesn’t work, but it sometimes is a good idea to step back and look at the environment in which the club has worked in.
For the last 4 years, I can’t recall Arsenal ever having a full complement of players because a very good proportion have been frequent flyers into the treatment room at London Colney.
Tomas Rosicky and Eduardo have perhaps been the most recognizable absentees from the first team due to the nature of their recent long term injuries. Even so, they’re having a start stop sort of campaign as their bodies get used to the rigours of a 60 match league and cup campaign. The weekend match against Stoke City was more notable for the fact that Arsenal picked up 4 injuries to Gallas, Eboue, Traore and Rosicky – than the fact that the team got back to winning ways.
It’s eternally frustrating to constantly hear that our players are out injured – in fact, I’d go as far as saying that you always dread injury news after a game. Many have suggested that there must be a reason why Arsenal seem to have a disproportionate amount of injuries compared to other clubs. The fact that injuries also seem to cluster around the same area in the pitch – defenders in the latter stage of last season, 3 left backs this season, 3 out of our 4 recognized strikers, etc., doesn’t knock down the conspiracy theories.
Despite all the injury gremlins that hit us, it’s actually amazing that we remain competitive. Granted, being competitive if you factor in all the injuries over the seasons isn’t good enough for some supporters – but the fact that the team has constantly remained among the elite should not go unacknowledged.
Only recently, Liverpool capitulated because they had more players in their treatment room than on the pitch – and this was a factor constantly touted in the media as if in excuse for their poor performance. Arsenal on the other hand, would normally be expected to just get on with it and produce the expected levels of performance.
There is also the school of thought that perhaps our training and treatment regime is to blame – but it’s not that simplistic. The Belgian club Anderlecht recently fired their entire medical team because of the amount of injuries the team suffered. I wouldn’t go so far – in fact going so far is just outright crazy – but asking the question about how our medical team works to support the players is valid.
Others have pointed to our style of play as one of the reasons we incur injuries at such a frequent rate. The speed of our play, the way our players move, turn and accelerate, and the sheer tension they place on their bodies are pointed as a possible factor.
I’m sure someone more knowledgeable out there will have come up with some scientific explanation – but it doesn’t hide from the fact that injuries do significantly affect us. Should Wenger stock pile players? Maybe – but without a doubt, we have to depend on the players we have in the absence of any suitable reinforcements coming from outside.
Wenger has been cautious in managing expectations for this January’s transfer window – as he looks to go into the market for a relief striker to shore up our resources following Van Persie’s long term injury.
I would suggest that just because Wenger says he’s on the market, it doesn’t mean that he’ll actually find a suitable recruit. I’m one of those who don’t support the purchase of any player simply to appease fans or the media – it has to be the right player and if we don’t find one, I would happily support the decision not to buy. I do want the club to buy a player who will compliment the squad, regardless of their cost (within reason of course) – but I do not support buying so called big name players to pacify anybody.
I sincerely hope that players like Vela, Walcott and Bendtner would use this opportunity to give Wenger a reason not to go out into the market. I’ve always said it’s unreasonable to expect that they will hit the ground running – and they can only get their match sharpness by playing more games. Buying, especially when you don’t find the right sort of player (and even if you did, they may not be available and they may be too expensive) may not necessarily be the right answer.
Perhaps the experiment with our pint sized Russian leading the line will buy Wenger some time to get Bendy, Vela and Eduardo into the mix – while at the same time keeping the option to buy reinforcements open.
Arsenal’s young guns set sights on Middle Eastlands
Posted by: | CommentsA question is always posed to the many Arsenal fans who bemoan our somewhat amplified and misguided crisis of a trophy drought. ’Would the Carling Cup do?”
My sense is that winning the Carling cup will still not be good enough for the ”We must win a trophy now or else we must bring in the sugar daddy with a transfer war chest” brigade – despite evidently closing the door on the argument that Arsenal hasn’t won a trophy since 2005. This is one of them cases that we can’t have our cake and eat it. Without a shadow of a doubt, Wenger has had numerous opportunities to field a full strength team that is capable of emphatically winning the Carling cup, yet time and time again, he has elected to use the league cup as a vehicle to blood Arsenal’s fringe players.
Ask any long term strategist and they’ll tell you that Arsenal’s policy in the Carling Cup, while not a guarantee for trophies, is one of the most valuable development tools any manager can have in world football for the reason that it provides first class invaluable experience that is impossible to buy if you even tried.
Many teams have recognized the merits of Arsenal’s persistent policy to the point where the league cup is now seen as a platform to provide valuable playing opportunities for fringe players and up-coming reserves – though different clubs have mixed results. Some clubs like Chelsea, Tottenham and Aston Villa take the Cup very seriously and field full strength teams at every available opportunity. In the case of the latter 2 (as well as many other premiership clubs), the Carling cup is the most realistic opportunity for silverware in any given season – so it’s understandable that they will throw everything at it. In Chelsea’s case, I’d hazard a guess that they’d struggle to string together a reserve side that is competitive enough to challenge the best of the second stringers, but that would be conjecture really. Chelsea wouldn’t be that woeful if they strung together a reserve team, would they?
Tonight’s game at Eastlands won’t be any different in the sense that Wenger will field a typically Carling cup side with a sprinkling of experience to help guide the youngsters. The temptation after Sunday’s defeat would be to field a full strength side to exorcise the demons from Sunday, but that would not only be unfair to the young team who have so far beaten the Baggies and Liverpool emphatically to earn the right to play today – it would also be a knee jerk reaction to a situation that needs calm heads. We won’t achieve anything by sending our big guns to Eastlands – they’re best utilized by preparing for the visit from the ‘big’ men from the Potteries on Saturday.
Wenger admits that the injuries to the first team squad has influenced his approach for tonight’s team to play Abu Dhabi City, but he is confident of putting out a team capable of winning. At least for Abu Dhabi City, their cycle of 7 consecutive draws will be brought to an end, and we’re hoping our Carling cup team will put them out of their misery. The pressure is more on them than on the young Arsenal side, who let’s face it, will be disappointed if they don’t collect the honours from tonight, but nevertheless, will need no more motivation than the chance to progress to the semi-final of their prime competition. Tonight’s match is their cup final and an opportunity for our boys to put themselves in the shop window for the manager and fans alike.
Wenger also took some time to comment on the reflection that the team has done since Sunday’s defeat and rightfully so – he avers that we need to stop talking and do our business on the pitch in the games that follow. They say talk is cheap, and in the dip of form that Arsenal are in right now, the only talking that’s needed is on the pitch. There is clearly a danger that the lack of belief in this team from the outside might dare to become a self fulfilling prophecy if it ends up transmitting to the players.
We will however have to get used to daily headlines about players that are on their way to Arsenal in January, especially after Wenger confirmed that Van Persie’s injury has forced him to go into the January market for a relief striker at least. I sometimes think that journalists are so pressured by their editors, you’d find a group of them in most pubs around Fleet Street huddling in a corner and inventing rumours about players linked with certain clubs. They qualify such diatribe with attributions like ’a source close to the club said’ or ’Arsenal (fill name of preferred club here) has long been linked to (fill name of player here)’. Linked by who if not themselves I ask.
The ridiculous rumours so far are that in January, we’ll be after Ruud Van Nistelrroy or Carlton Cole – (Note: Typically the so underwhelming big lump of a centre forward stereotype that has become a mainstay in English football). I guess you can’t hold it against the journalist for this sort of pressure – they also have kids to feed and a roof to put over their heads.
The Carling Cup side though, will have a lot to play for tonight as City are a good team who will provide stiff competition if only to unbruise their battered egos. Of course there’s the small matter of Money-bye-ego who will want another opportunity to prove to Wenger that shipping him out to a non-Beyonce type club was not a cool thing to do at all.
Media Shit Stirring
Posted by: | CommentsYou always know when you’re nearing the end of the football season and the beginning of the stupid season when the media and other pundits have to resort to scraping the barrel with sensational headlines and non-stories to fill their news pages and air-time.
Wonderful! Arsenal “sign” new world class striker – and he’s not Russian…
Posted by: | CommentsConsidering that this season has been somewhat indifferent, you can only but rejoice that the most lethal assassin in an 18 yard box anywhere that most gooners know is almost like a brand new signing for the Arsenal. It’s good to have Eduardo the world class Crozilian back in action – we’ve waited long enough.
