Another passes and more transfer crazyness has happened, with Sunderland’s Henderson moves to Liverpool for £19.25m, Sunderland closing in on a trio of United players, Jones having already joined them and Ashley Young the next one in… Of course, the rumours regarding Arsenal are mega-rife… we’ve got Gael Clichy off to Liverpool for £5m, which would never happen… We’ve got Samba, Cahill and more coming in and of course, Cesc and Nasri off…
In reality, nothing happens at the Arsenal until it happens… as fans we’re kept in the dark until the contracts are all signed and sealed – and in business, it’s the best way to do it… With Phil Jones going to United, I really doubt Samba is coming to us… Blackburn would have no defence…! I know you read the Samba news every day, but I just don’t think it’s going to happen… For us, we’ve got a Clichy, Eboue or Squillaci replacement in Jenkinson and I do think another centre back is on the cards – I just don’t know who!
One player who is very likely to come is Alex Oxlade-Chamerlain, another Walcottesque kid from the Southampton Academy – his father said this yesterday:
“Considering where he was at the beginning of the season and end of last season, to have the clubs we’ve been hearing about looking at him, he’s made great strides. But watching him and watching his performances I think it’s well deserved. He’s only going to get better. A lot of people speak to me and say ‘Maybe it’s too soon, look at Theo.’ But for me I think Theo’s doing fantastic, he’s developing as a player, he’s still developing and he’s only young. To develop at a place like Arsenal can’t be a bad thing. In my eyes, I’d like him to go there as soon as possible, and continue his development.”
He is fast and a winger / striker, so the similarities to Theo are much more real than his background…
Is Chamberlain the answer?
I don’t think so – but he could be part of the puzzle, the solution to the future of Arsenal. Having signed one 17-year old, another one, with similar potential, although welcome, will not win us the title. But the one thing to remember is it’s only early June – we have the whole of this month and next month and hold on, even August – to buy who we need. Yes, it’s annoying that Liverpool and United seem to be more on the case than us – but Arsene and Arsenal have a different style. I just hope it’s not the style that we’ve been like in the last couple of signings – which has basically been bargain basement and a lot of failed transfers.
A lot of this summer will depend on outgoings – players like Denilson, Bendtner, Clichy and Eboue could be off, which will raise a certain amount of cash – and perhaps the likes of Cesc and Nasri may be sold too – no-one knows at the moment – the players nor the club have said anything. I think Arsene should really have a plan around this, so no matter who goes, we have a plan to bring people in. I know we were close to Jones and we missed out, so it’s a good sign that we were willing to spend the money. But Arsene has to act fast and I’d like to see a big name, high profile player come in soon.
Lille striker Gervinho could be on his way in and so could Gary Cahill – I suppose we’ve got to remain patient… easier said than done though, isn’t it…
As I write this, I’m watching Djourou on Sky Sports News… and he thinks we’re on the verge of something big.
“You expect better for Arsenal, of course, but I think that when this long run ends it will just go crazy and we will win everything that is there because this club’s got so much potential. It has been six years, but I am just waiting for the moment. I wanted to win something so bad to say to those people ‘shh, that’s it, it is finished with and we have won something’. Unfortunately I can’t say that now because it is not the case, but it is not even to say that people are wrong, it is for us to show that we are good enough because we know in ourselves that we are good enough.”
The unfortunate thing though, is that Arsene Wenger has been telling us this for years. Looking at the availability of some of our fringe players and looking at how we go about selling players, I often wonder, as an Arsenal fan, if we are a little blind-sighted. Do I think we have a lot of good players because sometimes they play well? Do I think they are amazing and full of potential because Arsene Wenger keeps on telling me? Watching Djourou against England was embarrassing – watching Diaby for France last night wasn’t that different…
But, as soon as the season starts and the transfer window closes, whoever we’ve brought in or not brought in, I will back them 100%.
Today is Friday and we’re one week into June, I know it feels like we’re half way through the window already, but I have to remember that patience is a virtue….
