IMPORTANT: The Arsenal Way relocated

Please check out my brand new site Arsenal and England, where I will combine Arsenal news with the latest from the England camp as well as covering the most important issues from all around the world of football.

Here’s the address: www.mbal.org.uk

The Arsenal Way is back for the summer

After a very long break due to outside commitments, I have decided to start posting once again. So you can look forward to the latest news and views from the Emriates Stadium throughout the summer as I try to keep up to date with the Gunners in what will hopefully be an eventful summer ahead of a successful season.

As ever, I’d really appreciate comments on any of my articles and new links with other websites are more than welcome.

Fabregas is the only realistic option for the captaincy

The press are running riot for the Arsenal captaincy story, delirious with happiness now that they can finally report on the collapse on the club that they love to hate for their continental football style that lacks “substance” whenever they fail to win, has a cry-baby for a captain and a French professor for a manager who they can always poke fun at.

And fankly, their sheer stupidity is annoying me just a bit now. They seem to think that there is a shortlist for the captaincy – but the fact of the matter is that there can’t be if Wenger is being serious about it. Tommorrow Almunia or Clichy will captain the Gunners, but there is only one option for the captaincy long term – Step forward Mr Cesc Fabregas.

Fabregas has lacked for form, almost certainly down to an awful combination of having to play in a midfield without balance and a hangover from the Euros. But he still makes us tick, he is one of only a few world class players that we can claim to have at the club, and shows a passion for the club no matter what form he is in. Yes, he is only 21, but so was Tony Adams and he did alright, while Fabregas has already won an international tournament, played over 200 games for the club and scored vital goals against the likes of Tottenham, Milan and co. I can see him being a Steven Gerrard for us given the chance – only if Wenger buys a few players to compliment him though. His interviewing technique is ever so slightly more impressive than Gallas’ too…..

But the real reason he’ll almost certainly be given the captaincy is that there is simply no one else capable. The press say maybe Kolo Toure can take the mantle, I say not a chance. Toure has not been the player he was for some time, last year Senderos should have kept his place in the team when Toure returned from the ANC, and even though Senderos has gone, even Silvestre is a better option in defence. Maybe he has the passion, and if I get my way and Gallas is sacked or sold Kolo will even be 1st team again at least until January, but he is not good enough to have to give him a guaranteed starting place every game, as the captaincy undoubtedly gives a player. That is the same reason that Almunia can never be long term captain either. Both players cannot be given their places on a permanent long term basis as they are not world class and can be replaced easily.

Clichy could be given it, that I would say, but I think that his position on the pitch lets him down badly here. Captain’s are supposedly the ones who should now approach refs over decisions rather, and at left back he’s not central enough to fulfill that role, nor to speak to all the players on the pitch. He does do the club proud, and is probably one of the few who can lead at Arsenal, but for the reasons I have mentioned I don’t think he is a long term solution either.

So Fabregas it is then.

Just like watching Brazil! Including the defence…

The Fenerbahce game showed a lot of what I love about Arsenal’s way of playing the beautiful game. Brilliant individual pieces of skill, fantastic quick passing and great off the ball movement. The way in which Wenger decided to go to Istanbul, in one of the greatest atmosphere’s around the world and have only the purpose to outscore the opposition is something that only Brazil and Arsenal, possibly Fergie’s Man Utd too, would dare to do. But surely, however entertaining it would be along the way, we cannot have set out to play that way completely, and so this leaves big questions to be asked of the defence once more.

As I have noted before, I believe that because of the attacking stance we take into games, we cannot expect clean sheets week in week out – it is simply not how we are currently geared to play, with 3 creative midfielders and a winger making up our midfield most weeks, but the way which the players took upon themselves to play was courageous, but also very naive had it been elsewhere against a stronger defensive unit.

However, we proved just how good we can be going forward, and of course if we had sat back and just countered all game then perhaps with a makeshift back four we would have been found wanting, so in any case the tactics worked and we pulled off a brilliant away performance.

Theo Walcott is going inside his full back a lot more this season, something that started to happen in the back end of last season (remember the goal at Sunderland, for example) and this could be really effective with Adebayor often drifting out wide to pick up the ball and link up play. His finishing, like his pace, is excellent and so the more dangerous runs he makes off the ball, the more he will score. That’s three already this season and I can see him scoring and creating a lot more this season if he stays fit.

Fabregas showed glimpses of genius but still didn’t run the game as he was last season, possibly down to Denilson’s inclusion, possibly down to lack of form. We shall see. Diaby made his full return after a bright cameo performance at the weekend and I have got to say that at times he is phenomenal with the ball at his feet, sadly though, he lacks the discipline to be the perfect partner for Cesc in my opinion.

Lastly I want to make a point about the offside line we decided to play. Normally we do of course hold a line higher up the pitch than other teams, but there was 3/4 of the backline missing against Fener, and to make things worse the pressure on the passer was not there and this asked for trouble. Almunia had a fantastic game and it’s just as well as our gung ho tactics could have bitten us badly if it wasn’t for him at times. The worst thing about that line was that it seemed to me that every time the line was in fact a diagonal from left to right, with Clichy deepest and Eboue furthest up. Silvestre was also always running forward to catch them offside while Song was already there, and this led to chaos. I hope never to see the same back four again.

Sorry Denilson and Toure, we need shape and balance

Right. So we won 3-1 after a great second half performance which was as good as the first half was poor. Great.

But it failed to assure any watching Arsenal fans of a title bid this season, and after only finishing 4 points away from the prize last season, fans have every right to expect another close run thing this season. However, at the moment there are crucial problems which will cost us if they are not changed soon.

The first half showed all that is wrong with the current Arsenal team. With an injury list as long as Chelsea’s but without the depth of the Ruble financed West Londoners, there is of course a ready made excuse for us. But what was worrying yesterday was not the missing players, but the way we lined up. Denilson has had a good start to the season, but he is first person who should get the chop from the team in my view. I really like him as a player, great passing range, creativity and has everything he needs to become a fantastic creative midfielder. But we don’t need one of them next to Cesc – that is what the Spaniard is for. Song was bizarrely put at right back when he is exactly the sort of player who should now partner Fabregas in the centre of midfield in the tricky away fixture on Tuesday in Istanbul. He can shield the back four and put a foot in where needed if he is given a run of games – Denilson merely assumes Cesc’s role and pushes our best players further away from the action, something that will only frustrate him.

What we have here is a classic Gerrard/Lampard problem – Two attacking midfielders who occupy the same role and cannot, without lessening their effect on a game, combine in the middle next to each other. So Mr Wenger, please identify this problem and give someone else a try. Denilson is simply the wrong player for the job and its giving our defence massive problems as runners are allowed to breeze past the midfield and score, as it happened against Everton yesterday.

Another problem is Eboue. Now the guy is a great morale booster in the dressing room as all our players mention in their interviews about team spirit, and he is a decent back up player for our team who never moans and wants out like some players might do. But why is it a player who helped take us to a Champions League Final at right back just 2 years ago is no longer good enough to fill in ahead of a 6 ft plus and almost cumbersome Alex Song in his former right back slot. It is just lucky that Toure’s unfortunate injury pushed Wenger into the change the team was crying out for. Eboue returned to right back, gave the team far better mobility on that side with Walcott replacing him on the right wing and we could puch on and take full advantage, scoring three good goals and keeping within touching distance of the top teams.

Hopefully this will prove to Wenger that balance is vital to any team, and unless Denilson ups his work rate and becomes a deeper lying midfielder, with Fabregas pushing on, we need to alter the midfield pairing or we will only encounter more problems against the more dominant midfields of the Premiership.

At center back we have a similar issue in that Toure and Gallas can’t work together either, or so it seems. Of course, the fact that neither are in anything remotely resembling form could be a factor, as could the attacking style of the team as a whole that leaves the back exposed. But I am now shifting my opinion to the one shared by many fans – one of the two has to be dropped. Silvestre, after a very shaky first 20 minutes or so, looked good and certainly won a good few headers. Maybe if he was to partner Gallas we would see a better team for it? I think there is a decent chance the two of them could work together, but if not there is the other option of Djourou who has impressed this season more than he has for a good while.

Either way the spine of our team needs some changes.

Theo Walcott, our natural No.14; Ade situation becomes complicated once more

First things first, today Arsenal have announced Thierry Henry’s replacemetn will be worn by the perfect man for the No.14 – Theo Walcott.

After a very promising season, I fully expect Walcott to go from strength to strength, and by being given the No.14 I think its clear that he will have a huge role in Arsenal’s future. The teenager is a huge fan of Thierry Henry, and plays like him in almost all aspects of his game, so it is only right he would be the one tasked with the challenge of restoring the awe Arsenal fans had for the No.14. I think this will give him a great confidence boost ahead of the new season.

Having just written a very positive post about Adebaayor’s statement of loyalty for Arsenal, just as quickly negativity set in once more. SkySports got an interview with the gangly striker an hour later than the press conference, where he told them everything would be decided next week regarding his future…!

It is my belief that he is staying, he certainly looked very genuine during his press conference and I would feel angry if he was to leave now, but my gut feeling tells me a call from his agent prompted the change of heart, as it is very hard to negotiate a massive salary for Adebayor and a huge bonus for the agent if your client refuses to add to the speculation.

Adebayor shows belief in Wenger’s master plan against all the odds

I have to admit, I thought he was as good as gone. Despite all the positive comments he made before the summer really started about how he’d stay and would not do what Flamini did and jump ship just as everything started to look promising for their careers, it looked as though he had changed his mind amidst a openly publicised battle between AC Milan and Barcelona to prise him off Arsenal’s hands.

Stories that Ade had written to Arsenal saying he wanted out were rife, and it was said bids were nearing £30m for the striker as Arsenal reluctantly negotiated. But in the last few hours Adebayor has taken a big step towards reassuring Arsenal fans of stability up front next season, with the Togolese forward having this to say:

“Of course, I have three more years contract so, no matter what, I have to stay. I’m staying at Arsenal. I’ve three more years with Arsenal, I have a good contract, we have a good team there and I’m playing for one of the biggest teams in the world. The most important thing is to keep enjoying myself.

“When I was young I had a dream to be a good footballer and play for a big team. I was born in Togo so I never cared about playing for money, my happiness was to play to enjoy myself. That’s what I’ve been doing until now.

 

“You can see people changing clubs because of money, because they want a change of atmosphere or to get their names in the big leagues. I just play football to enjoy myself. I play because I love it.”

So there we have it – he is staying. I thought he wanted to go and so I was coming to terms with cashing in on a striker, who, although he scored 30 goals last season, never seemed a natural goalscorer. His contribution to the team is fantastic though, and I hope that this coming season will see a fully fit Robin van Persie alongside him to help with the finishing of the many fantastic chances our sparkling creativity produces from midfield. Stability is always a key for football teams, and so now I hope Hleb to come out with an equally reassuring statement, to be followed by Nasri’s transfer which now seems to have to wait until July 1st to be completed due to taxation reasons.

Hleb does not seem to have any suitors anymore, with Barca looking at Arshavin and a centre forward to splash the cash on, and Inter Milan withdrawing their interest when Mourinho tok over at the San Siro. The likes of Wolfsburg are said to be keen, but don’t offer the sort of potential and chances of glory Arsenal do. Bayern Munich, meanwhile, were apparently put off by the price Arsenal wanted for him, which was said to be about £19m.

So with Hleb and Adebayor staying, Nasri, Vela and Ramsey coming in will leave us strong next season going forward. But Flamini’s absence would be a massive blow were we not to replace him, and so I hope that we will see a defensive midfielder come in before too long, as we will struggle to give Fabregas and others the space they need if tehy don’t have a defensive presence in midfield. This is why the quotes from veloso’s agent this week have brightened my mood considerably when I consider this situation. We know we have had a long-held interest in Sporting’s volante, but since January his great performances for club and country stopped and his price has dropped from an inconsiderable £23m to what I reckon would be at most £15m. This is easily affordable for us and I would love to see a player who likes to play as deep as Gilberto yet has fantastic passing ability at the Emirates next season to complete the jigsaw.

A central defender may have seemed a good idea, but there is a lack of players that I would like to see replace either Toure or Gallas and do a convincing enough job to warrant signing them. Maybe a cover player who is tallwould be a good idea, but Wenger reckons Song is the man for this, and he does indeed seem promising. Besides, with our style of play, I believe goals are going to be conceded fairly easily and that concentration let us down, not the quality of defenders. Concentration comes from the whole team, so that lesson I would hope has been learnt.

Ramsey to join Arsenal over Man United

It seems that all the interest Arsenal have shown in Welsh starlet Aaron Ramsey is finally coming to the right conclusion in the eyes of Arsene Wenger who has been an admirer since before he played at the Emirates Stadium in the Youth Cup a year and a half ago.

Arsenal, despite being having several previous bids being turned down for Ramsey previously, from last summers reported £1m interest to late May’s rumoured £4.5m bid, finally made an offer which matched Cardiff’s valuation of one of the hottest properties in British football last week. But all this seemed to be to no avail when Man Utd reported the news of their accepted bid of their official website with an air of confidence that Old Trafford would be the destination the Welshman would be heading to. This particularly seemed the case as Dave Jones, Cardiff manager, and Peter Ridsdale, Cardiff’s Chairman, both publicly supported a move to the Red Devils. But it seems that this was merely them looking out for their own club, with Man Utd’s deal including a loan back to Cardiff for next season, something Arsenal did not want.

Everton also had a bid accpeted, although it always appeared as though against the two title rivals’ bids, they would be set to one side in the race for the teenager. And when Wenger jetted him out to see him in Switzerland at the weekend, it seems as though the master French manager used all the persuasive powers that he possessed to convince him that North London would be the best move for him. This is what Cardiff have had to say today regarding the transfers progress:

“Cardiff City were informed on Tuesday morning that Aaron Ramsey’s preferred destination this summer is at the Emirates Stadium with Arsenal.

“We will now continue the dialogue with The Gunners with a view to Aaron’s move being completed. “The move, unlike other options, does not include a loan-back period at Ninian Park for the 2008-09 season.

“We would like to wish Aaron every success in the top flight.” 

Meanwhile, Peter Ridsdale has had this to say, admitting Ramsey’s choice was not the one he wanted him to make:

“It is a very straight-forward, no-strings-attached £5million cash offer – simple. We felt that Manchester United equalled it because it [United's offer] included a loan back option.”
“We would have much preferred him to remain as a Cardiff City player or returned here on loan next season had he gone somewhere else. The only deal with a loan-back option was with Manchester United but ultimately it is up to the player to decide where he wants to go.

“In an ideal world I would have wished him to go to Manchester United were he to leave us, but we have to be careful as we have relationships with Arsenal and want to do business with them in the future.”

I personally think that throughout the transfer Cardiff have intentionally put a lot of pressure on a young man’s shoulders, and the fact he went against that pressure shows something about his personality. As for Cardiff City themselves, I think that the way in which Ridsdale, Jones and co. have acted may have been just sticking up for their own interests, but were still unprofessional.

Living in Wales, I have heard a lot about Ramsey, much of it hyped of course, but he is a seriously talented player who I believe will see himself get a number of appearances, particularly in the Carling Cup in his debut season. His versatility will also see him filling in for any injuries across the midfield at times next season. So Welcome Rambo!

Sagna gets contract extension

After a fantastic first season in the Premiership, Bacary Sagna has been rewarded for his efforts by being given a two year extension to his contract length, tying him down to the club until 2014.

Slotting into the Arsenal way of playing seamlessly while showing the desire, commtiment and heart that several of our other players struggle to do week in, week out, Sagna deserves all the praise he gets. Luckily in many ways for us he will not be playing in the European Championships, leaving him fresh for the new season where we will hopefully see him help Arsenal challenge for trophies once more.

Bought from Auxerre last summer for just £6m, he has surprised many Arsenal fans including myself with his quick adaptation and even the fact he became an instant first teamer, solving a problem at right back many didn’t realise we had. He has now been voted by players as the best right back in Ligue 1 in 2007, best right back in the Premiership in 2008, and without a doubt will be in the running for the award once more this season as well. Here is what he had to say about signing the deal:

“I love Arsenal, they are a great club. The manager is also very good and next season we will be fighting for all the trophies.”

Nothing like a bit of positive, uncomplicated news during transfer season – if only it was always this easy eh?

Wenger: “Good Chance” of Nasri signing

After weeks of silence from le Boss, the Frenchman today spoke on popular French football TV programme TF1 (TeleFoot) about the potential signing of Marseille wonderkid Samir Nasri. This is what he had to say:

“The chances are good (that Nasri will sign), and if it is to be done, it will be completed before the beginning of the European Championships.”

This is both good news and bad news for us Gunners. It had been reported in several newspapers, both British and French that Nasri will sign by the end of the weekend or the start of next week, having already agreed a fee with the Ligue 1 side, and some even saying Nasri had done a medical at the club. But despite this Wenger has not said its a done deal.

However, this confirmation of the transfer being close to done by Wenger means in reality it probably is all but a done deal, given the Frenchman’s cautios nature when it comes to transfers, as he never wants to admit something is completed until it truly is. A prime example of this would be Flamini’s, Henry’s and even Ashley Cole’s transfers. He doesn’t want to give anything away until it is done, and so due to these comments this morning by Wenger I am confident that Nasri will be signed by next weekend.

In fact, it’s almost a relief to find out it’s not one big wind up to be honest…