Considering that most of the first team squad are on holiday fine-tuning their pre-season fitness with their national teams, the media are trying to suggest that this could be a busy week for the manager. Arsène had already had an inkling that it might be so; no sooner had the plane touched down at Luton on Sunday when his phone rang. Instead of the loving tones of his wife declaring she had missed him, it was a slurring Govan boy demanding the release of Robin. Apparently Fergie was none too chuffed when Arsène replied that he could not possibly tell him whether Robin was free and that if he really wanted to know, Fergie would have to sit throughThe Dark Knight Rises and stay awake this time, to find out the answer.
As if. It certainly was a new angle for the papers to take, an all-action Manchester United manager on the phone to save their ailing share price summer by signing Dutch striker. I have no doubt that there is a genuine desire for van Persie to sign for them on the part of player and club. But there is a bigger desire not to pay through the nose for him and that this pursuit is not going to be easy to resolve.
There is a mistaken belief that Arsenal cannot afford not to sell him, the presumption being that this will fund more spending. However, with no-0ne willing to match the asking price, many believe Arsenal will capitulate and sell at well below the oft-quoted sum of £20m. I do not see that this is the case. Arsenal have spent more this summer with half an eye on next as well. The midfield has been strengthened as has the forward line; the latter is definitely looking to the future without the Dutchman.
Whilst Arsenal will spend money next summer, they will not need to spend as much as this year nor on so many players. On top of which, retaining van Persie offers the opportunity to challenge for silverware. In turn, this means higher prize money which can more than make-up the shortfall in transfer revenues. For example, progressing to the Champions League Quarter-Finals or further in the FA Cup. Quick wins that easily mount up. There is no immediate need for the sale and whilst it helps the business model, Arsenal are not dependant upon this transfer to sustain themselves. It is just too simplistic to claim such to be true.
Judging by the photos released to the media, I wonder if Robin is thinking of asking for a transfer to the Spanish national team. He looked distinctly unhappy in the Dutch training camp.
As it is, Arsenal are proposing a change to Premier League rules which will enable them to charge clubs in the division a fee for using their scouting services since they are all too lazy to employ enough of their own to do the job. Latest in a long line of threatened hijackings to Arsène’s summer transfer activity is Liverpool (once again) who want Cristian Tello. As far as I have seen, the only time that the Barcelona winger has been mentioned is as a makeweight in selling Alex Song to Barcelona.
The Cameroonean is being more cute about it all, pledging his loyalty to Arsenal whilst at the same time being flattered by the Catalan interest. At the end of the day, which player would not be? Too often we impose our own loyalties on players who are nothing more than employees. Even those who we claim as one of our own are motivated by money; rare are those such as Adams and O’Leary who spend their career at one club (or the majority of it). Let’s not forget either that the club is never shy of selling players who have served their purpose; it’s a two-way street.
Elsewhere, the club has confirmed that Ryo has gone to Wigan on loan – another reason why Tello is not a serious target – whilst Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Laurent Koscielny have withdrawn through injury from their respective national squads for this week’s meaningless friendlies. The former’s injury is not considered serious but no news on the latter’s yet. Playing friendlies at this time is contentious; England are making money by playing Italy in Switzerland which underlines the reasons for the matches. Fifa has continually stated that this week is set aside for internationals but that matches do not have to be played, it is a decision for the FAs as to whether or not they do. Simple way to solve the problem but Fifa do not have the cojones to take it, do they?
’til Tomorrow.
im gonna have a pam on cl
a pam on cc and fa cup double
a pam on each of jiroo and podolski
20 on the pl outright..
a billy on all four..
JJ – if you do – check out Betfair.
Largely better odds than you have cited.
fuckit i’ll have a billy on everything thats not a single..
is that the online one jonny?
with all the decimals?
According to the techno-soothsayers, even with RVP we’ll only finish 4th, while Man U with RVP will win both the PL and the CL. All other RVP options entail us finishing 5th.
Media bias or just a bit of fun?
odds on george pissing someone off before the weeks out
2-1 on.
Bendtner can’t count. He says he has 3 demands, but no.1 is to play in the Champions League and be able to fly to London to see his son regularly. Erm, I make that 2 demands on its own, Nic. So that makes 4 demands in all.
And that probably means one of the top 4 German teams; one of the top 3 Italian teams or one of the top 2 Turkish teams – depending on who can pay him want he wants.
Oh sorry – he says money is not important – where have I heard that before? How come all these players say money is not important but won’t take a pay cut?
Lying c**nts the lot of ‘em.
I see Lizzy’s face on all of the notes. A rather young face too.
What is a pam and a billy? How did they get that name?
” How come all these players say money is not important but won’t take a pay cut?
Lying c**nts the lot of ‘em. ”
Not Mikel Arteta – the Dalai Lama of the EPL took a pay cut to join us!!
@FFS Shoot 9.28pm
Some screwy computer game – which knows less than Hansen and Shearer combined. Which as we know is not much.
@philmar
But he was playing for Everton – that doesn’t count. Anyone would take a pay cut to get out of Liverpool.
Yup JJ – that’s the fella.
It’s funny I’m mostly in this flush position in part because I had a hunch it would finally be RVP’s season: I have never bet on Golden Boot before and I don’t intend to this season.
But and this is the satisfying bit – I went back and put even more money down on a top 4 and a top 3 finish straight after the 8-2 shellacking whilst the odds were spiralling.
Faith may be its own reward but you can’t spend it on hookers and gin.
No start for Santi. No Ryo. About to lose the useless D**M we never had. Arsenal are doomed. Doomed I tell you.
‘ Bendtner can’t count. He says he has 3 demands, but no.1 is to play in the Champions League and be able to fly to London to see his son regularly.”
S
‘ Bendtner can’t count. He says he has 3 demands, but no.1 is to play in the Champions League and be able to fly to London to see his son regularly.”
Then sign with Cardiff – they play Championship Football annd Wales sounds kinda foreign. They have an airport. Close enough Bendy.
But my point dkgooner is that it’s been featured on sky sports , football 365, etc. at a crucial time. Why?
And Arteta took a pay cut because he’s wise enough to understand he’s been offered the chance to fulfil his potential. Getting out of Liverpool would just have been a massive bonus.
FFS Shoot – I love these predictions, they help distort the odds – it’s just amazing how few people can see just how good our squad is this season.
I honestly think we have a chance without RVP. More of one with him but…a chance nonetheless.
Faith may be its own reward but you can’t spend it on hookers and gin.
Really LOL
What about a hooker named Faith?
She’s so big it takes a giant leap, Philmar.
thanks for the heads up jonny,
but..
1..i dont do anything online..everythings cash money with me..i can keep a track of it better when i can see it..
2…i cant fully understand how decimals work. it doesnt stick i forget as soon as i think ive got it..i have trouble with certain things and thats one of them..
unless im in the shop and i spend £1.25, i can count that perfectly but when i see all those numbers with dots everywhere on a spread sheet i just get confused..
i understand the fractions though, or whatever they are called..
can do the long division and multiplications on the accumulators as well without a calculator.so i stick with what i know..
i learned more in the bookies than at school..go figure..
dukey those odds are way off..
more like 100-1 on..
dkgooner – Poldi is his nickname from Cologne where he is known as ‘goldi Poldi’. He even has his own song
http://youtu.be/OcHdHNbC3jM
Funnily I find the reverse true – I can see how much I have spent and track it more carefully online than I ever could previously – but each to their own.
I know what you mean about decimal betting – I far prefer fractional odds but then when you punch your intended stake in it tells you what you’ll get if you win so it’s all clear as day.
Hmm looking at Golden Boot now –
Giroud at 33-1, Poldi at 29-1, RVP at 9-1.
Maybe a minor flutter on each of them…
Have to admit – I think Tevez is a great bet at 16-1
the wonders of modern technology eh?
yeah those odds look half decent on our boys for the boot..
im having some..
the fucking media
sky sports understands barca president is in talks over song
yesterday sky sports understands that song wanted a new deal with arsenal
sky sports understands that football can learn alot from olympics
but sky sports understands you get praised for finishing 10th in olympics you get creamed if you finish 10th in football.
its the medias fault..if they stopped talking shit and contradicting themselves every 5 mins maybe everyone could relax and breathe…
if the olympics was all year round every year then no doubt sky sports will destroy that as well..
then sky sports would understand that football and olympics can learn alot from something else that sky sports havent ruined yet..
RVP better get a move on before Man Utd’s share price collapses completely.
Market analyst puts value on those shares now of less than US$5 – when the opening price was US$14 – a huge drop in less than a week:
http://www.cityam.com/latest-news/man-utd-shares-are-propped-claim-analysts
The football of the Sky era is imploding right before our eyes. (All sensible players of any talent must be queueing up to sign for Arsenal – as likely to be the last club standing.)
http://www.aclfarsenal.co.uk/?p=9112
Today’s post
“Ferguson simply will not tollerate somebody not giving 100% every single week.”
Andy I know you said you were off to a concert somewhere but are you implying that other managers do and closer to home that Wenger tolerates this? As the English say, BOLLOCKS just pure bollocks!!