It feels like there should be some musical accompaniment to the post today, something crass like “The Final Countdown“; something to act as a realisation that any semblance of sanity is about to disappear out of the window in the next six weeks. Yes, I said six weeks. That’s the four weeks or so of January with an extra week and a half of bitching time as the reality of Arsène’s failure to spend the entire contents of the wall safe in Ivan Gazidis’ office.
Of course the stories are in full flow already, Twitter the font of all knowledge. It’s car crash interweb; you cannot take your eyes off it, watching, waiting for the electronic equivalent of twitching eyes, the 21st Century Dreyfuss emerging into the sunlight. The first inklings happened yesterday with news emerging from two entirely reliable sources – Sky Sports and Talksport – that Team Ba was in talks with Chelsea, claims not quite denied later on. Twitches began about not even being able to sign £7m strikers, presumably soothed with claims that Team Zaha had agreed terms with Arsenal. Ba’s “representatives” have called the meeting which never took place as “unproductive“, phraseology that we are going to get used to reading and hearing as the media get caught out.
Meanwhile, it is believed that Ba was nothing more than a distraction as Arsène moved in on Yohan Cabaye instead with Leighton Baines will be motoring down the M1 to a North London stadium near you as well. Negotiations between Everton and Manchester United were so protracted that even Dick Law was able to nip in and steal the left back away. You couldn’t make it up. Well, not unless you were a journalist, of course.
Arsenal only feature in Walcott’s Circus (no animals were hurt in the making of this part of the post). Ringmaster Theo has called the Board Clowns to the main ring, along with the Arsène The World’s Strongest Man – So strong he carries an entire club on his shoulders! – to conduct talks on a new contract. The Sun claims that these will be the first for months, everyone agrees that they will be held within the next fortnight. Alan Shearer offered us the dynamic insight that Arsenal will be finished if Theo Walcott does not renew his contract, proving that a recent bout of analytical insight on MotD has entirely fried his brain. Little wonder Martin Keown was in the pundit’s chair this weekend.
At the root of all the lunacy about to strike the club is Walcott’s future. Reports are rapidly emerging that Ba’s fee will be around £12m when his agents demands are taken into account, for a deal over 4 years worth what Theo Walcott has been offered (£75k per week). Sensationalist reporting aside, those figures just don’t make sense and even if vaguely true, are the best indication that lunacy is not purely a reserve of the newspapers. It certainly brings Walcott’s alleged wage demands into focus, making them seem entirely reasonable and sane by comparison.
Thanks to everyone who has passed through the ACLF portals as we moved home this year, especially those kind words here, there and everywhere. A happy New Year to you all.
’til Tomorrow.
Happy new year folks!
And You Paul.especially you
Thanks George!
Hope the new year brings you nuff blessings!
Happy New Year Paul!
Don’t be a stranger.
Happy New Year, folks. Wish you and your families all the best and hope that you’ll reach all of your personal goals. And obviously to a great year for the Arsenal!
Also thanks to, Yogi. Personally, if it wasn’t for you and your blog, I don’t think I’d find another place I can call home.
No new signings yet?
GUNNERSAURUS OUT!
Happy New Year, gunners!
And feel free to be around more often, Paul. You are sorely missed and the comments section is back in decent shape… or at least much better shape than a month or two ago!
Just picked up the last stragglers of the 14 kids staying with us (including our 2 daughters) for new year from the local “do” at a place called “Jerry’s”, so goodnight all and best wishes for the new year.
Thanks, Evil and Andrew!
Was a bit turned off but I am glad things are better. I’ll be back.
Happy New Year on and all. Arsenal for the treble and i want the girl posters back!
A quality post and an appearance from Paul. Bring on 2013!
macini said this about RVP in an inteview
“We were very close three or four months before he joined United.”
3 or 4 months b4 august? was that allowed?
http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/english-premier-league/news/1134978/Mancini-We-almost-signed-RVP?
Aman
“sounds like u just do not trust Ignasi enough yet and thats ok..just admit it & move on.”
LOL The temerity of your tone is perhaps best reserved for greater causes.
Right, 9am and still no transfers; although there is the small matter of an away trip to St Mary’s this evening to take my mind of our lack of transfer gusto;)
Didn’t appreciate it at the time, but our postponed fixture against West Ham has really given those around us the opportunity to apply pressure with points on the board.
We’ll just have to hope for few dropped points elsewhere this afternoon before taking maximum points tonight, albeit Reading getting anything away at WHL is being wildly optimist.
wildly optimistic but possible… common Reading… do the business
http://www.aclfarsenal.co.uk/?p=10313
Morning troops, the first of 2013 is here!