Hello again – hope you’re well.
If you’ve been reading the blog this week you’ll know I’ve been a little bit grumpy. Grumpy with the loss to Fulham on the weekend. Grumpy with the fact that the signing that Arsene Wenger promised to make before the FC Twente game has not eventuated. Grumpy because my leg is still in plaster.
It’s clear that with the second leg of the Champions League qualifier being played tonight that the signing that we are all hoping for will not be happening just yet. A rumour has been going around that Liverpool are waiting to ensure they qualify for the Champions League before they let Xabi Alonso go.
There’s not much substance to it but you never know. Stranger things have happened.
Take Mikael Silvestre’s signing for example. The first sign of a rumour popped up about a potential move and almost immediately it was made official on the Arsenal website. So yes, stranger things have definitely happened.
What we now know for sure is that it will not be Udinese’s Gokhan Inler who makes the move to the Emirates. Indeed, the Swiss midfielder’s agent Dino Lamberti has revealed that while a move to Arsenal would be excellent, it would be too soon in the player’s development. In his own words:
“We have decided that Inler remains in Udinese. Any player would want to play for Arsenal, of course, but for Inler this may be perhaps a little early. Maybe a season too early.”
Bugger. I must admit I didn’t know too much about Inler – having only seen him play once at Euro 2008 – but everything that’s been said about the Swiss midfielder suggested he was just the kind of player we needed. The comments from his agent do suggest that Arsenal and Wenger put a great deal of effort into getting his signature and it is now certainly up to the manager to come up with an alternative solution.
From a player who will not be joining to the club to one who is leaving it and the manager has confirmed that Philippe Senderos has flown to Italy to complete a medical with AC Milan. Wenger also gave his reason for Senderos’ departure – indicating a congestion in the centre of the defence leading to a lack of opportunities for the big Swiss defender:
“Senderos has gone to Milan. He completes a medical today. The thinking is that he does not get games here and [this way he] gets top-level games somewhere. We have Kolo, Gallas, Djourou, Song and now Silvestre. We have congestion in there and we want him to play without losing him.”
As I said yesterday, I’m not too upset about Senderos moving out on loan. It will be good for him to get some experience and there is always the option for him to return to Arsenal after one year if Wenger so chooses. He’s absolutely right when he speaks about there being congestion at the back and I think there is enough quality in the names he mentions.
The other reason I see this as a good move is that it should give Djourou more game time. He’s yet to be given a decent run at the first team and I think Senderos’ move will open the door to this possibility occurring. Early season signs are good and hopefully Djourou can fulfill the wonderful potential that I believe he has.
Moving on to tonight’s Champions League second-leg tie now and every Arsenal fan in the world will be relieved to hear that Cesc Fabregas will be fit for the match against FC Twente. It won’t necessarily mean that he will start though, with the manager remaining tight-lipped about the role he might play:
“He is in the squad. Whether he starts or not I can not give you an answer now. From Saturday, we did not lose anybody. But we still have Rosicky and Diaby out.”
May I say ‘hallelujah’ on two counts. One, that Fabregas is back in the squad. Two, that we did not lose anybody from the weekend. It’s been about seven years since the Arsenal Football Club have got through a game of football without coming away with an injury. Maybe our luck is turning around?
It should be a fairly easy tie to put to bed. No side of Arsenal’s quality should lose after winning the away leg 2-0 and I don’t think it will happen. I’m sure the manager and the players will want to get the media and the fans off their back and I wouldn’t bet against the side bouncing back with a relatively strong performance. As long as Denilson and Emmanuel Eboue don’t start together in the middle. You’ve been warned, Arsene.
There’ll be a match report to follow tomorrow and in the meantime, if there’s any more signing news you’ll be the first to know.
Cheers.
Have your say on Inler, Senderos or FC Twente by leaving a comment.
We need the Russaans to buy the club and then get a good coach in..Wenger has been sniffing glue.
We don’t need any guy, gay or funny russian like Chelsea and you have no right to blame Arsane.
Yeah!!!C’mon you gunners!!
Fabregas back, Senderos off to Italy- Halleluya, good news at last! We need a convincing performance against Twente to get us back on track. An early goal, followed by at least 2 more. Arsene WILL sign a DM this week. He’s said he will, and he wouldn’t have done that if there wasn’t a deal in the offing. Whether it’ll be a fan-pleasing name like Barry or Alonso is another matter. We’re just as likely to get some promising 19-year old from the French second division. Still, here’s hoping….
As i have said before i don’t think that Arsene will buy any players dispite what he said at the begining of the season. Maybe we should be calling for his head now because i fear he is about to cause us alot of misery this season. I have never seen anyone more stubborn than he is and thinks he can get success shopping in the bargain basement.
Wednesday pole Spanish?
I would rather see my mate, Emmanuel Eboué play midfield than Denilson. Call me a biased berk, but Denilson just hasn’t impressed me in the last two games. He just isn’t hard enough (Veira, Flamini), or smooth enough (Fabregas). It is a bright ray of light through the clouds that Cesc is back in the squad. This makes me happy and also gives me faith and makes Wenger look less idiotic. How’s that? Anyway despite MY opinion I think that Eboué may be played on the right and Alex Song through the middle with Denilson. Possibly, Theo didn’t have a very good game at Craven Cottage so it’s time to mix things up a bit.
That’s good news (Fabregas). HOWEVER, I do not want him to play tonight. Call me too relaxed (abt this game) but I think we have already won it (surely) and I think playing him too early on his return might risk another long term injury much later in the season when we really need him. I am sure the boys that are already there can slug it out with FC20. Wot do u think SF?
I think, the departure of Senderos would not affect Arsenal that much because there are many options in the back for Wenger. Moreover, Senderos himself was interested to get more first team action. But, I am not yet sure if he would get more first team football in Milan.
I agree that Inler could have been a very effective player for the Gunners; given the manner he plays the football. I am not sure if Wenger would definitely go for new signing before the transfer deadline finishes off. Still, he has option in Gareth Barry and Xabi Alonso. For today’s match, I do not see any reason Arsenal can lose it. Yes, I still know the Fulham setback popping up in our memory, but I think that was just a bad day.
All the best Arsenal.
pls wenger try as much to bring player in to emirate because its not easy to see how game is going at the moment
Fabregas back in the squad – there is a silver lining!!! Hopefully he gets some game time, I hope Wilshere and Djourou start tonight aswell with Nasri and Walcott also in the starting XI.
Almunia
Sagna-Djourou-Gallas-Clichy
Eboue-Fabregas-Nasri-Wilshere
Walcott-RVP
4-0 – Nasri, Gallas, Walcott, Bendtner. Fabregas back and we win 4-0! Nasri again on the scoresheet, Gallas also. Good to see Theo join them and thne Niklas in the last minute
And Liverpool STILL can’t score against Liege, not even at Anfield!!! That game’s into extra time right now!
ooh soo liverpool miss out on champions leaugue…such a shame…
@ tunde – No, Liverpool are through. Kuijt scored a last-minute extra-time winner.
Booooooo.
PS. Good to see Djourou/Fabregas/Bendtner back in the starting side.
looks like AW might have listened to you SF….he started with what i feel was his inform side (taking Fulham out of the equation a little unfairly i know!) and the boys did us proud…who needs that DM..lol
Theo was Brilliant so was Nasri. Job done. Van Persie had the miss of the season and we could’ve been 7 nil up in the first half.It was quite reassuring to see Fabregas getting his firt competitive game. I didn’t want Denilson to start but credit to Wenger he didn’t drop him instead he gave him another chance to correct his mistakes and he did OK tonight. But Man of the match has to be Walcott.
We gotta give it to Walcott, he does perform in CL! Man Of Match performance, derserving of a goal and he scored the best one! Nasri scores again, he is fitting in well 😀 His goal reminded me of Hleb alot! He seems to fit Arsenak perfectly! Gallas gets second of the tie lol! Niklas always tries and im gald he got a goal! Would have liked to have seen Vela. Am glad Djourou started!! he is good AW, use him v Newcastle!
im leroy mntungwa a passionate footballer from south africa. my dream is to play for arsenal. im 19 years of age, i play striker, powerful left boot, agile, quick, skillfull. give one shot i wont let you down…please help me forfill my dream and help meprove my parents wrong. i thank you.