First of all, I’d like to apologise for the cock-up yesterday with Comments that meant they all had to be moderated. Sorry but the rate of Spam has picked up something chronic – if you want to know where to buy viagra or some derivative or some hardcore porn sites, let me know as there’s been over 20,000 of the buggers stopped from peddling their wares here. I had changed the settings and kind of forgot to change them back. But then you knew already that I was technologically – challenged…

Arsene Wenger has been telling the World that he is a failure, responsible for the ‘worst season‘ under his tenure. OK, Le Boss, that’s fine by me. Seriously, if he feels that he is a failure for not getting the team to challenge for the Premiership then so be it. The realistic amongst us never expected it, merely an improvement on last season. However, that he expected a challenge is indicative of his ‘winning’ mentality yet it also explains why he has shown the pressure in the campaign, tantrums with officials and managers and generally looking stressed out. That he has a busy summer ahead will not help that but Dear God man, take some time off, recharge your batteries and get it into perspective. It is next season that I expect a title tilt to happen. Don’t forget there are more important things than football in life. By which time, you’ll have met with Real Madrid, become their new manager, which is what the cheap headlines want people to think before realising that they refer to trying to sort out the Reyes / Baptista mess.

On the subject of which, I cannot see how that is possible in a neat, clean way. It is fairly obvious that Reyes won’t come back, despite AW saying he would welcome him. Which leaves Baptista. Personally, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, take him on loan again if you want him at the Club. Mark this first season down as experience and then next season, see if he can cut the mustard in the Premiership. Don’t buy him. There is too much risk involved. Whilst you can see that he does have quality, there is no shame for him in not setting the division alight in his first season. The foolishness would be to ignore how he has struggled with the team’s style of play and adapting to it, to sign him permanently. OK if Madrid accept £3m then maybe signing him would not be too bad but make sure that he is settled off of the pitch which must be one of the reasons for struggling to make an impact on it. Make sure that aspect is sorted before anything else.

Ken Friar has once more stepped up to the plate for the Club. Thinking back to how long he has been there, a sneaking suspicion arises in my mind that he is some sort of Time Lord as the last time I heard mention of anything, he had been at the Club for half a century. Whilst AW needs the help, there he is stepping ‘Once more unto the breach‘ and providing the stability that AW needs right now or as he puts it,

It is difficult to find somebody now who is in between the board and me and is in the right position. When I work with Ken Friar I know I speak to the board. I say ‘okay let’s do it and let’s finish it with the lawyers’ and he does that. If we have someone in between the board and me he needs then to report to me again and then the board so it becomes a little bit complicated. The way to work until now was always directly me and the board and I have to find a way to get around that. That is not easy at the moment

Wenger also admits that this is possibly going on post July 1st which to me says that the Club do not need a traditional Director of Football (nor does AW want that – after all, that is his job when he decides to step down), more someone who can conduct a contract negotiation.

Fabrice Muamba appears to be heading for regular first team football in The Premiership next season although it will be at Brum City to keep Sebastian Larsson company. It was rumoured that Reading were interested but unsurprisingly the player is staying put. I am not concerned with his departure – he never arrived at the Club in truth – as we are well stocked with central midfielders and he would need to be exceptional to depose Diaby and Gilberto from that role. With him going though, it is a sure indication that Le Boss has no intention of letting the Brazilian trot off with some Old Italian Lady. And it adds another couple of million to AW’s transfer kitty. Indeed, with the costs of Fabianski and the youngster at Bolton who is reportedly signing for the Club, this money will mean Arsene has spent a big fat round zero of the 2007 – 08 Transfer Budget.

Graham Poll is reported to be retiring at the end of this season with Sunday supposedly his last Premiership match. Arsene apparently likes him. Well, that makes him in a minority of one. Poll was an underrated visionary in his career, culminating at Germany 2006 with a brave new disciplinary system and at Ewood Park 2007 by only looking at the top half of player’s bodies and missing stonewall penalties. He has cited abuse he gets from managers, players and supporters alike as his reason for considering retiring. Well, if you hadn’t been such a useless Git, we wouldn’t be screaming at you. Please do not take this as a personal criticism but when the FA present you with your Golden Whistle, kindly accept by bending over so that it can be rammed firmly up your rectum.