The News Of The World made a big play of having the futures of Arsene Wenger and Thierry Henry explained in today’s edition. Don’t waste your money buying it for it contained nothing that has not already been read about the latter and little from Le Boss of note, other than that which we knew already,

I have a contract for one more year here and I will complete that contract.I have never broken a contract in my entire career and I will not break a contract now. So I can tell you categorically that I will be at the club next season. And next summer I will sit down with the board and see

Which is hardly startling, for it is a mantra that he has trotted out every time his contract enters its final phase. And there is not one reason to believe that this season will be any different, so AW will be here for one more year (at least) unless the Board decide otherwise so that ought to end the vague speculation about him being on a plane to Madrid or Barcelona, none of which was seriously believed anyway. However, it does stop short of what was required to stop speculation about his two prized assets. My guess is that they will follow his lead in coming media comments, committing themselves to the Club for another year which to be honest is about the best you can expect from a player these days.

Those of us that remember the ‘one club’ player sometimes have trouble adjusting to the lack of perceived loyalty, we all want the best to stay put. Yet football is not much different from the workplace that you or I inhabit. If someone is unhappy with aspects of their job, there is little point in throwing more money at the individual because more often than not, the environment that created the dissatisfaction in the first place will resurface. In Arsenal’s case, failure to challenge for a trophy will again lead to media speculation again this season. It is in the best interests of the club if Arsene decides his future before the end of next season for several reasons; the players will be able to commit their futures, or not as the case may be, and more importantly, the Club can plan actively for Arsene’s replacement, somebody ought to be ready to be in place before the start of the close season to effectively plan the following campaign.

The key to his future is contained in the last notable comment he made,

There’s absolutely no need to panic. We finished fourth in the table — level on points with Liverpool — and we have a very young side which, I believe, can improve again this season

If there is tangible improvement, I have no doubt he will stay. If there is not then it is more difficult to be that certain. He has said in the past that he will step aside if he feels he can take the team no further. My suspicion is that he feels crunch time is approaching. If the team do not at least challenge for the title, it will be the first time in his spell at the club that they have not done so for more than two consecutive seasons. Much will depend on whether he feels that the team can move forward again from there. This season, The Emirates Factor will not hold water as the players ought to be used to the stadium. Nor, I feel, will there be much truck given for shambling defeats at places such as The Reebok or Craven Cottage. There will be an ‘upset’ along the way, these are generally unavoidable for all teams, but minimising these through more ‘intelligence’ away from home would assist in achieving a better ‘trophy’ hunt.

Jeremie Aliadiere is on his way then, the deal agreed ‘in principle’ between the two clubs and Middlesbrough with the player. A shame, I think, that he did not realise the potential that he displayed when he first came onto the scene but his long term injury set him back a season and a half, from which he never recovered in terms of his Arsenal career. Best of luck to the lad at his new club and probably worth a punt on him scoring in any matches against Arsenal next season.

Jens Lehmann commented yesterday on why he turned down a move back to the Bundesliga and signed a new contract at Arsenal,

I play in a team where the quality is very high…I would not have had the same quality, even if I could have chosen between all 18 teams (in the Bundesliga)

Get those claws retracted Herr Lehmann! He is probably right though for the majority of those teams yet the same could be said of this country also. He is positive about the signing of Fabianski, as well as the other ‘keepers in the National team,

No professional footballer should have a problem with some competition. If somebody is enough, they should earn their place

Absolutely. My own hope is that he will rediscover the concentration at setpieces and lose the ability to be easily distracted, concentrating instead on organising the marking.

Finally, Nicklas Bendtner has weighed in with his two’ penneth worth,

Arsenal have very high standards and expectations there. We will have to battle with other teams, which we haven’t done during the last few seasons. I’m sure in time we will be back up there competing with them

We do and I wonder if he realises the expectations that are placed upon him? Having seen Aliadiere and Baptista misfire last season, the support is desperate for the back-up strike force to hit the ground running when they are called upon, Bendtner being seen as The Great White Hope in that respect. Let’s hope that he isn’t a Dope instead.

’til tomorrow.