Opportunity Knocks As Brum Arrive In Town

Birmingham City arrive at The Emirates this afternoon, Arsenal hoping to continue their winning ways. A new club record will be set for scoring four or more goals in consecutive games if a drubbing is handed out today. A cautionary note though is sounded if we remember that the last time Birmingham were in the Premier League, Arsenal were twice held to draws.

Much is being made in the press about this being the first meeting between the two sides since that winter’s afternoon at St Andrews. Neither protaganist will be playing this afternoon, Eduardo one of the Arsenal walking wounded. He is currently being kept company in the medical rooms at London Colney by long-term absentees Johan Djourou and Denilson with Lukasz Fabianski – a minor setback suffered by the Pole apparently – with Nicklas Bendtner and Gael Clichy joining them following this week’s exertions at home and abroad. Also missing will be Carlos Vela who is a late returnee from World Cup duties.

Manuel Almunia is returning and it would be a major surprise if he does not immediately reclaim his place from Vito Mannone, who will revert to the bench. Abou Diaby has sufficiently recovered from his minor ankle knock to take his place in the squad although with the midweek Champions League fixture, the extent of his injury will decide whether or not he starts this afternoon.

With those in mind, I suspect Arsene will line up as follows:

Almunia; Sagna, Gallas, Vermaelen, Gibbs; Fabregas, Song, Diaby; Rosicky, van Persie, Arshavin

If Diaby does not make it, Eboue will no doubt be preferred to Theo Walcott. Despite playing for the Under-21s during the international break, Walcott is surely still short of match fitness and likely for the next couple of weeks to rotate with Rosicky, alternating starts and substitute appearances. His return though, along with Samir Nasri’s by the end of this month, give Arsene a mouth-watering midfield/attack to choose from. In the same way that George Graham collected centre backs, Wenger has an enviable array of talent in midfield. All of them would sit comfortably in any Premier League squad.

For Kieran Gibbs, this is an important opportunity. He made a good impression last season when called upon and needs to show that he is continuing to improve, rather than stagnating as many his age can. Whilst it is apparent that he is Clichy’s understudy, there is pressure from Traore to keep the England youngster on his toes. Likewise, Clichy knows that he has to keep on top of his game to ensure retaining his place; competition for places is no bad thing.

The referee this afternoon has to step up to the plate as well. Birmingham will no doubt defend robustly but need to be reigned in before matters step outside the laws of the game. Probert has form in late, controversial decisions this season and a comfortable lead might be needed to ensure that any interference from him has no bearing on the outcome. The fixture is of the type where the team has fallen short in the past; lowly opposition, immediately after the international break.

By the time kick-off comes, Chelsea could have fallen at Villa Park, a result that would present an opportunity to close the gap. Should they do so, I wonder if they will be written off as title contenders in the same way that Arsenal are because of two defeats this season already. The other teams above us have emminently winnable matches although City will be slightly more wary of Wigan following the latter’s recent win over Chelsea whilst Tottenham should be too good for Portsmouth. Below us, a weakened Liverpool will be viewing the trip to Sunderland as trickier than it should really be. Chances to open small gaps are emerging as well.

Enjoy the match wherever you are watching it. ’til Tomorrow.

Injured Feelings and Silent Stan Gets Ready…

The usual injury concerns emerged following the internationals but compared to previous breaks, this fortnight has been relatively kind. Gael Clichy’s ankle knack presumably means Kieran Gibbs gets the chance at left back with the only other doubt from the last Premier League fixture being Abou Diaby who has this year’s vogue injury, back knack.

Manuel Almunia is supposedly only 50:50 which means nothing when Arsene says it given his previous track record on guessing injuries. Nil desperandum since Lukas Fabianski is apparently fit but to be honest, there would be no reason to drop Mannone purely on the basis of the the Pole’s return.

All the while this is going on and Usmanov procrasturbates, Stan Kroenke has snaffled a few more shares, payment terms presumably yet to be agreed. There is a little anecdotal evidence that this is the prelude to a full bid, possibly next summer, since this was the very action that Lord Peter observed may happen:

It does look like he is edging towards a takeover, which I would welcome. I have not asked him if that is what he plans to do, but I am very relaxed about it.

These days, it seems that old PHW has been very relaxed about everything, possibly because all of the others are running around doing the hard work. He is becoming more like the Spitting Image caricature of the Queen Mother, G&T in one hand, wandering around offering inanities and telling everyone that she was “92, you know“.

How much sway he has in the matter of a takeover is open to debate. It is pure conjecture on my part but I would hazard a guess that if Fiszman said he wanted out and Kroenke was on hand to take his shares on the never-never, there is absolutely jack that Hill-Wood could do about it.

He further observed:

If it was to happen, I don’t think you can expect any big changes because he seems to like things very much the way they are.

Kroenke may well think that things are tickety-boo and hunky-dory off the pitch and of course he is happy since he can see profits to be squirrelled away into his own bank accounts whilst quite possibly servicing loans required to buy the club. In that instance, you have to wonder which of the duo is more acceptable or indeed, if there is any difference between them. And then you remember Sheriff Fatman’s past…

Compared to Usmanov, the American has been quieter in public about taking a dividend out of the club but no-one would be surprised if it happened were he to launch a takeover bid. One possible obstacle might be a counter-bid from the Uzbek but one would hope that they will have the good grace to stop their silly buggers antics until the summer when the season is over.

’til Tomorrow.

TV And Now We Wait…

“Oi, Blatter, it’s our ball and we’re going home!” might well be the cry of a thousand club managers as World Cup issues are clarified and muddied in one fell swoop.

The most pressing issue for Arsene will be the expected walking wounded with Aaron Ramsey’s back not knacked enough to stop him playing yesterday and scoring to boot. Not to be outdone, Andrey Arshavin found the net for his country as well. Results are such that Eduardo and Rosicky are going to have a nice restful summer, perhaps even popping over to Tommy V’s to lob a few prawns on the barbie. Quite what Ken will say about that is another matter.

Which is a cue to praise the Belgian once more. Player of the Month twice so far this season highlights his form and how much his efforts are appreciated by those less talented, i.e. us. Cesc joined in the chorus:

He’s been doing so well. It’s difficult in this position, especially from centre back because you will always be compared to some other players, or if you know that your defence is one of your weaknesses then you have to do even better to be loved by the people, and I think the fans clicked straight away with him since his first game.

Scoring a goal helps but proving to an impressive barrier to the opposition attack is probably what swings it. Whether he has revitalised William Gallas is open to debate but without doubt Vermaelen has contributed to the Frenchman rediscovering his form. The pair have been a marked improvement on Gallas and Toure last season.

Equally, Vermaelen is invaluable for goals. Wenger highlighted the advantage of not having a recognised ‘number 9‘ in the traditional sense, in that goals are coming from everywhere. Being joint top goalscorer is way ahead of any expectations that anyone would have had for Vermaelen.

Perhaps it is the manner of the goals which has been most stunning, his technique in striking the ball puts a fair number of midfielders and attackers to shame. The willingness to go forward at any given opportunity adds a different dimension to attacks but his speed of recovery, as evidenced at Celtic, is phenomenal. As Cesc observed:

These days, to have a centre back that can play, you know, these balls on the ground, between the lines, and past players, for players like me in midfield it’s really good because it gives you so much time and so much space on the ball. It’s really good.

A final thought is Vermaelen’s abilities as a leader. Captain of Ajax and Belgium gives a fairly good indication that he is not going to fall short if Arsene requires him to fill the role at Arsenal. Maybe even arrange an arm wrestling contest with Cesc, the winner getting the armband. Fabregas may be worried about the outcome but he is not showing it:

I don’t think he needs any advice. I am sure he is a very strong guy with a strong mentality.

’til Tomorrow.

Injuries and Almost Back To Normal

Dante may have had seven circles of Hell but it just proves that he was not interested in football for the eighth would have been all about the international breaks misconceived by FIFA. Still, one more day of it and then focus returns to proper football.

Birmingham’s visit to The Emirates is beginning to shape up with the appointment of Lee Probert as the referee for the fixture. Having caused the debacle in the final moments at Old Trafford, will Probert prove to be a small man who bears big grudges having been rebuked by his bosses for petty-mindedness on the touchline? The first crunching tackle will no doubt be the decider for that one.

Early reports suggest that Eduardo will have to forgo a present from Martin Taylor, not having recovered from his latest niggle. Meanwhile Arsene will have a choice to make over goalkeepers with Manuel Almunia recovered from his chest infection or whatever it was that pole-axed him. It would be a surprise if the Spaniard were not restored to the starting line-up if he is fully fit.

William Gallas is doubtful for tonight’s French international having lost a couple of teeth in their weekend bout with the Faroe Islands but does that make him a doubt? Who knows? Aaron Ramsey is apparently out of tonight’s Welsh fixture with the vogue injury of the moment, back-knack. Thigh and groin strains are sooooooooo last year.

Having enjoyed the startings of a run being put together, hitting the ground running is the order of the weekend. A victory is essential to maintain momentum and not eat into the six defeats that Perry Groves believes this seasons champions will be able to afford. The logic applied, presumably, is that the top five will win their home games against each other and lose the away, with the usual daft defeats along the way.

The key, for me, this season will be the number of draws obtained. Those against lower teams in the division might well be quite costly in the final run. That has been a major failing in the past with home draws in particular being too high in number to sustain a title challenge. United has shown in the past two seasons that exceptional home form will more than adequately cover the flaws of average away form. That is the gap which must be bridged this season for potential to be realised.

’til Tomorrow.

Telling Storey’s For A Song And Succession Planning

Anyone who doubted whether Arsenal would bother complaining about tapping up from Barcelona, received further evidence this morning as to why it is simply not worth it. According to The Guardian, FIFA is still investigating the allegations made against Jose Mourinho, Chelsea and Pini Zahavi over the meeting with Ashley Cole ahead of his transfer in 2006. Three years down the line, the Gnomes have been too busy tending various gardens and making no head way whatsoever on any issues to do anything but issue repeated statements that “the investigation is ongoing“.

Vaguely on the subject of Cesc, Daily Telegraph hacks inform us this morning that the player has been the subject of ‘fevered speculation‘ recently. Presumably the fevered speculation referred to is in no way the same that the Telegraph is indulging in when they observe that the player is on his way back to the club yet no decision has been taken about whether he will turn out for the Spanish national team.

Alex Song received high encouragement from Frank McLintock:

When they have three in the centre of midfield and they leave Van Persie up front, it’s making us stronger in midfield. We always played 4-4-2 with Peter Storey as the anchor man in midfield and he was very protective of the back four. Song is one of those players who can do the same kind of job as Peter Storey.

Storey would probably miss half a season through suspension in the modern game, tough tackling being a tad of a euphemism. He is underrated though when people reflect on the early 70s, Hunter, Bremner, Giles, Smith tripping off tongues rather more easily that Storey. Perhaps it is because he was not an England stalwart, not a regular in the Golden Age of 1966-1970 rather than Storey’s era of the Great Depression 1970 – onwards.

It is, at long last, decent recognition of his efforts to find consistency in the team though, no doubt aided by a regular starting place alongside Cesc and any of the others who happen to have a fleeting moment of fitness.

Arsene meanwhile has observed that he will not be naming his successor and will only offered any opinions if asked. Nothing unusual in that and provided he is not leaving under a cloud, you would suspect that the Board will ask for those opinions. Few candidates emerge if you glance internally at the club, and few, if any ex-players from outside are anywhere close to being good enough at this moment in time.

Wenger wants to leave the club in good hands and when the time comes, no doubt a proven manager will be appointed. Having taken a risk with Wenger at the time, foreign coaches being less welcomed than a dose of the clap in the mid-90s, the club is appreciably different to then. The players, the expectations, everything will scream for a proven winner, capable of challenging for and winning silverware consistently.

Should he move into a Board role, you would expect him to be hands on in the appointment and quite possibly making the announcement. One danger in that though is that Wenger would still cast a large shadow over the club, rather like that of Sir Matt Busby at United after his departure. A proven manager would be able to handle that, or at least should be able to, whereas a relative novice may be intimidated in those circumstances.

Given that such movement is seemingly some way off, it was a curious conversation to arise but it does hint at some succession planning being required. Perhaps someone like Bould has already been identified and may over time move up to first team duties. We shall see.

’til Tomorrow.

Barca Zzzzzzzzz…

Alternatively titled, “Txiki Sod” or “Txiki Buggers” but I suspected that those who receive this post via email may not have received it…

Txiki Bigiristian made no bones about it, when asked in the media about Cesc and Robinho. Both players are of interest to them and Cesc will one day play in the Camp Nou. He did not specifically mention Barcelona as being the player’s employers so there must be an expectation that the Champions League draw will pair Arsenal with the defending champions this season…

Crucially, it is another media initiative. FIFA regulations specify that an authorised representative may not directly contact a player. That is the crux of it; Barcelona has some many get-outs, any complaint for tapping up is doomed to fail since there will not be one shred of written evidence anywhere that the club instructed whomever to contact Fabregas.

That pre-supposes that Arsenal would even make a complaint. There have been enough occasions in the past where FIFA could have been asked to investigate, even before Fabregas. However, an insight into the Board’s thinking came with the vote at a recent English Premier League meeting over quotas. Peter Hill-Wood observed that even though the club were opposed to their introduction, Arsenal would not vote against the measure for the sake of the unity of the game.

Given that one of Europe’s top clubs would have to make the complaint against the reigning European Champions, the facade of unity will be smashed and it strikes me as extremely unlikely that Arsenal would take such a course of action. Continued denials is probably going to be the order of the day although it would extremely surprising if the Spanish press even bothered Cesc about such trivialities in view of the family illness which has caused his withdrawal from the Spanish national team.

No matter what the player says or does, no matter what Arsenal as a club say, there is something unedifying about Barcelona’s continued pursuit of Cesc. The psychological damage inflicted on Laporta by Fabregas’ departure to Arsenal must run considerably deeper than suspected. Even institutionally, Barcelona almost need the closure of signing Fabregas once more, as if to persuade themselves that they are the best club in the world and that everyone who leaves, realises the mistake that they have made. Arrogance may be one description but insecurity abounds.

Anyway, the last leg of the international break is upon us when proper football will return and take our minds elsewhere.

’til Tomorrow.

Round-up and Gazidis Talks It Up

Goalscoring centre backs are a premium in football. A gap in the Arsenal goalscoring market in recent seasons has been filled by Thomas Vermaelen this season, even William Gallas has got in on the act and so to has Philippe Senderos. The latter duo both scored in their respective countries wins yesterday, hell, Senderos probably hoped there would be a penalty so that he could at least have a shot at getting what would be probably the only hat-trick in his professional career. For a player reliant upon confidence, his brace in two minutes will no doubt have boosted him. Having had more than his fair share of criticism in the past, he deserves a break.

Gallas meanwhile scored for France as they qualified for the play-offs as did Cesc for Spain, who maintained their 100% record in the qualifiers. There is a suggestion that he will not be playing on Wednesday but we shall see. If he is not, then the international window has been kind to Arsenal thus far but still with plenty of time for that to change. Perhaps it is just as well Theo Walcott did not train with the full England squad for there are suggestions this morning that John Terry launched into a double-footed lunge at Shaun Wright-Phillips when the players were not wearing shin-pads. A fine example of putting his team first. A shame that team was his club rather the country he was supposed to be representing.

Sunday just would not be Sunday if there was not an Arsenal player linked with a move to a Spanish club. And curiously enough, having become sick to the back teeth of Barcelona signing Cesc and Eboue next summer, Real Madrid stuck their equally unwanted nose into proceedings with their pet media lackeys telling the world that they are going to bid £16m for Gael Clichy next summer.

But wait a moment, it may even be in January. This is the same Real Madrid who reportedly let it be know that they wanted the same Gael Clichy last summer in one of the never-ending bouts of media interest, reports swiftly denied by the player. Will he issue a similar denial and if he fails to do so, should we read anything into it? Nope, just treat the whole episode with the usual disdain which is what Clichy is doing:

At the moment, I am focused on Arsenal and France. This season could be very important to me and I desire to be focused in my work. The summer of 2010 is still very far away.

From what I have seen, Real have bigger problems that left back, such as, oooh, having a midfield rather than five attackers and five defenders with nothing in-between.

Another player supposedly on the move to La Liga is Fran Merida, a reported target for Atletico Madrid. Merida joined Tomas Rosicky as a transfer target on the basis that his contract expires next summer. Like Clichy though, young Fran is going nowhere at the moment:

This is news to make me content but I have a deal signed with Arsenal until June 2010 and I still have not decided my future. I have not accepted the offer from Arsenal for five more seasons but this does not change things. I want to study the situation calmly and decide what is best.

No doubt that there will be more Spanish media stories about the player since his Mr20% is Joseba Diaz, former representative of Cesc and purveyor of fine media stories, the number about Fabregas has diminished since he was dropped from Team Cesc…I wonder if there is any correlation between the two events? Still, it cannot be long before Thomas Vermaelen is linked with either Barcelona or Real. Perhaps we should ask Senor Diaz to represent him?

Ivan Gazidis joined the list of high profile administrators in the media since the Leaders In Football conference took place this week. Whilst the English media has been obsessed with Jack ‘Fat Stan Flashman’ Warner and his rant against the Football Association, no doubt peeved that he did not get a new Rolex in his goody bag.

Gazidis primed headline writers by repeating his belief that the squad should deliver silverware this season. He set himself a little apart by claiming it was for us, something that numerous others have failed to mention when talking of their own clubs:

We have created and developed a team playing fantastic football. It’s wonderful to watch and very exciting at times. We’ve spoken about the group’s potential. Now – and by now I mean this season – it’s very important for us to focus strongly on winning something for the fans. They deserve it.

Gazidis though missed a little bit of the point:

We can talk about football as a business but, fundamentally, this club exists for the fans – and they don’t care about financial reports, they care about what happens on the pitch.

Which is essentially correct but only to the extent that we do not want to see Arsenal mismanaged off the pitch because that directly impacts the on-the-field efforts – ask any Liverpool or Portsmouth fan.

This morning’s Sunday Times plunged into those murky waters by claiming that Kroenke owed £50m for some of his shareholding, to other Board members. There is one flaw in their sensationalism – if it were a problem and outside of any arrangement with Fiszman et al (who’s Al? – Ed) then Stan would no longer be the Man or even, to quote Noddy Holder, “My friend.

Fundamentally, the argument is based on an Usmanov-stirrer claiming the Uzbek had £500m sitting in a bank doing nothing. So Sheriff Fatman has another £300m to find to buy the club which would have to be borrowed, presumably, thus putting Arsenal further into debt. So at least we know how he intends to fund any takeover bid.

’til Tomorrow.