What really pains me about our team is that all of the talent you could possibly want is there. Van Persie is a world class forward, Fabregas set up the winning goal in the world cup final and our attacking flair is probably the best in the Premier League, the best league in the world. Even our defence, on it's day (which comes very rarely if I may add) can look alright. Djourou looked immense at times this season, Koscielny too was one of our best players against Barcelona. And Gael and Sagna are fullbacks that most teams in the world would want.
However, in football it is not all about the talent, and that is where our squad of players, almost to a man, is found coming up short. How many of our players have a good mentality? How many are leaders? How many have even won anything? It completely confuses me how our players can beat Barcelona, Manchester United and go and lose to whoever we play a week later. It is partly Wengers fault that this squad are such bottlers, and he should have seen this in them and brought in the right players. But the players themselves are to blame just as much, if not more than the boss.
What kind of professional stops trying midway through the season, which our players did, especially when week after week thousands of people are relying on you. If we had used half the ammount of effort we had used beating Man Utd at home against Stoke, Bolton, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Fulham, Sunderland, Blackburn, then we would have easily won the league. But we didn't and ended up with only 12 points in our last 11 games. Relegation, not title winning form.
My player of the year goes to both Jack Wilshere and Robin VanPersie, Jack has been amazing all season, bar the last few matches where he's looked very very tired. Robin has been simply magnificent too, and without his goals we probably we facing the unthinkable of being out the CL spots.
Goal of the year was this from Arshavin. And that wraps up the 'awards' that I plan on giving.
In transfer news, the only thing to keep up excited -or more likely disapointed- this summer, and the players definately leaving seem to be Denilson & Bendtner. Many people will be glad to have seen the last of Denilson in an Arsenal shirt simply due to his lack of any effort or actual ability. Over the last 12 months, instead of applying himself in training and striving to improve he has got worse and I would much prefer Henri Lansbury slotted in there instead of Denilson.
Bendtner on the other hand, Is a player I will not be so happy to see leaving. For all his arrogance, disbelief in his own ability and and tendancy to let us down when it really matters, he is actually a decent player and has a lot of experience and a great goalscoring record for someone his age. I'll be pleased if we get 15 million for him and bring in Benzema, but I predict him scoring 20+ goals in the Bundesliga or wherever he finds himself.
Onto more important players and Clichy and Nasri look less and less likely to sign new contracts. This is bad news as even though we have failed this season, we do have a good squad and are only £40 million away from being title winners. There are rumours that Nasri is going to United after some texts from C**T Evra, but I highly doubt, he will go to them. L'equipe reports that Samir is on holiday in Dubai and his contract discussions will resume in mid-June.
Clichy leaving would be worse than people think too. Although he does have sleepy moments at the back, he has been here a while and losing someone like him will have a negative effect on the squad. However, unlike Nasri there are suitable replacements available. Izaguirre, Enrique and Baines have all been touted and presumably would cost less than £10million.
In slightly brighter news we have made our first signing of the season. Carl Jenkinson from Charlton for £1million compensation. The Right back, who can play anywhere across the defence and also in midfield is young but looks very good and was one of League 1's highest rated defenders last year. I think his incoming could spell the end of Eboue, although he is more likely to drop into the reserves to start with.
The Benzema rumour has again reared it's head as the Sun reports Wenger 'like him.' This must mean that he will break his philosophy and spend £35 million on a player, apparently so. Though all he said was:
Also, Messi, Villa and Iniesta look set to come to the Emirates, although only to train ahead of the Champions League final.
"Signing him does not seem impossible. He's a player that I like.For me, he's a player who's at the top level in the world."
Anyway, More to come soon, hopefully with the arrival of a Big signing or two!
No comments:
Post a Comment