The Goon Blog

I understand that Andrei Arshavin will be a gunner within two days as a £15 million bid for him has been accepted by moneybags Zenit.

Its just one of three occurrences today.

The information on the Arshavin deal comes from here, the £15 million will be paid in installments over a period of two years and after weeks of rumours, false stories and stuttering negotiations a deal could finally have arrived.

I brought news to you earlier yesterday that said an Arshavin deal was looking likely as Arsene allowed Niklas Bendtner to talk to the German League leaders Hoffenheim regarding a move there, but i am yet not sure as to whether it was a loan option or a permanent one.

To be honest i am fed up of all this Arshavin stuff. Onto the other bit of transfer news.

Arsenal have swiftly rejected a move for Eboue by Athletico Madrid and Arsenal have opened contract negotiations, I’m not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing because Eboue is not a right midfielder, he is not a great right back either because Wenger would not have gone out and bought Bak Sagna if he though Eboue was good enough there. So if we got a wide replacement i wouldn’t be upset to see him go.

On the other hand he is great for team spirit, it seems he is loved by players at the club but is this a good enough reason for us to keep him?

No in my opinion.

Now, my say on our wonderkid. Jack Wilshere. I have refrained from saying this for so long, the kid does not need pressure on his back but most seasoned pro’s can’t think quick enough to do something like this, let alone execute it to perfection.

Wow!

You can see highlights of the game here but that goal was something special, its something Thierry Henry would be proud of and that is high praise indeed.

He has the potential to be in Messi’s class in my opinion, he has similar attributes and is a cross breed between Messi and Joe Cole, the longer this season goes on the more appearances he will get and he could well be our hidden weapon we could produce when we really need to produce something.

Potential is all it is at the moment, he has the footballing brain, he has the foundations to build but he has to stick to his guns, not get distracted by outside influences and work bloody hard because he is already being tipped as an Arsenal legend in the making. I think that it will probably be a year until he is in the England squad but if he is not going to get much more playing time next season than he has this, he should go out on loan for the second half of it, but that’s a long way off yet.

On the injury front Eduardo feels he is ready for first team action now but sadly Sunday may come just a fraction too soon. He had a lovely finish disallowed in the final minute of the Stoke reserves game and his old sly movement is still there. He said,

“I think I am ready for the first team but you would have to ask the boss,” I feel very well and I’m training hard every day. Of course I want to come back quick and strong. Now, every game for me is a big step.

“In my head and everything I am ready. I am happy with the 90 minutes tonight on a very hard pitch with all the hard rain. I needed time in the Reserves to get my match fitness back.

“But playing my first game for the first team, I am ready now and I am just waiting for my chance.”

Great, great news and that eight hours of rehab a day will pay off. On the goal front he said,

“The goal is coming, I am happy because I have got the chances, and that is not easy. Only when I get a chance can I finish it.”

Ominous for Premier League defences, when he gets going again he will have a point to prove. A thug can’t end a classy strikers career.

It will take time but it will be worth the wait. Will it be the same story with the Arshavin saga?

‘Til Tomorrow, any updates and i will let you know.

The other day i started off my top six first team players to look out for this year, in today’s post i will finish up with the other three players i have earmarked to succeed. Unlike the last post, i will involve the younger players in the squad.

Manuel Almunia

He was given the number one jersey last year and he has not really made any glaring mistakes, unlike his previous spells in the starting line up. In fact, our current captain, he has been one of our most consistent performers over the past year and a half and has saved our bacon on many an occasion. In his 31 years he has only amassed 193 appearances in his entire career, suggesting he could continue playing into his very late 30’s and perhaps his early 40’s. Just to put this into perspective, Cesc at 21 has made 219 appearances (including sub appearances) to date. Al has a lot more to give and this year could well silence calls for a bigger name in goal. Almunia is one of the most improved Goalkeepers in the Premiership and there is no reason as to why we won’t stop improving. The captaincy definitely gives him more responsibility and he rises to it.

Jack Wilshere

What can i say about young Jack, he has impressed in nearly every outing to date and a few days ago signed his 7-8 year deal at the club. He is rated as the biggest young talent in England and the best in a long long time, having just turned 17 he has ever increasing pressure and expectation to deal with and this year will see the start of him dealing with it. It will be interesting and he should start breaking through into the first team along with a few other of the highly rated youngsters starting to flood out of the academy. Next year we could see Barazite, Simpson, Ramsey, Merida and Randall all alongside Wilshere in steaking a claim for consideration in the first team, lets wait and see how the young man deals with all this expectation and how much playing time he gets in what will probably be a key year in his development.

Now onto the number one player to look our for in 2009:

***Aaron Ramsey***

This year promises to be massive for the 18 year old, he has already got his first Arsenal goal and is never afraid to try his luck, even if there are team-mates in better positions. He has a long way to go but he has already been given the lofty comparisons to club captain Cesc, and so far he looks pretty much like meeting them. He is creative, quite strong and was picked up at a bargain £5 million pounds from under the noses of the Mancs. He should be getting more and more playing time this season and as we are still in three competitions he might start more games in the Premiership when the going gets really tough. Lets hope he shows Cardiff what they lost last summer when we meet them in a few weeks time in the FA Cup. I for one, am exited about this kids potential.

Now the Arshavin palaver is starting to get tedious, papers and news sources are all at it, with the players agent still saying one thing whilst his club says another. Yesterday was no different.

Sky Sports News claims that Zenit are only talking to Arsenal at the moment, this article claims no quotes what-so-ever saying they are just talking to us.  Therefore sadly i do find it very hard to believe, it seems they are guessing in the hope that they get it right. The article also features Lachters latest quotes:

“There is no news, no negotiations yet.

“I represent the player and I can assure you I would know if something had been discussed. It is the people of Zenit trying to initiate some kind of interest.

“They are trying to use the media to make the price of Arshavin £20million – I would not take it seriously.”

It seems that he is going around every news source under the sun and telling them all different things, this guy really is a first rate prat and is a disgrace to football agents, who are not the worlds most honest fellows. He is a mercenary, end of.

BBC Sport however, say that talks have stalled over his price. And guess who pops up again here, saying this:

“They want the money in one go. They did it that way when they got Danny for £24m and they want the same.

“Many clubs are afraid of how Zenit and other Russian clubs do business.”

Despite Zenit’s stance, Lachter says he is still confident Arshavin will be leaving the club in the January transfer window.

“That is what is going to happen,”

“There are 10, 15, 20 teams who are interested in him. The question is can they afford him?”

The oracle speaks again, i would really like it if he just shut up.

I think the more public this gets the less chance there is we are signing him, a defensive midfielder would probably make me just as happy, a decent one that is.

Right, i will leave it there i think.

Do you agree with the players i have picked out to keep an eye on?

Let me know in the comments.

Anyway, Til’ Tomorrow, take it easy.

Andrei Arshavin’s agent should get a job for the Daily Star because he is doing a fine job of making up moves to Europe’s top teams for his client.

He has now reportedly said that Arshavin is on the move to us and its only a matter of days:

“Andrei is rated by Wenger who wanted him to sign [for Arsenal] last summer. This transfer would please everyone but we must wait a few days for confirmation.”

The source for these is this website, who are not the most rock solid of sources to say the least, but you never know whats happening in the world of Wenger!

Ive said before that Arshavin would be welcome at the club but i don’t think he would chance our fortunes, he would take a long time to adapt, he is approaching 28 years of age and would be very expensive. The figure floating around at the moment is less than the sum being floated earlier on in the year, it sounds like its been revised to £12 million, which would be worth it, he is after all a class player.

Inler has also firmly ruled himself out of any Arsenal move with his latest comments, i have to say, i do respect him for saying this as it shows some players genuinely care about the team they play for:

‘I have a three-year deal with Udinese. I am not interested in transfer issues. My manager deals with that. My target now is the success of Udinese. I am happy with the team and am not interested in Arsenal. I run out onto the field and play; I don`t care about the rest.’

Well that is pretty plain to see and should won’t dispell rumours of a switch to us, i really am getting fed up with the useless hacks that re-generate stories time and time again, they are lazy good for nothing scumbags who earn their money making up trollop any person could.

The Mirror (shock horror) have also made up an article claiming that we have hi-jacked Man Utd’s bid for Serbian winger Zoran Tosic. Its unfounded, its stirring and it is again, rubbish.

The Daily Star (name sound familiar?) are also on Wengers case claiming that he is getting annoyed at the amount of cash he is being given, they have dug out these comments from PH-W:

“We have got money, but I am not sure we are going to spend a lot of it. We’ve got to continue to run the business in a sensible way. It may sound boring, but we are not going to rush out and spend fortunes on people who won’t help us achieve anything better than where we are at the moment.”

Buying  a defensive midfielder would get us a hell of a lot further than we are now, this ‘businuess’ is also a football club that is supported by millions worldwide and is also the most expensive football club in the world to support. Just you remember that when you are sitting in your mansion sipping 80 year old malt whiskey Peter.

Our friends over at Young Guns have broke the news, first as always, that Wilshere is now a pro after he turned 17 yesterday.  His deal, thought to be 8 years in length has put him on a wage of at least £8,000 a week. Monsterous.

I asked you readers who are your top wanted transfers, the general consensus is that Arshavin is not good enough, i urge you to watch this video.

[youtube=http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=IIRxxurh0xg]

He is undoubted quality but i doubt his adaptability and professionalism after his antics in the summer with Zenit.

Cana is also a favourite, i think he would be a superb addition and would give us that bite we need in the middle of the park, ive called for him to be signed before a few months ago and i really hope he ends up in the old red and white.

Id also like to shout out that Antonio Valencia could be a decent player on our left hand side, his name has not been put about at all and he would not be too expensive, Steve Bruce owe’s Wenger one after he advised Bruce to sign Palacios.

What do you think about Valencia, do you rate him? Let me know in the comments.

Thats your lot for today, keep reading as i will comment on every credible piece of transfer speculation right here.

Til tomorrow.

I had the most fantastic day yesterday! Ive was mocking a Tottenham fan senseless. Why i was in such a chipper mood i have no idea.

Between hints at dodgy Lassagne i constantly reminded this delierious Spud that they were not far from a great club, just a mile or two in fact!

That was wrapped off with a loud chorus of,  ‘8 Years, And You Could Only Beat The Kids!’

And just to top it off, ‘Stand Up, If You Hate Tottenham!’, and guess what. Everyone stood up leaving this Spud redder than Ol’ red nose in Japan.

To get back to the takeover speculation, the days developments have made Lady Nina’s departure stink of an inside job. She commented,

‘The board have no manners whatsoever and my views were ignored on many occasions.

‘I can’t understand why I have been removed in such a ruthless fashion. I had no intention of selling my shares and was no threat to the lockdown agreement between the directors. I have also had no proper explanation as to why they wanted me out so much.

‘It is very difficult to accept, especially after what my family has done for Arsenal for so many years.

It could well be a case of winding her up, to make her sell. Then Stan Kroenke bidding for her shares so he owns a large portion of the Arsenal cake and can make a bid for the whole lot.

There is no way that the board would have booted her off if there was a threat from Usmanov, there would not be a cat in hells chance and as ANR points out, Putin has probably told him not to try and buy us.

I think im going to leave this subject for a while until something more worthwhile pops up.

Wilshere is the next Dennis Bergkamp according to Arsene, well he has been compared to him at least. I think for a few years he will be out wide, and i maintain that he should be used more out there, he will scare defenders, he is strong for his size and very direct. When we need width he should be on the field at the moment.

Other than this there is not much else kicking around im afraid, there is really nothing else i can bring you.

Sorry for the short one!

Back tomorrow with a more in-depth blog and any new takeover developments.

Til then Arsebandits!

Well, in contast to a week ago we Gooners are on cloud 9. The youngsters again showed their enormous promise by taking a full strength Wigan Athletic to school, Vela looks the businuess whilst Capello was casting his eye over Jack Wilshere – the kids 16.

Simpson handed his talents on a plate too Wenger with two very good finishes, the first was made by Wilshere, a superb through-ball cutting about 5 Wigan players o

ut of the game put SImpson through who finished clinically and cooly. The second was created by Carlos Vela, the mexican outpaced a Wigan defender after a break from a Wigan corner, he then kept his head and squared for Simpson who finished very well, it is harder than it looks to finish those chances.

Then the third, and Vela is getting a reputation for stunning goals already, this one was no different. He ran past a defender and then chipped Chris Kirkland with an outragously brilliant effort, all 6ft 4″ of him. It was simply amazing, he shouldnt be able to do it at his age! its just not allowed!

Today Jay Simpson has declared his intention to win the Carling Cup, and at this rate there is no reason why this young team cant, it would be a fantastic achivement to get into the Semis alone, he said;

I don’t see why we can’t win it – everyone’s confident and the boss believes in us so hopefully we’ll win the next game and take it from there,”

It is also good to see the 19 year old does not want to get it the easy way, he wants the big guns;

“All of us want a big side in the next round as we want to test ourselves. That’s what it’s all about – playing against the big teams and seeing what you can do against them.

“I’d be delighted if Manchester United or Liverpool put out their first team against us. If they draw us and put out a strong side it would show they’ve got respect for us.”

Thats a bloody fantastic attitude, they want to face the best and that attitude will get him far and if that is the whole teams attitude they will go far.

I must admit, i cant wait to see more of them and im going to do my damnedest to get down there and see them in action.

According to Liam Brady, Jack Wilshere has it all to go very very far, he thinks the kids ’special’;

“Jack Wilshere has had a lot of publicity but he is a boy who has his feet firmly on the ground,”

I think they look at the likes of Bentley who have the wrong attitude and think ‘i need to keep control, i don’t want to take a step down and play for Spurs’. Thinking somewhere along those lines would be fantastic!

That, and this is very good to hear, Wilshere has been talked about since he was 15 at Arsenal, and Brady thinks the kids done good so far;

“He really wants to make it in football and is a very dedicated young man. I think Jack is a bit special.”

I think he will make it, i have never seen a player look this good at 16, could he end up better than Fabregas? Sooner or later Wenger will be forced to call on him because the talent is unbelievable and we have seen what he can do in pre-season.

Whats good is that even if they dont make the grade at Arsenal, they are going to have fantastic careers anyway according to Brady;

“(Kieran) Gibbs and (Mark) Randall have had experience but Gavin Hoyte, Jay Simpson and Jack Wilshere have come in to the game last night lacking experience.

“But I think they have shown they have very bright futures in the professional game.”

Wenger is also praised by Brady for his influence on the youngsters, in every international break he does their training and apparently has a massive impact on them;

“I think the advantage for them at Arsenal is that the manager is keen to work with the young players.

“Particularly in international weeks he will have these young players over there training and instilling this confidence that so many of Arsene Wenger’s players have.

“But we don’t want to get carried away. They are 17 or 18, and in Jack’s case 16, so they have a long way to go yet.”

Lets just look forward to the next round!

I for one cannot wait!

Back tomorrow! – Lets hope the Spuds win tonight because id love to get them in the final… nothing like revenge!

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