May 5th
No doubt you’ve all seen the image of the commemorative kit we’re going to play in next season. Arsenal released details of the kit complete with marketing spiel yesterday. It really doesn’t do much for me I have to say. It’s possibly the least Arsenal looking Arsenal kit I’ve ever seen and I know it’s suppose to commemorate the shirts we first wore at Highbury but there can’t be too many people alive, apart from David Dein (who hides his 97 years under 2 inches of fake tan), who remember us playing in those colours. Why not make the players play with a heavy, lumpy lace-up ball wearing enormous boots and using bit of old cardboard as shin pads?
To me Arsenal’s kit, our traditional kit, is red with white sleeves. I know that came later but how many purists would have objected on the grounds that we’re not wearing a kit that looks more like a Hearts or Burnley kit than an Arsenal one? I’ll say this though – we had better have a yellow and blue away kit next season or there’ll be hell to pay. We’ve all seen what a blue away kit did to our title chances this season and if Nike try and foist anything overly blue at us I will personally stuff the shirt up their corporate arses. With a pointy broom handle.
Dennis Bergkamp wasn’t quite there for the first Highbury season but the legendary Dutchman has graced our pitch for some time now. This summer sees another big decision for Arsene Wenger. Does he keep Dennis for another season even though his on-field contribution dwindles each season or is he going to have to tell him ‘Thanks for everything but it’s time to move on’? Not an easy task for the manager and once again Dennis has reiterated his desire to stay with the proviso that if another year is not forthcoming from Arsenal then he’d retire. His contribution off the pitch shouldn’t be underestimated though. He’s a model pro who is respected and looked up to by all the players at the club. If he stays we have the benefit of his experience and the young players at the club will surely benefit. Maybe the manager’s decision will take into account what’s going to happen with José in the summer too. Personally I think it’s probably time. For a striker he just doesn’t score enough goals now and while he does provide some outstanding passes for teammates I think we could benefit from two strikers playing high up the pitch without one dropping back deep into midfield all the time.
It’s been a while since the Telegraph ran a speculative article about our finances but it’s nice to see a return to form for them. There’s no byline on this one but I guess it’s by Mihir Bose and it suggests that all this talk of Arsene Wenger having a large transfer kitty is off the mark and we’ll only have £15m to spend this summer. At this stage I’d suggest there are very few people who know how much money is available for new players and the writer of that article is not one of them.
Arsenal’s reserves have guaranteed them a top 3 place in their league and coach Neil Banfield has been delighted with the performances of the young players. Striker Arturo Lupoli looks set to finish top scorer in the league and the others have been learning to play the Arsenal way. Banfield says “What has been most pleasing is the way the players have applied themselves over the season and the way that they play their game. I’ve seen a group of young players working at their game and transforming it.”
Election day in the UK today. Can’t say I envy you but I think Ben Elton should be made Prime Minister so the country could be reunited when somebody assisinated him within days of his election. Ooooh, bit of politics there. Eh? Fucking speccy twat. Have fun and vote Arseblog.
