Happy Thursday to one and all. There’s enough to be going on with to see us through another blog.
The foreign players debate is rumbling on a gaining momentum. It appears as if this whole thing is being built up by the media in case England don’t qualify for Euro2008 and the blame will then be put squarely on the fact that there are too many foreigners in the English game and nothing will be done about the real reasons English players don’t make it.
1 – They are too expensive
2 – This ridiculous rule that means clubs can only take young players from within a 90 minute catchment area. This creates the farcical situation where Arsenal can spot a young player in Spain and bring him into the academy but if they see a young player who lives in Hull they’re prohibited from him joining the club
3 – The coaching is not up to scratch. Players are taught how to ‘give it 100%’ for 90 minutes but not how to trap a ball properly
What’s hilarious is that Arsene’s quote about England winning nothing between 66 and 96 is just so accurate yet you have Steven Gerrard saying there should be quotas on foreign players for the good of the national side. As if it would somehow produce another World Cup for England. And Gerrard’s Liverpool teammates must be looking at their captain thinking “¿Que?”.
While there are a lot of journeymen foreign players in England it’s been obvious for a long time that a journeyman foreigner is better value to most clubs than an Englishman. Until that changes the situation will remain the same.
Of course you have special talents too, like Cesc, who talks about how money is not what motivates him in football. He says:
It is all about football. I did not run to Arsenal [after Real’s interest] and say ‘give me a better contract’. I don’t listen to offers because I don’t need anything that I don’t have at Arsenal. I’m playing, I’m happy and I’m grateful for the opportunity they gave me.
Old head, young shoulders, and all that. We’re lucky to have him. One Arsenal midfielder who is not as happy with his lot is Abou Diaby. He hasn’t been able to force himself into regular contention and he says:
I need playing time. I thought that I would continue [to play] after I scored (against Derby County) but it did not happen. I remain patient and do not give up because I know that my chance will come. Arsenal’s team is doing well so I have to show patience and it will be unlocked then. The season is long so I do not plan a move yet. Maybe later if it continues, but not in January.
Which is fair enough really. No footballer should be happy to sit on the bench, or not even get on the bench, and just pick up their wages at the end of each week. Without any kind of drive or ambition they shouldn’t be at a club like Arsenal. It should hurt every time they’re not picked and that appears to be the case with Diaby. He’s been unfortunate with injuries and has never really been given a chance in his favoured central-midfield role but when you think he’s only 21 there’s plenty of time for him to make the breakthrough.
In other news Emmanuel Adebayor says his lack of goals were beginning to prey on his mind. The one against Reading really was a top finish so hopefully once the internationals are over he can get back in the groove.
German coach Joachim Low has repeated his desire to see Jens Lehmann playing regularly again. Whether this will force a move in January or not remains to be seen.
The AST are confident that 99.5% of their members, who own 3.5% of the club between them, will join a similar scheme to the board’s lockdown. It’s all gone very quiet in the land of Fat & Orange – you have to think that because things are going so well on the pitch it makes their job of convincing people will need Fat’s money a lot more difficult. Wait for a defeat or two, they’ll show their faces again. If you’d like more information about the AST and how you can join just click onto their website.
It also turns out Arsenal have the most securitytastic stadium around. Never quite understood these kind of stories. Isn’t it almost like challenging somebody to prove that’s not the case?
The soul of Arsenal in 50 moments – The Times. Brian Glanville makes for interesting reading.
Thanks to everyone for their emails and advice about my knee. It appears to be completely healed this morning which is rather bizarre as I could hardly walk downstairs yesterday. It must be a miracle of some kind. Who is the patron saint of knees? Saint Paul McGrath? Anyway, thanks all again.
Just FYI there won’t be an Arsecast tomorrow. I have a really early start and I’m a bit Arsecasted out of it at the moment so the international break seems to be a good time to take a week off. It will return next week for sure. That does mean though that you have another week to enter the competition to win yourself a Savile Rogue scarf. Do it.
And there you go. More blogging tomorrow.
