Good morning,
let’s start with the bad news and get it out of the way. The manager confirmed the injury to Tomas Rosicky and said he could be out for six weeks.
Firstly, let’s say it’s not a surprise. Players who have been out for extended periods of time are susceptible to picking up muscle strains and as well as that it is Tomas Rosicky. Secondly, the fact that it’s a hamstring injury is a worry as well as that was the initial diagnosis of his knee injury.
Thirdly, it’s a real shame for the player who had looked so sharp in pre-season. He must be absolutely gutted and it is a blow for the squad as well. Having a fit Tomas Rosicky would have been a real plus this season.
However, it’s probably better that this injury has happened now as opposed to September 1st. As much as I like Rosicky as a player and a man it’s clear that after everything that’s happened in the last 18 months that we just cannot rely on him being fit. It sounds harsh but we can’t assume he’s going to take any part in this campaign. That’s just the reality of it.
Hopefully the injury is nothing too serious but given his record you have to worry. And the manager has to consider what he needs to do with Rocicky out. Does he buy a replacement or does this move Jack Wilshere further up the pecking order? At least, given the timing of the injury, he’s got a couple of weeks to make that decision.
At a press conference yesterday to launch Arsenal’s official charity of the season (Great Ormond Street Hospital) he more or less ruled out a move for Patrick Vieira but did admit he’d been looking at players and weighing up options. He quite publicly admitted watching Fulham’s Brede Hangeland, causing Woy Hodgson some worry this morning, and said:
We’ve had a look at him. We have not contacted Fulham or contacted Hangeland. We have not made our choice so it is difficult to talk about names right now. We can still make do with one or two players more. One could be in the defensive areas, and one in the attacking areas.
Is the interest in Hangeland real or is he a handy smokescreen for the real target? We’ll see. However, hopes of making those signings before the season starts are slim as he hinted that he’d wait towards the end of the transfer window to do his businss, saying:
We make a few enquires for players, but we are nowhere near to signing anybody at the moment. Usually the transfer market only speeds up from August 26 up to midnight on August 31 – and especially in the last two hours.
He’s right, the market is busier then, but the danger of waiting so late is that if a deal falls through, and it’s very easy for that to happen, then you’ve got no time to pursue different options. We saw it last summer, I’m convinced Liverpool led us up the garden path with Xabi Alonso. Knowing we’d find it impossible to do another deal when the pulled the deal at the 11th hour they also knew they’d weaken a rival.
So let’s hope Wenger and Gazidis know they’re playing a risky game if that’s the path they wish to pursue – but then when you look at how close to the deadline they left it to sign Arshavin maybe they enjoy the pressure.
Nevertheless, the news that he’s looking at a defensive player is good and the attacking option I think we always expected from him. As I said we’ll wait and see if he decides midfield needs bolstering but the idea that he might sign three players is just so ridiculous I don’t have words for it.
When Senderos goes we’ll have five centre backs including Song so that makes three centre-backs because as it stands Song is our first choice defensive midfield player (and you know, I really never thought those were words I’d ever write). So a central defender makes sense. That said, if you asked me right now to choose between a centre-half and a top central midfielder who would play the defensive role in this formation I’d be inclined to go for the latter and pray I didn’t pick up any serious injuries to the first three defenders on the list.
Of course in an ideal world you’d sign one of each but … you know … that’s just not how we roll.
Going back to Jack Wilshere and he was asked about the young man not being in the England U21 squad and if that might mean he was in the main squad. *sigh*. The boss said:
I believe what is good in Jack’s case … he reminds me a bit of Rooney when he started, in his belief and in his positive attitude to go forward. still has a lot to learn, team-wise and in his relationship with other players but there are some great basics there. You do not want him to be a star before he has delivered, though, and managing expectation levels is harder here than anywhere else.
Far be it for me to be critical but mentioning him in the same breath as Wayne Rooney (on a football basis, of course) is only going to add fuel to the fire of expectation that burns on Expectation Hill overlooking Expectationsville. I see what he means in terms of the way he plays but a raft of ‘New Rooney’ stories is surely going to just add to the pressure.
That said AW’s record of bringing through young players is almost second to none and if anyone can manage it properly he can.
He also talked about the top four become a top six this season with the threat of Aston Villa and those moneybags light blue Mancs. We really have to think of a good name for them. Still, I do think this league has the potential to be more competitive than any for the last decade. The ‘top four’ still exist, Villa are a good side, we’ve seen how much City have spent on new players, Everton are a good side too, so there’s definite competition and I think teams will drop more points than they have done in the past.
The Champions League draw takes place this morning. We already know the teams we might face. If I had to choose it’d be the Romanians, I don’t want the Spaniards or the Italians, memories of Fiorentina and Batistuta at Wembley are stil vivid (“Stand up straight, Seaman!”), and while Celtic would probably be ideal in terms of travel they could be tricky now that they’re not a dead cert to lose away from home. I’ll update here when the draw is made.
Update: It’s Celtic!
According to the Spanish press Levante, in the Spanish 2nd division, are weighing up a loan move for Fran Merida. Perhaps he’s one of the players who might be considered in light of Rosicky’s injury so I’d be surprised if this happened.
Update II: Looks like it’s on. Shows what I know.
And that’ll be that. The lads are probably on their way to Valencia today for tomorrow night’s friendly which is the last game before the season starts. We’re getting really close now.
Till tomorrow.
