Loads to get through this morning as Arsene’s pre-Blackburn press conference took place yesterday afternoon.
As nobody really cared about the Blackburn game enough to ask more than a couple of perfunctory questions the focus was pretty much on ‘summer’ stuff. Who was coming? Who was going? How many were coming and when? And so on.
Arsene confirmed that he’d be looking for players and said we’d ‘certainly’ announce one before the World Cup, which I assume is Chamakh. He then went on to say:
I will try to do what I want to do as quickly as possible. We have a basic squad and I believe in the squad I have. But if I can make an addition – two or three maximum – then we will do it.
Now, for me this is where it gets a bit interesting. We’ve heard this kind of talk before, about how he believes in the squad and the whole bringing in two or three players. It’s the word addition that piques my curiosity. I think there are question marks over quite a number of players this summer. Sylvester is as good as gone, I’m hopeful at least one of the first two goalkeepers is gone, William Gallas I believe will go (although the manager says he’ll give him till the end of May to sign a new deal before he starts looking around), and some players who haven’t contributed much this season might also be on their way.
He was asked specifically about Eduardo who has been very much on the periphery and said:
Eduardo is very important, but I will assess that situation and sit down with him before the end of the season, to see how he feels. He is 27 years old, and wants to play, but we extended his contract because we believe in him.
So there’s a hint there that Eduardo might not want to stay, that he might feel his career would be best continued elsewhere. It’s a real shame and the horrific injury has clearly had a much greater impact that we thought. I’d like him to stay and turn things around but the fact he’s been so unused, even against Man City at the weekend he did nothing more than warm up as far away from the bench as possible, would make it no surprise if he left.
Carlos Vela is another one whose career has hit an impasse, culminating in the ludicrous situation where he couldn’t play in the Champions League quarter final in Barcelona because he couldn’t find his passport. If he was moved on this summer I wouldn’t bat an eyelid.
So there are players whose time is more or less up and obviously those positions need to be filled. Arsene is talking about additions to the squad, perhaps a better word might be ‘replacements’. I have a feeling, and it’s just a feeling, that this could be a very busy summer in terms of transfer deals at the club. With the new 25 man squad rule for the Premier League perhaps he’s going to cut his losses with some players and bring in guys who can contribute for the duration of the season. No constant niggling injuries, no missing games because of jet lag and never finding any form. It needs to be a more efficient group of players than we have right now, that’s for sure.
Also interesting to note the manager’s views on how, outside England, there’s basically no transfer market because so many clubs have financial problems. As Arsenal are a bit ‘cash rich’ at the moment doesn’t this bode well for us? Clubs that need money badly can be bargained with if there are players we want, and we all know how much Arsene loves to drive a good bargain.
AW was also asked about Andrei Arshavin and the comments made about how playing for Barcelona would be the ‘pinnacle’ of his career. While accepting that comments made in Russian can be given a mischievous slant in translation, it’s clear he has been irked, saying:
Yes, I am very disappointed because he shows a completely different attitude. He wants to extend his contract with us and stay with us, so the noise coming out of Russia is very difficult to explain.
Everybody has the freedom to speak, but you want to make sure first of all that you respect your club.
He then told the assembled journalists to go ask Arshavin himself, saying he wouldn’t deny them access. It’s unusual for the manager to be so openly critical of a player but I can understand it. I think if Arshavin had put in the performances on the pitch this season then he could go on the news each night and recite filthy Limericks about moving to Barcelona for all anybody would care. For me, however, he’s had a disappointing season. I understand he was played out of position and took one for the team, but I wish he’d do a little less talking and a lot more playing.
A couple of Arsenal legends speak about a couple of players who will be looking to make an impact next season. Kenny Sansom likens Kieran Gibbs to Graham Rix (careful, girls) and Martin Keown talks about Craig Eastmond.
If you’ve got the time and/or the inclination this is an interesting piece on Arsenal’s finances.
Ok then, time for this week’s Arsecast. I’m joined by GilbertoSilver from Gunnerblog to get his thoughts on the snoozefest v Citeh, potential comings and goings this summer and his view of the season as a whole. Also, AWH, Slyvester and Arshavin.
You can subscribe to the Arsecast on iTunes by clicking here. Or if you want to subscribe directly to the feed URL you can do so too. To download this week’s Arsecast directly – click here (22mb MP3) or you can listen directly below without leaving this very page.
And that’s about that. It’s a pain having to wait till Monday evening for our game. I may just have to have some bank holiday beers to pass the time. Have a good one, till tomorrow.
