Hello, some small bits of transfer news about as much as is going in the world of Arsenal this morning.
The Mail reports that Arsene Wenger has told Eduardo he’s surplus to requirements and that the Crozilian is likely to be sold this summer. As with any transfer story, in fact as with any story in the Mail, it’s worth taking with a pinch of salt but it would be no surprise if there was a good deal of truth to this.
He had an abysmal time last season, between injury and being condemned as the worst man ever to take the field after his tumble against Celtic. It was sad the way it ended because he had started in decent form, scoring 4 goals in the first 8 games. The leggy, sluggish Eduardo we saw, in snippets, at the end of the season was in stark contrast to the one who set up Abou Diaby with a terrific burst of pace against Portsmouth.
Towards the end of the season he was a permanent sub, rarely getting on, even when he was needed. Something went wrong somewhere, that’s for sure, and the arrival of Chamakh certainly lowers his place in the pecking order. Towards the end of last season Arsene did his usual job of talking up the player, saying he was regaining his fitness/sharpness and that we’d see a better Eduardo next season. However, he also said:
He is very important but I will assess that situation and sit down with him before the end of the season, you want to see as well how he feels. He is 27 years old he wants to play.
A reasonable hint that he would be willing to let him go. Obviously we’ll have to wait and see what pans out but with if he does leave he’ll be a player that I will always have regrets over. I had one of those feelings about him, visions of him scoring loads for us, and then along came Martin Taylor and all the damage that caused, physically and mentally. Anyway, let’s see what happens.
The News of the World are this morning linking us to Danish sensation Christian Eriksen. The Ajax midfielder is the youngest player at this World Cup and apparently he’s impressed Dennis Bergkamp. Quite how that means we’re after him I don’t know but he’s certainly a talent. Whether he’s one for this season or not remains to be seen.
Robin van Persie talks about his role in the Dutch team as the lone centre-forward. He says he’s learned a lot playing at places like Blackburn. Good job the Dutch don’t have a Polish goalkeeper then (I know).
And that’s about that. In the World Cup yesterday I missed the Uruguay Korea game but the South Americans came through and Danger Here said I should be watching their centre-halves. Did I miss something there?
In the evening game Ghana remain Africa’s final representative as they beat the USA 2-1 in extra time. If the Americans had a striker worth talking about they could really have gone further in this tournament, Ghana’s scary looking Asamoah Gyan showed Altidore how to do it with a display of power, pace and rocketman finishing.
Today we’ve got a rather exciting day of football ahead. England v Germany is always fun and then it’s Argentina v Mexico this evening. Carlos Vela may be fit again to take part in the battle of small left footed strikers against some bloke who scored a few for Barcelona B or something.
Right, enjoy the day’s action and what looks like a nice day outside (as you sit inside to watch football).
Till tomorrow.
