So there’ll be at least one Arsenal player in Sunday’s World Cup final as Holland beat Uruguay 3-2 last night. I’m not sure you can compare this Dutch team to either of the previous WC final teams – they’re more efficient than exciting (although Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s opening goal really was something else), and they won’t win too many fans with a horrible cunt like van Bommel in the team, but I have to admit always having a soft spot for Holland in this tournament.
One of my earliest football memories is watching the 1978 final and being absolutely gutted when Argentina won. Tonight’s second semi-final sees Germany play Spain and reports yesterday suggest Cesc could miss out after picking up an injury in training. If that is the case I’m sorry for him but I’ll be right behind Germany. I want to see Xavi cry tears made entirely from his own sickly and lumpen DNA. Either way it’s a semi-final to look forward to.
Both Robin and Cesc feature this morning as well. According to Arsenal’s online shopping page RVP has ‘requested a squad number change. This has yet to be approved by Arsenal FC’.
Many are speculating he wants the number 10, which would suit him, but with William Gallas officially a free agent I don’t know why there’d be any trouble in giving it to him. Maybe he wants 9 and the club are waiting to see what happens with Eduardo. It’s odd that he’d want to change after all this time but there you go, footballers are funny folk at the best of times.
Also, I understand that as well as Gallas, Sylvester and Sol Campbell are officially free agents as well, meaning they’re free to sign with whomever they desire. Even Arsenal should an offer be forthcoming but I think only Sol might, and I stress might, be a recipient there.
And now for Cesc. Barcelona have been talking about his transfer again. Sandra Rossel said:
The Cesc issue has been made very public and has been complicated because a lot of expectations have been put on the purchase price.
In which case he ought to have a quiet word his old pal Laporta, most of his boardroom team, Xavi, Piqué, Pedro, Iniesta, Messi and all the other players who have felt the need to speak loudly and publicly about the whole situation. Arsenal did not make it public, Barcelona did. No point complaining now, but then I don’t think he’s actually complaining. It was a deliberate tactic from the Spaniards which has rather backfired. He went on to say:
We will not pay 50-60 million for Cesc.
I don’t believe for one second that they think this is an outrageous price for him. Barcelona have a history of paying big fees for players. Look at last’s summer’s splurge on Chrygkszkfkskskszxi, €25m they paid for him and yesterday they sold him back to We Hate Vowels United for just €15m. And they paid £40m + Samuel Eto’o for Ibrahimovich. So we’re now supposed to believe they’re taking a stand against high transfer fees? Do me a favour.
This all boils down to the fact that they want Cesc, badly, but simply can’t afford him. The news yesterday that they’ve had to take out an emergency €150m loan to keep the club liquid tells you everything you need to know. They’re broke, having to borrow simply to pay wages of players and staff, and they simply don’t have the money to pay what Cesc is worth. This, more than anything else, is the biggest impediment to any deal being done – although a friendly bank stumping up a few million more to help them out is not even close to being beyond the realms of possibility.
Meanwhile, back in transfer speculation land, The Mail says we’re ‘in talks’ with Stuttgart over central defender Serdar Tasci. I’m sure I read something from his agent a few days ago saying how much he likes Arsene Wenger and Arsenal but with this story not being reported anywhere else we’ll take it with the usual pinch of salt.
Here’s one for the manager though – Dan Gosling, an Everton starlet, has left the club as his contract ran out due to an ‘administrative error‘. Unbelievable stuff really and a very promising young English player on a free transfer is sure to attract Arsene’s attention. And the best thing about him? He’s injured for at least the next three months. BRING HIM TO ME!
Arsene is in South Africa on TV duty and should be back at the club on Monday or Tuesday of next week. I hope somebody’s keeping him up to date on stuff like this and I suspect things will really get moving in terms of player deals, in and out, when he returns.
Pre-season began yesterday and as per usual the official site as some pictures of grumpy players running laps and a few of new signing Marouane Chamakh.
And the first batch of TV fixtures have been released – the first Sunday of the new season sees us on Sky Sports, away at Anfield.
And there you have it. Have a good Wednesday, more in the morning.
