The heat is playing havoc with my dreams. Last night I was unveiled, alongside Cesc Fabregas, as a new signing for Real Mallorca, but in the very first training session we realised all of their footballs were flat.
As the new guy I had to run down the 13 floors of the house (the training pitch was on the roof) to get a pump but they didn’t have a pump and then Cesc was beating a lizard to death when I got back. He’d even put a picture of himself on Instagram punching the lizard in the face and it had over 24 million likes. Work that one out.
Today sees Arsenal play their first pre-season game of … er … pre-season, as we line up against an Indonesia Dream Team, kicking off at 8.30pm local time (they are GMT + 7). I don’t know if there’s any live coverage of it (the official site which show it delayed some time later), and to be perfectly honest, I don’t care.
This is a game which is about getting the first bit of ‘competitive’ match action and not much else. There’s nobody new to look at. We won’t be getting our first glimpse of a new boy in the famous red and white, and while I’m obviously vaguely interested because it’s an Arsenal match, I’m not interested enough to chase down streams or anything like that.
It’s a good occasion for locals fans, and for some of the youngsters who will undoubtedly get a run-out in the 30C heat (it might have dropped a bit by kick off), but I feel like my off-button isn’t quite ready to be switched the other way yet.
Meanwhile, there’s some fuss yesterday over Arsene Wenger’s comments about needing quality over quantity in terms of signings. There’s certainly an air of familiarity to them, they might have been plucked from any summer over the last few years, but when it comes right down to it, I think he’s absolutely right.
We do need quality over quantity, but in order the properly challenge for the league, and have the depth of squad to compete in the cup competitions and in Europe, we need a good quantity of quality. You won’t convince anyone this is a squad that’s one or two players off being as strong as it can be. Three or four good quality signings and I reckon we’d be set for a good campaign, and having let 5 or 6 players go already, with others on the way, there’s a real need for new players.
So, if he’s saying we need 3 or 4 top players over 7 or 8 ok players, then it’s hard to argue with that. The worry, of course, is that he won’t find a sufficient quantity of quality, leaving us short of where we need to be. He says we’re working hard, I’m sure Ivan Gazidis, when he’s not front and centre in photo-shoots with players and the manager (how odd is that?), will say the same thing, but we’re very good at saying and now need to prove we’re just as good at doing.
At the end of last season, following another last-gasp top four finish, and some very positive PR from Gazidis when talking to the press and fans groups, there was real hope that this summer would be different, that we’d see a statement of intent in the transfer market. And let’s be clear: the only reason to make signings is to make the team better, it’s not some sop to placate fans – but the caveat was that Arsenal had to walk the walk after talking the talk.
So far, it’s been all talk. I’m still hopeful that the right players will be brought in and we’ll see a much stronger Arsenal next season. There’s still plenty of time to do the deals that need to be done, but I can also fully understand why people are beginning to get a bit anxious and nervous because it all feels very samey. Those who bemoan a lack of patience may have something of a point given that it’s only July 14th, but after all that’s gone in recent years, I think Arsenal fans are about the most patient of them all. I even have mirror on my wall that tells me that.
Anyway, it’s Sunday. There’s a whole new week to come, maybe between public appearances there might be time to make a phone call or two and get things moving.
Here’s hoping.
