Good morning to you all. I have a touch of the *boilk* I must admit. I was out for beers then came home and had a couple of brandies from a tumbler because I smashed my only brandy glass the other week. Still, at least I don’t have to present a radio show from a convention centre this morning. There’s always a silver lining if you look hard enough.
So, we played a friendly last night which I didn’t see but the 8-0 win suggests that we’re either brilliant or the opposition were terrible. Or maybe the truth lies somewhere in-between, but I suspect it’s leaning more towards the latter. The goals came from Joel Campbell (2), Santi Cazorla, Theo Walcott, some bloke OG, Alex Iwobi (2), Chuba Akpom. You can watch them all here.
Afterwards, Arsene Wenger was positive about Santi Cazorla playing 90 minutes, saying:
It’s the first time he’s played 90 minutes for a long, long time because he’s basically been out since November. He played the last game of the season and 90 minutes today. Let’s see how he recovers from that. Of course we need him back in good shape. He’s a pleasure to watch, especially when it’s a demonstration like tonight. He’s one of the few players that you don’t know whether they’re right or left footed. It’s good that he came through well. We have no injuries tonight so that’s positive.
That is a good thing. I think we all agree our lives are just that much better with Santi in it. Then he spoke about transfers and said it wasn’t the money that’s the issue when it comes to finding a new striker, it’s the lack of players on the market:
It’s not the prices, it’s the players. The money is never a problem if you have to pay what is requested. The price of a player is down to four ingredients. One is the talent, two his age, three is how much you expect him to improve your team, and four his resale value. If he ticks all four boxes then the price is not that important. You have to find the player.
Which sounds fine really. I know people have been worried about the ‘resale value’ comment but I think he’s talking generally about what affects the price of a player, not that this is something he himself is hugely concerned with when it comes to finding new players. Although there is probably some of that, because none of us could see him spunk £75m on a 28 year old who is nearly 29 but who remains 28 until he turns 29 because that’s how age works, but still.
Anyway, last night we posted an article on Arseblog News (I might have been somewhat under the influence), with the headline: Wenger: Money is no problem for a striker. I now present to you some responses to that article from our Facebook page:
- The only problem is your ambision and mentality
- Then prove it and fuckun buy
- Get ur Wang out and sign one!!!
- U will end up no 5, forget about winning any comptn in season for buying those small cheaken player.
- Ur always deceiven urself nonses
- do u want me to handle it wenger
- This man is giving my arse a serious headache!
I think that sums up the situation better than anything I could write this morning. Anyway, according to the manager:
We do not have to panic but we are on alert in the transfer market so that we can make the right move when the opportunity comes up.
Which doesn’t sound terribly pro-active. Ivan, Arsene and Dick hanging around a street corner like a pack of bovver boys waiting to duff someone up and take their striker off them. I have an idea. It’s a crazy one, but why not go to Dortmund and say ‘How much for Aubamayang?’ and they’ll say ‘He’s not for sale’ and we say ‘Not even for this much?’ and they’ll say ‘No’ and then we say ‘Not even for thiiiiis much?’ and they’ll say no and then we say ‘Not even for thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis much?’ and keep doing that until at some point they’ll say yes and everyone’s happy.
Forget this waiting for an opportunity to come up nonsense. You’ve gotta get out there. Knock on doors. Sell yourself. Nobody’s going to come up to you and offer you the job of a lifetime, mister, so you better change your ways or you can get the hell out of this house! Which is not a hotel either, although you seem to think it is, coming and going when you please, eating us out of house and home and …
… er … anyway. Buy a striker.
*cough*
Have a good Saturday everyone.
