Pre-season continued last night as we beat SC Columbia 7-1. The goals came from Aaron Ramsey (2), Nicklas Bendtner (2), Robin van Persie (2) and William Gallas.
Again there’s really not a lot to be read into these games so early in the schedule. They’re about gaining fitness, some match sharpness and all the rest. As time goes on you get little clues as to what the manager might be thinking for the season ahead. The partnership of Djourou and Vermaelen, for example, might be one we see a fair bit as he looks at how they play together, but right now the games don’t really deserve any great analysis. The fact that we scored seven against some semi-pros is nice but essentially meaningless.
The main news from yesterday is, of course, the injury to Samir Nasri. He fractured his fibula in a challenge, believed to be with Abou Diaby who is to tackling what Inspector Clouseau is to detecting, and could spend two to three months out. It may well be sooner, depending on the severity of the injury, so fingers crossed that’s the case.
The hyperbole surrounding it is funny though. Apparently Nasri’s injury is a ‘hammer blow’ and it puts another nail in the coffin of our chances of finishing fourth. Don’t get me wrong, Nasri is a good player who I would like to see fit and healthy, but him missing the first four-six weeks of the season, if that, will not have the slightest effect on a top four finish.
You hear fans wondering why we’re the only club that suffers so much with injury but I’m really not sure we suffer any more than any other club. We’re just more aware of it, and possibly with a smaller squad it has more of an impact, but every club has players out injured for weeks and months at a time.
At the moment we seem to have enough to cope with Nasri’s absence. Rosicky, Arshavin, Walcott and even Jack Wilshere are capable of playing where he plays. The big question is where he was going to play this season, we don’t know exactly what the manager had in store for him. He ended last season in a strange, defensive midfield role, one which didn’t really suit him in my opinion. His strengths are better exploited further up the pitch and I think that’s where he’d have played in the upcoming campaign.
That being the case then his absence, while unfortunate, doesn’t mean there’s any need to pushing the panic buttons just yet. His injury doesn’t make our need for a holding midfielder any more pressing, it doesn’t mean we have to dive into the transfer market right away.
I was expecting a few quotes from Arsene Wenger this morning but I haven’t found any from a source I trust – only from one of the ever-increasing number of hit-whoring, NewsNow raping idiots who try to outdo each other and with whom I want nothing to do.
After the Barnet game though the boss was asked about the money from the Adebayor transfer and he said:
I will be able to spend that money – [I will do it] if we are able to find the right players and if we feel it is needed. We are not in a hurry right now.
Which has been the party line for some time now. I have to say I would be surprised if there wasn’t another little flurry of activity fairly soon but trying to second guess Arsenal and transfers is a tricky business at the best of times. I just can’t see him not spending the Adebayor cash though and perhaps, to counter the speculation we have to sell a big name every summer just to keep things balanced, there’ll be a certain amount if pressure from the board, and Gazidis, to spend it.
The Spanish press this morning are reporting that Klaas Jan Huntelaaarrrrr (Holland’s more piratey footballer) has broken off negotiations with Stuttgart due to a problem over his wages (they’re not offering him enough). They’re speculating that we’ve joined the ‘fight’ to get him so expect him to sign for someone else by the end of the day.
It looks like an agreement has been made between Arsenal and Derby County which will see Mark Randall go on loan there for the season. It can only be a good move for the player. He needs regular football at this stage of his career. Even with that I have my doubts that he’ll make it with us but let’s see how he goes.
Young Arsenal forward Snoop Doggy-Dog talks about his experience playing up front with Andrei Arshavin. Word.
The next friendly game is on Monday of next week so the lads will be getting their heads down in training, working on their fitness and, of course, avoiding Diaby’s tackles.
Till tomorrow.
