Shall we start this morning with some fa-fa-fa-fa-fashion?
Yes please, David! No doubt you’ve seen the pics by now but some ‘proper’ pics of the new home kit emerged yesterday (another link). As usual opinions are divided. I quite like the overall look of it but I do wish Nike would stop fucking around with our kits. Firstly they give us that white abomination and try and sell it on the back of some spurious link to Herbert Chapman, now the white sleeves, so traditionally Arsenal, seem almost like an afterthought in this kit.
However, I do like the all black keepers kit and the away kit is back to yellow (at least it looks yellow in the low-res pics I’ve seen. It might turn out to be something wanky like ‘country wholegrain mustard’) so it’s not all bad.
Freddie Ljungberg has denied making the comments about Arsenal and Arsene Wenger that were attributed to him yesterday. They did sound a bit suspicious, in fairness, and it’s good to hear Freddie categorically deny them.
No real transfer news this morning bar a report from Sky Sports that we failed in a bid for Udinese defender Cristian Zapata. One of those ‘Sky Sports understands‘ jobs. They seem to have gone to the same Understanding 101 course as the BBC.
Chairman PHW laments the influence of money over the game and players. I think it’s quite reasonable to have a problem with the sheer greed of certain players and often it’s those guys who drive the wages upwards and upwards. I know Arsenal will be accused of trying to do things on the cheap but it’s just not true – none of our big players have ever left because they weren’t being paid enough (not since Liam Brady or Frank Stapleton anyway). Vieira, Henry, Pires etc were all extremely well paid by any standards and the Chairman says:
They [players] talk up their own salaries, but you’ve just got to keep firm and sensible and if people go and leave you, well, tough. But I don’t think you can keep putting the wages up and the price of tickets up. You have got to somehow balance the books.
And ultimately that’s the point. That the more we splash out on wages the more it costs the fans. Arsenal is an expensive hobby for many people already. You look at the Flamini situation – had we tried to match what he was being offered elsewhere the knock-on effects it would have on everyone else’s wages would, at the end of the day, be passed on to fans. Match tickets, merchandise, food, drink and everything else would become (even) more expensive. There has to be some common sense applied.
Confirmation of Bacary Sagna’s new deal. Good news.
Jens Lehmann talks about his time in England. He enjoyed it rather more than former Villa man Thomas Hitzelsperger as you’ll see towards the end the article. He’s also been critical of the ball set to be used in Euro2008, saying we’ll see more punching from goalkeepers. Yes! I can’t wait to see Jens punch some forward right on the nose. Oh. He meant the ball…well, with Jens you never know.
Robin van Persie is back in training with Holland ahead of Euro2008. He came through his first full training session unscathed and, having taken off the suit of armour, expressed his hope that he could take part in the Dutch’s first game. Speaking of Euro2008 you can follow it on OleOle.com’s match centre – which features commentary, live scores, live blogging, a Eurocast – a Euro2008 podcast – and more.
I know it’s crazy but I’m tipping Spain to win. Yes they always choke when it comes to big tournaments but they’ve got to get it right some time. There’s just so much talent in the Spanish squad I think they’ve got a great chance. Apart from their habit of choking in big tournaments. And the fact that Aragones is a crazy lunatic. And they can’t take the pressure. Still, my money’s down. Who are you betting on?
Righto. That’s about that. I checked the Spanish papers there’s nothing new on Hleb so for today we shall call it quits. Right, David?
Beep-beep!
