Morning all, it’s a very quiet one this morning. I thought there might be more going on with the game later on this evening but there’s not much stirring.
Robin van Persie has been talking about how much he enjoys playing for Arsenal and it seems that the style of play is important to him. He says:
I would never give that up. Personally, I will always go for a team where I would, for example, earn less money but the team plays fantastic, rather than go to a team where you can earn lots of money and win every week, 1-0, 2-0, and play a defensive style. Football isn’t about money and flashy things.
The last comment allegedly sent a wave of confusion throughout the Chelsea dressing room with Ashley Cole seen to be weeping openly. It is, I suppose, a rare point of view that the Dutchman holds but it’s nice to hear it. He also spoke about Arsene Wenger and how much the manager has helped him, saying:
I like the way he treats his players, I like the way he trains. Sometimes when I was younger I was a bit upset when I wasn’t playing, but he was always telling me, ‘Take it easy, your time will come.’
Again people might point out it’s a player who is ‘tying’ his Arsenal career to Arsene Wenger but I don’t think we can underestimate the influence the manager has over his young players and the fact that they feel loyalty to him for the chances he’s given them isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Robin now has more responsibility and with that we’ll see how he’s matured over the last couple of years. He’s got a bit of a temper, let’s be honest, but he’s still only 23 years of age and his moments of ill discipline hardly compare with someone like Vieira at the same age. If he can channel his ire into that left foot of his rather than anywhere else then he’ll have no problems. Unless that left foot is used to kick someone’s face rather than the ball. But even that would quite amusing. Once. Ok, twice. But after that he’d have to stop.
Arsenal’s younger young players, not the ones in the first team, but the ones still in short points and buying the Beano and caps for their guns, are off to take part in an U20 Champions Youth Cup in Malaysia next week. Liam Brady thinks it’ll be a great learning experience for the boys and in the group stages we play Milan, Ajax and Flamengo. He’s not expecting us to lift the trophy as our team will be quite young compared to the others but they should learn lots and bring back lots of pirated DVDs. I’ll have a Transformers please, lads.
Eduardo da Silva’s appeal against his work-permit rejection takes place today. You can’t help thinking the system is a bit of a mess when players like Anderson and Denilson get through without a hitch and established internationals like Eduardo and Chelsea’s Alex are rejected. Fingers crossed it’ll all work out.
And that’s about the size of it. Time to prepare for tomorrow’s Arsecast which will feature a chat with the Observer’s Amy Lawrence – a shining light of sense amongst the rest of the waffle. Until then.
