The Arsenal Week in Review – 7.2.2011

It was supposed to be a a week of movementm, of comings and goings. Instead it was a week of continued speculation and inneuendo about transfer dealings. Of course none of them have solidified, but it doesn’t mean they won’t.

Obviously the big news this week was supposed to be a second bid by Barcelona for Cesc Fabregas. Last week the spainards came in and offered around £27 million for Fabrgas. Way below what the club has stated his value has.  The Spanish and English press spent the week speculating that Arsenal would finally succumb to Fabregas’ dreams and Barcelona’s repeatted attempts.

For his part Cesc gave another cryptic statement this week. Speaking at a football campus in Tordera, Spain, the 24-year-old was quoted as saying in AS:

“I’m calm and I am optimistic. I have nothing to say and there is nothing to speak of.”

He added: “If something happens, it is because it has to happen. For my part, I’ve begun to get in shape, which is what I have to do.”

“If a player is on the market it is because the club does not want him. I have no problems.”

My biggest problem with Cesc right now is – just say what the hell you mean. Cesc causes more issues with this saga by not clearly stating what his wishes are. Look, ultimately if Cesc were to tell Wenger right now that he aboslutely wanted to leave – this season – I think Wenger would say okay, but I am getting what I want for you. Now, that may have happened and Cesc is trying to play a respectful game but often his comments add more confusion to the matter than needs to exist.

Here it is though, Saturday and the team set to start pre-season training early next week, there is still no deal and no second offer – that we know of. Barcelona and the press seem hopeful that Cesc will not report next week but frankly, that is not his style. And if he reports – well possession is nine-tenths of the law right?

To be honest, I have resigned myself to the fact that Cesc is gone this summer. Of course I’ll be happy if he stays but my thought is this – for 6 years we’ve had a club focused around a cracker of a midfielder that hasn’t netted us anything. Sure there were a few finals and continual deep runs in competitions but that’s it. Maybe it is time to accept that the club has to change course and find a new core to build around – Jack Wilshere anyone?

The other big news is that it now seems like 4 clubs are after Samir Nasri. Arsenal, United, City and now Chelsea. Supposedly United are set to offer £20 million as is City. Chelsea are merely “monitoring” the situation. I have to be honest with you, I know a lot of people that just can’t make sense of this saga – other than it is a Rooneyesque ploy to get the money he wants from the club.

Now, we all know the clubs stated position on giving more money when it is demanded by a player. We are also aware of what Gazidis stated in the the recent AST meeting – he reinforced the clubs principles on being “held hostage” on contract demands.  So one of three things will happen with this case – the first is a a dream – Nasri has a nirvana accepts his place in the squad and accepts the original offer (Slightly modified with bonuses). The other two is Nasri pisses off and is sold to another club or Arsenal change their policy and give him his new contract demands.

The worrisome part of the latter is that it only serves as notice that other players can do the same to the club. What’s to stop some of our more promising players of doing the same when their contract is up.  Ultimately I am still optimistic that Nasri stays. I think He gets a renewed offer loaded with incentives and bonuses. In typical Arsenal fashion it will be kept quiet so the potential Pandora’s box of  contract nightmares doesn’t happen. If not he will be sold.

By the way, Wenger is line for a lot of stick and criticism. He rightly deserves it given how the season ended. However, I do not think the sale of player of Nasri’s potential is likely to be made to any club that is considered a potential rival. Adebayor and Toure are held up as examples to refute this. However, at the time of their sale Toure was considered past his prime and Adebayor only had one good season at the Eastlands. They both have suffered from the dreaded “move away from Arsenal curse” – you were a good player at Arsenal but you’re not much afterwards. Anyway, City have only established them as a rival this season. They were not considered one at the sale of those two. With City now firmly in the mix and United always in the mix, Wenger may be many things but he is not a complete fool to let a player of Nasri’s ability go to one of those clubs. If Nasri doesn’t sign a new deal and is sold I really could Wenger trying to get a deal done in Italy or Spain.  But to sell a player like Nasri to rivals would basically solidify that the club management – Wenger included are done.

The other story that started popping up was that City had a £7 million offer for Clichy accepted by Arsenal. Now, let me say this I have found with the supporters I know, less of an issue with Clichy going to City than I have with Nasri. Clichy is a good LB but to some sections of the fans he has increasingly become a defencive liability. But is that true? I recently read a piece on the Anfield Index that puts Clichy in a different light when compared to other “top” left backs. (These charts are taken from the Anfield Index article)

When you look at his defencive numbers some of the criticism of him as a poor left back aren’t rightly justified. One of the compelling numbers I found was dribbled past – a stat that shows how much an opposing player has gotten past him. It is often cited as one of the biggest complaints against Clichy. Compared to Evra, Baines and Cole he is right on par, with Cole being the worst and Enrique being the best.  He has the second best tackle success rate and the best interception rate.

Where Clichy is really the liability is in our offencive game. Given that we are more of an offencive club than defencive (who knew) this is the real problem the only area of real strength is his passing.  If there is crticism to be levelled of Clichy’s play it is in offencive play not defencive. Frankly if we are improving our defence we should fix the centre – give Clichy a new contract and be done with it. But we won’t.

As those three rumours circulated this week the press like a bunch of sharks started trolling around. There were reports that Van Persie has said he’ll leave if Arsenal don’t sign players or talkSPORT reporting that Jack Wilshere was reportedly questioning the clubs motives and would weigh his options this summer.

Every rumour comes from some where. Given the spotty track record of the English media you can surmise that some of it comes from them trying to sell papers and create speculation. Things like Van Persie could be attributed to his new agent. If there is one player who is staying at Arsenal (and has gone on the record to say it) it is Van Persie. Other rumours start because in the newspapers the guy who writes the article isn’t necessarily the one who writes the headline. Take for instance this morning’s Daily Mirror. The shocking headline read “Nasri Set to Quit Arsenal on Monday.” When you read John Cross’ article it isn’t abut that at all. It is about that famous of all talks – crisis talks – happening. The mirror reports its Nasri wanting assurances while the Guardian says it is Wenger wanting answers. Somewhere in the middle is the truth.

I made the mistake last year of latching on to the Mark Schwarzer story and reporting every little aspect of it thinking it was going to happen. I learned some valuable lessons last summer about reporting on transfer dealings. Most importantly, do not report on anything until you see someone holding up a shirt and there is an official confirmation that it has happened.

And that is why I tell you – don’t believe what you read in the press about players coming or players going until it happens. The only statements to follow are the ones from the club.

In other news –

The Dutch Master  himself, God is inching his way further to manager status as he was announced as the new number 2 at Ajax. It will be interesting to see how Ajax play this year. Any sense of success there and no success here will only increase the rumours that a lot of people want – Dennis Bergkamp back at Arsenal.  We’ll keep an eye on it.

Jack Wilshere is embroiled in the court case stemming from last summers punch up by some friends of the Arsenal’s promising midfielder. The best part of this story obviously isn’t the case. Its another distraction the club and player don’t need. However after the Mirror decided to call “Jack Wilshire” a cocky player, Jack took to twitter and had this say:

Dear Daily Mirror….ny name is Jack WILSHERE not jack WILSHIRE….spelling correction by ‘cocky arsenal midfielder’

Okay so Jack is a rough kid and still has some growing up to do but he is still just a kid – but I love it. I’m just saying.

And finally this –

You Are My Arsenal launched our forums this week – did you know? Of course you did – I have been ranting about them non stop. Go ahead you know you want to chat over there. We have grown since the  launch – but we could use more – come over and chat at www.youaremyarsenal.com/forums

Any way that’s it for another week. The club report back and the first pre-season match is only two weeks away.

Until our next report – Stay Goonerish!!!