Sunday 17 July 2011

Pre-season continues as Arsenal leave Asia

So the week draws to a close as does our pre-season tour of Asia. It ended yesterday with a 1-1 draw with Hangzhou Greentown, yeah bothered. To be frank it doesn't matter what pre-season results are its just a way of improve fitness and trying to build a fan base. Vela scored with his second of the pre-season campaign so to speak. I must say top marks to the fans that turned out to greet the team and watch them play from what I saw and heard it was tremendous which has shown that the Arsenal brand is certainly popular. 



Anyway onto transfer talk and well, there hasn't been a lot so to speak apart from Mancini and Wenger having a bitch at each other. With respect to Wenger to I see what he says, Mancini saying he's hoping to have Nasri by the end of the week is pretty disrespectful but at the end of the day Wenger can do as he pleases with Nasri. If he really wants to keep him then he can and from what he was saying the during the week he fully intends too. I'm still torn at the moment as to what I think we should do. Theres no doubt he's good but if he doesn't want to sign a new contract then is it worth keeping him for this season when he'll leave next summer on a free? I'm not so sure it is, but I'm not a Premier League manager.

Not a lot coming out of Spain this week except one piece found by the arseblogger where Johan Cruyff has come out and said:

Arsene Wenger looks after their interests and it is Arsenal who control the situation. Cesc signed for many years and now he has to play for them. If Barcelona want him, they have to pay for him.
When you sign for a club, you are bound to it. It is logical to want Cesc but he is under contract to another club.
Which is exactly what everyone is thinking. Whether or not Barcelona will do this is a totally different question. After chatting with a few friends the other day they weren't entirely sure whether Barca will make another bid and I'm inclined to agree. Although their team mates find it funny to wind Arsenal fans up (Xavi, you two bob piece of shit), I don't think Cesc is at the top of their Christmas list at this current moment and since we've asked for more than what they offered they seem to have other plans.
 

The usual stuff from The Mail about how Juan Mata is ours and the deal has been done and so on. As much as I'd like to believe that I doubt it. Apparently we've also signed "Costa Rican kid", Joel Campbell (yes that really is his name) can't say much on this one cause I don't know much about him, I saw that he was a striker and lost interest. No further news on Samba, Cahill, there is a long way to go but I can't help but feel that if anything was going to move on this front then it would have done but only time will tell.



Finally some good news on players going out. It has been mentioned (ESPN) that Denilson may be on his way to Sao Paulo, admittedly a loan move but fuck it at least he wont be shitting up our squad. Whispers on the grapevine are that a deal between "a German club" and Bendtner will begin this week now this is by no means a solid source so take that one with a pinch of salt.

Anyone thats about it for now, should anything happen then I will keep you posted. Next weeks regular post may be a bit late as I'm on hols for a few weeks and after having my seat kicked to shit on a plane for 9 hours doesn't put me in the mood to write a post so yeah. Time to watch the end of the golf. Well lets face it theres fuck all else on.