Tuesday 25 January 2011

My Gut Feeling Says We Won't Sign A Defender

I've got a feeling brewing in my guts and I'm sure it isn't the Peking duck from the Chinese take-away I had last night taking its revenge or the whack on the knackers I received from my pal's two-year-old either this morning.

This feeling has been growing the longer this transfer-window has gone on and I'm starting to think that maybe it has a point. As the days go by so does my hope that we sign a much needed defender.

You never know with Arsene Wenger what will happen in a transfer-window but his comments that a loan-signing would be best for Arsenal today have swayed me more to the fact we won't be bringing anyone in.

Obviously the gaffer has a more extensive scouting system than I have but I've been wracking my bonce since I saw this and I cannot for the life of me think of anyone who would be available for loan in this position.

I suppose although myself and many others think that Arsene should bring someone in at the back it's not worth getting frustrated over. There is nothing we can do but sit and wait until the window closes and see what has happened.

January transfer windows are very annoying though. You wait for it and hope that problem areas in the squad can be rectified and then you wait some more. Then some more. Then some more and finally its all done and you realise you have just spent a month looking at Arsenal websites with your eye-balls hanging out your head.

I'm just going to take some deep-breaths and not be pissed off if we haven't brought anyone in by February 1st. I'm gearing myself up to believe we won't be signing anyone so I can avoid the inevitable disappointment if we don't.

Keep It Goonerish........

Thursday 20 January 2011

I Don't Think We Are 'Gunner' Sign Gary Cahill But I Reckon Christopher Samba Could Be On The Cards

I've seen that Bolton have finally signed Middlesborough defender David Wheater.

So I suppose many people will now assume that an Arsenal move for Gary Cahill is on the cards.

I don't think it's going to happen.

For me David Wheater isn't a signing to replace Gary Cahill. The most probable player he is replacing is Andy O'Brien who left Bolton to join Leeds United permanently only recently.

Gary Cahill will cost a fortune and I don't think Arsene Wenger will spend huge money on a centre-back this January, that's even if he signs one at all.

In my opinion Wenger sees Johan Djourou and Thomas Vermaelen as his first choice pairing at the back and an injury to our Belgian pal will not alter Arsene's long-term vision for them being a partnership.

Arsene won't jeopardise his ideas will he? We've seen that in the past when Arsenal have been crying out for a signing and it hasn't happened.

The figures bandied about for Gary Cahill are between £15-20m. Can you honestly see the Arsenal gaffer spending that much on a player? Especially a defender because I certainly can't!

That's why if we actually make a defensive signing I think it will be Christopher Samba.

The Blackburn man wants out of the club so could be available, speaks French, would be a lot cheaper than Cahill, and most importantly, is proven in the EPL.

Blackburn have apparently offered Samba a new contract to try and settle him but I think he will wait until the transfer dead-line passes or until Arsenal sign someone before he decides what to do.

I'm sure Samba would jump at a move to Arsenal. I don't know if he could make the step up in level but I do know he is a solid defender who doesn't mess about.

There is no doubt that Arsene Wenger would improve him as a footballer however but it would be refreshing to see a 'no-nonsense' defender at the club. I'd argue the last one of those we had was Martin Keown.

True Christopher Samba is no super-star but when does Wenger ever sign one of those? I think the Blackburn man is the target but whether we sign anyone is debatable.

Keep It Goonerish.........

Sunday 16 January 2011

They Can't Remain Unbeaten All Season Can They? CAN THEY?!

I gotta admit I'm starting to shit myself a little bit here. I'm getting a tincey wincey bit nervous.

Watching Manchester United grind out a goal-less draw with Spurs today had me thinking, it had me thinking something bad. What I was thinking of was horrendous, more horrendous than the jumper my Nan lovingly knitted me for Christmas.

What was going through my mind might upset you, it may even scare you, you might want to look away for it could scar you for life.

I've tried knocking my head against a wall to remove this thought from my brain but alas it remains and the wall is battered. Are you ready for this monstrosity? Are you ready for this sick thought?

Could Manchester United remain unbeaten for the season? Could they do what we did? Be Invincible over a campaign?

The thought sends shivers down my spine but it is a realistic possibility.

United are more notorious than Biggy Smalls for becoming a stronger force in the second half of the season and they haven't seemed to have hit top gear yet. But they remain unbeaten!

That said they could go unbeaten and not actually win the league, it is that tight at the top of the table.

Luckily they have a lot of hard games to play, including playing us at the Emirates so it will prove to very difficult for them to equal our fantastic achievement but it is achievable none the less.

I hate the thought that they might do what we did. That is our fame to claim. We are the Invincibles, not them.

The image of Fergie with that bright red nose crowing over the fact they can claim to be invincible too, sickens me. It sickens me more than vomit.

They can't do it can they?

Keep it Goonerish.........


Sunday 9 January 2011

Barcelona Striker Lionel Messi Agrees To Join Arsenal On Five-Year Deal - Report

Lionel Messi has agreed to leave Barcelona for Arsenal and will move to the Emirates Stadium in the summer.

The Sunday Bullshit claims the Argentine international will don the famous red and white shirt next season after agreeing a deal with the North London giants.

The 23-year-old will also be given the number 100 jersey and is expected to pen a twenty year deal until June 2031.

However, Arsenal will have to negotiate a transfer with Barcelona who would be resistant to a move.

But, £10.74 and a packet of Pickled Onion flavour Monster Munch could be enough to convince L'equip Blaugrana into parting company with their man.

Keep It Goonerish.........

Thursday 6 January 2011

Roberto Mancini Has Just Killed Your Poxy Excuses And Mugged You Off!

If a team assembled together at a cost totalling over a trillion pounds, 1973 pure gold bars, 45 Ruby's, a diamond mine and a sack of potatoes come to you and play pure lock-down tactics then I think they are paying you the ultimate compliment.

Its either that or the club has an Italian manager in charge.

Of course its easy for us to mock Manchester City for coming to the Emirates with such a negative attitude but the truth is they came for that 0-0 result and that is what they have achieved.

I prefer to mock them with the fact that they have long grumbled about only having ten men when we whopped their rich asses 3-0 at the Eastlands earlier this season. Excuses, excuses in my book.

This time the match began and ended with an even amount of players on the pitch but still they couldn't defeat us. So that argument is done. They can no longer try to use the excuse of only having ten men in that loss.

City had eleven players until the final minute and despite this numerical fact their supporters have completely embarrassed themselves because Mancini has shown that even with an equal number of players on the pitch, he will do just whatever possible to avoid defeat.

Despite Manchester City's obvious lack of ambition, Arsenal showed the complete opposite and were very unlucky not to have won the game. On the other hand lady luck smiled on the Sky Blues all night, so much so, you would thought they were shagging her. If they had managed to have signed John Terry the other summer then they probably would be.

I thought Arsenal were excellent last night. So excellent in fact I could waiver the fact we only picked up a point when on another day it would have been three. Look at it like this, had a genie or Mystic Meg came to you in the summer and said these very words; "You will take 4 points from Manchester City this campaign" you would be happy right? I would have bitten her hand off there and then.

On that note its quite obvious how far they have come and that they are serious title contenders this season. Whether you like it or not, City are here to stay even if it means parking that big blue bus at every ground this season.

Arsenal too are very much in the title race and the signs are that the squad is beginning to believe it. Of course they will be frustrated at not winning last night but believe me if we perform like that for the rest of the season we have a great chance of winning the league.

Talking about Manchester City I have to add this. Until this sudden influx of Arabian cash came flooding in like a flock of mice who have spied a cheese sandwich I found Manchester City fans quite charming. I actually liked the fact they were humble but I'm afraid now some of this cash richness has gone to their swedes.

I remember the same happened to Chelsea fans (although Chelsea fans have always been arrogant). They began to think they were a huge club straight away and demanded to be cast in the same league as the elite. They became very arrogant.

I would hope that City fans wouldn't do the same. Use the example of Chelsea and do the exact same opposite. Yes you struck gold but be humble with it, and endear yourselves to people like you used too.

Other clubs supporters are not jealous of you and all your green, we just don't like it to rubbed in our noses every five minutes. Manchester City are more loaded than an AK47 or Amy Winehouse after visit to the bogs, we know that, but we don't need to be reminded of it.

Keep It Goonerish.................

Tuesday 4 January 2011

Lets Just Hope That The Manchester City Squad Don't Start Liking Each Other!

How many bust-ups has Roberto Mancini had to deal with in his time at Manchester City? I stopped counting at 3421.

It seems every week that the Italian has to deal with yet another spat between his players. To me it appears there are too many big time charlies at Eastlands with massive egos.

Emmanuel Adebayor probably has the biggest opinion on himself on this planet. I'm sure this is a humongous reason why Arsene Wenger snatched up the £25m for him offered by City.

The Togolese man has to decide whether he wants to box his team-mates or play football with them. I see today he has had another tear-up, this time with another former Gunner Kolo Toure.

Now Kolo is a very mild-mannered player and peaceful person. We saw that in all his years with us, so for him to decide that he wants to be Rocky for 5 minutes says a lot about the tension up at Manchester.

It's not in Kolo's nature to act this way, especially towards a team-mate, so I blame Adebayor. The man is a pure liability, despite having ability, and having someone like him in the squad is bound to cause serious grief.

Looking at the amount of arguments and bare-knuckle fighting going on at Manchester City tells me that things aren't all rosy behind the scenes at the club. Despite this they sit third in the table and I think Mancini is doing a good job there.

People say it's good to have feisty players and that a little bit of fighting between players is better than having a group of softies but I don't 100% agree with that. Of course you want winners but surely its better to have a bunch of players who get on?

You sense that with the Arsenal players. Arsene Wenger has had this squad together for a while now and its clear that they all get on. There is plenty of harmony within the Arsenal ranks, something that clearly isn't there at City.

That's why I think Mancini is going a good job keeping Manchester City in the title race. It must be hard trying to keep on top of several egotistic footballers desperate to be the number one player at the club.

Its easy to say that the players are professionals and a few disagreements shouldn't affect performances on the pitch but in the end I think it will tell. I can honestly see Manchester City self-destructing this season.

At the moment they are challenging for honours so these minor boxing matches can be overlooked but there could be a moment things take a turn for the worst and I can vision a Royal Rumble at the City of Manchester that not even Hulk Hogan could referee.

If the City squad actually began to like each other like Arsenal's do then the rest of the Premiership would probably be in serious trouble. You can say all you want about them spending more money than Elton John does on flowers, in my opinion they have the most talented squad in the league.

Luckily for the rest of us they don't seem to like each other much so a melt-down of extra-large proportions is most likely to be round the corner. We of course can take advantage of that, especially tomorrow at the Emirates. Maybe that is where the spectacular fall-out begins.

Keep It Goonerish..............

Monday 3 January 2011

Could FC Barcelona Cope In The Barclays Premier League? I Don't Think So!

Ever since Arsenal were drawn against FC Barcelona in the Champions League people have said that we are on a hiding to nothing and that it will be like men against boys.

Pretty much everyone on this Earth, and their dog, believes that it is simply a formality that Barcelona will crush us. We will be destroyed, or if you like, Barcered.

In fact, we might be Barcered so bad, that it could be an embarrassment.

Luckily I don't follow this herd. Of course I know it will the hardest test we come up against this season. Barcelona ARE the best team in the world but the best team in the world doesn't always win. The law of averages won't allow it.

Who knows? When the time comes around to play these beasts of football they might not look so good. They could be out of sorts, whereas we could be liquorice allsorts, I mean, bang-in-form.

Football is a funny ol' game of sorts.

Of course Barcelona against English teams over two-legs can look superior but how would they cope with the rigours of the Barclays Premier League week-in week-out like we do?

Teams kick the shit out of Arsenal in most games, that is a scientific fact, and I often wonder how Barcelona would deal with playing against sides determined not to be taken the piss out of all the time.

Could you imagine Barcelona having to play away, in winter, in consecutive games at grounds like Ewood Park and the Britannia Stadium? Imagine how Carles Puyol and the like would deal with a 100 yard throw-in by Rory Delap or Christopher Samba in your face for 90 minutes?

Don't get me wrong, I believe Barcelona are mustard but I don't think they could handle the English Premier League every week.

A lot of people think that the standard of the English league has dropped slightly. Maybe in regards to the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea this is true. However the other clubs in the division have improved hugely, more hugely than Frank Lampard's arse over Christmas.

The Spanish league is lovely to watch but seriously, in my opinion, it is a glorified Scottish League in truth. I mean no disrespect to the Scot's but they know the truth. The SPL is a poor league and of course the standard in La Liga is higher than that but you can predict the top two every year.

I don't think that Barcelona could walk away with the title in England like they do in Spain. Of course they would challenge for it but I would love to see how they would cope in our league over a season.

I love the way they play football and could watch them all day long. Could they do that week-in week-out though with teams beating the granny of out them?

Keep It Goonerish...........