Wengerball

This is all over the place, with his official website claiming the player has signed, one thing is for certain Nasri can’t wait to join up.

So why the flip flopping? I don’t know but there are a few theories going around. Meanwhile youngguns has some info on the website manager.

I just seems to me that someone is quite eager to make the announcement but the clubs would rather they broke the news.

As I’ve said before I am quite happy to get Samir, but I am not entirely over the moon with our current defensive lineup.

Though wenger quotes indicates that he isn’t looking for a defender, I am holding on to the belief that he is just trying to put people off the scent and he will bring in at least another Sagna.

Just as Toure was abyssmal in Ghana, so to our inspired captain was atrocious at the Euros. I truly hope that Toure and Gallas are simply exhausted and with France going home early the will get some rest and be refreshed for next season.

I know, Casillas deserves all the praise for his saves, both during the shootout and in the game. Now that’s out of the way, can anyone deny the difference that Cesc made once introduced to the game.

The difference in the Spanish team was noticeable. For all the spanish shouts that Cesc is too English of a midfielder, that was exactly what Spain needed. More directness. And the balls of steel to calmly slot home the most pressured of penalties.

With all the FUD going around this transfer season, let’s not forget the diamond we have called Francesc Fabregas.

Whatever we do Cesc is the one the team must be built around. I for one think the current Squad needs little addition to. And Arshavin is not on my list of must have players, I don’t think we could get him anyway. A player who has caught my attention is Chellini, an excellent centre half. A very good reader of the game, always in the right position and never gets caught out. I would be over the moon if we could get him.

Lots of rumour and conjecture about Ade, I don’t mind let Milan and Barca fight over him. While I’m a big fan of the Togonator and would love for him to stay, a bid of £30m would be too good to for Wenger to turn down. We can get another player in his place, and I think Bendtner can do the job.

What do you think?

Our summer transfer dealings will be affected be what happens with Hleb. It will make a difference if he leaves, and how much we get for him. The ideal situation would be to get more than £15m for him, I am however doubtful that will happen.

His 3 seasons here has graced us with delightful entertainment coupled with a frustrating lack of end product, think Ronaldo first 2 seasons at Manchester. Whilst everyone will agree that he is a special talent, part of his speciality is his phobia of taking a shot at goal. The player himself admits the problem.

If we can get a good transfer fee for him it will have to be reinvested immediately into someone who can affect our games. The current player in vogue is Andrei Arshavin of Zenith St. Petersburg, and if the Telegraph is to be believed we are targeting him.

I cannot claim to be an expert on the player as I’ve only seen him play about 5 times and he does look very impressive, but I don’t believe that £10m will be enough to prise him from Zenith. These russian teams are knee deep is cash and players are very well compensated.

Getting him to sign for us would probably be equal to Ronaldo leaving Man U for Villareal. The only reason he would leave is to be able to play a higher level of football, but financially we can’t compete.

Filed under fiction

• Barca bids £22m for Ade - only £22m! I’m sure they can do better than that.
• Nasri Agrees to Arsenal contract - I didn’t see that one coming.
• Arsenal and Sp*rs in a tussle for Podolski - No contest there.

That’s my bit for today, post your thoughts.

Not much going on anywhere. There’s nothing new to be learnt from the EURO 2008 so far, no one really stands out. The papers touting the usual crap, agents making the usual noises. Nothing new.

If anything let me point you to this great take on the Hleb situation, very well put by Myles.

And on our friendly neighbours. Felipe Scolari is no doubt a good coach but anyone who thinks he will bring flair and style to Chelsea is sadly mistaken. Scolari gave us the most dreary Brazilian team ever, he won the world cup by sucking the style and flair out of Brazil and adding steel and power something Chelsea has in abundance.

I can understand why Wenger is not in a hurry to sign Nasri. If you listen to the manager since the end of the season he’s constantly highlighting our defensive failings. This makes total sense, we don’t have much of a problem at the other end of the field, and if we want to win everything next season then we have to improve our defence.

It would be a coup to welcome a signing in the mould of Sagna (who have signed a new contract). Someone who can come in and have an immediate impact on the team. A player who can at the very least have Gallas and Toure worried about their position in the starting 11. It will give them the necessary kick up the arse they need.
Ian Wright is now lamenting the decision of Shaun Wright-Phillips to join Chelsea. I say you sow what you reap, everyone and his dog knew that Chelsea was the wrong club for Shaun. I’m a bit suprised by their motivations

“You have to understand, other clubs had come out of the bidding at £14m and £15m when we know that in a proper market - without any of this over inflated stuff - Shaun would have gone for about £10m max. The fee ended up at £21m and they were the champions.

“So when he was going there we were all absolutely over the moon.

“We were thinking: ‘Wow! They really want him, look at how much they paid for him!’

Come on Wrighty, Chelsea would have paid £30m to prevent Arsenal, or ManU gettin him, that doesn’t mean they wanted him that much. Wrighty quotes shows the greed and avarice going on in today’s football, admitting that Shaun was worth no more than £10m. Yet these are the same people shouting about Arsenal lacking funds.

On the topic of money, you must wonder what is going on in the minds of footballers, or rather the minds of the football commenters. How can ManU get Patrice Evra to sign for £55k yet Arsenal is cheapskates for not offering Flamini more than £60k. Either Evra is undervalued by ManU or we have unrealistic expectations of players worth egged on by the greed of the agents, and the desperation of the media.

That’s all for now, hopefully we will have something interesting happen soon