Gunners Are A Go For Grenier

Flying off to Arsenal: Wenger's first signing?

Clement Grenier is the latest of a string of names to be linked with Arsenal. The talented French play-maker, who plys his trade for Lyon, has one year remaining on his contract and is expected to move on. Speaking on the French programme Telefoot, Wenger said 'We are following him. His intelligence of play pleases me. He has interesting qualities. He reminds me of Nasri.'

It is unlike Wenger to make such a strong comments about a player. It either means two things in my opinion.

1) We are in advanced talks with Grenier and Wenger does not fear mentioning his name as he knows it is not possible for anyone to hijack the deal.

or

2) Wenger is not actually interested in Grenier and he is merely a smoke screen for other targets; indeed this is a technique Wenger has often employed in the transfer market.

Having watched Grenier a few times I most likely think that the correct scenario is option 1. Grenier is a typical Wenger player. He is neat and tidy on the ball, while also possessing strong physical attributes. Like Nasri and Fabregas, two players Wenger likened the Lyon player too, Grenier has the skill to unlock the tightest of defences. He is also a free kick specialist, indeed in the last two weekends he has scored two absolute screamers. Such stunning free kicks have lead people to dub him 'the Little Juniniho', naming him after the Brazilian maestro who was so successful at Lyon. Grenier has been Lyon's star performer this season and anyone who watched him play against Spurs will be able to back this claim up.

This season however could have been so different for Grenier. Last summer Lyon were looking to offload the 22 year old, with clubs like Nice touted as possible destination. However no move came to light and Grenier was instead given his opportunity in the first team, and boy did he take his chance.

Now Lyon are in the embarrassing situation where Grenier has a solitary year left on his contract. Understandably they want him to stay, but his loyalty to the club has certainly diminished - how could he forget that they wanted to sell him just 12 months ago. For this reason Lyon have to sell Grenier, or risk losing him on a free.

Although the Lyon President has come out and said Grenier's value is equal to that of Mario Gotze, I expect him to depart Ligue 1 for a fee of around £12 million. This would be somewhat of a coup for Wenger and it would provide us with a player who could take some of the weight of responsibility off Santi Cazorla, it would provide us a player who could become a world beater.

Comments and views welcome,

Come on you Gooners!

The Great Goalkeeper Debate

Will Szczesny be Arsenal number 1 next year?

It has been a problem for the Arsenal since Jens Lehmann left the club in 2008. Since then we have struggled to find a new permanent number 1. While I have no doubt that Wojciech Szczesny will eventually become Arsenal's number 1 and a club legend, I believe that right now we require someone else to man the posts. Szczesny needs someone to challenge and mentor him because right now he is under no real threat for his place. Indeed we saw that after he lost his place to Fabianski towards the end of the season, he came back fighting and produced his best performances. If he had this level of competition consistently then I don't doubt we would see his best performances.

In this post I shall look at the options open to Wenger and decided who he should go for this summer.


Name - Asmir Begovic
Club - Stoke City
Fee - £12 to 15 million

Begovic has quickly become one of the best goalkeepers in the league after producing some stunning performances for Stoke. His powerful frame means he has supreme command of his area and he is ability to pluck crosses out of the air is superb. The Bosnian is also a brilliant shot-stopper and more often than not it is his efforts which led to another clean sheet for Pulis' men. Wenger is a known admirer of Begovic and at just 25 he would provide long term competition for Szczesny. Oddly though I feel Begovic's age may put Wenger off. If Arsene does see Wojciech as our future number 1, then signing someone of 25 seems an illogical choice. I get the feeling that Wenger would prefer someone around the age of 30, someone who could provide competition for Szczesny but also be a mentor. Having said that there is no denying Begovic's talent and Wenger may feel that he cannot afford to miss out on such a talented 'keeper.


Name - Simon Mignolet
Club - Sunderland
Fee - £10 million

Since joining the Black Cats in 2010 Simon Mignolet has been nothing short of a revelation. At a fee of just £2 million he is also one of the best bargains in recent years. Indeed Sunderland were not the only suitors interested in the Belgian shot-stopper, Udinese, PSV and FC Twente were all also said to be keen on acquiring his services. Sunderland however pipped the lot of them and in doing so they secured a very talented goalkeeper. With just two years remaining on his contract it now appears that Mignolet is looking to step up to the next level. Like Begovic he is just 25 and would provide serious competition for the number shirt 1. Of all our targets Mignolet has been the one who's name has never disappeared from the papers, suggesting that he maybe at the top of Wenger's shopping list.


Name - Rene Adler
Club - Hamburg
Fee - £6 to 8 million

The German is another goalkeeper with an outstanding pedigree. 5 years ago he was named German goalkeeper of the year and he would have been Germany's first choice 'keeper for the 2010 World Cup, but unfortunately a hip injury denied him of that opportunity.The Hamburg number 1 has been sending mixed messages about whether he would be open to a move to Arsenal or not. Originally he came out saying, "For any player it is an honour to be linked with Arsenal. It is something that inspires me even more, and it is not distracting me." The introduction of Adler would provide some serious competition for the number 1 spot. Also at 28 Adler would bring some much needed experience to the role, something Szczesny is currently lacking in my opinion. In terms of a fee, Adler would be a much cheaper option to alternatives available in the Premier League As Hamburg signed him on a free it is speculated Hamburg would let Adler go for around £8 million, about half the price of someone like Asmir Begovic.


Name - Julio Cesar
Club - QPR
Fee - £2 to 4 million

Eyebrows were certainly raised when Julio Cesar signed for QPR last summer. Just three years ago Cesar was a key part of an Inter Milan side which won the Champions League, now he plays for a Championship side. This is by no means to say that Cesar is not a top quality goalkeeper any more, far from it. In a season of turmoil for the London club Cesar was a beacon of a hope, a bright spark in a otherwise damp and dull campaign. At 33 years old he is the most senior of Wenger's summer targets, but I think this is something Arsene may see as a positive. Cesar only has 3 or 4 more seasons in him and during this time he would bring stability to the goalkeeping position, whilst also tutoring Szczesny. The experience and knowledge he could pass onto the Pole would be invaluable and I think it would really help him grow as a player. In 3 years time Szczesny would then be around 27, the perfect age to become Arsenal's number 1 and a legend at the club.

Verdict - I would go for Julio Cesar on the basis that his age and fee make him an attractive proposition for the club. Cesar could provide some short term competition for Szczesny, whilst also being a mentor to him.

Who would you sign as our new goalkeeper?

Many thanks,

Come on you Gooners!

Forget Who's Coming In, Who's Going Out!

'Au revoir' - Who is Wenger saying goodbye to?

Unsurprisingly all the talk in recent weeks has been on who may be coming into the club. In this post however, I shall be taking a look at some players who may well be off in the summer. It has been speculated that as many as 16 players may leave the club, this does include academy players to though. For this reason I have selected 5 high profile members of the squad who's departure could free up some wages for the club and allow Arsene to spend big.


Name - Andrei Arshavin
Fee - Free
Possible Destinations - Zenit, Reading, The Middle East and Retirement

One player who is certainly on his way out is Andrei Arshavin. The Russian play-maker has played just 15 minutes since January, a clear indication of how far he has fallen down the pecking order at Arsenal. Having been signed by the club for a record fee, many had hoped that Arshavin would become a club legend. He has produced some world class performances, I myself will always remember that magical night at Anfield when the Russian found the net 4 times. However his honeymoon period with the club was short and his form dipped dramatically. He seemed unable to cope with the physicality and pace of the Premier League, a problem which was worsened by Wenger moving him out wide. As for where he may end up, it has been speculated that he may return to Zenit, or that he may even retire from the game all together.


Name - Sebastien Squillaci
Fee - Free
Possible Destinations - Anyone of a number of French sides

In my last post I voted Sebastien Squillaci as our worst player of the season. He has without doubt been one of our worst buys for sometime. He cost the club around £4 million pounds, meaning he cost around £170,000 per game - that's without adding on his wages. The Frenchman never looked like a player who could add genuine quality to our squad and I get the impression he was somewhat of a panic buy by Wenger. Squillaci was a cheap option and he was essentially bought to be a fourth choice centre half. The Frenchman was unwilling to move last summer, most likely because no one else would pay his reported £50,000 a week wages. Thankfully he is out of contract in the summer and it is expected that he will return to France.


Name - Nicklas Bendtner
Fee - £5 to 6 million
Possible Destinations - Turkey or Germany

At the age of just 18 Nicklas Bendtner claimed he was going to be top scorer at the 2010 World Cup and also one of Europe's top marksmen in the Premier League. Since that outrageous comment neither of these bold claims have come true. It is comments like that which best sum up Bendtner. I cannot think of any player who has more confidence, confidence which is board line arrogance, than the big Dane. Wenger seems to have given up on Nicklas all together, with the striker being loaned out to Juventus last season. Coming through the ranks Bendtner looked like a talented prospect, he was able to utilise his height and strength, making him a nightmare for opposing defences. However it appears that his attitude, so often the flaw of many players, has left him down. It has been reported that a number of German and Turkish clubs are interested in Bendtner meaning that I doubt he will be with us for much longer.


Name - Gervinho
Fee - £8 to 10 million
Possible Destinations - Lille and Lyon

This is once such rumour which has only come to light in the past few days. I am not too sure that it is a transfer that would happen as I get the impression that Wenger still values Gervinho as a very useful squad player. Having said that if Lille or Lyon were to come in with an offer of around £10 million I think the club would certainly consider it. During his 2 years at the club the Ivorian has hardly set the place on fire, in reality he has been the brunt of much criticism from our fans. Wenger normally gives a player two years to show his worth as more often that not it takes a year for a player to adjust to the English game. Gervinho has had those two years and although I believe Wenger seems him as a useful squad player, I think his resolve may be tested if he could receive an 8 figure sum for the winger.

Name - Bacary Sagna
Fee - £7 to 9 million
Possible Destinations - PSG and Monaco

I have the feeling this could be a transfer saga which rumbles on all summer. Bac has only one year left on his current deal and it has been reported that he is unwilling to sign just a one year extension, preferring the option of a further 2 seasons. If a solution cannot be found then the club will be forced to sell Sagna. I personally do not think this would be a terrible loss. In recent months Bac's form has dropped significantly and he has arguably not deserved to keep his place in the side. The feelings I have at the moment remind me of when we sold Clichy. I was not terribly upset to see Gael go. Yes he was a good player for us but he had grown complacent and the emergence of Kieran Gibbs meant he was not as indispensable as before. The same goes for Sagna. The emergence of Carl Jenkinson makes me think we could cope without the Frenchman, while his departure would also provide us with funds to find a replacement. Having said that Bacary has been a loyal servant and it would still be sad to see him go.


So that concludes this post. Who do you think we should sell and why?

Many thanks,

Come on you Gooners!

End Of Season Review

The season is finally over. After a campaign of highs and lows, mainly lows, we can now finally reflect on the previous 12 months. In this post we will take a look back at the season and answer some common questions, such as Player of the Season.


Best Signing - Santi Cazorla

For me this was the first summer for a long time that Arsene really spent well. Had the three signings brought in been additions and not replacements, then I think we would have been pressing for second or third. Of the trio of new arrivals Santi has undoubtedly been the best. The diminutive Spaniard has produced some stunning performances, in particular his performance against Spurs at home was a joy to behold. Despite being moved out wide towards the latter half of the season the play-maker never complained, always giving his all for the cause of the team. In terms of effort and levels of performance he has been one of our players of the season and I expect him to kick on to new levels next season.


Best Performance - v Spurs

There's nothing sweeter than beating your rivals and beating them 5-2 for the second season running makes it even better. After going one nil down to an Adebayor goal I feared the worst, however the game changed when the Togo striker idiotically got himself sent off. This gave us the motivation to kick on and dismantle our local rivals. All three of our new signings also got on the score sheet and it was match which demonstrated that our team was finally beginning to gel. We have not lost at home to Spurs for years and had we done so at that point in the season, the campaign could have turned out very differently.


Best Player - Laurent Koscielny

This has been very much a coming of age season for the French centre half. He began the season as the third choice centre back, behind the pairing of Per and Vermaelen. Now he is one of the first names on the team sheet. The turning point for Laurent was his performance against Bayern at the Allianz. His efforts ensured the side kept a clean sheet against arguably the best side in Europe in their own back yard. Since then he has been nothing short of sensational, with his performances earning him praise from pundits and players a like. It summed up how great a season he had that he was the player to score the winner against Newcastle on Sunday. Unsurprisingly rumours have it that a few clubs are sniffing around Kos so the club will have to work hard to keep their star man.


Worst Player - Sébastien Squillaci

The easiest decision I have ever had to make. He made just the one appearance in a pointless Champions League came when qualification had already been secured. In his three years with the club he has made just 23 appearances, a horrendous return on a £4 million pound investment. Thankfully his contract expires this summer and we can finally be rid of him.


Worst Performance - v Bradford

One of the darkest moments of the season and Wenger's reign. Victory over Bradford would have secured a semi final berth against Aston Villa, however we fell to the League 2 side over a penalty shoot out. In reality the game should have been finished within ninety minutes, once again Gervinho lacked any composure in front of goal and his misses cost us dearly. I understand people saying that the Carling Cup isn't important but the opportunity to win a trophy is something we should not pass up. Indeed we certainly should not be bowing out of cup competitions to teams like Bradford.


So a mixed season but one I believe we can take a lot of positives from. After January, once our squad had finally gelled, we seemed to show our best form. If we keep these group of players together and add to them then I firmly believe we can produce a strong showing next season.

Many thanks,

Come on you Gooners!

We Signed Yaya.......Sanogo Not Toure

He was the number one trend on twitter in the UK yesterday and the sixth worldwide, yet 48 hours ago we had never heard of him. In classic Wenger fashion we were all surprised by his first dip into the transfer market. So in this post I am going to tell you a little more about our first signing.

Yaya Sanogo is probably best known by players of the Football Manager series, in which the young Frenchman develops into a world class striker. If the same development happens in real life all Arsenal fans will be very, very happy! But just because someone is good on Football Manager does not mean they will be a world beater in real life, just Google 'Cherno Samba Championship Manager' and you'll see what I mean.

That'd being said Sanogo really is a talented youngster. He is tall, quick and strong - three key attributes for succeeding in the Premier League. Think Didier Drogba or Romelu Lukaku and you are on the right lines. Sanogo's immense strength means he is able to hold up the ball, but the fact he also possesses blistering pace enables him to also roll his marker and surge towards the goal.

Sanogo's break through year would have been much earlier had it not been for a serious injury. In 2010 the youngster suffered a double leg break for Auxerre Reserves. It left him sidelined for almost 18 months and undoubtedly slowed his development down.

Sanogo finally returned to action in December 2012 and began to rekindle his best form. He netted on his return to the first team against Niort. Shortly after he netted seven goals in two games, showing that he was clearly a player with outstanding potential.

To date Sanogo has a goal scoring record of 16 goals in 24 games and a goals to minutes ratio of 89 minutes. This is all very impressive for a 20 year old, but here is a much scarier statistic. That is over a period of 4 years. 4 years! In the last three seasons Sanogo has only managed just seven league starts, a worrying thought.

Without doubt Sanogo is a very talented player and he will certainly provide depth to our squad. I am certain we will go in for another striker, but Sanogo provides us with some much needed cover for a position which has been understaffed this season.

The key for Arsene Wenger will be whether he can keep Yaya fit. We all remember how promising a player Abou Diaby looked, but if Sanogo gets plagued by injuries in the way he did, then he may struggle to fulfil his potential.

Comments welcome,

Come on you Gooners!

Summer Targets: Rene Adler

A goalkeeper is apparently high on Wenger's shopping list this summer and Rene Adler is supposedly very near the top of that list. The German shot stopper has been impressive form for Hamburg this season, having moved there last summer on a free transfer from fellow Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen.

Adler's goalkeeping pedigree is undeniable. In 2008 he was named German goalkeeper of the year and he would have been Germany's first choice 'keeper for the 2010 World Cup, but unfortunately a hip injury denied him of that opportunity.

The German has been sending mixed messages about whether he would be open to a move to Arsenal or not. Originally he came out saying, "For any player it is an honour to be linked with Arsenal. It is something that inspires me even more, and it is not distracting me."

However more recently he has been quoted as stating "I am under contract with Hamburg, that is a fact. I can say that I have not thought about leaving or considered a transfer since I joined Hamburg."

As you can see, very mixed messages. What I imagine has happened is that after Adler's initial comments he has been forced by Hamburg to curb his words. I think he would certainly be open to a move to Arsenal but if a player states that he wants to leave, it admittedly drives his price down as potential suitors now know that he is unhappy and the club may have to sell.

In recent weeks Wojciech Szczesny's rejuvenation in form has led people to question whether we need a new goalkeeper or not. In my opinion we definitely do. Without doubt Wojciech's return to form was brought about by Wenger dropping the Polish number 1. Until then Szczesny had been under no competition for his place, something which had caused him to become complacent and make silly errors.

The introduction of Adler would provide some serious competition for the number 1 spot. Also at 28 Adler would bring some much needed experience to the role, something Szczesny is currently lacking in my opinion.

In terms of a fee, Adler would be a much cheaper option to alternatives available in the Premier League  As Hamburg signed him on a free it is speculated Hamburg would let Adler go for around £8 million, about half the price of someone like Simon Mignolet.

So, I think Rene Adler would be a brilliant addition to our squad. He would provide serious competition for the goalkeeper's jersey, something we haven't had for years.

Thanks for reading guys, please share this article.

Come on you Gooners!

1 Down, 1 To Go

So the task of securing Champions League football is almost complete. The win on Tuesday night against Wigan means that if we beat Newcastle on Sunday we will be in the top four, something which seemed highly unlikely when you consider we were 10 points off Spurs with 10 games to go.

The match against Wigan played out in a predictable manner. Wigan, buoyed by their cup final success, were competitive for the first 60 minutes. However as expected their legs began to tire around the hour mark and unsurprisingly we capitalised. With a 10 day break behind us we looked by far the fresher side, and it really did show in the closing stages of the game. Wigan on the other hand looked dead on the feet, indeed it was the same 11 which started the cup final for the Latics - something that was clearly evident.

So with Wigan now out the way our attention now turns to Newcastle. Our victory over Roberto Martinez's men now means that the Geordies are safe for another season and have nothing to play for on Sunday. It is the same case for Spurs' opposition, Sunderland, who were also guaranteed safety following Wigan's 4-1 loss.

That being said I still expect the Newcastle game to be a tough affair. Our recent record there shows how difficult a place it can be to go. We have won just one out of our last five visits there, admittedly those other four results were draws, but a point may not be enough come Sunday.

In terms of how we approach the game, I think we have to go at Newcastle in the first 15 minutes or so. I highly doubt Spurs to drop points at home to Sunderland and for that reason it is paramount that we get 3 points against the Toon Army. With safety secured I predict Newcastle will be slow out of the blocks, their minds already drifting towards their summer holidays. If we can come out in that first half an hour and go two goals up, the game will be over.

As far as selection goes, I would keep the same side. I know Giroud is available for selection again but Poldi netted twice on Tuesday, so Wenger would be hard pushed to drop him. I just think he has to go with the same side on Sunday in order to keep the momentum going within the side.

Anyway that is all for today. Like everyone else I am counting the hours till Sunday, its going to be epic!

Comments welcome,

Come on you Gooners!

Benteke to Arsenal?

Christian Benteke has been nothing short of a revelation this year. The Belgian has found the net no fewer than 23 times this season, with 19 of those coming in the league. If it had not been for the impressive form of Gareth Bale than Benteke would have been hotly tipped to win the PFA Young Player of the Season.

Due to his impressive form Benteke is being linked with a whole host of clubs, even Dortmund are believed to be showing an interest, another sign that Robert Lewandowski is most likely on his way out of the club. Arsenal themselves are supposedly keen admirers of the front man and Benteke would certainly provided the Gunners with some much needed fire power.

The Belgian has previously admitted that he is big fan of the club. Indeed he is quoted as saying "Arsenal are the club I love. I like their philosophy of selecting young players and, besides, they had Thierry Henry. For me he is the best player in the world and was my boyhood idol. I'm not afraid of making enemies at Villa by saying I love Arsenal."

Benteke also added that his decision to sign for Villa was that they were the right club at the right time, and the move appears to have been a good one. By playing for the Birmingham side the striker has been able to play without the pressures of a big summer move, indeed Benteke was snapped up for a mere £7 million - a snip when you think how much players can go for in the current market.

What makes Benteke such a desired commodity is the fact that he is almost the complete forward. He plays in a similar fashion to Drogba, showcasing his extreme strength, pace and composure on a weekly basis. The last of those attributes is probably the Belgian's greatest skill - his composure  Benteke is so much more than just a big man. His composure in front of the goal is sensational for a man of just 21 years old, just look at his goal against Chelsea at the weekend.

So, clearly Benteke is a brilliant player who is destined for a big move, but could we sign him?

Realistically I think he is the best player in the market we are shopping in. We aren't in the market for the Cavani and Falcao's of this world, players who would cost well over £30 million. In reality we should be shopping for players like Benteke, individuals who demand a fee of around £20 million. In this market we should be one of the front runners, with Spurs most likely being are main rivals. For me, clubs like Manchester United, City and Chelsea will be focusing on other targets, meaning we should swoop now to secure the Belgian.

Benteke is a proven Premier League goal scorer, for a team who are near the foot of the table. For that reason he would be right at the top of my summer shopping list, even ahead of Jovetic. I just hope Wenger has similar plans.

Thoughts and views appreciated,

Come on you Gooners!

Summer Targets: Lukasz Piszczek

Today I am going to look at another one of our potential summer targets, Lukasz Piszczek. Over the weekend it was speculated that the Polish full back could be set to join the summer exodus from Dortmund, with players such as Mario Gotze and Lewandowski apparently already on their way. Given that Bacary Sagna's future is so uncertain a move to Arsenal does seem a possibility for Piszczek; although I have no doubt that there will be a host of clubs chasing the flying right back.

I personally would love to see Piszczek join our club. Since Ashley Cole left we have never really had a full back with genuine attacking ability. This used to be such a crucial aspect of our game, as the overlapping full backs would provide the width needed to stretch the opposition's back four. Without these overlapping full backs we have the tendency to get very narrow, making the job of breaking down the opposition all the more harder.

Bacary Sagna is undeniably a great defensive full back, the fact he has been in the PFA Team of the Year on two occasions highlights this point. However going forward he is just woeful. Countless times he fails to beat the first man when he finds himself in attacking positions. He just looks uncomfortable in those dangerous areas, its as though he gets nose bleed as soon as he crosses the halfway line.

Piszczek on the other hand is quite the opposite.

The Dortmund star loves to bomb forward, indeed his link up play on the right with Jakub Blaszczykowski this season has been superb. His overlapping runs cause defences all sorts of problems and this is mainly down to the fact that he is very rarely tracked. With many sides now playing a 4-2-3-1 formation it is the responsibly of one of the '3' to track the full back. However these '3' are normally made up of so called luxury players, the Oscar/Ozil/Hazard's of this world, and getting these men to track the full back can be difficult. For that reason Piszczek has been lethal for Dortmund in his rampaging runs forward.

While I would undoubtedly love him to join, Piszczek's arrival does by no means have to spell the end of Bacary Sagna. Bac has shown himself to be a great servant to the club following his arrival in the summer of 2007. I feel that due to his ageing years it is time for him to move to centre half. Against Sunderland he showed how effective he could be in this position and for this reason I would make him one of our four centre halves and save ourselves the hassle of buying another one.

This shift from full back to centre half is quite common among ageing full backs, just look like at Lillian Thuram and Eric Abidal. Both were amazing full backs, world class without question. However as they progressed in years they shifted infield and adapted their games to ensure that they prolonged their career at the top level. I would love Wenger to do the same with Bac and I think it'd be an experiment that would work.

So that would be my summer defensive plans. Bring in Piszczek as our new first choice right back and make Bac one of the four centre halves.

What do you guys think?

Thoughts and views welcome, tweet me at @goonerworld365,

Come on you Gooners!

Keep Calm....It's Wigan

So Stoke haven't done us any favours. To be honest I wasn't too hopeful, yes the Britannia is a difficult place to go but Stoke are not the beast they used to be. They seemed to have lost their physical side, perhaps in a bid to appease their fans with more 'pretty football'. So when I saw the final score was 2-1 to the scum I was disappointed but not down heartened.

What we cannot forget is that it is in our hands, something it hasn't been for a long time. If we beat the 17th and 18th teams in the league we are in the Champions League, simple. If you had said that to someone at the start of the season they'd have taken it straight away. Quite simply if we aren't good enough to win those two games then we do not deserve to be in Europe's premier competition.

With regards to Wigan, I think them wining the FA Cup may actually help us. After such a historic day for the club it is difficult to get yourself going again. After winning the FA cup final no game can really compare. So for that reason I expect Wigan to be the opposite of buoyed on Tuesday, I imagine we will see a Wigan side struggling to get going after such an emotional weekend.

To end I just want to talk about the FA Cup and its importance within the modern game. I couldn't help but feel slightly envious as I watched Wigan lift the trophy yesterday. Undoubtedly playing in the Champions League every season is amazing, but if you offered me the FA Cup and fifth would I take it? Yes. For me its all about silverware. When we look back in 20 years at our history what will say? 'Yeah that was a great side, they made the Champions League 16 years in a row'. Or will we say 'That wasn't a bad side really, they won a couple of FA Cups'. I would rather we say the latter. 

Thoughts and views appreciated,

Come on you Gooners!

Gedion Zelalem: The Next Fabregas



As is often the case with our glorious club we are never far from potentially unearthing the next big thing. In recent months one name has been constant amongst newspapers and twitter circles - Gedion Zelalem. The 16 year old is half German, half Ethiopian and has been earmarked as one for the future.

Zelalem was discovered by our very own Daniel Karbassiyoon, who is an expert on North American football. The ex-arsenal player turned scout, spotted Zelalem while scouting over in the States and instantly notified Wenger of his findings. Unsurprisingly Zelalem was swiftly offered a trial with us before joining as an academy scholar.

The star's rise to fame is slowly taking shape, with the midfielder making his under 21 debut this season against Liverpool. In the match Zelalem showed glimpses of what is to come. He is neat and tidy on the ball, but he also looks as though he can develop into a physical powerhouse; something our midfield has lacked ever since Pat left.

Gedion first caught my attention when he was selected to train with the Brazil squad prior to London 2012. This was merely an invitation from them as they were using London Colney as a camp to prepare for the tournament, however the fact they gave Zelalem the opportunity to train says a great deal.

As is always the case with youngsters we must be wary about the potential for them not to develop. Supposed stars of the future like Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, Jermaine Pennant and Arturo Lupoli, are all examples of players who excelled for the reserves but never quite cut the mustard for the first team. We also cannot escape the fact that although Zelalem is dubbed the next Cesc, Fabregas was already strutting his stuff for the first team at this point.

Recent reports claim Zelalem may join up with the first team for pre-season, with the view to maybe giving him a chance in some of the Capital One fixtures next season. If this is the case, it is clear Wenger has high hopes for the youngster and we have every right to get a little excited about what the future may hold for Gedion Zelalem.

Watch Zelalem's debut for the under 21s against Liverpool below.

Thanks for reading,

Come on you Gooners!

Rooney to Arsenal: Fact or Fiction?

No that isn't a typo, I am genuinely debating whether Wayne Rooney could join us.

12 months ago this would have seemed like absolute fantasy, a joke column in one of the papers. However right now, it doesn't seem all that unbelievable. Let's take a closer look at the issue.

Rooney, supposedly, wants to leave Manchester United. On the face of it this appears to be down to the fact that he feels he is undervalued by his current employer. This feeling has been born out of the fact that he was dropped by Ferguson for the Champions League fixture against Real Madrid. It is also possible that Rooney wants to leave over monetary issues, as was the case a few years ago when he handed in a transfer request. However for me this seems unlikely. He is already on around £250,000 per week and, in my eyes, he would struggle to get this fee matched elsewhere.

So if Rooney wants to leave because he wants to be the main main, is Arsenal really such an unbelievable destination? Say what you want about him but if Wayne Rooney joined our team he would be the best player in the squad, no question. He would be our talisman, the centre of our attacking force.

Wenger has long been an admirer of Rooney, indeed he claimed Rooney was the best 16 year old he has ever seen. This is high praise when you consider Wenger watched Jack Wilshere and Cesc Fabregas come through the ranks.

In terms of the fee being reported, around £20 to 30 million, we are now in a position to afford this. Given the new sponsorship money we have received and the supposed £70 million we have in the bank, this would apparently not be a stumbling block.

The wages however are a different matter.

To join us Rooney would have to take a significant pay cut, nearly half what he is on now. We all know about the socialist wage structure of our club and it remains to be seen whether we decided to break it this summer.

So the proposition of Rooney joining is a contentious issue. I think he would revel in being the main man for us and he could rekindle the form he showed in 2010. I would personally love such a talent at our club and hope the board attempts to sign him.

Thanks guys,

Come on the Gooners!

PS, on another note please follow me on twitter @goonerworld365 as here I will keep you up to date on the latest news. Spread the word :)

Summer Targets: Etienne Capoue

It seems every transfer window opens and we are saying the same old thing, "we need a holding midfielder". In seasons gone by it has been painfully obvious that our back four has been lacking that protection from a defensive midfielder. With this problem still yet to be addressed, it is unsurprising that once again we are linked with an array of combative midfielders. Today I'm going to discuss Etienne Capoue and decide whether he is the answer.

I must admit until January of this year I had heard very little of Capoue. His name first appeared among various twitter rumours, with many claiming that Wenger was very interested in doing a January deal for him. Following this discovery I took the classic action of frantically typing his name into Google and YouTube, hoping to learn some more about our supposed new acquisition. I even watched a few of his games for Toulouse. This turned out to be a dreadful idea......unfortunately I'd forgotten how dire Ligue 1 had become.

To cut a long story short what I found I liked, a lot.

Capoue is quite simply a phenomenal athlete. Standing at 6ft 2in he absolutely dominates the midfield with his pace and power. Watching him brought back memories of Gilberto Silva, a player I still feel we sold far too early. The Brazilian used to glide across the Highbury turf, mopping up attacks with effortless ease. Capoue is very much the same.

When he first came through at Toulouse the Frenchman lacked the finesse he now has, the fact that he picked up the most yellow cards in Ligue 1 in the 09/10 season emphasises this. However since then he has progressed and developed into a classy midfielder. He still has that physical side to his game, but he now has a composure on the ball which allows him to be the foundation of many attacks.

We have supposedly been keeping an eye on Capoue for years, something which comes as no surprise given Wenger's knowledge and love of French players. Capoue has previously stated he would be exceedingly interested in a move to us, making particular reference of his desire to play under Arsene - something which is very common amongst French players.

I would be highly surprised if we did not finally seal a move for him this summer, especially as he only has one year to run on his contract. There will of course be other clubs sniffing around his services, with the likes of Liverpool and PSG said to be interested. However I am of the belief that we would be Capoue's first choice. People seem to forget the immense pulling power Arsene Wenger has and I think Etienne Capoue would relish the opportunity to work under the Frenchman.

Thoughts and views welcome as always,

Come on the Gooners!

Whatever Happened To 4-4-2: The Invincibles

I am currently sat here watching highlights of Leeds United v Arsenal from 2004. Theirry Henry has just scored his fourth, yes that's right fourth goal, to make it five nil to the Arsenal. The performance is classical of the invincibles era; Arsenal's speed, power and strength have seen them obliterate the visitors within the hour. Watching Bayern Munich the other night I was reminded of this great Arsenal side. Like the Gunners, the Germans played at a blistering pace and with a directness no longer fancied by many of Europe's elite - with many preferring to try and emulate the tika tika of Barcelona. Well, Bayern certainly showed that the days of fast, direct and counter attacking football are by no means numbered.

Such was the pace of that Arsenal side from 2004 that they had the ability to simply blow the opposition away within the first 15 minutes. As soon as the match had begun Arsenal would be knocking on the opposition's door, hoping to make an early break through. Now it is as though we start a game by politely knocking on our opponents door, almost like a child who he has kicked his ball next door and is timidly tapping on the neighbour's front door.

So where has this Arsenal side gone? Why have we abandoned that blistering 4-4-2 that was so effective?

I admit that football has moved on. Indeed it is very difficult to begin any match with just two central midfielders, as more often than not you will find yourself out numbered. But Manchester United have shown this season that it is possible to still have success with 4-4-2, I mean they won the title with it! Yes from time to time Fergie would change the system, especially for European nights, but the majority of Manchester United's victories were achieved while playing 4-4-2.

So why have we abandoned it?

Following the dismantling of the invincibles (something which occurred far to early in my opinion, but that's for another post), surely Wenger should have looked to replicate his new side in a similar mould?

Fergie, who has proven himself a genuis at creating new sides, has predominately kept the same ethos and looked to rebuild similar teams. Look throughout Fergie's sides and you will see he uses similar methods to rebuild his side.

1. He looks to create an unstoppable front two with a telepathic like understanding; such as Yorke & Cole, Rooney & Van Persie.

2. He looks to have two out and out wingers; Giggs & Beckham, Giggs & Ronaldo, Young & Valencia.

3. He will play with two central midfielders, one ball winner and one playmaker; Scholes & Keane, Keane & Veron, Fletcher & Carrick.

As you can see the whole idea is to simply replace the original mould with players who fit that criteria, rather than create a new tactic and playing style.

I just feel that with Wenger he has tried to almost reinvent the whole team, rather than simply replacing those ex-player's roles with candidates who fit the bill. A similar thing has happened with Mancini, who after winning the league playing 4-2-3-1, completely abandoned that tactic and began playing three at the back. Why? You have just won the title playing a certain way, why completely go against what has just worked?! It really does baffle me sometimes.

Take the case of replacing Henry as an example for Wenger. Now I know the great man is essentially irreplaceable, but why did we never go after a play of a vaguely similar mould. All of a sudden we saw a shift by Wenger to buying poachers and target man, a la Eduardo and Chamakh. Would it not have made more sense to go for someone of a similar mould to Theirry, say someone like Samuel Eto'o (an ambitious target but you see what I mean).

I know I am being a tad harsh on Wenger here as it is very difficult to replace some of those stars who previously graced Highbury, but I just feel that we were so good playing 4-4-2 I can't understand why we abandoned it.

To finish, this is the team I would pick if we had a game today. Let me know your thoughts.

GK: Szczesny
RB: Sagna
CB: Per
CB: Koscielny
LB: Gibbs
RM: Walcott
CM: Arteta
CM: Wilshere
LM: Santi
ST: Giroud
ST: Podolski

Thoughts and views appreciated as always,

Come on the Gooners!

Stevan Jovetic: The First Signing of the Summer?

The transfer window isn't even open yet and already rumours are flying around about who we maybe after. I think what is clear is that we are most certainly in for an interesting summer. What makes a nice change for once is being able to open the back pages and not see any of our players linked with a move elsewhere, perhaps this tell us something about the current squad.

One name that appears to be ever present in various twitter circles and the media is Fiorentina's Stevan Jovetic. In recent days there has been a great amount of scepticism surrounding our supposed interest in the Montenegrin, with many questioning how good he really is.

Lets get this straight, he is world class.

In comparison to our current attacking options he is simply at a different level and would provide us with the creative spark we have so often lacked this season. I hate to say it but he reminds me a lot of Van Persie. Like the Dutchman he has the ability to drop off the front line with ease and the damage he causes in those little pockets of space is devastating. Technically he is superb, something we all know Wenger loves his signings to be, and he also fits Arsene's preferred age by being 23.

One thing I would say about Jovetic is that he isn't an out and out Number 9, and this is why I would expect us to be in the market for two front men. Undoubtedly Jovetic could be moulded into someone who could lead the line, as Wenger has done on numerous occasions (just look at Henry and Van Persie), but given our need for success now I do not expect Wenger to do this. Quite simply we do not have time to mould Jovetic into an out and out forward, when he is already an outstanding Number 10.

For this reason I would expect us to buy someone to play just in front of Stevan. Indeed this is why such names like David Villa and Loic Remy are continuously being linked with our club. Either player would thrive off having an individual like Jovetic behind them; the Montenegrin is a rare breed - someone who can open up defences while still being a genuine goal threat themselves.

All this does sound great and rather fantastical, however it is possible as long as we make the top 4. I genuinely cannot see a move for Jovetic occurring unless we make the Champions League and that is why our summer could well be dependent on the next two games.

Thoughts and views appreciated,

Come on the Gooners!