Happy New Year! My wishes for 2015

2014 was a good year in terms of footy, how can it not be when there is a World Cup. PSG won another Ligue 1 title, Arsenal once again failed to impress...oh right they won the FA Cup so all is right, never mind...Real Madrid beat their cross town rivalry in the Champions League final and Germany won their 4th World Cup.  But as we turn the page on 2014 and look forward to 2015, here are my wishes for the new year.

• Arsenal finds themselves a new manger...I have been sour on my fellow countryman for a few years now. His miserly spending, poor selection of transfer targets and his stubbornness when it comes to keeping his own players have led to a poor showing for years. Yes I know he won the FA Cup last year, but that was fools' gold. So the Gunners win their 4th place trophy on a regular basis, get to the Champions League and then flame out in the 1/4 finals. Yeah. When is the last time that Arsenal has really contended for the Premiership??? Liverpool has gotten closer than the Gunners in recent history. It is time for some new blood. With Jurgen Klopp on thin ice at Dortmund could this be the perfect storm? Where could Wenger go? PSG might still be an option as Blanc does not seem 100% secure in Paris. Here is a crazy thought,

  

  Right time to come to London?

  what about a side like Hertha Berlin? A team in a large cosmopolitan city in the heart of Europe. Wenger could work on acquiring and developing a bevy of German international talent, while working in a league where business principles are in line with Wenger's supposed methods. Bottom line...Wenger needs to move on.
• Les Bleus finally find themselves a right sided winger...something else I have know to harp on...France's inability to have a right sided player to give the team a greater balance. Not sure what the options are. Valbuena is more of a center of the park player. Remy could be an option but never seems to stick with France and is currently only a bench player for Chelsea. Sissoko, maybe, but I see him as more of a midfield relaying player. Not sure a player such as Lacazette is an option outside on the wing either, he has played there but seems more comfortable as the center forward. Thauvin from Marseille might also be an option, but seems to have maturity issues. Finally Payet might be the option, but I do not see him as a full international let alone the full time option on the right side. Deschamps will have his work cut out for him to determine how to properly balance his squad. Hopefully the solution works its way out in 2015.
• May PSG find success in Europe...well that might be difficult with Chelsea on the schedule for the knock out round of the Champions League, but the Paris club needs to make some adjustments to their roster to position themselves more favorably for the Champions League. The likes of Cabaye and Cavani need to be better utilized or potentially sold off. A legitimate second striker to take some of the pressure off of Zlatan. Granted the aforementioned Cavani is suppose to be that option, but I think that experiment has not succeeded. Also, the center backs need to be better - Luiz is a clown, still not sure why PSG spent some much on Sideshow Bob. PSG will need to clean up some of these issues to build towards success in Europe. Could a new manager also be in the cards this summer? Maybe, especially if PSG does not win the Ligue 1 once again or good deep in Europe.

These are some simple wishes for 2015, what are your footy wishes??

Happy New Year!

FA Cup win...phew, about time for Arsenal. But was it bad for long term?

Phew, finally...Arsenal finally ended their 9 year drought this past weekend by winning a thrilling FA Cup final. After being down 0-2 to Hull City within the first 15 minutes, Arsenal found a way to claw back to force extra time where Welshman Ramsey slammed home the winner after a cheeky back heel from Giroud. The Tigers almost equalized late on in extra time when Mertesacker slipped and then Fabianski decided to do his best impression of Rene Higuita, allowing Aluko to strike the ball across the entire empty goal, only to see it refuse to cross the line.

Glory glory for Arsenal! Or is it.

With this long awaited silverware, Wenger was quickly given a three year extension, and supposedly a nice war chest to spend in the transfer season. Okay...great. There is no question that Arene revolutionized how Arsenal handled their business. His impact was felt across the EPL. But as the last 9 years have shown, not sure he still has it. Winning the FA

Scratching that 9 year itch

Cup was nice. However for a club of Arsenal's ambitions it still falls short, and really only means much if it is coupled with league title or a European cup. Neither of which Arsenal have come close to sniffing in a long time. If you believe what Arsenal and Wenger have been spouting the past few seasons, there has never been a shortage of transfer funds. Wenger's transfer record as of recently has not been stellar. He has brought in a number of decent players - Giroud, Podolski, Carzola, Mertersacker, Arteta...he did get Ozil who is world class (but that is more because Real Madrid got Bale and saw Ozil as excess). Otherwise, Wenger has not been able to get world class players to come on his own - Hazard and Daxler come to mind. He has also seen the likes of Cesc and RVP walk out the door...

This transfer season will be key for Wenger. Can he bring some real steel to this club and make Arsenal a legitimate contender for the EPL and Europe? The Gunners need a world class striker, right back, central midfielder (someone that brings some steel to that midfield). Just not convinced that Wenger will change his ways. FA Cup title or no FA Cup title.

Cabaye to PSG, another midfielder on the move

So the French international will leave the EPL and head back to Ligue 1. That seems to be counter to the direction of these usual transfers. With a fee north of 20m sterling pounds the star midfielder will head from the Toon Army to Paris. Of course with the deep coffers available at PSG this move is not a surprise. Being able to pay whatever fee necessary, PSG tends to be able to afford the players they want...to a certain extent. But what is the bigger picture here, the one on the pitch.

• For PSG this move was one of the worst kept secrets. PSG lost Rabiot to injury the need to pick up some midfield cover - they were rumored to be pursuing the likes of Mata, Pogba and Cabaye. It is more a question of which player not if they would be adding a midfielder. PSG and Blanc will now have the depth they need if they hope to compete in both Ligue 1 as well as make a deep run in the Champions League. With the likes of Matuidi, Motta, Lucas, Menez and Veratti all competing for time in the midfield it will be interesting to see how Blanc rotates his roster. I think you will see Matuidi, Cabaye and Motta rotating as the two holding players on the pitch. If Blanc wants to go more defensive you might see all three midfielders as the middle 3 in a

  

  Listening to the cash register from Paris

  4-3-3 or even a 4-3-2-1 with Ibra up front and Cavani/Pastore/Menez rotating as the offensive 2. Blanc has more options and depth now, he needs to ensure he utilizes this depth properly and manages the egos.
• Newcastle had legitimate aspirations to finish in the 6, at least finish on the top half of the table. Much of their recent success was in large part how well the "frenchies" on Newcastle were clicking - Cabaye, Sissoko, Remy, Ben Arfa etc - were generating the energy, creativity and some wins. It will be interesting to see how Pardew manages losing a key element for the remainder of the season. I don't think the loss of Cabaye will push Newcastle down to the relegation zone, but the ability to stay top half of table might be a challenge. However, at the end of the day Cabaye was clearly itching to move on - doing a dance with Arsenal over last summer - so Newcastle was able to cash in on a great piece of business. They bought Cabaye from Lille for 4.5m pounds, not a bad profit!
• What about the rest of the league? Mainly Arsenal...once again a player that had been linked to the Gunners - Cabaye - gets away from Wenger. Granted, I am not sure that the priority for the Gunners was another midfielder. But it is another sign of malaise for Arsenal...once again losing out on a player that would have helped Arsenal's title hopes. Yet again, Wenger will not add to a roster that has some glaring holes - another winger would be nice or does Wenger not realize that Walcott is out? What about another striker...a good one not some 20 year old who wouldn't be ready for a few years! I fear that if Arsene does not wake up and do something this week, we will be regretting his inactivity once again when the title slips our of Arsenal's hands...once again.

Seems like this will be a quiet transfer period with only Mata and Cabaye making waves. And Mata was a sale of excess inventory from Chelsea, the fact he went to Manchester United is what made it more interesting. Otherwise the one big club -Arsenal - that needs to make a move has been, frustratingly, quiet. Come on Wenger there are still some days left in Jan...do something...please.

Happy New Year to all...and some bold predictions from the Frog

First of all, a happy New Year to all. Maybe 2014 bring you much joy and happiness.

Here are some bold predictions for the coming year from the Frog:

• Bayern Munich will repeat as Champions League winners. The Bavarian steam roller is looking as solid as it did last season when it won the treble. Not only has this side remained fairly intact from last campaign but it has added Guardiola as well at Gotze - fresh thinking in the management chair and one of the best German players on the pitch. Granted they need to have Robben back at full strength and ensure they do not suffer any injuries, but that can be said for all the other clubs. But in the end I think we will see our first repeat Champions League winners since Milan did it in 1990 powered by their Dutch trio of Rijkaard, Van Basten and Gullit.

  

  Treble repeat?

• PSG will repeat in Ligue 1 and make a deep run in the Champions League. The fat coffers of PSG make them hard to compete with in Ligue 1, and with this buying power I think that the Parisians will make some bold purchases this transfer window to ensure they stay atop Ligue 1 and gear up for a run in the CL. Even if they let go of the likes of Menez, Verratti and Pastore. I could envisage a run at Mata from Chelsea since the Special One does not seem to want to use him or targeting Cabaye at Newcastle (I know Arsenal might go back there, but will Pardew look to stick it to Wenger and ship the midfielder back to France?). Pogba is also in the target but not sure the Old Lady will let go so easily of their young midfielder. That might be a move in the cards for the summer transfer window. PSG have enough depth to hold off the likes of Lille, Monaco and OM for the Ligue 1 title. They also have the talent to make a push in the Champions League...and also a very motivated Zlatan who will want to show the world what they are going to be missing at the World Cup.
• Arsenal will finally win some silverware...and make a big splash this January. The Gunners will win the EPL...if they make that big transfer splash. If Arsenal do not add to this roster they will fade away in the EPL. The fact they drew Bayern is a blessing since it should be a quick ending for their European title hopes. Maybe Wenger should just look at those matches as he would a Carling Cup game and blood some of his youth. Hahaaa. I do think that Wenger will have enough if he adds some muscle this transfer window. Another striker, regardless of what Giroud says, must be

  

  Red Devil coming to the Emirates?

  added. Benteke has been rumored and would be a great fit, Costa is also rumored but I don't see that move happening. A midfielder - Cabaye? Wenger has said he is no longer interested but we shall see. An interesting name that has emerged is Le Petit Velo - Valbuena from OM. He could be a very interesting fit, being able to play in the middle of the park or out on the flanks. There is also the possibility of Wenger adding to his stable of German players and signing Daxler, that would be a real game changer of a move. Of course there is also the possibility of Vermaelen leaving, but could Wenger should have cover with Flamini being able to slot back in an emergency. Bottom line - Wenger makes some of these moves and Arsenal win the EPL.  He doesn't and the Gunners fall back into the pack - not enough depth to sustain the run they are on.
• Only one European nation will get to the World Cup semifinals. And it will not be Spain. The semi finals will pit Brazil vs Germany and Argentina vs Uruguay, a real Copa Sud America feel. South Korea will surprise some by getting of the group stages ahead of Algeria and Russia. Spain will fall in the 1/4 finals to Cavani and Suarez of Uruguay. Brazil will have to face a very difficult gauntlet of European power houses in Holland, Italy and Germany before getting to the finals. The US will surprise many by finishing second in the Group of Death but will crash out in the knock out round against Les Diables Rouge of Belgium...which also means Portugal will fail to impress and actually lose their game to the US and finish third in the group of death. Argentina will have an easier go at it facing the Swiss in the group of 16, then Belgium in the 1/4 finals then having to beat Uruguay and finally setting up an epic Brazil v Argentina World Cup final....where Messi, Higuain, Aguero, Di Maria, et al will win a third World Cup for La Albiceleste. Just think...Brazil v Argentina in a World Cup final...in Rio. Wow.
• France will not entirely embarrass themselves at the World Cup. Les Bleus will win their group and beat Nigeria to get to the 1/4 finals...where they will get trounced by De Nationalmannschaft in the 1/4 finals. However Paul Pogba will emerge as one of the world's best midfield talents as well as the engine that will run the French midfield and team

  

  Surprise inclusion for DD as cover for Ribery on the left?

  for years to come. Deschamps will also lean heavily on the 4-3-3 and maximize the talents of his midfield depth in the likes of Pogba, Cabaye, Matuidi, Sissoko, Mavuba et al. He will also make a surprise inclusion in the national side - Schneiderlan, Niang, Griezmann or Zouma are all candidates for that surprise trip to Brazil. It will be interesting to see who Deschamps looks to bring to Brazil with him, with many of the U21 players that had been suspended by the FFF are now eligible to come back to international duty - that also includes M'Vila. Will DD hold their little visit to a night club against them, or have they paid for their errors? I am sure that DD will also have an eye turned to the upcoming European Championship which will be held in France. Something to keep an eye on.

2014, being a World Cup year, will surely be a great one for footy. What we have to hope for is not big name player get injured prior to the World Cup and they are not all too exhausted from an over flowing domestic season to not give us a great tournament in Brazil. It will be great to see the World Cup head back to South America for the first time since Argentina hosted the event in 1978 and that it has not been back in Brazil since 1950!

Happy New Year to all!

Wenger gets a B...but barely.

Phew...so once again at the last moment, Wenger wakes up and realizes he needs to add to his roster. This season he added some quality in German play-maker Ozil. Good signing. Adding this world class midfielder to the likes of Carzola with speed on the wings in Ox and Walcott and you might have something.

Coming to a North London pitch near you

Then once Diaby comes back to full fitness...hahaaa...sorry had to throw that fantasy into the conversation. But why do I only give Wenger a B? Here is why:

• Why keep waiting to the last minute? I realize that Ozil probably could not have been signed until the Bale deal went down. But the fact Wenger was waiting for another team's transfer to occur before he got off the sidelines is a little disconcerting. It feels as if Wenger's transfers seem to hinge around last minute deadlines...why don't we sign a big name in, say, July instead?
• Not enough...still. Ozil is a huge signing, don't get me wrong, but Arsenal needs more. They need another striker - Higuain, Suarez (thankfully didn't happen), Benzema or Rooney - were all rumored on the Arsenal wish list. Yet all of them fell through. Add to this Ba and once again Arsenal was not able to get a player they coveted (I do think Ba was a long shot to go from Chelsea to Arsenal). What about Di Maria? More excess inventory at Real Madrid, rumored to be heading to Arsenal...why couldn't that deal be done? Adding Di Maria to the wings would have been a huge win coupled with Ozil.

End of the day I am glad that Wenger spent money and got a world class player in the deal. Giroud should also be very happy from all the service he will be offered from this world class midfielder. Unfortunately Wenger needed to add more pieces for me to truly believe the Gunners can challenge for more than a 4th place EPL finish and maybe a cup semi final.

You get a B Arsene, could have been an A if you had brought in Ba and Di Maria or a D if Ozil had not made it under the transfer deadline!

After day 1 - Arsenal is already desperate...sigh

After a brutal start to the season for the Gunners, we are once again finding ourselves in the midst of the August transfer panic for the North Londoners. Feels like every transfer season now with Arsenal. Do nothing of substance during the early days, try to wait out players and then panic.

The latest is that Wenger has made a bid for Newcastle midfielder Cabaye, too late? That he is interested in Pogba, who isn't? What about getting another striker? There are rumblings that he is interested in reopening his pursuit of Suarez. Again, no thanks on that Gustavo...wasn't he all but signed? Ooops.

Which team wouldn't want the U20 World Cup champion?

cancer. The reality is he had a chance to shore up his strikers with Higuain this summer, but didn't pull the trigger fast enough. Or was just too stubborn to spend the necessary money. He did not seem interested in other strikers that moved, Gomez and Cavani. Not that he would have been able to purchase either, but at least get involved. You have the money Arsenal! Oh and what about

So now all Wenger has to show for his massive transfer kitty is French U20 striker Sanogo. Fantastic. If you were Ligue 2 side Metz. Wenger and Arsenal are now behind the proverbial 8 ball, they are desperate and late to the transfer game, teams know this and will make them pay a king's ransom for players they could have had 2 months ago for more market friendly fees. Also, most of the players have already been moved. So now you are looking at trying to get players that were not really planning on moving, again driving up the price.  I do not think that Wenger will be able to do much before the window closes. He does not seem to have a real plan, just more of the same...and more of the same has not won silverware in a very long time.

Maybe he will surprise us all and use his entire transfer kitty to get Ronaldo to North London...oh and one more thing. Where is Kroenke in all this? Does he care about fielding a winning side in North London or is he more concerned about developing malls near Wal Marts? As the largest share holder I would expect more from him, like actually showing up at games and maybe pretending he cares about the product on the pitch. Say what you will about other American EPL owners, like the Glazers and Henry, but at least they give the appearance of caring.

Start of the EPL...open letter to Mr Wenger

So we have another start of the EPL, one with some serious changes. This will be the first time Ferguson will not be part of the league. He managed every Premiership season for Manchester United (SAF got to ManU in 1986...the EPL started in 1992). Clearly the biggest change in this season. Of course we welcome "The Special" one back to London as well. That should be highly entertaining! But one change we are not seeing is - any major changes with Arsenal's squad! Ugh. So rather than giving my predictions of who finish where, let us face it the winner will come from the following trio: Manchester United, Manchester City or Chelsea, here is my open letter to Monsieur Wenger.

The start of a great run...can we go back to those days?

Mon Cher Arsene,

Welcome to the 2013-2014 EPL season, your 18th at the helm of the Gunners. With the retirement of your nemesis - Alex Ferguson - you are now the most tenured manager in the EPL. What you did with Arsenal was nothing short of fabulous. When you took over the club it had hit a rough patch of a few seasons. You institute new training, new dieting and a new mentality. A new winning mentality. You brought doubles to the club, invincible seasons and even European finals (unfortunately neither the UEFA Cup nor the Champions League found their way back to North London).

You introduced us to players such as Anelka, Vieira, Berkhamp, Overmars, Henry, Cesc, Van Persie, Pires, Wiltord, Ljunberg, Toure and even stealing the likes of Campbell from hated rivals Tottenham. Many of these players were vital to our success. The battles between Vieira and Keene were the stuff of legends. For a few seasons Henry could lay claim to being the greatest striker in the world.

Many of these players brought us titles and glory. Yet we have not tasted glory since 2005, when Vieira was wearing the captain's arm band. He is now retired...we have not even sniffed an FA Cup final since that 2005 win against Manchester United, let alone come close to winning the EPL...we did get to a Carling Cup final in 2011. But we lost to Birmingham...ugh. Oh yes we consistently qualify for the Champions League. Because the current structure rewards not winning! Don't forget Arsene that back in the good old days of three European cups, only the CHAMPION of domestic leagues would go to the Champions League. We would have been playing for the UEFA Cup. But yes we go every season, get out of the group stage, maybe get to a 1/4 final, collect our money and then go home. Without a trophy. During this time we have suffered through watching our rivals Chelsea and Manchester United collect their own "big eared" trophies. If there was a trophy given for getting to the Champions League, we would need to expand our trophy case. Alas, all that comes with 4th place in the EPL and Champions League is money. Which you don't spend.

Speaking of spending. Arsene, your frugal and fiscally conservative ways would be wonderful for a corporation. But you are not managing a business. You are managing an entertainment entity. While I am not asking for you to spend like a drunken sailor. Spend something. Please. We moved from Highbury to a larger stadium so as to be competitive with other clubs. Arsenal has the commercial and financial clout to compete with the largest clubs in Europen, not just England. Recent reports even demonstrate that we should be able to compete for wages with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United. We are rumored to be signing a large kit deal with Puma, which will infuse our coffers with plenty more cash. Yet who have we purchased? Who have we even been in the running for?

You want to spend, or at least rumored to want to spend, on the likes of Suarez (no thanks). We were supposedly in the running for Higuain, who would have been a great signing. But it feels like every season for the past few seasons..."rumored" to be looking at a big name player. Only to see them go elsewhere. Meanwhile we let our stars walk - Cesc and Van Persie come to mind. This is what a mid-tier club does. Not one of the largest clubs in the world does.

So what to do? Mr Wenger please remember what made you successful. Spend some money on a few proven players. When I say proven, I mean go out and be aggressive and get a Higuain or Mario Gomez type. Don't worry if they are over 30 and sign them to a longer deal if need be. When you target a youngster - sign them, regardless if you think you are overspending. I realize that Hazard might not have come, but you had your eyes on the youngster early in his Lille career. Make it happen. Don't be penny wise and pound foolish.

What you need to buy. A striker. Giroud is nice, but having another legitimate goal scorer would be nicer. I am not expecting you to purchase Zlatan from PSG but go out and close Higuain when you could have. Get another creative player in the middle of the park. I realize we have lots of creativity but I feel we need some new blood, new ideas in the middle of the park. A world class goalkeeper would be nice. Ever since "safe hands" Seaman left we really have not had a steady world class keeper. Please don't mention Lehmann. Finally get another "hard man" in the midfield. Since we let the likes of Vieira, Silva, Edu, Flamini et al leave, we have not really had a player in the midfield who provides the muscle and intimidation needed.

I understand that your Alsacetian stubbornness is a major factor. But as the saying goes - insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results. We have not won a trophy in forever. We used to win silverware, we used to contend for Premiership titles we used to be a legitimate threat for European titles. Now we are content for 4th place. Unacceptable.

Please go back to your early day ways. Otherwise I will see you in Paris in a season.

Yours truly
GFC

Say it ain's so Arsene...Arsenal bid on Suarez.

With the rumored move on Real Madrid striker Higuain sputtering along, the latest rumor is that Arsene and the Gunners are looking at Luis Suarez from Liverpool. Ugh. There is no questioning the Uruguay striker talent, but it is all his other baggage that Wenger doesn't need. Everything from being a racist to a cannibal are labels that Suarez's actions have bestowed on himself.

The mad biter

Wenger and Arsenal need to stay far away from this cancer. While the player's talent should power his club to challenge for trophies, his baggage become too much of an albatross. If you have a player on your roster that is a risk of getting a 10+ game suspension at any time, how can you stomach spending a large sum of cash to acquire that player and then have to deal with the constant headache that player provides? Not worth it.

Come on Wenger, get Higuain in here and let Suarez leave England.

Puma in line to fatten the Arsenal coffers?

Arsenal will be changing their kit manufacturer for the 2013-2014 season, with Nike no longer being their manufacturer. The first rumor was that Adidas would be back as the supplier. But they seemed to have gotten cold feet.

Old School Adidas kit prior to Nike taking over

However, the latest rumor is that the other German supplier - Puma - will be taking over the North London strip. It is for a supposed record 30m pound sum a year! Wow. Talk about adding more funds to the kitty. The question becomes, will Arsenal spend some of that money on some players??? Maybe having Puma as the shirt supplier will make it easier to get Cesc back as well (he is sponsored by the German manufacturer).

 

 

 

Rumored Puma away kit

Wenger to PSG? Good move for all parties?

The rumors have been kicked around for a year now, that PSG will be looking for someone to replace Ancelotti. Let's face it, the Italian manager never seemed 100% committed to the Parisian side and with the potential lure of Real Madrid there clearly seems to be an escape path for Carlo. The new "leader" for the potential opening in Paris - Arsene Wenger.

Wenger has always had close ties to PSG and the management at the club, so a move back across the channel is not so far fetched. In addition, Wenger has to be feeling his back end getting a little warm in North London as the title-less run for the Gunners is getting a little absurd - no silverware since 2005. Throw in the possibility of the "Special One" coming back to Chelsea and Wenger might be looking to take on a new challenge...away from London. So will Arsene be tempted back to France? In a word...Yes. Here is why the move would make sense for all parties:

• PSG would get one of the best brand names in management. Clearly Ancelotti was not 100% into managing the Ligue 1 leaders. From day one there were always rumors circulating about his long term commitment to the club. For PSG being able to land one of the most successful French managers would be a coup. PSG would get one of the better known managers in the game. Granted, one who's star might have lost a little luster - he is behind the likes of SAF, Mourinho or Guardiola when it comes to the superstar managers. However, Wenger's style could be perfect for PSG. His eye for developing talent would be allowed to flourish as he would have free reign in Ligue 1 and more importantly access in his own backyard to the entire Paris region. PSG's resources would ensure that they would have access to the likes of Ibra and Beckham to keep the veteran level on the roster. PSG's owners would have the brand name manager, who could find them the next super stars and would instantly be the biggest name in Ligue 1.
• For Wenger the change of scenery would do him good. Other than Ferguson, Wenger has been the longest tenured manager in the EPL. Unlike Ferguson, Wenger has decided that winning silverware is no longer important...okay that was a little mean. But since 2005, when Arsenal defeated Manchester United for the FA Cup, Arsenal have won nothing and Manchester United have won - the league 5 times, 3 Carling Cups, the Champions League and the Club World Cup (oh and 4 Charity Shields). Managers like Ferguson are a rarity when it comes to tenure. Even the likes of Guardiola with Barcelona, Mourinho with Real Madrid run their courses with a club and have to move on. Wenger needs to change his surroundings to recapture some of his

  

  Seems so long ago!

  mojo. Going to PSG would allow him to continue to search for and uncover youth. He would be king of Ligue 1 and challenge for the league title every season without breaking much of a sweat. More importantly, should always qualify for Champions League football. Wenger would be able to tinker with the right combination of youth and experience on his roster. Have enough depth for Ligue 1 and more importantly, an easier path for his roster to then focus his attentions on winning the title he most wants - the Champions League. The one piece of hardware that missing from his trophy case is the trophy with the big ears. Ferguson, Guardiola, Mourinho, Ancelotti even Benitez all have a Champions League trophy on their resume...Wenger needs one.
• Arsenal need a change in direction. 2005...the last time the Gunners put anything into their trophy case. Pat Vieira was still their captain! In that time span, the Gunners have watched the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United, Portsmouth, Birmingham City and even Swansea win some form of domestic silverware. That is unacceptable for a club of the stature of Arsenal. Has Wenger lost the plot? To some degree it appears that way. As he has allowed the likes of Nasri, Cesc and Van Persie walk out the door during that same time frame. Questions remain about whether or not this was because of Wenger being cheap or the board tying his hands behind his back. But you cannot fire ownership and you cannot fire an entire time. So that leaves the manager. The Gunners might also need to look to bring in a director of football, one who carries enough weight with the board to spend money and make bold decisions for the direction of the club. David Dein acted in this light during his tenure, his partnership with Wenger is a primary reason why the Gunners were so successful during that run. It is up to the club to try and recapture that magic. Potentially look for an up and coming manager coupled with a heavy weight director of football to guide the club. What Arsenal need now is some aggressive recruitment and player acquisition in order to keep up with the likes of Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea. Wenger is not willing or not allowed to do so. With new blood running the Gunners we will soon find out which it was for Wenger.

The move to PSG would be good for Wenger and all parties involved. Granted all this noise might also be a negotiation tactic from the wily Arsene, looking for the Arsenal board to give him a larger war chest for summer transfers...which he would use to purchase a bunch of unknown youth players that would pan out in 4 years and then promptly go to Barcelona or Manchester United.

End of the road for Arsene? Arsenal last gasp effort away to Bayern Munich

A few weeks ago Bayern Munich had their own version of the London blitz when they put up 3 goals at the Emirates. Going on to a 3-1 Champions League win. Not pretty to say the least. Arsenal are the last team from the Premier League standing in the Champions League and are most likely 90 minutes away from suffering the same fate as the other clubs from England - going home. The Gunners have to score at least 3 goals to hope and turn the tide against the Bavarian giants. Not likely. Especially considering Wenger will not have the likes of Wilshere to put on the pitch. But the bigger picture - may we be seeing the last of Wenger in Europe managing Arsenal?

Rumors are abound that he is going to get an extension from the Gunners or that he is heading to PSG...the reality is Arsenal might need a change. Check that, something HAS TO CHANGE. The reality is, the Gunners have slipped from the top tier of the Premiership. Long gone are the days where Arsenal and Manchester United were the two elephants in the room. Long gone are the days of riveting matches between the two sides - Vieira, Keane, Henry, Van Nistelrooy, Giggs, Scholes, Keown, and so on. Arsenal have become a club who's main aspiration is to get into the Champions League...but all that really means is to finish 4th. FOURTH. That is not even a bronze medal.




The crashed out of both domestic cups already this season. Currently they are closer to 8th place than they are to 4th place. With the likes of Liverpool right on their heals they could easily fall to Europa League levels. So what has gone wrong? The list is long and I have ranted about it enough in past posts. In a nut shell:

• Refusing to splash on big name players - talked about but never pulled trigger on the likes of Hazard and Lloris to name two.
• Allowing his own players to leave - Nasri, Cesc and RVP come to mind. Even allowing a player like Flamini to walk had some repercussions.
• Over reliance on youth and finding that diamond in the rough - was early success of "discovering" Anelka, Henry and Vieira a curse? He did manage to find Cesc, but allowed him to leave.
• No steel on team - who has replaced the likes of Keown or Vieira as the enforcers on the team?

Something has to change. Soon. Otherwise I am sure Arsenal will continue to fight for 4th place, continue to convince the fans that playing Champions League every season should be viewed as a success and stare at the FA Cup from 2005 as the last piece of silverware in the trophy case. 

Champions League round of 16 Part 2

Week two that kicks off another flurry of matches for the Champions League

19 February 2013

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Porto		20.45		Málaga
Referee: TBD – Stadium: Estádio do Dragão, Porto (POR)
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Arsenal		20.45		Bayern
Referee: TBD – Stadium: Arsenal Stadium, London (ENG)

20 February 2013

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Galatasaray		20.45		Schalke
Referee: TBD – Stadium: Ali Sami Yen Spor Kompleksi, Istanbul (TUR)
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Milan		20.45		Barcelona
Referee: TBD – Stadium: Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan (ITA)

Porto v Malaga: Malaga might no longer be solvent by the time this game is played...okay that was mean. Porto are quietly continuing to post solid results in Europe. Look for the Portuguese giants to dispatch of their Spanish rivals 4-2 on aggregate.

Arsenal v Bayern: Well you did it again Arsene, got Arsenal out of the group stages...so I guess that means it was a "successful" season once again for the Gunners. Alas. I think that the ride is over for the Gunners when they face the runners up from last year's Champions League. The likes of Robben, Muller, Schwieny, Ribery et al are set to try to get back to the finals. I just do not think that Arsenal have the steel to deal with the German giants. Bayern move on 5-1 on aggregate.

Galatasary v Schalke: Any time one of the Istanbul clubs goes deep into the Champions League it makes for interesting times! Add to this the new additions of Scheider and Drogba and all of a sudden you have a side that might make a deep run. They will face off against a solid Schalke side. But I cannot see the Turkish side not making some noise now that it has added some solid pieces to an already good side. Galatasary head to next round with a 2-1 aggregate victory. 

Milan v Barcelona: Maybe if this were the Milan of Gullit and Van Basten we would have a mouth watering match....hmmmm just think of that match up. Baresi, Maldini et al trying to stop Messi, Xavi and Iniesta...while the Puyol and Pique would have to find a way to containt Van Basten and Gullit....anyways. This version of Milan will have no answers for the Barcelona attack. Look for Messi and co to go through relatively easily 6-1 on aggregate.

Giroud a Gunner?

Even as the Euros get ready to go into high gear, the transfer market is already heating up. The latest rumor coming out of Ligue 1 is that top scorer and newly minted French Champion Giroud is heading to North London. This would be a great move for the Frenchman and I think a good long term move for Arsenal. Will he score 25 + goals for the Gunners immediately, I do not think so, but I think after a first season of learning the ropes he will fit in nicely in England.

I really hope Wenger picks me...

He has the size and power, he is a good "fox in the box" but can also create his own scoring opportunities. Partnered with Podolski, he should present a solid strike partnership. Of course this also begs the question - what does this mean for RVP? Does Wenger believe he can get his captain to stay? If so will there be enough playing time to go around?

Clearly the futures for the likes of Chamakh and Bendtner are not at Arsenal. Neither player being able to live up to their billings. For Montpellier I fear this is just the beginning as their championship winning side will be stripped of some of its key parts. The team that takes the field will be a shell of the one that won the title, alas that does not bode well heading into a Champions League campaign.

Titi Henry - back at home

I realize I am a bit behind, but watching the highlights of the Arsenal v Leeds FA Cup game brought back some warm and fuzzy feelings about Arsenal and when Titi Henry was the dominate striker in the Premier League:

Does Henry have another run in him for Arsenal? Maybe. When he first moved to Barcelona he found success playing in a 4-3-3 but soon found himself on the substitutes bench as the younger players took their spots with Barca. Titi then went to his retirement home in New York with Red Bull of the MLS...ooops sorry was that a low blow to the MLS?? I did watch a few games of Red Bull in the MLS, Henry still had the skill but seemed to lack to the desire, at times he appeared to be just going through the motions. I think Henry still has something left in the tank. I think that deep down inside Titi would rather be playing in Europe than in the MLS. I am not foolish enough to think that Henry could come back to Arsenal and start stringing together 90 minute games; however, I do think he could be a valuable asset to Arsenal as a substitute and spot starter.


I hope Henry continues to have success over the next two months for Arsenal, part of me hopes he makes this a permanent move. Seeing him in the red strip is almost as natural as seeing him in the France kit!

Deja vu all over again...RVP tepid on long term commitment to Arsenal

Shhhhh, let's not talk about my future at the North London feeder club

Sigh, the theme from the past few seasons seems to continue as the latest story around Arsenal is that the current skipper and freshly minted 100 goal scorer - Robert Van Persie - is not sure about his future with the club. Sound familiar? Well it should since we went through this BS this past summer with Cesc and Nasri. Why do we not hear about players saying the same thing at Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, Tottenham or Liverpool? Hmmmm, maybe because they try to win titles and bring in quality players every season.

The window for Wenger is rapidly closing, I think it might have already closed. This winter transfer window will be very telling, will he finally get off his hands and spend to make his club better or once again seeking out youth talent from all corners of the globe only to see them get farmed out on loans? While I am not a huge RVP fan, I think he is too fragile, it is telling that once again your captain is questioning the clubs commitment to winning. Regardless of all the last minute activity by Wenger, it was clear that Wenger was a dollar short and a day late.

If Wenger and the board do not wake up soon, players will continue to look at Arsenal with a dubious eye.

The English Patient - Arsenal

8-2...8-2.......EIGHT goals...a snow man in golf terminology. Just plain awful. The nice thing for me was because of hurricane Irene I had no power and therefore "watched" the game through my iPhone. Thankfully. Too bad Arsenal are no refunding fans who had to suffer through that match away from Old Trafford. Alas, after 3 games in the young season, Arsenal are just above the drop zone.

	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	W	D	L	F	A	GD	PTS
1	Man Utd	3	2	0	0	11	2	1	0	0	2	1	10	9
2	Man City	3	1	0	0	4	0	2	0	0	8	3	9	9
3	Liverpool	3	1	1	0	4	2	1	0	0	2	0	4	7
4	Chelsea	3	2	0	0	5	2	0	1	0	0	0	3	7
5	Wolverhampton	3	1	0	0	2	0	1	1	0	2	1	3	7
6	Newcastle	3	1	1	0	2	1	1	0	0	1	0	2	7
7	Aston Villa	3	1	1	0	3	1	0	1	0	0	0	2	5
8	Wigan	3	1	1	0	3	1	0	1	0	0	0	2	5
9	Stoke	3	0	1	0	0	0	1	1	0	2	1	1	5
10	Bolton	3	0	0	1	2	3	1	0	1	5	3	1	3
11	Everton	2	0	0	1	0	1	1	0	0	1	0	0	3
12	QPR	3	0	0	1	0	4	1	0	1	1	2	-5	3
13	Sunderland	3	0	0	1	0	1	0	2	0	1	1	-1	2
14	Norwich	3	0	1	0	1	1	0	1	1	2	4	-2	2
15	Swansea	3	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	4	-4	2
16	Fulham	3	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	1	4	-3	1
17	Arsenal	3	0	0	1	0	2	0	1	1	2	8	-8	1
18	West Brom	3	0	0	2	1	3	0	0	1	1	2	-3	0
19	Blackburn	3	0	0	2	1	3	0	0	1	1	3	-4	0
20	Tottenham	2	0	0	1	1	5	0	0	1	0	3	-7	0

The only funny part is who is in last place! Hey maybe next season Arsenal and Tottenham can battle it out in the Npower Championship, might actually make Wenger happy, he can start a bunch of teenagers all season!

I don' really know where this post will head so please bare with me...a couple of thoughts:

• There are three entities that should shoulder the blame: Wenger the coach, Wenger the manager and the board.
• Wenger the coach - cannot be sacked today, what could another coach do with this ragtag bunch of players? Can a new manager teach his defenders how to ... defend? Or somehow find a way to get the Arshavin of Euro 2008 to show up? Or get the likes of Walcott to live up to their over-hyped potential? Or keep Diaby on the field? Like or not we are stuck with Wenger the coach at least until the January transfer window.
• Wenger the manager - to me he is the main culprit in this debacle. So you sell Clichy, Nasri and Cesc...you would think that with that cash windfall you would have some plan in mind on how to back fill these roles. Instead all Wenger does is talk about how the squad will rally behind this and close ranks. Rather than wasting our time telling us that Nasri and Cesc were going to stay, maybe Arsene should have been devising a plan on how to fill in these gaps. Maybe he did, in the back ground, but he seemed to keep saying that both players were going to stay that he convinced himself that it might be true! Feels like Rain Main - three minutes to Wapner...yeah....Wenger talks now of Hazard, well maybe making bids a month ago would have been good. M'Vila? Same thing...Kaka on loan, how about approaching your buddy Mourinho when the Special One was all but buying Kaka a bus ticket out of town? Instead Wenger the manager has stockpiled a boat load of cash and with 48 hour left in the transfer window would like us to believe that he will purchase 3-4 players. FAIL.



A lonely lonely man

• The board -where have they been during this whole time? According to this post, Kroenke might not even care that his team will be lucky to get to the Europa League next year - click here. If that is the case then...ugh...not much one can do. And Manchester United fans think the Glazers are crocks, at least they SPEND and borrow and use ManU as a cash register, but they are winning and I am sure the value of the club is higher now than when they acquired it! If Kroenke and his cronies are satisfied to have a world class stadium that throws off cash then so be it, smells too much like the Boston Bruins under the Jacobs family, but at least they spent some money! If Kroenke really does want to win or at least feign competitiveness then what were they doing this summer??? WAKE UP!!

Wenger's time is coming to an end. His self imposed rules about not signing players over 30 to multi-year deals is asinine - you mean to tell me that the likes of Pires, Gilberto, et al could not have contributed to the team when they hit 30? Instead they were jettisoned due to the Wenger rule, of course until he decided to sign Squillaci.... What about the self imposed rule of running transfer as a business? I realize that the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Manchester City and the likes have taken all semblance of reality and spending and thrown in into the trash compactor, but as far as I can tell they seem to be finding ways to survive and WINNING.

The season is young...Arsenal might surprise us and come roaring back with a collection of no names. Or they might toil in the middle of the table...more likely.  The sad part to this weekend's thrashing - Manchester United's starting line up was younger than Arsenals....sad day for the Gooners, could be a sadder day as the end of the Wenger era seems to be crashing to a abrupt end.

Cesc and Nasri, don't let door hit you on the....

Fans of football, Barcelona and Arsenal are all waiting for the soap opera that is Cesc to come to an end. All signs indicate that the Arsenal captain will be heading back to his former club shortly. This has been long time coming and the soap opera for the past few seasons has been a distraction and quite frankly nauseating. Add to this all the horse bleep that has come out of Barcelona and the likes of Puyol and Xavi doing their best impersonation of John Calipari on the UK recruiting trail. I said this a few years ago when there was all kinds of smoke around Titi Henry and his leaving Arsenal, at some point it is better to sell the player rather than force him to stay. That is if you have a plan in place to leverage the revenue from the sale to back fill the position...

Chasing each other out of town

When it comes to Cesc, I can understand the desire to head back to where his heart is. While I cannot blame him, I still feel slightly bitter towards the Spaniard. I will admit, much of this is linked to his being anointed as he replacement for Vieira, he was even given the #4 shirt! My respect for Pat is nothing new and to me the way Vieira was shown the door at Arsenal is directly linked to the arrival or Cesc. From a footballing stand point I understand what Wenger was doing and seeing Vieira's career since leaving Arsenal indicate that Wenger was slightly vindicated. Or would Vieira's steel resolve been valuable the past few seasons? Cesc doesn't want to be here anymore, let him go, thanks for your time here, too bad you couldn't lead us to any silverware.

As for Nasri, his reputation as the "Petit Prince" has not been diminished in his demands for more money and subsequently forcing his sale, most likely to Manchester City. One characteristic that should never be criticized (not because it isn't criticize-able but just because it is a simple reality) is the desire of an professional footballer to seek more money.  I do not discount the frustration that must be felt by the likes of Nasri at a legitimate inability to challenge for silverware by Arsenal. But I am sure that if Arsenal met Nasri's pay demands, the lack of silverware contention would be quickly forgotten.

I would ask Wenger to get these two out of town as soon as possible, and with as much time as possible left in the transfer season. Not that Wenger or Arsenal will take advantage of that time. The Gunners have become the epitome of a club that is more concerned about the cash flow and balance sheets rather than the score sheets and trophy case. Granted the most recent transfers have Arsenal in the red:

Arsenal FC -15.474.800 £

Arrival Gervinho (Lille) 10.560.000 £ Francis Coquelin (Lorient) * - Pedro Botelho (FC Cartagena) * - Armand Traoré (Juventus) * - Carl Jenkinson (Charlton) 990.000 £ Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Southampton) 12.144.000 £	Departure Jens Lehmann (End of career) - Mark Randall (Chesterfield) free transfer Gaël Clichy (Man City) 6.820.000 £ Denílson (São Paulo) * ? Jay Emmanuel-Thomas (Ipswich) 1.100.000 £ Pedro Botelho (Rayo Vallecano) * 299.200 £
Total: 23.694.000 £	Total: 8.219.200 £

However, if they sell Nasri and Cesc, receiving the expected to add close to 60m £ that would rapidly swing the negative into a 40m £ + positive. Now if Wenger is
willing to take that windfall and actually invest maybe I will be play with all this. 
But I fear he will buy a few bargain basement players and 
call it a day.

Alas, we might be looking at another season of no silverware and maybe even, 
gasp a place in the Europa League! Wenger's war chest must be quite 
healthy, unfortunately that money sitting in a bank does not score goals, make
tackles, dribble defenders or make passes.


Use it Wenger, otherwise what's the point?

Titi frustated...come back to Europe!

Recent rant from French striker  - Titi Henry - about playing in the MLS, click here to read. Based on the article, the two areas of concern for Henry - the playing surface and the media requirements. For the first rant, not a surprise. I understand why MLS teams play on the turf, they share stadiums with their American football counterparts. While we have made great strides in field turf, it still is not grass! I think all outdoor sports should be played on NATURAL grass. I realize that the new field turf is better than the old astro turf and is starting to mimic natural grass...but it still mimics, why not just have the real thing??? I can hear teams complain, "well in the cold, the snow, the rain and the difficult conditions, field turf is better." Okay I get that, and for the NFL that makes some sense, the playing surface does not impact the ball, but in soccer the ball spends its time on that surface. It changes the game. It impacts the players. Get rid of it for soccer.

As for the media complaint, I am sure that Henry is just venting. The reality is he is not being treated as a star as he was used to at Arsenal or Barcelona. So instead of being able to do what he wants post match, he has to sit down and answer questions from a 21 year old reporter from the New York Daily News....

Titi has a long way to go on his contract with Red Bull (another 4 years). Unlike Beckham, I do not think that Titi really views himself as a footballing ambassador. Maybe we will see Titi coming back to Europe and why not back to Ligue 1? Teams such as PSG or Bordeaux could do worse than adding the veteran to their rosters. Maybe even the likes of Lille could try to lure Henry back.

Reviens en France Titi!

Merci Pat...Vieira hangs up the boots

Not a surprise but Pat Vieira has announced his retirement today, how appropriate on Bastille day! What a remarkable career for one of the most elegant and powerful "box to box" midfielders the game has seen. Vieira will be most remembered for his days patrolling the midfield for the Gunners. He played 371 games for the Gunners, scored 32 goals, won 3 Premiership Titles, 3 FA Cups and was part of the invincibles. He will also be remembered for his battles with Manchester United's Keane.



One of my favorite pre-game tunnel bust up. Neither player would back down in these confrontations...too bad Arsenal do not have some of that bite anymore. Maybe Cesc can start yelling at Ferdinand next time Arsenal play Manchester United (assuming Cesc is still on Arsenal and Ferdinand is healthy...two BIG ifs).

To me Vieira was France's greatest holding/defensive midfielder. Not only was he a crunching tackler and enforcer in the middle of the park, but he could chip in big goals, was clinical with his passing and was a true "box to box" midfielder.

One aspect overlooked was his leadership at the 2006 Germany World Cup when he stepped in to carry the team when Zidane was suspended. He scored the opening goal versus Togo to get France on its way to the run to the finals. He also latched on to a Zidane free kick late in the Spain 1/4 match to give Les Bleus the lead, and sprung Ribery end of the first half to score the tying goal.



I will always contend that it was his injury and need to be substituted out of the finals that was the real turning point for the match - he would have been one of the penalty kickers and having a healthy Vieira finish out that game might have sprung the goal that France seemed destined to getting before the head butt! I am also certain that he was not in the planned substitutions and took away one of the substitution options late in the game. Alas his hamstrings had other ideas for Les Bleus.

Vieira has been one of my favorite players to watch. His combination of pace, power, skill and toughness were invaluable for both club and country.

Merci Pat. Too bad Arsenal could not have bottled some of that leadership to be used the past few seasons.

Arsenal implosion getting closer and closer

Headline on BBC Sports - Arsenal's Samir Nasri remains Manchester United target - sigh. Are we about to see the implosion of Arsenal? Clichy is already out the door, the heat around Nasri leaving is starting to burn hot and the 800 lb gorilla - Cesc to Barcelona. The revolving door at Arsenal seems to continue.

Barcelona is that way

A great article about the seeming fire sale that is currently under way at Arsenal, click here. I cannot agree more with the author who points out that Wenger has bemoaned the fact his team does things "right" and that Arsenal is the victim. Problem is, as we waste time crying about the free spending of the likes of Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United, Barca or Real Madrid we go another season without any silverware.


I fear that Wenger's time at Arsenal might be coming to an end, his stubbornness when it comes to signing, as the article points out "a 11 year old wonder kid striker from Belgium" cannot continue. He has brought in some wonderful youth, that he must be praised for, but he has not uncovered the next Vieira or Henry that he can build his team around.


Time to go Wenger. Please head to PSG where your methods will be met with success.