Mid-December one-day roundup

Sorry to my readers for the infrequency of my updates. I trust that you can see the January rumour list being updated almost every day, if nothing else. Anyway, today's papers have so many stories repeating the main stories. So this roundup was easy enough even for this lazy correspondent!

There's nothing like a rotten patch of form to get the Arsenal transfer rumour mill going. While Arsenal are still only two points off the notorius fourth place, an unexpected exit from the League Cup has put the players and the manager under seemingly more pressure than ever before.

Even former Arsenal stars accuse Arséne Wenger of lies, his supporters of delusion, and his players of being embarrassing and disgusting. All because a loss of form and a lack of interest spending money if it's there to spend.

With this pressure comes the clamour for changes. New faces, new legs, new solutions. And for once, the focus isn't just on firing, selling and signing; coaching is part of the discussion. One set of bitter comments from Stewart Robson, a former Arsenal player and employee, have been widely quoted. Wenger's strong-worded rebuttal won't matter. Through the media, a "truth" has been established.

The Daily Mirror refreshes our memory of Pepe Reina, the Liverpool goalkeeper supposedly on Arsenal's shortlist. Whether a new goalkeeper is needed to replace Wojciech Szczesny or just give him competition is unclear. Stoke's Asmir Begovic and - according to the Daily Mail - Michel Vorm of Swansea are said to be alternatives.

Persistent rumours of Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Wilfried Zaha and Luke Shaw are also brought up by the Mirror today, as is a rare mention of Montpellier defender Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa.

A transfer offer for Huntelaar has been touted by so many papers so many times that an interest on Arsenal's part looks likely. The rumour gains weight in the media by the team's rather obvious need for an alternative to Olivier Giroud. However, this perception of need isn't necessarily shared by the manager. His selection of Marouane Chamakh as a sub for the last few games could even indicate that Wenger is happy to let the Moroccan prove everyone and his dog wrong. The manager's legendary stubbornness can't be underestimated.

The interest in Zaha is a no-brainer, as is reported interest in Southampton's Shaw and Raheem Sterling of Liverpool. The Sun is one of the papers suggesting a £15m catfight with Manchester United over the young winger. Arsenal are always looking to sign talented teenagers. The club's policy is to mould a team by letting them grow up together, so to speak. Wenger is also on record confirming that an English/British core is his on-going building project.

The long-heralded loan deal to bring Thierry Henry to Arsenal for a third spell has taken a weird twist. Henry is reported by French sports paper L'Equipe to have attended a charity dinner held by Alisher Usmanov in Moscow. The Independent reports this as Henry making an alliance with Arsenal's minority owner against the board and the manager. Usmanov is stirring the manure again, and the smell is familiar. By the way, L'Equipe is credited as a source by every British media passing the story on, but the website of the French publication has no mention of it as yet.

So which of these rumours have any credibility? Outside of the much touted Henry deal, the other rumours are all about unconfirmed deals where there are reportedly other interested parties. It all reeks of agent speak. However, I expect Arsenal to be interested in Zaha and Shaw. If they weren't, I'd be disappointed.

The extra ingredient this last week was the rumours about Nani, the Manchester United winger who is said to have fallen out with his current manager. The Portuguese went to Watford's training ground to watch his stepson play, and was quickly surrounded by autograph hunters with smartphones. With Watford having their setup right next door to London Colney, rumours were soon buzzing about an upcoming transfer. With Theo Walcott still in negotiations about a new deal, Manchester United were soon added as a potential suitor, and lo and behold! A rumoured part exchange deal! It really is too predictable sometimes.

Gazidis on transfers

Sky Sports News brought an exclusive interview with Arsenal CEO Ivan Gazidis today. Several important quotes need to be read by Gooners:

"We don't conduct our business in public."

It needs reminding now and then! This practice, while sensible for business, opens the door to all kinds of speculations, even from agents and clubs using Arsenal's to push up prices in deals that have nothing to do with the club.

"I don't intend to put my voice into the mix. Arsene has been very clear and explicit on all of those subjects. I'll leave the voice of Arsenal to be his."

As we all know, manager Arsène Wenger has stated that Samir Nasri will not be sold, and that the club hopes Cesc Fabregas will want to stay. Gazidis confirms here that the manager has the backing of the board. Especially the Nasri situation has led to speculation (that word again) that Wenger has been challenging the board and owners. This can't be true after the CEO's statement today.

"We don't have positions where players are coming to the end of their careers and positions where there are holes. We have to find players who can improve on some of the positions that we currently have and add some depth."

Gazidis echoes Wenger again. The signings of Gervinho and Carl Jenkinson appear to confirm this line of thought.

So does promoting Kieran Gibbs and Armand Traore, so Wenger has ruled out a left back signing. In the latest Arsenal Magazine he has also ruled out signing a goalkeeper because of Wojcech Szczesny's and Lukasz Fabianski's progress.

It leaves the defence and midfield, though. That's plenty of material for transfer rumours to come.

Neck out, head in noose

Last summer, in the first Silly Season of this blog, I attempted to analyse what really went on. As this blog is about Arsenal transfer rumours, the idea was to contrast all the short-sighted frenzy with more reasoned thought. As if. Second guessing Arsenal and Arsène Wenger isn't easy even for those close to the action.

Still, I'll make an attempt again this year.

The proposed ins and outs are tightly linked. While the press are content to raise the alarm for any name mentioned by (it seems) any source available, it's hard to see the longer lines. But sustainable football is all about long lines, keeping within the budget and composing the squad after making tough choices.

"And even if you lose Nasri, to find the same quality player, you have to spend again the same amount of money. Because you cannot say that you lose the player and you do not replace him."

The priority for Wenger is to keep the players he has. He has always put great emphasis on their ability to play together. Arsenal's tactics are demanding. If well-weighted, visionary passes don't reach their targets, it still looks silly. If the speed of thought aren't on par with the speed of the play, Arsenal look very ordinary.

Any confusion over Samir Nasri is now cleared, it seems, for the club. Even though the rumours still persist, he will be kept in the squad for the coming season. Some of Wenger's quotes in the matter suggest that he compares the risk of no fee for Nasri with any other risk in the transfer market. Nasri can't be easily replaced, not even for £25m. Which player could be bought, contracted and then coached to be as good as soon as August?

"I think Cesc has always been torn between his love for Arsenal that I feel is really genuine and, as well and what you can understand, the desire to play for the biggest team, at the moment, in the world. I think both exist in his head."

The captain's situation is less clear. Arsenal want Cesc Fábregas to stay, and his contract runs for several more years. Last year, Barcelona were told in no uncertain terms to forget any deal. But today, Wenger insinuated that there is contact between the clubs. Whether it's real negotiations or just polite variations of the word 'no', we don't know.

The quote above is from the Q&A Wenger did with the English printed media in Kuala Lumpur at the start of the Asian tour. He implied that Cesc loves Arsenal and Barca both, and is torn between them when sorting out his future. This is very human. A Barca fan since childhood, it's hard to turn down the chance to play there. But as anyone else tempted to switch jobs, Cesc compares the new position with what he's already got.

Last year, Arsenal were clear that no deal was to be made. This summer, the club have been less outspoken. If I dare to interpret: this year Cesc is for sale at the right price. The club doesn't need the constant distraction, especially not with the hard games coming thick and fast from the very start of the season.

But - and this is the major but - Barcelona don't have the money. The Guardian's Matt Scott has written a clear analysis, showing that the club is on the brink of bankrupcy. That might explain all the rumours of constant haggling on a transfer fee for Cesc. And there is no reason for Arsenal, known for their financial clout, to accept selling their captain on the cheap.

Cesc's own silence in the matter have infuriated many Gooners. But like Nasri, Cesc has nothing to gain by going public in any direction. Their fates are not in their own hands, and they risk falling out with fans either way. In fact, Cesc Fábregas has stayed classy throughout, never saying a bad word about any club.

"Everyone sees things in a different way but in these decisions, not everything depends on the player. I am not going to talk about any team but I can't say no to anyone because you never know what could happen in the future. If I said anything else it would be a lie, it would give rise to speculation that is not true."

From the clouds surrounding the captain to the ones obviously outbound. Selling players aren't a lark, the Premier League (and UEFA) rules on squad limitation is a problem, as is the English level of the Arsenal players' wages.

"[Nicklas Bendtner and Manuel Almunia] are talking to other clubs at the moment. I cannot tell you which ones."

These two are definitely looking to leave Arsenal, both frustrated about losing the competition for places. Their time has arrived, but their suitors may be in for hard negotiations. The Spanish sides linked with Almunia aren't likely to be prepared to pay him what he gets today. And Bendtner's high opinion of himself is a threat to any deal. Arsenal risk that the player turns down the contracts offered by the clubs agreeing a transfer fee.

The sale of Gaël Clichy was classic Wenger. A faithful club servant is sold at the right time, like so many others before him. The reason? To let a young English full back blossom.

"The plan for left back is that we have Kieran Gibbs, Armand Traore and Thomas Vermaelen can play there too. So we have what we need."

There is no reason to believe that Clichy will be replaced with a new signing. Gibbs is already an England international. Traore has gone the rounds on loan to gain experience, last season with no lesser club than Juventus. The manager believes they are ready, and it's time for the investments made in them to pay dividends.

The same logic applied for Clichy when Arsenal replaced Ashley Cole. Instead of bringing in someone like Wayne Bridge (heavily linked at the time), Wenger plumped for an internal promotion. It went rather well, don't you think?

In the same vein, Carl Jenkinson looks to be a typical Wenger signing. Cheap, intelligent, skilled and far better than anyone expected (to judge from his - at the time of writing - single Arsenal appearance in Malaysia). Just like Clichy was as an unknown 17-year-old from Cannes, rapidly becoming real competition for England's number 3.

“In open play, we were one of the better defences [last season] but we conceded too many goals on set-pieces and that is where we want to improve this season.”

Most Gooners would agree that the defence is what needs strength in depth, particularly in the middle. This week, Wenger said that coaching rather than signing would solve the problems. It's hard to believe he won't try both.

In Vermaelen, Arsenal have one of the best defenders in the league. Laurent Koscielny and Johan Djourou are set to embark on their second full seasons, and will improve. Sébastien Squillaci is clearly fourth choice, while Kyle Bartley and Ignasi Miquel need to convince the manager soon if they're not to be loaned out again and/or sold like so many before them.

There is room for more competition, but Wenger is keeping his cards to his chest. Despite rumours stretching back weeks and months, Bolton insist that no move is made for Gary Cahill. Interest in Christopher Samba seems to be waning, and no hard facts is known on any bids since January. Bids for Phil Jagielka were reported to be made last summer, and the rumours persist this year. Buying someone from Everton isn't easy, though, their squad is thin as it is.

I believe there are two reasons for Wenger's statement. The first, obvious one, is that any stated interest in any player increases the transfer fee. The second is that frugal Arsenal may want to sell first. Both the wage budget and the 25 player rule limits the intake of players.

Having in a way traded Clichy for Gervinho, the club needs to offload before signing a new player and agreeing wages. If Bendtner, Almunia or even Denilson get new employers, Arsenal will be more active.

It's not like Denilson will leave a gaping hole in the squad. It can be argued that a fit Aaron Ramsey is like Wenger's equivocal 'new signing' in that respect. As the Yankee Gunner puts it, the real problem at Arsenal may be the lack of cover for Alex Song in the midfield anchor role. The only really sizable transfer rumour for that position has been Scott Parker. Expensive and 30, however, he's not anything like a typical Wenger signing. All the noises connecting him with Arsenal also appear to have come from his own representatives.

But like with Gibbs, there might be a chance this or next season for Emmanuel Frimpong and Craig Eastmond to really enter the competition for the anchor role in the first team.

“I realise there is a big chance in front of me and I might not give this No 1 shirt away to anyone else for the next ten to 15 years.”

The words of Wojcech Szczesny, who many already think is the answer to Arsenal's problem position in goal. Looking at his performances last season, as well as the injured Lukasz Fabianski's (yes, really) it doesn't look like Almunia needs replacing. Vito Mannone shouldn't be forgotten either, impressing on loan in the Championship the last few months.

Any media links to any goalkeepers appear more and more strenuous as the Silly Season grows older.

“We worked very hard with these players for years to develop them and now it’s time for us to keep them together.”

As stated, the manager wants to keep the players who are already there. And face it, while it's fun to debate the players' merits on forums, blogs and Twitter, he knows them best. When he decides to keep Andrei Arshavin in spite of his perceived lack of defensive fibres, Tomas Rosicky the non-goal-machine or Abou Diaby the hothead it's beacuse of the continuity. He believes it's valuable in itself.

And at this time of the pre-season Arsène Wenger must be bullish about his team. This is the time where the ghosts of last season's final stretch must be exorcised. The players must believe that they can do it next time. Time will show if he can convince the Arsenal fans as well.

It is a mantra, but it's no less true when spoken today.

"We are a young team and we can only be better."

So, what else is new?

There are quite a few repeats on the list of January 2011 transfer rumours so far. It's almost as if Lukasz Fabianski hadn't played well for a few games.

Fulham's Mark Schwarzer and Liverpool's Pepe Reina are familiar names from the summer, even though they are in different price categories.

Connor Wickham, Kara Mbodj and the Lukaku brothers are youngsters still being watched by Arsenal scouts and rousing interest.

New on the list are defenders Gabi Milito of Barcelona and Benedikt Höwedes of Schalke 04. During the summer there were numerous reports on Arsenal's supposed interest in La Liga and Bundesliga defenders, but Sébastien Squillaci was the only one to show for it.

And the other way around? Well, there's a rumour that Cesc Fabregas might head for Spain...

Tick, tock, four days to go

There might not be any more signings in this Silly Season.

Marouane Chamakh, Laurent Koscielny and Sébastien Squillaci are three elite signings, strengthening the defense and replacing Eduardo in attack.

A new goalkeeper, though high on the supporters' agenda, will have to be moved to the list of New Years' wishes - if there are no surprising developments before Wednesday.

There are still murmurs about Mark Schwarzer, the dead Shay Given rumour still has a post-mortem following on websites like the Metro, while Federico Marchetti looks like never having been in the running. If there ever was a "running" to be in.

Three multi-million signings are still a few more than most clubs. The transfer market this Silly Season has been tight, and the manager has publicly complained that the deals he has made all have been difficult to complete.

But can we trust Arséne Wenger, seasoned wheeler-dealer in Europe, when he says that the market is dead? There are still four more days to spread the rumours.

[updated] Dead market or not, the Daily Mirror proclaims that Arsenal WILL finalise a deal for Schwarzer before the transfer window closes. So both extremes are being reported as news...

A goalkeeper is further and further away

Today, the Premier League season opens for Arsenal. At Anfield, the goalkeeper selected will know that he's the number 1 choice for the season, Arsène Wenger has told the club website.

In spite of an overwhelming opinion, fans and pundits alike, the manager seems content with the four goalkeepers currently in the first team squad. He's also made it clear that one of them will go out on loan for the season when his first choice has been made.

Links with veterans like Mark Schwarzer and lately Shay Given haven't gone away just yet. From several media reports, it seems that Arsenal were after Schwarzer but that Fulham weren't interested in selling. Given has responded in public to rumours, seemingly keen to join, but Manchester City wouldn't sell or loan to a top four rival.

The other hosts of goalkeepers from all over Europe were never really in contention. They were surely scouted, some so often that transfer rumours were the result, but no firm interest have been shown.

With Wenger's statement on the day of the season opener, a signing will only make him look like he has gone down the Ferguson road of telling lies to the media in order to keep reporters off the track of his real intentions. It was never Wenger's way before.

Sometimes, I hate being right.

Arsène speaks

The manager is interviewed at great length in the Observer today. Thankfully, reporter Amy Lawrence is a Gooner and knows what to ask:

[Arsène] Wenger's mobile buzzes several times during an hour of rich and varied conversation. Without wishing to be impolite, he tries to steal a furtive glance at who is calling. There is still work to be done before the season opens. Wenger makes no secret of his need for another centre-half. And does he understand why people expect him to bring in a new goalkeeper? "Yes," he says, smiling ruefully.

This is as close as I've ever seen or heard the manager criticise the goalkeepers he has to choose from. During the season, he will never blame his current first choice for anything else than perhaps a slight moment of indecision. Maybe Amy Lawrence caught him off guard with a well formulated question.

Of course, the interview was done before yesterday's chaotic friendly at Legia Warsaw. Even when winning, 6-5 reminds me more of a Kevin Keegan parody than any Arsenal performance since Igors Stepanovs started an away game at Old Trafford.

This was truly a game courtesy of and inspired by Lukasz Fabianski and his transfer between the two clubs.

There is no reason whatsoever to expect Pepe Reina to join Arsenal from Liverpool in a £23m or £25m deal. Can you imagine Wenger spending that kind of money on anything but a training complex?! The story in yesterday's Sun is more likely to have come from the goalkeeper's own agents than any other source.

Any possible Mark Schwarzer transfer seems to have died a death with Fulham's new manager. Other managers aren't more likely to sell their first choice goalkeeper within days of the new season. So barring a truly exceptional development the next few days, Fabianski or Manuel Almunia will start at Anfield.

Before yesterday's defensive shambles in Poland, Wenger hadn't decided which of his four goalkeepers who will start the season as number 1, or which of the four who will go on loan. But those weren't the kind of goalkeeping decisions us fans hoped he would face after pre-season.

"We will not do that now"

During the pre-season, the manager has seen enough of promising 18-year-olds Jack Wilshere and Emmanuel Frimpong to call off the search for another defensive midfielder.

After retaining the Emirates Cup, Arsène Wenger said to the press that the two talents had persuaded him they have what it takes:

"... At the start of the season I was not convinced that Wilshere and Frimpong could be central midfielders, defensively. There is a little bit more competition than we expected there to be. We were considering even maybe going on the market for a midfielder. We will not do that now."

More quotes at arsenal.com.

Wenger still concedes that he is a central defender short, but he underlines that it's a question of numbers, not quality. (Of course he wouldn't state in public that the ones he already has are backup players...)

Which means there are still a room or two in the squad; perhaps even for a goalkeeper.

Having said throughout the summer that I don't believe a replacement for Almunia and/or Fabianski will be bought, I have to concede that the Mark Schwarzer saga has made me unsure. However, it seems pretty clear to me that a deal for the Australian international is the only option considered.

After internationals like Igor Akinfeev and Federico Marchetti have virtually begged to join Arsenal this summer, a replacement would be easy to find. If there was "only" a replacement needed. Wenger seems to have so much faith in Wojcech Szczesny (and in a lesser extent in Vito Mannone) that a new signing will only be short term.

Having the experienced Schwarzer around as player/coach does make sense in that respect.

Goalie rumours bonanza

This blog is all about the lack of trust we all should have in the media's football coverage during Silly Season. There's a lot of speculating in the miles and miles of reports of Arsenal's dealings or non-dealings in the market. The club is notorious when it comes to keeping transfers under wraps for as long as possible, and then being the very last to confirm that the deal is concluded.

However, sometimes I indulge in interpretation of stories and "news" items. Most of the rumours are just repetitions of other rumours. But sometimes, new threads emerge.

This week, Manuel Almunia has taken centre stage - or, rather, his rumoured replacement. Last season's first choice goalkeeper has yet to appear in a pre-season friendly. At the same time, all media outlets in the UK and then some are claiming that Arsenal are only a round of haggling away before signing Mark Schwarzer from Fulham.

I've mentioned the Schwarzer rumours before, including the bit that he's offered coaching duties in return for letting a younger goalkeeper take the number 1 spot after only a season or two. Anyway, while Fulham look for a manager, no deal can be made, realistic or not.

Another rumour building up is linked with Fulham's leadership predicament. While Ajax' Martin Jol was considered a candidate for the manager's position there, it was suppsoedly because he wanted to pressure his current club into keeping its stars. One of the stars is goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg, the Dutch number 1.

More than two months ago, the Daily Mail used one sentence to state that Arsenal had rejected Stekelenburg. However, after the Metro have spent ink on the goalkeeper, today sees the re-emergence of his status as a target in the News of the World.

Another goalkeeper throwing his own hat in the ring is Igor Akinfeev of CSKA Moscow, the international team-mate of Andrei Arshavin's. In the Daily Star Sunday today, the Russian comes up with a good old "come-and-get-me"-plea to Arsenal as well as Manchester United.

A rivalry between the clubs, also including an Arshavin endorsement, was reported in the Daily Mail as early as February, and Akinfeev was linked with Arsenal last summer as well.

In May, however, the website sport.co.uk reported that Wenger had all but sewn up Akinfeev in the January transfer window, only to make a u-turn in order to give Almunia and Lukasz Fabianski more time to get their acts together...

Meanwhile, the rumour mill is grinding for Almunia as well. While Fabianski seems set to stay with Arsenal whatever happens, the Spaniard has been linked with Osasuna and Atletico Madrid in his homeland.

The Arsenal goalkeeper syndrome...?

After watching the World Cup group stages, I got a feeling that international goalkeepers only need to get linked with Arsenal before playing badly.

Tonight's match saw Denmark's and Stoke City's Thomas Sørensen let in two Japanese free kicks, arguably because of bad positioning. Earlier, purported Arsenal targets like Robert Green, Hugo Lloris and Gianluigi Buffon have made high profile mistakes. Nigeria's Vincent Eneyama was linked after a great opening performance, but after the Arsenal link was made, he started to look shakier... Federico Marchetti didn't look too hot today, either.

Fulham's and Australia's Mark Schwarzer is reportedly close to signing for Arsenal (even though the deal has been reportedly near-concluded for a while now). During the World Cup, some of his errors have caught attention.

Not everything can be blamed on the ball. But not every "target" has looked stupid, either. World Cup keepers Sergio Romero, David James, Joe Hart, Maarten Stekelenburg, Manuel Neuer and Julio Cesar have yet to make mistakes like the ones highlighted above.

I guess the fact that they are ALL linked to Arsenal this summer tells us that no "Arsenal goalkeeper syndrome" is at work. Instead, with every goalie on the planet seemingly on his way to the Emirates, no wonder that a percentage of them make errors in the World Cup.

35-year-old Ukrainian goalkeeper is no. 100

The one hundredth transfer target of this Silly Season is Oleksandr Shovkovskiy, the Dinamo Kiev goalkeeper. Even if the Daily Mail concedes that there are a few targets ahead of him, this story has everything needed for a mention on this blog.

The link is not a bid, of course, nor an enquiry or even a slip of the tongue from anyone in the Arsenal management. It is instead the more vague sounding "recommendations from Gunners scouts in Eastern Europe".

Shovkovskyi is the Ukraine's third most capped player, but he didn't play against Norway this week.

Hot on the heels of this rumour, the Sun reports that Gonzalo Higuain would've been subject for an Arsenal bid - if he hadn't signed a new six-year-deal with Real Madrid, that is.

Which rumour of 100 and 101 is the most ridiculous, is hard to say.

Silly Season Top 5 - so far

Due to extreme boredom (read: hardly any proper rumours) today, I've decided to rank the silliest rumours and the most credible rumours. It's not scientific at all... but, then again, neither are the rumours themselves. If the people who actually make a living off football writing can imagine things, why shouldn't I?

Credible list first:

5. Simon Kjær: a Danish defender in Italian football. Represents the vast majority on the transfer-target-possible-rumour-bonanza list: players Arsenal surely have scouted. But nevertheless won't sign.

4. Jack Rodwell: on the list not because he'll end up at the Emirates, but because Arsène Wenger would definitely be interested. Too many others want to offer him a deal, though. Not least Everton...

3. Brede Hangeland: this rumour won't go away, even if Wenger has said that Arsenal have never bid for him. (Hasn't said they never will, mind.) Been linked with Arsenal last year, and the year before that, too. But easily Fulham's most important player, and with at least two years left on his current deal.

2. Pape Diakhatè: fills every known criteria for a Wenger signing: fairly young, reportedly athletic, skilful and fast, and you've never heard of him.

1. Marouane Chamakh: come on, it's a done deal and everyone knows it. Will be announced when Chamakh's deal officially runs out, 1 June or 1 July is my best bet (haven't bothered to research it).

Silly list:

5. Gianluigi Buffon: while still a good goalkeeper, the former Italian international has only been linked with Arsenal because a) he is a goalkeeper, and b) he really, really wants to play in the Premier League and enjoy the fans and the experience and... and... earn the most he can get in Europe.

4. Robert Green: rumour started in the Metro. 'Nuff said.

3. Sebastien Frey: Arsenal are ALWAYS linked with Frey. It's a ritual.

2. James Milner: as if Villa want to sell him. As if Villa want to sell him for less than umpty-fifteen million. As if anyone but Man City has that kind of money.

1. Fernando Torres, David Villa, Mario Balotelli: I split this in three because they are all mentioned in the same "story" in the Metro. About strikers Arsenal would like to sign. Yeah. and who wouldn't? Please...

So, that's me sticking my head out, then. Feel free to comment and discuss any target on this blog.

End of Proper Season

While watching the 4-0 win over Fulham in the last game of Proper Season 09/10, I wasn't quite sure whether to just thoroughly enjoy the win or to view it as an almost non-contest between two teams just hoping to put the league behind them. Arsenal needed a point, Fulham needed to get through the game without conceding injuries.

It was good to see Arsenal's subs, though. Johann Djourou returned to the Premier League after a year, Henri Lansbury made his impressive league debut in the last fifteen or twenty, and Carlos Vela finally broke his PL duck - and quite a chip it was, too.

And with players like these in the wings, it's easier to understand Arsène Wenger's youth project and his seemingly absolute faith in the squad. It's now, on the eve of Really Silly Season, hard to imagine the manager breaking the piggy bank for another midfielder. Or to buy a defender without anyone leaving first.

However, Lukasz Fabianski again demonstrated his insecurity in the role as last man. Like Almunia, he's a magnificent shot stopper. It's "just" dealing with crosses, opposition players and slippery gloves which remain lacking in his all-round game. It might very well be a confidence issue, and this time not helped by the downright sarcastic cheers from Arsenal "fans" every time he touched the ball.

There will be quite a lot of goalkeeper rumours coming up now. Every international agent with any half decent glove-wearing foreigner on his books will use Arsenal to tout ther clients on the market. "You know, Arsenal are interested, you need to make your move now." Like trying to sell downmarket condos.

Wenger has stated that he might not buy a goalkeeper at all. I, for one, doesn't think it will happen. One of the reasons is the manager's pig-headedness. Another is that any goalkeeper Wenger might sound out, would demand higher salary, signing-on fees, agent fees, transfer fees and bonus deals - because everyone thinks Arsenal are in desperate need.

But can Fabianski do an Eboue and regain his confidence? Stranger things have happened.

Soon, I'll do another rundown of the new squad rules in the Premier League. For next season, all is well for Arsenal, but something needs to give for the season after...

Poor performances = media rumour frenzy

Nothing's like a real all-star stinker of a game to get the rumour mill of Silly Season really going. And in the last month, Arsenal's stinkers are piling up. Yesterday's defeat at Blackburn had a particular nasty smell to it.

Quality English papers like to be prepared. The spectacle at Ewood Park was the perfect excuse for the Daily Telegraph to roll out a pre-prepared story on the series of gaffes made by Arsenal's three goalkeepers this season. It shows that it wasn't just Sam Allardyce who knew what lay in store for the Gunners.

While Arsène Wenger looks more and more like an Iraqi propaganda minister, defending Fabianski and bigging him up at every opportunity, the pressure is mounting. This is exactly when the manager usually does the exact opposite of what fans and media are expecting...

So despite being linked with Joe Hart, Hugo Lloris and Gianluigi Buffon in just one Guardian article today, the jury is still out on whether Arsenal actually intend to sign any of them or their colleagues.

One in the bag - two to go?

Arsène Wenger is quoted on arsenal.com: “Certainly, we will announce one player before the World Cup. After that we will see.

“... if I can make an addition – two or three maximum – then we will do it.“

Again, the easy guess is that Marouane Chamakh will be unveiled as soon as the French season is over. But at least the manager outlines about what we can expect in total.

We've been linked with several goalkeepers in the Daily Express today. I might be proven wrong after predicting none will be signed. It would be a mistake I'd be happy to have made!

Here are links for more on supposed targets Sergio Romero, René Adler and Andriy Pyatov. They are all international goalkeepers for Argentina, Germany and the Ukraine respectively, and all are in their mid-twenties.

And they probably all have agents touting them about to whichever club pays the most wages...

Proper expectations for a Silly Season

Seasoned Arsenal fans and Silly Season aficionados have heard it all before: "When you think of the players we have had out, we do not need too many."

The words of Arsène Wenger, long famous for not seeing incidents on the pitch, but soon MORE famous for declaring any player returning from injury as being "like a new signing..."

The Arsenal management feels that the current squad has the quality required to win trophies and titles. In this piece from the Press Association, Wenger admits that "one or two departments" need seeing to. No prizes for anyone guessing the goalkeeping dept. and the central defence agency.

The guidelines for "how to speak about the club" are meticulously followed by Sol Campbell in the PA piece. He speaks of the potential in the young squad, and that the only thing lacking is belief. The mental state of the youngsters always seems to pop up when the team's efforts are analysed. Earlier, Wenger is on record saying that Sol has meant a lot to the dressing room, and that his transfer policy of not signing older, former players may be changed.

"One or two departments" it is. Well, the only transfer rumour yet which absolutely refuses to go away is the free transfer of Marouane Chamakh from Bordeaux. Everyone, including myself, considers this a done deal. But he's a striker - so which is the other department?

I'll go out on a limb and suggest that Wenger is concentrating on replacing Silvestre and Senderos with a new central defender. Campbell and Gallas may very well get extensions, but Vermaelen and Djourou will need more backup than those two. Håvard Nordtveit has been told that he will fight for a first team place next season after two and a half years on loan, and perhaps Kyle Bartley will be considered on par with the Norwegian. But if this season has taught us anything, it's that injuries happen - and they don't wait for the most appropriate time.

What, no goalie? Well, there might come a situation where Arsenal might be tempted by an available top class goalkeeper... but how many are in the market? At the same time, Almunia and Fabianski are talked up by Wenger, who also have Wojcech Szczesny on hold. Fabianski have even been allowed to defend himself in public through the Evening Standard. My money is on no goalkeeper being signed.

And Wenger wants to get the deals through before the World Cup. That's seven weeks, then...

The clamour for a goalkeeper

Every Arsenal fan I know - web or IRL - want the club to shell out for a new no.1. Manuel Almunia and Lukasz Fabianski have used up their quotas for high-profile mistakes. While they are very competent, neither are adjudged to be the world class stopper Arsenal need to win titles again.

Personally, I never believed I'd se Fabianski in the first team again after his gaffes away to Porto. His destiny was all too similar to Alex Manninger's. After conceding five goals in a League Cup tie against Chelsea at Highbury, the young Austrian needed to leave for Italy to get his career up and running again. Selling Fabianski to the Bundesliga or Ligue 1 seemed the best idea.

Anyway, this link is for a Clubcall news item quoting the Sunday Express. The original piece is not on their website at the time of writing. The main target is Liverpool's Pepe Reina. And while we all would love to see a Spanish international between the sticks... how do you sign someone who just agreed a SIX-year deal with Liverpool...?