Arsenation

Its Funny because Arsenal were one of the first clubs to make big signings. A lot of fans wont believe me when I say this but this player after my research (errm, errm) was awarded donkey of the week in one of his last weeks of his former club. He was having injury problems and his shy and retiring persona meant the fans weren’t forgiving of his patchy form. Massimo Morati ( The clever ones are now getting closer to who I’m talking about) who took over the club purchased Maurizio Ganz who eventually scored 36 goals in 68 appearances for ……of course Inter Milan. And the player in Question is Dennis Bergkamp. With the signing of Ganz, Dennis effectively was put in the transfer window. Bruce Rioch swooped in (just to mention one of the few words that journalists like) and signed Dennis Bergkamp for a paltry 7.5 Million which in today’s transfer money seems wont buy Andy Carroll’s ponytail or maybe wont buy Stuart Downing laser eye surgery to stop him hitting the posts and hit the target instead. Anyway Dennis signed for 7.5 Million which smashed the club record that stood at 2.5 million and back then the press were shocked. I don’t know if they were shocked like when Chelsea spent 50 million on Torres or were congratulating the club when Liverpool spent 35 million on Carroll but all I know is that it was a lot of money back then, still is if you are in my tax bracket.

It set a precedent on how Arsenal handled their business in the late 90s and early naughties. Then we had Vieira who was Arsene Wenger’s first signings, he was signed for a modest 3.5 Million from Milan. He had played a few games for the reserves but hadn’t really broken into team what we now call an ‘Arsene Wenger signing’ Relatively unknown, on the brink of becoming a big player but is blocked by another player then the players desire and a convincing amount of money makes the move smoother.

In 1997 Arsene Wenger noticed potential in another young French player by the name of Nicholas he again came for 500 000. Now that you think of it was quite a risk for Bruce Rioch signing DB10 for 7.5 million but no one is laughing now because he went on to become one of Arsenals greatest players of the modern era. Emmanuel Petit also joined for 2.5million. This method was employed by Arsene Wenger again and again. Using his extensive scouting network in France to pluck France’s most promising players bringing them to Arsenal. Arsene’s surgery to the team and the way Arsenal operated as a club bore fruits in 97-98 season when we lifted the Double. Then again in the 01-02 season, then one of Arsene’s finest teams went unbeaten for 49 games only to be stopped by Wayne Rooney’s impression of Tom Daley. I remember the moment like it was yesterday, from that day onwards I never liked Mike Riley or Wayne Rooney.

Arsene’s cherry on the cake was supposed to come in 2006 in the Champions League final against Barcelona only for an offside Samuel Eto’o goal and an overzealous referee sent of Mad Jens Lehmann. Arsenal in the same year signed Tomas Rosicky, Julio Baptista (remember him) and William Gallas but lost the talent and experience of Reyes, Campbell, Lauren and Robert Pires. Not only was these sales due to that the players were now getting old but the building of the Emirates had taken a lot of money the highest earning players and whingeing ones **cough Reyes cough** and ones that wanted more money *cough cashley cough* had to leave. In 2007 Arsenal signed Lukasz Fabianski, Lassana Diarra, Bakary Sagna, Eduardo Da Silva and Harvard Nordtveit but also saw the player exodus that included Thierry Henry, Freddie Ljungberg, Lassana Diarra. This was unknown to fans but there were signs that Arsenal needed to sell players to fund all sorts of things. Arsenal finished 4th an agonising 4 points away from the title. We lost 5-1 to spurs that season, Eduardo got his leg broken then Flamini left at the end also Alex Hleb had ice-cream with someone after our win at Milan nod was off.

In 2010 The only big signing Arsenal made was Thomas Vermaelen for a reported 10 million Euros. We finished 3rd 5 points ahead of spurs.

Ok I’m going on a bit but you will get the point soon then we fast forward to now, the stadium debt is nearly paid or all paid I’m not very sure, the club is all set for the UEFA financial fair play rules that apparently will make the transfer landscape more level (tell that to Chelski who look hell bent on spending at least 100m of their oil money) Now to this summer, Arsenal are ready to compete on all levels the balance of the squad is much better, the signings are mature and ready to get in the deep end. Already brought in are German superstar Lukas Podolski and a player on the verge of becoming a star in Olivier Giroud with Santi Carzola rumoured to be flying in for a medical. One or two more signings and you wont here a lot of pundits saying they expect Arsenal to finish outside the top 4 but to Challenge for the title. Alan Hansen of course will tip Liverpool for the title again and the usual suspects will also be tipped for the title except Arsenal will be one of the names.

Maybe Van Persie’s comments and refusing to sign a new deal earlier. For the record let me just say I think Arsene knew Van persie was going to be a problem when he said the classic “we will talk about my future at the end of the season” . Then him and a lot of critics saying the club not doing enough to compete or not showing ambition is what has moved Wenger to go and get players that are ready. Or maybe we have got past the smell and swam through the raw sewage and have escaped the Shawshank that was the building of the Emirates. I hope all Arsenal Fans are optimistic that the Berlin wall of trophylessness has ended and looking are forward to a new sunrise that will hopefully bring some shiny items to that Arsenal Trophy cabinet.

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