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A Look At What The January Transfer Window Means For Arsenal, Theo Walcott and Who Arsenal Could Sign This January?

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Jan 042013

David Villa Sanchez

With the transfer window now officially open clubs around the world will be looking to strengthen their squad or move players on. However, the January transfer window is not favoured by most managers with several teams unlikely to conduct much transfer business at all, if any. I can understand why some managers and clubs opt against splashing the cash in January but there are always a few bargains available if you look in the right places. There are players with genuine quality and big reputations out of contract in the summer who are well worth a looking at. The likes of: Fernando Llorente, Keisuke Honda, and Moussa Sissoko amongst others could well be picked up for nominal fees in this transfer window, as they are all out of contract in the summer.

Whilst, some football clubs will choose against being very active this January, Arsenal simply have to! There are several players at the club who need to be moved on this January: Squillaci, Fabianski, Santos and Arshavin are all names which spring to mind. Clearing some of the deadwood at the club will both free up squad space and funds for any incomings. Also, loaning out some of the club’s youth players will be beneficial for all parties, with game time important for a young player looking to progress and mature as a footballer. Youngsters including Eisfield and Miguel will be considered for loan moves away from the club in order to gain vital first team experience.

In my opinion, Arsenal simply must target at least 2 quality players in this transfer window whom will make a difference at the club and fight for the badge on the shirt. In addition to this, keeping hold of our best players is a necessity.

The future of Theo Walcott still hangs in the balance although; the striker’s representatives have now held fresh talks with the club. It does appear as though Theo is edging ever closer to signing a new contract at Arsenal Football Club, with the player having previously admitted his expectation to have something sorted out very soon. There seems a willingness from all parties that Theo Walcott does remain a Gunner however, provided certain terms are met. According to widespread reports Walcott will sign a long-term contract for around £90,000 a week therefore, a compromise from the club and players previous demands. Nothing has been confirmed yet though but if Arsenal can tie Theo down this would certainly be a step in the right direction. Walcott has been prolific this season and it has become increasingly important that Arsenal keep hold of one of their prized assets and send out a real statement of intent. Arsenal and Arsene Wenger simply cannot afford to keep rebuilding depleted squads season after season if they want to be successful on the trophy front. Moreover, it also makes more financial sense to give Walcott a significant pay raise instead of shipping him on, in a cut price deal. Primarily, it would be hard to find a quality replacement for Walcott at a good price, available on a reasonable salary and willing to join Arsenal at this stage of the season. Clearly on all fronts keeping hold of Theo Walcott is quite frankly, pivotal.

On the transfer front it appears as though Arsenal are choosing to wrap up Theo Walcott’s future and sell or loan out some of the deadwood first before making any considerable approaches to sign any new players. I believe that this is a wise move as long as Theo’s contractual situation at the club doesn’t hold up proceedings on the transfer front for a lengthy period of time. It is important that the club identifies different targets, as well as pinpointing the positions they feel need strengthening. You would expect that Arsene and the club have an understanding already of whom exactly fits the bill, with talks with players and clubs likely to have started. The club is actively seeking to remove some of the deadwood from the club and the wage bill, with Wenger having admitted that Squillaci and Djourou are free to leave the club. Arsenal cannot afford to waste too much time inactive on the incomings front though, as we will risk missing out on a number of targets.

Moreover, Chamakh has now left the club on a sixth month loan deal, until the end of the season. Chamakh will be looking to impress whilst on loan at West Ham and this move is good all round. Djourou appears to edging closer to a move out from the club on loan now also. Hannover are said to be nearing completion of a loan deal, providing Djourou with the right platform to start playing regularly again. About time! Finally Arsenal and Arsene Wenger appear determined to get rid of fringe players at the club on high wages when you consider exactly what they are offering us. This has been well overdue however, the majority of players Arsenal have let go in recent times have only left on loan. Therefore, the problem is being shifted until the summer with the players long-term futures having to be resolved then. But my opinion is that once they are out of the club, they are out…

Time to get Theo Walcott’s contract rubber stamped and some quality signings signed up please, Arsene.

Who Could Arsenal Sign This January?

Well, if reports are to believed Arsenal fans should expect a minimum of 2 signings in this window although, as we all know nothing is certain in football. And I am sure Arsene Wenger will take into account the return of the likes of Rosicky and Diaby to the squad.

A hatful of different players are linked with January moves to Arsenal each and every day but it does seem likely that Arsenal will move for potentially a: striker, defender, defensive midfielder and possibly an attacking midfielder/ winger.

Arsene Wenger is looking at a variety of different strikers with David Villa and Adrian Lopez said to be on the club’s radar. Personally, I have my doubts regarding a move for Adrian Lopez who scored 19 goals in all competitions for Atletico Madrid last season. Whilst, he had a very impressive season last term, he hasn’t featured much at all for Atletico Madrid this season with world-class striker Falcao pushing him further down the pecking order. In fact he has only started 6 of Atletico’s La Liga matches so far, notching 2 goals in the process. He is a versatile player though who can play on the flanks or anywhere upfront. In his native Spain he has been named the new David Villa by some and at the age of 24 he is far from the finished article. He is rated in the region of £10- £15 million pounds but I feel as though Arsenal would be better off looking elsewhere. If the Gunners decided to sign both David Villa and Adrian Lopez then that would be a different matter. As Lopez could play on the wing but it seems more realistic that Arsene Wenger will sign one main striker in January. For me David Villa is pure and simply World Class. He could be available for a fee in the region of £16 million pounds, if reports are to be believed and Barcelona still owe Arsenal money for the transfers of Cesc Fabregas and Alex Song. A compromise could possibly be met over the price then too but Barcelona are reluctant to lose one of their star talents in January. He is out of Barcelona’s first team and whilst Messi remains fit and firing it is likely to remain that way. Villa wants regular football and a move to the Premier League would appeal to him. Even though he is 31 years of age, he is still good value and a player who could really help Arsenal move onto the next level. David Villa still has 2 years + at the top and would be a fabulous signing for any team. If he demands a transfer then he could well be on the way to Arsenal. A Spanish superstar with a proven track record, with the possibility of playing in front of Santi Cazorla, Mikel Arteta and Jack Wilshere a move to Arsenal could well be a match made in heaven… Wenger sign him up, you know it makes sense!

Arsene Wenger is said to be keen on both Spanish strikers and it remains to be seen whether he will make his interest concrete. If we fail to land either of these players the club may decide to pursue the likes of Remy, Jovetic or Aubameyang etc. David Villa for me is the stand out option for the Gunners upfront though.

With several defenders heading for pastures new as explained earlier a versatile defender would be ideal in January. Someone who can play all over the back four. Montpellier’s French defender Mbiwa is reportedly Wenger’s top defensive target, he is versatile, a leader and a strong defender. He is a very good defender and would be an ideal signing. However, Marseille’s defender and Cameroon international N’koulou would be a decent alternative if we cannot land Mbiwa. N’koulou has in the past admitted to being flattered by rumours of interest in him from Arsenal last season and this could be one move to look out for. He is also versatile defender and both players have been in fine form once again this season.

Lastly, Arsene Wenger could decide to sign a defensive midfielder this month, Yann M’vila continues to be linked with a move to Arsenal however, I would prefer a January move for Toulouse star, Capoue. Capoue is a solid defensive midfielder and statistically the 2^nd best defensive mid in Europe this season. His fine form has alerted a number of clubs and a move to Arsenal would interest the Frenchman. Étienne Capoue is 24 years of age and an up and coming star in French football. A deal could well be on the cards if Wenger does press ahead with a bid in the region of £10 million pounds.

Who Would You Like To See Join Arsenal Realistically In January? What Have You Made of This Article?

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THE ANATOMY OF AN ARSENAL TRANFER (ARSENATOMY)

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Aug 022012

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.

Follow me on twitter @Mr_Mani

RVP Still bleeds Red & White

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Jul 262012

In 2010 Lebron James for those who don’t know him an NBA player became a free agent. Prior to that he was playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers whom he had given a lot of great years. One thing that Lebron hadn’t managed to do was win a Championship with the Cavalliers. Always rated to be one of the best players in NBA who hadn’t won a Championship. When Lebron announced his decision to Join The Heat who were planning to become the Manchester City/PSG of the NBA. His decision was met with heavy criticism and a media frenzy, thousands of virals of angry fans, burning of jerseys and the old classic death threats. Fast forward now Lebron was voted NBA finals MVP and has now won his first Championship.

I don’t want to educate people about the NBA here as I don’t think theres a lot of interest in it and after all this is a football blog. As a fan its difficult to understand why a player can just move without the motivation of money. For example our old Togolese friend is refusing to sign a contract at sp*** because they cant offer him the amount of salary that he is being given to by the sheikh’s in bucket loads. Samir Nasri, we understand Manchester United were first in for him and wanted him more than Manchester City but he choose to dab his ink where there was more zeros. Is it any coincidence that the biggest players in the world Zlatan, Thiago Silva, Aguero, etc sign for the clubs that offer the most money? Is this trend because they feel there is a better chance of winning things at these money rich clubs or is it because they want a better pay package?

As a fan I like nothing and sitting with friends and berating how Chelsea, Manchester City and PSG are ruining football by injecting unrealistic money into clubs thus corrupting the whole system. Its all fair enough But we Arsenal ourselves have been just as guilty in doing this just like Manchester city albeit with less zeros but its like stealing someone stealing a TV and another one stealing a toaster there might be less value on the toaster but its stealing none the less. Let me expand, Arsenals policy was to sign a lot of young players from mainly Europe taking them from the best academies around and offering twice/3 times the amount they earned at these clubs. When these players join they say things like ‘I’m glad to be joining Arsenal because they give young players the chance’ None of them ever say I’m joining Arsenal because I can now earn 4 times more than my former team mates. In a way maybe some of these young players view Arsenal as a stepping stone or a booster seat to their career even though history proves that for the most part the young players that leave Arsenal never really make it. Why do you leave the club you grew up at and come to a different country? Is it because you get a chance to play more or maybe the nice pay package made the decision easy

So the curious case of Mr Robin Van Persie, there is a famous picture of him sitting in his room decorated in red and white and also wearing a JVC Arsenal shirt. The boy has always been a gooner, , ‘why would he leave his favourite club?’ is some of the words fans mutter. Yes Van Persie might be a gooner and he has played for his favourite club but does that mean he has to stay and potentially not win anything and miss out on that last big payday and a sack full of trophies that comes with it? What Van Persie and Mr Kees Vos had planned is that They plan a beautiful exit plan where Robin gets fan’s pity and people turn on the board and he makes a sweet escape and stays an Arsenal Legend. WRONG! Arsenal fans are not to be underestimated and this beauty of twitter, facebook and blogs means that there is a lot of exchange of information , analysis over and over again meaning the truth or some of it will come out. The backlash was spectacular, I don’t think even Robin himself was prepared for it. Now it has left him in a situation where perhaps he doesn’t have control of it as he wished. Arsene and the board wont have it, No one wants to pay over £20 million. I am not going to speculate on if Robin refused to go on tour or not because Koscielny, Giroud, Podolski and a few others also didn’t travel. Was this done to protect Van persie or the club just had planned it? Why did Theo and Chamberlain go they were at the Euros? are all the questions people have but at the moment its all speculation.

I for one hope Robin does the right thing, show faith in the man who showed him a lot of faith and stood by him through those rape allegations, the petulance and red cards and all those injuries and the club that made him a truly world class performer. Its funny because reading Robin van Persie’s statement theres is a whiff of hypocrisy. Arsenal could have cashed in on Robin and signed a more experienced striker when the likes of Henry left. Yet the club showed faith in him and allowed him to develop. The club is changing its wage structure, investing in ready made talents. I just want Robin to reciprocate the faith that the club and fans have showed him. This summer will decide weather Robin van Persie will become an Arsenal legend or another good player that played for Arsenal.

Thanks for reading and please feel free to comment and follow me on twitter @mista_mani

Is Malaga Star Santi Cazorla Set For A Move To Arsenal?

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Jul 232012

Arsenal boss, Arsene Wenger is actively on the search for new reinforcements to further strengthen Arsenal’s current squad. Following the acquisitions of Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud recently it is widely expected that Arsenal will now turn their attentions to signing a new midfielder of real quality. The skilful Santi Cazorla is a player who fits the bill. Since the departure of Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona the club has never found an adequate replacement to fill this important role for the club. Arsenal had come close to signing Juan Mata from Valencia in the past but this failed to materialise as Chelsea had beaten us to his signature.

However, Arsenal were strongly linked with Spanish international Santi Cazorla last summer before he made a big money switch to ambitious side Malaga. There are widespread reports that Arsenal are once again interested in the Spaniard with Malaga’s owners currently in debt and in need of a significant cash boost. Malaga are also said to be interested in Arsenal’s out of favour striker Nicklas Bendtner with rumours circulating recently that Arsenal had rejected an initial fee believed to be in the region of £6.5 million pounds for the Denmark international.

How Much Will The Spanish Playmaker Be Available For?

Santi Cazorla is expected to command a fee in the region of £15 million pounds although, Arsenal appear to be a keen on a player plus cash deal offering both Nicklas Bendtner and a sum of money to entice Malaga to make a deal happen. With Malaga’s interest in Nicklas Bendtner made public by the player’s agent in the past this could well be a strong possibility for Arsenal Football Club. However, a move for Santi Cazorla may hinge on whether Arsenal can tie Theo Walcott down to a new contract, with some of the media believing that Arsenal could target Cazorla as Theo Walcott’s replacement. But with the clubs willingness to sell Andrei Arshavin there is a position available in Arsenal’s 25 man squad for a player of Cazorla’s quality.

Does Cazorla Want To Leave Malaga? Who Else Is Interested In The Spaniard?

In addition to, Malaga’s apparent need to gain funds from selling some of their prized assets Santi Cazorla is also said to be unhappy at how the Spanish club has broken promises they had made to him previously. Wage and bonus promises have not been met by the Spanish outfit and the playmaker looks almost certain to leave the club this summer.

If Arsenal do want to follow-up their interest in the Spanish midfield they will reportedly face competition from North London rival, Spurs who are on the market for a replacement to Luka Modric who is edging ever closer to the exit door. One of Spurs top transfer targets Joao Moutinho is said to command a fee in the region of £30 million pounds + a fee Spurs are not willing to pay for one of Porto’s standout performers. This is easy to understand though when you consider a player of Cazorla’s talent is available for half the price!

Consequently, Santi Cazorla’s versatility also makes him an interesting proposition with the midfielder able to operate through the middle in a central attacking midfield role or on either wing. He has played a part in some of Spain’s previous international successes although; minutes have been hard to come by in such a talented Spanish national team oozing talent. The pacy playmaker scored nine times for Malaga last season and the only way I can see Cazorla staying at Malaga is if the club settles the dispute over the payment promises they had made to him previously. I strongly believe that with the owners considerable debts he will be forced out the door and join one of Europe’s elite clubs instead. Cazorla could well be the answer to Arsenal’s attacking midfield problems and he could offer the North London Club some much-needed Spanish flair.

Originally posted on: www.football247now.com <– Please check out this website for football news from around the world!

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UPDATE: Silva, Walcott, Lansbury, Bartley

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Jul 162012

Wellington Silva to be loaned again, Walcott to hold vital talks and Kyle Bartley and Henri Lansbury’s return from loan.

Wellington Silva

“Wellington (full name Wellington Alves Da Silva) will again spend this season on loan at Levante – in the Spanish top flight – with the club confident it is the best approach for developing Wellington’s future with Arsenal.“ – Arsenal.com

Last season, Wellington, the promising Striker from Brazil was loaned out to Levante. Ever since Wellington Silva joined the Gunners, I’ve been watching him closely, hoping that he will make a break for the first team. He is a young, fast and very talented player. He plays with flair and pace and can pull defences apart.

Brazilian wizkid Wellington Silva

On January 20, 2012, Wellington Silva Joined Segunda División side Alcoyano on loan until the end of the season. Not only did he score in 3 of 16 appearances, he also netted on his debut. At the age of just 19, he has a bright future at Arsenal.

When questioned about his future at Arsenal last season, he responded:

“I am working hard to prove that I am able to play for Arsenal´s first team. That is my goal.”

Wellington returned back to training with the rest of the squad

The only problem with Wellington Silva is we have to wait for him to get a work permit. Just like with Joel Campbell. Hopefully we can see him ripping apart the Tottenham defense in a few seasons time! In addition to this point, it was rumored last season, that Wellington fell out with managers for bad attitude problems and an unhealthy diet.

Theo Walcott

Now to talk about Theo Walcott. It seems that Walcott, who is already on £70,000 a week, would like a better contract, earning around £100,000 a week instead. In my opinion, I feel that the club should offer him the new contract, with at least a 4 year deal.

Arsene can easily raise the money to pay Theo’s wages, as he plans to offload both Vela and Squillaci, with Squillaci reportedly earning around £60,000-a-week sitting on the Arsenal bench.

Walcott scores a screamer Vs Sweeden

Although many slate Theo, labelling him as just a “Sprinter”, I feel he is a brilliant addition to the Arsenal side. Although it would not be terrible to lose him for the rumored £15 million to Liverpool, I feel an extra £30,000 a week, is worth it.

Last season, the 23 year old contributed to just under 20 goals for Arsenal, with both 8 goals and assists in the Premier League. I don’t want to go on about statistics too much, because they aren’t everything. Walcott can also be a frustrating player yes, unlike Chamberlain he does not possess amazing skill to beat players. But he is quick and also wants to play upfront this season.

Overall I feel that Theo deserves a long contract extension, people forget that he is just 23, to let him go now would be a big mistake, look at Van Persie, he has just had the best season of his career at 29. Give him a chance, remember what he produced against Sweden for England in the Euros? 1 goal and 1 assist after coming on as a substitute. Not bad!

Walcott tears up Sweden after coming on as a sub (video)

I think Wenger should give Walcott a new contract and the chance to play upfront, especially during pre-season. It would be good to see what he’s capable of, in the position he aspires to play.

Kyle Bartley

Just a quick update on the not so new players to make the first team this year. Bartley, the English CB, standing tall at 6ft 3in, made 18 appearances to his loaned team Rangers, where he impressed the coaches.

Although, I can never get over the fact Bartley scored an own goal in the Emirates cup last season (84th min) after coming on for Koscielny, knocking us out of our own cup! The 21 year old is also one for jumping into tackles, which we saw a lot last season at Rangers, receiving 5 yellow cards in his 18 appearances.

6ft 3in Kyle Bartley

“He is fast becoming a regular fixture in the Rangers starting eleven and adds reliability and steel to the full-back slot.” – Rangers.co.uk (Last season)

Therefore I’m looking forward to Bartley as an extra addition to the squad, he adds security to the back four, but can also play a defensive midfield role too.

Henri Lansbury

Last season, Lansbury took a season long loan to newly relegated Championship side West Ham. On his debut against Portsmouth, Henri scored and received the man of the match award. He also showed throughout his loan spell his passion to play for the team and contributed to them being promoted back into the Premier League.

Lansbury, the solid midfielder

In more recent news, Lansbury tapped in a goal against Belgium league winners, Anderlecht, to help Arsenal secure a 1:0 victory and to win the Markus Liebherr Memorial Cup.

Lansbury told ArsenalPlayer after the match “”It’s always nice to play for the club you have been with for so long, and hopefully I can put on the shirt many more times,”

In my opinion I feel he will be able to replace the loss of Yossi Bennayoun and also Rosicky, who only has a couple of years let on his contract. At just 21, Lansbury is also an exciting England prospect, playing central Midfield and captaining the U16 England side when he was younger, he also has a bright future ahead.

Although, I don’t feel he will have a massive part to play within this season, he may have to step up to the role of Centre Midfield if some injuries occur. But, I do feel he will have a big part to play in Arsenal’s future.

Contracts

Talking of contract talks, Van Persie is also set to have more contract talks this week, after it has been rumored that Arsenal rejected Juventus to speak to Van Persie about a possible move to the Italian side.

In addition to this point Walcott will also have vital talks with Arsene about an increased wage, which I mentioned earlier. Another contract that I feel needs sorting is Alex Song who only has 2 more seasons left on his contract. I feel he has had a massive impact on the success of the team and at just 24, he deserves a better contract with the amount of potential he has.

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed the post and any feedback would be brilliant, also follow me on twitter for more up to date information and articles: @CallumAFC14

French Star Hatem Ben Arfa On Arsenal’s Radar?

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Jul 082012

With the recent acquisitions of French striker Olivier Giroud and Germany international Lukas Podolski it is widely expected that Arsenal will now turn their attention to strengthening in both the defensive and midfield positions. Arsenal have increased their attacking options significantly with the recent signings of these two highly rated players, although, if Robin Van Persie does leave Arsenal it is vital that the club replaces with a quality replacement. With no conclusion to the Robin Van Persie saga as of yet, Arsenal are expected to continue with the clubs transfer plans along with dealing with this ongoing battle. Moreover, several fringe players are expected to leave the club in the near future, with Squillaci widely reported to be heading back to France and Nicklas Bendtner who now has a new agent alerting several clubs including the likes of Malaga and Swansea. In addition to this, the likes of Denilson, Vela, Lansbury, Arshavin and various other footballers currently on Arsenal’s books are tipped to be heading for the exit door this summer. The potential departures of these players will help free up space and funds for any new signings the club wishes to make. Hatem Ben Arfa is a midfield option Arsenal are said to be taking into consideration.

Where Could Newcastle’s Hatem Ben Arfa Fit Into Arsenal’s Plans?

Well, since the departures of Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas the North London club is yet to truly replace them. Following a successful campaign at Newcastle recently Ben Arfa could be the player Arsenal are looking for the fill this gap in midfield. Arsene Wenger has been a keen admirer of the French international ever since his day at Marseille as a youngster. If Arsenal want to challenge on all fronts in the upcoming football season which gets underway in August squad depth is vital. The right blend of quality players is what sets a club ahead of its competitors. The lengthy loss of Jack Wilshere last season impacted Arsenal’s hopes of landing silverware greatly and the addition of Hatem Ben Arfa would offer Arsene Wenger the opportunity to rotate between the two players for a starting berth in the attacking midfield position once Jack Wilshere is fully fit. It is also important to consider the fact that Jack Wilshere is only 20 years of age, still learning his trade and will need to regain his match fitness first before he can play a part for Arsenal next season. Hatem Ben Arfa’s versatility is also a major asset with the player able to play both on the wing and attacking midfield positions. The Frenchman had previously played as a striker at Marseille and if required I am confident he would be able to play in this role once again if needed for Arsenal.

How Much Could Ben Arfa Be Available For?

According, to recent reports although Newcastle would loathe to lose a player of Ben Arfa’s ability but a fee in the region of £16 million may just be enough for the Magpies to part with one of their star players. In my opinion, this price does seem a little steep and if Arsenal were able to negotiate this transfer fee down to about £12 million pounds then this would be the sort of deal that could suit both clubs. The Gunners could also tempt Newcastle by offering some of their fringe players a makeweight for any possible deal. Arsene Wenger is prepared to listen to offers for a variety of footballers on Arsenal’s books so why not use them in a player plus cash deal? According to reliable French media outfit L’Equipe Arsenal have been in contact with Ben Arfa’s agent in recent weeks.

What Stumbling Blocks Are There?

It remains to be seen whether or not Ben Arfa intends to honour his contract at Newcastle or move on if he receives a tempting offer from a club that can offer him the opportunity to play in the Champions League next season. If Newcastle demand a price deemed to be over the odds and do not budge on this price this would likely prevent any deal from taking place at all. The player has also been accused of lacking discipline in the past but Arsene Wenger has been able to handle problems with players in the past and get the best out of them, this therefore shouldn’t be a major obstacle. Consequently, Wenger will know enough about the player by now to judge his character and decide whether he is suitable or not. But with Wenger having declared his interest in Ben Arfa in the past this suggests that the Gunners boss cannot foresee any potential problems that could arise from signing the Newcastle star. Nevertheless, bust ups and disagreements can impact the overall performance and morale of the team as seen most recently from the likes of Samir Nasri at Euro 2012.

Arsenal could really use a playmaker like Ben Arfa who has the ability to dart past opposition players with a great dale of pace and menace, using his dribbling skills to great effect. The 25 year old is not afraid to take on anyone with his pace and he also has a very good long distance shot.

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Arsenal formations for the 2012/2013 season?

Guest Columns, Latest News, Main Blog 5 Responses »

Jul 052012

WHAT’S THE BEST FORMATION FOR ARSENAL?

Since Wenger’s arrival at Arsenal, we have seen him deploy 2 formations mainly. We played with 4-4-2 upto 08/09 and then a 4-2-3-1 to get the best out of Cesc Fabregas.Now that Cesc has departed and we don’t have a player of similar style, so what is the formation to get the best out of the current players at Arsenal??

The first formation in question is the one we played last season, 4-2-3-1. Some people might argue that it was a rigid 4-3-3 but it wasn’t. In a 4-3-3, The wingers or wide forwards are in a more advanced position than the most advanced Central midfielder. At Arsenal, the CAM is more in line with the wingers than the two holding midfielders, operating as a second striker sometimes to press the opposition’s Central defender. Cesc, and more recently Rosicky and Ramsey have played that role at Arsenal.

If we play a 4-2-3-1 next season, the lineup would be like this…

Szczesny

Sagna Koscielny Vermaelen Gibbs

Song Arteta

Theo Wilshere Podolski

Robin van Persie

This is the ideal lineup with this formation. We can play Ox in place of Theo or Rosicky in place of Jack but player selection is another matter. This formation gives us the edge vs teams who play 4-4-2 as we enjoy most of the possession because of 3 CMs vs 2 of the opposition. But, There in lies the problem for us as teams play defensively against us, giving us most of the possession while they sit back and force the play towards the wings, which ultimately leads to crosses and everyone knows how bad we are at converting those crosses, especially when only 1 striker is up against 2 defenders. (CHELSEA comes to mind)

Now, the formation with which Arsene won all of his trophies, 4-4-2. (OR a 4-4-4-1 as some people might suggest, but the point is to have two strikers). A possible 4-4-2 can be something like this.

Szczesny

Sagna Koscielny Vermaelen Santos

Rosicky Arteta Wilshere Gervinho

Robin van Persie

Giroud

Again you can change the personnel as you wish. This formation has that Aerial threat upfront which we lacked along with the technical ability of Robin and Giroud (not another Chamakh, I stress). I’d like to bust one myth here that 4-4-2 is dead.. Really? Manchester United won almost everything with a 4-4-2. Spain won Euro 08 with Villa and Torres upfront. Manchester City last season played with 2 strikers in majority of their games. Despite that, 4-4-2 is a risky formation to play vs Big teams. I still remember that United always played 4-5-1 against us to counter our midfield play, And whenever they switched to 4-4-2, they struggled against us. Exception being the last game vs United at the Emirates.

The last formation in consideration is a bit unconventional for the English game, its a 3-5-2. Many people have suggested on twitter that we should play a 3-5-2 with this setup..

Szczesny

Koscielny Mertesacker Vermaelen

Coquelin Arteta Chamberlain Song Gibbs

Robin van Persie Podolski

I remember someone saying on twitter that with a 3-5-2 with Mertesacker as a sweeper and Song shielding the defence, we’ll cope well with the counter attacks which the opposition mount whenever our possession breaks in the opposition half. Interesting point. But 3-5-2 is more of a counter attacking formation in my opinion, which Napoli displayed last season.

There is no doubt about the versatility of our squad. We have a bunch of players who can play in more than one position. Gibbs, Santos, Chamberlain, Rosicky, Podolski, Theo, Robin, Song, Coquelin are all versatile players who make the squad flexible and allow us to have more options.

According to my tiny brain, we shouldn’t just play a 4231, it makes us predictable. Our players are capable of playing different roles, then why not utilise them to good effect?? We should be able to play both the 4231 and the 442 according to the situation. When teams like Sunderland (and Chelsea) come to the Emirates only to park the bus in front of their goal then there is no point in playing a 4231, They just sit back and defend, so why not play to counter them? If we start with 442 vs such teams then it will give us more chance of getting a goal. Giroud is so good in the air as well as with his feet, he gives us the plan B vs such teams (indicated in my 1st article). So to sum it up..

Play 4231 vs teams who will play attacking football like City.

Play 442 vs teams who park the bus and play long balls.

Play 352 vs teams like Norwich and Wigan at home.

That’s it, I think….

@L_KoscielnyFans

The RVP Ramble

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Jul 052012

Robin Van Persie’s statement – It’s a sad day for the Arsenal Football Club…

A ramble on how Robin Van Persie’s statement ruined my day…

Ramble – Talk or write at length in a confused or inconsequential way. (so yes if you don’t understand what is going on while reading this, neither do i.)

So I woke up today, on the 5^th of july 2012, in an already confused mood. As i am an Australian, and a New South Welshmen, I had just witnessed NSW losing to Queensland the night before (4^th july) in the Rugby league State of Origin decider by 1 point, meaning we have lost the series 7 times in a row, the specifics of this game are not very important, but losing by 1 point in a decider is tough to face in any sport. Then after the game I felt even stranger, as I found out German Striker Lukas Podolski, has been officially signed, and added onto the arsenal.com website. So basically I went to bed happy and sad…yeah not a good thing to do.

The next day, I woke up, and checked my twitter on my phone for news on arsenal as I normally do. Someone tweeted that RvP was a traitor and that he hated him forever…not a good start, Then I scrolled a bit more and realised it wasn’t the only one… So I went on his official twitter account and saw:

“Robin van Persie @Persie_official Update for the fans http://robinvanpersie.com/2012/07/04/update-for-the-fans/”

At first I thought, “Wait, why is everyone complaining? All he said is that he wasn’t going to sign a contract extension”. You see this is one of those situations, where the more you think about it, the worse it gets, this was certainly the case.

Gutted, distraught, angry, let down, astonished, sad…to sum up I felt pretty confused, and for no real reason at all. Robin hasn’t actually left, he just said he wasn’t going to sign. But it was basically a “come and get me plea” wasn’t it? I was so certain throughout the Summer (well technically winter for me) that Robin would resign, I thought that he was a different player than the likes of Samir Nasri (who left for money) and Cesc Fabregas (who left for his boyhood club) both were young, naive, and did not spend as many years at Arsenal as Robin did, but maybe I was wrong.

I decided to gather some opinions on what rival fans thought about the statement, specifically from a united fan, Liverpool Fan and a Spurs fan(yes, really!), who all shall remain nameless. So what did I gather?

I asked the Liverpool fan first, or should I say rather, he tweeted his opinions on the situation. He blamed RvP and the questioning of Loyalty, saying where are players like Terry, Gerrard and Giggs now? Liverpool fans probably have some sympathy for us, as they went through a similar situation with Fernando Torres, leaving the club to a rival club in Chelsea for a hefty price and wage increase, Robin looks like he’s about to do the same…

The United fan blamed Wenger, he said why did Wenger buy players to specifically accommodate for 1 player (in Giroud and Podolski) when we needed reinforcements in the midfield and Defense to be considered title challengers? It was a fair point I thought. M’vila has been in the rumour mill for months now, and even now reports are still saying he is close to signing and others that say the deal is off. I think united fans too, would understand to an extent what we are going through, with Wayne Rooney only recently requesting a transfer request, and then doing a u-turn on it later only to renew his contract. How would i feel if robin did that with Arsenal? I don’t know…

The Tottenham fan, was an interesting one, because unlike 99.5% of them, he was actually sincere and sympathetic (I know right?), saying that if/when Modric leaves, he thinks he will feel the same way, and that no player is bigger than the club.

So what did I gather from all this? More questions. Will he do a Torres? Will he do a Rooney? How would I feel if he stayed now? I don’t know. I even considered changing clubs! Yes I know! But when I hear RvP talk about Gazadis’ and Arsene Wenger’s ambitions like that it has to make me wonder, am I supporting the right club? I have only been supporting the club for a few years (and only last season was I truly devoted to the club) and haven’t witnessed the club win any trophies yet. I’m just fed up with the club going back to square one after all the improvements from last season.

“Out of my huge respect for Mr. Wenger, the players and the fans I don’t want to go into any details, but unfortunately in this meeting it has again become clear to me that we in many aspects disagree on the way Arsenal FC should move forward.”

Who knows, maybe this will mean Walcott can finally play in the middle where he was signed to play for in the first place? what will become of Robin? Will he still be captain? Will he be stripped of his captaincy but let go at the end of the year for a free transfer? Will he go in 2 weeks or before this transfer window closes? Is the Self-sustaining model we pride ourselves in really the only option or should we give in and get the board to break their banks and let Wenger spend big? We will have to wait and see…

The only thing I can confirm is: once a gooner, always a gooner. Just because a player leaves, even if it was the captain and best player, there is no one higher than the football club itself, whether a player, captain, manager or even board member. You should always support your club, no matter what. Tomorrow, im even planning to go to out in my Arsenal Jersey, just because it seems right and I hope many join me in doing this. Arsenal till I die.

#COYG

By @morphjin

Everything Arsenal:Round-up

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Jun 172012

M’VILA INTERESTED IN ARSENAL SWITCH

“I have heard Arsenal are interested in me,” M’Vila told the Daily Star Sunday. “I like Arsenal and I like the Premier League.

“I don’t know what is happening with the clubs, but yes, I would be interested in the Premier League and Arsenal.”

M’Vila’s France team-mate Olivier Giroud has also been linked with a move to the Gunners but he has insisted talk about his future must wait until after Euro 2012.

The 25-year-old enjoyed a landmark season with Montpellier as they landed the Ligue 1 title and could be available for about £12 million.

Bayern Munich and Borussia Monchengladbach are said to be keen on the striker but this week Montpellier coach Rene Girard said he was on the verge of a move to north London.

“It’s nice that people talk about me but I can’t talk about my future right now,” Giroud said.

ARSENAL LEAD GIROUD CHASE

Montpellier coach Rene Girard has revealed Arsenal are leading the race to sign in-demand striker Olivier Giroud.

A host of clubs are chasing Giroud this summer following his goalscoring exploits for Montpellier last season.

The 25-year-old netted 25 goals last term to help Montpellier to win the French title and his form has alerted several sides across Europe.

Montpellier are reluctant to lose their star striker, but Girard admits the player is likely to move to Arsenal if they can agree a deal with the French champions.

“Arsenal are very interested and Giroud wants to play in England, if Arsene [Wenger] agrees with the president [Louis Nicollin], he will sign for them”, Girard told French radio station RMC.

Giroud is currently with France at Euro 2012 and the player is expected to make a decision on his future after the tournament.

GLADBACH FACE DIFFICULT GIROUD CHASE

He is quoted in Bild as saying: “We remain true to our policy that we do not throw our money out the window. The problem in our negotiations is that we are in competition with clubs like Arsenal and top clubs in Germany.”

ZENIT OPEN TO ARSHAVIN DEAL

Zenit St Petersburg have challenged Andrey Arshavin to prove to the club that they should strike a deal with Arsenal for his permanent signature.

“Everything depends on Arshavin. If Andrey is ready to stay in the team and go on the field as a player, we are ready to discuss it,” said Zenit chief executive Maxim Mitrofanov.

“Arshavin is part of our club but, with all due respect to him, he will only stay in the event that he proves himself useful as an active player. Not as a man making up the numbers.”

ARSENAL RECEIVE €3.5M BID FOR CARLOS VELA

Real Sociedad remain frontrunners to sign Arsenal striker Carlos Vela after the Spanish side’s president flew to London for discussions with Gunners’ officials.

The Mexico international has impressed in San Sebastian this season where he scored six goals in 26 La Liga appearances.

Despite a handful of interest from Premier League and La Liga teams, Vela has his heart set on a permanent move to Sociedad who have already bid €3.5 million (£2.8m) in a prospective deal which includes a 50 per cent sell-on fee.

“He [Carlos] had a great time at Real Sociedad, a great season and would be happy to stay. It is being negotiated [with Arsenal], but we still haven’t heard anything”, revealed Vela’s agent Enrique Nieto.

Sociedad president Jokin Aperribay flew to London earlier in the week where he notified Arsenal officials of their offer, but will be kept waiting on a final decision from the north London giants until after this summer’s European Championships.

Vela, 23, joined Arsene Wenger’s side back in 2005, but has spent a large portion of his time plying his trade for other clubs on loan, including Salamanca, Osasuna and West Brom.

ARSENAL WARY OF RVP DEMANDS

Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood has admitted the club could lose Robin van Persie if the striker demands excessive wages.

Hill-Wood said in the Sunday Mirror: “He is vital to us and has been an extremely good captain. But if somebody comes along and offers Robin £250,000 a week then I am afraid we cannot compete with that.

“With players, you never know what they are going to do. Some players say they want silverware but when they have the chance to earn extraordinary money that has been pumped into the game, then you just have to hope they will stay because they are happy and loyal where they are.

“There are players like Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes at Manchester United who have been loyal to one club, but players like that are few and far between.

“Hopefully we can reach agreement with Robin and ideally he will extend his contract. We have already brought in one new player in Lukas Podolski and I believe we will bring in more. I am confident we will, in fact.

“I just hope that Robin will be with us next season because I genuinely feel we can make a real challenge for the Premier League title. We had an atrocious start to last season but we recovered to finish third, which was a marvellous achievement when you look at the problems that we had with injuries.”

ARSENAL ARE SET TO RESTRUCTURE THEIR WAGE BILL

Arsenal are set to restructure their wage bill to help manager Arsene Wenger land “top talent” in the transfer window, according to club chief executive Ivan Gazidis.

Gazidis confirmed his intention to reshape the club’s salary structure at an Arsenal Supporters Trust meeting and the Gunners are also expected to embark on a summer clear out in a bid to cut £23 million from the wage bill.

Gazidis said: “We have inefficiency of spending in our squad – but we are moving towards as efficient a model as possible.

“Our wage structure has been based around a flatter salary structure – that is part of a team ethos the

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manager develops, it’s about interaction between players – not superstars.

“But we have looked at this carefully and we have to make adjustments for top talent. They are earning a lot of money and I don’t think that will slow down. We have to adjust our model.”

The Gunners have already signed a new striker in Lukas Podolski and Gazidis expects others to follow as they look to end a seven year trophy drought at the Emirates.

“That is what this summer is about and that is what we are focused on for next year,” Gazidis said.

“We have a good team, we have a good young core of players and we need everybody involved to have belief so that we can push forward into next year and make a run at the Premier League trophy and for the Champions League.”

VAN PERSIE’S DAD RULES OUT CITY SWITCH

Robin Van Persie’s father, Bob, has dismissed talk his son is set to move to Manchester City, hinting the striker may stay on with Arsenal in the long-term.

“He’d never go to Manchester City as it’s impossible he would play for another Premier League side that wasn’t Arsenal,” Bob van Persie told El Mundo Deportivo.”It would make no sense to go to Barcelona when they’ve already got Leo Messi.”Real Madrid would be a good option, but they are not so much a team as a collection of star names, so he wouldn’t really fit in there either.”

SANTOS: RVP FUTURE UNCERTAIN

“He’s amazing. Besides being a great person, he is also one of my best friends at Arsenal. He is a guy who has given me full support,” Santos told ESPN Brasil.

“He is very intelligent on the pitch. He smashed the Premier League. It helped Arsenal get to where we are, in the Champions League spots, and I have no doubt that he will be one of the stars of Euro 2012.

“He has been at the club eight years and this was his best season. Sometimes, a player is interested in getting to know other teams and of course, playing well, he has attracted interest from many other teams. Of course your mind is affected.

“He is currently fully focused on the Euros and then, after, he can talk about whether he wants to stay with Arsenal.”

CLICHY: LEAVING ARSENAL FOR MANCHESTER CITY WAS DEFINITELY THE RIGHT MOVE

The France international, who started in Les Bleus’ 2-0 win over Ukraine on Friday, won a Premier League winner’s medal in his first season in Manchester.

The 26-year-old started 28 of the 38 league fixtures as a key part in Roberto Mancini’s title-winning squad, and he believes that the move has improved him as a player.

“It’s funny, but I am a vastly different player this year since I moved to City,” Clichy told Sky Sports.

“In my head, it is a turning point in my career. I wanted to see where it could take me. I do not regret it for a moment, as I have gained in self-confidence.

“It has been 10 years that I have played in the Premier League, which is not bad.

“I am champion of England and that is important in the life of a player, one feels stronger.”

Clichy replaced Patrice Evra for Laurent Blanc’s France side for Friday’s win in Donetsk, but knows that there is no guarantee he will feature from the off against Sweden on Tuesday.

“You have to ask the coach [who he will pick],” he added. “All the better if several players can play in this position.

“If each of us plays in that role and we reach the final, we will all be happy I think.

“The coach has maybe his starting XI in his head but he knows that the others can make a difference.”

ARSENAL ACE WALCOTT EAGER TO BUILD ON EUROS GOAL

Arsenal ace Theo Walcott aims to build on his goal scoring performance for England in victory over Sweden.

Playing an active part in a major finals has eluded Walcott until now as he scored as a substitute and then set up the winner for Danny Welbeck in the 3-2 win over Sweden on Friday night.

Walcott said: “To make my first tournament performance in a high-profile match means so much to me.

“It’s been a long time coming and hopefully there will be more to come from me. It certainly whets your appetite.

“It seems only the other day, rather than six years ago, that I was picked to go to the World Cup as a 17-year-old.

“Now to finally play in a major finals is a special moment and one to saviour and remember, not only for me but for my family watching back home. I hope I can build on it.”

‘NEVER IN MY WILDEST DREAMS DID I THINK I WOULD EARN 100 CAPS FOR GERMANY’ – PODOLSKI

Lukas Podolski has spoken of his pride in making his 100th international appearance for Germany at Euro 2012 against Denmark on Sunday.The forward has represented the Nationalelf on 99 occasions since making his senior debut in 2004, and is expected to hit three digits versus the Danes – a feat he has understandably revelled in prior to kick off in Lviv.

“I am proud, that is my initial feeling,” Podolski told Welt. “There is also great joy. It is simply unbelievable that I am soon going to play my 100th national team game.

“I have never in my wildest dreams imagined to play so often for Germany.”When I made my debut in 2004 I thought to myself, ‘cool now I am part of the team’, but I never looked too much into it.

“Then came the second cap and I thought ‘okay I’m here again’. I always waited around for Rudi Voller to call me.
“And then I just started getting more and more call-ups. Then came game 25, 50, 75 and now 100.

”My goal was never to break Lothar Matthaus record of 150 caps. I always said it would be a dream to reach 100 caps.”

”We will so how long I can play still. If I feel well I can play a few more years.”

VAN PERSIE BEMOANS ‘WEAK’ LJUNGBERG

Ljungberg accused Arsenal of lacking ambition in the wake of his move to West Ham, citing the departure of Thierry Henry and van Persie admits his comments were not well received in the Emirates Stadium dressing room.

“If you play nine years at a club like Arsenal you can say some nice words,” he told the News of the World. If you’re coming up with excuses about Thierry’s departure and about promises from the club it’s a bit weak.”

The Dutchman added: “I was disappointed and I know a few others were as well. He had a fantastic period; he was once the best player in England, so come on and say some nice things for this club, which is fantastic.”

WALCOTT SUFFERS HAMSTRING STRAIN

KRAKOW (Reuters) – Winger Theo Walcott suffered a hamstring injury in training and is doubtful for their final Euro 2012 Group D match against Ukraine, manager Roy Hodgson told the BBC on Sunday.

“Unfortunately, he had a slight setback in training today so that’s the major concern for him,” Hodgson said.

“He felt the hamstring that, of course, kept him out for so long at the end of last season and we were slightly concerned when he came to us.

“It was a precaution to take him from the field because he felt a slight tightness there so really whether he is a real contender for a starting position will depend on what the medical people can tell me.”

VAN PERSIE WINS PFA AWARD

Fans vote Arsenal striker player of the year

Arsenal striker Robin van Persie has added to his growing haul of personal plaudits after being voted the Professional Football Association’s fans’ player of the year for 2011-12.

It is the third award won by the Holland international for his prolific form last season, having already landed the PFA players’ and writers’ awards.

Van Persie scored 37 goals in 48 appearances for Arsenal and is now recognised as one of Europe’s top players.

“Robin had an exceptional season and has established himself in the mould of previous top quality Dutch strikers such as Dennis Bergkamp, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Marco van Basten,” said PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor.

“He’s very much in demand and Arsenal fans will be worrying whether Arsenal can get him to stay or whether he will move on to the likes of Manchester City.

“Many of his goals were the best of not just this season, but any season when you think of the quality of some of his volleys.

“He really has been a talisman for Arsenal and as captain has lifted them into qualifying for the Champions League again when all looked lost.”

ARSENAL’S OPENING PREMIER LEAGUE GAME LEAKED

Arsenal will play Sunderland at home in their first Premier League match of the 2012/13 season, according to supporters group REDaction.

Fixtures not officially released until Monday morning, but we can reveal that Arsenal will start the new season at HOME to SUNDERLAND

*This is a collection of Arsenal’s News from various websites and blogs.

Montpellier Star Olivier Giroud Set To Join Arsenal In The Next 48 Hours?

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Jun 132012

The emergence of Olivier Giroud has alerted several clubs across Europe including: Bayern Munich, Napoli, Atletico Madrid, Juventus and Arsenal. The striker is hot property at the moment following a sensational, breakthrough season in France over the course of the season just passed. Arsenal are said to be very keen on the French striker with Arsenal club scout Gilles Grimandi having this to say previously “He’s one of those we’re looking at. It is impossible not to watch him after his development in the past two years”. Giroud is said to be flattered by the Gunners reported interest and strong reports suggest that striker wants to ply his trade in the Barclays Premier League next season, with Arsenal.

So How Has Giroud Faired In France Over The Past Season?

Well, he ended the season as Ligue 1 top scorer, with an impressive goals tally for the season . He is the stand out figure at his current club Montpellier and they of course rate him very highly. As much as Montpellier would love to keep the French striker he seems keen to experience a new style of football elsewhere and with the players clause in his contract believed to be between £12million- £15million Arsenal Football Club could land the French international at a very reasonable price in todays modern transfer market.

Furthermore, Giroud is a good, strong, physical striker who would provide Arsenal with a different option upfront. He showed what is capable of against a strong German team in a friendly earlier on in the season. He scored for France in a 2-1 friendly win over Germany before the start of Euro 2012.

Could He Potentially Have The Same Impact As Koscielny Has Had Since He Left France If He Were To Join Arsenal?

Olivier Giroud is definitely a striker to look out for! Although, he was an inexpensive risk when he joined Montpellier he has certainly proved to be a bargain for the French club. He has only recently emerged as a quality striker over the course of the last two seasons, but he looks a very able striker who could complement Robin Van Persie and Lukas Podolski greatly. He would be a great addition to the Arsenal squad and provide ideal, much-needed striking competition. A move to Arsenal would suit the player and he would surely improve his game further by joining the Gunners. His movement and goal scoring prowess will boost Arsenal’s attacking options significantly, further easing the pressure off Robin Van Persie if he remains an Arsenal player. Some people believe that signing Giroud from Montpellier will signal the end of Robin Van Persie’s time at Arsenal, however, the club remain determined to keep hold of the Dutch striker. The prospect of Van Persie, Podolski and Giroud all available as attacking options for the London giants is mouth-watering.

Moreover, Arsene Wenger’s knowledge of French football has served the club very well in the past with the likes of: Robert Pires, Thierry Henry, Emmanuel Petit, Anelka and many others all proving to be great purchases.

Montpellier manager Rene Girard also told French Radio Station RMC recently that “Arsenal are very interested and Giroud wants to play in England, if Arsene agrees with the president, he will sign for them,” further increasing the likelihood that the player will join Arsenal.

In my opinion, Giroud would be a great signing for Arsenal without the hefty price tag of other players available on the transfer market. Consequently, the move could be completed in the next 48 hours with the chances of the player joining Arsenal looking highly likely. But, until a deal is done we must wait and hope…

Please follow me on twitter: @JasonBoyne94 for regular article updates and more!

Feel free to check out the video of Montpellier’s star striker in action below