It would be an understatement to say that the next few weeks, and indeed the next season, are important to the long-term plans of both Arsenal and Arsene Wenger. Despite the Frenchman's declarations that he would be "busy" this summer, the big-name, and inevitably big-money, signings that Gunners fans have been craving since their inexperienced capitulation to Birmingham City in the Carling Cup final left their season in tatters, have so far failed to materialise.
Added to the inability to bring in tried-and-tested talent, Cesc Fabregas looks all but certain to return home to Barcelona, Gael Clichy has jumped ship to Manchester City, while Samir Nasri may yet exploit the threat of leaving next summer on a Bosman and force through a move to Eastlands as well. Robin van Persie, Tomas Vermaelen and Jack Wilshere have also all picked up pre-season knocks at a time when Wenger can ill-afford more stars away from the field, particularly with a tricky Champions League qualifying tie against Udinese to negotiate in between matches against Liverpool and Manchester United.
It all seems to make for rather depressing reading for Gunners fans. Champions Manchester United have snapped up £50m worth of talent, City have strengthened with Sergio Aguero, while Chelsea's new man Andre Villas-Boas looks to try and blend the know-how of old heads with the youthful exuberance of prospects such as Romelu Lukaku. Even Liverpool have splurged, leaving the Gunners faithful wondering if they can mount a serious challenge for a Champions League place, let alone a title challenge.
However, there is light at the end of the tunnel. In Vermaelen, Arsenal possess one the Premier League’s most talented centre-backs, and if the Belgian can remain fit, then he will surely help to shore up a weak defence. The purchase of Gervinho for £10m already looks like an astute piece of business - the Ivorian striker is quick, lethal in front of goal, and adaptable to numerous forward positions, a necessity for Arsenal's style.
Aaron Ramsey may have a big part to play this season if both Fabregas and Nasri move on, and while he is supremely talented, it wll be intriguing to see how he copes with the demands of the league following his horrific leg break in early 2010. Much rests on the young, gifted shoulder of Jack Wilshere. There is no question of his talent, yet he may need an experienced head or two, such as Scott Parker, next to him in what will be another long season for the 19-year-old. The purchase of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain from Southampton looks like another deal with the future in mind. While a reported £10m is not cheap, again fans will ask whether Wenger has decided to gamble on a younger player for less expense when, say, the more expensive yet more established Juan Mata has openly talked about his desire to move to Arsenal.
Rumours of a deal for Gary Cahill or Phil Jagielka swirl, yet until another centre-back and at least one central midfielder are signed, it is difficult to see how Arsenal can possibly sustain a serious title challenge. The Gunners remain one of the most gifted squads in the league, and their technique is without doubt. After delivering success and a state-of-the-art stadium, it seems unthinkable that Wenger could face mounting pressure for his position at the club.
It would be the ultimate of ironies if the man who has literally built Arsenal's future on youth to be forced from his position for his failure to look to more established names. While former chairman David Dein has publically backed Wenger, the fans, and ultimately the Arsenal board, will hope that Arsene stocks up on a few bullish enforcers to complement the tiki-taka teens currently at his disposal.
Aug 9, 2011
Solved....
So the problem i was working on, i solved it this morning!! and boy did it feel good!! so it turned out to be a very constructive morning:-),also got my Performance Review which was Exceeds Expectations, which is kind of good, but then where do i want to go from here? that's a question that remains to be answered, in interviews one standard question they usually ask is " Where do you see yourself 5 years from now" and the de facto response is Growing with this company and moving up, but then what if the company is the not the one you want to be with or the city not the one you want to live in then what? well we'll find out i guess!!
Also on another note, had an interesting conversation with my lady friend, boy do i manage to freak people out or what! getting all mushed up and jumping the gun by blurting out things:-), anyway there is a disclaimer i put up at the end of this blog a while back which said my postings depend on the mood i am in and of late it has been a good one and so i jump overboard with the mushiness, the gist of the matter being that i write about the feeling in the moment usually and i try to be overly for the lack of a better word mushy and it does not in anyway shape or sense signify what i feel on a long term basis! the long term stuff comes with "love" usually attached and last time(the only time) it came after a while, good or bad i do not know!
I like communication and open-ness and i am glad she mentioned it :-), on another note my friend is back from england and am glad he was not there with everything that is going on!
Cheerio! till next time
Also on another note, had an interesting conversation with my lady friend, boy do i manage to freak people out or what! getting all mushed up and jumping the gun by blurting out things:-), anyway there is a disclaimer i put up at the end of this blog a while back which said my postings depend on the mood i am in and of late it has been a good one and so i jump overboard with the mushiness, the gist of the matter being that i write about the feeling in the moment usually and i try to be overly for the lack of a better word mushy and it does not in anyway shape or sense signify what i feel on a long term basis! the long term stuff comes with "love" usually attached and last time(the only time) it came after a while, good or bad i do not know!
I like communication and open-ness and i am glad she mentioned it :-), on another note my friend is back from england and am glad he was not there with everything that is going on!
Cheerio! till next time
Aug 8, 2011
Unusual Day....
Which it was, i woke up feeling refreshed after 8 hrs of sleep which by my standards is a lot but i felt that it was long overdue,
I was expecting an overly busy day but somehow, it was not, i was busy but doing only one thing and not tasked with a multitude of things as i usually am, which helped and thank the good Samaritan that took some of my work!
I am still perplexed with a problem and i got part of it solved but the answer is just not coming to me? permutations, combinations, have tried plenty, i am sure it will but unfortunately there is a time crunch, every project has a deadline!!!!
Also there were some nostalgic conversations today and we finally signed a new player, another young gun! as the season nears the frustration grows,
I have been reading frost this evening and it helped me think about some other things other than the usual work stuff, which was a welcome change,i needed to remind myself not be carried away as life is not always the way i want it to be,
because people are not always the way we expect them to be,prime example: arsene promises new signings and we get a young gun!, but thats life and there are many more
examples,i just have to suck it up and accept the facts!
A poem from frost to end my post!
Revelation
We make ourselves a place apart
Behind light words that tease and flout,
But oh, the agitated hear
Till someone really find us out.
'Tis pity if the case require
(Or so we say) that in the end
We speak the literal to inspire
The understanding of a friend.
But so with all, from babes that play
At hid-and-seek to God afar,
So all who hide too well away
Must speak and tell us where they are.
I was expecting an overly busy day but somehow, it was not, i was busy but doing only one thing and not tasked with a multitude of things as i usually am, which helped and thank the good Samaritan that took some of my work!
I am still perplexed with a problem and i got part of it solved but the answer is just not coming to me? permutations, combinations, have tried plenty, i am sure it will but unfortunately there is a time crunch, every project has a deadline!!!!
Also there were some nostalgic conversations today and we finally signed a new player, another young gun! as the season nears the frustration grows,
I have been reading frost this evening and it helped me think about some other things other than the usual work stuff, which was a welcome change,i needed to remind myself not be carried away as life is not always the way i want it to be,
because people are not always the way we expect them to be,prime example: arsene promises new signings and we get a young gun!, but thats life and there are many more
examples,i just have to suck it up and accept the facts!
A poem from frost to end my post!
Revelation
We make ourselves a place apart
Behind light words that tease and flout,
But oh, the agitated hear
Till someone really find us out.
'Tis pity if the case require
(Or so we say) that in the end
We speak the literal to inspire
The understanding of a friend.
But so with all, from babes that play
At hid-and-seek to God afar,
So all who hide too well away
Must speak and tell us where they are.
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