Eduardo training in two weeks?

According to Arsenal Analysis Boro Primorac, the Arsenal coach has been talking to the Croatian media whilst holidaying in Split.

The Croats report that he will be back in training in about two weeks which is excellent news.

Boro told them:

“We are all extremely happy that his rehabilitation went so well and that soon he will join up with the team.”

And he reckons that Eddie will be as good as he was before the injury:

“I believe that Eduardo will soon return to his form that was before the injury”

So good news if these reports are true – we will have a top quality goalscorer back in the team for the next campaign.

Happy days Gooners.

Arsenal Tranfers: Amaury Bischoff and Schneiderlin

In the last few days some rumours have been circulating about two players – Bischoff, a midfielder who plays for Werder Bremen, and Schneiderlin, a French U-18 player, who just signed for Southampton.

These are both very unlikely rumours. Firstly Bischoff – he plays as an attacking midfielder – we don’t need that sort of player – and he has hardly ever played for Werder – as he has an awful inury record.

Schneiderlin is a young French player who has just been signed up for Southampton – there are reports from his fan club (cheers GoonerTalk for the link!) that we may be looking to take him off Southampton in a few years – but that seems a little strange – why not just buy him and loan him to Southampton.

Both seem unlikely, I would like to see us bring in a defender to be honest, but I don’t know if Wenger is looking for a defender.

It all depends on what happens with Ade and Hleb – what do you think Wenger should do??

Cesc Fabregas – The best day of his life

Tonight Cesc Fabregas played for a Spanish team who made history. For the first time in 44 years they won an international trophy.

Spain won 1-0 against Germany after a fantastic Torres goal. They dominated the match. The Germans looked stagnant and the Spanish looked fluid. Cesc played 63 minutes before being substituted.

Cesc described it as the best day of his life:

“It’s the best day of my life as a football player,”

“I don’t think we are conscious yet of what we have achieved. It’s the best feeling you can have as a footballer, it’s one of the best trophies you can have. It is one of your dreams, and I made it.”

“It was a long time since a team of that quality tried to play football, tried to put the ball on the ground, tried to create chances and play beautiful football. I don’t think we’ve seen many teams have success. Finally football has the success it deserves.”

“You can see how young we are, so hopefully in two years’ time we can fight for the World Cup.”

It good to see Cesc loves to play quality football and win. This is why he loves playing for Arsenal, because we play good football, we just need to win stuff!

Well done Spain, and Cesc, it was well deserved.

Now take this success into next season!

 

Maybe I was wrong on Adebayor. Use the money and buy someone better

In the last few days I have been blogging about the Adebayor rumours. I was thinking that he would stay and that he was dedicated to Arsenal, but his most recent comments show he is an idiot, if he said them.

I am getting sick of all the transfer talk, I think that Ade wants to leave.

You will have all read the comments:

“Milan are a big club but the fact they are not playing in the Champions League next season is less of a challenge. Barcelona have made a good financial offer and there is also the chance to play alongside great players.

“Yes, I am still under contract to Arsenal but it’s up to the directors to satisfy my demands or I’ll leave. If my good form of last season has increased my value, my employers have to take account of that.

“I have to prepare for my retirement. Even if you are not scoring fine goals and you have money, you can enjoy a happy retirement. The time for preparing for that moment is now.”

“People ask if I am asking for the same salary as Henry. That is not necessarily the question. But I am being considered a worthy replacement for Henry while not deserving his salary. The question lies on this level.”

What an idiot – money-grabbing is all I can say. I am sure there has been some funny business – probably involving Ade’s agent – Stephane Courbis. Only a few days ago he was saying, he would stay. Now we hear all this about negotiations and money and being valued etc etc etc.

He isn’t Henry – his head sounds like it’s getting way too big..

I don’t want to talk about it really. If he wants to leave then let him. I can’t be bothered with him. I think he is a great player, but you can’t have someone in the squad who will affect morale.

This puts Wenger’s comments into context – he isn’t worried – but it doesn’t mean Ade will stay – because he will use the money to buy another striker.

Anyway, I hope the whole mess can sort itself out. If Ade does leave then we need a top class replacement with the money we will get.

Wenger says Adebayor will be at Arsenal next season

Arsene Wenger agrees with me!

UPDATE 29/06: Maybe he doesn’t! I’m getting a bit worried that Ade will leave now to be honest.

He thinks that Adebayor will be an Arsenal player next season too.

“He’s under contract and that’s quite simple. I can tell you as manager of Arsenal football club I’m not worried.

“Of course I expect him to be at Arsenal next season – he’s under contract.”

When Wenger was asked if he would be meeting the player next week as Ade said yesterday, Wenger responded;

“No – I’ve already met him.”

I still can’t believe that Arsenal would let him go to Milan or Barcelona. The fact that Ade hinted he would be sitting down with his agent Stephane Courbis to discuss this shows that it may be an agent driven move.

Ade has a contract, he said that, Wenger isn’t worried and has met him, and Ade has said he loves the club and wants to stay.

I’m not naiive. I know players will move to where the money is, and I have seen the Anelka saga unfold etc. I also know that even if players say they will stay they don’t neccesarily, but still, I think that it would be so crazy for us to let this guy go.

It can’t happen.

But maybe it will!

Adebayor will stay, I think..

Adebayor put out the message for the second time on Friday that he will stay at Arsenal.

But the media have turned the whole scenario into a circus – SkySports now report that he has said that he will decide on his future next week.

“I am a footballer, I have a three-year contract at Arsenal but as you know, a lot of clubs are interested in me.

“At the moment we are just going to sit down and talk and decide what to do. Nothing has been decided yet.

“We will decide next week.”

For me this seems like his words may have been skewed into meaning something Ade didn’t intend. He has even said here that he has a 3 year contract at Arsenal.

He did add:

“I have a lot of big clubs trying to buy me and it is up to me and my agent, Stephane Courbis, to sit down next week and find a good solution. I am in a position that I don’t know where I will be playing but that is normal. If you told me seven years ago when I was playing in Togo without football boots that I would have a choice of playing in Spain or Italy it would seem crazy.”

This is true, I think Ade is saying that of course he is tempted by a big move – and he just wants to make the right decision.

There’s no way that this is the ‘U-turn’ which the media is talking about.

Ade is just stating the facts – the money the papers claim we are offering is very good, and Ade knows that, he’s being pragmatic.

Adebayor WILL be an Arsenal player come the start of the campaign, I can’t believe he will leave. If Wenger let him leave it would be crazy.

Ade has been definitve over his future and it just seems that these comments have been worked to sound ‘exclusive’ so Sky get a story.

Theo Walcott – No. 14, the new Henry?!

Arsenal announced today that Theo Walcott, the young English striker will wear the No. 14 shirt next season.

This is a big step for the young player from shirt No.32 to having No.14,which is a legendary shirt, it was Henry’s number, and he was the best striker ever to play for Arsenal.

This shows several things on Wenger’s part:

1. Theo will be used more often this season, and definitely in a more attacking role.

2. Wenger has faith in Theo’s abilities – giving him the No.14 shirt is a very symbolic move.

It is funny that they also have the similarity that they have been used on the wing – Henry at Juve and Theo last season for Arsenal. They are both also very pacy.

Obviously Theo is his own player and all players are induviduals, but this does say good things about his potential to be a great player!

For Arsenal’s Squad list click here.

Adebayor is staying at Arsenal – Don’t listen to agents!

Emmanuel Adebayor has yet again denied the rumours that he is leaving Arsenal.

Speaking in Vienna he told the press:

“I am an Arsenal player and have three years left on my contract. “The most important thing for me is to keep on enjoying my football. I’m staying at Arsenal.

This is the second, or third time that he has denied the rumours surrounding him. Morabito is a moron for saying that Ade would be leaving.

It seems obvious to me that Ade wants to stay, and that Wenger wants him to stay.

Milan have said he is their main target for the summer, which is odd, but it is probably just to put pressure on the player and the club, and unsettle.

Also I reckon Hleb will stay too, the transfer rumours which were abounding last month seem to have died down, and realistically it looks like he will be playing for us next season – who wants him? Barcelona?? They say they’re getting Arshavin, so they won’t want Hleb. No-one else is seriously interested.

Rosicky off the crutches

Rosickytomas.com has some good news regarding Rosicky’s recovery:

“To lose the crutches has been a great relief. For six weeks after the surgery I was strictly ordered not to make a single movement without the crutches. Now that is over, but I will not remember it kindly”

“Wednesday was the first time I walked without any support. It is nothing great, but at least I can walk. I am stumbling and getting used to it. After a long time without proper movements, my knee is stiff. It just needs time.”

“In a few days I am flying to England. In London there is a more sophisticated rehabilitation schedule waiting for me. I don’t know what it will be like, but at least I will be doing something at last. I am sure the Arsenal specialists have thought it through well.”

This is great news, what we need next season is a Tomas Rosicky who is incredibly fit, consistent, not injured and scores goals from midfield!

Arsenal Transfer Rumours: Veloso, Crouch, Santa Cruz, Guiza, Senna

Good morning, afternoon, or evening. Wherever you are in the world! Here are a few more transfer rumours awaiting your derision.

First up, we’ve been linked with Portugese defensive midfielder Miguel Veloso. He plays for Sporting CP in Portugal and his agent Paulo Barbosa claims we want him – I think this is buls*it.

“Actually, we did not have normal contact from the Arsenal board, but from a member of the technical staff at the club, at the moment there is not a formal offer yet, but it is possible that will happen soon as Juventus and AC Milan have shown an equal interest in the player.”

So what does that mean? A scout watched him play once?? Again, it’s just an agent talking up a player – we should keep a list of them, Vicenzo Morabito would be somewhere near the top!

Morabito said we are interested in Crouch, beacuse Adebayor is 70 – 80% sure to leave Arsenal he claimed on Italian TV show Studio Sport.

“Arsenal are exploring the transfer market for a substitute for Adebayor,””The names being talked about are Peter Crouch, Blackburn striker Roque Santa Cruz and Germany forward Mario Gomez.”What are the chances of Adebayor joining Milan? At this stage, I’d say we are between 70 per cent to 80 per cent.”

One of the worst pieces of speculation I’ve heard this summer – if he isn’t good enough for Liverpool why would we want him??

Finally there are completely unfounded reports that we are interested in Senna, the 31 year old Spanish defensive midfielder.

Another made up one – the Daily Mail said we wanted Guiza – a mouth-watering prospect – but totally untrue!