Fulham - 3 points!

Obviously the big news today is the exciting draw for next seasons fixtures. We have the easiest of easy games to start with. Some small time local out fit called Fulham. Who? Still they are the big team from SW6 so it should be a fun weekend in the sun. We play the small club from Fulham at home on 15th December, is Cashley planning his next injury now? Maybe he’ll have a touch of frostbite! Sunderland will get a shock being the chosen team to get our fancy dress outfits. I’m not sure the locals will take too well to that.

Quoting my number one target of the summer, Ryan Babel, he said “If I get the chance one day to train with Arsene Wenger it would be a dream,” (Daily Mail) Like it! He says he has been a Gooner since he was a kid. We should definitely sign this winger he clearly has some style!

Positive vibes are coming to Nicklas Bendtner from Sorensen (via The Brum Post). Thomas says he is Denmark’s’ Big Hope! I really can see Nicklas coming good if he gets the chance this season. If we do not sign a striker then Wenger will risk the season on the hope Nicklas comes on to great things when injuries strike!

Justin Hoyte played his part in another England Under-21 draw tonight. England were helped in their quest to go through to the Euro Semi’s as Serbia managed a second win against the Czech’s.

I’m off to dream of booking our tour to Moscow!

DRAFT FIXTURES

July

Sat 14 Barnet (a)

Thur 19 Genclerbirligi (N)

Wed 25 Salzburg (a)

Sat 28 PSG (h)

Sun 29 Inter (h)

August
Thur 2 Lazio (N)

Sat Ajax (a)

Sat 11 Fulham (h)
14/15 UEFA Champions League Qualifier 1st Leg
Sat 18 Blackburn Rovers (a)
Sat 25 Manchester City (h)
28/29 UEFA Champions League Qualifier 2nd Leg

September
Sat 1 Portsmouth (h)
Sat 15 Tottenham Hotspur (a)
18/19 UEFA Champions League Matchday 1
Sat 22 Derby County (h)
Sat 29 West Ham United (a)

October
2/3 UEFA Champions League Matchday 2
Sat 6 Sunderland (h)
Sat 20 Bolton Wanderers (h)
23/24 UEFA Champions League Matchday 3
Sat 27 Liverpool (a)
Wed 31 Carling Cup 4th Round

November
Sat 3 Manchester United (h)
6/7 UEFA Champions League Matchday 4
Sat 10 Reading (a)
Sat 24 Wigan Athletic (h)
27/28 UEFA Champions League Matchday 5

December
Sat 1 Aston Villa (a)
Sat 8 Middlesbrough (a)
11/12 UEFA Champions League Matchday 6
Sat 15 Chelsea (h)
Wed 19 Carling Cup Quarter-final
Sat 22 Tottenham Hotspur (h)
Wed 26 Portsmouth (a)
Sat 29 Everton (a)

January
Tue 1 West Ham United (h)
Sat 5 FA Cup 3rd Round
Wed 9 Carling Cup Semi-final 1st Leg
Sat 12 Birmingham City (h)
Sat 19 Fulham (a)
Wed 23 Carling Cup Semi-final 2nd Leg
Sat 26 FA Cup 4th Round
Tue 29 Newcastle United (h)

February
Sat 2 Manchester City (a)
Sat 9 Blackburn Rovers (h)
Sat 16 FA Cup 5th Round
19/20 UEFA Champions League K/O Round 1st Leg
Sat 23 Birmingham City (a)
Sun 24 Carling Cup Final

March
Sat 1 Aston Villa (h)
4/5 UEFA Champions League K/O Round 2nd Leg
Sat 8 Wigan Athletic (a) or FA Cup Quarter-final
Sat 15 Middlesbrough (h)
Sat 22 Chelsea (a)
Sat 29 Bolton Wanderers (a)

April
1/2 UEFA Champions League Quarter-final 1st Leg
Sat 5 Liverpool (h) or FA Cup Semi-final
8/9 UEFA Champions League Quarter-final 2nd Leg
Sat 12 Manchester United (a)
Sat 19 Reading (h)
22/23 UEFA Champions League Semi-final 1st Leg
Sat 26 Derby County (a)
29/30 UEFA Champions League Semi-final 2nd Leg

May
Sat 3 Everton (h)
Sun 11 Sunderland (a)
Sat 17 FA Cup Final
Wed 21 UEFA Champions League Final (Moscow)

To be Arranged
Newcastle United (a)

Black Stripes!!

What’s all this black kit business, apparently Dein wanted it in the Georgie Graham days, but it was vetoed. Now it appears (via arseblog, via unisport) we have one. Our third kit will be Black and Red Hoops? How random? I don’t mind the white but I am not buying the Flamengo style number.

The Sun’s back page links us to David Trezeguet a long term Wenger target now at 30 would only be around the £5Mil mark. The press say it is to keep Henry happy but I think all Gooners know Wenger is not that stupid. If we sign Trezza it is because at £5Mil he has the experience to balance the youth of VanP and Ade. Other targets linked today are Guily and Saviola (of Barca). This all seems a far cry from the News of The Worlds ‘Arsenal has no cash’.

Rosicky has underlined he is a GOONER! Thanks Thomas it’s nice to have a bit of loyalty. Don’t miss any open goals next season though!!

Skysports are now linking Big Phil with a move to Real Zaragoza, this could be a negative thing for Arsenal with the possibility of Djourou going on loan to Brum and Toure & Eboue off to the African Nations in January. Maybe we are signing a new defender?

One defender we may sign is Havard Nordveit, we thought the deal was dead but Arsene has apparently upped his offer for young Havard from Norway, his club have said Arsenal want him immediately and that is why the asking price is so high. Our current offer is £1.8Mil so it seems all parties are heading in the right direction. Another player for the future.

Tune in tomorrow at 10am for a run down of our fixtures for 2007/2008.

Arrivals Hall

‘My name is not up on any depature board.’ (TH14 - The Sun)

Va Va Voom

As suspected the made up story by French Football Magazine has earned them a shed load of publicity, every paper, football site, and football show has today mentioned the story they led with last night that Henry had signed for Barca despite not agreeing a deal first with Arsenal.

In a rage Henry’s agent said he would sue the popular mag because of the absolute rubbish they printed. Jerome Anderson (TH14 agent) said he had not even been to South of France (were the alleged meeting took place) for years. The previous silence is as Henry said at the end of the season because he doesn’t know how many times he can say, he does not want to leave Arsenal, this article needed putting in it’s place and Jerome was spot on to come out a cut it down.

I was pleased to hear Valencia are Hamburg’s replacement in the Emirates Cup meaning Edu will be back home again. The Milan - Valencia tie is a much more mouth-watering prospect and may get me out of bed a touch earlier on a summer Saturday.

I saw a headline ‘Hearts closing in on Hleb’, imagine the shock, but it was Vyacheslav Hleb, Alex’s bro signing for Hearts. Alex is in for a long Arsenal career his price tag is such that he will not be able to leave unless a big offer comes along. I like Hleb’s commitment and drive, but far too often last season he gave the ball away in key positions, and, as with most of our midfielders, he must score more goals if we are to challenge for the title.

Arsenal are in the hat for Fernando Torres along with, as always, Scouse, Manq, & Chav, and the fee will be just under £20Mil. I rate this young Spaniard and enjoyed watching him a couple of times in Germany 2006. Although I am not sure we can compete with the other 3 financially, Reyes may be a heavy weight in the deal, so the moaner may come in handy after all.

Henry has signed for Barca?

Arsenal confirmed we are gonna be white Away from Home next season. Unofficially I have heard a third shirt will be released in the next 2-3 weeks. I would say yellow.

I keep reading a report from the French Football Magazine, on their website they have stated Henry has signed for Barca for the €25Mil. The deal is for 3 years so I am sure the papers will be full of that tomorrow. Already every website has it on. I suppose this is one way to get your press release noticed.

A story broke yesterday that Wenger was in Norway on Saturday checking out Havard Nordveit an up and coming defender from Norway. The 16 year-old defender wants the move but his club, Haugesund, want £2Mil. That’s a joke.

Fabianski was in fine form today telling bbc sport that as good as Lehmann and Almunia are he wants to be number 1. Confident chap hey?

Charlton are in for Big Phil, I imagine on loan, so Wenger can now choose between him and Djourou for a centre back spot in the squad for next season.

DIC has been strongly linked with a large investment in Arsenal. How any of these people feel they can get a return on these ‘investments’ is beyond me. The boys from Dubai failed to buy Liverpool earlier in the season and now feel Arsenal is the place to rest their dosh.

So tomorrow will apparently herald the realisation Henry has left Arsenal, we’ll see. . . .

Wenger stays and will sign exceptional players

Don’t you just love the News of the World, apparently Arsenal are in turmoil, and everything is all over for us. We may as well throw our season tickets in the bin. LOSERS!! At least Wenger is staying as they say. According to them we have no money to sign any players either, funny every other page in the paper links us to a different player. Plus we are gonna loose Henry. It doesn’t seem to matter that our gate receipts are now one of the highest in the World. It doesn’t seem to matter we are pocketing £60Mil in TV rights. If only these guys had proper stories to fill their column inches!

Wenger was reported to be laughing (but not denying) at reports we are to sign Malouda a story that will not go away. Also Owen has again been linked with The Arsenal as his agent in touting him around to the big four. At least The News of The World can’t claim those signings to be their stories as we have no money to buy them.

It was funny to read that Newcastle were in for the Amsterdam tournament until Arsenal stepped up. They were told sorry but a better club have come along, he, he, he, how pissed off would Fat Sam have been?

I’d like to end with Wenger’s returning comments, he will be staying at Arsenal, he also said “We will bring in new people only if they are exceptional players.”

Thank you Aliadiere

This is now the time when boredom steps in and I am hungry for the season to start again. I think the fixtures list comes out on Thursday so I am looking forward to that.

The deal for Jeremie Aliadiere to move to Boro has been agreed and it seems Jezza has agreed terms. Leaving Arsenal with two strikers out of the squad, only Bendtner returning from loan. It makes it very clear now Arsenal will need to sign a top striker to fill that squad place. Jezza has been a very loyal Gooner, he has always been positive for Arsenal, and has always stated he wanted to stay at the club. That is a very good trait to have in the current climate in football so good luck to him.

Lehmann will have upset many Germans today by stating he stayed at Arsenal and did not return to the German league because of the superior standard at Arsenal “I play in a team where the quality is very high,” He said that he would not find the same qualities in any team in Germany.

I saw on Sky Sports News Ancelotti has played down links with Henry, maybe that is due to the fact they only play with one central striker and Gilardino has committed his future to Milan. They also have Inzaghi, Oliveira, Borriello, & Ronaldo.  Adding  Henry would be plain greedy.

It was good to see John Terry and his England colleague’s have realised they do not deserve to be paid for their performances for England. They will be donating their England match fees to Charity up until 2010.

Wenger returns from Holiday in Italy next week and he certainly has a lot to deal with, questions of Henry leaving, Dein’s exit (again), and unrest amongst other in the squad, I wouldn’t be surprised if he extended his break until mid-July.

Henry now off to Milan, still boring.

Clichy is the next great left back, I concur. This view comes from a French Paper, the French see Gael as having the potential to be a World Class Left Back. Clichy is seen as the third choice for French Left Back behind Abidal and Evra.

Most of the press have again focused on Henry and this time it’s destination Milan. Henry is flattered at Milan’s’ interest in him, the press have also reeled off a load of chat about how TH is not happy that Dein has left. What the press don’t pick up on is Tel also saying “As I have said many times, at the moment I am an Arsenal player.” I hope by the start of the season the boardroom details are ironed out and Dein, apparently a Gooner, has made some sort of positive statement. It seems David Dein’s’ son is an advisory for Henry (according to bbc.com), maybe this is why the press has so many stories, I spy an agent feeding info to the press.

Not much else to report so here’s an amusing picture . . .

Ade is not shit!!

Is this silly season or what? Yaya Toure, you remember played on trial at Arsenal, did really well, could have had him for nothing, remember? Well we are now in a transfer battle for him with Everton, Inter, Barca, and more. What is going on? and it’s gonna be about £10Mil too? Does not make any sense, I’m sure we must only been linked with him because we have already had him, what a cock up if we end up spending decent money on him! 

As suspected yesterday we have missed out on Ribery and he has signed for Bayern for £17Mil, out of our league in my opinion, and they have also snapped up Luca Toni. They will be a big challenger next season in the CL now they have replaced Hargreaves and Pizarro in style. 

I read yesterday that Djourou is off to Brum on a season long loan. Oh well, that’s the end of him then, these loans are becoming a problem. At least we’ll get 6 points against Brum when they lose Johan for the 2 matches against The Gooners. 

I’m a little confused why Adebayor feels he has to justify his form at Arsenal. I think he has had a successful season at The Arsenal. Considering the form of others this season and the fact he is 23 he has done well, he actually said to 442 mag “I need to work on my finishing, but I’m not so shit in front of goal,” this sort of talk must be damaging to Ade. He is a top player and has even been linked with a move to Manure, he doing well and I rate the guy. I hope he is given a break, if his confidence is high he will hit great form next season.