Sunday

What an imaginative headline! Truth is I’m still hungover from last night and am struggling to make any sense of the day. Still the main thing everyone is talking about is the possible take over of the club by USA billionaire Stan. Wenger has said today he will be choosing a ‘Director of Football’ for Arsenal. This man will take on Dein’s role in transfers. 

On the football front the girls won their first leg of the UEFA Cup Final 1-nil. The away goal by defender Alex Scott gives Arsenal a massive boost on the road to becoming the first ever English Ladies Champions of Europe.  Men wise Wenger is insisting he will still be at Arsenal come May 2008. One thing I would think that the yank would do as soon as he took over would be to get Wenger to commit to Arsenal further than that. This will certainly get all the fans onside. Wenger also made a great comment that we deserved six points yesterday, that how much better than those chumps down the seven sisters. Martin Samuels also made a great comment in the News of The World stating that the way the Tottenham fans celebrated was like they’d won a trophy and shows the huge gap between the two sides. Well said Martin. 

Everyone is so concerned about the yank buying us out they’ve forgot to repeatedly print stories of Arsenal comings and going on the field. Some murmurings have been made that Senderos is off to Juventus in the summer and his replacement will be Jon Woodgate as part of the Reyes deal.

Royal Seal

The Queen Loves The Arsenal

Front page of the Sun today, brilliant, the Queen is a gooner. The Sun tell how Her Maj told Cesc she is a Gooner and so was her mum. This completes a nice set with Young Harry already out in the open about supporting the best team in the World. 

On a personal note the biggest news was our team will be playing at Ashburton Grove in the 02 Fives in May. It will be a massive honour to tread the Arsenal turf and I’ll keep you up to date with all the news to do with that. It should be a great day. 

On the gossip front today The Arsenal have been linked with Brum Keeper Colin Doyle who I haven’t seen a lot of but apparently he has been a star in Brum’s run towards the top of the table. A couple of rags have touted the idea Juve want Senderos and are willing to pay £7Mil for him. It could be true or it could be the papers jumping on a nothing story. 

Our “friends” from Colorado lost their first match of the season to FC Dallas who are managed by Stevie Morrow (yes the guy Adams dropped!). The 3-1 defeat leaves them with a win, a draw, and a loss, from their first 3 league games this season. 

I think today could be the calm before the storm, no real take-over talk to speak of, and no extra upset in the camp. We’ll see what tomorrow brings . . . .

Emirates Cup / Clichy / Director of Football

I saw today that Inter Milan have been invited to play in the Emirates Cup and the proposed date is Saturday 28th July 2007. I am sure this would guarantee the sell out Arsenal would want with the return again of Vieira. It has also been rumoured PSG and Hamburg have been invited due to their links with Emirates but it is also thought Colorado Rapids are involved. That is something ’silent Stan’ would definitely want.  Gael Clichy has stated today the importance of Sundays’ fixture. I would get behind him on that especially as the games against Chavski and Pompey will be tough ones. Hopefully the fans will in turn back the players. Clichy said (on arsenal.com) “We were looking forward to getting the three points on Saturday so we could have been through to next season’s Champions League,” “But now everyone needs to be focussed for the next game against Fulham so we can qualify. We need to do that for ourselves and for our fans.” Fulham will be up for it they can see they are in big danger of the drop so it is important Arsenal are at it and I hope Freddie makes it back to fitness, he has showed in recent weeks, he can be a good forward replacement. Fabregas had a niggle for the trip to scum-land and had to come on prematurely he was so good though, he seemed 100% fit to me. 

I was concerned to see the G14 are not happy with the Dein/Arsenal relationship. Dein took over as the top-dog at G14 it would be a nightmare if Arsenal were no longer part of a powerful group of European football clubs after so long leading the way. It looks like it is Dein who will be removed from the G14 board and I hope that the current board keep our relations up with the other G14 members. Replacements’ for Dein have been thrown about for the first time today. The guy who has the director of football role at the Spuds said today he wouldn’t drop the scum in it, if an offer was there though, would he? That would be funny. Has he really made great signing at the spuds? I suppose it depends who is responsible for finding the players, I would presume it was Jol and not “sporting director” Damien Comolli. A friend of Wenger has thrown his hat in the ring, Henri Biancheri, a 74-year-old French man. He was instrumental in bringing Trezeguet and Ribery to the top of the game. These are two Wenger has long been keen on so there may be some truth in that. 

On the summer transfer front there is a big rumour Madrid will track down Gallas and may offer the Gunners £15Mil for him. I can’t see Wenger going for it despite the huge sum. Gallas is a definite starter when fit and with Toure, Eboue, and Clichy, must form one of the strongest, and fastest, back fours around. Whether Gallas will want away is another story.

Alan Ball - 1945 - 2007

First of all a great hero of many gooners passed away early this morning. Alan Ball was first an England hero in ’66 and then in the 70’s a wonderful gooner. Although I am far too young to say I got to enjoy watching him play from what I have seen he was wonderful in the middle of the park and would fit right in with a Wenger team. Enjoying one-touch football and quick passing. As I was growing up Alan was a top-flight manager and always presented himself as an honest figure. Ball didn’t win any trophies while at Arsenal but slotted nicely in the team after the ‘71 double and managed 217 appearances and scored 52 goals for us.  Strangely a second ex-gooner passed today. Arthur Milton was the last man to play cricket and football for England. Milton played 84 times for Arsenal and won the League with us in 1953. 

Most of the football world today was focused on the Chavs’ v the scouse. So not too much to say on the current Arsenal front. Legend Tony Adams managed to make the Sun today talking about how Wenger will one day leave Arsenal for politics. I’m not sure what Arsene’s political persuasion is but he’d get my vote. Perhaps he’ll go for London mayor. Adams also pointed to the fact that the gunners have missed Bergkamp more this season than they will Dein. I’m sure he’s right. How do you replace Bergkamp…….

Mad Jens

Great news today, it seems Jens will sign on the line, at least until 2008. I think the stumbling block was that Lehmann wanted at least 2 years. At his age I suppose you really need the security but from Arsene’s point of view he would set a president and go against morals’ he stood by which lost us Robert Pires last summer. When Lehmann came to Arsenal he was already a nutter and had been sent off a few times in Germany. He sure was that, he also made some outrageous mistakes early on. He has progressed into a World Class keeper and even wrestled the German number 1 spot from Oliver Khan. I fuckin’ love Lehmann, I think he is a great character, and a great goalkeeper. We have been lucky to have him and he will still be at the top of his game for next season. Some so called Gooners seem to have forgotten already the run Lehmann went on to get us to the Champions League final last season. 

Woodgate completed his move to Boro for £7Mil today from Real Madrid. I have to say I am massively disappointed we missed out on that one but I think the clincher was he is happy in his hometown and not getting into too much trouble. The worrying factor is Madrid are now after a defender and top of their list seems to be Gallas. I just hope Wengers’ power with the French can keep him at Arsenal as he is a class defender. 

A minute’s cheer/clap will be held at Arsenal before the game against Fulham. Much deserved for Alan Ball & Arthur Milton two Arsenal hero’s who passed this week. Rosicky has also added to Clichy’s comment about the importance of Sunday’s game. He wants Arsenal to finish with a big flourish to end the season, what better way to start next season, we see it time and time again with teams coming up from the league below, a good end often equals a great start. Come on Gooners show us your stuff. 

It is clearly building up to transfer silly season again, the press linking us with every tom-dick-or harry about. Today Sky Sport have lead with Yoan Gouffran a French striker, if Wenger does grab him it will surely end both The Beasts’ and Aliadiere’s Arsenal carers. 

Madrid papers have also linked Real with a swoop for Cesc once again. I don’t know how he’d be treated in Barca if he made that move. It seems that the media over is Espana will see Real field an ex-Arsenal XI next season. 

Wenger has blamed our early season form on ‘The Emirates’ and I’m sure all Gooners can agree. Early draws have cost us big time this season. Villa, Boro, Everton, & Newcastle would have seen us 8 points closer to the title come February and I very much doubt our season would have fallen away like it did. Oh well, no pointing dwelling, onto this weekend and a big performance and a big home win. Fulham your due a hammering!!

Board / Injuries / Hoyte

Today saw the first steps toward reconciliation between the current Arsenal board and Stan Kroenke. Hill-Wood issued a statement to the shareholders firstly introducing the new major shareholder and then basically blowing smoke up the rest of the board’s arses.

This could be an effort to stop there being a hostile takeover in the summer. I don’t think anyone wants that and all gooners would be pleased to see whoever is the ‘boss’ having the full support of everyone else. Another positive noise was Danny Fiszman stating his is not in talks with Russian’s another disaster would be to have two big financial powers at the top working against each other. Tranquillity is the key!

Wenger has his post match interview today and has said that neither Ljungberg nor Rosicky will be available for the Fulham game after picking up injuries against the scum. The hamstring problem that Freddie has picked up will more than likely have ended his season. It is going to be even more important Cesc continues to rise to the occasion with these two attacking midfielders out. Our injuries this season are just unreal, fingers crossed it mean next season we won’t have one, wishing thinking hey?

Justin Hoyte has signed a long-term deal with the club. A positive step forward for a bright English talent. If he can improve the attacking part of his game he can become Arsenal’s number 2. I think Eboue gets the nod because of his forward threat. I’m sure Pat Rice can work with young Justin on this and make his the complete full-back.

Pre-Match Fulham

Today Arsenal were confirmed as a champions league team for season 2007/2008. Bolton put up a brilliant performance at Slumford Bridge and managed a 2-2 draw also with Manure beating Everton it means neither team can now catch Arsenal. A win tomorrow will put us 1 point behind Liverpool as they lost today to Pompey and give us a chance of third place. 

It would be a great reward for Arsenal to beat Fulham and The Chavs to really give us the last push to get third place. A win against the chavs would also end their title hopes and give the title Manure. I would love to see the look on Cashleys face as a title disappeared from his hands at The Home of Football. 

Tomorrow is a big day for us and we hope that all the block19 boys can really raise the roof. Tomorrow Arsenal will mark the passing of Bally and Arthur Milton. It should be a great day and I hope the football is a fitting tribute to both players. 

The Arsenal Squad is from Lehmann, Eboue, Toure, Gallas, Clichy, Hleb, Gas, Gilberto, Diaby, the Beast, Adebayor, Almunia, Senderos, Aliadiere, Denilson, Djourou, and Randall with the first XI of those likely to be the starters. It is important The Beast and Fabregas attack as much as possible with Freddie and Rosicky missing. Come on you Gooners. 

See you all in the Rocket.

It’s here BLOCK19 v FULHAM

Arsenal 3 - 1 Fulham