Fran, Stan, and Harry

With our Champions League match against AZ Alkmaar looming, I am just going to use today to briefly talk about a few issues facing the club this week, including the Fran Merida situation, the impending, or not, takeover bid, and a look back at the delusion that is Spurs’, and Harry Redknapp’s, view of their side.

We all know the deal with Merida by now. He is out of contract and so, come January, he is free to discuss terms with any club he wants. Of course, there is one club that is already making noise and that is Atletico Madrid, the player’s boyhood club. The other party making noise is, not surprisingly, Merida’s agent, Joseba Diaz:

We only have an offer from Arsenal but Fran Merida has an illness, for want of a better word, and that is Atletico Madrid and you can’t do anything about that. It started in 1996 when Atletico won the league and the Copa del Rey. He slept on red and white sheets, he followed Atletico whenever he had the chance. Even when he was with his family he wore a gold ring with the Atletico badge stuck on it.

Merida’s illness is, I think, for want of a better word, Joseba Diaz. Many of us have watched him develop over the last two years while out on loan and also with the Reserves. It would be disappointing for him to leave the club now, just as he begins to look like he could make a claim for a spot in the first-team. However, the most disappointing part of the whole thing is that he will leave for nothing. When the courts found him guilty of violating his pre-contract with Barcelona by signing for Arsenal, the club paid the €3.2m judgment levied against him. When you consider the money invested in training him, for the two most crucial years in a young footballer’s development, along with the judgment, Arsenal will, for once, come out on the losing end as far as a young player is concerned.

Stan Kroenke has increased his holding to 29.6% after purchasing a further 427 shares for £3.6m. A Cultured Left Foot talked today about the ambiguity surrounding the intentions of Mr. Kroenke. I wrote many, many months ago that I also believed that Kroenke was acting, or being used by the board, as a buffer to prevent the possible takeover by Usmanov. However, I am not quite so sure of that statement anymore.

Of course, just because Kroenke reaches the magic number of 29.9%, doesn’t mean that the Board have to sell; only that he must make them an offer. It seems inevitable that Kroenke will takeover the club, at some point, but, even though he is close to the threshold, it still doesn’t seem imminent. Amy Lawrence made some perceptive comments on Kroenke’s aloofness on the Arsecast a few weeks ago, and I would have to agree with her. I think most supporters would like for Kroenke to make some kind of statement to the supporters. It doesn’t have to be a definitive statement of intentions but showing up at the AGM and basically refusing to speak can easily be disconcerting for those concerned over the club’s future.

Even if Kroenke took over the club, I don’t believe we would see any major changes. Above all, he’s a smart businessman and he can see that what Arsenal are doing, as a club, is working. Gazidis has come in and done a wonderful job and the club is now making strides in many aspects from reaching out to the supporters more, securing the financial side of the club, as well as providing Wenger with the assistance he needs to do his job.

Finally, on to Harry and Spurs… Harry’s sour grapes were on display when he complained that of our 3 goals, “There wasn’t a good goal among them.” He then went on to give the BBC interviewer a hard time after the match. But most entertaining was Harry’s delusional nature put on display. Like Keane’s delusional ramblings from the build-up, after the match, Harry said the club hadn’t “hit a blip. We have 19 points.” That’s all well and good, Harry, but the club had only 7 points, 2 wins and a draw, in their last 6 matches going into the match. That puts them at 15th in the league over those six matches. Not hitting a blip? I’d like to see what Harry would consider “a blip.”

Even before the match, Harry was saying how it should be a really good game because both teams were playing well and were playing really good football. I had to laugh because Harry’s obviously still living in September while the rest of us have moved on to November. Spurs haven’t looked a good side, or at least haven’t been able to secure results, in almost two months. So when Harry comes into the match talking about playing good football having secured only seven of a possible 18 points in their last six matches, one can’t help but laugh.

This is the difference between Arsene and Redknapp. Look at the picture above… Arsene is getting that upset despite the side holding a 3-nil lead over Spurs. At the same time, Harry is struggling to convince himself that the team is in good form having gotten 7 from their last 18 points. For Arsene, nothing is ever good enough, while Harry tries to portray a team with 2 wins in their last 6 matches as “in good form.”

As for us, we sit atop of the form table and trail Chelsea by five points. Three of those points could very well come from the game-in-hand against Bolton, now rescheduled from the 2nd of December because of conflict with the Carling Cup quarterfinal tie with Money City, and the other two points were the two dropped at Upton Park. So, essentially, what separates us from the Chelsea side that everyone feels will stroll to the title, is the points that were given away at West Ham.

Listening to the podcasts this week, Arsenal are now, all of sudden, considered right contenders for the title again. The reactionary nature of the English football pundits never ceases to amaze me. I just find it highly amusing the way teams are completely written off in the first two months of a 10-month season because they blew a lead or lost two very tough road matches.

In America, sports writers would never write off the Yankees for a chance at winning the pennant even if they got swept in a four-game series early in the season. The pundits just make themselves look like idiots. Are Arsenal all of a sudden contenders again because they beat Spurs 3-nil? No. We were always contenders. That doesn’t change because of one or two matches. No team’s prospects can be rightly determined by one or two matches.

The One-Man Crusade Against Arsenal

Yup, you guessed it… Michel Platini, better known as the Antichrist, is once again in the media criticizing Arsenal and Arsene Wenger. It is truly amazing how Platini has turned into a one-man crusade against Arsenal and his fellow countryman. We here at Arsenal Station have not long forgotten his psychologically-disturbed rant last season during which he exhibited the full extent of his obsession and disgust with Arsene Wenger. We hope you have not forgot as well.

Frustrated that UEFA’s new rules regarding club solvency won’t adversely affect Arsenal, but, quite the opposite, will actually help the club, Platini has taken advantage of last month’s furor over “child trafficking” in football by now seeking to keep Arsenal, and other clubs, from buying youth players from outside their own country.

You have talent in England – it’s up to you not to buy always the best 13-14 young players in Europe. I am not in favour of the Arsenal system. The more English youth players you have in your team, the better it is for your football and popularity of your game.

Perhaps, in the future with Fifa rules on the transfer of minors, you have to work with English youth. Why can’t the English play for Arsenal? They have to come to France to play. It’s about identity.

Make no mistake about it. With Platini, it is about his personal vendetta against Arsenal and Arsene, not identity. And it is certainly not about his so-called “passion for English clubs.” So much so, that he has the urge to redirect any conversation into a criticism of Arsenal.

The above interview with the Telegraph had to do with the new financial rules, but once Platini realized that his criticisms did not apply to Arsenal, he then turned the subject to youth player recruitment so as to be able to “indict” Arsenal for something.

The most disturbing part of this whole farcical situation is Platini’s almost laughable ignorance of almost everything he talks about. This is a man who, when asked whether or not he should talk to Richard Scudamore, said, “No. Why should I?” Hello? Perhaps because he’s the chairman of the Premier League. He believes the entire game depends on his “better philosophy,” but I have news for Mr. Platini… You are no philosopher, sir.

Behold the ignorance of the man:

The more English youth players you have in your team, the better it is for your football and popularity of your game.

That statement is ass-backwards. The Premier League’s quality and popularity has increased astronomically since increasing the number of foreigners in the last 10 years. It may have gone too far but the English players, and their agents, are responsible for pricing themselves out of the reach of most clubs. Platini wants English clubs to sign overpriced English players and also wants them to stay out of debt, but, with the ridiculously inflated valuations of mediocre average players (yes, you, Joleon), you can’t have your cake and eat it too.

More ignorance:

Perhaps, in the future with Fifa rules on the transfer of minors, you have to work with English youth. Why can’t the English play for Arsenal? They have to come to France to play. It’s about identity. Manchester United have to develop players of that region.

Platini obviously has no idea what is going on at Arsenal otherwise he’d know that Arsenal are producing the best crop of English youth players in the country. His ignorance is staggering considering the position he holds in European football.

Even more ignorance:

It’s getting worse for England. We have to protect national teams so that at least England play with 11 English players because there could soon be places for those with residential qualifications.

Apparently, he has no problem with Brazilians playing for half of the world’s national teams. Even more hypocritical, he has not problem with Barcelona raiding South American clubs for players even younger than any Arsenal have ever signed from abroad. Lionel Messi was plucked from Newell’s Old Boys and transplanted halfway across the world when he was 13, for fuck’s sake!

In relation to the Spanish clubs, whom Platini is REALLY trying to protect, Arsenal are already at a disadvantage because of domestic rules. The club is not allowed to sign youth players that live more than 90 minutes from the club. We are also not allowed to sign youth players directly from South America or non-EU European countries.

Both of these domestic rules are crippling and will prove even more so should Platini have his way. He is so quick to criticize Arsenal for having bought Fabregas from Barcelona, yet he has nothing to say about Barcelona hovering like wolves over Benik Afobe and Chukwuemeka Aneke.

The small area from which Arsenal are allowed to sign youth players around London is ridiculously small. How many possible world-class players are living within 50 miles of north London? Yet, Platini is determined to have Arsenal, and other English clubs’, recruiting possibilities hemmed in, while Barcelona and the rest of the Spanish and Italian clubs have the rule of the roost from South America, Africa, and Europe.

That is patently unfair… just the way Platini likes it.

Tottensham Revealed! (Highlights and Interview)

Highlights and an interview with Arsene Wenger below.

I am still walking on air following our demolition of Spurs yesterday. With a glorious 3-nil victory at the Emirates we were able to put some breathing space between us and the four clubs trailing us at the moment. The weekend ends with us remaining 5 points behind Chelsea and 3 behind United, albeit with a game in hand, as well as 3 points ahead of Spurs and 4 over Liverpool, Money City, and Villa, with a game in hand on all except City and Villa.

After the match, Harry Redknapp felt that, of Arsenal’s three goals, “there wasn’t a good goal among them.” Nevermind that, the gulf between the clubs was on display for all, including Harry and Robbie Keane, to see. Yes, Spurs were missing Defoe, Lennon, and Modric but we also were missing Rosicky, Walcott, Vela, Wilshere, and Denilson.

If Spurs want to find the culprits for their heavy defeat, they need look no further than their own lack of concentration and Ledley King. King’s performance yesterday showed the dangers of playing a CB in a derby match who does not train and hadn’t played in weeks. King couldn’t deal with van Persie at all, and also struggled to contain Eduardo after he came on for an injured Nicklas Bendtner, who now looks to be out for four weeks with a groin injury.

For the throw-in which led to the first goal, Spurs defense looked like they were all asleep. When Sagna delivered the cross, it was obvious that van Persie wanted to score more than King, or the rest of the Spurs defense, wanted to keep him out. The second goal was made possible by their lack of focus. Depsite having gone down 1-nil, rather than regroup and refocus, Spurs took the kickoff in much the same way they had defended the throw-in and cross just seconds before; flat-footed and uninterested.

Spurs uninterestedness allowed Fabregas the opportunity to express his brilliance once again. Telegraph writer, Henry Winter, is not one who is regularly overcome with a severe case of hyperbole, but Fabregas’s performance on Saturday led to a fantastic article, which lyrically sang his praises. And it was totally justified. Fabregas was magnificent.

Most importantly, the game showed the devastating nature of Arsenal’s attacking potential. Despite coming out strong in the first 5-10 minutes, Spurs were able to keep us from gaining our usual midfield rhythm for much of the rest of the half. A great chance by Fabregas was saved by the outstretched palm of Gomes. But this Arsenal side has become the type of team that can punish defenses for even the most momentary of lapses. You cannot switch off for even a few seconds against Arsenal and expect to not be punished for it.

After the past week, I’m sure most Gooners remained on the edge of their seats as the second half began with a 2-nil lead. However, Arsenal learned their lesson well from West Ham, and on the hour mark, after Mark Clattenburg rightly played advantage following a crunching tackle on Eduardo on the left wing, Robin van Persie got his second of the day.

The third goal was indicative of Spurs performance. Sagna’s cross got through Gomes and King before van Persie deflected it into the net. Gomes, despite making two great saves on Fabregas and Eduardo, remains a train wreck waiting to happen. He failed to get down quick enough to cover his near post on the first goal and, on the third, he pulled a Cudicini/Barthez.

Ledley King is supposed to be a central defender who is so valuable that he doesn’t have to train and can’t play two matches in a row. Well, King looked totally out of his depth on Saturday. He looked slow and lethargic as he was beaten on all three of Arsenal’s goals. He also couldn’t hold or recover from Spurs’ high offside trap when it was exposed twice by Eduardo, who could’ve had a hat-trick if he had finished like his usual self.

From the other side, one of the most impressive things to come from the match was the performance of the defense. When Spurs came out in the second half, they looked determined to exploit Arsenal’s aerial vulnerability by pumping balls up to Peter Crouch. However, the defense, mostly Vermaelen, denied Crouch regularly. At one point, even Clichy won a header off Crouch. The clean sheet was important for a defense that had kept only 2 clean sheets in 9 previous league matches.

The net result of this victory is that the press has returned to grudgingly acknowledging Arsenal as contenders for the league title. Ever since the two defeats at Man City, and including the draw at West Ham, all of which were evidence, said the pundits, that Arsenal are not true challengers, Arsenal have the best record in the league since then. Over the last six games in the league, following the second trip to Manchester, Arsenal have secured 16 out of a possible 18 points; United and Chelsea have 13 and 12, respectively.

The only downside to the day was the fact that just before kickoff Arsenal were drawn away to Money City in the Carling Cup quarterfinals. For me, this was the worst draw we could’ve gotten. Not because I don’t think we can win at City, even though they treat the Carling Cup like the Champions League, but because of all the ridiculous media hoopla that will now surround the match.

Adebayor continues to spout off at the mouth, months later, claiming Cesc will leave if we finish outside the top four, while claiming with a straight face in the very same sentence, “…but my focus is all on City now.” He has also claimed that he apologized to van Persie after kicking him in the face, yet van Persie insists it is not true. He also said that his former teammates ignored him when he tried to say hello to them in the tunnel. But if you watch the match video again, you see all the players shaking his hand and some hugging them after lining up. His stories are more full of more than a pair of Abercrombie and Fitch jeans.

Adebayor’s “focus” is obviously not “all on City now.” Quite the contrary, he just can’t seem to shut up about the Arsenal. The man is obviously obsessed with the club that didn’t need him anymore and that has improved significantly since he left. Perhaps it’s the fact that Arsenal look much stronger without him, or that Arsenal look much better than a City side which struggled for a draw last week against Scunthorpe and has won only 2 of their last 6 league matches. Either way, he’s a jealous cunt.

Manuel Almunia returned to goal and an article in the Mirror suggests that Almunia wasn’t dropped from the team due to his performances, and nor did he have a 6 week chest infection. Rather, Almunia’s mother-in-law was involved in a fatal car crash and Wenger was giving him time to deal with the situation at home. Almunia’s performance yesterday, despite not really being tested, was a good sign and I expect him to keep the number one spot.

All in all, it was another dominant performance at home, where Arsenal secured maximum points, and reasserted our claim as legitimate title contenders along with the lucky United and the soon-to-be thin Chelsea.