Back in the 80s, the Norwegian pop group Aha! bleated on about how 'The Sun Always Shines On TV'. How untrue, if your name happens to be Thomas Vermaelen.
A hamstring injury meant he hobbled off after 30 minutes in Belgium's most recent World Cup match, which they went on to win without him.
If that injury is serious, it may scupper a potential move to Manchester United. You've got to have some sympathy for the defender, who was once nicknamed 'The Terminator', who may now decide to run out the last year of his Arsenal contract. If we could ask him about his future, no doubt he would say: 'I'll be back'. But for now, it's 'Hasta la vista, baby' for Belgian and the World Cup.
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Sunday 22 June 2014
Saturday 14 June 2014
Arsenal striker lights up World Cup
Arsenal striker Joel Campbell was hugely instrumental in causing the biggest upset in this year's World Cup so far, as Costa Rica belied their underdog status to emerge victorious against the much-fancied Uruguay. Despite being a Gunner for the last three years, Campbell is yet to kick a ball in the famous red and white. After this performance, Arsenal fans will be clamouring for his inclusion in the squad. Meanwhile, other clubs will be hoping the Gunners loan him out again.
Campbell is not renowned for his team-play, yet set up Costa Rica's third goal with a sublime pass.
Prior to that, Campbell started Costa Rica's recovery with a cool left foot strike to level the scores at 1-1.
The 21-year-old didn't win a lot of headers, but was menacing on the ground: unleashing a couple of long-distance pile drivers that went narrowly wide.
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Friday 6 June 2014
'Non' is not an option for Arsenal
FA Cup winners Arsenal should not be saying 'non' to the chance of signing one of the world's greatest midfielders, Cesc Fabregas.
According to The Metro, Arsenal will not be exercising their buy-back option, paving the way (and I can see the concrete slabs of gold being laid all the way from Barcelona to London as I write) for Chelsea to nab him for £30m.
The paper is also reporting that Wenger vetoed the move for the 27-year-old Spaniard, who was keen to return to the Emirates. If that is true, it's one of the most hair-brained decisions I've ever heard. We all know Mikel Arteta is not getting any younger and even in his pomp was described as 'Cesc Lite'. So why don't we bring in the real thing?
Instead, we hear talk that Wenger's not afraid to spend money but little action to back it up. I'm not saying spend big just for the sake of it, but when there's an Arsenal great on the market, who still hasn't reached his peak, why not bring him back?
The only possible reason I can think of is that some people allege he left Arsenal in acrimonious circumstances: refusing to play in friendlies and so on. To be honest, I didn't really believe those stories. I always felt the club were just trying to make it seem we had no option but to sell Cesc for £35m: a laughable sum for a player with such prodigious talent.
Had we taken a former stance, fortunes on the pitch (as opposed to off it) could have been much improved. Even if a player 'throws a strop' that doesn't mean he should get his own way. Did Luis Suarez get a move from Liverpool last summer? No. Somehow they convinced him to stay.
My question is why do we always cave in immediately to players' demands at Arsenal? That's why I believe the blame for Cesc's departure lies with the hierarchy. Cesc probably did want to leave, but he'd signed a long contract not so long before that, so it's still incomprehensible to me to do a cut-price deal with Barca in those circumstances.
Coming back to the now, I see the aforementioned Liverpool are busy strengthening their squad, while we rest on our laurels from a transfer-market point of view. They've signed Rickie Lambert and are on the verge of bringing in Emre Can, Adam Lallana and Alberto Moreno.
Even Aston Villa are strengthening, allegedly, with the acquisition of Philippe Senderos on a 2-year-deal. I'll say no more on that, as regular readers will know my views on the committed but sometimes calamitous defending of the Swiss defender. At least Arsenal haven't said 'oui' to that deal. Good job as otherwise I'd be oui-ing myself every time we played against a burly centre forward.
Finally, it's bad news on the injury front as The Ox gets pole-axed in an England friendly. The prognosis is 10 days to 3 weeks out of action. From Arsenal's point of view, it may be a blessing in disguise, as the Ox might get a decent rest during the summer ready to start a new campaign in earnest. At least he's not torn his knee ligaments, so we should breathe a collective sigh of relief.
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According to The Metro, Arsenal will not be exercising their buy-back option, paving the way (and I can see the concrete slabs of gold being laid all the way from Barcelona to London as I write) for Chelsea to nab him for £30m.
The paper is also reporting that Wenger vetoed the move for the 27-year-old Spaniard, who was keen to return to the Emirates. If that is true, it's one of the most hair-brained decisions I've ever heard. We all know Mikel Arteta is not getting any younger and even in his pomp was described as 'Cesc Lite'. So why don't we bring in the real thing?
Instead, we hear talk that Wenger's not afraid to spend money but little action to back it up. I'm not saying spend big just for the sake of it, but when there's an Arsenal great on the market, who still hasn't reached his peak, why not bring him back?
The only possible reason I can think of is that some people allege he left Arsenal in acrimonious circumstances: refusing to play in friendlies and so on. To be honest, I didn't really believe those stories. I always felt the club were just trying to make it seem we had no option but to sell Cesc for £35m: a laughable sum for a player with such prodigious talent.
Had we taken a former stance, fortunes on the pitch (as opposed to off it) could have been much improved. Even if a player 'throws a strop' that doesn't mean he should get his own way. Did Luis Suarez get a move from Liverpool last summer? No. Somehow they convinced him to stay.
My question is why do we always cave in immediately to players' demands at Arsenal? That's why I believe the blame for Cesc's departure lies with the hierarchy. Cesc probably did want to leave, but he'd signed a long contract not so long before that, so it's still incomprehensible to me to do a cut-price deal with Barca in those circumstances.
Coming back to the now, I see the aforementioned Liverpool are busy strengthening their squad, while we rest on our laurels from a transfer-market point of view. They've signed Rickie Lambert and are on the verge of bringing in Emre Can, Adam Lallana and Alberto Moreno.
Even Aston Villa are strengthening, allegedly, with the acquisition of Philippe Senderos on a 2-year-deal. I'll say no more on that, as regular readers will know my views on the committed but sometimes calamitous defending of the Swiss defender. At least Arsenal haven't said 'oui' to that deal. Good job as otherwise I'd be oui-ing myself every time we played against a burly centre forward.
Finally, it's bad news on the injury front as The Ox gets pole-axed in an England friendly. The prognosis is 10 days to 3 weeks out of action. From Arsenal's point of view, it may be a blessing in disguise, as the Ox might get a decent rest during the summer ready to start a new campaign in earnest. At least he's not torn his knee ligaments, so we should breathe a collective sigh of relief.
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Sunday 1 June 2014
Kinga ensures perfect Kerr send-off
Japan international Yukari Kinga made sure of silverware on Shelley Kerr's final game in charge of Arsenal Ladies by despatching an expertly-taken second-half goal.
After the game, the supplier of that goal and scorer of the opener, Kelly Smith, admitted the Arsenal team has taken time to gel. She added that 8 players left at the end of last season which has affected their league form, as a bottom-of-the-league placing and four defeats on the spin is testimony to.
Kinga's delight to get on the score sheet was obvious when she bowed to the crowd after scoring. It was a composed finish, after being set up by Player-of-the-Match Smith.
Shinobu Ohno was very unlucky not to join her compatriot on the score sheet, as were a number of other Arsenal players as Everton were put on the back foot for most of the game.
Danielle Carter also deservedly earned the plaudits for a spirited performance. Her strength and technique was evident throughout, but she would have been even more effective had she looked at supplying the final pass rather than going for glory a couple of times.
Arsenal Ladies will now be hoping that this silverware spurs them on to better form in the league but, with 3 trophies under her belt in such a short time in charge, Kerr is going to be a tough act to follow.
After the game, the supplier of that goal and scorer of the opener, Kelly Smith, admitted the Arsenal team has taken time to gel. She added that 8 players left at the end of last season which has affected their league form, as a bottom-of-the-league placing and four defeats on the spin is testimony to.
Kinga's delight to get on the score sheet was obvious when she bowed to the crowd after scoring. It was a composed finish, after being set up by Player-of-the-Match Smith.
Shinobu Ohno was very unlucky not to join her compatriot on the score sheet, as were a number of other Arsenal players as Everton were put on the back foot for most of the game.
Danielle Carter also deservedly earned the plaudits for a spirited performance. Her strength and technique was evident throughout, but she would have been even more effective had she looked at supplying the final pass rather than going for glory a couple of times.
Arsenal Ladies will now be hoping that this silverware spurs them on to better form in the league but, with 3 trophies under her belt in such a short time in charge, Kerr is going to be a tough act to follow.
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