Not good old, it's same ol' same ol' Arsenal

Today is the day when Euro 2012 begins in earnest. I'm so excited I'm up at the crack of dawn just say this! In fact, it's not even the crack of dawn. Oh yeah, I'm that excited! I'm doing my writing before all the other websites. The early bird catches the worm and all that, a policy I wish Arsenal Football Club would follow.

What we are about to see will consist of Arsenal has-beens, like Ashley Cole; Arsenal legend should've-beens, like Andrey Arshavin; an Arsenal might-have-beens, like Petr Cech. Most of all, as Arsenal fans will watch on as a glittering parade of stars show the world their wares to potential clubs. Unfortunately, we are unlikely to be one of the potential clubs as we become increasingly unwilling to dip into our transfer  kitty. Arsenal's policy is mend and make do. So what if we take to the field with a shabby squad, we can still take pride in our philosophy.

That philosophy is not about to change. All we can hope for is a less shabby squad than last year. The signing of Lukas Podolski is an example of a slight sea change at the club. Ivan Gazidis claims lessons have been learnt from last pre-season, when we concluded most of our transfer business on transfer deadline day after a disastrous start in the league. If the policy is indeed to do business as soon as possible, then I would like to ask the question why have we only signed one player prior to the start of a major international tournament. The chances will sign someone during Euro 2012 is negligible.

After finishing third in the league so many points behind Manchester United and Manchester City, you would think the club would be eager to make some major improvements to the squad. Instead, with temporarily improved the squad  with the addition of just one big name, fully in the knowledge that a number of big names are about to leave. I felt to see how this policy is going to work.

The website Ashburton Grove is well worth a read, for it gives an insight into the club's policy. It is a well-balanced article, although I disagree with the “Fabregas’s disgraceful behaviour” headline. It may be read on though, so I suppose it did its job.

The main thrust of the article is Arsenal CEO Ivan Gazidis’s question time with the fans. We are being promised a future that may never come to pass. While UEFA are keen for Financial Fair Play (FFP) to work there is no guarantee that it will. I still can't see how UEFA expect the big spenders to play fair.

The article goes on to say that despite Arsenal having two billionaire shareholders, we are unwilling to compete with the more extravagant clubs. One of those billionaires, Alisher Usmanov, won't be offered a place on the board, that much is clear. All Gazidis was prepared to do is admit that our wage structure may need changing. If we are to keep Robin van Persie at the club we may have to.

The most interesting thing, however, about the article is what Gazidis reportedly said about the sale of Cesc  Fabregas: "Me trying to sell you selling Cesc Fabregas is a step forward for Arsenal – that's a pretty hard sell. From a technical perspective it clearly wasn't. But in terms of what we got out of Cesc and what we got out in terms of players who are committed this year wanted to be here, those are the type of judgements you end up having to make in my goodness, those are so, so difficult." I think everyone is entitled to make mistakes but the CEO’s fuzzy thinking is apparent in the lines above. A decision should have been made much earlier about the situation regarding Cesc and Samir Nasri. Instead we were fed lies about how only one player would be allowed to leave of the two want-aways. We always suspected that Nasri would be sold. Then we would keep Cesc for one more season or until we found a replacement of sorts.

The article goes on to say that Cesc "refused to play for us" during the pre-season when he was fit. Even if that were the case, surely the club held the whip hand. Cesc was still on a long-term deal. A spell in the reserves would have sorted out his reluctance to play. He could have been sold in January, if necessary. The club messed up. It’s a simple as that. We didn’t get anything like the money we should have done for Cesc, so we wouldn’t have lost value by disciplining him or not playing him.

I’m not sure if it’s ineptitude that is causing the club to make so many bad decisions or whether it is something more sinister. Whatever it is we don’t need it. If the same mistakes happen again this summer, heads should roll. Please don’t think I’m having a go at Arsene Wenger. I’m not saying he should go. Far from it. I just believe he deserves better support from the board than he seems to be getting. We all know we need David Dein back at the club. Why can’t the board put personal differences aside and invite him back? Maybe then I would start believing that the board have the club’s best interests at heart.

Arsenal's new number 10 should RVP leave

While we're still in the dark about Robin van Persie's contract negotiations with Arsenal, it's always good to hear what the fans are saying. I just heard Tim Stillman on the Arseblog podcast make an interesting point about RVP possibly seeing out his contract. Tim says if that happens, then the onus is on him to stay fit. The only thing is how can you legislate against injury? Especially if you have a chocolate leg. In the fast-and-furious Premier League, you're only a stray tackle away from being crocked. Just ask Aaron Ramsey and Abou Diaby. Unfortunately, I think the club will have no option but to sell RVP if he refuses to sign. We have to think of the future and if we can get £20m RVP, we could draft a decent-ish replacement, surely?

Meanwhile, former Gunner Patrick Vieira reckons we have to avoid letting RVP go. The story in The Telegraph goes on about how Theo Walcott and Jack Wilshere may also leave if RVP leaves this summer. The way this club has being run, perhaps we shouldn't be too alarmed by that. As long as we bring in large amounts of money that is re-invested in the squad, I don't have a problem with that. What worries me is the club putting profits before points. Last season's disastrous start showed the dangers of asset-stripping (allowing Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri to leave without replacing them) and surely the club has learned from the experience.

Maybe that was why we bought Lukas Podolski. It's a bit early in the pre-season to be allocating squad numbers, butI'm predicting he'll be the new number 10 if the RVP saga isn't sorted out soon.

Arsenal qualifiers? Plus RVP & Nasri latest

Despite what you may have read in The Week, there is no confusion over our involvement in the Champions League. According to my fellow panelists on the Gooner Podcast, if Chelsea win the final against Bayern Munich then they will play in the qualifiers. I was reminded that the same thing happened to Liverpool in 2005 when, for once, England were allowed five entrants to Europe's premier competition. It seems wrong to penalise England for having such strong teams. I think we should get an additional place in the competition, but rules are rules, I guess.

Meanwhile, Robin van Persie's agent, Kees Vos, is being spotted just about everywhere when surely he should be in London talking to Arsenal. Sportwitness are quoting Calciomercato, who claim a deal with Juventus has been agreed. I don't believe it myself. Van Persie is settled in London and I can't see him leaving unless Barcelona or Real Madrid enter the race for his services. If that happens, I think he'll be gone, but he won't go elsewhere. I feel sure about that.

Finally, I have to wonder what's going on with Samir Nasri. All the Arsenal fans around me were celebrating Manchester City's Premier League title victory, so why does Nasri have to come out and say the kind of thing I've just on Sky Sports. Like Carlos Tevez's 'R.I.P. Fergie' message, it's in bad taste.

Few question Wenger's loyalty, sanity could be suspect though

I found it interesting to hear Arsene Wenger saying that many people have been questioning his loyalty to Arsenal, as I've never encountered any of these people. In his personal life, doubts were raised about Wenger's fidelity following tabloid allegations, but this bears no relation to football. It's a completely separate issue.

In the domain of the beautiful game, Wenger is a principled man. Yes, he clings on to his principles despite recent evidence suggesting his grand experiment is doomed to failure at the highest level. Six trophyless season can't be put down to bad luck and poor refereeing or any other conspircacy theory.

At some point, Wenger should wake up and realise that some of the criticism he's receiving is justified. It may have become increasingly virulent, but Wenger has really brought it upon himself. What can he expect if he sells Arsenal's best players, Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri, and then shows little will to replace them?

Nasri's not gone yet, of course, and that in itself is a moot point. Almost in a move to anger the fans, Nasri's in the squad to play Liverpool. Nasri got a lot of stick at Newcastle from our supporters, so what makes Wenger think it will be any different at home against Liverpool? Even if Nasri is as committed as Wenger says, can Nasri play at his best when the home fans are likely to boo his every touch? To most football people, the answer would be 'no', but occasionally a player can answer his critics with a display that wins the fans back. Nasri, who seems set to join Manchester City for £22m, will be unable to do that because Arsenal fans know he wants to leave. Unless, Nasri signs a new deal to stay at Arsenal, of course. Now if he could do that, everything would change immediately. At least, Nasri could then be forgiven for flirting with City and Manchester United.

Perhaps Wenger, likewise, has flirted with other clubs. He's certainly suggested that by telling Sky Sports that fans will be surprised about the overtures he's turned down. Some might say there's no point him going to a richer club than Arsenal, if he ever does leave. If he wants to continue his ridiculous experiment with an unbalanced squad, which seems to be getting younger and more inexperienced with every passing year, he would be better advised to manage a club like Crewe Alexandra. Like Arsenal, Crewe are loyal to their current manager, Dario Gradi, who's been there mostly on and rarely off since 1983. While stability is often a foundation of success if it lasts too long it can change into stagnation. Crewe did experience Championship football under Gradi, but now reside in football's basement despite their free-flowing football.

I'm not for a moment suggesting that Wenger will preside over a similar fall from grace at Arsenal. Wenger is a clever man, why else would he be nicknamed 'Le Professeur'? But even the intelligent among us have moments when their brain power may be in question. Right now, Wenger's marbles or lack of them are in the dock and he has two clear choices: continue with his experiment with youth or buy big.

Excuses won't do anymore. The season has started and we've already dropped points. If Wenger addresses the obvious deficiencies in the squad, all will be forgiven and 'Mad King' Arsene can continue his reign. After all, loyalty is a two-way street and Arsenal fans will never forget Wenger's great work. But we need to see that he's trying to cure his obsession with youth, for we can't afford to indulge compulsive obsessive behaviour (COB). COB could be mostly than Gary Cahill and all the other overpriced stars we've been linked with.

Nasri stays, Emmanuel-Thomas leaves, Cesc on the cusp - where's the consistency?

The Daily Star claims Samir Nasri will see out his contract at Arsenal. No surprise there. Why? Arsene Wenger has hinted he would keep Nasri, despite Manchester City's reported £20m bid.

While it has been pointed out to me by a Spurs fan that Nasri was Arsenal's best player last season, £20m is a lot of money to turn down for a guy who will almost definitely leave for free next summer. Can we get him to sign a new deal next year? Unlikely. Unless we're prepared to pay a £10m signing-on fee as well as competing with the likes of Man City in terms of wages. I can't see it myself.

I also can't see any consistency in our dealings with Man City. We've cashed in on Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Adebayor and more recently Gael Clichy, but we baulk at selling Nasri to them. I just don't get it.

Meanwhile, a player who has a long time left on his Arsenal deal, Cesc Fabregas, still seems jammed in the revolving exit door. He's neither in nor out. Why can't the club bring this to a swift conclusion. Instead of 'conclusion' we get 'confusion'. Surely that's not good for our pre-season plans.

Finally, yet another undisclosed fee passes hands as Jay Emmanuel-Thomas leaves for Ipswich. We've received around £1m apparently. Some fans will be really disappointed to see him go but, to be honest, I didn't really see him as a first-team player for us. We've let some really good youngsters leave in recent times, and I was more upset about us letting Sebastian Larrson, Fabrice Muamba and Jay Simpson leave the club. Nevertheless, I wish Emmanuel-Thomas well and feel sure he'll be a regular at Ipswich, who will be pushing for promotion to the Premier League next season. So it probably won't be long before we see Emmanuel-Thomas back at the Emirates.

At least there's consistency in our youth policy. We make them, we rate them, then make some 'cake' from them!