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Better yet we Gooners have seen good cause to be optimistic already. Our boys went on a very difficult European away trip that might have been a make or break game for the entire season. But our youngsters did the business and showed so much more class in a tricky away tie than Liverpool could manage at home.
Young Johan showed in Zagreb that he is a serious prospect, but we already knew that. Emmanuel is whipping up a storm at right back. Our other Emmanuel, the one who wears Kanu's old shirt, will have benefited from last season's bedded in process. We have Lauren still to return after a long absence and he has the grit we need. Kolo is now one of the best central defenders in the world and capable of bossing our back four for years to come. We have a young genius in midfield who is showing quality and maturity far beyond his years and I have no doubt whatsoever that he will become the best central midfield player in the world, if not in the history of world football. Robin is maturing nicely and will no doubt brown a lot of opposition shorts this season. Our one big summer signing looks the part almost immediately and brings us a new dimension. Alexander likewise began to show his capabilities last season and will be a major force this term. Philippe, when fit will no doubt play a crucial role, as will Gael. In Jens we have arguably the best keeper in the Premiership and a terrific cult figure to boot. Unlike many I do see potential in young Alexandre Song. If Freddie can get fit we have a quality battler who never says die. We also have the as yet unknown qualities of the unseen Superkid. Abou might also become a major force but unfortunately not for quite a while yet. In all the prospects are very positive indeed.
But still I have mixed feelings about the new season. We are up against mature ready-made off-the-shelf teams with unlimited funds who are spoilt for choice in every position. It worries me that we have no real ball winners in midfield and not sufficient wise older heads who can stand up and fight their corner in the numerous Premiership rucks to come.
Far worse however is the endless negative speculation about a silly boy who just happens to be the best left back in the world, but who also has faith in agents and lawyers intent on lining their own pockets. Should Arsenal take the Roubles and run, or should we say feck the 20 odd million, feck the Chavs and let the greedy little toad rot in the stiffs for two seasons. This fiasco is a major blow because Cashley was once our golden boy, but the way I feel right now I wouldn't piss on him if he was on fire, far less cheer him on. Quite frankly I couldn't care less about his future but if he dons a red and white top again I will feel ashamed that a proud outfit like Arsenal have let a money-grubbing ingrate despoil the shirt. The Chavs are the pits so they deserve each other but I'd rather we flogged him to Madrid for a knock down £5 million than took a single Rouble off the Russian crook. Unfortunately it is not my money and economics are a reality we all have to live with.
The confused and often mixed messages from Jose Antonio are maybe more understandable given his, and his family's obvious inability to adapt. I like his play, I enjoy his smile and I love his potential. But I somehow don't think his potential will ever be fully realised in England. That said what we really don't need, if Le Boss really wants to keep him, is all this transfer speculation. We don't need the uncertainty and we certainly don't need the additional loses of experienced, classy players capable of turning a match. We've lost too much experience in recent years and cannot forever be a team in transition, however great the ‘potential' of players coming through.
I love to see the youngsters make it, I always have. Radford, Rice, Kelly, George, Kennedy, Armstrong, Neill, Brady, O'Leary, Rocastle, Adams, Merson, Davies, Rix and right through to Cole, Toure and Fabregas, the list is endless. Had we had Stapleton now we could surely have paid his demands and kept him at the Club. If Brady was coming through the ranks now we would have the money to pay him his worth and keep him in England. So what is the point of finding, stealing, developing, refining and producing great players if they all feck off chasing the money gods of European footballing whoredom.
Why is every pre-season such a bloody roller-coaster ride of speculation for Arsenal? Arsene is obviously able to spot potential ability and bring it on a treat but he sure doesn't always seem able to keep some of the best ones. How many mature stars have left us just at absolutely the wrong time? Overmars, Petit, Pires, Vieira, Edu, Silvinho, Wiltord, Parlour, Campbell and now the added possibility of Cole and Reyes. Cole has seen dozens of English kids shown the door, team mates who loved the Club but who were kicked out when they didn't want to go. Loyalty is a two-way thing and the Club are only ever loyal to the very best, just as we fans are, so I can see his view point to some extent. That said what was he thinking of by trotting off to the Chavs while under contract?
Developing players is an art form that Le Boss has down to a tee but always during that development stage there is a period when they are nearly but not quite the finished thing. When they get to be the full-blown finished article all too often they're off. Maybe it would be worth paying over the top for a Curtis Davies if only because he wouldn't have to waste a full season adjusting to the English game, instead he could use that same time for adjusting to the quality of Arsenal's football. And just maybe he'd appreciate playing for a class outfit a bit more than some of the overpaid egos we employ.
Getting back on track, I should be optimistic, there is a lot to be optimistic about and in the main I'm very optimistic. But this now regular and almost inevitable pre-season hiatus really pisses me off. I don't need it, it's not why I pay a small fortune for my season ticket months in advance of the event. I feel slightly cheated because I want more continuity. My gut feeling is that Arsene all too often trusts the players to act like adults, be sensible and do the right thing. The trouble is that a small number of foootballers are probably as thick as two planks and will blindly cow-tow to agents who use them as a meal ticket. If there has been concerns about Mangers taking bungs, just how much more concerned should we all be about agents taking bucket loads of Euros, Dollars and Roubles.