EXTINCTION BECKONS

Amid the wailing and gnashing of teeth coming from Arsenal fans and media mischief makers, there is a recurring theme. This current transfer window may have creaked open to allow, those that choose to do so, to let in some fresh air, and release stale odours. The theme is one of buy, buy, buy & sell, sell, sell. Manchester United have gotten their purchases out of the way early, although rumour persists that they are still in the market for a certain French North African.

Manchester City and Chelsea, with Champions League places secured and disposable income have yet to complete anything of note but I can predict they will. Spurs always seem to have some cash on hip and will spend as they always do. Liverpool has added already and are more than likely going to add to their ranks. Yet Wenger sits on his hands. The only players linked are basically unknowns, or ‘good’ players: no more than that. There is no talk of proven quality players being spoken to, courted or generally being enticed. Fans are actually so devoid of hope that they are viewing, and speaking of Samba or Cahill in the same breath as Vidic or Essien.

These players are the sort of additions we should be making alongside proven quality; ‘as well as’ not ‘instead of’.

More concerning is the column marked outgoing. This holds the key to what has and is going wrong at AFC. Players like Nasri and Fabregas want something better; this is understandable, however they have to look at themselves as well when talking about not winning trophies. Playing with sub standard players week in week out doesn’t help though, so minds turn to other clubs and more money.

No one wants the squad players because they are not good enough. Not only that, the gamble of tying these underachievers down to long contracts with good wages has backfired monumentally. Who would buy a player like Denilson for example? His fee would probably not be expensive but his wages are. Add to that the fact that he is no bloody good and you have what can only be called a Millstone. Bendtner is the same and he wants out. According to one source Arsenal turned down a bid of £10m for Diaby; this is a player that made 17 starts last season and scored 2 goals, he is a serial liability yet if Wenger wants to keep him it is a major worry; it points to insanity.

The list is endless. Today Shay Given signed for Villa for £4m. Don’t try to tell me he is not a better keeper than Almunia and Fabianski. Don’t say he doesn’t have more experience than Cszesny. Rosicky also features in Wenger’s plans also. While I think this is also misjudged I can at least see a shred of logic; he is apparently happy to continue even knowing his starts will be limited and as an experienced player, deployed appropriately, can play a role, if not offload in January.

All the talk of potential targets makes for grim reading. Big club aspiration means wanting big club mentality and flexing some muscle. After six years, what muscle we may have once had is atrophying. We may be the limpest of the Big Clubs and that decrepitude will have been caused by a manager and a board that are out of touch with the concept adapt or die. Our mascot Gunnersaurus seems an apt choice.