The North Bank – “It’s got va-va-voom” (An Arsenal blog)

This will be a short update as I only have about fifteen minutes to hammer something out. Our improving but oft frustrating Dane has landed himself in hot water by being caught pants down, literally, being chucked out of a club in the early hours of Wednesday morning, after we had just been knocked out of the Champions League by ManUre.

It not the sort of behaviour that should be tolerated by the club while the season is ongoing and especially in the circumstances of that particular evening. I have no problem whatsoever with him doing it while on holiday or in the off-season. But, to do it on that evening and considering that we have a big game against Chelsea coming up at the weekend is unacceptable and I am glad that he moved quickly to issue a public apology to both the club and the fans. Let’s hope he really does learn from it as he had already been pictured partying into the wee hours earlier in the season. We don’t need or want party boys at our club. we need serious professionals that are dedicated to improving and helping the team. Part of their job is to represent the club in a responsible way. Being pictured with your trousers hanging off while being chucked out of a club by a bouncer just isn’t cricket.

Elsewhere, both Adebayor and Cesc have said what we all have known, that our squad just isn’t anywhere near the strength in depth on the likes of ManUre or Chelsea. It’s good that they are saying it and let’s hope that the manager takes heed because someone like Cesc won’t hang around much longer if he feels like he is pissing in the wind. We need to sign a central defender and a central midfielder and they need to be top quality. Surely there must be money available to sign players of quality. Now, don’t get me wrong, I am not advocating spending £30m on a single player as does not necessarily buy the required quality. Just look at the quality of Eduardo who came for under £10m.

Somewhat disappointingly though, Adebayor also reiterated his desire to stay at the club in order to try and win trophies with us:

“Arsenal put me where I am today – they made me one of the biggest strikers in the world. I have to pay them back. How am I going to pay them back? Make them win trophies. Next season, 100 per cent, I am an Arsenal footballer.”

If he stays and works his arse off in every game for the good of the team, then I will be a happy camper. But, if he stays and just strolls around every game not even bothering his hole to challenge for a ball…

What is needed is careful analysing of our needs and the players that are available in those positions. Then Arséne must accept that the total-youth policy has not really worked and go out there and sign those players that will really bring our squad to the next level. You can’t convince me that with the global scouting network that the club has in place, that we can’t even identify one quality central defender and one quality central midfielder that would improve our squad. I mean, how hard is it to find someone that is better than Silvestre?

Next season we can’t be sitting here making the same excuses about injuries, youth and inexperience. That just won’t be acceptable. It’s up to the board to provide the manager with the means to do what he has to do. I don’t mean we should spend beyond our means, not at all, but we have to bring in new blood. Top quality blood. We need to go out and sign players that are in their mid-twenties, somewhere in the 24-27 range would do nicely and would bring some much needed experience to the squad in order to let our younger players develop at a more natural pace rather than being thrown in at the deep end before they are ready.

Anyway, there will be endless summer days to talk in more detail about transfer comings and goings and the multitude of players that we will inevitably be linked with.

Good news ahead of the game at the weekend is that Chelsea were knocked out of the Champions League by a 93rd minute Barcelona equaliser. That put Barcelona through on away goals. It’s bad enough to go out on away goals after not even losing a match, but the fact that the goal came in the 93rd minute is sure to have a huge effect on their squad. The manner of their exit will be hard for them to take and let’s hope that it will gives us an edge over them in Sunday’s game. Though we also have to overcome our own massive disappointment, the fact that we were never really expected to do anything this season and that Chelsea have pressure and expectation to win everything means that maybe, just maybe, we will have the psychological advantage over them. It all depends on how each team responds to their respective disappointments.

At the moment, it’s relatively quiet news-wise. so I’ll finish there for the day.

Take it easy.