THE SUNDAY EXPRESS said the Arsenal board met to discuss the unthinkable : the sale of Henry in the summer.
Did they convene because they wanted to put this idea to Arsene Wenger?
Or did they get together at the suggestion of Arsene ? Was he at the board meeting?
Basically, the directors would not discuss the sale of Henry without the manager knowing about the meeting and the agenda.That would not happen.
All the players are bought by the manager and all the players are sold by the manager. Nobody tells Arsene Wenger who should be in his team. Not even his employers.
Fact : Thierry Henry will be 30 on August 17.
How much would they get for him ?
Who would buy him ?
Why would he leave in 2007, a year after signing a four-year contract to stay at Arsenal for life ?
Was Henry just kept to sell corporate tickets in the Emirates first season ?
On Sunday, Henry flew to Dubai for the Gillette launch with Tiger Woods and Roger Federer.
I broke that story here a couple of weeks ago. All three stars are corporate icons and practiced diplomats. Tiger told Sky Sports News that Roger and Thierry are ” humble and down-to-earth.”
ANOTHER story in The People says that Sheikh Mohammed Maktoum wants to buy Arsenal for £450 million.
Do I believe that? Is it a knee-jerk reaction to not getting Liverpool ?
Well, last year I suggested a sale of the club could happen. I wrote about it more than once. I always felt it was nearer than most people think.
Clearly, Lady Nina Bracewell-Smith was brought onto the board to keep her onside.
When Danny Fiszman missed the 2006 AGM, the first at the Emirates Stadium, I was shocked. When no explanation for his absence was offered I was shocked again.
The chief shareholder misses the AGM ?
He was there in 2005. I remember talking to Danny with Amy Lawrence. He was there in 2004 and 2003 and 2002 and 2001.
Danny lives in Geneva but I was sure he’d be at the AGM. I like him and I trust him, so it had never occurred to me that he might be absent. He had just spent four years – four very hands-on years – building the new stadium, a Herculean task for him, Ken Friar, Keith Edelman and others.
But, in doing that, Danny had become far more high-profile than he ever wanted to be. If you are brought up in the diamond business, you shun publicity. That’s obvious.
ANYTHING to say about Middlesbrough 1 Arsenal 1 ?
Not a lot to add, really.
Another game where Arsenal didn’t score first. Another game where Arsenal didn’t score in the first half. Another game where Arsenal didn’t lose. Another game where Thierry Henry scored a very good goal, using his phenomenal skill to finish a Route 1 attack, a long ball by Toure that went to him off Adebayor’s shoulder.He killed the ball with a sublime touch and buried it beautifully.
In 77 minutes, it was one of Thierry’s early late goals.
The Riverside was always gonna be a difficult game. Middlesbrough are on form and beat Bolton 5-1, and Arsenal were coming off Manchester United, which went to the wire, and a battle against Bolton where they had to come back, plus two games against Spurs in the Carling semi, the second leg going to extra time.
As we all saw, Cesc Fabregas was running on empty.
Rosicky can be Arsenal’s Deco, but not if he plays on the left wing. He had two shots but he needs to have 4 or 5 shots in a game.
Viduka’s elbow on Toure was deliberate and calculated. He didn’t jump for that ball.
Viduka did not jump!
That is the point. A high ball was coming down and VIDUKA DID NOT JUMP. If he jumped and stuck his arm out, fair enough – maybe. But he stood on the ground and stuck his elbow out a long way.He knew exactly where his elbow was and exactly where Toure’s face would be. He whacked him.
Toure got lucky in 47 when he stumbled, panicked and handled – and Viduka poked the shot wide.
Senderos was rash when Yakubu got in front of him. He pushed him and as soon as the striker felt the arm of Senderos he dragged the toe of his trailing leg on the ground and pitched forward.
Yakubu still had to beat Lehmann and might have hit the shot wide.Or he might have hit Lehmann. Personally, I thought it was a sutuation where Lehmann would save with his foot.
Senderos has not learned that there are some situations where a defender has to say : OK, you’ve beaten me, now beat my keeper.
Yakubu’s penalty put Arsenal 1-0 down in 62.
Middlesbrough worked hard and defended well and passed well. Their best performance against Arsenal for years.