By Myles Palmer
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MOST STRIKERS are not quick enough or skilful enough to play for Arsenal.
Harry Kewell is, that’s why I fancied he would join in the summer.
When Kewell went to Liverpool, I stopped writing speculative pieces here.
It’s hard to get transfer predictions right in the dodgy world of football.
Something which is true today can be turned upside down inside 24 hours.
So it’s best, for me, to leave it alone, to give my views to friends on the phone, but wait and see what happens. I’m not impatient.
Regular readers will know that I think a very few strikers – players like Kewell, Eto’o, Vassell and Defoe – would add a vital new dimension to this Arsenal team.
JERMAIN DEFOE is a cocky kid whose hero is Ian Wright.
This is why I like Defoe : if you have a technical tick-list, he rates top marks on just about everything.
He has pace, sharpness, bottle, fantastic balance, reflexes, desire, ambition – and he knows where to run.
His off-the-ball play is very good.
Defoe can score from through passes, he can score from crosses, and he can score by taking the ball to feet with his back to goal, and turning to shoot early and hard.
And he turns so quickly that his number appears on the front of his shirt.
IF WEST HAM BOSS Alan Pardew wants to sign two or three new players to boost his promotion push, and he can get £10 million for Defoe, the Hammers will sell this week to give Pardew time to sign re-inforcements.
LAST MONDAY, January 5th, I heard that Defoe was having a medical at Arsenal.
That was denied by all parties. We assumed that “Arsenal medical” was not true.
We did not put that on ANR because we assumed it was not true.
If Arsenal do sign the boy, you will hear soon enough.
You won’t need me to tell you about it.
UPDATE : Arsene says he will NOT make a bid for Defoe.
That could mean Eto’o is coming.
I’ve heard tonight (Thursday 8.45pm) that Eto’o is desperate to leave Mallorca in the transfer window.
15th January 2004.