By Myles Palmer
The appallingly greedy Real Madrid, led by their megalomaniac president Florentine Perez, will be quite happy today if they think they are getting Patrick Vieira in a year’s time.
Spanish papers were quoting the loathsome Marc Roger last night. Again. He was saying that Patrick was signing up to play for the next six years with Arsenal, but would leave after this season.
Is that what will happen? Or is it just Roger saving face?
Nobody knows.
But at least that scenario gives Arsene Wenger time to replace Vieira, his best player.
Make no mistake, Vieira’s tackling, intercepting and passing is now the backbone of the team.
About three years ago I started to notice that PV was giving Arsenal something they had only got from Tony Adams in the past – 100% commitment and world class timing in the tackle.He had become the standard-bearer, the most reliable competitor in the team.
Vieira has huge strength, deceptive pace, two good feet.And he is an awesome presser who, if he can’t win the ball, can stop you making the pass that you want to make.
And since Wenger’s conception of the game is based on power and pressing, and the lightning pace of his strikers, Vieira’s ability to win the ball and give it early is ABSOLUTELY FUNDAMENTAL to Arsenal’s style of play.
Many players can run, many can tackle hard, but nobody in the Premiership can time difficult tackles and win the ball and stride away with it and use it well with both feet as often as Patrick Vieira.
That is what makes the recently-quoted price of £22 million an absurd figure.He is worth twice that sum.
I wonder whether Vieira should be sold before or after the World Cup.On balance, Arsenal would surely get more money after the World Cup Final.
If France retain the trophy, Vieira’s value would go up. If they flop, or he gets injurted, it would not go down. It would stay the same as it was before the tournament.
In the meantime, Wenger says Junichi Inamoto is a strong boy and a great passer and has potential.
He might be Arsenal’s Nicky Butt or he might be Japan’s Michael Carrick. We can make a judgement on that around December or January.
If Inamoto is in the 16 regularly, and playing some games by then, maybe Wenger will not go for Carrick, a player he has fancied for years, just as he fancied Jeffers and Campbell for years.
It’s a gamble by Wenger, but an interesting one.
24th July 2001.
PS Am I turning into Victor Meldrew or what?
Did you see BBC Breakfast News at 7.30 this morning? Athletics report? Interview with Dwain Chambers where he was talking about spending hours just watching his exotic pet fish, rather than watching TV? He said, “They’re greedy buggers!”
First the Beeb ship out the wonderful Justin, top presenter.Then the presenters talk to each other, not to camera! Horrible.
Sky bring the pub into my living room, and the BBC slavishly follow. Then a sprinter comes on at 7.35 a.m. and calls his pet fish “greedy buggers”.
Lord Reith is turning in his grave.How far is it from bugger to fuck? Two inches?How long will it take?
Must dash. I’m gonna phone the Prime Minister now and say : I’m sorry, Tony, but I will NOT be paying the license fee next year. Its so sad. I worked for Radio Times for 25 years when the BBC was a fabulous organisation with high standards.