The Sunday press is full of variety for a change – away from the obsession about a potentially real or fictional takeover.
This review of the papers, however starts with The News of the World snapping Dein and Wenger pictured together coming out of a N.London restaurant after two hours together on Thursday. Fiszman says Wenger is free to have lunch with whoever he wants.
Some will read a lot into this, including the reason Wenger hasn’t appointed a director of football [see below]. Others will say they are old friends and neighbours.
The paper also picks up on talk around Salzburg match, verified by our on the ground contributor there, that Arsenal are tracking the Dinamo Zagreb midfielder Modric, who is rated at £11m.
The Star on Sunday has Wenger tracking Rene Aufhauser, the Salzburg midfielder, 31, who had a good game and provides much needed experience.
Express and Star papers go heavy on Arsenal having the most foreigners 24 out of the 28 man squad (85%), making them vulnerable to Sepp Blatter’s move to limit the number of foregners (non-nationals) playing in domestic leagues. However the Premiership wants to protect the current status quo. And money talks. Interesting that the top four appear in the top six in the non-national players league with Liverpool and chelsea following Arsenal and Man U at six.
Intersting comments from David Gill in the S.Mirror: “There are differences between English and American sport – but the Glazers know that to be successful off the pitch you have to be successful on it.
“They’ve backed us over player contracts or purchases and have been very supportive of the manager and myself. All those factors are working together and with Alex Ferguson having been here for 21 years with trusted staff, it produces stability.
“The owners’ strategy appears to be to let the management team manage. They are longterm investors, and that’s born out by their record in the States. They are happy to let people do their jobs.”
Gill believes the Glazers are role models for foreign investors after de-listing United and taking them private – a move which now values the club at £1billion at least.
He added: “They knew commercially the opportunities were here and we have seen that on this tour to Asia.” No mention of potentially very damaging rise in interest rates or season ticket prices.
Gunners get Diarra, says the headline in The Sunday Mirror. Not the Real Madrid Diarra, but the Chelsea Diarra – the 22 year old tough-tackling midfielder, who it says, is set to join Arsenal in a £2million deal this week.
He can also play right back but got 10 yellow cards in 21 games last season.
The Mail on Sunday says Wenger is thinking of appointing Glen Roeder as Arsenal’s director of football. Wenger wants to bring in an Englishman and Roeder fits the bill, with the knowledge of players gleaned during his time as boss at West Ham then Newcastle, from where he was sacked at the end of last season.
Wenger was impressed with the way Roeder endured his dismissal, along with his brain surgery of a few years ago, with stoicism and dignity. You can’t argue with that.
Interesting quotes, in yesterday’s programme, repeated in other papers: “We are still looking to bring one more player in, maybe two, depending on who is available,” stressing that after the departures of Thierry Henry and Freddie Ljungberg “nobody else will be leaving, apart from on loan. We have a good, strong squad, maybe a bit short in numbers, but we will take our time in bringing new players in.”
AFP, who misreported the PSG score as 2-0, add some good Wenger quotes: “At the moment I have not made any offer for Anelka. I felt we had the strikers we needed, and also I wanted a player like Eduardo, who can play on the flanks and with Adebayor, or with van Persie,” said the manager.
“That is why we have gone for Eduardo. It was more a question of choice rather than the quality of Anelka, because I rate him very very highly. It was just we have Adebayor, Bendtner and Eduardo who play in the same position.”
On Eduardo: “Wenger is “confident” ahead of the appeal on 2 August, and revealed the striker would most likely play in the Amsterdam Tournament next weekend, as that is not governed by United Kingdom rules.
“We sign our contracts subject to work permits, so we have not been negligent. If the work permit does not happen, we are not in a position where we are obliged to keep the player.”
The Daily Telegraph has Setanta commentator Manu Petit saying, in a long article: “I am afraid for Arsenal. To be honest, I think they will not finish in the top four….because when I see Manchester United and Liverpool and Chelsea, they are stronger than them.
“On one game Arsenal can beat anyone, but over a whole season you can feel the strength and power of the other teams. When I see Newcastle, and Tottenham as well, they are becoming stronger. I can understand Freddie.”
“This season is a very important one for Arsenal: if they are not in the Champions League next season they will be dead financially unless [American businessman Stan] Kroenke buys the club.”
“You know what they need to have: the fighting spirit, definitely. If they play only beautiful football, it will work in the Champions League, but it will be difficult in the Premiership. Look at United: they were fighting on the pitch; they fight for every ball and they [the Arsenal players] need to understand that. I want to see them play with big character. I don’t want to see players fighting like dogs, like they do sometimes; you fight and you shut up and get on with it. You concentrate on your game. The only thing that is important is that the team win.
“I am not sure that Arsenal have that attitude. I saw it rarely last season, except when they beat Manchester United 2-1 at home. For the last 20 minutes I saw a real team. But they would win one game, then lose the next two. They need to be consistent.”
“You cannot win trophies with youngsters. Arsenal need more experience. The only experience they have is Gilberto, Kolo Toure, Jens Lehmann and William Gallas. As for the others, they are young and without any experience for the big games. There are no leaders. When we won the Double in 1998, how many players were young? There were only two: Nicolas Anelka and Patrick Vieira. And in 2002, the team they called the ‘Invincibles’, how many young players? Exactly!”
AFP reports Arsene Wenger says midfielder Gilberto will continue to wear the captain’s armband for Arsenal this season. Slow news days last week had most press discussing the merits of Gallas being captain.
West Bromwich have inquired about taking Armand Traore, the Arsenal left back, for a loan period.
And perhaps the biggest non-story of the weekend in the People. Dennis Bergkamp spent time with Galaxy chief Alexei Lalas on Thursday, though the ex-Arsenal star’s agent, Rob Jansen, has denied he will join the Galaxy – with the obvious comments about petrol miles.
On the PSG game, I missed it due the the Diaspora World Music free festival in Hyde Park, which is also on today, 2-9.
However ANR reader Haroon writes: that despite a fairly solid XI, the set play at the back was terrible. In the first 45, two corners saw the ball fizz straight passed the 6 yard box – on the bounce.
There was a clear lack of penetration, like last year, but Hleb looked very eager (very freddyesque with the penalty) Gael was on form, Eboue exciting on the right and Robin van Persie really on his game.
Hopefully with a first 11 it will be much better. Good movement at times from all though.
Saw the highlights – and in Bendtner, Arsenal have a real physical penalty box presence – reminiscent of John Radford.