Arserant’s Player of The Season 2006/07

It’s tough but I’d have to go with Fabregas. Gilberto, my runner up, has been consistent and gives everything you expect from a captain. He’s chipped in on the goal scoring side of things too and without him this season, I think we’d have had serious trouble in securing a top four finish. However, Fabregas has been amazing. His passing’s fantastic and I don’t think the number of assists he’s made does him justice. I recall a number of chances he’s created where a player has failed to put the ball in the net. He’s great to watch, his age irrelevant, though he’s certainly one of the footballing world’s brightest talents at this moment in time.

At third, it’s got to be Gael Clichy. I wondered whether he’d be able to fill the boots of Ashley Cole and he has done. He’s done well to recover from injury and has shown serious potential. I wouldn’t bet against him turning into a better Ashley Cole, given a couple more seasons. He lacks that final ball, it’s true, but that’s something he has the time to improve on. I like his maturity too. Wouldn’t expect him to lose his cool in a game.

Honourable mentions are to Kolo Toure and Van Persie. Toure’s been pretty much ever present and reliably consistent. Easily one of the world’s best centre backs now. Van Persie on the other hand might’ve staked a better claim had he not gotten himself injured. He showed that Henry’s not the only one who can score on a regular basis and despite his injury which has seen him out of action for the latter part of the season, remains our top scorer.

• Atletico Madrid want to take Fran Merida on loan. I’m not sure he’d be a first teamer there myself but I suppose he’d get more first team opportunies than he would at the Arse’. I was looking forward to seeing him in the Carling Cup myself.
• We’re said to be planning a bid for Saint-Etienne striker Bafe Gomis. There’s apparently interest from Tottenham also. I don’t know myself, I’m not familiar with Gomis and I’m unsure whether Wenger sees the need for another striker to add to the squad at this moment in time.
• Another striker who’s attracted our attention is Javier Saviola, available on a free from Barcelona. I doubt we’d be the only ones in for his signature though and again, the question is raised, do we really need another striker?
• We’re also reported to be close to signing Bakari Sagna of Auxerre. He’s a right back, I’m told, and having wrapped both Eboue and Hoyte up on long term deals, I can’t see why Wenger would go for a right back, meaning the rumour’s rubbish or Wenger would intend to play him elsewhere, which is always a possibility with Wenger.
• Cesc Fabregas has said he could rethink his future at the club if Wenger was to leave, which hopefully won’t be anytime soon. It’s a sentiment echoed by several other players also. He also hinted at a return to his home country sometime in the future but that’s to be expected. For now, we’ve got him on an eight year contract and should be ever move, we’ll make a good few bob out of selling him.
• The white away kit’s been revealed and confirmed and though the consensus would appear to be that it‘s horrid, I don’t think it’s too bad.
• Gilberto is set to miss the start of the new season because he’s been selected for the Copa America. With Denilson and Diaby available, I think we’ll be able to cope.
• Xavi of Barcelona, a player who I rate highly on the pitch, seems confident Henry will sign for Barcelona. I’m less confident.

And so it begins

I’ve been waiting for this, the opportunity to set up a blog and all that. I decided though that I’d wait until the end of the season rather than kick off midway. Well, the season’s finished. We played out our last game along with the rest of ‘em and it will no doubt be long before the lack of football gets to us all. Odd time to begin a blog? I think not. I’ve got plenty to write about this preseason (transfer speculation, actual transfers, weighing up our future chances, season analysis, friendlies etc.) and that’s just getting started.

Second, Arsenal are something of a big club these days. There are plenty of other blogs doing the rounds that follow our fortunes and write better than I do. I know this’ll never become a big thing, basically and the best I can hope for is the odd reader who likes hearing what I’ve got to say. I’m not doing this to become the best or most visited Arsenal blog around and I know there are better alternatives. I’m doing this purely because I want to and as a hobby. I want to get my views on the net and if no one else wants to read them that’s fine. I’ll probably still trudge along. And hopefully, when I begin to grey, I’ll still be here, still writing, and talking about how once upon a time Arsenal played beautiful football. That’s a far fetched ambition maybe but I love writing about the club and don’t envision ever getting bored with it. There’ll always be something to talk about, as far as I’m concerned, and I look forward to talking about it all.