Friday 12 August 2011

Things To Do Today

After a World Cup final celebration fiasco, embarrassing offers and draining negotiations through the English and Spanish media, one of the past decades most talked about (and most boring) sagas is about to finish. Cesc Fabregas is about to go home. £35 Million will trickle into Arsenal's bank account as Cesc makes his way to Barcelona to tackle the challenge of breaking into one of the best midfield's the game has ever seen. Whilst Arsenal are set to lose their talisman in the deal, the transfer will oddly see two of the world's biggest sides benefit.


Aaron Ramsey has battled back from injury to settle in to the Gunners First Team

Arsenal had themselves forced the deal from Barcelona's hand and practically confirmed the offer at the start of the week; Adding Cesc to the Champions League squad to face Udinese was a stroke of recent rare genius by Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger. Had Cesc still been around at the Emirates Stadium for that game and participated, his right to play for another team in the Champions League for the 11/12 campaign would've become void. Leaving the ultimatum to Barca to pay up now or miss out on their main target for another year finally seems to have settled the deal, and the Spaniard will most likely complete the transfer over the weekend. Cesc himself has been left out of Arsenal's squad to face the first game of the new Premier League season, along with Samir Nasri.

With Arsenal failing to impress  in the Transfer Market thus far (only having Gervinho to really shout about with any pride), having £35 Million doesn't seem like a naturally positive thing. Their lack of intent to snap up a goalkeeper and centre back in the transfer window has left question marks surrounding their chances of a top four finish. Why should having £35 Million in the last month change their ambitions to change what should've already been done? After all, any other club would naturally need to be using that money to replace their star man.

Arsenal are different, though. Over the past few years, whilst they've passed on trophies and settled for consistency within the top four, they've managed to build one of the best set of youth players in the country. The likes of Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey are quickly becoming men, and for Arsenal to have long term success, the team needs to be built around those in the centre of the park. The long term successor to Cesc already sees himself at the Emirates Stadium, and it's time for Arsene Wenger to use a new nucleus or their side. After bouncing back strongly from his horrific leg injury, using loan spells with Nottingham Forest and Cardiff to prop himself back into full fitness, Ramsey is striving to be part of that nucleus.

This now leaves a £35 Million and pressure on Arsene to succeed after settling to the loss of Cesc Fabregas. Gaping holes that have been regularly picked at by the press remain eye-catching a mile away. With Igor Akinfeev and René Adler reportedly available at the right price, Arsenal must have their eyes casting over scout reports and enquiries ready to send. Both could be snapped up for around half of their cash-in on Fabregas, leaving over £15 Million to bring in a solid centre back.

It remains to be seen who Arsenal will capture to solve their defensive woes. Every day their linked feverishly with a new name, though most frequently Christopher Samba. The Blackburn centre back, strong and resolute, fills the bill for the requirements on attributes. Whether or not Samba's ready to challenge for a team of Arsenal's calibre is yet to be seen. His last two seasons have seen links to Manchester United and Liverpool, though, so recent reviews speak highly of the Congolese international.


Chris Samba has been linked with greater things for three years

Samba could well be an astute buy for the Gunners, after all it has become the top four challengers norm to delve into the more scrutinised signatures this season. Sir Alex Ferguson has already snatched Ashley Young from Premier League rivals Aston Villa as well as Phil Jones from Samba's current home Blackburn. Meanwhile, Liverpool have been raiding anyone and everyone with their recent cash injections to re-ignite their top four credentials, the pick of the signings being Stuart Downing and Jordan Henderson, leaving their Villa Park and Stadium of Light homes respectively. With Chelsea also testing raw talent in Romelu Lukaku, Arsenal could be breaking into the regular rotation of the current campaign's transfer market.

Either way, for their plans to come to any success in the upcoming season, Wenger will be putting his job on the line to create a team worthy of silverware. The middle of the park still has the potential to ripen quickly with Ramsey and Wilshere showing incredible maturity in young and exciting pockets of quality. It's a path to success, but as long as it's the road taken on, starting this weekend.

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