The Second Innings

Good day all,

Transfers! Transfers! Transfers!. . probably the only thing that is on my mind these days. I might have scavenged infinite websites and links just to get some positive sniff of concrete arsenal transfer news. After long hours of surfing when you end up with little, it makes whole activity even more tiring.
Another day past by without any signings and the days left before the windows slams down can be now counted on the hand.

But today we had a new dawn, and the reported visit of Dick Law on the pitch-side at Arsenal yesterday did mean some business. We get our second transfer of the season. And it will not come as a surprise to any Gooner fan that it is a free transfer! Arsene decides to resign Mathieu Flamini for a reported wage of £50k odd per week and a contract length of 2 years. We wait to see for official announcement of the deal soon.

It was 2003 when the talented Marseille midfielder was picked up by Arsenal on a free transfer when he refused to sign a new contract with the French club. 9 years hence, the same player re-signs for Arsenal, again on a free transfer just the difference being the last club represented was AC Milan and he has become little more wiser and older. Just to remind you folks, Flamini joined Milan from Arsenal on a free transfer back in 2008.

At this hour where signings have been difficult and top players refusing Arsenal, sad but true, maybe I will write on time some day later, any signing is definitely welcomed. Mathieu is a proven talent at the Premier League,a proven talent at Arsenal who know the club and style of play very well, was at a big club previously and has loads of experience. So he is one of those signings who could hit the ground running in an Arsenal shirt and hold command of the young midfield of Ramsey and Wilshere during Arteta's absence. I think Mathieu's signing is definitely a shrewd one (as if we expected something different from Wenger) and if he manages to keep pace of Premier League today, he can click big-time on his home-coming.

It means still the £1m we paid to get Dan Crawley from Villa (academy player) remains the top buy among the players joining Arsenal this season!

Elsewhere it is bigger bad news, terrible indeed, that Podolski would be out for 10 weeks. It was earlier believed that Podolski might be back with a 3-week layoff.
As reported by Arsene now,
"It is bad news about Lukas Podolski as he will be out for eight to 10 weeks. His hamstring is much more damaged than we thought at the start. It is very disappointing and we have paid a very heavy price for that win [over Fenerbahce]. We have to be patient now."

This means we are in a deeper hole with Arteta, Vermalean, Chambo and Diaby already out injured.

I cant stress enough how important it is to win the derby-clash this weekend especially when Spurs have been on a spending spree this season and expecting huge cash inflows as the Bale deal gets the final touch.

With Ozil and Angel Di Maria unwilling to join Arsenal, though Di Maria could get close, and Mourinho seemingly obstructing Mata's move to us, there is hardly any big, big, big name associated with us as of now. There seems to be no progress with the Cabaye's deal  and I wonder if it would ever go ahead after we re-signed Flamini.

Moving on the other competitions,
We have the draw for Champions league tonight at 9pm IST. Hoping for a favorable draw for us.
 In the Capital One Cup, Arsenal are poised to play West Brom on 23rd of September. Probably we need to take these competitions seriously now!

That's all for today,
Bye.


Gunner Love.