History is the best predictor of the future... by Redneck
So then, what will be in store for the Gunner faithful this summer? Arsene has this massive 70 million warchest. There is absolutely no way that with that much money to spend, the pressure that has been building on the club, the high ticket prices, etc.
Obviously, Arsenal's transfer policy and constant antics in the market have not exactly brightened up the average fan's day, but it has a reason. As many criticize "Silent Stan," and "Ivan the Terrible," there are very specific reasons for their actions.
Arsenal have always been slated for their spending and financial status. Despite being one of the world's wealthiest and most valued clubs, every year Arsenal fail to bring in the big name players that everyone is desperate for, in order to make our team great once again.
Arsenal have managed to consistently compete at the highest level on a relatively low spending budget.
Just as it seemed that Arsenal were losing their grasp on one of the top transfer targets, a couple of stories in the Spanish media have offered renewed hope that Gonzalo Higuain could be a Gunner next season. The striker's father Jorge and brother Nicholas work as his representatives and Nicholas has declared that the reports of an agreement with the Italian champions are premature.
Mikel Arteta – True Arsenal Captain Material by FD
The concept of a football captain as being an inspirational figure, a natural leader and on-field representative of the team's manager is probably more of a British phenomenon. I think back to such iconic captains as Billy Bremner, Billy Bonds, Bobby Moore and our own Tony Adams.
Arsenal cannot win the title without major changes by SS
Every summer I hear Arsenal fans saying that next season the club will be back for a title challenge, I repeatedly laugh at that because I and anybody who is realistic knows that Arsenal simply cannot make a title challenge unless there is drastic changes to the whole club.
The jury has been in deliberation all season about Olivier Giroud at Arsenal. Of course, the French international has been given some leeway by us Gooners, although not much by some, as it is his first season with the Gunners and we have seen players take time to get used to the English Premier League before.
Mikel Arteta has expressed how changing roles this season has been a fulfilling experience, and one that has dramatically helped the team's overall structure.
Previously Arteta had been more of an attacking midfielder, thriving at Everton in this position. However after the Gunner's saw holding midfielder Alex Song depart for Barcelona last summer, Arsene Wenger saw Arteta as the logical replacement.
I have written articles about what the former Arsenal midfielder Stewart Robson has said before and it has pretty much been non-stop negativity, especially towards Arsene Wenger. Robson never played under the Frenchman, but he clearly considers himself an authority on him.
The Talksport regular has been telling us all season that Wenger should go and was clearly going to fail to finish in the top four this season.
According to popular opinion this summer is going to be different we are told we have money to spend, we are told we don't need to sell.
There is increasing clamour for expensive signings from the fans, the press are doing their best in fuelling the expectation further maybe with the clubs PR doing the briefing, who knows.
I sit here on a warm African winter afternoon, my tele switched to ESPN classic. They have a vintage Arsenal game going and im glued as if it were live. Its Highbury....Its Sol Campbell, its Vieira, its Bergkamp, its Thierry... its an Arsenal routing of Manchester United.
Arsenal must buy early – now is not the time to wait by DG
I have a question I would dearly like to ask the Arsenal board. When does saving money end up costing you money?
In recent years, we Arsenal fans have grown increasingly fearful of summer windows. Long periods of big stars courting opposition clubs, ending with a dramatic late sale and no replacement forthcoming until the next window.
Somebody is having a right bubble. That is surely the only explanation for the story that Arsenal are prepared, or even eager, to sell our captain to anybody who is willing to cough up £5 million. There about a hundred reasons why this story is ludicrous, but I will just deal with a few of them.
Firstly, if Arsene Wenger had decided that Thomas Vermaelen was no longer a part of his plans for Arsenal in the future, he knows that he could sell him for much more than £5 million.
After a rousing finish to the Premier League season, Arsenal have managed to avoid the storm of protest that was seemed to be heading their way since August. By avoiding defeat in the last 10 Premier League games, Arsene Wenger and his players grabbed the final Champions League place and broke the hearts of Tottenham.
However, looking at the figures of nett spends...it's difficult to argue. The only argument against is that he's refusing to spend money or the board have been restrictive.
Personally, I feel he's stretching everything he can from what we have.
Arsenal appear to have been priced out of a move for Montpellier playmaker Remy Cabella after the French side announced a €100m (£85.4m) asking price. The 23-year-old was reported to be high on Arsene Wenger's wanted list for the summer transfer window, but Montpellier are not prepared to sell on the cheap (or even at [.
There is a chance that Arsenal could make significant progress in the Premier League next season while the other top three clubs, United, City and Chelsea, get themselves together after a period of upheaval. The fact that the rewards on offer in the English game makes it even more important to have a tilt at the title next season.
It was great for Arsenal fans to see Super Jack Wilshere back playing in the first team again this season. The 21-year old was obviously as glad as we were to get over his injury after what seemed like an eternity on the sidelines. Jack has put in some great performances for the Gunners, but he knows he has not been at his brilliant best, although he is sure we will see that next season.
We don't know for sure that Arsenal are definitely looking to sign another keeper this summer, but it seems fairly likely, with the problems there have been with Wojciech Szczesny and Lukasz Fabianski over the last few years. I really hope that Arsene Wenger has got a clear idea of who he wants to bring in, even if it is between a few keepers, because according to the media he has about 39 different possibilities.
As usual with Arsenal, half the Premier League club's supporters see the glass being half full while the rest view it as half empty. It just depends if you're wearing rose-coloured glasses or not. Yes, the Gunners have managed to finish the season in the top four again and have reached the European Champions for the 16th straight year.
Ever since the end of the Premier League season last Sunday, Arsenal fans have been looking forward to an optimistic summer transfer window and a much more competitive Arsenal in the future. Some Gooners, like myself, still harbour doubts about the board and Arsenal's wage policy actually allowing Wenger to bring in the `top, top` talent he has been talking about all season.
Juventus player Mauricio Isla has alerted a number of clubs in Europe including Arsenal after he stated that he may be leaving Turin this summer. Isla has had a horrible season at Juventus but the Chilean was a star player at Udinese where he was played in his favoured right wing back position instead of central midfield regularly.
Wenger can lead us through a league in turmoil by DG
While everyone knows that Arsene Wenger is now comfortably the longest serving current Premier League manager, I wonder if you all realise just how far ahead he is of the pack? It was revealed yesterday that Tony Pulis is leaving Stoke after 7 years in charge.
In the 52nd minute at St. James' Park, the inevitable happened. Arsenal scored. Not many would have banked on the rejuvenated Laurent Koscielny to break the deadlock in such a fine fashion, putting his team firmly in the driving seat after a well taken half-volley, but it was no surprise to see another Wenger team heading for the Champions League (with the qualification round in their path) for the umpteenth time in a row (16 to be exact).
With Tony Pulis leaving Stoke City by mutual consent today, and Alex Ferguson retiring from Manchester United the second longest serving Premier League manager is now Newcastle's Alan Pardew. Alan Pardew with Tony Pulis Arsenal's Arsene Wenger is now the longest serving and he's been in the Arsenal job since 1996, and the Frenchmen has [.
Fiorentina president AndreaDellaValle says that he would try and convince star striker StevanJovetic to cancel transfer plans and stay with them once he returns from international duty.
Arsene Wenger has already suggested that Arsenal will have a tough time acquiring the transfer targets that the manager wants this summer. The Gunners may have a lot more money to spend in this transfer window, but that in no way guarantees that we will get the players we want.
One of the major problems this year is the competition.
The fans and former players of Arsenal will all have been pleased about the way the Gunners fought back from a seemingly impossible situation to clinch fourth place in the Premier League, qualifying for the Champions League and finishing above our north London rivals again.
As the dust settles, though, and we start to take stock, there are certainly concerns.
The Arsenal transfer target, Portuguese goalkeeper Rui Patricio, has admitted that he may be leaving his beloved Sporting Lisbon this summer. In an interview with the Portuguese press he said "I feel good here, but we must consider many things. I still do not know what the future holds for me".
The keeper was the subject of an £8 Million bid just last week from Arsenal which was immediately rejected by Sporting.
For the last decade and a half Fox Soccer has been the voice of the Barclays Premier League in this country and that ended on Sunday. It's going to be sad not to have the EPL on FSC. While FSC has made it's mistakes over the years if it was not for them the EPL would not have the footprint that it has in this country.
The exciting young French striker Yaya Sanogo (great name!) has beeen close to sealing a deal with the Arsenal since last week, with his club Auxerre in negotiations with Arsenal over the compensation fee.
But today the youngster himself has made it clear that he only has one destination in mind for nmext season.
It has been reported that Arsenal are close to sealing the deal for The Montenegro international and Fiorentina striker Stevan Jovetic. While the Gunners sealed the final Champions League place in the Premier League with victory at Newcastle, Fiorentina missed out despite beating Pescara 5-1.
Jovetic scored in the game, but it could be his last in Viola colours, as Metro reports that his agent, Fali Ramadani, is in the Capital to put the final touches to a deal that could cost the Gunners nearly £25 million.
Real Madrid forward Gonzalo Higuain (Flickr Commons)
Arsene Wenger is making a list, and checking it twice and Gonzalo Higuain seems to be a top the Frenchman's summer transfer window list. According to Pro Soccer Talk, Arsenal are currently working on tabulating a bid for the current Real Madrid striker who could bring additional attacking firepower to a Champions League bound North London side for next season.
Arsenal fans celebrate mediocrity yet again whilst silverware goes begging by Adam Kemp
Arsenal fans will be glad to see the back of a season that has proved the most difficult during Wengers reign. I was embarrassed to see the players celebrating like they won the title as they should have been reserved with a fourth placed finish.
First, please kneel, place your hands together and join me in reciting the Prayer of St Totteringham:
"Our Neighbours, who art in shadow Fallow be thy game. Thy fandom – scum; Thy players – plums (In truth, none would make our eleven). Give us this day our Champions League, And forgive us for taking the p*ss As we laugh at those who finish behind us, And lead us not into N17, But deliver us from Levy For Arsenal's is the kingdom, The power, and the gap, For ever and ever, Arsène.
Paul Lambert is probably well aware that he faces an uphill struggle to stop his star striker from joining Arsenal. Although we have not heard anything about Arsene Wenger getting in touch with Aston Villa about a transfer, the Frenchman must be aware that Christian Benteke has hinted about moving and has even specifically mentioned the Gunners.
Rub your eyes, Arsenal fans, pinch yourself and splash your face with cold water, then read the headline again. Is it still the same? Yes, and it is not April 1st, so what on Earth is going on? Maybe whoever wrote this story originally had shaky hands from the night before, or his dog barked as he was typing and he hit an extra zero, because 100 million euros is silly money for anybody, never mind Remy Cabella.
Every Tom, Dick and Harry has had a go, so why can't Big Raddy?
However, this post is not just about the pitch and boardroom No, this review will go elsewhere... For example, what did we think about the team kit this season? I thought the home kit was excellent but was disappointed by our away colours.
I had the oddest dream where I was staying at a hotel owned by Steve Bould, but rather than the luxury resort the brochures said, it was actually a front for his melon-rice factory (this is rice with melon mashed into it).
He had all kinds of orphans and unfortunates that he lured in off the street to work in an underground warehouse, and the waitress wouldn't give me any breakfast because it started at 9.
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini (Google Creative Commons)
Roberto Mancini was fired at Manchester City a year after guiding them to the Premier League title due to the lack of success in the time since. Second spot in the league though without a trophy this year cost the Italian his job.
