Arsenal's inability to hold on to Cesc Fabregas, Gael Clichy and Samir Nasri last summer will be repeated this year with Robin Van Persie, Theo Walcott and Alex Song all joining the exodus. This is a simple by-product of Arsenal's failure to show ambition to win trophies by investing in top class players.

Eric Abidal is a free transfer target for both Liverpool and Manchester City as he approaches the end of his Barcelona contract.
The France international's current deal is scheduled to expire at the end of the season and he is now entitled to speak to other clubs about a summer move.
Barcelona has offered him a two-year contract extension, but with a number of major European clubs interested, the defender has asked for time to think about his future, reports L'Equipe.

Eric Abidal is a free transfer target for both Liverpool and Manchester City as he approaches the end of his Barcelona contract.
The France international's current deal is scheduled to expire at the end of the season and he is now entitled to speak to other clubs about a summer move.
Barcelona has offered him a two-year contract extension, but with a number of major European clubs interested, the defender has asked for time to think about his future, reports L'Equipe.

It's the greedy bastards vs. the cash-strapped, plucky underdogs!... except it really isn't, since Arsenal are a multi-million dollar organization.
Whatever, City still sucks.

Manchester City
League Form: 1st, 12-2-1 (yay!), 49 GF, 15 GA, +34 GD, 38pts
Home Form: 10P, 10W, 24 GF, 4 GA, +20GD
Last Meeting: Arsenal 0-1 Manchester City (November 29)

Ah.

There has been some talk of late about Jose Enrique, and in particular there have been questions asked as to whether his form has dipped after a flying start to the season that saw him make a strong case for being the league's best left back—and possibly even its best fullback. Previously we looked at his numbers for the club after the first eight games and felt that as he was the only player to be clearly amongst the top three in both attack and defense, the numbers appeared to fully support the idea that he was the best in the league.

Having just suffered their first defeat in the league against Chelsea last Monday, another important challenge must be faced by Manchester City this weekend as an in-form Arsenal are coming to Etihad stadium.

Despite the difficulty of the upcoming match, City's manager, Roberto Mancini apparently isn't worrying that much especially since they have a big boost with the potential return of Micah Richards for this Sunday.

The most prized left foot in the club now

When it rains, it pours. Especially when it is related to the Arsenal injury news. If you haven't already heard, Andre Santos will need to undergo a surgery to repair his damaged ligament in his right ankle. That will take him out of action right until middle of March.

The left back position of Arsene Wenger's era has been a rather stable position, Sylvinho to Ashley Cole to Clichy. Ever since Gael Clichy's departure to Manchester City, the left back issue is becoming a very pressing one. Though Clichy was not the best option, he was still a pretty decent player. It is also [.

Manchester City today losses of £194.9 million for the financial year 2010-11, the highest such figures ever posted by an English football club.

The £195m consisted of a net loss of £160.5m and £34.4m to write off player contracts. These are incredible numbers and City tried hard today to put a positive spin on them:

"Our losses, which we predicted as part of our accelerated investment strategy, will not be repeated on this scale in the future," said chief operating officer Graham Wallace.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has admitted to the media that half of his players wanted to leave the Emirates this summer. In the face of a potential player mutiny following the sales of Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri, Gael Clichy, and Emmanuel Eboue, Wenger found it difficult to hold on to the rest of his squad.

Arsene Wenger reckons players don't leave Arsenal for Manchester City to win honours but, surprise, surprise, for the huge wages. And the manager says he doesn't think RVP will leave the Emirates. "I don't think we will lose Robin," he said.

Wenger has been speaking on French radio tonight and we are indebted to Vince, the president of the Arsenal supporters club France, for the translation on his Twitter feed (@ASCFR).

Things are not looking good for Arsene Wenger and Arsenal as more speculation grows over the future of the clubs top stars. The latest news so far is that Van Persie could leave the Emirates at the of next season.

After already ruling out their hopes of winning the EPL title and huge losses that have stunned both players and fans alike, Arsenal are in their biggest crisis yet.

After five matches in the English Premier League 2011/12 season, Arsenal are sitting in 17th position and have the worst goal difference in the league. It would be unthinkable to suggest that this is where the club will be at the end of the season, but Arsenal fans are genuinely worried that Champions League football might be off the table next year.

Another chance for Coquelin to show his stuff, albeit in a less pressure match that his last away trip

Carling Cup returns to action tonight. I have to admit, this is a competition which I do enjoy and look forward to each season. Perhaps the biggest reason is how Arsene Wenger has chose to use this competition.

Arsene Wenger had his young Arsenal side flying towards a possible four trophies last season until it all came apart at the seams after losing the Carling Cup Final. The turmoil this caused led to Cesc Fabregas, Gael Clichy and Samir Cashri leaving the club which forced Wenger to bring in a host of new [.

Someone questioned on the blog yesterday whether our new line-up would be able to score enough goals, so I thought it would be interesting to compare the goalscoring prowess of the new players against those who have departed based on past performances.

Now I realise that stats are generally just a way of manipulating figures so they masquerade as facts.

Someone questioned on the blog yesterday whether our new line-up would be able to score enough goals, so I thought it would be interesting to compare the goalscoring prowess of the new players against those who have departed based on past performances.

Now I realise that stats are generally just a way of manipulating figures so they masquerade as facts.

Owen Hargreaves: Manchester United to Manchester City via Oblivion - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

Owen Hargreaves is to join Manchester City in one of the most dramatic and sensational transfer deals of the summer after the ex-Manchester United player agreed to undertake a pay-as-you-play deal for the Champions League debutantes.

Arsenal has filled the void left behind by one Spanish playmaker with another.

At the end of a wild transfer deadline day in Europe, Arsenal agreed to a £10 million transfer with Everton and signed central midfielder Mikel Arteta to a four-year deal to play the role vacated by Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas.

Andre Dos Santos skills

Holy Saint: As per Arsenal, they haven't exactly decided to park the bus come transfer deadline, and have signed not dos but three players.

Park Chu Young: The South Korean captain from relegated Monaco is a makeshift signing for Joel Campbell who was denied a work permit.

I wrote yesterday that I was really surprised why Arsenal were selling Armand Traore to QPR as it left them really short at left-back. Well the reason for that transfer is apparent know as the Gunners are reported to have signed Brazilian left back Andre dos Santos from Fenerbahce for a reported £6.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger insists that the outcome of last night's impressive 2-1 (3-1 on aggregate) win over Udinese in the UEFA Champions League qualification will have no impact on his transfer policy as players from both inside and outside the club will be considered to fill the current void in his squad.

It is still early in the new season and a long way from the Champions League final in Munich next May but each team across Europe will have already set its expectations for the coming year. Possibly the team with the fastest-rising aspirations is Manchester City, the current Premier League leaders (for what that's worth after only two games).

Alex Livesey/Getty Images(Bleacher Report)Manchester City started off their new campaign with a bang on multiple levels.
Their team gave a clinic in the last 33 minutes as they scored four goals to rout newly promoted Swansea City in front of a packed house.
It was also nice to start the first Campaign of the Etihad Stadium with a victory, and Roberto Mancini will be happy to have earned such.

When Arsenal announced the sale of Gael Clichy this summer, a majority of Gooners seemed to view his departure as an acceptable loss. A 7m deal for a player with only a year remaining on ...

As I write this, Arsenal Football Club stand on a precipice of doubt, a mountain range of negativity, a continent of discontent.

In comparison to last summer, we have been positively flying in the transfer market, signing so far no less than three first-team players with more promised.

Gael Clichy, Cesc Fabregas, Nicklas Bendtner, Emmanuel Eboue and Samir Nasri, all players who left or all about to leave Arsenal during the summer transfer window. Speaking about a turbulent summer, manager Arsene Wenger explained that ...

By Andy Brumming

With the start of the new Premier League season imminent, we take a look at some of the comings and goings in the transfer window, and at which teams will be contesting for the title, as well as those contesting the relegation places.

ARSENAL:

In: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Carl Jenkinson, Gervinho.

Arsene Wenger has had 41 days of the transfer window to bolster Arsenal's squad, yet just three days until the start of the Premier League and six until their Champions League qualifier against Udinese, he has failed to address any of the important issues facing his team.

With Arsenal's monumental implosion at the business end of last season, much was made of their need to purchase experienced players with the mental grit to set an example to the horde of talented youngsters in the squad.

Premier League 2011-12: Top 5 Summer Transfers is a post from: Just Football

by Christopher Atkins

Choosing the best transfers of the summer is never an easy task and this summer is certainly no different, with some very good value to be had in the transfer market if you look carefully enough.

By Darshan Joshi

Once the foundations have been laid, the stage is set for rapid success. It has been three years now since the Abu Dhabi United Group acquired Manchester City from the scandal-clad palms of Thaksin Shinawatra, and progress has been steady.

El cierre de registros es el 31 de Agosto, la temporada inicia el 13 de Agosto, ya cuando estamos a solo 9 dias de iniciar,via el show de la premier league nos enteramos de los movimientos, estos son:
ARSENAL
Altas: Gervinho (Lille), Jon Toral, Hector Bellerin (Barcelona), Carl Jenkinson (Charlton)
Bajas: Gael Clichy (Manchester City), Denilson (Sao Paulo), Mark Randall (Chesterfield), Roarie Deacon (Sunderland), Thomas Cruise y James Shea
ASTON VILLA
Altas: Shay Given (Manchester City) y Charles N'Zogbia (Wigan)
Bajas: Ashley Young (Manchester United), Stewart Downing (Liverpool), Nigel Reo-Coker, John Carew, Moustapha Salifou, Robert Pires, Isaiah Osbourne, Harry Forrester, Arsenio Halfhuid, Durrell Berry, Ellis Deeney, Calum Flanagan (all released), Brad Friedel (Tottenham).

Lionel Messi vs Bizarro Lionel Messi in El Prat airport (photo courtesy of Gerard Pique)

Gael Clichy + Reggie Bush = Corey Ashe (Houston Dynamo)

Lovely afternoon at Home Depot Center - not too hot - for a rare 1 p.m. start to a Galaxy game, the St. George's Cross flying proudly at the berm end of the stadium for the visit by the EPL giants.

Landon Donovan has a slight right calf strain and will miss today's game in a precautionary move.

Pardew: Enrique Wants Champions League Football

Newcastle boss Alan Pardew appears to have admitted defeat in his efforts to keep Jose Enrique at the club, insisting the player has his heart set on a move to a club that can offer Champions League football. Liverpool have been heavily linked with Enrique ever since January, and after missing out on Gael Clichy this summer the general consensus was that they would turn their attentions back to the Newcastle full-back.

When Carlos Tevez announced his intention to leave Manchester City mid-way through last season, the club described the situation as an "unfortunate and unwelcome distraction". Tevez handed in a transfer request in December, a decision that he claimed was prompted by a breakdown of relationships with certain City executives.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has yet again confirmed that he is ready to give a chance to his young players, next season. Speaking on the departure of left-back Gael Clichy, the Frenchman explained that Kieran Gibbs ...

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has announced that he does not expect a new left-back to join Gervinho once the club concludes its summer signings in August.

Wenger, who has repeatedly insisted that he will hold on to the midfield duo of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri, couldn't do much when Manchester City prized Frenchman Gael Clichy away from the Emirates last week.

Clichy Reveals Liverpool Snub

Man City new boy Gael Clichy has revealed the reason behind his move to the newly rebranded Etihad Stadium, insisting he snubbed the likes of Liverpool in order to play in the Champions League next season. Damien Comolli has a strong relationship with Clichy having played a large part in engineering his move to the Premier League in the first place.

Defender John Flanagan today (Friday) signed a new long-term contract at...