What a week it's been! It's been a laden week for me at work, so it's only now, as I settle in to watch this week's EPL fixtures (update: and realise there are none) that I learn of all the madness that's been going on in the transfer market. And what an eyeful! Tevez and Mascherano to the Hammers? Are you kidding me? The man (Pardew) is a complete genius. His team was already a joy to watch. As a motivator he seems to get the sort of commitment from his team that only the greatest coaches manage. And now he's pulled of the off-pitch masterstroke. Tevez will be able to take an all four of most Premiership back lines on his own. Combined with the power of Zamora and Harewood, West Ham should produce even more goals than they did last season. And what better bodyguard for West Ham's own back line could they find than Mascherano?
But what am I talking about West Ham for? It's all about The
Gunners. I've been
wanting them to get rid of pouty Reyes and Cole for ages. This is The
Arsenal. If you're so keen to play somewhere else, then off with you.
Truth be told, though, the departure of Vieira and general absence (and
now full departure) of Campbell has really left Arsenal without much of
a backbone lately. So what do we have this week? Reyes gets his eager
wish to be a Galactico, and we get "The
Beast".
Julio Baptista. Not quite as skillful as Vieira, but much more imposing.
. Oh, you want more? Gallas and 5 million quid come Arsenal's way in
exchange for
Cole.
Wow. I would have thought Cole/Gallas was fair as a straight swap, so
I think Arsenal got the sweet end here. Gallas won't provide as clever
a supporting attack as Cole did, but we have an excess of attack right
now, and Gallas is just that defensive rock we're lacking. Oh, you want
more? Wenger negotiated a very modest transfer fee to secure the
dazzling
Denilson.
Denilson has almost never in his career played up to his amazing
potential (neither for country nor any club outside Brazil), but I think
he's never played with a club that makes such good use of skilled
midfielders.
It's been an uninspiring August for The Gunners (to put it politely), but it looks as if, as always, Wenger is finding spectacular ways to bring new life to the team.
In former Gunner news, what a week for Kanu at Pompeii. Check out the way he way he literally (yes, literally, literally) held back the Middlesborough defence like a one man levee to score his second goal at Teeside. It's great to see him doing so well; I figured after watching his strong performance for Nigeria in the African Cup of Nations he still had it in him. And Anelka to Bolton? Wow. £8M seems steep, but if anyone can get the best of Anelka, who's been dissapointing since leaving London, it's Big Sam, the master at marshalling maligned players.