Up And Running

Arsenal got the Asia Tour off to an unconvincing yet pleasing start yesterday. And judging by the fact that they haven't been back long for training, coupled with the considerable inexperience in the squad, it wasn't a bad result after all, despite the fairly lacklustre performance. So what should we make of it?

We beat a Malaysian XI with limited ability and few, if any, star players. Granted, we played two different teams out there with different types of players; the first half was fairly weak with the exception of Vermaelen, Gervinho and Arteta, whereas the second half had a lot more pace and quality in the team with Song, Theo and The Ox. All potential excuses aside, we should have hammered this team. Yes, the pitch was awful and Podolski, Giroud and RVP were all at home, but come on, we shouldn't have left it that late.

Obviously, pre-season is more about building up the fitness, but a defeat would've asked  questions about the side. The City game on Friday should be interesting; I don't know about you but I'm more concerned about that than the Olympics. Squaring up to Na$ri again is always entertaining. Morale will go through the roof if we beat them.

Despite yesterday's game being just a friendly, you could say it was important to win as Arsenal fans haven't had much to cheer about lately; with the RVP saga still rumbling on with no foreseeable conclusion on the horizon, and exciting transfer targets getting closer to the Club yet to no avail, not to mention Jack Wilshere still being out injured until October.

Single-handedly stopping transfers

Whatever this season holds for Arsenal, that game did suggest that the long-term future looks very bright. Who needs Jack Wilshere Abou Diaby with Thomas Eisfeld taking just seven minutes to score? We're said to be in the market for a midfielder yet he certainly looks the business. Wenger knows a bargain when he sees one, and this looks like another one. Chuks Aneke also looks promising and Afobe is already showing lethalness up front at a young age. They're all just a League Cup or two away from becoming either the next Jack Wilshere or the next Carlos Vela. Hopefully, we'll see these players during then and hope that they can shine through to the first team. 

And hopefully, people can stop calling us a 'foreign' team. I hate that. The English talent coming through looks extremely exciting.

So, between now and the end of the pre-season, what is in store for Arsenal, other than some fitness-boosting friendlies? Well, there's the seemingly imminent departure of Robin Van Persie, who apparently has stayed in England so he can get away to either Manchester or Turin in the near future, which isn't the least bit respectful. And considering his responsibilities as our captain, I think he should just go. I'd love him to stay but his attitude towards to the club suggests he wants to get out of here ASAP. And we can't have players like that at the club. I'd rather have Bendtner... oh wait.

On the plus side, there are some transfer rumours more concrete than others, and, while the M'Vila transfer never happened (we didn't really need him), a more likely and worthwhile deal is for Santi Cazorla, who was one of the best players in La Liga last season, and would fit right in an attacking midfield role at Arsenal - and he's not bad at free kicks either. He could be perfect. Watch this space.

Away from transfers, we have got exciting times ahead, with or without RVP. We are yet to see Podolski and Giroud in red and white, and the big kick-off is not far away, and who knows what kind of squad we could have inherited by then. Wenger's been more secretive than usual when it comes to new arrivals; which makes me believe he's got a few tricks up his sleeve. Time to get a little bit excited.

Come On You Reds!