So our less-than-scintillating but far-from-disastrous start to the season gets puts to one side for the last straight of the madness that is the transfer window. This morning, belatedly if you ask me, it’s all about Theo Walcott who’s apparently turned down an offer of £75k a week.
Now, I haven’t blogged much this summer, partly because I needed a break and partly because the incessant rumour gets my giddy goat, but I did write about Walcott back in July and it pretty much all still stands. £75k a week sounds about right to me for an improving player with lots still to learn but he could get more elsewhere – without a doubt – if it was all about money. Don’t forget also that if he does sign a new deal, and he has a good season, he would in all likelihood be able to renegotiate again in a year (oh to be a footballer, heh).
More worrying would be if it was not all about noses in troughs – and the same goes for the other two high-profile departures – because if it’s because of the direction of the club that they are leaving or dithering then it’s a worry (for what it’s worth I think it’s probably a combination of lots of factors – money is probably the principle one, though).
I rate him a lot despite all his foibles and I want him to stay – a feeling that is strengthened given that Song and van Persie have already set sail. Suggesting we have enough cover there already (as is suggested in this BBC article) doesn’t quite wash for me. Arshavin is peripheral and probably off, Podolski is not a winger as such, Gervinho’s end-product is iffy, Oxlade-Chamberlain is still young and as for Serge Gnabry – I would say he is gnot gnearly ready. If Walcott is and has been happy to stay then why are we flapping around dealing with this now?
The positive me maintains that this side Wenger is putting together has the capacity to be better than the last one that he is clearly dismantling (number of trophies won: zero) and that we should not judge its competitiveness until the morning of the 1st September. We are miles away from the side that got its sandcastle kicked over by toughs at Old Trafford a year ago.
But what seems increasingly possible is that what I thought might be a period of evolution feels more and more like a time of revolution. Our midfield and strikeforce are changing before our eyes. Seven of the starting eleven at Stoke have been at the club a year or less. Wenger is wielding or threatening to wield the axe, even with one arm tied behind his back by the reality of what he is confronted with.
Whether we arrive at the other end weaker or stronger, richer or poorer, well time will tell.
Hold onto your chapeaus.
Walcott has done nothing yet to justify 100 K per week. As you point out, if he signs up for less, then he can always re negotiate. He is as thick off the field as he is on it. Yet another greedy mercenary who is showing his appreciation to Wenger for the work he has chanelled into him. Get him out.
Easy to turf out, but we can’t keep on losing experienced players and expect to plough along regardless. All footballers are greedy, regrettably.
As much as I do not want him to leave I will prefer Eisfeld instead of Gnarbry although I’ve not seen much of the later’s game. However, let’s not forget Walcott bring a good dimension to our game if he can stay. I pray he signs and stay and let’s win together
Seems to me that we have lost RVP, Song & looks like Walcott and still have Bendtner, Chamakh and Arshavin. Maybe it’s me but that seems like the wrong way round somehow!
Wenger should not allow his players box him into a corner for their own selfish ends.He should spend heavily now by getting capable replacements.
my understanding of the event is thst when arsenal made him an offer of signing an extension…walcott rebuffed it saying that he wanted to wait were ars finished and were guaranteed of champions league football.although i agree with this to some extent i thought it was presumptuos from walcott whose standing in the game is based on his clear cut english marketability than his football ability
right i think everyone would like to know who runs arsenal football club ive read players see wenger like a dad so if this is true wenger doesnt run arsenal forget walcott where are the replacements for song r.v.p we have injury prone players you talk about the man u game we had injured players out as always look at man city 28 1st team players there boss comes out and moans where we dont even have a good 1st 11 why do deals now when had all summer walcott can go infact the whole team can go if they want just money you should be proud to play for arsenal not us be proud you play for us every football club in the world are thinking arsenal football club is a joke pulis was more worried about reading we have no fear factor on or off the pitch hate to say it look at spurs they reinvest wheres all the money gone cesc nasi that money covers all we brought in with change left us arsenal fans need to start all speaking up be the whole club is left broken and behind!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i agree worrying times