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Author:

Zach Adams</4>

More Surgery for Wilshere

Arsenal starlet Jack Wilshere is all set to go under the knife once again in order to rectify a knee setback that he suffered during his rehabilitation from his long-term ankle injury. (Goal.com)

The 20-year-old midfielder played no part in Arsenal’s 2011/12 football season due to his ankle problem and he will go undergo more surgery in Sweden next week to solve the knee issue, which has been described as a ‘longstanding’ one by the club officials.

Wilshere’s knee injury is related to his left knee’s patella tendon and while it needs medical attention, it is not expected to scupper his plans of achieving full fitness before the start of next season.

The club issued a statement, which read: ”England international Jack Wilshere is continuing to recover very well from the injury to his right ankle which ruled him out of action for the 2011-12 season. However, his ongoing rehabilitation has seen a long-standing slight issue with his patella tendon in his left knee flare up.

”As a result, Jack will travel to Sweden for a minor procedure on his left knee in the next few days. This procedure is not expected to significantly affect Jack’s comeback ahead of next season. On returning to England, Jack will resume his rehabilitation with the Arsenal medical team over the summer.”

Ian Wright to Become MK Dons’ First-Team Coach

Arsenal legend Ian Wright will once again take over the first-team coaching responsibilities of League One outfit MK Dons after enjoying a successful stint with them last season. (Goal.com)

The former Arsenal striker coached MK Dons’ forward players last season and impressed the club officials with his work. Therefore, he has been re-signed on a part-time deal, which would allow him to keep doing his media jobs too.

Fabianski Wants to Leave Arsenal

Arsenal’s backup goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski has said that he wants to leave the Gunners in the summer due to lack of first-team opportunities. (ESPN)

The 27-year-old custodian lost his position in the starting line-up to his fellow Pole Wojciech Szczesny and as a result, he was able to play just six times for Arsenal in the 2011/12 season.

The former Legia Warsaw goalie is unhappy with the bench role and wants to depart Emirates Stadium in the upcoming summer transfer window.

In an interview with Gazeta Wyborcza, Fabianski said: “I hope that my adventure with Arsenal has come to an end. I intend to leave and play in a strong league. I wanted to leave in the winter, too, but Arsene Wenger did not give a green light.”

Arsenal Ban RVP from Talking To Press

Arsenal are so worried about Robin van Persie’s contractual situation that they have forbidden him from talking to the press while on international duty with the Netherlands squad. (The Guardian)

The 28-year-old Dutchman has linked up with his national team to prepare for the upcoming European Championships but has been told not to speak to any reporters at all.

The Dutch Football Association’s rep said: “We made a deal with Arsenal and he [van Persie] won’t talk to the press.”

Vieira Casts Doubts on Arsenal’s Ability to Re-Sign RVP

Former Arsenal captain and current Man City football development executive Patrick Vieira has said that the Gunners should have opened contract talks with Robin van Persie a lot earlier and believes that now it is too late. (The Daily Mirror)

Vieira is of the opinion that Arsenal would struggle to keep their talisman safe from rival clubs as there is only one more season left on his existing deal. The Frenchman, whose current employers are in the pole position to sign van Persie, said: “I think losing Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas last year was a big shock for Arsenal – and if they lose Robin this year, it will be a trauma.”

He further said: “When Samir and Cesc left, you could say, ‘OK, but we still have Van Persie and Jack Wilshere at the club. But if Robin leaves, that means next year it may be Theo Walcott, next year it’s Wilshere, and it’s going to be difficult for Arsenal to keep their top players.

“I’m quite surprised they have waited until he has only a year left on his contract to talk to him. It’s difficult to find players of Robin’s quality anywhere in the world with only a year left – especially strikers who can score 34 goals in a season. It’s difficult to understand.

“Robin wants to win trophies – and Arsenal have to prove he can do it with them. We know that Robin loves Arsenal. That is not the question – the real question is how Arsene Wenger will convince Robin they can win trophies.”

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Backpage Roundup: Vieira, RVP’s Media Ban, Wilshere’s New Injury and More, 5.0 out of 10 based on 3 ratings

We are told in the press that RVP has told Arsenal he is not ready to sign a new deal. Talks between him and the club ended in deadlock despite Arsenal offering a three-year deal worth £130,000 a week with a £5million signing-on fee.

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Let van Persie leave with our blessing, 8.0 out of 10 based on 25 ratings

One of the biggest concerns for Arsenal fans this summer is bound to be the future of star striker and captain Robin Van Persie. Speculation is rife that he could be on his way out of the Emirates, something the club can ill afford to do. This is the view of former Gunners captain Patrick Vieira who believes that losing Van Persie – who will be involved in Holland euro 2012 betting odds – would be much more significant than the loss of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri next summer. He said: “Losing Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas last year was a big shock for Arsenal. If they lose Robin Van Persie this year it will be a drama.” “With Samir and Cesc you can say ‘okay those two are gone’, but behind you know that there is Jack Wilshere and Van Persie still at the club – but if Robin comes to leave, that means next year it may be Theo Walcott, then the next year is it going to be Wilshere?” “It is going to be difficult for Arsenal to keep the top players.” “On the other side if they keep Robin they are going to send a positive message to all the clubs and to all the people around and I think it’s really important to keep him.” One of the biggest problems for Arsenal of course has been the lack of silverware. They haven’t won a trophy since the FA Cup in 2005, making Van Persie think twice about where his future lies. Vieira continued: “Robin wants to win trophies. Arsenal have to show him he can do it with Arsenal.” “The best way for them to get him to sign a contract is to bring players to the club who can show him that the club are in the same line as him.” “It is really important because we know how Robin loves Arsenal – that is not the question, the question is how Arsene Wenger will convince Robin they can win trophies.” Van Persie held talks with Arsenal this week of course, but nothing has been mentioned since and presumably nothing was concluded. A decision will perhaps be made after Euro 2012.

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Author:

Ian Palmer</4>

If there’s anybody who can offer advice to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain about representing England at a major football tournament as a teenager, it’s his Arsenal teammate Theo Walcott. Theo knows all about the expectations heaped on upon a youngster since he was selected to England’s World Cup team back in 2006 by Sven Goran Eriksson when he was just 17 years old.

After being left on the bench for that entire tournament, only Walcott himself knows how much, if at all, he benefited from the World Cup experience in Germany. Some experts feel Eriksson simply wasted a roster spot by taking him along while others argue that it helped him develop as a player.  It’s fair to say that the jury’s still out on that one since Walcott hasn’t lived up to his billing in many people’s eyes.

Now it’s Oxlade-Chamberlain’s turn to feel the pressure as the 18-year-old Gunner was selected to England’s Euro 2012 squad by manager Roy Hodgson. For Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, he must be feeling a sense of déjà vu by having two teenage wingers thrust into the spotlight so early in their careers.

It’s safe to say that Walcott’s turned into a good player over the years, but calling him a great one might be stretching it a bit. One wonders if Oxlade-Chamberlain will fare any better and if the trip to Poland and Ukraine this summer will help his confidence grow or stunt his development. Of course, he should be flying high at the moment just by being selected to the squad.

If Oxlade-Chamberlain plays and does well at Euro 2012 it could be the best thing that could possibly happen since he’ll know he can play against the best Europe has to offer. If he doesn’t perform as well as expected it could harm his confidence to a certain degree. However, the key to his mental state of mind will lie with Hodgson.

In Walcott’s case, he wasn’t chosen for England again until two years after the 2006 World Cup. Not being selected for that length of time after being taken to Germany must have been a bit puzzling, but probably didn’t do his confidence much damage since he didn’t play poorly, simply because he didn’t play at all.

If Oxlade-Chamberlain plays this summer, Hodgson needs to realize that if he’s in the team’s long-term plans, that no matter how well or poorly he performs, he will need to be selected to the squad for the nation’s next game following Euro 2012. This won’t leave Oxlade-Chamberlain second guessing himself and worrying about how he played.

Being selected again right away will boost his confidence even if he has a mediocre tournament. If Oxlade-Chamberlain ends up waiting two years for his next cap, like Walcott had to do, it could seriously set him back mentally. Of course, if Hodgson doesn’t consider him to be a part of England’s future, then it’s doubtful he would have selected him in the first place.

Hodgson called Oxlade-Chamberlain shortly before announcing the Euro 2012 squad and told him he was going to be given the chance to prove he can play consistently at an elite level. This means he should get some quality minutes in England’s two pre-tournament games against Belgium and Norway. Oxlade-Chamberlain realizes this is just the first step to a successful international career and being selected to the squad doesn’t mean he’s made it.

He said he’s happy to be going to Euro 2012 and is looking forward to training with and learning from his more experienced England teammates. But considering Hodgson’s alternate options, such as Stewart Downing, there’s a good chance Oxlade-Chamberlain’s skill and speed will be depended on once the tournament kicks off.  The winger, who can play on either flank as well as in the middle, said he’s not afraid to take players on no matter who they are. He said he’s filled with youthful enthusiasm and is always trying to make something positive happen when playing. He feels his brief experience with the Under-21 team will come in handy and will help him earn his first senior cap.

Hodgson said Oxlade-Chamberlain was picked for the squad on merit alone and he wants the player to prove that taking him along was the right choice. He’s already shown with Arsenal that he can excite the crowd with his pace and work ethic and now he’s likely going to be given the chance that Walcott didn’t receive in 2006, by being used in a major tournament. Having Walcott alongside him to offer advice along the way could prove to be invaluable in his development as a footballer.

Euro 2012 won’t necessarily make or break Oxlade-Chamberlain as a player, no matter how he performs. But it’s a great opportunity to prove he’s got the mental toughness to deal with the outcome.

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Remember when, in 2003, David Beckham – with Manchester United’s title winning season and lap of honour completed – took time out to have a kickaround on the Old Trafford pitch with his son Brooklyn? Once his transfer to Real Madrid had been confirmed, his actions pointed to the behaviour of a man who knew he was saying his goodbyes. And in truth, many could see that even before the deal was done, as it had become obvious that the player and his manager no longer saw eye to eye.

There has been no fallout of this proportion between Arsene Wenger and Robin van Persie, although this observer will never forget the Arsenal captain’s reaction to the mystifying substitution of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the home defeat to Manchester United earlier this year. Aside from that, there is no evidence of any bad blood between the two. But his personal relationship with the manager is not likely to be a factor in the player deciding to move, should that be the consequence of the talks that began yesterday between the club, the player and his agent.

Van Persie’s words, when interviewed after the West Bromwich game, were understandably non-committal, although they certainly hinted that he might be on his way. However, his actions after the last home match of the season, versus Norwich, seems to leave less doubt.

The match, and the lap of appreciation, were all done and dusted by 3 p.m., but van Persie stayed at the ground until 6 p.m., during which time he had photos taken of him all over the place with different things, such as the statues outside, and with all the people he knew at the ground. The conclusion would be that he did not anticipate being around to get the opportunity again.

Interestingly though, for the away game at West Brom, as with every other away game, the club had directorial invites from their hosts, but as has been a regularity in recent seasons, nobody from Arsenal wanted to go… apart from Ivan Gazidis. But Gazidis did not watch the game alone, as he was accompanied by van Persie’s wife. You can draw your own conclusion as to why she was at the game, although after the Arsenal captain’s post-Norwich marathon photo session, the idea that she wanted to be present at her husband’s final match for the club he had served for eight years seems highly plausible.

So, the indications are that the meeting yesterday would have been one where the player had to be persuaded to remain. Doubtless an attractive increase in salary would have been offered, and the media are banding about figures like £26 million over three years, a nod to the kind of sums the likes of Manchester City would offer. But fundamentally, the player’s decision may have been already influenced not by the higher sums he could earn elsewhere, but his view on Arsenal’s footballing ambition. Major stars rarely arrive at the club these days, Andrey Arshavin and Tomas Rosicky being the only obvious ones since the stadium move, and Arshavin was over three years ago. Naturally, a star name does not guarantee a return, but the odds are considerably better than a prospect from the French league that Arsene Wenger fancies taking a punt on.

The manager will obviously argue his case by pointing toward Lukas Podolski as an example – and in fairness, the player is on a par with Rosicky and Arshavin as arriving with an established reputation, one to excite the fans. But van Persie arrived at Arsenal and was integrated into a squad stuffed with players who were big stars, huge names in world football, even if some of them actually made their reputations at Arsenal. Where, in 2012, are the equivalents of Henry, Bergkamp, Vieira, Pires, Campbell, Cole, Ljungberg and Lehmann? The weight seems to be leaning towards ‘maybes’ rather than ‘definites’ in terms of what you can expect from a player. The cold-eyed ability to do what needs to be done to win a trophy has dissipated even though the wage bill has increased year on year.

But who else will join Podolski? There are echoes of van Persie’s situation in the transfer of Thierry Henry. The then Arsenal skipper agreed with the manager that he could not wait for the team to develop if he was going to win more silverware before his career wound down completely. The sands of time were not on his side. Two years after leaving Arsenal, he lifted the Champions League trophy with Barcelona, as well as enjoying two league titles in Spain. Is the 2012-13 Arsenal squad likely to be closer to success than Arsenal’s in 2007-08? That squad featured Gilberto, Kolo Toure, William Gallas, Cesc Fabregas and Emmanuel Adebayor, amongst others. Depending on assurances about who else might be arriving at Arsenal this summer, van Persie will decide if his football ambitions – and every player wants to look at medals in the display cabinet once they hang up their boots – are likely to be realised in north London.

If there is no press conference held to trumpet the signing by the end of Friday, then the signs are that agreement will not be reached. In this case, the club would look to get a return on their asset while they can, although with season ticket renewals still being invited, and the Euros on the horizon, nothing is likely to happen until July. Van Persie will not ask for a move, as apparently under FIFA rules, he will receive 5% of any transfer fee paid for him if he does not, which would explain why clubs are keen to receive a transfer request from wantaway stars.

So a significant couple of days for the immediate future of Arsenal Football Club. Chances of success next season are likely to be diminished if their main source of goals in recent seasons ships out. Podolski may have a remarkable scoring record at international level, but for his clubs he has rarely achieved as much. Perhaps he needs to be surrounded by top quality team-mates to produce his best, which is an idea that seems strangely familiar…

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RVP – The signs that say ‘Goodbye’, 4.3 out of 10 based on 21 ratings

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Author:

Therealgunner</4>

Hi, I’m Jules…..Yaaaay! We won today 3-2 at the Hawthorns, which means that we are in the Champions League, third spot secured, C’mon Gunners!

And Happy Saint Totteringham’s Day to all the Gunners out there! What an end to the season. Absolutely fantastic!

Well the first thing I want to say is a little apology because I haven’t been able to do the last few videos. I’ve been so hectically busy and then away on holidays.

But anyway, we’re in third place, I’m so happy with that this year. After the season we’ve had with the injuries, the crisis, the nonsense protest and all the rest of it, it is an achievement, in fact, a great achievement, especially considering where we were a few months ago.

We had that fantastic run after we beat the Spurs 5-2 at the Emirates. Obviously, it is not acceptable for a club like Arsenal and in the coming season I hope that we do improve. So it will be our 15^th consecutive season in the Champions League so that’s credit to Arsene Wenger and the club.

Anyway, in the game today there were a few changes as obviously Bacary Sagna was unavailable due to his leg break last week so Carl Jenkinson replaced him. Francis Coquelin replaced Aaron Ramsey, who got benched, and Andre Santos was called in for Kieran Gibbs.

What a start it was for Arsenal, as after only four minutes Márton Fülöp made an error and Yossi Benayoun capitalised on it to give the Gunners the lead. As against Norwich last week, it was a fantastic start but we lost focus and conceded the equaliser in the 11^th minute. To be fair, it was a clearly offside goal by Shane Long.

Four minutes later, Laurent Koscielny made a mistake and this time Graham Dorrans took full advantage of that and put West Brom up 2-1. But it certainly served as a wake-up call for Arsenal, as they dominated the rest of the first half.

In the 26^th minute, Robin van Persie had a free kick on the edge of the box but unfortunately he hit it right into the wall and then four minutes later, Alex Song fed Santos, who loves to run at opposing defences. The Brazilian left-back shifted the ball from his right foot to the left one and shot it. The ball nicked the inside of the post and went in. The Gunners were back on level terms.

And then just on half-time, West Brom appealed for a ridiculous penalty. They wanted a handball against Coquelin, whose arms were firmly behind his back. When the shot was taken, he was just two metres away and so he obviously turned a bit to avoid getting hit in the face but it was totally unintentional and not a penalty by any means. A minute later in the injury time, Gervinho spurned a great chance to double Arsenal’s lead. His shot ended up hitting the side netting.

Theo Walcott came in for Thomas Rosicky in the second half. In the 53^rd minute, Jenkinson’s error allowed Fortune to shoot at Arsenal goal but Szczesny saved. Two minutes later, Arsenal had a corner. Calamity keeper Fülöp rushed out to push the ball away but ended up punching it towards the goal. Koscielny was lurking around the box and he capitalised on the error to put the Gunners in front once again. From there on, WBA put Arsenal under a fair bit of pressure and threatened to equalise on several occasions.

Andrews drew a fantastic save from Szczesny in the 71^st minute, after which Wenger replaced Santos with Ramsey. WBA then had a free kick outside the box but Szczesny claimed that too.

In the first minute of injury time, van Persie’s shot sailed over the crossbar. Then Billy Jones had the chance of spoiling it all for the Gunners, as in the 93^rd minute of the game, he broke free in the box but Gibbs’ perfectly timed tackle ended that move and saved us.

We did it! 3-2 to the Gunners! What an end to the season.

But anyway, Happy Saint Totteringham’s Day to all the Gooners out there and I have to say that our worst start for fifteen years and their best in fifty so it just shows the difference in class.

I do have a little song. It goes something like that:

Tell all the Spuds you know

Last year we had three games to go

And the year before that

We did it at the last match

You’ll never finish above the Arsenal

Anyway, quick ‘Thank Yous’ for the cap and the badge, a Big Thank You to Pat Rice for all these years of service he has given to Arsenal. Welcome to Bouldy. He has been with the club for a long time so it’s a promotion for him. I’m sure everyone will get behind him as well.

Also thank you to Arsene Wenger and the team and all the fans, especially away fans for all the hard work. And one last thanks to everyone who has been watching these videos all year. Some people liked me some people didn’t but that’s fine with me. Not everyone’s gonna like me I accept that and i don’t have a problem with that. Thank You all!

I’ve got a couple of things going on over the summer so obviously I’ll post them on my YouTube channel or Twitter but they’re not gonna be every week like these have been.

Glad the season is over to be honest with you. I don’t think my health or my heart could take another week of this. I’m saying this now, but I’ll probably be bored in a month. There will be the Euros and all, but I love my club and it comes first and foremost before anything. Anyway, i will see you next season and have a lovely summer.

And one last thing:

#Arseneknew

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Jules Wheeler Reviews Arsenal’s Dispatch of West Bromwich Albion, 5.5 out of 10 based on 2 ratings

Eldo71

Arsenal fan for 40 years. Schoolboys, North Bank, Clock End then East Upper. Then Emirates. AFC dream team: Wilson, Dixon, Sansom, Adams, Pates, Brady, Williams, Pires, Bergkamp, Henry, Wright. Subs: Seaman, Eldridge, Wilshere, RVP, Ball. Manager: Arsene Chapman.

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Arsenal’s Robin van Persie has a great deal to ponder ahead of the European Championships this summer, with self-imposed deadline for sorting out his future with the North London club imminent.

But might this scenario leave the Dutch talisman in a position where he can’t fully concentrate on the Euros, despite the Dutch side attempting to go one step further than their exploits at the 2010 World Cup, where they ended up losing to Spain in the final?

If Van Persie decides that his future does lie with Arsenal, then surely all of the speculation in the media will come to an end sooner rather than later, allowing the main man for the Gunners to be able to focus 100% on what should be an exciting Championship for him on a personal and professional level.

If, however, the Dutchman decides that his future lies away from the Emirates stadium, he will in all likelihood be left in a state of unwanted turmoil as he bids to re-settle his entire family while also trying to make a big impression with the supporters of whichever team he picks to move to next.

That said, perhaps the worst scenario for the player on a personal level would be if the club refuse to sell him, a situation that would leave Van Persie not only in a state of turmoil and uncertainty but also full of anger and frustration at his lack of control with regards to his future, at an age where any move would no doubt be his last before retirement.

Whatever happens, we will at least be able to find out how Van Persie acts this summer when placed under real pressure.

Van Persie is set to travel to Poland and Ukraine with Holland this summer and should they escape their group, a banana skin from Group A could await in the knock-out round. Poland, Czech Republic, Greece and Russia are potential opponents, with Betfair highlighting all their strengths and weaknesses at their dedicate Euro 2012 Group A page here: http://betting.betfair.com/football/euro-2012/group-a/

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