Written by Mean Lean on Saturday, 14 May 2011 12:26

I have missed out on so much news in the last couple of weeks or so. I have had so much that I have wanted to say about Stoke, commitment, Bendtner, Cesc, Wenger, the future and the transfer market but I really haven't had the time and I am still without a laptop so it means the only time I can write is when I am stationed at home long enough without my kids hanging off my legs or throwing toy cars at my head.

I have decided to save much of what I wanted to say until after the season door slams shut. Perhaps I will include it all in an end of season review type thingy-ma-jig.

Plenty has been said about Nasri's contract and I have been pretty confident that he will sign an extension but I must admit, I am getting a little jittery about the whole caboodle. Wenger is spot on when he says that keeping our players has to be the absolute priority. When I say keeping our players, I obviously mean the best players, the integral part of our squad. There is no point talking much about Cahill, Parker.. sorry, I mean Scotty Parker and whoever else.

If we do not want another year of transition then it is imperative that we keep hold of the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri. In 2007/2008 we were so close to winning the league, in fact we were the best team in that division and yes the league does lie because it tells me that Manchester United finished top. Veering off topic a little. That is another cliche that I want to throw into the bin. 'The league table doesn't lie'

How about if the referee's and their trusty assistants decide to give Manchester United two penalties a game and give two penalties against Arsenal every game, all incorrect decisions. Then Manchester United play against Liverpool home and away before January, then Liverpool spend £750 million on Messi, Ronaldo and Zidane, bringing him out of retirement and injecting him with super Arsene enhancing drugs (thanks for the heads up Merse) then Liverpool thrash us 9-0 at Anfield on January 2nd.

Yet at the end of the season we finish level on points with Manchester United but they have a better goal difference of plus one on us. What do you think of the league table now? I call it a filthy liar! Sorry that was very random but footballing cliches get on me blinking nerves.

'Decisions even themselves out in the end'

Don't get me started on that one. Right, rewind before the random waffle, I was talking about the squad in 2007/2008. The Hleb, Rosicky, Flamini and Cesc midfield was fantastic at the time and at the end of the season half of it vanished while one disappeared into an injury black hole never to be seen again, well at least that version. The next season was not a step forward that is for sure and the last thing I want is another season of new partnerships, new combinations and more teething problems.

Unless Nasri's agent is asking for £200,000 a week or something silly like that then I just would not understand why Nasri would not sign an extension. He is clearly developing and making progress and seems to have a good rapport with his team mates, at least on the pitch. His English has come on leaps and bounds (I wonder how many more cliches I can fit into this) and seems content with life in England.

People are now up in arms about why the club have allowed Nasri to get to this stage without getting the fella to sign a new deal. I scratch my head here I must say. The latest stick to beat the club with is that we reward failure and give out contract extensions without the players earning them.

I totally understand the argument but I just disagree with it. We have already experienced what it has been like to lose Flamini and Edu on free transfers. Good to very good players and they upped and left after the club and manager investing plenty of time in their careers.

You can be sure that if Nasri was handed a new contract before this season then many Gooners would be up in arms about a young Nasri being given a new deal when he hasn't helped the club win trophies.

It is the duty of the club to protect their investment and all these players are investments. Some are good investments and some will not make it. Some players do not even look up to the required level at 19, I am thinking along the likes of Alex Song yet we have given him new contracts and he has repaid the faith of the manager by turning into a key component of Arsene Wenger's first team.

Now this thing about players earning big money no longer care and do not need to bust a gut to win. I just do not buy it either to be honest. I pay my £5 on a Tuesday evening down at Battersea park and I hate when I misplace a pass or do an RVP special by blasting the ball over the fence. I hate losing, that is just me. If for some strange reason, the lads on Tuesday decided to pay me £50 g's a week to play then I just cannot see how that desire to win or frustration with my own performance would change. Ok, I am no professional footballer but lets pick someone like Ray Parlour, Jack Wilshere, Patrick Vieira, Martin Keown, Lauren etc do you think if they had their wages doubled that they would not have that same drive and determination to win? I don't.

I believe it is down to the character of the person and not the amount of money that they are paid. Some players at Arsenal from the youth, reserves and first team are fighters and many are not. It is a character thing and that is where Arsene should be welding his axe over the summer.

Ok, so much more to say but it is Saturday and many of you are outside enjoying the fresh air, unlike when you are at work looking to kill time. Don't think I do not know what you're up to.

Time to feed the ducks I hear. Let us hope both Manchester City and Stoke lose the cup final so the trophy can be postponed for another season.

Back tomorrow with a pre match ting init.

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Comments (7)

• 14-May-2011 15:03 | | anti-eboue movement  - eboue sucks
  

  eboue was rewarded for failure with a new contract and raise

• 14-May-2011 15:42 | | Domhuaille  - Failure.....rewards.......fantasy football manager
  

  Rewarded for failure.....what failure? The Gloomers and Doomers are in league with the Wenger out brigade, backed up by the There's a cloud behind every silver lining moaners and groaners, all of them spouting the same old cliches and lazy, unfounded ¨opinions¨ about the team,the Board, the players and the FA and referees.
  If failure is staying in the top 4 for 10 years in a row, being in the CL elimination round for 11 years in a row, challenging in every Cup since 1998, playing the most appealing Football in the EPL and so on....then spuds must be a total disaster! Wait, they are!!!!
  Our compensation structure is one of the fairest and best managed in the EPL......wanna see rewarding failure, then look at City! That's being overpayed, overhyped and underperforming in a big way.
  The above Gooner lot are convinced of two things: their superior knowledge and tactical*strategic nous compared to AW and that someone cares about their opinions....both patently wrong.
  It is easy to criticize everyone and play the blame gme when your team doesn't meet your exalted expectations but those who whine and bitch should stick to fantasy football management where they can at least do something about the situation...leave the rest to the professionals.

• 14-May-2011 16:57 | | Man United Killer
  

  When isnt Wenger spot on ML?for you Wenger is always spot on.I guess he was spot on when he dismantled our double winnin team and replaced them with a bunch of losers!
  Some of those ladies,who are on huge wages anyways,must be sold and replaced with quality players to reduce the hit on our wage bill.
  In 2007/2008, we were the best team in the league?You never cease to crack me up with your jokes.And then you go on to give excuses.Penalties yada yada yada.Guess what? We ended up four points of the pace and conceded 9 goals more.These excuses must stop.
  Wengers latest excuses are that the cup replays are a big factor to our season colapse.Whose fault was it that we have Rubbish backup that cant beat Leeds,Leyton Orient et al.
  
  I agree to some extent about the wages and the effor that players put in.The problem is not that they dont try hard enough.Firstly most of them are not good enough no matter what they do (its not their fault that they are crappy players) and secondly they dont have an idea what it takes to win when the going gets tough.
  
  I am also looking forward to both Stoke and Mancity losing the final

• 14-May-2011 17:03 | | Man United Killer  - Eboue
  

  I think that is unfair to Eboue.It's not his fault that he is played out of position.Dont forget in 2006-the flying full back.Eboue was arguably the best fullback in Europe.Wengers decision to convert him to a midfielder is atrocious and brings out the worst in the player.As a full back Eboue was good.

• 14-May-2011 18:23 | | DaygeeDr  - ma own lil rant.....
  

  Just wanted to wait till the fa cup final was done b4 posting this comment.... Say wat we like as gooners abt ManShitty, but today's victory onli shows us that with a few decent signings we could get a trophy... It saddens ma heart to say this, but if we don't invest in that squad and also find a way of replacing the Barca-bound Fab, or if not motivate a very gloomy Fab, then we have competition in our hands next season... Rite now, put ursef in Nasri's shoes and with this honest opinion, wld u sign a contract extension with a club that explodes when it's about to achieve something, if I were Fab I know wat I was gonna do... Our club looks disorganised at the moment, and want to look at the faces of the players tmrw when dey do the lap of honour- sure u would see it too... I feel for Wenger and think He needs help... Aii, I'll just leave it to the professionals....

• 14-May-2011 18:31 | | Man United Killer  - Wenger needs no help!
  

  Agree with you and I feel your pain.Wenger will not accept that his project is failing especially without the addition of quality game changers.I understand the way Nasri and Cesc feels.Give it one more season RVP will follow as he will realize that his 20 goals out of 20 outings is just going to be wasted by the trash around him.What is the use signing or staying when your efforts are in vain because you are surrounded by trash and your playing style is all foreplay and no penetration.Wenger has clearly ran out of ideas....or maybe he is just unwilling to accep that "project youth" has not quite worked the way he expected.Changes must come home!

• 17-May-2011 10:14 | | Omglol
  

  How Wenger project faild ? its not even 3 years from when he actualy start bringing young players in first team. Fabre, RVP , Clichy are from the old team, Nasri, Vermalen, Arshavin, Chamak, Kos, Sagna, Ramsey are all transfers in last 2-3 years so i rely dont see how wenger dont work on the team with otuside players ?T he youth have 2-3 years more to bloom and you say its faild ? Wenger last 6 years keep usin top 4 we got twice to chalange EPL title, 2006 we chalanged CL and we are aways up there fighting. How come thats not enuf with having the paying for Emirati. Check Wenger transfers whateva he do he try to keep the transfer on 0 $... sell./buy
  You shoud question the board and praise Wenger what he do with the given resorces. His comments are fine he keep his cool at moments and dont assult openly players and team, just show how fantastic manager he is and we are lucky with him. We cant denide that players faild us and wenger at last 14 games but to bring down hell over Wenger for 1/3 of the season is unfer and childish reaction of frustrated people.But if you ask me Fabregas is our Lpool Torress, as much i love him as player he need to stop the farse. And dont even make me start on FA open war vs Arsenal. Instend of helping and supporting Wenger in last 3 years to create the future of Arsenal some of the fans are backstabing the whole club not only Wenger. The ticket price is crazy, they should lower it for a big % and they actualy raise it . About that we need to bring hell on the board. But we care more how to insult Wenger and trow few words thinking we know more then someone who is valued as best in the word in his job. Grow up

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