Search Results for ‘saviola’
July 12th, 2006
News that Arsenal are being linked with bids for Franck Ribery and Javier Saviola has, I have to admit, confused me a little. After a season where we struggled with the physical side of the game, and having lost perhaps our most imposing squad member in Sol Campbell, being linked with two feather-weight attacking players didn’t make a huge amount of sense.
What’s more, there doesn’t appear to be much room for either player in the squad. Until, that is, you consider the possibility of Jose Reyes leaving. We all know plenty about his desire to play for Madrid, and with Chelsea unlikely to sell Arjen Robben, another left-winger may be required at Real. Whilst Arsenal are unwilling to discuss the possibility of Cesc Fabregas leaving, the under-achieving Reyes might be another story.
And if Reyes were to depart, his versatility would leave us with two positional holes to fill: winger and striker. Or, potentially, Ribery and Saviola. Ribery has Reyes’ pace and drive, and according to this fascinating article, some of his mental traits too. This quote has to be seen to be believed:
“Last week there was a comical, though quite touching moment, involving Ribery and his desire to avoid being interviewed. As he walked through the dreaded “mixed zone” â?? where the players, following matches, have to walk a corridor in which journalists can interview them â?? Ribery pretended to be on his mobile phone in order to avoid being intercepted by a reporter. Except, he was holding his phone upside down, and clearly wasn’t talking to anyone.”
Whilst he lacks the willingness to track back that Reyes has displayed, he possesses a greater threat with the ball at his feet, and a superior goal record.
Upfront, Saviola shares Reyes’ zip and ability to drop off the front man. It’s no secret that Reyes was bought as a deep-lying partner to Thierry Henry: with that combination never truly clicking, Saviola could be seen as the solution. As it happens, his agent is in London as we speak to discuss a potential move.
I do like Jose. He tries his heart out. But it’s never really happened for him in England, in either of the positions we’ve mentioned. Being left out of the Champions League Final side is indicative of how little he is trusted at Arsenal. It’s well known he wants a return to Spain, and perhaps now is the time.
There’s more movement on the squad number front as Kolo and Senderos take 5 and 6 respectively. And so they ought: two superb centre-backs who will be a fine defensive pairing next season. Rumours suggest they might be joined by Curtis Davies. Whatever happens, hopefully we’ll see some movement sooner rather than later: all this speculating is rather exhausting.
July 11th, 2006
Well, it’s an exciting day to support Arsenal: loads of players want to join us. However, it’s not great news for me, as I yet again have to encounter the horrors of a french keyboard to bring you the news from my holiday on the continent. You’d better appreciate it: I just tried to type appreciate and it came out as “qppreciqtge“. Bloody French.
Ghana’s inspirational midfielder Stephen Appiah says that, “No deal has been done yet but 50% of me is coming to Arsenal“. We fans are left tantalisingly wondering which 50% of himself the Ghana International is referring to. It’s possible that Sol Campbell could move the other way, but when was the last time a genuine swap deal actually happened?
World Cup finalist Franck Ribery has hinted that he too is keen to join Arsenal. Or at least, that he is keen to join “a big club in England” with “a French manager“. Franck Ribery: Man of Mystery. Actually, that’s not a bad idea: a mask would suit him.
We’ve spoken lots about Javier Saviola on this site. The latest from Spain is that Barca want around £4.5m for the player’s services, with Arsenal, Newcastle, and Bolton all trying to get away with paying around £2m. Interesting to see where this one is going: strikers are all well and good, but with Sol Campbell leaving and Philippe Senderos possibly crocked (with whispers he could be out for 4 months) what we really need are defenders. Speaking of which, Carlos Salcido has joined PSV. Oh well.
Finally, several articles in the Spanish press and this one in the English press have hinted at Arsenal going back for Julio Baptista. Oh god, not that again…
Apologies for the somewhat bullet-pointy nature of this article. I’m in a hurry to get to the pool. Hope you’re enjoying your summers too.
July 7th, 2006
Today’s just “stuff“, really. Nothing fascinating. Seeing as there was no news and no World Cup game today, I just played Championship Manager with my brother. Not the new fancy bollocks: CM2 95/96: The glory years.
And all was going brilliantly. A 35-year old Uruguayan, Carlos Pena, was banging in the goals, with Steve Vickers and Alan Stubbs keeping things tight at the back. Up-and-coming goalkeeper David James was solid between the sticks, and Victor Leonenko was setting the world alight with his individual brilliance.
And then my computer crashed. And with that, I tumbled back to reality, hitting the ground with a sizeable thump. Not only was I no longer a “Championship Manager“, I was now a very sad man with too much time on his hands. An upsetting thing to discover, let me tell you.
Javier Saviola wasn’t on CM2. I think he would’ve been 15 when it came out. However, a few years later he was the favourite of like-minded geeks everywhere when he burst onto the management simulator scene with a string of stats that made bespectacled albino teenagers wet themselves.
One of those bespectacled albinos, Arsene Wenger, loved Javier Saviola so much that he now wants to buy him for Arsenal. Believe it or not, the last two paragraphs have been contrived purely so I can say that Sevilla will not stand in the way of Arsenal’s approach for the Argentinian striker.
If he were to arrive, it would make it even harder for Danish forward Niklas Bendtner to break into the first-team. Perhaps this explains the conversation had between Arsene and Rangers manager and possible future Arsenal boss Paul Le Guen over the teenager. If he does move north of the border, I hope it’s only on loan: he has a very bright future indeed, and is regarded as the best Danish prospect since the Laudrup brothers. Also, he’s good on Football Manager.
Elsewhere, Jens Lehmann has kindly offered his starting spot to Oliver Kahn for the World Cup’s third/fourth play-off: a nice gesture from our usually hostile Number 1. He’s also hinted that should Jurgen Klinsmann depart, he may have played his last game for Germany.
And finally, although we’d all like to see a signing or two, just take a moment to thank God that our board are more sensible than Wigan’s.
July 5th, 2006
It’s a question, because I’m not sure. I haven’t spoken to him. Neither have AS, the Spanish sports paper, but they have spoken to “sources close to the player“. Aha, those imaginary people.
It’s not the first time this summer we’ve been linked with the diminuitive Argentine. However, this time makes a little more sense. Up until now, it had been expected that Saviola would join Greek side Panathanaikos, who’d offered an enormous wage package. However, the ruling that Greece would be suspended from all European competition changed everything. Under the suspension, the likes of AEK Athens, Olympiakos and Panathinaikos will not be allowed to compete in the Champions League or Uefa Cup next season.
This has seriously hampered Pana’s chances of snaring “The Rabbit“, and AS claim this has pushed him firmly in the direction of Arsenal:
“Saviola has preferred Arsenal’s offer although he has another more financially rewarding one from Greek side Panathanaikos. The sporting challenge of The Gunners is more attractive for the Argentinian. The agent of the forward, Alfredo Cabrera, will arrive at Barcelona this coming week to finalise the terms of his release from Barca. Barca will not cling on to the player, and will accept an offer equivalent to the final year of his contract (about â?¬3.5 million euros) to release ‘The Rabbit’.”
For a player who cost Barca £15m, that’s not a lot of money. Indeed, any deal would be reminscent of the way in which we nabbed Tomas Rosicky at such a bargain price. Only 24, Saviola still has time to reach the potential he first showed glimpses of at River Plate.
Jeremie Aliadere attempting to stay fit cover upfront and on the wings is not the area in need of most urgent attention. However, whilst it remains speculation, we’ll have faith that Arsene knows what he’s doing.
The Greek press are expecting an announcement from Saviola any day soon. Now, thanks to those “sources close to the player“, so are we.
September 17th, 2006
I don’t know how many of you saw the advert to the left yesterday. It was plastered all over the TV, all over and the internet, and generally forced into the consciousness of even the most casual Arsenal fan. Naturally, a lot of fans were intrigued, curious to see what this exclusive might hold.
The rumours were wild: from a buy-out of Javier Saviola’s contract to an incredible return to the field for Zinedine Zidane. Some of the more restrained rumours said Zidane in a coaching capacity. Well, ladies and gentlemen, brace yourselves: I am about to unveil the news that the advert claimed “will shock the football world”:
This summer, Arsenal had a bid rejected for Eric Abidal.
Now, I want you to take a few seconds and calm yourself down. Take some deep breaths. I know it’s hard – the excitement coursing through your veins may course to unleash some inhuman yelp of joy.
Probably not though. Because this isn’t exciting, is it. If you’re anything like me, the only thing coursing through your veins will be a wave of fury to contend with the News of the World’s scam. The story is basically that we had a bid for him turned down in the summer, and are determined to go back for him in January, because – wait for it – he’s friends with Henry.
The supreme logic of the News of the World: he’s French, so he must be friends with Henry, so Arsenal will probably sign him. That is news worth advertising on national television, it seems.
The truth? We won’t sign Abidal. We may have been in for him in the summer, but only out of desperation. He is clumsy and lacking guile going forward. With the signing of William Gallas, the need for Adibal is thankfully negated – as soon as Gael Clichy returns to fitness, he will be stepping into that left-back spot. The moral? Don’t trust the News of the World (as if you did in the first place).
So, on to Manchester United. As I said yesterday, a win could change our season. Maybe the difference might come from set pieces: we haven’t scored from a single corner this season, despite having more than 40 of them – nearly twice as many as any other team. With the likes of Baptista, Toure, Gilberto, Adebayor and Gallas all providing aerial presence, we really should be able to provide more of a threat.
Speaking of Gallas, he’s been talking about how happy he is at Arsenal. Whilst he is fond of the young players, Thierry wants them to pull their socks up. Though if they literally pulled their socks up as far as him, our team would look really really silly. Anyhow, Titi’s not there today. If we’re going to do it, it’s almost certainly going to be without him.
No excuses. Come on Arsenal.
Team News Update (11.04 am): Sorry lads – Thierry Henry didn’t even travel.
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