Arsenal Chairman talking rubbish?

 

My heart goes out to Arsenal fans. They are a great team, steeped in history and thousands of readers of this column support the Gunners. It pains me therefore to report that the Arsenal club chairman is very pleased with the club’s performance in the transfer window. How on earth could he say or even think that! Reading between the lines, Arsenal signed Alexandre Lacazette for £52million and Sead Kolasinac for free. However, they sold Gabriel Paulista, Kieran Gibbs and Wojciech Szczesny and combined with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s move to Liverpool that raised £60million in transfer fees so Arsenal made a profit of £8million. That is why chairman Ivan Gazidis thinks the transfer period was a triumph. Never mind the fact that Arsenal is now a little thin on quality options in midfield. “At the end of the window, reviewing all activity, we have once again improved the depth and quality of the squad,” wrote Gazidis in a club-wide email. Really? Does he honestly believe that Arsenal are stronger than before the transfer window? Has he looked at the genuinely improved strengths of United, City & Liverpool following the transfer window? This is the toughest league in the world and you have to invest to stay at the top. Time will tell and I dearly hope that Arsenal fans are not let down because they are already disappointed with their beginning to the season.

Private jet for Liverpool v Man City

Liverpool and Manchester City have teamed up to make their Saturday game at the Etihad Stadium much more competitive. Together the Reds and City flew their Brazilian World Cup international players back from South America on a private jet. Liverpool players Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho and City’s Gabriel Jesus, Ederson and Fernandinho all travelled together on a specially commissioned private flight. Perhaps they had a kick about in the ailse on the route back...it was all friends together but the match will be one of the toughest of the season for both clubs. Chelsea winger Willian also joined the players for the private flight.

The feud goes on

Diego Costa is one hard headed individual. You have to remember that the South American temperament can be  strong, fiery and often difficult to understand to other peoples of the world. Players like Costa, Coutinho and Sanchez are all very similar in their characters and are often difficult to handle. They fight their corner and will not be told what to do. Telephone calls have been made by Chelsea staff to the Brazilian striker in an attempt to bring him back to London. Fans have spent their own money phoning and asking local people in Legarto, where Diego is staying, to persuade him to return to London. Antonio Conte has even included him in the squad which each club has to provide to the Football League and this is an indication that there might be a way back for the player. Every week Costa is being fined £150,000 for staying away. But still he refuses to return and says he will stay in his own country and will only play for Spain’s Atletico Madrid. Ever since Diego claimed that the Chelsea manager sent him a text saying he is no longer including him in the Blues plans there has been animosity between player, manager and the club. The club have told me that this did not happen and emphatically deny that any such text was ever sent. Meanwhile, back in Legarto, Diego is staying at his parent’s home and has said he will not leave there but Atletico are in constant touch with him and have offered to pay his fines when and if he eventually signs for them. Ironically, Chelsea’s mediocre start to the season could have been different if their charismatic striker was still playing and scoring.

Time for big stars to crawl back home

There is much making up and apologising to do for some of the biggest Premier League stars who wanted to leave their current clubs in the transfer window, only to find that they are still with the same employer. Southampton’s Virgil van Djilk has pushed for a mov