Nine Jimmy Rimmers – Arsenal and Football

In the Bill Murray film Goundhog Day, the hero is fated to repeat the same day endlessly until he finally works out the right answers to the really important questions in life.

About a year ago I wrote a blogpost called ‘What price Fabregas?‘, the gist of which being that if Fabregas wants to go wouldn’t it be better to get a whopping great price for him and buy a goalkeeper who wasn’t the second worst in the Premier League, a central defender and a defensive midfielder more effective than Denilson to back up Song.  And that was before I heard Gallas was going!

Well hear we go again!

Xavi and Villa are speaking up, on Fabregas’ behalf they say, Wenger is cutting short his holiday, the media tell us, for the Fabregas battle and the man himself is saying little.

The goalkeeping situation doesn’t seem as dire now we’ve had a good look at Szczesny, but despite bringing in two central defenders last summer we are still in the market for another.  And we still need someone better than Denilson!

Various media outlets tell us that both Inter and Chelsea are are in the hunt as well.  But surely after all that has been said by Fabregas in the past he would only go to Barcelona?  So do Barcelona want him right now and do they have the right amount of cash?

But most importantly, Cesc Fabregas needs to decide what he wants and for Arsenal’s sake he needs to do it quickly.  Until he does, Arsene Wenger doesn’t know who to buy or how cash to splash on each purchase.  The choice between the likes of Phil Jones and of Mamadou Sakho is down to cash.

So, after the sweet relief of yesterday’s result, what’s happening back at the Emirates?

Gallas is definitely going and the deal on Koscielny now appears to be down to agreeing the final price.  Would that be it for central defenders?  Personally I hope not.  Djourou has yet to convince. I think we’re going to need someone else as well.

The unattributed reports that United were after Joe Cole’s signature have been replaced with unattributed quotes saying they’re not.  So nothing new on that one.

The fresh tip now us that Arsenal are still for Fulham keeper Schwarzer, despite his unhappy time on South Africa, and that this too is just down to price now. Not so long ago Arsenal fans seemed happy with the idea, but after his stint in the World Cup and I guess the rumours linking the Gunners with a bigger name, the tone has changed a bit.  I still think that Schwarzer would be a worthwhile step forward.  He’s experienced and more of a leader. And I don’t think playing behind Australia’s defence is the fairest audition.

All relatively quiet on the Fabregas/Barcelona front today.

Arsene Wenger says we’re getting a new central defender by the end of the World Cup, but who is it to be. The anti-climax answer would be a new contract for Gallas! It would be an almighty tease from Wenger. I think he’s got at least one more season in him, so I wouldn’t mind – as long as he wasn’t the only central defender signed this summer.

So who else: Koscielny, Subotic, Jagielka, Vertonghen? Koscielny is the rumour mill’s consistent favourite and he, or his agent, seem to be begging for the deal? Subotic is the biggest name and would be a great signing but could come with a big (£20m+ ?) price tag. Would that leave enough for a classy goalkeeper? Depends on Fabregas I suppose.

Don’t you just love the transfer window?

Plenty of speculation about today that Gallas is departing for Roma or Juventus or Panathinaikos, but no hard news that any will offer the wages he wants. He has said he will talk to no-one during the World Cup. Who’d know!

Personally I think Gallas is still a class act, as a player that is, and Arsenal should try and persuade him that a short contract on his current wage is better than less for longer.