Nine Jimmy Rimmers – Arsenal and Football

Yann M’Vila
A lot of media in both the UK and France seem convinced that a deal has, essentially, been done to bring defensive midfielder Yann M’Vila to Arsenal from Rennes. Opinion is split on whether this is dependent on a third place finish or not.

It sounds as of the price is decided between the two clubs. It could well be that the player wants to wait until the Champions League position is clear. Fingers crossed that means next weekend.

But what would it mean for Alex Song? A bit of competition or are rumours of his departure a real possibility? Maybe Arsene Wenger wants the option of playing two holding players against the better teams.

Junior Hoilett
There also seems to be a bit of a media bandwagon for Blackburn’s Junior Hoilett as well. Not quite sure about the logic of this one, particularly with the Podolski deal done. Hoilett is a winger come striker, much like Podolski. We also have Gervinho. It could be an alternative to a deal for Benayoun, but I think that we have benefited from his experience.

Jan Vertonghen
Apparently we are about to be ‘snubbed’ by Vertonghen as he chooses Spurs over us. Typical life-cycle of a transfer rumour! First link a player to a club and build the story up. No firm evidence required. Then, when the unsubstantiated transfer doesn’t happen, switch to the ‘snub’ stage.

Personally I don’t get the Vertonghen story anyway. I think that our defensive problems are about the way we play rather than the individual personnel.

Meanwhile, Chelsea have lost to Liverpool. So they can do no better than sixth now. So they have to win the Champions League to play any kind of European football at all next season. A win-win for Di Matteo then: win the Champions League and Abramovich is so greatful that he keeps the job; lose and no big name will want it and he gets to keep the job.

These are the two big Arsenal stories spread across the media this morning.  Let’s start with the most important.  The Van Persie story is based on comments by Roberto Mancini, responding to media questions.  Mancini has a bit more class than Barcelona types so he says first that he thinks Van Persie will stay at Arsenal.  But, if he didn’t, then of course Manchester City would be interested.  Well who wouldn’t be?

I’m afraid that this type of story, which at the moment all seem driven by the media rather than any particular club, is going to be a regular feature until Robin Van Persie’s contract situation is resolved.  Whether any club will get quite as down and dirty as Barcelona did over Fabregas remains to be seen, but we’re going to have to put up with it for a while.

I think the chances of Van Persie staying are good as long as we stay in the Champions League.  That dictates everything now.  If we stay in, we have more to offer in both finance and prestige.  It also means that the promises to strengthen the squad this summer are more likely to be kept.  If we don’t, then Van Persie is bound to be tempted by big offers for what is likely to be his last major playing contract.

The other big story is that Arsenal are close to nailing down terms to bring Lukas Podolski to the club this summer.  Even the BBC, which generally likes to be fairly certain a story is genuine before publishing, is going with this one.  What we don’t know of course is whether this is also tied to whether we have Champions League football or not.

If the Podolski story is true it is encouraging for two reasons.  First, it means Arsenal are working to get deals sorted out early and avoid getting trapped into the same supermarket dash of last year.  Second, it confirms that Arsene Wenger’s approach has become more pragmatic.  Podolski would be another mature head alongside the developing talent of Oxlade-Chamberlain, Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere and Wojciech Szczesny.

Don’t get me wrong, I really approve of what Arsene Wenger has achieved in bringing in young talent.  If you look at the players we’ve discovered and developed it’s a fantastic record.  But I do wonder whether some of those moments where Arsenal gave choked and blown games might have been different with a a more even blend of youth and experience.

Meanwhile, away from the frothy transfer talk, young Szczesny has been having a bit of a dig at Chelsea.  Unlike some clubs, well Chelsea, he says that Arsenal players know who is boss.  Everyone here is equal, apart from Arsene Wenger – who is most definitely in charge.

A bit unfair on Di Matteo I suppose, but that’s how it is at big school Roberto.  It’s a welcome change to see Arsenal able to put the psychological pressure on its rivals for the first time this season.  We’ve been on the receiving end for so long that for a nano-second or so you might feel sympathetic and disapproving.

Nah!  Go for it.  Let’s have a follow up story tomorrow about how aging stars should be wary of Stoke’s energetic and unrelenting style!  We’ve got to wait until Monday night until our game so some entertainment and dropped points at the Bridge would be just the job to keep the weekend interesting!

The Wilshere red card tackle which, take note, nobody at Arsenal has sought to defend, has had the likes of McLeish sounding off in the Sunday papers.  Why oh why oh why does everyone rate Wenger ahead of us they want to know.

McLeish complains that people haven’t forgotten the Taylor tackle on Eduardo.  Pullis points out that foreigner Wenger hasn’t won anything in a while.  Why oh why doesn’t anyone recognize our talent in the same way they want to know.

Well here are two lessons why.  One is about being remembered for the right things, but the first is about being remembered at all.  Both are about class.

So, Wenger hasn’t won anything in years.  That’s true Tony, and Arsenal fans are a little anxious, but he has won stuff and you haven’t.  He has led a team to the closing stages of the Champions League just about every year, including a final.  He was spotted in relative obscurity and plucked out to manage the Arsenal.  You were spotted and plucked out to manage Stoke City.  What’s more, he’s competed with the likes of Chelsea, Man Utd, Barcelona and now Man City with a fraction of their spending.

That’s why people rate him Alex.  That’s why people will still be talking about him, and let’s face it the Taylor tackle, long after they’ve stopped talking about Alex McLeish!

The second lesson is about wanting to be remembered for the right things. Tony Pullis and Alex McLeish do have tough jobs to do.  Yes, absolutely true.  But so do Ian Holloway at Blackpool and Roberto Di Matteo at West Brom.  All four of them have to keep their ‘unfashionable’ clubs in the top flight on small budgets.

But there’s a big difference in the approach that the two pairs of managers take.  Holloway and Di Matteo send out teams to play football.  They try and close the skill gap through athleticism, concentration and good tactics.  It’s football and it’s admirable.

Now it’s early in the season, and Holloway and Di Matteo may yet succumb to the pressures of survival, but it is clear from the way they have started the season how they want to play the game, how they want to be remembered. Plus they make sure that they are not remembered for whining interviews!

Now Tony and Alex may argue that they’ve never had the breaks in their careers, so maybe we can be sympathetic on lesson one, but they have no excuses on lesson two.   The managers of West Brom and Blackpool are in the same boat as Tony and Alex.  The difference is, they’ve got class.