Six inches

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Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
25 Jan	1:00 PM	FA	Cardiff City (A)	0	0	Draw

According to reports on various Arsenal blogs this morning, we won't be (Ars)havin it this winter time. Zenit have apparently moved the goalposts so many times that Arsenal have ended negotiations, without meeting in Moscow. The deal is dead, long live the deal.

Football365 report that, Zenit have now shown a willingness to compromise and lower their demand for £20 million, what with them being desperate to sell a player that doesn't want to play for them and with Arsenal willing to pay no more than £12 million. It does seem kinda nuts, I mean it's not like £12 million is not a lot of money. Everything counts in large amounts and all that..

In the face of impending disaster, though, it's okay because the manager can call on the talents of his Welsh wunderkind, Aaron Ramsey. Aaron must surely be in line to start in the FA Cup at his former club on Saturday and his manager has some things to say about him, some very good things indeed. As the dynamism of Flamini at the core of the first team has not yet been properly replaced, may these Wenger words provide some comfort to us all:

"I believe he did extremely well because he has drive and he can push the team forward. "He is always available, he wants the ball and he is very dynamic in his play. "

Wenger's quotes, suggest to me that, rather than, as one wag suggested in the summer, replacing Francesc Fabregas, Aaron could be the man to partner him next season. With this in mind, it's kind of upsetting to see a Top Ten of Patrick Vieira goals on Arse.com, I can't help - I'm sorry but he was my favourite player and I can't - thinking how we would be with Patrick sitting behind Cesc now. Instead, we're reliant on a boy wonder. Or Abou Diaby.

That being said, and perhaps I've not said it, or said it enough here, given how bleak things were looking pre Christmas with injuries mounting up, I've been really impressed, if not by the quality of the football, than by the way the team seem to have got it together and are building up an impressive run of matches unbeaten - of course, now I've said it, we'll go and lose to Cardiff. But, and I know it 's as much due to the failure of the teams above us, irritating Aston Villa aside, the fact that we're hauling ourselves, "inch by inch" back into the title race, gives me hope for the rest of the season. Yes, even without Cesc!

User Comments

Sairaj

Posted on 22 Jan, 2009 at 04:28 PM - Reply

I support Wenger in this transfer .... Zenit need to be logical, Samir Nasri is only 20 or 21yrs and he was worth 13.5 million .... now Arshavin will be 28yrs in November , so its not possible to pay 20 million for a 28yr old player ... 14 million for Zenit would be a blessing cause in 2 more years he will be worth 10 million or less ... So Wenger get your bid upto 14 million (sell Senderos to Milan for 3-5 million) and if Zenit refuse then let them keep him and look for other fish in the sea .... germinho would be a good purchase ... Upson i'm not so sure off

gunnerfreek

Posted on 22 Jan, 2009 at 09:30 AM - Reply

Has it ever occured to any1 that one day wenger has to leave!

Meedo

Posted on 22 Jan, 2009 at 05:15 AM - Reply

anyway I don't think that missing out on arshavin will do us any more harm than losing 20 million on him. besides he's 27, which is 3 years away from reaching the age at which he will be sold by wenger!

E

Posted on 22 Jan, 2009 at 03:30 AM - Reply

Well, maybe the Vieira of old, but he was sold to help Cesc develop, and that's what happened. Gilberto did fine. We need a stabilising presence / ball-winner, that's true.

maya

Posted on 22 Jan, 2009 at 01:37 AM - Reply

Report has emerged that Arsenal has set 26 January as deadline of Arshavin transfer which after that if we fail to sign him, we still have some time to find replacement. Good thing, i wouldn't mind whoever Arsenal sign. £12 million which Arsenal offer for the 27 years old midfielder is already a lot.

englandsbest

Posted on 21 Jan, 2009 at 11:59 PM - Reply

Aaron Ramsay is another Bryan Robson: at 5m, the bargain of last summer. The Russian was never AW's primary target: at 10m, AW will buy him, but not a rouble more. The major deal will be revealed shortly -signed, sealed and delivered.

gooner4life

Posted on 21 Jan, 2009 at 11:41 PM - Reply

the whole arshavin deal has dragged on to long now, that the deal is seen as more princapal then the player! all we want is too finally buy the finished product instead of waiting a few years for a player! We need to encourage the likes of Cesc and RVP to stay by buying big names! But Wenger insists against it!

I would love to see Vieira and henry back at arsenal again! For, a combined fee of £15 million i would say would get them and that would be better than any arshavin deal! And it would get the fans back in the seats!

Arsenal seems to be unstable at the min and i wonder if Arsene does leave? is their life after Wenger? Who will replace him, who has the same mentality? who knows?

Gunners for life!

Job

Posted on 21 Jan, 2009 at 09:54 PM - Reply

Great Article!
Zenit have nutcases for negotiators. Arsenal have stated that if a deal is not met by Janruary 26 then that's the end of it & still try to hold us for ransom. As for a partner for Cesc, I wish we would get someone more physical and experienced but we have been playing very well lately.

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