Look behind you

Having looked around various sites and Internet chat forums it surprises me how many people, parading as long time Arsenal fans, are beginning to panic about our transfer activity or lack thereof. My earliest Arsenal memory is claiming a can of coke and a bag of taytos from my Liverpool supporting cousin in the summer of '89. I don't think I need to go into why I won it or who won it for me but lets just say I should share a snack some time with Mickey Thomas. Now I don't claim to remember every Arsenal moment since then but my memory is pretty strong from the mid nineties onwards. This as you will know coincides with the arrival of Arsène Wenger.

Now cast your mind back over each transfer window in that period and ask yourself how many times had Arsène decided not to put us through an emotional rollercoaster of will he or won't he sign. The recently arrived Thomas Vermaelen and the original signing of Patrick Vieira are the only exceptions that jump to mind. All this leads me to my earlier point, why are people surprised if or when Wenger a) pulls off a deadline day transfer b) it proves to be worth the wait and c) has most experts and supporters realising that he knew what he was doing all along.

The latest transfer speculation surrounds Fulham's Brede Hangelaand. I don't think anyone is in doubt that he could do a good job for Arsenal but plenty doubt surrounds whether it will happen or not and what are the stumbling blocks in the way. The player himself has softened his stance from early in the summer when he claimed that he had no intention of leaving to now stating that he is not making any official comments.

A lot of papers carried the story along with unconfirmed reports that Fulham have put a £15 million price tag on his head. This figure seems unrealistic to me as firstly they know Wenger has little or no history of spending that kind of money and also allegedly because it is late in the transfer window they won't be able to find an adequate replacement. Also consider what Wenger has got and hopes to get in the future from Arshavin who was his one and only £15 million pound purchase and one thinks a centre half won't demand as much of Wengers war chest.

Recent reports suggest that Philippe Senderos is in talks with Everton about a potential transfer worth in the region of £5 million to £8 million. Is it just me or is there three blindingly obvious things waiting to happen. Firstly why doesn't Wenger offer Senderos to Fulham plus £8 million and get Hangelaand. Fulham's price tag will be diminished because they don't need time to find a replacement. Secondly, and I hope this does not happen, but why hasn't David Moyes offered £15 million in the quiet to Fulham for Hangelaand and then sell Lescott to Man City for £25 million. Replace one player with an equally good player and get £10 million in the bank to sign someone else. Thirdly, and don't rule this one out but how come Mark Hughes hasn't phoned Fulham himself and offered them the £15 million they want for Hangelaand and sign someone he won't be under pressure to play every week.

[There's also the question of how Senderos could have agreed personal terms with Everton when the buying and selling club haven't agreed to a transfer. - Ed]

The options for Wenger are almost endless on how he wants us to go forward at the back, so to speak. I don't get to watch a lot of soccer outside of the premiership but I would hazard a guess there is a centre half somewhere in Europe who could do us a job and be acquired within Wengers budget. If he is out there and is as of yet undiscovered who would you fancy to pick him up. The lavish spending Manchester City, Chelsea or Manchester United who aren't even looking, Liverpool who are happy to try and get Distin from Pompey to sit on the bench or the master of transfers who has the cash, the scouting network, the desire to sign someone and the history of finding gems from nowhere.

Final thought for now, despite all the wheeling and dealing that goes at this time of year are we really in a bad position should we not buy anyone else. We have replaced a lazy and morale sucking forward in Adebayor with Eduardo, we have two experienced attacking midfielders in Rosicky and Arshavin to lighten Cesc's load and have replaced a sluggish looking Touré with a centre back who is young, tall and captain of his country. Maybe its blind optimism on my behalf when all around me disagree but the first time I felt like this I ended up with my first ever successful gamble, my earliest Arsenal memory and a bag of taytos and can of coke that I still talk about on occasion.

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