Premier League – Ferguson ‘turned down Arsenal’

Sir Alex Ferguson turned down the chance to manage Arsenal before taking over at Manchester United, according to ex-United man Jim Leighton.

Former Scotland goalkeeper Jim Leighton made the claim on a BBC programme about the 1986 World Cup, at which Ferguson managed the Scots on a caretaker basis following the death of Jock Stein.

Leighton said Arsenal approached the then-Aberdeen manager before the tournament in Mexico, but Ferguson refused the offer as he was unwilling to commit to a club while still on international duty.

“Ferguson was offered the Arsenal job,” said Leighton. “George Graham would have been his assistant, but he wanted to wait until the World Cup was finished before it was getting announced.

“Arsenal said they wanted it (a decision) straight away and so he refused it and George Graham got the job.”

“He wanted to announce it when he got back to Aberdeen, to do it the right way.”

Ferguson also refused the Tottenham job, and stayed with the Dons until November 1986 when he replaced Ron Atkinson at Old Trafford.

He has gone on to land a staggering haul of trophies, including 11 Premier League titles, five FA Cups and two Champions Leagues.

Graham led Arsenal to two league titles, one FA Cup and the Cup-Winners’ Cup but was sacked in 1995 following revelations of financial irregularities.

Leighton also claimed Ferguson’s controversial omission from the World Cup of Liverpool defender Alan Hansen was due to the player’s lack of consistency.

“As far as Alan Hansen was concerned, Fergie believed that he wasn’t always ‘turning up’ for games against maybe Luxembourg, the Faroes or San Marino,” said Leighton.

“He only wanted to ‘turn up’ for the really important games.”

The Calm After The Storm

 

After the venom of Wednesday night, after listening to Herbie Hancock, Michael Jackson and reminising over Phats and Smalls, an eloquoent purpose swims over me. A cleaness that implores me to do my duty; to write, in truth and honesty, and deliver my own opinions, rather than going with the mass propganda.

The pain of defeat left a taste of suicide. But Arsenal, at the end of the night, were simply blown away by the best team in the league, in Europe, in the world. That is not a statement I type in lightly. Nor should it be forgotten who went out too.

All the events stemmed from an unforunate slip by Gibbs. Specifically, both losses from the F.A Cup semi and Champions League were down to down instruments; the same cause. Inexperience. Gibbs showed despite his bravery, he was caught out of position. Likewise, Fabianski did not have his best of games at Wembley. Unfortunately, this did not reflect the season he has had. I can think of numerous occasions where Lukasz made point blank saves, alongside commanding his area. The latter, however, isn’t his strongest point.

The summer is a focal point because many see the chequebook needing some sunshine. However, with Arshavin eligble for all games next year and loking like a young Freddie Ljunberg, Andre should set the pace for what will be a competitive squad. Rosicky, with any luck, should return from the dead. Eduardo will have a summer to return to proper fitness. And with no international tournament, its generally a time to relax and look forward.

The season hasn’t been all that bad. We only seem it so because of the rollercoaster ride if 2007/08, where we set the pace after a long while. It seems like we’ve taken a step back, and in many ways we have. But if we took a step back in the beginning of the season, we’ve taken 2 steps forward in the second half of this season. The signs are that a new team with Arshavin, Nasri, Cesc and Walcott at the heart. Whats not so sure is the defence and attack. Will Gallas and Toure work? Will Adebayor get his socks up? Who’ll come and go?

Saxophones blow. There is a quiet, new found determination. Perhaps not the exhuberance of the flag waving Wednesday evening. But a feeling of human proportions; that we shall be better. Success isn’t guaranteed in life. The same applies to football. But I feel that it is not far enough, so be patient, be happy, be a Gooner.

Dank Dusk Of Dreams

Has the garden outgrown its potential, or was it simply cut away at the top? Personally, the weeds need to go. And fast.

The feeling of humiliation was so much so that outright sadness dawned over me. I’d like to think all Gooners felt the same.

Just to think, all that flag waving, patriotic feel. The sun lifting our spirits. Yet, before sunset, two goals blowed our sails and ruined our swagger. All Arsenal have, on the best of days, is swagger. I’m going to put some of this bluntly. The weeds that need to be fished out source from many areas, one foremost is “sexy beyonce” lover Adebayor.  For such a tall man with gait, he lacks the basic strength to hold of one defender. He drags himself wide ALL the time (imitating Henry or just foolish?). The decision to hand him a new contract just accentuated the self gratitous motivation. Like many fans, I feel sickened by that attitude. I doubt whether he’ll be as good as the 2007/2008 season.

The irony is, Adebayor’s fall is linked to Eduardo’s. Think back to January 2008, when the Croat burst onto the scene, scored goal upon goal, and provided assists. Then came Birmingham – as a result, competition declined. So much so, at one point, all we had was Bendnter as a conventional striker.

If the Togo man doesnt change his act, Arsene needs to shift him. Because by not providing ultimatums, it tarnishes the culture of the place. And dissent is starting to become gross on the stands at Ashburton Grove. It’s hard to see hot a pleasant atmosphere will be stuck on Sunday.

It’s another soul searching end to a season since 2005. Unlike last year, when we were simply unlucky, the players have let themselves down (bar a few like Gibbs, Almunia and Van Persie). Walcott did not turn up, though Arsene must now see Theo is a striker NOT a winger. Cesc did not dominate the midfield and provide the directness which he was quoted to have wanted. Overall, the Gunners midfield was outshone and outclassed. Remember hearing that back a few years?

But enough of the flaws. We need solutions. Firstly, Arshavin will be available next year. He’s alraedy a hit with the fans, showing maturity, class and skill. One more player like him, and Arsenal should ride the storm next year much more better.

Secondly, no more kids please! Or at least, no untried kids. A caller on phone-in radio station talkSPORT (a liverpool fan) said that Arsenal seem to be like an academy. For what its worth, that isn’t far off from the truth. Yes, the conveyor belt gives us pride. I still feel pride even after this defeat. It’s just the manner of the capitulation was so shell shocking, that it later becomes obvious that inexperience is the downfall.

Quarter-finals, Semi finals, finals. All over these barren years, but none succeeded. Ultimately, patience is running thin. Mine is still largelyt intact, except for my throat. But hearts and minds need to sooth over this summer, and a wallet surely has to come out. Because Gooners, as much as I hate it, vote with their feet. And maybe so too, will players.

N.B; A man in Kenya hanged himself over the defeat yesterday, police have confirmed. He was wearing an Arsenal shirt when he died. Rest In Peace. But this is an example of the human mind and its sometime absurd decisions. By all. Link -  http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/06052009/58/champions-league-arsenal-fan-hangs-himself.html

United’s biggest threat? Arsenal

Before his team’s Champions League tie with Chelsea, the Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez said something interesting. Responding to a journalist’s question about Alex Ferguson’s recent generous comments about his old sparring partner Arsene Wenger, Benitez suggested that the Manchester United boss was happy to be magnanimous because he no longer regarded his Arsenal counterpart as a threat.

In which case, if Benitez’s psycho-analysis is correct, you wonder what Fergie will be saying over the next few weeks about the Frenchman. While it is undoubtedly true that Arsenal’s chances of winning the Premier League title are about on a par with Luton’s hopes of remaining in League Two, on two fronts the club are beginning to look a plausible barrier to United’s all-conquering ambitions. In the FA Cup and Champions League they could prove to be a nemesis.

Indeed such are the delicious possibilities of Arsenal’s late-season rush, you wonder what all those Gooners who, in the depth of winter depression, were seriously and consistently calling for the removal of Arsene Wenger are now thinking. Those who booed the team’s departure from the Emirates pitch after insipid goalless draws against Sunderland and Fulham, what would have been their reaction as Emmanuel Adebayor cushioned the ball on his chest before volleying it over his own head into the one unprotected area of the Villarreal goal on Tuesday night? Presumably they would have been working out how they might get tickets for finals that suddenly look reachable. How quickly things turn round.

The funny thing is, with Arsenal’s season, the clues were always there. The team was never in terminal decline. No side, however well endowed, can afford to miss their centre forward, their most influential midfielder, their electric-heeled wide man and half their defence for long periods of time and hope to make sustained impression on the league. Not even a player as in-form as Robin van Persie can do it on his own. That really was all that was wrong with Arsenal. Despite what his vocal critics were muttering all winter, Wenger had not lost the plot. He was simply suffering from the most appallingly ill-timed collection of serious injuries.

Now fortune has swung back in his direction and he is gaining the benefit of their enforced absence. Adebayor, Cesc Fabregas and Theo Walcott have returned rested and ready to freshen up the team at precisely the moment they need it. If nothing else, what a relief it must be for Arsenal fans, to see Nicklas Bendtner returned to the bench.

How Wenger must be smiling after Tuesday’s results. Whatever happens in the second leg between United and Porto (and if it is as exciting as the first, who can wait to find out?) he will fancy his chances against the winner in the semi. Porto are clearly an excellent side, but they leak goals; four of them without reply at the Emirates in the group stage.

United’s defensive vulnerability to pace is becoming a liability. How they missed Rio Ferdinand’s positional sense as three of their back four were in the wrong place when Porto scored their last-minute equaliser. Wenger will have seen that and relished the thought of what Walcott, Van Persie and Adebayor might do to the back-pedalling red line if United manage to overcome the odds and progress.

Not to mention Andrei Arshavin’s contribution in domestic competition. Yes, Arshavin, his brilliant riposte to all those armchair critics who told him what he needed to strengthen his squad. Sure, we all agreed he was crying out for an experienced midfield enforcer, a Patrick Vieira reborn. Plus a centre-back. Someone hard, robust, to give a bit of bite to a side too often lightweight in the absence of its injured heart. There was no doubt about it, we all insisted: muscle was required. So what did he do? He went out and bought yet another ball-playing sprite. You might call it stubborn, but it was a glorious re-statement of principle.

Now Wenger has been rewarded. Rightly so: the espousal of quality should always gain the upper hand. And the fact is, over the next fortnight his team could find themselves within touching distance of two serious pieces of silverware. So all those boo-ers: what do you think now?

Love Is In The Air

Sometimes, the world just reeks weeds and is rank. I’ve hardly got any money to buy my sister a birthday present, due to the lack of EMA. But the best present that any football fan, let alone any Gooner, was when the number 9 shirt walked onto the notrh london turf. That was the day when medical science and sheer human touch shone through.

Arsenal’s unbeaten run streches to 12, but that can be quite decieveing. 7 of those have been draws, and a lack of goals have been at the midst of this (but a lack of goals conceded also). We’ve been harping back to one-nil to the arsenal recently, quite refreshing really. But the team needed an injection of creativity; for me, the 0-0 draw at White Hart Lane was worse than it should be. I lost my patience and confidence. It seemed Arsenal were waning in tandem with Eboue’s tempremant.

But when you look at the hospital beds at Ashburton Grove, you realise that we have something to look back on, to guide us to possible success. It was this time last year, in doomed February, when our title hopes burst. Could it be february 2009 that this is subverted? if anything, there seemed to be a quietly bubbling emotional atmosphere last night.

Eduardo was the protagonist, and who can take that mantle off him? It seemed like he didn’t leave at all; his touch like Messi, his vision splendor – a raking through ball from one side of the pitch too another and a cheeky lob to boot at goal. However, it wasn’t his goal or touch that was quite surprising, it was the level of commitment that shone through. he never shirked away from a defender’s boot, nor shyed from a shoulder barge. Instead, he elevated himself to the occasion and as a result, the whole team rose substance and value to accord. Bendnter tracked back, Nasri threw more shots on targer and Denilson looked like a man rather than a boy on wanting to be on the beach.

Burnley now await, and after that either Sheffield United – old foes in the F.A Cup – or Hull. Is this a year of (say it quietly) silverware? The league is beyond us, but who cannot say that the f.a cup and maybe a final in Rome isn’t far off? Who knows, but romance still lingers as the waft of spring returns.

Bums On Seats Number One

I can’t think of a single season, even in the most dire and unsuccesful season, where no-one has championed Wenger. I’d like to add my praise, not in recognition of Footballing matters, but of his sheer common sense. His warmth for the common individual, moulded from his unique intellect.

The current Economic climate has seen the sharpest downturn in nearly a century, and it will continue to get worse for the next few years. 2009 will be a dire year financially for many businesses, small and large. Football is no exception. So, whilst Kaka and Man.City flirt in cloud 9 million dollars, another 3,000 lose their jobs in the U.K. Whilst Spurs continue to attrach dodgy clients, West Ham need to clear dodgy dealings.

Speaking on Arsenal.com, the professor spoke of his concern and main priority; not winning trophies or even games, but getting bums on seats.

“You can hide behind Man City buying Kaka for £100m. But that is an exception to what is happening in our world,” said Wenger.

“That is why I believe for us it is more interesting to think how can we keep our fans than talking about Kaka. That is living in the real world.

“Football has different types of people coming to the game. You have the client, who is the guy who pays one time to go to a big game and wants to be entertained. Then you have the spectator, who is the guy who comes to watch football. These two categories are between 40 and 60 [years old].

“Then you have two other categories. The first is the supporter of the club. He supports his club and goes to as many games as he can. Then you have the fan. The fan is a guy between 15 and 25 years old who gives all his money to his club. And you have to keep, at the moment, these categories faithful to our club.

If Arsene wasn’t at the helm, Arsenal F.C would by now be under the grubby hands of a sugar daddy. I fear that one day this may eventually succumb, and we should all savour our traditional virtues. This isn’t being arrogant or archaic, it’s simply protecting the virtues of society, and, as Ali G says, ‘keeping it real.’

“Some of them have been hit harder by the crisis – or will be. For at the moment England every day loses 3,000 jobs. You think that has no consequence on our game? It will have.

“At the moment the world has been hit by a financial crisis not by an economic crisis. The economic crisis is a consequence of the first one and that will be happening in 2009.”

So how do clubs ride out an economic crisis? Drop ticket prices to make football more affordable? Or tempt supporters with big-money signings? Wenger understands the dilemmas that lie ahead but insists that survival must come first.

“Do you drop prices? I don’t know,” he said. “I believe that what is important is that like in any business if you are faced with a crisis you are in a healthy financial situation because the clubs that are in an unhealthy financial situation who have to face reduced income will be in trouble.

“It’s true [you keep fans loyal with big signings]. But you keep your fans loyal as well if your club survives.

The gulf between football and its supporters is ever increasing. The possible arrival of kaka would show that match revenue is no longer needed. Surely then price tickets should be lowered? Perhaps not, but it shows a different business to the one that attracted ques streching from Highbury to the Oval on a May afternoon.

Transfer Ka-Ka-Krazy U-Turns

It’s official: the laws of common sense have been repealed.

Our evidence for this admittedly rather sweeping statement? No, it’s not Manchester City’s latest £48 trillion bid for Kaka. Nor is it the fact that Jose Mourinho revealed his desire to bring Jermaine Jenas to Internazionale not by approaching club, agent or player, but by asking a journalist from a television sports news channel to put the word out. And it isn’t even the price tags running into tens of millions that West Ham seem to be attaching to everyone from the under-16s goalkeeper to the bloke who quarters the half-time oranges. Instead, it’s the news that Arsene Wenger – football’s Mister Logic, the beautiful game’s answer to C++ – has decided that he was wrong about Matthew Upson… and will pay £9 million to bring him back to the Gunners. And according to the Mirror he’ll even consider chucking in his current least-favourite player, Nicklas Bendtner, as a £5m makeweight for the man he sold for just £3m in 2003. Considering how hard Wenger has been trying to save a few quid on his bill for Andrei Arshavin, swallowing a £6m deficit is tough for the robotic Alsatian – and he’s even made a few inflammatory remarks to the media about City’s Kaka deal to draw attention away from it. Although Upson may have trebled in value, his price rise is positively dwarfed by the Zimbabwe-style inflation rate that has governed the price of Wigan midfielder Wilson Palacios. The Latics paid a reported £770k for the Honduran international just last year, but now they are about to prise an astonishing £14m from Spurs for his services, a deal that is apparently now all but done. And it’s not just Palacios who has persuaded Harry Redknapp’s overlords to open their cheque books: the same paper also reports that Harry is ready to offer up to £16m to Sunderland for striker Kenwyne Jones – who cost the Black Cats £6m under 18 months ago – and says if he can’t get his man, he’ll switch his attention to a £12m swoop for the Hammers’ in-form Craig Bellamy, who was worth £7.5m in July 2007 and now wants to leave despite the Hammers’ resolution to keep him. How will Spurs pay for all this? Apparently by getting rid of Darren Bent for £14m to Aston Villa, if the Mirror is to be believed. This rash of nonsensical business doesn’t stop there: West Ham are ready to fill the Bellamy-sized gap with Fiorentina’s Pablo Osvaldo, rated at £7m despite barely appearing for his current side. Equally baffling is Fulham and West Brom’s desire to pick up Greek striker Angelos Charisteas from Nuremberg, even though he’s scored just once this season in the German second tier. Staying in Europe, Lyon’s highly-rated Karim Benzema is clearly open to a big-money move to one of Europe’s fancy clubs – Manchester United and Barcelona are both reportedly keen – but the club’s owners have taken the opportunity to re-price their key asset following the Kaka saga, and now want a prohibitive £88m for him. Equally baffling is the Jermaine Pennant story: Real Madrid now face opposition from Portsmouth for the signature of Liverpool’s out-of-favour winger… and as if that wasn’t bizarre enough in itself, the talk is that Real see Pennant as a direct replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo while they wait until summer for the Portuguese player’s arrival. Curiouser and curiouser… One move that makes a bit more sense is Reading looking to cash in on the good form this season of Stephen Hunt, the winger attracting interest from clubs including Spurs – and Royals boss Steve Coppell willing to let him leave if they get more than £5m. And equally sensible is the decision by Leeds to hang on to teenage prodigy Fabian Delph, who has attracted the interest of Manchester United, Arsenal and Newcastle. It’s not so much that they’ll need him to help them up through the divisions – but more that he’ll be worth an awful lot more if Leeds manage to climb the ladder.

Be A Gooner, Be A Giver

This silly incomprehensible picture breathed new momentum and exhileration into my life. The caption of the Arsenal.com front page. ‘ Teenagers with cancer are still teenagers’ In moments, we forget that humans with strengths are still humans. Thus they have weaknesses.

And it is that - I shall start with the Goonerdom. Our support isn’t flanked with the most flamboyount of reputations (although the away support is certainly among the best). However, the recent debacle over the boo-boys scavenging over fans fave Manu Eboue left me seeithing at being a Gooner. The Ivorian may not be my favourite player of all time, but he certainly didn’t deserve the rollocking of jeers from the dispicable 60,000 crowd. But like Becks 98, Manu will get over this; indeed, it could make him stronger and as a result, less petulant and more rounded. The test of character is in times of dire need, not when your cruising.

And thus, we swim into the current climate. The recession; everyone wants value for money. Bring down footballers wages I say!

Perhaps the booing was down to economic gloom and doom rather than purely sporting reasons. The Times certinaly think so.

Arsenal’s current christmas climate consists of draws and spluttered wins. But that doesnt mean to say its doom and gloom; since Cesc has become skipper, Arsenal have only lost one match – vs Porto, were Cesc didn’t even play. Surely there has been a change? Furthermore, William Gallas seems to have beomce more concentrated on his defensive efforts. If he is consistant (hampered by Kolo’s recurring injuries), then the Christmas crackers should all be at the attacking end rather than the defenders.

However, our strikers seem to content at the moment. All premierleague footballers seem content at the moment. They can’t surely feel economic gloom, can they? Perhaps not, but when the boos and hisses ring out, even from an Anfield crowd that saw their team draw vs West Ham but go on top, then something is surely wrong.

But lets all be cheerful. Lets get into festive mood. For when things go wrong, there is a reason, and hearty smiles will follow. Smiles and applause followed the incoming bastion of recovery, Eduardo, at Underhill this week. After THAT horrific injury break at St Andrews in February, only 10 months later, the Croat is back. Well, he’s beaten Thomas Rosicky. Cab anyone?

And so, the scousers arrive to the Grove on Sunday night. In honesty, its refereshing to see that Arsenal aren’t topping the table, for we’d probably buckle come March. Liverpool have added strength this year, and the old boys or Carra and Gerrard are in their prime. But me thinks that Liverpool will succumb; fresh memories of Henry’s 2004 comeback linger. Liverpool’s first ever trip to Ashburton Grove was probably when the stadium first felt like home.

So, if you ever feel down and out, just think of spring’s grass and memorable comebacks. But think about the future. Be a gooner, be a giver.

A New Era – Cesc The Skipper

Finally, a new beginning. Finally, a possible end to this cathartic moment in Arsenal F.C.

William Gallas will return to the squad for Tuesday night’s Champions League clash with Dynamo Kiev at the Emirates Stadium, but has been replaced as captain by Cesc Fabregas.

The controversial defender was axed from the trip to Man City on Saturday, after publicly making critical remarks about the team and questioning their fighting spirit.

However, Wenger – who named goalkeeper Manuel Almunia his captain at Eastlands – maintained former Chelsea defender Gallas, 31, still had a future at the club.

Although the Arsenal manager refused to discuss the reasons behind the player’s absence, Wenger confirmed Gallas would be reinstated, but not in a leadership role on Tuesday night.

“William will play against Kiev, but the captain of the team will be Fabregas,” said the Arsenal boss.

“I do not think I have to especially explain why I make the decisions, but it is a permanent thing.”

Wenger felt it had been an “interesting” few days for Arsenal, whose season is threatening to unravel.

He said: “When you do not win, nobody jumps off the roof, but the frustration does kick in. It is a good opportunity now for us to show we have strength and ability – you know how it works, you go from fantastic to a catastrophe, but real life is somewhere in between.”

Wenger insisted: “So even if we are at the moment frustrated, it is not all doom and gloom. We have a strong belief in our ability and we have a good opportunity to show we care about the club and that we can qualify on Tuesday night.”

Gallas arrived from Chelsea as part of the deal which took full-back AShley Cole to Stamford Bridge in August 2006, and Wenger insists he has no regrets about making the outspoken Frenchman Arsenal captain following the departure of Thierry Henry.

“William is a player and a man whom I rate, I have a big respect for him,” he said.

“He was working as a captain in a very difficult media environment, he was under big pressure from the press and at some stage you do not want this high pressure to affect him or the team. But for the man and for the player, I have big respect.”

Wenger, though, rejected reports Gallas was set to be sold when the January transfer window opens in January.

“I cannot stop the suggestions, but for me he is a player who is committed to the club and can be stronger as a player because he took all of the problems of the team to his heart,” said the Gunners boss. It can be a new start for him and he can be stronger for a player.But now I think we have to close this subject and you have to respect somewhere a little bit the privacy of the team.”

Wenger, though, maintained the future of the club was in safe hands, led by 21-year-old Spain international Fabregas.

The Arsenal manager said: “I believe the captain is the voice of the club towards the outside, and is one of the leaders of the team. However, I do not believe in just one man in the dressing room who sorts out all of the problems. A successful team is a shared leadership inside the dressing room. He (Fabregas) will be one of the leaders, but not the only one.”

Wenger continues to keep the faith this group can produce the results needed to compete for honours.

He said: “It is a learning trade, to be a top player in a top club, you need to be mentally very strong and to deal with these types of concentration.

“We have quite a good way to protect the players here and they know how much we believe in them and how much confidence we have in them.

“My trust in my players has not be affected.

“I have to stand up for my players in the criticism we get, but we are a strong team and that will come out. I am focused to do things well, the right way. I am strong enough to let people have opinions, and do what I feel is right.”

After possibly the most haunting weekend, this is welcome relief. Cesc represents everything good about Arsenal, and is not the loud-mouth. Modest, honest and always smiling, the Spaniard is a European Champion made from the grass of Catalonia. Perhaps it was high time Arsenal F.C didn’t need a Parisian as skipper. Has the tide turned in terms of Arsene buying french players? Did we let Pires and Campbell go to early? Will the upcoming coaches of Martin Keown and Dennis Bergkamp play a role in re-shaping this Arsenal team leaking confidence? As ever, only time tells. Only God knows. Lets hope Arsene does too.

DOH say the critics!

Every Carling Cup round brings itself a new set of dire matches played in the frost of England. But for Arsene and Arsenal it seems, it brings itself a new hero unfolding like a raw gem in the hands of a miner. The man – or boy – this time round, was Jay Simpson.

Quite comically and ironically, Jay has arrived late on the scene. Still only 19, his journey has taken the long ruote. Since joining the academy aged 11, Jay rose up the ranks steadily. Last season, Arsene sent him out on loan to Millwall for half a season. But that was all was needed to unleash a newfound potence; Jay was not only voted played of the the year by the Millwall fans, but was voted by his peers as PFA League Two player of the year.

For all the common demoniators of the Wenger mould, Jay is unique. His physical mould comes muscular tones; a typical English striker who can hold the ball up and control a cross with his chest. However, if the Arsenal academy has to prove its value, it proves it through the conversion of a player pressured by the English cut and thrust to adding the virtues of the ‘WengerBall’ vision. Furthermore, Jay showed last night agiasnt a first team Wigan defence that he has not lost his aggression when face one-on-one. To the contrary, composure prevailed and he duelly prodded a delightful through ball from the ever-omnisient Jack Wilshere.

The superlatives rolls for the others. Kieran Gibbs, in the mould of Cole, Clichy and Traore in more ways that one, ran the flanks ragged. His conversion from a winger to left back epitomises the way Wenger and his philosophy can change players careers for the better, utilising newfound strengths whilst gaining new ones.

On the issue of defence, I believe Gooners around the land have seen the future defence. Ever since the departure of Sol Campbell, the lack of presence has been felt. Despite William Gallas’ assured display agiasnt United last weekend, in the lnog term I believe he will prove little value to the imprint that Wenger will leave. Alex Song and Johan Djourou, especially the latter, were absolutely mesmiring. Yes, they had their moments, but overall, their display consisted of squeezing the bustling Wigan attackers. The likes of Zaki have proved their worth, and yet the two defenders slotted with ease.

As I reflect on the performance, it seems that the Carling Cup is fast becoming the new F.A Cup. Once upon a time, Wenger loved the F.A Cup. Perhaps he still does, but recent seasons have shown the decreasing position of value. The League Cup may be the fourth most favoured of trophies, but it is one that Wenger has yet to win. Capturing this trophy would not only complete a domestic treble, but it would be symbolic of the transformation that Wenger has undergone, stripping away ‘Boring, Boring Arsenal’.

Another issue is the camarderie of the squad. Many have highlighted (the bigatory people and arrogant) that Arsenal may lack a sense of unity due to the many cultures and nationalities in the team. Well, from personal experience, this is not a barrier, but can contrive to become a unifying factor. Before the match, Adebayor shook that hand of Jay Simpson.

He told me that when I am shooting, just make sure I hit the target, don’t concentrate too much on power

On the Arsenal website, Jay eludes to his idol, ian Wright (listen to hsi show on talkSport radio, 4-7 pm).

When I was growing up I used to watch Ian Wright and that’s what made me an Arsenal fan,” revealed Simpson. “I had posters of him on my wall.

“I met Wright once, it was quite a while ago at my first Arsenal match at Highbury. I met him in the tunnel and I was starstruck, I didn’t know what to say to him! He shook my hand and I didn’t know what to do! I was nine at the time. He’s still an Arsenal fan and he would have been happy to see the English players out there tonight.”

He sure would, and the future – yet again – seems bright. But for the short term, this was gave the Arsenal cup a half full look rather than half empty. If two weeks felt like a hammering in hell by Arsene, then a week is sure time for therapy. And it was his own doctrine that healed the wounds.