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Without big names, when will we see our next big double act?
IT’S the same old story. You can’t have one without the other.
Arsenal couldn’t have a 60,000-plus, all-seater stadium without sacrificing the magnificence of Highbury. IT’S the same old story. You can’t have one without the other.
Arsenal couldn’t have a 60,000-plus, all-seater stadium without sacrificing the magnificence of Highbury.
You can’t have a memorable FA Cup shock without Tony Gubba’s slightly flustered-sounding approach to commentary in the background.
You can’t, if you are a Newcastle fan, have the man you want as manager, Kevin Keegan, without giving up any hope of winning a trophy.
You can’t have Syd Little without Eddie Large. And you can’t have a place in the World Cup, the greatest sporting event in the world, without the mind-numbingly unwatchable qualifiers.
I’m not saying England should be given a free ticket to the finals and bypass the groups stages – I just wish it could be more interesting. It’s been a long, hard wait for the return of the Premiership, and as soon as it arrives we have to wait some more because the not-so-mighty England need to play Andorra and Croatia.
At least Theo Walcott showed his quality. Am I the only one who noticed that Arsenal had more players in the England team against Andorra than Spurs?
Theo was the best thing about England in Barcelona, now he’s just got to show he is the best thing about Arsene Wenger’s attempt to win everything without signing any big names.
Can you really have one without the other?
SPURS and Arsenal, two clubs often defined by their differences. However, this summer brought into focus one similarity between these Premiership neighbours: how transfer dealings are being hamstrung by the ego of one man.
Increasingly, it seems that Wenger’s penchant for buying in youth is not borne of necessity but instead a unilateral crusade for…what? Well, that’s the problem, really. Arsenal fans don’t seem to know, and neither do the board. Danny Fiszman confirmed recently that, actually, Wenger had more than enough money to spend, if only he’d be willing to do so. “Arsene Knows”, is the phrase wheeled out at times like this although, after another barren season, this sentence is starting to lose its cocky lustre. If this season is as unsuccessful as the last, then Arsene is guilty of wanton negligence.
Daniel Levy has spent the summer trying to prove that he’s a hard-nosed businessman. Having wailed at the iniquity of Man United’s approach for Berbatov, Levy decided that only £30 million could heal the wounds of injustice.
Holding out for this figure has destabilised our opening games and left us with Fraizer Campbell on loan without an option to buy. I recollect another player called Campbell learning his trade at Spurs, then leaving to enjoy a glittering career. Let’s hope this one doesn’t leave us ruing our shortsightedness too.
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