The 22-year-old striker underwent surgery on his injured groin in November last year, but it failed to completely eradicate the problem and he subsequently missed the end of the Premier League season.

Bendtner admits he is still in a lot of pain, despite having had complete rest since leaving the World Cup, and is set to undergo a scan when he returns from holiday.


"I still feel quite bad in my groin," he told the Mirror. "Sadly it hasn't been better during my holiday like I expected it to giving it nothing but rest. And that worries me a lot.

"I had counted on that a total break from football and training would heal the injury, but it hasn't happened. I don't know where I am in relation to playing football. It doesn't feel good at all - some mornings I can hardly get out of bed.

"I have spoken to Arsenal throughout the holiday and I am having to do a scan when I return this week. My whole body must be scanned to find out where the groin problem really comes from. I still feel pain and it is very frustrating."

So I get my phone call from the one man in the know yesterday and he tells me that Campbell will go, Theo will have his first injury free pre-season and is determined to show how good he is and Kosielny will get the famed number 6 shirt. I’m happy we are replacing Silvestre but I would have preferred a monster, time will tell if he is the chosen one, but if Wenger is sure, then it’s good enough for me. hopefully we’ll also sign Jagielka, then we’ll have a DM back up.

I think the success of Sol Campbell last season told Wenger we need a big lump with pace in there, so I have to assume that our new number 6 is that man.

Yes I know you need another 2 6′s to get the mark of the beast, but I was referring to our Tone, the only beast we ever truly had.

I felt I needed to explain it as I had a number of know-alls on here yesterday telling me to get my facts right that David Feherty was in fact Irish, ha, ha, how typical of the ill educated that when they hear an Irish accent they assume that person is from Ireland, well I hate to inform those blog nerds that Northern Ireland is actually part of Britain not Eire.

OUT OF TOUCH OR OUT OF TIME?

I have it on good authority that many box holders at the end of their contracts are not renewing, and I mean a lot, I have heard from 3 Grovers they have been bumped up the queue for season tickets, I have heard that many people have drastically climbed the waiting list, I even heard from my cousins that they are going to rent out their seasons for the second year running because times are tough and they are fed up with spending out and making the effort only to see our club not matching them in the transfer market. In betting parlance, they are laying them off.

Though they still have their other seasons in the North Bank, so will still be going, fear not, they will still be there shouting and singing!

Yesterday I met a customer in London, who told me that after 11 years on the waiting list, he was finally offered two tickets in the upper stands, he had the rest of the week to make up his mind and if he said no, he’s off the waiting list. I asked him where he was on that list last season, he said in the 30,000′s!

Now I’m not for one minute suggesting that 30,000 fans have given up their seasons, I’m also not suggesting that 30,000 decided not to stay on the list anymore, what I am suggesting is somewhere between the two is closer to the truth.

Only Arsenal know for sure, but believe me, there will be frayed nerves in the board room, if the empty seats last season were a warning, the lack of renewals and the drop in the waiting list were the bits you reap after the bad sowing.

It is showing Arsenal that the fans are fed up with being taken for granted and the new additional WM club and the Foundry are classic examples of how out of touch with reality some members of Arsenal’s management team really are.

They don’t understand that most of Club level members are just ordinary fans that went the extra mile for a bit of comfort and a free beer, they can’t afford an additional £10k for a 4 course meal and free wine before a game, real fans like a few beers with their mates, the 4 course meal and the expensive wine is what you do in Diamond Club, or with the wife in the evening, then fall asleep on the way home.

For any out there that think I’m talking rubbish, call Arsenal and ask what are the chances of getting a box please, or Ivan, email me and tell me I’m wrong, I would love to be.

I’M NOT MOANING, I’M JUST CONCERNED WE ARE LOSING THE NEXT GENERATION OF FANS, AS WELL AS OUT PRICING THIS GENERATION, THINK HARD BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE, THE WARNING SIGNS ARE THERE AND YOU KNOW IT.

What we said will happen, appears to be happening. Arsenal, spend some money on some world class talent before you blow it, do something now or it will take years to redress, stop making out you are giving us something when all you are doing is killing the same Goose, over and over again. All you are doing is finding new ways to skin the same fans and what you should be doing is looking for new ways of finding sponsors, here I have a few ideas.

Sell the pitch to a sponsor, much the same way they do in cricket matches, sell advertising space on the shorts and socks, do likewise with the tracksuits, do a pre-match tour to the far east or the USA.

Barnet, Dagenham and Austria don’t bring in much money.

I realise you can’t go back in time and re-do the stadium naming rights and the shirt deal, so move on and learn from your mistakes, don’t think it’s okay to sell our players for massive amounts but then not replace them for similar, the fans expect, the fans deserve to at least feel we can compete, having money doesn’t mean you’ll win, I think Man City have made some terrible buys, but having money in the right hands and buying the right players would make a massive difference.

On the positive side we hear that Wenger is going to spend large on top, top players and surprise us all, I hope there some truth in that!

Have a great day grovers, today we get to see our new number 6!

Former Arsenal midfielder Fran Merida has revealed he was unhappy in north London and did not think twice about signing for Atletico Madrid earlier this summer.

Merida, who was once described by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger as "an absolutely amazing player", made just six league appearances for the Gunners.

And the 20-year-old midfielder, who came through the youth system at Barcelona, opted for a move back to Spain with Atletico, the club he has supported from a young age.

"I'm an Atletico fan and I feel enormously proud to be here," he told AS.

"Atletico is a big club and so is Arsenal, but there were some circumstances there, particularly on the sporting side, which I wasn't happy with and I couldn't fit in.

"I made Wenger aware of that and as soon as I knew Atletico were interested, I didn't think twice."

Barcelona’s new president Sandro Rosell has given Arsenal fans some great news by declaring he will not spend €50-60m to sign Cesc Fabregas. If Rosell is true to his word, Cesc will be an Arsenal player next year because Arsenal would be insane to sell him for less.

Rosell told El Mundo Deportivo:

“The Cesc issue has been made very public and has been complicated because a lot of expectations have been put on the purchase price,”

“But we will not pay 50-60 million for Cesc.”

Having already rejected at least two bids in the region of €35m, Arsenal have remained firm in their stance that they don’t want to sell their captain despite Barca’s despicable public pursuit. (still no word from FIFA about tapping up? Didn’t think so!) Now Rosell has basically told us what his top price will be, and given the current transfer market conditions where Ronaldo is worth €100m, Kaka €80m, Torres possibly €75m and Adebayor €33m, then Fabregas is certainly worth €50-60m.

Some media outlets are claiming Rosell is sending out a ‘warning to Arsenal’. How exactly is that a warning? If they won’t pay what we want and what Cesc is worth, and considering Arsenal have made it clear they don’t want to sell, it will be perfect for the Gunners to hear. No more discussions, no more ‘Barca is in Cesc’s DNA’ bollocks, no more pathetic attempts by Barca players to lure him and no more bids. Case closed!

I don’t understand where Barca get-off thinking they are the ones who are setting the price. Arsenal are holding all the cards and they will pay what we want them to pay. Arsenal should come out with a very clear statement in reply to Rosell thanking them for their interest but if they aren’t willing to submit a sensible offer could they kindly p*ss off!

Нападающий "Арсенала", который в данный момент отдыхает после Чемпионата Мира, признался, что его до сих пор беспокоят проблемы со здоровьем.

Бендтнер сыграл свой последний матч на мундиале против команды Японии, однако не впечатлил своей формой ни тренерский штаб, ни болельщиков. Причиной тому стала давняя травма паха, которая периодически беспокоит нападающего.

"Я все еще ощущаю дискомфорт в паховой области", - признался Бендтнер. "И это сильно меня беспокоит".

"Печально, проблемы не уменьшились во время моего отпуска, как я ожидал, ничем себя не нагружая кроме отдыха".

"Я надеялся и рассчитывал, что пауза в футболе и тренировках залечит мои проблемы, но этого не произошло".

"Я общался с представителями Арсенала во время моего отпуска, и меня ждет полное обследование, когда я вернусь туда на этой неделе".

"Все мое тело подвергнется сканированию, чтобы выяснить, откуда появилась эта проблема с пахом".

"Я все еще ощущаю боль в паховой области, и я очень расстроен по  этому поводу. Не знаю, когда я снова начну играть в футбол", - сказал Бендтнер.

Каталонский клуб намерен усилиться в это межсезонье мексиканским форвардом "Арсенала" Карлосом Велой.

По сообщениям испанской прессы глава "Эспаньола" Рамон Планес давно хочет заполучить талантливого форварда и надеется найти соглашение с "канонирами" в это трансферное окно. Планес собирается отправитьсяв Лондон и договориться о переходе Велы на следующей неделе.

"Арсенал" уже отклонил предложения двух других испанских клубов, "Депортиво" и "Севильи" не задолго до старта Чемпионата Мира, однако Планес рассчитывает найти соглашение с Питером Хилл-Вудом по поводу долгосрочной аренды мексиканца с правом его выкупа.

Каталонский клуб предпринимает уже вторую попытку приобрести Карлоса Велу, после того как в прошлом межсезонье они получили отказ на свое предложение.

With the departure of William Gallas imminent, I can confirm that the new Arsenal number 10 will be announced in the next couple of weeks.

This player will be none other than…… Robin van Persie.

I wish I could tell you that I had a reliable source at Arsenal who was supplying me with this information, but I don’t.

I pre-ordered the new Arsenal away kit for my son, and asked for the number 11 with van Persie on the back. I received a phone call today from the shop asking me if I would like to change my order because Robin van Persie has requested a new number. The number will be lower than he currently has, and that only leaves him with the prestigious number 10 shirt.

William Gallas having the number 10 shirt was never really right, and it will be a nice welcome back to see one of our star men in the shirt.