Arsenal second match in pre-season came to a very dull end when they were held 1-1 against Hangzhou Green town at the Meihu Stadium today.

We conceded early due to an error from rookie GK Mannone, but equalised before the first half ended thanks to that Carlos Vela.

As for the problems regarding the club, oh where do I start ?

The manager made a few comments yesterday regarding transfers and if he actually believes in what he is saying or even has ANY faith in what he is saying, I think he is on weed.

“I don’t think we are weak defensively, but we are an offensive team. Sometimes that exposes our defenders a bit more than other teams.”

“I believe we have quality defenders. One is Thomas Vermaelen and he did not play last year. In open play, we were one of the better defences [last season], but we conceded too many goals on set-pieces and that is where we want to improve this season.”

His first statement says it all. He admits that we are not weak defensively. BUT if you read the both lines, the inferred meaning is quite the opposite. We are exposed because we are offensive. Well, that is the point of a good defense. Barcelona conceded the lowest number of goals in La Liga last season. They too have a ‘good’ attack, but are they exposed like us.

The second part of the statement is still ‘less hurtful.’ Vermaelen is indeed a quality defender, but with him our entire defense conceded 41 goals 2 seasons ago. Place an apple in a pile of crap does make it smell crappy. 

And as for the last part, that we have been the best defensive side in open play is something which is quite irrelevant. It just shows that we SUCKED at set pieces even more. Being the best in open play and conceding 43 goals, what else will one make of it?

Wenger keeps ridiculous faith in this team. Of course, I don’t know what goes on in your horse-shoe dressing room but even if he did say anything I am sure something would come out in all these years. His continuous rant about how positive things are at the club is clearly becoming a farce, and seriously I do not like it. It makes me sick!

Yes, management takes a lot in people, and seeing our manager’s age it certainly takes a lot out of him. But that being said is not possible for a person of his stature to see what the plain eye sees.

At the end of the 2009-2010 he pointed out the main problem with this Arsenal team was its defense. We let in 41 goals, and he said he would fix it. He did admit that he knew the defense was the problem and that a championship contending side CANNOT afford to concede so many goals.

We want to improve in quality. It is not necessarily a big number of players needed and overall I believe you don’t win the title when you concede 40 goals.”

This season we needed up conceding more goals – 43. Nice promise…

Arsene Wenger is hoping Cesc Fabregas will make his return to the pitch this Saturday in Arsenal's pre-season friendly against Bundesliga outfit FC Koln.

The Arsenal boss has again stated Fabregas will not depart the Emirates for Barcelona this summer, as the skipper prepares to meet with Wenger on Monday after the Spaniard missed the club's recent tour of Asia due to a muscular complaint

"We will have to see how far he is with his injury," Wenger told the English press. "He is not back in full training, he is back running on the pitch and the next step is to be back in full training. I will have to assess him on Monday.

"But of course he is in my plans. The problem is we face speculation from everywhere. But my target is the same, to keep the players and my desire to fight for that is the same."

Another player Wenger is desperate to hold on to is Samir Nasri. The Arsenal manager fumed at Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini last week over what he saw as comments "against the basic rules of football" regarding the France international.

"I have spoken to Samir, of course, because he is in a situation where he has only one year to go [on his contract]," said Wenger. "But we've not spoken about Mancini's statement.

"Things have changed in England and I believe it is important that we go back to normal behaviour on that front. The rules are the rules. They have certainly to be cleaned up, the rules, as well. We will have to see [if the rules have been broken].

"For us, at this period of the season, it is important that give importance to what matters to us. Frankly, it doesn't take sleep away from me.

"I just think it is surprising that we have to face these kind of comments. You have never heard me say any word about a player."

Полузащитник "Арсенала" Денилсон отправится в годичную аренду в клуб "Сан Паулу". Сам футболист же с грустью расстается со своими партнерами по команде.

Напомним, что после ничейного матча с «Ганьчжоу Гринтаун» Арсен Венгер подтвердил, что бразильский полузащитник отправиться на родину на правах временной аренды.

Комментируя эту новость, 23-летний игрок поделился мыслями с официальным сайтом "канониров": "Я буду играть в Бразилии в следующем сезоне, так как посчитал это хорошей возможностью регулярно выходить на поле".

"С грустью уезжаю отсюда, ведь в "Арсенале" у меня много друзей, и абсолютно каждый здесь всегда меня поддерживал".

"Хотелось бы поблагодарить клуб и сказать огромное спасибо его руководству, и, конечно, выражаю благодарность фанатам "канониров", самым особенным фанатам на свете".

"Сейчас я сосредоточен на грядущем сезоне, где поставил себе целью хорошо играть, но я всегда буду следить за выступлениями "Арсенала". Это великий клуб с прекрасными игроками, потрясающим командным духом и тренером высочайшего класса. Я желаю вам в наступившем сезоне всего самого наилучшего", - сказал Денилсон.

Представитель «Арсенала» Ричард Ло, сотрудник администрации Ивана Газидиса, одновременно отвечающий за контракты футболистов и выполняющий функции консультанта для клубной системы скаутинга, находился в Коста-Рике на протяжении недели и лично вел переговоры по приобретению 19-летнего игрока.
Предполагается, что со стороны «канониров» была предложена сумма в размере 930 тысяч фунтов, которая была принята руководством клуба, и переговоры близки к завершению.

Ранее на неделе отец игрока Умберто Кэмпбелл сказал, что ожидает продвижения в переговорном процессе раньше понедельника, а чуть позже о факте завершения сделки сообщили как президент «Самприссы» Хуан Карлос Рохас, так и радио ADN.

Отец игрока также добавил, что его сын Жоэль Кэмпбелл согласовал условия пятилетнего контракта и будет выступать в составе «Арсенала» под 12 номером.

Знаменитый голландский игрок, бывший тренер «Барселоны» Йохан Кройф понимает позицию наставника «Арсенала» Арсена Венгера, который не хочет расставаться с капитаном команды Сеском Фабрегасом.

- Конечно Венгер не хочет отпускать Сеска!, — цитирует Кройфа Daily Mirror. — У Фабрегаса многолетний контракт с «Арсеналом» и просто так его никто не отдаст. Если «Барселона» действительно хочет видеть этого игрока в своем составе, тогда пускай выплачивает требуемую сумму.

Отметим, что «канониры» согласны расстаться с Фабрегасом за сумму не меньшую 44 миллиона фунтов, а «Барса» предлагает лишь 35,5 миллионов.