The last time I saw her I felt assumed that, upon seeing her again, all errors would be fixed. The summer would surely see to that. World Cup stars would be unearthed, shined and shipped to N5, with Arsene negotiating free postage and packaging.
A keeper who keeps goal and thus manages to keep us in games rather than cost them. There would be a centre half of physical stature and experience to form solidity with Vermaelen. Two such signings in addition to Chamakh would see me sitting here now truly believing we were in a position to build upon our mini challenge of yester season and add another Premier League trophy silhouette to the upper tier perimeter. Mind the gap.
Signing such a trio would be the measure of a successful summer spent, until it became all too apparent that Cesc was seeking a premature return home. From that point on the focus shifted to the task of keeping our captain from the grasp of Barcelona, whose bids were fortunately not as big their talk. I shan't go over too well trodden ground. I'm delighted we get at least one more year of Cesc. But.
If he loves his hometown club so much and it remains his dream to play for them one day, why leave there in the first place?
It's finally time to f**k all the soap opera dramatics and begin our season, and what a place to start. A trip to Anfield is a difficult enough without a Kop fuelled by the buzz of a new season and a new manager to welcome. It's going to be loud. "You'll never walk alone" turned up to 11.
No Cesc. Yet. Despite being fit enough to be called up to Spain's friendly in Mexico, the unlikely most we will see from him on Sunday is from the bench. If he does travel, he'll be keeping his World Cup Final friend Van Persie company in the dugout, as the summer's tournament stretches into our season and sees us having to make do without two of our most important players.
Of which Almunia shouldn't be, but still will be come kick off. I assume the Spaniard will start in goal. Fabianski has been given just enough rope to hang himself, and almost managed it. Playing him at Anfield would be suicidal and all but awards our hosts a goal start. Almunia himself will be under enormous pressure. He seemed angry post Celtic. Whether it was an angry determination to prove his many doubters wrong, or the indifference of a man who knows his time is all but up awaits to be seen. A performance from him on Sunday and it wouldn't take much to deter Arsene from seeking a replacement. Particularly when one seems harder to come by than most would have liked.
Schwarzer, linked more than any other keeper, and of whom we have had a bid rejected for, would certainly be an improvement. Just. Errors of his own against Arsenal and at the World Cup are still a little too fresh to make me believe it's an upgrade to the standard required. Many of the rumoured are, as the press take it in turns to name a different keeper every day. Reina, Given, Hart, and that's just the last two days.
Centre half. Arsene has admittedly recognised the need for additional numbers in this area, following the mass exodus of Campbell, Senderos, Silvestre and Gallas, but as of now has only been able to add the inexperienced Koscielny. Despite his impressive performance against Milan, I would give Djourou the task of dealing with N'Gog, blooding our new recruit in a friendlier environment. Johan will at least have some idea as to what to expect from such an encounter.
As a new season returns, so too do Arsenal fitness doubts. Song. Diaby. Denilson. If all miss out on Anfield, Frimpong could be asked to do more than should be expected of him at such an age. Despite his credentials and promising displays, it's far from ideal.
Despite the apparent gloom of above, it's August and there's plenty of room for optimism too. For Sunday and for the season. We'll wear yellow. Nasri is hungry following his World Cup snub, the standout positive from those friendlies. Arshavin will look to continue his love affair with Anfield. Walcott. Pace. Carragher. Roast him.
Go up there and win. Start the season in the best possible fashion. Keep things ticking over until Fabregas and Van Persie return to take us up to the next level, where they might, hopefully, be joined by new faces come September 1st.
Fill that gap.
Yeeeeeeeeeellllllllllllllloooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.
Source: Joe Mardon, The Online Gooner on 12 Aug 10
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