By Walter Broeckx
And now for something completely different. Forget all the transfer talk. Forget all the rumours. Let us focus on the Asia tour 2013. And on who will travel.
First of all the players who will not travel : Cazorla and Monreal. Because of the stupid *************** (self censoring) of Fifa who wanted to fill their coffers a bit more we had this summer the Confederations cup. And as a result we must give Cazorla and Monreal another extra break compared to the other players. So they will not travel to Asia as they still are on their holiday. I don’t know when they are expected back but I think it will be somewhere next week.
I think it is bad that those two players will not be on the tour. Not because they will now miss seeing Indonesia, Vietnam or Japan but more for missing out on the bonding that certainly will happen on a tour like that. And the fact that Arsenal also planned a training camp over there adds to me feeling bad about them missing it. Now of course it could be that at some moment in time they could join the rest of the team in Asia. Maybe they could start their training in London and then fly over to Japan for the last two games and for joining the training camp that will be held over there. Well at least I think it is.
We also will not have Vermaelen on this tour. According to the media in Belgium he injured himself in …yep another meaningless international game and is having some troubles with his back since then. He probably will also miss the start of the season. Oh, nice. You sure got to love these international games where the countries fill their accounts and the clubs pay the bill. So I think we can say that Miquel will be having a big chance now to prove what he can do in the next weeks.
But for the rest we will have the team of last season that will go out on this tour. And probably we will have some new faces on the tour. I think one player that will certainly be looking forward to this trip will be Ryo. The young Japanese forward has recovered from his injury he sustained when playing with Wigan at Everton. And I can imagine that for commercial reasons he will be one of the main talking points in Japan so he will be on board one could asuem.
Also some youngsters will probably make the trip and will have a chance of showing off their skills. But who will travel along? Well let us take a wild guess based on what I have seen and heard on who is training with the first team for the moment.
And those youngsters who have been training with the first team are : Afobe, Akpom, Aneke, Eisfeld, Gnabry, Martinez, Miquel, Olsson, Yennaris and Zelalem.
So who will go to Asia of those? All of them? Or just a few? I think with Manone gone we will have Martinez for sure as that will give us 3 keepers. Would Wenger take the AAA along on the tour? And don’t worry I’m not talking about our supporters AAA but the young players Afobe, Apkom and Aneke.
Miquel will travel as explained above. And I do expect that Eisfeld and Gnabry will also go as they were there last year. And I think we can expect Yennaris to also be on board after his good performances in the reserves last season. That leaves us with Olsson and Zelalem. Olsson looks a great prospect and is still just only 18 years old. So he should come more to the foreground if it is going to happen for him. And then we have Zelalem. Only 16 years old so maybe a bit early but he is being regarded as one of the finest and I have heard that Wenger likes the boy. And that he could be brought on to the big scene quicker than can be expected. I have seen him play in a game once and I thought he looked great but well who am I to judge on young talent. Ok I could see that Cesc and Jack were special when I first saw them but then again who couldn’t?
I have also heard that Afobe, Aneke, Boateng, Eisfeld, Martinez, Miquel, and Yennaris could go on loan, possibly some season long loans. So will that interfere with any of them going on the Asia tour? Who knows?
Anyhow I think most players will start to pack their bags fly out. So expect some news from Arsenal about who will travel. And then before we know it we will have a first game to look forward to. Finally.
And now let me be very critical for Arsenal on something. Last season we had Arsenal Player as part of our membership package. And then we got to see all the pre-season games live at Arsenal Player. Now they have changed it and all and everyone can see Arsenal Player. I have no problem with that at all.
But what I do really have a problem with is the fact that Arsenal will not be showing the games live on Arsenal Player anymore. We will have the chance to see the game “as live” from the final whistle. And that my dear ladies and gentlemen from the Arsenal board or whoever is responsible for it is something I really don’t like at all.
If I want to see an Arsenal game I want to see it live. I want to see the grass, I want to smell the sweat, I want to hear the noise from the fans. But most of all I want to see it live. So I must say that I am really disappointed with the decision you made about not showing them live.
The books…
- Woolwich Arsenal: The club that changed football – Arsenal’s early years
- Making the Arsenal – how the modern Arsenal was born in 1910
- The Crowd at Woolwich Arsenal FC: crowd behaviour at the early matches
- Royal Arsenal: from the Common to the Manor. Coming next.
The sites from the same team…
- Referee Decisions – just what are the refs up to this season?
- The Arsenal History Blog from the AISA Arsenal History Society
not sure why you lot bother with this blog at all…..but you are a strong reminder that censorship still exist…disgusting…sieg heil…
and then feck off..twats
What on earth has upset tomstoned?
@tomstoned,
Your comment, above all else, makes its own irresistible case for censorship.
Seriously tomstoned? Chill out mate! Go troll another site this is one of those sites that actually speak some sense! So u feck off!
Walter. a very nice try for the first squad for the new season.
Unfortunately, the first response to your article, reflects the way technology can be abused. The response,should be immediately diverted back to the sender!
My thanks to a responsible person, advising me of The Black Scarf Movement. I did not know that this movement, existed.
My unreserved apologies to the AST. Which leads to the question, does the Black Scarf Movement have more members than the AST?
Keep up the good work, Walter and Tony. With further thanks to Brickfield Gunner and Adam, for their “comedy”.
I was disappointed to see the games are not live on Arsenal player, the first one at least is live on ESPN
Walter, according to Jeorge Bird in his excellent blog covering the Arsenal youth players, the following youth players will be on the plane :-
“Promising midfielders Kristoffer Olsson and Gedion Zelalem have been included in Arsenal’s travelling party for the Asia Tour along with five other players from outside the first-team squad.
Ignasi Miquel, Chuks Aneke, Serge Gnabry, Chuba Akpom and Thomas Eisfeld will also make the trip, but there is no place in the squad for Damian Martinez and Nico Yennaris, who have both been left at home and will instead feature for the U21s away to Sutton United on Friday.”
Only two keepers, maybe a new signing imminent?
Thanks for the update Andrew. I admit Jeorge Bird knows more about them than I 😉
On the keepers: it will be the two Poles to fight it out amongst each other. For the moment.
I find it odd that in one breath you’re condemning FIFA and the Belgians for playing some ‘meaningless’ games in an attempt to make a bit of cash… and then bemoaning the fact that, as a result, the likes of Cazorla and Vermaelen will be absent while Arsenal play some equally meaningless games in order to make a bit of cash!
At least FIFA, as a non-profit organisation, will pump that Confed Cup money back into the sport (including funding for the U-19, U-20 & U-21 tournaments which FIFA run at a massive loss).
And why so upset about Arsenal Player? You’re happy to see the Gunners fly to the Far East to make a profit, but you’re upset when they use that same commercial acumen to sell exclusive TV rights to ESPN? I just don’t see where you’re coming from, there. You’ll be complaining next that they don’t also show live Premier League games as well!
On the plus side, at least you’re not making up rumours about the Cabal of Evil Referees that are Out To Get Me this week, so that’s some improvement, I guess.
Walter, your blog is very informative, balanced and objective and I enjoy reading it. I would also like to mention Jeorge Bird, his knowledge of the youth players is second to none, and he writes an excellent blog and he should also be commended for this.
Very disappointing to see so many players missing from the tour. Late starts to the preparation can only be a bad thing. We saw it last year with players missing the tour and we started the season in a very lifeless way.
Also extremely frustrating that any new signings – if they ever arrive – will be too late for the tour. If we do bring in some players then I don’t expect them to have a major say in the first few games now.
Even before its started our preseason seems to be going the way of last year – poorly.
Arsenal Player has been an issue for me before as it was very intermittent. The pre season games should be live and during the season the membership should have the facility to hear live commentary.
Anything less is shoddy and unbecoming of a quality club in its treatment of its fans.
Ryan F, FIFA are sitting on reserves of £1.4billion but are a non-profit organisation.
Could you please inform us how this charity, sorry, World governing body is going to spend that money? I would really like to know. And could you please explain to us why FIFA’s expenses surpassed the amounts given to grass roots football.
Im interested in you opinions on these matters.
Thankyou in advance.
Ryan F,
I think there is a big difference between Arsenal trying to make money by doing this tour and Fifa/Belgium using players who are paid by Arsenal (by money from that Asia tour among other things) and injuring them or making it impossible for them to join their team when the rest of the team starts the preparation.
For me Fifa doesn’t have to run those Uxx championships at all.
And ah this will be the first time someone lectures Untold Arsenal for being critical about Arsenal I think 😉
@ Walter, maybe another article is needed to highlight FIFA’s conflict of interests, when they make the rules but also stand to profit from those rules as competition organisers.
Hear hear ryan F. And I’d rather watch a confed cup featuring the likes of neymar,hulk, oscar,iniesta,xavi,balotelli,pirlo,suarez,cavani,chicharito,honda,kagawa, etc. Than arsenal kindergarten squad.
@walter, I guess its wrong for fifa to run its uXxx tournaments, but ok for wenger to run his uxxx nursery schools…hypocrisy!
The BSM movement is still active ? Damn ! But then you know what they say – Once you go black ,you’ll never go back !
Maybe there’s something lost in translation ?
It must be a real slow day if people are coming here to praise FIFA !
Censorship ends in logical completeness when nobody is allowed to read any books except the books that nobody reads.
George Bernard Shaw .
Then again …..
Reading made Don Quixote a gentleman, but believing what he read made him mad.
UK, do you think the British government do a good job?
UK, Do you own your own company and if so how many people do you have working for you?
@Ryan F
Please go read the Swiss Rambler’s article on FIFA’s finances and then come back and apologize for your misguided and uninformed comment!
@ menace, Whats wrong with ARSENAL player??
I’ve been a Red member for a season and a half now, and I have the access to ARSENAL player. And it runs perfectly fine. We get live commentary and a live text as well.
Since you mentioned work and the office ,Adam , who better than Dilbert to give his take on this. Its equally applicable to the smart alecky types of the AAA and the other (who think they ) know-it-alls . Here are 12 of the best one liners .
1) Work is fine if it doesn’t take too much of your time.
2) When everything comes in your way You’re in the wrong lane.
3)Smile, It makes people wonder what you are thinking.
4) It’s not hard to meet expenses, They are everywhere.
5) Whenever I find the key to success, Someone changes the lock.
6) Someday is not a day of the week.
7) Everyone has a photographic memory, Some just don’t have film..
8) The trouble with being punctual is that no one is there to appreciate it.
9) If you cannot change your mind, Are you sure you have one?
10) To Err is human, To forgive is not a company policy.
11)The road to success…. Is always under construction.
12) All the desirable things in life are either illegal, expensive, fattening or married to someone else.
UK,
thanks for making clear that you are not an Arsenal supporter in the first place. If that needed to be made any clearer of course…
Yep Arsenal running their Uxx thing is very fine as that is where we get players from like Wilshere, Cole, Gibbs, Adams,
lol..!
To those who claim to sit on the fence and whinge about AKBs calling AAAs what they are, please read uk’s comment of 1.02am.
Thanks for letting us know who you are, uk.
all you AKBs going on about UK not being an arsenal fan bla bla bla, you can decieve yourself all you want. there was a time arsenal played the sexiest football in england, but even then it would have been difficult to get the stoke city version of the AKBs to concede that it was more fun watching the arsenal, so like it or not, the past confed cup was more entertaining by far than the insipid football that has been served up by our team in recent years
@walter, well id sooner see players like ozil, muller, messi,ronaldinho,ronaldo,figo,rui costa,kroos etc. players we first saw in the national uxxx team tournaments.
@adam
i dont own a company, i cant make up my mind on the british government
So we’re back to the old story of people claiming to support Arsenal but only the version in their dreams it seems. Just to make it clear, Arsenal is what it is and that is what I support.
It never used to be like this so I’d be interested to hear people’s opinions on when football fans changed, to claim that overall control should be run through them first and they are more important than the club.
@Stuart, well if there were no fans there’d be no club so they are quite important. Perhaps it was always like this but back in days of yore nobody could voice their opinions on a world wide web. It does also depend on supporter’s expectations. If you’re a Stoke fan I think you know you won’t be winning the league. Arsenal fans have been convinced that the club wants to be a world wide super power, Wenger himself said that, so then supporter’s have these high expectations which are hard to meet. Moving to the Emirates was part of that ideal, if we didn’t have serious ambitions we would have stayed at Highbury. It will be interesting to see where the club goes next if we do have this 70 million to spend. The reason I think we haven’t bought a high profile player yet is that they aren’t easy to buy. Teams don’t like to sell their best and if they do they want the best price. Wenger said he wants super quality, to get that takes a lot of haggling, I imagine.
Most of us realize that Arsenal are not in the same league as Barca, Madrid etc. We don’t have the financial muscle and for many top players their ultimate goal, it seems, is to play in Spain.
Yes Rupert but what the club are doing is not so bad that it will alienate the global population. I just think it’s important to not get too arrogant and believe you are something which you are not which sadly is all too common these days amongst Arsenal fans.
UK,
did you ever wonder where those Ozils and Muller came from?
Or do you think that some divine power beamed them down on earth when they were 22 years old? do you really think that no club had to invest in them in their younger years?
What do you or I know about Arsenal maybe having the next Ozil or Muller already in their youth teams?
Or do you think it was the German national youth team that made those players?
I think it will have had to do more with a for us unknown (team of) youth coach who worked with him far away from the spotlights. And the talent those players had from birth.
By the way Uk are you enjoying the U21 WC in Turkey?
@walter,
i know where the mullers and ozils came from, but i only did after they were showcased in their national teams. And all good countries invest in their resources, human and material, as far as the human resources(athletes eg) are concerned, one of the major return for such investment is national pride. Instead of going on about the unfairness of national team football, why not ask the players themselves if they’d rather not play for their nations? as far as i know, in very few instances can it be said that players wers coerced to play for their countries, and that includes LJW. they usually consider it an honor to be selected to do so
oh and yeah, ive enjoyed the few matches ive been able to watch, though notbas much as i did the eufa u21 in israel, or the confed cup
Stuart (@11.32am),
Good summary of the pompous noise makers who we are unfortunate enough to have as fellow fans. They would love and support Arsenal but only if things are done their way.
Again, let’s not forget that their way is one where the club spend tons of money on ‘world class’ players, to win trophies that they can then brag about. Never forget, that is always their sole issue.
And just seen that Martinez is included as 3rd keeper. So I knew better then Jeorge Bird. Well this time then 😉
I’m not sure why you think Arsenal are ‘seriously in’ for Higuain at all, don’t believe a word of what agents and the board members of Madrid and especially Arsenal say. What I do know is that Arsenal have thus far signed one player on a FREE transfer that given his health history is more likely to be spending time with Diaby than he is with Jack Wilshere and Santi Cazorla, and Arsenal have reduced their wage bill by in excess of 40 million a year by off-loading Wenger’s previous bum duffers. That all strikes me as a club still wanting to sell and not spend irrespective of the Lizards promises about over 70 million to spend, look forward to the excuses come the start of September rather than the few players required to make us a force to be reckoned with because that’s exactly what We have all become accustomed to.
Ah, I feel I have posted my thoughts on the wrong article now!
@ Brickfields – top post.
Ta , luv . This ‘cut and paste ‘ has made posting easier . Before I learned how to do it , I ‘d have to write it down and then transfer it over here .
Ahh ! This great, new (to me at least!) fangled techonology !