With every football blog competing with every other by hyping up the whole transfer window thing, and the AAA screaming that we are only in this position (second in the league rather than top, in the Champs League and round 5 of the FA Cup, with the best performance of all teams in the past 12 months) because we don’t have adequate cover and are not prepared properly for the windows, there really isn’t anything new to say.
But I do (quite regularly these days) get emails from appreciative readers of Untold to the effect that they’ve more or less given up on the rest of the media, and rely on us for the news.
Now that’s not something I would wholly recommend, because we don’t cover everything and we make mistakes. That of course makes us the same as the rest of the media and blogsphere, except for the fact that we admit it – most of the rest pretend the opposite. Some even wipe their articles that in retrospect are just too embarrassing. Some change the comments that people make in their commentary section.
So, for completeness, here’s the latest as I see it, approaching 1pm GMT on window day.
We are going to sign Spartak Moscow midfielder Kim Kallstrom, because Draxler isn’t going to be available until the summer – and is anyway injured, so not of much immediate use following our injuries to Ramsey and Theo, and the four match ban for Flamini.
Kallstrom is considered a Good Guy after he was seen really working at comforting a young lad with a fear of noise. It might seem the obvious thing to have done – but can you imagine Ashley Cole ever being detached from his own self interest enough to do such a thing spontaneously?
Arsène Wenger has some other irons burning away, such as Álvaro Morata from Real Mad and Cristian Tello from “Less than a football club” (Barca).
What is less widely published, although to be fair is mentioned occasionally is that Gnabry, Wilshere, Rosicky, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Arteta, Ozil, Podolski and Cazorla are all still there for the five midfield places, and although it is disappointing Ramsey has had a set back, he will ultimately return.
One player who I once thought would be an up and coming star, Emmanuel Frimpong, has long been rumoured to have been designated not good enough, or perhaps too temperamental, and so is going out on loan pending a sale. Lurking behind the scenes are Zelalem, Ryo, Heyden, Eisfeld…
Mr Wenger is reported as saying (and so probably never did say) “We are open minded and active, we look at opportunities. We still try to bring at least one player as we were hit by the suspension to Flamini and the injury to Ramsey. I would scrap the winter transfer window. It is 80-20 we will do something else today. A midfielder is one of the solutions.”
So there we are.
I’ll get back to the news and background that no one else publishes, shortly.
Tony Attwood
Books on Arsenal at a discount
The latest from the Arsenal History Society anniversary files
Do you fancy writing for Untold? We’d like to hear from you – but first please read the guidelines.
Probably a bit early for a transfer window commentary. Let’s look at the end of it before drawing too much conclusion.
37mil for Draxler (if there’s any truth to that story at all) is a huge amount, compared to 37mil for Mata and 42mil for Ozil, who are proven world class starts at major clubs.
I for one will certainly not be beating up Wenger over not landing Drax, very expensive, very young, and very injured, and I dont just believe the German doc who says he will be ready within a week, if that is true with a ruptured tendon, maybe we should be signing this doc. Yes, we may well end up missing out on Drax this summer, but if so there will be others as the oilers and state funded cannot get everyone, and we may have our own coming through. Maybe there is another special player we know we can get this summer? Maybe one day, a player we have first refusal on will return.
Dont know enough about KK, but would feel a bit better of we could snare a Tello or Morata on loan, with injuries present, and injuries to come, we may need such a player.
Oh, and England have sacked their cricket coach, KP claims another victim! Great player, but an illustration about what a wrongun can do to a dressing room…
Watched Kallstrom while in France, he could be valuable addition. Nothing spectacular but good balance of speed and strength. If he come I already see comments similar to ones when we brought Benayoun. Later the same people were “begging” Arsene to try to bring him on permanent.
Anyway, who ever come or not come, there will be enough critics.
Oh yes and we may bring Klose they say, I guess journalists believe Zalalem misses grandpa.
Frimpong has been sold and not loaned out.
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/frimpong-completes-move-to-barnsley
Frimpong has, I believes, gone to Barnsley on loan till the end of the season. Boating has joined Hibs on a similar loan.
Nothing concrete on anyone coming in.
Ben, absolutely correct, shows what I know! I’ll stick to writing about referees.
@Armin, everywhere I’ve read says that Kallstrom is as slow as a donkey. Good passer though and can hit a decent free kick apparently.
Rupert, haven’t said lighting fast, said good balance. And no he is not slow.
If you leave the smallest corner of your head vacant for a moment, other people’s opinions will rush in from all quarters. George Bernard Shaw
Armin, thanks for the info; typical of some others to try and knock a guy before he has completed his move.
Let us all accept that AFC are not going to go the extra mile to claw the premiership title b’coz as usual we are too tight.
What a chance we have this season. But we are going to allow Man C and Chelsea to fight it out whilist we will barely finish 4th if we are lucky. Liverpool will even finish above us. It is shameful.
what a waste of opportunity.
shame on u Wenger.
I hadn’t heard anything about Kim Kallstrom comforting a young boy, so I went looking. Here is a particular writeup about this. As this is nominally a repeat, there may be better writeups closer to when this actually happened.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/how-arsenal-target-kim-kallstrom-went-viral-after-comforting-an-eightyearold-boy-9098855.html
Tony, why are you firing rubber bullets. Criticise Arsene….it is not going to poison you. You refer to him as Mr Wenger……YES, Arsene did say the things you said that “he probably did not”.
We need to replinish the fact our squad will not be able to last the course….We have blown such an amamzing opportunity that Arsene and the squad have created. so thats it. the league wil be chelski or citeh. And we will always not win teh league as long as Wenger is reigning with his anarcic scandelous “interlect.”
TJ,
As always, you won!
Donkeys can gallop as fast as 30mph, so the simile, ‘as slow as a donkey’ would seem to be a poor one.
However, donkeys are strong, gentle and kindly, so maybe that would be a better analogy?
Matt. I seem to remember that some people with sheep will often have donkeys with them. The donkeys will protect the sheep from predators.
Hi All
Been away for some time, this Kallstrom fella, any good?
dont know much about him Dan -Swedish international so must be ok, have heard comparisons with Arteta, not sure how accurate that is.
A bit of a twitter meltdown going on, saying he is not the most exciting signing, we need a striker and if Giroud gets crocked we have had it
Would personally prefer another attacking player, not sure we have enough to fight on all fronts with the oilers with our injury hit squad.
Expect some AAA mentalness over the next 24 hours…and beyond.
Not sure where these top strikers who are available are though…and at the moment, Draxler is not a striker….
Ronnie Lott – why not produce some evidence to show that Wenger did say what I suggest he “probably did not”.
Yep. He’s obviously a terrible player since:
a) He’s on loan.
b) He plays in Russia.
c) He’31
d) He’s cheap.
And e) .. we can’t boast about him in the pub after 10 drinks to our ‘mates’. Oh no. We are so doomed and about to be relegated.
Never mind that KK if he comes will probably get under 10 games, if at all for the season and is also there because AW sees some qualities in him that he feels are useful.
Nope. That’s it for me. Wenger has lost my faith. He needs to leave NOW!!! Get Mourinho in and Usmanov..and..zzzzzz.zzzzzzz
Hello Tony, in response to your retort to Ronnie Lott, try this.
http://player.arsenal.com/player/4673-press-conference
Overall, dare I suggest that all Gooners will be gutted by 11pm. We have blown a golden opportunity.
I agree with Blackie Lawless 3 – we will not finish top 4.
What a crying shame. I never felt this bad since the end of the Terry Neil regime.
Arvind…What a load old tosh you write.
It’s neither witty, funny or clever. Maybe try and write something decent.
You are as close to being a twit as anyone can be.
Wenger is mighty – but this transfer window we have played a very bad hand. How have we not gone out and made a statement and signed a striker. EVEN A RESERVE STRIKER IS BETTER THAN THE DANISH CAR WRECK…… As Char;ies said in the movie Magnum Force “Am I Right?”
IAWT
Kim or Draxler or any other fancy names is no one business except Mr. Wenger.
BBC reporting that Kim is doing his medical.
My question is what was the point to keep it this late ? Wasn’t better to have him a bit early so he can blend nicely with the team.
My understanding is big clubs tend to hold their card close to their chest for those……you know what I mean
Don’t see the logic on this one can someone help me ?
I doubt Kallstrom will get many starts, the guy will be a back-up. In any case, since he atleast won the league in France, he can give valuable advice to young players. So it’s ok to sign him, he will be leaving in June, then we will sign Suarez. Welcome Kallstrom!
@Matt Clarke, apologies for my lack of donkey knowledge. Anyway having read a few Nordic journalists views on Kallstrom he has very little pace but is a stylish player.
According to whoscored.com, he has made 6 starts a 4 substitute appearances this season who have given him an average rating of 6.7. Based on his last two seasons, he is described as a very weak passer and a weak finisher but strong defensively and in the air. They also say he likes to shoot from distance, likes to tackle and commits fouls often! His pass completion rate of 70% this season is appalling when you think our midfielders are usually 88- 94%!
Still, if he is to be an Arsenal player we have to get behind him and hope the opportunity to play for a great club with great players will bring out the best in him
Well I sincerely hope this isn’t the only signing as it’ll be quite obvious that the club’s only ambition is to ensure we don’t finish lower than fourth. It’s pretty unlikely we’d have finished above City anyway but at the moment we just seem to have thrown the towel in. At least the bank balance is healthy, maybe that’s Wenger’s plan, save every penny and buy a handful of top players in summer.
@Rupert Cook: How do you arrive at that conclusion? Do explain.
I see our token AAA-Wenger out moaner presence of Bulky Loinless III and Runty Lout have invaded UA bearing the noble banner of Anti-Wengerian mysticism. It is curious that these cretins are crawling out of their sewers at just the moment our hardest series of matches arrive. It is clear they are desperately praying that we lose a few key games so they can scream a collective sigh of relief and reinsert their endlessly moronic mantra of Wenger-out, Arsenal are doomed to their black heart’s delight.
Curiously neither clown offers the slightest evidence or facts to support their brainless media instilled claims about the transfer dealings of the Arsenal. They claim we have ¨blown¨ our opportunity to win a title and predict that even Liverpool will finish above us based on what? Their ¨superior¨ crystal ball gazing abilities? Their infinite and profound wisdom gained from managing professional Football Clubs?
Kim Kallstrom is a Flamini type player, not pacey but an excellent free-kick taker ,especially with his left foot. He is also strong in the air and has a very high work-rate…..not a bad substitute when needed.
I am sad to see Frimpong leave as i felt he had Songesque potential but he didn’t take his chances when they arrived and it doesn’t take Wenger long to see that.
@Arvind, because we have injuries and suspensions and apparently, though hopefully this is wrong, Diaby won’t be back this season which is a real shame.
We have huge fixtures coming up and quite possibly Wilshere and Ramsey will miss all of them. Flamini is suspended, though he wouldn’t be essential for the Palace game.
Kallstrom maybe fine but he’s hardly first choice. Think he hasn’t played since October. I expect we’ll sign a striker before the window closes. That could be key.
Just how many non premier league players make an immediate impact in their first season? Especially coming in the Jan transfer window? It usually takes a season for most to settle in and deliver their best, so unless RVP, Rooney or Suarez are available, may as well push on with a settled squad and a group of players he knows, rather than risking players not familiar with the Man City to Stoke spectrum you don’t get in every league.
Oh yeah, and can’t wait for the next winning run so you bunch of moaners **** off again.
We went in for Kalou on a loan but failed. Would he have been back up for Bendtner?
Kalou could have come in and done a job against maybe a lesser team, as he has premier league experience at the top. But how do you know we really went in for him?
@Robl, seems to be all over the media. Maybe it’s rubbish. I can’t see Wenger being serious about Kalou, may as well have signed Berbatov who is better if a lazy so and so.
True.
I think we just need to keep our heads down and rely on that great team spirit and get to the end of the season and get another Ozil level player in the summer.
Besides which, the quality of Journalism this time of year rivals the old “WW2 bomber found on moon”.
Robl at 6:57 pm
Just off the top of my head, we brought in Reyes in January 2004 and he settled well to help us win the league unbeaten that season. Same as Arshavin in 2009 who had his best spell at the club just after signing to help us get CL football when the spuds looked like threatening top 4 that season.
@ TJ,the following year was his great year for us, when he turned up he was sub mainly, don’t remember him being near Freddie or Pires.
@Robl- 21 appearances and 5 goals. Good contribution with enough apps to win a league medal
@Rupert: That does not prove that the club’s ambitions are to settle for fourth place. Nor does it prove we have thrown the towel in.
If we are 1 point behind with 15 games to go – why do you think any sane individual/organization would throw the towel in? After so much hard work?
@Arvind, so do you think our depleted squad can cope with a tough few months? CL games against Bayern and difficult away ties at Everton, Pool and Chelsea. I discount Spurs as I fully expect us to beat them. Then home games against City and Manu, both games I think we’ll need to win. Of those five teams I’ve mentioned we’ve only managed to beat one of them. You may disagree but I think the squad needed reinforcing.
As Robl says I expect us to buy big in summer, maybe Draxler but if he has a good world cup the price will be even higher.
No more incoming transfers on the BBC. Apparently Park Chu-Young is off to Watford on loan. Not only did Wenger not bring in a striker, he loaned one out. I guess Sanogo (sp?) must be close to health and doing well in training. Is Zola still managing Watford?
Well, the AAA are going to bitch for a while. But, that is done, and we have a game on Sunday.
COYG!
I get annoyed with what Martin Keown occassionally says for the Beeb. But, their transfer day commentary has (after closing):
> Martin Keown Football Focus
> “Kim Kallstrom will come into the Arsenal midfield. It’s a temporary signing, but the front of the Gunners team is still a problem. It’s a gamble, though we trust in Arsene Wenger. There is no big worry, but compare what Man City have and the forward line is still a problem for Arsenal.”
—
I suspect he is being told what to say a lot of the time, but he still trusts Arsene Wenger. Which was nice to read, because I’ve seen so many negative things on the BBC commentary (apparently) coming from him.
At some point in the future, it would be nice to read about the trials and tribulations of Park Chu Young at Arsenal. How he was acquired, how he did in training, and why he was loaned out (and how this ends, because he is still coming back at the end of the season).
Rupert, we may not need to buy big in the summer. We have a brilliant young player in Zelalem who may well prove to be the equal of Draxler, another in Gnabry and several others coming through. We have several other young players in their early twenties already in the squad who will improve as well. Where does this myth come from that the only way to improve is to buy. We have been top of the league with the squad we have for goodness sake, why is it assumed we are now going to fall apart. A backup striker would have been nice and it appears that strenuous efforts have been made to bring one in but to no avail. Chelsea wanted one as well and even they with their bottomless pit have failed to secure one, that shows how difficult it is. I commend Wenger for sticking to his principles and giving youth its chance and only spending when it is strictly necessary and the if price is right. He will not be pressured into wasting our hard earned cash on players who are no better or worse on what we already have and good on him for that.
Now let’s look forward to winning our next match and regaining our top spot.
I’m a little surprised by all this outrage about not getting the top tier players to strengthen our squad in this January TW.
If you look around the Europe at all the mega clubs with deep pockets , the only transfer worth mentioning was Mata to Man U.
Monaco has lost Falcao for the rest of the season and the best they could do was Berbatov.
Even Chelsea and Mourinho couldn’t get Costa from ADM even though they share the same agent and Chelsea’s goal tally from striker position has been underwhelming .
There was no one of real value for Wenger to get. Drexler for 37 M while injured no less, would’ve been a gamble .
Our chance for getting the right players in was last summer when it was obvious ( to me anyways) we were title contenders. We got Ozil , Flamini and Sanogo for about 43 M total, fair enough.
Once the summer window closed it was obvious to me that this was pretty much it for the season as far as top quality additions were concerned.
Hoping for deals on top players in January was a fool’s errand especially after Arsenal had announced their Puma deal.
As things stand ,we are within a shout of league leaders and have a legitimate chance at a title or two and if it wasn’t for our terrible luck with injuries to our top players , I believe we could’ve given Man C a run for their money even with all their” luck”:) referee decision wise.
Wenger has decided to stick with what he’s got and you have to respect that. He still may be proven right as I believe the FA title is well within our reach although PL maybe less so.
If he’s proven wrong ,then there’s absolutely no place he can hide anymore because even the dimmest of fans now know that the funds have been there and he simply chose not to use them.
There is no outrage from FANS. There are people who pretend to be fans (like that idiot at CNN) who think that they know more about football than Wenger, who after making N stupid proposals in their blogs or newspaper opinions, find that Wenger hasn’t followed any of them. He may have investigated the person in question, probably long before these f**** geniuses started talking about that person, and found them to be not what he was looking for. Wenger’s job is following football. Most of these other people, spend 38 seconds per day thinking about football, and then decide to trash Wenger because his 86400 seconds per day doesn’t agree with their 38 seconds.
Gord @ Jan 31st. 2:38 pm. – thanks for that great link.
Reading it I gather he was signed by AW for these (selective)traits and reasons which I shall call, “The calming balm – Kim Kallstrom “.
1)Some fans may already be familiar with the midfielder ….
2)…comforting …
3)…particularly anxious and sensitive …….
4)..abandoned his macho football persona ….
5)”Because of your actions my son was able to experience exactly the same feelings as everyone else: pride, a sense of being special.”
6)..being a little nervous …
7)…together we were fortunately able to make it a very positive experience…
8)In a situation like this I act more like neighbour and parent than …..
9)…. has struck a chord with fans internationally.
10) It sounds like Kallstrom is not just a good footballer, he’s also a really nice man.
Arsene Knows Best ! Merci beaucoup !
Everything ( AAAA )is vain and tortures the spirit (of Arsenal FC )instead of calming and satisfying it.
Johann Georg Hamann.
Comments in brackets are all mine of course !
Sorry Johann !
What I dream of is an art of balance, of purity and serenity devoid of troubling or depressing subject matter – a soothing, calming influence on the mind, rather like a good armchair which provides relaxation from physical fatigue.
Henri Matisse
God I hate these sewer rates.
Whenever I read there endless wittering’s. Constant moans of discontent. I’m always drawn to one question.
Why?
Why bother?
You obviously get no joy out of supporting (that’s a laugh for a start) Arsenal. All your joy in life seems to revolve around endless criticism of all things Arsenal and Wenger in particular.
I mean, what’s the point ?
Ok you’re entitled to your Whingeing whining views but for fucks sake please go and do it somewhere else. It’s not as if there isn’t other sites full of like minded individuals ready, willing and able to hang on your every word.
Jeeeez. GIVE IT A REST !!!!!!
WE ARE SECOND IN THE LEAGUE HAVING BEEN THE TOP PERFORMING TEAM IN THE PL OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS FOR PITYS SAKE.
This is supposed to be a pro Arsenal, pro Wenger site, so why are you here?
Sorry about the rant but these idiots are really getting on my tits now.
Eh, if Arsene only brought, as believed Klose, Berbatov and Vucinic. Three of them only need Rosicky to be added and we would won league. If oldest team wins it.
But no, Wenger wont listen us. Now, Giggs can single-handed bring it to United.
@Tom
You have contradicted yourself in your last post.
‘There was no one of real value for Wenger to get.’
and then
‘If he’s proven wrong ,then there’s absolutely no place he can hide anymore because even the dimmest of fans now know that the funds have been there and he simply chose not to use them.’
You can’t have it both ways.
Just seen the Mirrors Saturday Football ‘pull-out’
Three Bronze statues. Matta, Rooney, Van Persie with the head line ‘The Holy Trinity 2’
Apparently United are ready to sweep all before them.
Is this the same United who spunked Millions on super flop Fellani?
Is this the same United who have paid £37 Million for a Chelsea reject?
Is this the same United that have already been dumped out of both domestic Cups?
Is this the same United already out of the title running and looking at a tough fight to achieve even 4th place?
Is this the same United that have had 100’s of Millions whipped of there share value because they look so crap?
All that and we still got more shit from the Mirror for drawing a game at Southampton !!!
Honestly, if United got relegated they’d still find a positive in it.
It seems the Medias, nauseating, fawning, never ending love-in with United continues unabated.
Gord at 12:00 am
You say suspect Martin Keown is being told what to say about Arsenal. Really? By whom? You’re suggesting Martin Keown being told what to say by the BBC?
Gord 12.00
I heard Keown as well and was very disappointed that yet ANOTHER ex gunner has fallen in with the ‘any stick to beat them with’ brigade.
So our strike force doesn’t match up to Cities. No kidding. Who’s does? Hardly surprising really. What is it? £800 Million and counting.
During the 5 live program some bloke texted in asking ‘why Arsenal don’t produce anyone through there academy’
Keown just meekly opined how it was ‘very disappointing’. His memory only stretched as far as Jack.
Apparently Gibbs and Jenkinson etc. completely slipped his mind.
If there’s ANY manager who tries to promote young players it’s Wenger.
I mean what the hell do they expect? We are trying to compete with the 3 biggest spending, bank rolled Clubs on the planet and yet, somehow, we are supposed to produce not just good players, but loads of WORLD CLASS players who can compete at the very top of the toughest league in the World.
Very very disappointing to hear Keown jump on the Arsenal bashing and frankly made himself look a complete prat.
we are wanna be winners, not real winners. this kallstroim fella is injured too
ha ha ha
chelski laughing all the way to teh title.
sick,