Vieira in, Out of Africa and Cesc’s early return
IMAGINE it: the Vieira song swirling round the Emirates, the former captain once again resplendent in red.
The instinctive reaction is to say it’s hard to envisage it happening, hard to envisage Arsene going back for a player four years after he flogged him because he was past it, hard to envisage Arsene bringing a 33 year-old into his midfield, a player whose days of simply striding past his opponents long gone.
And yet it is not just sentiment that attracts me to the idea. It makes some sense too.
That we will not get the raw, brute Vieira of a decade ago matters not too much. What this midfield needs is height, physical presence, experience, aggression and in one sense someone to sit there and allow Cesc the freedom he craves.
And sometimes sentiment can have a tangible, positive effect. Not when practiced to Geordie levels, but occasionally there is no harm in going against the computer and with the gut.
It should also be said that by signing a player in the autumn of his career who wouldn’t be around for long, Arsene’s paranoid fears over killing his younger midfielders would be assuaged.
So Vieira gets a thumbs up from me, though I’ll believe it when I see it.
And what of Adebayor, Kolo and possibly Eboue making it an Out of Africa summer at the club. I’ve already rubber stamped Adebayor. £16 million certainly looks decent business for Kolo, though I’ll reserve final judgement until we know whether Vermaelen is an improvement.
A little part of me hesitates over selling a defender aged 28.
But I think the reality is he wanted to go and had for a while. I remember seeing Kolo with his head down when we were being battered by Chelsea at the end of last season and perhaps he needed a new start. I could never quite believe any fallout with Gallas was the real reason for his near move in January: to uproot your family 200 miles simply because you fall out with a work colleague seems a little extreme.
The chance of a fresh start coupled with substantially more money seems more likely.
And what of Comrade Eboue, who appears on his way too. To me his failure at the club can be blamed on the player, but also the club itself. When his theatrics and feigning injury should have been clamped down on they spiralled.
When he claimed a foul at the Emirates his own supporters laughed embarassed. Others were ashamed to have him in red and white. When times got tough he was on a hiding to nothing.
A shame, because he doesn’t lack talent and if he does get his head together elsewhere, I wonder if Arsenal will regret their inability to reign him in.
Finally, a word on Cesc Fabregas who has returned quietly and without fuss to preseason training after a very truncated summer break. He was an (admittedly unused) substitute for Spain on June 28th in the Confederations Cup semi.
By the start of this week he was back in training and last night he was scoring the winner. Good fella.
And finally, finally, a new Goodplaya. Arsene said prior to his departure:
“We have seven centre-backs and I am in the position where I have to play some in midfield but of course Kolo is a very good player and we will see what will happen in the next 24 hours.”
Thanks to Fuse for the spot.
30 July 2009 at 4:55 pm
one thing we will not loose players to african nations cup
30 July 2009 at 4:55 pm
Remembering that Vieira-Fabregas never worked first time around, possibly the only way Vieira would be able to help this side is if his legs have forced him to play a proper defensive midfield role. I haven’t seen him play lately, so I don’t know if this has happened – but if he is still the attacking midfielder he was, then he won’t fit in this side.
30 July 2009 at 5:00 pm
If Eboue goes then we will only face the prospect of losing Song in January, so as far as I am concerned good business, so far by AW. Especially when you think that Kolo has not been the player he was since he came back from the last ANC. But we must now buy a DM and CB
30 July 2009 at 5:15 pm
Cesc played the first half of the Confederations Cup semi; was subbed off in the 2nd.
30 July 2009 at 5:17 pm
I’m not sure about the date, but in the Confederations Cup Semi against the US, Cesc started and was taken off in the second half. My memory is terrible, but I’m pretty sure on this one. Then there was the match for the 3rd place, and maybe Cesc was an unused sub in that (not sure).
Did Vieira-Cesc never work? Cesc was such a young player coming through. How many times did they play together?
We just saw Vieira playing for Inter in Boston. He came on as a sub. He’s still the man in control when the ball’s in his reach, but he doesn’t make many runs.
I’m such a huge Viera fan. I just can’t imagine it not working if he comes in, especially if all he’s supposed to do is mimic Makalele and break up play. He’d be brilliant and I’d love it.
30 July 2009 at 5:18 pm
do really need to sign someome i mean at the start of the previous season we had 2 players more ade and toure but we had 5 players less traore senderos rosicky arshavin and eduardo so why do we need to buy a defensive midfielder when we have diaby denilson and song
30 July 2009 at 5:19 pm
Great business this summer – Kolo has not showed consistent form for more than a year an a half – and was no longer an asset 15 mill is a very good deal. Rewatch Liverpool’s goals against us in CL-exit(both legs) we would have won those matches had Kolo not been in the central defence.
Considering Vieira back would be magnificent – if only for the sentimental value. Hoping.
30 July 2009 at 5:46 pm
I think Kolo wanted to leave as soon as Gallas was given the captaincy and even more so once Gallas had been stripped and it was passed to Cesc. How would you feel if you gave blood and guts for your club for years, was the longest serving player remaining, the last of the invincibles and Arsene overlooks you by buying a guy from Chelsea and making him your captain. Bad management by Wenger in my opinion. I wish Kolo well, having watched him since our move to the Emirates he has not been the same since the last ACN, and most of the time relies on his power and speed instead of positioning and guile, but to get 7 years from a player ( arguably his best) then to receive £15m or so is a no brainer especially as we are well stacked with CB’s.
Eboue is another kettle of fish, I hope we dont sell him as he is quick, skillful and powerful and is a perfect squad player, but I think you would struggle to find another player in the squad ( Diaby excepted) who divides fans as much as he does. I would be amazed if Vieira returned,but in football nothing is impossible ( who would have forseen Owen signing for united?)
30 July 2009 at 5:49 pm
Really doubt there’s anything to the Vieira story, but if there is I wonder if AW would be thinking of him as a centre back rather than midfielder? He used to say in PV’s heyday that eventually the man would drop back into central defence, as Desailly once did. Gallas-Vieira?
30 July 2009 at 5:52 pm
Lets 4get about the Viera thing. Its never going to happen.
Firstly it was a rumour started from the fantsy of Ian Wright in the sun, and the media have decided to run with it and are coasting on the sentiment of fans.
Secondly, how much are they going to pay him? What are they going to do with more mobile prospects like song and denilson? So can u really see Arsene doing this??
N.B: I said it when Flamini left- that he could be more costly to the team at the ytime than losing Henry; and now i’m saying that the biggest mistake Arsene can make this summer is selling Eboue.
30 July 2009 at 6:15 pm
for all of u who dont know wenger is in no rush to sign players. He said according to the bbc website that it is important to spend it in the right way. i feel that we shuld sign a new striker rather than a centre-mid becuz we dont have a striker who can produce up to twenty goals in a season which wuld be bad considering the long period we were without scoring or winning during the months of december and january.
30 July 2009 at 6:16 pm
Would be glad to have Paddy back if only to give him a well deserved Testimonial at the end of the season。
30 July 2009 at 6:21 pm
i never really saw viera as a good player in fact he was just a tall hard headed person ho always gets red carded. i reckon if roy keane hadnt been calm to him he wuld have made mincemeat out of him.
30 July 2009 at 6:33 pm
Well all i hear is that arsene is trying to talk with viera and convince him that he shuld join us. If he does join i belive we will have a chance to win the premier league becoz since he has gone we havent won anything and he might give us experience as well as leadership qualities which might guide us thro this season.
30 July 2009 at 6:48 pm
mancellent, Roy Keane was just a thug in football boots not fit to sweep the path Viera walked. I,ve often said if roy keane or rooney were in Arsenal red they would have been sent off every other game. Playing for man u gave/gives them a freedom to foul rant abuse that they wouldn’t get from refs and the authorities in an Arsenal shirt or Forest or Everton.
30 July 2009 at 7:30 pm
@all the most important thing dis season is for us to giv our trust, hope n faith to God. JESUS can set u free,Arsenal Chelsea and Man U. wil not last forever but Christ will. Repent from ur sins before it is late. GOD LOVES U. all gunners fans.
30 July 2009 at 7:37 pm
It is intereting that the Vieira story has been picked up off the back of a blasé comment Wrighty made on a TALKshow. Yet the most juicy story, the one manouvre the media has not even had a whiff of (true Wenger stylee) is the return of Titi to the Emirates. Believe me when I say, this is not an attempt at lighting the touch paper, just a polite word in the ear of a few committed Gunners. Spirits will be lifted soon chaps – Long live the King!
30 July 2009 at 9:04 pm
sERGIO HOW DOES THAT EXPLAIN THE FACT THAT ROY KEANE HAS ACHIEVED MORE THAN VIERA AND IS MORE SUCCESSFUL
30 July 2009 at 10:02 pm
Mancellent, I have a great deal of respect for Manchester United, I saw Charlton at Highbury as a kid and I was spellbound. In those days there wasn’t any real rivalry between us. Keane was a brilliant player,but you have to remember that there was not a more coveted holding midfielder in Europe than Vieira, with ALL the success of Manchester United. But we had some great games in those days.
30 July 2009 at 11:45 pm
vieras coming home hes coming hes coming home,. every body sing
31 July 2009 at 6:37 am
Nicely put Old Gunner.
Of course we should sign Vieira, if only because the Emirates needs to sing the name of one of the current players in our squad instead of those departed (I joke, I joke!).
Seriously tho this is a big tease. I can feel all that desperate hope we get Paddy Circa 1998-2004 back being crushed.