Everton Fans Hate Traitors Too

Everton 1 - United 0

It was a beautiful start to the season for last season's runners-up, Manchester United and their new boy, Robert Van Persie as they lost away at Everton last night.

Yeah! From the point of view of any Gunner it was a beautiful start. There was nothing more satisfying than seeing the little Robert (that's his name, isn't it?) Van Persie run around like a headless chicken without making any significant impact on the game in which he had come on as a second half substitute. Rumours have it, Wenger sold him off to United without providing them with the user manual. How callous of you, Mr. Wenger. That's so-so unethical.

Whatever Happens, RVP Is A Goner!

The Number 1 fan who went over to a bitter rival

The RVP saga is done and dusted now, isn't it? The shirt he threw into the crowd at Cologne last weekend was the last Arsenal shirt he'd ever wear and going by the stories making the rounds now, he was told before the game that he was going to be sold so he knew as he threw that shirt that it was bye bye Arsenal.

Van Persie Threw His Shirt To The Fans After The FC Koln Game. What Did They Do With It?

"How do I combine this crop of beauties"

I doubt if FC Koln would have pushed for this friendly as part of the deal that brought Podolski to Arsenal if they had looked into a crystal ball and seen the result of yesterday's game.To be beaten 4 nil in your own backyard with your fans watching isn't a thing one will willingly put one's signature on if one can help it but of course there were financial benefits to having Arsenal FC play in their stadium and it was just a friendly after all.

This Week At Arsenal, Ferguson And Barca Stoked The Fire Of Hate

Look at them. They worshiped you. You can make them love you again...

The week started really well with the club's confirmation of what we had known for a number of days -the signing of Santi Cazorla. Before the cheers died down, Ferguson from over at United rekindled the flames of our hatred for United as he publicly acknowledged United's pursuit of Robin Van Persie, declaring that he does not know "why Arsenal is operating this way", having met the hopefully stiff resistance of the club to sell its best player to a historic enemy. And then the marauders in Spain started tapping up Alex Song.

Why All This Cloak And Dagger Over Cazorla?

It's that day of the week that comes after Sunday; the day of the week I'm more likely to get out of bed with a groan on my lips and an ache in my head from over-indulgence in sensual pleasures and this Monday is no different. Despite the combination of headache, vertigo and lethargy that was caused by last night's affair with Johnny Walker Black, I grabbed my computer to troll the usual suspects for news of the official confirmation of Santi Cazorla.

The Wenger-Persie Conspiracy Theory

Is it possible that the club wanted to sell RVP from the beginning then slowly and methodically pushed him towards releasing that infamous statement? Could the club have reasoned that they need to recoup all the monies that have been spent over the years on Van Persie while he stayed out injured for most of his eight years in Arsenal knowing that the form he displayed last season may soon be disrupted by another long term injury?

So what better time to sell him than now when his ovation is at its loudest after all he is going on 29 years and sports science (read common sense) which Arsene Wenger has been known to favour its benefits have shown that the law of diminishing returns creeps up on most footballers at about this age.

My friend Obinna came at me with this conspiracy theory this morning and I tried to fault his reasoning but I had to admit he made a lot of us sense.
  
"Wenger always renewed RVPs contract even when he was injured but stalled this time because I believe he realised RVP is advancing in age, so any long term injury now could end his career! Do you want to have a £180k\week player in your books that's always injured?," Obinna said.


By calling Van Persie's bluff at the meetings between player/agent and club, the club may have reasoned that RVP will resort to something desperate like releasing that infamous statement which ultimately pitched the fans against RVP while ensuring that the club will not once again be accused of always being ready to sell off their best players.

While the statement released by RVP did not do the club's negotiating position any favours, it ensured that an auction for the player began in earnest.

"Now we look like reluctant sellers, and to do business with a reluctant seller, you need to do like Don Corleone said and make him an offer he can't refuse," Obinna reasoned. "Why else would we have bought two strikers in a hurry which goes against our usual transfer dealings and are in the market for a third one?"

"We need to make Wenger an offer he can't refuse"

 Can you fault this line of reasoning?

Arsene Goes After Paulinho For His Mental Tougness

Arsenal eye £9m move for Brazilian star, Paulinho.

Now that was a decent rumour to wake up to this morning. Been a while since we had a decent one to   whet our appetence for fresh blood to add to Giroud and Podolski. A Brazilian. Wait a minute it isn’t just any Brazilian, it’s a Brazilian STAR.  

I know what you’re thinking, “Denilson is Brazilian too”. I did think it too but I didn’t let that dampen my euphoria. The boys from Brazil are usually fantastic ballers. Was sheer bad luck we got the 1-ina-million who isn’t. Besides this one’s name ends with “nho”. Like Ronaldinho and Robinho.

Uninteresting Times At Arsenal

It's a brand new week and I hope it will be more interesting with all things Arsenal than last week was. Very little came out of Arsenal in the way of news last week so most media resorted to dishing out the mundane, the unremarkable and the humdrum to fill the pages. May this week see us living in interesting times.

Pre-season training resumed last week Monday with most of the first team reporting for duty. Seemed no one told Andre Santos that his pal Benayoun was on loan last term and has had to go back to his owner. He sent the twit below to Benayoun the day before pre-season resumed and got a cocky response from Benayoun.

While this provided comic relief during a mundane spell as regards darling Arsenal FC, I did pause to wonder why there was this gap in communication.

The True Gunners' Debate

I belong to a Blackberry group of Nigerian Arsenal  fans. Some reside in the States, some in the UK but most of us live in different parts of Nigeria.

The debates in the group are usually very heated with pro and anti-Wenger, pro and Anti-Usmanov sentiments usually determining which side members take in whatever topic is up for discussion. No matter which side of the table the members seat, one thing you can't fault is their passion for Arsenal FC. 

I decided to publish the most current debate which started yesterday evening

If You Think You're Angry About RVP Leaving, Watch This Fan's Rant

BREAKING NEWS! RVP HAS JUMPED SHIP!!!

At 4.03pm this evening, the worst fears of every Arsenal fan was confirmed when club captain Robin Van Persie released a statement on his personal website notifying the fans that he will not be extending his contract which has one year left to run. Below is the statement in full:

This is an update for the fans about my current situation. I have kept quiet all this time out of respect and loyalty for the club and as agreed with Mr. Gazidis and Mr. Wenger, but since there is so much speculation in the media, I think it is fair for you guys to know what’s really going on at the moment.
As announced earlier this year I had a meeting with the Boss

Wenger Didn't Say Van Persie Won't Go...

I'd be a fool if after these past few years, I have not learned to be wary of statements like "There's no reason why Van Persie, a top player, a champion would want a move to Serie A -in terms of prestige of the league, level of play or financial considerations", Mr. Wenger told La Repubblica, an Italian newspaper.

We all heard him say the same about Fabregas and Nasri just before they both switched allegiance elsewhere.

I could take him up on that "champion" bit because I don't remember RVP winning any championship(s) in the past seven years but I'll let that one pass.

I've learned to read between the lines and it seems to me that Wenger has not ruled out a move to Spain or maybe even within England if Manshitty keep up their pursuit of our captain.

"If he moves there, I'll buy you a caramello," Wenger told the Italian reporter to emphasize his point.

For those of you who do not speak Italian like me, caramello is an Italian ice cream not the latest edition of Ferrari.

I've heard some call him Baba Ijebu.

On the home front, I picked up the dailies this morning to see President Jonathan's defense of his trip to Brazil to attend the United Nation's Earth Summit in spite of the security situation in Kaduna and Yobe states where Boko Haram had bombed three churches simultaneously last Sunday. Nigerians were told by the Information Minister that "the President can govern from anywhere in the world..."

Where have I heard that one before? Yes, this was the same argument that was employed not too long ago by then President Yaradua's spokesmen as he lay seriously sick in Saudi Arabia.

66 people have been confirmed dead at the last count and "christian youth" are still carrying out reprisal attacks in both states and what under the circumstances will qualify as a  summer junket is more important to our president?

Person wey im house dey burn dey pursue rat?