Spare a thought for Nasri ?

Our ex wonder boy Samir Nasri got a good booing every time the ball went within 5 yards of him on Tuesday.  He later tried to substitute himself … without success.  And at the end is said to have benefited from an interesting discussion with hard boy Iroquois Frimpong in the tunnel. My money would be on Frimpong (!)

But hey ….. I must admit to a slightly more generous view of Nasri – only slightly, mind.   And I know you are all going to hate it.  Before you plant a brick through your computer screen please let me explain.

•  First off, not many of us ordinary people can understand how players who are already worth (say) £5m and will soon be worth (say) £15m can move on for even greater £mns. while showing so little loyalty to this, our great club. But young men are aggressively ambitious and easily blinded by more money. I was … though the sums involved were a little bit smaller (!)  Moreover too many agents are after more  and more dosh for themselves … and xxxxxxxx to club loyalty.  
• Secondly, my understanding is that Nasri (plus agent ?) tried to open negotiations for a much higher wage last Autumn when he was sometimes described as playing like the best in the Premiership. He was assured that this would be forthcoming. He (Nasri) or agent asked that it be put in writing and was told this would be done …. but it never happened. Whether that was down to the Board of Directors or the Manager I can’t be sure but I know who I suspect … the crusty old Deadwoods.
• That would have peed orf most of us (ordinary) people … and would certainly have peed orf a temperamental Latino. That is if Nasri is a temperamental Latino (?) to which suggestion I cannot possibly put my previously fairly good name. 
• Nasri certainly played less well (ie. less brilliantly) after Xmas. This could have been because he was peed orf (as above) or because Cesc (bless him) was free from injury and occupied the key central creative position instead of Nasri.  Or he just loss form …  or a combination of all three ?
• Meanwhile in the last few draining months of season 2010/11 various senior players finally seemed to give up on the Wenger purist obsession. The regime of  ‘ pass pass pass and do not shoot – till you can (again) pass  into an empty net. I refuse to replace my youngsters and will never abandon my attacking principles.’
•  I say  “ various senior players “ since it is clear that others were thinking of leaving in the summer. Not only Clichy, Fabregas … and Nasri.  They surely saw too many in the team and the squad who were not good enough and found the plan very, very hard. 

Samir Nasri left the Arsenal not only for the extra £mns. … not only because he was (allegedly) messed about but …. for the promise of glory. He seemed to be leaving a club without the money or know how to win things.  For Nasri the tragedy is that in the absence of Cesc … he could have been the man.  Arsenal are now shaping up quite well  – with a better balance (at last) between youth and experience,  passing and shooting, attack and defence. We ordinary fans (who know nothing) have clamoured  for such changes in grand plan and they have eventually been forced by circumstances and different personnel. Hopefully more talented players will be brought in … as we weed out under performers.

Man Shi**y may well pick up silverware but whether Nasri  features in their winning line up is unclear because he has to spend half his time on the bench. He will become even more super rich but his football may suffer. This is where temperamental, aggressive and ambitious young men can so easily be misled into getting big decisions wrong. 

FENTIGER