So, another three points in the bag and a top four is looking like it may happen. And I, for one, might need to go to my nearest restaurant and skip through the starter, pass on the main and straight through to pudding, which of course is a nice slice of humble pie with a touch of cream to take away the bitterness. I’m man enough to accept this and if anyone has read my previous ramblings, you will know that this has come as a surprise to me.
I could just talk about the straight forward three points against Wigan on Saturday, or why the team is gelling, or where Jack will slot in when he is fit, but no, I would much rather put my thoughts into a striker that I would love to see return to Arsenal, even though I know deep in my heart that this transfer will never happen… that’s right my friends, I am talking about the potential non-transfer of “Super Nic, Super Nic Anelka” from Chelsea. Allow me to explain why…
Our squad, size wise, seems large enough with one glaring admission. We’re a top quality striker short. It’s not acceptable for an attacking midfielder to “do a job” in order to fill in. Not Arshavin. Not Ryo. Not “the Ox”. I mean an actual top quality, no frills, fill your boots son type of forward. Not a 20 year old full of potential, we tried that with Vela and it didn’t work. We tried Alialialialailaidare… didn’t work. I mean an experienced, seen it all, done it all forward who will give us 18 months whilst our youngsters mature; Joel Campbell, Aneke, Freeman etc, so Anelka comes into the picture…
“Noooooo!!” I hear you scream. I continue; Chammie goes to the African Nations Cup in January and so he will be away for… I don’t care how long; Park doesn’t seem to be trusted by the manager to play in any games he cares about, so that leaves the gaping hole in the squad.
This quandary brings me back to Anelka. At the moment he doesn’t even make the bench for Chelsea games. Love him (which I did) or hate him (everyone else did), he would be a perfect fit for us; early 30s, cheapish transfer fee, last big move and arrogant enough to show the fans who booed him out of the ground to say ‘shove it Gooners, I’m back and ready to prove something to the doubters’. Wenger is a fan of him and surely he must realise we cannot go through the season with just RVP carrying us in the striking stakes. He must only be days away from a slight knock; two weeks, one month, out of the season injury?
We tried to get away with being a centre-half short last season while Tommy was out, and it didn’t work. Wenger cannot expect RVP to go through the whole season without injury, come on are you wavering????
“Henry would sign for us on loan” I hear you say. I say, “NO!!” the boy loves NYC and has nothing to prove at Arsenal, and could taint a fabulous memory, allah Michael Schumacher. On the other foot, Anelka has something to prove to us at Ashburton and he could make a difference in games and start enough to keep him sweet.
Well… have I? Be honest, it’s not such a crazy idea is it? Rest easy Anelka haters, it won’t happen, and we will be striker short going into February and I will still be dreaming of Super Nic in the latest Arsenal shirt. Swoon.
WTTGT Writer: Dean “Make my dream come true” Scott