Just Arsenal News

Arsenal’s famous list of “deadwood” players seems to get bigger every year, but for some reason we can never get anyone to actually buy them off us and we have to struggle to send them out on loan every year. But we still do have some talented players out there that have a chance of coming back and becoming first team players of the future.

Let’s lok first at the experienced players that are on loan:

Andre Santos (Gremio) – No-one wants him back at Arsenal but can you believe he played the full 90 minutes in Brazil’s 4-0 win over Bolivia last weekend! .......Read the full article here

There is a story in the papers today about the possibility of Arsenal making a summer move for the 18-year old Nathaniel Chalobah. The defensively minded midfielder is currently on loan at Watford until the end of the season, and is hoping to travel with the England under 21 squad ti Israel for the European Championships this summer.

According to the Express, his future could be decided while he is away with Stuart Pearce on international duty. There will be just a year left on his contract this summer, and Arsene Wenger and his scouts have been keeping a close eye on the talented youngster. This news comes close on the heels of another Chelsea loanee, Gael Kakuta slamming the Stamford Bridge side about the large number of players on the books who never get a proper chance because of the transfer policy. .......Read the full article here

I hope that the story circulating in the media about Arsenal considering allowing Emmanuel Frimpong to join Fulham on a permanent basis in the summer is not correct. The 21-year old is currently having a loan spell with Martin Jol’s team, but that is to get some valuable playing time and experience in the Premier League.

Frimpong has been with the Gunners since he was nine, and is one of the players, like Wilshere, who is passionate about the club. Arsene Wenger has spoken about the British core and players who are committed to the cause, and Frimpong is a prime example of that. He may have seemed a bit raw when he has been given first team opportunities, 14 in all, but he has showed passion and potential. .......Read the full article here

The loan system can have real benefits for clubs like Arsenal. Arsene Wenger is committed to having a strong academy system and trying to bring young players on and give them a chance in the team, but with almost every game seemingly a crucial one, it is a delicate balance between giving youngsters a chance and putting out a strong team.

Jack Wilshere is a prime example of a promising player who went on loan, to Bolton Wanderers, in order to play more regularly and get a bit of experience, and he has never looked back. Emmanuel Frimpong joined the Gunners at the same age as Jack, but has not managed to break into the first team in the same way. .......Read the full article here

Even though the transfer window is closed the papers are still keeping an eye on what the Arsenal scouts are up to. (I guess they carry on working between windows!) The Telegraph has reported that Arsene Wenger sent a scout up to Celtic Park to have another look at the strong holding midfielder Victor Wanyama in last night’s 3-0 defeat to Juventus.

All the pundits are saying that a top holding midfielder is still top of Arsenal’s priorities for the summer, as Mikel Arteta has been forced to change to that position this season. Wanyama and Etiene Capoue would appear to be the main targets according to most reports coming out of Arsenal, but I would certainly take this one seriously as it comes from Jeremy Wilson in the Telegraph, who seems to have an inside track on what is going on at the Emirates. .......Read the full article here

Will Frimpong Ever Make It At Arsenal? by AH

Emmanuel Frimpong is an Arsenal player we all know very well at the club. Unfortunately we know him for the wrong reasons such as his attitude and behaviour and unfortunately not his footballing ability. Today he has spoken of his desire to follow Jack Wilshere in his progress and make it as a big player at both club and international level. Frimpong has been in and around the Arsenal first team squad for a few years now, with injures hampering his progress at the club. .......Read the full article here

The big defensive midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong has been unlucky with injuries in the last couple of seasons, just as it seemed that he had broken into Arsenal’s first team, but now he has fully recovered he is preparing to fight his way back into contention.

Frimpong is currently out on loan at Fulham to regain his match fitness, and he is inspired by the comeback of Jack Wilshere to give him the belief that he can also return to his former excellence, and his taking his previous injuries philosophically.

“That is football, sometimes you are going to get good luck, sometimes you are going to get bad luck, and I have had loads of injuries, but I mean to get over it just like Jack has,” Frimpong said. .......Read the full article here

Arsenal have been linked with the West Ham midfielder Mohamed Diame throughout the transfer window, and the story is now becoming like a soap opera. His manager has spoken about it in press conferences and there have been reports of ultimatums from the club about a new contract and threats from the player about speaking to the FA about his release clause. Today we hear that Diame has told friends that he is hoping to complete a transfer this week. .......Read the full article here

Arsenal have not added any players to the squad, but Arsene Wenger has now allowed Emmanuel Frimpong to become the third Gunner to go on loan. The 21-year old midfielder is going to Fulham for the rest of the season after recently completing another six week spell with Charlton Athletic in the championship.

With Mikel Arteta and Francis Coquelin currently injured, it may have seemed a chance for Frimpong to play in the problem defensive midfield role, but it seems as if Wenger thinks he needs more experience of regular football in the Premier league before he is ready to play more for Arsenal. He is still only 21 and needs to play, so it might be the best thing for him. .......Read the full article here

Arsene Wenger has a selection problem for Arsenal with the visit of West Ham to the Emirates tomorrow. It is vital that the Gunners make the most of this game in hand to keep right up with Everton and Tottenham in the race for a top four finish. With Mikel Arteta injured, Wenger has used Francis Coquelin and Abou Diaby behind Jack Wilshere in the midfield. Both of those players look likely to miss tomorrow’s match and Arteta has not recovered, so Wenger has got to reshuffle his pack. .......Read the full article here

Carlin Itonga – England (Democratic Republic of Congo), 1999-2002, 1 game, 0 goals

They say that if you saw Itonga play for Arsenal, you are privileged. Not because of the quality of the player, but because Itonga’s sole appearance for the side came during a terrific 4-0 victory over Manchester United in the League Cup in 2001. Whilst that November evening saw talents such as Kanu, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, and Sylvain Wiltord (who scored a sumptuous hat-trick) display their wonderful skills in front of the Gunners’ faithful, the unfortunate Itonga would never play for the club again, and soon slipped into Arsenal obscurity – joining his other teammates for that evening, Igors Stepanovs, John Halls, and Efstathios Tavlaridis. .......Read the full article here

Arsenal are involved in an intense period of games at the minute which began badly on Sunday with a demoralising defeat against Manchester City in the league. The Fa cup replay against Swansea at the Emirates tonight is possibly the most important game as it could keep us in the hunt to end the seven year trophy drought which is becoming like a monkey on our back.

Jack Wilshere could probably do with a rest after such a long time out of the game thrrough injury, but Wenger will not consider resting the 21-year old for a couple of reasons. The boss believes that he is not running out of steam just yeat and, more importantly, he is the player who can inspire the Gunners to victory more than any other. .......Read the full article here