Squad news

Squad predictions for 2006/7 – have a good laugh at how far out I am

1. Jens Lehmann – will have his best season.  A slight cut back on the histrionics, but otherwise more of the same that we saw in the second half of 2005/6 and the world cup.   Thoughts of replacing him with every keeper under the sun will vanish. 

 

2. Abou Diaby – when he returns from injury will explode into the Vieira mould and play brilliantly alongside either Gilberto or Cesc.

Comment: got the first part of this right

4. Francesc Fabregas – will bloom and be subject to a bid from the major predatory clubs every year for the next five years, just like Patrick before him.

Comment: he won the under 21 world player of the year 

5. Kolo Toure – already a superb player, he now settles down and just does it.

6. Philippe Senderos – there will be some awful howlers but he grows and grows in confidence and will be the next captain after Henry.

Comment: looked at first as if I was wrong – but after firing on all fronts after just a handful of games he lost his way, but started coming back in 2007

8. Fredrik Ljungberg – due a spell without injury – if it doesn’t happen this year his time at Arsenal is sadly limited.

Comment: started the new season as if bjorn again.

9. Jose Antonio Reyes – 2007 will either make or break him.  He knows and we know he can do it, and Wenger has faith in him – he just has to make it happen.  If it does, in the next year, then no one will ever think of letting him go.

Comment: I didn’t see him leaving.  Got that one wrong.

11. Robin Van Persie – there is so much more to come from him it is unbelievable.  We can’t call him the new Dennis, but there is such ability to squeeze the ball into the net from an angle of one degree it is simply beyond the laws of physics.   This is Henry’s real partner.

Comment: Against Charlton he showed exactly what I meant.  A brilliant season before the injury

12.  Lauren – the endless injury list and his experience against his colleague’s youth will allow him back in and he will have two more solid years with us.

Comment: Ooops – he went to Portsmouth in Jan 07

13. Alexander Hleb – we only just started seeing him shine last season – a dribbler on the wing – something unique.

14. Thierry Henry – what else is there to say.  He is now at the peak of his outrageous ability.

Comment: started slowly in 06/07 but it is starting to happen now that the injury has been overcome.

16. Mathieu Flamini – utterly under-rated by most fans and all the media, he has such utter determination that he is becoming an essential part of the mix.   Left back, right midfield – don’t be surprised to see him play as a forward.

Comment: called up for France in Feb 07

17. Alexandre Song – I was knocked out by his transformation from lost sheep to major player.  Expect him to be a used substitute in a number of games, and to play when the others need a rest.

Comment: I saw comments calling him a donkey, but still think he has wonderful potential.  Went on loan to Chartlon

18. Pascal Cygan – not nearly as bad as many fans say, as shown by a great display in the Testimonial game.  Another season as a filler before he leaves on a free next summer.

Comment: got it wrong – he left for £1million – which is a million more than Campbell

19.  Gilberto – the player that all the Brazilian newspapers demanded should be put back on the pitch to help the national team recover their poise.   The great thing is that most opposition players have no idea what he does, and so they ignore him, until he intercepts their passes and keeps another move going. 

20. Johan Djourou – looked great in the world cup – I would suspect he will be in front of Cygan as centre half number three after Senderos and Kolo.

21. Mart Poom – a stand in until the next young genius keeper arises.

22. Gael Clichy – if only he can come out of the injury crisis you will see that he is now better than Cole.

24. Manuel Almunia – perfectly adequate reserve keeper who would grace the first team of 80% of the Premiership.

25. Emmanuel Adebayor – this is where we start to see the plan B and C operation – I suspect he will be used against clogger teams like Bolton and Blackburn – so unlike Henry that they won’t know who to mark and how to mark him.

Comment: actually used against Man U away – perfectly.   See what I mean about cloggers.

27. Emmanuel Eboue – I hope he learns not to play act and fall over when not fouled – I know everyone does it, but he just is not very good at it.   Great right back though, and the natural successor in that position.

Comment: pass after pass turning into goals

29. Sebastian Larsson – haven’t seen enough to know

30. Jeremie Aliadiere – I thought he had long gone after the failures at Celtic, WHU and Wolverhampton – and yet here he is one year into a new four year deal.  Amazing – and he looked great in the pre-season games.   To my utter amazement I think he will break into the first team – perhaps as the forward substitute.

31. Justin Hoyte – I feared he would not make it back from the wastelands, but he has and looks a strong right back – who I suspect will also stand in at left back sometimes.

32. Theo Walcott – whom  like the rest of the world I have never seen play.

41. Arturo Lupoli – looked fabulous to me in the reserves last year – I thought he might go on loan this season, but is still here.  Is he strong enough to play in the first team?   To me he looks like a replica Henry – I hope he stays.

(Stop laughing – at least I had the nerve to put my predictions up).