Couple of News + Thoughts on the English NT Nightmare

Some players want to leave, Arsenal will be going places this summer, the English NT is filled with jerks… your usual cup of Arse here at the Offside

We start today’s blog with a subject Arsenal fans are always delighted to hear about: player departures. Park Chu-Young has indicated that if keeps getting ignored for play action, he might leave in the summer. No word if Wenger hasn’t used him very much so far due to the simple reason that Park is half-invisible. On a serious matter, it doesn’t surprise me that the guy’s already indicating a desire to leave. Just 5 appearances in all competitions, a paltry 8 minutes in the league, and an admittedly sweet goal against Bolton in the Carling Cup is all Park can claim this season. Considering he was about to sign for Lille, and play a slightly bigger role there (which considering Moussa Sow has just left Lille, Park would’ve definitely played a bigger part in Lille’s plans had he moved to them), it’s hard on the Korean to be just about a nobody on the Arsenal squad sheet. I, among many other fans, have been baffled by his signing- if we’re not going to use him, then what’s the point? Of course, Wenger must be seeing something we’re not, and it’s not as if Park would’ve displaced Gervinho, or Walcott, or the Ox in his current form. And there’s no way in hell he would have displaced van Persie.

The question is, if Park does indeed go this summer (something I would be in favor of), are there any buyers? He leaves for military service in about a year, and that’a a real deterrent, whether or not you’re going to buy Park for first-team purposes or to sit on the bench. I’m all for his departure if he wants to go, because he has contributed nothing to us and his spot on the 25-man EPL roster could be better used for future purchases (especially if the rumors are true that Matias Suarez and Lewis Holtby are done deals for this summer. Ah, Twitter.) I still think Arsenal could’ve handled Park’s existence in a much less awkward manner, but oh well. We’re still a much better club when it comes to man-management than say, Man City.

Another unwanted forward who wants to leave is Carlitos Vela. He’s already actually gone, playing a first-team role in La Liga with Real Sociedad. He scored a fantastic bicycle kick against some side and a ultimately futile goal against Barca last week. However, no chips as of yet. If he wants to go, fine. He’s young, we’ll make a profit off of him and he deserves regular playing time- he’s not going to get that at Arsenal.

Elsewhere, we now know that we will take on Sunderland in the FA Cup 5th Round. Sunderland beat M’Boro in a 2-1 thriller yesterday. That means that we will take Sunderland away twice in the span of two weekends. Oh, a trip to the San Siro to take on Milan is stuck in the middle. Here’s our forthcoming schedule, to paint a larger picture: Sunderland (A), Milan (A), Sunderland (A), Spurs (H), Liverpool (A), Milan (H), Newcastle (H). Yikes. I have a feeling that our performances in this mini-run will define our season- we’ll either progress or be knocked out of the FA Cup and the CL, and taking on Spurs and our 2 closest competitors for 4th, we’ll have a much more clearer view on our chances on finishing 4th come May. Hopefully we’ll do well in these matches. Scratch that, we’ll HAVE to do well in these matches.

As we look at our short-term future, we can also look at our summer future as well- Non-Transfer Stuff Edition. As you recall, last summer was the first time we underwent a meaningful pre-season tour, playing some matches in Malaysia and China. This summer, we’re looking to expand our scope, looking to play some exhibition friendlies in Seoul, Beijing, and Hong Kong, before making a short stop in Nigeria. These tours are great for exposing our club awareness and bringing the game closer to our global fans (now, if only Arsenal could tour the U.S….) Judging by the reaction we got last season, I reckon the big, proposed tour we might take this summer could be a huge success. Now, of course, anything to do with the pre-season might have to be changed, given our current ambiguity over our European Competition next season…

We might play there this summer.

Finally, the last couple of days have been tumultuous for English NT fans. First, Harry Redknapp was found innocent. Whatever. Second, Fabio Capello dropped a bombshell and quit England. For good. Over John Terry- seriously!

Point is, the English NT is in major turmoil right now- 4 months before a major tournament, they are without a manager and without a captain. How weak. How idiotic. How English. I feel no sympathy for them whatsoever, mostly because the English NT is filled with douchebags- Rooney, Terry (not anymore doe, hahahaha!), Lampard, Cashley, Joe Hart, Barry,
Defoe, and Joe Hart (punk). So I would rather prefer if Jack and Ox skip this incoming trainwreck and not go to the Euros- Jack would be just coming off a major injury, and the Ox is too young to make that sort of commitment. This isn’t 17 year old Pele in World Cup 1958- the English NT is a media-infested, PR-destroying, tentacled nightmare for all players involved. Jack is great guy, and the Ox sounds like a well-rounded, mature individual from any source we hear him from. Which is the antithesis of the modern English NT player.

Anyways, below is a poll so you can destroy my narrative. Sunderland this weekend- although I won’t be here, so win in my memory. Win for JG. And you know, the race for 4th and whatnot.

Should our English Players go to Euro 2012?

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Category: Arsenal News