It's always interesting to see which stories concerning Arsenal gain the most traction when there is no football to steal the headlines.
With the glut of would-be post-match analysis, rumors inevitably fill the considerable void.
For the past week and a half, as we've waited out the latest international break, there have been stories concerning former Gunner Dennis Bergkamp's feelings on the current attack; a rumored move made for Lille starlet Eden Hazard this past summer; Lukasz Fabianski's unhappiness at finding himself on the periphery of first-team action (Shocking! A player would prefer more playing time?!), and on and on down the line.
The headlines are priceless, in and of themselves.
Of course teams are lining up to ascertain Hazard's services. The 20-year-old Belgian wunderkind oozes potential.
While Bergkamp's remarks are interesting, it seems bizarre to claim that Van Persie could be more prolific than he's been in 2011. If it's possible, then I'm all for it—if he can score more goals, more power to him—and of course Fabianski is upset at his current placement on the goalkeeping depth chart. Any true competitor would be.
It will be nice to get back to actual football. While I'm all for hearing about Joel Campbell's loan stay in windy Lorient, considering that the last two players we've had spend time with the Bretagne-based club (Francis Coquelin on loan and Laurent Koscielny in an '09 transfer) have enjoyed very different starts to the current season, I'll wait a bit before I let my expectations run into overdrive on the Costa Rican wonder-striker.
Perhaps the biggest news over the past couple of weeks has been the wrangling over Robin van Persie's contract extension. The will he/won't he commit his future to the club has been a bit overwrought, honestly—when he's good and ready, he'll tell us what his plans are. Considering that his current "predicament" hasn't affected his play, I'll leave him to it.
It's completely fair for Van Persie to take his time before committing his future to North London (specifically, Ashburton Grove—you can never trust Tottenham, what with their current employment of former Gunners William Gallas and Emmanuel Adebayor).
At 28, he is entering the likely twilight of his career. And while his playing style, much like Dennis Bergkamp's, is immune to the effects of age, he won't be at his current level of productivity forever. Should he wish to chase trophies elsewhere, you could hardly blame him.
I think my favorite "rumor" out of the bunch was a personal promise by Andrei Arshavin to show more commitment to the cause at Arsenal.
Oh, that little P.S. by Park about having to leave Arsenal within two years to fulfill his national service with South Korea was quite interesting, too. Begs the question—with such a limited time frame available in which to utilize the former Monaco man, why won't Wenger play him more?
The Russian takes his national team commitment quite seriously (Wenger admitted that after Arshavin missed out on qualifying for World Cup '10, the Russian simply wasn't the same player for months), and his excellent turn of form over the past week and a half will have hopefully reinvigorated him.
He has only managed one goal for Arsenal this campaign (all competitions combined), and he has seen his spot on the left wing taken by Gervinho.
Arshavin will always be most comfortable operating out of a more central positioning—he has played attacking midfielder with his former Russian club, Zenit St. Petersburg—and one wonders why Wenger seems against allowing the diminutive dynamo the chance to prove himself in a similar role with Arsenal.
Aaron Ramsey has been solid in attack this season but has done nothing to make his stature in the first XI non-negotiable. Why not sub in Arshavin for Ramsey one match, and let the Russian strut his stuff for the final 30 minutes?
Finally, the weekend's matchup against Sunderland can only have one storyline: Nicklas Bendtner.
The Great Dane, whose confidence could leap tall buildings in a single bound, will be relishing his opportunity to stick it to his former (er, current) employers.
The on-loan striker, so fondly known by Arsenal fans as "Sir Miss-a-Lot," hasn't minced words about what he considers to have been harsh treatment in North London, making a move back to Arsenal at the end of this season looking increasingly unlikely.
With the match at the Emirates, it would be difficult not to pick Arsenal to emerge victorious playing within their comfortable confines.
Yet this season has shown that what once could have been assumed about this club has taken upon much more uncertain tones.
Still, it will be wonderful to see the match report. All this rumor-mongering is making me dizzy. Drat. I told myself I wouldn't be sucked into that game!
Nick Johnson Javier Lopez Alex Hinshaw Ramon Ramirez Sergio Romo Brian Wilson
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