Thierry Henry - Can he be arsed to return to Emirates?

After four-and-a-half year in New York Arsenal legend, Thierry Henry has left Red Bulls - Rumours link him back to London and The Gunners, but is the club even interesting for the striker?

He is a true legend and Arsenal fans from all over the world travels to the Emirates Stadium to worship the statue of the French striker. Now, Henry is free of his contract in New York after some impressing years for the Red Bulls.

Some of the fans will have woken up this morning with a morning glory hoping to see Henry in the red and white Puma shirt, and the oddsmakers are already setting the odds for Henry return to Arsenal.

But, nothing is settled and at this point we don't even know if Henry is ending his career or hoping for a few more years. After all, he is 37-years-old and has played his part in the history of football.

Wenger today says he is certain Henry will return to Arsenal in some non-playing role at some point, and reading behind the lines this means Arsenal has no interest in signing him as an extra striker. And looking at the squad, Henry is probably not the player Arsenal needs at the moment.

But Henry could return to Arsenal and play a role in the backroom staff and move on to become an assistant as we have seen with Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes in Manchester United. Most fans would love to see Henry take over for Wenger at some point, and even though many are losing fate in manager, this might not be the right time.

Henry is interesting for Arsenal and Arsenal is interesting for Henry, but we might have seen the last of him in the Red and white shirt. The Gunners have to dream about him in the manager's seat for the future.

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Arsenal fans: Lower ticket prices or give us better players

By Harbo on 02:24

It is well known that Emirates Stadium is one of the most expensive football grounds to visit in England. Last season the prices increased three per cent and now the fans have had it.

It feels like a decade since Arsenal last won the Premier League trophy, but that doesn't stop Arsenal chairman Sir Chips Keswick from increasing the ticket prices. However, in a letter to Sir Keswick, the fans have warned the club not to increase the ticket prices unless Arsene Wenger goes on a shopping spree in January.

According to The Mirror, Tim Payton of the Arsenal Supporters Trust said: “Fans have had enough of sky high ticket prices while clubs rake in ever growing revenues from TV and sponsorship deals.

“We are calling on Arsenal to recognise the loyalty of their fans who still turn up in great numbers by freezing ticket prices next season.

The supporters do not believe that the club have any basis for a price rise as Wenger did not use up all of the cash at his disposal in the summer. Therefore, they demand Arsenal to spend money on high profile players during the January window.

Otherwise, we might see an empty Emirates Stadium in the near future.

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Vermaelen out - Agger in?

By Harbo on 10:24

Thomas Vermaelen is set to leave Arsenal and leave Manchester United hanging.

UK media today reports that Arsene Wenger has accepted a £15m bid for Thomas Vermaelen. An offer the French can't refuse.

The Belgian defender has only one year left of his contract and with only 14 appearances in the Premier League last season, he doesn't seem to have a future for the Gunners with Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny performing solid in the defense.

Manchester United have been linked with the Belgian for some time, but Vermaelen seems lost for the Red Devils as Barcelona snatch him in front of Vermaelen.

The Catalonians have been looking to strengthen their central defends this summer, and several players have been trough the transfer rumour mill including Liverpool's Daniel Agger. While Wenger should be happy with the £15m deal, this is bad news for Agger as his exit from Liverpool is on hold; at least for a while.

According to the Mirror, Arsenal are interested in signing the Dane as a back up for Mertesacker and Koscielny, but it is very unlikely Wenger will make an offer for the 29-year-old defender. However, the manager has brought in experienced defenders from rival clubs in the past, and Agger can hope that Arsenal will offer him the exit from Liverpool he so badly wants.

Other defenders Wenger has brought in from rival clubs:

William Gallas, Sol Campbell, Mikael Silvestre

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All focus on Moyes but is Wenger the next manager to leave?

By Harbo on 04:16

Moyes took over for Alex Ferguson in Manchester United before this season, leaving Arsene Wenger as the most serving manager in the Premier League. That can change by the end of this season.

After 18-years in the seat Arsene Wenger might be the end game for the French in Arsenal. Losing to Everton this weekend was just another disappointment, and what looked to be a promising season have more or less turned out to be a battle just to get in the Champions League.

Most focus has been on David Moyes taking over for Sir Alex Ferguson, and not living up to the expectations. That might have saved Wenger from some media attention, but with the top three slipping away both fans and sports journalists will be hunting him down. Even Ian Wright, who have been faithful to Wenger, is now talking about the need for change and is mentioning Roberto Martinez as the perfect replacement.

The future in Arsenal is already uncertain for Wenger, but only because he still haven't signed a new contract with only a few months left of the current. The Arsenal board still supports the manager, but it seems as the fans have lost their patience with him as they face another season without silverware. However, the Gunners are still in the FA Cup where they face Wigan in the semi finals. Winning the FA Cup can save the season for the fans and the manager. That said, should Arsenal fail to qualify for the Champions League, it will be for the first time in 18 years.

Last week, Wenger told that he would still be aiming to bring in young players to the squad, and give them a chance and the players would then pay back by staying in the club. However, the last couple of years fans have seen one profile after the other getting his chance and they leaving for another club. Wenger brought in Ozil, but Arsenal will need more than just one star on the team if they want to win the Premier League. Especially when Ozil has disappointed since January.

Maybe it is time for a new manager with new eyes on the squad. Roberto Martinez is an exciting coach, and in Everton he has already proven that he is a manager for the future. Only a win in the FA Cup and some star players can get the fans behind Wenger again.

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Now the world loves Bendtner

By Harbo on 03:34

He has been down and out, hated by both Arsenal and Denmark fans, kicked down doors and thrown with glasses; but now Nicklas Bendtner has turned the table. Does he have a future in Arsenal?

He have always had the potential, the Big Dane, and he showed it in an early age when Arsenal sent him on loan to Birmingham. Here, the striker showed what he was best at; scoring goals. Since then, Bendtner has become better to make scandals than finding the back of the net.

Unsuccessful loan spells at Sunderland and Juventus, fighting and committing vandalism sent him out in the cold in Denmark where the Danish FA gave him six months ban from national duty. In Arsenal, Wenger lost patience with a man he had defended so many times and since last summer it has looked as Bendtner was to leave the club this month. However, injuries meant Bendtner got his - not second but perhaps tenth chance in the North London club - and this time he caught it. His goal against Hull followed up by some good performances has turned the fans from being against him to loving him. They now call him 'Lord' Bendtner, and the social media are going mad with Bendtner memes.

Unfortunately for Bendtner, and for the fans, the striker twisted his ankle after scoring against Cardiff two weeks ago. Wenger was quick to say that his January transfers depends on his injury, and with the Dane being out for six weeks as well as Walcott being out for the season, a new striker will arrive at Emirates. The question is if that will push Bendtner further back in the hierarchy? Wenger is considering to keep Bendtner at Emirates, but with the prospect of being a reserve might not be welcomed by the Dane. Furthermore, Bendtner will not get the same pay as his current contract offers. That said, he will not find a club willing to pay what he is getting at Arsenal.

The fans love him again, is that enough to stay for a man who seems to have grown up? Bendtner has six months to show that he deserves to play in Arsenal.

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Nicklas Bendtner shows how fragile Arsenal are

By Harbo on 01:10

Arsenal's problem? It was clear when they sent on Bendtner... Wenger lacks a world-class striker to partner Giroud. This was the title of the Daily Mail's match report from the clash between Manchester United and Arsenal on Sunday.

The Daily Mail is right. Despite, Bendtner's great comeback, the Dane is still not good enough to play for Arsenal, and especially not against opponents as Manchester United. The question is who should Arsene Wenger bring in instead?

Luis Suarez was the main target during the summer, but he is out of the picture for the January window, mainly because he has made a comeback in Liverpool. However, it is also known now that the striker removed his get-out clause in 2012.

The most likely transfer would be Real Madrid's Karim Benzema, who has been linked with Arsenal for about a year. The Frenchman could be interested in a move to the Gunners as he has appeared out of sorts this season. Furthermore, Arsenal should have the money to buy him out of his contract in Madrid.

Another possibility is from a rival club; Arsenal was interested in Demba Ba before Chelsea signed him from Newcastle, and the interest is still there. However, it is unlikely Chelsea will sell to a rival, unless they are able to recoup most of the £7.5m they paid for the Senegalese. A loan deal could be an option as Arsenal would be interested in getting a player with Premier League experience.

Last but not the least Arsenal was battling with Juventus over the Spanish forward Fernando Llorente and lost. However, Llorente has not gotten the success he hoped for in the Italian club and will be eager to go on a loan deal to Arsenal to regain his place in the Spanish squad for the World Cup. Llorente could be a great signing but is much the same type striker as Giroud. That said if Arsenal comes in trouble they will have two strong strikers up front!

No matter what, Arsene Wenger needs to cash out this winter and bring in a striker otherwise they will lose in the battle for the Premier League trophy.

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The Arsenal Circus

By Harbo on 08:13

It has been a strange summer; Arsenal have not been fighting to keep one of their star players. Probably because all of the really stars have already left the Gunners while no new big names has joined the club.

Remember the summer when Barcelona was flirting with Fabregas, and managed to bring him to Spain? Later the same happened with Alex Song, and the probably biggest star within the latest years, Robin van Persie left for Manchester United. Meanwhile, Arsene Wenger promised to bring in new names, but none of the signings were nowhere near close to become stars in the Premier League. The fans are almost begging the Professor to bring stars to Arsenal, and even the players have started commenting on the lack of signings.

Even before the transfer window opened, Arsenal assured that Wenger would have enough money to bring in a couple of players. However, all the potential signings have joined other clubs while Wenger managed to bring in a 20-year-old striker from the French 1. division - on a free transfer. Now, we can not shoot Yaya Sanogo down before he has even made his first appearance. However, there are some major differences between playing in the French 1. division and the English Premier League. Wenger has always been good spotting the talents, but for every talent to break through in Arsenal, 5 is leaving through the back door.

The last couple of months Luis Suarez has been linked to Arsenal and Wenger have used the media to try and lure Liverpool to sell him. The Uruguayan is a star in the Premier League but is more known for his lack of discipline than his appearances on the pitch. Looking back on the history of Wenger and players with bad behaviours it can seem a bit strange that he so determined to bring Suarez to Emirates. In the past, the French has been quick to shipping off players as Jermaine Pennant if they did not live up to his expectations of how to behave. Now, he is suddenly going all in on the worst of them all.

The fans also seems to have lost patience with Wenger's philosophy of not spending money, and at the same time seeing the players they hope to see in the Arsenal shirt join other clubs. The demand is a new striker and if possible a new defender, but not just any player. It needs to be an enhancement of the squad. At the moment, the biggest star on the team is, in my opinion Theo Walcott, and that speaks for it selves. The striker/winger is living on his pace and not much more. Despite his many goals last season, he is nowhere near the same level as Robin van Persie or Thierry Henry was when they were playing in Arsenal. Sure, Wenger has brought in some interesting players; Cazorla, Podolski and Arteta just to mention a few. But Wenger needs to take action and find the kind of players the fans is longing for; if not Arsenal will go through another season without silverware. Perhaps the last with Wenger in control.

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