Arsenal look to end drought

It’s been a long five years since Arsenal won any silverware. This could be the most important season in a long time for Arsene Wenger. Although Arsenal are widely regarded to be one of the most attractive teams in world football, trophies have failed to follow the plaudits. With Cesc Fabragas’s future far from clear, if Arsenal are to have any hope of keeping their best players they need to challenge for honours this season.

Those planning on betting premier league money on Arsenal should note that they will have one of the Premiership’s youngest squads this season. A lot of the young squad have been playing together for five years though through the youth set-up into the first team.

Wenger will be hoping that they will be able to challenge Chelsea, Manchester United and now Manchester City. With the quality of the youth set-up at the Emirates, Wenger very rarely spends heavily on players.

This summer has seen the arrival of Marouane Chamakh from Bordeaux on a free transfer. The arrival of the Moroccan striker meant that Eduardo was allowed to leave for Shakhtar Donesk.

The only other signing has been the capture of centre back Laurent Koscielny from FC Lorient. With Phillipe Senderos, Mikael Silvestre, William Gallas and Sol Campbell all leaving meaning defensive numbers are low.

If Arsenal are to challenge this season and if those betting championship medals will come their way are to be justified, Wenger may have to invest further on defensive options and a new keeper.

Manuel Almunia and Lukasz Fabianski both failed to inspire confidence between the sticks last season. This will be one of Wenger’s most important decisions.

Cesc Fabregas subject to more unsettling paper talk

Claims that Arsenal and Barcelona have reached a secret deal about the future of Cesc Fabrgeas appear to be a new low in the Spanish side's chase for the player.
According to El Mundo Deportivo discussions between the two parties are so far advanced the transfer could be concluded by the end of the week.

On the face of it, this seems to be the biggest load of rubbish to emerge yet. Arsenal have denied the player is for sale and recently even Barca players have admitted they don't expect Fabregas to join them this season.

However, given the fact that the newspaper also states the Spanish club is acting with "extreme discretion" and the side is convinced their showing any public interest in the player would weaken their negotiating position, the whole thing seems laughable.

It also looks like another desperate attempt to upset a player who was, and possibly still is, completely happy at his current club. The best odds for Premier League games suggest this season will be very competitive, and we need a settled squad.

If the story isn't a complete work of fiction, there are very few places this story could have come from and the most likely seems to be a Barcelona insider.
However, if they are as close to landing their man as they suggest, why would they blow their chances by making it public?

It could just be paper talk or, worse, it could be another attempt to prise Fabregas from London through fair means or foul.

After all, the club have already had their players angling with for his signature, so would it be too much of a surprise if they'd decide to use a newspaper too?

A few words in the right ear are all it would need to lead major headlines and get Cesc thinking, and, if the story turns out to be untrue, the unnamed source gets none of the flack.

The lastest football betting odds suggest that if the player does decide to leave, Barca will be his destination, but that doesn't mean he will go.

Of course, the story would be entirely true but I have a feeling Fabregas will still be an Arsenal player come the weekend.