Happy Start of Pre-Season Training Day!

So, some of the wait is over. Arsenal begin pre-season training today at London Colney and in 12 days time we will have our first friendly: the annual Barnet match at Underhill. Of course some people won't be starting just yet. Fabregas, Walcott and Gibbs will be given extended breaks after their international adventures this summer. Vela is off in the North America and Carribbean version of the European Championships. Merida, Lansbury and Hoyte are all going to be involved in the Euro under 19 competition which starts on July 21st, and word is the African players won't be back yet either after a few international matches which also took place during the summer break. So perhaps not the raring start we were hoping for, but a start nonetheless.

In other Arsenal news, congratulations to Manuel Almunia, who came third in the Arsenal player of the season, and congratulations to Arshavin who came second. One would think that had he been at Arsenal the whole season he would easily have come first. As it is, presumably van Persie will take the honours this year. That brings me on to another point that I have touched upon before, but it annoys me so much. And that is that we find out who has been our Player of the Season a week after training starts for the next season. Surely it shouldn't be like this.

But anyway, Melo stories refuse to go away. As I stated in a previous article I can't help but feel there may be some truth in the stories of our pursuit of the fiery Brazilian. It draws parallels to stories of Nasri, Arshavin and Vermaelen, which also failed to go away. Then we signed them. Let's hope it's the same this time. Fiorentina, for some reason posted on their official website that they wanted most of the escape fee clause for Melo, along with a swap for Eboue. To which we reportedly responded 'Are you crazy?! Get out of here, we can't lose Eboue!! Have Senderos instead.' I expect this to go on for a while. More importantly, now pre-season has started, will Wenger even try to bring anyone else in for fear of disrupting team gelling? Only time will tell.

In the last week, the Werder Bremen manager actually told the press that he was looking at selling one of his players (Naldo) for about £8million, and Arsenal looked the most likely destination. I honestly don't think this is the case. Surely? What manager actually says that to the press? I mean it would be great if it did happen. I really rate him, plus he's as tall as Canary Wharf. Also Cesc is being bullied by the two Spanish superclubs and The Sun again. This time, apparently we've 'slapped' a £40million price tag on our captain (sounds painful). This evidently is in preparation for bids to come in from Barcelona and Real Madrid. We have to consider the source. It's The Sun. Therefore it is lies. Also isn't it about time Wenger reported Barca and Real Madrid? It's illegal to intentionally make a player uncomfortable in his current club so he'll move to you. What they are trying is pretty damn transparent, almost to the point that Fiorentino Perez and Joan Laporta are saying to the press 'Our aim is to grind down Cesc Fabregas so eventually he can't be arsed to play for Arsenal anymore and undergo all this speculation, and then he'll move to us.' Yet somehow they get away with it!

Oh by the way, I like the white kit. I understand it's not traditional Arsenal colours, but who on earth thinks it looks bad? How does it look bad? It looks very stylish and I for one like it, I don't care what anyone else thinks.

That's all for now. 'Til something happens Gooners.

p.s. Apparently Harry Redknapp is trying to lure Luis Figo out of retirement, so he can play for the spuds. Hahahahaha how desperate are they??