What Comes Free Goes Free

So another great player has gone for free. Sol Campbell, at the moment, is nothing more than an average centre half but few years ago he was one of the best in Europe. He was the only established centre half Wenger has ever signed for Arsenal. And I feel that he would be one of the best free signings Wenger has ever made. I still regard that as one of Wenger's best moves in transfer dealing, ever.

I have expected Wenger to sell him but then Wenger has that tendency to let his players go for free. Anelka, Petit, and Overmars are but the only group of players who Wenger sold for a good amount of money. But that doesn't really matter when you consider Wenger's ability in unearthing raw talents.

I understood that we have signed Song for 4 million fee and I can tell you I still can't believe it. If Wenger is willing to gamble that amount of money on such a player, why did he not bring Carrick or Mascherano in when he had the opportunity to do so? Carrick cost Spurs less than 4 millions and the only reason they got him was because we withdrew our offer. Rumour has it that we are interested in the now 15 millions Carrick. How strange is that?

Wenger's move in the transfer window is still very much unknown but there has been reports on us bidding for certain players.

Let's start with Saviola, who could cost us 2-3 millions. Now that is a good business for me. I don't heck know whether that little Argentinian could cope with Blackburn or Bolton's brute force but you can't go horribly wrong with that amount of money for a player with such skill. Of course I would love to get Tevez instead but you know Chelsea are into him as well. I won't talk too much now.. let's wait and see.

What about that 10 million bid for Ribery? It is said that Real have 26 million bid for him and I sincerely hope that Real would get that man. I am sorry but I really wasn't convinced by him, not yet. Even Myles was excited with Ribery and Henry was singing him praises but.. Ah well, Wenger might as well prove me wrong and bring in Ribery, who Myles described as Freddie in the making.

And 8 million bid for Curtis Davies? Honestly I felt that he is rather overpriced but he is a good player who no doubt will form a good partnership with Kolo. So I would love to see Wenger get the player. We are in need of one quality centre half to replace Sol. Surely we can't expect Cygan to do that.

Oh, and Yaya Toure? There is no report of Wenger bidding for the player but if he can really come for 7 millions then by all means, please bring him in. Of course Hargreaves could also be a welcome addition.

I still feel that a centre half and a holding midfielder are our priority at the moment.

World Cup is over

Yeah.. World Cup is over. When I saw Italy's first two games' result, and upon tracing the path they need to take to win the holy grail, I have sensed that they would be in the final. But I had no idea who the other team would be, and I definitely wouldn't expect France to be there. When I knew that it was Italy vs France, I told my friends that I would back Italy to win.

I suppose any Arsenal fan would back France to win. In fact I would love to see Zizou winning the Cup for one last time. But this Italy side has got the luck as well as mentality and therefore, deserved to win it. Domenech was as clueless as a certain Swede yet Lippi was tactically in par with Mourinho. No contest.

Speaking of Zizou.. surely everyone are condemning him right now, with the local newspaper all asking the big "WHY". Some even went as far as questioning whether he was a saint or a devil. He was definitely not a saint but if that headbutt is good enough to make him a devil, we would certainly have many devils playing football at the moment. Think about the tackles that break players' leg (some of them were intentional), or those bloody elbows that flatten the opponents' faces (players such as Shearer or Essien are experts in this).

It's a fact that there is no reason solid enough for a player as experienced as Zinedine Zidane to do that. And I should make it clear that I truly agree that he was wrong there and then.

He shouldn't do that even if Materazzi scolded his mum or, as some sources say it, called him a dirty terrorist (Zizou is a Moslem). No, he should have kept his calm and seek the chance to stamp on the Italian during play. That way, he might get away with a mere yellow or even if he was sent off, his reputation would not be tarnished. That is the coward way of football, isn't it?

I don't know what has happened between him and Materazzi but I was sure that Zizou is not someone who would react easily. It will be interesting to hear Zizou's explanation.

In any case, I personally found it a fitting finale for a footballer whose skill earned him the status of 'deity'. The final showed us that he was a mere human with emotion, after all.