The Emirates Cup is no doubt a commercial success – fill the stadium for a couple of days and even get a few quid off ESPN. I’m glad; Arsenal have to try and compete with fabulously rich oil sheiks these days.
But the trouble with selling a couple of pre-season friendlies as a tounament and sticking them on the telly is that some people are going to start taking them very seriously. Or at least start taking the piss! Or even booing. When I was a teenager, I’m not sure I even knew that pre-season friendlies existed.
Yesterday was a half-hearted affair with some touches of style and some gaffes. It told everyone what they know already. Arsenal could do with another class act in central defence, an experienced leftback and, if Nasri and Fabregas are departing, some more midfield fire-power.
So what are the club trying to do about it? Apparently they are trying to sign another class act in central defence, some more midfield fire-power and, it’s rumoured, a leftback.
Will they succeed in landing everyone they want? I really hope so, but I’m realistic enough to know they won’t always get their first choices and that things can go wrong. This isn’t Football Manager where you just put in higher amounts until the fixed parameter buried in the software gives in and grants you your wish.
Arsenal undoubtedly face a tough season. Manchester City have had a massive cash injection and Liverpool have got their act together. Two classy players and two very unclassy clubs have combined to make the transfer window even more difficult than usual.
The point of this post is not to say that Arsenal have necessarily handled things brilliantly or that Arsene always Knows Best. They clearly haven’t and he doesn’t always. But that (a) each individual club (with the exception of Manchester City) has a lot less control over their situation than they would like; and (b), even if a pre-season friendly comes dressed in bows, ribbons and a trophy, it’s still a pre-season friendly.
