Gooners News

The annual awards ceremony was held at Highbury today, with FMR completing his first full season after back to back promotions... it seemed like a perfect time to catch up on all the latest gossip and events. As for the player awards, they were as follows.

Player of the season: Dennis Bergkamp
Top scorer: Thierry Henry
Young player award: Cesc Fabregas
Over achiever: Martin Keown
Most Improved: Sol Campbell

Gooners recently played Thunder Cats in the RMI cup, a tie that mirrored last season’s first round which they won. This time round it was not to be and the final score was 3 -2, although Gooners came close to nicking it in the last minute, it was Thunder Cats who progressed this time round. Although FMR has always made his feelings clear on the pre season cup format, and has been calling for some time for the FA to run a more serious competition alongside the league.

In other news Gooners made their first signing of the new season in the form of Wellington Silva, the young Brazilian was signed this week after FMR went to some considerable lengths to get the player. He did not come cheap and is something of a risk but FMR believes that Wellington, Overmars and Fabregas will create a fantastic partnership in the years to come. Silva is a player very much in the mould of Fabregas in that he is quick and deals with pressure well, this should lead to him contributing a lot of goals but is more versatile in his ability to pass the ball well. Should he develop sufficiently the pairing could be frightening in the not so distant future.

Although FMR is confident that Fabregas is now ready to become a permanent fixture in the starting eleven and admitted he has never been so impressed by a young player, as he has been by Fabregas. His match winning and consistent performance aside in only his debut season, FMR has been more impressed by his professional attitude towards training and ability to perform whenever called upon. There were good words for Wiltord also who will remain in the side and take on the responsibility of leading the line alongside Henry after Wrights departure. FMR was of the opinion that Wiltord was now better equipped to deal with the pressure and has earned the right to make the starting eleven.

He did not have good words to say for everyone though and Ljungberg a player that FMR has been most patient with has finally run out of time. He played his last game in the RMI cup and is already in contract talks with a number of clubs. Seaman was another player that FMR voiced his opinions publicly with but the out of favour keeper gained no interest what so ever on the open market, Although this may spell the end for Akinfeev as FMR needs a number one he can trust and rumour has it both keepers are running out of time! although changing either this window looks an unlikely option. Kevin Campbell was another player who did not make the grade and will not return from his loan period at Reggae.

Gooners have made many changes to the squad since FMR's arrival although he has stuck to his guns on the most part where his best players are concerned and the strongest eleven has remained very much unchanged. We compiled the full list and as you can see FMR indeed has been working very hard behind the scenes.

Gooners ins and outs season 6:

IN: Wellington Silva, Leonardo Borja, Lloyd Lipscombe, Nicolas Anelka, David Rocastle, Igor Akinfeev, Tony Adams, Cesc Fàbregas.

OUT: Patrick Vieira, Abou Diaby, Iain Wright, Tony Adams X2, Robert Pirès, Kevin Campbell, Marouane Chamakh, Hank Tolkien, John Lukic, Gilberto Silva, Lauren Etame Mayer.

Even after back to back promotions there is still a murmur of discontent among the Gooners faithful, many believe with the squad FMR inherited trophies should have already of been obtained. FMR though has always stated as good as the team was success would only have been short term. He is also a manager that is willing to take a gamble, risking everything last season to sign two young strikers, surely had Gooners failed to achieve promotion many would have been quick to criticise his decisions. From his perspective though every decision has been in the interest of the club, and is adamant that the choices have been amongst the hardest he has made at any club. Having never won a trophy he has possibly sacrificed two of his best chances to date to enhance his C.V. having put the development of players and financial gains of the club before even his own ambitions.

Gooners fans will have been optimistic this coming season as FMR has always stated division one trophy was the first silverware he would take seriously and that winning it was high on his list of things to do. The board as always have given FMR full backing and a substantial sum of econs to spend from the sale of players, so surely at this pre season’s press conference he would finally speak the words the fans longed to hear?

The conference is due to be held this coming weekend and is sure to make interesting reading and you can be sure we will be there to report all the details, as FMR lays down his targets for season seven!