The Self-proclaimed World Best Striker
The Premier League reaches its climax tomorrow and the tension from the viewing world is unbearable.
While the fans of Wolves and Blackburn are set for a Summer where they’ll lose all their best players to the predators out there, fans of Bolton and Queens Park Rangers will certainly have their hearts in their mouths in their team’s bid to stay afloat relegation waters.
However, the hierarchy of Wigan Athletic should give Roberto Martinez a pat in the back for another pulsating campaign that has seen his Latics stare relegation in the face only to become triumphant in the end.
Things may be hot at the bottom of the table, but it’s even hotter at the top. The destiny of the Premier League will go down to the wire as the clubs from Manchester are set to lock horns with other sides to decide the fate of the title. A draw will certainly not be good enough for either side.
The fact that Chelsea has a 50 percent change of winning the Champions League has made the battle for third place more intensified with Arsenal, Tottenham and Newcastle still potential suitors for the third place maiden. Getting this position will secure an Champions League slot, irrespective of Chelsea’s antics in the Allianz Arena.
Arsene Wenger also believes the Champions League football will certainly play a key role in retaining Robin van Persie’s services, that’s on the verge of making history against with a landmark goal against West Brom. However, there are doubts over the fitness of Wojciech Szczesny in the crunch encounter.
There’s also some tidbits on Arsenal’s rivals for a Champions League berth. Newcastle’s manager, Alan Pardew, has rightfully received the Manager of the Season award while Arsenal’s transfer target, Jan Vertonghen, is set to sign for Tottenham over the Gunners.
Arsenal’s bad boy, Nicklas Bendtner, has come into the fold yet again with more rambles about his future. The Great Dane has revealed his desire for a new challenge away from the Emirates:
I am ready for new challenges. I have heard about concrete interest from other clubs, who sound interesting, but I can’t say more than that right now.
After all, I am still under contract with Arsenal, so I have to get back to Arsenal and talk to them first.
On the specific matter of staying with Arsenal, I have to say I need something new to happen for me. There is no panic thinking about my future. Now, it’s all about Euro 2012 for Denmark and afterwards I can look at my club future.
I’ve shared my views about Bendtner in the past, I’ll certainly prefer to see him ahead of the likes of Marouane Chamakh and Park Chu-Young. Lukas Podolski’s imminent arrival will further diminish Bendtner’s chances of getting playing time but the cards still remain in Arsene Wenger’s deck.
He has scored eight goals in 27 games for Sunderland, a club that doesn’t really go hand-in-hand with creativity. They are a decent lot from set pieces and they possess a dogged and crafty style of play, yet Bendtner has done well to get in on the act even though he has made his signature misses too.
In other Arsenal related news, six ambassadors have been selected to join their national team’s provisional list ahead of the forthcoming Euros. Robin van Persie and Per Mertesacker were the first to be called up, but Andrey Arshavin, the Polish goalkeeping duo and Laurent Koscielny have been called up as well.
A call-up is no less than Koscielny deserves for his brilliant performances this season. The centre back has also expressed his delight to be considered by Laurent Blanc, and has vowed to keep working hard to ensure that he makes the final cut, although he knows that he is not guaranteed a spot in Ukraine and Poland.
To round it all up, the Gunners have paid their befitting tributes to Pat Rice and his replacement, Steve Bould, has declared that he’s ready for the challenge. In the wake of the Gunners tour to Nigeria in August, the club has reached an agreement with Malta Guinness, a refreshing malt drink served in the country.
The agreement has been reached following confirmation that the Arsenal first team is visiting Nigeria in August for the first time in their history as part of their pre-season build up. Arsène Wenger’s side will play at the 60,000 capacity Abuja National Stadium on Sunday, August 5, with the opposition likely to be a leading African national team.
As part of this relationship, Malta Guinness Low Sugar will be the Official Malt Drink of Arsenal Football Club around Arsenal’s Nigeria tour.
Let’s keep our fingers crossed ahead of tomorrow’s fixtures.
Sayonara.
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