Ali - Sky Sports Expert

We've got Sol

Arsenal have got their Sol back, but will he make a difference?

Posted: 16th January 2010 18:56

Send an email to AliEmail Ali

We've got Sol

Campbell: no spring chicken

At the end of the day who would you rather have defending a lead for you as the ball is pumped into the box? Sol, Silvestre or Senderos? Enough said.

Arsenal FanZoner Ali May welcomes Sol Campbell back.
Quotes of the week

Also see

Happy new year to you all. 2010 is upon us and the transfer window has creaked open. What will both bring I wonder? More on that in a bit...

I start with great optimism after the mighty reds have put together a series of decent results.

After getting tonked by Chelski at home we have gone on, at the time of writing, to be only three points behind them. At the start of the season I am sure most Gooners would have signed up for that at this stage of the campaign.

The home win over Villa showed the difference between the teams. As good/boring a team as Villa are they simply don't have the quality to make that final step up.

We then gave poor old Pompey a good beating. Fratton Park was always a tough place to go until Harry "nudge nudge, wink wink" Redknapp broke them. I really feel for those poor fans but am made to feel a little better at the thought that he might leave the Spuds in the same state.

An FA Cup win and a fortunate home draw with Everton leaves us well placed in all three major competitions. Lovely.

Fear

The injury front seems to be getting a shade better with Rosicky returning from outer space, Clichy back in full training, Bendtner due back in two weeks etc.

Theo continues to be in for one game and out for three. I fear for young Theo's Arsenal career. I just don't know what he is. I also don't think Wenger truly believes in him and I would not be surprised to see him offloaded in the summer. I doubt any Gooners would complain but I hope to be proven wrong and the lad goes on to great things with us. "Patience" I hear you cry. He has been with us for nearly five years.

We travel to Bolton this Sunday, and a return to the booth for me, with a familiar face amongst the squad. Unless you have been living with Robbie Keane (in Vermaelen's pocket) you will know that big Sol has returned until the end of the season. Yes Spuds fans you have read it right. We have signed Sol Campbell for nothing twice now!

This is an interesting signing that has divided opinion right down the middle. I like the deal (and the fact that we can sing his songs again) and think that the reason Sol was signed was not so much for his contribution on the pitch but more so off it. He, unlike the rest of the squad bar Gallas, has been there and done it. Won the league twice and the FA Cup four times. The man is a winner.

Support

This experience will be vital for our young squad and Sol can really help bring our defenders on and also provide Fabregas with some support from a leadership point of view.

At the end of the day who would you rather have defending a lead for you as the ball is pumped into the box? Sol, Silvestre or Senderos? Enough said.

We have been linked with Saha and, whilst I think he is a cracking player, he too is a physio botherer. What is Arsene trying to do? Get enough players in so Rosicky has some mates to play Xbox with?

I agree we need an experienced striker, though. We need someone who can come in and stick the ball in the net from day one. Problem is these players just aren't around and if they are would be well out of our price range. I can see the Saha deal happening but not much else to be honest. Not because Arsene is being tight but because the players that could improve on what we have already just aren't available.

Buying for the sake of it is more a Spuds thing. Please see Bentley, Keane, Pavlyuchenko, Hutton, Bale etc None of these would get in our reserves and yet cost a fortune.

Crazy

Another interesting piece of business is the return of "Le grande sauscisse" to Man City. I would have loved to see him back at his true home but agree that the deal on offer from them is just crazy. £130k, reportedly, a week! He won't play two games in a row. I wanted him for his leadership qualities and I guess the reasons are the same for Mancini. I wish the great man well and he is assured of a standing ovation at the Emirates when he comes to town.

This is going to be a very interesting few months for us Gooners. I have a feeling we are going to do something special. We can only get better as a team and the real test of that comes at the end of this month and the beginning of next. We travel to Villa and Chelski and host Man USA and Liverpool in the league. The FA Cup and the Champions League also await us.

Teams are taking points of each other left, right and centre and it is going to be incredibly exciting with many twists along the way. As long as we maintain our home form and beat the "dross" away then we will do something special.

Before all that we have to deal with our "bogey team" with two games in the space of four days. Bolton have a new manager and I hope he begins his reign with two defeats.

Big Sol for the squad? All together now "double, double, double, Sol Campbell has won the double..........."

See you on Sunday. COYRRR!

Press red from 1.30pm this Sunday for FanZone coverage of Aston Villa v West Ham followed by Bolton v Arsenal (4pm).

Click Here for Your Free Bet

The views expressed are not necessarily those of skysports.com

Comments (10)

  • Page 1 of 1
  • 1

Sahim Ahmed (Arsenal fan) says...

Sol is a good signing, we need some experince on our team ans sol is the perfect replacement. But i still think arsenal need to buy a good striker, maybe chamkh or someone like that class. But hopefuly we win the race for racing santander youngster canales.

Posted 20:06 21st January 2010

Nicholas Neocleous (Arsenal fan) says...

I think Sol is a good signing but you are right when you say we need another striker. I have to say you are a funny guy and put your points across with good humor. Keep it up my man

Posted 13:15 20th January 2010

Asanda Gxamza (Arsenal fan) says...

I think you might be wrong about Walcott if he just stays injury free for 3 games we wil him see start to perform. Sol's come back is something i'm looking foward to seeing

Posted 21:17 19th January 2010

Li Wal (Arsenal fan) says...

This season has shaped up to be deliciously fruitful, and most importantly we are amongst them pears, apples and sour grapes with our over expanding goals, arsenalisation playing syle and the revelation of course....from Vermanator- defensive partership with William Gallas has been impeccable, aswell as the maturity and fenisse delievery of El Captaino, Cesc Fabregas. The player has really took the armband to great effect, and used this as an embodiment to lead the team by example. My gosh the 20 minute apperance against Aston Villa was epically magnifico, similarities to David Cameron's Avatar picture. Furhermore the Free-Kick scored would without question be appreciated by the likes of David Beckham, Former Talisman Thierry Henry and Rau andl would be proud of the young Catalan on-form superstar. Now shall we move onto the re-signing of Sol Campbell! When i heard the news, my mouth dropped as if i was Daffy Duck being chased by Elmer Fudd with an air rifle, it was beyond belief. Oooooooh MY GOD! Although the premise was reality. This transfer could be pivotal to our season, not only does Sol have the experience of been there and done that, but passing these traits to his Young Guns will be crucial for us during the remainder of the season, so therefore my verdict of this signing will be a HIT with capitals! Vermaelean and co at the back will love to learn from the legend- who was instrumental to our 'Invisibles' season; in conjunction to our double winning season playing a key role and partnership with Keown and Tony Adams. Seriously as Arsenal fans we should be optimistic for the forecoming months ahead, as it is going to be a nail biting, but hopefully a satisfying, joyfully and ectastic ending for the Red and White half of North London.

Posted 17:40 19th January 2010

Sahim Ahmed (Arsenal fan) says...

its not the best signing, but its the worst. His not with a club at the moment, so its understandable, but we really need a world-class striker. Maybe someone like van-nistorey only for loan and check him out and to annoy the man united fans. But we are missing someone with that kind of experience, but i hope we can but that young kid from racing santader, canales. he would be best at arsenal, because other teams would just mess up his carear like liverpool done to babel.

Posted 20:42 18th January 2010

Tayeeb Hussain (Arsenal fan) says...

it seems as though arsenal are relying on cesc fabregas too much i wonder if wenger will sign any players in the january transfer window there is not a lot of quality in midfield diaby is not consistent enough and arsenal have not got a decent striker arsenal need to show that they are good without fabregas aswell in my opinion they have not got the quality in the midfield area

Posted 11:58 18th January 2010

Mark Carmichael (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

You can't stop going on about Spurs can you? We don't care about Campbell now, its very OLD news. We have the future to look forward to.

Posted 11:35 18th January 2010

Alex Dalo (Arsenal fan) says...

Why didn`t Wenger sign MAXI from Athletico Madrid when he new he could go for free?

Posted 01:19 18th January 2010

Ismael Ibrahim (Arsenal fan) says...

I totally see where your coming from with pretty much everything thing to be honest. I've been watching the almighty reds for a very long time and this season, we look very strong. However, I really do feel we need a striker, I read somewhere recently that with RVP we scored something close to 3.8 goals a game, whereas without him we scored 1.8 goals, 2 goals is a MASSIVE difference. Also we cannot afford to drop points at home to Everton if we are going to win the league... I think that Saha would be a good signing, however knowing our luck, he'll get injured in his first training session and be out for the season. Yet I believe there is one striker out there who we can get, Klaas-jan Huntelaar! I have watched this guy for ages, and he is EXACTLY what we need, he is tall, strong, powerful and CLINICAL! Although Wenger has said he is not on our radar, I really feel he would be perfect for us, not to mention next season with him and RVP upfront - mouth watering to say the least! I could go on for ages about Huntelaar, and I have in my blog at huntelaararsenalssolution.blogspot.com - worth a read, and I believe you will see where I'm coming from. As for Campbell, I believe he is a very good signing for us...for the reasons you've said.

Posted 14:01 17th January 2010

Matthew Swain (Arsenal fan) says...

i think campbell is a brilliant signing really happy about that but im not happy with viera joining man city that is a slap in the face to all arsenal fans even though we would have happily had him back but we have campbell who scored in the champions league fnal no arsenal player has done that ever i think anyway

Posted 23:35 16th January 2010
  • Page 1 of 1
  • 1

Add Comment*

Send us your views

Are you a Sky Sports subscriber?

*All fields required, your email address will be kept private