Written by Lindsay Melrose Thursday, 04 August 2011 18:38

GunnerTalk Blog

Photoshopped by Daryl Booth

By Lindsay Sheehan

Okay Gooners, time to GET INVOLVED.It’s been a tense long summer and we can deny the imminent start of the season no longer. So as it stands, with this current squad, how do YOUthink we’ll do?  Let us know here george@gunnertalk.com and we’ll publish your view as part of our ‘My Predictions for Arsenal's 2011 - 2012 Season’ series

At this moment I have absolutely no idea what the upcoming season will bring for us Gooners.

The Current ‘Situation’

To say it’s been an anxious summer so far is an understatement. The papers have been full of broken cannons hovering menacingly over 'Arsenal in Crisis' headlines whilst we walk around in a barely concealed state of panic at our apparent lack of market activity.

Stressing us further is the fact that the Cesc and Nasri sagas are still boring on. If either of these want-aways are to be granted their freedom, it’s imperative we replace them with equal quality.  Unfortunately, with time a tick-tocking away at an alarming rate, is there enough left to get the business that we all feel is necessary done?

There is an undeniable air of negativity wafting through Goonerdom culminating with the sound of booooooooos ringing round The Emirates on Sunday. As each day passes without the arrival of reinforcement’s fans are scouring twitter, FB, News Now and if desperation is really high – Sky Sports News, for information. There isn’t a scenario we haven't mooted, a rumour we've not debated or a row we haven't argued. My favourites include the Mona Lisa smile of Nasri in Frimpong’s photo, Gav, Keith n their comedic group of gooners' Titus Bramble story link making the papers

and convincing ourselves that Joey Barton’s overhyped twitter announcement was that he was signing for us. There not a player alive that we’ve not been linked to but so far the club has maintained its irritating silence on everything, so hysteria fed by truth-less stories and piles of billy bull shit has run amok. 

Any Reasons to be cheerful?

It’s easy to get carried away with the doom and gloom. We can be quick to believe that EVERYTHING is wrong at the club and that the end is seriously nigh. We can be forgiven for focussing so strongly on the 2 players we soon may not have rather than the ones that we do have.  

So let’s have a look at our other cheeky buggers shall we? We have the much missed 'like a new signing' Vermaelen back, a fit RVP, a rested Jack, an available Aaron, non-serious ankle injury Theo, weight watchers graduate Arsh and the leagues best water buffalo impersonator Bac.  Chesney is ready to pitch-grind for the cause

and a few of the dead wood brigade have been moved on.

The new signings we do have – well ‘The Incredible Spam' Gervinho seems intent on proving his talent is equal in size to his forehead and Carl Jenkinson put in very solid performances until he tried out for the Lee Dixon Debut Wonder Own Goal award. If the similarities between those 2 continue we’ll all be very ‘appy Gooners.

There is word of real life bids for real life defenders from real life reputable sources (yes these do exist) so maybe there is action going on behind the scenes. Hopefully we are the Swan, with furious movement going on under the appearance of calm waters. We’ve been told that Wenger’s phone has been incredibly active so maybe apart from ‘The French Rapper’ he is actually calling Everton/Bolton or Blackburn. There is still time to pull a rabbit out of a hat. And let’s be completely honest, if it’s a great big fuck off bunny or even please god bunnies, all drama-arma far would be quickly forgiven. Question is do you still believe?

Targets?

In all honesty I’d like to see the Prem as our main aim this season. As we found out last year to our detriment, the so called ‘easier’ cups can be a distraction and one thing this team needs to prove is consistency over time.

If Le Boss finally decides to back them with a little experience then I think there is no reason why we shouldn’t be challenging.  So my prediction is Premier League Winners 2011-2012. I truly believe we are the next Spain. Get that first pot and they’ll all come shining to us.

I’ll finish with Mart Twain’s famous observation. "The reports of our death have been greatly exaggerated” - write us off at your peril, there is life in the old dog yet.

COME ON YOU GUNNERS!!!