Deal Or No Deal

Deal or no deal?

Have they or haven’t they?  That is the question.  Arsenal fans started yesterday all excited that they might actually be dipping into their vast transfer kitty as it was declared that Mustafi has agreed personal terms.  By the time I was eating my dinner the real truth emerged that there was no deal in place.  But is that the real truth?  Or was it another spoof bid?  Who knows?

We can be certain that the Poch was not referring to his North London neighbours when he called his title rivals “desperate” with their transfer business.  Whether that was because Arsenal had done sod all wheeling and dealing or Poch still doesn’t consider them title rivals is not clear.  The Spurs gaffer is happy with his lot and believes Spurs will be right up there again this season, until the final five games when they slip away and finish below Arsenal.

It’s quiet if I mention floodlights…

Thursday was quite a quiet football news day in a classic calm before the storm type way.  It allowed me time to reflect on the fact I have not mentioned Burnley once since starting the blog.  What have they been up to since securing promotion?  Well, they have some lovely new floodlights and have signed John Flanagan on loan from Liverpool.  Whether that will be enough to keep them up this time is anyone’s guess, but Dyche is already banging the “if I was French I’d be considered a top manager” drum.  To be fair, he is probably right.  Being ginger, sounding like he does and being English doesn’t really do it for many of the top flight chairmen.

Jonathan Woodgate has been appointed Liverpool’s European scout.  I can only imagine what Wooders looks for in a player.  Did he last the full ninety without getting injured?  Yes.  He’ll do for me!”  Woodgate will be responsible for scouting Spain and Portugal, obviously.

I have no idea how this was considered news worthy, but Big Sam’s first friendly in charge of England will be against Spain on November 15.  I’ll be making sure I am washing my hair that night.

Aliens have landed in London

Just when you thought Uncle Claudio had used all his “Leicester have no chance of winning the league” sayings he has managed to find some more.  Ranieri reckons there’s more chance of aliens landing in London than the Foxes defending their title.  Has he not seen Mezut Ozil frown?  I think they already have, Claudio.

Just hours after claiming he needs five years to make Aston Villa the biggest club in Europe, Dr Xia was at Kenilworth Road watching his side find their true level, mid-table League Two.  Has their been a more dramatic decline than that of Micah Richards?  When a League Two side makes you look like a National League North full back you must know the gig is up.  Not top flight I accept, but as a Luton Town fan you take the small opportunities to remind the world we exist.

One of the stories in the Daily Mail made me smile.  Odion Ighalo has signed a new five year deal to stay at Watford, amid interest from WBA, China and one other side.  Can you possibly guess which club were linked to yet another centre forward they have no intention of actually signing?  Can you?  If you don’t know, I’m not going to tell you.  I’ll be back on Monday when we can talk about some actual football and Gary Lineker’s choice of pants.