Arsenal Make It #16 - at a Price.

So Arsenal are headed into the group stages of the Champions League for the 16th straight year after defeating Fenerbache 2-0 on the night and 5-0 on aggregate.  Aaron Ramsey again had a barnstormer of a match adding two goals -one with a wonderful outside foot finish- to his flowering development.  Santi  left defenders shaking their heads as his magical feet wove through the midfield and into the box, Superman Sagna was solid again partnering with Mertie, and Giroud was left holding his head in his hands after missing two sitters.  But what a lovely head it is, mais oui?

Unfortunately, Poldolski left the match in the 49th minute via stretcher with a pulled hamstring.  According to Arsene, he is out for the standard three weeks.  On top of that, Rambo pulled his groin and left the pitch in the 90th minute.  So, our already threadbare squad is going into the weekend derby well, even more threadbare.  Which makes these last three or four days of the transfer window even more important.  I'm preaching to the choir I know.  So important in fact that Twitter was alight with the rumor Juan Mata's father/manager was a guest at the Emirates in the director's box.  Would I take Mata?  That's an emphatic yes.  Is Mourinho going to sell to a BPL club?  If he (or Roman) sees us as rivals, then no.  But, perhaps having a barebones  squad at the moment makes us look the underdogs.  And hence, not a rival - which would be, in my estimation, an accurate perception.

Now that we have qualified for the group stages of CL, is it more attractive for players to arrive?  I wondering if it all hinges more on the sale/arrival of Bale to Real Madrid.  The rumored amount of near 90 million Euros enough for a club to push out quality, if not star, material.  Benzema, according to his agent, is unwllinging to leave Real.  DiMaria and Ozil may be different stories.  Ozil apparently stomped off into the tunnel after being substituted in the of last weekend's match, while DiMaria could find himslef displaced when Bale arrives.

Then there is Cabaye. The only positive nugget to the delay of signing him is that it is irritating Pardew.  And we like anything that does that, don't we?

The real truth is, of course, that we do  not know if any of these rumors have a sliver of truth to them.  Not only do journalists get their sources from other papers, but some seem to not want to engage in the common practice of asking questions during a press conference (according to John Cross of the Mirror's tweet).

 

Grrrrr.... Wish some would put as much energy into asking questions as they do tweeting throughout press conference and after. Goodnight.
— John Cross (@johncrossmirror) August 27, 2013

But, much as I don't trust what the papers say, I am hanging on every word.  Pure craziness.

And on that note, I am off to perpetuate the madness by scouring the online news.  I am six hours behind the many of you, so perhaps my concern over transfers is for nothing?  Could we have signed players while I was writing?  Time to find out.  Have a good day Gooners.

UPDATE ON TRANSFERS:  Ugh.