I wonder if this is motivated (at least partially) by Jenkinson and his solid performances? Right now, Sagna's the better player, hands down, but in two years one can't help but wonder if the tide may have turned. Having been one of our most consistent players, it can't be nice watching some young upstart threaten to usurp you, especially when you're out injured. That's not to say Sagna doesn't have a point about the best players leaving and Arsenal have certainly appeared negligent in letting players' contracts run down, but the timing is funny. The team seems to be doing well and according to players like Mertesacker, morale is high and things are looking rosy. I can't remember the last time the defence looked this solid. So quite why Sagna has decided to rock the boat now is an interesting question.
But I take issue with this notion that players have to leave to win trophies. Asides from the obvious point that they themselves haven't produced on the pitch, of course Arsenal won't win competitions if the best players constantly sod off: It becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. Imagine if we had a team that featured Cazorla and Podolski, but also, say, Van Persie, Nasri, Fabregas, Song and Cole. Now that team would win something. But instead, we're constantly in a state of flux with the players trotting out the 'I wants to win shiny thingz' excuse. Even now, if we only had Van Persie in addition to our current squad, I think we would be in with a shout of the League. Yes, the club have dropped the ball and yes, I do think that the board are more interested in money than success, but the players themselves should damn well step up and take responsibility too. No one made Van Persie leave.
Rant over. I shouldn't drink in the sun after work.
