From the Bookshelf – Philippe Auclair’s New Book “Thierry Henry – Lonely at the Top: A Biography”

    Out just in time for Christmas, Mr. Auclair’s latest work looks at the life and career of France and Arsenal striker Thierry Henry.

    Given the extreme attention to detail and endless hours of investigation employed in his previous biography, of Eric Cantona, one can only assume it to be a similarly striking work.

    A lengthy interview with Off the Ball of Ireland’s Newstalk 106-108 on Tuesday (December 18th) discusses the scope of the project – give it a listen either on their popup player or via iTunes.

POV-FS Mail it in Friday Video – 1983-84 Arsenal v Tottenham

    Each Friday POV-FS presents a video with the intent of sharing whichever clip has struck our fancy that given week.

    Without further ado…

POV-FS - On the Road - England - Day Three: "One Nil to the ... Oh Wait"

Grand & New

    Today, being Saturday, was the occasion of the first match of the trip.

    Still feeling a little rough, I spent most of the day relaxing and catching a bit of sleep before taking the Underground to Arsenal.

Manchester City’s Transfer Policy

With the silly season about to kick off a quick look back at the recent transfer dealings of Manchester City paints a cunning, yet devious strategy. Dating back to the summer window in 2008, City has embarked on a system of targeted purchases designed to fulfill two purposes. Firstly, to amass a group of talent, with enough quality and experience to allow them to push into the upper echelons of the English Premier League, while simultaneously weakening their immediate rivals.

Beautiful Losers

     Arsenal’s loss to Birmingham City in the Carling Cup final was their third straight defeat in a finals appearance since they won the FA Cup in 2005.  This inability to clear the final hurdle has combined with a marked drop off in league performance which has seen 8 straight seasons of finishing either first or second in the Premier League with 5 seasons of third and fourth placed finishes.  Of course there are extenuating circumstances to this apparent decline, namely the rise of Abramovich’s Chelsea, as well as the relocation to and subsequent debt incurred as a result of their new Emirates Stadium; however one must question whether Wenger’s principles of fiscal responsibility, youth promotion, and hypnotic passing have superseded the desire to win.  Has the feeling of moral superiority and aesthetic beauty embodied by Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal become the new trophy?