Stephen could make me a bit Appiah.

“There are contracts, there are talks – I can’t say anything yet,” said Appiah, 27, welcoming Wenger’s renewed interest.

“I am not going to put people off, my agents are talking so I have nothing else to say.”


From the above quote it may seem like the only obstacle to this free agent aquisition may indeed be the Arsenal Boss. It certainly seems as though this player who has had some injury "issues" in the past is very keen to come to the EPL. As an ardent Arsenal fan and quite dismayed by the lack of activity in the final transfer deadline hours all I can say is that the team needs him, Fabregas needs him and I fervently hope Mister Wenger recognises this.

There are definite problems at Arsenal and they are probably connected to the stadium. In the past I have wrote about Wengers re-evaluation of the football landscape post Abramovich and how his approach was now going to be a dedicated production line of youth players who would mature into world class players. Now it seems like every year a number of the present stars will be sacrificed in order to make payments on the stadium. This begs the possibility of Fabregas leaving soon and the absolute possibility of Adebayor leaving next year, a move perhaps he wanted this past summer.

However lets get back to Stephen Appiah, an opportunity so great as this does not come along every day. A midfielder with more experience and quality than Arsenal already possess to be a partner to Fabregas, has come on the market. No transfer fee and no deadline apart from other clubs who may act more speedily. People wonder if he still has injury problems, I say lets get him in. Wenger played the part of poker Arsene in the final hours of the transfer window and got played by Rafa Benitez. It was very hard to see Liverpool letting us have Alonso although a bid in the region of 17-18 million would have been interesting, alas we will never know. Now Arsene has been granted a stay of execution if you will, he would be wise to take this opportunity if for no other reason than to give the team some depth. Wenger talks of giving youth a chance, yet in the first 8 years of his time at Arsenal he relied heavily on "established" players. The kind that would not be bullied. Stephen Appiah is a strong midfielder who would add depth. Its a done deal right?

Lets hope Arsene can realise this also. Just when it all seemed like a long season was ahead signing Stephen would really make me Appiah.