Benayoun Out With Injury

Arsenal's summer loan signing Yossi Benayoun will be out for around a week after picking up a "strain" in the clubs third round tie against League Two side Shrewsbury Town on Tuesday.

The Israeli midfielder scored his first Arsenal goal in the Carling Cup tie, and announced his delight via his official Twitter account, but also delivered the bad news that he joins the Arsenal injury list, saying:

"So happy for the win yesterday and with my first goal for the club but very disappointed as I have a strain and will be out for a week or so."

Luckily for Arsenal and Wenger, Benayoun's injury is not too serious, and the 31 year-old attacking midfielder, who is owned by Chelsea, will only miss the Bolton game on Saturday and perhaps the Champions League group game against Olympiacos on Wednesday 28th.

Tomas Rosicky, Jack Wilshere, Sebastian Squillaci, Abou Diaby and Thomas Vermaelen remain injured for Arsenal. Read more about those players' injuries on Arsenal's official website here.

Follow Me on Twitter @DBSFootball

Wenger Makes Progress With Benzema

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger may finally make that big name signing that many have been crying for for a while. He has already confirmed that Arsenal will be having a far busier summer than usual in the transfer market, but now he has, somewhat uncharacteristically, gone ahead and named the player he wants.

Karim Benzema is that player, a player who is owned by Real Madrid and who was bought in 2009 for €35 million.

If Wenger can somehow persuade Madrid to let go of Benzema, Arsenal fans would surely be appeased for the time being. Wenger said:

"Viewed from the outside, signing him does not seem impossible. He's a player that I like." 

"He's intelligent in his movement, he is capable of combining well with others and making a difference, and of doing individual moves as well." 

"So, for me, he's a player who's at the top level in the world."

Benzema has scored 26 and assisted 9 goals in 48 appearances for Madrid this season and has settled down well after a poor first season in front of goal at the Bernabeu.

Consider Arsenal's current crop of players and how much they cost Wenger, and you would be impressed. Robin van Persie cost as little as £2.75 million from Feyenoord in 2004 which was a fantastic deal in hindsight, taking into account the 95 goals and 53 assists he has collected in just 230 appearances for Arsenal.

Samir Nasri was also a bargain in today's market, with Arsene grabbing him from Marseille for only around £12 million while Tomas Rosicky cost Arsenal a reported £7 million from Burussia Dortmund in 2006 when he had cost Dortmund a Bundesliga record of £18 million five years earlier.

What I am trying to say is, although Wenger has been criticised many a time in the past for his reluctance to spend, it is often because he has a knack of grabbing very good players on the cheap. Of course, he has let a few key players slip through his fingers because of this policy, but it seems with the confirmation of the Benzema interest, he is making some progress in the transfer market - something that can only be pleasing for Arsenal fans.

Follow Me on Twitter @DBSFootball 

Nasri Could Miss Barca Game but Wenger Won't Buy

Samir Nasri has been Arsenal's best player this season, so Wenger must have been feeling his compatriots pain when the 23 year-old midfielder pulled up with a hamstring injury against Huddersfield in the F.A Cup. After chasing a long ball from the returning Almunia, Nasri pulled up, and every Arsenal fans' breath was held, hoping that it would be nothing serious, and Nasri would be back to terrorise the opposition defence in a couple of short minutes. But it won't be minutes that Arsenal will have to wait for Nasri's return, it will be weeks.

Wenger had risked Nasri for the game, and now admits his regret at doing so, as it looks as if the injury could rule Nasri out for the next thee weeks - that is including Arsenal's massive clash with Spanish giants Barcelona. But will Wenger buy a replacement for Nasri in the remaining day of the transfer window? Take a guess.

The Arsenal manager was reluctant to predict when Nasri would return, but had a go nevertheless:

"Nasri looks to have a serious hamstring injury. Usually it is three weeks. We have to see if it is a grade 1, it will be two weeks, so we will see. It is very difficult to predict.

"I have now regrets because the plan was to play Rosicky, but he was still too weak because he was sick, so I took the gamble on Nasri. It backfired, but he could have come on and that happened as well.

“We are at the stage of the season where we play so many games that to lose bodies is very difficult for us. But Samir is a big blow."

Arsenal play Barcelona on the 16th February, which means that if Nasri recovers in two weeks, he could play some part at least in the Champions League match. However, if it is three weeks out that Nasri must suffer, he will certainly miss Arsenal's biggest test of the season. It is so unlucky for Arsenal that the player who has been in such fantastically blistering form this season is the one who could miss the match that he could make such a difference in, and showcase his skills against the likes of Messi, Iniesta, Xavi and so on.

A familiar quote that passes Wengers lips nowadays is:

"No, we will not sign anyone."  

He has said it again.
Instead of splashing the cash on a player like Eden Hazard who has expressed his desire to play for Arsenal, Wenger will recall Jay Emmanuel-Thomas and Henri Lansbury, who are currently on loan spells. This could irritate those Arsenal fans becoming more and more frustrated by the lack of movement in the transfer window, especially considering the big games coming up as Arsenal challenge for both the Premier League and Champions League in the next few games or so.


The calmer Arsenal fans with more faith in Wenger will once again respect his decision not to sign anyone in the January transfer window, and happily see the younger players step up and help to take on the big teams. Wenger has never been one for a knee-jerk reaction, but we will have to wait and see if his patience and relaxed attitude towards transfers pays off against such a good side in Barcelona without their top player in Nasri.

Denilson to Wolfsburg?

According to several news sources, the former England manager and current manager of German side Wolfsburg is very interested in signing the Arsenal central midfielder for around £11 million in the January transfer window.

It is thought that Wolfsburg are prepared to let their centre back, Simon Kjaer leave for Chelsea, who are keen to strengthen their defence with the £7 million signing so that Wolfsburg can then use the money in the Kjaer sale to help facilitate a move for Denilson.

The 22 year-old has played only 8 time in the Premier League for Arsenal this season. His lack of game time may persuade him to move away from Arsenal instead offighting for a first team place against the likes of Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri, Tomas Rosicky and Jack Wilshere - who can all and have all played in a similar position to the Brazilian. Aaron Ramsey is also likely to return from his loan spell at Nottingham Forest in January, which would leave Denilson in the midst of a massive fight for a first team place.