Perennial Bridesmaids.

     I'm an Arsenal fan. It feels good to see it written down, like an admission of some dark secret. Being an Arsenal fan is like being an England fan; our aims are so high, our fans so optimistic, and yet we always fall agonisingly short. Much has been written about our failure to produce this season, and last season, and for the four seasons before that, and people are right to speculate. Arsene Wenger cuts a peculiar figure as he stalks the dugout; like a grizzled submarine captain stubbornly maintaining his convictions as his ship drags him and his young charges into an inescapable abyss. After the humiliating Carling Cup Final defeat by Birmingham City, we were promised the club would rally. After defeat by Barcelona in the Champions' League, we were promised an increased commitment to the Premier League. In reality, a familiar story played out. We faded as Manchester United rallied, both in the League and F.A Cup. We faded to such an extent that we were overhauled not only by Chelsea but by Manchester City's millionaire misfits. Wenger admitted his mistakes and promised change; backtracking a little on his hard-line philosophy and accepting the need to inject some mettle and experience into Arsenal's youthful ranks.

     As the first month of the summer transfer window draws to a close, our closest rivals have strengthened their squads while the most persistent rumours surrounding our club have concerned the departure of captain Cesc Fabregas and the influential Samir Nasri. London rivals Chelsea have acquired the services of a young coach in Andre Villas-Boas, who today unveiled an attacking philosophy would be tantamount during his time at Chelsea;  a daunting prospect when you consider his new team scored 69 goals over the 2010-2011 season. Champions Manchester United have already strengthened considerably; David De Gea looks to be a suitable long-term replacement for the veteran Van Der Sar, Ashley Young will provide options as well as competition down the flanks, and Phil Jones represents a shrewd investment in the future of English football. Factor in a world-class midfielder in the shape of Bastian Schweinsteiger or perhaps Wesley Sneijder and Ferguson has yet again assembled a truly formidable squad. Liverpool have brought in Sunderland's Jordan Henderson and are still riding high on the enthusiasm and optimism engendered by the appointment of Kenny Dalglish, and Manchester City's cheque-book is unlikely to retain its pages all summer.

     So what of Arsenal? Fabregas' departure seems imminent, and other players, tired of being counted among the perennial bridesmaids, are likely to follow. Can we cope in the league without Fabregas? His influence is inarguable. Despite making only 25 appearances in the BPL over last campaign, Cesc created 14 goals, scoring 3 more. His vision and ability to play the killer ball are unparalleled perhaps anywhere in the world, so don't doubt that he'll be missed. Fortunately for Arsenal, we have a willing replacement ready to step directly into Fabregas' talented boots. Jack Wilshere has been a revelation this year; an aggressive and skillful young player with a deft left foot and an eye for goal, it seems likely that he will be a key figure in Arsene Wenger's team for years to come. If Nasri remains, then we won't be lacking in midfield talent. Our problems lie elsewhere, and it remains to be seen whether or not Wenger will address them. The gossip columns have been consistently linking us with a number of fairly high-profile defenders since January, the most persistent of which being Blackburn's Christopher Samba and Bolton's Gary Cahill. Samba strikes me as the better bet; tall and imposing, Samba had a great 2010/11 and was a linchpin for his club's defence. It remains to be seen, with the departure of Phil Jones to Manchester United, whether Blackburn will be prepared to part with their two first-choice centre backs however. Cahill is the younger of the two, and being an Englishman will provide some much needed verbal communication to the Gunners' backline. Either would provide an encouraging partnership with Thomas Vermaelen after the disappointing debuts of Laurent Koscielny and Sebastian Squillaci, as well as providing some mettle to what is seen by many as a delicate squad.

     Little has been made of Wenger's goalkeeping conundrum, and this worries me. Granted, 20-year-old Wojciech Szczesny has been something of a revelation over the previous campaign, and Gunners fans have appreciated the dependability he has provided between the sticks. However, he's largely unproven at the kind of level Arsenal are playing at, and although talented, is not yet a number one. It seems that Wenger has finally accepted the frailties of Almunia and Fabianski and they have been bumped down the pecking order as a result, but if we intend to be challenging for silverware next season then it's at the back where Wenger needs to do most of his spending.

Musings on British Summertime.

     As I write these words, Britain is in that strange temporal hinterland of early summer; girding its collective loins before the schools disgorge their excited charges into the waiting towns and beaches. Before those frantic six weeks, though, we're treated to two spectacular and quintessentially British events; Glastonbury Festival and Wimbledon. 

     I didn't attend Glastonbury this year, but remember reading the line-up with a practiced Art Student sneer. 'Oh dear oh dear, this won't do at all.' It only took one name to rupture my tissue-thin veneer of pomposity, however. I fell in love with Queens of the Stone Age during my early teens, which coincided with the release of their third album, 'Songs for the Deaf' (2002). With that album the band reached a creative pinnacle that they've yet to match since, and if you load that disc into your car's CD player and set out along your favourite road, at night, I defy you not to be seduced. QOTSA have somehow eluded most of the pomp and circumstance that surrounds a great deal of modern rock and metal bands, and their uncanny ability to craft intelligent, exciting hits means their name can be uttered in the same breath as Led Zeppelin or The Doors. Watching their set took me spiraling back almost ten years to the boy who could play all their drum parts on his knees and recite every lyric, even the incidental radio interludes on 'Deaf'. QOTSA just seemed to 'get' Glastonbury; their setlist was chosen by their fans before the gig, an un-self-conscious 'best of' that both the fans and the band themselves seemed to relish. It came as a breath of fresh air after Radiohead's Friday night 'Secret Gig', in which the band played a set consisting mostly of new and album tracks. Playing such a gig at Glastonbury just seems to bypass the spirit of the festival entirely. I can sympathise with those bands that feel an expectation to churn out their hits again and again, but I can scarcely imagine a more rewarding, life affirming experience than hearing your lyrics sung back at you from ten thousand upturned faces. Isn't that why people become musicians in the first place?

     Wimbledon is one of those unique sporting events, like a World Cup or the Olympics, that seems to galvanise people across all social strata. I know people (and count myself among them), who despite having no interest in Tennis throughout the rest of the year will follow Wimbledon with an almost religious fervor. There's just an indefinable quality that makes the tournament more engaging and exciting than any other. Wimbledon produces an abundance of unforgettable moments; Goran Ivanisevic's phenomenal wild-card win ten years ago springs to mind, as does a young Roger Federer's usurping of the then unbeatable Pete Sampras in the same year. In 2010 we had the longest match in the sport's history; an eleven hour slug-fest between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut, and this year hasn't been without its surprises either. In the women's singles tournament we've lost the ever-present Williams sisters already, alongside world no.1 Caroline Wozniacki. By far the most talked about aspect of the whole tournament, though, is the chances of Great Britain's highly-rated Andy Murray. At the time of writing, Murray is set to take on Spain's Feliciano Lopez in the quarter-finals, a match he is widely expected to win. As with most sporting events, Wimbledon is hugely partisan, and the chances of any British entrant are extravagantly talked up. Tim Henman was frequently vaunted as a potential challenger, and never progressed beyond the semis. There's certainly an element of all this in 'Murray Mania', but he's a proven competitor and deserving of his world number 4 status. Progressing from the quarter-finals is one thing, but Murray could potentially find himself facing world number 1 Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals, and that's a different challenge entirely. Looking at their previous meetings, the balance of power lies 10-3 in Nadal's favour, so a real turn-around of fortunes is in order if this year's tournament is to have a fairytale ending.