Whats the difference between Arsenal Football Club and British Petroleum (BP)?
Both have had to deal with serious spills recently.
Get it?
Spill?
Because the oil and the goalie...
Nevermind.
I'll start off with the football, ever since the departure of David Seaman from the Arsenal ranks the club has never managed to secure those reliable hands that served them ever so well. Of course during years following his departure we still had what could be considered a goalkeeper of the highest quality in Jens Lehmann (a member of the invincible League winning squad may I add), but his state of mental health was always somewhat questionable...
"Mad Jens" as he would soon be affectionately named still holds the worst discipline record of any player at Borussia Dortmund, and during his time in the Premiership he showed us many of his trademark moves. The crazed shot-stopper would often be found wondering outside of his 18 yard box, tormenting opposition strikers (including a classic spat with Didier Drogba) and his favourite pass-time, publicly hurling abuse at his understudy( soon-to-be successor) Manuel Almunia.
Over to BP, who are responsible for one for the worst environmental disasters in the USA to date, provoking many key political figures in the US to press for hefty, almost excessive sanctions against the British company. However, it has to be appreciated that when the carelessness of a reputed foriegn Multi-National Corporation is responsible the loss of life and such a mess in your own backyard, there would be some degree of outrage, oh wait...
The spill has been sealed for now, and BP's chief executive Tony Hayward has been axed, so where to go now?
The "make-up" process is underway and it's just a matter of time before all is back to normal with BP on political grounds at least. However, the company's shares currently are still a shadow of their former glory, formerly hitting an April high of 650 pence now down almost two thirds, and with massive losses having recently been announced the bears may begin showing their teeth. In contrast, despite all this doom and gloom a quick glance at my stockbrokers account shows me traders still appear optimistic, with prices up over 10 pence today.
Today rumours are circulating that Arsene Wenger has signed the Italian international Fredrico Marchetti for £6 million, this is also amongst ongoing rumours that Mark Schwarzer is an Arsenal target. Whether these players will improve the goalkeeping situation at Arsenal FC is yet to be known, but they may simply prove to be another short-stop solution to a leak that may spring back up in a couple seasons only to confirm Wenger's lack of finesse in the art of signing goalkeepers, Richard Wright anyone?
Young keepers Vito Mannone, who impressed when called upon last season, Wojciech Szczesny, who made a stunning impact on loan at Brentford also last season and even the already being dubbed "lost-cause" Lukasz Fabianski may have what it takes in due time to take the helm at Arsenal. These players have time on their hands to improve and then-prove what they can offer the club. Manuel Almunia however, his fate has been sealed, no longer shall we see the Spaniard defending corners with a goalkeeping style that appears to be inspired by Nicolas Anelka's goal celebrations, and it leaves me to wonder, maybe the crazy one was right after all.
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