Big Sol weighs it up

Sol Campbell had talks with Celtic yesterday over a possible 2 year deal. Sol has said that he still needs to talk to Arsenal before making his mind up. I will be really disappointed if he ends up anywhere other than Arsenal. Campbell was magnificent on his return last season and was the man mostly responsible for us hanging on to third spot. Of course, there is only a one year contract available with Arsenal, so the decision is straightforward - play one year at the top with Arsenal, or take a step in to mickey-mouse football with Celtic. Sol says he wants to know of Celtic's European ambitions - they will probably get just as far as last year - not qualifying for the Champions League. There you go, stay at Arsenal - you ran out on us once Sol, please don't do it again, this squad needs your leadership and experience to knock them in to shape.

Elsewhere, another centre-back, Luke Ayling, has completed his move to Yeovil Town. I wish him luck. Having won the Youth Double last year I thought he might have had a bit of a chance at Arsenal, but not to be.

Robin Van Persie has started the usual Dutch implosion at a tournament by complaining at being substituted in their second round match. RVP has said that Wesley Sneijder should have been replaced, not him. It never ceases to amaze me how Holland squads find a way to fight with each other. I just hope this is a fracture in the squad that can be mended quickly - they play the first quarter-final against Brazil on Friday.

Meanwhile, also at the World Cup, Cesc Fabregas continues to warm the Spanish bench. They're winning now so that's the way I think things will stay.

Finally, another England faux-pas. The players have been pictured, hours after a thrashing, drinking (nothing wrong with that, they lost, they needed to calm down and relax) and smoking. SMOKING. Professional athletes, SMOKING! How often does this happen? Perhaps that's partly why England's players seem light years behind the best - there is no way the England team could have played the keep-ball session that Spain did after going ahead last night - it was very Arsenalesque, and what do Arsenal not have a lot of? Englishmen, of course. Indiscipline of the English footballer, all wrapped up in a photograph.

No blog tomorrow, unless a signing is announced tomorrow morning - pesky work once more.