So long to the 'Beast', Bent, Bale, and Tony's dream

Reports from the Beast's mouth seem to confirm that it's so long and thanks for the couple of goals. You have to feel for the poor guy in a way, especially if he's deluded enough to think he 'adapted well' to English football. Injured on his arrival, never able to get into the team when he did build up some form, and then expected to be our main goalscoring threat for the second half of the season. I should imagine that he won't be at Real for too long; they'll probably flog him to a mid-table Spanish team, or even back to South America, post-haste.

Arsene is out in Madrid at the moment, which led to an unusually panicky post from Blogger regarding Cesc's future. While I share his belief that Cesc will be back playing in Spain at some point in the future, I think he'll stick with us for a few years yet, if not the entire 8 of his current 'monsta monsta' contract. Hopefully it was just a quick plate of tapas and a little bit of chit chat while he was out there.

A player who Arsene has undoubtedly been discussing while in Madrid is Senor Reyes. Hopefully Atletico will be willing to take him off our hands, for somewhere in the region of £10 million. A line needs to be drawn under that saga, as it's clear that Jose does not want to return.

One player we've been linked with today is Darren Bent. I remember last season dismissing, rather pompously, any suggestion that we should sign Andy Johnson, who then went on to bag rather more goals than some of our strike force this year. Bent is young and proven in the Premiership. Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised to see him go to Liverpool or United this summer. He'll be expensive, but not as much as many seem to be suggesting, and if he's a proven goal-scorer in the Premiership, doesn't that make him, well, worth it?

Gareth Bale is, according to the BBC website, having a medical with the Spuds as we speak. Such a waste of talent if this is true.

Tony Adams has stated that it is his dream to manage Arsenal. Maybe so. But It's my dream to play no10 for Arsenal; dreams don't always come true. Frankly, his record in management has been abysmal, and his post-career conduct with the club has left a lot to be desired. Maybe in ten years time he'll have proven himself as a top-level manager, but I think it's unlikely.

Predictably last night's match was nothing like the last one. Liverpool dominated the first half yet went in behind at half-time after a flukey sucker-punch of a goal. Benitez has to hold his hands up and admit culpability rather than angrily demand transfer funds. If players of the ilk of Zenden, Bellamy, Pennant (who I actually thought played OK) and Crouch aren't good enough then he only has himself to blame. He bought them for no small amounts of cash. Playing 4-5-1 with Kuyt up front also left Liverpool with no bite in the final third. Indeed, their dominance of possession and inability to score was eerily reminiscent of many of our matches this year. In some ways, Benitez over thought his own plans.

Anyway commiserations to them; we all know what it's like to lose a final 2-1. And that Milan are even in the competition this year borders on a disgrace. Calcio, eh? Bloody hell.