Arsenal can now move forward after their star striker, Robin Van Persie, signed a new contract with the club. There had been rumours that Van Persie was on his way out of Arsenal after he was said to be frustrated by the reluctance of Arsene Wenger to play him on a more regular basis.

Van Persie has reportedly signed a deal that could keep him at Arsenal until he is well into his 30s and he is now set to get a pay rise to the level of somewhere around £80,000 a week. This is good and positive news for Arsenal because it means they are keeping one of the club’s best players.

A lot has been said since the close of last season that Arsenal needed to make good a massive gulf in class between themselves and the best clubs in Europe. The only way they were going to do this is by firstly trying to get their best players to sign on at the club and commit their future to the cause.

Arsenal fans will be hoping that other players will follow suit but it is unlikely that Emanuel Adebayor will be sticking around for much longer if a bid from AC Milan does actually make the table. He has made no secret of his desire to stay at the North London club, unlike Van Persie, and will be hoping that a repeat of last year does not happen where he was forced to stay at Arsenal as a deal could not be concluded in time.

Van Persie said: “I have been at the club for five years now and there is a really great feeling at Arsenal. We have a top class manager, a squad full of superb young players and brilliant supporters.”

Van Persie joins Arsenal’s captain, Cesc Fabregas, in stating his intent on remaining at the club and trying to help them get back to an era when they were by far and away the best football side in Europe. Many Arsenal fans will still look back on the era when they were possibly the most feared side in the world and the news of Van Persie’s commitment means that are one step closer to re-achieving this.

What Arsenal now need to do is not conform to what they always do each season in the transfer window, sit on their heels. They have some very good players in the squad and the addition of Andrey Arshavin last January was a superb and clever signing. Arsenal need some big and high calibre players to come into the team.

It has been all too obvious in recent matches that they are missing players that can boss and dominate the midfield, allowing the more creative influences to bomb forward and wreak havoc in the opposition defence. No doubt Wenger probably has a long list of player targets that he is working on but he has to realise that his philosophy of blooding youth in the Premier League needs to be tampered with and helped along because at the moment it is not working.

The other danger for Arsenal is that if they do not act and act quickly then they stand to lose ground to a lot of other sides in the league next season. Manchester City are making huge strides under the leadership of Mark Hughes as they continue to assemble a hugely impressive squad, which on paper looks like it could push for a Champions League spot. This is all not to mention the number of talented managers there are in the Premier League, all trying to break into the top six. For example David Moyes at Everton and Martin O’Neill at Aston Villa will be doing every thing they can to try and take ground away from Arsenal.

So the question is, how long will it be until Wenger gets going and starts bringing in some players that the club has needed for a long time? The answer is unknown but it is something that he is going to have to do soon or Arsenal risk having their worst season in the Premier League since it began, next year.

Arsenal have a lot of young and hungry players that are all very grateful to be at the club they are. However, the point is that this will only take the club forwards to a set point and sooner or later they will be found out on a weekly basis. The news of Van Persie’s commitment should be a sign to the manager and the entire club that Arsenal need to act and show that they mean business.

On their day they are still the best football side to watch in Europe as the passing and play links up perfectly, but the point is that these days are not consistent enough to have any impact on a big competition. Until the right players are brought in, Arsenal will have no chance of making a good go of success. There are too many clubs at the moment better positioned than they are and if they have not realised this yet then there are some very naïve people running the football club.

There has never been a better time for Arsenal to lay out one or two markers of intent and they need to stop trying to buy players when they are in their teens and turning them into the next Thierry Henry, it is not going to happen. The time has come for Arsenal to get out the chequebook and sign three or four high calibre and experienced players.

If they do this then they stand a chance of actually hanging onto their top four place next season but if they do not and Wenger continues with his current vision, which clearly is not working, then Arsenal will slowly slip down the Premier League table and eradicate any immediate chance of knowing what it tastes like to lift a trophy again. It is a sad scenario but it is one that will happen.

Manchester City are preparing a bid for Everton defender, Joleon Lescott, as Mark Hughes continues his quest to create the perfect squad. City will test the backbone of David Moyes with a tempting £15 million bid, an amount that Lescott is probably just about worth.

It is thought that Everton want around £18-£20 million for one of their best players as he has now become a regular in Fabio Capello’s England squads and is the bench mark of one of the best defensive teams outside of the back four. It would be a very shrewd signing on the part of City and Lescott could gel in well to their team with Richard Dunne, the current City captain.

With Roque Santa-Cruz and Gareth Barry already high profile names in through the door, it could be a matter of time before Lescott joins Carlos Tevez in making the City switch. The Eastlands club will offer Lescott a lucrative contract that would double the amount of money that he is currently earning for the Toffees and this would be a difficult offer for even the most resilient of individuals to turn down.

Lescott has built a fairly solid reputation during his time at Everton and has won many admirers for his attacking out look as well. He is often seen marching up for corners and free kicks and seems to have an added advantage as he scores a lot more goals than a normal defender would in any other side. What this does is it increases his appeal as a player and makes him a double-edged sword. If Everton ask for two or three more million pounds to make the deal even better as far as they concerned then City would be well advised to just pay it.

The danger is that many people would say that Lescott is a pretty average defender who can go and score a couple of goals, nothing more and nothing less. Therefore the amount of money that Everton are asking for him could be seen as a little more than good value, proving once again that sides are looking to take full advantage of the financial benefits that City obviously have in abundance.

Mark Hughes obviously has a very clever plan to try and assemble the best side that he can with players that are probably just beneath the bracket of being world class. What this will allow City to do is build up some consistency and challenge for a top six place next season. They may not be able to go that extra little bit as Robinho is still the only out and out brilliant player in the side, but the owners will be demanding some improvement and this is a squad that will deliver that.

If Tevez is added to the fold then besides from infuriating one half of Manchester, it will mean that City are brilliantly poised to have a crack at success next year. We would all love to be in Mark Hughes’ position with millions to spend but there is a pressure attached with this and he is doing well to get around this problem.

Everton striker Louis Saha made English FA Cup Final history today (May 30th) at Wembley Stadium in London, England, as he scored after just 25 seconds, before most of the crowd of 89,000 had settled into their seats. It eclipsed the old mark of 30 seconds set by Aston Villa’s Bob Chatt against West Brom way back in 1895.

While it gave Everton a flying start, it was probably also the worst thing to happen for them as they tried to sit back and protect the slim margin for the next 90 minutes. Of course it didn’t work as Chelsea dominated the rest of the way and came out 2-1 winners for their second FA Cup win at the new Wembley in the last three years, and their fifth triumph in the competition overall.

It didn’t take long for Chelsea’s Didier Drogba to do what he does best, which is score in English cup finals (FA and League Cups) as he drove in a powerful header in the 21st minute to tie the score at 1-1. It was the sixth-straight cup final goal for Drogba. He also scored in this year’s semi-final and quarter-final games.

Frank Lampard sealed the victory in the 72nd minute with a fine 20-yard shot that Everton keeper Tim Howard could only parry into the net. It looked like Florent Malouda had given Chelsea a 3-1 lead about five minutes later when his venomous long-range shot from 30 yards slammed off the underside of the crossbar and came crashing down over the goal line. Referee Howard Webb let play carry on, while television replays showed that the ball had clearly crossed the line.

This brings up the topic again of video replay and why it’s needed in football today. This could have been a huge missed call if Everton had come back to tie the game. It’s about time FIFA got off its ass and implemented television replays or loaded the pitch up with extra officials and goal line judges.

Everton didn’t come back though, and with only one striker up front it’s quite evident at the moment that their manager David Moyes and the players aren’t good enough to pull off a cup win. Their loss today sets a record for FA Cup failures as they’ve now lost the final eight times. They have won it five times as well mind you, but were hurt by having a few good players out with injury, especially Arteta and Yakubu. Going with one guy up front’s not going to win you many games against Chelsea though.

It was a great send off for Chelsea’s interim manager Guus Hiddink who worked wonders with the club since taking over in February. Chelsea only lost one game out of 21 under Hiddink’s reign, and with any luck could have also possibly added the Champions League to the trophy haul this season. The Dutchman will now head back to Russia to resume his job as the country’s national coach.

Another guy who will be celebrating long into the night will be Ashley Cole, who was officially named man of the match and became the first player in over 100 years to win five FA Cup medals. He won three with Arsenal and another with Chelsea in 2007.

Chelsea may have won something much bigger than the cup today though, as they have now appeared to win the respect and admiration of many neutral football fans. While Jose Mourinho, and Luiz Felipe Scolari were in charge, the team wasn’t quite as likeable as they were perceived to be arrogant and bought their way to cup finals. However, since Hiddink took over, it’s almost been a 180 degree turnaround as his calm and friendly manner has worked wonders for the team. Whoever takes over as manager next season will have a huge set of boots to fill.

Good luck to him.

The FA Cup final on May 30 may look quite one sided on paper but it is much more likely to be the opposite. Everton and Chelsea will go head to head in a match that seems quite refreshing to the football neutral. Both sides played well in their semi-finals but the fact Everton have emerged as one of the finalists creates a small bit of excitement.

Everton beat Manchester United on penalties in their semi-final in a match, which saw Sir Alex Ferguson field a greatly weakened side. However, this weakened side did play extremely well and Everton needed every bit of David Moyes’ tactical nouse to get them through the match and into the final.

It is always a lottery whenever such an important game goes to a spot kick shoot out, but it was Everton who held their nerve and always looked the more likely to come out of the tie on top. They will use this victory as inspiration and proof that they can beat the best side in the country, Europe and the world. What more do Everton need to know to prove to themselves they can win it.

Chelsea came through a much more gritty semi-final against Arsenal. Although the victory was in the end quite comfortable, it was a very physical encounter, one that showed all of the elements of why the sides and the fans don’t really like each other any more.

The West London side have not been at their best at all in this season’s competition, but they are backed through some harsh heartbreak. It was not too long ago that Andres Iniesta was smashing in a last minute winner for Barcelona, which knocked Chelsea out of the Champions League.

It is also set to be Guus Hiddink’s last game in charge of Chelsea, if they cannot convince him to stay. This could well determine the players to play their hearts out for the manager that came in and steadied a rocking ship, when he also had the small task of keeping an eye on the Russian national side.

Both sides have their reasons for getting their heads down and playing through the match, trying intensely to win it at a canter. Everton to show this is more than just a penalty shoot out bluff and Chelsea to show that they are still good enough to win trophies in England. Hopefully the match will be decided after a thorough performance from one or the other and not from a penalty shoot out, which is the harshest way big matches are decided in the current game.

The fiasco that has surrounded the issue of tickets being on sale for the match has seen both sets of fans for these clubs being offered fewer tickets than the numbers being given to corporate sponsors and other ‘friends of football.’ This could well mean the atmosphere is not as intense as it may be and could place the emphasis right onto the football as the fans will not be as audible as they could be.

This won’t matter one bit to the people going to the game though. Former professionals have often commented that they often were lifted by the noise any amount of fans can create and the factor of having the twelfth man on side could be the difference. It could mean that when both sides are tried and exhausted after playing however many minutes, they lift themselves for that all important moment and stab at glory.

Of course there is football to be played between now and then, so the selection of players available is at this stage unknown. However, both managers will pick their strongest possible elevens, which will see a number of key on field battles break out. These could go a long way in determining who comes out victorious.

Everton are likely to be soaking up a lot of pressure during the match. The likes of Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka and Florent Malouda should all start the match meaning Chelsea are not going to adopt an approach of sitting back and taking the pressure.

Whoever plays at the heart of the Everton defence will have to be on top form to make sure that these individuals can’t get a foothold in the match and give Chelsea an advantage. In recent times teams have adopted the approach of playing workman like wingers in order to peg back the Chelsea full backs, if Everton do this successfully then it will mean all of Chelsea’s play will be through the middle, which is a lot easier for any defence to deal with.

If Chelsea’s midfield controls the game then it could well be a matter of time during the match until one of the strikers gets a chance. Space could also be created if Everton sink too deep meaning that Frank Lampard or Michael Ballack could be free to fire in shots on goal without the threat of being closed down.

Everton’s attacking approach is likely to be simple, the counter attack. The toffees will be hoping that the defence works hard enough to soak up the pressure and draw in the Chelsea midfield. This would allow Tim Cahill to play in the middle of the pitch, pick up the ball and bomb forward with little resistance. However, Everton’s strikers will have to concentre for every single second as the one chance they get could end up being the only chance they get.

Ironically, even though it is Everton and not Manchester United in the final, a similar game could break out. It is unlikely to be an open end-to-end game with a million chances. Both teams will be nervous because this is their only crack at silverware for this season. It could appear a boring game for the neutral but the subtlest of tactics could be the deciding factor.

If you were a betting man you would not place money against Chelsea, but the point is Everton are capable of winning. You can’t back a draw so we are all going to have to pick a side to get behind but for now it is probably easier to get up on that fence and stay there.

Everton manager, David Moyes, has been told by the club’s chairman, Bill Kenwright, that for as long as he is around, Moyes will always have a job at Goodison Park. Kenwright has come out with his backing after fresh reports have surfaced that Moyes is being lined up to replace Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, when he decides to step down.

Moyes has been arguably Everton’s most successful manager over the last couple of decades and is also one of the very few bosses in the game to have held his position at a top-flight club for a number of years. Everton have experienced Champions League football during his tenure and are currently looking forward to the FA Cup final that will take place on May 30.

However, constant speculation has been surfacing all season long that Moyes is being lined up by United to step in as Ferguson’s assistant manager, eventually being given control of the team as coach when his fellow Scot finally retires. This is not surprising as the two have often been compared side by side, Moyes seems to be in the same mould and his talent as a manager is often under rated due to the calibre of Everton as a club.

However, Kenwright insists that there is nothing in the stories and that Moyes will stay put at Everton for a very long time. He said: “It is laughable to suggest that David Moyes is going anywhere. We are more ambitious than any club, but we do not always have the resources. He knows that.”

“But David has just signed a new long-term contract. Is he the kind of man who would do that if he is not going to stay here? But apart from that, he is now an Evertonian. People know him, they talk to him and they know he is Everton through and through. Can he manage Manchester United, Barcelona, Real Madrid? Of course he can, he could manage any football club in the world because he is one of the best managers in the world. But he is here and he is staying here.”

The point is that at some point Ferguson will retire, even though his hunger for the game is as great as it ever was. United are much more likely to want a British manager to step in and take his place as opposed to seeking a continental route. A British manager would be much more likely to be able to continue the momentum of the club and the development of the team.

Moyes is sure to be one of the names eventually approached along with perhaps Mark Hughes of Manchester City, who was and still is a United legend. Moyes will quite happily stay at Everton because Fergie’s position at United is undoubted, it is unlikely he will retire from the Manchester club until he is well into his 70s, but Moyes looks like a strong candidate to be offered a contract, perhaps when this new one has run down.

Everton manager, David Moyes, is demanding progression for the club next season as they currently look forward to an FA Cup final. Moyes engineered Everton’s semi-final victory over Manchester United but feels it is the right sort of time for his side to push on in the Premier League.

Everton have been a team knocking on the door of the top six and top four of the league for the last couple of seasons and given the quality and relative depth of the Everton squad it is right that success should now start to blossom. Moyes has been hailed by other Premier League managers as one of the best in Europe for creating a solid and talented club on a strict and tight budget.

He is one of the no nonsense individuals in the game that are all so often lacking. He is also a very gifted tactician and man manager and these are simply a couple of the reasons as to why Everton have done so well in modern times. However, improvement is one thing but success is now needed to compliment this.

If Everton win the FA Cup final then a lot of people will no doubt feel a little bit surprised. They need to make a transition into regular competing and beating the biggest clubs in the country next season if they are to change this surprise into expectation.

Moyes said: “I know that we are going to need more players. I think when you want to finish in the top four or five in the Premier League you are going to need more than Bosmans.”

“They might help prop up the squad and we will need that as well, but I think in truth we will need to make signings to add to the players we have here and give us a chance of – at the worst – staying where we are, but hopefully progressing.”

Everton have all of the ingredients necessary to attract the new players that Moyes talks of but the club have to show him faith and release the funds for him to do this. They can strengthen in nearly every area, despite the talent that they already have and until this is done they will not progress.

When Everton reached the Champions League stages a few season ago, the fundamental reason that they failed was the fact that they did not solidify the playing staff after securing 4th place. There are going to be a lot of teams trying to break into the top four next season so it is just the right time to spend a bit of money and take a punt on some players.

Until they do they will not improve quickly but very slowly. This is not justice to the manager or the club. Time and time again Everton have proved that just with a couple of tweaks here and there they will be able to beat the bigger clubs on a more consistent basis. It is an unknown but exciting future ahead for all toffees fans.

There’s a time and place to field an inexperienced, young team during a football season, but it’ not a good idea to do in an FA Cup semifinal. But it seems Alex Ferguson hasn’t learned that yet and paid the ultimate price by getting knocked out of the Cup 4-2 on penalties by a less than mediocre Everton side at Wembley today (April 19th).

It serves Ferguson right for being so arrogant and stupid in his selection and substitutions, but it isn’t right for the team’s fans who spend their hard-earned money following the team all year in, year out. I have no problem with the starting 11 that United fielded as I think they have a lot of depth and the players picked were capable enough of handling Everton. But there’s no excuse for not having a back up plan, and not even dressing Rooney, Ronaldo, Carrick, and Giggs is just plain idiotic to me. You never know what’s going to happen during the course of a match. It could be a penalty, a red, card, or injuries, etc. and you have to back up the youngsters with some experience just in case they aren’t up to the task.

And don’t come back by telling me that Ferguson has won so many trophies during his career, so what? If he knew his team and used some common sense he might have won a lot more. Why go through all of the qualifying FA Cup rounds (and complaining about the fixture list as usual) and then throw it away in the semi final. My God, Ferguson, if you’re going to do that you might as well throw it away in the first round, not the second last. It’s like scaling Mount Everest and then deciding to pack it in when you’re 100 feet from the peak. By leaving Danny Welbeck on the pitch and taking off Macheda and Park, baffles my mind.

Ferguson’s penalty kick selection was just as bad as his substitutions. Granted, Vidic scored, but why was he taking a penalty ahead of Scholes and Tevez? As for Ferdinand and Berbatov having their shots saved, what did he expect? These are two of the laziest players in the history of football. Mind you, I can understand why Ferguson let Ferdinand take a penalty. He should know where the net is by now because that’s all he does for 90 minutes, passes it back to his goalie from wherever he is on the pitch. In fact, if captain Ferdinand put as much effort into his penalty as he did when kicking the ball into the stands after missing it, he might be given the benefit of the doubt.

You’d think that Ferguson would know his players by now and who should play in what situations. I’m sure there are millions of 12-year-old kids around the world who could have done a better job of managing United today. The last thing you want to do is go into the remaining few games of the season and the Champions League with no momentum, not when they’re both up for grabs. And by the way, Everton don’t really have any reason to celebrate the win either. While their manager David Moyes may not have cocked everything up, they still played poorly in a rubbish match, and the same type of performance will see them get thumped by Chelsea on May 30th in the Wembley final.