Blah Blah, Arsenal, Blah Blah, Ashley Williams

Another Sunday and another day of press speculation linking Arsenal with a move for Swansea team captain Ashley Williams.

Williams is a reported long term target for the Gunners although it has been widely rumoured that the initial interest was nothing more than agent speak at the front end and possibly even the catalyst for the falling out between the club and our manager's agent.

And now injuries in the Arsenal defence to Thomas Vermaelen and Nacho Monreal have meant that the press can again link them with a move for Ash despite him starting the season for the Swans against Malmo last Thursday. The press reports also suggest that the gunners are unwilling to match the Swans valuation of £10m although interestingly again, the Swans valuation is rumoured to be closer to £15m - 50% up on the press reports which probably rubbish them slightly more?

I said it before last season ended (http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/swanseacity/news/31931/ash-to-stay-a-jack) that Ash would be a Swans player at the start of the season and nothing has changed that belief despite endless press speculation suggesting that the player will leave.

This kind of press speculation is to be expected at this time of the season and it is much easier still for the press to link Williams with a move to Arsenal than actually look around for people that may actually be on the way to the Emirates. Of course it will be worrying for Swans fans but never get away from the acceptance that this is continually the same story being re-hashed, just because Arsenal have a couple of defensive injuries doesn't make it any more true or likely to happen.

So how do you spot a non-entity story? Generally they are backed with nothing other than words. No quotes from either club, player or player's agent and generally they contain nothing that you haven't already read elsewhere. This weekend's press speculation is nothing more than people filing copy ready for a weekend break rather than insightful journalism that we should be worried about.

Ash is a Jack and he will stay a Jack. I'm convinced of it.

What to read next:

Leeds heading for the play-offs after shocker at QPR
Just when we thought we’d turned the corner with that win at Boro, we slipped back into the desperate form of the post-international break period, losing heavily to Queens Park Rangers in this critical game.

Queens Park Rangers 4 - 0 Leeds United - Player Ratings and Reports
If you saw the match, please give us your player ratings and a mini match report.

QPR Awaydaze
Our trip to Queens Park Rangers is at 8pm on Friday, thanks once again to our very good friends at Sky Sports. We’re not famous any more!

Crisis, what Crisis?
As Mark Twain might have said, rumours of the death of our promotion hopes have been greatly exaggerated. Last night’s win at Middlesbrough was a hard watch towards the end, but the vital three points has got our campaign back on track.

Middlesbrough 3 - 4 Leeds United - Player Ratings and Reports
If you saw the match, please give us your player ratings and a mini match report.

Middlesbrough Awaydaze
Our visit to Middlesbrough kicks off at 8pm tomorrow night, once again thanks to our very good friends at Sky TV. We’re not famous any more!

Leeds promotion hopes damaged by first home defeat of the season
Once again the chance to go back to the top of the table was handed to us on a plate, but we dropped the plate. This week’s frustration-fest was at the hands of Blackburn Rovers.

Leeds United 0 - 1 Blackburn Rovers - Player Ratings and Reports
If you saw the match, please give us your player ratings and a mini match report.

Annual accounts show that the club will have to sell players if we don't go up
The club released the annual accounts for the 2022/3 season this week, and despite the headline figure of an overall loss of £33.7 million, we’re not in danger of any points deduction for now. But the accumulated losses mean that player sales will be inevitable in the summer if we remain in the Championship.

Stuart Dallas thanks the fans as tributes pour in
Stuart Dallas battled hard for two years to return to the game after his serious injury, but has now had to accept that he can no longer get back to the level of fitness needed to play the game at the top level. Club Chairman Paraag Marathe led the tributes, and the player has sent an emotional open letter to all the Leeds United fans.