You have to pity poor Jermaine Pennant. Every once in a while, between his cameo roles for Liverpool and in the local cells, he feels his life isn’t complete without a dig at Arsene Wenger, the guy who signed him from Notts Country and set him on the road to what promised to be a sparkling career. As has been well documented it all went tits up at Arsenal as the young winger was never able to discipline himself and eventually he was flogged to Birmingham. Of course the reason Pennant never made it at Arsenal was Arsene’s fault and no doubt the reason why he never gets a game for England is McLaren’s fault.

But then it is never easy for those who leave the TLC of Arsene. Look at Matty Upson. I thought, during his first few games with us he was someone to replace Tony Adams and be the defensive rock around which our side would be built for years to come. Unfortunately his early career was blighted by injuries and, having signed Pascal Cygan, it was decided the young Englishman was surplus to requirements. He shone briefly at Birmingham, got called up for England, signed for West Ham and got injured again. He should be at his peak but now he’s just another player who could have been.

West Ham has long been an outlet for Arsene’s cast offs. Not that long ago there was Ian Wright and Nigel Winterburn. More recently of course Freddie Ljunburg. You’d think the Hammers would learn there is a reason why we sell players but it hasn’t sunk in yet. Instead, alongside Fredie and Matty they added Richard Wright. Who? Well, he was English, had one season, won the Premiership then left before he had finished unpacking after his move from Ipswich. Wenger obviously had decided he was not the guy to replace David Seamen despite having played 374 games for the Under 21’s.

That was a harsh year for keepers as Arsene culled yet another promising English lad. Stuart Taylor was apparently highly rated by legend Bob Wilson but it appears no one else shares this opinion. Aston Villa snapped him up and from bench warming at the Arsenal, Taylor is slowly working his way through the alphabet by sitting in the dug out at Villa Park.

People like to think the average footballer is a few sarnies short of a picnic but not Steve Sidwell. He was released by the Arsenal and Reading picked him up on a free. He shone in the small Berkshire pond, being instrumental in their rise and acclimatization to the Premier League. He was a regular fixture in the Reading midfield and big things were predicted for the ginger midfield player. It was all obviously too much because Chelsea came a calling, boosting his salary and guaranteeing him less work. And that’s what he has got as he warms the bench at Stamford Bridge plotting his investments with care.

Pity poor Christopher Wreh. George Weah’s cousin, he was given a few games in the 1998 double season but never looked like cementing a regular starting place. He had his moments, the Semi Final with Wolves, but they were too few and far between and he was off. And boy was he off, going round the houses before ending up in Indonesia playing on the island of Irian Jaya for Perseman Manokwari.

You couldn’t get more remote. Despite a useful home record Perseman struggled on the road, and those away games could involve 5 hour flights plus connections and road trips, and Wreh was gone after 6 months.

In years to come Nicolas Anelka will look back on his career and realize he has been a plonker. From Arsenal to Bolton via, among others Real Madrid, Liverpool, this guy has amazing talent but it remains unfulfilled. It’s fair to say, once he left Real, he has never played for another big, successful club. He has been content to potter around middling clubs, do a job for a few weeks before moving on. A sad waste of talent but hey, Anelka knows.

And then we come to Ashley Cole. Once upon a time the best left back in England, an attacking left back dangerous on the overlap, sharp in the tackle. He could have gone on to lead the Arsenal for a decade to come but, as is well known now, he didn’t. Like Anelka his head was turned by greed and now he is paying. Under Jose he was a left back in the traditional mould, none of this bombing on thank you very much. Call me biased but he looks half the player he was at Arsenal.

Oh yeah, Francis Jeffers!

To read more of Jakarta Casual’s writing, his blog can be found here.