We all know the story with Arsenal this season. Things were going swimmingly until defeat at the hands of Birmingham City in the Carling Cup Final proved to be the impetus that would see them knocked out of three cups in 13 days (Barcelona sending them packing in the Champion’s League, Manchester United ending their hopes of progressing in the FA Cup). With this turn in fortune has come a turn in fan feeling towards certain players. It has become quite apparent that there are a number of weak links within this Arsenal squad – weak links that must be dealt with if Arsenal are to go on to win the silverware that their fans so desperately crave.
Whilst Arsenal’s first-team XI can challenge just about anybody in world football, as a unit they are remarkably susceptible to picking up injuries. As a result, Arsenal fans have seen a fair amount more than they’d have liked of their squad-players this season and in almost all respects will have been disappointed with what they saw. This article may at first appear remarkably reactionary and in some respects it is. Most of the players I will go on to mention below simply aren’t Arsenal quality.
Let’s start with the strikers. Arsenal still require a decent partner for Robin Van Persie upfront. Nicklas Bendtner, for all his goalscoring ability has an awful first touch, no pace and doesn’t really add anything to Arsenal’s game when he’s not on the ball. Marouane Chamakh has Bendtner’s goalscoring knack but combines it with an excellent ability for ball-retention and generally links up well with the midfield. As such, I wouldn’t be sad to see Nicklas Bendtner move on in the summer.
In the midfield Arsenal have far too much dead-weight. I think most Arsenal fans have come to accept that Diaby and Denilson simply aren’t good enough. With Aaron Ramsey on his way through the ranks and Diaby and Denilson’s combined sense of apathy, I think the time is right that both were moved on. Arsenal already have a number of players who play out on the wings (Arshavin, Nasri, Rosicky) who would thrive in the centre of the park should they be played there.
Many Arsenal fans are also ready to see the back of Andrey Arshavin (too lazy) and Tomas Rosicky (doesn’t score). I’d keep both of them on, at least until January. Rosicky is an experienced player with a good passing ability and a decent tackle. Andrey Arshavin is a game-changer. They both add something to the squad – something Denilson and Diaby fail to do.
As for the defence, I’d like to see Wenger find a new home for Sebastien Squillaci. The Italian old-boy has been woefully under-par this season. Arsenal desperately need to shake their reputation of being weak at the back and that simply will not happen as long as Squillaci is marshalling the defence. I also wouldn’t shed a tear if Emmanuel Eboue and Gael Clichy were moved on, providing decent replacements were brought in. With Vermaelen and Djourou fit, I’m sure Arsenal’s defence will do away with the tendency towards making costly errors.
In the goalkeeping position, it’s time for Manuel Almunia to move on. Although I believe the Spaniard to be an excellent shot-stopper, he makes too many poor decisions and has an almost incontrovertibly lost the respect of the fans. Promote Wojciech Szczesney to number one, bring in a decent reserve keeper and drop Lukasz Fabianski to third choice.
With enough tweaks, Arsenal could easily be in the running for more silverware next season. Do you agree with my choices?
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Spot on m8
I agree almost 100%. It’s just that Rosicky needs to go too, experience isn’t everything. Almunia and Squillaci have lots of experience and aren’t good enough, neither is Rosicky anymore. Sad to say.
Also, if Vela can’t get games, then he should be let go, I really like him, but no point in just hanging onto him for the sake of it.
Arshavin cannot go!!! At least he can score!!. Rosicky,Diaby,Denilson,Almunia,Eboue,Bendtner,Squillaci MUST GO. With ramsey and lansbury in the squad we just need to get G.Cahill,E.Hazard,Stecklenberg,Scott Parker,Benzema. £30 million out. £60 million in.
Being cheap gets you cheap results. It is IMPOSSIBLE for arsene to win major trophies without spending money on good players. If you want to stay trophyless arsene, just carry on with your philosopy.
The only player I’d say MUST go is Almunia, and then only because there’s no point in having a 30+ year old as 3rd choice when you have the 3 young, quality keepers that we do.
Any of the players mentioned above need only be moved on if they are a) not content to be merely squad players, and are unwilling to accept a wage that reflects their squad status, or b) are made surplus to requirements by incoming transfers/promotions from the youth set up.
With the exception of Clichy and Rosicky, I don’t highly rate any of the aforementioned players, but as squad players they can come in and do a job from the bench if required, or allow our regulars a day off against lesser opposition in the cups. Ideally, none of them should be starting for us (cup gamnes vs lesser opposition aside), but are any of them SO bad that they are inadequate as 3rd/4th choice?
The trouble is that we have had to rely on these players far more this season than we should have had to. We’ve had to play Diaby, Denilson, Squillaci and co due to the ridiculous injury crisis we’ve experienced.
Every team needs their squad players; we are no exception, and the ones we have are not bad at all. We have more strength in depth than Chelsea and Man Utd, unfortunately it seems that we have to use it much more often.
By all means bring in Benzema, Mertesacker and Hazard, and then allow the likes of Bendtner, Squillaci and Denilson to leave. But until we do, we simply cannot afford to lose the ecperienced bodies from the squad. That is unless you’re happy swapping experienced internationals like Squillaci, Bendtner and Diaby for yet more promising kids like JET, Frimpong and Freeman.
We’ve been down that road before.
I agree with Daniel about clearing out the dead wood, but I have a feeling that no matter what results we get Wenger will say that the players we have currently can do the job, which obviously they can’t. So until Wenger decides to leave the club we the fans will have to endure season after season with no trophies and slip further and further behind, because obviously the players that have been mentioned that should be sold are nowhere near as good or ever have been as good as Wenger thinks or thought they were, but won’t admit to making errors in judgement in purchasing them.
yeah i agree with all of it execpt maybe we should keep bendtner cos van persies always injured and chamakh cant play every game, he not fit enough. plus dont buyh another keeper. fabanski can play back up with szcezny as number 1
I’d like to see Bendtner out and then Benzema brought in.
I agree we should sell Almunia and promote Szczesny, though I believe Fabianski is a good enough 2nd choice with Manone as 3rd. Eboue should stay as he fills in well for Sagna when needed. Squilacci should definitely go, not good enough for us and with Vermaelen and Djourou fit, covered by Koscielny and Miquel, we’re ok in central defence. Despite that I would search for a central defender who can also play left back as I have a feeling Clichy’s on his way out and I won’t shed a tear over that. Obviously if that happens, Gibbs should get the job. Rosicky has had to many bad games for us and even though he seems like a nice guy I think we can live without him. Denilson and Diaby can go too (doubt many will argue that), Wilshire, Ramsey, Nasri and Fabregas (if he stays) can be our midfield for years to come. On the wings I think we need to strengthen up, with Eden Hazard a possible candidate on the left (imagine him on the left with Theo on the right), Arshavin should stay for 1 more year. Bendtner has to go as Vela should get his chance this year but we still have to get an established, experienced central striker (our own Drogba, Villa, Torres etc), the money we get for Almunia, Clichy, Rosicky, Denilson, Diaby and Bendtner should easily cover that and the defender we could do with.
BTW, Benzema is the striker we need with Sakho or Vertonghen being the possible left backs/ central defenders.
arsene needs to strengthen our diffensing&attacking position by bringing in playrs like cahill&benzema
squillaci is french by the way.
Yeah, thanks.
My bad.
I also agree with almost all of what you say. Squllaci has been an absolute disaster and we`ve had to many if his ilk, slow lumbering, defenders whose supposed experience hasn`t made up for a basic lack of skill and nous. However, I wouldn`t want to rely too much on Djourou staying fit throughout a season, so we need to buy a quality home grown talent like Cahill. On the goalkeeping front, Wojo has to be 1st. pick, get rid of both Almunia and Fabianski and have Mannone as back up. Diaby is too laid back and is always coming back from his latest knock, so is never up to speed. Cesc can go for £40m. and give his role to Ramsey, who certainly has the ability. Up front, Bendtner and Vela can be shipped out, and a proven top class goalscorer brought in. I would also like to see Benik Afobe as part of the 1st team set up.