By now, even the stubborn Arsene Wenger must realize that there are serious problems with this Arsenal side. A team that he put together. A team that he is fully accountable for.
Following another disappointing result, the Gunners are now 11 points off the top of the Premier League table. It will take something very special from this Arsenal side to get them back in the mix. The problem is that there is nothing ‘special’ about this Arsenal side.
It seems to consist of good players, who don’t (yet) fit together, or act as a team. The links and interchanges are yet to form and as a result, the Gunners look incredibly lackluster. Arsenal are in need of a spark of inspiration.
Which brings me to this story, courtesy of the Daily Mail, who claim that Arsene Wenger is ready to go after Napoli’s top striking talent, Edinson Cavani. The 25-year-old Uruguayan forward must surely fall into the category of being a ‘special player’.
Indeed, he strikes me as the kind of player that Wenger must have thought he was getting when he signed Olivier Giroud in the summer.
Whilst the Frenchman has improved over the last month or so, he’s not very mobile, lacks confidence and doesn’t seem to score many from open play or with his feet. In essence, he’s limited.
Cavani is a similar player, though I’d argue he doesn’t share the same limitations. He’s tall, powerful and a great finisher (he already has 12 goals in 12 games this season and has been unstoppable for the last couple of years). He’s known for his prowess in the air, but he’s also more mobile than Giroud, takes up smart positions and has the tenacity and trickery to cause problems even when things aren’t going Napoli’s way.
He’d add genuine force moving forward for Arsenal, provide goals for a weary looking attack and give the likes of Santi Cazorla and Jack Wilshere something to aim at.
According to the Mail, Arsenal’s chief scout Steve Rowley sent Arsene Wenger a glowing report regarding Cavani. That, to me, is extremely exciting. Robin Van Persie left a big vacuum in this squad and the Uruguayan has the ability and the character to fill it.
With that in mind, surely he’s a must purchase for Arsenal? They’d have to smash their transfer record (he currently has a £30m price-tag) but it’s about time the board showed the fans they have ambition. For this moment, it’s only a dream, but fingers crossed this one comes true.
What’s your take? Is Edinson Cavani the kind of striker Arsenal need?
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Can Wenger and Arsenal board pay for this guy Cavani am not sure? If this team will have to come back to is best we need special players at the front, defensive and the middle, Prof. Wenger do some thing reasonable in January window transfer. Up Gunners
Of course Cavani is the sort of striker Arsenal need – he’d improve any squad on the planet. That said, I think a diaby replacement is more important. It’s clear that we need a physical presence in the midfield to take some of the pressure off of Arteta, and Giroud is looking good at the moment and deserves the chance to continue this form. I don’t think he lacks confidence at all, and the only reason we didn’t see this kind of form immediately after the last international break (continuing from his impressive performance against WHU) was basically because the other attacking players were really letting him down. He was given nothing to work with and can’t be expected to do it all on his own, but Theo’s return has improved things. You could say that RVP or Cavani might have made a few more chances for himself in spite of the very poor service, which is arguably true, and maybe separates Giroud from the “world class” label, but should he really have to do it all himself? Shouldn’t Podolski and Ramsey and Sagna (although he’s been fine defensively) be doing more to make chances for him? We also have to remember it really is early days for Olivier and who knows: maybe in 12 months he will be making those chances for himself and scoring goals – it’s really not outside the realms of possibility. Adebayor scored goals from nothing for us, and who would have thought that possible given his early important but “workman-like” performances and terrible goals record for Monaco?
As far as I’m concerned, Giroud has already answered his critics, proven himself to be, at the very least, an acceptable striker and deserves more support. More forward options would be great, but I think it’s more important to bring in competition on the wings and someone with presence to play alongside Arteta. Zaha looks like the type of player who could do well out wide, and may be on his way, and for me Paulinho would be an amazing signing for the midfield but I’d be surprised if we could pull it off given his recent comments.
fair point and very true…
but wat happens if giroud plays for france this week and breaks his leg. who plays up front then.. buying a striker makes sense. not to replace giroud but to at least have cover. we only have two strikers. and chamakh needs months at a time to find the net.
It’s like you guys have forgotten so quickly that Mr Wenger Arsene, is an ECONOMICS degree holder at the university of Strasburg, France. I can bet my life on this that Wenger, even at gun point can never spend all of that money on one player. In fact that is the money for three or four players. So I don’t need a soothsayer to tell me that this story is a complete hoax.
It is a hoax. We have heard that before.
Dream on.