Ask any amateur pundit and they’ll tell you, what Arsenal need right now is an out-and-out striker. Not a winger who sometimes plies his trade down the middle – but somebody who thrives off of converting opportunities and is capable of delivering 20-30 goals per season.
Last season, they had one of the best strikers in the world, Robin Van Persie pulling the strings, this season, they’ve had to put up with the likes of Olivier Giroud and Gervinho.
I’m not here to criticize the Ivorian, nor the Frenchman, but they aren’t exactly Robin Van Persie standard. It’s this very fact that has seen Arsenal struggle this season. Whilst the midfield is better than last years (thanks to Arsene effectively swapping Alex Song, for the gifted technical talent that is Santi Cazorla), they are lacking in genuine threat up front and only Theo Walcott and Lukas Podolski seem to provide any genuine goal-threat.
Arsene must have known that selling RVP would create problems. That he failed to adequately replace the Dutchman is almost unforgivable.
But it gets worse. Despite the January transfer window being open for a week now, Arsenal have failed to snap up any new additions. Surely from around November, Arsene knew he needed to have targets ready to snap up at the soonest convenience? Arsenal are sixth in the Premier League table after all.
Why, for instance, did Arsenal not go in for former Newcastle star, Demba Ba? Chelsea’s new striker has a remarkable goal-scoring record and was available at a decent price thanks to the £7.5m release clause written into his contract.
The reason why Arsene wasn’t interested? “I like Demba Ba personally, he is a similar type to Giroud who we just bought. It was one or the other one.” (Source: Arsenal.com)
I don’t buy that. Demba Ba is a more athletic and pacey player than Olivier Giroud will ever be. Giroud has to rely on good positional sense and heading ability to work chances, whilst Ba can use his feet well, run onto through-balls and thanks to his time out on the wings last season, can beat his man.
He’s an agile, versatile player who just so happens to be an excellent finisher. In that last respect, both he and Giroud are similar. In terms of quality, however, I’d argue that Ba stands apart.
At Chelsea, he’ll be the heir apparent to Didier Drogba and will fit in nicely. Arsenal have missed a great opportunity. We can only hope that Arsene has something better lined up, but I won’t hold my breath.
What’s your take? Should Arsenal have signed Demba Ba?
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I think it was a colossal mistake. I really dont understand Wenger at all. Ba literarily through himself at Arsenal and wenger said Giroud and Ba are in the same mould. I think It is a losing battle trying to understand what Wenger sees because if he thinks his players are so good, he would sit in the stands with the fans like Fergie does and let the players do the talking. He is even more anxious than we are sometimes. So it must mean one thing, they are not as good as they are but he does not care about what we think. It is his way or nothing.
Very true and the reason why Wenger didn’t buy him or anyone else… because he is an idiot who is not capable of doing the job for which he is handsomely overpaid!
Wenger out Pep in!
Arsene seemed to be lost, he is now Arsenal’s financial manager, i am not sure what they discuss with Mr Kroenke, he also seems to be an astute liar this nowadays, can’t trust him till he signs new players, what is an exceptional player? Ba is exceptional better than what he has honestly, two weeks gone i don’t think he intends to sign anyone surely, and doesn,t care how fans feel. I believe it can take him a few days to win back fans or risk humiliation if he fails to get into the top four, he will be humiliated by Spurs they are plotting to topple Arsenal and are buying.The fans will be outraged i am certain.
Excellent article. Couldn’t agree more. For me, Ba was always going to be the best potential buy this January. At that price, and with our stingy bargain hunting manager, it just seemed a match made in Arsenal heaven. I’m still amazed we didn’t complete his signing. I can only imagine that we were in the fight, but we just didn’t have the financial guns to match the deal Chelsea were able to offer.
It’s steady as she goes for us. We continue to lose our best players and we continue to lack the financial clout to be to sign the best players.
The essence of decline!
That shouldn’t be counted as his mistakes bcos stubborness and greediness is his birthright . How can a single person hold the position of a coach and a financial manager post at a time . He keep on telling us dat when the injured players are back, then the team is okay. Pep guardiola is waiting in the wing for him to step down or get disgraced by getting a sack letter .
I personally think Wenger is going nuts cuz he said Adrian Lopez would be an arsenal player before the Man city game which is just one day away,i sometimes think the current Arsenal board is more focused on money then the club and its supporters who make em what they are 🙁 I really always feel so sad when we’re linked with every good player under the sun and they end up going to opposite clubs that actually had no intentions for em in the first place,i just wonder y we lost Ba to the chuvs as cheap as he was,shall we get Falcao or Cavanni who r expensive as shit. Fuck whoever is materialistic on the arsenal board. #TEAM #WE WANT OUR OLD ARSENAL BACK
wenger is most corupted manager and arsenal board also corupt i beleave their is one strong bad dealing within the baord which wenger also konws about it,that;s while he did not doing thing right again both making foolish excusses.even to the exstend that owner of arsenal team can not say anything because his also benefiting from the dad deals.if not so why are they preventing other shareholder to comein,i know one thing lie can rule for years both oneday turth will catch it up.i know all this will not get to them but to let them know that we know.
wenger is most corupted manager and arsenal board also corupt i beleave their is one strong bad dealing within the baord which wenger also konws about it,that;s while he did not doing thing right again both making foolish excusses.even to the exstend that owner of arsenal team can not say anything because his also benefiting from the dad deals.if not so why are they preventing other shareholder to comein,i know one thing lie can rule for years but oneday turth will catch it up.i know all this will not get to them but to let them know that we know.