Arsenal’s under-fire defense needs to be examined this summer. There’s no getting past that.
Thomas Vermaelen, Arsenal’s benched captain, looks like a man devoid of confidence. The once assured, Belgium bruiser has suffered a serious fall from grace.
Then there’s Per Mertesacker, the club’s lanky German, who has a ‘zero’ in the pace column. Whilst he’s tactically astute and well organised, a lack of mobility is a pretty big flaw for a defender.
Last but not least, is Laurent Koscielny, who I would argue is Arsenal’s best defender on his day, but is wildly inconsistent. Needless free-kicks, own goals and red cards have plagued his season.
Let’s not delve too much further into this Arsenal squad. The thought of Sebastien Squillaci and Johan Djourou pulling on a shirt and playing in the Premier League is enough to make me break out in hives. Only youngster Ignasi Miquel provides any real hope for the future, but he’s still far to raw for a first team call-up.
Whilst Arsenal have improved over the last couple of weeks defensively, there’s a clear need for drastic measures this summer. One of two new defensive signings wouldn’t go amiss.
But let’s not lose our heads. According to a GiveMeFootball article, Arsenal should consider re-signing Kolo Toure. He’s a player who would be available on a free next summer (as Roberto Mancini doesn’t look interested in renewing his Manchester City contract) and it’s claimed that he could ‘help to ease the pressure on the current [defensive] trio’.
I don’t buy this. Following Arsenal’s new commercial deal, the club no longer needs to focus on signing players on the cheap. The Gunners need a defensive talent who plays like Kolo Toure in his prime, not a 32-year-old, football starved Kolo.
He’s only made 14 appearances this season for City and may well have to step down to smaller club to find regular football.
If there was no previous link between club and player, this kind of story would get laughed off of the internet. But as fine a defender as Kolo was for Arsenal, the club as a whole needs to look forward, not backwards.
The need somebody with pace, power, and stamina. I’m not sure Kolo still ticks all these boxes. I can only hope that Arsene Wenger has somebody in mind who does.
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The defenders that played in next gen series looked good
“Only youngster Ignasi Miquel provides any real hope for the future….”
Never heard of Hector Bellerin no?. He will be our starting RB within 18 months once he gets some decent playing time with the 1st team under his belt. (He is more talented than Jenkinson and Sagna will leave). Some actual research please.
kolo wouldnt come back to arsenal italy is the right move for him he would be a starting centre back at; ac millan,inter and napoli who also wants his team mate dzeko. other than that he could join the ivorian revolution at galatasary.
Come on, Laurent Koscielny is a good defender, and defenders get yellow and red cards more than the other players, after all they are the last line of defence before the GK. Kos plays his heart out for the team, and if he has made a mistake here and there, who has not?
Resigning kolo is a no no, Manc will give him a contract anyway.
Arsenal should focus on going forward and not backwards, a team with a beautiful new commercial deal can afford most talented young defenders on market. a review of re-signing previous players is not a strategy for developing a fantastic club like Arsenal!