I'm quite a lot more confident about our defence now that they've been settling in. In fact the team as a whole. I would though agree with AJH that we should sign a striker to take the load off RvP, a creative midfielder and perhaps one more defender or DM as cover. We need to secure that 4th spot. I'd like to see how Ryo Miyaichi fits into the team before I finalise our needs. We have 2 months to plan and plan on getting ahead. I just hope that Arsene and the board will sign whoever we need in January instead of trying to see out the season on what we have because that is simply too risky.
RVB - we discussed this on another thread a while back, who have we signed in January that has been a success at the club ? I think the majority of signings by all clubs in January are panic buys and rarely pay off - going back even to the Keegan signing of Asprilla...
Yes you have a point. That's certainly form of a sort. However if we have an opportunity to land a Goetze or a Hazard I hope no one is backward about getting out the chequebook. Looking at things at this stage I think we do however need cover for RvP. Having to rely on one person to provide nearly half ( 11 out of 23 currently ) of the team's goals, several of which were match winners is both good and bad.
Hmm these articles are always tricky but I'm already bored at work so I shall partake too. Here's my tuppence worth on our current line up and where I personally feel we could improve. Bearing in mind I am assuming every player is fit which, as every Goooner knows, is utter bollards! -------------------Chesney------------------ ---Sagna---Koscielny---Vermaelen---Gibbs--- -------------Arteta--------Song------------- --------------------Wilshere---------------- ---Walcott---------------------Gervinho----- ----------------------RVP------------------- Subs: Fabianski, Mertesacker, Santos, Ramsey, Arshavin, Rosicky, Chamakh Right-o. Hopefully I'm not alone in thinking that the starting 11 (and I'm aware many would tweak a player or two) is pretty damn good. I thought when we signed him that Arteta would be far more attacking but am loving the way he's sat back a bit more - just what we needed. For me the obvious position to strengthen is LB. I think as things stand both our options are ok and nothing more. I hope to be proven wrong but I think injury will prevent Gibbs from ever being better than average and maybe Santos just needs to improve his fitness and adapt to the english game. As far as the rest of the starting 11 is concerned the only way you're going to improve that is by spending an obscene amount of money. I'd imagine we'd only be able to afford one mahoosive signing if miracles happened and we went for it. Hazard for example would improve on Gervinho (on paper anyway - how well he'd fare in the EPL is another matter as Swell-head has been really promising so far) so for me he's replace him in the starting 11 and I'd drop Arshavin from the bench to accomodate Gervinho being there. Personally I think it's always a big gamble doing business in January unless you clearly know what you're after. As things stand the squad is starting to gel and there's a real sense of "us against the world" mentality which I really like. Every win is a big f*ck you to the doubters and the team seem to be thriving on this. Quite why we're being doubted considering the squads ability is baffling but I love the lack of pressure so long may it continue. The only thing I can see happening in January, if anything, is Chamakh leaving us and us getting a solid replacement. I can't see anything especially glamorous in this department unless we spend big/are lucky or we wait until the summer. Personally I'd like a Dzecko-esq lump to shank things in off their knees/arse/stomachs where appropriate, win headers and out-muscle those lumpish centrebacks.
Yes I was thinking LB as well unless Santos really is as good as defending as he seems to be at wishing to be up front. I'm glad the team is starting to gel and hope that we will be eve stronger over the next two months. By then the gaps of today may disappear, one hopes...
Yep, agreed, no question Chamakh hasn't been the player we thought so we should do what all other big clubs do and that's swallow our pride, sell the asset and find a better replacement - the question is whether AW is too stubborn or not ? Or is Theo the man with Oxo out wide ? In which case we'd have RVPM, Theo, Gervinho, Park, Campbell (when visa sorted) and B52 out on loan, so there's plenty of attacking options there and three of them were brought in during the Summer so is AW is about to go splashing £20m+ on another ?
Chamakh seemed a pretty good fit when he began with us and I read an opinion that placed his loss of form and confidence down to a lack of starts when RvP returned from injury. I suppose if he and Bendtner could be relied upon to score as consistently as RvP then they might have had equal opportunities to play. As it is he's not acquitting himself very well and NB has vowed not to return. I agree with your point about going out and splashing a lot of cash on another striker which is why I believe it is crucial over the next two months for Gervinho, Park and Campbell to step up and while opportunities need to be given to them, they too have to show what they are capable of or we'll be a team that is largely one-man reliant.
I'd like to see him bring in Hazard and Vertongen but with his January buying history, I can only see him spending if were outside the top 4.
January is a notoriously bad time for transfers, I wouldn't be too upset if we didn't bring anyone in. I'd love to see us move for Gotze or Hazard, but I can't see it happening in Jan.
Again ... whats with the rose coloured glasses ?? The OP is pretty much spot on with his analysis, apart from the striking options. I think Gervinho can play up there, he is an intelligent striker and makes superb runs. Also Walcott could play there, I'm gagging to see him get his wish to play as a striker. I think the midfield is ok, not spectacular but ok, we have different players so we should be able to play various combinations against different teams. We have the energy of Rosicky, the neat simple passing of Arteta, the attacking skill of Benayoun. What I think we need is a proper DM because Song is average, not good enough for us. In defence I can say Kos has been a revelation this season, his reading of the game has improved and his positional play also. Djourou remains a liability, great one game and mistake ridden the next. Vermaelen has kept his class. Mertesacker is a massive disappointment, how anyone can say he has been good is beyond me, for a 6ft5 giant he looks kack in the air and he is sooooo slow. However, I think he needs to adjust to the English game, but that isn't the point the OP made, he told it like it is here and now and that is that Merts has been poor - and he has been, no argument. Santos needs to learn how to defend, he looks awful defending and making far too many mistakes considering he is the mighty Brazil's LB. Jenkinson is not good enough, he is out of his league. Can he improve, yeah probably, but is he there now ? Absolutely frikkin not.
When you say "many" are these the same people claiming Jenkinson is a great RB, better than when Eboue played RB and better than Sagna ?? I can't take anyone seriously who has that as a genuine opinion. I've mostly seen Mertesacker get out paced, out muscled and out jumped. If you people have seen other things in his game so far I am calling you all bare faced liars.
There's been moments when a through-ball has been attempted, and Mertesacker has reacted and moved to cut off the move before anyone else seemed to even know there was a threat. He's got good vision, that tall man.
Wenger may buy one (most probably young) midfielder if he finds the right one. Otherwise it may be the quietest transfer window in years for Arsenal. I also can see one or two fringe players leaving. Btw I have Chelsea game recorded - if not Mert we could well be 2 goals down by 5th minute. Two vital interceptions.
With the ACON coming in January I think he may look for another DM to cover for Song. That is unless he feels Frimpong can do the job. I'd like to see him go in for a Striker but as January can be an expensive time to shop. This means we'll either end up with a relatively unknown signing or no-one. I hope he proves me wrong!
