I wonder if our manager will ever consider playing Walcott in his natural role especially as RvP himself has suggested taking a secondary role. As we know though, Wenger is as unmovable as a rock.
Be realistic, i can't see major changes so getting rid of players like Arteta and Walcott would be suicide. We need to get rid of the deadwood before we can move forward. However, a creative playmaker and stiker should be top of the list at least!
I'll believe it when I see this management buying a creative midfielder and striker neither of whom come from the bargain basement. That or some 19 year old who is wet around the ears or who needs to be loaned out. I wouldn't be surprised if Wenger says something like having Jack W come back in March would be like bringing in a new player so we really didn't need anyone after all. Perhaps somewhere in N5 lies the secret we have all been hoping for but which outwardly masquerades as the treatment room Such a shame fan power counts for so little.
Well they'll have to get one otherwise we will not be competitive next year. You can't rely on Wilshere and Ramsey who are still developing! Also i hope rush buys do nto occur again!!!
You jest but i can see it happening. What is worrying if we win a few games and by a miracle get 4th place, he will start saying we are the best thing sliced bread and not buy anyone!
The key for us for next season is to finish in front of Liverpool and Chelsea, I think finishing in front of Liverpool will be harder because they look pretty decent at the moment. That dire performance at the San Siro aside, with Wilshere back and Ramsey out, fingers crossed Walcott dropped and Gervinho in, provided our defenders don't kill themselves, thats not a bad team at all !!!
LOL - one bad game and everybody's darling Vermaelen is nobody. Arteta also. And how about Sagna - who on earth can you realistically find to replace him???
This Telegraph story starts well, but then we see that the author actually knows nothing. (According to one source, Wenger “went crazy” and vented his anger directly at the players for a performance that he regarded as the worst in Europe during his 15 years as Arsenal manager. There was a general acceptance among the squad that Wenger’s criticisms were justified. Several prominent first-team players are now playing for their future, including Theo Walcott, Tomas Rosicky and Andrei Arshavin, whose contracts expire over the next 18 months but have yet to secure new deals. Arsenal will also consider offers for Marouane Chamakh and Sébastien Squillaci, who have barely featured this season, while other fringe players, such as Nicklas Bendtner, Carlos Vela, Denilson and Manuel Almunia, are finally expected to be sold.") So Rosicky ( the only decent player against Milan), as well as Arshavin, Chamakh, Bentner, Vela, Squillaci, Denilson and Almunia were at fault at San Siro. Perfect logic. Idiot. The truth behind it is - the first team, although not world beaters by any stretch of imaginations are so vastly better than the rest of the squad, that Wenger can not afford to threaten anyone of them - it would be silly. NO COMPETITION - this is the real problem. Wenger thinks competition kills his players. So for virtually every position we have a decent player and a poor sub. When this decent player decides not to turn up foe the game - Wenger can do nothing. Just nothing. Apart from - "You played awful against Milan! It is a disaster!! I will fire .. Squillaci".
Jayram do you read what you write? Sagna not good enough to be kept (imo best RB in the league last season)? TV and Kosc not good enough for our club (go watch Kosc keep Messi in his pocket)? Arteta not worth keeping as a great squad player even if we brought in world class? Not worth giving Ramsey another year to see if he can make it alongside wilshere? Song now not even worth being a squad player? YOUR RIDICULOUS. IN WHAT WORLD DOES SELLING YOUR FIRST TEAM MAKE YOU A STRONGER TEAM? The first team are NOT the players we should be getting rid of - you stupid, stupid person. We need to sign a few top class players for the first team making a few of the current first team squad players. If our second string where all of the Arteta type (not amazing but solid players) we would do alot better. Calling to sell the first team is the stupidest thing i have EVER seen you say. Infact one of the stupidest things i have ever seen on this board. Sell those who are clearly not up to scratch (Almunia, Squil etc..) and those who will not have an arsenal career like Vela and Bendtner. Then start buying real quality and let the first team realise they have real competition and will be dropped to becomming squad players if not making the cut. This would leave some of our current first team as squad/rotation players and they are definatly good enough for this - our first tema are actualy very good.
AFCFTW - he isn't far off though and your pathetic rant misses the point being made. Many of the Arsenal first team are not good enough to be Arsenal first team starters, not Song, not Arteta, not Mertesacker, not Walcott, not Ramsey. If you sell those players of course you must replace them. Sagna and Vermaelen didn't cover themselves in glory but I certainly would not get rid of them, but the point being made by Jayram is essentially correct, very few of the current Arsenal first team starters/squad should be starters/squad players.
Arsenal First 11: -------------Szczesny------------ Sagna-----Mert(Kos)----TV-----Santos ---------------Song-------------- -------Wilshere-------Arteta------ Walcott--------RVP-----Gervinho(oxo) Szczesny - Good keeper, will keep improving, will be our 1st choice for a long time. Sagna - Imo best RB in the league last couple of seasons, but has been out injured. Definately wouldn't sell. TV - Was in the team of the season before his injury trouble, he's a leader type, has been a little off the pace but has been out of position. He'd be in the top 3 CB at any prem club and so should not be sold. Mert(Kos) - Merts been doing much better, unfortunate injury, good player to have in the squad as he gives us a different style of player. Would not sell him. (Kos mentioned as different people have different views on our first choice CB's - Kos for me has been of our best players this season so should not be sold). Santos - Was constantly improving defensively, adds alot going forward and has style - even if we added at LB he is worth a squad spot - i like him as a player alot. Wouldn't sell him (and dont think he has had enough time to show his quality). Song - Strong player, good at breaking up the attack, has added assists to his game, even if we bought a better DM he is well worth keeping as a rotation option and to cover the defense. This season he has been one of our much better players - wouldn't sell. Wilshere - Look to last season. Arteta - Works very hard, good experience, can do everything fairly well and imo the perfect squad player - wish he had him last season and the season before as cover. Wouldn't sell. Walcott - Gives us something different - even if kept to be the super sub he is worth his spot. Works hard defensively, plays well with RVP and he gets doubled marked often so takes an extra player out the game, also his pace can turn a game. Wouldn't sell. RVP - Enough said. Gervinho(oxo) - Very direct player, takes on and beats his man, needs to work on his finishing but he is the type of quick, direct player we need so wouldn't sell him (oxocube - starting to push for a starting spot, direct, skillfull, good finishing - we'll see alot more of him so wouldn't sell). So for me the first team are all worth keeping at Arsenal even if as squad players with some top quality players comming in to take some spots in the first team. Apologies for the rant - jayram is just soooooo negative (most of the board are at the moment i appreciate but its so over the top). My bad - lets just not go over the top about how bad people think we are.
Surely the other 15 players not making the starting eleven are the ones we should be looking at shipping out first? or do you propose we keep the 3-4 players you mention and sell the rest of the squadmaking 20 odd signings in summer....?
Yes I do read what I write - and you should read it carefully too, because I am being proven more and more correct as the weeks and months go by. Sagna is not even close to being the best full back in the league. He cant cross, lacks a decent first touch, and is beaten far too easily. TV has shown time and aagain that he lacks the discipline to stop himself from diving in at opponents and leaving the defence exposed. Koscielny has inproved but lacks the positional awareness to be a great defender. Lets not forget even with these players we have been awful in defence for 2 years. If you truly believe that they are world class players fit for a team that can challenge for the PL title then fine - but I do not. In fact I would consider you rather stupid if you really believed that these failed players were all of a sudden going to be good enough to take us back up the league. The first team needs a major overhaul, or we will not close the gap on the likes of Spurs, City, and Utd. Your idea of making our current first teamers back ups shows a complete lack of understanding of the game. If you think our current first team players who are underperforming are going to settle for the bench then I pity you. You are going to be very disappointed.
There are players in the squad that should be kept because they may develop well - like OXO. Our problem is that our first 11 is not good enough. Players held up as world class - like Vermaelen are simply not, no matter how much you want them to be. In terms of the number of signings in the summer - it needs to be a lot - i would say in our 24, there are 11 or 12 that deserve to be there either as starters or good back ups. It just shows how far we have regressed that the task of rebuilding is such a huge one.
