Also, I think it needs noting that Song has had a very good season. He gets slated for not being a DM, but that's because he's NOT A DM, he's a CM, who both attacks and defends. Some people are quick to jump on him when he makes a mistake, but he is a workhorse in our midfield and some of his passing and assists this season have been brilliant - a bonus that none of us expected - and for that he deserves a lot of credit.
True, he has been a workaholic and always looks ready for the battle unlike.....nameless others. His through balls to RVP has earned him a reprieve from the casual defensive mistakes he makes in the middle, letting counter attacks in.
Absence? He is being played on the left for 3 games now. Gervinho was one of our better players in the worst periods of our season before he went to Africa, and Oxo has been solid anytime he's played. We play more through the right side because of Sagna, not because Oxo has been bad when he's played on the left. I've said it before. Wenger will play Ramsey and Walcott whenever he can, out of position or not, as he seems obliged to do so having hyped them up throughout the years. Walcott is doing ok-ish, but Ramsey has shown that he is not in form to play in his best position or out of it. He was great for a patch before his injury, but no need to force it and risk losing points. Gervinho and Oxo give us much more. Some people are acting like we bought Gervinho after the African Cup.
He was an excellent squad player. No one could ever question his commitment to the cause. I agree, we shouldn't boo any players on the pitch, this will only cause players to play even more badly. It's not like our players do it on purpose or anything. If people want to vent then direct it to the manager and board....
This is one thing that i dislike Wenger doing, putting players in positions that are not suited to them. It's not like we have injury problems. Play someone that is performing the best. The only thing he's doing is putting Ramsey under more pressure by sticking him in a position that he doesn't excel in.
With Arsene I fear it's a case of not being able to teach an old dog new tricks even when the ones he uses are at issue.
For the majority of the season though he has played as an advanced midfielder, in the absence of an attacking midfielder. Rosicky has now come back to form and fitness, so he's doing the bulk of the creative attacking from the middle. Also in the last 3 games that Ramsey has played on the left, he's actually done okay there, against Everton in particular. He was pretty ineffective against QPR, but so were the whole team. That said, I agree that Wenger should be picking Oxo to play on the left ahead of Ramsey at the moment. I was pleased to see Benayoun start on the left against City, even though he had a fairly quiet game until the last 20 mins.
Benayoun is a quality player. He has always been good, for West Ham, Liverpool, (he didn't get games at Chelsea) and when he's played for us. Against Spurs he and Rosicky ran the midfield. Personally, I'd keep Benayoun on next season, either on loan, or on a 1 year deal.
Is he on his last year at Chelsea or would you have to pay to get him? Not sure he's worth forking out for when you factor in wages too. I think he's done a solid job for us and he was a good signing (I'd have probably used him more too) but think there are more important positions to spend on.
He's under contract with Chelsea until the summer of next year, if we did make his deal permanent, then I think we'd not want to spend any more than around £2 - £3m on him, Chelsea may even let him go on a free if he doesn't figure in their plans. Also his wages would be significantly less at Arsenal than at Chelsea.
I'd keep playing Benayoun on the left after that performance. Wenger's tactic is to play down the right, giving Sagna free reign as a winger, which allows Walcott to cut inside and be more of a striker. It works because he is putting a narrower player on the left (Benayoun or Ramsey). Obviously Ramsey can't cut it on the left but Benayoun can, so I say keep playing him.
Benny is a very good squad player and someone i would keep. He's never really done much wrong wherever he's gone, i don't know why he keeps getting moved around so much....
He's been a bit of a journeyman, not sure why Liverpool sold him really, he was pretty effective for them. We do tend to favour the right with Sagna and Walcott - and against City there were a few times when we had two men over on the left, because Benayoun always seems to make space for himself, he's effective even when he's not got the ball.
He isn't limited to the right and can be moved around to the center and left side. Would be perfect when we want to rest our main midfielders for the Carling/early FA cup games. His experience would be invaluable especially if we have a young/second string players out.
I think he and Ramsey are a wash myself. Neither of them have great pace or have any great strength in any one area. The difference is Ramsey is 21 and will get better, Benayoun is as good as he is going to get. They both give us a slightly more defensive look on the left side. I still think people don't give Walcott enough credit for what is going on down the right. Yes, Sagna is a required part of it, but Walcott is as well, and Sagna gets his space because defences are petrified of Walcott. With all the options that we have down the left next season, particularly if Podolski comes in, I doubt that Ramsey or Benayoun will get a game there.
