Really don't think we should be looking at selling as already a good wingback/left midfield so a good squad player just needs to improve on the defensive side which certainly can do at his age + £1.4m is a joke as there's no way we'd find as a good a replacement for 2-3 times that amount.
Traore was a very good signing, Anton was ok and the rest were awful IMO. i think thats a huge reason why Tony wouldnt trust him with any more money, i know I wouldnt have.
Benfica do seem to be trying to sign every LB available (if my memory of the Taiwo non-event is right). I think the lad is good, can learn to defend but is a very cultured player all round, has time on his side and wouldn't want him to go. Plus I think, if he can gain some consistency and bulk out a touch, I think him and Adel on the left would be a very dynamic outlet for us. I thought MH had a "one out one in" policy - this should definitely be applied to full backs otherwise we could end up in the exact situation we (the board included) were trying to avoid where we're desperately seeking anybody on the last day of the transfer window. Get rid of Young too (as also rumoured) and we'll only have one recognised full back - a loanee! This surely can't have any element of truth to it (without a sublime back up plan but even then I think we're still losing good cover in decent positions).
He's a good footballer, not a good full-back. Better suited to left midfield where his pace and crossing scares the opposition and he can still defend if necessary. I can only think his agent may be stirring...
Sorry, can't agree with most on here on this one. He's a very, very poor left-back, he's forever giving the ball away and his positional sense is frightening. Any half decent wide player takes him completely out of the game with a bit of movement as he always follows the ball, however, his pace often gets him out of trouble. He's a much better left-midfielder, as shown at times last season, but given the players we now have that can play there and the others we're apparently in for, I can't see him getting much game time. Fabio will play at left-back and we have Hill and Onuoha who can cover the position, I'd take £1.4m in a heart beat. Wenger doesn't often let quality young players leave Arsenal.
Bulk out? You haven't seen him in the pre-season have you, he looks like he's been on the droids or eaten 20 cows and worked out for 4 months. He's huge now.
I think hes better at LW too but the fact is hes our only real LB so he has to play there unless we sign 1 or 2 more. Im sure hes being coached to defend better and if he gets that right, he will become a top FB.
I've only seen about 3 minutes of highlights (and about 20 minutes of panning crowd shots) so have obviously missed him (God knows how if he now looks like Holt on steroids).
Hill as a left back?...isnt that what earned him his loan spell...terrible LB..out of his depth..great CB though!
Only recognised LB!. Fabio is not a left footed FB. I still think a specialised LB and CB should be top of the list. I think Traore must stay too.
I seriously doubt he is off and if he is that would be a massive mistake.....we need to strengthen our defence, not weaken it!
Traore's definitely an improving winger - and probably still our best crosser - and it's not like we're loaded for full back options either is it?
Got to agree with the first bit not sure I would like him to leave as he can cross the ball and probably is better going forward, however I don't think I have ever seen a player so one footed in my life and that scares me.
uncle tony has just tweeted that he doesn't know where these rumours started but traore is an important part of the squad and is going nowhere. any paper story put to bed.
