If Vermaelen goes to United or Barca we will regret it. Say what you want about Wenger but he made Vermalen Captain because he believes the guy has 'Top Class' potential. He's still young for a CB and we've yet to see the best out of him. I would be very happy with Kos/Mert/Verm/Williams as our CB options. I think that gives us two balanced pairings.
He's a good player but.. for me he has the same issues as Vermaelen. Naturally a lightweight - a decent strength training programme would make a big difference. A little less Gong-Ho but a little weaker in the air than the Belgian.
Williams looks strong enough to cope with people like Walters and Carroll. So I would agree with him giving us a great option for certain games. I don't see much use for Vermaelen to be honest. If he wants to be 4th choice CB and 3rd choice LB, he can be. Perhaps he would make a good DM? I can see him being tenacious enough for that role.
Crazy that we are writing TV off after half a season. Back in September half our fans would have said he was our best defender. I am 95% certain he will stay, and that the Williams stories are completely fabricated. What makes it even stranger is that we have (apparently) agreed terms with the player, and there is no indication that we have an agreement with Swansea. That isn't even how transfers work! Come September TV could be our best defender again, easily. There is a long way to go this transfer window and already, I'm finding the wind-up stories and polarized views on players dismally depressing, even if it was to be expected. What I don't understand is how Williams, is seen as such a clear upgrade on our captain. He has shown zero evidence for it. Certainly his performances have been wildly inconsistent at best. Is there no way we can discuss these players as something other than, "Clearly the best ever", or, "Obviously never going to be any good"?
Vermaelen seems like something of a liability in my opinion . The best defenders can make tough challenges and NOT give away constant free kicks. he gets stuck in but hes not smart enough to do it without getting booked.
The bookings he was picking up were mainly so-called professional fouls, at least I thought they were. For my money he is more of a natural replacement for Metersacker than Koscielney, as far as his style of play goes. I think he is suffering because of just how good Kos and Metersacker were at the end of this season, not because he is a bad player. As we can see from some of the clubs he is linked with, not everybody thinks he is a bad player.
Vermaelen is quality, we'd be mad to let him go. Williams would be a decent replacement for Djourou/Squillaci but not to take the place of Vermaelen. We've finally got CB position sorted out. Kos and Mert have earned their starting places, but TV is a top quality CB too and he'll get plenty of games at Arsenal if he sticks to it.
Possible bid for Andre Schurle from Leverkusen. It would be good to have another attacking winger, Santi and Pod are wasted on the left. http://www.caughtoffside.com/2013/0...to-hijack-chelsea-move-for-talented-attacker/
Have to disagree with you; goal.com are the targets for my hate at the moment. I think that they are way worse.
I gotta be honest, he's an idiot but I would love us to sign Rooney. Wenger would get the best out of him.
Not Arsenal related, but still major transfer news. Rodriguez in particular is a brilliant player. http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/may/24/monaco-joao-moutinho-james-rodriguez-porto
Also seems like Neymar might be on the verge of joining Barca. Can't see him and Messi working to be honest.
Not really. A bit overrated, yes. He is a magnificent talent but I can't see how he is going to fit into that Barca side.
