Wenger started at Arsenal by signing two centre backs (Petit and Vieira) and playing them in the centre of midfield, he based his team around big, tough aggressive players, not flair players. The invincibles had the same steel with Gilberto pairing Vieira in midfield. Since the invincibles were dismantled Wenger has built his team around airy-fairy flair players. Every season we have signed short attacking midfielders. It has been the same this summer with Gervinho and Chamberlain coming in. Nasri and Fabregas are two players of the highest quality, but both are short attacking midfielders. Wenger promised at the start of the summer to add height to the squad and improve the defence, as yet he hasn't done that (unless you count our new back up right back). If both Cesc and Nasri go, we have already signed two attacking midfielders this summer, I want the money to go on powerful defensive players. My choices would be Gary Cahill and Jack Rodwell. I'd then move Wilshere further up the pitch into Cesc's role. The only other position we are lacking is up front. I'd like to see us sign a centre forward. I'd then give Van Persie a deeper role to allow him to get more involved in build up play without leaving us short up front. I have put Benzema in the team below, but acknowledge that is unrealistic, any proven striker would do. Szczesny Sagna--CAHILL--Vermaelen--Gibbs Song--RODWELL Wilshere Van Persie----------Gervinho BENZEMA Fabianski Jenkinson--Djourou--Koscielny--Traore Frimpong Ramsey/Rosicky--Lansbury/Diaby Walcott/Chamberlain----------Arshavin/Miyaichi Chamakh I'd rotate Song, Rodwell and Frimpong. Rodwell might be useful if both Song and Frimpong get called up to the ACON. As you can see from the reserve team above we have an abundance of short attacking players, Rosicky, Walcott, Chamberlain, Arshavin, Miyaichi but don't have much cover in the defensive midfield areas.
IF both do go it will be intersting to see what happens - I personally would want him to go for Parker/one of Jags/cahill, baines and mata. IF we get Jagielka look for another lb. But seeing as he said no LB prob two CB's a dm and mata so; Wos Sagna Cahill/Jag TV Baines Song Parker Wilshere/Ramsey Walcott/Arsh RVP Mata. OR Wos Sagna Djou/Kos/Jag/Cahill/TV TV/Gibbs Song Parker Wilshere/Ramsey Walcott/Arsh RVP Mata. Cauhtoffside (i know) are saying we are going for mata and hazard which would be a bit weird because they are similar mata a bit more ss/lwf and hazard more lwf/lw but neither a true replacement for Fab. Whatever happens I really want wenger to take the approx 50mn plus mayb e the 20 we have left and go buy 3/4 experienced players to boost the team - unfortunately dont see it happening. Dont know who he will get but think one CB and one MF (am/lw) only
We all know Wenger will not sign a British defender, he has an aversion to them. Besides that do we really want players from relegated sides? (Scott Dann/Scott Parker) If they are so good how come they didn't save their teams. Jagielka is 27/28 a bit old for Wenger and Baines and Cahill are not really of proven quality.
Because it's a Team sport? Jags is 29 very soon. Baines is resiliant, played every minute of the Premiership last year I believe and provided great assists from LB. He's at his peak, but will be too expensive. So who do you want then?
Cahill and Rodwell are both the right age to move to big clubs and make a name for themselves. Both are tall, aggressive and English - three things our squad has been needing in the last few seasons.
I'd like to see the following players brought in: Vertonghen Mata Kaka Benzema That'd win us the league no problem All of those players would be available for a decent price as well! Although wages in the case of Kaka may be an issue.
*cough* Campbell also he has bid for Jagielka in two different transfer windows, enquired about Chaill and now Apparently Dann seems a lot of effort for someone who doesn't buy english. Err someone already mentioned Team Sport. Cahill has been playing in the premier league for 4-5 years now (pretty much the same as Kos, Djou, TV and Squi combined) while Baines was comfortably the best left back in the league last season.
@ Bonstar Wandit - I agree the players listed will be expensive but I am giving my ideal scenario and hoping with 70mn odd in the bank that Wenger goes hell for leather. And in terms of Wages they should all be relatively affordable.
Wont be bad but Kaka will be 25mn plus another 20-30mn in wages not too mention age and injury issues. The others coupled with a dm I would also be very happy with.
Now you're just letting good, solid reason & facts get in the way of ridonculous amounts of negativity!
I think Both Cahill and Jagielka would be excellent signings. Both are FAR better suited to the EPL than Koscielney and Squillaci. I'm confident Cahill will be a World Class defender. If we dont get him he'll end up at Chelsea or City and we will all be complaining that we did'nt buy him. I would LOVE Benzema at arsenal he's exactly the kind of player Wenger would turn into a world beater. (although we have more than enough strikers) Gourcuff could be a fantastic addition- he's had injury problems of late but the 6'3 Frenchman would add some height and quality to our ranks. Mata is a better player than Nasri so I would be very happy if he was our replacement for the Frenchman. ---------------Sczezney-------------- Sagna--Jagielka--Cahill--Vermaelen Walcott--Gourcuff--Wilshere--Mata ---------VanPersie --------------Benzema. No traditional defensive midfielder (song can come in for away games) but a solid back four and more attacking prowess than any other team in the league.
@ the bear - I can see that team scoring a lot of goals, consequently I can see them shipping as many. 4-4 vs newcastle would be a regular occurrence rather than once in generation game
Yeah its all about goals. However moving Vermaelen to the left and signing TWO centrebacks gives us more solidity.
No defence can do its job if there are no defensive players in midfield, they will just get moved around too much and leave gaps. You need a Scott Parker type figure in your team to flourish. Then lose Walcott and move Van Persie out wide and you have a team the rest of us will worry about.
I'm not convinced that we do have 'more than enough strikers'. We have RVP and Chamakh. The rest are all AMs/wingers!
there are plenty of players with 'steel' out there (samba, cahill etc), but the ones with the skill to go with that would cost serious money, money that arsene wenger doesnt seem willing to spend on a player (the likes of hulk, ferdinand, yaya toure). i think arsenals best bet is to carry on as normal with song and either ramsey or wilshere (or both) and a front 4 of arshavin, nasri (if he stays), walcott and RVP. that midfield / attack is easily good enough to go far in the CL and get in to the top 4. song is an outstanding holding midfielder, much better than scott parker for example. its easy to say 'arsenal need steel' but where are these players available for a reasonable fee? arsenals unique passing style needs every player from 1 to 11 to be comfortable with one touch football, and people like scott parker dont cut the mustard at the top level, despite how good he may have looked playing in a poor team. put an arsenal player in west hams team and he'd be twice as good as he looks playing for arsenal. vermaelen is top drawer, so is sagna. all arsenal need is a left back and centre back, as well as a goalkeeper, but the reality is there are very few of those available so its not as simple to replace those positions as people think.
@Kleinfeld Care to elaborate which of those is an unrealistic signing? Strongly linked with Mata, Vertonghen has before aired his desire to play at Arsenal and wouldn't cost all that much. And Benzema and Kaka are both reportedly available for transfer and at values Arsenal coudl afford. Kaka looking for a chance to rejuvinate his carear could be convinced to mvoe to Arsenal imo. The only issue would be his wages. @velachiperoo Aye i know Kaka is a bit of a long shot and his wages would most likely price him out of Arsenals range, but what a player he would be for us The others i think are all very realistic opportunities but i doubt the prof will go for any of them other than Mata. If we signed Mata, Benzema and Vertonghen though i would be very very happy with the transfer window - particularly if we kept one of either Nasri of Fabregas.
