Yeah, you could do it like that, but I think the benefit of doing it the other way is we'd get more for our starters than our fringe players and the chances of the starters being content with the bench are remote. But you are right, get rid of the fringe players earning a good crust first.
If I were you I would keep quiet and not highlight the fact you told someone they don't read what they write - and in a sentence with 7 words you spelled 2 of them incorrectly People who live in glass house and that .......
Chaps, as ruthless as it sounds to cut many of our squad its all about desire and ambition. Where do we as a club want to be and more importantly, expect to be ?! I expect us to be challenging for every trophy not just being content at being in the CL with no chance of winning it and certainly not being also rans in the league. The players we have with few exceptions simply are not good enough to put us where we need to be.
I would get rid of 7 first teamers, either selling or demoting: ----------------------------Szczesny Sagna(sell)-----------TV(sell)----------Merts-----------Santos(demote or sell) ---------Wilshere------Song(sell)-------Arteta(demote or sell) ---------Walcott (sell)----RVP-----Gervinho(demote or sell) I dont think there is a single back up player that can step in right now to those 7 places. Of the sold or demoted players: Vermaelen (controversial yes - but for the reasons I have stated. He wont play back up so sell) Sagna (dont rate him nearly as highly as some - gets beaten for pace, leaves too much space and lacks the ability to cross - ever, which is vital for our game) Song (used to rate him, but patience has worn thin with his inconsistency and attitude) Santos (useful back up and might actually get better after another season) Arteta (good, but not good enough to get us back to challenging for the PL. Useful back up) Walcott (fed up with him. Inconsistent. Plays with fear and refuses to take players on.) Gervinho (like him, but is just too weak mentally. Needs to get some fire in his belly before being considered for the first team - useful impact sub) Back ups that I would sell - all of which are way below standard for us in my opinion: Djourou Squillaci Benayoun (end loan) Ramsey Park Chamakh Mannone Diaby Denilson Gibbs Bendtner Vela A total of 16 players out and 3 demoted. So major surgey - something like 10-13 players need to come in (we dont need to replace them all as our squad is way too big). Probably needs to be done over 2 seasons. There is no quick way back for us unless we really go for it in the summer transfer window
I agree with most of this, only thing I will disagree with is Mert, in my opinion Kos is the best CB we have, even on wed, he was the only one who looked like he was trying hard, the first goal came about because he was trying to cover TVs poor positional sense.
I dont see any direct quotes from players here - so its likely to be just an opinion from the journalist. It really would not surprise me though if there is unrest at a lack of defensive coaching. It certainly does show up on the pitch week in week out.
This from Keown adds more weight to the argument though - he can clearly spot the lack of effort, and knowledge of how to defend as a team... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...rsenal-confused-passive-desperate-leader.html There are so many ex Arsenal players - even players like Keown who would have to be really frustrated to ever criticise Arsenal - that know we have big problems.
All players that have shown they cannot take Arsenal forward. I think they are all good players - just not good enough. Song is the only one that I would potentially keep - but his lack of consistency and effort in certain games cannot be overlooked.
Arteta is a squad player but he gives us nothing to make us a top team, the same goes for Song. Sagna and Vermaelen are starters.
Sorry hothead, respect your views, but Vermaelen and Sagna showed nothing again today, no heart, no composure. It takes more than talent.
I think with a commanding beast of a CB - that I have been calling for for years now, Vermaelen would come into his own as would Koscielny. Sagna is caught up in a sea of mediocrity around him.
Well tv was badly at fault for the second goal today. Sagna was awful going forward again. They have had their run now, I just don't see them being part of a team that can get us out of this crisis.
But its not Sagna's faulty he has to go forward, I'd prefer my full backs to defend first, attacking should be a bonus not a pre-requisite. There are 11 players on the pitch, 5 are in the defensive third, that leaves 6 players who should be able to offer something offensively, that's more than enough. Its not Sagna's fault he is playing in a formation that is exposing the defence so easily and frequently.
