Top 3 Players To Look Out For In 09 – BBC Say No Arshavin, SSN Say We Will Get Him. Who Do We Believe?
The other day i started off my top six first team players to look out for this year, in today’s post i will finish up with the other three players i have earmarked to succeed. Unlike the last post, i will involve the younger players in the squad.
Manuel Almunia
He was given the number one jersey last year and he has not really made any glaring mistakes, unlike his previous spells in the starting line up. In fact, our current captain, he has been one of our most consistent performers over the past year and a half and has saved our bacon on many an occasion. In his 31 years he has only amassed 193 appearances in his entire career, suggesting he could continue playing into his very late 30’s and perhaps his early 40’s. Just to put this into perspective, Cesc at 21 has made 219 appearances (including sub appearances) to date. Al has a lot more to give and this year could well silence calls for a bigger name in goal. Almunia is one of the most improved Goalkeepers in the Premiership and there is no reason as to why we won’t stop improving. The captaincy definitely gives him more responsibility and he rises to it.
Jack Wilshere
What can i say about young Jack, he has impressed in nearly every outing to date and a few days ago signed his 7-8 year deal at the club. He is rated as the 
biggest young talent in England and the best in a long long time, having just turned 17 he has ever increasing pressure and expectation to deal with and this year will see the start of him dealing with it. It will be interesting and he should start breaking through into the first team along with a few other of the highly rated youngsters starting to flood out of the academy. Next year we could see Barazite, Simpson, Ramsey, Merida and Randall all alongside Wilshere in steaking a claim for consideration in the first team, lets wait and see how the young man deals with all this expectation and how much playing time he gets in what will probably be a key year in his development.
Now onto the number one player to look our for in 2009:
***Aaron Ramsey***
This year promises to be massive for the 18 year old, he has already got his first Arsenal goal and is never afraid to try his luck, even if there are team-mates in better positions. He has a long way to go but he has already been given the lofty comparisons to club captain Cesc, and so far he looks pretty much like meeting them. He is creative, quite strong and was picked up at a bargain £5 million pounds from under the noses of the Mancs. He should be getting more and more playing time this season and as we are still in three competitions he might start more games in the Premiership when the going gets really tough. Lets hope he shows Cardiff what they lost last summer when we meet them in a few weeks time in the FA Cup. I for one, am exited about this kids potential.
Now the Arshavin palaver is starting to get tedious, papers and news sources are all at it, with the players agent still saying one thing whilst his club says another. Yesterday was no different.
Sky Sports News claims that Zenit are only talking to Arsenal at the moment, this article claims no quotes what-so-ever saying they are just talking to us. Therefore sadly i do find it very hard to believe, it seems they are guessing in the hope that they get it right. The article also features Lachters latest quotes:
“There is no news, no negotiations yet.
“I represent the player and I can assure you I would know if something had been discussed. It is the people of Zenit trying to initiate some kind of interest.
“They are trying to use the media to make the price of Arshavin £20million – I would not take it seriously.”
It seems that he is going around every news source under the sun and telling them all different things, this guy really is a first rate prat and is a disgrace to football agents, who are not the worlds most honest fellows. He is a mercenary, end of.
BBC Sport however, say that talks have stalled over his price. And guess who pops up again here, saying this:
“They want the money in one go. They did it that way when they got Danny for £24m and they want the same.
“Many clubs are afraid of how Zenit and other Russian clubs do business.”
Despite Zenit’s stance, Lachter says he is still confident Arshavin will be leaving the club in the January transfer window.
“That is what is going to happen,”
“There are 10, 15, 20 teams who are interested in him. The question is can they afford him?”
The oracle speaks again, i would really like it if he just shut up.
I think the more public this gets the less chance there is we are signing him, a defensive midfielder would probably make me just as happy, a decent one that is.
Right, i will leave it there i think.
Do you agree with the players i have picked out to keep an eye on?
Let me know in the comments.
Anyway, Til’ Tomorrow, take it easy.
scott parker! y not?!?! hes everything we need. holding player, leadership, massive stamina, great work rate. its exactly all we need! get him!
Shay Given In Manuel Almunia Out
C.Zapata In William Gallas Out
M.Arteta In
A.Arshavin In
Missed out on Defoe no matter what people think he is a real poacher (ian wright type) and that what i think we missed
Arshavin should be good but he’s too old for big money, Zenit are being really dumb.
On Manuel Almunia;
“he has been one of our most consistent performers over the past year and a half and has saved our bacon on many an occasion”
Have you forgotten the Spuds game? This guy is an accident waiting to happen mate. I think Fabianski is going to be better.
See Arselicked- Almunia was shit in that game and is in most big games. What keeper is beat from 40 yards by a volley that took half an hour to reach the goal.(Slight exaggeration)
At Stoke, should have come for the first goal.
The Chelsea throw?
He fails to come for corners convincingly, and at least Fabianski looks to try and help his defence every time.
Almunia is dreadful.
missed out on defoe? for 15million he is a rip off for a average player plus with eduardo coming back hes a poacher and should be given his chance once back to full fitness! plus scott parker manchester city are set to bid around 12 million for another average player he just isnt worth ths money. if hes worth 12 mil then fabregas is worth 80 mil
Hi…have a good day and check my last post….if you want to make a note about it…:)…bye
Riccardo
Shay Given will bomb at Arsenal. Hey? Because he is too slow off his line. With Arsenal dominating and our passing game requiring it, he will be vulnerable to the high line. His shot stopping will look to save him but it won’t be enough. Look at the amount of saves Almunia has to make a game; not much but is tested more on anticipation, kicking, rushing out and command of area.
Arshavin is worth £15m and by Wenger signing him convinced that he is the final piece to our puzzle. If he doesn’t pay full price then he feels he is not.
He is class having seen him play for quite a while before. Parker is good and I recommended him a week before the Chelsea game but people seem to judge solely on that match. He has had some bad matches recently and some good ones. Let’s see how good he is at a bigger club which I no doubt thinks he is good.