Afternoon all,
as everything has gone a little quiet in the last couple of days I have compiled a few players that Arsene Wenger could look at to fill our defensive and defensive midfield vacancies.
First up a little round-up of the news: Andrey Arshavin has been bigging up Jack Wilshere and has even gone on to suggest that there are more players in the youth system as good as he is, if there are, this Arsenal team will be frightening in a few years. He has also spoken about his partnership with Cesc which should have Premiership defences worrying:
“Cesc and I now understand each other better, to play with him is very cool. The main thing is that this must not be our last trophy this year.”
He has established himself as one of the members of the side that will speak the harsh truth, not go overboard with it but at the same time remain optimistic. The guy is a key member of the squad on the field but also off it he guides the youngsters and is a role model for everyone.
The Bordeaux chairman has come back grovelling to both us and Sunderland. He declared Chamakh too good for Sunderland but has written an apology to them after realising that is his most likely destination. He also said he would welcome an0ther bid from us for Chamakh but the terms have to be good on Bordeaux part. Deal over, then.
Right, as there is nothing else to talk about, here are the five players that Wenger may bring to Arsenal to strengthen our defensive resolve.
#1 – Patrick Vieira.
We all know what he can do, he is on a free, would add valuable experience to the squad and the buzz his arrival would bring amongst fans and the squad, would be unprecedented and a massive boost going into a tough start to the season.
But at 33 his best years are long gone and there are questions over his recent injury record, managing only 20 games a season for the last couple of seasons. The main positive he could bring is guidance to Denilson and Song, much like the guidance he gave to a very young Cesc Fabregas.
But if we brought him in, there is a case for another arrival in the defensive midfield postion and there would still be a defender that needed to be purchased.
Possibility: 3.5/5
#2 – Blaise Matuidi
Has been watched by Arsene Wenger for over a year now, we were first linked to him towards the end of last summer after the Inler rumours stopped. He appears to be a very good young prospect, but thats the catch. Young. Ideally he would be brought in alongside Patrick Vieira as a mentor to him in his first season, helping him learn and adapt to the English game.
In many ways this would be the ideal scenario but it must be noted that whilst Arsene has had Blaise watched many times, he has never really confirmed his interest or made any bid.
Possibility: 3/5
#3 – Miguel Veloso
He has a massive desire to play in England and has been angling for a move for a couple of seasons now. He is 23 and able to play in both defence and defensive midfield, where he has established himself at Sporting Lisbon.
He has turned in a fair few memorable performances in the Champions League and he shouldn’t be too pricey, particularly as he has expressed his desire to leave many times.
The most continued speculation surrounds him and Bolton, maybe they know something I don’t and he isn’t actually that good?
Possibility: 1.5/5
#4 – Federico Fazio
A no nonsense defender who can also play the defensive midfielder role. He is 6ft5 and would add an aerial threat to the team and would help the team in dealing with long balls over the top and set pieces. He is 22 and has already played for the Argentina international team.
With his height, age and versatility he could be just the kind of player Wenger is looking to bring in, and in my opinion he is just the kind of player we need. However, I have never to my knowledge seen this guy play so I have relied on match reports etc. to build up knowledge of him.
NB. As soon as I write this I find out Wenger has apparently bid between 5-7 million for him.
Possibility: 2/5
#5 – Mamadou Sakho
Captain of the PSG side at 18/19 shows how much they value him. He is a commanding defender who is very good in the air, there has been a little speculation linking him to Arsenal but nothing substantial. He is still very inexperienced though so might not be the ideal purchase in that respect.
Possibility: 1/5
Right, so there you go. I was scraping the barrel towards the end. One of the confusing things at the moment is that there is only one real name linked to us and that is striker Chamakh, I have made my feelings towards this clear in the past few weeks.
In my opinion we need two players minimum, a DM and a CB. If we bring Vieira back I feel we would need three players, another DM after Vieira and a CB.
Either way we need new arrivals and I am very confident Arsene will spend.
What players do you think we need? Have a say in the comments.
More tomorrow.
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dnt let’s fool ourselves. Wenger’s not one to incorporate four new signings(Vermaelen included) into his team. I think we will bring in Vieira who, imo, isn’t exactly a new signing. After Vieira expect no new DM signing coz I dont think Song wld b on d bench all season, not afta his developmnt last season, Wenger will only bring in a CB and a striker or perhaps an offensive midfielder.
Actually i disagree kunle because song could be gone for awhile due to the ACN. So i can see him bringing in a CB and two DM’s.
Basically i think if we get vieira we’ll also go in for Matuidi. And that it will spell the end for Diaby.
just my opinion u know, ArsenalsAfr0. The African Cup of Nations can only keep a player away for 1 month and that’s even if your team gets to the final. we wld still have Vieira, if he came, and Denilson(a woeful passer, but AW blivs in him & I like his work rate) for that period. I jst dnt see AW fielding 2 DMs in many games, he’s too attack-minded.
…but Wenger wldnt really bring in Vieira, and then another DM jst bcos of the ACN, or wld he?
I think we just need some experienced quality in that area of the pitch. vieira is experienced but no longer has that cutting edge… Thats why i think we should bring someone else in. Maybe Wenger has plans for Diaby in that area?
perhaps you shld say better, instead of experienced quality. Matuidi’s 22, Veloso 23, Sahko arnd dat age. These are players that haven’t played matches of the magnitude Song and Denilson have featured in, albeit it doesnt necessarily make them better than those possibilities.
Diaby has no future with Arsenal, not a bad cover to have at times. He’s not defensive at all to suggest he’s a DM.
Well Rosicky has injured his hamstring, not good news at all. Just hope its not his left hamstring.
AW is a bright guy; and I have almost every faith…his only shortcoming being revealed about this time each year. He has done us proud, unearthing gems like Clichy, Sagna, Eduardo and even Almunia. But his continued reluctance to spend and compete with other clubs is worrying. At times it seems like he is apprehensive of paying over the odds or making mistakes al la limp fox Jeffers.
We have the chance this summer of a fresh start. I would like to see the players who have not, and won’t ever step up – go! That is Senderos, that is Diaby, that is Silvestre, that may well be Bendtner, it is certainly Eboue and may even be Denilson. With young talent, really exciting talent emerging like Wilshere, Vela and Emmanuel-Thomas; why on earth not cash in on the second rate lads and add to the kitty??
The, now sizable, kitty should then certainly be invested in fewer, but better players. Using the youngsters as December injury crisis backup. We need another centre half, one who like Kolo can play right side if Sagna is out. We need a large, strong and comfortable midfielder of the Flamini mould. Age is less the issue here – I would love to sign Matuidi. Lastly we need right flank cover for Theo, someone like Rosicky who can play through the middle or even up top if we’re playing 4-3-3.
3 Players Arsene…reach for the wallet.
In an ideal world we’d lose the squad I’ve suggested and bring in Huntelaar, Matuidi and Caceres- young defender from Barca.
In my own opinion, i welcome d patrick viera idea…experience cannot be overemphasized…somtin dat team lacks!…he has dat ability to carry his team & dats paramount to success…..a CB too wld be very important…we conceided too many goals last season…lack of discipline and cohesion right in our defence ws our greatest flaw…wit d liks of kolo gone, we certainly should get a better replacement..cnt tink of any who wld rightfully fit in….and i must tell u, AW wouldnt buy more dan two players..he very comfortable with the attack at d moment,&wld focus on the back… And if at all he doesnt buy even 1 player, dat wont come to me as a surprise….
…..
Rosicky? not again!!!!!!! I cant stand this, he’s too good to be goin thru this. a bad night again.
Still not confirmed though Kunle. Got to wait until tomorrow.
I REALLY hope it’s not serious.
Oh stop all these teasing for christ sake! For all you know, we may loose Fab to Inter in the next few days and what’s more, there may not be a replacement for him … look at the players we have lost in the last few years and tell me who has come in for any of them.
out of these five players i would love to see AW bring in fazio, matuidi and vieira(to mentor matuidi and song) because with matuidi vieira and song wenger could rotate them and they would be fresh and fit nearly every game they played. also fazio is 6ft5!!! he would be great for arsenal because he could be our solution to defending set pieces and we wouldnt concede millions of goals from free kicks and corners.
@ Biggy -
We’re not losing Cesc. Stop reading The Sun and taking anything they say as truth.
I think, AW is doing a beautiful business in this season. Lot of profit he makes form players. But i can’t blame AW selling those players he sold out. But the main problem Arsenal is facing, we are not at all replacing the players sold out. If everyone in the world can understand after watching preseason games, Arsenal defense is too poor to compete in one of the great league in the world.
AW always saying we have enough depth to fight for EPL. But who watched the preseason games can understand this all how much depth we have in defense.
And now Nasri and Roseky is out for long weeks. And we can’t say how many will be out when the season starts. Always RVP and Eduardo is in risky stage. We are not close to sign anyone. We the fans always thinking Arsenal will do the next year like that. We can’t say nothing is happening. Something happens every year, that’s we are selling our main players and not replacing that positions.
AW should realize one thing, now in EPL, not only 4 teams are good. This year Totteham and MC are the main threat for all 4 top teams. If AW doesn’t buy some good players, this season Arsenal will go down in the stable. Because everybody knows we have lot of players, but we don’t have right players in right position.
Very sadly, I have a doubt Arsenal is running a business or a Football club now a days.
CINJO, you damn wright men, that is it, i can’t understand the type of manager AW is, he is very annoyed and very upseting too. Now before, we all accepted that there was no money, we were blaming boards and the management for their lack of support for AW, now we have money to spend Wenger doesn’t want to. ( The gods are not to blame, whom is to be blame Wengern of course)
So, tell me what is our faith this season, we haven’t even start the season the injuries are at the door again. So, we Eduado will stay fit all season, what is wrong with Wenger i don’t know, i said it before and i will say it, WENGER SHOULD BE OUR ACCOUNTANT INSTEAD OF OUR MANAGER.