A look at the squad before January: ‘Keepers & injuries 21 December, 2009
Posted by lasagnechef in Arsenal News.trackback
Not a great deal going on this Monday morning so I thought I’d take this chance to have a look at the current squad before the transfer window opens. Wenger’s told us that he will be looking what’s available in January but will not buy for the sake of it. Make sense really, I think we do need a signing or two though. I’ll start right at the beginning and that’s the goalkeeper…
Goalkeeper
The goalie position has been a bit of a worry this season. Almunia’s been dropped already for an extended period despite second choice, Fabianski being out injured at the time. Vito Mannone came in and made a good name for himself, he made some great saves and showed good reactions but he is still very young and is one for the future really. Manuel’s back in the team now after his dropping, ‘chest infection’ and family problems that he had but is back to that worrying form of early season.
Yes, he did save a penalty on Saturday but even he admits he was lucky – he just guessed right. I’m not on a one-man mission to get rid of Almunia, I just think he isn’t good enough for what we aim to achieve. I was all for Almunia being named no.1 when Mad Jens left and last season I thought he was great, however this year he’s proved that isn’t the class we need.
He looks like he knows it too, he’s a ‘keeper with no confidence and the back four have no confidence in him either. Charging out for unnecessary balls, not communicating with defenders and generally being on a completely different wave length to the back four.
Despite all this I still don’t think Wenger will buy in January. He has a lot of faith in Fabianksi and you know how he feels about ‘killing’ his younger players, i.e. Mannone. I think it’s only a matter of time before Fabianski takes his place as the no.1 goalkeeper. These next few weeks are really important for Manuel, if he doesn’t perform I think he will lose his place again and will struggle to get it back. I’m not saying Fabianski is the answer but I just think Wenger believes he is. Only time will tell on this one.
Injuries
According to the injuries page on Arsenal.com we currently have eight players out. It lists Fabregas, Clichy, Traore, Bendtner, Rosicky, Gibbs, van Persie and Djourou as the casualties. We’ve been extremely unlucky to have our injuries in the same area and that’s what’s been our downfall.
We have all three left backs out! That’s insane! Clichy, Traore and Gibbs are all out until the new year, we’re not exactly sure for how long but we’re having to do with 4th choic, Silvestre at the moment who is a liability. He put us in danger several times on Saturday and the less time he spends in the team the better.
With Djourou also out for the rest of the season and Silvestre now our current left back it means we only have Senderos as back up in defence. You can’t really say we have Alex Song either because he is off to the African Nations Cup and he is required in midfield – as soon as you start playing people out of position everything fails, just look at Man United.
Senderos is more than likely to move on in January too so unless we sign a defender we will be left with no reserve defenders. Do we want to end up like Man United? No we fucking don’t so a central defender is vital this January. Before the season started we have Djourou, Senderos and Silvestre as back up but the way it has worked out we have no one now.
We’ve also been unlucky that both Bendtner and van Persie have got injured. I wont go into how pissed off I am that van Persie will miss most of the season after getting injured in a meaningless international friendly that has nothing to do with our club… He should be fit for end of April/May but it’s likely that the season will be over by then. His only hope is if we get in a major final or the Premiership goes right down to the wire but even then he will be lacking match fitness – we can pretty much forget we have the services of Robin van Persie this season.
Bendtner should be back next month, which is a massive boost. Wenger’s been hinting about finding a striker to replace RVP for the right price and not European cup-tied. We could do with another Arshavin-type signing this January but there’s no point in signing someone that’s not going to go straight into the first team – we still have Eduardo and Vela although both are struggling for goals and confidence. We could do with a striker but with Bendtner returning I think we could just about hang on without one, we just need Eduardo to find a bit of form.
As for midfield well Fabregas might be back for Sunday, if not the week after. Rosicky is going through one of those stages where it’s three weeks, then another three weeks, then three weeks after that then three weeks from then, so fuck knows when we might see him again. Samir Nasri might be unavailable for a while too if the FA decide to take action on his stamp again Hull. Alex Song as I mentioned is off to Africa next month and he will be sorely missed. I think Denilson will be drafted into the defensive midfield role but it wont be quite the same. Right at this moment we’re not doing so good in midfield either but Cesc will be back soon and hopefully Nasri escapes punishment. We have Ramsey to come in as well as back up so I think we’ll just about manage for the time being.
So in conclusion I think the main target should be a central defender this January and then we should look at strikers. Wenger will be reluctant to buy a defensive player as always but we are so close to being in a Man United-type situation and we can count our lucky stars that Gallas and Vermaelen have managed to stay fit all season. Without them God knows where we might be, they have been fantastic.
Wenger hints at adding a striker but I think that should come second to a defender. It would be fantastic to see a quality forward come in but I’d be a little pissed off if Wenger chose to ignore our thin defensive squad yet again.
Well done if you got through that essay, thought I’d better make an extra effort today seeing as I don’t know whether I’ll get a chance tomorrow with it being my birthday. I’m out for lunch and then will no doubt be on the beers. So maybe speak to you tomorrow, if not the day after.
Thanks for reading.
Agreed.
happy birthday lets sign a defender and a striker for your special day
yeah king kong
i agree 100% we need a defender and then a striker !! i hope he sign both …but i dont think he will :s .. bdw happy birthday and enjoy it
It sounds like we have a world class keeper in the making in the youth team. The guy on loan at brentford. So we can just wait for him to develop.
I think almunia is adequate in quality for a team aspiring to win the league. Honestly Cech, and the Man Utds gks arent any better – despite all the hype about VDS, he makes a lot of mistakes these days. Quality, ready-made Gks are expensive as well. We’re better off doing as we are, taking a chance on developing promising youth or in almunia, talented but previously unknown players.
I Agree – Would love to Wenger Break the bank for David Villa in the Summer. A raid of West Ham for Carlton Cole and Matty Upson Could be on the cards???
We definetely need a Good, Commanding Goalkeeper like Peter Cech. Buffon would do niecely to boost our defensive confidence. Also we need to replace V.Persie for the rest of the season, Carlton Cole would fit in nicely.
player exchange plus cash In Upson,,Carlton Cole from West Ham out Jay simpson senderos to west ham plus 10 million
We still need a physical defensive midfielder like Yaya Toure to provide a backbone for the likes of Cesc and Nasri. Chelsea, Man U both proved that we were easily outmuscled in midfield. Diaby is crap one week, brilliant the next-albeit against Hull.
Let’s start with Happy Birthday… We need a powerful pacey striker most of all at the moment. Carlton Cole would be great, but I think, Trev, that him and Upson is some serious wishful thinking. I’ll be happy if he buys anyone who can help the first team this season. A replacement for Song, a striker who can provide us with a different option as right now we are too predictable and a CB. As far as the goaltending, sadly, there are very few keepers in the Premier League I wouldn’t take over Manny at the moment. Actually there’s only two, Fats Robinson and that Gomes character at Sp*ds
Almunia,God knows he’s calamituous but i think we should still give another chance to redeem himself.on d defence mathew upson will do just fine problem is i doubt if he’ll like it on the bench so i’m just praying for speedy recovery for the one’s we’ve got.we have multifunctional midfielders’ so we’re covered in the midfield if they can stay fit.i’ll love to see gignac in an arsenal jersey,he’s so talented,has been touted as the next biggest thing out of france and he’s already a starter in d french team,yeah he’ll b cuptied in d champions league but he’ll b a massive boost to our premiership trophy aspiration besides there’s always a next season in d UCL.
Villa(i would be surprised if wenger signs him)as for Buffon no way,he flops big time,Lloris is better,Wenger needs a strong,experienced,young defender not Upson,he has rchd his peak lng tym
david villa should be bought for anything up to £30m and money should be spent on another center back,Zapata was linked throughout the summer with arsenal and he would provide cover for gallas and verm. hugo Lloris is certainly going to be the best keeper in the world and he’s french, arsenl should try ther best to get him and he’s young which could save us buyin another keeper for years!
I believe AW will only buy a strike if we strugle 4 goal in Jan else our only signin will b a cheap young understudy like SAHKO, or a free agent with exp-CAMBELL. Thats only if SENDEROUS moves. Hapi BDay tho.
ALMUNIA IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH,PEROID.HE COST ARSENAL AT LEAST 6 GOALS SO FAR THIS SEASON.OUR DEFENDERS ARE TOP CLASS AND WORK VERY HARD BUT ALMUNIA LETS THEM DOWN ALMOST EVERY GAME.NOT A FAN,SORRY.HIM AND ARSENE WENGER WILL COST ARSENAL A TITLE THIS SEASON AGAIN.
im sorry we will wait like every transfer window for nothing. AW want to bay Dzeko or Villa calas for 5 milion . Thats imposible
what i believe in this is that we have opportunity to claim premier league inthis year if arsene wenger ready to buy more player like david villa,solomon kalou;to strugle for gaol in jan and also he need to buy two more fender
Kalou? I don’t think so.
i think we have very good fenders imam
Let’s be realistic guys i mean we all know wenger, he isn’t gonna buy villa etc etc….he’s probz gonna buy someone we’ve never heard of
well you know what i mean- tomas vermaelen type status, i’m sure whatever happens we should win the EPL inshallah.
COME ON THE ARSENAL
Now, let’s Zap Villa on Sunday.
By the way i think man city are making a horrendous mistake.
can’t wait to start experiencing their downfall
happy birthday and hope it would be a happy hunting time for players in the january transfer window.and also a very mery christmas for all!!!!
You are correct with your analysis!
I have said several times that Almunia is not No1to Arsenal squad;better to by Hugo L from Lyon;then get Hungland from West Hammers,Yaya Toure from Barca and finally Cole from Hammers.With this squad we will be able to win the C.L,Premiership and other awards.
As i said, the only limitation is the Mr AW who couldn’t splash the money!
Happy Christmas
WE NEED ADRIANO OR GICNAG. NO NEED FOR A DEFENDER…SENDEROS NEEDS GAME TIME SO HE CAN APPRECIATE WEARING THE GUNNERS SHIRT AGAIN. IN MIDFIELD > TOULALAN WOULD’VE BEEN PERFECT IN AUGUST ALREADY {WENGER FAILED TO ACT}. MIDFIELD IS COVERED. GOALS WIN GAMES & WE CAN CREATE MANY – EITHER 1 OF THE ABOVEMENTIONED STRIKERS WILL DELIVER THE EPL {ARSENAL NEED A SERIAL SCORER}PERIOD!
Having a birthday at the same time as xmas. That must have sucked as a kid!
I don’t think toulalaanawould be good for us.
This is a great squad as it is
as for center back sol cambell? his already traning with arsenal to get fit! the fans love him and his free! so he will do for the rest of the season which allows us to spend more cash! maybe Robert Green for GK he aint guna be to much he was amazing last season this season not so good so it would be a risk watching C.cole week in week out im not sure if he would fit in the team but hisa decent player
We need a huge fucking centre back and dzeko from wolfsburg.
let buy david villa in january so we will have a striker to assist v.persie when is on injury