Number 5 wrote:Gus, out of the current squad he is a very hard act to follow! Very. Who can fill that void? Diaby? No. Denilson? No. Gilberto? No. The list goes on and on. It will have to come from outside the club, and how likley is that? As likely as a Russian fixing the Champions League final.
Clichy, yes injured as you agree so has only had this year as his main year isn't it?
I'd shit myself if we lost him and Sagna, Ade I think we could get by without, but I do see trouble without a replacement for Flams, I've no confidence anyone else in our squad could hack a 38 game season.
Augie, Gus....
Prove me wrong, give me a pursuasive argument we have the resources to push on....
I cannot agree with you on the Clichy point! So Sagna was injured for the last two months of the season......... by your logic that means he didn'tplay at all this season?
As for Flamini's replacement I agree we have been left in a bit of a hole and I have already said I rather he hadn't of left but I do believe that we have three genuine options. Please keep in mid that we do not have to create an exact replica of the Cesc/Flamini parternership in the same way they did not replicate say Viera/Petit, who in my opinion was our best pairing ever!
1) Diaby- although I appreciate thie jury is out on this guy but he will surely be more comfortable central rather than wide left. Wenger also seems to see Abou as a more attacking player and has even mentioned playing him behind the lone striker so a possibility but unlikely.
2) Kolo- In my opinion he is the most natural replacement and I have written a fairly long piece on this in the further discussion forum. Atheletic, strong, decent skill without anything flash and a fantastic engine. If we get the dominant centre half wwe all crave then I believe this would be ideal. You will also remember when Kolo landed with us he played in midfield and although erratic then, his experience and knowledge have now grown ten fold.
3) Signing- whilst I would welcome a proven pl;ayer of this type into the club I do believe it comes lower down our wish list than for a centre half and a wide player. Plus we are likely to have to pay a lot of cash to replace a player we got zero for. With our budget being tight and with possibles inside the camp alrerady, I would prefer to use our cash on the positions that let us down last season.
I have not included Gilberto in this as I simply cannot see him lasting a 50 game season in this position. That doesn't mean I want him to go but at best I think a place on the bench is all he warrants these days.
So Kolo for me!
This phrase used earlier sums up Flamini leaving.........
"He was a good player with a great workrate, but not a great player"
He is replacable and I don't have many memories of the guy I will look back with fondness on simply because he didn't play enough. In truth if I do remember him in years to come it will probably about his stint at left back in 2006 and how well he done there!
