The Three Amigos

[QuartzGooner]

The Three Amigos
Fans of Eboue, Song and Bendtner stop reading now

By BigNoseGooner

(10 December 2008)

http://www.onlinegooner.com/exclusive/index.php?id=909

Scathing attack on three players who are regularly starting for Arsenal.

Should they be?

And if not, who should?

[Redexpress]

not one of the named 3, but what about Diaby? He is so hot and cold.

Does anyone think he could be the real deal if he gets a regular run in the team and avoids injury?

[proudtosaythatname]

Whilst he is clearly surplus to requirements, £5m for Bendtner at the moment is surely unlikely - unless there are managers who don't watch televised games. His lime-green boots - even worse than the pink ones -would fetch more than the player himself - as memorabilia.

[Jumpers For Goalposts]

Good article.

As soon as I saw that the team contained Song, Eboue, Bendtner (and others!) I knew we were in for a lonnnnnnnnnngggggggggg night.

Eboue wouldn't get in a pub team; Song seems unable to get his lazy arse out of first gear and Bendtner should be in a boy band.

I've been lucky enough to have watched David Rocastle, Patrick Vieira, Dennis Bergkamp and many, many other great players during my time following Arsenal - I still can't believe that Arsene would even give these 3 a job as a ball boy!!

[TeeCee]

Spot on. Wenger won trophies with a team that oozed quality throughout defence, midfield and attack. The only real quality we have now is at full back and Cesc. How the hell did we get so bad?

Answer = Arsene Wenger

[Redexpress]

In answer to my own post above, NO!

I hate criticising any player but Diaby, Song and Denilson are just not good enough for our club, and Saturdays abject performance has convinced me of that. Eboue would have been a better option than Diaby and, as we were away, he probably wouldn'y have got too much stick.

Fingers crossed Eduardo comes through the reserve match tomorrow and is available for Sunday, as we need more options.

[RaM]

Diaby has been a victim of Wenger's team selections. And to a degree so has Eboue.

And I could say Song, but I can't really picture Song being brilliant anywhere at the moment...

Eboue was quite a decent right back. When Sagna came and Eboue was forced into being not only a right winger but a central midfielder he really went downhill.

And Diaby is spoiled by being placed on the wing almost every time he plays.

It all boils down to Wenger in the end.

[Redexpress]

In another post someone used the term "persisting" in relation to some players and their abilities.

We have persisted long enough with some average (by recent Arsenal standards) players.

If we are going to persist with average players then we might as well get some who at least work their arse off week in week out. The likes of Scott Parker would do a good job for us alongside Cesc.

[QuartzGooner]

I am rapidly losing faith in Diaby, even with the disclaimer that he had a bad injury and is played out of position.

He just does not seem sharp enough for our style of play.

[StokeyGooner]

I agree with what was said above about Eboue. When he was our regular right back a couple of years ago he did very well and was actually one of our best players in the European Cup final in Paris.
I also think that this season he was improving in his right midfield position until he got injured. However his on field behaviour does him no favours, and it makes him very hard to defend. I certainly wouldn't lose too much sleep if Wenger does get rid of him.

I'm not convinced with Song, I think someone on here has said it before but he never really seems to get out of first gear! He just seems to saunter about the place as if he doesn't want to break a sweat. The complete opposite of Flamini. He also tends to give the ball away far too much.

I have to disagree about Bendtner though. He has a lot of potential, he hasn't quite progressed this season as much as you would have liked him too but I think we should be more patient with him. I think he has a very good touch for a big bloke (despite what I read on here!) and is a good finisher of chances (Dynamo Kiev). My main criticism of him would be that for a man of his size he should hold the ball up better than he does and that it is a little bit too easy to knock him off the ball.
I know he missed two very good chances against Burnley but he created two chances as well with two very good touches where had it been Jack Wilshere, or Aaron Ramsey we would be waxing lyrical about them.

I think Arsenal appear to be very short of confidence at the moment, but perversely we still pulled off two great results against Chelsea and United which can only do us good.
Here's to a successful Xmas schedule to lift the spirits cos we all need it at the moment.

[SilverGooner]

I don't think many people would disagree with the basic fact that Bendtner, Eboue and Song are (on current form) simply not good enough to play for Arsenal. Given that neither of the three would be first team starters if the squad was fully fit, you would have thought that they would be busting a gut on the pitch to force their way into contention. To the dismay of most fans, this has clearly not been the case. Irrespective of what talent they might have, not one of them looks like they're putting in an real effort. Surely that is a basic requirement of any player, whether it be Dennis Berkgamp, Thierry Henry or Alexandre Song.

But should we really blame the players themselves? After all it is the manager that picks them. In my book the buck stops with Arsene Wenger. I honestly cannot believe that he seriously thinks that Song, Eboue and Bendtner have the desire, hunger and quality to be Arsenal players. If tens of thousands of fans know it, surely Le Boss must know it to. And if not, why aren't any of his coaching staff having a quiet word in his ear? Maybe it's just a little too cosy for everyone at the club. But that will soon change if we fail to achieve a top four finish this season.

The bottom line is this - as a fan I am not prepared to go on paying around £50 a ticket to watch mediorcre players stroll around the pitch like they haven't a care in the world. In return for forking out top drawer prices I expect to see top draw players who are prepared to put in the effort and show pride in the club they are playing for. The January transfer window could be make-or-break time for Wenger. I just hope he gets it right.

[EireGooner]

Mentioned by somebody earlier,i believe it is true that arsenal football club at present has 2 world class players, them being Sagna and Fabregas. I had high hopes too for Bendtner but in all honesty he's being given ample opertunity to prove himself on every stage. Eduardo coming back to full fitness i feel will spell nicks departure but where do u get money for him?talks of moscow being interested?i dunno but id take 3-4 million now and move on. Iv been the most devoted arsenal fan for the past 20 years and never have i looked at starting line ups over the years and been as dissappointed as i have been this season. we lack so much its upsetting me. a midfield that consists of mostly central midfielders, central midfielders (besides Cesc) that arent up to scratch even there, are being asked to play as wide players. Denilson Im afraid to say isnt good enough.Hasnt the drive nor ability to complement fabregas, he's way too lightweight. Song impressed me against chelsea but that was all, again not good enough. Media still talks about our flowing football like its the most beautiful thing they've ever seen, but in my opinion its no where near as beautiful as it was a few years ago. We havent scored a beautiful goal all season in the league(ok nasri v utd) and he've nobody that can smack a goal from 30 yrds anymore.When i start a league with arsenal on football manager i do a clean out. i love wenger and he has made me so happy over the years but im afraid thats what i think he shud do. No league this year boys n girls