For all you transfer hopefuls....
Augie, as you say, you were wrong about the first half of the season. And I think there's a good chance you'll be wrong about the second half too. I'm not saying we'll definitely win the league of course, but it's looking good for us to be there right to the end, at the very least.
Wenger just doesn't think big name additions are needed. And you can see why, not only because we're still top. The one glaring gap in the squad, an alternative to Rosicky on the left, may be filled very soon by Vela (a player I know you admire). Dudu's starting to fire up front, at precisely the time Wenger said he would. And Bendtner and Ade are looking good, with RvP about to return.
The only areas we could need to reinforce are in goal if (as unfortunately seems likely) Jens goes and at CB, given that Toure and now Song have been called up for the ACN. But I don't think we'll sign a CB because we can hold onto Gilberto.
And I don't think Diarra will be off either, it'd certainly be a big loss if he did. (Long term, in addition to Gilberto going next summer, one of Diaby, Flamini and Denilson has to go though.)
Having been underwhelmed by Modric's performances, and not knowing where he would fit in our current squad at the moment, I'm quite pleased we're not going for him, at least for now. If augie has a point, it's really that we should go and get big name players, not more players with potential. And I agree that there's no point going for more players of potential. Like any fan, I love the sensation of a superstar signing, but Wenger has resisted this pressure for two or three years now, saying he believes in the squad that's coming through. Given what's happened this season, and the long term potential this squad suggests it has, you can see why he said that.
I think the most likely route to us splashing the cash on an outfield player at some point in the next year or so, as augie hopes, would be for Wenger to lose patience with RvP's injury problems, if they persist.
So, a very dull January in the transfer market for us, with probably a goalkeeper out and a goalkeeper in. Unless Wenger does a Fergie and tries to get Henrik Larsson to take his English sabbatical in London rather than Manchester this year.
And by the way RaM, Cameroon have a very respectable football pedigree. I'd fancy them to beat Australia for sure, or England come to that.
Wenger just doesn't think big name additions are needed. And you can see why, not only because we're still top. The one glaring gap in the squad, an alternative to Rosicky on the left, may be filled very soon by Vela (a player I know you admire). Dudu's starting to fire up front, at precisely the time Wenger said he would. And Bendtner and Ade are looking good, with RvP about to return.
The only areas we could need to reinforce are in goal if (as unfortunately seems likely) Jens goes and at CB, given that Toure and now Song have been called up for the ACN. But I don't think we'll sign a CB because we can hold onto Gilberto.
And I don't think Diarra will be off either, it'd certainly be a big loss if he did. (Long term, in addition to Gilberto going next summer, one of Diaby, Flamini and Denilson has to go though.)
Having been underwhelmed by Modric's performances, and not knowing where he would fit in our current squad at the moment, I'm quite pleased we're not going for him, at least for now. If augie has a point, it's really that we should go and get big name players, not more players with potential. And I agree that there's no point going for more players of potential. Like any fan, I love the sensation of a superstar signing, but Wenger has resisted this pressure for two or three years now, saying he believes in the squad that's coming through. Given what's happened this season, and the long term potential this squad suggests it has, you can see why he said that.
I think the most likely route to us splashing the cash on an outfield player at some point in the next year or so, as augie hopes, would be for Wenger to lose patience with RvP's injury problems, if they persist.
So, a very dull January in the transfer market for us, with probably a goalkeeper out and a goalkeeper in. Unless Wenger does a Fergie and tries to get Henrik Larsson to take his English sabbatical in London rather than Manchester this year.
And by the way RaM, Cameroon have a very respectable football pedigree. I'd fancy them to beat Australia for sure, or England come to that.
Sure Cameroon are a strong enough team, but really, to have a player at centre back for a team with title aspirations who can't make the SQUAD (Not the first 11), is rather worrying...
BUT!
We don't need to worry about that, Song's gotten a late call up.
African teams are always dangerous in matches against these sort of teams, they play some real high tempo football that other teams usually don't expect. Money is their biggest problem...
BUT!
We don't need to worry about that, Song's gotten a late call up.
I'd fancy them to beat Australia for sure, or England come to that.
African teams are always dangerous in matches against these sort of teams, they play some real high tempo football that other teams usually don't expect. Money is their biggest problem...
Sorry, I don't understand your point: as you say, Song did get into the Cameroon squad, so he wasn't overlooked. What's more, I'd say getting our 5th or 6th choice CB (depending on where you place Gilberto) in a significant football nation's squad for the finals of a tournament is pretty good going.RaM wrote:Sure Cameroon are a strong enough team, but really, to have a player at centre back for a team with title aspirations who can't make the SQUAD (Not the first 11), is rather worrying...
BUT!
We don't need to worry about that, Song's gotten a late call up.
Anyone who was at the Fulham last season can testify to how bad Song is at centre midfield but he's been a revelation at CB this year. Our squad will be a little weaker for his absence.
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flash gunner
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Not sure revelation is the right word....... Had a couple of good games might be nearer the mark26may1989 wrote:Sorry, I don't understand your point: as you say, Song did get into the Cameroon squad, so he wasn't overlooked. What's more, I'd say getting our 5th or 6th choice CB (depending on where you place Gilberto) in a significant football nation's squad for the finals of a tournament is pretty good going.RaM wrote:Sure Cameroon are a strong enough team, but really, to have a player at centre back for a team with title aspirations who can't make the SQUAD (Not the first 11), is rather worrying...
BUT!
We don't need to worry about that, Song's gotten a late call up.
Anyone who was at the Fulham last season can testify to how bad Song is at centre midfield but he's been a revelation at CB this year. Our squad will be a little weaker for his absence.
