As we're unlikely to see terraces again at football, this is the virtual equivalent where you can chat to your hearts content about all football matters and, obviously, Arsenal in particular. This forum encourages all Gooners to visit and contribute so please keep it respectful, clean and topical.
augie wrote:Smoothie, havent we got plenty of young promising talent(djouru & the norwegian for starters) ? What we havent got, and is a source of major concern for some of us, is enough older experienced players to guide these lads along. I would be the 1st to recognise woodgates injury history but there is no way of getting away from the fact that when he is fit he is a class centre back that can read the game and has enough pace as well. Anyway if we were going for a younger option micah richards would make more sense than lescott anyway
its no good if he is always Injure whats he going to do tell our younger players he played for Real Madrid and got injured in the first game and scored a own goal?
Gunnerz4life wrote:...He was being linked with a move away wasnt he? Newcastle was the supposed destination. To be honest i feel if we did put up a serious bid for him, he would have joined us. He has talked about Arsenal being his dream club and all and has also expressed a desire to play on the Champions League which no other club interested in him will provide but us.
JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE IS BEING LINKED WITH ANOTHER CLUB BY THE MEDIA DOESN'T AUTOMATICALLY MEAN THEY ARE ACTUALLY LEAVING. IN ANY CASE, HE WOULD WALK STRAIGHT INTO THE NEWCASTLE SIDE SO HIS INTERNATIONAL PROSPECTS ARE UNLIKELY TO BE HARMED BY THE MOVE. THE SAME CAN'T BE SAID IF HE JOINED ARSENAL AND COULDN'T GET INTO THE TEAM.
YOU ALSO HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THE PRICE FOR RICHARDS WOULD BE MORE THAN TWICE THAT BEING ASKED FOR WOODGATE, AND AS WE ALL KNOW, WENGER DOESN'T LIKE TO OFFER £20M PLUS FOR PLAYERS - NO MATTER HOW GOOD.
YES, HE HAS MADE IT KNOWN THAT HE IS AN ARSENAL FAN BUT THAT MEANS NOTHING WHEN YOU CAN'T GET A GAME OR - AS ASHLEY HAS ALREADY SHOWN - WHEN THE LURE OF THE POUND NOTE IS WAVED UNDER YOUR NOSE!!
To be honest this shocked me. The only explanation I can think of is that the results of Toure's scans show his injury to be worst case scenario.
In that case, a young player would NOT be what Wenger is looking for as this new CB would have to partner Gallas in the League and Champions League. Woodgate would therefore not only be the cheapest of the options available, but has the most experience and is the more 'veteran' of the players (i.e not a player Wenger needs to worry about over throwing into a big fixture).
His injuries are a concern, but for a brief spell, I think he might be alright. AND, is there not a type of contract clause that can allow him to leave for the right price at the end of the season if he feels he isn't getting enough first team starts?
And on the front of being third choice, if Capello, another formerly of Real Madrid, is looking at his options for an English squad, surely a third choice at Arsenal training at some of the best facilities in England, with the best manager in England, amongst some of the most skillful players in England, is a better option that the first choice CB at Newcastle or the Spuds. Interesting to see how this goes.
i like woodgate, but as we r all aware he is injury prone. he is a player if bought has 2 play. toure i believe could play as the holding midfielder, as he was a play anywhere player before eventually settleing in 2 centre back. just a thought.
