How much deadwood is left ?

[SteveO 35]

If you'd asked the question this time last year I suspect nearly all of us would come up with a list as long as your arm. Squidgy, the Camel, Legohead, the fat lazy Russian, Djourou to name but a view, clogging up the squad and costing us hundreds of thousands per week in wasted wages.

If you look at the present squad.....and I mean genuine first team squad players (http://www.arsenal.com/first-team/players) who would you cast aside?

I would still look to offload the following:

Flapianski - has cost us so many times year after year. What else is there to learn about him? If he signed Viviano on loan it proves to me he doesn't particularly trust him.

Frimpong - think the guy is a complete big time Charlie and in a team where we now have 3 or 4 capable of holding the midfield he is even further away from being a first teamer than a couple of years ago. Think his ego took over when he got a handful of games 2 years ago

Park - just never ever going to be good enough. Not in a million years

Miyachi - haven't seen the lad do a thing in the Credit Card Cup. Looks lightweight and more suited to a less physical league like France or Holland

Bendtner - don't think there's anything more to say that hasn't been already

Still should be able to scrape together a few million from that lot and at least 150k a week in wages I would think. Enough of a wage saving to sign a genuinely top class striker in January for sure

[markyp]

just the Boss imho

[spendsum4uckingmoney]

Fabianski, Bendtner, Young, Djourou, Diaby, Frimpong, the whole physio team.

[Red Gunner]

You forgot one...

[northbank123]

In all seriousness I don't think it's unfair to add Diaby to that list. When people talk about "deadwood" they generally mean one of two things:

1. That the player doesn't add much to the side and that the squad would be just as well off without them, or
2. Don't contribute enough to the team to justify taking up a slot in the squad, which would be far better served by a replacement

For me he fits the bill on either of those definitions.

I'd also add Sanogo - even though his appearances have been fleeting to say the least, to me he's shown nothing to explain why he's a professional footballer (never mind why we signed him). The combination of our stubborn dedication to playing a lone striker and his woeful injury record even at such a young age just compound this and I can't ever see him becoming a valuable member of the squad.

[QuartzGooner]

I would sell:

Frimpong
Diaby
Park
Miyaichi
Bendtner

Time will tell about youngsters such as Sanogo, Aneke, Akpom, Ansah, Afobe etc.

Yennaris, Zelalem, Eisfeld and Gnabry have shown enough for me to see what they can or cannot do with regular games.

I guess Miquel, Djourou and Coquelin will be sold in the summer.

[falkirk goon]

just the Boss imho

I concur

[spendsum4uckingmoney]

In all seriousness I don't think it's unfair to add Diaby to that list. When people talk about "deadwood" they generally mean one of two things:

1. That the player doesn't add much to the side and that the squad would be just as well off without them, or
2. Don't contribute enough to the team to justify taking up a slot in the squad, which would be far better served by a replacement

For me he fits the bill on either of those definitions.

I'd also add Sanogo - even though his appearances have been fleeting to say the least, to me he's shown nothing to explain why he's a professional footballer (never mind why we signed him). The combination of our stubborn dedication to playing a lone striker and his woeful injury record even at such a young age just compound this and I can't ever see him becoming a valuable member of the squad.

Really? I though he qualified under both points. A stupid retard of a clumsy oath and can easily be replaced by a manikin. Atleast a manikin can stand in 1 spot for 38 games.

[northbank123]

In all seriousness I don't think it's unfair to add Diaby to that list. When people talk about "deadwood" they generally mean one of two things:

1. That the player doesn't add much to the side and that the squad would be just as well off without them, or
2. Don't contribute enough to the team to justify taking up a slot in the squad, which would be far better served by a replacement

For me he fits the bill on either of those definitions.

I'd also add Sanogo - even though his appearances have been fleeting to say the least, to me he's shown nothing to explain why he's a professional footballer (never mind why we signed him). The combination of our stubborn dedication to playing a lone striker and his woeful injury record even at such a young age just compound this and I can't ever see him becoming a valuable member of the squad.

Really? I though he qualified under both points. A stupid retard of a clumsy oath and can easily be replaced by a manikin. Atleast a manikin can stand in 1 spot for 38 games.

Granted not worded fantastically but try re-reading the post

[1989]

Diaby. Deadwood since 2007.

[SteveO 35]

Diaby. Deadwood since 2007.

If Diaby had played like your hero Ozil played at Old Trafford today you'd want him swinging from a lamppost

[1989]

At least Özil actually plays.

[SteveO 35]

At least Özil actually plays.

Perhaps but I think he has been the quietest of our midfielders in recent weeks and my expectation of a £40m footballer is that he should be the difference in big games like this. He and Santi were quiet today when it really mattered I'm afraid

[g88ner]

At least Özil actually plays.

Perhaps but I think he has been the quietest of our midfielders in recent weeks and my expectation of a £40m footballer is that he should be the difference in big games like this. He and Santi were quiet today when it really mattered I'm afraid

Hmm... although I'm disappointed we're not seeing more from Ozil, I also think it's too early to judge properly regardless of transfer fee. He looks off the pace to me.

My guess is he'll be a different player once he's fully settled in. Next season we'll surely understand why he was so expensive and why Real Madrid fans/players were so shocked and disappointed at his sale.

Certainly not worried about Ozil yet. Not by a long shot.

As for Santi. He's just back from injury, so it's natural he's off the pace as well. Not worried about him either.

[SteveO 35]

At least Özil actually plays.

Perhaps but I think he has been the quietest of our midfielders in recent weeks and my expectation of a £40m footballer is that he should be the difference in big games like this. He and Santi were quiet today when it really mattered I'm afraid

Hmm... although I'm disappointed we're not seeing more from Ozil, I also think it's too early to judge properly regardless of transfer fee. He looks off the pace to me.

My guess is he'll be a different player once he's fully settled in. Next season we'll surely understand why he was so expensive and why Real Madrid fans/players were so shocked and disappointed at his sale.

Certainly not worried about Ozil yet. Not by a long shot.

As for Santi. He's just back from injury, so it's natural he's off the pace as well. Not worried about him either.

I like Ozil and he has shown more than enough already to know that there is a genuinely world class player in there. The goal against Napoli was magic and he has shown himself to be class in other games too (Norwich etc)

I'm just asking for consistency here. He has not been great in the past few games. Abou has had better games at OT than he did today, and at Anfield and the Etihad last year he was magic.