Djourou out for 6 months

djhdjh · Post by **djhdjh** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 5:06 pm

So he'd have rejected Champions League Football and probably a bigger wage with us?

Make whatever excuses you like, we are now even more desperately short of decent centre halves than we were. For the next 6 months Sylvester is probably next in line for the team (Wenger for some odd reason rates him above Senderos). Doesn't that get you at least a little worried?

If TV or Gallas gets a long-term injury we'll be very lucky to be in the top 4 running come January, never mind for the title.

rtpgooner · Post by **rtpgooner** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 5:31 pm

Wenger knew djourou was injured and he said he was originally out for a month. Surely wenger must of been aware djourou may have to have surgery. Now with this news, the thought of clumsy senderos and silvestre playing for us in big games is frightening and i hope we dont come back to the same issue this season in defence, as we have had in the past few seasons.

Vermalen will be up against villa, torres tonight so lets hope he is ok fro citeh away

hadareud · Post by **hadareud** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 5:34 pm

since when is Heitinga a better centre half than Senderos.

He's a decent right back, but very average at centre half.

djhdjh · Post by **djhdjh** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 5:44 pm

Not even particularly arguing for the bloke in particular, haven't seen much of him. But even you must realise we can't rely on those two for any length of time if we want to be serious contenders for anything or even in the top 4. We needed two centre halves, we got one who so far looks excellent. We also needed a proper centre forward and defensive midfielder who is ready now and not in 3 years but that would really have been too much to ask.

Besides which, Tweety is first in line at the moment, not Senderos. Maybe it'll change after the window (it better) and he's really a left back. Unlike Heitinga he's over the hill and useless.

Gooner_N4 · Post by **Gooner_N4** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 5:47 pm

djhdjh wrote:So he'd have rejected Champions League Football and probably a bigger wage with us?

Make whatever excuses you like, we are now even more desperately short of decent centre halves than we were. For the next 6 months Sylvester is probably next in line for the team (Wenger for some odd reason rates him above Senderos). Doesn't that get you at least a little worried?

If TV or Gallas gets a long-term injury we'll be very lucky to be in the top 4 running come January, never mind for the title.

I literally shit it whenever Silvestre starts warming up or knowing in advance he's actually starting a games for us. I definitely have more confidence in Senderos.. I know Big Phil has had a few clangers, but I remember how he used to get stick beginning of the 07/08 season, but from the new year onwards beginning 2008 he started getting so much more better. I was pretty impressed how he improved once he got a few more games under his belt. Have to agree on 'Brazlian Gooner' on another thread but definitely think Senderos is a good back up defender of ours.

from what was said above, I AM worried when/if wenger does rate Silvestre higher up the pecking order ahead of Big Phil..

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 7:20 pm

It's all 'spilt milk' now as Wenger in his infinite wisdom did precisely nothing, when the opportunity to do something was staring him the face for 3 months.

It is as certain as Christmas that Vermallen or Gallas will pick up an injury in the course of the season. Djourou was at least a plausible backup. Now it's a player who Wenger was prepared to let go and who wants to leave, or Silvestre to step in. Or we draft Song in - assuming it doesn't happen when he's away with the ACoN.

Even Wenger's apologists - and they are few and far between these days - must be left scratching their heads on this one.

Bendtners Drinking Buddy · Sun Sep 06, 2009 12:55 pm

Shame for Johan, thought it might be his chance to breakthrough this year...

Still, its a chance for Senderos (much like Gallas got another chance last season when Djourou was injured THAT time), I think he is a decent defender, to say he was "adequate at best" in the 2005-2006 season is a bit harsh, he was a rock for us at times, he just seemed to lose all confidence in himself at a time when as a Team we were not defending properly - Drogba and Torres have destroyed many defenders so im not sure you can judge him solely on that.

He is a defender that will put himself about and head the ball when he is at his best, something that we have lacked in the past, if he gets a chance this year I hope he takes it - but he certanly has it all to prove.

Senderos wasnt in any of the previous squads because im guessing there was a view to a move, so it will be interesting to see who makes the bench next weekend - Silvestere used to be there to cover two positions, but now that Gibbo is there, the "number 3" C defender should be on the bench - fingers crossed its Phil!!!

augie · Post by **augie** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 1:35 pm

I have to say that senderos would def be my 1st choice back up now but I think most of us fee,l and a lot of us fear, that tweety will be the back up to tv and gallas

Really and truely there can be no defence of wengers transfer activity ot lack thereof

We are now 1 injury from seeing silvestre at centre back, 1 injury from mannone in goals(and he makes average al look like buffon

) and fcuk knows who in the centre midfield replacing song if he gets injured

People that say we have a great squad are focusing on very few positions where we might have adequate cover (in numbers iat least) like the wings or strikers and the full back positions too but there are 11 positions on the team and wenger has decided to play russian roulette again this season by refusing to add to an already weak squad

Post by **brazilianGOONER** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 3:55 pm

oh my god, that's tragic, we lost djourou!

we're definettly relegated!!

Irish Gooner · Post by **Irish Gooner** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 4:14 pm

Another crock to add to the list. So injury prone for such a young player.

Bergkamp-Genius · Post by **Bergkamp-Genius** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 3:04 pm

Rob wrote:It's all 'spilt milk' now as Wenger in his infinite wisdom did precisely nothing, when the opportunity to do something was staring him the face for 3 months.

It is as certain as Christmas that Vermallen or Gallas will pick up an injury in the course of the season. Djourou was at least a plausible backup. Now it's a player who Wenger was prepared to let go and who wants to leave, or Silvestre to step in. Or we draft Song in - assuming it doesn't happen when he's away with the ACoN.

Even Wenger's apologists - and they are few and far between these days - must be left scratching their heads on this one.

Rob, theres always an excuse haven't you realised that yet, this happens every year and every year some of us plead that for once we prepare in advance for injuries, loss of form, tiredness, etc and every year we don't and yet still these things are trotted out as valid excuses for failure, it really is like deja vu.

goonersid · Post by **goonersid** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 3:12 pm

I prefer senderos to djorou and silvestre. So lets hope silvestre picks up another of his niggling injuries.

NBM · Post by **NBM** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 3:20 pm

goonersid wrote:I prefer senderos to djorou and silvestre. So lets hope silvestre picks up another of his niggling injuries.

What, like a cricket bat to the kneecap, that kind of nigglng injury?

goonersid · Post by **goonersid** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 3:22 pm

NBM wrote:
goonersid wrote:I prefer senderos to djorou and silvestre. So lets hope silvestre picks up another of his niggling injuries.
What, like a cricket bat to the kneecap, that kind of nigglng injury?

That would be ok with me, but may I suggest both kneecaps.

tasha7 · Post by **tasha7** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 4:38 pm

I'm not quite sure why people are having a go at Wenger for not buying another centreback. If you look at most top sides they only really have three top quality players there - rio, vidic evans for man utd, terry, carvalho, alex for the chavs and carragher, agger, skrtel for liverpool.

I'm a huge fan of djourou and I think he's a great 3rd choice for us. It's unfortunate he's suffered another injury and we have to hope billy and vermaelen stay fit until he's recovered. But if not, then Senderos can do a job for us. How many other sides in Europe have as good 4th choice CB as he is? He's proved that he's a talented player if a little inconsistent and maybe he doesn't have the temperament for the really big occasions. But hopefully by the time squeaky bum time comes round again our other three centrebacks will be fit again.

Instead of having a go at Wenger for not signing another defender, maybe we should be looking at our medical department and asking why we sign so many injury prone players and/or turn them into such crocks. Is it anything to do with the plyometrics Wenger uses in his training methods?