unbelieveble from djourou

[storrmin571]

Only way dijon should be anywhere near the club is on a stadium tour. Or if he's lucky as a member of an away team

[SammyDroppedHisShorts]

I like Djorou

[begeegs]

As I said, for 4th choice, he is worthy of being held on to. The problem with your argument is that realistically, who do you expect to replace him that would be willing to sit on the bench, or would you propose buying another quality CB to move someone like Mertesaker or Vermaelen to the bench?

If it is the former, then you are looking at a kid who is inexperienced who will make mistakes especially given the limited amount of playing time that they will get or an experienced head who probably didn't play that much at the other teams that he was with - and given our track record with those signings - Silvestre and Squillachi - I know who I'd rather be sitting 4th choice. If it is the latter, then you are looking at problems with the other Centrebacks because they will be played out of position (which Vermaelen complained about this year already), or angry because they are experienced internationals and are sitting on the bench.

No - Djourou isn't ideal, but he is experienced enough to be 4th choice rather than gambling on replacing him. No, he never will be a world beater, but you can't expect to have 4 world class Centrebacks in the squad without there being some disharmony in the squad. Of course, I would love to have that, but realistically, it isn't going to happen and if you look at any other squad on the planet, you probably aren't going to find 4 world class centrebacks that are as good as each other.

[ThomasMitchell]

Only way dijon should be anywhere near the club is on a stadium tour. Or if he's lucky as a member of an away team

Shouldn’t that be, "Or if we're lucky as a member of an away team"?

[SammyDroppedHisShorts]

I like Djorou

I do

[Gunnersaurus]

Djourou is experienced at being cack which is no experience worth keeping.

[Henry Norris 1913]

decent tv presenter, but his arrogance/complacency is fucking annoying, he actually thinks he's good defender doesn't he?

[storrmin571]

Only way dijon should be anywhere near the club is on a stadium tour. Or if he's lucky as a member of an away team

Shouldn’t that be, "Or if we're lucky as a member of an away team"?

You're right

[ThomasMitchell]

As I said, for 4th choice, he is worthy of being held on to. The problem with your argument is that realistically, who do you expect to replace him that would be willing to sit on the bench, or would you propose buying another quality CB to move someone like Mertesaker or Vermaelen to the bench?

If it is the former, then you are looking at a kid who is inexperienced who will make mistakes especially given the limited amount of playing time that they will get or an experienced head who probably didn't play that much at the other teams that he was with - and given our track record with those signings - Silvestre and Squillachi - I know who I'd rather be sitting 4th choice. If it is the latter, then you are looking at problems with the other Centrebacks because they will be played out of position (which Vermaelen complained about this year already), or angry because they are experienced internationals and are sitting on the bench.

No - Djourou isn't ideal, but he is experienced enough to be 4th choice rather than gambling on replacing him. No, he never will be a world beater, but you can't expect to have 4 world class Centrebacks in the squad without there being some disharmony in the squad. Of course, I would love to have that, but realistically, it isn't going to happen and if you look at any other squad on the planet, you probably aren't going to find 4 world class centrebacks that are as good as each other.

Your argument pre-supposes that Koscielny and Vermaelen are a dream pairing. The facts suggest otherwise and their performances together at the end of the season would have been funny at times if it were not so depressing (remember Vermaelen against QPR?!). We couldn’t even defend against mid table / relegation teams (and have a dreadful defensive record compared to the teams we are supposed to be competing with for trophies). As for Mertesacker, he hardly shrouded himself in glory last season. The reality is we have been starved of decent defensive talent for so long that we try to convince ourselves that what we have now is world class. They are not even close. At best they are decent-to-good, nothing more. What we need is quality defenders not make-weights like Djourou who simply make up the numbers, contribute little and rape the Club of obscene amounts of money into the bargain. Not good enough and exacerbated by the fact that we have a passed-it manager who has zero defensive tactical ability.

[arseofacrow]

Djourou would be more accepted it we were completely convinced by the defensive qualities if the regular starters or the team as a whole.

He isn't good good enough and without knowing exactly how much money he is on (g88ner ), I guess it is at the top end of what he would command in general, and this also cause consternation. I think if you have top players then you're prepared to pay the price, but we seem to have so many avergae players being paid a lot of money.

Sad, but this is all part of the continued do the minimum required to qualify for the champions league, and that's that,

[begeegs]

Your argument pre-supposes that Koscielny and Vermaelen are a dream pairing. The facts suggest otherwise and their performances together at the end of the season would have been funny at times if it were not so depressing (remember Vermaelen against QPR?!). We couldn’t even defend against mid table / relegation teams (and have a dreadful defensive record compared to the teams we are supposed to be competing with for trophies). As for Mertesacker, he hardly shrouded himself in glory last season. The reality is we have been starved of decent defensive talent for so long that we try to convince ourselves that what we have now is world class. They are not even close. At best they are decent-to-good, nothing more. What we need is quality defenders not make-weights like Djourou who simply make up the numbers, contribute little and rape the Club of obscene amounts of money into the bargain. Not good enough and exacerbated by the fact that we have a passed-it manager who has zero defensive tactical ability.

Actually, I was pre-supposing that Koscielny was a dream partner with one of the two. I agree that Vermaelen played like crap, but that isn't because he isn't a quality defender, but I think down to coaching like you say above.

In fact, I think that if we didn't play such a high line, all of these defenders would be even better. Playing a high line would work if we actually pressed up high on the pitch, but we rarely do - which is down to Wenger.

The question is - if Djourou (again, I don't think that he is good, but for 4th choice, I'd keep him) goes, do you have any faith that he will be replaced with a cracking kid or someone to consign either Vermaelen or Mertesaker to the bench? Personally, I don't - which is why I would hang on to him.

[ThomasMitchell]

Your argument pre-supposes that Koscielny and Vermaelen are a dream pairing. The facts suggest otherwise and their performances together at the end of the season would have been funny at times if it were not so depressing (remember Vermaelen against QPR?!). We couldn’t even defend against mid table / relegation teams (and have a dreadful defensive record compared to the teams we are supposed to be competing with for trophies). As for Mertesacker, he hardly shrouded himself in glory last season. The reality is we have been starved of decent defensive talent for so long that we try to convince ourselves that what we have now is world class. They are not even close. At best they are decent-to-good, nothing more. What we need is quality defenders not make-weights like Djourou who simply make up the numbers, contribute little and rape the Club of obscene amounts of money into the bargain. Not good enough and exacerbated by the fact that we have a passed-it manager who has zero defensive tactical ability.

Actually, I was pre-supposing that Koscielny was a dream partner with one of the two. I agree that Vermaelen played like crap, but that isn't because he isn't a quality defender, but I think down to coaching like you say above.

In fact, I think that if we didn't play such a high line, all of these defenders would be even better. Playing a high line would work if we actually pressed up high on the pitch, but we rarely do - which is down to Wenger.

The question is - if Djourou (again, I don't think that he is good, but for 4th choice, I'd keep him) goes, do you have any faith that he will be replaced with a cracking kid or someone to consign either Vermaelen or Mertesaker to the bench? Personally, I don't - which is why I would hang on to him.

To be honest I think you are right, he would not be replaced with someone better. He could be if the manager so wished - but we all know that Wenger simply does not see the problem. And yes, I take the point that if we had a manager that could organise and mould a defence (which one would hope he could for £6 million a year) then all of these players would probably improve by 25%. Depressing isn’t it?!

[1989]

I bet if he moves he'll turn out to be very decent for his new team, under a sensible manager who makes him part of a solid well-drilled, organized backline.

[QuartzGooner]

I bet if he moves he'll turn out to be very decent for his new team, under a sensible manager who makes him part of a solid well-drilled, organized backline.

This is a good poin because there was a large demand on here for Clichy to be sold, he was rightly considered a defensive liability.

Has improved at Man City.

Then there was Armand Traore who was slated on here.

He has improved at Q.P.R.

It all comes back to the Online Gooner Old Chestnut: "We need a defensive coach".

[1989]

His agent says he's off to Italy.