Arsene confirms still in market for Defender

[Bergkamp-Genius]

Slowly turning into another classic formation thread. I will sit back for this one

now that you mention it, don't you think we should swap the current 4-1-2-2-1 to a more effienct 3-1-2-1-2-1?

That formation would save us having to buy another keeper, i think with the goalkeeprs we have the 3 in goal scenario wouldn't be such a bad idea...combined they might make the equivalent of one average goalkeeper, instead of three useless ones..

[Boomer]

I say play 'rush' goalie and keep the gloves in the area. It's fine as long as you shout early enough to the ref.

[topgoon]

silvestre type in terms of being cheap and versatile. but there was a reason mr ferguson (never call that tosser sir) got rid of him and we all know why that was. i am surprised not amazed we arent doing more to keep sol as he would be perfect for another season.who knows this new guy may take to it like vermaelen or he may take time. can diaby play centre half?!

Silvestre type in terms of being cheap and shit Worst since Stepanovs

[merson_is_god]

A quality defensive midfielder is just what we need with extra investment on a goalkeeper! Grrrr

[USMartin]

Agree to a certain extent with BDB (I know, I feel dirty too ) it takes more than individual errors to fuck a season, it is a combination of errors, bad luck, physical elements (like injuries and loss of form) but for me these things only go further to questioning Wenger's lack of proper investment in a decent squad. A decent squad can cope with most of the aforementioned problems by replacing individuals with equal quality when need be. It takes out those elements we can control.

Look at the 01-02 season. Injury problems at EVERY position lly even in goal the we lose Super Robert Pires too and still win the Premiership by seven points and the Double to boot. That's ALL down to that extra investment we were making ahead of the Highbury re-development skewing things as it did. Weon the Premiership at Old Trafford WITHOUT Thierry Henry Pires, Tony Adams and Denis Bergkamp.

Think about that. More than a THIRD of possibly our best team ever were MISSING from the side that went to the home of the three-time defending Champions with the Premiership title still on the line and had one of the most comfortable 1-0 victories I have ever seen in a match of that magnitude. And at the same ground where we lost quite badly a year earlier.

And we were missing key players all year long. Three different goalkeepers won Champions Medals that year. Our fifth choice central defender Stepanovs who endured one of the worst single performances I have ever seen at Old Trafford a year earlier featured in central defence during five straight crtiical wins in March and April. How many times did Sylvain Wiltord get us out of jail as sub or appearing in the first 11 in place of Henry Pires or Ljungberg. Bergkamp was at times a supersub in the Solskajer mold. Kanu was massive at Anfield after we went a man down and excellent again at Old Trafford.

http://www.arseweb.com/history/stats/02.html

He are the raw numbers to back my point justr above.

[Red Gunner]

I say play 'rush' goalie and keep the gloves in the area. It's fine as long as you shout early enough to the ref.

Or we could sign John Terry who would solve two problems at ones. The goalkeeper and the defender problem

That sounds about right yeah... or if you are John Terry you can handball wherever and whenever you like..

Refs don't go "ooh, that's a handball, but it's John Terry so I won't give it..." they go "ah, clearly ball to hand since his arms didn't move!"

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=john+t ... CB8QmAcwAA

[the playing mantis]

us, your posts are quite interesting as you always seem to have something intelligent to say, but they can be quite difficult to read, can you make them a little shorter!!??

[USMartin]

us, your posts are quite interesting as you always seem to have something intelligent to say, but they can be quite difficult to read, can you make them a little shorter!!??

When I can I do. Unfortunately if I just say say "Money is not available to spend" I have to go into far greater dtail to expalin why that's the case including providing "documentary" evidence backing such claims. The Board just say "money is available to spend if the manager wants to" and that's said to be "100% guaranteed fact" straight away.

I'm not alone having this problem go to

http://www.thegunninghawk.com/2010/07/0 ... ment-54548

and look up sleepinggiant234's posts which will look quite familiar to you except I'm the guy named Martin on there. We can't just say what we believe with any credibility unfortunately.

Sorry

[MK Gould]

2009/10
2 of:
Vermalen, Gallas, Sol, Silvestre

2010/11
2 of:
Vermalen, Koscielny......

Stronger or weaker than the defence that even Wenger said needed improvement.....?

I'm hoping that his comment was tongue in cheek.....of course we need another defender - and maybe two - plus a keeper!!

[mrgnu1958]

Is it good news or is it fucking obvious given that 4 central defenders - FOUR - have had their contracts expire this summer?

Sorry to be gloomy but this has got 'sell Flamini, Gilberto, Diarra, replace with Song' written all over it...

Is it me or is BT getting more aggressive in her old age? Last couple of posts have contained the Gordon Ramsay word and it's not very lady like!

Since when was throwing a chair not aggressive?

Who the fuck is old?!

i like hearing BT"y talk dirty

[MegaGooner]

Good news!

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archiv ... a-defender

Gary Cahill please!

Aren't we in the market for just about everyone? That's no guarantee we'll buy anyone....typical Arsenal news

[Naki_Gooner]

So what would make you happy? Sack most of the first team squad and start again?

Not quite.

I'd get rid of Almunia, Flappy, Diaby, Theo, Denilson, Bendtner, Eduardo, Silvestre and Vela, replace that lot and we may be back in business.

Please spare me the injuries line and for goodness sake don't pretend we were ever in with a serious shout of last season's title.

Any suggestions? interested to hear them for a change, instead of incessant whinging.

[brazilianGOONER]

2009/10
2 of:
Vermalen, Gallas, Sol, Silvestre

2010/11
2 of:
Vermalen, Koscielny......

Stronger or weaker than the defence that even Wenger said needed improvement.....?

I'm hoping that his comment was tongue in cheek.....of course we need another defender - and maybe two - plus a keeper!!

let me get it better for you

09/10:
vermaelen, gallas, sol, silvester

10/11
vermaelen, djourou, koscielny, (the new defender that wenger said today he'll buy)

depending on that 4th name, mk, i can't see it getting worse than last season. specially if we do sign a new goalkeeper. we'll have vermaelen now fully adapted to the epl (last season he scored goals from the beginning, but had quite a few positioning problems), hopefully a fit djourou who is a good defender, and then two players that we don't know how good are for different reasons. plus probably schwarzer, who is imo a good advantage to having almunia.
i know i'm almost a blind rosetinter, but i'm confident, mate. again, specially if that 4th name is a good one.

[merson_is_god]

Defensive player....Wenger talk for Schwarzer then the wallet will be firmly put back into the pocket and purse strings drawn

[cusamano]

can diaby play centre half?!

No, he can´t.
He is redundant on the pitch, no matter on which position.