Most Arsenal fans, and that includes me, are hoping that the next few weeks sees Arsene Wenger make some great moves in the transfer market, although it is beginning to look yet again that we are going to start the new season without the signings we were all hoping for and expecting after the disappointment of missing the Premier League title last time.
One of the main priorities in the minds of Gooners is another top quality centre back but unless the manager gets his finger out he is not going to get one in time for the EPL opener against Liverpool next month. We are also going to have to do without the France international star Laurent Koscielny for that big game as well because of his prolonged involvement in Euro 2016.
As soon as he is back and fit, though, the Frenchman will be an automatic starter for us and that will give the Gunners a very solid base on which to build a title challenge, according to his team mate Per Mertesacker who has been talking about his partner in glowing terms in an Arsenal.com report this week.
The BFG has played alongside some of the most highly rated centre backs in the world during his 10 years as a Germany international, so his being so impressed by Koscielny and the way his club colleague has continued to improve into o0ne of the best in the business says a lot. The German also thinks that Koscielny is still not as good as he is going to be at his peak and that is great news for Arsenal if true.
Mertesacker said, “To watch him is a joy for me because he’s my team-mate. He’s done so well for his country.
“It’s really fun to watch him. He did so well during the tournament and he’s grown as a player during his career at Arsenal and with the national team, he’s a figure there now. It took a bit longer for him to be such a big part of the French squad but now he’s an integral part there.
“He’s very good in a duel, one against one. He anticipates so well and he’s so quick that there’s no joy for strikers to play against him. He’s so composed now and I think there’s more to come from him next season.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing him again and seeing his strength on the pitch because he’s still growing.”
The question for Arsenal fans, however, is not whether Koscielny is good enough but whether the pairing of him and our BFG is good enough to give Arsenal the platform to become EPL champions again. They definitely have a great understanding and possess different qualities to complement each other’s game but is that enough or do Arsenal need a big defender transfer to avoid another season without the title?
Bob.
This is the XI I think Wenger will use for most of the games next season
Giroud
Sanchez Ozil Ramsey
Xhaka Cazorla
Monreal Koscielny Mertesacker Bellerin
Cech
Sub: Walcott, Welbeck, Wilshere, Coquelin, Gabriel, El Neny, Gibbs, Ospina
How does this team stack up to Chelsea, Man City and Man United? I’m afraid, but I have no optimism for next season whatsoever. We really need a ST and a maybe another CB.
A definite No for Mertesacker. He should be nowhere near this team. We will win nothing with him playing. Read this morning that Kos is stalling over new contract. He is wanted by Bayern. Wenger has no idea how to keep good players never mind buy new ones, Wouldn’t be surprised if Ozil and Sanchez both follow.
That’s a bit premature of you! Kos isn’t going anywhere!
This is when all the fear-mongering takes hold ..with people becoming sheeplike!
Giroud
Sanchez Ozil Ramsey
Xhaka Cazorla
Monreal Koscielny Gabriel Bellerin
Cech.
Reserves. Ospina Macey Mertesacker Chambers
Debuchy Gibbs Coquelin Elneny Wilshere Walcott
Chamberlain Iwobi Adelaide Wellbeck Sanogo
2 Home grown starters. No English starters.
Arsenal like all the other top teams is dominated by non English players.
The majority of Arsenal supporters are non English.
The owners, the CEO the Manager are non English.
Arsenal is an English club in location only.
Disagree-
My guess is Sanchez move to right – Iwobi on left (unless we buy better option)
Ramsey / Carzola / Wiltshire will have to fight for same position
It’s stupidly simple. Rotate BFG and Gabriel depending on the opposition. E.g. Last season away vs west ham should have played BFG played Gabriel threw it away. I know Wenger was shocked that Carroll played but its an example and this won’t happen often. Also Gabriel is often rash so BFG would have committed less fouls. Ok so Payet didn’t capitalise but he might have. If we play a team with a striker like vardy then don’t let him exploit mertesacker’s blistering pace and play Gabriel instead. It’s so obvious
Getting a bit annoyed with some fans. We got Xhaka, and I remember the vast majority say we are sorted in this area. Che buy Kante, and all of a sudden it’s look at che, they showed us how it’s done. WTF, I thought you said we sorted this already. As for mitsubishi, never wanted him, and Id call most fans a liar for saying any different. Mour and utd was always going to be a circus, look at what utd did last season, and the one before that. How much millions are they after wasting by now, and judging by Mours transfer history, Id say they’ll be wasting an awful lot more. We are not anything like that club, stop looking so jelly and comparing everything they do. We deserve signings, I believe we’ll get them, even if it’s just to pamper to some fans, I reckon two more are coming. This is what the recent outgoings has been about, he does this to make room.
Mou is a different level of manager than LVG regardless of my dislike for him. For my money MU will not be a disaster this year and will be battling at the top…unfortunately.
At least one thing I rightly agree with you is that it is a Mount Everest dream. A house that is not in order will definitely collapse. While others are taking matured parent stock to the field and still do not win trophies you expect to win with day old chick’s, whoa they have met their Waterloo even before they have started. The coach knows what to do but just a stubborn and an old stone age man who has refuse to embrace the newest of technologies.
Nope!
They’ve been trying for 3 years now? A very smart man once said doing the same thing=getting the same results and its mad to think otherwise.
Kos has a mistake in him and BFG would have too if he could get to them in time but he’s sooo slow it’s embarrasing.
How many balls do we have to watch him duck under before we demand change?