We finished one place behind shock Premier League winners Leicester City this season, so we thought we’d look at which players are simply not up to scratch when it comes to winning in the future.
Kieran Gibbs is not a first-team regular, and despite appearing to be shaping up like he could be the latest youth product to emerge at left-back. He already appears set on the exit door, so there is little need to discuss him further.
I’ve always been of the impression that Per Mertesacker has done more than he is credited with, but as this season has ran on, I’ve become more and more convinced that he needs replacing. His aerial presence will need to be replaced in part, but there is simply no space in the squad for someone as slow as him anymore.
Gabriel is another CB who is yet to earn the right to be excluded from this list, but unfortunately I can’t see Wenger giving up on him just yet.
Francis Coquelin is a tough call, with his impressive breakthrough season sticking in my memory. Xhaka looks certain to be unveiled as having joined us in the coming days, and with N’Golo Kante on the market, forgive me for saying I would trade Le Coq to have both Xhaka, Kante and Elneny in the squad instead.
Theo Walcott is one who should not even need discussing. My fellow Arsenal fans have made no secret of their desire for him to be sold, and my thoughts are no different. West Ham are welcome to him.
I have always defended Olivier Giroud, but his barren run this season made me ask some serious questions of his relevance to our side. I still believe he has the quality to play a big role for our team, but that doesn’t change the fact that we need a top striker to rival him for his role.
I spared the Ox on purpose, which I know many of you will disagree with, but I would love to see him go out on loan next season, before a permanent decision is made.
Agree or disagree with my choices? Who have I missed out?
If Walcott makes the same salary as Alexis and Mesut then obviously Wenger thinks very highly of him.
2nd biggest mistake last year after not signing an outfielder last summer. No way Theo is worth 140k per week
If Leicester City won the league with the players they have, who is to say any of our players is not worthy of a title winning team? What we lack is a manager who plays the players to their strengths and makes them sweat for their spot on the team, to force out some consistency in them. Even Giroud stepped up when he was forced unto the bench lol.
Why sacrifice Le coq and keep Ramsey????? Awful choice. I rather keep Coquelin and sell Ramsey, both home grown so no excuses.
Gibbs is too good to be a backup. He is title worthy. That’s why he’ll be sold. Coquelin will be a very good backup option in midfield. He’ll provide depth needed to last the season. Chamberlain is also a decent backup. Walcott is worth nowhere near 140k a week and hasn’t been the same since his last injury. He should see the door asap. Giroud definately is title worthy. He’d be a very good backup striker. He’s another one that could provide another option up top for when we get another striker in.
Giroud has to stay, his strike rate measured in minutes played per non penalty PL goal is better than kane and vardy( and yes that surprised me as well). He seems fairly resistant to the arsenal disease, injuries. He is the only fit striker we have. He is not the best and we need another good striker.
I would keep coquelin, who knows how xhaka will adapt to PL. Le coq was so vital last season and our troubles this season seemed to co-inside with his injury.
Jack is difficult, if rumours of £40m bid from manc are correct then perhaps we should sell but only because of his injury record. Manc have plenty of money to afford to pay jack to sit in the treatment room.
Even though Coquelin was a big miss when he was out, Cazorla was the one true miss because no one else could dictate the game the way he did. Ramsey got that role and cause more problems for us I though other than steadying the ship. I kind of wished Rosicky was available then to fill in and get an even better send off. As far a Wilshere is concerned I would never sell him regardless of his past injuries because there’s more to Jack that you’re actually seeing. If there was one player that needs to see the door it’s Walcott, followed by Debuchy.
To leave: Campbell, Arteta, Flamini, Rosicky, Debuchy, Jenkins, Szes, maybe Walcott or Wilshere if money is right.
Yes. I always said Cazorla was the biggest miss. Only Elneny even comes close to filling his role.
What was that about coq out? I love the guy more than some of our big names. His drive and purpose can not be easily questioned. The only other guy who plays with absolute determination like Francis is Alexis.
Then Ozil is worthy of any soccer title in this world. EPL title to Bellerin, to the Kos, and a few others. Giroud can be helpful, but he gives me too many headaches with the way he handles his business atimes. Oh, and about Mertesacker, he is the biggest of my Wenger confusions. The man is a jolly good fellow(or so he seems), but the way he runs makes me think Mr Wenger must be making fun of us fans by playing him!
Campbell is an amazing player good on the ball has passe and he is good technically he should have been deployed where carzola or where alex iwobi was deployed do you remember the assists to wollcot ??? Sometimes i do not understand Mr wenger especialy when he said he would use the same players then he changed his mind after that wounder why ????
giroud,lecoq,are gud backups to hve in the squad but not a first team player for a team wanting to challenge for epl.coq has got to improve slightly on the ball but off the ball he is gud.everyone knows about giroud and I don’t think a gud striker is enough for us.we need a very clinical guy not a guy who will be going through dry patches coz thats guaranteed from a gud striker.gibbs is tricky he is a gud option to hve on the bench but if we scout someone younger and better than him then I think we can sell him for both the clubs sake and himself coz he hasn’t progressed as a player.what I find shocking is bellerin back up is jenkinson worth a team challenging for epl?I don’t think so and we should find an able guy there than fool ourselves and next season we pay for mistakes again.
The only problem with this discussion is that Wenger believes in buying a maximum of three players, he has said this in the past and said it again recently. He thinks that introducing more players than this causes integration problems. We have already had three players leave so will he actually sell any first team players. Perhaps, but only if we promote some players from the academy.