Two former Gunners have been in the football press this week talking about Arsenal and giving the under fire boss Arsene Wenger some advice on what he needs to do in the summer transfer window to make sure that we are serious title contenders next season.
Ray Parlour is no doubt what the Frenchman’s priority should be, a Metro report has revealed, and it will not surprise many Arsenal fans to hear that it is a replacement for Wenger’s misfiring countryman Olivier Giroud. Parlour was not too hard on our big centre forward and actually handed him some praise, but he feels that Arsenal do need a step up in quality if we are to challenge for the bog trophy goals of the Premier League and Champions League, and the former Arsenal midfielder has one player in particular in mind.
Parlour said, ‘Robert Lewandowski, if they can get him.
‘Someone of that calibre.
‘Ideally you want players that are 25 or 26 but sometimes you don’t get opportunities for that.
‘I just think they’re lacking a top quality striker.
‘He’s done well, Olivier Giroud, but is he good enough for the Champions League and Premier League?’
Another opinion came from our former striker Charlie Nicholas who, while he agreed that a top class striker would be a big help, told Sky Sports that he thought it was the other end of the pitch that was a bigger problem for Arsenal and that Wenger really needs to bring in a top class centre back to replace Per Mertesacker.
He said, “I accept over the last two months that the central striker area has been a massive problem, but there’s been a problem from day one and that’s at centre-back.
“There’s the soft excuse that Alexis Sanchez, Olivier Giroud, Danny Welbeck and Theo Walcott have all had their injury problems, but for me the biggest issue exists at the back.
“There’s been so many games where they’ve been in control then boom, there’s a weak defensive decision and then all of the sudden they’re over the place and the panic sets in.
“It’s just not been solid at all and in my opinion Arsenal have not had a proper defence in five or six seasons.
“When Arsene Wenger starts planning for next season, if he is there, which I think he will be, I would rather he addressed the defensive issues than bought a striker.
“If I had a position to buy right now and a choice between a centre-forward and Raphael Varane, my priority would be Varane.
“It needs to be a leader but one of significance on the pitch, not like Per Mertesacker saying the right things in front of the camera 30 minutes before the game. Leadership isn’t chit chat, it’s being willing to sacrifice yourself.
“Arsenal create chances and I know it’s a problem not taking them but they tend to take enough to win games. What they don’t do is win games 1-0 like Leicester have been doing.
“The hardest position to fill is the centre-forward but you’ve got to sort the basics first and I don’t think it needs to be a superstar striker because of the chances they create. Giroud has a decent scoring record for the club and he’s not a superstar.
“If they get Gonzalo Higuain in for say £50m and keep conceding two or three goals then they still won’t win anything.”
It might seem unlikely but what if Arsenal did complete the transfers of Lewandowski and Varane this summer? Would those two or another top class striker and centre back turn Arsenal into champions or do the problems run deeper than that?
Lewandowski and Varane would be brilliant, but I think a backup to Coquelin is just as impotant. Kante would be nice.
Both are right we need
a CB and a striker.
Varane and Lewandowski
are too expensive risks.
Consider this Leicesters 5 key players
Schmeichel Huth Morgan Maharez Vardy together
only cost 7.5 million, about the same as Elneny!!!
Adelaide 18 Iwobi 20 Akpom 20 as strikers
are similar in age to Rashford Origi and Martial.
But we will have to look outside for a CB.
v need players no doubt but whole mentality needs to change..
until v think of killing the games v will keep bottling our chances..
plus i think v need to show intent in transfer market and please no penny pinching this tym
I would give my left nut to bring Simeone in. The guy eats, drinks and breathes football. You can see the way he is constantly jumping around trying to get players to work hard and getting the fans hyper. I wonder what the dressing room looks like with him in it. He must hate to lose, you can see it on his face. That guy is literally Athletico’s 12th man on the pitch.
And then there’s Wenger slumping deep into his comfy leather seat. Takes small naps during the game. The only time you see him get up is to whine about an outside decision to the referee. He is soft and the dressing room surely becomes a library when he’s talking. How can he motivate anyone to do anything?!
We need four players in my opinion. A striker and CB are the most vital two, but we also need a top notch wide player better than everyone besides Alexis. We also need some better quality in the midfield centre so to keep Ramsey away from starting so many games. And because three spaces at least will need filling. I’m a fan of Ramsey’s, the boy has talent and he has grit about him with a great engine. He needs to work on his intelligence though, allot of work. I’d say four players at least and introducing some u21 players slowly.
wow!, honestly i think admin is also part of fans (in support of wenger/specialist in f……) that think giroud,ramsey,walcot,welbeck,gibbs,flamini,metersaker,ox,wilshere,scesny are world class player. so you are not AK.
1. The star player you are suggesting we pursue – is he unsettled at his current club? Would he be looking to move in the summer?
2. (And this is the most important factor) His club – are they looking to splash huge on another star player(s)? Probably one who plays in the same position as our player in question?
In the light of this discussion, we mustn’t forget that the process that got us our last three big buys (Ozil, Sanchez and Cech) was largely opportunistic. The transfer process in each of those case were driven by a plan to grab a star player who somehow became available on the market, more than the our desire to fill a specific positional/tactical need.
Off the top of my head, I can only think of four players that may fit into this category right now.
1. Mario Goetze – He hasn’t been settled at Munich for some time now. Also add the uncertainties of playing under a new manager, you have a player who could be looking to move. His age and versatility is the the upside for this player.
2. Karim Benzema -Especially if they end up not winning the Liga and UCL, Madrid will be looking to buy huge in the summer. There are already rumors Lewandowski is headed that way.
3. James Rodriguez – He finds himself in a similar situation as Benzema. He has kind of fallen out of favor with Zidane (and the club?). I think the club will be open to letting him go. His age and versatility is the the upside for this player, and he could be a good replacement for someone like Theo Walcott. At Porto, he often played at the right side of a front three.
4. Lukaku – He is leaving and nothing is going to stop him. Simple as.
But the player whom I’d really like us to pursue is Higuain. He is just what we need at CF. How we let him slip out of our hands the last time still surprises me. He will cost a A LOT. No indication he is unsettled at Napoli. And there will be many clubs competing for his signature if he decides he wants to experience England.
Weldone Admin…….weldone!
The problems run much deeper than two player positions..
Its rediculous to even contemplate either or, both positions have cost us points this season.
And if it was either or, then actually the stats prove its upfront we have been extremely poor. Defensively we’ve improved, remember the results against United and Liverpool in seasons past?
Like I said it isn’t either or, it both, as a MINIMUM and they have to be proven top top players.
Lewdobodoski and Varane?!? NEVER MILLION YEARS will they accept us. Sorry to say
Admin deleted my comment. Thumbs down to you admin.
PS: You can delete this comment too.
I deleted the first five comments. The article was about two transfers that could fix arsenals problems. The first five comments were wenger wenger etc. You have enough wenger articles to moan. Stick to the topic.
And if you wish to have an argument try me. I’m in the mood….
Admin has done the same to me in the past and is trying to silent people from speaking the truth about wenger. Admin is akb