Is it quite hard to believe that Arsenal failed to bring in a top class centre-back in the January transfer window as it is blindingly obvious that this is the Gunners most pressing concern at the moment after conceding 36 goals already this season after just 27 games. To put this in perspective, two years ago when we finished second to Leicester in the Premier league, we had only conceded that amount in the whole of the season.
The facts are that Laurent Koscielny (32 years old with ongoing achilles problems); Per Mertesacker (33 and in his last year of competitive football); Nacho Monreal (the youngster at 31, but although he seems to be our most consistent and effective defender he is also getting on in years) and Petr Cech (35) are all getting very close to their sell-by dates.
We do also have Calum Chambers and Rob Holding, but Wenger doesn’t seem to trust them very much and you could say they are not gaining much top-level experience sitting on the bench either.
So you could say that we need a complete shake up in our back line, but even if we could have got just one brilliant centre-back in January it may have increased our confidence at least a little bit.
Well now it is being reported that Arsenal have been sending scouts to watch the Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly and were present when they played Leipzig in the Europa Cup the other day. The Italians were badly beaten on the night but Koulibaly has been lauded as one of Napoli’s best players this season as they try to wrest the Serie A title away from Juventus.
He is said to be available for around 40m GBP, which would be a steal in today’s market, but the French-born giant is 6ft 5 in and would certainly help out with our set piece problems.
Who thinks Wenger should be making Koulibaly a priority this summer?
Admin
We need to spend big on a quality CB…wait, didn’t we already do that with Mustafi?
It is obvious to everyone (bar Wenger of course) that a CDM is needed just as importantly as a CB (or 2).If I can offer any defence for our defence is how much better would they have performed if we had played with cover in midfield and not been so open and exposed at the back?
Bringing in another CB without a CDM will surely only result in what we have now.
If we don’t get a better organized midfield to protect our defense, no defenders in the world will help.
The reason, why we did a little bit better defensively 2 years ago, was Coquelin having a great season as DM.
Kouibally, Manolas,Jiminez, Maguire and Rugani are superior to our current crop of Centre Backs and at least one of them should be signed if at all possible along with a quality goalkeeper and DM.To raise cash Mustafi and Xhaka should be offloaded ,albeit for a substantial loss although Wenger would never admit to errors of judgement with these two .Until he goes they will unfortunately continue to be first picks.
I disagree with you that Mustafi and Xhaka should be sold especially the former? Really?! He does have the odd games but his resilience, blocks and clearances are great. Xhaka can improve. Why not suggest sales of Chambers, Holding and Jenkinson (permanently) and buy Koulibaly, Janmaart and Evans.
Dream Scenario:
Wenger leaves this summer
Arsenal nabs Maurizio Sarri as the new manager
Maurizio Sarri nabs Koulibaly
Maurizio Sarri also nabs Jorginho
Maurizio Sarri, Sven Mislinlat and Raul Sanllehi nab Oblak
Maurizio Sarri, Sven Mislinlat and Raul Sanllehi amazingly nab Ousmane Dembele from Barca
Sarri’s tatcics and coaching improve certain individuals performances
Xhaka turns into a beast
Bellerin leans how to cross
Kolasinac revives his inner beast
Monreal is converted to a CB
We finally solve the injury issues
Sarri plays a 4-3-3 formation
Starting line up:
Oblak
Bellerin-Koulibaly-Monreal-Kolasinac
Ramsey-Xhaka-Wilshere
Mkhitaryan-Auba-Ozil
Subs:
Ospina
Dembele
Jorginho
Holding
Lacazette
Iwobi
Cazorla
Dembele on the bench! Sari to replace Wenger!! We’ll end up being a big joke.I’d take Allegiri once Wenger calls it a day but the good news is that Wenger is being offered a new contract beyond 2020.
Gunner22,
Not sure if this will happen, although we were reliably told that it was 95% a certainty he was going this summer.
We were told all the activity within the club showed that this was going to happen.
What could have gone wrong?
I think I will wait for the FACTS, like the news about our great sponsorship deal. After all, you can’t expect good news all the time.
Meantime, looking forward to yet another cup final with the club, that’s a FACT!!!!!
I like the fact you reckon that Cazorla can still play for us. I wish him well and recovery next season. He is a genius! And I like Lacazette a lot.
Ok – so I get the MANAGER
I get the CENTRE BACKS
I certainly get JORGINHO
What I can’t understand is why you would buy a much needed CDM and then put him on the BENCH.
Defies logic that one
I do NOT want Wenger to make his target Koulibaly or anyone else. I want his target to be unemployment and made for him by the sack. I want no more money given to this oddball manager to waste on players for him to ruin.
Still cannot understand why Kolasinac has not been tried as a CMD with Aaron and Jack either side of him.
We will certainly have to invest in a top class CD and from the little I have seen of him on BT Sports he does look the part.
With regards to Holding and Chambers, they were slaughtered on here for their performances (me included), but I think we should persevere with them.
If we persist with them in games like our Thursday Europa game, they will gain the experience required. If they are to be top class remains to be seen.
As a footnote, it turns out that we did try to sign defensive players, but it seems our new transfer duo failed on this one at the last minute. They did however, concentrate on buying Abe and getting the best deal for Sanchez and I think they did very well on both counts.
So it wasn’t Wengers fault at all this January transfer window, but it does seem as if the club are looking to the summer window: let’s hope they do the deals earlier than those mentioned above or as Arsene was accused of when he was responsible
Dread to think what the outcry will be if nothing materialises then, especially as Wenger now has nothing to do with transfer activity ( so I am reliably told).
In fact, not sure what all the apprehension is about. Wenger not responsible, the deadly duo in charge, all our transfer problems have been solved!!!!
Isn’t that what we were promised?
So , you admit Wenger is now not in charge of transfer policy and still believe he will stay after this summer. Incoherant thinking Ken!
Ken 1945 totally agree with Kolasinac being played as DM. He played this position with success at Shalke. This allows Monreal and Kolasinac to be played in the same team and allows Xhaka to play a similar role to the one he plays in the Swiss National Team; a sound option given the potential for injuries to Wilshire and Ramsey. Xhaka is not a DM.
Our defence needs a bloody miracle!! We’ve conceded so many it’s shocking. We’re fine going forward, it’s now the gk & defence that needs sorting…… plus a midfield beast & I’ll be happy
Yes we need a CB or 2 but we need a top CDM too
Premier League winners had either a top DM or a Box to box player with strong defensive skills
2018 City = Fernandino/Toure
2017 Chelsea = Kante
2016. Leicester = Kante
2015 Chelsea had Matic
Previous years Toure, Carrick, Mekelele, Scholes, Roy Keane, Patrick Viera
In 2015-2016 we were just a striker and defensive midfielder away from winning the PL. What did Wenger do? NO DM and made Walcott striker. Also Giroud went on a 12 game non scoring streak. Imagine if we had signed Lacazette and Kante that summer.
I know Wenger is about “Attacking is in Arsenal’s DNA”. But a DM is not just about defending. A DM starts the attack. He gets the ball back and sends the ball forward. He is the link between defenders and attackers. He covers from sideline to sideline, tackles, gets the ball back, protects the defenders and sends the ball forward. Its a very important position but not too Wenger. He never replaced Viera and didn’t think twice when selling Song to Barcelona and selling Coquelin.
Yes we need top CB (RB too) but we won’t win the PL without a quality DM
Innit very valid summation; however Arsenal also had Gilberto sitting back as the DM, with Viera as more an all role (attacking and defending) box to box midfielder.