Hi Guys,
I haven’t written for JustArsenal for a while, but I thought we should discuss about the players we have right now, and what to expect next season in the context of ‘who is going to come in and who is going out’, So here are our current defensive options:
Goalkeepers: Szczęsny, Ospina, Martinez
I heard lots of people saying that we should sell our previous number one Szczęsny and buy a new goalkeeper. If you take into account that the dip in his form this season (along with the smoking incident) then add his father’s comments, it looks fair that most of the people are asking for him to be sold, but this is not how football works! You simply just don’t sell the previous season’s Golden Glove winner just because he lost some form. Simon Mignolet is the best example of this. He was rubbish at the start of the season and was replaced, but he got his chance back and now he is flourishing as he was doing before. Same goes with Joe Hart last season at Man City. It is very simple; you do not simply sell your player because he under performed half of a season, If we go by this logic then we should have already sold 90% of our team, moreover why would we want to sell our goalkeeper in his early 20s who can serve the club for at least another decade.
People are taking about Petr Cech coming in. Frankly speaking I cannot see Mourinho selling him to us, no matter what he says, and it will be kind of a luxury buy for us. If we have to pay 10 million for him we should spend it going for a better CDM.
Verdict: Expected outgoing : None
Expected Incoming : None
RB: Jenkinson, Debuchy, Bellerin
Bellerin has been a revelation this season, but so is Jenkinson while playing on loan for West Ham. Again I hear people saying we should sell Jenkinson but I don’t know why. Do you want to sell a British player in his early 20s just because you have Bellerin? Debuchy is not getting any younger and if we go by his injurious track record for us, we might need Jenkinson. And before you guys say that we have Chambers to cover I should remind you about the Swansea game, and many others, where he was ripped apart by quick wingers. For me he is not a RB and he should be either playing CB or CDM. One more thing which I would like to point out is that, out of all the three, Jenkinson has the best crossing ability – and with he style we play where Giroud is our target man, I don’t think it is wise to sell Jenkinson
Verdict : Expected outgoing : Jenkinson ( Maybe on loan again)
Expected Incoming : None
CB: Kos, Gabriel, Per, Chambers
I don’t see any one coming until we are shipping out Mertesacker. We have four centre backs and if we add Monreal and Debuchy to mix then we have SIX CB and I see no reason for us buying a new CB until or unless Mertesacker is leaving.
Verdict : Expected outgoing : Mertesacker (50%)
Expected Incoming : Subotic
LB: Monreal, Gibbs
Monreal has been in the finest form this season even replacing Gibbs as our number one. Next season I don’t see Arsene buying us a new LB (maybe next to next season) but our current two LBs are pretty good and on fire
Verdict : Expected outgoing : None
Expected Incoming : None
Will write about our midfield options in the next post
Thanks,
Kushal
It’s impossible to predict
Szczesny could leave because he may not want to be second fiddle to Ospina
On the other hand, Szczesny may want to fight for his spot and is happy to stay
I don’t believe Wenger will ask Mertsacker to leave.
Jenkison is a tough one.
I want him to stay. He has been excellent for West ham, but Wenger may be happy with Chambers in RB role.
I’m going to add DM.
Flamini should be heading out
Diaby may be heading out too unless Wenger wants to give another contract
Its not really that simple with wenger… needs seem to have no impact on our summer signings.. we probably will end up signing another small attacking midfielder :p
Diaby? No thanks! Then Flamini should leave for free, i’m tired of him…. So far so good we should replace Per, the guy is slow and Aging…
Would just like to say….. A ruddy good article on here for a change. Agreed with all points and look forward to the next instalment.
Thanks mate, Will soon publish the second instalment
finally, right? someone who doesn’t ride hype-trains and isn’t near sighted. once and for all: form is temporary, class stays. and MOST, if not all arsenal players are class. so stop changing your opinions and scapegoating players. they come good , and sometimes dip i.e. giroud, monreal… so don’t be a fool and be forced to eat your words later. p#ssing me off. get behind the team. even merts is a good cb, ok, fair critizism, but he has bounced back. give it a rest and get some perspective, don’t just slate.
Goalkeeper
Szezney if he wants out then we need to buy a competitive player to challenge ospina who is up there with the best across Europe statistically this season.
1y.sommer has been in excellent form and has been the best in Germany this season outperforming the world class Neuer. As he is at gladbach he wouldn’t cost double figures and his wages would be considerably less than szezney.
2burki from frieburg is also another player who is having a top class season and is ranked amongs the best three across the European top leauges.
3viviano has been one of the stand out keepers in Italy he also has previous arsenal Xp so would settle in well.
Defense
I’m happy with the players we have bellerin performances this year means he is a dependable second choice. So does jenkinson go on loan again or will we cash in?
Mertasacker will gradually be displaced by Gabriel next season so I don’t think we don’t need to add to the cb position. (Monreal and debuchy can cover 5th n 6th choice)
We don’t have an up and coming left back so that could be an option to invest in if jenkinson is sold.
Amauvi(nice) would be an excellent addition. Wenger has been looking at young lb in the last 18months names like (kurzawa,digne,mings)
popped up but according to whoscored.com this young lad has been the best left black in Europe’s top leagues and he is only 20.
Wenger likes continuity and not making wholesale changes which is admirable to a point. But if we were to be completely ruthless I think the following players are sellable, and the changes are viable:
Szczesny OUT (10-15mil) – Cech IN (8-14mil)
Mert OUT (6-8mil) – Smalling IN (8-12mil)
Jenks OUT (7-10mil)
Flamini/Diaby OUT – Schneiderlin IN (22-30mil)
About 25mil to change 3 positions defensively. I think we’d be a stronger unit with them in place, but we don’t operate like this so I’d expect a DM to be the only change.
not fifa m8
leave jenks. english player is an asset.
Is it just me or does any1 else also think chambers is not going to be good enough to start for arsenal?
I hope he will because we paid £16 million lol
But I know what you mean
He came in to replace Jenkison but I haven’t been impressed with him at RB. I think he is better at CD.
Maybe he just needs time and more matches.
He didn’t come in to replace Jenks….he’s a CB. We bought a 19 year old CB last summer. Can people not have just an ounce of foresight? Robert Pires didn’t have a good first season, can we please cut the 19 boy some slack?
Kushal here,
I agree with you and we should not be spending any more money on defense and may be prompted some one from academy to be understudy
I don’t think he came to replace Jenkinson, otherwise we wouldn’t have bought Debuchy and Chambers plus Bellerin for RB. Chambers is destined for CB/CDM position as he was at Soton. RB is a nice extra he has and he’s quite decent at it.
Debuchy came to replace Sagna
So it was.
Good read, I just think Subotic is a bit of a random pick. Odds on Per leaving (imo) are bigger than 50% and I still want (wishful thinking) Fabian Schar to be signed as his replacement, while praying to god this Smalling rumor isn’t ending in truth.
I hate to say it but John Terry is an exception to the rule here. Very few players are that great at that age, just compare him to Ferdinand, wasn’t great at 34 let alone 36 as he is now. BFG is slowly but steadily declining in ability and I think Chambers is a good signing but we should definitely replace BFG early not wait until he HAS to be replaced.
Definitely agree with you on people criticising players too quick in relation to the trash United and Liverpool have, even players like Kompany now.
Would be nice to see Per Mert replaced…
I don’t understand the critism on Chambers…its his 1st season at arsenal…the guy is young and has a lot of potential…just needs more game time…
I have no where in my article criticzed Chamber, Only thing which i have said is that he is a CB or may be a CDM but he is not our Rb not for now and not for future
A very good, and interesting article. It’s good to see someone acknowledge that Chambers is definitely not a RB. I don’t know why people (especially Wenger) think he’s versatile enough to do a job there, when he has consistently looked poor in that position. For me, Chambers looked really good early on when he was playing in his natural position of CB. We should never criticize a players performances when it’s not their natural position.
I pretty much agree with everything in the article apart from Szczensy and Mertesacker. Yes I think Arsene would happy enough to keep them, but are they going to be happy sat on the bench most weeks. Ospina is definitely number one, and I would make Gabriel and Koscielny our first choice CB pair asap.
Thanks Mate, My piece for Midfielders is coming soon, Hope you like that too
My Only Concern replace Flamini with a top quality CDM & not a quantity Cdm, with Per Mertasacker and our defence issues is solved!! We need Quality and not Quantity,
We also seem to forget we have Hayden coming from our academy. He is our most promising defender to come through. He could use a loan spell to gain valuable experience.
I would like to see a Mertesacker replacement but staged. First we buy an extra CB and then we sell Mertesacker in the Winter Transfer period only when everything is settled.
As for Left Back I would like us to use an understudy, I like Mings as he is a home grown player under both old and new rules. Both Monreal & Gibbs are injury prone with Monreal entering the age of 30. If needed we can loan Mings out again to a championship side were we can easily recall him. We have no great academy players coming through on left back.
If we go about it this way we should have no nasty surprises like we did in the first half of the season.
I think a good defence is very important.
I have realised that if the defence is good, then we don’t concede so many goals.
Also, if we don’t concede so many goals, then we shouldn’t be outscored so much, hence more point, and trophies.
I can’t believe it took me this long to realise, I think we should buy more defenders, and good ones please.
Jenkinson should stay . I think he would make a good CB . HE LOVES ARSENAL AND HIS ONE THE futre..
Good post….will be interesting when you get to midfield.
Personally…..
GK: We could do better. Ospina has proven to be better than sczez but there isn’t much in it (just fewer reckless moments). Neither are Loris, de Gea or Courtois. In a perfect world a world class keeper in, but doubt it would happen.
RB: Debuchy then Belerin, which leaves Jenkinson warming the bench (at best) so I think he’ll go. Chambers is utility is rb, cb, poss cdm. So one out (Jenks), and none in.
LB: Gibbs and Monreal are pretty even. No cover so possibly a need as both are a little injury prone. So possibly one in for cover, or a youngster with potential.
CB: Gabriel, Koz, Mert, Chambers with Haydn coming through. Can’t see any changes in the summer else neither Chambers or Haydn will get a chance to play.
How about signing a versatile goalkeeper who can also play in the defence and midfield ????? #My Opinion tho#