The continuing struggle for fitness of the Arsenal and France midfielder Abou Diaby, along with the recent injuries picked up by Aaron Ramsey and Mikel Arteta have highlighted, at least to the fans and the media, the need for Arsenal to sign a player in that typical combative defensive mould to strengthen the spine of our team. But the question still remains as to whether Arsene Wenger agrees.
One player who is hoping so is the Newcastle United and Ivory Coast international midfielder Chieck Tiote. Because the 28-year old has issued a statement, reported by Sky Sports, that may as well be a direct plea to Wenger to make him an Arsenal player when the transfer window opens in January.
Tiote said, “I want to leave.
“I’ve spent four years with Newcastle. I think I have reached a stage where it is maybe time to look elsewhere for a new challenge.
“I will focus on upcoming games and let’s see what happens between now and December.
“It is true there were contacts for me from Arsenal and a club in Russia. I’d prefer to stay in England.”
I think Tiote would be a great addition for the Gunners, but I would be surprised if Wenger thought the same, because his game is all about breaking up play and making tackles, not the all-round sort of midfielder that Wenger seems to like in the central role. At least that is his reputation, although his stats show that he has an impressive 85 percent pass completion this season, just three behind Morgan Schneiderlin. And even more impressive is the fact that Tiote’s overall score (32.63) on Squawka.com is better than Schneiderlin’s (23.41) despite the Saint having scored three goals.
So what do you think Gooners, should Wenger give Tiote what he wants and sign him up in January?
That’s funny because this morning I read an article about him saying that he “hasn’t ever been so committed to the club” and stuff like that?
B*llocks to that, I don’t want him, he’s so average, had one good season with Newcastle three years ago and all I’ve seen from him since then are red cards and injuries, no where near title-challenging material. Either Khedira, Javi Martinez, Vidal, Carvalho or Pogba for me please.
I like Khedira but he gets injured a lot, maybe that would make him fit perfectly in Arsenal. But he is a more ball playing DM, I think we also need the big, bad enforcer who can also play defense, someone like Carvalho.
So like khedira then, khedira is as big if not bigger than carvalho, has far more experience at a much higher level and will be a fraction of the price. However with arteta flamini rosicky and podolski all entering the last 18 months of their arsenal careers at most, I say go for carvalho and khedira!!
Khedira is always injured. Unless we get him free over the summer or something, no. We are already overloaded with injury prone players.
Even if he is free what use is he if he sits on the bench missing games?
Not the bench, the injury room. Don’t get Khedira. We have the worst record for injured players. To stop that it needs to start with whom we buy.
Tiote is more of a retracted energetic box to box player. He has 85% pass accuracy and average pass of 20m ( allot more than our midfielders, Newcastle play more direct thou)
Out of those we are intrested in i think rabiot would be perfect he has statistically outperformed the other players we have been linked with but I wouldn’t say no to a establish player like khedira 10m or sign pre contract. With arteta getting a new deal only one dm is needed to replace flamini
I would love to see two new DMs in Arsenal, I can imagine one of them being more like Tiote and another with a little more passing and playmaking ability like Robiot, or Schneiderlin or even Carvalho.
This would be to replace Flamini, Arteta, Coquelin and Diaby.
There can be games where we use the two together in a Chelsea type Matic-Ramires park the bus style for games against the bigger teams away from home.
So 4 out 2 in add a World Class defender to that and we are pretty much covered. Oh I would also sell Podolski and let Rosicky go, so 6 out 3 in and more playing time for some youngsters.
Diaby is playing for a new contract, flamini will go back to marseille once his contract is up and arteta is getting a 1 year extension.
I agree with selling Rosicky,podolski,coqulan
Signing khedira on a pre contract would be a good bit of business.
And getting cavani in would be the icing on the cake.as for perminent defensive January signing we should keep our eyes out for a cb who is younger than our starters and having a really good season.this would allow us to free up chambers who could be tried in the def mid role
My ideal (realistic) Arsenal team after January would be.
Ospina/Scezny
Dabuchy/Bellerin-Vlaar/Chambers-Kos/Per-Gibbs/Monreal
Carvalho/Arteta——Ramsey/Wilshire
Ozil/Cazorla
Theo/Gnabry—-Welbeck/Giroud—-Sanchez/Ox
If this team with tha addition of Vlaar and Carvalho at about 30m can stay healthy for half a season and Welbeck/Sanchez and Theo perform to expectations as the speediest front three in world football, I think we can give Chelsea and City a run for all their Oil money!
Yes 2 more buys should do it exactly. To be partly funded with the sale of Podolski and maybe Campbell.
Sorry we dont need him! What we need is a DM beast like kondogbia! Coyg!
I used to be stoked about Kondogbia, but he hasn’t had alot of good matches for Monaco so far, so I don’t really know if he’s up for Arsenal’s (and the PL) level.
Would definitely take Schneiderlin (fantastic proven player in the League) or Carvalho (beast of a talent).
Don’t you mean a beast like imbula he is the stand out power def mid in France not kondogbia. I wanted us to get him from when he was in the second division I realised his potential. Even Chelsea went after him, he has been a integral part of the marseille early lead this season and ironically flamini maybe going marsiele this summer
Forget carvalho and tiote. Schneiderlin would be great but Greg is spot on Kondgobia would be my preferred first choice, big presence and a supreme athlete.
Kondogbia is no bigger than khedira and carvalho is very slightly the smaller of the 3
If Diaby ever regains his health, will Wenger declare him a “new signing?” What a joke. Diaby has been collecting wages for years with absolutely no return. What a waste!
he doesnt accept wages when hes out for long periods of time apparently. But yeah, Diaby as much of a nice guy he is, has to be out this summer once his contract is up. Something wrong with Wenger’s mind if Diaby gets an extension. Its already upsetting Arteta is about to sign a new deal.
Maybe Arteta has new deal so there is some transfer value at the end of the season.
Arteta is a leader an experience head in the ranks we could do allot worse than keeping him around even if it’s as a bench player
No way … midtable player at best. Need a defensive player who controls the game not loses control like this egg. Still keen on Carvalho.
And we don’t need a beast. Since when has any great side needed a beast. Oh wait, no great side has needed a beast. They have a tactical defensive presence. A beast won’t win you the title, a beast won’t win you CL.
i d take him (depends on Price and wages though)
Diaby to play against Chelsea.
Diaby and Santi/Jack in front of the back 4.
Same front 4 – Ox, Ozil, Sanchez, Danny
Bring it on! COYG!
Diaby not match fit yet. Plus as far as I know he is still a B2B player. I know Wenger wants to change that but it takes time. Dunno if we can afford that against Chelsea.
@gundam. You could describe fernando, toure, matic and mikel as beasts. The point is they need to be tall, strong, fast, combative but at the same time be good footballers. Matuidi, pogba, gustavo and fernandinho are more slight than the others mentioned.