ARSENAL SHOULD DO A FIRST SQUAD CLEAROUT TO RECOVER THIS SEASON By Nicholas Oyoo
The Arsenal squad has so many players on their way out, it’s scary!
Walcott – going
Sanchez – going
Ozil – going
Giroud – going
Coquelin – Gone
Cech – out of Sorts
Mertesacker – retiring
Debuchy – going
Ramsey – Out of sorts
For Arsenal, perhaps it is time to clear out and bring in fresh players that can help the team chase the season – that is going very badly already. We are out of the FA cup – A first for Wenger, 6th in the league and the only thing that looks to be going for Arsenal is the League Cup (possibly) and the Europa League which we did not even want to be part of in the first place. And Arsenal need to be brave. There are a host of players being linked with Arsenal and if some of these can be signed we could have a pretty powerful team for the second half of the season.
If I were to build a 2018 second-half-of-the-season squad from the players we have been linked with to sign right now, I would bring in the following. First I would go back to the legendary 4.4.1.1. that gave us Thierry Henry’s partnership with Dennis Bergkamp.
Goalkeeper- Sergio Rico is tall, and at a prime age of 24 and easily being kept off number 1 spot for Spain by the brilliance of one David De Gea. He could be got for a bargain of 20M and you would probably have a new young Petr Cech on an ascendancy.
I know we have already brought in Konstantinos Mavropanos. In this department we have the aging Koscielny, Mertesacker, Monreal and Debuchy. We need someone who can slot right in and proceed with it like we never even changed. Jonny Evans of West Bromwich Albion would be that kind of a player. The only unfortunate thing with him is that he is 30 so we could probably only get three years off him. But his two seasons with us would allow our younger players time to get into the level of world class. For 30M he would be available immediately.
For right wing, Christian Pavon would be a considerable acquisition to replace Walcott, even an upgrade. This is an Argentinian player with Boca Juniors and still only 21, and there is considerable interest from European clubs including Inter Milan, Manchester City, Liverpool and PSG, some in the past and some right now. We have been linked with him too. Pavon can play both wings and as second striker when we need it.
For the left wing, Thomas Lemar from Monaco is easily the most well-known player linked with us, but due to the high price tag, maybe we will best be served to look elsewhere. Gonçalo Guedes from Valencia would be a good option here and we could get him for 26M.
Playing with the second striker would help allow Lacazette to finally come good, in my view, and the best person that can give us some great showing is Malcom from Bourdeaux. We can get him for 30Million.
Here is my 2018 rebuilt squad. It would play in 4.4.1.1 pattern.
—————Rico————————
Bellerin—–Mustafi—–Evans——Kolasinac
Pavon———-Xhaka—–Wilshere—–Guedes
————Malcom———–
———–Lacazette———
Of course I don’t expect Arsene Wenger to make such wholesome changes of 5 first team players in the winter transfer window – as well as shifting the playing pattern, but miracles do happen, don’t they?
Nicholas