I do not want to be too negative here, especially as just about every Arsenal fan in the world has been calling for Arsene Wenger to make the signing of a top class striker one of his transfer priorities of the summer. And with the Leicester City and England striker Jamie Vardy having just enjoyed a stellar campaign in the Premier League and being a lot of people’s choice for the Player of the Season, despite falling just short of picking up the golden boot, it seems churlish to be negative about the latest Arsenal transfer rumours.
In fact we should say that this is news rather than rumours, as sources as reliable as the BBC are reporting that Arsenal have already bid for the Foxes front man and that the £20 million we are said to have offered is enough to trigger a release clause in his contract.
If that is all true then the only things stopping Vardy from being an Arsenal player next season are his own wishes or some sort of unfeasible breakdown in contract talks. Great stuff for the Gunners then, or is it? I cannot help but have this feeling that Vardy may not be the right man for us.
I am not saying that he is not good enough or that he will be a one season wonder as some football experts are suggesting. My main issue is with how he will fit into the Arsenal system, which if we’re honest is just about the polar opposite of Leicester’s ‘soak up the pressure and break’ technique. It’s not just me either, as Sky Sports have already done a pice on whether he will suit our style.
With Arsenal generally expecting to face a deep and determined defence, how will we exploit the pace of Vardy? Will he be able to hold up the ball and bring other players into the game as Giroud does? Okay his finishing is great but he has to get into those chances and he might well struggle to get any space if our games continue to go the way we are used to.
But it is clear that Arsene Wenger wants to sign the striker, so does that indicate a potential change of tactics for Arsenal next season? It would not be too big a stretch of the imagination after all, because the last couple of years have seen Wenger employ a plan B of soaking up pressure and counter attacking. This has usually been in big games such as Man City away but why not extend this tactic?
There is another possibility which might sound like madness given our manager’s tactical history, but what about a 4-4-2, with Giroud and Vardy operating as the old school strike pairing that combines strength and aerial ability on one side and speed and finishing on the other?
Assuming we do sign Vardy, how do you see Arsenal with him in the side?
The sun is reporting that we are in for makhtarian who is out of contract next year.
What a dream summer it will be if this deal is a happening along with vardy
I don’t think that rumour is true. If however it is, that would definitely signal the end of Walcott.
I think this is possibly another reason for choosing Vardy, frees up money for other positions. Morata we are getting huge quotes, 20m for Vardy is probably the cheapest you will find for someone who has scored regularly. The only other options seem to be Janssen, Milik, Lacazette but again maybe pricey, and Slimani. Vardy has done it in prem and is 20m, so I can definitely see us go for a wideman, and I think we’ll be trying for Mikitaryan.
Sell giroud and now get moratta…i think vardy and moratta would do big things for us gunners…..girouh is on fire for france right now lets sell him while he’s hot..20mil anyone??…up the gunners
Since Vardy is not coming with a high price tag I think we should get another striker who can add a different dimension to our attack. A skillfull striker who can take on defenders who are sitting back to defend. I think Lacazette will fit that bill. Then we can play Vardy in game situations when we need to counter attack.
I downthumbed you and my reasoning is this;
He is a fighter, he will fight to get on the end of a Ozil flick…
We have Xhaka, a solid CM with good feet and one I hope will help us dominate the CM, that means we can play deeper if we wanted and pull teams out, as long as Vardy is moving then he is a threat… and if he has space to run into then Ozil can find it.
Our game loses it’s pace when the ball is played into Giroud, without him we have played a quicker game, Vardy could be the key to get the best out of Ozil and Alexis.
A mobile CF will pull CB around easier and we all know Alexis loves to run into those gaps.
Of course Vardy could be a flop for us but he could be the CF we need even if many don’t really want.
With recent purchase of Xanit – can’t see anyway to play 2 up top with both Giroud and Vardy together like a few have suggested-
But I got to say lineup is looking pretty sweet
Cech
Bellerin-Gabriel-Kos-Monreal
Xhaka-Cazorla
Iwobi-Ozil-Alexis
Vardy
Assuming no more signing which I doubt to be honest, if Wenger/Arsenal are saving £££ on Vardy over Morata then we could see another player who can improve the team arrive.
As it is, I like that potential line up, got a nice blend to it.
Tough, fast, good feet for passing and bags of creativity.
I don’t think we can go with that formation either, unless Ozil plays out wide, or if he plays up top in the way Bergkamp did. If we dropped Ozil we could set up 442, but that’s not really an option.
Am so buzzing for the upcoming season. My beloved club finally has a top striker at least better than inconsistent giroud. Am quite okay with this signings already. Would go over the moon if Mr. Arsene buys any more quality player.. Hope our long wait for the title finally comes to an end in what will be one of the most toughest epl season ever. Consistency will give any team the league. BELIEVE. Best believe… Arsene giving his all for this one… I Believe
I have grown to like the idea of Vardy in an Arsenal shirt, he has good movement, a burst of speed and raw pace.
Vardy isn’t scared of going for the ball with his head either, he has scored some and they was good goals but we didn’t really get to see him doing that job at Leicester due to their counter attacking. Maybe he is weak with his head, maybe he is good enough but we just haven’t had the opportunity to witness it yet?
We do not need Giroud to hold up the ball which holds up the speed of the attack as we got Ozil, the assist master on the pitch. We need someone moving and being a threat, someone able to get onto a quick flick and put it in the back of the net.
Vardy could win us a number of penalties as well, the way he can run in and get his foot to the ball before the CB can clear… Like his England goal.
He isn’t a long term answer but he could be what we need to win the EPL now rather than 3 years down the line. At £20mil… £30mil cheaper than Morata and he isn’t Morata! Wenger could for for a right sided attacker or Rodrigrez for LB… or both. Holding is only gonna cost a couple mil so there is a CB as well, not a ready made CB but Gabriel is getting better and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him and Per interchanging next to Kos depending on opponent and form.
If it is true then this could be 2 signings before the Euros has kicked off, we could have a good shot at the EPL next season.
Playing with a target should help both wings and miss score more.
I wonder why people are complaining about Vardy. May be some people are just moaners or constant negatives.
Here are some of excuses they use against him and the positive side of it in my opinion.
AGE:
Age is just a number, look at how Ibra and totti are doing at the age of 35 and 39 respective, Klose, Drogba are other examples. So age isn’t an excuse.
ONE SEASON WONDER:
You could have say the same about Harry Kane same time last year, and look at what happens now.
‘No player is %100 certain to succeed in new club NOT even messi, so a risk worth taking.
OUR STYLE
We were more dangerous with Walcott up front before his injury, and Vardy is and updated walcott (fast, clinical, aggressive, fighting spirit plus more.
So I suggest we should all be happy with this piece of business.
Wenger had a picture in his head of how Theo was going to work out, I think Vardy will be Wenger trying to fulfill that picture.
Exciting times to be a gunner, sell Theo and sign a top class winger. We need a quality powerful centre-back to partner Koscielny and maybe a left-back, which seems to be the talented Ricardo Rodriguez. With Vardy and Giroud we have two opposite players who are both effective at what they do, with this team we will be well equipped to sustain a high level (assuming we don’t lose any high profile names) and also adapt our play dependent on the opponent/situation.
This does of course all rely on a certain Mr Wenger to orchestrate, I feel Wenger’s fight or flight response has switched to fight to go out on a high. Maybe the protests this year had more impact than we thought, this is Wenger’s last chance to be remembered as a champion and to do it against all of the best managers in the world would be commendable, here’s hoping he can pull it off.
I think Arsenal will need to change tactics to fit Vardy’s skill set. Otherwise, I don’t think this will work out well.
I can see Cazorla (who likes through balls) and Vardy forming a great combination.
Vardy
Welbeck Ozil Sanchez
Xhaka/Coquelin/El Nino Cazorla
Monreal Koscielny Gabriel/Mertesacker Bellerin
Cech
You do realize that Welbeck will be out injured for most of the season right?
Yes. My bad. That of course means he and Vardy will never get to play with each other.
Why is it arsenal have to change for Vardy? Perhaps Vardy can adapt his game to suit arsenal?
I also see no reason why Vardy cannot play alongside giroud like he does with kane for England or upload for Leicester , or even a smaller man like alexis, ozil or walcott like he does with the Japanese lad at Leicester whose name I won’t attempt to spell.
Moreover, his signing might lead to kante or mahrez or both wanting to jump ship and join us too. Perhaps they both have £20m release clauses?
I am not sure we need kante now? But I wouldn’t say no at £20m though I do think one of coquelin, cazorla, ramsey or even wilshire might then move on. I also think if we sign a new right winger one of walcott, chamberlain or Campbell will also leave.
vardy=speed=goals… ozil would link up w this guy on a regular basis
If what am hearing Is true…..expect lot of assist from carzola,ozil,campbell and xhaka to vardy….then Maybe wallcott will sit up and see how it’s been done…
sky sports ‘pundits’ decrying arsenal… well that’s something new
hoping vardy breaks the 30 goal barrier for arsenal next season