Spotlight Opinion: Who could we see leave this summer? Part 3: Attack
With all the talk and excitement of players coming to the Emirates this summer, it’s often easy to overlook the players who could be leaving Arsenal before the start of the new season. There are several Arsenal players who have not proved themselves in the past few seasons and we could see these players leave this summer.
Arsenal’s attack has been the strongest area of the team last season, finishing third in the league for goals scored behind both Manchester clubs, scoring 8 more times than fourth place Tottenham. Many pundits have suggested that Arsenal is a one man team, with our brilliant captain Robin Van Persie netting 30 goals in the league last season, but actually last season we had a greater number of goal scorers than any other team, with 17 different Arsenal players scoring in the league. But who are the rusty cogs in this efficient and effective attacking machine, and who won’t be in an Arsenal shirt next season?
A player who showed great talent, but never lived up to his full potential is 24 year-old Nicklas Bendtner. Bendtner has failed to win over the Arsenal fans on and off the pitch, with the Danish international aggravating the Arsenal supporters and Arsene Wenger with an arrogant attitude and failure to produce the results on the pitch. Perhaps the greatest example of this was the failure to score against Barcelona in the 2010-2011 Champions League which subsequently knocked Arsenal out of the competition, along with appearing in a nightclub after the 3-1 loss to Manchester United in the 2008-2009 Champions League Semi-Final. Last season Bendtner was on loan at Sunderland and failed to impress yet again, scoring 8 goals in 28 appearances, further proving that he is expendable and has no place at The Emirates. It’s thought that Hannover, Borussia Dortmund and Anzhi Makhachkala are interested in the Dane’s services next season.
Bendtner had a mixed loan spell at Sunderland, scoring 8 times.
When Marouane Chamakh signed for Arsenal there was a great amount of excitement surrounding the Moroccan international. The 28 year-old had a strong start to his debut Premier League campaign showing immense promise, however during the Winter months Chamakh lost his form which he later blamed on being “burnt out”. He netted 11 times in the 2010-2011 season, even after spending the second half of the season as a substitute in the majority of his appearances. His latest season has been the biggest disappointment though, after losing his place in the first team Chamakh has had limited opportunities, however 1 goal in 19 appearances for a striker is a very poor record. After signing on a free transfer from Bordeaux, Arsenal would be in a great position to sell Moroccan this season making a tidy profit of about £6m with PSG, Fiorentina and Montpellier all said to be interested.
Chamakh endured a tough second season in London.
Finally we have the once mesmerizing Andrei Arshavin, unfortunately the little Russian has lost a key part of his game with the 31 year-old often looking lazy and uninterested during games. This is a massive shame considering the immense talent Arshavin showed when he first joined Arsenal from Zenit in Winter transfer window of the 2008-2009 season for a club transfer record. Possibly his greatest moment as a Gunner was the winning goal he scored against Barcelona in 2011, securing Arsenal’s first win against the Spanish giants in the clubs history and cementing his own place in the clubs history books. Unfortunately, his sparks of genius have been overshadowed by a massive dip of form, leading to the Russian being loaned back to Zenit to regain his form earlier this season, with Arshavin netting 3 goals in 10 appearances while back in Russia. It looks increasingly likely that we have seen the last of Arshavin at The Emirates, which I find both a shame, but also a necessary transfer to bring in a new more energetic and passionate talent.
Could Miyaichi replace Arshavin?
Whatever happens this transfer window, we will certainly see at least two of these players leave, if not all of them. There is always the question of whether ex-Monaco star and South Korea captain Park Chu-Young will also be leaving this summer, but the lack of speculation surrounding the Korean suggests that he will be with us for at least another season. Thankfully, with the likes of Joel Campbell and Ryo Miyaichi living up to their potential, along with the emergence of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain there will be no shortage of replacements within the club, freeing up wages for Wenger to renew contracts and attract top talent.
Transfer Roundup: June 7th
Although Arsenal CEO Ivan Gazidis has admitted Arsenal are likely to be quiet this offseason, this hasn’t stopped rumours of us being on the trail of a variety players. talkSPORT are reporting that 21 year-old Schalke midfielder Lewis Holtby would be keen on a move to the Emirates at some point in his career, with Holtby admitting that the attacking and attractive style of play is a draw. It is yet to be seen if Wenger would be interested in signing the German and English dual nationality holder, with Holtby also expressing a desire to stay with his current club for the time being to continue learning the game.
A rumour that has come out of nowhere has been the reports that we are being linked to Venezeula and Malaga hit an Salomon Rondon. Apparantley Rondon is being lined up as one of many replacements for Robin Van Persie if he leaves Arsenal this summer, along with Seydou Doumbia, Olivier Giroud and Fernando Llorente, . 22 year-old Rondon has established himself as the Malaga first choice striker this season, surpassing Dutch legend Ruud Van Nisterooy to lead the team in goals scored. However, with only 11 league goals in the Primera Division this season, one less than our very own Carlos Vela, Rondon would hardly be a straight replacement for our captain, especially at a price upwards of £20m.
Ivan Gazidis has made yet more comments about Arsenal’s transfer policy and this time our wage structure. Gazidis has made clear that he intends to press ahead with plans to replace the old outdated wage structure, which sees arguably our best player Robin Van Persie only earn £10,000-20,000 more than fringe players Abou Diaby and Marouane Chamakh. This is fantastic news, with the team now being able to offer star players much larger salaries if their talent warrants it, which will help us keep talent and also attract talent. Unfortunately, Gazidis has shed doubt that minority shareholder and Uzbeki billionaire Alisher Usmanov will be granted a place on the Arsenal board, with Stan Kroenke not wanting to upset the harmony of the current board. This means we will see no cash injection into the side from Usmanov, a man richer than Chelsea’s Abramovich, and we will continue to be careful spenders in the transfer market.
Transfer Target: Lucas Biglia
Nationality: Argentinian
Age: 26
Position: Central Midfielder/ Defensive Midfielder
Current Team: RSC Anderlecht
Belgium is starting to establish itself as a footballing nation on the up with the likes of Vincent Kompay, Eden Hazard and our very own Thomas Vermaelen being some of the gems in the national side, however, your average football fan wouldn’t be able to tell you who wont he Belgium league last season. Well I can tell you that it was RSC Anderlecht and their captain Lucas Biglia looks like he could be set to move to The Emirates this summer.
Biglia has been touted as Wenger’s ‘Plan B’ in case a deal for Rennes star Yann M’Vila cannot be struck, but the more footage I watch of the Anderlecht captain, the more he impresses me. The Argentine possesses the rare talent to be a influential leader in the midfield, controlling his sides defensive and attacking efforts, while being an instrumental member of the attacking force himself. Last season Biglia ranked third in the Belgian Pro-League’s assist table with 10 assists, which sounds a lot like our current defensive midfielder Alex Song.
Biglia has captained Anderlecht to two consecutive league titles.
But this is where things get interesting, with the talent of Song in our first team it’s unlikely that Biglia would get regular first team football, meaning a move would be quite unlikely. However, rumours are starting to suggest that our Cameroonian star could be moved into a more attacking role to continue being the effective playmaker for Van Persie, meaning that Biglia would slot straight into the vacant defensive midfield role in the side. Acquiring Biglia would give us the same type of attacking and defensive presence as Song, but with a far better disciplinary record with only 5 yellow cards this season and no reds.
It’s suggested that Biglia may be available for around £8.5, which would make him a far more cost-effective option than M’Vila leaving Wenger the cash to pursue other, more expensive targets in other areas. The stumbling block here may be the continued interest of Real Madrid who will not hesitate to splash the cash on both Anderlecht’s transfer fee and Biglia’s wages. However, it is unlikely that Biglia will gain any first team football in such a star-studded midfield, which would likely but Arsenal in a good position to gain a versatile and effective player who would be fantastic both in our first team, or coming off the bench.
Transfer Roundup: June 6th
Arsenal CEO Ivan Gazidis will meet with fans today to explain the clubs transfer policy and reports in the press involving the South-African today have been unsurprising. Arsenal will be quiet this off-season, unfortunately we won’t see a great number of new names join our ranks but what Gazidis has said that ought to fill fans with hope is that we can expect a few more “quality” signings. He explained that “the key for us is not the volume of signings we might make but that the signings we make add something to the squad” which I have to completely agree with, we don’t need more fringe players or reserves, we need top-class players like Lukas Podolski who will have an immediate impact on the side and will put us in a position to fight for trophies. Following initial disappointment after reading several articles this morning, I have been left with a positive feeling about our transfer dealings this season trust Gazidis that we will see these top quality players join the club after the European Championships conclude.
On a slightly negative note, Barcelona have issued a hands off warning to Arsenal about our attempted signings of promising youngsters Isaac Tello and Isaac Cuenca. It’s thought that with the return of David Villa and if he isn’t sold, Ibrahim Afellay, that the pairs first-team opportunities will be reduced, potentially leaving them open to the idea of a move. However, the Spanish Giant’s new manager Tito Villanova has vowed to build a new generation around the talented duo and will not sell the players at any price this summer which. Time for Wenger to look elsewhere for talented youngsters?
There have been many names linked with Arsenal during and since the January transfer window and one of the names to appear most frequently in the press is Anderlecht ace Lucas Biglia. The 26 year-old has captained his side to two consecutive league titles and has achieved 6 international caps in a star-studded Argentina squad. Although initially thought to be Wenger’s ‘Plan-B’ if signing M’Vila failed, it seems like Biglia is becoming his first choice with the Euro’s likely to bump up the Frenchman’s price and big spending clubs like Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Real Madrid poised to steal our long term target from under our noses. Real Madrid are reportedly our biggest rival in the race to sign Biglia, however Napoli and Fiorentina are also said to be interested. But the possibility of guaranteed Champions League football along with the possibility of regular first team football should Alex Song move into a more creative role surely puts Arsenal in pole position in the race for the Argentine?
That’s all for today, but here is some footage of Biglia in action this season (You’ll have to excuse the funky electro music).
Spotlight Opinion: Who could we see leave this summer? Part 2: Midfield
With all the talk and excitement of players coming to the Emirates this summer, it’s often easy to overlook the players who could be leaving Arsenal before the start of the new season. There are several Arsenal players who have not proved themselves in the past few seasons and we could see these players leave this summer.
Arsenal’s midfield looked as if it was set to be one of our weakest areas following the departure of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri last summer, along with the injury to Jack Wilshere, but instead of proving the critics right, several players stepped up to the plate and proved their worth. Some of these players we thought should have left last summer like Tomáš Rosický or players who we thought were incapable of filling the void in our midfield like Aaron Ramsey and Mikel Arteta, but many proved themselves key to Arsenal’s 3rd place finish. Having said that, there were players who failed to make a solid impression on the first team and looked shaky at the best of times, players who could see themselves playing elsewhere next season.
26 year-old Abou Diaby has been an Arsenal regular since joining in January of 2006, however his time in North-London has been plagued by injuries and inconsistencies. Following an almost career-ending injury to his ankle in 2006 Diaby has commonly struggled with injuries in every year he’s been at Arsenal, with the 2011-2012 campaign being no different. With Diaby out injured for most of the season, the likes of youngsters Francis Coquelin, Emmanuel Frimpong and even reserve team members Nico Yennaris and Oğuzhan Özyakup have been placed in the first team or bench to fill in for the Frenchman, a step too far too soon for many of them. This has been one of Arsenal’s main problems this season, a lack of solid options on the bench and unfortunately Diaby has contributed to this weakness with his never-ending list of injuries. Now seems like the right time to replace the ex-Auxerre player with a younger, less injury prone midfielder who will provide Arsenal with a solid option in the latter stages of a game or to cover for an injury or suspension.
The ever injured Abou Diaby could be playing elsewhere next season.
Although not completely an Arsenal player this season, Chelsea loanee Yossi Benayoun is another midfielder who contributed to our latest campaign. The 32 year-old Israeli netted 4 goals in 19 appearances for Arsenal this season and sometimes captained the side in cup competitions. The attacking midfielder cemented himself as a first team regular towards the end of the season, scoring in the final two games of the season and being Wenger’s preferred choice to the erratic Gervinho or tired Ramsey. So, does Wenger turn the Israeli’s loan into a full-time move to the Emirates this summer? Unlikely. The age alone seems like an issue here as Wenger would likely rather promote a younger member of the side to fill Yossi’s position in the team and with Jack Wilshere likely to return (fingers crossed) this summer Benayoun could struggle to make substitute appearances. Although his season in North-London was a good one and he has made the difference on many occasions, it seems like we will be bidding farewell to the Chelsea loanee this summer for good.
A returning Wilshere is one of many reasons to be positive about our midfield next season.
With rumours surrounding Rennes and France star Yann M’Vila running hot and cold and if Wilshere’s injury problems persist Wenger may be forced to keep one or both of these players in the side during the 2012-2013 campaign. What’s more likely is a relatively cheap midfielder coming to the Emirates to fill the role until Wilshere is recovered and Ramsey or Rosický can return to the bench. Ideally this summer we sign M’Vila and Marvin Martin, but I remember these two Frenchman being heavily rumoured with a move this time last season. Whatever happens, Wilshere’s return is a positive and the resurgence of Rosický and emergence of Ramsey are reasons to be positive about our midfield next season.
Transfer Roundup: June 3rd
Reports today are suggesting that Arsenal have joined the race to sign prolific League 2 youngster Nick Powell. The 18-year old currently plays for Crewe and was the sides top scorer last season, with 14 League goals, even though Powell naturally plays as an attacking midfielder and not a striker. Powell was a key part of Crewe’s league campaign and continued his form into the playoffs, scoring the opening goal in the League 2 playoff finals this season, helping to ensure his side gained promotion.
It’s thought that the Crewe starlet has been a Manchester United target for a while now and that Chelsea are also said to be interested in the Englishman’s services which could spark a bidding war. Wenger was impressed by scouting reports of the youngster and is prepared to bid £10m to bring Powell into the ranks, although United are favourites to win his signature.
In our last transfer roundup we mentioned the possibility of signing CSKA Moscow ace Seydou Doumbia, with the Russian outfits price-tag for the Ivorian being a stumbling block for Arsenal. Things seem to have changed with Moscow now saying they will listen to offers at a new reduced asking price of £15m, however this has heated up interest from Italian side Napoli who now look like the favourites to sign the Russian Premier League’s top scorer.
Finally, Arsenal Chief-Executive Ivan Gazidis will meet 300 Arsenal Supporters’ Trust members this Wednesday to explain the clubs transfer policy. It’s expected that Gazidis will face a grilling for the fans with it being reported that Wenger is unlikely to do much business in this transfer window, much to our surprise.
That’s all for today but I’ll leave you with some footage of Nick Powell’s best goals from the past season. Enjoy!
Transfer Target: Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa
Nationality: French
Age: 23
Position: Central Defender
Current Team: Montpellier HSC
Montpellier captain Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa has been one of the key reasons that the French outfit rose to dominance in Ligue 1 last season, winning their first ever league title over the star studded lineups of PSG and Olympique Lyonnais. The French defender’s performances in the league led Laurent Blanc to call the 23 year-old up to his provisional 25-man Euro 2012 squad, but was one of the two players cut before the tournament, meaning he will miss this years Euros.
Yanga-Mbiwa is a talented defender with the ability to play at anywhere in the back line, an ability that would give our defense much needed support in the event that any of the first-team regulars were to get injured or suspended. At 6ft the Frenchman would also bring the defense a bit more height alongside the likes of Koscielny and Mertesacker, further strengthening our defense against the set plays that have plagued us in the last few seasons.
Yanga-Mbiwa (Right) has been instrumental in Montpellier’s first ever league title this season.
The stumbling block here for Wenger would be whether Yanga-Mbiwa would give up a captaincy at the Ligue 1 champions to potentially sit on the bench at the Emirates. A possible solution would be to push Vermaelen onto the left where he was deployed earlier this season and to have an all-French central defense with Koscielny and Yanga-Mbiwa partnered, allowing Mertesacker to come off the bench as a strong late game substitute.
What may also put Wenger off the 23 year-old is his price-tag, with many media reports suggesting that he will be available for around the £13m mark. Having said that, he could prove to be a cheaper alternative to the now Tottenham bound Jan Vertonghen and the fact that he is no longer set to feature at the Euros means that his price will not inflate due to a good showing at the tournament. Also, the fact that he is young and French may also win Wenger and Yanga-Mbiwa round, as he would be playing with fellow compatriots Laurent Koscielny, Bacary Sagna, Francis Coquelin and Abou Diaby. Unfortunately interest in the Frenchman is high with league rivals Newcastle scouting the player and Italian side Napoli allegedly already in talks with Montpellier regarding a move.
The defense is certainly an area we need help with next season and adding world-class depth to our defensive options is key. Could Yanga-Mbiwa be the first step in adding this defensive depth? Take a look at the Montpellier captain in action here and tell us what you think in the comment section or on Twitter.
Spotlight Opinion: Who could we see leave this summer? Part 1: Defense
With all the talk and excitement of players coming to the Emirates this summer, it’s often easy to overlook the players who could be leaving Arsenal before the start of the new season. There are several Arsenal players who have not proved themselves in the past few seasons and we could see these players leave this summer.
Our defense has been one of our most disappointing areas in recent years, in the last season we conceded 49 times, more than any other team in the top 8 barring Newcastle (51 goals conceded) with this being hardly a reassuring statistic. This area is a real issue and there are a few names in the defense who we certainly need to think about moving on.
Johan Djourou is one of these names, in our latest campaign Djourou has been a liability as a substitute, often looking lost or guilty of making stupid tackles in the dying moments of a game when extinguishing a threat on goal is absolutely critical. Djourou was once a prominent and promising player in our back line, there was a point in March in the 2010-2011 season when we hadn’t lost a game when Djourou has been on the pitch. But unfortunately the Swiss international has lost his confidence and with Koscielny emerging as one of the stars of our last season it seems unlikely that Djourou will fit into Wenger’s first choice defense any time soon, barring injury to one of the regular starters. Djourou may be worth giving another year at least, after all he was instrumental in our defense at times last year and this may explain Wenger’s rationale for giving the player a contract extension earlier this year, which could see him at the Emirates until 2015. But that isn’t deterring interest for the 25 year-old, with Juventus are reportedly interested in his services this summer.
Djourou may have played his last game in an Arsenal shirt
Another defensive player who failed to impress last season was Sebastien Squillaci, but unlike Djourou the Frenchman never quite fit into Arsenal’s back line. Squillaci is a name that makes many Arsenal fans shudder with thoughts of some of the worst defensive mistakes over the past two seasons. In the 31 year-old’s two seasons at the Emirates we have never felt comfortable while he is on the pitch, and from Wenger’s decision earlier on this year to bring Squillaci off the pitch when he was already a substitute for the injured Francis Coquelin, it would seem to suggest that Wenger shares the fans discomfort. Unlike Djourou, Squillaci has never been an instrumental or important piece of Arsenal’s back line, this paired with his age makes him a prime candidate to be off this summer. Having Squillaci out of the team would mean Wenger could promote the promising Ignasi Miquel to the first team, or even bring in a new player altogether to add more depth to a bench which lacks top quality options. It’s been reported that Russian moneybags Anzhi Makhachkala and Spanish side Espanyol are interested in the Frenchman which could finally give Arsenal fans a reason to relax.
Ignasi Miquel could replace Squillaci
Another name that has attracted a lot of criticism this season has been the big German Per Mertesacker, who has failed to win round the fans in his debut season. The German captain has mainly been criticised for his lack of pace and failure to adapt to the physical nature of the Premiership, but I disagree that we should consider selling the ex-Werder Bremen star. Mertesacker had started to adapt to the different style of play and put together some fine performances in the latter half of 2011, however before Mertesacker could really prove his talents he sustained a season-ending ankle injury. Personally, I think Mertesacker brings experience and much needed height to our defense which often looks vulnerable at set plays.
Our defense next season, without injuries interfering, could be one of the best in the Premiership. Sagna on the right, Koscielny and Mertesacker partnered in the middle along with Vermaelen at left back has the ingredients to be very strong with an international captain and club vice-captain in the ranks. Our real problem next season will be having the depth to cover for injuries to regular starters and the talent on the bench to bring on a replacement for an exhausted member of the defense without watching the final few minutes of a game tearing our hair out at defensive mistakes. This is where Wenger needs to spend the money and needs to replace the dead-wood approaching the start of the new season.
Transfer Target: Clint Dempsey
Nationality: American
Age: 29
Position: Striker/ Winger/ Attacking Midfielder
Current Team: Fulham
United States international Clint Dempsey has been quietly becoming one of the most versatile and effective attacking players in the Premier League over the past few seasons. In the 2011-2012 Premier League season Dempsey scored 17 times breaking his previous record of 12 and setting a Fulham record for most goals scored in a season for the second consecutive year.
What makes the United States international such an attractive prospect is his versatility, with the ability to play comfortably at practically any attacking position the 29 year-old’s adaptability would give Wenger a wide range of options throughout the course of a game and would provide the much needed depth to our bench, and first team if necessary. Dempsey is the rare kind of player with the grit and determination to give 100% throughout the full 90 minutes of a game, his mentality to never give up is exactly what Arsenal need in some games where we seem to get complacent or lose the fighting spirit needed to seal a victory.
Dempsey could join Alex Song in the midfield this summer
The Texan has expressed a desire to play Champions League football and with Everton and Liverpool the only other teams reportedly showing Dempsey interest it looks like we’re currently in pole position to sign the American. But, would Wenger even consider making a move for Dempsey? At 29 years-old it wouldn’t be the typical Arsenal signing of a promising, yet unproven youngster, Dempsey would only have a few seasons of top-class football left in him which could put Wenger off of making a move, but his low price may win Wenger round.
Personally, I think Dempsey would be a fantastic signing. His grit and passion is exactly what we need at the club and would provide competition and depth to our midfield and attacking options, along with being a fantastic mentor and senior squad member with the experience we need to mount a serious title challenge. There’s no doubt in my mind that Dempsey would be an immediate fan favourite and if available at the right place, Wenger shouldn’t hesitate to snap him up and bring him to the Emirates.
You can watch footage of Dempsey here to make up your own mind about the American.
Arsenal Spotlight 