22 May 2016 11:43:56
What do people think of the (seemingly) imminent signing of Granit Xhaka then? I can't claim to know and awful lot about him but it seems like he is a good box to box and all round midfielder. Personally think that he would be a fantastic signing and bolster the squad as CM as been a problem this season just gone with injuries to Wilshere, Coquelain and Cazorla. Think a good box to box midfielder with a great range of passing is something we have missed for a while and he will also complement the style in which we play. Cazorla has kind of been shoe horned into that deep lying playmaker role, although granted he has excelled there.
£35m is a lot of money and a player of his potential is always welcome regardless what position he is. But I feel surely a ST and CB should be priority for Wenger. He admitted that Welbeck is essentially out for all of next season so he will sig a striker, its just whether he signs someone as back up to Giroud or someone as a first choice striker, needless to say we all hope its the latter. We have been strongly linked with Morata but I think those are just rumours. He is an absolutely quality forward and would be perfect for us in my opinion. He's clinical, big and strong and has decent pace (not lightning quick but good enough) . He's also experienced at the top level whilst being young and having lots of potential, for me its a no brainer we have to sign him. No way we could do any better getting the likes of Augbumeyang or Griezmann and Ibrahimovic seems very unlikely.
Will Wenger sign a CB? In my opinion we need one desperately. Gabriel looks somewhat a liability, and has had a relatively poor season. Chambers has not really progressed enough could do with a spell on loan. And we all know what Mertescakers problems are and he isn't good enough. Van Dijk would be ideal for me he's a no nonsense defender, apart from him not sure who we are linked with or is available.
Szszency, Debuchy, Arteta, Flamini, Rosiky all out would free up a lot of wages and squad places. Walcott might be off I don't know, no point trying to guess a fee this isn't football manager but I personally would let him go as both Iwobi and Campbell look better and deserve their chances now.
So hopefully into next year squad could be:
Cech + Ospina
Bellerin + Jenkinson
New CB + Mertesacker
Koscielny + Gabriel
Monreal + Gibbs
Coquelain + Elneney
Xhaka + Cazorla
Ramsey + Ox
Ozil + Wilshere
Sanchez + Campbell
Morata + Giroud
Chambers/ Iwobi on loan potentially and Welbeck of course back in March. Looking at that its an impressive squad and regarding there's not too many horrendous injuries and Wenger has a bit more competency with tactics in some games its more than capable of winning the league.
Thoughts? Cheers if you read all that.
22 May 2016 13:33:58
I remember Gary Neville calling Wenger arrogant for not buying a player with some physical presence in the middle even when cazorla was playing. Now that he is on the verge of buying one, he's being critized that we already have Central midfielders.
22 May 2016 15:53:22
The way I see it is we effectively have:
Le coq, Elneny, Rambo, xhaka
all fighting for two positions (you can't count jack)
Caz, Ozil
Both fighting for the CAM role
That right there is a very nice problem (if you can call it that) to have.
What we lacked last year (bar guts) was squad depth, now we're just about to sign a player with the steel we need, the leadership we need, the reading of the game instead of chasing shadows we need. He's going to be an integral part of our team if we are to push on to the next level.
Brilliant stuff getting it (seemingly) done so quickly. Yes we have other positions to address but I'm over the moon by what I've seen so far :)
Coyg.
22 May 2016 16:54:16
Apparently, Xhaka is very good at breaking up play and starting attacks.
Bit of a discipline problem.
New Vieira?
22 May 2016 17:35:29
Bit like Le Coq too Dags and no one can doubt that boys commitment.
22 May 2016 18:12:58
Absolutely G62,
Follow it up with Subotic or Manolas for CB and Lacazette or Aubemayang and i will be a very very happy Gunner.