£18m duo can bring the steel and heart back to the Arsenal ranks!

Football FanCast
guest columnist Liam Groves feels that this £18m duo will go a long way in bringing some backbone to the Arsenal ranks.

Am
I the only Arsenal fan who is expecting changes again at the Emirates this
summer? I personally wouldn't be surprised to see the likes of Cesc and Ade
leave in the summer as I don't feel they are as content at football club as
they like to perceive and if Barca were to follow up their clear interest with
a subsequent bid for Fabregas then I cannot see the player staying loyal to the
cause.

I
know some supporters who will probably wouldn't blame him and cite our seen
lack of ambition as reason to justify it, and maybe they're right but I always
see that as a cop out, especially from players. I'm of the opinion that nobody
is bigger than the football club and if Cesc and Ade want to join their friends
on the respective benches at Barca and Milan then good luck to them I wish them
well as I only want players that are committed to the football club and want to
see us succeed.

Of
course we had a similar scenario arise last season and I only hope this time
that Arsene is more proactive about replacing them quickly and not being
stubborn and suggesting their departure opens the door elsewhere. This season
has shown us that our squad hasn't the kind of quality depth we like to believe
and Wenger would be foolish not to see that and take appropriate action this
time around.

We
were having a chat after the game today about who we should bring in this
summer and the general feeling was that we should follow the wise words of
Bobby Pires and look to buy English to create a strong spine in the team. It is
fair to say that it is an ingredient that is missing at the football club and
why some fans have this opinion it doesn't matter what passport the players
have as long as they perform the bottom line is that foreign players tend to
lack that grit and determination that is needed in this league. You only have
to look at the three teams above us to the see the importance the English
players are in each of those teams and Arsene needs to bring a few in to
toughen up a squad which gets bullied far too often especially away from home.

The
first name that was brought up as ideal recruit and someone we can start to
reshape this squad with was Joleon Lescott. According to reports last week the
club was weighing up the possibility of tempting cash strapped Everton with a
bid in the region of £10m and I'm sure I wouldn't be the only Gunner who would
be delighted if we can pull it off. Big, strong and can play a bit, he would be
an ideal recruit and just the right kind of rock we are so desperately short of
in the backline and he will bring some much needed leadership to a team that
has very little.

The second name that was added was Gareth Barry who apparently
Villa are prepared to let go in the summer should they fail to pip us to fourth
place. I don't need to go into any great detail as to what the midfielder would
bring to the football club as it is clearly obvious and how we have missed the
presence of someone like him in our side this season. Given the length of his
contract as well he is unlikely to cost us a great deal and therefore the pair
of them are hardly going to give Arsene or the board any sleepless nights. I
just believe the duo would provide us with a bit of backbone and steel that has
been missing for some time and why I feel their arrivals won't necessarily see
an instant change in our fortunes, I see them both as a damn good start and
a step in the right direction in getting us back to top.

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