Arsenal’s transfer conundrum
After the Transfer Window had closed, QPR Captain Joey Barton tweeted the following about Arsenal.
“Nasri and fabregas [sic] replaced with Benayoun and Arteta?? I wouldn’t have done that on FM2010”
The controversial man of the moment has a point and it raises the question as to what state Arsenal in. Barton made these comments before the North London side played Swansea and Blackburn but his words hold true after two very unconvincing performances.
What has to be look at is who they have replaced man for man. As Barton says, Nasri and Fabregas have been replaced with Benayoun and Arteta. Elsewhere, André Santos has come in for Gael Clichy and Park Chu Young appears to be the Nicklas Bendtner replacement.
Wenger also brought in another centre back in Per Mertesacker and Gervinho gives further attacking options. Carl Jenkinson, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Joel Campbell were also bought with the future in mind.
However, in all honesty quite a few of the players they’ve bought all come with doubts to them.
For example, Benayoun has been crippled by injury over the last year. For all the brilliance of Mikel Arteta in the Premier League, he’s not as good as Fabregas as his lack of a cap for Spain shows. André Santos isn’t the first choice left back for a Brazil side which has been poor by their high standards. Although Park Chu Young is the captain of Korea, he was relegated last season with Monaco. It begs the question why are Arsenal buying relegated Ligue 1 players. Even Mertesacker from Werder Bremen hasn’t played for Germany since March and is notorious for not being the quickest player.
Now it’s good in a way they all have doubts because you could look at it in the way that they all have a point to prove. However, when you’re shelling out around £50 million, it seems puzzling.
Wenger is known for his ability to find a gem but his powers of management have waned rapidly over the last few years. It’s almost as if the Frenchman has gone to the second hand store having missed out on the likes of Juan Mata over the summer.
Rod Liddle commented on Wenger’s transfer dealings in the Sunday Times on the 4th September.
“Arsene Wenger has behaved much as I do on Christmas Eve when no presents have been bought and Sainsburys is still open.”
It is the departures of Fabregas and Nasri that overshadow all of Wenger’s signings. There’s a lack of passion from this current side, especially without the fantastic prospect that is Jack Wilshere. Arsenal’s fortunes should increase upon his return in November.
Nevertheless as Simon Barnes articulated in the Times recently, the players don’t seem to have much faith in Arsene Wenger’s methods. His point resonates further when you glance at the table. Even if Wenger is able to restore faith, without Fabregas and Nasri, things look significantly bleaker for the Gunners despite the late flurry of summer arrivals.
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How come i do not see Joy Burton in teams like Bercelona. I thikn he should just Arsene to his work.
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wenger didnt have the right time to get the right players,although if arteta stays fit along side song and jack when he comes back,looks good to me.and the problem was barca ho didnt want to shaw the right money till the last week and everyone knows that its not a kinder game to fill fabregas and nasris boot but im sure that it will be done soon as beneyoun is just a loan cover
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Archie Rhind-Tutt Reply:
September 23rd, 2011 at 3:35 pm
Hi Mids,
As Barça left it so late, do you think Wenger would have been better off taking a hard line stance on the Fabregas deal or were his hands tied?
I was surprised he didn’t have an immediate replacement ready even though players of Fabregas and Nasri’s calibre are extremely hard to get hold of.
Thanks.
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was Arsenal NOT interested in signing joey barton? it is a sour-grape case!
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Tutt-tutt Mr.Rhind-Tutt! Badly written and ill conceived article by a blogger lacking basic skills. He didn’t try and ¨replace¨ Nasri and Fabregas with like for like and quoting that brain-dead goon,moron cretin is proof positive of your lack of Football nous. Wenger realized the following, which you totally ignored:
1)He has 4 youth players who can play classic midfield Football in AOC, Coquelin, Ozayup and Frimpong.
2)He has 3 senior injured players returning in a month or so- Wilshere,Rosicky and Diaby.
3)He has 4 solid experienced midfielders available in Arteta, Benayoun, Ramsey and Arshavin.
4) He has a few players who can play across or behind the strikers like Gervinho, Walcott and Park.
Explain to me how that is proving that ¨
his powers of management have waned rapidly¨. Nonsense blog and crap writing!
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Domhuaille MacMathghamhna,
How many of the 4 youth players you list, do you think are ready for first team football?
I stand by my original comment that his powers of management have waned rapidly. Don’t get me wrong, I think he has been fantastic for Arsenal but of late, he has been poor.
I wouldn’t call Ramsey an experienced midfielder yet at 21 nor would I call Arshavin solid at this moment in time.
Thanks.
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I am pointing out that AOC,Frimpong, Rosicky, Wilshere,Arteta, Benayoun, Ramsey,Arshavin, Gervinho and Park can and do offer a tremendous variety of strong options which can substitute for Cesc and Nasri, neither of whom were motivated to play for AFC and neither of whom performed up to their best standards since 2008.
Experience is relative, Ramsey and Wilshere have between them over 109 games in the EPL and both are touted as the best midfield combination in the EPL by most analysts…not bad for 21 year olds.
you wouldn’t call Arshavin solid? He scored against Swansea, played like a king against Udinese and Liverpool and has been returning to form this season.
you are FAR too negative with your assessments, especially writing off Wenger so spuriously.
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Archie Rhind-Tutt Reply:
September 23rd, 2011 at 10:02 pm
Why do you think Arsenal haven’t started the season well then?
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now it is time to see the Barclay b/s arsenal has reached its performance better but winger must have train the defends strictly and abstain them from faults
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