View From The Sphere

Why some Arsenal fans should take a step back and look closer to home

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May arrives at full tilt and the usual clamour has begun.

Before the dust has even settled some ‘fans’ are uploading their ‘wish-lists’ for all to digest. A fair number have dissected the current squad, written them off and are calling for upwards of six ‘named’ signings and are ridiculously issuing P45’s to the likes of The BFG (Per Mertesacker) and Gervinho!!!

If you look at the current squad, it’s in pretty good shape.

Currently in 3rd, we’ve got there with Robin van Persie as our only recognised striker and without Jack Wilshere all season. There are class players all over the pitch, who would be difficult to replace without re-mortgaging The Emirates. Personally, I believe we are three players short of a squad that will challenge The Manchester sides for next season’s title.

Realistically we are never going to spend the £200 million needed to recruit the listed and gifted wanted by some, and bringing the likes of Eden Hazard or the latest goal-scoring sensation from South America would simply restrict the development of the next set of pupils in Arsene Wenger’s ‘make, not buy stars’ program.

Before demanding the world, look closer to home and maybe the next ‘Adams, Pires or Henry’ is already training at London Colney.

Ignasi Miquel

Ignasi joined The Arsenal days after his 16th birthday, after impressive displays for the Spanish youth team. A member of the Spain Under-19 Euro Championship winning team, Miquel has progressed from captain of the Arsenal Reserve team, to first-team squad member with some impressive displays in his nine outings this season. Already above the likes of Sebastien Squillaci in the pecking order, under Steve Bould’s tutorage, Ignasi can develop into a top class centre-back.

Ryo Miyaichi

Signed in January 2011, Ryo was instantly farmed out to Feyenoord due to the usual visa issues. There he was an instant success, gaining the MotM accolade in his first game against Vitesse Arnhem. Ryodinho (as the Dutch press went on to call him) impressed in Holland and returned to The Arsenal for the 2011 per-season tour of Asia. As is Arsene’s want these days, Ryo is now on his second loan spell, this time at the school of hard knocks, also known as Bolton Wanderers, where again, he is impressing the locals with his ability, gaining Bolton’s Player of the Month award in February amd glowing reports from the manager and players alike. With Andrey Anrshavin likely to be sold in the summer, Ryo could well be a quality wide option for next season.

Joel Campbell

Currently on loan, this time at FC Lorient. Joel has scored four goals in 22 matches this season, along with four in 10 for Costa Rica, including one against world champions, Spain. Reviews from France are all positive and if his application for an ‘exceptional talent’ work visa is successful, we should see those talents on display at The Emirates next season.

If you then consider the established youngsters such as Wilshere, Wojciech Szczesny, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Carl Jenkinson, do we really need to blow £35 million on players that most fans haven’t seen pay and are basing their knowledge of their apparent ‘world class’ status on a tabloid journo’s recommendation? The same journos calling for Wenger’s head on a platter and the dismantling of The Emirates two months ago?

The current squad deserves credit for its achievements this season, from it’s very humble beginnings to the brink of a 16th straight Champions League campaign.

The current squad is the base of a quality, title challenging squad.

We need to supplement, not overhaul.

We need an injection, not a transfusion.

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16 comments

  • True Arsenal says:

    All depends whether or not Van Persie stays (or is forced to stay). We have the same destabilizing problem we seem to have every year…all the hard work unravelling because we’ve failed to strengthen and bring in quality players when we should have.

    • Lewis says:

      And on whether we hang on to 3rd

    • Kahacho says:

      Agreed but need to find buyers for NB52,Denilson,Squill,Almunia,Vela,Arshavin,Park to save on wage bill.Get Vertonghen for versitility and Podolski.Send Ramsey on loan and recall Ryo.

  • Oneniltothearsenal says:

    Mate i salute you, some people really need to use that pink stuff between their ears, keep the good sense coming

  • frank wilcox says:

    excellent sumation,i agree 100%!!!!! we are very close my friends,very close!!!!this team has intestinal fortitude,last years did not!!!

  • nickw says:

    I don’t know how you can say that a team that has lost 10 games already this season is only a small step away from winning the league. Youth is always talked up but rarely delivers and so we hear the same refrain of ‘wait and see what these boys can do next year’. We’ve been saying that for about 7 years and each year we are a little worse. If we want to compete we need to show some ambition not churn out the same old excuses season after season, its becoming embarrassing.

    • eddie owen says:

      Tue nickw,what these arsenal fans dont understand is we have not won a thing in 7 yrs,its the same old storey year in year out.Its great to have these youngsters but we will not win a thing with them,we need at least 3 world class players to challange for the title,man u and chelse are going to strengthen for sure,lets get these players and give us fans something positive to to look foward to,its about time we won something.

      • Pius G. Chomo says:

        There are many other clubs in the epl that have been yearning for and have not won any tiltle for many more years than the 7 years in which Arsenal has been restructuring. And you know what? Their fans have remained resolute in their total support for their teams unlike the bunch of you crybabies. Take a hike!!!!

        • Tony says:

          Are there ‘many other clubs in the epl’ of a similar statue to Arsenal? Liverpool, Tottenham,Chelsea, Man U and Man City have all won trophies in the last 7 years.

  • chris from Cambridge says:

    Well Kroenke will not let RVP go for nothing next year versus £35m now. Nor would I.

  • Shafi says:

    The only what I can say is in Wenger I trust, if he sees that buying new players is the best then accepted if otherwise I follow. Gunners till I die.

  • Joe90 says:

    The truth be told: we realy need some new players. Three(3) or four (4). So as to have a strong bench.

  • Donnyfan1 says:

    AW will sign The Pod and J Martinez. The Pod can play anywhere up front and The Mart can play anywhere in defence or midfield. Unless we have 10 injuries at once– that should be enough. But last season, dodgy decisions cost us twice as many points as did dodgy injuries!! Many of the moans at AW should have been levied at PGMOL, the FA and the Premier League. In all fairness- without our regular coterie of ‘dodgies’ sticking their oars in—we would be challenging for the title this weekend.

  • Mike the max says:

    This team that started badly suffered the worst injury crisis in the league and had to bed in the 9 new players coming into the team 5 of them arriving after the season started and some heavy damage already done to be in third with three to go is unbelievable. Of the nine new players all except Park and Ryo have played a high amount of games and next year will be used to each other. In the season before our invincible season we made 78 points. This season can be a max of 74. If fans can’t be inspired for next season by that they are not really fans.

    I agree we need a couple of signings which we will get but even city who have spent half a billion in the last couple of years need signings this summer. For no major reason fans who should be quite happy with our position are becoming doom merchants that was fine when in 17th position but even now when we are third.

    Yes some silverware would be nice but not at the cost of the twenty two million we lose by failing to qualify for CL. Liverpool will tell you they would rather have the CL money than the 4 million from the two cups they might end up with. Anyway those cups were both devalued when won by teams relegated from the premiership and won from championship opposition

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