Posted on Friday, 29th June 2012 by Taaza
In recent weeks, Olivier Giroud and Lukas Podolski have been confirmed as Arsenal’s newest arrivals. After years of selling our best talent to other clubs it looks like we are finally adding to our own.
So with two strikers in the bag already, who should be next on Arsene Wenger’s list this summer?
Personally, I think it should be Ajax’s 24-year-old right-back Gregory van der Wiel.
We’ve got a good amount of attacking players in our squad and I feel its time we sorted out our back line a little.
Looking at last seasons problems, with all the injuries defensively, I see the Holland international as a more capable player than some of our youth that we currently have who play in defensive roles.
When Bacary Sagna got injured, defensively, we could see and feel the difference. Having an experienced replacement for Sagna will make next season a little less of a rough ride, should he suffer the same fate. Despite the performances from our cameo players, who filled in for the Frenchman, Van der Wiel would be a better fit all-round.
We do have some very good young talent in defence coming through, but we need a ready-made replacement and someone who can challenge Sagna for his place, as he currently has no one to do so at present.
As for Van der Wiel’s price-tag, I reckon we could acquire him for around £8 million, providing we beat Chelsea to his signature.
Who do you guys reckon Wenger should target next?
give us your thoughts on the matter below
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Tags: Arsenal, Arsene Wenger, Bacary Sagna, Gregory van der Wiel, Lukas Podolski, Olivier Giroud
Posted in View From The Sphere | Comments (42)
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June 29th, 2012 at 3:39 pm
Van der Veil is completely overrated which was clear at the Euros. A defender like Debuchy or even play Coquelin instead. Let Chelsea have him
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June 29th, 2012 at 3:49 pm
Coquelin and Jenkinson are good enough to cover and need games. Another midfielder would be more useful imo.
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June 29th, 2012 at 3:49 pm
totaly agree with le_doomer, v d wiel would never challenge Sagna, he;s not in the same league. simples. Id rather use Jenks, he may lack experience (so he needs to play and get it) but has far more fight and desire in him and he’s a gooner. Saying that a replacement foe Sagna would be good, I’d trust Arsene to unearth another gem.
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June 29th, 2012 at 3:54 pm
Andreas beck from hoffenhiem RB nene,diego or honda attacking mid
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June 29th, 2012 at 3:57 pm
Srna from shakhtar or beck from hoffenhiem RB nene,diego or honda attacking mid
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June 29th, 2012 at 4:21 pm
back up keeper on the cheap, Gordon?
Van der wiel orVertonghen – cover the backline.
Martinez (unlikely) or M’Vila DM
Attacking CM – Gotze/Eriksen.
Benayoun as a superb squad player.
Out-
Denilson
Fabianski
Sqill
Bartley
Vela
Bendtner
Park
Chamakh
Arshavin
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June 29th, 2012 at 4:29 pm
I agree that we have to fortify the defense, we have a lot of exciting attacking prospects and with the possible return of Wilsare the mid field will be wonderful. but I believe we would need an extra Central Defender in the mold of Hummel of Dortmund, because we also had injury problems in that area last season
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Goldram Reply:
June 30th, 2012 at 4:57 pm
Absolutely agree. Hummels is pure class, young and the best thing since Franco Baresi. Even Liam Brady was raving about him . Forget Vertongen as he wants to go to spurs. We also need a right back to cover for Sagna.
Finally M,Vila or Goetz and we have a championship winning squad.
But Hummels is a must
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June 29th, 2012 at 4:30 pm
wenger should think of adding a player and nothing else
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June 29th, 2012 at 4:33 pm
You clearly don’t understand football. I really don’t understand why fans think we need to strengthen at right back when we have sagna who will be back before christmas, coquilain who is comfortable at playing there, koscialny can play there, yennaris, jenkinson. A.K.A we don’t need a right back.
What we need is a versatile centre back m’biwa for me who can play right back.
We need an attacking midfielder I believe it’s a must, we didnt have a player who created the play last season and our game thrives when we have someone who can do that. I think the perfect fit for us is ganso of santos, his game style is quit similar to fabregas’s, his recent problems should be behind him now that they have identified the problem.
I would gamble with m’villa because I think he is a perfect alternative to song because of his attitude on the field, he chases down the ball with his strength and tackling ability, he would also be perfect alongside Wilshire because they both like to use quick short passes and act as the deep lying playmaker, with m’villa staying back and Wilshire in the box to box role we could have an awesome midfield.
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June 29th, 2012 at 4:44 pm
yanga-mbwia (RB, CB & DM)
vertonghen(LB, CB, & DM)
BRING THESE 2 IN TO REPLACE DJOUROU & SQUILLACI
= DEFENSIVE POSITIONS WELL COVERED
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@babakrdaemi Reply:
June 30th, 2012 at 4:01 pm
Good call.
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June 29th, 2012 at 5:13 pm
yah he will be gd addition to our back line
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Ry Reply:
June 29th, 2012 at 6:34 pm
We don’t anyone in the back line we need our back line close games out and stop trying to be the front line,if we are 2 nil up why the hell they need to be in the other box ,HOLD and put the game to bed real talk. Gunners 4 life
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June 29th, 2012 at 5:47 pm
Just because we want to win a trophy, we do not have have to do it at the cost of the work we have done! All talk of getting in a right back or center back is completely uncalled for.
First, Sagna is not dead, he’s only injured and will surely return. Second, we have Jenkinson who is good enough as cover as Sagna recovers. Third, Coquelin has done wonderfully whenever called upon. Fourth, Kyle Bartley featured at right back, in midfield and at center back for Rangers. He’s back at the Emirates. Why then do we have to think that always solutions are from outside? I don’t understand that.
For me, as it stands, whether we buy a defensive midfielder or not, we can ably compete for honours next season, provided Wenger uses the ammunition at his disposal well. By signing Giroud and Podolski, Wenger has not only signed quality strikers, but also added real potency in attack, and their arrivals have availed the manager with a variety of options as seen below:
1. Giroud will most probably lead the line with Van Persie just off him with Podolski on the left. This will make the right of midfield an area of stiff competition with Theo, Gervinho and Chamberlain fighting for the right to boss it. Consequently two of those will have to sit on the bench. Now that will be depth.
2. Wilshere will most likely be fit to play and probably Diaby. These will be “new signings” for Arsenal. Add to that, Arteta, Rosicky and Ramsey joining in the creative ranks and we will have a fantastic midfield.
3. Then there is the gigantic Song and the increasing importance of Coquelin and Frimpong. I also believe Song will be asked to be more protective of his defense than he was last season because the creative role will have been taken up by the returning Wilshere, who will become the playmaker supreme, helped by Arteta who will be released to play a little more up-field with Coquelin’s increased involvement to add the much needed steel in midfield, as evidenced in the game against West Brom on the final day of last season.
4. Lastly, Arsenal will have to ride their luck and avoid injuries to key players, as was the case in the 2003-04 season when all the key players stayed injury-free to propel Arsenal to an unprecedented unbeaten title-winning season
I therefore strongly believe that even if Wenger didn’t sign any more players, but got a lot tighter with better organisation and focusing on the small details that cost us last season, we can win the league next season, can’t we?
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Junior Reply:
June 30th, 2012 at 2:00 am
I agree with what you have said but, the thing is we would need for our squad to remain fit for a long period of time which seems to be the challenge. Wilshere won’t be used as much as he was in his breakthrough season. Gibbs, Diaby, Rosicky and Persie are all players who can easily find themselves injured. Walcott seems to find an injury during a season. Although I know injuries are apart of the game, we seem to suffer slot worse then others. Hopefully we can get some look at with changes to the side in rotation it won’t be so consistent.
In terms of the players already at the club I 100% agree with you. I’m happy with the current side and wouldnt be too concerned if nobody else was to be bought in
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June 29th, 2012 at 6:03 pm
Pls wenger, add two more players in the caliber of Ajax’s Vertoghoen and Van der weil to replace Squiollacci and Djourou.
Then bring in an attacking midfielder in the likes of Gotze to alternate with Wilshere .
And finally, M’vila to support Song.
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June 29th, 2012 at 6:05 pm
Van der Weil and Affellay ll make Van Persie think twice, Weil has more experience than Jenko, and Sagna has too much injuries. Lukaz Bilgia will hell Coq and Frimpo.
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June 29th, 2012 at 6:31 pm
Sorry mate but your completely wrong. Van der Wiel is awful and this was shown at the Euros….would much rather see Debuchy in an arsenal shirt. I don’t think your analysis of our back line is completely fair either. Whilst we have had our hiccups in the season, once all our first choice defenders were back and we used to playing their regular position again (vermaelen) then we had a great solid defence. I think you mean we lack quality in our back up defenders. Mertesacker is the lowest standard we should expect. Despite his lack of pace. He did the job we needed him to. Djourou
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Anon Reply:
June 29th, 2012 at 6:31 pm
Didn’t finish that….djourou is not good enough. Find a replacement for him and we’re fine
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June 29th, 2012 at 6:33 pm
Some of our fellow fans doesn’t knw our main problem is creativity.when fabregas was around ,any match he didn’t play we were struggling 4 a creative passes.without a creative player in d middle of d park,we’ll still struggle no matter any striker we buy.wenger should make a signing like montolivo.look @ Italy 2nd goal.since fabregas left we r not seeing somethin of dat kind again.pls wenger buy montolivo den wen can compete strongly
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June 29th, 2012 at 6:40 pm
i stil dont understand y people rate van der wiel… Starting 4rm d world cup all through d euros,he’s been poor,yet you write a blog,nd says he’s who le prof needs to sign… Wonder if u’ve ever seen him play.
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June 29th, 2012 at 7:02 pm
Thank you pal for every contribution each of you have written. But i want to pin point on one PATRICK SSEKATEWA you are to me atrue goonner. Your coment is way above all. I salute you but i would urge for a diffensive mid backup to song
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June 29th, 2012 at 7:04 pm
I think wenger should get a striker who is using right leg.cos all our strikers are all left footer.someone like madzuvic of croatia.and he shud alsn bring in someone who is very creative at midfield like montolivo,gotze,thiago alcantara.
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June 29th, 2012 at 7:37 pm
what hapened to M’villa am sure with him he gives us more squad depth, for one he can be used alongside Song and Arteta before Wilshere gains match fitness 2nd song can play as a CB and M
‘villa plays alongside arteta and wilshere. Despite his discipline off pitch i still hold he is a player we need
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June 29th, 2012 at 8:34 pm
@ patrick i salute ur sound knowledge of the arsenal team ur analysis is explicit but to add to that i feel we need an additional holding midfielder in the moould of lucas biglia or any other fine defensive midfielder.
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June 29th, 2012 at 10:22 pm
I agree with you completely here Patrick, however as good a right back as I think Jenkinson will be, he’s not the Sagna type wing back Arsenal need, I believe a player such as Yennaris would be good a RB. I also think you are misled in thinking that Jack is an attacking midfielder, he is more a box to box type of player and would benefit more from playing alongside a player like Song and leaving full creative responsibilities to Arteta or Rosicky. Plus it would be nice having Arteta playing the more advanced role as opposed to the deeper lying one he has payed this year.
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June 29th, 2012 at 11:38 pm
We need a play maker, someone who can give us some serious assists from midfield and can contribute double digit goals every season. We seriously miss a Cesc who can dictate the play and who we can push our game through. Rosicky is decent but he’s nowhere near his Dortmund form and he’s not even close to Cesc. There were games where we just looked like we lacked some real creativity in the middle of the park. Ramsey was running around headless, Rosicky was showing just flashes and Jack is not going to hit his form right away.
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June 30th, 2012 at 5:15 am
I salute all of u, but the only add should be Songs back up eg M’villa or Biglia.gd day
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June 30th, 2012 at 7:13 am
I think the signings I would like to see in the arsenal squad are;1.Someome like M’Villa in the DM 2.Someone like THIAGO DA SILVA in the defence. 3.A creative player like ALCANTARA.4.I think I would like to see a bak up keeper also.
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June 30th, 2012 at 9:03 am
Frankly arsenal are a great team but there is definitely a need for competition, bring in the likes of M’vila and vertohgen can help us see this through because we don’t want to be hit on the counter easily like how we saw song acting last season, with competition he will be more cautious… I personally feel jerkinson and conquelin are good replacements for sagna because in orderfor improvement they need games… Gibbs and santos to attck minded for me… And just another keeper would do… 3 good signings
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June 30th, 2012 at 9:13 am
Wenger should offload.bertner,squilacci,Djorou,vela,Ashavin,chamakh and add Lucas Biglia,Andrian Lopex and sesegnor.upp gunners
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June 30th, 2012 at 9:31 am
Cess is no longa a gooner n neva hlpd us win trophies stp usng hs exmple we need Vertongen nd Fellaini who can hld th ball n play strngly 90mins gud on setpieces, defendg nd attackg. Our mid wil be th world’s best with Wilshea, Roscky, Song, Diaby, Arteta,Ramsey,The Ox, Fring, Coqln
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June 30th, 2012 at 10:52 am
Arsenal need to sign a better defensiv midfielder, like Yann M’Vila and a new
central defender…..NOTHING ELLS!
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ArsenalFan Reply:
June 30th, 2012 at 10:54 am
and sign a new contract with Robin van Persie!
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June 30th, 2012 at 12:06 pm
A left back probably Leighton Baines or gabre selassie as right back from the Czech,Jao Mourtinho in mid field and a very first M’Villa in midfield to shield the defence
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June 30th, 2012 at 12:09 pm
and not forgeting an Italian hard rock at the back or Man city’s kolokov in left back with a creative midfielder like Zagoev and a Mourtinho would work well for arsenal
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June 30th, 2012 at 1:04 pm
Arsenal need quality players in depth not for the starting 11. We have a grueling schedule of games this season PL,CL,Carling cup and FA cup. We need to be sure that every playing position is covered. 2010-11 for the 1st half of the season we was in a great to win trophies but with the amount of games that we had to play between days became to much simply coz we didn’t have the quality in depth.
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June 30th, 2012 at 1:30 pm
I thank al gunaz. Bt i want 2 say its enof for mvila bcos he wil neva come 2 arsenal, infact he is nt gud enof. Players should be bougt due 2 their talent and class. These are players dat can deliver arsnal. 1.votenghen.DF, 2. Lucas Biglia DM, Felaini or Afalley.A.M, wth a bakup keeper. Wth those 3 players, we can win d champs league.
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June 30th, 2012 at 2:09 pm
I think Capoue would be the wisest investment that The Arsenal could make, forget M’Vila and van der Weil. Also a new GK with quality and that would wrap things up for the new season.
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June 30th, 2012 at 4:37 pm
What is d matter wit m villa.didnt rvp has a bad behaviour b4 signing him but now a captain.so we dont care about his behaviour we only care about his talent.we have peple like viera who always fight wit roy keane even frm dressing room but his talent led us victory.that wat we want 4 our club
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July 1st, 2012 at 1:13 pm
we don’t need a right-back, we already have Jenkinson and Coquelin; just have faith in them.
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