View From The Sphere

Does Wenger really need to sign a quality centre-back considering Koscielny & Djourou’s performances?

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Much has been written about Arsenal’s defence this season and the desperate need for a quality centre-back to be acquired during the summer. However, due to the performances of Laurent Koscielny and Johan Djourou’s performances last season, do we just need an adequate cover option for when either of these two pick up an injury, or do we need to go all out and sign a big name centre-back?

Koscielny has impressed a lot of people in his first season at Arsenal, which rightly earned him a call up to the France squad…so he must be doing something right, especially considering the fact that just three years ago he was playing for Tours in Division 3. I still think the best is yet to come from the 25-year-old. With time and a bit more developing, Koscielny could potentially be a great player for Arsenal and France.

Djourou has equally been impressive this season, and done a good job filling the gap left by Thomas Vermaelen. It is also worth noting that up until Djourou was injured we hadn’t lost a Premier League game when he played. He certainly has developed over the years, and at only 24 years of age, the Switzerland international can only get better with time.

I truly believe that both have earned their places within the Arsenal squad, and should be credited for their efforts. However, I do think we require a centre-back until both players are ready to take the position on a full-time basis. It is also worth considering that we have struggled with injuries in this department this season, so bringing in a player would be a sensible decision on Wenger’s part.

I would like to see Arsenal with the depth to not have to worry about injuries, and if that means making a tough decision and losing a few players, who haven’t performed, then so be it. But we shouldn’t get rid of the players whose performances this season have been superb.

The signing of either Chris Samba or Gary Cahill would be superb this summer, purely for the fact that Arsenal need a big name signing to organise the defence, as I don’t feel either Koscielny or Djourou have that capability yet.

If I had to drop either Koscielny or Djourou from the line-up, then it would have to be the Frenchman – his mistake cost us the Carling Cup final, and evidently, downhearted our team morale.

I, along with every Arsenal fan, want the Gunners to end their trophyless run next season, and I also want to see a lot more of this in our next campaign:

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41 comments

  • Reece says:

    the amount of mistakes djourou made this season was shocking, could easily of been punished so many times. I would rather see the beast that is samba play next to vermaelen and have the other 2 as back up

  • Wiz says:

    i think we only need a strong and tall defender that can handle set pices when we meet the likes of stoke, everton, bolton etc who are werry effective on set pices. cuse as we know we diddent let in a lot of goals from open play so thats not a issue thats why i think samba would be a great additions to our squad, plus he has that type of mentalaty that we lack and seriouly need. of the topic something tells me that we’l sign samuel eto this summer 🙂

  • gooner92 says:

    AMAZING video! makes me proud to be a fan of arsenal! ARSENAL AND CELTIC 4EVA!

    • condo says:

      agreed! com on arsenal and good luck celtic aswell next season. you are welcome at the emirates anytime. 🙂

      • james lindo says:

        like wise! great emirates tournament last year and you fans are welcome again! although i dont really watch the SPL i do still like celtic to do well in it and plus i hate rangers lol

    • mrimbecilio says:

      it is mine vid 😀 , contact me on yt if you dont belive 😀

  • tomdagooner says:

    i love arsenal and celtic and this video makes me a proud supporter!!! i watch all the time in america but im from scotland with english parents and i even got them to start watching arsenal and celtic. up the gunners!

  • Johnny says:

    This headline just made me lose my mind… ARE YOU SERIOUS?? Jesus, are you blind? You are like monsieur Wenger himself.. Open your eyes mate, its glaringly obvious, to ALL PUNDITS, ex Arsenal players, MOST fans and ME that we are SERIOUSLY missing a leader/fighter/battler in the centre of our defence, and if we do not get one, I guarantee you and everyone else we will not win a thing yet again..

    WAKE UP PAL!!

    • Iain says:

      I will explain the article was written from the point of view of would Laurent Koscielny and Johan Djourou be able to to be that player or do we actually need to buy another player in and if we do which one would go.

      It is not a simple case of do arsenal need a centre back but due to the new 25 player ruling if we bought in a player who would leave.

      Perhaps I will see if I can get it slightly re-worded to explain this

  • proudgooner says:

    yeah i think we need a new CB like samba! and we will have a better defensive record from set pieces! oh and btw to the people above im an arsenal fan but i like watching celtic too so…. yeah respect from a fellow arsenal/celtic fan!:P

  • venky says:

    what a stupid headline ?

    • gooner92 says:

      ano right? lol looks like a writer just got bored and decided to write this rubbish lol ofcourse we neeed a new quality CB!

  • ross says:

    whats with all the talk of arsenal and celtic? haha aw well we do need a CB and a ST and a mid plus a winger! come on arsenal…..stuff it ill join in lol come on celtic too! lol

  • gooner92 says:

    CELTIC AND ARSENAL!= The good guys
    HUNS AND SPUDS!= The bad guys

  • US_Gunner says:

    I thought the headline was some kind of joke, a lead-in to an article about how desperately Arsenal needs a centre back. I thought the payoff was going to be that we need two. Koscielny and Djourou are not good enough to be starting centre backs on a team that has aspirations to win trophies. They make way too many mistakes, and, more importantly, lack the strength and temperament to defend at a high level, especially on set pieces.

    If Arsenal go into next season with either of these two as a starting centre back, we are dreaming if we think they have a chance to win anything.

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