By 1970’s
Gooner
The most
important characteristics to look for when assessing a squad is the following:
- the
quality of the players
- the cover
in each position
- the age
structure in order to ensure that there is a number of younger and promising
players who could eventually make it into the first team.
Have a look
at the first team players on Arsenal’s books. The squad looks thin and
unbalanced.
What is
easily realisable is that there is a plethora of good quality midfielders but
not enough strikers or defenders.
Let’s look
at the squad:
Goalkeepers
Enough
numbers (2) but they are both relatively young and inexperienced. They are
promising however so they need to be complimented by an experienced goalkeeper
who will either start games or provide competition for places.
Recommendation
– Buy experienced goalkeeper
Right backs
There are
two and they compliment each other well. Sagna is an experienced defender who
is covered by Jenkinson who is an up and coming young right back of good
quality.
Recommendation:
No need to buy
Left backs
The same as
for the right backs can be said for this position. There are two very good
defenders. Nancho Monreal is the more experienced one and Gibbs is developing
into an exciting left back with attacking capabilities.
Recommendation:
No need to buy unless Monreal’s back injury is more long term (like Vermaelen’s)
Centre
backs
The quality
of the available centre backs has proved to be very good as the results of the
last 10 games show (second best defence and the best away defence of the
League).
However there
are two major problems with these positions.
The first is that there are only
three experienced centre backs for the two available positions (Koscienly,
Mertesacker and Vermaelen). So there is a need to add another and also of
course there is Vermaelen’s long term injury (out for 3 months which makes the
available centre backs as only two).
Yes I agree
that Sagna will be a revelation at centre back if called upon (he has the
heading ability and the defensive nous) but there is still the problem that we
will only have 3 centre backs to cover for 2 positions. It will also leave the
right back position with only one player available.
It is therefore
vital to increase the available centre backs to four and to cover for possible
injuries in this significant position.
Recommendation:
Buy another centre back irrespective of Sagna’s availability and recall the
decision to send Coquelin on loan to Freiburg so that he could cover at right
back if need be (he proved very capable last season and I would trust him in this position).
Midfielders
A large
number with good quality are available in these positions. Central midfielders
of the likes of Arteta, Ramsey (I think he will be irreplaceable this season),
Wilshere, Rosicky and if need be Cazorla and the Ox means that the midfield
will be Arsenal’s high powered engine room for the coming season.
On the wings
there is Walcott, Podolski, Cazorla and The Ox. No need to add there although
you could say that a left sided out and out winger could balance the team much
more.
Recommendation:
On balance no need to add
Strikers
Which
strikers? There is only one as far as I am concerned and that is Oliver Giroud.
He will improve no end this his second season. But you can’t rely on only one
out and out striker.
Sanogo is
young and unproven. Gervinho, Chamack and Park are on their way out and would not have featured anyway.
Podolski
and Walcott filled in last season but in my opinion they are either not ready or up to it
to play in that position with the effectiveness required.
Recommendation:
BUY BUY BUY
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