Who Should Replace Gael Clichy?



Gael Clichy - Now of Manchester City

7 million pounds. If that is how little Gael Clichy cost Manchester City, then they got a bargain. Based on previous City transfer fee form though, we were had. His signing is hardly illogical for City though, and in a way it makes sense for Arsenal too. Despite being the last remaining 'Invincable' Clichy's form of late has been slightly patchy. With only a year left to run on his contract, selling him whilst we still could does make sense for Arsenal. The big question is what happens now?

Arsene Wenger could stand still, and do nothing. Both Keiran Gibbs and Armand Traore are still at Arsenal, and both have had runs in the starting 11. However, Traore is returning to London following an injury blighted spell in Turin, where he hardly set the world alight with his 8 appearences. He's not a bad player, but I really don't feel that he's good enough to make it in N5.  



Armand Traore - Injury Plagued at Juve



Gibbs - Injury Plagued



Arsenal's only other option for 2011/12 - at the moment - is Keiran Gibbs. I, personally, feel that the young Englishman has shown real glimpses of quality and ability when he has had the chance to play. Unfortunately for him, one of his biggest chances to impress was curtailed when he had his foot stamped on by Eliaquim Mangala of Standard Liege during the 2-0 victory over them in November 2009. With Clichy already sidelined, Gibbs was getting a run in the team and was playing well. This fractured metatarsel spelled the end of his season, originally out for 3 months, it was discovered that the surgery had been done wrong, and the recovery period had to be restarted following further surgery.

With Clichy again injured, Gibbs had a short spell in the team at the tail end of last season (10/11), starting the final 3 games of the season. He generally put in some good performances, although some lapses in concentration and bad decision making cost Arsenal. In my opinion he was entirely at fault for the first Fulham goal, leaving his man to try and help out Vermaelen giving the Fulham winger acres of space to receive the ball and cut it back for Sidwell to slot home.

In my opinion, Traore isn't good enough for Arsenal and isn't the right player to provide a high enough level of competition to force Keiran Gibbs to push on and improve his game. I think that now is the right time for Traore to shown the exit door, and a slightly more experienced player should be signed to help Gibbs improve. The question now is who should that person be?

Izaguirre - The Honduran has impressed in Hoops

Emilio Izaguirre is one of the names the media have been putting out there as a potential Arsenal target for months, but now with Clichy gone, their crystal ball is going to be put to the test. The 25 year old Honduran claims that he has turned down Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United already this summer in favor of remaining at Parkhead, so it's tricky to see him moving - assuming he's telling the truth!! Celtic boss Neil Lennon has also said that he is not for sale at any price. Worth around £6.5m it is possible that he could be added to the squad for the same sort of money Clichy left for. The Scottish PFA Player of the Year, has an attacking style, which would fit in well at the Emirates, becoming known for his 'rampaging displays down the left wing' (according to the Daily Mail). Lennon said on signing him that: "he's strong defensively, he's quick, he's got a very good left foot and he's good going forward." No disrespect to the SPL but it's somewhere in between Premiership and Championship, so Izaguirre is untested at the very highest level.

With only 12 months left on his contract, Newcastle United's Jose Enrique could be a good choice for Arsenal. The ex-Villarreal man is valued at around the £10m mark by Newcastle, but it's likely that they would sell for less, rather than run the risk of losing him for nothing next summer. He's made 119 appearances for the Magpies, 85 in the Premier League, so he has good to flight experience, having played in Spain for 2 seasons as well, Enrique could use that experience to help during the Champions League campaign.

 

Jose Enrique - Could do a Clichy...

At 25, the Spaniard isn't too old for Arsene Wenger, and could prove to be a shrewd piece of business. Newcastle boss Alan Pardew has also admitted that Enrique could leave, saying "we're not confident we can keep him." Definitely a sign that a deal could be done. Last season, a defence with Enrique in would keep a clean sheet roughly once every 4 games, much better than Arsenal at the tail end of last season. Having only scored the one goal, Enrique is about as prolific as Clichy was. He is a player who would certainly push Gibbs on, and I feel that it would be a close run thing over who would be first choice.

Of  these four options, I would be inclined to give Gibbs his chance, but I would have Enrique there to push him all the way, and there to step in if the injuries and inconsistencies which have troubled Gibbs' career so far resurface in 2011/12.

Who would you like to see at left back next season? What do you think of Clichy's move to City? Tell me in the comments below, or Tweet me @Goonernl

Who Should Be a Transfer Target?

Tim Cahill

Cahill is a player who I really rate, the 31 year old, Evertonian as a box to box midfielder with a fantastic work rate, and ethic. He is a good tackler, and a very passionate player. One of the Australian's main attributes which I feel would really help Arsenal is that - despite only being 5'10'' - Cahill is fantastic in the air. In 2009/10, his first 7 goals of the season were all with his head. This season, he managed 11 goals from 29 starts, not bad by any midfielder's standards, he managed this despite missing part of the season for international duty, and Everton's woeful early season form. He also has 23 goals for Australia from his 52 caps.  Everton would definitely loath to lose him, and contracted until 2014, it could be tricky to prise him away. I would imagine that Everton would be prepared to do business for around £10,000,000 Arsenal could also potentially try to go a part exchange maybe offering Denilson plus some cash could tempt David Moyes to sell.

Miroslav Klose

Klose is a talented player, however, much like Niklas Bendtner - rumoured to be headed to Bayern Munich -, the 32 year old German seems to reserve his best form for his country. He has scored 61 goals in 109 appearances for Germany, whereas (I believe) he has only managed 24 goals from 98 games for Bayern Munich. Last season, he scored 15 from 23 starts and 15 substitute appearances, which sounds reasonable. Available as a free agent, the 6 footer could represent a quality addition to the Arsenal ranks, were Arsene Wenger prepared to go in for a player over 30, especially as his refusal to sign on with Bayern for longer seems to be based on the length of the contract on offer, not on money.

Richard Kingson

The undisputed Ghanaian number 1 was released by Blackpool at the end of last season, following their relegation to the Championship, so the 6'1'' goalkeeper is available on a free transfer. The 32 year old made 19 starts for Blackpool, and made 77 saves. At the World Cup last summer, Kingson made 5 starts, pulling off 27 saves; not a bad showing. He does have one quite major blip on his record, and that is that he failed a drugs test in 2005 whilst playing in Turkey, he received a 6 month ban from UEFA, but would seem to have successfully rebuilt his career and reputation. I'm not suggesting that we sign Kingson as a new #1 but I feel that he would be a good (enough) 'keeper to have in the squad to provide competition for Szczesney and Fabianski. I think that Manuel Almunia will leave in the summer, along with Jens Lehmann and Vito Mannone. Lehmann has been linked with a move back to the Bundesliga to Shalke, and I can see Mannone joining Hull on a permanent basis after excelling on loan there last season. I'm not sure where Almunia will be plying his trade next season, but I'm convinced that it will not be at Arsenal.

Diego Benaglio

The Italian Swiss has proved himself to be a decent 'keeper, both on the international stage, and for German side Wolfsburg. At 27, many Arsenal fans might consider him to be too young, but I would again be suggesting him as a squad player. Last season, the 6'4'' stopper made 102 saves from 28 games, an average of 3.6 per game (compared to 4.1 from Kingson) and made 16 saves in 3 games at the World Cup last year, as the Swiss failed to progress from their group. Another solid goalie, he could provide high level competition for Fabianski and Szczesney. I would see around £8 million snaring Benaglio for Arsenal.

(Dis)agree with me? Who would you like to see at Arsenal next year? Let me know your views on Twitter (@Goonernl) or in the comments below.

Transfer Target? Peter Odemwingie

According to recent reports Arsene Wenger is planning a shock £4 million move for the undeniably talented 29 year old striker. Odemwingie arrived at the Hawthorns from Lokomotiv Moscow in August last year for an undisclosed fee. In his time in Russia, the Nigerian scored 21 goals in 70 games. His goalscoring record for West Brom is much better, scoring 15 goals from 29 starts, roughly a goal every 2 games.

A composed finisher, Odemwingie is strong on the ball, and seemingly un-flustered by an onrushing 'keeper. At 6' he's quite tall, and he is reasonable in the air. For me one of his best attributes is his 'striker's instinct' he's good at following the ball in, and has seemingly poached a fair few goals doing it. A two footed player, he could bring some real versatility to the Arsenal front line. He has a good first touch, and has shown moments of skill, which would fit in well in N5. He has also shown that he is quite quick, another attribute well suited to Arsenal.

With only a year left to run on his contract, it has been suggested that he could be picked up for around £4,000,000. This sort of bargain basement figure is something which is sure to have Wenger interested. With Niklas Bendtner set to be shown the exit door, with Bayern Munich said to be hovering with a £12 million bid, it could be a case of one in one out. From what I have seen of him, the biggest advantages of Odemwingie over Bendtner is that he is much more consistent, and much less cocky. At 29, you wonder if he might be too old for Wenger, although he has indicated that this policy will be changing. If he does arrive at The Emirates this summer, I would expect that it would be on a 3 year deal. He's certainly a good player, who is proven in the Premiership, so a move for him could be a very shrewd transfer.

Your thoughts? Who would you prefer? Would you rather keep Bendtner? Let me know through Twitter (@Goonernl) or in the comments below.

Next Season's Defence + Transfer Target? Chris Samba

Samba:

According to a couple on news outlets, Arsenal have already placed a bid of around £10 million for the 27 year old, Congolese centre back. Samba cost Blackburn £400,000 from Hertha Berlin in 2007, and has made 164 appearances for Rovers to date. Last season, he played 35 times, picking up 3 yellow cards, 1 red and 4 goals along the way. Looking at the stats for the current Arsenal defenders, he's comparable in terms of both discipline and goals:

                                                   Apps.   YC   RC   Goals

                    Chris Samba            35        3       1         4

                    Laurent Koscielny   43       8       2         3

                    Sebastien Squillaci  34        1       1         2

                    Johan Djourou         39        4       0         1

In and since January, Samba dropped some fairly heavy hints about wanting to leave. In January he was quoted as saying: "This is my fifth season here. I've had ups and downs but today I don't want to waste any more time, new owners have arrived, they have fired the coach when he saved us from relegation two years ago. The least they could have done is come to us and explain their project. They haven't done that, it's a lack of respect. I don't want to be part of it." These reports of him wanting out were then blurred, in February, as he signed a new 4 year deal. Contracting him to the club until summer 2015.

More twists in the tale were to follow, at the beginning of May, the Blackburn skipper talked of how close a move to Arsenal was in January: "Everybody knows that I am an ambitious player... I think a move to Arsenal was very close in January, but that is life. You have to continue." Although decisive on the pitch, Samba seems to be unable to make up his mind off it, saying in late May: "I am not going to worry about next year now. I am very happy now though. Let us see who we sign."

Recently many Arsenal blogs and the press have been heralding him as the saviour for Arsenal's apparently lacklustre defence. I can't deny that he is a half-decent centre back, but I would point out that he has been playing for a club which only just avoided relegation, and he was part of a defence which conceded 28 Premiership goals since the turn of the year, compared to Arsenal conceding only 21 goals in the same period. I know that he's only one fifth (including the keeper) of that defence but it's still poor. He's tall and strong, but I wonder if he has the finesse that he would need to play for Arsenal. I am not sure how well he'd make the transition from Rovers' brand of football to that played in N5. There are other more suitable options out there. As well as that, from his quotes, Samba seems to be happy at Blackburn, and with a relatively long term contract in place, they are under no obligation to sell him.

Next Season:

Before the Carling Cup final, Arsenal conceded only 5 goals, from 8 Premier League games, and all of the goals came inside two games, to then concede 16 goals from the remaining 11 PL games is shocking. I feel that Arsenals defensive meltdown was essentially due to confidence. I can understand the calls for a new defender, but Thomas Vermaelen is going to be like a new signing next season, he made only 5 appearances this season, and is probably the first defensive name on the team sheet when he's fit. I think that he and Koscielny will make a cracking partnership next season, our #6 is a decent defender, he does show occasional incompetence, but you have to remember that 2010/11 was only his second season of top flight football. For the most part, his defending is fantastic, he's very good in the air, and excels at with slide tackles. He sometimes gets caught out 1v1, but that will happen to any defender. Thomas Vermaelen's defensive qualities we all know about from his fantastic first season at the club.

Moving down the pecking order, it seems to me that one of Sebastien Squillaci or Kyle Bartley will leave. Bartley has expressed his desire for first team football, and Rangers are happy to offer him it. They reportedly want him back either on loan or permanently next season, after impressing massively in the short spell he spent there before getting injured. A promising youngster who is sure to turn into a 'one that got away' player in the future if he is sold. No club should need five centre backs, although with defensive injuries like 10/11 we probably need 6, and this is why I think that one will go in the summer.

Your thoughts? Let me know through the comments below or on Twitter, you can follow me: @Goonernl

Breaking Young Gun News; George Brislen-Hall

BREAKING

Contrary to recent reports, on reliable Arsenal blogs, George Brislen-Hall has not been released by Arsenal, stating on Twitter: "remember when i said hard work always pays off? I will be spending another year at arsenal next season." Maybe he will get a shot at the first team in the Carling Cup, or a loan spell to prove himself. Whatever the case, he will be an Arsenal player next season.

Other young guns Tom Cruise and Mark Randall haven't managed to earn new deals and have been released. See here for details.

Your thoughts? Let me know via the comments below, or through Twitter: @Goonernl

Released: Randall & Cruise + Former Young Guns

Both Tom Cruise and Mark Randall have been released, Arsene Wenger opting not to offer them new deals. Cruise made his one and only senior appearance for Arsenal on 9th December 2009, in the Champions League, away at Olympiakos. He was one of two debutants on the night, playing in a team with an average age of just 21. The whole side impressed me, losing only 1-0, and looking the more likely to score for much of the game. He had a relatively anonymous loan spell at Carlaisle in the 2010/11 season, returning to the reserves. Releasing him is an understandable move, although one I am disappointed with, I thought that he showed some real potential in his one senior game, but with Clichy, Gibbs and Traore ahead of him it was always going to be an uphill struggle to break into the first team.

Randall, would seem to have spurned his chances at Arsenal. A promising midfielder, he broke onto the scene aged 17 in October 2006, making his debut from the bench in the Carling Cup. Another substitute appearance in the League Cup followed in 2006/7, before in 2007/8 he looked to push on, making his first league appearance - again from the bench - and earning his first start, again in the Carling Cup, along with another substitute appearance in the same competition. 2008/9 saw 3 substitute appearances for Randall, coming off the bench once in the league, and twice in Europe. He also managed 3 Carling Cup starts. 2009/10 really should have been his breakthrough season, but he managed just two appearances from the bench in the League Cup. The beginning of the end. In 2008/9 he spent part of the season on loan at Burnley, the season they were promoted from the Championship, making 10 appearances - 8 from the bench. 2009/10 saw a spell at League 1 MK Dons, Randall's local club, where he made 18 appearances, with 13 starts. Yet in 2010/11 it all really started to go wrong. Randall spent most of the season on loan at Rotherham, making just 10 appearances, 7 from the bench. The Millers are in League 2. He had some bad luck, getting a broken bone on his debut, but much of his downfall was of his own doing. He missed an away game at Stockport after breaking down on his way from Milton Keynes where, unbeknown to Rotherham, he had been staying. His time there got so bad that he ended up playing in their reserves. Seemingly Randall is rapidly falling from grace, a meteoric rise to the first team at 17, before a rapid slide down the divisions, and it will be interesting to see where he ends up next season. But it is said that the higher you rise, the harder you fall.

I'd like to wish them the best of luck to them in the rest of their careers.

Trawling through the PFA database, I also noticed a couple of other former Arsenal youngsters available on frees. The first was Liam Chilvers, who left Arsenal at 22 for Colchester United, having won the FA Youth Cup, but without making his first team bow. He's spent his time since Arsenal playing in the Championship and League 1.

Another former Gunner on the list is Seb Larsson. The 25 year old Swede left for Birmingham a few years ago, and his career has blossomed. He's developed into a decent player, and one who I rate. He made 12 appearances for the first team, and I think that with the likes of Denilson and Diaby set to leave if he would be a good addition to the ranks as a squad player. Especially as he is available on a free transfer and has won something, and has been playing in a side where they've had to be resilient, a skill Arsenal need to acquire.

Your thoughts? Let me know via the comments below, or through Twitter: @Goonernl

Fulham 2 - 2 Arsenal

Just think about how differently yesterday's game could have turned out if Arsenal had been successful with our attempted £3 million move for Mark Schwarzer last summer. He produced two magnificent stops, one from a downward Gibbs header at 0-0 and another from an excellent Nasri free kick at 1-1.

It has to be said that it wasn't the best of games, Arsenal switching from the normal 4-2-3-1 of lat to a new look 4-4-2, with Chamakh, getting his first league start since the end of December, starting alongside on form striker Robin van Persie up front. Two goals would have seen van Persie beat the record of goals scored in a season from 1 January (18) currently held by Thierry Henry and Cristiano Ronaldo. In the end, he had to settle for equaling that record, and beating his own for the number of consecutive away Premier League games scored in - now standing at an impressive 9.

Fulham also playing 4-4-2 opted to play a counter-attacking, long ball game, Zamora and Johnson causing regular problems for Djourou and Vermaelen. Arsenal had the first real chance of the game, an intelligent through ball from Chamakh finding Samir Nasri near the byline in acres of space, he played the ball back to Gibbs, continuing to deputise for the injured Gael Clichy, who swung in what can only be described as on over-hit cross. It passed straight over everyone, finding Bacary Sagna on the opposite wing, who cut back, and dinked a delightful ball to the far post with his weaker left foot. Fulham's Hughes a spectator as Gibbs made a late run, before executing a superb downward header. Mark Schwarzer was at full stretch to deny the young full back his first Arsenal goal.

Minutes later though, Kieran Gibbs became the villain of the hour, some poor positional play saw him come far too far into the middle of the pitch, he and Vermaelen going for the same man, leaving Bobby Zamora in far too much space out wide, and he duly took advantage, collecting the ball out wide, and attacking the space where Gibbs should have been, before cutting the ball back, to former Gunner Steve Sidwell, who calmly slotted home from 10 yards, placing the ball through both Djourou and Szczesney's legs.

Arsenal stunned, Fulham ecstatic. Zamora was the next to pose a threat, getting in behind Djourou from another long ball, showing real strength to hold off the Arsenal man, before spurning his chance, shooting hopelessly wide from 15 yards, the ball ending up nearer the corner flag than the goal. 

The Cottagers conceded just 3 minutes after going in front, Robin van Persie scoring his 18 in the Premiership this season, and equalling and extending the records mentioned earlier. Some nice combination play from Diaby and Chamakh presented the opportunity for the through ball, which Arsenal's #10 duly latched onto, firing low, beyond Schwarzer, into the bottom right corner. His 22nd in all competitions. It was poor positioning from another former Gunner, Philippe Senderos, which may have given van Persie the space he needed, Hughes was again not aware, and should have been covering better.#

The equaliser was quickly followed by another Fulham chance, captain Danny Murphy breaking from a throw, nutmegging Szczesney, for what seemed like a certain goal, but Thomas Vermaelen tracked back, and cleared off the line fantastically, Murphy hot on his heels, following his shot in.

That was to be the last decent chance of the half. The second half was even more eventful than the first. Captain for the day, Robin van Persie entered the referee's notebook on 48 minutes for dissent, after appealing very strongly for a free kick about 30 yards out, when blatantly fouled by Brede Hangeland. Just one of many wrong decisions from referee Martin Atkinson, in a second half with 4 solid penalty shouts. The first fell to Fulham, just a minute after van Persie's caution, Andrew Johnson appealing for a handball against Djourou. Replays would suggest that the Arsenal man did nothing wrong. They make it look more like the Fulham number eight handled it.

Schwarzer's second magnificent save came on 51 minutes. The veteran Aussie, scrambled across his goal to tip a Samir Nasri free kick around his upright. A fingertip save from a fine free kick. Robin van Persie has a challenger for who can take them best. Another poor decision soon followed. Samir Nasri playing himself into and out of trouble on the right-hand edge of the box, just about to cross the ball from right on the byline, Atkinson blew for a foul. Use of the advantage rule would have been more appropriate. The free kick itself, wasted by top scorer van Persie. Shooting from a far too acute angle.

The second 'penalty' was a futile appeal for handball from Fulham, Atkinson definitely getting it right this time, the ball hitting Gibbs on the shoulder. The non-penalty was swiftly followed by a ball over the top, Jonathan Greening picking the ball up, before crossing the ball backwards, Bobby Zamora rising above everyone to head home. Szczesny undecided on whether he was coming or staying caught in no man's land, although in fairness even if he had stayed on his line, there was little he could have done about it. Fulham two, Arsenal one. For the second time, Arsenal had to show the mental toughness to pull a goal back and salvage a point. Soon after, Johnson wasted a decent chance to put Fulham two ahead, lashing the ball miles over the bar from a reasonable position.

The third penalty shout came on the hour mark, Briggs blocked off in the area, a good shout, and I think the wrong call from the referee. Virtually straight after, van Persie was released down the left, swinging in a half decent ball, straight to the Fulham stopper Schwarzer, but he fumbled. The ball unexpectedly spilled to his feet, Marouane Chamakh failed to capitalise, firing tamely and off balance, Schwarzer getting the slightest of touches, and Briggs preventing it going for a corner. A real chance.

Wenger's response? A triple change. A knock-carrying Gibbs, Aaron Ramsey and Abou Diaby making way for Theo Walcott, Andrei Arshavin and Emanuel Eboue. Walcott immediately causing problems down the right hand side. 70 minutes saw Fulham's third change, goalscorer Bobby Zamora off for Zoltan Gera. He had an almost instant impact, literally. Diving in studs up on Thomas Vermaelen, earning himself an early bath, and Fulham their first red card of the season, and possibly putting paid to their Europa League hopes (through the fair play scheme). Fulham down to 10 with 15 minutes to go. Minutes later van Persie was denied a golden opportunity for Arsenal's second, the linesman wrongly flagging for offside.

Walcott earned Arsenal a corner in the 80th minute, and it was then that the 4th penalty shout occurred. Thomas Vermaelen hauled to the ground right in-front of the referee in the build up to van Persie's corner. No more than 2 yards away, the referee missed it, and so seemingly did the TV cameras. A blatant foul and another opportunity van Persie was denied for that 19th goal since the turn of the year. After an end to end 10 minutes which didn't yield any chances, Walcott's pace burned Fulham, he latched onto a Vermaelen through ball, cooly slotting home, across Schwarzer and via the left post. 2-2 and that's how it remained. Some of the intricate Arsenal triangles creating a chance for Arshavin, who blazed his shot from 20 yards just over the bar, the last chance of the game.

A slightly disappointing end to a disappointing season. Perhaps it hinted at what we'll be seeing next season, a 4-4-2 formation, with what looks a promising van Persie & Chamakh partnership.

What do you think? Let me know via the comments below, or through Twitter: @Goonernl