Untold Arsenal: Arsenal News. Supporting the Lord Wenger in all he does » 2010 » July » 11
By Tony Attwood
If you ever care to meander out of the present day to the dim and distant past you might have noticed that on the Woolwich Arsenal site we are running a series on the players who started the first match of the 1910/11 season for Arsenal.
Which made we want to think about who we have got for this season.
We know from the previous articles that for the coming season Arsenal is a club that has no problem in meeting the 25 player rule, since we have on the books seven “home grown” players in the first team (there is space for one more if Campbell decides to return). In fact because players who were under 21 on 1 January this year don’t count in the “25″ we have got lots of spare spaces.
So here’s the squad thus far. Players who can swap positions are in brackets for the alternative position. I would also add that I have a nasty feeling I have left someone out – please do let me know.
Goal: Almunia, Fabianski, Mannone, Szczesny
Three players is normally considered enough, although there is a growing feeling among some supporters that our real golden keeper is the fourth on the list.
Full backs: Sagna , Clichy, Eboue, Gibbs, Traore
Four used to be the number needed, but after the year of seven left backs even five looks a bit doubtful.
Centre backs: Vermaelen, Djourou, (Song), Koscielny
As we all know this is where we need strength. Of the three centre backs who have contracts that ended this year the only one who looks a possible is Campbell. But then Wenger has said he will sign another player.
Midfield: Song, Denilson, Fabregas, Diaby, Nasri, Wilshire, Lansbury, Ramsey, Rosicky
Lansbury looked a sensation in the last match of the season, and he is the one loanee who played all the way through the year – with Watford. Song, Denilson and Diaby can all play the defensive part, leaving a plethora of players ready to come in to the other positions. And towards the end of the year Ramsey will return.
Forwards: Arshavin, van Persie, Bendtner, Chamakh, Eduardo, Walcott, Vela
I saw a couple of sites announce that Eduardo was off, but I believe they were just repeating some News of the World rumour that was made up to fill four or five lines. Last season we had one less player and still ended up with an unfit Arshavin playing centre forward – so one more (Chamakh) is a blessing. Eduardo wasn’t his old self last season – let’s hope a good long break through the summer has done it for him.
Non-World Cup Players
Some players went on their hols after the Stoke game, some went to Africa. We all know that those in Africa now need a long break themselves, so let’s look at Arsenal without the world cup players. For simplicity I have ignored when the players came back, and I have taken out the injured Ramsey.
Goal: Almunia, Fabianski, Mannone, Szczesny
Full backs: Gibbs, Traore
Centre backs: Vermaelen, Djourou, Koscielny
Midfield: Denilson, Nasri, Wilshire, Lansbury, Rosicky
Forwards: Arshavin, Chamakh, Eduardo, Walcott,
OK we’ve got some problems there, and of course we will bring back some of the early leavers fairly quickly, but leaving aside the lack of strength in depth in the full back position, we actually could put out a decent enough side against Liverpool, even without any of our French internationals.
There’s no Africa Cup of Nations in 2011, so there’s no disruption to our squad there – the only thing to screw us internationally are the qualifiers for the 2012 competitions in Africa and Europe – and Vela’s endless trips to Mexico.
Who else?
Craig Eastmond signed a long term contract at the start of this year. He is a midfielder who has been playing at right back and turned up suddenly in the first team to play holding midfielder. Now that is the sort of player I like.
Wenger was reported as saying on 8 July that he was in the market for one more centre back, and as I noted above there is always the chance that Campbell might sign up for another year. In addition there are players who might just come into the first team squad. I am not thinking here about our Diddly Cup team, but actual players who might join in when the injury crisis hits…
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas looks like the one other youngster who is 95% certain to break through. The great advantage of JET is that he can play virtually anywhere, and has done so in the reserves. Reports from his loan spell were most encouraging – although he might well need one more half season away from the club. Word has it that he made Doncaster while he was there last season. I didn’t see it, but everyone who did said he was something else. We just need to keep him away from any cars that are passing around.
Havard Nordtveit – a year ago the manager said he needed “at least one year” in the German league. He’s had the one – does he need another? He is a defender which is where the additional bodies are needed – so maybe…
Pedro Botelho is without a work permit – but if he got one then surely he could become part of the show. If he does not, then after three years outside the club, maybe that’s it. He is a left sided defender who can play midfield, so maybe, again, ….
Wellington Silva joins us in January – which is about the time everyone goes down with career threatening injuries, so maybe we could actually see him then.
Tom Cruise – I have thrown him in as a final player here because Wenger went out of his way to praise him, and put him in the squad against Olympiacos at left back.
So that’s where it all seems to be for me. And just while we are on the topic we have signed Sead Hajrovic – a 17 year old from Grasshoppers Zurich – who spent last year as a scholar playing 3 times in the reserves.