Ryo, Bartley, Cesc, Nasri, Jagielka, Mata; the new line up and the back up team. « Untold Arsenal: Arsenal News, supporting the club, the players and the manager

We’ve been debating the work permit situation of Ryo, and the information seems to be that there is no “mother born in Belgium” loophole, and he does need one (a permit that is).  So Arsenal are now applying for one.

It is interesting that we tried to do the same with Wellington, but failed (he’s now earning his passport in Spain) but Wellington was not getting so much exposure as Ryo in the first team.  Either Ryo is a far better player and really ready to step up, or else the club has learned its lesson.

On the reserve front it seems that (according to Young Guns Blog) Kyle Bartley is being offered a new contract, but Connor Henderson is out for about six months with the dreaded pre-season injury.  James Shea has gone to Dagenham for a year’s loan while Tony Roberts of Dagenham has retired and is now Arsenal’s reserve goalkeeper coach.

On the transfer front everyone seems to think we are buying Jagielka from Everton, and Mata from Valencia, losing Fábregas to a team that won’t be able to afford his wages, but keeping Nasri.  JET has gone to Ipswich, with apparently the usual big sell on clause.  That means he will probably end up at Tottenham, and we will make a fortune.

According to the papers who have undoubtedly been tapping everyone’s phone in order to get the latest from a load of people who make up messages and leave them on each other’s phones,  Cesc Fábregas is going to Barca which leaves Nasri playing in central midfield for one more year, then to be replaced by Ramsey.

So that would all told give us Gervinho, Carl Jenkinson, Ryo, Jagielka and Mata in, and Clichy and Cesc out.  The backup to a Jagielka bid would be Samba or Cahill.   In central defence then that would leave us with Jagielka and Vermaelen.

Mata would then play on the left while being an option for the middle if Nasri and Ramsey were both injured.  Van Persie plays in the middle and Gervinho on the right.  Theo and Ryo then become the alternative players.

That makes the team now look like this all told…

One of the Polish pair

Sagna Vermaelen Jagielka Gibbs

Wilshere  Song

Nasri

Gervinho Van Persie  Mata

Back up players also all in place in every position

The other Pole

Carl Jenkinson, Laurent Koscielny, Djourou, Traore

Frimpong

Rosicki, Ramsey

Miyaichi,  Chamakh, Walcott

Not accounted for in all this are Carlos Vela,  Andrey Arshavin, Squillaci, Mannone.   That would probably put Arshavin on the bench much of the time, which could be a very effective ploy, bringing him on, on 60 minutes.

One interesting point, if you look at the earlier Wenger years when players like Pires, Henry, Ljunberg, Wiltord and the like came in, the manager did not play most of them straight off – in fact the only one I can remember (without checking the records, so don’t call me a dolt if I have got this wrong) who actually came in and started playing straight away, (after a first month injured) was Patrick Vieira.

So we could well see the new players gradually introduced and the whole situation being very fluid.

I think this must be one of the strongest line ups in a long time, not just looking at who is going to play in the first XI but what we have in reserve to cover for us.

Of course there is still time for others to leave (and of course the predictions here might not be right), but that really does look to me like two squads and then some.

All power to the clubs: let the revolution begin

Star players don’t come to Arsenal because Arsenal are straight

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