Who is replacing whom – and what will we do with the kids? « Untold Arsenal: Arsenal News. Over 750,000 visits per month
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by Arvind
I guess a lot of fans are pleased with this transfer window. After all, 3 established internationals coming in, giving the squad a major boost, is not to be scoffed at.
And largely, 99% I am very happy too although I’ll explain why I am also sad at the end. So I wanted to do two things in this article – one was to see how many were replacements in the true sense and how many were additions.
I’m taking into account history, injuries, African nations, … pretty much everything to check if we’ve done well. The other thing that I wanted to look at was, have we changed? Will youth no longer have a chance? Lets look at that.
Tony did a piece earlier about the 25 players and fitting all the men on our books into that 25 list by the end of the month. So I will concern myself in this piece to writing about the players themselves.
The first buy was Lukas Podolski. He is a left sided forward who can play up top. I think he will primarily be a left sided forward and compete with Gervinho for a first team slot. Is it a replacement or an addition?
If Arshavin goes, it is a replacement as those wages will get freed up as well. If he stays, it is an addition. And frankly, I think Arshavin will go. On loan at least and released on a free next year. Based on that, Podolski is a repalacement.
Giroud? If Chamakh and Park both go, he is a replacement for the 2nd striker role. If RVP also goes, Giroud is going to start a lot of games this year as a first choice centre forward. He will rotate with Podolski who will play up there at times. Afobe and Campbell both have gone on loan so I think we might see Niang or another youngish unknown striker come in.
There is a high chance that RVP, Chamakh, Park, Bendtner and Vela will all be gone by the end of the transfer window. Whoa…. The entire strike force would have been changed all around.
Vela has already gone in fact and Park and Bendtner almost certain to go; I think it is between RVP and Chamakh. While some might call me insane, I hope it is Chamakh who stays, I cannot stomach RVP staying after that infamous letter. I know AW will say he is professional and all that and I don’t doubt that … but it makes me feel sick, the whole saga. I know people will talk about Rooney and his U Turn and how RVP could do the same; quite possible, but the thought still makes me sick.
I wonder how I will feel when he knocks in another 15-20 goals, which he will if he stays another year. Another thing that might happen is Walcott getting a few games up front, in which case, we might not buy anyone. But to round it off, Giroud is a replacement. No doubt. We will recoup what we paid for him through the sales of a few of our other strikers.
Cazorla? I haven’t seen too much of him so I’ll wait for the league to make my judgement. On the face of it though, he will play where Rosicky and Ramsey played last year. Or where Wilshere will eventually play or where Diaby can play.
I am happy about Cazorla coming but still a little puzzled is this. Rosicky just had a great second half to the season and signed a new contract. Wilshere is earmarked by most to play behind the strikers eventually and played there as a kid. Ramsey spent all of last season playing there. If Diaby is fit he will start a few games as well; some of them up there, although he has a different skill set.
Now all of those players bar Diaby (coz of his injury worries) will be back to fitness by October/November. So who is going to sit on the bench? Cazorla..nope. Wilshere..nope if he is fit. Rosicky ..maybe although it’d be unfair after that run he had towards the end of last year. Ramsey …yes as he’d be totally burnt out after the year he has had.
So effectively you now have 4 or 5 players who can play behind the strikers..and that’s not counting Eisfeld who is doing so well for the reserves and youth team. So why has Cazorla come? You could say, because we have very little creativity and Song was our main assist maker last season. You might have a case..yes, but the number of guys who can start but are on the bench..worries me a touch. So as of now, I say Cazorla is an addition.
The other point I wanted to get your thoughts on is – the squad seems full of talent right now and everyone is at the right age from a maturity standpoint. So really which young players, if all the ‘stars’ we have bought perform..can any break through? Is this the slow death of the youth policy? Don’t get me wrong…we will still recruit and the academy will flourish and all that. But are the days of seeing a youth star break through numbered? Does youth really have a chance here, to break into the first team I mean? They will get a great grounding play a few games, go out on loan…all of that, yes. But make it as an Arsenal player?
Look at the first team. Seriously. Look at it. I cannot see any kid breaking through and getting many games. And that leads me to my conclusion…as to why I am sad.
Szcz if he keeps his head on the ground is going to be here for a long time. The back four and their replacements are all between 25 and 30 or even younger. The midfield is heavy with talent and some first teamers last year will find it hard to get a game. And we’ve just refurbished our entire strike force. So can you for example see Afobe, Eisfeld or Miquel breaking through? I can’t.
And it saddens me. Really. Of course someone from the first team might have a terrible season or get injured and these kids might break through. And maybe that is how it is supposed to be. But it saddens me no end, that these kids whom we have developed don’t play for us but go away and play elsewhere.
So, what are your thoughts? Who are our replacements and who are our additions? What about our youth policy? Would like to hear from you.