Good player and comes across as having a quality attitude. Think he's just the type of centreback we should be targeting.

Timothy wrote:

Good player and comes across as having a quality attitude.

Are you just saying that because he kicked Van Persie in the head? Already an Arsenal legend before he signs. Only previous player under Wenger to achieve that feat was Benayoun.

Biggest draw is that he would arrive attuned to our type of football.

Clrnc wrote:

Means he doesn't have much top seasons left in him.

That's nonsense. Defenders can last well into their 30s. The only question should be whether he was the quality, of which I'm doubtful.

I'm all for buying players from our own league, not sure that Williams is one of the best though.

Aye. I think that the squad is good but not great and we need to sign players who are legitimately better than our current starters to move forward, especially if we are targeting older guys. Not sure Williams is in that bracket.

Could be a diversion tactic.

Macca wrote:

Clrnc wrote:

Means he doesn't have much top seasons left in him.

About 4? Which would probably be the length of his contract. I don't think there's a problem with his age.

I am comparing with buying a much better defender for just 5 more million and much younger.

Captain wrote:

Aye. I think that the squad is good but not great and we need to sign players who are legitimately better than our current starters to move forward, especially if we are targeting older guys. Not sure Williams is in that bracket.

In certain positions we need to really make an effort to push on. But we have a good, pretty settled partnership at centre half. Williams would come in as experienced back up and competition.

Anyway, ultimately it comes down to how highly you rate Williams. I really do rate him, and I've thought for a while that he looks like a potentially good Arsenal centreback. Only attainable centreback in this country that I like more is Jagielka.

Captain wrote:

Biggest draw is that he would arrive attuned to our type of football.

That and the fact he's already used to the PL are the two things i like most about him. I read that he was in the top 10 for most passes in the league this season - the only defender to be in that list.

I won't complain if we sign him. Not sure how good he is but time will tell. He's definitely got a few things going for him already though.

We need four centre backs. It would be madness to go into a season with just three especially if we lose Sagna as well. I am totally fine with Williams if he is number four.

Iloveyouarsenewenger wrote:

We need four centre backs. It would be madness to go into a season with just three especially if we lose Sagna as well. I am totally fine with Williams if he is number four.

Realistically, if we sign a new CB it's because one of ours is off. The 4th spot will probably see Miquel promoted (and I'm not at all sold on that idea).

I don't think so, Miquel's been frozen out this season.

Wonder why? Always looked good.

I don't think he's been frozen out, as such, we've just been luckier than usual with injuries( and taken the cups more seriously. Normally our 4th choice CB plays more often.

That said, he's supposedly hopeless when he plays for the reserves. Looks decent when he's had a chance in the 1st XI though.

He's not even fourth choice when we only really had three defenders. He's done in all likelihood.

Which is weird, because he has always done well for us.

He's no where near good enough. Even as 4th choice. He's just decent on the ball.

I don't feel Miquel is even an option. Defensively, he just isn't tough enough.

An ideal fit into the fourth choice role would be a young player with lots of potential who'd get games in patches when others are inevitably injured and try and compete with and eventually replace Mertesacker or Vermaelen.

Djourou was an ideal fit until we/he realized that he probably isn't going to replace the first choices.

We've suffered enough when we had the likes of Sylvestre and Squillaci as fourth choices. To present that position to Miquel would be downright stupid as the fourth choice WILL have to step in for a spell at some point in the season.