I'll be real. I don't expect us to even go for him. We'll have Vermaelen, Koscielny and Djourou as the first three choices and we'll get Bartley back to compete with Squillaci. I simply can't see Wenger kicking out Squillaci after a year of bringing him in. He'll probably leave only when his contract ends. Hoping for a 15 million signing in Cahill will just end up disappointing you folks.

I also see a busy summer at Liverpool with lots of chopping and changing and a quality English player available will definitely attract them given that Carragher is old and Skrtel is shite.

It's a pity because Chelsea seem done with central defenders having brought in Luiz and Man United still have Ferdinand and Vidic going strong. So, we should have an upper hand against any club that actually wants him.

*Obviously, if Man City want him, they'll get him by paying some 25 million and no one else will have any say in it.

I'd love to see us bin Koscielny and bring Cahill in.

Can't see Wenger going for him. If he hadn't bought Koscielny, maybe, but with the emergence of Djourou, we now have three very good CBs. Squillaci will hang around until Bartley is ready to take over.

Liverpool would do well to get him, then again, they can't offer him CL football! 😆

Set, who are these 3 quality CBs? I know of Vermaelen and, increasingly, Djourou. Who's the 3rd?

He's raw, but he has quality. It's a bit naive to expect your 3rd choice CB to be World Class.

United have Smalling. He's no better than Koscielny.

Yeah, but United have two of the best center backs in the world ahead of him. Just one of them can carry a guy like Smalling or Brown. Koscielny and Squillaci are a hazard to my health

Problem is, Koscielny's crap when he's not with Djourou.

And Smalling's pretty bloody good.

Before his injury Djourou and Koscielny went on a run of 8.5 games in the league, conceding 2 goals. 1 against Chelsea, and the second a goal that should have never stood against Everton.

I think Djourou and Squillaci have a similarly impressive record.

And despite missing our best defender for the whole season, our second best defender for half a season, our two best goalkeepers for half the season and generally playing an attacking brand of football, we still have the second best defence in the country behind Chelsea.

We really don't need to bring in a centre back. I wouldn't say no, but it's well down the list of priorities behind a winger, striker and competition for Wilshere/Song.

I'd bring in Cahill regardless. He would kill to come here, Liverpool won't be in the Champions League, so they will be a last resort for him - although I'm sure they will move for him. If Squillaci wants to stay as 5th choice then great if not let him find a club he will be higher up the pecking order at. And I'd loan Bartley to a good Premier League club - I'm sure there would be takers, someone like Sunderland, Villa, or Everton would be great, as long as he got lots of games.

Ricky1985 wrote:

I'd bring in Cahill regardless. He would kill to come here, Liverpool won't be in the Champions League, so they will be a last resort for him - although I'm sure they will move for him. If Squillaci wants to stay as 5th choice then great if not let him find a club he will be higher up the pecking order at. And I'd loan Bartley to a good Premier League club - I'm sure there would be takers, someone like Sunderland, Villa, or Everton would be great, as long as he got lots of games.

We'd may as well sell Bartley. Cahill, Vermaelen, Koscielny and Djourou all have at least another 5 years in them and he won't wait around that long.

I'd rather send Koscielny to Rangers and get him some proper coaching. He's an idiot.

otfgoon wrote:

We'd may as well sell Bartley. Cahill, Vermaelen, Koscielny and Djourou all have at least another 5 years in them and he won't wait around that long.

Maybe, maybe not. Football often doesn't work that way. I'd say if there's a real genuine opportunity, jump on it. Leave the problems of a season or two to be dealt with in a season or two.

otfgoon wrote:
Ricky1985 wrote:

I'd bring in Cahill regardless. He would kill to come here, Liverpool won't be in the Champions League, so they will be a last resort for him - although I'm sure they will move for him. If Squillaci wants to stay as 5th choice then great if not let him find a club he will be higher up the pecking order at. And I'd loan Bartley to a good Premier League club - I'm sure there would be takers, someone like Sunderland, Villa, or Everton would be great, as long as he got lots of games.

We'd may as well sell Bartley. Cahill, Vermaelen, Koscielny and Djourou all have at least another 5 years in them and he won't wait around that long.

Don't you think it's possible that Bartley could come back from a loan at the end of next season, with a season of performing in the Premier League under his belt, and really challenge one, or all, of the four, for their place in the squad or the team? Why does he have to wait 5 years? If Bartley is better than Koscielny or Djourou in twelve months, they make way, not him. Surely?

And when will he get the chance to prove it? He certainly won't surpass those two based on another loan spell.

Lets assume Squillaci is gone a year down the line and Kyle returns as 5th choice, how much game time is he going to get? Barring a massive injury crisis, not enough to prove himself. I don't think he'd want to renew his contract here either.

Pepe is right, we don't know what will happen. Koscielny might end up being crap, Vermaelen migh struggle with injuries, Cahill may turn out to be crap. But lets not kid ourselves, the chances are if Cahill comes it's the end of Bartley's Arsenal career.

Think he's good, but my interest in him has cooled. My priority would be a defensive mid first. I'm not sure I could live through another season with denilson and diaby getting do much game time

Cahill would be a luxury imo. Agree with Otf, our money would be better spent elsewhere.

I like the way you are thinking Ricky! If there is an opportunity to sign a good player at a reasonable price - we should do it and worry about the consequenses for players down the pecking order later. I totally agree with you, but unfortunately I can´t see Wenger going for him with the CBs we already have.

The only type of player Wenger doesn´t mind stacking up on are, as you surely know, attacking midfielders. Most of them have played through the middle before of course, but since they are all highly intelligent with great spirit, determination, desire and hunger - they can play on either wing here.

Tim wrote:

Cahill would be a luxury imo. Agree with Otf, our money would be better spent elsewhere.

Yep. I'd love Cahill but i think we need 3 or 4 others before looking at CB's.

If Wenger feels Bartley can make a big step up next season then there isn't much point. If not, and Cahill is available at a knock-down price, we really should go for him. There's nothing to stop the club from sending Bartley on loan to a PL team, then reassessing our CB situation next summer. We could always sell a CB, they'll all have good sell-on value.