Vermaelen Suffers Setback: Page 10 - The Arsenal discussion forum and community: One More in the Tolly

Vermaelen Suffers Setback

Burnwinter

Zico wrote:
Hadn't thought about the Europe issue, so that's a good point Kami. Coyle would be foolish to give away his best player, risk losing Europe and risk losing his job. It would have to be forced on him by owners seeing cold hard cash, which we know Arsene won't show.

Bolton have growing problems with low revenue and debt which might push them in favour of a deal.

Claudius

Really feel sorry for little clubs like Bolton that can't compete. Wish there was a way to even it up a little for them without compromising teams like Arsenal.

That said, we must take their player. Besdies the fact that he's an excellent player, his nationality is attractive. I'm a firm believer in having lots of quality locals on the team - it will come in time with our kiddies, but one more wouldn't hurt now

Burnwinter

I sort of look at it the opposite way - Bolton should be proud that even with their small revenue base they can compete so well. There's no way to give all the clubs equal cashboxes without neutering the spark of the competition - popularity and style have to be worth something.

I'd take Cahill in our present situation for sure, although it would be weird to break our transfer record for him and I really don't see that happening.

But for some reason I'm not actually that worried about our central defence. I think the focus on it is drawing attention away from other problems like our lack of an alternate for Song and the form and fitness issues of Arshavin, van Persie and Chamakh.

y va marquer

Daily Mail reporting that Vermaelen has been booked in for surgery.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1346307/Arsenals-Thomas-Vermaelen-needs-operation-achilles-weeks.html

Burnwinter

Low impact news really. It warns he might not be back for "as much as" six weeks, but after the last couple of reports I'd already mentally written him off for two or three more months.

Damn shame though.

est

I fucking hate international football.

Wenger - The centre back I am searching for

“Ideally it would be better if they were adapted to English football,” he said. “If you need players now in January then you cannot wait three months before they can play. If the opportunity turns up we will fetch it but, if not, I believe we can cope.

“We always have people in mind and we check them out. We look everywhere. It’s difficult to find [them] at this period of the season but overall I feel at the moment we have so many games that it’s very important just to focus on the next one.

“We have solutions internally with Ignasi Miquel, with Alex Song who can play centre back and with Squillaci, who should come back very quickly.

“If we find somebody at the right level we will do it, if not we will continue like this.”

I like that he's looking for PL experience. It's also quite obvious that he's trying to make us look less desperate with mentioning Miquel and even Squillaci as options, while the latter might be out for three or more weeks.

asajoseph

You'd have to be demented to thing Song or Miquel are a solution to anything at the back.

That said, Upson is gash these days, absolutely terrible.

Claudius

Not overly concerned about Upson. He's been coming back to Arsenal for 4 seasons now. I'm more concerned about guys like Spahic where it appears we made extensive inquiries into the player.

I'd really rather Wenger does nothing about it than lumber us with another French misfit. The last thing we need is yet another Squillaci/Denilson figure on the team

lorddulaarsenal

Upson is horrible, plus Klaus couldnt claim him as his

asajoseph

Is Spahic actually that bad?

He's his national captain, so surely he won't be the shrinking violet that Kosicleny and Denilson are, to say the least. From what I gather, he's got a bit of a disciplinary problem though, on the pitch that is. For me, he's probably the best of the realistic options we've been linked with.

Claudius

Rosicky is his nation's captain too. :-)

asajoseph

A few more names in the mix:

Raphael Varanne - young, french, very highly rated, but also very inexperienced.

http://www.goal.com/en/news/11/transfer-zone/2011/01/12/2301560/racing-club-de-lens-starlet-raphael-varane-coveted-by-manchester-

Nicola Legrottaglie - experienced, old, italian, and pretty dodgy

http://www.givemefootball.com/premier-league/gunners-switch-desperate-defender-sights-to-7-5m-i

Ricky1985

kamikaze wrote:
is upson even better than song at CB? wouldnt we be better off just buying a DM instead, which we actually need anyway?

re: wenger's quotes, it's just posturing so our negotiating position isn't too bad. we don't want to look desperate for a CB. everyone knows we're swimming in cash. how long does cahill left on his contract? why would bolton want to sell in january in the middle of a very good season that could get them into europe?

His contract runs until the summer of 2012, Kami. Bolton wills ell because they are Bolton, and they are in serious financial trouble. Cahill will push hard for the move too, it's well documented he desperately wants a big move. It's alla bout how interested we are. There's more than a chance Wenger isn't even remotely interested.

I agree, Wenger might have well of been talking to the chief executives of the clubs he's going to negotiate with when he said all that guff.

Ricky1985

We were linked heavily to some French kid in Ligue 2 a few weeks ago. Supposed to be VERY highly rated. Real Madrid and Man City are apparently all over him, as well as others. Can't remember his name, but that might be another option.

Thing is with that Spahic, Asa, is he's only 6 foot, and looks to me like he would really struggle aerially and physically in this League. Not that I've seen alot of him, barely anything, but it's the impression I have.

Armor

I'm suprised by how Cahill is rated by Bolton fans. Nearly all are hoping to cash in and aren't too worried about the effect it will have on them, they seem to view him as just a good defender who really isn't top class.

I think its worth mentioning because generally a players' own fans are the best judges. If anything i thought he'd be overrated there. Oh and there's also strong rumours that Bolton are going to sign David Wheater.

lorddulaarsenal

it should be bleedin obvious that we need someone with height back there

lorddulaarsenal

arsenal switch desperate sights to old italian - oh my god. go out an get the best we can for god's sake

Qwiss

Porno Buff wrote:
arsenal switch desperate sights to old italian - oh my god. go out an get the best we can for god's sake

Indeed. Wengers comments about not signing Dzecko because of the risk are fine and I agree but we desperately need a better defender and it shouldn't be that hard to spend £10-£15m on a centre half. We go about our transfer business like Blackpool. We're one of the richest clubs in the world. A reasonable price for a good player shouldn't be such a stretch.

y va marquer

That list of potential signings is getting more depressing by the minute.
Over the hill stop gap solutions.

It didn't work last season why would it work this time around?

I guess somebody like Subotic is too young at 22, plus he doesn't have PL experience, but I'd prefer to hear his name mentioned as opposed to somebody like Upson.
I hear he's the business from a few people but I can't vouch for that myself as I only recall seeing him once....
We were linked with him before too.

I know it's notoriously difficult to sign the "right" player in January but that shouldn't mean we're restricted to grabbing a Squillaci mark 2 or a Silvestre.

lorddulaarsenal

Indeed QS, and after years of questionable defending, taking a punt on a pricer defender surely seems more worthwhile than ever before

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