The second coming of Baresi.

Nobody can answer that accurately. It remains to be seen. You can judge their raw attributes though and judging from those aspects, he looks better. But it's all guess work for now.

For some reason reading Rob Holding I think of Scott Sterling instead.

slightly annoyed by this signing because imo it rules out buying an established centre back, which means per and gabby stumble into more (undeserved) minutes next season. im over both of them tbh

Claudius wrote:

someone explain to me what the plan is with Chambers, Holding and Gaby of Sao Paulo. That's some 50m pounds of who knows what. Why didn't we just save our money for a top, top centre back and blood some kid from North London to be 4th CB?

Chambers was £12m + add-ons that could see it rise to £16m, Gabriel was £11m and Holding is reportedly costing £2.5m.... Your maths is normally good! 🙂

Gazza M wrote:

slightly annoyed by this signing because imo it rules out buying an established centre back

How do you come to that conclusion?

BWoolley wrote:

Is he an LCB/RCB? Left footed or right?

He's not specifically a right sided centreback or left, but he is right footed and good on the ball. He started off getting games at right back last season and did really well and when David Wheater - Bolton's best centreback - got injured, Holding was moved inside and was such a revelation he played every game thereafter and won their PotY award.

We'll have to see what Wenger has in mind for both Holding and Chambers this season, but I'm still hopeful we're after a more established centrback to come in and push Mertesacker and Gabriel. Hopefully with Chambers going out on loan and Holding spending a year learning and training with a few games here and there.

I know he's young himself, but Rugani is the guy I'm hoping we're after. From the little I've seen and read about him, he looks like he's going to be a top player. Ready to step up and really show it. Juve have signed Benatia as well, haven't they?

Ricky1985 wrote:

I know he's young himself, but Rugani is the guy I'm hoping we're after. From the little I've seen and read about him, he looks like he's going to be a top player. Ready to step up and really show it. Juve have signed Benatia as well, haven't they?

They are ready to sell him but the only bid that came for him was Everton's 30m bid which got rejected IIRC.

Lots of stuff around about us being interested though. I'd guess Juve wouldn't have even contemplated selling until they got Benatia in - and we don't just throw around pointless bids. Also, given that Benatia's only a loan and with the age of the three they already have, I'd imagine they wouldn't sell a talent like Rugani without a buyback clause or something inserted. It's unlikely we get him in my view.

Ricky1985 wrote:
BWoolley wrote:

Is he an LCB/RCB? Left footed or right?

He's not specifically a right sided centreback or left, but he is right footed and good on the ball. He started off getting games at right back last season and did really well and when David Wheater - Bolton's best centreback - got injured, Holding was moved inside and was such a revelation he played every game thereafter and won their PotY award.

We'll have to see what Wenger has in mind for both Holding and Chambers this season, but I'm still hopeful we're after a more established centrback to come in and push Mertesacker and Gabriel. Hopefully with Chambers going out on loan and Holding spending a year learning and training with a few games here and there.

Where did you get all this information on him from?

Ricky1985 wrote:
Claudius wrote:

someone explain to me what the plan is with Chambers, Holding and Gaby of Sao Paulo. That's some 50m pounds of who knows what. Why didn't we just save our money for a top, top centre back and blood some kid from North London to be 4th CB?

Chambers was £12m + add-ons that could see it rise to £16m, Gabriel was £11m and Holding is reportedly costing £2.5m.... Your maths is normally good! 🙂

Thanks for that correction, sir. 30m pounds of goodness knows what. It wouldn't get us a David Luiz, but would come close to getting us a top quality centre back. There's literally 4 centre backs in the world who cost more than that historically. 

Claude you'll wish you hadn't worried about this when you see Rob holding the prem and CL trophies aloft in 11 months time

Claudius wrote:
Ricky1985 wrote:

Chambers was £12m + add-ons that could see it rise to £16m, Gabriel was £11m and Holding is reportedly costing £2.5m.... Your maths is normally good! 🙂

Thanks for that correction, sir. 30m pounds of goodness knows what. It wouldn't get us a David Luiz, but would come close to getting us a top quality centre back. There's literally 4 centre backs in the world who cost more than that historically. 

I take your point.

Gabriel was the one we really got wrong in my opinion. Taking small/small-ish punts on really young talents like Chambers and Holding is good practice.

Savz wrote:
Ricky1985 wrote:

He's not specifically a right sided centreback or left, but he is right footed and good on the ball. He started off getting games at right back last season and did really well and when David Wheater - Bolton's best centreback - got injured, Holding was moved inside and was such a revelation he played every game thereafter and won their PotY award.

We'll have to see what Wenger has in mind for both Holding and Chambers this season, but I'm still hopeful we're after a more established centrback to come in and push Mertesacker and Gabriel. Hopefully with Chambers going out on loan and Holding spending a year learning and training with a few games here and there.

Where did you get all this information on him from?

Lots of different places.

Ricky1985 wrote:
Claudius wrote:

Thanks for that correction, sir. 30m pounds of goodness knows what. It wouldn't get us a David Luiz, but would come close to getting us a top quality centre back. There's literally 4 centre backs in the world who cost more than that historically. 

I take your point.

Gabriel was the one we really got wrong in my opinion. Taking small/small-ish punts on really young talents like Chambers and Holding is good practice.

I agree with your second statement. The reason I combine all these investments is that you obscure the Holding/Chambers investments when you also toss money at Gabriel. Like what's the point of Gabriel? Nobody is crying for him to replace Mertesacker right now. But he's standing in the way of Chambers/Holding. So it makes you question the whole strategy because actually we'd be better off with one superstar defender and an academy graduate, with Mertesacker as our No. 3 centre back. 

If we toss Gabriel and get an amazing centre back, then I like the idea of Chambers/Holding as Nos. 3 and 4. 

We all forget that Gabriel was supposed to be a smart punt though based on computer systems and stats. For 10m, it's really no biggy and it's peanuts in current terms. Problem is knowing when to cut your losses.

Thats always been one of Wengers biggest flaws.