hes in the same build, and has the potential to be a very hard player, and hes more technically gifted than patrick was. so its possible.
I think this is what most people are assuming, but I fear if it happens it will be a mistake. With what's happened so far this year, I think we have to get past the idea that Henry has to be our #1 striker. I think we need to be in the market for a senior striker, maybe #1.5. I personally want Zigic, but other ideas are certainly plausible as well. Plus I think we have to get rid of either RvP or Adebayor. I'd keep Van Persie and show Adebayor the door, but I suspect LeBoss might go the other way if he has to make a choice. The point being is that we need a player who defines the team. Thierry Henry has done that beautifully for the better part of a decade, but ultimately you have to make the determination that what you see is what you get. And for me, the cutoff point is half a season. Any less you might be able to explain away as a momentary dip in form, but I don't think we can assume that any more. And if TH doesn't return to top form, then our strike force must be regarded as average at best, and in need of a serious upgrade.
I disagree. I think we have too many 20-23 year olds on the squad or under contract right now. And we have them at just about every position. Over the next 18 months or so they'll thin themselves out as the quality demands get higher. As this occurs, we will have substantial needs at the senior level, especially GK and striker.
Isn't he 2 years away from being able to play for us? Besides, I know he had some kind of big injury a while ago, I don't know if he's returned or not.
I completely agree. Patience with the younger players is the key. Especially when people start to get on Ade and Song. Diaby hasn't really played enough to warrant comparisons, but he does have similar physical traits. Learn how to spell VIEIRA. Cutting on a 20 year old because he has 18 bad months a great youth policy. We have plenty of strikers in reserves or on loan and Ade has been scoring big goals lately.
I wonder if this furthers the Lupoli sale notions: http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=436461&CPID=10&clid=3&lid=&title=LUPOLI+DROPS+DERBY+HINT
What are you supposing are the alternatives? You can send them on load for a while, and you can play them in the reserves for a while. But after a while, if you can't play them in the first team, the player will force a move to a club where they will be in the first team. It seems to me that that will have to occur to some of our young strikers, just as a matter of numbers.
If so that would be great. I would take him over pele any day. He will cost a ton, but we don't exactly have any other major purchases to make any time soon - and we should have income from any sales wenger is hinting at + I don't know if we received baptista money yet or not.
Well, unlike the suitation 2 years ago (when everyone was shouting for Lehmann's head) there are no shortages of high quality young goalkeepers out there who can give us many years. Who needs Bufforn when we can get Akinfeev, Pele, Gordon or Weidenfeller?
As far as policy goes you are correct, but it occurs over the course of several years and seeing how they develop not just 12 - 18 mos. Aliaidere is probably at the end of this process, but the rest are really just getting started. We do have a plethora of young talented strikers and eventually we might need to move some of them on, but I for one have not come to a conclusion on who we should keep and who we should get rid of. Until our hand is forced (ie Lupoli) I think we should see how things develop. In my opinion...We are scoring a decent number of goals, but we lack consistency. Developing the young players should help with their lack thereof. I don't think that bringing in an experienced striker is the solution. It would probably take him a while to adjust to England and that would just mean having another player that needs playing time (ie Baptista).
Right, but of the strikers who we're going to have to make a determination on, Lupoli, Bendtner, Aliadiere, Stokes (plus Quincy, Bentley, etc who are no longer with us) there are too many bodies for spaces available. Really, 18 months is a long time, especially when you consider that most of these guys have already been in the system for a year or so already. When you think about it, the guys who we can keep as prospects 18 months from now are those who aren't in the system yet. I'm not really following you here. You're not saying that having more young players will help consistency, right?
I think he's saying that consistency will come from letting the young players we have now develop. Bringing in a more experienced player just pushes at least one of the youngsters down the pecking order, they get less game time, and their development slows, therefore they stay inconsistent longer. I'm all for playing the hand we have now. I can wait.
That's exactly what I was trying to get at. Also, bringing in an experienced player does not necessarily mean that they will come over and fit right in. It may take them 18 months to begin to play well. So, I'd rather wait for a youngster to develop than to wait for an older player to get used to England during the same duration.
Nicely written, and very good points. I agree. On certain match days I may rue agreement, but such is the price to pay for developing players, and not just buying some that may or may not fit in for a long time. Sheva being Chelsea's gizillion dollar example....
And speaking of youth, I know Theo is young, but really, is he so young that he went to Chucky Cheese day at the Emirates??? http://www.arsenal.com/images/j/jg_xmas2006_3.jpg
^^^You can clearly see he is screaming with excitement deep down inside...its obvious! If you guys haven't seen this vid of Ustari, here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4ZkK2QZ85I He seems a bit hyperactive really and some Argentinian fans believe he should get the #1 shirt for the NT...theres a thread on it in the Arg forum. Akineev is highly rated and he was pretty good against us...remember that save from Rosicky! Wouldn't it be really tough to get him?
both good keepers, id prefer akinfeev more as hes euro so no wp? and is accostomed to cold, shit weather
Totally agree. Our offense is not the problem. Keeping clean sheets is (as usual). Unless we're ready to break the bank in the summer to bring in a huge name I think the only thing that will improve our Goals Allowed is waiting for our young talent to mature into experienced vets.
Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc's agent says the Pole will not seek a January move to the Premiership, but could be tempted by a move to Arsenal next season. (The Herald) http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/gossip_and_transfers/6195715.stm Apparently we are link with nearly every goalkeeper in Europe under 30.