From Poet : Midfield and Striker
So, now that Xhaka is done, it is giving Gooners hope that this might actually be a good summer, for a change.
While we all have out own wishlist, a midfielder and a striker have been on all our wishlists for a number of years now.
I have a couple thoughts on Wenger’s pursuit of these two pieces.
Re: Midfielder
I think Xhaka’s signing is a very clear sign that Wenger rates Ramsey.
Most fans either love or hate him, but I’ve always suspected our manager rates him very highly. He does do things our other midfielders can’t, and if nothing else, he has proven himself capable of at least staying fit for most of the season.
The Coqzorla, while effective, is now unreliable.
Cazorla is getting old and just came off a long injury. People talk about replacing him with Wilshere. They forget that Wilshere has never shown half the football intelligence the Spaniard does, and we shouldn’t discuss Wilshere until he can stay fit for at least half a season. Coq is limited going forward, so he needs a fine technician beside him.
I’m a big fan of Elneny. I think he pulls his weight defensively, and is very good at moving the ball, and keeping the ball moving. I think Cruyff would appreciate him as a more limited player who’s efficient by knowing how to play simple intelligent football. I don’t think Wenger sees him as a starter though, probably because he lacks that cutting edge in the final third.
I think Ramsey is an interesting character. His popularity is dictated by his goals. His popularity was at its height when he was scoring goals
Sometimes people overlook all the good things he does. Probably because most of the best things about him happen when he’s off the ball. However, it is true that he lacks that creativity and spark in the final third. So unless he score goals, what does he offer in the final third?
This past season, he gets into many good goal scoring chances, but was one of the league’s worst in missing big chances (Arsenal had 4 in Alexis, Ramsey, Walcott, and Giroud in this most unfortunate of list http://www.skysports.com/football/news/15118/10189870/wasteful-arsenals-premier-league-title-hopes-hit-by-poor-finishing)
If he starts scoring again, people will give him credits for all the little things he does again, as well.
Funnily enough, his role model should be wide players. I’m thinking about someone like Kuyt or Ljungberg. Kuyt was not appreciated by a lot of Pool fans because he was technically limited.
However, every manager, including the Netherland national team, picks him because he more than pulls his weight defensively (Ramsey has the engine to do the same, but needs to be smarter defensively) and is dangerous with his movement.
Ramsey is most dangerous moving without the ball. Was Ljungberg an Invincible because of his technique? Or because of his tenacity, movement, cool finishing, and scoring goals the others won’t?
Now, like Ljungberg and Kuyt, he needs to make it count when he does get the chances.
We all know how mediocre Ramsey has been partnering with almost anyone, except Arteta. That’s me being kind.
Xhaka can play the Arteta role. Someone who can play the transition game from deep, while Ramsey pushes forward. Someone who can shield the back 4 while Ramsey chase the ball.
If Wilshere has stayed fit, and been setting the league on fire, we’d see Wenger throwing money at a different kind of player. One of the best players available in the market fits in well with Ramsey. And Ramsey, Wenger’s most reliable midfielder, is also a good fit for the best player available in the market.
Re: Striker
We’ve all been calling for a world-class striker since RvP left.
Last season, those who defended Wenger said that there was no one available in the market. I think they may be right. We weren’t the only one looking for an elite striker. Fact is, not a single one moved. It’s partly why Man Utd had to spend big on Martial. So there is some justification there. However, when you look at the bigger picture, it’s less encouraging.
1. Wenger has never spent big on a striker. He has always developed them. Anelka, Henry, RvP, Adebayor, and Giroud. So perhaps, it is a bit naive to expect Wenger to ever spend big on one.
2. Even when there were elite strikers available, Wenger didn’t sign them.
Hindsight is of course 20/20 but in 2013, Higuain, who this year just scored 36 goals in the Serie A (one of the highest of all time) was available.
We pulled out because Madrid raised his price at the last minute. That’s arrogance without having anything to back it up. That’s saying “We don’t need to be treated like this, There are other fish in the sea.” There wasn’t. We should have paid up.
Suarez was also available. Of course Liverpool laughed us out at £40m. They wouldn’t have at 75m, which Barcelona later paid for after he had that 31 goals in 33 games season (better than anything TH14 ever did in the EPL.) That’s such a small club mentality.
As Arsenal fans we are well accustomed to how big clubs chase big stars. When big clubs want their star, they throw ridiculous amount of time, resources, and even shamelessness at it.
How bad did Madrid look chasing CR7? How much time and resources did they spend? Didn’t matter, they got their man.
How much did we hate Barcelona tapping up Cesc year after year with all this talk of him coming home and having Barcelona DNA? Didn’t matter, they got their man eventually.
I’m not advocating we do what they did. However, offering 40m and trying to game a loophole was very disrespectful. So we looked bad, but didn’t get the player we wanted. Should have manned up and offered 75m. He would have been worth every penny. If nothing else, 31 goals in 33 games would have won us the title in 13/14.
So, the signs aren’t good that Wenger will sign that elite striker we want.
If you want one, you’ll have to pray that Wenger does something he has never done. Or, if you’re more realistic and still hoping for a striker, expect someone who’s not world-class yet, but will need to be developed further.
Myles says:
Rashford isn’t world class yet.
But Marcus Rashford,18, is what Arsenal need right now: a tall, fast,nerveless finisher.
Always remember that Wenger is a trader and the club he’s built is mainly a trading organisation, not a trophy organisation. Almost every player he’s ever signed has a sell-on value and Xhaka,23, is the latest of those.