Wenger admits he has no answer to Arsenal’s defensive problems……..yet!
Arsene Wenger has admitted that he can’t find a solution to Arsenal’s defensive injuries within the squad as the busy Christmas period arrives, and thinks that playing his centre-backs out of position will only make the problems worse and will reduce their attacking options as well.
“It’s difficult,” Wenger said, “because first of all we have centre-backs who do not like to play at full-back. We are a team who likes to go forward through the full‑backs so, of course, they are in a position where they have to produce different games.
“That is much more demanding physically. That exposes us even more to injuries, so I try to rotate people – one time right-back, one time centre-back. They do not use their positional play and do not get exposed too much physically at centre-half, because we have nobody ready to come back. I can use Sébastien Squillaci, Ignasi Miquel, Francis Coquelin. Let’s be frank and honest, no solution will be ideal because whatever we do, two players will have to play out of position.”
Andre Santos, Bacary Sagna and Carl Jenkinson are all unavailable, while Wenger was hoping that Kieran Gibbs would be coming back this week but he has unfortunately had yet another setback which has led Wenger to start looking at possible loan options for January.
“Gibbs sees a specialist and if something happens there, that he has had a real setback, then possibly yes,” Wenger said.
“It is not a shop … you just take a good opportunity that is on the market when you can. Overall, that is what we are doing at the moment. We are starting to look at players if Gibbs is not back.”
One left-back that we know is on the market is Man City’s Wayne Bridge, and his manager Roberto Mancini wants him taken off the wage bill and doesn’t understand why the ex-Chelsea defender keeps refusing possible loan or transfer deals, despite being told he won’t play for City.
“I don’t understand this,” Mancini said. “For every player, it should be important to play football. I don’t know why someone would want to stay at one club when they know they cannot play. Wayne has had two or three chances to leave, maybe not in the Premier League but in the Championship. In the summer he had the chance to play for Celtic, and this is an important team.”
“When we are young and start to play football, we don’t play for money,” Mancini continued. “We play because we like football. Every player should have this target in mind: play football. Wayne is a good guy but it should be important for him to play…..”
“……He trains with us sometimes, and sometimes he trains with the young players. I hope he will reconsider in January. It’s difficult for a player to stay here every day then we get to Saturday and not playing.”
Bridge has only played in one Carling Cup match all season, so the question remains whether it would take time for him to get up to match sharpness after so long out of action. And secondly if Wenger brought him in and agreed to match his wage of 90,000 a week, Bridge would be earning more than Robin Van Persie. How would that go down with the other Arsenal players?
It certainly looks like Wenger has got some serious thinking to do ahead of the January transfer window…..
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No answer??
the answer is once the transfer reopen,mke a loan or permanent move n dnt wait it too late.
Top Gooner!. Agree or not?:
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Cristian Ansaldi is the solution for our problem….
he’s good at both attacking and defending, real quick guy, so he can handle speedy wingers and the best part is he is two footed so he can play both right back and left back…
Top Gooner!. Agree or not?:
14 
2
Van der Weil, Baines, Goetze and Podolski that is the answer. Enough competition and a guaranteed third place finish. Only thing left for the summer will be RVP and Walcott contract and Hazard.
Top Gooner!. Agree or not?:
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ohh wenger ohh wenger. gibbs – poor young kid.dnt even started to play back n suffered another setback.hw we cn wish he cn even stand for a match?? and wait the squid is coming back to haunt us.coquelin cn play at right back.or even yennaris.and rest one of the centre back.so wenger hope ur gonna spend atleast two or three players.
say farewell to chamakh,arshavin,bendtner,denilson,squid,djourou,flapyhandski,almunia
main target;
dfender;vertonghen,samba
midfielder;lucas biglia,goetze
striker;podolski,torres
and bytheway mancini ur idiot!! ur players jst playing for money n nt for the manshity football club.they wont care f they’re nt playin.f*%/#/ cashri and co.
Top Gooner!. Agree or not?:
19 
7
Forget Bridge. The same sh*t is about to happen as it did last transfer window. We had injuries, then Wenger thought he could cope with what we had. We got annihilated by a few teams and then there were panic buys. He’s done well to bring us back to the tops with what he’s had to work with, but now it’s time for Arsenal to invest in some world class players…players we know can make a difference and fill these injury gaps.
In all honesty, this crisis situation requires players to be bought before thinking of selling any of our current players. We cannot wait for other clubs to be interested in our deadwood before we buy. This can be done at a later stage. The board need to learn from their mistake last transfer and allocate the needed funds for Wenger to purchase another defender, midfielder (Gotze), striker (Podolski or someone else). Action needs to be taken.
After these buys, Wenger can sell Arshavin, Ramsey (Gotze, Arteta, Wilshere, Frimpong are better), Djoure, Squillaci, Denilson, Eastmond, Almunia. This could more than compensate for our expenses.
Opinions divided. What do you think?
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If Wenger does not have a solution to defence problem let him give up the chase for being among the top four. He should know that Gibbs will never mature and should offload him and look for a quality player.Otherwise Asernal will never win a title since EPL has become more competitive with the coming of the money bags like Man.City.
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With all the players on Arsenal`s books and we don`t have a player who can fill in at left back for a few matches. What`s the point of having them? Forget the attacking full back he can be 100% defensive and stick to his man like glue. We can attck on the other wing.
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5 
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How about nathaniel clyne of crystal palace brilliant right back and a more than capable left.back
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7 
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just go for goetze and polboski
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7 
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Unfortunately I just don’t see Gibbs being great or Evan good anymore. He looks like he’d be better suited to Sunderland or west brom etc. I want him to be good but I jut can’t see it. Sell him get Azpilicueta from OM good player And good competition. We need good/ great players not average.
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I believe AW already have someone in mind and will make the move once the transfer window opens. Let’s just hope it’s someone like Santos instead of the squid!
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Did Big Gun say we should sell Ramsey? Because it must be a mistake, there is no way any real Arsenal fan could suggest such a stupid idea. Ramsey has been probably our best midfielder this season and its because of him we havent missed Jack as much as we were going to. Im sorry mate but you have your head up your ass, because Ramsey is by far one of our best and most effective players this season. I personally hope he stays for a long time and in 2015 we will end up with a midfield looking like Chamberlain, Ramsey, Wilshere, Frimpong/Coquelin, Miyaichi.
Top Gooner!. Agree or not?:
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Leighton Baines, there is your answer
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@tim
I agree that sugesting to sell ramsey is a realy stupid idea cuz he’s got bags of potential and has shown moments of pure class but he’s been inconsistant this season. Arteta and song have played better so I wudnt say he’s been our best midfield player this season.
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if hes available on loan and willing to accept a wage cut then take him! if hes available cheap as permanent then take him again if he cuts his wages. if he does not want to cut his wages then look somewhere else as he doesnt want to play and is happy to colect money for nothing. in defence though i feel we need to get rid of djourou and squilacci and get in an ENGLISH centre back. gary cahill would be great as he is 25/26 and could although a poor run of form to date really be good for us. midfield i think we are good for now its not neccessary to strengthen there as a priority but someone like honda for 12-15 mil would be good and gotze would also be a good buy but i feel with wilshere coming back and with arteta playing amazing and ramsey coming good to with frimpong song coqueling and diaby coming back from injury (he is a good player give him a chance)these only to name a few. a goalkeeper i think is needed as backup to sir shezney as fabianski and almunia arent good enough mannone i feel would be good enough and with martienez coming through i feel with another backup then we will be good there. NOW STRIKERS! i heard alot about matias suarez he looks good and would be good as a backup or even to play alongside van persie and podolski but i feel podolski would be better on the left wing as he is more suited there and can cause havok there in th prem. if we just get these 2 striker i will be happy but ni also feel now is the time to play walcott up front! 4-4-2 with walcott and rvp! deadly i must say vp shooting and walcotts pace no one can deal with that with roatation with suarez will be good. then we have ryo ox gerv and possibly podolski to choose from but i feel arshavin is touch and go when he plays well hes good but he needs more consistency in his performances wouldnt mind if he stays or goes but get rid of chamakh! ARSENAL FOREVER ——– IN ARSENE WE TRUST!!!
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I would definitely suggest selling Ramsey. a Ramsey + cash deal could lure Gotze to Arsenal as Dortmund get an almost like for like replacement and we get possibly “the greatest talent Germany has ever produced”- and that’s coming from Germany’s immortal captain Franz Beckenbaur. I’m sure he knows a thing or two about football.
A midfield trio of Song, Wilshire and Gotze, given a few years of gelling together, can match any Barca trio available. Song=24, Wilshire=19, Gotze=19. The trio can go on for atleast 5 years more, creating a midfield force the best in the world would crave for. I’m all for selling Ramsey in part-exchange for Gotze. Also, making a marquee signing would signal Arsenal’s intent, pushing RVP to sign a new contract. Winter dealings should include the offloading of deadwood and buying Jan Vortoghen and Mario Gotze, at the very least. A backup striker (Luuk De Jong) would be the icing on the [Christmas] cake!!
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the problem is wenger afraid to buy fullback is when he buy someone then when all the injured player return he will confused who he must use because so many option.. That s the main reason guy. He just cannot go n buy someone.. If he buy one more defender then arsenal will hav almost 10 defender in first team. Not include the young guns.. 10 defender for 4 position. How can u satisfy them? N then the salary issue of cause… U must try to be in wenger situation.. Its not easy. Try to understand
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Being a manager is such a difficult job, decisions decisions decisions. Signing a full back permanently would mean we have 5 full time full backs but maybe we could sign a left back and push Santos up to left midfield. Decisions. Wayne Bridge was rubbish at West Ham last season, way to slow now, so I would not even consider him, not even on loan. I like leighton Baines but I beleive Everton would only sell if they were getting a striker in return.
The question is though who will start in the middle over this christmas period, hope to see miquel at left back and vermaelen in the middle. Squillacci on the bench
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What do you mean no options?
I’m now one of those saying:
Buy Vertonghen &/or Leighton Baines! RB isn’t the issue, as any one of our players can comfortably cover in this position. The real problem is we only have one Left Sided defender available.. in TV5. This is an issue, as I feel Miquel isn’t quick enough for full back.
Buy ‘the Matador’, Vertonghen & Yann M’Villa and that’d be me happy for the rest of the season. Gotze realistically isn’t going to come to us at this stage, and even if he did he’s cup-tied for the CL, I’d go back for him in June-August.
We’re the North Bank Highbury!
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first!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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There are a lot of answer right here.
Now its not an open ended question, but more like multiple choice. Come on Arsenal.
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@Tim
the problem with ramsey is that he can’t play as a creative midfielder or at least not as the only one. He is a good dribbler, he is fast and with good technique, but he doesn’t know when to make the pass. Constantly, he keeps the ball too much time when everybody is running upfront awaiting for the pass. I don’t know he should take some advice from Wilshere or Song, beacause he is fully capable of making accurate passes as he did when gervinho scored against Stoke but he rarely choose the right moment.
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@ Tim Inter Milan offered 16m for Ramsey. Seriously would you rather have Ramsey or Gotze in the team? Thats a no brainer. We have 9 midfielders and 16m is more than what Ramsey is worth. We saw him against City and he isn’t in the same class as guys like Silva. Where as Wilshere, Song and Gotze are. Arteta is more consistent than Ramsey. We still have Frimpong, Coquelin, Rosicky, Benayoun, Diaby as backups and none of them have had any offers. If we want world class players to join, we need to sell first. We were offered 25m for Arshavin from Anzi, 16m for Ramsey…thats 41m. Good place to start if we want Gotze and another striker.
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@ MABUS im a life long arsenal fan born in clapton round the corner from highbury and the emirates and love the club but at the end of the day wenger has been in control of the club for 15 years so the problem of a back log of sub par players that has built up at the club and the sub par fitness staff that has one of the worst injury records in the league should be put at the door of one person and one person only…….wenger is definitely the man for the job but we need to rekindle some of the 90′s passion that arsenal players showed and i think this could be achieved with a confidence boosting, positive thinking marque signing that all the fans and players are desperate for…….there is no point in having one of the best grounds in the country without the players on the pitch to go with it how would we feel if our boss just spent 3million on a new office building and made you work on typewriters!!! GOONER FOR LIFE p.s three words VERTONGHEN, DAMIAO, GOTZE
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Hummels it’s good,Samba,Criscito it’s good,Baines, verry good dfenders like or not?
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@mabus
no need to satisfy djourou,squid.who cares them hapy or not.thy hapy being as a backup. go for samba or vertonghen.byebye squid or even djourou
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