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Mind The Gap

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Arsenal Transfer Stuffs

With Arsenal already adding a forward in Alexis Sanchez, a new RB in Debuchy, and the almost confirmed rumor of Ospina as a second GK option, we are left with the question... who else do we need? 

The players are all fit with the exception of Walcott who is set to be back to form early in the season. Yes, even Diaby. yes, even Wilshere. 

So lets look at the Arsenal depth in order. 

ST/FW Arsenal have a diverse bunch of players who can play as striker, as a forward, or a winger (which arsenal likes to use the wingers as forwards) Giroud and Sanogo being the traditional ST options. With Walcott, Podolski, Campbell, and Sanchez being able to play up front. And with Chamberlain and Gnabry that can play as a winger. (note: Cazorla and Ozil could also play as wingers) 

The abundance of talent here for 3 spots is clear. We do not need another striker unless Arsene doesn't want to shift tactics, but i think it is clear he wants to shift tactics...at least some times. Last season he occasionally would shift things to a 2 FW set with Giroud and Sanogo. Just imagine a 2 FW set with Walcott and Sanchez up front. Sanchez isn't being brought in to sit around behind walcott and giroud. And i think he will primarily play LW over podolski, but i don't think Wenger will stick to this for every game. He has a lot of options here, and the only reason we would need another ST is if we plan on needing a true ST the whole season. With these options, we don't need it. 

MF: While i am not opposed to adding depth to the MF, i don't think we need more stars there. Bender would be my preferred choice over Sami, but he isn't leaving and Sami is asking too much. You can't pay a player 200k a week and not have him be a regular starter. But lets look at who is there. 

Ozil, Cazorla, Arteta, Rosicky, Ramsey, Wilshere, Diaby. and we know Chamberlain and Gnabry could likely play mid as well. There are three spots, and i would say the weak point is Arteta (he is slower, he isn't strong, he cant play a holding mid position on this team). Arsene has admitted that he views Wilshere as a holding mid, which i agree with. He isn't tall, but he is strong, can take a beating, and has a good burst that Arteta lacks. If Wenger wants to have a small midfield, he is a good option. Ramsey is slightly taller, but is better suited to being a box to box player. I think everyone sees Ozil, Wilshere, and Ramsey as being a great combination. Rosicky is a great player that can sub or start and play any of the positions, he can be creative, he is technically good, and is not that slow. Diaby will typically be the defender when he plays, but he can also play forward. His height is something Arsenal have been missing. What happens if you add an instant starter? Who gets bumped? I don't see how another mid will help here. I understand the issue of injuries, but Arsenal have a lot of depth, and had a lot of depth, but you cannot prepare for injuries to your entire lineup. its unreasonable, expensive, and means quality players are left out.

The starting back 4 are great, i think the best back 4 in the premier league. Gibbs, Per, Laurent, and Debuchy. Any player we bring in will be a backup. for backups, Nacho is a player i think lacks quality. Carl is young but I think has a brighter future than some fans give him credit for. And Thomas Vermaelen is a quality backup, and i don't think any more than that. We need some more depth at CB, in the rare event that both CB's are injured. But we would be looking for a 4th CB that will have less playing time than Thomas, who is already lacking in minutes. I think the focus on finding Thomas' long term replacement is necessary, but not adding it in this window isn't going to be the end of the season. Assuming we don't suffer two CB injuries at the same time, the team will be fine at back. I am mostly concerned with having a quality backup to Gibbs. once again, secondary, as the current back four should start most matches. 

GK: Szczesny is quality. Ospina (assuming we get him) is also quality. I don't think we need a starting XI calibur third GK with these two. I prefer Szczesny due to his size, although he has made some bad mistakes. Last season he was really great at times. What more is there to say?

in review: Arsenal do not NEED to get another FW. But can if they want to add competition for Giroud directly for the ST position. And if they loan out Sanogo. The MF has quality and depth, adding a player like Khedira will only complicate the Mid as it is right now. A healthy Diaby is suitable for CDM. The back 4 are great, we don't need more starting XI depth at CB unless we are selling Thomas. and Wenger won't sell Thomas unless he knows the replacement. and GK is set assuming Ospina does sign. 

If I had to sign another player, it would be Boateng from Munich. but this is doubtful because he just signed an extension with munich. He can play CB and either RB or LB. I bet he could play CDM as well. He is quick for a CB, and is why he pairs well with Per for Germany. He is tall, strong, and a good fit for a team that looks to add depth at multiple spots with one player. 

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2014:

28, April 2014

Happy St. Totteringham's Day

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My ideal arsenal transfer stuff

Assuming Arsenal are able to finish this season in the top 4 and with an FA Cup championship, Arsenal are in the best position in the past decade for signing top talent. And need to cut the dead weight. 

I do like what Sol Campbell said in regards to signing players that frighten the opposition. This is why we need to get rid of arteta, who is slow, small, and cant be the CDM when ramsey or wilshere swing upwards to accompany the attack.  As a result, we need an imposing CM who can play CDM without feeling out of position. We need.... a bender. unfortunately both Sven and Lars have signed contract extensions in the last season, this obviously doesn't mean that either is off the table. Just we will have to spend more than we would like for either of them. Lars is the most likely option, Leverkusen may be willing to sell its talent. I don't see dortmund doing that at the moment with the departure of Lewandowski and possibly others. 

If we are able to sign him, imagine the midfield options. Attackers would be Ozil, Ramsey, Wilshere, Santi, Rocisky, Diaby. Defenders would be Bender, kallstrom, flamini. a mixture of creativity where we need it, and size. We have depth in the midfield, we could simply have more. In many cases the defense was exposed when our attack was poor, Bender would be a brilliant addition. add a 6ft tall CM, lose a 5'9 CM. 

The next concern is whether or not to re-sign sagna. How much faith do we have in Jenkinson? I say Jenkinson may be develop into a good back, but he definitely isnt ready to be a consistent starter. While i definitely like sagna as a player, he doesn't fit with this intimidation philosophy. 5'9 RB, we could do better. Let him go on a free transfer if we need to, and bring in... Lukasz Piszcek from Dortmund. A 6 ft tall RB who is better than Sagna, and more imposing, and 3 years younger. 

I do not think we need to sign another top CB or sell Vermaelen. Not only do i think arsenal will not get enough value to sell vermaelen, i also think that the problems our defense faced this season are not to do with our CBs as much as it is the CDM position and a poor attack for the second half of the seaso. We need to keep vermaelen, not only for insurance behind BFG and Laurent, but also because he is useful to fill in for LB in a pinch. 

The final change that Arsenal need to make is offensive. It should go without saying that Arsenal need a striker, either to compete with Giroud or to outright take the starting job. Who should we get? is the million dollar question. 

Personally i prefer a taller striker to a shorter one. And while Arsenal have been linked to a variety of strikers, I think the best option would be Mario Mandzukic from Bayern, over the addition of Karim Benzema from Real Madrid. In part because Mario is 2 inches taller than Karim (and 2 inches shorter than giroud), but also because Karim is a french international just like Giroud. Keeping both of them would be tricky, as both of them would want quality minutes as they compete with each other in the French National Team. It would just make me uncomfortable. I also think Mario is simply better than Karim, and am more confident that Bayern will sell Mario as Lewandowski is entering the team next season. 

I don't see Arsenal making any more big moves than this, simply because Wenger's philosophy goes against signing more than 3 starting players in an offseason, as chemistry begins to take a hit.  With these additions this team becomes fierce, deep, and deadly. Arsenal will also need to sign another GK, but he will not be taking the starting job. 

Arsenal should, or could, sell Sagna, Arteta, and maybe Cazorla, Diaby.

My ideal starting XI next season 

              Szczesny

  Lukasz, BFG, Laurent, Gibbs

  Bender,      Ozil,      Ramsey

  Theo,       Mario,          Poldi

With wilshere, giroud, ox, rosicky getting solid play time. Vermaelen, Monreal, and Jenkinson for safety. 

It is worth noting that arsenal has been linked with these targets in the past. The fact that Ozil is on the team makes Arsenal a more attractive destination. Winning the FA Cup would go a long way to showing that this team can win trophies. Wenger is historically not aggressive in the january transfer window, which explains the move to add KK as a gap protection player.  

With this lineup, staying healthier than last year, i don't see why arsenal couldn't compete for the PL title and the champions league next season. 

The end

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Podolski with another goal. Ramsey with 1 goal and 2 assists today. Oh happy day.

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Intelligent Design

I believe in intelligent design. I believe that all arsenal goals are intelligently designed by özil.

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Özil the creator. Giroud with a great cross. Ramsey with the reception. Podolski with the finish. We missed you özil.

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Özil with the pass. Santi with the assist. Ramsey with the strike. Ooooooh to be a gooooner

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Mesut Özil WILL be back this sunday. Whether or not he will be part of the starting XI is different. But we have missed him greatly.

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Olivier Giroud goal vs West Ham United [15.04.2014] (2-1) 55’

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Ich liebe Podolski!!! 

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Arsenal v West Ham

Every match is a must win now. 

If we lose this one we may as well be done. We need to win out and have everton lose at least one match, or draw 2 matches. 

Can we do it? Sure!

We have a lot of players on the edge of coming back from injury, and several players should be back today and saturday. 

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Cleveland Browns Draft

The Cleveland Browns should NOT draft Sammy Watkins, or a QB with the 4th pick in the draft. 

why?

Because if we draft a QB in that spot, we are saying to Hoyer "sorry bro, you aren't starting this year" after being encouraging to him throughout the offseason. taking a QB with the 2nd first round pick or in the 2nd round means "this guy is our future starter, but we are willing to wait a season" (unless shit hits the fan) 

So, no QBs. it would give the wrong message to Hoyer and the fans, and put a lot of pressure to win when we could put Hoyer in a position to do well. and there is a lot of talent in the qb field. 

And don't draft Watkins because he would not fit the team. does he become the new #1? the talent gap between him and other WR talent is not that large, especially when the player will be the 2 on the team AND will be splitting catches between gordon, cameron, Burleson, and Hawkins. Take a WR with a later pick, i really like Benjamin, but it could be any tall receiver that is a red zone threat. Either way, not sammy watkins. 

Who do we take? 

The browns should take either Greg Robinson or Jake Matthews, OTs. Our right side of the line has been struggling in recent years, in part due to injury and poor drafting. Both of these guys are sure things. We added depth at G with Paul McQuistan. With either Robinson or Matthews we would have one of the best Lines in the league, now that we re-signed Mack.  Now that our line is set. get a QB. Get mccaron, get carr if he drops. 

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Diaby is back to training. 

Ozil may be on the bench for the match tomorrow, should be good to go for saturday.

every game is a must win. 

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Thoughts on today's match

Giroud was irrelevant save for his one goal. He doesn't have speed, he doesn't have a good first touch, he handles poorly. 

I can only imagine how bad the season would have been without the addition of Ozil. We need him back ASAP. Even if he himself went through some stretches without production, defenses had to take note of him. He is creative in a way that Santi is not. 

Ox is a great player, but no where near as good as Theo is, and it is showing. 

Arteta is just an undersized midfielder and needs to be gone. Is there any match where he is not completely burned and has to foul? He is good for his passing, but what good is passing when you can't score. 

Podolski is great as a sub, he brings instant intensity. We have to keep him. 

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Arsenal v Swansea

Koscielney is out, Ozil is out, Wilshere is out, Ramsey is out, Theo is out. 

Good news is that Ox is not suspended, since the FA ruled that it was a wrongful send off ANYWAY, apart from sending the wrong guy off. 

In other news Andre Marriner, the ref who sent of Gibbs by mistake because... he has a similar skin color to Ox, still has a job. 

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We have a Biiiiig Fucking German

Chelsea has a whiny manager