AS we all enjoy the abundance of football and drama an international break brings (I mean Scotland V USA had me at the edge of my seat and didn’t at all remind me of a Simpsons episode featuring Mexico v Portugal!), the slight silver lining I suppose, is that it grants us a breather and allows our metaphorical heads to stick out of the metaphorical turrets and look towards the future and what we hope is our Golden Sky.
The start to this season has been fantastic, and the position we find ourselves in currently, leading into the first Merseyside derby of the year, is exceeding what most of us expected (apart from those who chuck the toys out when we haven’t won 10-0 at the Emirates – RODGERS OUT dammit!).
I would suggest the only real blip has been that awful performance against Southampton. I know other will point to the Newcastle draw, and whilst we should have left the game with 3 points, the Geordies are not the push over some made them out to be. Personally speaking, I expected to see an improvement on last season, but certainly not to be sitting within touching distance of top spot come November as we are far from the finished product. Given our league position, given all that has gone down this season and the apparent glut of banana skins being slipped on, how do we move forward? Let me say one word to you: Spurs!
In previous articles I have talked at length about the North London side and how we should look to CSI their blueprint and tinker it for our own good, but that has been the Gooner side of it, and to be fair I think we have done so.
Like the Arsenal we have, in recent years, run the ship financially and looked to the youth, but in addition we have invested and managed to keep our best players to date. Yet this time, it is their bitter rivals at the Lane I’m referring to this time; they have given us the perfect example of how to move forward…and no it is not selling our best player for a ludicrous fee before buying every midfielder in sight and not playing them in favour of a youth team flavour of the month, and a chap they got last year!
So, if I’m not talking about us ‘Bale-ing out’ (see what I did there!) what I am talking about?
Well it is more of a what not to do rather than a step by step plan. Sit back in your comfiest chair, take a glass of your tipple of choice (whiskey, Pimms, milk) stare at the ceiling and wait for things to go fuzzy as you reminisce (just be aware that if you smell gas its either your dinner or a leak – either way the room shouldn’t literally go fuzzy!), reminisce to the year 2012.
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The season for the white half of North London had been going well. They were occupying 3rd place pretty much each week as the Manchester clubs zoomed forwards (culminating in one of my favourite football moments…AGUERRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOO!). They seemed comfortable with 3rd place pretty much sown up, perhaps even with the right investment a dent could be made into the Manchester gap as it were! Then came Saha/Nelsen-gate. Two free signings at the end of the window, that instead of cementing Champions League football and upping the level of the squad, resulted in slip up after slip up and an eventual 4th place finish meaning that a frankly astonishing Chelsea Champions League win robbed them of their own qualification. Something that should have worried Wenger instead, adding worried lines to his face so it more resembled his coat.
Whilst the January transfer window is considered by many as something which should be condemned to the 4th circle of hell (points for telling me what that is!), it is what it is, and if used correctly can provide the launch pad for the second half of season assault. It is inevitable that we will be bored out of our brains with Luis Suarez stories here there and everywhere, but in the midst of all this is an opportunity to add to the squad what we truly need to make that next step.
In my humble opinion, what our squad needs now more than anything is that little Argentinian hole to be filled, something that has not been done since he left for Catalonia. We need a Masch.
There are others out there with a greater knowledge than me, but names such as Matuidi, Gonalons, Bender (no not the robot, although…) perhaps even Premier League existing ones such as Tiote or Schneiderlin would give that solidity defensively whilst freeing up our attacking threat even more. To me this is the position that needs filling more than any other and really should be a priority for us.
I tell you want a cheeky three from Southampton (Shaw, Lallana and Schneiderlin) whilst retaining our current crop would be a hugely successful window and a real prospect of Top 4.
Overall the moral of the story is to tame the January beast and make sure we don’t come away with a Nelsen (no offence Ryan). The club has taken it’s time, rightly so, in sorting the club financially and stabilising it whilst supporting the manager on and off the pitch. The summer was good without being outstanding, its crucial that January is the latter so we can step forward once more.
Agree, disagree, ideas for signings, love, hate, left right, whatever, comment here and come find me on Twitter @timdibs
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Just before the river Styx is the Fourth Level of Hell. Here, the prodigal and the avaricious suffer their punishment, as they roll weights back and forth against one another. You will share eternal damnation with others who either wasted and lived greedily and insatiably, or who stockpiled their fortunes, hoarding everything and sharing nothing. Plutus, the wolf-like demon of wealth, dwells here.
Points to you! The reference being towards it being reserved for the miserly who hoard possessions or those who squander, or in football terms Chelsea hoarding talent without using it and QPR for squandering millions!!!
The Saha and Nelson debacle was a disappointment never have we been as close to the top before old arry bought two old, average players to ruin our well run ship! The only thing you’ve not mentioned is that Brendan Rogers’ mind is not on the England job unlike arry was.
That’s a fair point too, Harry was somewhat distracted on and off the pitch in a way Rodgers isn’t!
For our club to make top 4 this year i keep mentioning the owners will need to back B Rodgers well as in even Southampton spent 50M in the summer just gone and now look at the force they have become: In January the owners need to give B Rodgers 50-75M to bring in 6 players.
A minimum of 4 players though, but 6 players is whats needed: But if Rodgers is only allowed to bring in 4 players these are the 4 class, quality players in these key positions that will improve the side and bring more quality competition for places, depth, mobility, pace and speed to the squad.
1: DM: M’Vila(23) Of Rubin Kazan needs to be brought to club in January to compete and cover Lucas
2: CM: Class, Creative/Offensive Centre Midfidler with mobility: Y Cabaye(27) Of Newcastle should be brought to club in January
3: RW /RWF: M Salah(21) Of Basel Or J Montero(23) Of Monarcas Morelia in Mexico, one of these quick pacey skilful wide men needs to be brought to club in January
4: LW / LWF: B Arfa(26) Of Newcastle or D Capel(25) Of Sporting Clube De Portugal, one of these quick pacey skilful Left footed wide men need to be brought to the club in January
These 4 players would help make team top 1-3 side this season
And with Cabaye(27) and M’Vila(23) the club would have two class, quality centre midfielders who can step in team sraight away when fully fit and injury free, then our captain S G can get the much needed rest he needs . And he can be used wisely during course of the season
But if Rodgers is given 75M in January what he really needs to really push on, then the two other players needed in squad in January are as follows:
5: LB: S Umtiti(19) Of Lyon to compete and Cover Enrique as Cissokho is not up to scratch to compete, cover and learn from Enrique for next 2-4 years
6: GK: A Mccarthy(23) Of Reading to compete and cover Mignolet for next 5-8 years at club
In Cabaye(27) and M’Vila(23) we have two international class footballers who battle and compete with any centre midfield in world football
In Capel(25) and Salah(21) the club would have two class creative pacey quick goalscoring wingers on either wing, who will and could cause problems to any full backs in world football
In Mccarthy(23) , Mignolet will have class, good quality competition week in week out and he will be kept on his toes, something that P Reina did not have at the club.
In Umtiti(19) , Enrique will have a class, young , fast, attacking full back who is good defender who will learn and compete with Enrique for a few years.
We currently have a weak squad, but these 6 additions will strengthen squad dramatically and keep us on course for the top 4 all through till the end of season.
Those additions would undoubtedly be lovely but can’t see it! We won’t spend 50m, let alone 75m in jan! I imagine at most 3 coming in (of course that is dependant on us remaining who we want to retain!) and if we spend money above 10m it will be on a Hughes.
To be honest I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a ‘Coutinho/sturridge” signing as there is soooo much talent out there being wasted at clubs with more money and sense, like mata! Matuidi is a good example as his contract runs down and players like Witsel who perhaps aren’t liking their eastern decisions.
The transfer market for teams like us is now about shopping smart rather than flashing the cash for the current flavour of the month!
Denis……can’t imagine the owners will give 75m. Why do you think we have a weak squad? We are second in the league and only playing one game a week. This squad can cope with that. Why not sign tom ince? We can get him for 2.6m. Would be silly not to
Nice for the right price would be a decent addition for me, but price is key. Yet this should be additional as the centre of our midfield should be targeted.
I think the club workin it well, each of the las 2 windows has shown strategy and a clear target. If you buy too many or try to sort too many areas in a window a team can struggle to adapt in my opinion.
nice article, will be back soon
when you said “sp(F)lashing the cash for the current flavour of the month”. i couldn’t help but wonder if you are referring to mitroglou of greece and olypiakos. i like the guy but my problem is that greek players dont usually do well at (lfc) the epl, (i stand to be corrected) but rather than waste my money on will hughes…please, lets experiment on this greek. £10mil will do the trick.
It was a statement with no specific player in mind, it was more a statement referring to the ‘big name’ or the ‘decent 6 months’ type of signing! Both can work work or fail to equal measure but usually carry hefty fees and expectations. Torres v Keane Carroll v Henderson for example!!
Some teams don’t really need a strong scouting setup as their bank balance allows them to go after th cream of the crop or the talked about players in the press! I iaie the likes of Townsend and Lallana command fees much higher than their actual value due to th ‘bale’ effect.
What we need to dous shop smart! Coutinho and Sturridge were smart buys at cheap prices, scouted out and rightly identified as being able to shine given the chance. The place to be looking is Chelsea, city, psg, real, he big spenders that leave talent to rot!!
As for Mitroglou, I don’t know enough, but have a renewed trust in our scouting!! Personally I would be wary of splashing big cash on someone from the Greek league, big step up!
We should get M’vila,pastore,Menez
We should get M’vila,pastore,Menez cos I will continue saying it Lucas is crap and only good against weaker teams and struggle against 4ps teams like swans,saints and Arsenal.
And when we get them it will be br’s fault we didn’t get someone else. Whine whine whine