I know it is an area that has to be strengthened over the summer, especially with the futures of William Gallas and Sol Campbell in the balance, but I believe that Arsene Wenger will rely on Johan Djourou as one of the first choices next campaign.
Ideally I'd like to keep both Gallas and Campbell but that doesn't seem on the cards. I think William has more than one foot out the door already and is on his toes.
Sol Campbells situation is quite different. Sol wants to stay but he wants to play. He has spoken to Celtic and I'm sure he would get regular football there whereas with us he is likely to be back-up to the first team.
I'd love Campbell to stay at Arsenal. He is certainly a good influence on this squad but if he left I'd understand. The man has been immense since his return to us and has more than proved he can still cut it at the top level.
He probably surprised himself, but then knowing his supreme self-confidence maybe not! Whats clear is he became a very good acquisition to the Arsenal squad and Arsene Wenger deserves a lot of credit for taking a 'gamble' on him. Something Wenger doesn't really get a lot of credit for.
However Gallas' case is different. Despite proclaiming Gooners were the worlds best supporters many haven't taken to him. I, on the other hand, really rate him and would love him to stay but that doesn't seem very likely.
Readers of my blog will have seen the numerous posts where I have 'stuck up' for William and will know that I love him like a brother. Despite my love I think Gallas is definitely off this summer and if that is the case then the first-choice Wenger preferred partnership of Thomas Vermaelen-Willam Gallas will be broken up.
That's why I reckon Wenger will promote Johan Djourou as a first team regular alongside Vermaelen next season and especially when you see what Arsene told the Swiss man. Here is an extract from an interview Johan did a couple of weeks ago;
"I was really confident about being able to play this season. The boss said to me, ‘I let Kolo go for you to play’. It is the thing you don’t want to hear when you are injured but it is the truth. It is difficult to take on but I swallowed it and I will fight for my place next season, that is for sure."
That for me says it all really. We all know that Arsene Wenger would rather promote from 'with-in' and in this case I would be more than happy for Djourou to step up the plate. In my opinion Johan Djourou is more than ready to the make the move to first team regular and I think he would flourish alongside Thomas Vermaelen.
Djourou can and will become one of the best centre-backs in Europe given the chance and this coming season could be the opportunity for him to prove that. And I think Arsene Wenger will give him that chance.
That's why (despite the futures of Campbell and Gallas being in doubt at the club) I don't believe Wenger will sign a centre-back to slot straight into the team. Djourou has been patient and I think Arsene will put his faith in him.
That said I do believe the gaffer will sign a centre-back this summer but the players role would be more that of a squad player than first-team regular.
Keep it Goonerish...............
32 comments:
I agree with you Wrighty - if Arsene does indeed buy a experianced defender to partner TV it will be going against the grain. But i do think we will buy a new CD but he will be the usual Wenger buy - young, versatial and bags of potential.
Exactly that Ben.
Are you being sarcastic ??? Djourou at centreback why dont you just chuck in our season,i do believe we have seen plenty of Mr.shaky he isnt one iota better then his swiss compatriot,a minimum is a a brute centreback otherwise Wenger can forget about it.
Wrighty you have to be joking mate, the guy has been out all bloody season and now we expect him to be starting at the heart of our defense? What if his injury flares up again? What if he has changed with all this time off? No there is no chance that it will be him, if this does happen Wenger should be sacked straight away.
I'm just going by what I have seen Arsene Wenger do in the past boys.
And to be truthful I rate Johan Djourou. Think he will become a key man for Arsenal.
During the 08/09 season i really rated djourou, and thought that he was the real deal, i just took to him after that off the line clearance after our opening game against wba.
having said that, im not sure he should get a starting berth just yet, althoughit does look like its going to turn out that way.
i would like it if we did manage to keep gallas or campbell though, so we have a ack up plan if not all goes swell. Having said that, im sure wenger will buy a 5-8 mill defende who will do the job required, and can rotate with djourou if gallas leaves
I believe johann has all the qualties needed to be a top PL centre back, however the one thing I think he lacks is aggression. He has alot more potential than big phil who also lacked bite, but PS6 was a confidence player and I think drogba just took that away, after that he never looked like he wanted the ball. Djourou just needs bite in his game, TV5 will install that hopefully.
Best fans in the world don't be fucking silly,ask your goalkeeper and right back about that you cocks,plastic cunts, if wenger plays this muppet all season teams will run riot, tv is good one on one but is poor in the air and always runs forward (man utd,cheski) every gooners a runner
My gut feeling says he'll buy a hangeland type and have a pool of 4 after signing Sol. But I can't see him throwing JD in at the deep end.
Personally I wouldn't bet on Djourou being a hit for us next season. After being out for such a long time it's hard to get back and play top level football week in and week out. We need to aquire a first choice centerback to pair with Vermaelen. I rate Djourou and I think he will be good for us but I think it would be unfair against him, the supporters and his teammates to rely on him as a starter after such a long time on the sidelines!
If Djohan fails to plug the gap in the central defence,what then?It will be another season in transition and wait for the gunners to be free of injuries to show their full potential.
By then MU and Chelsea would be too far ahead. This scenario may or may not happen.If it does,rest assured fans will be deserting the ES in droves.
Failing to strengthen the cbs will be exactly the reason why we will fail another season,Djourou at cb with Verminater you must be kidding mate,we will conceed 50 or more.
In my opinion Djourou only ever looks good when he gets a run of 3 or 4 games. If he is promoted to being in the starting line-up then i think he would definitly improve, but not sure he will be world class, which is what we need at Arsenal. With Gallas, Campbell, Senderos and Silvestre all set to leave i expect Wenger to buy one Centre back and it will be a 3 way fight between Djourou, Vermaelen and the new recruit to start. Also i believe Nordtveit will come back and be fourth choice, to provide cover and will be a starter in the Carling cup. Bartley to go out on loan again and come back the following season to fight for his place.
Umm, don't know Wrighty.
We were down to the bare bones by the end of the season with the CB's...Gallas, TV, DJ all out, Senderos on loan, I even remember there was a game we ended up with Sagna at CB.
So if 4 CB's leave (Sol, Gallas, Senderos, Sylvestre) then I can't see how DJ + 1 other CB will provide enough cover.
Are Nordveit and Bartley ready? is Senderos coming back? we simply don't know therefore is really hard to tell what we need... when we don't know what we have.
wat happened to senderos. why daznt anyone talk about senderos. he is a free agent like sol, gallas, silvestre. wat about him. he did show he was the real deal in 06 in the run to the final.
Djuorou is a good player who is un lucky to be injured most of the times.But if arsenal doesnt buy a decent defender them do we expect Verm and Dojourou to play all the games in the season? Or try out song and Sagna in central defence? My thinking is that most arsenal players have been given time to develop but may be they still need another 5 years.
It is far too much of a gamble to bring Djourou in straight away. The main thing our team lacks is competition for places. The main problem behind us completing throwing way the end of the season like we did. I think this has been Wenger's massive failing over the last five years and will persist if we continue this trend of only youth development. The main challenger to a starter is a youth team player. This hierarchy and lack of experience by the youth players rarely creates true competition for the first XI. Can we ever win the Premier league and especially the UCL with this set up. I don't think so. So he can bring in whoever he wants and we''ll continue to be good but not good enough to win trophies.
don't worry guys, we still have Denilson to rely on as a CB, have faith..
i would not expect any signings at all, i have a decent source who suggests he is not after a goal keeper and will not go above his valuation to sign players despite every player were after also taking interest from elsewhere especially once teams here we are in for them
lets not forget though that djourou plays left centre back the same as TV
one other problem though, johan is clearly allergic to either grass or strikers
Nice write up Wrighty. I also like Djourou, he's a good player with the necessary toughness/mean streak.
Loved his headbutt on Manucho up at the KC, season before last.
Under Tommy Vs tutelage and leadership he might just be the answer.
I'd deffo fancy him over Hangeland anyway!!
SharkeySure
I don't agree that Djourou plays left CB, I'm pretty sure that he's right footed.
Left footers being in a minority means that a l-footer very rarely plays right side, but the opposite does not apply for r-footers.
Definatly agree Wrighty.
I have been a fan of Djourou for a while and he also has all the traits to compliment Vermaelen. He has the height and speed that you could argue TV lacks.
If he has a full pre-season under him then I think he could definatly be a top defender next season.
sharky sure, then when we played liverpool a couple of seasons ago why did wenger play djourou at left centre back and gallas at right centre back while toure was injured, especially with gallas playin left centre back during his whole time with toure? bit odd to play a youngster out of place rather than the more experienced gallas
either way, what were getting at again is that wenger wont spend money, this is the moral of this story correct? a long summer ahead boys!
Brittle bones Djourou aint the answer!
And talking of injury-prone players - RVP limped out of training today and is a doubt for the World Cup!
BUY A CENTRE-BACK AND ANOTHER STRIKER ARSENE!!!!!!
wrighty...
i usually find you a reasonable person..but feck off relying on Djourou..ure kiddin right...what has he proved except the fact that he seems very nervous and edgy...mark my words he is just the same as Senderos not good enough at all...and i must say..i am truly dissapointed in you...man i thought you had a clue...
"Djourou can and will become one of the best centre-backs in Europe given the chance and this coming season could be the opportunity for him to prove that"
You mean like senderos??? please....
of course arsene will go with djorou, because he's cheap and he's "good enough" to ensure we defend our precious 4th place trophy! just like senderos was.....
we defo need a CB and a DM.
nice read as always wrighty :D
Disagree Wrighty. I like Djourou alot but I think he's cover and competition and a new defender is on the way. Whether it's Diakate or Kjaar or Zapata or this chap from Lorient at least one is certainly on the way. With Gallas set to leave, Campbell yet to sign and Silvestre and Senderos as good as gone we've basically right now only got Vermaelen and Djourou so one or 2 are on the way. By the way Danish Gooner is a twat, sick of his shite being uttered everywhere.
You are only partly right. Yes, Wenger likes to promote from within (because he's a tight-ass) but he has said quite plainly that defensively is where we failed last season and we he will look to strengthen in that area over the summer. If he fails to sign a new top centre-back that would be a lie. Djouru is too young and injury-prone. It would be another huge gamble by Wenger not to sign a top quality CB. But Wenger is so deluded that I wouldn't put it past him.
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