The futures of Hleb, Gilberto and Flamini are all in doubt
Add comment April 21st, 2008
If Arsenal fans agree on anything at the moment, it’s that increasing the size of our squad is crucial. Assuming that we are not going to go out and buy half a dozen players, it is therefore fair to add that we can’t really afford to lose any one.
That’s why it’s a bit of a worry that we could quite easily see Aleksandr Hleb, Gilberto Silva, and Mathieu Flamini depart this season. Between them, the trio have played over 100 games this season. Replacing that kind of manpower, let alone calibre, would be next to impossible.
Flamini‘s situation is well known. The boss has set a deadline for the end of April for him to sign his new deal. From what I understand, talks are progressing about as fast as a limping Dean Ashton. Hopefully being injured will give Flamini time to sit down and agree a deal, but I’m not confident. Let’s not forget, this is the man who left Marseille in the lurch to join us. To believe he wouldn’t choose to do so again it naieve, to say the least.
If he does go, it’s unlikely that Gilberto will be handed his place in the first team back. Whilst the Brazilian is still a remarkably accomplished player, at 31 he’s on the wrong side of Arsene’s “past it” threshold, and is unlikely to be handed an extention to the one year remaining on his contract. I’d like Silva to stay. He adds experience and leadership to a squad that lacks both, as well as giving us a reliable stand-in in midfield, and one of the best exponents of the holding midfield role around in a 4-5-1.
Still, this is a man who regularly makes the Brazil first team – can he handle the indignity of another season on the bench? He seems determined to prove himself to the boss, but if he can’t get the assurances he wants and decides to head off into the sunset, we can’t begrudge him anything.
The Hleb situation is perhaps the most intriguing out of the trio. Having been here for the three years, under new UEFA regulations he is able to buy himself out of his contract this Summer. Furthermore, with only two years remaining, it’s pretty safe to say that in the coming months we’ll either see Hleb sign an extension confirming his commitment to the club, or – well…
We must not allow Hleb to leave, especially if either Flamini or Gilberto goes. That would massively weaken our midfield. At 27, Hleb is arguably one of our most experienced outfield players. With Rosicky’s injuries not seeming to heal, his importance is increasing all the time. Part of our problem in recent years has been that we’ve had this one in – one out policy, so players don’t get unsettled from being out of the side. We need to change the culture of the club slightly. We need a one in – none out policy, and the players at Arsenal need to learn that it is a squad game. You do not hear complains from Darren Fletcher at Manchester United that he does not make the team every week. He serves his purpose and performs when called upon. Arsene needs to employ his famed man management skills to persuade his players to become part of a bigger squad, and fight for their place.
If he can do that, next season could be very interesting.
