Shape Up or Ship Out, Part 3: Midfielders
171 comments June 6th, 2011
So we’ve had a look at the possible futures for our Goalkeepers and Defenders. Next up, that legion of tippy-tappy dwarfs that constitutes our midfield. As ever, there are three potential verdicts.
As You Were: The player didn’t have a bad season, and just needs to continue progressing
Shape Up: More is expected if they’re to retain their place in the squad
Ship Out: Time’s up
I should point out that these are more ‘predictions’ than a representation of my wishes. I might say Cesc will go, but that doesn’t mean I want him too. Anyway, I might say he’ll stay. You’ll have to read on and see.
I’ve decided to include the wide attackers – Arshavin, Walcott, Nasri etc – in this section, as to me they’re more attacking midfielders than attackers. Let’s go.
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ALEX SONG
Alex Song’s progress over the preceding few seasons had been quite remarkable. From being a shuffling joke, he became a lynchpin of the side. In fact, he has won Gunnerblog’s own Young Player of the Season Award two years running.
He was due a season of stasis, and this season that’s exactly what happened. Bizarrely, Song’s failure to progress came about because of an attempted change to his style – and I don’t mean his newly bleached hair. In the first half of the season, Arsene gave him license to get forward and join in with our attacking game. Whilst his newfound freedom resulted in a few goals – and important ones at that – we sacrificed a good deal of defensive stability.
Song is good at what he does, but not much else. He is the sort of player who is most effective when he concentrates on the job in hand. Stick to the basics: winning the ball back, and distributing it simply, and he could yet become one of the best in his position. At 23, he is still some way from his peak. There’s plenty of time for him to kick on and improve yet again. A bit of competition might help.
Verdict: Shape Up
DENILSON
It won’t be news to any of you that Denilson wants out of Arsenal, and with the likes of Song, Diaby, Wilshere and even Aaron Ramsey now ahead of him in the queue for a first-team place, that’s no surprise.
Denilson has said that, performance-wise, this has been his best season at Arsenal. If that’s the case, I haven’t noticed. Perhaps that’s because he’s made only six Premier League starts, which is a significant drop-off when compared to previous campaigns.
He’s clearly a good lad and I don’t doubt he’s always been proud to play for Arsenal. Unfortunately he’s not quite exceptional enough to merit a starting spot, and at this point in this career that means having to look elsewhere. Best of luck to him.
Verdict: Ship Out
ABOU DIABY
As the season ended, Abou Diaby turned 25. Remarkably, we still talk about him only in terms of ‘potential’. Despite five and a half years at Arsenal, thirteen France caps, and countless chances to impress, he remains a ‘maybe’ rather than a reliable squad member.
A lot of that, of course, is down to injury. Dan Smith’s horror tackle back in 2006 has had long-lasting effects, and Diaby seems incapable of playing more than handful of games in succession. For that reason alone, it seems unlikely he can ever be relied upon as a permanent fixture in the team.
When he does play he can be horribly inconsistent – sometimes even within the confines of the same match. It’s impossible to know if that’s a direct consequence of his inability to string appearances together, or if it’s just part of his character.
Perhaps it doesn’t matter. Diaby’s inconsistency in both availability and performance are inextricably intertwined.
I imagine we’ll hold on to him, especially with Denilson going. He has height and power, and we’re hardly in a position to be losing players with those assets. Nevertheless, time is running out for Diaby to fulfill that once undoubted potential. There are many doubters now.
Verdict: Shape Up
JACK WILSHERE
I’m not going to spend too much time dithering over this one. The future of Arsenal and England, and officially our Player of the Season. Tired towards the end of the campaign, but anyone would having made the extraordinary leaps and bounds he did in 2010/11. He’s got Arsenal DNA, and he’s going nowhere.
Verdict: As You Were
AARON RAMSEY
It really is a delight to see this boy back and playing football. A full pre-season will help him enormously, and hopefully the fillip of that winning goal against Man U will give him all the encouragement he needs to complete his rehabilitation. More to come, of course, but I think he’s got the desire to make a more startling comeback than Wayne Rooney’s hair. Suffice to say, his return means Denilson is unlikely to be missed.
Verdict: Shape Up
CESC FABREGAS
Sigh. This is going to be painful to even type.
Logic suggests that if Barcelona come up with the money, Cesc will go. He’s still open to the move, Barca still want him, and Arsene is unlikely to be as firm in his resistance for a second summer.
I don’t know what our board would consider a reasonable fee, but I imagine it would have to be in excess of £40m. Whether or not Barcelona would be prepared to pay that kind of money remains to be seen, but I think they’d view the signing of Cesc as a trophy to turn their Liga and Champions League double in to a treble.
I do not want Cesc to go. I would like to see parts of the team restructured, but ideally around him. Whatever fee we were to receive, we would not be able to buy anyone better.
All that said, at times last season it felt like his mind was already made up.
Verdict: Ship Out
TOMAS ROSICKY
Great guy, popular squad member, but just not essential. If Arsene wanted to bring fresh blood in, Rosicky would be one of the most obvious players to sacrifice from the wage bill. I’m delighted he’s back playing again, and it’d make sense for him to go somewhere where he can do so a bit more often.
Verdict: Ship Out
THEO WALCOTT
Theo scored 13 goals from 25 starts last season, which is not a record to be sniffed at. Were it not for his familiar injury problems, he would’ve got much closer to his self-declared target of 20 goals.
He comes in for a lot of criticism – not least from me – but I think most of it is based on unfair expectations. For a player of his limited ability, Walcott did well last year. You can’t fault his application, and his movement and finishing are improving. Yes, there are problems with his technique, but those won’t go away now. Let’s accept him for what he is and get on with it. Hopefully the emergence of Wilshere will take some pressure off Walcott as the great hope for the future.
Verdict: As You Were
SAMIR NASRI
Nasri’s situation is one of the hardest to unpick. He has just a year left on his deal, and has thus far refused to accept Arsenal’s offers of an extension. According to the AST, he is holding out for £6m p/year – about £115,000 p/week.
Nasri’s position is strengthened not just by the short amount of time left on his current deal, but also by an excellent 2010/11 campaign, in which he was voted second in the PFA Player of the Year Award. He will also be aware that Arsenal are facing the possibility of losing Cesc Fabregas – the prospect of losing both Cesc and Nasri is almost unthinkable. Samir knows his value and is holding out for the best possible deal.
There’s always the possibility that Arsenal will call his bluff and sell him, but I can’t see that happening. Any fee would be very low – perhaps as little as £8m. I see all this paper-talk as precisely that: a very public, and rather unsavoury, negotiating tactic.
Whatever happens, I absolutely guarantee that Nasri will not be allowed to join Manchester United. I think he’ll still be here.
Verdict: As You Were
ANDREY ARSHAVIN
I wouldn’t be surprised if Russian champions Zenit St. Petersburg make an attempt to bring home their former posterboy, Andrey Arshavin. And nor would I be surprised if Arsene rebuffs their attempts.
Arshavin underperformed for long periods of last season, and lost his place in the starting XI, falling behind Nasri and Walcott. However, the latter end of the season showed a player who, whilst still short on form (and, of course, height) was at last showing a bit of desire.
With the possibility of the likes of Fabregas and Rosicky heading for the exit door, I think Arsene will look to hold on to Arshavin for now. If both Cesc and Nasri stay, however, he may find himself surplus to requirements.
Verdict: Shape Up
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If you made it this far: thankyou, and well done. I’ll be back soon with a look at our ‘Attackers’ and there’s an End of Season Awards post on the way.
