Hey-ho, a quick Saturday round-up as I continue to battle whooping cough and the Parson’s Lurgy.
Some stuff from Aaron Ramsey to kick off with who says he believes that this current group of players, even without summer reinforcement, could mount a title challenge. Confidence is high, of course, after the FA Cup win and he says:
Even with this group of players now I believe if everyone was fit in the season we would have a great opportunity of competing for the Premier League. If we can get off to a good start next season we will challenge.
However, before anyone chokes on their cornflakes and reads into this that we’re going to do just that, he’s just playing up the quality of the players we have rather than hinting this is the strategy for next season. Indeed, he’s expecting some squad movement:
Every club brings in new faces and a few leave. The club is in a good place where they can afford not to let players go, we’re building on this team rather than seeing players leaving. It is a nice feeling and means that the group can stick together. The understanding is there already, so it can only get stronger.
I was doing a thing yesterday for someone (pretty vague I realise) – questions about the current squad and one of them was who I would sell TOMORROW, the implication being that it’s a player we’d be delighted to see the back of. When you look at the ones who feature regularly, rather than the players on the fringes, there isn’t anyone who you feel doesn’t belong.
There’s nobody whose place in the squad is mind-boggling, or really, really annoying and that’s not been the case in seasons past when there were players you’d happily have launched into space in a home made rocket and if the rocket never made it to space because of some kind of terrible explosion you’d shrug and not go back to the drawing board.
Over the last 18-24 months the calibre of player we’ve brought in has been increasing, both with regard to high profile signings like Alexis and Mesut Ozil, and the ones who add depth to the squad. This summer is about keeping the best of what we’ve got an adding extra quality to help us do better in the 2015/16 campaign.
Will that include Petr Cech, for example. Lots of stories this morning suggest that Chelsea will reluctantly sell him to a rival club because he wants to stay in England/London, as if they’re doing him some great favour. The reality is they could sell him wherever they want and the idea that Chelsea, as a club, has some kind of a heart – even for a player who has given them so much – is hard for me to get my head around.
I’m also still a little underwhelmed at the idea of him. Some days I think it’d be a fine signing, a hugely experienced keeper who has won titles; other days he’s a guy who lost his place because he’s getting older and he wears a silly hat. At the very least if he does sign we must insist on him wearing a better hat.
The goalkeeping situation is certainly one which will have people talking throughout the summer. I don’t think there’s any doubt it’s an area in which we can improve, but when it comes to signings it’s also an area in which Arsene Wenger hasn’t always been a huge success. Jens Lehmann, of course, was an Invincible, a fantastic character and fine keeper, but far from flawless.
I mean … when you lose your place to Manuel Almunia who in turn loses it to Lukasz Fabianski … I dunno. Wojciech Szczesny looked a promising long-term option until this season, and while Ospina has done well he benefitted from coming into a side that found a new shape and defensive discipline, as well as one with a dedicated defensive midfield option.
Anyway, if he thinks Petr Cech is value at £10m and will improve the squad, I think he’ll do it, but there’s always that part of Arsene Wenger that sees things in players that we don’t (and sometimes never do). Having bought Ospina last summer and put so much into Szczesny (still only 25), I wonder will he feel like he can improve the squad more by spending money elsewhere.
Right, that’s your talking point for this Saturday. Having lit that particular touch-paper and I’m off to walk the dog. Have a good one.
Till tomorrow.
