Tag Archives: Calum Chambers

The Right Back Conundrum & Benik Afobe

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The Right Back Conundrum

We currently have a headache at right back. Mathieu Debuchy is currently head a shoulders above anyone else at the club. He is undisputed 1st choice.

The conundrum then comes with who should be his back up going into next season.

Hector Bellerin is just 19, and certainly has the pace and ability to be a long term contender to the 1st choice right back slot. He looked good against Stoke and certainly has a bright future.

Meanwhile, at West Ham, Carl Jenkinson is going from strength to strength. Another brilliant performance against Swansea for West Ham has led some to start talking about him adding to his sole England cap.

We then have Calum Chambers. Started the season so well, but has gone backwards a little bit, and has rightly been taken out of the limelight. Still just 19 himself, he certainly has a future at Arsenal, whether it be at full back or centre back.

Next season, 3 in to 1 does not fit in the race to be Debuchy’s understudy.

The issue he could be slightly resolved if we decide to turn Chambers into a full time centre half. This would reduce the competition at right back to two. But with us clearly needing an experienced centrehalf to back up Koscielny and Mertesacker (or replace one in the 1st team), that would then leave Chambers as 4th choice centre back. He is better than that. Conundrum not really solved.

If this is the option the club takes, it then leaves Jenkinson and Bellerin battling it out. Jenkinson has the experience – he would have played nearly 38 games for West Ham by the end of the season – but Bellerin is perhaps the more naturally gifted.

It is clear that Wenger backed Bellerin over Jenkinson last summer, as it was the Englishman loaned out, but perhaps the form of the on loan Jenkinson will perhaps see Wenger reverse the role in 2015/16.

Jenkinson returns to back up Debuchy, with Bellerin on loan, perhaps?

I think what is the likely scenario is a new centre back is bought. Chambers is installed as 2nd choice right back, 4th choice centre back, Bellerin is loaned out, and Jenkinson sold to the highest bidder.

It makes my head hurt just thinking about it.

Benik Afobe

So Benik Afobe is the next Arsenal in a long line of Arsenal youngsters to have been hyped up as ‘the next big thing’ who has ultimately failed to make the grade at the.

Now a lot of people seem to be disappointed that the England youth striker was not given a chance at Arsenal. Citing the performance against Manchester United in the League Cup and the fact that Yaya Sanogo is still at the club as the two main reasons.

The fact is, Afobe did not make it at Arsenal because HE is not good enough.

Over five years ago, rumours circulated that then 16 year old striker Afobe, was interesting Barcelona having put in some good performances for both club and country at a youth level. Alongside Chuks Aneke, big things were expected. Sadly, both have shown how hard it is to make the step up for talented youngster, to  breaking through into the first team.

Afobe is 22 in February. This means we should stop talking about his potential, and start talking about his ‘here and now’. And it is the here and now which is not good enough.

You look at the players he is currently competing with for a place in the Arsenal first team squad. Yaya Sanogo, Chuba Akpom & Joel Campbel.

Afobe is older than 2 of the 3, and is infact 3 years older than Chuba Akpom. Yet is behind all 3 in terms of talent and ability. Some might argue he is better than Yaya Sanogo, but you only have to compare youth international records to see that Sanogo is the superior player.

As for Joel Campbell, he is 6 months older than Afobe. He has already played in the Premier League, in the Champions League and in a World Cup. Afobe has not even played for Arsenal yet!

Finally, Chuba Akpom. Like Afobe, he has been rated ‘the next big thing’.

For me, whilst Afobe has not had his chance at Arsenal, he has had his chance at other clubs.

A loan deal to League One Huddersfield at 18 saw him score 5 league goals in 28 games. But rumours of him being arrogant and a ‘big time Charlie’ would have rung alarm bells at London Colney.

Over the next 3 seasons, he had 4 loan spells at 4 different Championship clubs. In 40 league appearances, he scored just 4 goals.

This season, he went on loan to League One MK Don’s, where he has performed well. 10 goals in 20 league games, 19 goals in all competitions. It would usually be enough to get you excited, but it is League One, and he is nearly 22. Had he had that type of scoring record for Huddersfield at 18, you could talk about his potential. Having that record at 22 probably means he has found his level.

You could point to Tottenham and the likes of Andros Townsend, Harry Kane & Ryan Mason, who between them shared 18 less than impressive loan deals, before breaking through to the Spurs 1st team in their early 20’s. It shows some players do develop later. But the question to ask is are any of those 3 good enough for Arsenal?. The answer is no.

Personally, I do not think any of Afobe, Akpom, Sanogo or Campbell are good enough for Arsenal and would not be surprised if none of them are with the club by the time the 2015/16 season kicks off.

Benik Afobe (and Aneke) is not the 1st to be hyped up massively – mainly by our own fans – to that not make it. A lesson learnt? Probably not.

Keenos

 

Besiktas, Champions League Draw, Calum Chambers, New Signings

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Besiktas

So we are through. We did it The Arsenal way – the hard way. But we are through. We survived the hell that is Turkey, an awful refereeing performance and a below par Arsenal performance. But the most important thing is we are through.

Alexis Sanchez showed selfless running, challenging for every ball reminiscent of Luis Suarez. Jack Wilshere had his best game since he was a teenager. Santi Cazorla worked hard. Matheiu Flamini did not get booked. Matheiu Debuchy looked an improvement on Sagna.

Some say we should have cruised through, that Beskitas’ season has not yet started, but lets remember, they have played 4 competitive games this season (2 qualifiers v Feyernoord, 2 v Arsenal). That is the same amount of competitive games as Arsenal. They also had an entire week to prepare for us. We had a couple of days.

A battling performance which showed great mental strength.

Champions League Draw

So we are through (have I said that yet?). Now to look forward to the draw, which will be this afternoon at 16.45. Arsenal are in pot one. But who can we face?

Pot One: Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Benfica, Atletico Madrid, Arsenal, Porto.

Pot Two: Schalke, Dortmund, Juventus, Paris St-Germain, Basle, Shakhtar Donetsk, Manchester City, Zenit.

Pot Three: Bayer Leverkusen, Olympiakos, CSKA Moscow, Ajax, Liverpool, Sporting Lisbon, Galatasaray, Athletic Bilbao

Pot Four: Anderlecht, Roma, Apoel Nicosia, Bate Borisov, Ludogorets, Maribor, Monaco, Malmo

Dream draw: Arsenal, Basle, Sporting, Maribor
Nightmare draw: Arsenal, Juventus, Bayer Leverkusen, Monaco

Calum Chambers

Omitted last night, many people criticised the decision, wondering what he had done wrong. But the fact was, it was the right decision. Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny are better individually, and better as a partnership. You play your best players, and Chambers is the 3rd best centre back at the club.

At 19, he is extremely talented, but it is important that he does not get over hyped, with too much pressure put on the lad. There is talk of him getting an England call up for next weekend’s International’s. I would rather he stayed with the under 21’s, out of the limelight. Remember, this is a guy who has played just 3 competitive games at centre back.

His talent is not in question, but his game is still error prone. His slip against Demba Ba in the away leg. Playing the world onside for Everton’s 1st goal, diving in for Everton’s 2nd. He also has a problem under the high ball, often misjudging his jump.

Let him develop in his own time and he will become World Class.

New Signings

So we are through (I said it again). We have banked around £25m. There are now no excuses. We can offer the money, we can offer the success, we can offer top level football. We now need to go out and buy, and buy big.

With Olivier Giroud out till January, we need a striker. Even if the big name’s of Cavani or Falcao are not available, we need to add to the forward line. Go out and get Loic Remy – a proven Premier League striker – who can do the job until Giroud is back. Or Mattia Destro – Maybe not World Class, but Roma’s top scorer last season.

On the other side, I hope we do not waste big money on someone like Jackson Martinez or Danny Welbeck.

We also need to add in midfield and defence. Likely to be a dual player, someone who can be 1st choice defensive midfield, 4th choice centre back, we need someone. Let’s spend big and get in the right man.

Sadly, I would not be surprised if we bought no one. And this could cost us success this season.

Enjoy the draw.

Keenos

 

Has Arsene Wenger wasted £66 million?

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I am usually Mr Positive. My Happy-Go-Lucky. Over the last 9 years, I have stood by Arsene Wenger and the Arsenal transfer policy knowing that things will get better. That as new commercial deals were signed, we would have untold rich’s, that the new stadium, once the re-payment’s were under control, would ensure that we could compete with the Real Madrid’s, Barcelona’s and Bayern Munich’s. But I sit here, a little down, a little depressed, wondering if Arsene Wenger has misspent £66 million.

Before you all jump up and see ‘typical She Wore, always moaning’ check the writer of this piece, it is not GC (who does love a moan). Look at other blogs, you will see I am usually positive!

But back to the £66 million that we have spent. It is a big chunk of change, and has got many people very excited:

Alexis Sanchez – £35 million
Calum Chambers – £16 million (Rising too)
Mathieu Debuchy – £12 million
David Ospina – £3 million

On paper it looks like a very productive summer. But in reality, what have we actually done?

Swapping Goalkeepers

Lukasz Fabianski OUT – Free
David Ospina IN – £3 million

David Ospina had a brilliant World Cup, but Lukasz Fabianski had a brilliant cup run. The change in goal keepers has made us no stronger. It is simply a case of one out, one in. Some might argue that Ospina is marginally better than Fabianski, but this opinion would be based on a handful of World Cup games.

In the last 3 years, Fabianski has played 5 league games. Whilst it is important to have a decent keeper in case the worst happens to Szczezny, the fact is, the £3 million spent will not improve our first 11 next season. It is a nothing transfer

Replacing Bacary Sagna

Bacary Sagna OUT – Free
Calum Chambers IN – £16 million (Rising too)
Mathieu Debuchy IN – £12 million

So we lost Bacary Sagna. Whilst I was not too upset to see him go, as his wage demands were unreasonably high for a player in his 30’s, it has required us to buy 2 players to replace him, costing £28 million.

2013/14
Bacary Sagna – 1st choice right back / 4th choice centre back
Carl Jenkinson – 2nd choice right back

2014/15
Mathieu Debuchy – 1st choice right back
Calum Chambers – 2nd choice right back / 4th choice centre back

Again, on paper it looks like we have made big steps forward. We have signed Mathieu Debuchy, who kept Sagna out of the French side at the World Cup, and is 2 years younger. We have also signed young Calum Chambers. Is he a better right back than Carl Jenkinson? Yes. But £16 million on a second choice right back is a lot of money. Debuchy has averaged 31 league games a season over the last 6 years. So we have basically spent £16 million for a player to play 7 league games a season at right back.

Yes, he also covers centre back, but how many games did Bacary Sagna actually play at centre back last season? The answer is 3 in all competitions. So what have we done? We have spent £12 million on a 1st choice right back, and another £16 million on a bloke who will probably play 10 games next season.

Yes, Chambers has potentially, and could well push Debuchy hard for a 1st team place, but that £16 million, could it not have been better off spent elsewhere.

£28 million in total to swap Sagna / Jenkinson for Debuchy / Chambers seems a lot.

Alexis Sanchez

The only truly brilliant player we have signed. The only man who has not come in as a replacement for other players. The only man who improves our 1st XI dramatically from last year. A World Class signing. I have no complaints.
For all intents and purposes, we have spent £31 million on a reserve goalie and a replacement for Sagna. The signings of Ospina, Debuchy and Chambers do not improve our first XI from last season. They do not move us forward. And we are only marginally better in terms of squad depth at the back.

My worry is we have papered over the cracks a bit. People are looking at the £66 million spent and getting excited. What they fail to recognise is that only one of the 4 players makes us stronger than last season. The rest are merely replacements for players who have left.

The biggest issue is last season we were short two players. A striker and a defensive midfielder. At this moment in time, a couple of days short of August, we still have not signed a striker and a defensive midfielder.

There is talk of Alexis Sanchez playing upfront and Jack Wilshere playing defensive midfield. These are not acceptable solutions.

Yes, spending £66 million is exciting. We have 4 new faces. But let’s look beyond this and realise it has perhaps been £66 million misspent. We are still a striker and defensive midfielder short. The squad has not massively moved forward. I feel like we have been blinded by the lights, spun a good yarn. If we fail to get in the striker and defensive midfielder, it would mean we are only better in one position than we were last season.

We are making steps in the right direction, yet are still short. It is too early to be excited.

Keenos