Tag Archives: Luis Suarez

Could Arsenal still be in for Luis Suarez?

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Despite the transfer window shutting less than a week ago, there is already speculation as to who we will buy in January. With us still having over £40 million sitting in the ‘available monies for transfers’ piggy bank, a key signing or two in January could be a deal breaker if we are in the title race, or still in with a chance of a cup.

Where we are clearly most short at the minute is upfront. Whilst Lukas Podolski, Theo Walcott and Yaya Sanogo can provide cover, they are not sufficient to cover Olivier Giroud on a long term basis, if the big Frenchman picks up an injury. Also if we are starting with Walcott, it leaves Podolski as the only real game changing striker on the bench.

As for Giroud, he is good enough, but he is not star quality. He has shown this season already that he is a very clinical finisher. The fox in the box we were crying out for in the early 2000’s. And his size and work rate causes a problem. However there is always a feeling watching him that he is the man who should be as cover for the star man. He rarely creates out of nothing. And his attributes would be much better put to the last 30 minutes of a game:

1) If we are winning, he would be a good substitute to bring on to become more defensive. He can hold up the ball and chase down centrebacks. His height also gives us extra safety at corners.

2) If we are losing, he would be ideal to come on enabling us to play longer, sending high balls into the box, with others then getting around him. He would cause havoc.

In summary, we are still a star striker short. And in my opinion, that man could be Luis Suarez.

Earlier in the summer, June in fact, I predicted Arsenal would sign Mesut Ozil. This was not being me in the know, it was me using logic. Real Madrid had already signed Isco and with Bale on the way, it was clear that Ozil would be available. Around Europe, not many of the other top teams required (Manchester City, Chelsea, PSG) needed an attacking midfielder, and others (ie Seria A clubs) could afford it. It was logically that he was coming to Arsenal.

Using the same logic, it would not surprise me if we ended up signing Luis Suarez in either January or next summer. Here is my reasoning.

It was clear that a striker was top of our list this summer, and that Luis Suarez was one of the main targets. He had the well documented clause that lead us to bid £40,000,001 for him. The understanding was that Liverpool would let him leave a bid of anything over £40m. Hence the £1. Why bid £45m, when a bid of £40m + £1 triggers the same clause.

However Liverpool challenged the legitimacy of this clause, claiming it was not a release clause, but merely meant they had to inform Luis Suarez of the bid. With all parties disagreeing over what the clause meant, the result would mean that Luis Suarez or Arsenal would have to take Liverpool to Court of Arbitration for Sport. Now this would have been time consuming, with appeals and long drawn out legal proceedings. It is unlikely it would of been completed by the end of the transfer window. This lead Arsenal to drop their interest fairly quickly once Liverpool established their stance and made it clear they would defend their opinion in a court of law.

Our actions after this show, to me, that we are still interested in Luis Suarez. A lack of a bid for any other top striker (bar the rumoured interest in Benzema) showed that perhaps Luis Suarez was still on our radar. Our only interest was in a short term option of a year long loan for Demba Ba. This perhaps shows that there were irons in the fire for longer term options. After all, why go and spend £20-30 million on someone you are not quite sure about, when your main target is still in your sights?

And for me, that target is Luis Suarez.

I would not be surprised if, in the next couple of weeks, it is announced that Luis Suarez is taking Liverpool to court for clarification of the release clause. This action is likely to be supported by Arsenal. Now if he wins, it would mean they would have to sell him for a bid over £40m. Worse case scenario, they might enter mediation and agree a new, higher legitimate clause. Or Liverpool attempt to avoid the embarasment of there star striker taking them to court byt offering Suarez a new deal on more money, with a legally tight release clause in it. Again, this could still lead to him joining Arsenal.

There would still be plenty of ‘what ifs’ over the deal:

  • What if after the court case, another side puts in a bid?
  • What if Liverpool are still top of the league come January?
  • What if Liverpool win the case?

For me, it is logical to say that via our actions after the Suarez deal went dead, and on the last day of the transfer window, we are certainly still in the market for a long term star striker. For me that man will be Luis Suarez.

Keenos (not ITK)

Not Spending Costs Arsenal

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As the third Aston Villa goal went in, the chants began. ‘Spend some fucking money. Spend some fucking money.’ And how right the fans were. Arsenal’s 3-1 defeat against Aston Villa should not of happened. It should of been a comfortable start to the season. Three points on the board. A good start to the season. But it was not. A refusal by Arsene Wenger left Arsenal down to the bare bones and cost us 3 points.

Yes, Arsenal (and Arsene probably will) point to some ‘bad luck.’ A fairly poor referring performances. Where Arsenal players got booked and Villa continued to put in poor challenges which went unchallenged. Playing play om for Aston Villa, only to pull the play back after they’d had their advantage, whilst being quick to the whistle when Arsenal had been fouled yet had the ball. Arsenal can point to poor luck in injuries. The class of heads involving Gibbs and Benteke. Oxlade-Chamberlain hobbling off at half-time. And Sagna being left in a crumple heap by Beneteke (The new Kevin Davies?). Also Wenger might point to iit taking 2 penalties and a break away goal to beat us. That we hit the bar (they hit the post) and we missed a couple of one on ones (which they did too) but ultimately, the reason we sit bottom of the table is due to Arsene Wenger’s refusal to spend.

During pre-season, most Arsenal fans agreed. We needed a goalkeeper whou could challenge for the number one spot. We needed a squad centre back, as we only had 3. We needed a hard midfielder to stop teams cutting through us and help out Arteta. And we needed a striker who was better then Giroud – who despite his hard work, ability and devilishly good looks, will always be a back up striker for a top team.

And we sit here, after the first game of the season, with nothing but a young striker. Who whilst talented, is injury prone and not yet ready. And the only person to blame is Arsene Wenger.

Szczesny looked shakey. When he came out for the ball in the 1st half, Arsenal fans held there breath. Whilst he could do little about the goals, and was stuck between a rock and a hard place for the penalty he gave away, you have to wonder as to whether having Julio Cesar between the posts would of given the defence more confidence. Would it of meant they did not lunge into challenges?

As mentioned, losing 2 fullbacks is unlucky. And Koscielny’s red card left us severely exposed. However, playing Ramsay at centre back and bringing Podolski on to replace Sagna highlights the problem. When we lost Koscielny at 2-1 down, had we had a centre back, such as Mattias Ginter, on the bench, we could of solidified the defence whilst still attacking. Having no other centre back option left us open. And meant a 3rd Villa goal was more likely then an Arsenal equaliser.

Thirdly, the 1st goal conceded was a direct result of not having a midfield wall. As much as Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsay are brilliant midfielders, they are not defensively minded enough. They let runners go. And they don’t commit the ‘smart foul.’ The way Agbonlahor ran through us for their 1st penalty was testament to this. At no point did we look like stopping him. There is an old saying in football. Either the ball or the man go’s past you, but never both. Agbonlahor waltzed through us with the ball. Had Ettiene Capoue been in the Arsenal red today, rather then having signed for Tottenham. Things might of been different. No waltzing through. No 1st penalty. No Aston Villa goal. 3 points to The Arsenal.

Finally upfront. Olivier Giroud is a worker. He took his goal well. But he is not title challenging quality. Good squad player, yes. The main man. No. Whilst the signing of Luis Suarez would not of changed the game, due to him being suspended, it would of given the fans a much needed lift. Or had we had Stevan Jovetic in the squad, his creativity, his option, could’ve forced us forward. We had neither.

Today’s defeat is the direct result of not spending. The worry now is this defeat, and a defeat to Tottenham, could result in the supermarket sweep type spending we saw 2 years ago, where we end up wasting a lot of money on frankly average players. The problem is the signings should of already been done.

Julio Cesar, Mattias Ginter, Ettiene Capoue and Steven Jovetic should of all made their Arsenal debut today. Arsenal should of won today. Arsenal should be top of the league. Arsenal should of spent some of our fucking money.

They didn’t. And we now sit bottom of the table. And there is only one man to blame.

Keenos

Falcao to Solve Arsenal’s Problems?

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Rumours are circulating that agents working on behalf of Monaco have sounded out Europe’s elite with the view of shipping out Columbian striker Radamel Falcao, who scored on his Monaco debut. Despite the hitman only signing for Monaco this summer for £50 million, it seems that the project has been vastly overestimated.

With Monaco having to pay a premium in wage’s to attract, it seems they are in a potentially similar situation as Malaga, where its own just does not have as much disposable money as first assumed. The report in Spanish paper Marca insinuates that the French club are hemorrhaging money at an unexpected rate.

Arsenal’s search for a striker seems to of stalled with the pursuit of Luis Suarez. If Falcao does come onto the market, he is certainly someone we should be interested in.

Having already bid £40m (plus £1) for Suarez, the fee of £50m will not be a problem. Falcao’s tax free wages – £270,000 per week – might be the stumbling point, as well as the reports that he might be 29 year old, rather than the 27 years he has always claimed.

Whether the rumours do turn out to be true or not with regards to Falcao’s transfer listing at Monaco, it will certainly challenge some ‘mercenaries’ thoughts when it comes to where they end up. With the financial problems at Anzhi Makhachkala, and Nicolas Anelka and Didier Drogba returning from China after the money did not appear, the landscape of players going for the money will change. Players will become more aware that whilst they might be getting promised untold millions on papers, actually getting that money over the length of the contract is a different story.

He would certainly solve Arsenal’s problems upfront, and provide a big boost to fans morale, which has hit an all time low.

Keenos