Line-up at the end of the transfer window: would you be happy if....

[Özim]

I'd be happy enough with that, ideally it would be Baines and Samba instead but that team would do well, especially with the back-up from the bench.

Pretty sure we're done in terms of attackers unless Cesc or Nasri go, and Cesc probably will so it could be Santi or Mata but not both imo.

IMO as well as adding to the defence we need another striker, for a start RVP gets injured a lot...even if he didn't though we need someone else who can weigh in with goals up front...something we don't have (Gervinho is a winger so can't count him). I'd have liked someone in midfield too as Song was poor last season (maybe complacency) and he's off the ACON in all likelyness, just like Gervinho (which makes him an odd player to sign to be honest).

[Cripps_orig]

New keeper
Sagna New CB Vermaelen New LB

Walcott New AM New DM Arshavin

RVP New ST

6 first teamers needed. We have got 2 pub teamers instead

In short, we are fucked

[Toronto Gooner]

we had this starting 11 come August the 31th:

Szczesny

Sagna - JAGIELKA - Vermaelen - JOSE ENRIQUE

Wilshere - Song

GERVINHO - CAZORLA - MATA

Van Persie

If that were the official top line-up, my answer would be no. Personally, I would prefer

Szczesny

Sagna-Djourou-Samba-Vermaelen

Wilshere-Ramsay

Mata-Van Persie-Gervinho

Benzema

[hobson's choice]

Honestly we need a two CB's, and real DM. Vermaelan in no way should be starting for a team that has title aspiration in this League.

[fari]

Honestly we need a two CB's, and real DM. Vermaelan in no way should be starting for a team that has title aspiration in this League.

i agree with this. vermaelen likes to trot up the field too much...even when we are winning...

[Darth Vela]

Honestly we need a two CB's, and real DM. Vermaelan in no way should be starting for a team that has title aspiration in this League.

Thing is though, Vermalen has exactly what we need, those leadership qualities and grit that everyone talks about, plus he's pretty handy in the air, strong and has a hammer of a left foot. Sure, he has his flaws like his positioning isn't perfect and he can leave us exposed when he goes upfield but those are worth it for what else he gives us imo.

[Marc Overmars]

Thing is though, Vermalen has exactly what we need, those leadership qualities and grit that everyone talks about, plus he's pretty handy in the air, strong and has a hammer of a left foot. Sure, he has his flaws like his positioning isn't perfect and he can leave us exposed when he goes upfield but those are worth it for what else he gives us imo.

For a defender, a nack of leaving things exposed at the back is quite a critical flaw, despite all the marauding he may bring to the team.

Vermaelen is a bit overrated IMO. Bit like the Eduardo situation really. The heart grows fonder in absence and all that.

I don't doubt Vermaelen is made of the right stuff but opinion of him is based on Autumn 2009 when he scored a freak amount of goals and had his honeymoon period. He's still got it all to prove.

[Özim]

For a defender, a nack of leaving things exposed at the back is quite a critical flaw, despite all the marauding he may bring to the team.

Vermaelen is a bit overrated IMO. Bit like the Eduardo situation really. The heart grows fonder in absence and all that.

I don't doubt Vermaelen is made of the right stuff but opinion of him is based on Autumn 2009 when he scored a freak amount of goals and had his honeymoon period. He's still got it all to prove.

I agree with this, he's had half a good season...the other half of the season he had, he made plenty of errors and generally wasn't as good.

As you said has it all to prove and after a year out doubt it's going to be easy for him.

[Darth Vela]

For a defender, a nack of leaving things exposed at the back is quite a critical flaw, despite all the marauding he may bring to the team.

Vermaelen is a bit overrated IMO. Bit like the Eduardo situation really. The heart grows fonder in absence and all that.

I don't doubt Vermaelen is made of the right stuff but opinion of him is based on Autumn 2009 when he scored a freak amount of goals and had his honeymoon period. He's still got it all to prove.

I'm sure it's that way for some people, obviously I don't think I fall into that category, otherwise I wouldn't think it. It's not a knack, so much as something he's done 3 or 4 times from my memory, most of those times when we were dominating but needed to push up so not such a bad idea really, just needs to be timed better and the midfield needs to have a little bit of awareness.

Regardless, it's something he'll definitely have to tone down if Song continues to forget he's covering defenders and Gibbs continues to believe he's a winger.

I should probably clarify, I meant that Vermaleen has left us compromised at the back 3 or 4 times rather than he's gone forwards 3 or 4 times, he's done that a little more often iirc.

[fakeyank]

I'm sure it's that way for some people, obviously I don't think I fall into that category, otherwise I wouldn't think it. It's not a knack, so much as something he's done 3 or 4 times from my memory, most of those times when we were dominating but needed to push up so not such a bad idea really, just needs to be timed better and the midfield needs to have a little bit of awareness.

Regardless, it's something he'll definitely have to tone down if Song continues to forget he's covering defenders and Gibbs continues to believe he's a winger

Our back line barring Sagna is a disaster waiting to happen. They are all inexperienced, young and have no concept of defending. How Arsene believes that not having a defensive coach and new experienced players at the back is acceptable is beyond me!