Winter Transfer Speculation and Shit.

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

I was of the opinion we needed a different kind of striker but it's evident that Giroud is possibly the reason our style of play is working at the moment. If we're going to play with a sea of ball playing midfielders we're going to need a focal point to it, so another tall striker would be ideal for consistency.

Maybe.

Or he could be the reason we're not excelling even more than what we could be.

Having a fast, agile forward like Suarez may inject further pace and energy into our attacks, making us even more deadly.

[fakeyank]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/foo...er-window.html

Oh dear Lord Dennis..

[LDG]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/foo...er-window.html

Oh dear Lord Dennis..

[McNamara That Ghost...]

One of Fat Sam's first signings for Real Madrid.

[Power n Glory]

Once upon a time on ahfc, Theo's numbers were passed off as merely the result of RvP's brilliance. His numbers subsequently improved the season after when the Skunk was no longer there any more.

I think his lack of technical ability at times has meant many gooners are quicker to slight him in a football sense, even to the point where they marginalise what he does have going for him.

Part of the genius of Wenger is to recognise that players with natural attacking ability do not so much need coaching as their skills need honing. To put it differently, he is wary of formulating or overly contriving a method in which they can use their skills. Rather he sets an adaptable framework. The flip side of that is that Wenger is less likely to tell Cazorla/Ozil/another to play on the shoulder to stretch the game a little. He may say things that imply to the player that they should consider it but he won't necessarily expressly and explicitly state it to a player directly. That is why so many players under him feel 'liberated' imo.

In Theo's absence somebody needs to be trying to stretch the play by varying their own play and getting beyond the oppositions back line. Wenger likes Rosicky because he seems to have a natural knack for sensing when he should do as much, when to drop back, when to push on and when to look for a ball behind the lines. That is hard to coach. We have enough intelligent players on the field at any one time to make it work, but Theo's persistence and speed with stretching the play means a defence never gets a rest and the lines between the oppositions back line and midfield are wider for longer periods of time. That liberates others who need not worry so much about varying their own game. Que the on rushing midfield wizards we have in midfield. Give them an inch and they usually take a yard.

Djeko's ability is a little marginalised too because of his bit part of role, but he is a well rounded player in my view. In an ideal world the next forward through the door would offer something significantly different to Giroud, but I'd take two Giroud's over one + Bendtner....that's not to say that Djeko precisely the same player though.

I think Theo’s gotten a raw deal playing on the right side because he’s not a natural winger. He’s just adapted to the situation and has managed to carve out a unique position for himself here at Arsenal. I can’t imagine any other club playing him this way. He’s not considered as a winger or a striker so if he were to lose his place at the club, he may find it hard to find another club that can find a use for him. I have no idea why we’re not playing him on the left as an inverted winger so he’s cutting in on his preferred foot or why he’s not being developed as a striker. Theo isn’t the best technical player we have in our squad, but playing down that side exposes him even more.

It’s why I slightly disagree with your point about Wenger being a genius and honing his skills. If it wasn’t for Theo’s persistence, work ethic and ability to bat off the criticism, most other players would have crumbled a long time ago or kicked up a stink to play in their preferred position. I’m thinking of Ramsey, Bendy and Eboue as recent examples. Or when Flamini had to kick up a stink to play as a DM instead of left back and Song wanting to play as DM instead of a CB. Theo has done really well with what he’s been given but it my opinion we’re only seeing a fraction of what he could potentially be for this club. The plan for Theo was to turn him into a Henry type striker. The right wing was only supposed to be a part of his development and I think Theo has learned everything he can from that position.

[Letters]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/foo...er-window.html

Oh dear Lord Dennis..

Why do you want to be a bench warmer for them?

[Power n Glory]

Cut him some slack. Ask any player at any level which club they'd love to play for and they'd mention Real or Barca as a dream move.

Saw this in the comments section and he's right. Don't fall for the BS!

what i find sad is how easily you readers fall in to the snare set by tabloids. Those of you who mocking and bashing bendtner are the reason why these buffoons continue to publish rubbish articles. I can't believe journalism has become this desperate. Football is looking more and more like hollywood. I m pretty sure his statements were taken out of context. Even then, if they were honest, majority of the players on the planet will say they want to go to real madrid or barca. so whats the big deal.

[Letters]

Fine. It's a dream move for any player but on the back of his generally ludicrous opinion of his ability it does make him sound like a twerp.

[Power n Glory]

That's the angle they were shooting for. If he's said a lower league team or somewhere more realistic, they'd have whipped a nasty story where everyone would have said he's being totally disrespectful to us.

[Fist of Lehmann]

Presumably his comment was meant as a joke. Even Bendtner has some level of self-awareness.