Arsenal 2012

One thing I can say is Arsenal has finally bought winners. That has always been a major gripe for me. For the past few seasons the Arsenal squad had absolutely no one who’d won a trophy in their careers – or at least recently – which must have been some sort of record, especially for a club of Arsenal’s stature.

Santi Cazorla... The Future is Here

You really can’t expect to win anything when the players in the team have never tasted the success of winning, and therefore don’t know what it takes to win a trophy.

But in Olivier Giroud, Lukas Podolski and Santi Cazorla there is a massive change, and if Sahin joins, all of a sudden you have a strong spine to the team, of winners. Giroud has just won the French league with Montpellier against pretty great odds while being a key player in that run with his goals. By all accounts, the Frenchman is an old-fashioned penalty-box striker which could suit Arsenal because, funnily enough, Arsene Wenger’s team has recently been one that gets plenty of crosses in the box through Bacary Sagna and Gael Clichy before and now Kieran Gibbs or Andre Santos on left.

Podolski is a German international and that says it all! He brings a naturally engrained winning mentality. He is vastly experienced, even though he is still young, and he is a more direct player to what Arsenal have at their disposal. He too is talented and technical, but he is driven towards the final product – winning and getting the ball into the net, which is not necessarily the case with Walcott or Van Persie, for example, who are more beautiful players who like to make things look stylish and are more elaborate.

Cazorla could represent Arsenal’s most influential signing since Gilberto Silva. He is world-class; a premier player. Only 27, he has already achieved plenty, primarily with Spain, and here again is a guy with a winning mentality. He is a quality footballer too, consistently superb at set-pieces – something Arsenal haven’t really had since Thierry Henry – and is a leader on the pitch as well.

Sahin would be a final piece. He would be coming from Real Madrid, a team of winners and expectation; so he would therefore be coming from good traditions and habits. He would represent a vast improvement on Alex Song, even if the defensive role isn’t his most natural position. Potentially you could have a midfield of Sahin, Arteta and Cazorla – all of whom are disciplined, educated footballers. With Diaby, Rosicky, Wilshere and Ramsey also in the mix, Arsenal would no doubt have the finest midfield group in the English Premiership.

Nuri Sahin. The final piece?

Indeed, from the halfway line forwards there are few teams that can compare with Arsenal in Europe.

There’s everything – speed, technique, invention, skill. Out wide you have Walcott, Gervinho, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Miyaichi; all quality, all explosive, then you have Podolski, Giroud, and van Persie – if he stays – as the central attacking options.

Personally though, I would sell Van Persie. He has to come out in the next week and say if he really wants to stay at Arsenal. If not, you have to cut your losses. Get that money in the coffers or sign one more player, hopefully in defence, who can improve the team.

This season is just too big for Arsenal. All hands on deck. A trophy has to be won. This is a minimum requirement. Not second place or a close shave.

That’s one of the reasons Song has to go as well. If it is indeed true that he has been flipped by interest from Barcelona, then there is no need for him. Arsenal need soldiers this season. Fully committed, fully concentrated.

The only worry for me is still that back five, in my opinion one of the least reliable defensive units in the whole league. Sagna apart, there is no defender I can trust there. In fact, to me, Miquel is Arsenal’s best defender. None of the guys seem to embrace the boring parts of their job, which is what makes you great as a defender... not even the keeper!

Goal Machine... RVP, will he stay or go?

If you’re a defender your job above all is to stop danger and pass the ball. Basics. There is no need to be going crazy every game. These guys at the back there are a real worry for me. It’s worse with Song there. The league game against Tottenham, when Arsenal won 5-2, those first 20 minutes were the worst thing I’ve ever seen – Spurs just running freely through the centre of the pitch. Schoolboy stuff.

There is no doubting Vermaelen, Koscielny and Song’s natural talent, actually they would make amazing attacking players, but as defenders they are yet to convince me.

With all that said, it is my belief that Arsenal are two players away from being on par with the very best teams in Europe, your Barcelonas, Madrids and Bayerns. A keeper and a centreback. For example, a Julio Cesar, who is available for free, and a Lucio, who was available on a free. Theoretically, if the Arsenal team could be something like this…

    Julio Cesar

 Sagna Lucio  Vermaelen   Gibbs

     Arteta   Sahin

Chamberlain   Cazorla   Podolski

    Van Persie (Giroud)

…then you have a very solid team. You have a team with experience, know-how and one that can still play to the Arsenal traditions.

Arteta would be my Xabi Alonso, to allow Sahin a little more freedom. But in essence the pair would share the defensive midfield responsibility, in a similar way to what Xabi Alonso and Busquets do for Spain.

2005 FA Cup, the last time Arsenal won a trophy...

Whatever happens in the remainder of this transfer window, this is a crucial season for Arsenal. A trophy has to come. Or else the club will forever bleed players.

What riposte will Arsenal have for a player who wants to go elsewhere to win trophies?