Take Your Medicine, It's Deadline Day At Arsenal

Well now,


I started writing an article the moment after the horrifying loss we had at United, but I just couldn’t finish it. Luckily the last couple of days have given us Gooners some good news to dwell on, so that’s what I’ll be talking about today.

Marvin Martin, a reported transfer
target for the Gunners.

The transfer deadline draws ever nearer and Arsenal have finally begun to flex their muscle when it comes to signing new players. As of today it looks like Per Mertesacker, Chu Young Park and Andre Santos have all signed for the club. As of this moment only Park has been officially announced on Arsenal.com but you can expect the other deals to be finalized this morning (UK time at least, it’d be tomorrow for us yanks). As far as other transfer targets, most of the usual names are being suggested as Arsenal continue to search for a CAM and maybe one other midfielder. Yoann Gourcuff, Eden Hazard, and Marvin Martin all seem to be targets that would bring the creative spark we so desperately lack right now. However, both Clint Dempsey and Juan Manuel Vargas have been linked just yesterday, and in my opinion they would both be great deadline day signings.

I don’t know a whole lot about Vargas, in fact I’ve never heard of him if I’m being brutally honest. Gauging by the reactions I’ve seen to this particular link, he’s a very good player. He seems to have temperament problems; his nickname is El Loco (the crazy one), so that should clue you in. I don’t know if this would actually happen and players with off the field issues don’t seem to last long at Arsenal, players like Adebayor. I, mainly just because I’m American, am very excited about the prospect of Clint Dempsey joining us. He’s tough, creative, and a very hard working player. He loves to play in the hole directly behind the striker, a central position, and has very good technical skills. He’s proven internationally as well as in Europe. He was very pivotal to Fulham’s run to the Europa League Final just two years ago. I don’t know if Dempsey would start every game, but he would be a fantastic option to have off the bench. Another thing that could help seal the deal is Dempsey’s desire to play Champions League football. He has been linked with PSG and Sevilla recently, but if it came down to a choice he would undoubtedly pick us, now it just depends on whether Arsenal put in a bid or not.

As far as filling up our empty midfield, I’m stuck on whom I would rather have come in. My opinion is that the midfielder that is bought must be a major improvement to what we already have, improving other player’s abilities by becoming the creator for the team. A big name like Hazard or even M’Villa doesn’t seem to be that for Arsenal. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love Eden Hazard. I’ve wanted him at Arsenal for over two years. That said, he doesn’t play the central role at Lille, Florent Balmont and Benoit Pedretti occupy the central of the pitch for Lille OSC. Hazard has all the skills to become something truly amazing, but he would have to adapt to a new role in a bigger and faster league. Not something that is easy for anybody, especially with the weight of almost being required to win a trophy in your first season. No, if any midfielder were bought I would wager that it would be one of Gourcuff and Martin, both if we’re lucky. Both player’s posses excellent vision and technical skills to make any pundit drool. Don’t believe me? Watch this goal scored by Gourcuff, tekkers like you won’t believe.



I don’t see any Central defenders being bought apart from Mertesacker, who by all means is no easy way out for Arsenal. The tall, and I mean tall (he’s 6’6’’), CB has loads of experience for both club and country. Possessing 75 caps for Germany, he has more experience than any other CB we’ve been linked to all summer. He also costs less than all the other CB’s, being bought at a cool £8m. Cahill could still yet arrive, but I doubt it. The tension between Bolton and Arsenal has become very high, and in all honesty Cahill would not be first choice even if he did arrive. Kos and TV5 both still rate above him, not mention Mertesacker. Many fans have called out for Cahill, which I’m not quite sure why. Maybe just having an English CB brings back memories of Tony Adams, pleasant nostalgia if anything. I don’t see it happening though, but would gladly be proved wrong.

Santos is another signing that has been met with much skepticism. Opinions vary from him being world-class to him being crap. I hope it’s the first, and from what videos I’ve seen, Santos possesses enormous confidence on the ball. Something that will definitely aid the attack this year. I can see Santos winning the battle with Gibbs for becoming first choice, mainly because of Gibbs’ track record with injuries. I believe that Wenger wouldn’t have suggested him to be bought unless he was actually good, and Santos also brings experience with him as well. So all in all, for the price of £7m, not a bad buy.

Park Chu Young, Arsenal's
newest recruit. 

The last transfer I’ll talk about is Chu Young Park. He comes from Monaco for the price of about £3m, rising to £5m million potentially. This is a signing no one saw coming, mainly because Park has already agreed to sign for Lille and we basically stole him in the middle of the night. Park captains South Korea, so he brings a lot of experience as well. He won’t be preferred to RVP, but potentially can offer Wenger the ability to change formation if he desires. Allowing RVP to sit in the hole behind Park and act more like a true #10.

Either way, business seems to be good at Arsenal FC. With the last few hours of the transfer window ticking away there is still business to be done, so watch out for some last minute blockbuster deals. I’ll be back tomorrow to look at the final verdict.


Till then,
Thaddeus

By Thad Torrez

Follow him on Twitter - @thad4dified