Arsenal's 2011 Transfers: The 5 Players Who Must Be Sold To End the Drought
This season, while Manchester United coasted (very bumpily) to a record 19th league title, it was a familiar sight in North London as Arsenal fans looked over the tattered remains of a season that promised so much yet brought embarrassingly little in the end.
Six years ago, Patrick Vieira's last ever kick for the club ensured he would go down in Arsenal history as a legend as the Gunners lifted the FA Cup against Manchester United. While Arsenal's trophy cabinet has been bare ever since, it is mainly down due to the erratic form of a few key players.
The following slideshow contains the five players Arsenal must sell over the summer and lists potential replacements for them. Any funds generated from the sale of these players can be used to buy other players, allaying the tempers—at least partially—of that growing section of Arsenal fans that are baying for blood and calling for Wenger's head.
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Manuel Almunia
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The Spaniard has been past his best for a long, long time now. While he did begin the season as Arsenal's first-choice custodian, his woeful form and the rise of Polish duo Wojciech Szczesny and Lukasz Fabianski saw the Spaniard relegated to the bench. He was at fault for two of the three goals plundered by West Bromwich Albion at the Emirates in the first half of the season and saw action only in the second half of the season after that calamitous display, and only because both Poles were injured. Almunia made even graver errors against the same club at the Hawthorns and probably threw Arsenal's title chances out the window as far as that game was concerned.
The Spaniard shows all the positioning and awareness of a stick: he is wooden, rigid and unflexible. In fact, his performances have been so woebegone that manager Arsene Wenger was forced to recall Jens Lehmann from retirement, and the former Stuttgart keeper inspired an Arsenal backline that beat Blackpool 3-1 at Bloomfield Road—a highlight in an otherwise awful month.
With Almunia past his long-gone prime and the Arsenal fans sick and tired of howler after goalkeeping howler from the former Celta Vigo custodian, Almunia should get the chop this summer. Galatasaray showed interest last year with a bid of around £8 million being readied for him, but it is certain that if (and most probably when) Almunia leaves Arsenal, it will be somewhere far, far away.
Who should replace him?
Arsene Wenger has always been a fan of promoting youth, and that is exactly what he will do this time around. While fans have called for an experienced goalkeeper to be signed over the summer, Wenger has kept his faith in Fabianski and Szczesny. With Jens Lehmann in the frame too, Wenger doesn't need to sign anyone in the summer to replace Almunia.
Denilson
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Nothing is more toxic to dressing room morale than a player who categorically states he wants to leave after being disillusioned at the Club. Denilson joined the club in the summer of 2006 and having failed to win any silverware at the club, has expressed his desire to move on in search of greener pastures.
While the 23-year-old stated during the winter that he wouldn't be leaving Arsenal for Wolfsburg or Barcelona, he has stated that he wants a new challenge after "one of the worst seasons" of his career. He has held this desire for quite a while now and would explain why he hasn't been seen in matchday squads for quite a while now.
Although the Brazilian has had some good games and an explosive right foot, his consistency leaves much to be desired. He has only featured intermittently in the side and when he has, failed to live up to expectations.
Wenger chooses to deploy him in a defensive midfield role simply because Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri are too valuable to be shifted, which is occupied primarily by Alexandre Song, severely limiting the Brazilian's playing time. He doesn't seem to fit into the 4-3-3 and appears to be a square peg in a round hole, in limbo between the defensive and attacking midfield positions.
If rumours are to be believed, AS Roma have pieced together a five million bid for him. I'd say Wenger should take it with both hands, while the player himself has said that he will accept any offer from a Champions League club in the Big Five.
Who should replace him?
With both Blackpool and West Ham going down, it seems likely that a bidding war for both Charlie Adam and Scott Parker is about to begin. Both Britons represent the ideal midfield workhorse: gutsy, all-action performers with fantastic work rates. Arsenal surely should snap one of them up.
Coming through the ranks at Arsenal are Henri Lansbury, Mark Randall and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas. Both have returned from their respective loans with high commendations and now would be the best time to blood them into the first team.
Tomasz Rosicky
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A picture speaks a thousand words, and this picture epitomises the problem with Rosicky. Brought in as the successor to Robert Pires on the wings, the Little Mozart has seen his time in England blighted by injury after recurring injury, leading to him being extremely inconsistent on the pitch.
While he had a stellar season alongside Fabregas, Mathieu Flamini and Alexander Hleb, the season after the departure of Thierry Henry, he limped off in a game against Newcastle and was never the same. A mystery leg injury which was operated upon several times forced him to miss Euro 2008 and the entire 2008-2009 season.
While he did make his return against Manchester City, scoring in the 4-2 loss, he was never the same and has looked extremely short on confidence since. This season, with the Fabregas-Wilshere-Song trio thriving, Rosicky is no longer first choice and while he has made several appearances this season, looks mediocre at best. While he did pull the strings at Wigan in style, he was virtually anonymous in the 2-1 home win against Everton and looked out of sorts during the Carling Cup Final, despite finishing strongly.
The grapevine suggests that Wenger has told Rosicky he is free to leave over the summer and while I hate to see Arsenal lose such a talented player, there is no doubt that the sun is setting on his Arsenal career.
Who should replace him?
As in the case of Denilson, both Parker and Adam would be excellent replacements.
The Academy has quite a few midfielders who are ready to make the jump to the first team including Lansbury, Emmanuel-Thomas, Emmanuel Frimpong, Conor Henderson and Mark Randall.
Gaël Clichy
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Arsenal fans have a chant that goes "Gael Clichy, Clichy, he's better than Ashley, he should've been number three."
Sadly, that is far from the truth. The France international has had some very erratic seasons in the past, and this season seems as patchy as ever. Gone is the sprightly 23-year-old who roared up and down the left flank. He's been replaced by someone who doesn't put in the right amount of effort and is too easily brushed aside by opposing wingers.
The left-back lacks the strength to deal with opposition players and therefore is very easy to get past. His body language seems to suggest arrogance and complacency that seems to rise from Arsenal's failure to win silverware, and he shows not even the slightest indication to the fact that Kieran Gibbs is quickly establishing himself as a worthy opponent.
He has already been courted by Bayern Munich and Inter Milan and has expressed a desire to leave the Club. Arsenal will have to settle for a fee between six and nine million pounds, since he will be available for free next summer and Arsenal will want to cash in.
Who should replace him?
The media has linked England defender Leighton Baines with the Gunners in the past, and he would be a good fit at the Club. Rumours are also rife about Arsenal courting Emilio Izaguirre from Celtic.
Rising through the ranks are Kieran Gibbs and Armand Traoré, but while they have seen first team action, they are not experienced enough to make the first-choice left-back spot their own.
Sébastien Squillaci
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Arsenal fans thought something had gone right in the transfer market when Arsene Wenger picked up the French defender from Sevilla for a cut-price eight million pounds over the summer. The 30-year-old, after all, had plenty of experience in two of Europe's Big Five leagues and had represented France many times.
Having heard from his Arsenal colleagues during international breaks about how nice it felt playing for the Club, Squillaci didn't think twice about jumping ship.
Unfortunately, fans were severely disappointed when Squillaci and fellow Frenchman Laurent Koscielny failed to form a cognitive defensive partnership, and Johan Djourou was preferred to him instead. The stats speak for themselves: Arsenal's defence conceded one goal in more than 300 minutes when Djourou and Koscielny played as compared to one in 80-odd minutes when the two Frenchmen featured.
There is no doubt that his experience helped him marshal the back four and add steel to the much vaunted Arsenal spine, but for an individual who has been inculcated in the flair and artistry of the French and Spanish leagues, the English Premier League's physicality may be hard to grasp. Basic errors against the likes of West Brom—though he was more guilty by association there—underline why he is a liability to the Gunners.
Although Squillaci is strong in the air, he is too inconsistent, and comparisons are already being made between him and the abysmal Mikael Silvestre. The centre-back seems set to leave after his contract runs out, but one might see bids made for him this summer.
Who should replace him?
Arsenal have been linked with several centre-backs over the season, with the primary candidates being Christopher Samba, Phil Jagielka and Gary Cahill.
Also coming through the ranks are Ignasi Miquel and Kyle Bartley.
What of the Others?
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Some might say there are others who have been inconsistent over the season. What of them?
Emmanuel Eboué
It is clear that the Ivorian is not first choice, but that is more due to the emergence of Bakary Sagna than his attitude. While some fans might fault him for clumsily giving away the penalty, which allowed Liverpool to equalise deep into stoppage time at the Emirates, he is a player of very good quality.
Eboué was a rock on Arsenal's right hand side against Barcelona at the Emirates, defending stoutly against the likes of Lionel Messi and David Villa—no mean feat, and bombed down the right to support Arsenal's attackers brilliantly.
Ever since he was taken off to jeers against Wigan Athletic, the Ivory Coast international has revolutionised himself and exorcised his demons of that day. He is technically sound and versatile enough to play anywhere down the right. He also contributes a lot to team morale and has been often described by his teammates as the comedian of the bunch.
A player who lives to play for Arsenal and shows such joie de vivre deserves to stay at the Club.
Andrei Arshavin
Many brickbats have been flung at the Russian this season and while it has been inconsistent, the Meerkat has that element of magic that can turn a game on its head and make the audience sit up and take notice.
There is no doubt that when he shows up, he is able to slice through defenders like a knife through butter, which he did in surreptitious fashion against Barcelona and was unplayable against Aston Villa away from home.
While his poor run of form meant he lost his starting berth to Theo Walcott, there is no doubt that the Russian is an extremely talented individual. Rumours about him leaving the Club over the summer have been quashed by both player and manager, and Arsenal's No. 23 should be around next season.
Arsene Wenger has admitted that some of his players didn't get as much first team action this season, and he is going to "sit down and talk with them over the summer." Nicklas Bendtner is one such player. Relegated to the bench since the arrival of Marouane Chamakh and Robin van Persie's return from injury, Super Nick has stated that this has left him unhappy.
Although he hasn't featured much for the Club, he has shone up whenever he's on the pitch. Able to play on both wings and through the centre—something we've seen a lot of this and last season—the Denmark international has chipped in with valuable goals this season and is very strong in the air
It was his curling effort that sparked a comeback against Ipswich Town in the Carling Cup and his hat trick that powered Arsenal to a win over Leyton Orient.
If Arsene Wenger is able to convince the Dane to stay, the Gunners will have managed to hold on to one of their brightest prospects.
