afc The Centreback Solution

[TF S4DK]

Cue Djourou breakdown...If he manages then I know he's changed...

[mp*]

Jan + knowing we need a CB = no1 moving when it comes to prices.I cant see Wenger paying over the odds even in this situation so it will probably be a campbell, sphaic type of signing.Hope im wrong

[Natty]

I'll be pissed if wenger gets some bootleg cb instead of paying a bit over the odds and this sh*t cb makes us leak even more pointsand yes i said points on purpose not goals because any boog cb will literally drop us points

[Guest Klitschko]

Agger £10million??Not sure about this one, hes good on the ball etc plus a good defender but without a rugged CB like Skitrel or top class defender like Carra aslongside him i duno..Also we cant surely hae 2 left footers at CB

Skrtels 'rugged' CB C.V. is questionable.Agger seems to fancy himself too much to be a centre-back.Wenger was planning to buy Jan Vertonghen wasn't he? He is also left-footed. It could get messy, especially with Vermaelen not being the best positionally as it is.When is he due back?

[mp*]

Vertonghen is good but hes also expensive and cup tied hmm

[TF S4DK]

Thing is if you spend 20m on a English CB (Cahill), he has to play.A dillema I dont think Wenger wants.Miquel will play way before a 20m CB gets copped.Wheater looks done deal, and its to Bolton, so Wenger cant even try highjack that move.Wenger had way more chance with Agger before Woy left. He'll struggle now.

[Guest Klitschko]

Indeed.He did have a very good partnership with Vermaelen while at Ajax though, and both have grown as players since, and I can only imagine the Premier League being a good thing for Jan.There's no chance of landing Agger now Dalgleish is in. Had an advance been made before Hodgsons departure, there would have been a very good chance of the transfer going through, even in the wake of 'King Kens' arrival.Given Hodgsons apparent reluctance to play him (he must share my view of him that he does indeed, think he is too pretty to be an English CB) it wouldn't have been hard to tempt him. And I doubt Hodgson would have refused to let him go if the price was right.I wonder if he is what is needed in the backline though, does he bring any particular qualities that are lacking from the current centre-backs? Organisational skills, aggression, command, signifigant aerial ability? I wouldn't say so. He's certainly good technically, but so is Vermaelen, though Agger is arguably better at bringing the ball out from defence.

[Taurus]

Any chance of Wenger offering Vela on loan as part of a Cahill deal?

[mp*]

Possibly but i think Vela wants to go Spain, Valencia are after him.

[Guest Klitschko]

I'm not too sure, considering Carlos Vela asked for a loan move in order to gain more first team experience,and althoguh they bid for him, its more of a mutual agreement that will benetit BWFC, Arsenal, and Vela, rather than something that can be used for leverage in any possible Cahill deal.On the possibility of the Cahill transfer, as far as I'm aware Arsene Wenger enquired about him during the summer, after failed bids for both Phil Jagielka and Per Metersacker, the money he was looking to spend on a centreback obviously didn't meet Boltons valuation of the player and the approach went no further.In the meantime, Arsene signed both Laurent Koscielny and Sebastian Squilacci, in addition to having Thomas Vermaelen, who while currently out, will no doubt make a full recovery from his injury, and Johan Djorou, means he has 4 Centre-backs at his disposal, and in the unlikely event of 3 centre-backs being injured at once (I say unlikely, but with Vermaelen out, Djourou is likely to sprain his ankle at any moment) Alex Song can fill in in the backline.I can't see Wenger making a move for a high priced CB given the above. Arsenal are well enough stocked in the middle numbers wise, quality-wise however may be another matter.It would be wise however for any club that intends to make a move for Cahill to do so at the earliest possible time, as Bolton could very well be playing in Europe next season, which will no doubt increase his already inflated price-tag. Given Wengers policy on spending, that seems something that would certainly rule out Arsenal as a possible move for him.

[TF S4DK]

If Arsenal sign Cahill I'll be SHOCKED.More chance of Chris Samba. However if Arsenal went for him, Wenger will probably get quoted 10m...TBH Wenger is f*cked trying to find a CB in January, so Ignasi Miquel your time.If Miquel doesnt play tonight for the reserves then you know he playing Wednesday.

[Guest Klitschko]

I thought Ignasi MIguel was on loan, shame. Is there no option to recall Kyle Bartley from Sheffield United? Unless I'm wrong but I beleive Ignasi has only recently turned 17? Not that it would deter Wenger of course.It is a big shame about Kyle Bartleys really.

[TF S4DK]

No recall, unless both clubs agree, which usually only happens thru injury.Miquel is 18 and NOT in the reserve team tonight (please note he is fit & their captain) so hes been pulled for the first-team.Eastmond is playing, which would suggest he wont be involved on Wednesday (thank f*ck), JET playing also.

[HangTheDJ]

We're after Samba in a trade for Warnock and Collins and wiping off the rest of the Warnock payments we owe.

[Guest Klitschko]

Arsene Wenger is keen to bring another centre-back to Arsenal but has vowed not to panic buy in the January transfer window.Wenger's defensive options suffered a blow when it was confirmed earlier on Tuesday that Thomas Vermaelen has suffered a setback in his recovery from an Achilles problem.The Belgian initially sustained the problem while on international duty back in September and has not featured for the first-team since.With Sebastien Squillaci now facing three weeks out with a hamstring strain he suffered in the FA Cup draw with Leeds, Wenger is lacking cover for Laurent Koscielny and Johan Djourou.And with the Emirates Stadium outfit eager to end their six-year wait for silverware as they chase glory in the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, Carling Cup and FA Cup, the Frenchman admitted he does have targets in his sights.But the long-serving boss insists he will not buy for the sake of it when he can employ the likes of Bacary Sagna, Alex Song and reserve team skipper Ignasi Miquel in the heart of his defence if needed.Wenger told Arsenal TV Online: "We always have people in mind, and we look everywhere."It is difficult to find at this period of the season, but overall I feel at the moment we have so many games that it is very important to focus on the next game."If we find somebody at the right level we will do it, if not we will continue like this."Ideally it would be better if they were adapted to English football because if you need players now in January you cannot wait three months before they can play for you."If the opportunity turns up we will fetch it, but if not we can cope. I believe we can cope."We have still solutions internally with Miquel, with Song who can play centre-back and with Squillaci, who should come back very quickly."

Sky Sports.

[Lenny]

There's talk of Upson for 500k

[Guest Klitschko]

'Do not want'

[Heero Yuy]

'Do not want'

[Badman]

id settle for Cahill

[Bardissimo]

'Do not want'

[TF S4DK]

id settle for Cahill

[MrJibbles]

Arsene Wenger will decide this week whether to bid for Christopher Samba or Gary Cahill.The Arsenal manager has publicly acknowledged that his central defence needs strengthening – and Samba and Cahill have been identified as the two main targets.Further question marks have been raised about when Thomas Vermaelen will be fit. He has an Achilles problem while Sebastien Squillaci is also suffering from injury.Wenger has seen his resources stretched to the limit as Arsenal compete on four fronts – the Premier League, the Champions League, the FA Cup – in which they face a replay at Leeds this week – and the Carling Cup, where they meet Ipswich in the second leg of the semi-final at the end of the month.Currently, he has only Johan Djourou and Laurent Koscielny as he first choice centre-backs and badly needs re-enforcements.Cahill has been in impressive form for Bolton this season and managed Owen Coyle has put a £25million price tag on the head of the man who has forced his way into the plans of England manager Fabio Capello this season.If a fee of around £15m can be negotiated, Wenger would be interested.Samba, a Congo international, has said that he would welcome the chance to play at one of the top clubs.He was signed for Blackburn by Mark Hughes for a bargain £500,000 in 2007.He has emerged as one of the most powerful central defenders in the Premier League and at £10m would be well within cash-conscious Wenger’s price range.Read more: http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Transfer-news-Arsenal-will-decide-this-week-whether-to-move-for-Christopher-Samba-or-Gary-Cahill-as-defensive-cover-article674109.html#ixzz1BBnV9zBg

Arsenal's bid to sign Bolton defender Gary Cahill looks likely to flounder, with Arsene Wenger willing to pay no more than £8million for the England centre-half. Though Arsenal have been tracking the Bolton defender, widely regarded as the best young English defender in the Premier League, their valuation falls a long way short of the £20m Bolton are hoping to raise from his sale. Per Mertersacker, of Werder Bremen, is an alternative for Arsenal, with the need for a new goalkeeper having lessened for now with the the burgeoning form of 25-year-old Pole Lukasz Fabianski.Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1347572/Arsenal-priced-bid-sign-Bolton-defender-Gary-Cahill.html#ixzz1BBpVgSId

[TF S4DK]

Samba going Villa.Wenger aint spending Cahill money.Mertersacker is the most likely, fee wise, but he played in CL this season.TBH I dont think we signing anybody, well not in CB, and probably nobody above 18 either, lol.

[Seth Rollins]

If we spent £10m on Samba I'd actually consider supporting no one.F*ck off.

[TF S4DK]