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Alex Song Can Join Barca, He's Simply Not The Player We Need
Alex Song was a highlight of Arsenal's season last year, but there seems to be a sea change going on up at the Emirates which is why I don't mind if he wants to rejoin Cesc at Barca, unless they turn him into the next Yaya Toure...
So it seems as if Alex Song is the latest man to jump on a diamond encrusted private jet out of Arsenal and into La Masia, obviously Cesc’s postcards from Barcelona made the whole place seem too tempting, along with Gerard Pique saying that if he comes he might let him have a go on Shakira. With both of those things in mind, you can’t really blame him for wanting to up sticks.
What with Van Persie almost certainly on his way out too, I can already hear the cries of “Wenger Out!” hurtling forth from The Emirates, amid fears that he may do a last minute panic buy and go in for another defender with the turning circle of an articulated lorry (Oh Mertesacker, we love you really). However, the apparent willingness with which Arsenal have allowed Barcelona to approach Song speaks volumes about the direction the club is heading in, and to my mind it’s an entirely forward thinking move.
When Song first broke into the team there was the idea that he might become the new Vieira, a hard working, tough tackling central midfielder who can provide defensive cover as well as some attacking guile. Essentially, exactly the sort of player that Arsenal have desperately, desperately needed for a long time. In fact, I’d say that Mathieu Flamini was probably our last prospective heir to that throne, and since then nobody has stepped up to the mark. When on loan at Charlton I remember thinking Song had the potential to be that kind of player, but over the years he seems to have developed into something else, more of a deep lying playmaker, albeit one who could put a ball on a sixpence for Robin Van Persie at the drop of a hat. Basically, a great player, but not the player that Arsenal need right now.
Cesc’s postcards from Barca made the whole place seem too tempting, along with Gerard Pique saying that if he comes he might let him have a go on Shakira
It can’t be overstated. We need a central midfielder who is happy to sit back, shield the back four, be comfortable on the ball and maybe start a few fights every once in a while. Yann M’Vila is the name that keeps getting mentioned, but you get the feeling that Wenger would have gone in for him already if he really saw him as a viable option. Emmanuel Frimpong certainly is that kind of player, but it remains to be seen whether he’ll progress into a very good footballer, or merely a twitter parody that we’ll ship off to Sunderland in a few years time. Francis Coquelin is promising too, but maybe needs a loan move a la Jack Wilshere to Bolton before he’s ready for serious first team consideration. I think Nigel De Jong would prove to be a shrewd purchase, surely not happy to warm the bench up at Man City he’d probably be available fairly cheaply and slot into the team well - Lord knows Arsenal loves a Dutchman. To be honest though, all this speculation is really just me trying to distract myself from the one crippling thought that enters my mind every time I have a concern about our midfield: that we should have locked Yaya Toure down when he was a kid.
So good luck Alex Song, send us a photo of Gaudi’s cathedral and don’t eat too much tapas. You were tremendous last season, but you’re not who we need right now. Honestly, darling, it’s not you, it’s us.
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COMMENTS
you dont know the person you are talikng about...i dont real think you have watched song player and recognise his abilities
He's a great player Van, potentially world class, but as I said, not who we need right now.
Yhu honestly dnt knw wat yhu r sayin* Hiss. Tz nt "us" tz yhu
I couldn't disagree with u more. He is world class and we need him alot. Last season he had to compromise his defensive duties because little was being offered by our CAMs. He is a player who even plays center-back for heavens sake. He could shield the defense if that was all he needed to. But we would not have seen those RVP winning goals that put us on 3rd position. He was the most important player last season together with RVP and Arteta.
Mr Harry Harris, can you pls tell us where u got the news tha Song have already signed for Barca? Did you witness the signing? Song still have 2 yrs plus contract with Arsenal and cannot enter into any other contract unless Arsenal sanction it. All you rumor mongers are just too funny! explain further pls????
I know exactly what I'm saying. However, I genuinely have no idea what you just said.
I wonder how much u making from writing craps like this! You what you are saying without having a fact. I doubt if you really understand the meaning of the word, "contract", less the phrase " being under a contract".
Wierd!! Cos i see exactly what he is saying. Over the years Song has got better as an attacking playmaker but hasnt improved at all in the defensive mid position. Attackin wise we got wilshere, arteta, AOC, Walcott, Giroud, Pod Cazorla etc so the need for A DM is high as Song (no matter how good he is at settin up RVP) isnt a hard tackling, enforcer we need to sit in front of the back 4
He's exactly what we need right now a midfielder who can attack and defend. He's going nowhere.
@Ejykos - you're suggesting that Alex Song would be the first footballer to leave during his contract? He hasn't signed yet, no, but it's widely reported that he's set for talks. Here's a piece from The Evening Standard: http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/alex-song-agrees-barcelona-terms--report-8034662.html @Joe - I see your point re: compromising his defensive responsibilities, but I fear he's too attacking now. Willing to be proved wrong though.
The worst thing i've ever read. Why is he not the player we need? Even if we signed a pure holding midfielder, Song would start. He is that good. Arteta is 31/32. When Wilshere is fit, he is the replacement for Arteta. A midfield trio of a tackler, Wilshere and Song, would have all the steel, guile, running power and creativity to win the champions league.
Are you guys forgetting how good he was in 2010/11? He's exactly what we need. I agree with Joe, just because he played as an attacking player for most of the season doesn't mean he can't defend. He did the enforcer midfield role for the entire previous season. Without his great passes to Van Persie we wouldn't have come third..
I respectfully disagree. The system Arsenal play has three midfielders occupying central positions. Lets say that we need a better class of defensive midfielder, Song can still operate in one of the two remaining positions. In this position he has accrued 14 assists for two seasons in a row. This would be a good record for an offensive midfielder! Losing him would be a big loss and would just reinforce the public perception that we sell our best players every year which obviously has detrimental effects to a) our performance on the pitch b) the mentality of our players running to the end of their contracts and c) the value we get for the players we sell (if we were less keen to sell we'd be able to barter a better price). The big flaw at Arsenal has been in defence and we're clearly going down the route of persistence and improved coaching with Koscielny and Vermaelen signing new contracts. Song is still young and we can get more from him as a player (defensively). The last period of success at Arsenal came from a foundation of players that had been at the club for years. This is what Arsene was trying to create and whilst selling Cesc and Nasri was unavoidable, this is avoidable. Song is contracted until 2015, if Barcalona want him they can break the bank but 17 million for a integral player we have on a long term contract is a joke.
u hav gone bollocks !! nuts !!
Stick to jamming on your guitar Harry Harris because you don,t know anything about footba ll and no team Great Britain didn,t get any medal whatsoever in the just completed London Olympics ,just a reminder (sic )?
I beg to disagree with this piece. Song has been phenomenal for Arsenal and with Cazorla pulling the strings now, we'll see more of the real Song; technical and physically strong...and Barca rumors have been quashed already! Song and RvP were our heroes last season no doubt!
what is the name of this brick? look the letter would suit ur girl friend who cant keep ya warm in bed. A good read to bad rubbish.Song is exactly what we need. What arsenal is lacking and you are right is a deep lying DM.and that we can add to song and that will be good steel to our midfield. Now ya want a picture of Gaudis' call Cesc. Atleast he has a DNA.
I seriouly clicked diz bullshit with the aim of abusing the f**ked up writer. Mehn song leaving is as good as sending fans away. So stop your shitty talk dude. If aint got better thingz to post mehn go to bed
What alias of rubbish, it sounds more like your angry and in denial but over what? Song said he's happy at the Emirates and anyone who says he needs to go, needs to get a reality check. Some of the tackles he made last season were amazing as well.
Exactly what am saying. What are we arguing about? I asked This writer to prove his point, all he could say is that he knows what he is talking, that it is being reported worldwide in other papers. Does that make it to be true? How can a right thinking person under a contract will reach another contract agreement with another club and waiting to sign it, meanwhile, his actually club have not sanctioned him tonleave' is he going to sale himself? Mr Harry Harris, pls better find a hand work. I feel that you are a very idle person. Get yourself a meaningful job. You are writing your facts based on hear-says and you are bold enough to tell us that you are sure of what you saying. Did you listen to Song recently at Skysports with regard to this? In the most recent interview of AW, did you hear him talk about this issue at all? This is ver laughable indeed. Get serious in your life please!!
@Mr Harry Harris (<---Your parents were very mean there by the way) In one of your replies to the linguistically challenged Mr Ejykos, you cite as "proof" that song is leaving an article on from the London ES on how Barcelona and Song had already reached an agreement ( http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/alex-song-agrees-barcelona-terms--report-8034662.html ) . That article used as a source an article from “The National” written by a fellow named duncan castles (his name does not deserve capitalization) ( http://www.thenational.ae/sport/football/arsenals-alex-song-has-agreed-terms-with-barcelona ). Mr castles has in the past claimed amongst other lies that RVP and Man City had already agreed terms. When he broke the "news" on twitter that Song had agreed terms with FCB he was questioned on its validity and quite hilariously tried to back it up (it can be seen here- twitter.com/DuncanCastles). It would help journalism alot if jokers like him were called out and not used as a source to fuel a story. Try checking validity of sources for future articles please (Journalism 101).
ru fuckn dumb or smthing.. let him go.. talkn as if arsenal some big team.. they hvnt won shit... yeah.. shits al they got.. and crap eating idiots like u for fans.. fuckkn english pig!!!
From a Liverpool fan I honestly think that loosing song could have the same effect loosing lucas had on us, with these types of players you only realise how good they are when there gone and song is a quality player.
@JohnWayne ...so...bet you feel pretty silly now, eh?
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