Home > Football > Is it time for Arsenal to offload the likes of Eboue and Bendtner?
Is it time for Arsenal to offload the likes of Eboue and Bendtner?
Despite Sunday's crunch defeat at Old Trafford, Arsenal can look back on a positive season in which their young players shone. But there have also been disappointments and Arsene Wenger should show no mercy in the summer.
by David Combe on 14 April 2008
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Of the Arsenal starting line-up that won the league at White Hart Lane in 2004 - the so called Invincibles - only three remain; Jens Lehmann, Gilberto Silva and Kolo Toure.
Two of the three, Lehmann and Gilberto, seem destined for the door this summer, leaving Toure as the sole veteran of that occasion. It was after that season that Arsene Wenger made an almost conscious effort to create a team built almost entirely of youth-team players.
At the start of the current season many pundits were doubting whether Arsenal could maintain their berth in the top four, let alone offer a serious title threat. However, despite being out of contention on all fronts as of Sunday, it has been a successful season. The development of the likes of Emmanuel Adebayor , Mathieu Flamini, Gael Clichy and of course Cesc Fabregas have been astonishing as they have blossomed probably earlier than expected.
Yet there are a number of players who are not ready to make the step up to the first team just yet. Most disappointing must be Emmanuel Eboue, who has had a shocking season since being pushed into the right side of midfield. Once labelled the 'New Cafu', Eboue is struggling to retain the support of the Arsenal fans. Not aided by his cheating antics on the Field, he has not even been recalled to right-back after the injury to the impressive Bacary Sagna.
Comments (19)
by Eoin on April 14, 2008
Offloading anyone would be stupid, they are not bad players. Arsenal need to strenghten the squad not weaken it. Keep all players, even if you sign new ones. Then there will be something called strenght in dept something you didn't have this season.
by Tony on April 14, 2008
Out : Senderos, J.Hoyte, Rosicky, Gilberto, Eboue In : 1 main striker, 1 wide winger, 1 center back , 1 GK
by coys on April 14, 2008
eboue is not a right winger so dont blame him. plus bendter is a very hand player still young an great header. if arse but sensible 4 established players they will be back, an im a spurs fan
by True Gooner on April 14, 2008
Seriously, have u ever watched a football match? Whats behind that make u say that Bendtner should be offloaded, one of the hottest prospects in world,terrific in air etc brings soooooo much into the side, technically great, t if u have said Adebayor I still would have understood. And Eboue would make a decent back-up player and no need to offload any. And yes we need a winger who plays on both sides and score a lot of goals
by KHAN on April 14, 2008
EBOUE IS CLASS, WENGER plays him Right wing ok. Ade should be shipped off, far too many misses. Useless creature OUT ADE RVP ROSISCKY HOYTE SEDEROS G ILBER O K GILBERT IN BENZEEEMA IBRAHIM AFFELAY GOMES (psv goal keeper) Zapata Gourcuff Crouch ben arfa digogo Jasskelienen D capel veloso
by goonerlad on April 14, 2008
I think they dont have anny future for Arsenal. I dont say that we should buy star players, but bendtner is not so good. Eboue is best on the right back. But Sagna should play there!
by connor harper on April 14, 2008
Well, this article is well written and it looks as if a lot of effort has been cemented into it, althought the most important part is lacking is truth! Bendtner= this guy is a valuble player as a back up at the moment, I can see in the near future if he gains his shooting boots, as a better player then ade. Tall, strong, hard working, and is willing to put his foot in when needed with and eye for goal in some closely contested matches! What else would you want in a youngster? Eboue= Well, I can understand your veiw although this guy is a fantastic back up for any team, he is fast and has an eye for the pass, and you can't question his passion for his club or game! So altogather, I would suggest in the keeping in these two, but some other players should be surely bought to strengthen the team throughout for the overwhelming season that awaits us next term.
by chris chris on April 14, 2008
Offloading carefully selected Arsenal players for more experience and leadership is exactly what they need. I'd offload Eboue, and Senderos - and a few younger players, that aren't going to make it.
by THE GREATEST on April 14, 2008
You talk about them not having matured yet; Fabregay is 20 and has played hundreds of games, and he is arsenals youngest first-teamer so please shut up with this youth crap. And saying Eboue was described as the new Cafu is just wrong, and i suspect it was you who dubbed him that because no-one who knows about football could say such a stupid remark. And to the guy who said Bender is the best prospect in the world; catch yourself on muppet. He's mid-table quality, nothing more. Walcott and Merida are the only promising youth prospects you've got (players like Adebayor and Fabregay are established players so please dont wb that they are good prospects ffs)
by mustaz aizul on April 14, 2008
well, i think this year is a learning year as this is the first time this new young team played together a whole season. It's a great start, isn't it? A team full of new player, trying to gel. Wenger tried to test in each area...wingers, strikers, defense and midfields. we can agree that there's nothing wrong in the midfields area (except eboue). strikers..we really need eduardo or someone who do not need to worry about defending in the midfield..only need to worry about how to pass the defends and scoring a goal..just like henry did. Goalkeeper...does it really matter? even the greatest goalkeeper will sucks if he didn't have two reliable defenders in front of him. i think sagna did more defending in the penalty box rather that gallas did. every long ball and crosses he able to defend it. i think we let sagna as centre back.
on April 14, 2008 on April 14, 2008
eboue is class, this season he wasn't that good but the other 2 seasons before he was class. He just needs to adopt playing as a right winger
by kobe jones on April 15, 2008
get a life eboue,bendtner are class
by Eoin on April 15, 2008
Man u fan you can call Fbregas experienced, but he's not matured yet, who is at 20?, look how much Ronaldo has come on in 3 years... Around 25 he will be at his best... so he has a lot to learn my friend, this youth "crap" is a fact, by age not by games played
by THE GREATEST on April 15, 2008
Since Boxing's being brought into it by Kurt, name me an Arsenal player that would take on Rooney? Or who wouldn't get knocked out by the Serbinator? lmao. And bout the experience thing, Pele was at World cups at 16, Maradona playing top flight football at 18, even Leo Messi was a star when he was 18. Ronaldo took a while longer granted, but Fabregas is not gona be a great. Hes the kind of payer that is sensational sometimes poor the rest (which is 90% of the time). Great players are consistent, he is not
by The Acadian on April 15, 2008
If Arsenal does anything for next season, they need a winger (not Vela) who plays on both side of the field. Also, that winger needs an eye for goal(s), the last thing Arsenal needs is another player who wants to play the beautiful game.
by Australian Football on April 15, 2008
Get rid of Adebayor that S@#T player...who cant trap a ball...yet alone score a goal. Dont let me get started on Senderos...Bring back Thierry Henry!!!
by Kenny on April 15, 2008
I think Bendtner is a talented striker. Eboue is good as a right back. We should sell Senderos, J.Hoyte, Rosicky, Gilberto, Lehman (because he's not happy) and buy 1 striker (calibre of Torres), 1 goal-scoring winger (I think Ribery or Quaresma as first choice), 1 center back (calibre of Vidic, Rio Ferdinand, Carvalho).
by Rass Henry on April 15, 2008
Lacked of experience is the key to our slump. Arsene Wenger should realize this earlier but now it’s too late for him to amend anything in order to land title or tropy in the Emirates this season. Yes, I totally agree for the reason of our poor run towards the end of this season. We have a very best total footballing team in the world, some best young talent in the world, the best manager in the business, one of the best pitch in the world & many more to name it. Lacked of experience Arsene Wenger has totally relied on the kids & it was a very big mistake, without doubt. Kids got no edge as well as mental strength to cop up during pressure. Only, experience will stand & knows what it takes to deal with pressure, of course. We really need a mixture of young & experience player’s in order to have a really balanced squad, without doubt the quality must be there as well. Strikeforce : Eventhough we are playing some breathtaking football, there is no use if the end product can’t be produced. Overall our striker’s are really being rubbish. Why ? Injury prone Robin, remember how many games he has played for the past 2 season’s ? Too, bad & it’s not a good sign. Does’nt matter how good he is. Adebayour, is a total waste as he demonstrated that he is really lacked of experience. He has a fucking poor first touch, very bad ball control, got no guts or skills to take on defenders, wasted too many goal scoring opportunities, too arrogant & lazy Of course, he cannot be our main upfront man. Wenger must come out of his shell & change his fucking mentality before the new season kick start’s. He must buy couple of good quality & experience strikers such as Samuel Eto’o & Karim Benzema (combination of young & experience) to be our main striker’s. Walcott & Eduardo can be our quality back up & can fight for a start as well Midfield’s : Febregas & Flamini are being marvelous, we need couple of wide players for both side such as Ricardo Quaresma (experience) & Hatem Ben Arfa (young). Rosicky, is good but he injury prone & we can’t afford to have him anymore as for Ebue is a natural right back player, not a right midfield player. Diaby, Denilson & Vela can be our quality back up. Hleb, need to compete for his place with Ben Arfa as the better player will get the start. This kind of situation will make all of them to compete & this will make way for Wenger to bring really fired up players to each and every game as well as quality players in the bench Defend’s : Sagna & Clichy are really being fantastic, Ebue, will compete with Sagna for his right back position. Either way we will have a good player to start as well as a back up. Center back, we need Micah Richards to cover ageing William Gallas. Kalou Toure (experience) & Micah Richards (young) can form a quality center back. Gallas & Sanderos, can be our quality back up & of course will compete for a place in our first eleven team Goal Keeper : Almunia, is good, but we really need a world class & experience goal keeper as our number 1. Conclusion : We really need a special, good quality & experience player’s in the squad in order to compete all the way in BPL & Europe. Make few millions while offloading this player’s : 1. Robin – Injury prone. 2. Adebayour – Not good enough. 3. Bendtner – Not good enough. 4. Rosicky – Injury prone. 5. Gilberto – Time’s up. 6. Lehman – Times up. Money from above plus transfer kitty allocation can afford to buy this player’s : 1. Samuel Eto’o. 2. Karim Benzema. 3. Ricardo Quaresma. 4. Hatem Ben Arfa. 5. Micah Richards. 6. World class & experience goal keeper. Guyz, what is your thought’s on “Lacked of experience ??? Cheers
by Shaikh Izhar on April 15, 2008
I am very much satisfied with the overall performance of Arsenal, but the dissapointing part was last 8-10 matches which hurts a lot. We were very close to EPL title, but we are now no more in race. It happens. Now, AW should think out of the box to have trophy. He is the type of coach for whom everyone would want to have CHAMPION. Eduardo is a good signing but he will not be available before 2009 Jan, dats sad for us:(. Arsenal now needs one deadly striker, yes, I repeat "a deadly striker" like KAKA, ETO, and even like David Villa of spain. We may go for Messi too. Even i mentioned ETO, but i would not appreciate any more african players b/c they go also for African cup, which is right country is always first. One more cool play maker like Hleb but with some accurate shooting skills, currently other than Rosicky no one strikes with power in mid-field. So we should think some thing out of the box. My gunerz fans don't be disspoint, as compare to other things i think this time LUCK cost us really badly. We will be champs of 20008-2009 season. I think.. Kaka and David Villa will be cool to fire, having effective support of Adebayor, Persie, Wallcot and Eduardo, Febregas, Hleb and Rosicky... ooo man that's a really killing force. A GUN with full of BULLETS to fire on anyone and anytime. Best of luck. Other may share there comments. Arsene Wenger is one of the best coach, that's for sure But now, AW should think out of the box to have trophy. Eduardo is a good signing but he will not be available before 2009 Jan, dats sad for us:(. Arsenal now needs one DEADLY STRIKER, yes, i repeat "a deadly striker" like KAKA, ETO, and even like David Villa of spain, he scored 51 goals in 95 matches. Even i mentioned ETO, but i would not appreciate any more african players b/c they go also for African cup in mid season, which is right country is always first. One more cool play maker like Hleb but also having some accurate shooting skills, currently other than Rosicky no one strikes with power. I don't know does Ben Arfa have a germs to shoot accurate. I think Wenger should have a player like KAKA, Messi and David Villa. My focus will be on a need of one deadly striker because other big teams would definately do more strong signings. So we should think some thing out of the box. I don't have any cool defender in mind right now, can anybody suggest name of good defender like we had 'Campbell' Any experienced and strong build defender would be really bonus for us. My gunerz fans don't be disspoint, as compare to other things i think this time LUCK cost us really badly. We will be champs of 20008-2009 season. Best of luck. Other may share there comments.