Who Can Replace The Legend That Is Henry?

Summers are known for two things in the football world- the scarcity of the sport that everyone loves to watch and the inevitable rumours of players leaving Arsenal. Who will it be this year, Vieira to Real? Pires to Inter? Henry to Barca? Ashley Cole to Chelsea? These are many of the questions that have troubled Gooners across the world. Coming into this week, Vieira had gone to Inter Milan via Juventus two years earlier, Pires had gone to Villareal, Ashley Cole had gone to Chelsea in a part swap for William Gallas yet one person remained- Thierry Henry. For the past eight years, Henry hasawed not just Arsenal fans with his pace, vision and skill but the whole of the Premiership. Defenders knew not where to turn when the Frenchman ran at them, knowing committing themselves could leave them grasping at a red and white shirt that had just slipped the ball through their legs, or even worse left them flat on their backsides as Henry has done to too many defenders these past years at Arsenal. But when Barca came calling, instability at his beloved Arsenal as well as a desire to win things led him to the only other club he said ‘played the Arsenal way’. Here I compare and contrast the likely replacements for Henry. Now he’s gone- who best to fill his place? This is no doubt a question thousands of Arsenal fans across the globe are asking themselves.

- Darren Bent

The Charlton forward guarantees one thing- goals. The man regularly has featured in the top ten in terms of goals scored rankings, and would take a move to jump up a division with open arms considering his team Charlton were just relegated. Bent being a lifelong Arsenal fan, the club would have one of its own playing up front and surely he would not desire to leave us, even to go to the likes of Real Madrid or Barcelona; however, being English he will undoubtedly cost far more than he is worth : he has been valued at around £18m pounds by his club , and they look unlikely to sell for anything else. Also, according to reports, he has nearly sealed a move to Tottenham, and even though he would probably opt for us and Champions League football if we went in for him- I doubt we should get into a bidding war for a player that has never set the world alight.

- Nicholas Anelka

The ex-Arsenal man name has surprisingly cropped up, as Wenger seems to want to finally have Anelka realise his potential at Arsenal Football Club. Although he left the club in acrimonious circumstances when his brothers forced a move, he seems to have matured as both a footballer and a person. He offers a quick fix- he will stay for 2-3 years while the likes of Bendtner, Vela and Adebayor develop as better players, as they have promised to do ever since they were brought to Arsenal as youth players. He should score goals as he knows how to play the Arsenal way. Anelka comes cheap, seemingly available for around £9 million pounds- causing many Arsenal fans across the globe to call for his signature. All throughout Anelka’s career, he has never reached the heights he did at Arsenal- only hitting more than 20 goals once in the last six years. Also, his desire to leave Bolton, a club that just a year ago took a gamble of nearly £9 million pounds to lure him from Fenerbahce to the Premiership could prove troublesome for Arsenal in the future. Who’s to say that he will not leave Arsenal in a year’s time if say AC Milan, Real Madrid, Barcelona or Inter come in for him?

- Klaas Jan Huntelaar

Klaas Jan Huntelaar is an intriguing player. Even more of a goal poacher than Darren Bent, he has scored for fun since he started his professional football career. How many times this season and last have we seen an Arsenal player pass to another despite being in a good shooting position? Having hit 72 goals in the past two seasons, yet not having a single assist to his name shows that he is capable of putting the ball in the back of the net and perhaps has the one thing most Arsenal forwards do not- selfishness. How many times this season and last have we seen an Arsenal player pass to another despite being in a good shooting position? What goes against Huntelaar, however, is that his goals have mainly been scored in the Dutch Eredivisie, a weaker league than the Premiership. Comparisons to one Mateja Kezman, who flopped at Chelsea despite scoring a boatload in the Dutch league have been made- I feel a comparison to Ruud Van Nistelrooy suits Huntelaar better as he seems to have all the tools to succeed in the Premiership. Also, his partnership with Robin Van Persie has flourished in the few games they have played together on the International stage, and Arsenal could only reap the benefits of them playing together all the time. Although not cheap at £15 million pounds, he is certainly not unaffordable , and a £15 million pound investment for someone that will score goals for the next 5-10 years is not one too extravagant to make.

- Fernando Torres

Fernando Torres is one of the still remaining stars of the Spanish league that has not moved on to a bigger club. Now the captain of Athletico Madrid, it is his time to go on if a suitable offer came in for him since his club have not qualified for Europe and do not look like qualifying for the Champions League for another five years at the very least, with Real, Barca, Sevilla, Valencia all possessing better players and more money than them. Perhaps his price tag has put off potential investors- a reported £28 million pounds is required to break his contract, although a supposed £15 million pounds & Reyes deal is all that is being mentioned for Arsenal at the moment. Could he do well in the rough hustle and bustle of the English Premiership? The answer to this question would determine whether he would turn out to be a massive success or a huge flop. Comparisons with Thierry Henry have been mooted, with the Spaniard being able to score with either foot or his head equally well. Also, he forms a reward-reaping partnership with Arsenal midfield maestro Cesc Fabregas on the international stage and would surely only enhance that partnership with the Gunners. The disadvantage of Torres is that he would take a year or two to bed in; with Tottenham & Newcastle heavily strengthening along with the rest of the top four, Arsenal cannot afford to be left behind. Also, are funds present to finance a move for both Torres and the winger to solve the width problem so evident on the pitch at Ashburton Grove?

- Ryan Babel

Ryan Babel has been linked with Arsenal almost since the start of the new millenium. Equally adept at playing on the wing or up front, he has already been compared to Thierry Henry by Dutch coach Marco Van Basten and will only improve with time. Available for a mere £6 million pounds due to a buyout clause in his contract, he could fill Arsenal’s need of a new striker and new winger in one swoop while still leaving plenty of money in the transfer budget for other players. As with Huntelaar, he has played with Van Persie on the International stage and he recently shone in the European U21 Championships with the victorious Dutch team. He has repeatedly come out in the press speaking of his desire to play for Arsenal and under Wenger. However, Babel has never really impressed me- his poor first touch means he would find it difficult to thrive in the Premiership. I consider Babel a slight upgrade on the ever improving Walcott, but Arsenal would be best suited letting the Englishman have his time in the first team rather than buying the Dutch player. A somewhat headless chicken on the wing and someone that has never been prolific up front, he would take at least 2-3 years to reach his pomp- time that we cannot afford. Could Babel come in and replace the 30 goals a season that Henry used to give us? He is hardly someone to put your hopes and dreams on, and in the 2-3 years that Babel will take to adjust and reach his full potential we will have Walcott ready to terrorize defenses across the continent. One for the future, and Arsenal have enough of those players- someone is needed to come in and make an immediate impact.

All of these players have aspects to their game that have made them much vaunted across the football world. The pace of Babel, the intelligence of Anelka, the guile of Darren Bent or the selfishness of Huntelaar could help us in our quest for honours. The best man for Arsenal out of all those players is Huntelaar. He will be able to come in and make an impact on both the domestic and the European stage, something that we need a striker to do greatly. He possesses the selfishness and skill needed to succeed in the unforgiving Premiership and would no doubt placate fans who have wanted a big name player at Arsenal. This player is just hitting his peak and remember- he was the first man to net at the newly opened Emirates stadium, a sentimental thought to hold in the hearts of Arsenal fans. Those that have seen him play will know he was born score goals and he would only blossom under the tutelage of the wise Arsene Wenger. Although he will be able to make a mark now, he will also be there for the future and would complement either Adebayor or Van Persie equally well. Also, we will have a player that we know can do the business, in case of injuries and when Adebayor travels to the African Cup of Nations. One for the present and the future, Klaas Jan Huntelaar could become the ’super, super class’ of player Wenger wanted at Arsenal.

Carlos Tevez, a worthwhile signing for Arsenal?

Throughout this transfer window, Arsenal Football Club have been linked with a series of players, whether winger, striker or midfielder. Now that Henry has gone, these rumours about which striker Arsenal will sign have increased no end, and one of the most appearing rumours on various sports websites is that the Argentine Carlos Tevez will be moving to Arsenal. Tevez, a 23 year old who shone at the 2006 World Cup for Argentina has been credited as the main reason West Ham United escaped relegation to the Championship. “Carlitos” scored 7 goals in the last 10 games of the Premiership season moving West Ham from a position where all seemed lost to stay in the Premiership after Tevez scored the winning goal against champions Manchester United on the last day.

These performances caused Tevez to be linked to a number of clubs- the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan and Chelsea all mentioned as a possible destination for West Ham’s stellar performer. However, potential buyers will be put off by the fact that Tevez is not owned by a club, but a company. Media Sports Investments. This ownership by a third party led Sheffield United to ask for a court hearing questioning West Ham’s right to stay in the Premiership. Almost certain to move, Carlos Tevez is too good for a club of West Ham’s stature and will soon be off, although where to?

Arsenal and Inter Milan are the two clubs he has been most strongly linked with recently. Inter Milan want Tevez to strengthen their quest for the Champions League, and Tevez revealed he would be happy to move there. Tevez spoke to Italian sports newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, saying: ‘Inter is a great club. There is a true possibility that I will wear the Nerazzurri colours next season. ‘It’s also true that Real Madrid are interested in my services but my agent knows exactly how I feel about it – better Inter than Real.’

Although the Argentine contingent at Inter would make things easy for Tevez to move there, it is questionable whether Inter need another striker, already signing David Suazo from Cagliari to add to Ibrahamovic, Crespo and Adriano already at the club. A move to Arsenal makes more sense as the Gunners need a striker to replace the departing Henry. “Carlitos” admitted he was interested in a move to Arsenal, telling the Sun: “I know people are now talking about Arsenal and obviously that is something I am excited about. It’s another big club and the good thing is I wouldn’t have to move out of London. I also already know English football and I like it. Arsenal’s style is more technical than physical so I could fit in no problem.”

Tevez found West Ham difficult at first as the then manager Alan Pardew refused to play him in his favoured position up front, often sticking him out wide on the wing or leaving him on the substitutes’ bench. However, after Pardew was sacked new manager Curbishley played Tevez as a forward and reaped the rewards as West Ham United were saved from the drop. Now that Tevez has adapted to English football, he would be a player that could come in and make an immediate impact at Arsenal without needed the settling in period that a player based in a different league would.

Even though Tevez was hardly prolific during his stint in East London , he scored for fun during his spells at Boca Juniors Argentina’s Primera División and Corinthians in Brazil ’s Série A. His record of 1 goal every 3 apperances for West Ham United was by no means poor as he played on the wing for most of it and can only score more in a team that creates more chances. Carlos Tevez joining Arsenal would be a signal of intent from Wenger and no doubt he would terrorize not just Premiership defenses, but European ones as well.

What must England do to find success on the International stage?

Despite having undeniably talented players, lots of money and of course a passionate fanbase, England have only won the World Cup once, way back in 1966, and have never won the European Championships- reaching the semi finals only twice in those. Ranked a lowly eighth by FIFA, it is a surprise that the country with the most watched league in the world finishes below the likes of Portugal and France- teams that have a very weak domestic league when compared to the English Premiership. Two things have haunted England at major tournaments, the first being a lack of technical skill possessed by their counterparts on the international stage; the second being failure to take penalties well at the highest level. Too often, such as in 1998 and 2006 World Cups as well as in the 1996, 2004 European Championships England have failed to deliver when it comes to penalty time, and the national team has suffered because of it. This inability to take penalties is not just a feature of the full national team- recently the England U21 team was knocked out of the European tournament for their age group after losing to eventual winners Holland in a penalty shootout. With regards to penalties, there is not much England can do to help them score more at international tournaments bar practising, practising and practising some more in pressure situations. In that respect, it was heartening to see the England U21 squad playing a penalty shootout against Slovakia after a friendly at Stuart Pearce’s request, as these types of shootouts can only help players handle the pressure.

The other matter however, which is the lack of technical skill possessed by most top flight England players mean they are destined to fail unless they fix this weaknesses, and fast. Of the current England setup, only Joe Cole and Aaron Lennon possess the quick feet and ability to play in small spaces that most of their foreign counterparts do. More work needs to be put in at youth level by the Football Association in order to try and fix this, and youngsters need to be encouraged to play with the ball at their feet, concentrating on playing a good game rather than just the win. In Brazil, younger players play as they wish, being encouraged to beat their man and make short passes rather than mindlessly hoofing the ball up front. Positions in a formation are given once the players are older and wiser and even then it is the players that choose where and how they would like to play rather than a coach giving orders. As the players grow up, not just a will to play Brazilian’s “samba style” is instilled in them but also the confidence to keep their cool even when the clock is running down and a goal is needed. Statistics prove how little English players are at the forefront of trophies compared to the other countries they compete with. Just 16 English players have played in a UEFA Champions League final since its inception, compared to the 90 Italians that have featured in the same amount of time. Surely this shows that something needs to be done?

Even for all these problems, England still have a strong team and that is because of one thing- the availability of foreign players to clubs in the Premiership. Although most argue that this is the reason England do poorly in international competitions, they fail to realise England did not win anything from the World Cup win in 1966 to the first influx of foreign players in the Premiership. The large amount of foreign talent available means only the best English players will survive, as they likes of Lampard, Gerrard and Rooney have shown. Also, English talent is able to compete with players from Spain, France , Italy and Brazil as well as learn skills from them- something they would never have been able to do had the league only allowed British players. England fans may despair as they do not look like winning anything under McClaren’s reign- but with the likes of Theo Walcott, Micah Richards and Wayne Rooney emerging it is hard to see how they will remain starved of success for much longer. The 2010 World Cup in South Africa would seem the best place to start as by then the precocious Rooney, Lennon and Ashton will be in their pomp, ably supported by the experienced Gerrard and Hargreaves and backed by the developing Walcott and Richards.

Should Arsenal Revert to a 4-3-3?

The players are capable, the passing game is right. Should Arsenal revert to the formation used by the great Dutch teams of the past and present? Arguably, that is the way forward for the Gunners. A surplus amount of central attacking midfielders and not a single out and out winger, this formation would suit the players at Arsenal and could change the meaning of attacking football as we know it. Currently, the Gunners play a standard 4-4-2 formation with four central defenders, two central midfielders, a player on each flank and two up top.

However, in recent times Wenger has moved towards playing central attacking midfielders on the wing. The likes of Rosicky and Hleb, although performing on the wing will reach nowhere near their full potential if they are continued to be played there. All of the players at Arsenal now that Henry has left would flourish in a 4-3-3 formation. The same back five could be used (Lehmann/Fabianski, Eboue, Toure, Gallas, Clichy)- but the major changes would be in midfield and up front. In a 4-3-3 , generally you have a defensive midfielder sitting in front of the defence and nullifying attacks. This player would be Gilberto, who has proved over the seasons past that he is one of the best defensive midfielders in the world.

Slightly ahead of Gilberto, two attacking midfielders are played- two that can create attacks by either a defence splitting pass or a driving run. These players must know how to defend as well, so for the two attacking midfielders I choose Fabregas and Diaby. Fabregas can play from deep, sending in wonderful through balls for the strikers to run onto while Diaby can play as Vieira did, winning the ball with a crunching tackle and then trying to set up a quick counter attack with a run through the middle of the field.

Up front, there are only two options for the lone striker- Adebayor and Bendtner. Although Van Persie and Walcott could play at the head of the trio of forwards, they are best suited slightly wider. Adebayor and Bendtner have the aerial presence to be able to knock down balls for other players as well as the pace to latch onto any through balls provided by the Spanish wizard Fabregas. In the wing forward positions, I would like to see the likes of Van Persie and Walcott, as well as Rosicky, Hleb and Ljungberg. The wing forwards can constantly swap over, go wide or cut inside- making them near impossible to mark for opposing teams.

Could Arsenal win trophies with this formation? It is hard to see why not, as this formation allows all players to play in their favoured position while containing a certain amount of unpredictability. It offers the option to play Arsenal’s beautiful passing game or the option of hoofing the ball to the frontman if needed. Arsenal have finished fourth in the league and trophyless these past two seasons- this new formation could change it all.

Things to Try in Pre Season?

Now that everyone is probably bored with the transfer talk, and the much talked about departure of an Arsenal legend (no names!), I thought I’d question the grey cells on something different. What would you like to see tried out in pre season training, or the various friendly tournaments Arsenal are due to play in? Things that you think would improve us, or just things you’d like to see done, whether it’s formations, player positions or set pieces. My shortlist:- The 4-3-3 formation, would like to see it tried out as we all know we have the players for that kind of setup. Would like to see Adebayor or Bendtner up front as the lone striker with two deep lying wing forwards playing off him. A surplus of central attacking midfielders without a single winger means this formation could suit Arsenal down to the ground.

- Kolo Toure in midfield- the guy has everything you could want a midfield enforcer to have- controlled aggression, loping runs and crunching tackles. Is one of the most eager players to get us into games when we are behind and undoubtedly his energy is better suited to midfield, especially as his lack of heading ability is often exposed in defence.

- Eboue in midfield. We’ve all seen how good he is going forward, although some feel he is suspect defensively. Could he handle the lesser time & space afforded to him in midfield? If this was pulled off, we may not even need a winger, although some would question Hoyte’s capability as a first choice right back for the entire season.

- Rosicky playing as a shadow striker, in the Dennis Bergkamp role just behind Adebayor. Although Rosicky’s performances on the wing have by no means been poor, he works better controlling the play from Cesc’s position or being a free role as Ronaldinho is for Barcelona. He could accomplish much playing off Adebayor up front, perhaps this could be used if Van Persie gets injured at any point this season. – Worked set pieces, ones that have been practiced by the club and then can be put into place in matches. An example of this is the one England used in the U21 Championships, where Lita scored with a diving header from two yards out. If executed properly, these can cause havoc

- Lastly, the Van Persie-Bendtner partnership in a few games as we’ve seen Bendtner shine in the Championship and Van Persie shine in the Premiership, and the duo compliment each other perfectly. Unlike Adebayor, whose finishing at times is erratic Bendtner can put the ball past the keeper like the best of them and the Premiership saw how devastating Van Persie was last season. Put them together and do you have an unstoppable force?

Any thoughts?