After being heavily linked with a second loan spell at Real Sociedad last month, Fran Mérida appeared to be heading out of the Arsenal exit door.
However, four weeks on it now seems the 18-year-old will get the opportunity to fight for a place in Arsène Wenger’s side after the Frenchman sanctioned the departures of three other starlets. Nacer Barazite, Håvard Nordtveit and Armand Traore have all left for at least four months each, leaving the manager short on potential Carling Cup players.
Shortly after the links – which surprise, surprise came via his agent – Fran issued an interview with Arsenal.com reaffirming his desire to fight for a first team place. The stumbling block over the transfer was Real’s demands to include a permanent clause, something both the club and player were very much against.
Spanish newspaper AS claimed Sociedad wanted the deal done in time for this weekends Segunda kick off, but with the deadline now slipping away, Mérida remains in training at London Colney preparing himself for more Carling Cup run outs. Wenger told the official Arsenal magazine last month that Mark Randall, Henri Lansbury and Kieran Gibbs will also feature in the League Cup, Fran now looks like he will add his name to the list.
Article By – J.Sanderson
Where do you view him in the pecking order of young midfielders at the Club JS?
im so fed up with this club,the only ones who likes the Gunners nowadays are theese moneysucking pigs called the board of directors…get out before you ruin the club…
I hate to here that wenger is short of carling cup players when he is offloading experience players
At this rate, he’ll be better off as cover for Cesc in the 1st team – considering the manager ain’t gonna get anyone else in!!!! He couldn’t do any worse creatively speaking than Denilson’s effort against Fulham…..
Where do you see wenger playing him in the league cup.
1st,Top,Numero Uno.Fran is a wonderful player.
Well if Wenger keeps playing Eboué in the middle and on the right he won’t get many chances!
I think he just needs a chance and he will prove his worth. Against Fulham we lacked anybody who was willing to create for the forwards.
Merida can solve that, he is still a little light weight, but an fantastic passer.
needs a chance, he can play better than Denilson or Eboue did last time. Probablem is its a bit risky just sticking him in, although thankfully Fabregas should be bak soon.
JS i am hearing arsenal are making a move for jan vertonghen of Ajax hes an under 21 belgium captain who is primarily a defensive midfiedler but can play across the back and midfield. He about 6ft3/4. Any news? just heard a rumour got any news
We need to change formation and play 4-3-3 coz we get bullied off the park we need another body in midfield. Our midfield is getting outnumbered every time we play against teams that have 11men behind the ball. Look at united yesterday they had three in midfield and look solid even though they got two avergae class players in flethcer and oshea. All u need is a body in there to combat the opposition
Is Ramsey ahead of fran???
What do you think will be the carling cup side?
—————Fabianski————–
Rodgers*—-G.Hoyte——Djourou—–Gibbs
Lansbury—Randall—Ramsey—Wilshere
———–Bendtner—-Vela———–
SUBS:
Mannone
Rodgers
Thomas
Coquelin
Merida
Simpson
Fonte
*maybe Silvestre will start center with Hoyte right back?
dilly – depends, i think they are very similar.
I rate Fran slightly ahead because he has had more games abet at Sociedad level.
John – Where did you hear/see that?
This isn’t our problem now,staying strong in the league,and champions league is the problem,our first team should be fortified with not only talents but strength that are taken things by force,time to take things by force.
i heard it on soccerforum
DO u know anything about him?
Brilliant! Can’t wait to see him play.
My Carling Cup side:
Fabianski
Rodgers-Silvestre-Djourou-Gibbs
Walcott-Ramsey-Song-Wilshere
Bendtner-Vela
Subs:
Mannone
Simpson
Coquelin
Gilbert
Merida*
Randall
G.Hoyte
*Possible starter
^ I’d prefer that side above actually to one I did. Gilbert is on loan at Leicester though. Lansbury will defo be on bench at least.
JS, I know this isn’t to do with Merida but it has got something to do with young guns, do you know why the five Arsenal boys (Wilshere, Banton, Byles, Cruise and Frimpong) were pulled out of the England u-17 squad?
Because we have important Under 18 games. Brady told them they were not going to take them even before it was announced, i dont know why they still named them.
when is the champions league game?
I thought Gibbs was off to Reading. Also is it just me or that Randell a little overrated.
John – Vertonghen had a great Olympic Tournement. I like his style of play, he’s very agressive, strong player with good technical abilities, his passing is good too. His natural positions is DM but he can play Leftback as well as Centre back. But because he’s ready to play an important role at Arsenal. He’s still young and needs to improve.
I would love for Arsene to look at Nigel De Jong. He had a very good European Championship and he’s the type of player who would make a good partner for Fabregas. Resilient, tenacious, not that tall but still strong, fast enough to go along in attack on the break, trained at Ajax so goo technically and descent passer. He’s allmost 24 years so he will be a good player for us for years to come. Plus HSV are a selling club so we might get him out of there easily before the transfer deadline.
What do you think guys?!!
*but because= but I don’t think
BJ, I’m guessing that now Traore has gone on loan Gibbs can be used for cover in cup games and Silvestre is considered a key part of the 1st team and will likely play centre-back in CC (he’ injured til around then I think)
Mouhsin do u have an account on rude
i may not be a british but do u think that merida can be better than walcott on the flanks?
i think merida needs to get a chance… CC is of course the platform but i think he can probably play a big role in the coming seasons… him and nasri on the flanks maybe a lethal combination…wat is ur view js
ps: i’m one of the mauritians fans who love ur blog…keep it up
I would defo put Fran ahead of Ramsey. He is far better technically and would create more chances. Wasn’t Ramsey used on the wing a lot at Cardiff. I hear that Vertonghen is highly rated at Ajax.
I don’t rate Randall as much as others do. Sure he is a good passer but whenever he plays he is pretty anonymous. Would be great if Merida could fight for a first team spot. After all he is one of the hottest prospects in football.
randall did not impress me during the pre season games he had… and we must not forget that merida is highly rated in europe so i think we should really give him the chances needed to succeed here… and i completely with stu abt putting fran ahead of ramsey
Why does everyone want to put Merida on the flank, particularly the right. Is he or is he not a centre-midfielder? As far as i know he isn’t that fast, his best quality is his passing which would be most effective in the middle.
No John I don’t I don’t even know what rude is :P
Yeah J., I agree with some of the comments around here. I’d like to see Merida get some time in the first team as Cesc’s replacement. We’ve got to blood the kid. He’ll only get better playing against men. If it comes to it, let Denilson or Song do the funky Gilberto and clean up behind him, but give Fran some time running the attack.
I think next season will be Nordveidt’s time to start stepping up. I think Silvestre is perfect for what he is, cheap, experienced defensive cover, but Gallas and Kolo are getting on themselves. We’ll be looking for Bartley to step up soon, too.
Interesting site, thanks, and some interesting comments.
My two pfennigs worth… against teams who pack the box and play 11 behind the ball, I think we ought to run at them hard and fast, dribbling into the box, and dare them to take us down (hear that, Theo?). Sure, it might be a bit cheesy playing for free kicks and penalties, but to keep trying to pass balls through a wall is pointless, you need a battering ram (and you also need to put the fear of speed into some of these defenders).
mite not happen but, id love 2 c fran n cesc play together in cm
1 left footed
1 right footed
both gr8 playmakers
at least he is a better cm dan eboue lol
YESSSSS …now we can send Eboue on loan to Real Sociedad (that’s sociedad not madrid LOL) . Merida is a cover for Fabregas my friends
I´d like Arsene to buy De Jong… He´s a great product of the same academy as Van Der Vaart etc..
Arsenal simply haven’t got a clue!
i’ve said it before and i’ll say it again,Man City even have a better(more equipped) chance than us for the league
they have, HART,RICHARDS,GORLUKA,DUNNE,JOHNSON,ELANO,KOMPANY,JO and STURRIDGE(who i think will be da new IAN WRIGHT) plus i have just read they r close to signin SHAUN WRIGHT=PHILLIPS and RONALDO(the brazillian legend), thats a f-ing team!!!!
665
fran should have been promoted and given 1st team number by now. he is an incredible talent. pure technique. i really feel he could make a differance in big games already. cant wait for him to get a shot.