Arsenal fly out to Asia this weekend ahead of the friendlies against a Malaysia XI and Hangzhou Greentown, all designed to help promote the club worldwide.
Yet while the tour is very much focused on commercialization, a select few in the 23-man squad know this tour means a lot more than just two foreign friendlies. For the first time in good few seasons, there are realistic places in Arsène Wenger’s first-team squad available.
The travelling party includes only two Reserve team prospects, Ryo Miyaichi and Emmanuel Frimpong, as I told you yesterday. Miyaichi’s inclusion is partly down to the manager wanting to take a look after his stunning spell on loan with Feyenoord last season, and partly because of the obvious boost it gives Arsenal to have a Asian player on the Asian tour. Frimpong is named as back up to Song, but he’s already been around the setup for a year or so.
Emmanuel Eboué, Abou Diaby and Łukasz Fabiański all failed to prove their fitness in time to travel, while Nicklas Bendtner and Manuel Almunia were left behind. Those exclusions, plus the sale of Gael Clichy, hand significant opportunities to some players.
Kieran Gibbs and Armand Traoré will both hope to prove their worth at left back, with Wenger not keen to give Pedro Botelho a run out. Traoré has failed to attract any interest since completing his loan spell at Juventus, but he returns to London Colney a vastly improved player. He now needs to show it.
New signing Carl Jenkinson should get a chance as Bacary Sagna’s deputy, and Vito Mannone is fit and ready to show his good form on loan at Hull City was no fluke. Almunia’s exclusion and Fabiański’s lack of fitness present him with a real chance to show his best.
There will be various other subplots in Asia, but working with Wenger in the 23-man group will give the manager a better chance to run the rule over them. More of the youngsters, including Kyle Bartley, will get chances at the Emirates Cup and beyond, but solid performances in Asia can help some seal places, or at least get a firm foot hold in Wenger’s plans.
For many, this tour is about now or never, in their quest to break through.
Hopefully that means curtains for Bendtner and Almunia’s Arsenal careers.
Kyle Bartley should have been included! He’s a very good player and would of had a good chance to show what he’s got with a few games in Asia to impress in. He’d probably be in the same bracket as Phil Jones and Gary Cahill in terms of quality had he been at a lower side and could of had the games to show it. Hope he gets a good chance as he looks like a typical old fashioned centre back!
Hopefully this means were are sure to sign another center half. I can only assume Kyle is still recovering from the injury that ended his season.
Dont understand why Denilson wasn’t excluded.
Clearly nobody has been interested in buying our Brazilian winner.
i said here denilson might end up going to brazil on loan just to save us on wages no PL club will touch him or alumnia
Bye bye Bendtner, Bendtner bye bye…
Well, I’ll miss him… I think…
Shame there are no young strikers ready to fight for a place (I know Afobe might have if not for England). Will Theo get a runout up front at some point in these two games? Or Vela? Not Miyaichi, surely. Without Gervinho to look at, I’d like to see some options for when RVP isn’t playing.
Can’t help but notice that Wellington Silva isn’t included. I can think of several reasons why not, but which of them is the right one, J?
Denilson should have been let out. He made disgraceful comments a month or so ago. He’s shit out as no other club are bothered about taking him. Certainly no one in the class of Arsenal.
Wenger does not like tall, strong, english centre halves so Bartley will never ever get a proper run out with Arsenal. He has an excellent future but will end up somewhere else but will get England caps. Wenger prefers straw men like Koscielny who cost us the carling cup along with szczesny
I don’t know how people like you can run their mouths like that, Wenger doesn’t like English centre halves? Then why did he work so hard to prolong Adams’, Keown’s and Bouldy’s careers, why did he get Sol Campbell from Spurs.
Furthermore, everyone fucks up, hell it wasn’t even Koscielny’s fault, Tech9 didn’t call for it but went for it anyway, Koscielny went to clear it and if you’ve ever played football in your life you know if the ball is close to the six year area and the goalkeeper hasn’t said anything you hoof it out. Nothing wrong his Laurent, he’s great in the tackle, he’s just a vagina in the air but I’m sure he’ll get better at that.
Nicklas Bendtner and Manuel Almunia are both holding negotiations overs transfers, Arsenal have confirmed to the BBC. Thats why they didn’t travel.
I wonder why wellington and botelho was not included in the squad. Ok now i know.The prof knew too well that with these squad, we will surely whitewash our 2 opponents so to calm the pressure and to keep the angry fans hope alive for next season,even if he didn’t do much business in the market. If that should be the case,am afraid he is deceiving himself and tarnishing/denting the reputation and honour he had build over the years. Soon the like of little jack,ramsey and gibbs will want to leave the club to win trophy after they might have become big players.I wonder why wellington and botelho was not included in the squad. Ok now i know.The prof knew too well that with these squad, we will surely whitewash our 2 opponents so to calm the pressure and to keep the angry fans hope alive for next season,even if he didn’t do much business in the market. If that should be the case,am afraid he is deceiving himself and tarnishing/denting the reputation and honour he had build over the years. Soon the like of little jack,ramsey and gibbs will want to leave the club to win trophy after they might have become big players.too well that with these squad, we will surely whitewash our 2 opponents so to calm the pressure and to keep the angry fans hope alive for next season,even if he didn’t do much business in the market. If that should be the case,am afraid he is deceiving himself and tarnishing/denting the reputation and honour he had build over the years. Soon the like of little jack,ramsey and gibbs will want to leave the club to win trophy after they might have become big players.
i wanted to see ozzy in asia but wenger will give another chance to a proven clown of a player called denilson. i dont care if bendtner stays or goes because we dont realy have any forward in reserve team, but we have few good players in mid like lansbury, ozzy and frimpong and they can’t play any worse than rosicky, diaby and denilson, players that wenger will keep no mater how bad they are. It is really sad thing to watch how we throw big money on our dead wood (we all know who they are), and at the same time we dont have money to buy top players and our reserve talent is roting on the bench at arsenal or somewhere on loan.
Why do people think Lansbury, Frimpong, and Ozzy are better then Diaby? Diaby is a quality player who is just having issues with injuries.
And decision making.
Agree with shane. Diaby;s good performances always seem to be ignored. He was very good last season, and in the second half of the year before that.
So he is shit because he is not a perfect player yet?
Jamie,
Any news about Lansbury’s future please?? I really hope he stays…
Lans coming back later because of u-21 euros!
Thanks Nicholas – I was wondering the same thing. Had forgotten about his extra time off. That’s a relief!
js is there any truth that we are monitoring aly cissokho?great news,i mean bentdner & almuniya being excluded.if troare has “vastly” improved player then he’ll be similar to a new signing.what do you guys think??
Great informative post as ever. But I do have to wonder about Traore, why on earth are we sticking with him? He was really poor when he played in England, defensively in particular, he was sent on a dead-end loan to Juventus (just like Senderos’ loan at the time) knowing his Arsenal career is over, hardly impressed if ever played there – yet Arsene Wenger has allowed him back and now he’s actually considered to be Gibbs’ cover? (and with Kieran’s fitness, we know it’s a matter of time before Traore is the one playing).
I don’t know on what basis you say he’s now a “vastly improved player”. Before he went on loan, he was below average and he hardly gained any valuable experience there. For me, that’s just another example of settling on mediocrity. With the sale of Clichy, Gibbs is a huge risk. But with Traore possibly playing many games for Arsenal, that’s actually suicidal.
Bartley should have gone instead of Squiliffi. Let’s hope Kyle gets a chance to shine this month, he’s ready to prove his worth.
I think he is still recovering from last term’s injury.
Gervinho will be a direct replacement for Bendtner,which is an improvement as Bendtner doesn`t have the pace nor the skills to play in that position for Arsenal…Hopefully Denilson will go as well and Squillaci…I don`t mind Diaby and Rosicky staying…I wish Bartley will stay at least till January – Cant wait to see him in action.
admit with you guys concerning denilson he should have been excluded as he seemed to have been intent on leaving,ozzy should be in the squad instead.its this attitude that has cost us dire.wenger saying he will buy one or two quality players doesnt impress me at all we are one the verge of selling three or more players & we replace them with two players..our bench doesnt pocess the quality required just look at our rivals.i certainly dont think that we are worser that sunderland in terms of financial circumstances
Is 23 the maximum amount of players that could be brough?
Isragooner>
“I do have to wonder about Traore, why on earth are we sticking with him? ”
Because he’s a very decent player. Not sure he’s a left-back, but he might make a top quality winger.
why not give botelho a chance instead of traore who really isnt that good of a defender?
Neither is Botelho!
I really wish Bendtner played through the middle more. He’s a much better player than people seem to give him credit for. I’ve always thought the German league would be perfect for him. To play up front for Dortmund or Bayern Munich means he’d get regular European action too. I’ll miss him, good luck to him in future. I’d like to see Denilson go to Spain, he’s not cut out for the EPL, it’s too fast and too physical for him. But where ever he goes I just hope it’s soon. Rosicky should stay, the squad will get younger this year I think and we need some experience in the dressing room, plus he’s still a decent player. Squillaci is fine as backup, nothing more, there’s at least three CB’s ahead of him in the pecking order anyway. I really hope Vela is a bit of a late bloomer, last chance saloon for him I think. We need someone to push Walcott for a place, he has it way too easy on the right. Hopefully Gervinho can do that. I hate that we missed out on Alvarez to Inter, I’ve read nothing but good things about him and £10m is pretty damn cheap these days, poor show Mr. Wenger, poor show. But I still feel positive for the coming season, let’s really get behind the lads; now more than ever!
Bendtner always got injured when RVP got injured and when RVP is fit, he is not going to start over RVP. The when he gets his chances, he plays real lazy. He has what I call the Ibrahimovic syndrome. He thinks he has done more than he has actually done. It is not a question of his talent but his attitude and work rate. You can’t just keep saying, “I am one of the worlds best and not actually perform like it”. His attitude as far as always talking to the press gets old too.
As for Vela, he is 22 years old. Relax, RVP did not hit his prime at 22. Vela has shown clear quality and it one of these guys that when he plays with quality players, he will be better. He always scores when he goes up top with our best players.
I think that’s the longest comment I’ve ever made on a website. lol
bendtner and traore jsut failed to shine because of a system change from 442 to 433. Thats the problem, the only thing thats keeping Vela is that he has raw talent. If we persisted with 442, traore would be a nice winger and bendtner would be a nice Striker, not necissarily a world beater.
Jamie, I am not sure how you came to the conclusion Armand Traoré returned to Arsenal a much improved player, Juve didnt think a lot of him he spent half the season out injured and half the games he played he was either a late substitution or was taken off.
What is with Lanbury’s contract? There have been absolutely no updates on that, except that he has one year left. Also, now there are rumours of him going to norwich for 2 mil.
Frimpong played real well last pre-season, hopefully he can do it again this time. Song needs a back up, and i don’t mean in a bar brawl. Got Wilshere for that!
Jokes jokes :D
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Jamie do you know if we’re interested in signing a LB? Wenger implied that he’s going to be replaced with Gibbs, but that could have been diversion for other clubs. Even if Gibbs makes miraculous improvements in the 1 month before the season starts, he has an injury record, and Traore isn’t someone who should be starting for us.
I would love to get a good LB. That could solve a lot of our defensive issues I think.
u taken neals’son so he can show case skills in reel time and get teams re aquainted with quality……..france were the better team by far!!….they played better football than most of dah preem’er’shheeet teams….blatantly!!!!…necib is such super quality player…..we should sign her for the first team!!!!… we want NECIB!!!!….now!!!….please!!!
i’m guessing the opportunity Ozyakup was promised will come in germany, lisbon or emirates cup then ?
Or Hastings, Boreham Wood, Stevenage and Dover!!
You have to wonder why the reserves cannot get some better fixtures. I mean why cant they play a Malaysian X1 or Hanzaghou Greentown? Oh No that is the first team!!
Seriously though, surely it would be better for the reserves to travel with the first team to cologne and benfica and play their 2nd X1.
It’s not been discussed elsewhere but Fabianski being injured AGAIN worries me. We have yet another mega injury prone player there. we dont want an injury prone keeper even as number 2 – we’d be down to our number 3 too often. I like Fabianski but I just wonder whether we’d be better off getting another reliable keeper. Surely the other young ones are not good enough or still too young?
IMO being a 2nd choice keeper is a completely different job. An older solid reliable keeper would be preferential to back up Szczesny and the young keepers need to be on loan. I like Fabianski and feel is is a good shot stopper but his temperament and reliability just does not fit the back up keeper role.
If you disagree with that then you just do not understand football. Pretty much all good teams have a clear starter and then a back up keeper that do specifically that job. It is not rocket science.
Traore was vastly improved toward the end of his loan. At the beginning he was injured, then he was playing nominatively left back but behaved like a left winger.
Clearly he was coaching on the training pitch and in the last couple of game, he was solid at left back.
I think people are being harsh on our young left backs. all 3 of them are now only just 21 botelho has played a hell of a lot of matches and will hopefully continue to improve under the same manager as last season only this time in the top flight of spanish football at levante. gibbs and traore for me are very similar and of about the same level that a certain ashley cole was when he got his first real chance at 21 due to the injury to sylvinho. sure ashley had played a few matches before hand but then so have these 2. also dont forget traore has played a lot of matches on loan at portsmouth as well as juventus all in the top flight. i think his added height and pace will see him share the role well with gibbs and i think both could yet work together in tandem on the left wing. who knows one day we may see all our 3 left operating down the left flank. I for one am happy to give them a shot we always have the belgian international left back to fall back on and i hear we could get abidail and drenthe. abidail we all know as a left back but is more impressive as a centre half and it was not long ago that drenthe was ripping teams apart for holland down the left wing. both would be excellent additions to the squad and at less than 5m for both is a steal.
Denilson has taken undue stick and been the focal point for ire for the last 2 or 3 season, then muppets get angry when he has the audacity to comment on it. wtf? how stupid are these people???
Shane>
” You can’t just keep saying, “I am one of the worlds best and not actually perform like it”.”
Why do you keep repeating that nonsense about Bendtner? He’s never said anything except that a player at Arsenal is being paid to aim for the top. Anything else is tabloid twisting.
The amount of stick the boy gets is unbelievable. Can you think of any other player who’d wear a pair of pink boots to raise money for a breast-cancer charity, and get treated as if he’d just picked them for fashion purposes – with no mention of the charity whatsoever?
What does charity have to do with him on the football pitch and anything football related. Most players do charity things which is great but what does that have to do with the football team? So what, old school homophobic men made comments about Bendtner wearing pink boots and if they did not know the back story then how would they know the reason for him wearing them. Most of us would get jokes from our friends if we wore pink boots.
Bendtner has done interviews where he has shown his arrogance and even the sports psychiatrist at Arsenal has spoken on his arrogance. The Arsenal players have also made comments about his attitude and lack of respect. Bendtner on the field even when he has played the striker position has played extremely lazy, often just standing up top or playing with no real urgency. No body is questioning the mans talent but you have to put in the work too. Look at Chicharito and you will understand that. That guy doesn’t have half the talent of a Bendtner but he works hard to get in the right positions to be successful. You are the man that still believe Denilson is right for us tho (i think that is you) so I can understand why you back Bendtner to the extreme as well mate. Fair enough tho.
“Bendtner has done interviews where he has shown his arrogance and even the sports psychiatrist at Arsenal has spoken on his arrogance.”
Neither of those are true. Check out what he and the sports psych actually said, not the way the papers twisted things.
Give you an example, the whole ‘best striker in the world’ thing. I don’t remember the exact wording, but it was completely clear in context that what Nicky was actually saying was that he aimed to become one of the best strikers in the world, and that it was his job at Arsenal to make himself a first XI player. What was actually reported? That he’d said he ‘should be’ those things, as if he meant that the world was wrong not to recognise him as such.
Considering his age and obvious talent, I haven’t the slightest doubt that Bendtner’s going to be a world class striker one day. I only pray he does it for us, and not for some other club. Do you realise, he’s basically the same age as Andy Carroll, and has a far more impressive record?
See, there have been plenty of different comments over the years from him and yes, I know about the one where he said he wants to be some day but you also have to actually put in the work and perform on the pitch. As for having a better record then Andy Carroll….how in the world do you figure that? Yah he has played more games but that does not mean he is better by the way he is a full year older and has had more time to show himself in the prem. Anyways, like I said, I am not doubting his talent and on potential unless he causes a lot of problems in the dressing room which players have said he does, then I am not against him staying.
Quick question, why isnt JET part of the Asia tour?
“As for having a better record then Andy Carroll….how in the world do you figure that?”
Check out their stats on Wikipedia. They have basically the same goals-per-game ratio in the league. Bendtner wins massively on experience, because he’s played more than half a season in the top flight, has played European football, international football, and scored against some of the world’s top clubs. Can Carroll say the same?
When you ignore the hype and actually look at the facts, things are clearly in NB’s favour. Considering how much of the time NB has been played out of position, it seems obvious to me that he’s actually considerably more talented than Carroll.
And 4rder more sell Abue alumilium, betna rosicky. And luk to 4 great players to replace dem