Arsene Whinging (2) – Preseason: Transfers

Photograph: Nigel Roddis/Reuters

http://imgur.com/a/zyW9M#Ii4u9

Image album at imgur.com

Ok, so I arrive at Arsenal (these screenshots were taken 4 games into the season so that I had everything established), with the things in my mind that I identified in the preview.

Transfers and squad strengthening

Firstly, there’s strengthening the squad. I identify several areas we can improve upon:

1) Find cover at left-back: Gael Clichy is a top attacking full-back, but we only really have Kieran Gibbs to fill in. This isn’t that pressing though.

2) Goalkeeper. Almunia is, to use the technical term, a muppet.

Here’s his profile. Basically, he has poor communication, first touch and composure: not great qualities for a top goalkeeper. I therefore identify this as an important area to strengthen, and consider two goalkeepers, both French internationals: Sébastien Frey of Fiorientina, and Hugo Lloris of Lyons. After some bidding, Lloris is clearly out of reach.

Sebastian Frey, here his stats are rendered into a polygon

Frey, however, has a minimum fee release clause of £10.5 million. I have worked with Frey before on football manager 2010 and he’s a great goalkeeper in this game. His main strengths are one-on-ones and general shot stopping. Lloris was being considered because of his good command of the area, and his age allowing development (Frey is 30). I make a bid and sign Frey on a structured deal- if I’d paid out-right this would have halved my budget, but I still have a good sized budget to expand. I then sell 2nd choice keeper Fabianski for £1.2 million and drop Almunia into the substitutes. Should teams get past Arsenal’s defensive line, Frey will be more reliable than Almunia, and his greater eccentricity fits into the general enterprise I want to instil into the team.

At this point I manage a couple of friendlies, winning 7-0 against semi-pro team Boreham Wood and 4-0 against a Dutch league team. This was to test the efficacy of my tactics which I will outline below. From then on I handed control in friendlies to my assistant Pat Rice, to focus on the transfer market.

3) Central-midfield.

Basically, I want a pairing with Fabregas. I already have Abou Diaby, Alex Song and Denilson to choose from within the squad. Unfortunately the latter two are injured, and Diaby is inexperienced. Basically, there needs to be a hardworking foundation to work alongside playmaker Fabregas. Song will return soon but I will still look for another option, after-all there’s nothing stopping me deploying a Song-?-Fabregas axis in the centre. I consider West Ham’s captain Scott Parker, but I’d have to pay around 10.5 million, which is too much for a player my scouts rate as being 3 stars/5. Ideally I want to sign someone like Jeremy Toulalan, also of Lyon (aussi Lloris), but he’s far too pricey. I then stumble upon Arturo Vidal, a Chilean international playing for German team Bayer Leverkusen:

Vidal vs Kaka at the 2010 World Cup

Vidal

He has a sexy work-rate and defensive stats, including a nice technique. This fits the Arsenal ethos perfectly. His determination in the centre of the park should provide an engine on which we can build on in midfield. I secure him for 6 million pounds. His age at 23 also allows decent development, and his penalty taking stat of 18/20 will also come in handy in the big finals we want to reach. His aggression is something to watch, however, and he could be better off-the-ball. This should be helped by him being instructed to be cautious and keeping deep in the formation, meaning he should avoid their defensive midfielders who could disrupt his play.

4) Attacking midfield/wing

Now this seems like the last area Arsenal should expand, with options like Nasri, Walcott, Jack Wilshere, Fabregas, Diaby, Tomas Rosicky and Andrey Arshavin, but basically I want to sign one player: Eden Hazard of LOSC Lille. Not only will this prevent rival teams like Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea from signing him, but it will also give us a pacey option who knows how to link play. He will also provide cover for the crocked attack. Should I choose to be a maverick and try a strikerless formation, Hazard could play an important role.

Warning: he's a Hazard to defences

However, I pay a lot of money for him, although a large chunk of that is in add-ons. I still have 5 million to spend, but without selling players I don’t see me expanding much more, this is despite:

5) Central-Defence

Basically, I don’t trust Koscielny and Squillaci. Squillaci is more experienced and will get the nod ahead of Laurent, but I don’t really want to be in a situation where I’m playing against someone like Barcelona with K&S (for short) if Vermaelen picks up his annual injury. What is it with Arsenal and injuries. I look at Fulham’s Brede Hangeland, but Chelsea nab him for 8 million, 3 past my maximum. I have Wellington Silva, a promising defender, arriving later in the season thanks to Wenger’s transfer activities, but he is not a long-term solution. However, all things considered, I do have Johan Djourou and I could play Song at the back. If desperate I could move someone like Sagna into the centre or bring back Vidal, but this is pushing it. Brilliant.

Still, the squad is stronger than when I arrived- this is important, and it will shape my tactics to come, which you can see in the next update, plus a full analysis of our first major game away against Aston Villa.