Free Transfers Aren’t the Answer

It has been suggested in many of the papers today and on social media boards that Arsenal are looking at signing a few players on a free transfer to solve the defensive crisis we currently find ourselves in. One of the names being mentioned is former Arsenal player Lassana Diarra.

This is not the solution to the crisis and this is not the answer in the long term. The current problem doesn’t lie with the crop of players in the Arsenal squad and whilst brining in 3 names may help the squad look meatier there is no guarantee that these players will indeed make the difference to the way the team play.

With Free Transfers that go into the season past the window closing, I always ask if the player was that good, why haven’t they been snapped up already? I mean Diarra is a French international. He’s played for Real Madrid and Portsmouth amongst other clubs. Is he better than Arteta? Stevie Wonder could have done a better job than Mikel against Dortmund but then so could many other players. Is he close enough to match fitness? How long would it take to get him there? Is he of the right frame of mind? Would we be able to integrate him with this awful formation Wenger is trying like a young lad toying on FIFA 15.

There are too many questions that cannot be answered. But the biggest issue of all is that signing any of these players now would amount in effect to an admission from the Arsenal board and the manager that they failed to address these area’s in the summer transfer window.

Time will tell, but with Aston Villa away approaching this weekend, something needs to change. The team we pick will be an indication of Wenger’s plan for the rest of the season. Should he stick with 4-1-4-1 and the players he is picking, we will be lucky to see top 4 again this year. But should he change that and actually adapt the current players we have to the positions they need to play and to a way that benefits the team? Then maybe we may just get away from Villa Park with 3 points. The way the Villains are playing at the moment, no free signings or current squad member will look forward to going to the Midlands this weekend to a team full on confidence after seeing off Liverpool at Anfield last wee

A loss here would certainly raise questions about Wenger’s ability to motivate the team ahead of the massive match next week, when we play Tottenham in the first North London Derby of the season. Pochettino’s first derby should be one he remembers with a defeat, but right now, what’s putting the fear into any team playing Arsenal?

Nothing.

Savvygooner