By Tony Attwood
It is extraordinary that with a set of forward line options that includes
- Van Persie
- Giroud
- Gervinho
- Podolski
- Oxlade Chamberlain
- Walcott
- Ryo
and with two players (Chamakh and Park) expected to leave or go on loan the media is still talking about who Arsenal will buy in the forward line.
Maybe it is to cover up the “facts” that they have given us about Giroud in the past. For example…
In November last year Montpellier owner Louis Nicollin said Olivier Giroud might leave his club, but not for Newcastle who were currently touted as possible buyers because they were “too small” a club. He said that however that a move for Olivier Giroud to Arsenal would be possible, but the price would have to be right.
By that time Montpellier were second in the league. Giroud had scored 13 times at that point in the season. He was 25 years old, a clear talent, and Newcastle had the reputation of buying from France.
Newcastle responded by saying they were not in the market for a striker in the January transfer window – not least I suspect as a way of managing supporter expectations. They were doing well in the league, but talk in the area about buying lots of players to secure a top four spot were way out. But that didn’t stop the Montpellier boss putting the boot in.
As we know, the press in Britain work on the basis that no one in the kingdom can speak a second language, and so they are happy to take interviews in European languages and twist them around to create a different impression. Thus an interview Nicollin did with RTL was presented as meaning that Giroud would not be going to Arsenal because the asking price for the player was far too much for Arsenal to pay.
This was ammunition for the AAA who took the wholly false meaning from the translation of that interview to suggest that Arsenal had once again blown the possibility of the signing because of the traditional stubbornness of Arsene Wenger (which of course does not exist, but the AAA invented it and so they have to find examples of it), because the board were not willing to pay proper transfer fees, and, oh some other stuff that was too silly to note down at the time.
What the RTL article actually said was this. Nicollin was asked if a bid of 10 million euros (which was the price that supposedly Newcastle were offering) would secure the player. He replied:
“And at 10million euros? No. Given that he still has more than two years of contract, it will cost more. He has a contract until 2014, [so] 50 or 60million euros at least.”
So as Giroud does his medical and prepares to come to Arsenal, the question is: did we really pay 50 or 60 million euros for the player who scored 21 goals last season and was the top scorer.
In 2011–12, Montpellier won its first Ligue 1 title. They beat Paris Saint-Germain by three points – which is no mean feat given that PSG is the Man City of France. Despite scoring the same number of goals as Paris Saint-Germain attacker Nenê, Giroud has “top scorer” award from La Ligue de Football Professionnel due to getting more goals in open play.
But there is no chance that 50 to 60 million was ever the price – in the end there is always realism in football transfers. And it is not at all certain the Giroud will be a regular starter, if, as seems likely, Van Persie stays.
What is likely to happen, I believe, and as I have suggested before, is that we will have the extra players to cover for the injuries that we now seem to get year in year out. So when other clubs use the “targeted injury” technique to remove virtually every player that we have in a particular position – as with full backs last season we will have every chance of having quality players still available.
If there are no injuries then we can engage in rotation – selecting players according to their form, resting players who have just come back from internationals, and changing the team around for the weeks in which the Champions League and Premier League games alternate.
As far as I remember the transfer window isn’t open yet, and when it does I can’t actually believe we will bring in any more forward line players. And I am doubtful about midfield. But maybe yet one more player in defence. Perhaps.
Just one final point. In this story there is no Gilles Grimandi – but he is normally involved in any transfer from France. That’s not to say he wasn’t there – but for the moment I suspect the Grimandi story resides elsewhere in France. I’ll come back to that in the next piece.
But meanwhile if you want to see Mr Wenger talking about Giroud, he’s here
- To find out how well refs did in 2011/12 we analysed their every move. Now we start the reports.
- Why bother with next season when you can read all about it now?
- It’s Patrick Vieira’s birthday
- The last ref review: Wigan 4 Newcastle 0. Now for the fun
- Ray Parlour and Martin Keown will play in the FA Cup this season
- Uefa is racist and by association so is the FA
- Robin Van Persie, match fixing and ice creams
What is likely to happen, I believe, and as I have suggested before, is that we will have the extra players to cover for the injuries that we now seem to get year in year out. So when other clubs use the “targeted injury” technique to remove virtually every player that we have in a particular position – as with full backs last season we will have every chance of having quality players still available.
I hope you are not sugesting that our fullbacks where deliberatly injured last season because it is so easy to disaprove. It would take all credibility from a othervice excellent article.
Whilst there is a clamour to sell deadwood from the fans i have to ask is it totally necessary? Sure if having certain players at the club is preventing us signing others then we have to sell. but if that is not the case then we dont have to sell. Assuming giroud is a done deal all we actually have to do is offload 5 players either permanent or on loan. however i am certain that even with podolski and giroud wenger is after strengthening the squad in other positions. if the likes of fabianski mannone djourou diaby are unhappy as reported then replacements will be required. in addition i think dm rb and am are the positions wenger still wants to improve and mvila debuchy and either belhanda or ben arfa are the players he wants.
Renes hav also agreed 14m ƒόr m’villa †нє deal could rise †Φ 18m ιη †нє future accordin †Φ ma insider source. †hε will вє xcitin times 4 arsenal fans
I only hope that next term, the newbies like Podolski, Giroud,M’Vila,etc, plus Wilshere and Diaby will all be part of a shrewd rotation system and not as a result of longterm injuries.
Great Post, well written and entirely credible.
You missed Bendtner off your list of forwards 🙂
Exciting stuff now, looking good, ‘Damn it feels good to be Gooner!’
The asking price was not 50-60 millions euros, that was a valuation.
Given that Giroud had a buyout clause for less than £13million, that is technically all that Montpellier could have ever hoped to have secured, Even if a bidding war had broken out, when the release clause was activated the power was in the player’s hands.
@ Mystic, Why do we never hear of buy-out clauses in the contracts of EPL guys?
I believe that it is something that doesn’t generally exist, unless it is very specifically agreed between player and club as part of the negotiating.
yes he has a release clause of €16m or approx. £12,8m, so it’s quite simple 😉
@mystic, maybe EPL clubs do not use release clauses that much like in southern europe. Just like its very rare that other clubs than italians tends to use player shares.
@Nicky – I have read this a few places, but unsure of the validity, that players who play in leagues that are located within the EU (basically the Continental Leagues) are required to have a buyout clause as part of the contract. There is no such provision for players in England.
Now get G JOHNSON to cover our defence. The guy was a genius last night
Yeah, lets buy every player that played one good game 😉
Glen Johnson is shit
i’m curious about your grimandi line…
are you suggesting he’s working on another transfer…m’vila? sakho perhaps? i would love it if it was sakho.
tell us more!
Somewhat off topic, but is there anyone who knows a lot about Thomas Eisfeld? Could he be the reason we’re not going after an attacking midfielder? I haven’t seen much of him, but the little I saw (his 1st reserves game against Swansea, 24 hrs after we signed him) implied that he might be being groomed into our monster for that position. Our future Cesc, in a sense. Anyone know more about this kid?
@Another Fan:
“I hope you are not sugesting that our fullbacks where deliberatly injured last season…It would take all credibility from a othervice excellent article.”
I disagree. I think that our fullbacks were deliberately injured last season. As Sagna himself suggested at the end of the season.
@Walter:
That sounds like an excellent transfer strategy! Plus we need Gary Cahill despite the fact that he doesn’t play any good games 🙂
Ok, that was a bit mean to Cahill… Sorry 🙂
Shame on you Anne – you gotta be REAL mean to Cahill 😀
Thanks Tony for the link – so happy to hear from Arsene Wenger’s own lips that Giroud is an Arsenal player!
@Anne
I agree that our full backs were deliberately targeted last season. What is disturbing is that this appeared to be an organised continuation of the thuggery inflicted on us over the previous few years – with minimal response from the Men in Black.
Deliberately injured? I think you are misrepresenting Sagna, as he pointed only to that tackle at the end of the season. It was 1 tackle. And Santos got injured in the CL against Olympiakos. Gibbs injuries are all strains. Jenkinson got a stress fracture on his back.
Black Hei
June 26, 2012 at 4:47 am
There you go Anne, no point in getting paranoid 😉
taratataaaa : it’s on Arsenal. com 😉
it’s official!
Just made my day. Good signing.
Folks…please welcome OG!
Anne, I’m impressed with the devilish capacity of other clubs to tweak our fullbacks’ hamstrings and give them back injuries… and break their legs when they land awkwardly after a challenge (Sagna’s first break)…
Saying our fullbacks’s inuries were the result of deliberate, targeted attempts to take them all out is conspiracy nonsense of the highest order.
Sagna’s comment was that he thought the Norwich player’s stamp was deliberate. He did NOT imply that all of Arsenal’s fullbacks were being targeted, nor did he say that the guy was actually trying to break his leg. You’re putting some very odd words into his mouth.