Arsenal America

[ed. note - I still like the Clash as well, although I'm partial to "Rudy Can't Fail"]

With that in mind, I put in my two cents about the current team and try to distinguish the wheat from the chaff.

My chosen theme for this exercise…

SHOULD HE STAY OR SHOULD GO…

First Up: Keepers
Lehmann: Jens has been solid when the defence has been solid in front of him, even excellent. He is excellent at coming off his line and even to outside the area when needed as is one of the best keepers in that regard in England if not the World, but when the defence has struggled and he has had to come out too often, or worse stay rooted to his line, he has disappointed badly. Still he is a far more confident option than Almunia and with genuine ambitions to be Germany?s Number One next summer at the World Cup he will be determined to have a great year…STAY

Almunia: A bit unfairly criticized at times, Manuel?s performance during the penalty kicks at Sheffield United will be what won us the FA Cup and we should ALWAYS remember him for that night. But is he the next Number One for Arsenal? He really lack the confidence of a seasoned regular keeper for a top club. I think he needs more seasoning and that?s not why you select ANY player. He is an acceptable back-up but not irreplacable…GO; although if he stayed I wouldn?t panic once we got through those group matches

Defence

COLE: With Ashley, the question isn?t should he but WILL he stay. He has definitely had an inconsistent season, and gosh, does anyone have an idea why? He got off to a fabulous start after a brilliant European Championship in Portugal(arguably England?s best player) and played the best defensive football of his career the first three months. The came ?My Dinner With Jose and Peter? and Ashley?s year descended into mediocrity at very best. Still even with Gael Clichy a real star in the making, it would be foolish to just let Ashley go. The best attacking left-back in England Ashley thrives in Wenger?s attacking football and has for years, and our attacking football has similarly benifitted from his presence on the left. Also there is no proper cover for Clichy right now especially since our own Danny Karbayoosian has been released. We should greatfully forgive and forget WHATEVER happened at least for now. But if he is to go, get cash and William Gallas who can play on the left or in central defence. But that?s only if we?ve no other choice…STAY but if you wanna go then ?bye (Note since I started this it looks like he doesn?t want to - go that is - for now)

Campbell: Sol had a season that disappointed everyone deeply, himself most of all - but WHAT a goal at Pompey! The injuries could be a one-off, but watching how niggling injuries got the better of Adams, Keown, and Seaman at this age or thereabouts, maybe it is time to consider Sol as the cover at centre-half rather than the need for cover for Sol at that position. Sol is still when healthy an excellent centre-half both for Arsenal and England, and if the injuries are just a one-off then Sol should return to the excellence we are accustomed to seeing from him. And at his best he is clearly our steadiest and most consistent center-half, although a certain Swiss lad is challenging that level of play in less than a full year. And if he is only cover and the occasional first choice he would be the best cover defender in England by several strides and possibly the best cover defender in all of Europe…STAY

Toure: Kolo has had by all accounts a disappointing season, although I felt he was not as poor as some(or most even). I also never felt Kolo was as solid last year as some(or most)did. He had a very good season a year ago and was last season?s most pleasant surprise. I am not so surprised he didn?t play as well this year at all. I think his average season will lie somewhere between last year?s and this year?s performance, closer to last year?s with each passing year. I think he will also start to get forward more regularly as time goes on, and he could be a real factor in our attack. I think his future could well be at right-back but right now, we would need to bring in TWO centre-halves this year to move him there now and with THREE solid right-back candidates in the team there is no urgency to move him wide yet…STAY

Lauren: One of those three right-backs I mentioned. Lauren is very consistent, but quietly so. Too quietly this year, really. Still the best right-back in the Premiership but his influence at Highbury has declined a good deal this year as his attacking play diminished sharply at times will his defence has been solid but without real improvement over the last season. I think out of the back four his loss would be felt the least, with two solid replacements in place in Eboue and Hoyte and Toure available as a short-term replacement. Still he is a good club man(so long as you don?t blame him for late equalisers, Patrick)and solid pro. It?s a tough call…GO, But if he stays I?d be fine with it

SENDEROS: Philippe and his rapid development (about the only thing actually rapid about the big slow-footed lad to be honest) was the big story of the second half of the season. Senderos played brilliantly despite that lack of pace noted. He has very good positioning when he stays in front of his man and his strength makes it already very difficult if not impossible to go through him with the ball. His pace and agility still need work, but with a pacy partner to help out like Toure .Philippe is solid now and only figures to get better. He will be cover for Sol or Sol will be cover for him. If we need another centre-half he needs to be quicker like Toure to keep the partnership properly balanced in central defence. This is maybe the second or third easiest call…STAY Must Stay Will Stay

CYGAN: Now a MUCH tougher call. Pascal seems to be a favorite target of the supporters for criticism and abuse, often justified, but even more often not - especially last year. The big bald fella actually was pretty solid all season - best positional sense of any central defender we have and actually fairly good going forward on the ball and playing it forward to the attack. But Pascal?s lack of pace, lack of muscle compared to Sol and Philippe, and maybe a bit of a lack of confidence still ensure that one glaring error every week that still can cost us and everyone seizes upon to prove his unworthiness. Still he is a competent centre-half as last choice maybe unless Kolo is out then maybe you move Eboue in. I think we all know what Wenger will do. I honestly don?t know what he should do…STAY, although if he went it wouldn?t be a disaster I don?t think

EBOUE: A real enigma here. I just really haven?t seen enough of the lad to really conclude he?s made his place here or doesn?t belong. The potential IS there, and the skill and pace are already in place, but the same can be said of our next lad too. In fact everything I have written about Emmanuel could apply to young Justin Hoyte. Eboue can play centre-half though, and out of our team now is the one player who can actually give us the pace Kolo does partnering Sol or Philippe, and that alone makes him worth keeping unless we buy a similar player who?s an actual centre-half …STAY at least one more year

HOYTE; Like I said everything I said about Emmanuel Eboue, and just a LITTLE BIT more…Young Justin is a very promising Under-21 International for England already so no doubt he?s a player. But is he good enough to compete for the right back spot with Lauren NOW in Wenger?s eyes, and is he even ready to beat out Eboue as Lauren?s regular cover. I?d like to see him get his chance, as it would shut up the critics(as if we should care) who complain we have no Englishmen in the team! But we need to see more from him on the pitch and quality too and soon. Wenger doesn?t wait forever unless you?ve proven yourself, like with Tony Adams and David Seaman. So Justin needs to take the chance the moment he gets it, even if it is out on loan at West Ham or Fulham, and at least give himself the chance to make it here…STAY at least on our books even if you?re loaned out and show us what you?ve got, lad

CLICHY: When healthy simply one of the best back-ups in English Football and maybe in European Football as well. If Gael found his shooting boots he?d be as sought-after as any Arsenal players save Henry, Vieira, and Pires or Reyes. The lad is THAT good, and fortunately for us, that patient - for now. I think we should use him more especially in Europe as a defensive- minded left winger especially when trying to protect leads or results, and even in England occasionally as well as a few extra first-team run-outs to keep him confident of his future with us, Ashley Cole or no Ashley Cole. Like I said, he?s THAT good. He gives us a real headache, and the kind the best teams in Europe have. The kind we don?t have enough of…Yet…STAY definitely

So there’s the back squared away…sort of. Next we will consider the mid-field