Aug 10
Arsenal.com reports that Johan Djourou has been sent to Birmingham on loan until January. While some may think this is a mistake, this reporter thinks it’s a brilliant move. Sending the young Swiss defender out to get some first team experience during the first half of the season will help immensely when we need backup during the African Cup of Nations.
I’m sure there are those of you who disagree, so have at it in the comments section below!
24 Responses to “Wenger sends Djourou out on loan”
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August 10th, 2007 at 11:16 am
I agree. When I heard about the loan initially I thought ” Oh no!” but when I saw on Arsenal.com that it would only be until January I thought it was brilliant. I wrote this elsewhere but this is a move for the future but also this season. Djourou will start games in January for Arsenal while Toure is away. Most weeks Djourou wouldn’t make Wenger’s team selection whereas for Birmingham I think he will be almost automatic. Bruce will try and extend the loan no doubt- he is no dummy- getting high-quality young starters at a pittance. And if injuries do come the 1st half of the season the choices will be Gilberto or Senderos giving Denilson, Diaby, and Flamini more playing time in midfield.
August 10th, 2007 at 11:26 am
I tend to agree with Gunning Steve, and this may well be a sign that Gilberto will be playing more Central Defense this year to provide height at the back when we play against certain teams. This would also allow us to give more playing time to the hordes of great midfielders we have.
Djourou will be back in time to provide cover when we lose Eboue and Toure to the ANC and will have been match fit and gaining needed experience on a daily basis.
I can’t wait for the season to start and if there are any Atlanta Gunners out there please drop me a line. Would love to participate in any planned activities in the Atl.
August 10th, 2007 at 11:41 am
While this is very good for Djourou, it’s not necessarily good for Arsenal. Our backup is now Senderos and Gilberto/Song, and that is not good.
August 10th, 2007 at 11:57 am
Off topic:
Hey Mike, do you know the last season results from the Fantasy League, I’m just interested if you know how many points had the 1st guy. Let me know what can you do, it means a lot to me.
August 10th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
Assuming the team isn’t beset by injuries, this is a good move and will gain valuable experience for Djourou. And the team will get him back when Kolo and Eboue are gone for the ACN.
August 10th, 2007 at 12:47 pm
Senderos lives!
Yes, outstanding move.
(for Birmingham that is)
August 10th, 2007 at 12:54 pm
Gilberto could play centre-back short term but it wouldn’t fill me with confidence long term - really depends on who Arsenal will be playing in Jan/Feb. It would however allow Diaby/Denilson to take his place. I would prefer Gilberto at the back to Senderos, Gilberto has more composure and intelligence.
August 10th, 2007 at 12:56 pm
Will Djourou be first choice at Birmingham? Can’t see him playing much there to be honest unless they get a bad injury - he would be better off at a championship club playing week in week out.
August 10th, 2007 at 1:13 pm
Is Birmingham the deposit bank for fringe Arsenal players? I am hoping it is the tight and Brum play Chelsea in the opening game of the season - give em hell Johan!
August 10th, 2007 at 3:06 pm
I agree with Danny that Djourou may not get an automatic place - Brum this season signed Ridgewell Queudrue and Parnaby to shore up their defense where they had the likes of Jaidi (former Bolton). I do think Johan is quality though and that should show through.
August 10th, 2007 at 8:26 pm
I think it’s a good move. Having spent much of his time on the bench last season, Djourou has not progressed as fast as one would hope. And he won’t be, should he continue to warming the bench. When African Nation Cup comes, even if he’s called upon to first team duty, he would not be likely to play well after spending much of the first half of season warming the Arsenal bench (very likely should he stay).
I think Djourou will get his games at Birmingham. The two clubs has built up a good relationship in recent years. I am sure when Bruce talked to Wenger about the loan move, there must be some agreement between the pair to play Djourou. Otherwise I doubt AW would let him go. At least logically that’s what it makes sense.
As for our cover at the back, Sagna accordingly can play across the back 4. So do Justin Hoyte.
Since not too many ppl actually rated Djourou before, so what’s the fuss that he’s now loaned out?
August 10th, 2007 at 11:12 pm
DEPTH Andez.
No need to loan out the player before a ball has been kicked. Did we have to start the loan spell immediately or before the season? Is that the rule?
Gallas is injury prone. Senderos is Mr.Shaky. Toure is going to the ACoN.
Might have been a smart move to have Djourou actually play with his team-mates on occasion in case he has to do so come January.
Don’t you think if we bring him back in January he will take time to gel with whomever he’s slotted next to?
There are enough matches for this kid to play for Arsenal. We are in 4 competitions for cripe sake.
Always a rubber stamp HELL YEAH for our moves, regardless of what they are.
August 11th, 2007 at 12:05 am
I am glad the football is back. The summer hasn’t exactly filled me with optimism. It started well with Eduardo’s signing which made me very excited. Sagna’s signing puzzled me, because even though he may be a good player, we needed reinforcements in other areas. Then Gallas was made captain and now Djourou has been sent away on loan. Finally, Wenger says that he doesn’t need anymore players. I hope we have signed a pact with the injury fairy to not have any this season.
August 11th, 2007 at 1:34 am
I think “optimism” is from WITHIN, it cannot be FILLED by any outside factor.
August 11th, 2007 at 1:46 am
A bit dicey …I felt when I read this but on hindsight, its only a 6 month loan and puts the emphasis on Sendy to perform when he’s called upon. This is make or break for him perhaps. As for Djourou and him “gelling” with whoever he’s paying with Stag. How do you expect gelling to happen if he doesnt play first team and only Carling Cup and maybe an odd FA Cup game and Kolo n Gallas play every other game. He’s better off being match fit..and he has played in the past with all our CB’s so lets c.
@nipuna: Buying one more player doesnt help our “possible” injury worries either. What if that new player gets injured? Another backup? Should we buy again…there’s no end really and it has to stop somewhere. So let AW go with what he has..and buy if he needs to. Buying substandard..rather players not good enough for us is not going to be helpful for us and the best ones are all way too expensive. So lets c….
August 11th, 2007 at 2:24 am
The funny thing is only a few days ago I read ppl suggesting Djourou being useless. Now he’s loaned out it became a disaster?!
Apparently not just Bruce wanted Djourou, Harry Redknapp wanted him as well. Not bad for an useless 4th choice Arsenal central half who’s supposingly worse than Hyppia!!
August 11th, 2007 at 4:22 am
True and considering that Wes Brown is supposed to be better than both Sendy n Djourou as well. Its sick…its the same like when Freddie left. Till he was here people moaned about him being on 70K per week and being dead weight and fck knows what. The moment he left he became a class experienced player whom Arsene had kicked out of the club and would regret till hi dying day. Guess there’s no satisying some people…Oh and the same people would probably say Sendy is crap as well because he can’t handle Drogba..though it doesnt matter that no one in the league could handle him either. Since Sendy cant handle Drogba he’s shit…wow
August 11th, 2007 at 4:45 am
Yes haha! It’s the same with Pires too!! When he was with us, he’s a “wash up”, when he’s gone, we miss his goals!! As I said long ago, the BEST players are always those who’s not wearing an Arsenal shirt! e.g. Ex-Gunners, other teams’ signing, the kids in youth team (who hasn’t played first team football yet), and all the players the boss never signed!…….
That’s until a player starts to pull on an Arsenal shirt, one bad game, one mistake, they become crap!! And let’s go buy another player!
Wenger once said “everybody thinks he has the pretties wife at home”…
In Arsenal fans’ case, it’s more like “everybody thinks other people’s wife look prettier!”
August 11th, 2007 at 5:05 am
Very true Andez..happens all the time… You should read up some stuff on the Internet. I’ve been browsing for around 45 minutes now and everyone thinks that Arsenal is doomed…have a shit captain…that Wenger is an arrogant c*nt… and that Djourou was supposed to save our season and now we’re doomed… that Hleb should never start…and fck knoze what…
I think I should stop reading about Arsenal and just watch the games…the negativity is astounding….Wenger rocks…
Oh and to all the Wenger doubters: I heard a song from Savage Garden a long time ago…whihc had a line: ” I BELIEVE YOU DONT KNOW WHAT YOU’VE GOT UNTIL YOU SAY GOODBYE”
August 11th, 2007 at 6:25 am
Andez, just tell me that you don’t think sending Djourou on loan is a risk. That’s all I am saying. It’s a risk we didn’t need.
It’s all fine if everyone remains injury free. If not, we depend on Senderos. Or Gilberto. I think Djourou is better than both, but Wenger doesn’t. Fair enough.
But depleting an already thin squad is not my idea of increasing our chances of winning the league, which Wenger thinks we can. Now that’s optimism.
As I said, Glad the football is back.
August 11th, 2007 at 6:29 am
I think the Djourou loan is all about getting him time on the pitch against premier league opponents instead of playing against 2nd division teams in the early stages of the cup competitions. Wenger gets to see how he fares, Djourou gets match experience, and match fitness. I know we would like him to be there for cover for injuries, but I think Gilberto and some others can fill in at CB if needed. I think it is a good move for Djurou’s development.
Andez - good points about how the media view our players differently when they are here and when they leave. It amazes me how many in the media have something against us even though we play some of the best Futbol. You would think so called fans of the beautiful game would show us more respect for our style of play.
August 11th, 2007 at 6:34 am
nipuna, I don’t think sending Djourou on loan is a risk.
August 11th, 2007 at 6:46 am
yes netminder, funny thing is the football world has long been trying to encourage ATTACKING football. That’s why they got those rule changes like no tackle from behind, no back pass to ‘keeper. And at one stage they even suggested to make the goal bigger……
it’s human nature that everybody loves attacking football.
but the reaction from the media themselves do not look like encouraging attacking football at all.
Of Djourou, DannyT made a point a while ago that he felt Djourou’s game had been going backward. Maybe he got a point.
The thing is there is no way his game can progress without actually playing. Going to Birmingham he will get plenty of match experience, and a side of Birmingham is bounded to endure a lot of pressure on their backline, so he will have to learn to face pressuized situation dealing with all the Premiership strikers. I m sure it will be a valuable experience for him. + all the match fitness stuffs, like u pointed out.
Nipuna,
As for whether we have enough cover, I think the bottom line is - AW is the manager, he surely would know much better than all of us whether we got enough cover.
If he thinks it’s a risk, he would not have done it. Every manager is out there to WIN games, why would anyone proposely do something to hurt his own team?
AW is a one of the top managers in the game, and running a team is his JOB. Not a hobby like us, none of us really know anything about managing a team anyway. Tell me who to trust? The doubters? Or the manager?
August 12th, 2007 at 1:41 am
theoretically loaning djourou makes sense, until of course he gets injured while on loan and leaves us with even less defenders at the back. I don’t know which is worst - having a healthy but non-match fit player or one’s that injured returning from loan. I’ll just keep my fingers crossed and hope Djourou stays healthy…