Asia Tour provides exciting opportunities

Posted by goonerkingdom on July 9, 2011 · 1 Comment 

Even though Wenger is taking the “strongest possible squad” to the Far East for Arsenal’s Asia Tour, there are noticeable questions over players and positions within the squad that need to be answered before the season kicks off in August.

The left-back spot is still hotly debated, and with many Arsenal fans wanting to see a new signing as Gael Clichy’s replacement, Wenger did little to comfort the masses when he was speaking to the official website earlier today. Arsenal’s manager told the interviewer that the sale of the experienced Frenchman was needed to “give Kieran Gibbs an opportunity to play” because the exciting Englishman is “at an age when he needs to play.” With both Gibbs and Traore set to jet off to Asia with the rest of the first team, it seems that the manager wants to hand opportunities to both players to prove themselves in preseason, with Traore reportedly coming back a “vastly improved player.” Given Gibbs’ injury record and Traore’s inability to impress sufficiently whenever he is given the chance to play, it will be extremely interesting to see the two in action on Wednesday. However, Clichy was in a similar position to Gibbs when he first burst into the first team picture, following Cole’s departure to Chelsea, so a similar turn of events might occur this time around and we might be able to see Gibbs perform consistently for years to come, or Traore for that matter.

In other news, Cesc Fabregas has been left behind in London after an apparent “muscular problem” has left the Spanish International out of the picture for Arsenal’s Far East tour. The injury sure seems suspect as the club’s captain and a World Cup winning star is left out of one of the biggest commercialization tours in Arsenal’s history, but with no concrete news regarding Cesc’s future, this is pure speculation. What is not speculation is the fact that Cesc’s absence from the tour will create space for our other midfielders to create valuable experience and bond with their fellow teammates and midfield partners to ease Arsenal’s pain in case of a potential transfer for our captain. Cesc’s absence will also see another player being given the captain’s armband and the responsibilities that rests with it, and it is thought that current vice-captain, Robin van Persie, will be given the chance to captain the side in Asia. Fabregas’ position is something that needs to be clarified by the start of the Emirates Cup as we need time to bed in a new signing in Cesc’s position if our captain seeks pastures new, or old if he goes back to Barcelona. So with Fabregas staying in London, this could be the time for two of our exciting young first-teamers – Ramsey, Wilshere – to show how well they can manoeuvre the ship in Cesc’s absence, and to show fans and Wenger that a direct replacement for the Spaniard would be unnecessary. With Diaby staying behind to heal an injury, the young British duo will probably find themselves stacking up quite a few minutes throughout the two friendlies Arsenal are due to play in the Far East.

Wenger’s long-serving servants Bendtner and Almunia have also been omitted from the Asia Tour, and the duo are thought to be subjects of transfer negotiations from unnamed clubs, according to BBC. Even though the two have not been regular starters for Arsenal in the past season, their possible departures will open up doors for youngsters itching to stake their claim during Arsenal’s other preseason matches. Bendtner’s departure could even open up the door for a new signing with Hugo Rodallega stating that Arsenal are one of the clubs following his progress. On the goalkeeping front, Almunia’s possible departure and definite omission from the travelling squad has opened the gate for the promising Italian goalkeeper Vito Mannone to prove that he has the quality to fight for the number one spot with Szczesny and Fabianski. Fabianski has also been left behind in London for fitness reasons, and Mannone will be looking to impress his French manager during the Far East tour.

Another promising young Arsenal lad with a massive opportunity to stake his claim during Arsenal’s Asia Tour is the, to date, only new Arsenal signing of the transfer window, Carl Jenkinson. The promising right back is thought to provide cover for Sagna and stack up some minutes in Asia after Emmanuel Eboue was forced to stay behind due to injury concerns. Jenkinson has been given number 25 for next season, and is thought to be in Wenger’s thoughts for the upcoming season in a similar role to what he is going to play in Asia – understudy and back-up for Bacary Sagna.

Filed under Articles · Tagged with Almunia, Arsenal, Asia Tour, Bendtner, Clichy, Eboue, Fabregas, Gibbs, Jenkinson, Ramsey, Rodallega, Sagna, Traore, van Persie, Wilshere