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[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=29971.msg888397#msg888397 date=1245061910]
the ideal summer for me is none of the key players leaving and us buying a right back and left midfielder/forward with our entire kitty plus sales. I class arbeloa amongt our key players (just my opinion). this we we strengthen were we need to strengthen with getting weaker in the process.
buying a right back and selling a right back isn't progression for me unless johnson has the strength/stamina to play every single game this season which he patently doesn't.
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I consistently defended Arbeloa this season from several clueless people on here claiming that he's a liability. He's an excellent defender who suffered with tiredness towards the end of the season (which is no surprise given that he'd played nearly every game.
That said, I don't think even the most ardent Arbeloa fans could claim that he's a 'key player'. He's not an essential cog in the machine. He's a very reliable part but he's by no means irreplaceable. If there's one area where he could significantly improve in it's his attacking game. Johnson, while not as good defensively, is FAR superior going forward. He's has come on leaps and bounds with his defending in his time at Portsmouth and with Rafa's strong emphasis on defending there's no reason to assume that won't continue.
I think he represents a risk worth taking and one that could add a whole new dimension to the team.
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how can the first choice right back and the best right back at the club bar none (gerrard patently isn't going to play there ever again) not be concidered 'key'.
when someone else plays at right back (including the great carra) we are weaker, simple as.
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Riera is our best left winger at the club. Is he a key player?
If they can easily be replaced with a superior player then they're not 'key' as far as I'm concerned.
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different. reira isn't clearly first choice, you could easily put yossi there (and to a lesser extent babel) and not get a discernable difference in quality.
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And if you put Johnson there? In place of Arbeloa?
Every time I have an exchange with you it always seems to be circular.
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as far as I am aware johnson isn't on the books. I'm talking right now. if johnson joins then he will go from 'key' to valid member of the squad. like yossi. that's a point, if we bought silva then shouldn't we sell reira, babel and yossi? after all we only need one left midfielder.
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You're missing the point. That is, that Arbeloa has one year remaining on his contract (with no signs that he's about to sign a new one) and that there is (reportedly) an £8m bid on the table for him. Given this set of circumstances, and the fact that we're heavily linked with Johnson, I would suggest that if we're going to lose the player, we could do a lot worse than make the most of the cash we'll get for him this season and invest in a worthy replacement. ie. Glen Johnson.
Of course, in an ideal world, we would retain Arbeloa, and he would happily sit on the bench playing second fiddle to his replacement. I suspect however, that we cannot afford to spend £17m on a right back without the funds that Arbeloa would bring, and that given our financial restraints, perhaps an upgrade on Arbeloa and some faith in our current backup is our best option.
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okay, I understand the financial reasons for selling but from a personal point of view I want arbeloa to stay. I can't really add more than that. I will certainly understand an arbeloa sale but I will be disappointed non the less.
