Currently arguably one of our greatest strengths is our weakness ALL 5 strikers have parts of their game that warrant them to be included in the first 11

Hello Gooners,

Feeling slightly worse for wear today, have a terrible sore throat (again!) and feel rather tired and shitty but one thing that has picked me up a little was seeing the smiling face of Cesc Fabregas. Ok, before you get the wrong idea it was more the words that came out of the Spaniards mouth that has picked me up.

“It was not a hard thing for me to stay, I was really relaxed during the summer because I knew I was going to stay so for me that is not a problem,”

“My mentality was there since the day I signed here and I am so happy here that I will never speak about moving if it is going the way it is going. I am happy here and that is it.

“Tell me what is the point of having millions and millions in your bank if then you don’t enjoy playing and you are not happy? For me this is nothing.

“Me I am happy, I love the way we are playing and if I am still here after three seasons without winning anything that means something.

“It is because I love the game, I love the club and the way we play football because I really enjoy it on the field and for me that is the most important thing.”

Now coming from someone like Just Hoyte you have that warm feeling that someone cares about the club but when it is from a player that is wanted all around the world it is just special. We know that football is, how you say.. ‘a funny ol game’ and anything can happen or change but it is nice to hear these words at a time when money is dominating football right now.

I have to admit, I chuckled when I read the ‘Cesc scared of losing place to kids’ headlines yesterday.

“I know I cannot go to sleep because these players will get older and will want to play more regularly,” said the Spaniard. “The manager will want them to play more. I will have to be better.

“They all play in my position and this is great because it is competition. I love competition and sometimes when you are young and all the players are much younger, you can feel your place is secure. But is fantastic to have this kind of competition and they wake you up a bit more and make you a better player.

Come on Cesc, stop being a silly Billy you know you are first on the team sheet but it is nice to know that he is humble and grounded. From the reserves or youth side the only players realistically able to push out a first team player are probably Djourou, Vela and Bendtner at the moment. Even those players will have to find fantastic consistent form to displace the others.

I certainly feel that Djourou deserved to keep his place in the side at the start of the season. He won many balls in the air against James Beatie that Gallas and Toure could have well struggled against.

I assume that only injury or rotation can put him in the side right now though.

Our Smithkamp has told Arsenal fans that there is more to come from him.

Bendtner said:

“It’s true, the first season is an establishing season where you have to get used to everything,” he told Arsenal.com. “Whereas in this season I want to push on, to play more regularly and show people what I really can do, because so far what people have seen is far from everything.

“I don’t feel any extra pressure when I come into the team because, when you play for a club like Arsenal, there will always be pressure on you. To be quite honest I’ve always had pressure on me so it doesn’t really matter to me. I’ll take the pressure and still play the way I play.

“We have five top strikers, all very different as well, but I think it’s a good mixture. You know that if you don’t do well for a few games then you’ll have someone breathing down your neck or maybe ready to take your spot because that’s the way it is at a big club. Arsenal is no exception.”

He is dead right. Has he even played 3 games in a row for us? I am not so sure if he has. We all know that players can only get into top gear by having a run of games. Bendtner has so many qualities in his game that can really help the team.

We currently have 5 top quality strikers, international strikers which is obviously a good thing although I am not so sure that all of them will stay at the club long term. You can realistically have 4 strikers fighting for 2 spots. Currently arguably one of our greatest strengths is our weakness. Maybe weakness is the incorrect term to use but the issue is that ALL 5 strikers have parts of their game that warrant them to be included in the first 11 week in week out (Cliche alert!) but none of them have ALL the strengths that are needed. We really want two strikers to play most of the games together and develop an understanding that will cut through teams in tight matches.

For example Adebayor who scored 30 goals last season is quick powerful, runs the channels and defends from the front like no other with in the end gains us more possession over the course of a game.

Bendtner is the closest to Bergkamp in the squad, links the midfield and strikers together well, our football is more fluid through an on song (poor Alex) Bendtner. He is also powerful in the air as demonstrated against Tottenham last season.

Van Persie is the most unpredictable forward we have (in a good way) fantastic from the dead ball. scores goals and is a match winner. Probably the most talented forward we have but my own issue is that he has never really had a partnership with anyone.

Eduardo the deadly assassin. One of the best finishers world football. Right foot, left foot on his head, bang! You don’t expect him to miss. I remember against Burnley in the FA Cup (I think) he missed a chance and I stood gobsmacked, in the process of halting my celebrations.

Vela has showed over pre season and on Tuesday how good this kid is. At 19 years old how much can he improve? Quite a scary thought really. He can only improve with games. If we had Petit and Vieira in their peak when Cesc was 19 what would we do with Cesc?

There are some partnerships from those five that I cannot imagine working long term like Van Persie & Bendtner and perhaps Vela & Eduardo. Although it would be extremely interesting to see those two against a weak team at home with a midfield of Cesc, Denilson, Rosicky and Nasri.

It is obviously not a problem, it is something very positive to have so many quality players at your disposal.

It would be interesting to know what your thoughts are on the best long term partnership for the side so leave them in the comments.

Lasagna and chips for lunch, time to go, drop your view in the comments.

Until tomorrow.

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