Major international tournaments usually mark a dry spell for major news. Transfers rarely solidify, club dramas are usually put on ice, and most stories pertain to the football worlds actions and reactions to their respective tournaments. This is the trouble I've faced during EURO 2012. While it's been nice to have some games that matter during the summer, my thirst for football news goes relatively unfulfilled. That said, some stories have come out. Manchester City boss has confessed that he wants to cut wage bills to keep economic stability and fund future signings, Montpelier HSC and Arsenal have confirmed striker Olivier Giroud's transfer to North London, and Newcastle United continues to struggle with their transfer ambitions, having failed to sign Mathieu Debuchy, and being on the brink of losing Demba Ba. Three topics, three supporting statements each. Sounds like a winning formula, right? Let's get to it...
Why Olivier Giroud's Arrival Doesn't Mean Robin van Persie's Departure
1. Lukas Podolski can (and likely will) play on the wing
When the Polak-turned-German made his long anticipated switch from his boyhood club of Koln to Arsenal, many thought him as cover or an heir-appearant for Robin van Persie. While Podolski's club and country scoring history would suggest this, the more and more both Wenger and Podolski show their hand about his role in the grand scheme of Wenger's vision of 2012/13 Arsenal, the more this looks to be false. Based on his summer signings and departures, as well as those rumored to happen, it seems that Wenger has an overall distaste for the quality of his depth at the moment, which explains why Andrey Arshavin, Denilson, Nicklas Bendtner, Marouane Chamakh, Carlos Vela, will likely be out, and Podolski, Giroud, and Rennes midfielder Yann M'Vila look to be coming in. That said, with the signing of Giroud, we need to completely reconsider the likelihood Prince Podli would play wing. Theo Walcott still has not resigned, and his club performances have been questioned, Tomas Rosicky looks a bit slow to play wing in his aging years, and Gervinho, while impressive at times, looks to be very susceptible to fatigue, as seen through his decline after returning from the African Cup of Nations. With only Oxlade-Chamberlain waiting in the wings, the wings are thin at Arsenal, if we discount Arshavin and Benayoon, making it likely the versatile Podolski would line up where he does for the German national team. How this would affect Walcott and Gervinho's futures remains to be seen, but Podolski, in my opinion would be much more viable than either of them, and Chamberlain is becoming too good to bench. Giroud's signing might make it more likely that Theo Walcott leave the Gunners this summer rather than Robin van Persie.
2. Arsenal need more than one viable option at striker
This is something Arsene Wenger has been chasing since the last year of Henry, when he was paired with a young van Persie as his back-up: a pair of strikers that both can be relied on to score if one loses form or goes down due to injury. He almost was able to get this through RvP/Eduardo before a knee injury destroyed the Brazilian-turned-Croatians career. Arsenal were too dependant on van Persie last season, having scored 31 goals in all competitions, with second leading scorer on the team being Theo Walcott with eight goals. If he were to fallen to injury, who knows how low Arsenal would have slipped. Players have come and gone trying to fill this elusive #2 role at Arsenal (see Eduardo, Nicklas Bendtner, Marouane Chamakh, Park Chu Young, Carlos Vela, etc), but Giroud actually looks to be the most likely to fill this long-vacant role. Most great clubs have at least two viable strike options, something Arsenal desperately needs to get back to being one of the best clubs in the world.
3. Giroud is a future first choice, van Persie is the current #1
One thing often forgot about Giroud and van Persie is that they aren't very close in age. Giroud is 25 and will be entering the prime of his career soon, while van Persie is 29, and likely has about 3-4 years left as a top-class striker at the very most before the aging process and 20+ years of football, as well as countless leg injuries catch up to the lovingly called The Flying Dutchman. Arsenal needs to focus on turning the best years of Robin van Persie's playing career into success, even if it means keeping Giroud and the 13 million Euros it took to sign him on the bench. Some have suggested that van Persie should tutor Giroud, which certainly would make sense. Known as a technically-astute aerial player, Giroud would benefit from time in training with the technically perfect van Persie to take his game to the next level. For van Persie to stay, he will need to be assured Arsenal will challenge for the EPL title next year. Wenger is making all the steps toward doing so, which even counts the acquisition of his new in-club competition in Olivier Giroud.
Why Mancini Needs to Reconsider His Transfer Policy
1. Current policy takes too long and wastes too much money to be a viable long-term option
It's no secret: Roberto Mancini's transfer policy has been shaped by the millions of dollars invested in his club by new Qatari ownership since Sheikh Mansour took over the club in 2009 and cleared the clubs massive debt. Since 2008, Mancini has spent more money on players than Sir Alex Ferguson has in 25 years across town at Manchester United. He's spent more than 20 million on a single player nine times (Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko, Mario Balotelli, James Milner, Emmanuel Adebayor, David Silva, Joleon Lescott, Yaya Toure, and Robinho) with mixed success. The mass of players brought in and their success rate allow resembles the 'throwing spaghetti at a wall' method of trying lots of different players and seeing what sticks. Failures such as Robinho and Adebayor would lead to most managers firings or at least management insisting on further oversight in transfers, but because finances aren't an issue at City, Mancini has gotten away with this. This simply can't work financially over the long run without stretching the club to its financial limit. This also give players mental instability as they'll never know when they'll fall out of favor, and the revolving door of players can damage team chemistry, something that until 2011/12, City really struggled with. Mancini needs to reconsider the way he uses his budget. Just because money is there doesn't mean you should always use all of it.
2. Selling players is must, at least for summer 2012, to fix problems created by past transfers
Manchester City's wage bill is out of control and laden with players who are essentially dead weight. City's four year spending spree has left players with a selection problem that goes four and even five depth chart spots deep, leaving the bench players angry, bitter, and unable to succeed at City despite having the talent because of the situation they've been placed in. Even if they leave for free, all the players that can't break into the first team need to leave both for City's benefit and the players themselves. It pains me to see players like Alexsander Kolarov, Wayne Bridge, Kolo Toure, Nigel de Jong, Roque Santa Cruz, Emmanuel Adebayor, and many others waste their careers on the City bench and on loan at other clubs. Mancini needs to ship these players out and give them a chance to succeed elsewhere, and make back some of the money he lost in failed transfer ventures.
3. Mancini needs to be wiser with his transfer selection
Mancini really needs to scout his deals better. Success in the Premier Leauge cannot be determined by success in another league because the EPL is more physical, disciplined, and has a wider variety in types of players than any other league in the world. That said, players from other leagues do have tell-tale signs of EPL success, signs that seasoned scouts and seasoned managers like Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger can pick up these traits when looking for players. Mancini has had successes and failures, and at this point it looks like he's beginning to see what works and what doesn't. He's bought less than ten players over the last two years, and the ones he's bought have fit in quite well in comparison to past years. If he can buy the same quality players for just a bit less now, he may well be on his way from turning Man City from a team that buys success into a team that sustains success, something I'm not all too convinced he can do, especially with the revival of Spurs, the new-found success of Newcastle, Fulham, and Everton, and great off-seasons from Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United leaving the champions with plenty of clubs biting at their heels.
Why Newcastle Will Qualify for European Football Again
1. Success is in the clubs formula
One thing I've noticed about Newcastle is that every major progress they've made in the last three years has been widely due to management and manager Alan Pardew's decisions. Mind you, this was a club mired in debt and stuck in Championship football in 2010, and now we consider them a top-half team in maybe the best league in the world. Their meteoric rise from the dumpster to peeking into the upper echelon has been marked by great economic decisions (even unpopular ones such as selling the naming rights to St. Jame's Park), unbelievable moves in the transfer market, and consistent performance which has allowed them to succeed against big teams and win against those they're supposed to beat. Pardew and Newcastle's management has woven success into this teams DNA, something that players coming, leaving, losing form, and going on hot streaks cannot replicate. I've long considered Alan Pardew and Everton boss David Moyes, who's success rate has been marred by club debt and slow starts over his decade in charge of the Toffees, to be the best managers outside of the 'big 6' clubs in England, and Pardew continues to prove it almost every year.
2. Pardew's favorite transfers are always available under Newcastles budget
Alan Pardew is a master of finding underappeciated talent. Yohan Cabaye, Chiek Tiote, Demba Ba, Papiss Cisse, Davide Santon, and Hatem Ben Arfa were all players wildly undervalued by their clubs, but Pardew understood their talent, and through Newcastle United, has set up a spot where "big name, small market" and "big club want-aways" to shine. The beauty of these types of signings is not only that not only are they humongous bargain deals in most cases (the previous mentioned players ended up making Newcastle a profit after selling players at the same position for more than these current stars), but they're also a dime a dozen. As long Pardew continues to isolate those he can properly motivate and utilize from the dozens who have personal and professional problems which limited their success, the footballing world will always have countless players looking to either take the next step or leave a big club to get more first team football. Let's put it simply: would you rather have Andy Carroll and Joey Barton, or Demba Ba, Papiss Cisse, Yohan Cabaye, and roughly 20 million pounds in your pocket? The players out got the club about 40 million pounds, while the players in were roughly 20 million at the very most, even factoring contract fees. Truly a genius scheme on the part of Pardew and his scouting team.
3. As long as there is no mass clear out, most players are replaceable
As seen through my previous point, not only are Pardew's transfers available and affordable, but because Pardew's transfer policy has allowed his scheme to be flexible to the type of players who enter each year. Newcaslter primarily plays 4-4-2, but the player roles in each position the last few years. Two years ago, the full backs stayed back with Steven Taylor player out of position at right back, but Davide Santon and Jay Simpson in 2012 get forward with ease. Ball-winner Chiek Tiote replaced Alan Smith and Danny Guthrie, who were run-of-the-mill central midfielders. Andy Carroll used to lead the line with his head, now Ba and Cisse lead it with their feet. Player roles are interchangeable, which allows for a versatile group of players to enter the Toon lineup. Because of this and the availability of Pardew's favorite transfers, as long as there isn't a mass clear out, there's no way for one player to devastate the clubs chances. So whether Debuchy comes to Newcastle-upon-Tyne or if Ba leaves for 'greener' pastures, Newcastle's success now resembles that of a top club, and that's something that quite hard to create, but even harder to destroy.
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Kevin Kryston
Host, Football Central with Matt and Kevin
Thursdays 6-8 (Aug. thru April) on 99.5 and 98.1 WUDR Dayton Flyer Radio
As seen through my previous point, not only are Pardew's transfers available and affordable, but because Pardew's transfer policy has allowed his scheme to be flexible to the type of players who enter each year. Newcaslter primarily plays 4-4-2, but the player roles in each position the last few years. Two years ago, the full backs stayed back with Steven Taylor player out of position at right back, but Davide Santon and Jay Simpson in 2012 get forward with ease. Ball-winner Chiek Tiote replaced Alan Smith and Danny Guthrie, who were run-of-the-mill central midfielders. Andy Carroll used to lead the line with his head, now Ba and Cisse lead it with their feet. Player roles are interchangeable, which allows for a versatile group of players to enter the Toon lineup. Because of this and the availability of Pardew's favorite transfers, as long as there isn't a mass clear out, there's no way for one player to devastate the clubs chances. So whether Debuchy comes to Newcastle-upon-Tyne or if Ba leaves for 'greener' pastures, Newcastle's success now resembles that of a top club, and that's something that quite hard to create, but even harder to destroy.
-----
Kevin Kryston
Host, Football Central with Matt and Kevin
Thursdays 6-8 (Aug. thru April) on 99.5 and 98.1 WUDR Dayton Flyer Radio
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