why we need phill

“If Arsenal bought Chris Samba/
Gary Cahill they would win the
league”
This is a belief that has
resonated through football
blogs, TV studios, podcasts, and
just about everywhere else over
the last 6 months or so. The
push from fans (both with an
Arsenal affinity and frustrated
neutrals) for Arsene Wenger to
buy a huge, powerful stopper
has become so much of a
movement that
#ArsenalshouldbuyGaryCahill could
probably trend on Twitter,
maybe it even has.
So, rather than dive in and sign
one of these two brutes, why
has Arsene Wenger decided to
bid for six-foot-nothing Phil
Jagielka? Is Wenger set on doing
exactly the opposite to what
the majority of Arsenal fans
want just to spite them? Does
he hold some secret vendetta
against any defender taller than
himself? The answer, as usual,
lies in his policy around the way
his side plays *pauses for
groans*, and in that respect,
neither Cahill nor Samba would
fit in as well as Jagielka.
There is no doubt Arsenal could
do with a more aerially dominant
defence – it almost goes without
saying when you consider
Arsenal conceded more than half
their league goals last season
from set-pieces – however,
bringing in a lummox such as
Samba or Cahill would weaken
Arsenal’s play from the back,
both play for sides who play a
more direct style. Arsenal’s game
also involves a lot of pressing,
and subsequently a high
defensive line, so the entire back
four would need to be quick and
intelligent. Bringing in Cahill or
Samba would certainly plug the
set-pieces hole in Arsenal’s ship,
but it would open a range of
others, which may be more
difficult to deal with.
Flash version 9.0.28 or above
required
Another question to be raised
about both Samba and Cahill (the
latter in particular) is, are they
actually good enough defenders
for Arsenal? Neither Blackburn,
nor Bolton had particularly
impressive defensive records last
season, with Bolton in particular
only keeping 5 clean sheets, the
second lowest in the division.
While these defensive records
can’t be completely laid at the
doors of either player, it does
make you think twice. To extend
the clean sheet stat-attack,
Gary Cahill has averaged just 3
clean sheets a season over the
last two years.
Some history: Arsenal’s
“Invincibles” side of 2003/04
comprised of a back four of
whom all started their careers in
more forward positions. Both Sol
Campbell and Ashley Cole were
forwards at youth level, before
breaking through as defenders,
while Lauren and Kolo Toure
were box-to-box midfielders
before Wenger signed them and
moved them back into defence.
Even in the current, Laurent
Koscielny and Keiran Gibbs have
had spells in midfield in the past.
Looking at it this way, Phil
Jagielka seems right up Wenger’s
street, as a player who spent a
large part of his career as a
midfielder for Sheffield United.
This all fits in with Wenger’s
mantra. Jagielka is used to
playing in a position where he
would have as much, if not more,
constructive ball-playing duties
and destructive ones. While
Cahill or Samba would have to
learn to curb their instincts to
hoof the ball forward in search
of a target man, Jagielka would
be more comfortable looking to
give the ball off to Wilshere or
Fabregas (if he is still at the
club).
Wenger bid for Jagielka last
summer, and again this, so he is
clearly aware his side could use
another defender. In Phil
Jagielka, Wenger sees a
compromise; a sturdy dependable
centre back with strength, and
good aerial ability, yet more guile
and intelligence than the more
extreme suggestions thrown
around the blogosphere.