Gary Cahill, Bad News...

[Choppers]

Vela is not as good a player as Wilshere. He'd not walk into our team like Wilshere did.

£10 million and Vela (on a permanent) for Cahill and I'd still feel we got ripped off.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

£10 million and Vela (on a permanent) for Cahill and I'd still feel we got ripped off.

Well quite. Vela's market value, because he;'s out of the team and not far from the end of his contract, is £2m. Cahill is an important part of the first team, far from out of contract and his release clause is (said to be) £17m. £10m + £2m ≠ £17m.

[thebish]

£10 million and Vela (on a permanent) for Cahill and I'd still feel we got ripped off.

Well quite. Vela's market value, because he;'s out of the team and not far from the end of his contract, is £2m. Cahill is an important part of the first team, far from out of contract and his release clause is (said to be) £17m. £10m + £2m ≠ £17m.

there's a man who knows his way around a keyboard!! bravo!

[thebish]

from Goal.com...

Arsenal fans want Gary Cahill ahead of Per Mertesacker, but how would they each fit in to Wenger's defensive options?

Fans vote for Bolton defender, but Castrol Rankings rate German higher
By Sam Bisby

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has made no secret of his desire to bring in a new central defender in the January transfer window.

Goal.com UK revealed earlier this week that Per Mertesacker is high on the Gunners' wanted list, but they face competition from Manchester United and Chelsea.
With Thomas Vermaelen, arguably the Gunners' top centre-back, currently out injured as well as Sebastien Squillaci, Johan Djourou and Laurent Koscielny are Wenger's only prominent options at centre-back.

Mertesacker has been identified as Arsenal’s main target to solve their defensive problems. However, with a £20 million price tag and competition from title rivals Chelsea and Manchester United, the north London outfit are in for a hard time to capture his signature.

A poll of Goal.com UK readers found that Gary Cahill of Bolton is the preferred option of the fans, ahead of Mertesacker and other rumoured targets Raul Albiol, Nicola Legrottaglie and Scott Dann.

But who would actually bolster the Arsenal defence the most?

The Castrol Football Rankings reveal the following:

Code: Select all

VERMAELEN 	MERTESACKER 	SQUILLACI 	KOSCIELNY 	CAHILL
   397 	     466 	          485 	       714 	   839

According to the Castrol Football Rankings, Mertesacker has consistently scored well in each game with an average mark of 7.30 out of 10 over the past 12 months of football he has played, either domestically or in the Champions League.

Vermaelen in comparison is very close to the German with a respective average score of 7.20, but due to injury, has not played since August which is reflected in his current overall ranking of 397th. However, this figure is 69 places ahead of his club’s transfer target who is currently placed at 466th.

Both players have tumbled down the rankings over the past 12 months, with the two having started last January in the top 100.

Meanwhile, Vermaelen’s current team-mates, Koscielny and Squillaci, have both had mixed success in the Castrol Rankings in the past year. Former Lorient man Koscielny’s rating fell steeply in the first quarter of 2010, but since signing for Arsenal in the summer, has steadily risen again as he played more games for the Gunners and currently stands at 714th in the rankings.

His fellow Frenchman Squillaci began the year in a very impressive 17th place, but hit a disappointingly low 860th in October, just two months after signing for Arsenal. His rank currently stands at a much improved 485th.

In terms of game-to-game scoring, both players check in below Vermaelen and transfer target Mertesacker. Koscielny has scored an average of 7.10 out of 10 over the past year, whilst Squillaci comes in at 6.90 during the same period.
Cahill - the fans' choice in our poll - comes in last of the five in the overall rankings, though has averaged 7.00 over the past 12 months. Ironically, his worst game in that time came against Arsenal in September, where he registered a lowly 4.03 under the Castrol system of scoring.

It would seem then that Werder Breman’s sought-after defender would be a valuable addition to Arsenal's defensive options.

Mertesacker also compliments Vermaelen well in terms of consistency, a trait that is vital for any player at a club the calibre of Arsenal, with performances expected to be exceptional week in, week out.

Can Wenger manage to pair the two together? Stay with Goal.com UK throughout the transfer window to find out.

[KeeeeeeeBaaaaaaab]

The Castrol Football Rankings

So that's why petrol prices are so high. Opta are setting them.

[Choppers]

I really would loathe to lose Cahill to Arsenal, of all teams.

[Eire_Trotter]

Wouldn't want to lose Cahill to Man U, City, Chelsea or Arsenal.

[SonsOfThunder]

There's no point signing an Argentinian defender in January except for preparation for next season, it'll take him 6 months at least to acclimatise and to adapt to the new style of play, etc.

I think Ferguson did the same with Vidic and Evra.

Also keep in mind that Argentinian seasons run different to ours, meaning that if we didn't pick him up in January he wouldn't be available again until June.

Can you please clarify what you mean. Obviously if we don't grab him in January we can't get him until July anyhow.

I thought the summer window opened as soon as the season ended, but I may be wrong ofc. I was thinking of a LCY-like scenario (but even worse) where he would be coming into the team and trying to acclimatize while coming off the end of a full season in Argentina.

[Lofthouse Lower]

I really would loathe to lose Cahill to Arsenal, of all teams.

If we get £15m for him then he could sign for Blackburn for all I care

[seanworth]

There's no point signing an Argentinian defender in January except for preparation for next season, it'll take him 6 months at least to acclimatise and to adapt to the new style of play, etc.

I think Ferguson did the same with Vidic and Evra.

Also keep in mind that Argentinian seasons run different to ours, meaning that if we didn't pick him up in January he wouldn't be available again until June.

Can you please clarify what you mean. Obviously if we don't grab him in January we can't get him until July anyhow.

I thought the summer window opened as soon as the season ended, but I may be wrong ofc. I was thinking of a LCY-like scenario (but even worse) where he would be coming into the team and trying to acclimatize while coming off the end of a full season in Argentina.

O.k. now I understand. I think contract years finish end of June so the official signing period begins July 1st.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I think contract years finish end of June so the official signing period begins July 1st.

Correct - but in reality Bosman signings are often organised and publicised in advance (see S Davis, JL Samuel)

[thebish]

Here we go......

let's just hope - if it's gonna happen - it'll be stupid money!

Tottenham are keen to make the most of this winters transfer window and strengthen their squad as they prepare for an assault on the Premiership and Champions League and they want Bolton’s Gary Cahill to join them for the ride.
Tottenham know that Cahill is coveted by a number of clubs including bitter North London rivals Arsenal, that is why the Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp wants to make a significant offer now and get his man once and for all.
Cahill has long been on many clubs hit lost and Bolton always faced an uphill struggle to keep on to their star defender and it now appears very likely that the end game is in sight and that Cahill’s future at Bolton is away from the club.
No fee was mentioned but Cahill will not be cheap, something Tottenham already know. (Footylatest.com)

[Prufrock]

Now it appears the end game is in sight. Ah yes, I see precisely what it is in that made up, quote-less story, that follows the same pattern as every other Cahill is off story of the last 18 months that suggests this time, this time, the auteur isn't writing off the cuff bullshit.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

How dare you be so cutting, Proof. Footylatest.com is like the transfer market's Hansard.

[Lord Kangana]

I hope Redknapp follows his usual policy of spraffing every penny that his club doesn't have. We'll start the bidding on the current England International at £25m. 27 you say Harry? OK, we'll settle at 28 as a compromise then...

[thebish]

indeed (to the sceptics!)

however - this is redknapp we are talking about - and spurs - so ANY story (even if it was in the letters page of Take A Break Magazine) that suggested he was about to spunk a trolley-load of cash on the latest in vogue must-have player would have the ring of truth!

[kagni]

Here we go......

let's just hope - if it's gonna happen - it'll be stupid money!

Tottenham are keen to make the most of this winters transfer window and strengthen their squad as they prepare for an assault on the Premiership and Champions League and they want Bolton’s Gary Cahill to join them for the ride.
Tottenham know that Cahill is coveted by a number of clubs including bitter North London rivals Arsenal, that is why the Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp wants to make a significant offer now and get his man once and for all.
Cahill has long been on many clubs hit lost and Bolton always faced an uphill struggle to keep on to their star defender and it now appears very likely that the end game is in sight and that Cahill’s future at Bolton is away from the club.
No fee was mentioned but Cahill will not be cheap, something Tottenham already know. (Footylatest.com)

[Montreal Wanderer]

Here we go......

let's just hope - if it's gonna happen - it'll be stupid money!

Tottenham are keen to make the most of this winters transfer window and strengthen their squad as they prepare for an assault on the Premiership and Champions League and they want Bolton’s Gary Cahill to join them for the ride.
Tottenham know that Cahill is coveted by a number of clubs including bitter North London rivals Arsenal, that is why the Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp wants to make a significant offer now and get his man once and for all.
Cahill has long been on many clubs hit lost and Bolton always faced an uphill struggle to keep on to their star defender and it now appears very likely that the end game is in sight and that Cahill’s future at Bolton is away from the club.
No fee was mentioned but Cahill will not be cheap, something Tottenham already know. (Footylatest.com)

Indeed. His future is either at Bolton or away from the club - but not both.

[Lofthouse Lower]

Bastards.

'end game' is SUCH a shit turn of phrase

[Abs]

As an Arsenal fan I think its more likely Cahill goes to Spurs than Arsenal. The whole Cahill to Arsenal is the london media trying to convince Wenger get a new CB. We will not a buy a new centre half as Squallaci is one week away and Vermaelen 4-6 weeks. Koscielny has been very impressive lately and I really dont think Cahill will do better with the way we play