Opinion | Kick Up The Arsenal
Opinion | Kick Up The Arsenal
Is Luis Suarez the man to turn around Arsenal's fortunes?
This summer seems to be all about three players - Gareth Bale, Wayne Rooney and Luis Suarez. All of whom are trying to push through transfers to other clubs with varying degrees of success. Given Rooney is angry and confused and Bale is unhappy and disappointed one can only muse at the emotions of Suarez at the minute, well apart from hungry given his lack of contact with Branislav Ivanovic this summer.
The forward has been lobbying for a move to Arsenal who despite claiming he is not worth £100 million, are still interested the Uruguayan. But one has to wonder just what Suarez motivations are when he pines for the Gunners. Showing us exactly why we wonder about the IQ of footballers from time to time, Suarez, who wants to leave Liverpool to escape the English media, is asking for a move to Arsenal. A London club. London the capital of England.
Steven Gerrard who recently stated We ve got just as good a chance of achieving things as Arsenal have." believes that a move to the Emirates is a bad idea, yet noted that if he was to go abroad to a Madrid or Barcelona I would totally understand it." That has been the popular comment amongst the majority of football fans this summer and quite an understandable one at that. As Gerrard puts it, Suarez is good enough to play for either side and the culture over in La Liga would suit him down to the ground (and we re not just talking about the play acting either.)
So should Suarez hold out for a move to Spain? Well Barcelona are as likely to bid for him as Sergio Busquets is to stay on his feet next season. They have no need for him, cannot afford him after buying Neymar and do not particularly want the player or his reputation dirtying their reputations as UEFA darlings. Real Madrid on the other hand were thought to be interested in Suarez yet have now taken a Bale or Bust approach, leaving the forward with but one option. Arsenal. So would the Uruguayan make Arsenal title contenders?
Paul Merson was asked who he thought would win the Premier League this term and noted that should Arsenal land the forward, it would be them. He rather boldly stated that If they can get Suarez I really do believe they can win the Premier League. However, if they don't get him then I don't give them a chance of winning the league.
A big statement but given the fact that Liverpool didn't even reach the top four with Suarez leading the line much less challenged for the title and the only other player Wenger has bought into the club is Yaya Sanogo, Arsenal don't really look like serious title contenders. Suarez or no.
Let us cast our minds back to when Robin Van Persie was leading the line at the club, RVP alone was not enough to win them the title yet look at the difference he made to Manchester United, a team who already had all the cogs in place bar that world class forward. Cristiano Ronaldo or Leo Messi aside, no one player can make that much of a difference.
Suarez aside, there is little point going through a list of what do Arsenal need, we all know by now exactly where they need to improve and given Chelsea and Manchester City have spent big and been comprehensively ahead of them for the past few seasons and Manchester United are well, Manchester United, fourth spot is the probable outcome again.
The acquisition of Suarez would likely see Arsenal finish above Spurs and of course it would improve the club. A player as good as Suarez would add to any side in the world, but would it be a long term signing Wenger could build his team around? Should that be the case, and Wenger continue to buy and add class to the side and develop the young talent, then eventually it is feasible Suarez could lead the team to a title push.
In reality however, Suarez is so desperate to leave Anfield and so backed into a corner now (totally by his own doing) that a move to Arsenal is the only option and an option which he is likely to see as a stepping stone. It is hard to see past an eventual move to La Liga, and a move to the Gunners would at least allow Champions League football this season.
Do you think a move to Arsenal is the right one for Suarez? Let us know your thoughts.