Thomas Vermaelen

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devilish said:
In my opinion none of our current CB has justified a first team place yet. I'd say that we should get a quality defender and let the rest fight for the other spot. That would act as the right wake up call needed for them to start delivering the goods on a consistent basis.
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I would argue Evans has more than justified a first team place (if only he could stay fit)
 
I think the main problem with Vermaelen is he lacks confidence. And Wenger has bought alot of central defenders these past few years, so I think there's reason for him to be unsure of himself.

I've always liked him as a defender and wouldnt get sad of we signed him. However I'd much rather liked we'd gone for Zouma before Chelsea - or possibly go for Umtiti, Varane or Matip.
 
Completely overrated in his first season at Arsenal based on the fact that he scored a lot of goals, some of them pretty stunning. That doesn't make you a top CB and he wasn't. Defensively he had holes.

Since then his form and injuries have seen him become an average performer for Arsenal
 
devilish said:
In my opinion none of our current CB has justified a first team place yet. I'd say that we should get a quality defender and let the rest fight for the other spot. That would act as the right wake up call needed for them to start delivering the goods on a consistent basis.
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Good point and again I agree. Its just hard to prioritize exactly what we need as we have no idea exactly how much we have to spend and also about how true it is that player after player seem to be rejecting our advances.
I think out of the back four left back is in the most need of attention. Our failure to have an agreement to sign Shaw is worrying especially given the contract extension for Evra. If Vermaelen wants to join, is fit and all our other targets cannot be bought then again I would take him for the reported fee as it will provide more competition. But if we can get better elsewhere I'm all for it.
I know I keep harping on about midfield but surely this is our most vulnerable area full stop. We must buy in this position or we will fall far short again regardless of defenders signed and under LvG management.
 
I'd take Vermaelen alongside another CB standing, as him along with Jones, Smalling, and Evans strikes me as being injury prone. If we can sign another solid, experienced guy then I don't think anyone would be worried about going in with the five CB's.
 
With no European football next season, our signings should really be about quality and not quantity. I trust LVG and I'm sure he has a plan in place, but it would be a baffling signing.
 
Wenger must think he's completely shot if he's doing this. I'm really annoyed at this. I really thought we would stop this deliberate sale to other sides within the league. He's a good player who adequately filled in for us last season whenever required. We'd have to replace him whilst again, we'd strengthen (marginally) a rival.

This is no Silvestre.
 
J-Stander said:
With no European football next season, our signings should really be about quality and not quantity. I trust LVG and I'm sure he has a plan in place, but it would be a baffling signing.
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I wouldn't say that it'd be a baffling signing, considering our CB situation. I'm surprised alright, but we need to bring somebody in with experience now that Rio and Vidic are gone.
 
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Vermaelen went from being over-rated to being regarded as awful. He's basically a decent player who will never displace Koscielny or Mertesacker. Maybe he will displace Jones/Evans/Smalling.
 
IF we do sign him, it'd be only because LVG approved the deal.. I dont think Woodward would be looking at making Vermaelen his 1st signing of the window after all the talk of a huge summer spending.

Also, I think he's a good buy and also gives us the option of playing 3-5-2.. Just because Wenger prefers playing Mertersacker and Koscielny ahead of him doesn't make him crappy..

Bottom line is, I think we should trust LVG and our scouting team to make the right buys.. They know all what to look at much better than us..
 
Erentz said:
If van Gaal wants him, that's fine by me, he's a good player who has been coached poorly.
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That's the only positive I see in this, also as a LEFT footed CB is that not an indicator of the same 352 we saw against Spain?

For example including rumoured signings:

---------------De Gea
----Smalling----Jones-----Vemaelen
Rafael---------------------------Shaw
----------Swine------Strootman
----------------Mata
---------Rooney-------RVP


Could be likely but I can't see room for Januzaj.
 
Brwned said:
I personally think in the PL he's only ever shown glimpses of being a quality player and that was back when Lescott was doing the same. Since then he's been error-prone and unreliable.
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Aye his form has been very inconsistent. I personally put that down to being in and out of the side though.

I'm still hoping that this is all one big spelling mistake and we're actually interested in Vertonghen...
 
Shark said:
The Telegraph, The Guardian and ESPN are all reporting that a deal has been agreed.
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Its only the Telegraph right now. The Guardian only have it in their rumour mill section, and ESPN is saying 'the Telegraph is reporting that...".
 
At Arsenal he has 2 CBs playing better than him. At United he'd have 3 that played better than he did last season
 
Shark said:
I wouldn't say that it'd be a baffling signing, considering our CB situation. I'm surprised alright, but we need to being somebody in with experience now that Rio and Vidic are gone.
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A lot of people on here are talking as if he's coming as backup, but the reason he'd be leaving Arsenal is to get more games. I'd be worried if he was in our starting XI next season.
 
Would seem like a stop gap signing while younger defenders develope a bit more. Also, given our smaller fixture list, he won't be playing every game so it may help with his injury record.
 
Was pretty sure we were going to add a left footed defender who's reasonable with the ball on his feet, but this... Is very uninspiring.

He'll be a useful squad player, sure, and he might have a good World Cup. But he's nowhere near world class, typical Van Gaal signing. Thought he would've learned from his second season at Bayern, not buying any decent defenders and playing with Breno and Badstuber. But he thinks the team is more important than the indivdual player and blablabla Vermaelen would fit in blablablaba it's about the team performance blablabla.

I don't really like Vermaelen coming to United, but City won the league with Demichelis playing 38 matches, so in that regard, no harm will be done if we do make Thomas our new leader in defence.
 
sincher said:
Depends what Belgium do for their problem left back position. I think Vertonghen and Kompany are ahead at CB really but either Vertonghen or Vermaelen might play at LB.
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Vermaelen played 7 qualifying games, 6 of them as a left back, the other in the center.
 
I am guessing Arsenal gave us permission to talk to him, otherwise its considered tapping up, no?
 
I think that's pretty good aslong as we get somebody else in defence.
 
I would like this signing very much. Versatile player can cover CB and LB which also leaves him ideally placed to play on the left of a back 3 should we choose to do so. Well known quantity to LVG, good when in possession. If he is Rotated correctly and for the right price, he could be a steal.
 
The last friendly against Tunisia, Kompany and Van Buyten played in the center and Vertonghen at left.
 
Could be a decent back up, especially since he can play both CB and LB. Shouldn't be our main CB signing though, he has just had one good season and is too injury prone.
 
Vermaelen and Shaw would be grand for strengthening the defence. If it were to happen I could also see Shaw playing on the left of the back 3, he has good size and is more than capable defensively to do so.
 
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