Papa Bouba Diop

[Chicago]

Papa is a real presence on the field but I have to say he's not Arsenal quality. He does not have the level of technique required in order to play Wengerball, apart from a hard shot, he doesn't possess much apart from his powerful presence. Far better players out there.

Even if we did get him it'd take him months to adapt to our style of play(and whether he would even fully adapt is still inquestion). In a year or two I think that Flamini and Cesc will be good to go, or at least start rotating with one antoher.

 

[GoonerDK]

I believe we need to strengthen our DM position, as we currently only have Gilberto. Flamini is a future prospect for that position. So that leaves us with only one capable player, with an exceptional ability to break up play. But Gilberto's distribution is not amongst the best.

So surely it can not hurt to bring in a player of his quality to strengthen our squad ?
Plus the fact that he would be an enourmous and dangerous figure on deadballs. Something we have lacked for the past 5-6 seasons...

Does anyone remember when we last scored from a corner ??

I am thinking Sol some years ago at highbury, but i am far from sure...

 

[kel varnsen]

I believe we need to strengthen our DM position, as we currently only have Gilberto. Flamini is a future prospect for that position. So that leaves us with only one capable player, with an exceptional ability to break up play. But Gilberto's distribution is not amongst the best.

So surely it can not hurt to bring in a player of his quality to strengthen our squad ?
Plus the fact that he would be an enourmous and dangerous figure on deadballs. Something we have lacked for the past 5-6 seasons...

Does anyone remember when we last scored from a corner ??

I am thinking Sol some years ago at highbury, but i am far from sure...

vieira at home to man u.

 

[GoonerDK]

yeah thats right but before that then ?

 

[Ziontrain]

Papa is a real presence on the field but I have to say he's not Arsenal quality. He does not have the level of technique required in order to play Wengerball, apart from a hard shot, he doesn't possess much apart from his powerful presence. Far better players out there.

Wrong. I suspect that you only "basis" for such a statement is that Diop is 6'5" and built like a barn. In other words, stereotyping.

Not only does Diop possess more than enough technique to play on this team, he has actually proven it. He might be playing pure DM at Fulham. But at Lens and for France he played a very attacking box-to-box game, similar in style to what Gerard does for Liverpool now and what Viera did for us in his youth.

Skillwise Flamini cannot even touch Diop - and that's before we have even started talking about physical inpact or aieriel presence. I'm just speaking of pure technique on the ball. And Flamini is scheduled to get heavy minites this season.

So much for the idea that Diop is not qualified to play here....

 

[AFCG7]

He would be a great additin to our squad.. maybe not to the first team in every match but he has good ability and could add some depth to our squad. He's better than Flamini right now, and would add some height, strength and another goalscoring option to our midfield. He does take some scorching shots.. just what we need sometimes in games.

Besides Henry and RVP who are both strikers we hardly have anyone willing to have a go or able to lash the ball in with great power.

Man U have Keane and Scholes.
Chelsea have Lampard.
Liverpool have Gerard.
We have... no midfielder willing to have a crack,

I'm not saying we should buy Diop for his shooting only but it would help.

 

[MarkL]

I like diop too, hes very very strong and good on the ball too.. he also scores goals.. he could do a vieira job, not as good but better than what flamini or fabregas would do there, he was outstanding for fulham last season, hes in my sun dream team.. c'mon diop!!

 

[mr_arsenal]

i would like to see Fabregas and Flamini they are the future

 

[Split]

Just got back from a long holiday so have missed out on all the transfer speculation since Vieira left (although heard about 'The Beast' saga). While I was away the first player that I could think of to replace Vieira was Papa Diop, he's exactly the type of player we need: strong, athletic and dominant in midfield. He proved last season he's top draw. After Wenger missed out on 'The Beast', Diop made even more sense to me. - Wenger has described the type of player he is after and Papa fits the bill. I also recall AW expressing his admiration for Papa when we played Fulham last season, so I can only conclude that the reason Diop is not on his way to Highbury is the price tag Coleman has slapped on his shiny head! Incidently there is an interesting comparison between Vieira and Diop on Arsenal.com

 

[GoonerDK]

Just got back from a long holiday so have missed out on all the transfer speculation since Vieira left (although heard about 'The Beast' saga). While I was away the first player that I could think of to replace Vieira was Papa Diop, he's exactly the type of player we need: strong, athletic and dominant in midfield. He proved last season he's top draw. After Wenger missed out on 'The Beast', Diop made even more sense to me. - Wenger has described the type of player he is after and Papa fits the bill. I also recall AW expressing his admiration for Papa when we played Fulham last season, so I can only conclude that the reason Diop is not on his way to Highbury is the price tag Coleman has slapped on his shiny head! Incidently there is an interesting comparison between Vieira and Diop on Arsenal.com

Spot on and cheers for the links

 

[jester]

this guy has great potential. i saw him in the fulham game and he is huge. he bullied everybody of the ball and controlled the midfield. he was rumoured to be a replacement for vieira, but nothing ever came of it.
he has a very good work rate and is good in the air.
why were we never in for him?

 

[Army of Me]

Well if our youngsters progress as well as Arsène is expecting, we shouldn't really need 5 players.

Yes, we need a new goalkeeper, probably 2.

I don't think we'll need a defender of any sort for at least 2 years, Lauren/Eboue, Senderos/Sol/Toure/Cygan, Cole/Clichy.

We'll probably need a RM, Ljungberg/?

We need a CM, Gilberto/Flamini, Cesc/?.

We won't need a LM Reyes/Hleb/Quincy

We won't need a striker Henry/RvP/Aliadiere

Uless I'm missing someone (which is likely cos Im half asleep) thats how I see it, a keeper, RM and CM - but yea, I think we will have to spend some decent cash to get some good players, and I think we will.

 

[Army of Me]

how did that happen... i'm sure i posted this in some sort of "we need 5 players" thread... oh man, am I asleep?

 

[jester]

yeah sorry - i put the thread there, but it was in wrong forum, so i changed it. d'oh.

 

[Army of Me]

no probs, just making sure i'm not going crazy here!

ok, so for this subject, bouba diop, i'm sure this guy was discussed before, and as usual everyone was split down the middle.

me personally, I've never really though of him that highly, sure enough he's good, but for us... not really, if we're looking for someone big and strong, they have to have other attributes that would make them a good signing and I don't think he has the vision to be a success for arsenal. could be wrong though.

he did score a cracker against manure last season, so he's get a bonus point for that one.

 

[jester]

wasnt he the one that scored for senegal against france in the opening game of world cup? could be wrong.

he can score some goals and he'd be very useful in some games just for his size and presence, althought cesc thought he could take him when he squared up to him 2 weeks ago.

 

[Gurgen]

He hardly controlled the midfield, Reyes made him fall over every time he went near him.
He's a decent worker and a big guy but has no clue whatsoever about positioning and defending in other ways than crashing into someone. His passing is highly suspect as well.

 

[Army of Me]

althought cesc thought he could take him when he squared up to him 2 weeks ago.

yea but cesc's obviously a wee chav from barcelona who thinks he can fight anyone

 

[qs]

Well if our youngsters progress as well as Arsène is expecting, we shouldn't really need 5 players.

Yes, we need a new goalkeeper, probably 2.

I don't think we'll need a defender of any sort for at least 2 years, Lauren/Eboue, Senderos/Sol/Toure/Cygan, Cole/Clichy.

We'll probably need a RM, Ljungberg/?

We need a CM, Gilberto/Flamini, Cesc/?.

We won't need a LM Reyes/Hleb/Quincy

We won't need a striker Henry/RvP/Aliadiere

Uless I'm missing someone (which is likely cos Im half asleep) thats how I see it, a keeper, RM and CM - but yea, I think we will have to spend some decent cash to get some good players, and I think we will.

Freddies got a few more years left in him yet and Hleb can play right or left.

We'l need more than 3 strikers.

And we'll need a mid.

 

[agnishevchenko]

too old for us, and not our standard! inconsistent!