Adrian Durham has written a very interesting piece in the Daily Mail as he suggests that Arsenal need to sign a player in January who has experience of winning the Premier League. And the player he suggests is Manchester City’s out of favour goalkeeper Joe Hart.
Durham states:
“You can talk about another striker or maybe another defensive midfielder but I think what they need is someone with experience of winning the Premier League title, because not one player in their current squad has done that.
And that’s why Arsene Wenger should take Joe Hart on loan in January.
There are plenty of current Arsenal players who have won titles, but all of them abroad.
Hart was a crucial part of City’s title win in 2012, when he was at his confident, commanding best with 29 clean sheets in 38 games.”
He raises a valid point that no one in the current Arsenal side has experience of winning the Premier League. It is not critical to have such players in your squad but it does help. We may not have the players who have been there before but we have the manager who has experienced Premier League success.
Durham adds:
Step forward Arsene Wenger. His man-management of Aaron Ramsey has been brilliant, and he could do the same for Hart. Wenger backed Ramsey in the face of fierce criticism from Arsenal fans last season, and that’s what Hart needs right now.
Wojciech Szczesny is good, and would obviously continue to be Arsenal’s Champions League No 1. But Hart is a keeper at another level. He’s already a champion.
At his best Hart is world class. Some stunning saves for England in Brazil in June are a recent reminder of his ability. His performance in the Champions League against Dortmund last season was breathtaking. When England needed him to be totally solid in the two recent qualifiers that we needed to win, Hart didn’t let anyone down.
And the experience of seeing off Manchester United and Chelsea in a title chase that Hart will bring could be crucial. Arsenal have failed to see the job through in recent memory.
There is no doubt that Hart is a very good goalkeepr. He would not be England’s number one for nothing. But right now he is going through a very bad patch at City and he may struggle to make his way back into that side if Pellegrini has his way.
The goalkeeping department has always been an area for debate at Arsenal. But right now, I am very happy with the form of Wojciech Szczesny. Given the option of picking Szczesny or Hart right now based on current form then you would have to go with the Arsenal keeper. But maybe looking at the long term, having a player like Hart at Arsenal would be beneficial as they say “form is temporary but class is permanent”. Joe Hart is still very much a class act.
Honestly, I can not see City agreeing to send Hart out on loan as the continue to push for success in Europe and the League. Unless Hart’s relationship with Pellegrini is severely dented.
Do you agree with Durham’s thoughts that Arsenal should look at getting Joe Hart on loan?
No way. chezzers is the no.1.
The move will never happen. First, we’ve just bought Viviano (on loan) so if Hart comes in, Arsenal will have 4 goalkeepers. A bit too many, don’t you think. Second, as you said, Szczesny is already improving and solid, so Wenger will make him the primary goalkeeper. And with the World Cup looming, I don’t think Hart will risk that. Third, do you really think Pellegrini will sell to a direct rival?
Say we bring him in, Wenger works his magic and gets him back to his best, and he deposes Chezzer as our number 1. Then what happens at the end of the season? He returns to City a rejuvinated man, better than ever, and we’d likely be left with a very pissed off Pole who we dropped when he’s in some of the best form of his life.
I completely agree that we need the experience of a PL winner in our side, but I can’t imagine that this type of move would ever occur.
Then again, none of us saw Ozil coming…