Vote! Atletico Madrid calls. Is Fran Merida too impatient or too good to be on the bench for Arsenal?
Submitted by Steve on November 5, 2009 – 4:00 18 Comments
According to Fran Merida’s agent, the 19-year old is tempted by a move to Atletico Madrid. Impressive with Spain’s Under 20 side in the World Cup Finals and scorer of an amazing goal against Liverpool in the Carling Cup, the Spaniard is behind Emmanuel Eboue, Nicklas Bendtner and Abou Diaby for the Gunners and is struggling to find a regular place.
What do you think about this?
Is the Spaniard too good to spend a whole season on the bench for Arsenal, or he’s just too impatient? Or maybe he just wants to wear the colours of the club he so-much loved as a little boy?
Vote below and do leave a comment to explain your decision.
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I’d like to give Steve a warm welcome since starting today, he’s a regular member of The Gunning Hawk’s team, our ninth member in an ever-growing group. He’ll be responsible for Polls.
Welcome mate.
I voted to keep Merida on the bench a while, there is a pecking order and he must learn to be patient after all he`s only nineteen, a member of the finest club in Europe and must realise there have been more talented bottoms than his collect a few splitters both at Highbury and Emirates. Take it easy kid you`re in good hands.
Here`s a thought for all those ex Arsenal players like Thierry Henry, Robert Pires, Freddie Ljunberg and Dennis Bergkamp etc. who would like to pull on the red and white once more.
An invitation eleven of ex Arsenal players playing a charity match at Emirates at the end of the season with the proceeds going to a charity to be selected by Gunners supporters.
What the fans and the charities would give for that.?
I think we will see eboue and one or two others leaving at the end of the season, so things will really open up for the likes of merida, wilshere, rambo, and vela. as well as the other youth stars. I think it must be frustrating to see someone like diaby play play in front of him, simply because of physique…mind a physique that diaby wastes, since he plays (or attempts too) like he’s 5′5″. think of what the future may hold though…
mannone
gilbert/eastmond-djourou-vermaelen-gibbs
song
merida rambo
walcott wilshere
bendtner/vela
i honestly believe that this team would finish in the top 10 today, if not find a europa place.
i think rosicky is on his way out as well.
Thomas is going no where..he stayz…no one leaves..may b eboue nd diaby nd gallas..none of te othrs leave…
tomas needs to prove he can play more than 2 games in a row…thats why they haven’t renewed his contract. i would love to see him stay, but the truth is that he is always on the treatment table, and at 29 he isn’t getting any younger, and on top of all that, we have solid youth talent (vela, wilshere, walcott, merida, ramsey) al of whom can play his position(s).
our team shd remain intact and may be add certin and inler and chamak
inler maybe…but chamakh is crap. Look at what he’s doing in the french league??? nothing. he would be worthless in england. wenger was just looking for cheap height for cover. now he realizes he doesn’t need him, unless he is free.
What you people are failing to understand is that Merida is not a defensive player but an attack minded player so the presence of Diaby Eboue and the rest has no correlation whatsoever with his current predicament,however the presence of Better attack minded players will surely worsen his situation.Honestly Fabregas,Nasri,Arshavin,Rosicky,VanPersie,Walcott,Wilshere,Eduardo and perhaps Vela are better than him,so how is it possible to jump the queue when there is just so much talent ahead of you.Merida needs to be patient,Vela and Barazite are already 20 but you dont hear them complaining.All they do is make use of the opportunities they get to impress the boss.For a big club like Arsenal you have to be patient to get your chance.A very good example is Clichy who had to wait for almost six years before he could join the first team,but he never gave up and now he is a very important part of the arsenal team.Athletico Madrid may be calling on him but who says he will slot in immediately into the first team?Again refer to Hleb’s predicament.IN SHORT MERIDA YOU ARE STILL YOUNG SO BE PATIENT AND EXPERIENCE A BETTER CAREER WITH ARSENAL OR MOVE ON AND SEE YOUR CAREER PLUMET.if u decide to leave atleast you will find Reyes there and i am very sure he will tell you that you have wasted a perfectly good opportunity to be a star.
so you’re telling me eboue doesnt play right attacking mid? and diaby is more defensive than offensive? merida is a CM first and formost…just like diaby. obviously you don’t watch the same arsenal i do. the problem is that people keep comparing to cesc…and cecs was in the first team when he was 16.
I think he’s too good to be wasted on the bench, I think his main problem is he’s been working his ass for Arsenal for years but has seen the two new younger boys (wilshire and Ramsey) promoted ahead of him whereas with a more match practice he’s easily better than both of them. He will leave when he gets the chance if Athletico make an offer.
wilshere and ramsey play before him because they are british and arsenal are known for not fielding british players. don’t get me wrong, they are terrific talents, but that has to be part of wenger’s decision making.
I think Fran should get more playing time in the Arsenal Squad, there are sometimes when you feel players like Fran,Vela would be good like the West Ham match, I felt some of the players were exhausted.Arsene should try to give him more time and on the players part he has to be patient rushing out may not necessarily help him. I guess with the Carling Cup and F.A. Cup coming up Fran would get some time.
Ignoring the media crap option which I also believe is true in this case, it’s interesting to see that the first two options are divided 24% vs 31%. Fran is good, damn good, but unfortunately, he has to wait a year or two if he wants to stick with Arsenal, reason why I believe he will indeed leave.
Who can blame a 19-year old for accepting a regular place in La Liga when his other option is warming the bench in the Premiership?
People keep talking about Cesc making the team at age 16, we forget that the team was diffrent back then. Cesc had Viera, Gilberto, Henry, Sol etc protecting him…some big boys in the team. The team now is not as mature…and not that big, so no matter how good Merida is he needs to work on getting fitter, the same goes for vela. Merida should just await his chance..AA will not be at arsenal in 2years, maybe even cesc and rosiscky..so that will free up some space for Merida, willshere, Ramsey, Vela and Barazite but not all of them will make it at arsenal.
Considering Fran is from Northern Spain, I don’t get the connection with Athletico Madrid. That he hasn’t signed yet is of no consequence.Did RVP stall this season on his renewal,and look at him now.
I believe Vela if anyone will go.He is not been given the opportunities to start games,allowing the fact he has been injured, and the constant air time playing in Mexico doesn’t help his cause.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has revealed that highly-rated midfielder Fran Merida has agreed a new deal, but has yet to sign it.
Merida: Was linked with Atletico Madrid
Merida’s future has been the subject of speculation in recent weeks with Atletico Madrid keen to take him back to Spain.
The 19-year-old’s current contract expires next summer and Arsenal are keen to tie him down to a new long-term deal.
However Wenger admits other clubs have been undermining their attempts to agree a new contract with Merida – and the Frenchman is not happy with the way Atletico Madrid have made their interest known.
“He has an offer which he has agreed, but has not signed yet,” said Wenger.
“Some clubs are doing their work behind our back to destabilise him.
“We cannot stop that, but it is a fact.”
From arsenal.com 5 minutes ago
Hi,
Merida is a very skillful young player i believe so and has alot of potential considering he is only 19yrs old.What he needs now is to keep fit because we have so many games coming considering F.A cup and carling cup and at the same time Eboue and Song in Jan they will playing Africa cup for their respective countries so he stands a very good chance of featuring in a few in not many premier league games and when the opportunity comes knocking on the door he should ensure he does enjoy playing for first team and prove that to the boss and the whole world he is a first team material.All this requires hardwork and alot of patience to be a star of the future for Arsenal and what should motivate more is that he is in goods hands of a renown manager ie the professor who knows what he wants from all of his players.So Fran take control of your emotions and just work hard patiently and your time will come and all will be at your disposable to discern and enjoy most once granted the opportunity to play.
Kioko Nbi Kenya.