Arsenal Squad Austria: Senderos Last Chance Saloon?

Arsenal will announce the pre-season squad which will travel to Austria to play SS Columbia on Tuesday and begin the real pre-season preparations for what will be a long and arduous season for the club and many players. NO player from the First Team squad will be left behind unless there is a last minute injury, what remains to be seen is which players from the Youth squad will make the cut. As it is, Arsenal have a squad of 28 players, 3 Goal Keepers, 10 Defenders, 11 Midfielders and 5 Strikers, which is a large group already.

One player who has kept a dignified silence and worked extremely hard in training thus far has been Philippe Senderos. Having spent last season on loan at AC Milan where he failed to get a deal, the teams that have hovered for his signature in the ensuing weeks have not been to his wanting. Will he stay and fight to win a first team place? He must try emulate the attitude of Mathieu Flamini who two years ago made the central midfield position his own and kept the then Copa America winning captain Gilberto-Silva on the bench.

The first goal Arsenal conceded yesterday cried out for a commanding and organizing defender to deal with, Vermaelen-Gallas-Djourou-Silvestre, all rivals, failed to deal with it, would Senderos have done better? In January to March 2008, he deputised well for Toure, and performed so well, the consensus was why did Senderos have to make way for Toure after his AFCON 2008 return.

There is still a spot up for grabs alongside Gallas, he is the second tallest player in the squad, and he is the only one to have shown himself capable of withstanding an aerial assault in the team. The question is does he back himself to leave his rivals on the bench and finally realise his potential? If he stays and fights, he will be an asset to the team.