Summer transfer joy and happiness

[I am invisible]

Ain't happening.

Was probably just a 'PR bid' to show the fans we're doing 'something'.

Will be interesting to hear what the manager has to say about our lack of transfers as he'll inevitably be asked about it over the next few weeks.

More importantly, if he doesn't get any backing in the window again, what are Arsenal fans expectations of him for next season?

Although, I have to say, the PL transfer market has been relatively dead so far. Maybe it's because of all the tournaments, I don't know.

I don't have too much sympathy for him where transfers are concerned - the club talked about having 2 budgets and 2 sets of targets in place (depending on whether we made the CL or not) way before the season ended, and Emery was complicit in our failure to make it into the top 4.

In terms of expectations of him, they're probably more modest and reasonable now than they would have been if we'd made the CL? I have no set targets in mind in terms of finishing positions, etc right now - I'll probably be judging him more on ideas and innovation at this point, rather than results (which could take a couple of years)...

I'd like to see him settle on a shape and system that he wants to play and put together a squad of players who fit the roles, and are willing to embrace his methods. If that means relying on kids here and there then so be it, but I think there's a lot of gains to be made by simply by getting those 2 things right, even with modest recruitment.

And just as important as who he selects is who he leaves out. He's had a year with this squad now, and should know who all the trouble-makers and walking calamities are: if someone is refusing to play where he's asked, or is simply a bad fit for the role then don't play them in that role; if someone regularly makes costly mistakes and showing no signs of improvement then stop selecting them; if someone is becoming a disruptive influence and flat-out refusing to even give your methods a try then freeze them out and make them train on their own. I know the club have made some sizeable investments with certain players, and he's probably under pressure to at least try to get what he can out of them, but he's already done that in year 1 - year 2 is where the free passes stop.

Most of all though, I just want him to help re-establish some kind of footballing identity at this club again - develop a brand of football that is uniquely ours, start giving the kids a proper chance, get back to doing smart business again. At the moment I have no idea what I'm actually following or why I'm following it? What I Arsenal right now? What do we stand for and represent as a club? What do you immediately think of when you think of us? Damned if I know anymore...

[I am invisible]

i suspect even then he'd be the exception that proved the rule - thieves may not be nice but they're not that stupid...

Put him in some decent Nikes - they'd steal him just for the trainers and then chuck the rest in the canal...

[I am invisible]

I find it odd we want to let Bielik and Chambers go, Chambers did well in DM for Fulham (he's not a good defender but in DM he seems decent) and we're not going to sign another one so not sure why we wouldn't keep him around.

Likewise Bielik, did well on loan and has never had a chance and yet he's not in Emerys' plan, yet rubbish like Mustafi and Xhaka are, got to question Emerys' decision making a bit on this, he didn't cover himself in glory last season either.

Yeah, I thought he might have been interested in at least one of those two, especially as he seems to have a thing for defensive midfielders who can drop between the 2 CBs when we're playing out from the back? Those two sounded ideal for that.

I don't know... maybe we need to rethink what makes a successful deep midfielder in this modern era of the high-press? It feels like everything is backwards now, with the attackers doing most of the aggressive, terrier work, and where the DMs and CBs are the ones getting pressed and closed down and forced into mistakes? Maybe we should to be looking more for players with good spatial awareness and close-control, who are comfortable taking the ball under pressure, and can dribble away from a marker (basically players who can turn over a high press and help us break the opposition lines to start counters when our opponents have over committed)? It's probably not a coincidence that the best player we've had in that area in recent years has been little Santi Cazorla, whilst guys like Xhaka have struggled)...

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

That's exactly why despite his poor stats assists/goals wise....Moussa Demebele was an exceptional player. We really should be looking at reliability of passing and the ability to retain possession under pressure in midfielders. If you can do nothing else.....don't put us in the mire with Xhakaesque hospital passes or conceding of the ball.

[I am invisible]

Yeah, it’s all about control in midfield. I don’t remember Vieira ever posting mind-blowing goal/assist stats either, but he ran that midfield and dominated the league for nearly a decade.

I’d love to have a fit Rosicky to play CM at the moment! His skill set would have been ideal for countering a high press and turning over attacks...

[SMatthews]

Greaseman’s gone to Barca for 120m euros.

Neymar

[Marc Overmars]

They’ll still be completely reliant on Messi.

[GP]

I fucking hate Grease man.

[Özim]

Sums up our transfer activity/plans that we're talking about a guy who doesn't want to play for us and a player signed by another club.

Arsenal transfers

An utter embarrassment.

[dostoy]

It will all be left until August.

Most teams leave it until the last week.

Its just that Arsenal need to get rid of a few idiots and replace them with younger, better players.

A few of those idiots will still be here next season if not all of them.