Europa League Final Autopsy

[hobson's choice]

I actually wouldn't mind us signing some younger players, not the dross Wenger use to sign all the time, nobodies from unknown clubs who'd never played a game, but youngsters like the guy we were after from PSG or young players who have played a bit and performed well and shown ability.

The reason Wengers' youth policy never worked is because he continuously signed players who were 15-16 who had never shown they were up to the job and as we know when it comes to spotting talent he was way off, he missed out on all the decent kids and signed the duds.

We've got 1 or 2 decent young players ourselves, but not enough to build a team with, that 10 year youth team plan went totally pearshaped as well, it's years since we've produced anybody half decent, the likes of Chelsea and Man City sign up the best youngsters early and they seem to turn out pretty good so maybe we should follow their lead.

Wenger actually had a very good young core. Just didn't develop em. Most of the youth players he signed were very highly rated

[I am invisible]

Working on the premise that we’ll be able to stretch to maybe 3 or 4 modest signings this summer, this is where I think we *might* be able to find internal solutions and where I think we’ll probably have to invest out limited funds...

Cech —> Martinez
Ospina —> no one needed
Lichsteiner —> Osei-tutu
Mustafi —> Bielik / Chambers
Elneny —> Bielik / Chambers / no one!
Mkhitaryan —> Nelson
Özil —> Smith Rowe / Willock
Welbeck —> Nketiah

Koscielny —> ££££
Kolasinac / Monreal —> ££££
Ramsey —> ££££
New winger —> ££££

(Bonus wingers if we need backups —> Saka / Amaechi)

In terms of numbers, 11-14 players sounds like a ridiculous number to lose and gain in the same summer - however, when you actually look at the names on those ‘out’ lists, how many of them would we really miss? Ramsey, and the Koscielny and Monreal from a couple of seasons ago perhaps. The rest? I don’t see what any of them are currently adding in terms of performance, leadership, fitness, organisation, discipline or morale. Far better for morale, imo, to show the younger players that they’ll get a chance if they work hard, and for the better performers to not have to watch failure and mediocrity being rewarded so lavishly while they carry the whole team.

I should stress that *this is absolutely not* a recipe for instant success - far from it! It’s a recipe for emergency restructuring with a view to trimming £50-70m a year off of our wage bill (and maybe bringing in a modest amount in fees) that can then be put towards rebuilding the side over the next 2-3 years...

[Chippy]

I don’t think it’s quite the freak occurrence like Leicester winning the league was but I get your point. So if it can’t be down to his signings what is it then? Maybe that he is a good coach?

I hope Liverpool tear them apart but Spurs are a good side and frankly right now as Arsenal fan I’m in no mood to pass judgment on clubs with far more going for them than us.

Please god do not let the Spuds win the CL.

[Marc Overmars]

Indeed.

[Mac76]

Please god do not let the Spuds win the CL.

I've already had a bad weekend, that would just finish me off

[Chippy]

I've already had a bad weekend, that would just finish me off

Mac76. Put your "S#urs trophy piss take" sign off back on! We are safe for another year

[I am invisible]

Wenger actually had a very good young core. Just didn't develop em. Most of the youth players he signed were very highly rated

His biggest failure was not building out his coaching team properly - developing players himself was fine when we were talking about just 1 or 2 at a time, like an Anelka or Henry, while the rest of the squad knew their business, but trying to take on half a team without help was never going to work.

That being said, looking at what we’ve been getting out of our current group of expensive, “experienced” flops, I’m starting to get a whole new appreciation for what those previous groups of kids actually achieved!

[Marc Overmars]

That being said, looking at what we’ve been getting out of our current group of expensive, “experienced” flops, I’m starting to get a whole new appreciation for what those previous groups of kids actually achieved!

Me too. They had their flaws but top 4 every year and even made the latter stages of the CL on a couple of occasions. It's a shame we didn't have money to spend then because they weren't too far off from being a really competitive team.

It did help though that Spurs and City were not at the level they're currently at. Not sure how the early Emirates-era team would fare now given the competition.

[Bumble]

Me too. They had their flaws but top 4 every year and even made the latter stages of the CL on a couple of occasions. It's a shame we didn't have money to spend then because they weren't too far off from being a really competitive team.

It did help though that Spurs and City were not at the level they're currently at. Not sure how the early Emirates-era team would fare now given the competition.

think that is the point the competition has stepped up.

[Letters]

Spurs finished 1 point ahead of us .
One!
Yes, they got to the CL Final but let's face it they rode their luck a bit. They nearly went out in the group stages. You need a bit of luck in a cup competition and they got it.
If they are better than us then there really isn't much in it.
I don't understand why people think there's this huge gulf in class. There is between us and the top 2, we're at the same level as the next tier of clubs and way above everyone else.