Summer Transfer Misery and Recriminations.

[Özim]

Marcotti has said that he's been flogged around to City, Utd and Chelsea - he basically wants the biggest pay day going, probably looking at £200k plus wages. That's us out.

Yup, we won't pay the going rate or anywhere near it a real hindrance in the chase for top players, plus I think when those clubs are interested success comes into play and clearly he would know he has a better chance at all those other clubs.

The only reason to sign for us is if you want an easy time with less pressure to perform and longer to do it.

[Marc Overmars]

It looked as if we were going to have a really good summer with regards to strengthening the squad.....but it is going to be business as usual! The board and Wenger will not go the extra mile to sign the players we need. Hopefully we have just one more year of this rubbish. Wenger and Stan the Man OUT!

It's only June and there are 2 tournaments going on.

[Niall_Quinn]

We should have wrapped Vardy up before the Euros, then things would look a whole lot different. We desperately need a striker, we're not in the position where we can be playing hardball and fucking around making counter offers. Just pay the player what he wants, give him the contract he wants and be done with it. The money is so silly now that what do we care if we have to carry a 33 year old for a year at the end of his contract? We've carried worse for years. Diaby. Flamini again. And despite the fact he's a good player, Rosicky. Millions a year blown on players who don't play. So it was just dumb to screw around with a 3 year offer when Vardy wanted 4. Hopefully he won't play in the Euros, because if he comes on and shows Kane up then we can kiss that signing goodbye, he'll be off somewhere else. Fucking around when we need to be decisive is what we do best.

I agree. Walcott should be gone by now. But maybe there isn't any interest anywhere and who would be surprised if that's the case?

[selassie]

I cannot give you a specific response, however, from past transfer dealings, we always seem offer "Under" the asking price.

Just pay the money ffs!

It wouldn't surprise me if we spent the rest of the summer haggling over the contract duration and transfer fee for Vardy & that Rob Holding guy we are trying to buy off Bolton.

We are honestly that bad.

[GP]

Nah.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

This summer is beginning to look very familiar, I can remember when we signed Podolski at the start of the summer and we thought it was the beginning of a good transfer window, we did something similar a few seasons later and then signed noone until near the end.

We can't compete with the big clubs for players, for that reason we should be going in agressively to sign them up before anyone else goes for them.

Oh sorry my mistake we've also signed Kelechi Nwakali, clearly things are different.

We signed Giroud in late June that summer tbf.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Apparently Mkhitaryan won't be allowed to leave until the end of his contract, so in January Man U wil snap him up for free.

Dortmund are mental, it's as though they want to go back to the financial peril they were in.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

It wouldn't surprise me if we spent the rest of the summer haggling over the contract duration and transfer fee for Vardy & that Rob Holding guy we are trying to buy off Bolton.

We are honestly that bad.

We're not haggling over anything; this is Vardy's decision to delay is it not?

[selassie]

We're not haggling over anything; this is Vardy's decision to delay is it not?

Apparently one of the factors into the delay of Vardy's decision is the duration of the contract we have offered him, he wants 4 years we are only offering him 3 years which to be fair is long enough for someone of his age. I think Vardy is a decent player but I won't lose any sleep if we don't sign him, I'm just hoping it doesn't drag on all Summer.

The Rob Holding deal is the one that we have been haggling over from what I've read, I think we're basically just taking advantage of the fact the player wants to come here and are trying to screw Bolton over the fee.

[Özim]

We should stop messing about, forget this Vardy guy and break the bank for Griezmann, he's top class.

[Kano]

Ain't gonna happen. Pretty sure he was in talks to extend his contract before the Euro's.

[Xhaka Can’t]

What's the extra mile?

1.6k

[Kano]

Easy, 8 min job.

And no, not that. That's much quicker.

[Niall_Quinn]

Lewandowski making noises about wanting to play in the PL. So what are we waiting for? Ideal player for us. Absolute must get.

... I've typed out a whole message and we STILL haven't signed him :doh:

How about now?

:doh: WTF?

[Globalgunner]

Lewandowski making noises about wanting to play in the PL. So what are we waiting for? Ideal player for us. Absolute must get.

... I've typed out a whole message and we STILL haven't signed him :doh:

How about now?

:doh: WTF?

Signing Lewandowski would affect the progress of Giroud and that other waster Walnutt, so no.

[Özim]

Ain't gonna happen. Pretty sure he was in talks to extend his contract before the Euro's.

Never say never, from what I heard there was talk he may move, at the end of the day if you don't try you'll never find out, many a player who was thought unavailable was snapped up after making an offer.

We never try, so we never get.

[Niall_Quinn]

He's probably after a better contract at Bayern. But even so, turn his bluff into a reality by making him an offer he can't refuse. It's about time we made a splash and started competing at the top for the very best players. When was the last time we went head to head with any of the top clubs and came out winning? When was the last time we even tried? We have the dosh now so spend it.

But I take your point on Theo. Any year now he's going to explode into action and we don't want to jeopardise that.

[I am invisible]

Absolute pipedream, but the more I see of Kante, the more I want him at Arsenal - could see him and Xhaka forming a formidable pairing in the middle, and there'd be even more potential for Xhaka Kan headlines than there already is.

Fuck it, let's just chuck £70-80m at Leicester for Vardy, Mahrez and Kante - activate all their release clauses and be done with it. Accept now, and get a FREE Walcott with every deal!

[Özim]

We can't go head to head with the big boys because

a) They are willing to pay the going rate
b) They have been sucessful in the last 10 years and players like to win
c) They have shown they will do the necessary to achieve success, whether it be by changing manager or signing players.

Too much going against us now to compete with them, but what we could do is go in agressively with an early offer to try an get a deal tied up before anyone else is involved, we never do this of course, unless it's for a player noone else is that interested in.

[Özim]

Absolute pipedream, but the more I see of Kante, the more I want him at Arsenal - could see him and Xhaka forming a formidable pairing in the middle, and there'd be even more potential for Xhaka Kan headlines than there already is.

Fuck it, let's just chuck £70-80m at Leicester for Vardy, Mahrez and Kante - activate all their release clauses and be done with it. Accept now, and get a FREE Walcott with every deal!


Mahrez and Kante we'd have a decent chance of getting (one though maybe not both), instead we've gone for Vardy, a one season wonder who has apparently said he'd never move to London, sounds to me like a long summer saga is coming up where we sit there on our hands dong nothing whilst a player who's not interested doesn't arrive.

Conspiracy theories could point to the fact we go after these players who are less likely to move so that when it invariably goes pear shaped it makes it look like we were trying.

[I am invisible]

Mahrez and Kante we'd have a decent chance of getting (one though maybe not both), instead we've gone for Vardy, a one season wonder who has apparently said he'd never move to London, sounds to me like a long summer saga is coming up where we sit there on our hands dong nothing whilst a player who's not interested doesn't arrive.

Conspiracy theories could point to the fact we go after these players who are less likely to move so that when it invariably goes pear shaped it makes it look like we were trying.

Good news for Vardy then! He'd most likely be living in leafy, picturesque St. Albans, close to the training ground, so the London thing isn't really any kind of issue. Piss easy train journey back to Leicester from there too!

[Kano]

Never say never, from what I heard there was talk he may move, at the end of the day if you don't try you'll never find out, many a player who was thought unavailable was snapped up after making an offer.

We never try, so we never get.

From what you heard, what do you mean, personal phone calls or the Daily Star? He's very recently said he's happy there and that he hopes to agree the contract very soon. You always do this when it suits, which is quite funny. Then you dig into the manager when he is apparently trying to buy players that do not want to come here. I get it, you're happy France won, that Griezmann scored and justified your belief in him, which is fair enough. No one on here thinks he's a bad player, just that we like to unjustifiably support our players at national team level and laugh at superstars failing on their stupid faces. But get real Zim, he's made it clear he wants to stay, that is being sorted and it would be daft to waste time and effort putting in a bid.

[Kano]

Mahrez and Kante we'd have a decent chance of getting (one though maybe not both), instead we've gone for Vardy, a one season wonder who has apparently said he'd never move to London, sounds to me like a long summer saga is coming up where we sit there on our hands dong nothing whilst a player who's not interested doesn't arrive.

Conspiracy theories could point to the fact we go after these players who are less likely to move so that when it invariably goes pear shaped it makes it look like we were trying.

But surely Kante and Mahrez are one season wonders too, using your logic?

[GP]

But surely Kante and Mahrez are one season wonders too, using your logic?

Logic??

:lol:

[Özim]

From what you heard, what do you mean, personal phone calls or the Daily Star? He's very recently said he's happy there and that he hopes to agree the contract very soon. You always do this when it suits, which is quite funny. Then you dig into the manager when he is apparently trying to buy players that do not want to come here. I get it, you're happy France won, that Griezmann scored and justified your belief in him, which is fair enough. No one on here thinks he's a bad player, just that we like to unjustifiably support our players at national team level and laugh at superstars failing on their stupid faces. But get real Zim, he's made it clear he wants to stay, that is being sorted and it would be daft to waste time and effort putting in a bid.

Guillem Balague

http://metro.co.uk/2016/04/26/atletico-madrid-star-antoine-griezmann-will-listen-to-offers-this-summer-claims-guillem-balague-5841479/

http://metro.co.uk/2016/06/03/antione-griezmann-ready-to-complete-manchester-united-transfer-if-diego-simeone-leaves-atletico-madrid-5922849/
(http://metro.co.uk/2016/06/03/antione-griezmann-ready-to-complete-manchester-united-transfer-if-diego-simeone-leaves-atletico-madrid-5922849/)

Players aren't always openly available, if I was the manager, I'd give it a go, nothing to lose, but Wenger is more interested in the cheap option as usual, why do a job properly eh, especially as you're use to taking the wrong option?

Griezmanni s class, he scores goals, has bags of talent and is the kind of player we should be going for, Athletico have sold their best striker several times before so it's not like this is something new.

What will happen invariably is he'll end up at some other clubs, score a hatful and we'll be left thinking what if like we always do.

I'm not saying spend all summer chasing him (this is what I have an issue with), if he's not signed up after a couple weeks move on as clearly he doens't want to come.

[Özim]

But surely Kante and Mahrez are one season wonders too, using your logic?

Are you kidding? There's a bit of a difference between a player who's got no record of scoring goals before the age of 29 and two midfield players in their mid 20s coming good isn't there, or can you not see it?

Those two are clearly improving and have years ahead of them, Vardy is towards the end of his career and has an average at best record other than in non league tin pot games.

Vardy is a pub team player who will be remembered for his one good season like many others before, at least he won something though.

[Bumble]

Are you kidding? There's a bit of a difference between a player who's got no record of scoring goals before the age of 29 and two midfield players in their mid 20s coming good isn't there, or can you not see it?

Those two are clearly improving and have years ahead of them, Vardy is towards the end of his career and has an average at best record other than in non league tin pot games.

Vardy is a pub team player who will be remembered for his one good season like many others before, at least he won something though.
No - they are currently one season wonders... also they are already mid 20s they aren't kids where you would expect a level of improvement. Are Mahrez and Kante really going to get much better as well? How much further can Kante really run in a game. They both had a great a season I do think Kante would be more useful for us but sometimes players only suit a particularly type of team. Had we offered for those two you would have complained about them instead of Vardy.

You would moan about anything Wenger did even it included signing Messi and Ronaldo. There is nothing we can do about the manager, he will outlive all of us.

Its the summer, so stop moaning about football. I can imagine the scene from Airplane when you talk football with your friends and start moaning about Wenger... they end up hanging themselves just to get out of the conversation.

[Özim]

No - they are currently one season wonders... also they are already mid 20s they aren't kids where you would expect a level of improvement. Are Mahrez and Kante really going to get much better as well? How much further can Kante really run in a game. They both had a great a season I do think Kante would be more useful for us but sometimes players only suit a particularly type of team. Had we offered for those two you would have complained about them instead of Vardy.

You would moan about anything Wenger did even it included signing Messi and Ronaldo. There is nothing we can do about the manager, he will outlive all of us.

Its the summer, so stop moaning about football. I can imagine the scene from Airplane when you talk football with your friends and start moaning about Wenger... they end up hanging themselves just to get out of the conversation.

Mid 20s is fine, penty of time to improve, players don't usually start reaching a high level until their mids 20s in most cases, but a player who is 29 suddenly improving massively, now that is rare and if anyone is going to be a one season wonder then a player of that age will be, not to mention the fact he won't have that long left at the top level.

Mahrez has bags of raw talent, you can see it, silky skills and creates and scores, he may not reproduce that form, but at his age there's more change than the pubber and he still has time to improve.

No I wouldn't have complained I only complain about players I think are sh*t, I don't do it for effect, if Wenger wasn't so cheap and behaved like normal managers in the transfer market we'd all be a lot happier.

Fact is I don't want Vardy here because I don't rate him, so I'm not going to pretend he's suddenly the muts nuts because we're after him, like I said we should be after players like Higuain, Griezmann or players of that quality and frankly I don't care if you think they are not available, noone knows until they make an offer, in football very few players aren't available, and certainly not players from Athletico who have shown they will sell their best strikers many times before in the past.

Like I said before if you don't try you don't get, other clubs are perfectly happy to give it a go and more often than not get their man whilst we sit there feeling sorry for ourselves that noone is available and then sign average joe's and nobody's, the club is very good though I'll give them credit because they convinced everyone there's noone available and that we have to sign players like Chamakh, Sanogo and Wellbeck and that they are top class and don't have to cost 100 million.

[Power n Glory]

Are you kidding? There's a bit of a difference between a player who's got no record of scoring goals before the age of 29 and two midfield players in their mid 20s coming good isn't there, or can you not see it?

Those two are clearly improving and have years ahead of them, Vardy is towards the end of his career and has an average at best record other than in non league tin pot games.

Vardy is a pub team player who will be remembered for his one good season like many others before, at least he won something though.

I don't get why that needs to be explained on here. People aren't this stupid and are just trying to poke holes in your argument now.

[Niall_Quinn]

We've signed top players. Ozil, Alexis. They haven't made the difference. Not because there's something wrong with them, not because they have failed, but because of the terrible system our manager insists on playing, because of the unbalanced teams he selects, the other crazy decisions he makes and the mistakes he keeps repeating over and over. Wenger costs us a serious title challenge each and every season, either with his antics during the transfer window or the season itself.

What we need is a player that will succeed despite Wenger. Somebody who will just bang in the goals without paying too much attention to triangles and broccoli consumption times the square root of each backward pass. Vardy wouldn't pay attention to any of that shit. He's a natural goalscorer. He'd find himself in the position to score goals no matter how Wenger tried to fuck it up. Just as he found himself in the box to score yesterday for that pub team rabble run by that other fool who gets paid to be incompetent. Vardy will shake up our system, players like Higuain won't. There are no subtleties with Vardy, there's the goal, over there, bang, chalk up another one. It's not hard to figure out his game because it's basic, but nobody can stop him. Wenger won't be able to teach him Wengerball, Vardy is incapable of playing that. Players like Morata would be sucked into that bottomless chasm in no time flat.

I was saying all season, Vardy is the best striker in the league. Maybe not the most gifted, but the best. We've needed a player like him for an age. Even if we only get one season out of him, signing him would break this rinse and repeat cycle. That's the best analogy, our football is like watching a washing machine cleaning clothes. Same thing over and over. What will happen next? Oh look, it went around again. Now what? Wow, around it went. And again, and again. Wenger loves it. 99% possession. Something needs to be thrown into that cycle to break it and at £20mill Vardy represents a real bang for the bucks.

Must get.

[Power n Glory]

Higuain won't but Vardy will? Higuain is a natural goal scorer and all about banging in goals. Why would he fail but Vardy succeed?

[Niall_Quinn]

Because Higuain is more technical and Wenger would be able to work his unique magic on him, just as he's done with Ozil and Alexis. Wenger could integrate a player like Higuain into that unspeakable system he prefers. In no time we'd see him tapping the ball around in front of the opposition box, taking that extra touch, focusing on possession rather than finding the net.

Watching Woy's ludicrous efforts so far is very similar. Kane's not a bad player, but what the hell has Woy been instructing him to do?

[Power n Glory]

Because Higuain is more technical and Wenger would be able to work his unique magic on him, just as he's done with Ozil and Alexis. Wenger could integrate a player like Higuain into that unspeakable system he prefers. In no time we'd see him tapping the ball around in front of the opposition box, taking that extra touch, focusing on possession rather than finding the net.

Watching Woy's ludicrous efforts so far is very similar. Kane's not a bad player, but what the hell has Woy been instructing him to do?

Higuain is a goal scorer. Technical but I don't think he'd be satisfied with not scoring. I wouldn't put Alexis down as a player that has allowed Wenger to coach the good out of him either. He still pushes for goals and to make something happen. Higuain has standards and comes with a rep for banging in goals. We need some that can play our system but add goals. We can't have someone so out of sync with the team he's isolated.

Also, Vardy comes from a small team. It's the first time he'll have the spotlight on him and have to deal with pressure. You can't be sure he'll respond to it well and not get star struck.

[Niall_Quinn]

Higuain is a goal scorer. Technical but I don't think he'd be satisfied with not scoring. I wouldn't put Alexis down as a player that has allowed Wenger to coach the good out of him either. He still pushes for goals and to make something happen. Higuain has standards and comes with a rep for banging in goals. We need some that can play our system but add goals. We can't have someone so out of sync with the team he's isolated.

Also, Vardy comes from a small team. It's the first time he'll have the spotlight on him and have to deal with pressure. You can't be sure he'll respond to it well and not get star struck.

Well, we have 1,001 example of the Wenger Way. A catalogue of ruined players or players who had to go elsewhere to win things. The last time we won anything of significance was when we were playing a system that's almost the exact opposite of the system (can you even call it a system) we are playing now. If we have to put up with Wenger and his bullshit, and we do, then at least bring in some players who will be able to provide something a little different. That's most certainly not the guy we have signed so far, Xhaka. He looks an excellent player and he looks ideally suited to our system. Frighteningly suited in fact. If Wenger could build the perfect player from scratch he'd build Xhaka. And Xhaka will make precisely zero difference to our fortunes. None whatsoever, for the very reason he suits our ineffective system so perfectly. Not his fault, it's Wenger's fault.

And you're right, players do get pissed at not being able to deliver. Alexis is pissed off, Ozil is pissed off. We've heard both of them express their doubts in public. They aren't at the stage of open revolution yet but we've seen this before. If Wenger persists with his nothingball then these two will go elsewhere to play football. Who could blame them?

Leicester a small team? Hardly. They may not be one of the Big 5 Flops but they're champions now and you don't do that by accident or by being a minor operation from the backwaters of English football. They're big enough, they have resources enough and they have something far more important - a plan that relates to football on the pitch. Vardy was at the heart of that. He'll be the one bringing experience of actually winning something. We're the ones who have to match that and prove we're serious about winning. Vardy didn't look star struck when he came on to bail Woy out. He'll do fine, I wouldn't worry about it.

[Toronto Gooner]

Personally, I believe that Sanchez's problem is more to do with the fact that he has played a big summer tournament for each of the last three years, in addition to playing over 40 matches for his club team in each of the last 5 seasons.

[Kano]

Personally, I believe that Sanchez's problem is more to do with the fact that he has played a big summer tournament for each of the last three years, in addition to playing over 40 matches for his club team in each of the last 5 seasons.

I'm not sure, that momentum is something that seems to work for, rather than against him. It seemed to be once he was forced to take time out last season with injury, he really struggled to get back into the groove. Previously his schedule had been non-stop yet had little or no effect on his output. There aren't many players with the energy and work rate of Alexis, so I think he has to be thought about and managed differently too.

Cue hamstring pull in the next game...

[Özim]

We've signed top players. Ozil, Alexis. They haven't made the difference. Not because there's something wrong with them, not because they have failed, but because of the terrible system our manager insists on playing, because of the unbalanced teams he selects, the other crazy decisions he makes and the mistakes he keeps repeating over and over. Wenger costs us a serious title challenge each and every season, either with his antics during the transfer window or the season itself.

What we need is a player that will succeed despite Wenger. Somebody who will just bang in the goals without paying too much attention to triangles and broccoli consumption times the square root of each backward pass. Vardy wouldn't pay attention to any of that shit. He's a natural goalscorer. He'd find himself in the position to score goals no matter how Wenger tried to fuck it up. Just as he found himself in the box to score yesterday for that pub team rabble run by that other fool who gets paid to be incompetent. Vardy will shake up our system, players like Higuain won't. There are no subtleties with Vardy, there's the goal, over there, bang, chalk up another one. It's not hard to figure out his game because it's basic, but nobody can stop him. Wenger won't be able to teach him Wengerball, Vardy is incapable of playing that. Players like Morata would be sucked into that bottomless chasm in no time flat.

I was saying all season, Vardy is the best striker in the league. Maybe not the most gifted, but the best. We've needed a player like him for an age. Even if we only get one season out of him, signing him would break this rinse and repeat cycle. That's the best analogy, our football is like watching a washing machine cleaning clothes. Same thing over and over. What will happen next? Oh look, it went around again. Now what? Wow, around it went. And again, and again. Wenger loves it. 99% possession. Something needs to be thrown into that cycle to break it and at £20mill Vardy represents a real bang for the bucks.

Must get.

I don't get your love for Vardy to be honest, it's not like he's scored goals his whole career, Leicester have just had an exceptional season and he's scored a decent amount of goals, that's not unexpected, but at the end of the day he's 29, would be moving to a new club and before last season really his record was very average, it's not like he's been consistently scoring and this includes a lower level to the PL.

It's very feasible that next season the goals will dry up for him.

As for him not being able to be influenced by Wenger, the manager makes all the decisions and if you don't play like he wants you to he'll drop you, if Vardy comes (and he doesn't seem keen, another reason not to sign him) like every other player he'll bend over backward to please his new dad because they all do.

We all know the manager is the problem, but i'd prefer someone who's top class and has scored goals for more of his career over someone who barely has a couple goals to rub together before today. We've been crying out for someone of quality up front, we did have RVP and he scored loads because he was top class, what we need is another goalscorer who will not only score goals but will be around for a good few years, not another Wellbeck/Giroud type who's not done anything for most of his career.

Higuain, Lewandowski and Griezmann are far better and more logical options for us, we didn't get Suarez (and I didn't really want him here due to his nastyness) but had we got him you can't tell me Wenger would have stopped him scoring goals, he would have scored as he's top class.

[Özim]

I'm not sure, that momentum is something that seems to work for, rather than against him. It seemed to be once he was forced to take time out last season with injury, he really struggled to get back into the groove. Previously his schedule had been non-stop yet had little or no effect on his output. There aren't many players with the energy and work rate of Alexis, so I think he has to be thought about and managed differently too.

Cue hamstring pull in the next game...

Too much football affects players just as much, quite often after a big tournament players come back stale and don't perform so I'd say TG has a point.

[Bumble]

I don't get your love for Vardy to be honest, it's not like he's scored goals his whole career, Leicester have just had an exceptional season and he's scored a decent amount of goals, that's not unexpected, but at the end of the day he's 29, would be moving to a new club and before last season really his record was very average, it's not like he's been consistently scoring and this includes a lower level to the PL.

It's very feasible that next season the goals will dry up for him.

As for him not being able to be influenced by Wenger, the manager makes all the decisions and if you don't play like he wants you to he'll drop you, if Vardy comes (and he doesn't seem keen, another reason not to sign him) like every other player he'll bend over backward to please his new dad because they all do.

We all know the manager is the problem, but i'd prefer someone who's top class and has scored goals for more of his career over someone who barely has a couple goals to rub together before today. We've been crying out for someone of quality up front, we did have RVP and he scored loads because he was top class, what we need is another goalscorer who will not only score goals but will be around for a good few years, not another Wellbeck/Giroud type who's not done anything for most of his career.

Higuain, Lewandowski and Griezmann are far better and more logical options for us, we didn't get Suarez (and I didn't really want him here due to his nastyness) but had we got him you can't tell me Wenger would have stopped him scoring goals, he would have scored as he's top class.
Based on what you say you about Vardy you would have rejected and moaned about us signing Ian Wright back in the 90s. He joined us when he was at 28 and scored 28 goals in his last 72 league games for Palace before joining us. Yet he turned out ok, so why not Vardy.

[Power n Glory]

Based on what you say you about Vardy you would have rejected and moaned about us signing Ian Wright back in the 90s. He joined us when he was at 28 and scored 28 goals in his last 72 league games for Palace before joining us. Yet he turned out ok, so why not Vardy.

That was the early 90s. Expectations were different and the league was different. Name a situation in modern game or where we've done this under Wenger and it's been a success.

[Özim]

Based on what you say you about Vardy you would have rejected and moaned about us signing Ian Wright back in the 90s. He joined us when he was at 28 and scored 28 goals in his last 72 league games for Palace before joining us. Yet he turned out ok, so why not Vardy.

No, he was a bit younger and also his goal record was better than Vardy's and also a fair bit cheaper. Let's not fool ourselves and think this guy is another Wright at a higher level for longer and even in the equivalent of the championship he was scoring a lot unlike Vardy and as PNG said things were very different then.

This reminds me of when people said if we spend money we'll do a Leeds or Chelsea will go down the pan when Abrahmovic leaves, it was all hearsay that never materialised and never would, just like Vardy being another Wright.

Wright was about 100 levels above this chump anyway, we should just finally bite the bullet and buy a top striker, we've messed around for too many years bying middle of the road players and paid for it.

For me we should just pay what we need, we primarily needed a top striker that was our biggest priority and if money was an issue I'd have saved the money we spent on Xhaka and put that towards a striker, so we can pay the 50-60 million or whatever it takes to sign someone like Griezmann or Higuain.

Now we've gone and spent 33 million on someone relatively unknown, great if we get a top striker as well, not so great if we hold back now because we've spent half our budget on a player who really noone knows anything about and who isn't in the most important position we need right now (though a DM is also needed but less so than a striker).

[Niall_Quinn]

Personally, I believe that Sanchez's problem is more to do with the fact that he has played a big summer tournament for each of the last three years, in addition to playing over 40 matches for his club team in each of the last 5 seasons.

But that's where Wenger screwed up. He's played him into the ground because he invariably needed him introduce something into the nothingness our system provokes. On sheer effort alone Alexis can make things happen. Alexis runs all day, he's game. But surely we could have used him more judiciously and in a more direct manner when the occasion called for it. I'd have liked to see him play as the second striker against some of the teams we should have beaten but ended up looking toothless against.

This tippy, tappy possession game. It's horrible. It takes good players and makes them nondescript cogs. It takes exceptional players and wastes them.

[Özim]

That was the early 90s. Expectations were different and the league was different. Name a situation in modern game or where we've done this under Wenger and it's been a success.

There aren't any because we all know the middle of the road players never really deliver for us up front, if we'd signed some of the top players we should have things would have been very different, but everytime we take the cheap option up front, seems like we want to do it again.

[Niall_Quinn]

Higuain, Lewandowski and Griezmann are far better and more logical options for us.

Lewandowski, yes of course. But forget it, the club won't spend that amount of money. Ditto Griezmann whose value must be rising by the match. Higuain we had the chance to get and I can understand why that didn't happen in the end, though I can't understand the ridiculous £1 farce that meant we didn't get the better alternative either. Back then the figure being talked about to bring Higuain here was £30mill. Now it will be much more than that because of the PL premium and the antics of clubs like Utd, the chavs and the gypos. You can even (thank fuck) scrub Lukaku. Can you see us spending that kind of money on the back of £30mill we spent on Xhaka? So what can we get realistically that will make an actual difference come August? It seems obvious to me. One man fits the bill perfectly. Anyone can be a one season wonder. But that's highly unlikely to be the case with Vardy. Everything about him says he's entering the prime of his career, despite the fact he was a late starter. These days £20mill isn't a gamble. Turds like Benteke and Sterling are going for twice that and more.

[Niall_Quinn]

That was the early 90s. Expectations were different and the league was different. Name a situation in modern game or where we've done this under Wenger and it's been a success.

Leicester have just shown up this "modern" league for what it is, using decidedly 90s methods in the process. The modern game is a myth. Only cowardly managers play it.

[Özim]

Lewandowski, yes of course. But forget it, the club won't spend that amount of money. Ditto Griezmann whose value must be rising by the match. Higuain we had the chance to get and I can understand why that didn't happen in the end, though I can't understand the ridiculous £1 farce that meant we didn't get the better alternative either. Back then the figure being talked about to bring Higuain here was £30mill. Now it will be much more than that because of the PL premium and the antics of clubs like Utd, the chavs and the gypos. You can even (thank fuck) scrub Lukaku. Can you see us spending that kind of money on the back of £30mill we spent on Xhaka? So what can we get realistically that will make an actual difference come August? It seems obvious to me. One man fits the bill perfectly. Anyone can be a one season wonder. But that's highly unlikely to be the case with Vardy. Everything about him says he's entering the prime of his career, despite the fact he was a late starter. These days £20mill isn't a gamble. Turds like Benteke and Sterling are going for twice that and more.

There lies the problem for me and on that basis I'd rather we got noone and waited until someone new comes in and spends the money on the right players, I don't believe we'll win anything with that guy in charge anyway so I'm just waiting for the time he's left and I'd rather he didn't waste the money on the wrong players, either go all out or don't bother.

I also agree now we've spent 33 million on Xhaka (is that really the best deal we could get on a player that was really unknown) which is a lot of money for that kind of player, we've blown our budget, what we should have done is blown our budget on a striker at long last because let's face it that was the priority.

DM/Defenders will come cheaper and I'm sure we can find players to fit in there if need be, but forwards, good ones cost a lot as they win you matches.

As for Vardy, yes he'll be a short term stop gap that cost us 20 million plus his wages (so it'll cost a lot more than 20 million), IMO there's a good chance he won't repeat his goalscoring feat, so we'd be spending money and then next time the chance comes up for a top striker, we won't be interested as we have too many and we won't have the budget.

Our motto should be go big or go home now, not buy cheap save money, I'm sick of how this club and manager does things, never doing things properly, it's all very amateurish, if we did thinks the right way we'd be a much bigger and better club right now.

[Özim]

Leicester have just shown up this "modern" league for what it is, using decidedly 90s methods in the process. The modern game is a myth. Only cowardly managers play it.

With all due respect to Leicester, the top teams just didn't perform which certainly helped their cause, it was a great great achievement, but unless they spend some money I can't see them being anywhere near next season.

That's not to say it wasn't an amazing thing they did because it was, but circumstances certainly helped them as well and I see normal service resumed next season, particularly with all the top managers coming in who will invariably spend money and in some cases on the right players.

[Niall_Quinn]

With all due respect to Leicester, the top teams just didn't perform which certainly helped their cause, it was a great great achievement, but unless they spend some money I can't see them being anywhere near next season.

That's not to say it wasn't an amazing thing they did because it was, but circumstances certainly helped them as well and I see normal service resumed next season, particularly with all the top managers coming in who will invariably spend money and in some cases on the right players.

Well let's wait and see. Perhaps all the top clubs really did just have an off-season as most suggest, which is disgraceful by the way. Billionaire clubs overstocked with millionaire players and some of them milking the fans mercilessly and they take a season off? I suppose in most cases the managers responsible got the boot, with the one notable exception of course - Mr Untouchable himself.

But maybe something else is happening. Maybe managers like Ranieri and Koeman and Bilic took a look at the modern game and said fuck that boring shit, we're going back to playing football. I hope that's the case because if it is then Pep, for one, will struggle with his soul destroying brand of bore ball. Maureen, we know what we'll get with him. Conte is the interesting newcomer. I loved the way his Italian team went back to the old school for that excellent performance against the pathetic "modern" Belgians.

[Bumble]

Well let's wait and see. Perhaps all the top clubs really did just have an off-season as most suggest, which is disgraceful by the way. Billionaire clubs overstocked with millionaire players and some of them milking the fans mercilessly and they take a season off? I suppose in most cases the managers responsible got the boot, with the one notable exception of course - Mr Untouchable himself.

But maybe something else is happening. Maybe managers like Ranieri and Koeman and Bilic took a look at the modern game and said fuck that boring shit, we're going back to playing football. I hope that's the case because if it is then Pep, for one, will struggle with his soul destroying brand of bore ball. Maureen, we know what we'll get with him. Conte is the interesting newcomer. I loved the way his Italian team went back to the old school for that excellent performance against the pathetic "modern" Belgians.
I don't think it is necessarily the bigger clubs and Chelsea having off seasons. The extra money coming into the league has meant it is harder to cherry pick the talent from the middle ranking clubs. Plus as this goes on not being involved in Europe might actually be an advantage. I fancy Chelsea to be top 2 next season because they don't need to sell players and they don't need to waste their time going through to the first knock out of the CL.

Football hasn't changed the idea is still to score goals. Does it really matter if we sign a striker for a couple of season. building for the future is what the u21s is for. Like the integrating of Iwobi, buy players for now and integrate the youngsters one or two a season. Simple.

I would take Vardy as he does a job for what we need plus he is a bit niggly which is a good thing. Griezman would be great as he is quality but the chances of us signing him ahead of Barca, City, United, Bayern is unlikely to say the least. The Higuian moment I would suggest has past. When Welbeck returns I do think he has a spot in the side, why not a front three of Vardy, Sanchez and Welbeck with Ozil in behind.

[Power n Glory]

Leicester have just shown up this "modern" league for what it is, using decidedly 90s methods in the process. The modern game is a myth. Only cowardly managers play it.

How is that relevant to us? I think you're getting swept away by the hype machine. You're proposing we take one component of a very well oiled machine and place it in our flawed, mismanaged and broken system but expect the same/better results than what Leicester were able to achieve. The whole is greater than the sum of parts when talking about Leicester.

We have the sort of cowardly 'modern' yet outdated manager you speak of. You've seen what Wenger has done with younger English players from lower leagues. I have no faith in this manager getting the best out of Vardy. Best believe, he'll hit a point where he'll doubt himself and the support system he had at Leicester won't be there. I don't know if he has the mentality to coach himself out of funk and when big pressure is on him and I'd rather not take the risk if he's not the only option on the table.

[Niall_Quinn]

How is that relevant to us? I think you're getting swept away by the hype machine. You're proposing we take one component of a very well oiled machine and place it in our flawed, mismanaged and broken system but expect the same/better results than what Leicester were able to achieve. The whole is greater than the sum of parts when talking about Leicester.

We have the sort of cowardly 'modern' yet outdated manager you speak of. You've seen what Wenger has done with younger English players from lower leagues. I have no faith in this manager getting the best out of Vardy. Best believe, he'll hit a point where he'll doubt himself and the support system he had at Leicester won't be there. I don't know if he has the mentality to coach himself out of funk and when big pressure is on him and I'd rather not take the risk if he's not the only option on the table.

I'm not expecting the team to suddenly start playing like Leicester. But I can only see Vardy playing one way, direct football. Sure, if Wenger buys him and decides to try and turn him into one of his tip, tap merchants, well of course sometimes there's nothing anyone can do about Wenger. But even for Wenger, you know what you are getting with Vardy and if you make the bid then it must be with something that Vardy brings in mind? I think we'd have to change our system to accommodate him and the one thing I want to see almost as much as Wenger leaving is a change in the shit awful system.

Okay so maybe the manager gets nothing out of him. But that could be the case with any player we bring in. I think there's less chance of it with some players and more chance with others. Vardy is a good bet as far as I can see. He's available, the price is right for this cheapskate club, it makes good sense.

[Power n Glory]

I'm not expecting the team to suddenly start playing like Leicester. But I can only see Vardy playing one way, direct football. Sure, if Wenger buys him and decides to try and turn him into one of his tip, tap merchants, well of course sometimes there's nothing anyone can do about Wenger. But even for Wenger, you know what you are getting with Vardy and if you make the bid then it must be with something that Vardy brings in mind? I think we'd have to change our system to accommodate him and the one thing I want to see almost as much as Wenger leaving is a change in the shit awful system.

Okay so maybe the manager gets nothing out of him. But that could be the case with any player we bring in. I think there's less chance of it with some players and more chance with others. Vardy is a good bet as far as I can see. He's available, the price is right for this cheapskate club, it makes good sense.

I get that but with a player like Vardy that has come from such a small club and humble beginnings, I worry he'd be like a fish out of water. We don't really need direct. We need an all round great player. Someone that can be direct, play on the shoulder, link up play.....we need RVP level. Elite. Vardy is not that. We're at the very start of the transfer window and he should not be so far up on the list. Not even close. He shouldn't be our first option. He's a last resort if nobody is around and we're staring at the prospect of another Giroud. In fact, I don't even think Vardy would be an automatic first team starter over Giroud.

[Özim]

I get that but with a player like Vardy that has come from such a small club and humble beginnings, I worry he'd be like a fish out of water. We don't really need direct. We need an all round great player. Someone that can be direct, play on the shoulder, link up play.....we need RVP level. Elite. Vardy is not that. We're at the very start of the transfer window and he should not be so far up on the list. Not even close. He shouldn't be our first option. He's a last resort if nobody is around and we're staring at the prospect of another Giroud. In fact, I don't even think Vardy would be an automatic first team starter over Giroud.

Totally agree with this, he should be a last choice rather than 1st, but the problem is the manager is trying to pay as little as possible rather than doing the necessary.

[Niall_Quinn]

I get that but with a player like Vardy that has come from such a small club and humble beginnings, I worry he'd be like a fish out of water. We don't really need direct. We need an all round great player. Someone that can be direct, play on the shoulder, link up play.....we need RVP level. Elite. Vardy is not that. We're at the very start of the transfer window and he should not be so far up on the list. Not even close. He shouldn't be our first option. He's a last resort if nobody is around and we're staring at the prospect of another Giroud. In fact, I don't even think Vardy would be an automatic first team starter over Giroud.

Well hold on. So far we've heard talk of Morata. Whether there's anything in it we don't know but Vardy is twice as good as him. He's also better than a lot of the hyped up bullshit players that we are watching in the Euros at the moment. And he's twice the striker Giroud is. He can do all those things you mention. Play on the shoulder, get in behind, link play. He did it all season long. But he also has something that none of our current strikers have, the desire to get into the danger zone and go for goal. Maybe Welbeck possess that too, but randomly. Vardy is consistent. If you're talking the next level then that's a Lewandowski or an Aguero or a Suarez and we won't be paying that sort of money and none of them would want to come here anyway. Hell, even Vardy isn't biting our hand off. He's far from a last resort. We've already got the last resort on our roster, Bif, Walnut and Welebeck who never stays fit for long enough to get on the pitch.

[Niall_Quinn]

Totally agree with this, he should be a last choice rather than 1st, but the problem is the manager is trying to pay as little as possible rather than doing the necessary.

But what do you want to end up with? A striker who knows where the goal is or a whole summer of big name rumours followed by bullshit from Wenger about how he tried but couldn't do the business? The longer we hold out for the top tier strikers the more chance of ending up with nothing, or worse one of Wenger's Project Nobody signings. Those elite strikers won't want to come here anyway. Why would they? Utd the chavs and the gypsies will all be in the market. We get whatever they aren't interested in, that's just a fact. Get Vardy in now. Then start looking for the defender we need. Better that than the usual summer fiasco.

[LDG]

I get that but with a player like Vardy that has come from such a small club and humble beginnings, I worry he'd be like a fish out of water. We don't really need direct. We need an all round great player. Someone that can be direct, play on the shoulder, link up play.....we need RVP level. Elite. Vardy is not that. We're at the very start of the transfer window and he should not be so far up on the list. Not even close. He shouldn't be our first option. He's a last resort if nobody is around and we're staring at the prospect of another Giroud. In fact, I don't even think Vardy would be an automatic first team starter over Giroud.

Exactly. RVP at his best. Suarez is another.

We're after a player who can work with limited space and take advantage of dangerous situations quickly and cleverly. Bring others into play, and be ruthless.

Vardy is someone you need when you're able to counter attack. Which we don't...as nine times out of ten we're playing backwards and forwards across two banks of four.

[Niall_Quinn]

Exactly. RVP at his best. Suarez is another.

We're after a player who can work with limited space and take advantage of dangerous situations quickly and cleverly. Bring others into play, and be ruthless.

Vardy is someone you need when you're able to counter attack. Which we don't...as nine times out of ten we're playing backwards and forwards across two banks of four.

And unless that changes then it really doesn't matter who we sign. Sign Messi, it will make no difference. Which is why Wenger going for Vardy is encouraging. Maybe he is finally waking up? Of course maybe he has simply seen the £20mill tag and has a notion he can turn him into a holding midfielder. You can never tell with Wenger.

[Marc Overmars]

So basically we need a striker that can do it all. Should be easy to find then...

[GP]

I honestly don't think that player exists.

[LDG]

So basically we need a striker that can do it all. Should be easy to find then...

You know what I mean. I don't think Vardy is the solution to our problems.

I don't think that player is easy to find by any means, but I don't think we're ambitious enough to find a player that is of the calibre we need. Clever and mobile is the main thing....Giroud is clever (IMO), but he's slow, and not ruthless enough.

Who knows, I've long since lost hope anyway, so hopefully if it is Vardy, he proves me wrong.....I just can't get excited about it anymore.

[Marc Overmars]

There are strikers that can do close to everything but those are the elite who are probably unattainable for us and in some cases, certainly unattainable.

Most "regular" strikers will excel in some way or another but maybe have certain weaknesses too, like any player really. Some of the names I've seen get poo-poo'd on here leave me wondering if we're asking for something that just isn't realistic. Wrighty and Henry had average scoring records before they joined us but went to become record breakers, sometimes it just a case of a player finding the right environment to perform.

[Özim]

Griezmann, Higuain, Lewandowski.

I'd say two of those three are attainable if we got in early and paid up, Griezmann being French helps as well, only thing that counts against Higuain is him being 29.

Griezmann is perfect in every way, much like we should have gone for Aguero before he signed for City we should snap up Griezmann before he moves to another club and scores a hatful for them and we're left with no chance of getting him.

If you won't pay up you won't get of course and that's why we'll end up with dogshite up front.

[Power n Glory]

And unless that changes then it really doesn't matter who we sign. Sign Messi, it will make no difference. Which is why Wenger going for Vardy is encouraging. Maybe he is finally waking up? Of course maybe he has simply seen the £20mill tag and has a notion he can turn him into a holding midfielder. You can never tell with Wenger.


Have you seen Messi and Barca? Especially when under Pep?

[Niall_Quinn]

Have you seen Messi and Barca? Especially when under Pep?

Yes. More boring than Arsenal, BUT... 150x more talented in the final third, AND... every player is up to scratch, no freebies or cheapsters stinking out the place. Pep's football is truly horrible, but he makes sure it is executed properly at the very least. Wenger doesn't do that. Too many of his players can't pass, cross, shoot, tackle or defend.

[Power n Glory]

Exactly. RVP at his best. Suarez is another.

We're after a player who can work with limited space and take advantage of dangerous situations quickly and cleverly. Bring others into play, and be ruthless.

Vardy is someone you need when you're able to counter attack. Which we don't...as nine times out of ten we're playing backwards and forwards across two banks of four.

Hence why I like that Dutch kid or would rather we took a chance on finding a winger and converting them or even switching Sanchez to that role. It's not about the name. It's about ability and looking at what sort of goals and chances a striker thrives off. From what we've seen of Vardy, he's taking advantage of defenders running back on themselves.

[Power n Glory]

I honestly don't think that player exists.

I don't think you or any of us on here watch enough football to draw such conclusions.

[Özim]

Hence why I like that Dutch kid or would rather we took a chance on finding a winger and converting them or even switching Sanchez to that role. It's not about the name. It's about ability and looking at what sort of goals and chances a striker thrives off. From what we've seen of Vardy, he's taking advantage of defenders running back on themselves.

Yeah I'd rather take a chance if we don' sign a top guy, I know all about Vardy and for me he's not up to it, the Janssen guy could potentially be very good, he may not work out but he's cheap anyway so if he doesn't we sell him on, but if he does we have a ready made goalscorer who's got years ahead of him unlike Vardy.

[Power n Glory]

So basically we need a striker that can do it all. Should be easy to find then...

It's not but that's where scouts come in. People only talk about strikers like Aubameyang and Lewandowski after they've been discovered. They weren't always worth trillions and considered elite. Why are we always slow on the uptake and having to hear Wenger bullshit us with another 'I could have signed him earlier' story.

[Niall_Quinn]

A player who can work with limited space and take advantage of dangerous situations quickly and cleverly.

And as a bonus, a player who gets in the box, actually knows which direction the goal is in and doesn't spend his whole time missing sitters and pulling faces.

Who is seriously saying this guy couldn't help us fix the immense flaws we have in the striker department right now? You can't be serious. A lot of speciality Arsenal snobbery going on here. The glory days are getting further in the past, time we snapped out of it and started looking to make some new glory days.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGzExJOrhfQ

[Niall_Quinn]

Yeah I'd rather take a chance if we don' sign a top guy, I know all about Vardy and for me he's not up to it, the Janssen guy could potentially be very good, he may not work out but he's cheap anyway so if he doesn't we sell him on, but if he does we have a ready made goalscorer who's got years ahead of him unlike Vardy.

Second top scorer, title under his belt, player of the year, leading the line for England and scoring. What's the criteria for being up to it?

[Kano]

You know what I mean. I don't think Vardy is the solution to our problems.

I don't think that player is easy to find by any means, but I don't think we're ambitious enough to find a player that is of the calibre we need. Clever and mobile is the main thing....Giroud is clever (IMO), but he's slow, and not ruthless enough.

Who knows, I've long since lost hope anyway, so hopefully if it is Vardy, he proves me wrong.....I just can't get excited about it anymore.

One thing I read recently that has helped me come round to the idea of Vardy, is regarding is counter attacking goals. He actually scores a good variance of goals last season, with some very clever finishes in some, not all of them have just been lashed in. I'd say he's probably actually scored more in the six yard box than on the break. I think some fans, myself included, have fallen into the trap thinking nearly every Leicester goal scored was on the counter because that was he narrative developed last season but the reality is, he is more than that type of finisher.

[Özim]

Second top scorer, title under his belt, player of the year, leading the line for England and scoring. What's the criteria for being up to it?

Second top scorer to a guy you don't rate who has also done it for more than one season I might add. He's not really leading the line for England, he's not even a starter, he came on yesterday and scored from 1 yard I would hardly say that's anything amazing.

The criteria for me is either proven goalscore who has done it for more than one season, preferably in mid 20's, if we can't get that a young guy who is scoring goals and has potential.

Vardy is 29 has one scoring season behind him for a team that performed miracles (so it's no surprise he got more goals than usual, all their players had a blinder, many probably won't have a season anything like it again), that's it, not really what I call a proven record.

If he'd at least had two good seasons scoring goals then maybe but one season for a team who won the title at the age of 29 (a footballers peak), no not good enough sorry.

What's even worse is the pubber has the audactity to tell us he has to think about it, really?? On your bike mate we don't need you.

[Niall_Quinn]

Second top scorer to a guy you don't rate who has also done it for more than one season I might add. He's not really leading the line for England, he's not even a starter, he came on yesterday and scored from 1 yard I would hardly say that's anything amazing.

The criteria for me is either proven goalscore who has done it for more than one season, preferably in mid 20's, if we can't get that a young guy who is scoring goals and has potential.

Vardy is 29 has one scoring season behind him for a team that performed miracles (so it's no surprise he got more goals than usual, all their players had a blinder, many probably won't have a season anything like it again), that's it, not really what I call a proven record.

Well you can take the negative angle on every aspect of every player and then say he's not good enough. Yes, 2nd top scorer, BUT... Yes, in the box scoring for England, BUT... Yes, won a title, BUT... All strikers are shite if you add a BUT... after all their achievements.

In the end what's more likely? That Vardy carries on doing what he did throughout the last season, or some kid comes in, hits the ground running and contributes with 20+ goals? I'd say the former given the latter is extremely unlikely to say the least.

And if the other option is going big on a player like Griezmann, then get used to another season of Bif and Theo because that's what we'll end up with if we start chasing elite strikers the club will never spend the money on and who wouldn't want to come here anyway.

[Özim]

Well you can take the negative angle on every aspect of every player and then say he's not good enough. Yes, 2nd top scorer, BUT... Yes, in the box scoring for England, BUT... Yes, won a title, BUT... All strikers are shite if you add a BUT... after all their achievements.

In the end what's more likely? That Vardy carries on doing what he did throughout the last season, or some kid comes in, hits the ground running and contributes with 20+ goals? I'd say the former given the latter is extremely unlikely to say the least.

And if the other option is going big on a player like Griezmann, then get used to another season of Bif and Theo because that's what we'll end up with if we start chasing elite strikers the club will never spend the money on and who wouldn't want to come here anyway.

I just don't really think one season at the age of 29 is really enough to be sure a player is top class to be honest, especially one where his team miraculously won the title, to me it wouldn't be wrong to believe those players may never reach that level again, particularly him at his age with his one good season behind him, it's not negative it's based on facts about his career.

Who knows, but at least the kid has years ahead of him, Vardy doesn't and I honestly don't believe he'll score more than a dozen next season.

Again that's the problem at the club, it's cheap, we need a clearout of these people with a small time mentality.

[Power n Glory]

A player who can work with limited space and take advantage of dangerous situations quickly and cleverly.

And as a bonus, a player who gets in the box, actually knows which direction the goal is in and doesn't spend his whole time missing sitters and pulling faces.

Who is seriously saying this guy couldn't help us fix the immense flaws we have in the striker department right now? You can't be serious. A lot of speciality Arsenal snobbery going on here. The glory days are getting further in the past, time we snapped out of it and started looking to make some new glory days.



Hardly any goals there where defenders are sitting deep and Vardy has to fashion out a chance for himself. Goals from tight spaces were crosses and our team can't cross for shit.

You need a reminder.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWOlEEWPirM

Look at the goals. Tight spaces, great control, creating space for himself....this is what I'm talking about. It will be difficult to find this sort of player but we at least need a goal scorer that can create a brilliant moment and not be so heavily dependent on service. It's an argument some of you just don't get. It's the same thing I say about Ozil and why I point out the difference between his performance and Payet's. We need more players that can take responsibility.

[Toronto Gooner]

I'm not sure, that momentum is something that seems to work for, rather than against him. It seemed to be once he was forced to take time out last season with injury, he really struggled to get back into the groove. Previously his schedule had been non-stop yet had little or no effect on his output. There aren't many players with the energy and work rate of Alexis, so I think he has to be thought about and managed differently too...
I went back and checked: Sanchez had only played more than 40 club games in a season once in the 9 seasons prior to him joining Barcelona. In the 5 seasons since, he has never played less than 40 club games. I appreciate that momentum is very important but in this situation, I believe that Sanchez needs to have a summer that does not involve a major tournament.

[Niall_Quinn]

I think you're just reaching for strands of half arguments from any quarter in an attempt to give legitimacy to what is nothing more than the rejection of a player from a 'little' club. The kick and rush Leicester and over the top Vardy stories are manufactured by bitter pundits and hold no truth at all. The video showed Vardy scoring a broad mix of goals, certainly some in tight situations, others at pace, some from the spot. A good mix.

But okay. Let's move out of reality and say Vardy can only score, or mainly score, when it's hoofed over the top so he can chase it. Typical Leicester, small time, backwater club and champions of England.

Fortunately for us we have a player who lays on the record amount of on-a-plate chances. He's called Ozil. Another player you don't like because his on-a-plate chance are not on-a-plate enough. I mean come on. Snap out of this. If you don't want Vardy here then that's cool. But don't be making shit up when it's easy to determine the exact opposite just by watching a video. If you want a player who takes responsibility then you won't do much batter than Vardy, will you?

We really are a bunch of fucking snobs at this club :haha:

[Marc Overmars]

Second top scorer to a guy you don't rate who has also done it for more than one season I might add. He's not really leading the line for England, he's not even a starter, he came on yesterday and scored from 1 yard I would hardly say that's anything amazing.


Like Griezmann the other night? :ninja:

[Toronto Gooner]

... but we at least need a goal scorer that can create a brilliant moment and not be so heavily dependent on service. It's an argument some of you just don't get. It's the same thing I say about Ozil and why I point out the difference between his performance and Payet's. We need more players that can take responsibility.
I have not read your earlier comments regarding the difference in the performances of Ozil and Payet. However, I am going to go out on a limb and speculate that you prefer Payet and would sooner have him at Arsenal rather than Ozil. If so, perhaps you can provide the rationale(s) why Payet has only played 21 games for France since his debut in 2010, and how so many top clubs (including Real Madrid) did not sign him sooner?

Personally, I would sooner have the understated excellence of a World Cup winner, who has been German Player of the Year 4 times, over a player who has made an impression (possibly one season only) with a 2nd/3rd tier EPL team. If we can get a striker who can take advantage of the service from Ozil, perhaps things will be much better.

[Power n Glory]

I think you're just reaching for strands of half arguments from any quarter in an attempt to give legitimacy to what is nothing more than the rejection of a player from a 'little' club. The kick and rush Leicester and over the top Vardy stories are manufactured by bitter pundits and hold no truth at all. The video showed Vardy scoring a broad mix of goals, certainly some in tight situations, others at pace, some from the spot. A good mix.

But okay. Let's move out of reality and say Vardy can only score, or mainly score, when it's hoofed over the top so he can chase it. Typical Leicester, small time, backwater club and champions of England.

Fortunately for us we have a player who lays on the record amount of on-a-plate chances. He's called Ozil. Another player you don't like because his on-a-plate chance are not on-a-plate enough. I mean come on. Snap out of this. If you don't want Vardy here then that's cool. But don't be making shit up when it's easy to determine the exact opposite just by watching a video. If you want a player who takes responsibility then you won't do much batter than Vardy, will you?

We really are a bunch of fucking snobs at this club :haha:

NQ, there is something different you are seeing or not seeing from that video. There are hardly any strikes from outside the box or where he's having to create space for himself where the ball is at his feet, defenders in front of him and his team mates aren't in great scoring positions either. Nothing to do with snobbery.

As for Ozil....check the difference between Payet's performance when France were struggling to break down Romania and Albania to Germany's games where Ozil was a complete passenger. If you can't spot the difference I can't discuss this with you. It's that simple.

[Power n Glory]

I have not read your earlier comments regarding the difference in the performances of Ozil and Payet. However, I am going to go out on a limb and speculate that you prefer Payet and would sooner have him at Arsenal rather than Ozil. If so, perhaps you can provide the rationale(s) why Payet has only played 21 games for France since his debut in 2010, and how so many top clubs (including Real Madrid) did not sign him sooner?

Personally, I would sooner have the understated excellence of a World Cup winner, who has been German Player of the Year 4 times, over a player who has made an impression (possibly one season only) with a 2nd/3rd tier EPL team. If we can get a striker who can take advantage of the service from Ozil, perhaps things will be much better.

Take your stats and shove them up your ass! :lol:

[Toronto Gooner]

I think you're just reaching for strands of half arguments from any quarter in an attempt to give legitimacy to what is nothing more than the rejection of a player from a 'little' club. The kick and rush Leicester and over the top Vardy stories are manufactured by bitter pundits and hold no truth at all. The video showed Vardy scoring a broad mix of goals, certainly some in tight situations, others at pace, some from the spot. A good mix.

But okay. Let's move out of reality and say Vardy can only score, or mainly score, when it's hoofed over the top so he can chase it. Typical Leicester, small time, backwater club and champions of England.

Fortunately for us we have a player who lays on the record amount of on-a-plate chances. He's called Ozil. Another player you don't like because his on-a-plate chance are not on-a-plate enough. I mean come on. Snap out of this. If you don't want Vardy here then that's cool. But don't be making shit up when it's easy to determine the exact opposite just by watching a video. If you want a player who takes responsibility then you won't do much batter than Vardy, will you?

We really are a bunch of fucking snobs at this club :haha:

I agree that Vardy has proven, IMO, that he is a little more than a one-dimensional striker. If he is available for £20 million and willing to move, then he is worth a punt. However, my concern is that he might be a one-season wonder.

With regard to his 1-metre goal yesterday, I think that we can all agree that if that had been for Arsenal, the referee's decision would have been offside. :)

[I am invisible]

One thing I read recently that has helped me come round to the idea of Vardy, is regarding is counter attacking goals. He actually scores a good variance of goals last season, with some very clever finishes in some, not all of them have just been lashed in. I'd say he's probably actually scored more in the six yard box than on the break. I think some fans, myself included, have fallen into the trap thinking nearly every Leicester goal scored was on the counter because that was he narrative developed last season but the reality is, he is more than that type of finisher.
This?

http://news.arseblog.com/2016/06/jamie-vardy-by-the-numbers/

[fakeyank]

A player who can work with limited space and take advantage of dangerous situations quickly and cleverly.

And as a bonus, a player who gets in the box, actually knows which direction the goal is in and doesn't spend his whole time missing sitters and pulling faces.

Who is seriously saying this guy couldn't help us fix the immense flaws we have in the striker department right now? You can't be serious. A lot of speciality Arsenal snobbery going on here. The glory days are getting further in the past, time we snapped out of it and started looking to make some new glory days.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGzExJOrhfQ

I think most on here acknowledge that he will be a pretty good signing for 20 million quid. What I disagree with is the fact that he will suit our style of play. I just do not see him being effective playing our system. Most of his goals from open play came due to the attack moving very fast from back to front or when the other team doesnt have 10 players behind the ball, compared to the shit we play. It's not as much a criticism of Vardy as much as it is a criticism of the manager.

What we know for sure is that Wenger is staying for this season (and most likely the next 10), so do we look at a player who will suit our shit style of play, or do we look for someone who more than likely will not suit our style at all?

[Toronto Gooner]

As for Ozil....check the difference between Payet's performance when France were struggling to break down Romania and Albania to Germany's games where Ozil was a complete passenger. If you can't spot the difference I can't discuss this with you. It's that simple.
The reason why commented about the number of times Payet has played for France (in my other post) is that that while no one has doubted his ability, he has been too inconsistent for the national team and the big European clubs. With regard to Germany, most of their players have been "passengers" so far. Having said that, if you can't spot the difference (and the quality of Ozil) I can't discuss this with you. :)

[Kano]

This?

http://news.arseblog.com/2016/06/jamie-vardy-by-the-numbers/

That's the one. That lead me to a YT that shows all his goals from last season, internationals included and it is a good reminder of how varied his goals were.

[Kano]

I think most on here acknowledge that he will be a pretty good signing for 20 million quid. What I disagree with is the fact that he will suit our style of play. I just do not see him being effective playing our system. Most of his goals from open play came due to the attack moving very fast from back to front or when the other team doesnt have 10 players behind the ball, compared to the shit we play. It's not as much a criticism of Vardy as much as it is a criticism of the manager.

What we know for sure is that Wenger is staying for this season (and most likely the next 10), so do we look at a player who will suit our shit style of play, or do we look for someone who more than likely will not suit our style at all?

Most of our goals do not come with ten men behind the ball. That's as much as a misconception as it is that Vardy only scores on the counter.

[fakeyank]

Most of our goals do not come with ten men behind the ball. That's as much as a misconception as it is that Vardy only scores on the counter.

Have you seen us play? We dilly dally the entire game being irrelevant and only pick up steam once we are a goal or two behind or its the last 10 minutes of the game. Do you see Vardy being effective in the 80 minutes of shit fest we have in most games? Vardy scores on the counter AND when the ball is moved quickly from front to back. Its not to say he doesnt score scrambled goals but his main strength (at least what seemed evident from last season) is when the ball is moved pretty quickly and attack the opposition box.

Now, if you are going to tell me that we move the ball around quickly and attack the opposition penalty area, then I am sorry to tell you that your cable provider has been showing you reruns of our games from more than a decade back.

[Kano]

No I've never seen us play before or seen every goal from last season either.

The only bits I've seen are when we don't score, usually when we are ponderous and/or stuck infront of ten men.

[selassie]

Higuain is a goal scorer. Technical but I don't think he'd be satisfied with not scoring. I wouldn't put Alexis down as a player that has allowed Wenger to coach the good out of him either. He still pushes for goals and to make something happen. Higuain has standards and comes with a rep for banging in goals. We need some that can play our system but add goals. We can't have someone so out of sync with the team he's isolated.

Also, Vardy comes from a small team. It's the first time he'll have the spotlight on him and have to deal with pressure. You can't be sure he'll respond to it well and not get star struck.

If we buy Vardy Wenger will have him out on the Wing in no time, you just watch.

[selassie]

You know what I mean. I don't think Vardy is the solution to our problems.

I don't think that player is easy to find by any means, but I don't think we're ambitious enough to find a player that is of the calibre we need. Clever and mobile is the main thing....Giroud is clever (IMO), but he's slow, and not ruthless enough.

Who knows, I've long since lost hope anyway, so hopefully if it is Vardy, he proves me wrong.....I just can't get excited about it anymore.

Yeah totally agree and feel your pain. :gp:

[Kano]

If we buy Vardy Wenger will have him out on the Wing in no time, you just watch.

I don't see why he would when he called him the best striker in the Premier, mid-way through last season.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Came in to this thread expecting to see transfer rumours yet Mesut is getting a kicking again for some reason?

[Özim]

I don't see why he would when he called him the best striker in the Premier, mid-way through last season.

a) Clearly he isn't
b) The fact he said that tells you how deluded he is
c) He plays everyone on the wing you should know that by now

[Kano]

Nope, nothing in this one either.

[fakeyank]

a) Clearly he isn't
b) The fact he said that tells you how deluded he is
c) He plays everyone on the wing you should know that by now

I remember pulling my hair out when he would bring Bendtner and Eduardo on the wings. There was also an instances where players like Diaby and Cesc were put on the wing. I am sure we can write page upon page of AW's brain farts like these.

[Niall_Quinn]

Guys, we haven't even signed him yet so it's perhaps a bit premature to criticise the manager for sticking him on the wing.

[Power n Glory]

The reason why commented about the number of times Payet has played for France (in my other post) is that that while no one has doubted his ability, he has been too inconsistent for the national team and the big European clubs. With regard to Germany, most of their players have been "passengers" so far. Having said that, if you can't spot the difference (and the quality of Ozil) I can't discuss this with you. :)

You missed what I said in the other thread but in essence, it's all about seeing a player drive a team forward when others aren't looking inspired. I don't think there is anything Payet has in his locker that Ozil doesn't have when comparing technical skill. It's just a difference in taking responsibility and initiative. The fact that everyone else in the German team was a passenger doesn't excuse Ozil. It's on those occasions where we need someone to really step up with their performance.

[Power n Glory]

Have you seen us play? We dilly dally the entire game being irrelevant and only pick up steam once we are a goal or two behind or its the last 10 minutes of the game. Do you see Vardy being effective in the 80 minutes of shit fest we have in most games? Vardy scores on the counter AND when the ball is moved quickly from front to back. Its not to say he doesnt score scrambled goals but his main strength (at least what seemed evident from last season) is when the ball is moved pretty quickly and attack the opposition box.

Now, if you are going to tell me that we move the ball around quickly and attack the opposition penalty area, then I am sorry to tell you that your cable provider has been showing you reruns of our games from more than a decade back.

Agreed. I haven't seen anything in his game to suggest he's the man to break the deadlock when we're looking uninspired and slow paced. Not saying he's incapable but he wouldn't be my first pick so early in a transfer window.

[Niall_Quinn]

So what are you all saying? That we should persist with the bollocks system we have, and therefore Vardy doesn't fit? By logical extension you must also be saying that despite Wenger's bid he doesn't see this, he somehow thinks Vardy is ideal. After all he's the first striker we've bid for. What's that bid all about then? Trying to buy a square peg for a round hole? Is it impossible to entertain the idea Wenger may be trying to make adjustments to the system, hence Vardy? In fact isn't that a sensible conclusion to reach?

Now I know we are dealing with Wenger, so maybe he sees Vardy as an able backup for Cech. But probably not. You are all just assuming we will persist with the failed system that hasn't served us. And if we had put a bid in for Morata or Ibrahimovich I'd be inclined to think the same. But we've put a bid in for Vardy. So we might say hey, he won't fit the system. But if the system is changing then that argument is washed away.

And anyway, of course, the argument is built on the myth Vardy is incapable unless a ball is lumped over the top. So it's kind of generous to entertain the argument in the first place.

[selassie]

I don't see why he would when he called him the best striker in the Premier, mid-way through last season.

Come on Kano, what Wenger says and does don't always go hand in hand. I think if Vardy struggles a bit which I'm sure he will at some stage if he joins us Wenger will have him out wide & Giroud through the middle.

[Power n Glory]

So what are you all saying? That we should persist with the bollocks system we have, and therefore Vardy doesn't fit? By logical extension you must also be saying that despite Wenger's bid he doesn't see this, he somehow thinks Vardy is ideal. After all he's the first striker we've bid for. What's that bid all about then? Trying to buy a square peg for a round hole? Is it impossible to entertain the idea Wenger may be trying to make adjustments to the system, hence Vardy? In fact isn't that a sensible conclusion to reach?

Now I know we are dealing with Wenger, so maybe he sees Vardy as an able backup for Cech. But probably not. You are all just assuming we will persist with the failed system that hasn't served us. And if we had put a bid in for Morata or Ibrahimovich I'd be inclined to think the same. But we've put a bid in for Vardy. So we might say hey, he won't fit the system. But if the system is changing then that argument is washed away.

And anyway, of course, the argument is built on the myth Vardy is incapable unless a ball is lumped over the top. So it's kind of generous to entertain the argument in the first place.

He has players in his current squad that can change the system. He hasn't set us up to play on the counter when Walcott starts and he hasn't done that when Welbeck has started. Joel Campbell started his career as striker and could be given a go up front. Sanchez as well. So it's not as if we don't have options or haven't had the option to try a different set up. I think you're being slightly naive.

Also, this isn't a myth about Vardy only thriving off balls over the top. You've constructed that argument from thin air and think people are being swept away the media some how. I don't pay attention to that crap. If you're looking at his goals and counting how many of those goals didn't come from a ball over the top hoof, you're not looking at what I'm looking at. I'm basing my argument off two teams with very different attacking philosophies. One team plays counter attacking football and the other plays the possession game and pins an opponent back trying to ware them down with a million passes.

[Kano]

Come on Kano, what Wenger says and does don't always go hand in hand. I think if Vardy struggles a bit which I'm sure he will at some stage if he joins us Wenger will have him out wide & Giroud through the middle.
No I honestly do not see that at all. He has placed other, younger, players out wide, rightly or wrongly, as part of their development over the years. But I can't think of a single first team player he has bought, let alone one that costs £20m (or perhaps more) and then played them absurdly out of position consistently. He clearly wants a striker and he's buying a striker. A player he consistently praised last season for his scoring ability. I think it's nuts to think that he'd buy a player who just scored over twenty Prem goals and then move him away from the goal. It's not going to happen. He will play as a striker and even if we don't change our system he will fit in and be an improvement.

[fakeyank]

So what are you all saying? That we should persist with the bollocks system we have, and therefore Vardy doesn't fit? By logical extension you must also be saying that despite Wenger's bid he doesn't see this, he somehow thinks Vardy is ideal. After all he's the first striker we've bid for. What's that bid all about then? Trying to buy a square peg for a round hole? Is it impossible to entertain the idea Wenger may be trying to make adjustments to the system, hence Vardy? In fact isn't that a sensible conclusion to reach?

Now I know we are dealing with Wenger, so maybe he sees Vardy as an able backup for Cech. But probably not. You are all just assuming we will persist with the failed system that hasn't served us. And if we had put a bid in for Morata or Ibrahimovich I'd be inclined to think the same. But we've put a bid in for Vardy. So we might say hey, he won't fit the system. But if the system is changing then that argument is washed away.

And anyway, of course, the argument is built on the myth Vardy is incapable unless a ball is lumped over the top. So it's kind of generous to entertain the argument in the first place.

I have more faith of there being no more mass shootings in US than I have in AW ever changing his style. Here is my take on why AW is going for Vardy... I think he is looking at him as a replacement for Walcott. This means that we have a player who can play 'all across the front line' and also satisfies our 'english quota'. I cannot see Wenger taking Giroud off the top or possibly playing two up top.

And like PnG mentioned.. we already have the resources in our disposal to change our style of play with the current players. To point at Vardy to show that Wenger may have turned a page is naive.

[Power n Glory]

No I honestly do not see that at all. He has placed other, younger, players out wide, rightly or wrongly, as part of their development over the years. But I can't think of a single first team player he has bought, let alone one that costs £20m (or perhaps more) and then played them absurdly out of position consistently. He clearly wants a striker and he's buying a striker. A player he consistently praised last season for his scoring ability. I think it's nuts to think that he'd buy a player who just scored over twenty Prem goals and then move him away from the goal. It's not going to happen. He will play as a striker and even if we don't change our system he will fit in and be an improvement.

Lukas Podolski. Played as a central striker or second striker for his previous club FC Koln. Even at Bayern he'd play predominantly play these central positions. Didn't cost £20m but £11m was a lot for us before the new sponsorship money. We knew we were losing RVP and we sign two experienced first team strikers in Giroud and Podolski. Pod had just come from scoring 18 goals for a team that came bottom of the league. That's pretty good record considering he's playing for a struggling team. But he arrives at Arsenal and we play him on the left wing. :doh:

Now this goes back to what NQ said.


Is it impossible to entertain the idea Wenger may be trying to make adjustments to the system, hence Vardy? In fact isn't that a sensible conclusion to reach?

Thinking back to when we had signed Giroud and Podolski, the assumption was that we'd play a two man striker system. Combine the two to replace RVP's goals. Combined as a pair they may make up for what the others deficiencies. Giroud's good team play combined with Pod's clinical finishing. But that didn't happen. We stick him out on the left so even when in a shooting situation he's most likely going to be on his weaker foot. Thank goodness he was able to shoot with his laces and outside of his boot otherwise he'd have been even more useless in that position.

After his debut, where he played just over an hour as a striker, he didn't play again in that role until the end of the season. A run of 4 games and that was all he was given. Not once did we try to change the system and play him and Giroud up front. It made no sense not to try to combine the pair. Pod lacked Giroud's hustle and build up play but was clinical in front of goal and had some acceleration to get beyond defenders. I have no idea why Wenger wouldn't even attempt a different system. Don't assume to know what the heck Wenger would do if we signed Vardy. He might not even start over Giroud. He's way to rigid and I've given up hope that he'll change his ways.

[Power n Glory]

I have more faith of there being no more mass shootings in US than I have in AW ever changing his style. Here is my take on why AW is going for Vardy... I think he is looking at him as a replacement for Walcott. This means that we have a player who can play 'all across the front line' and also satisfies our 'english quota'. I cannot see Wenger taking Giroud off the top or possibly playing two up top.

And like PnG mentioned.. we already have the resources in our disposal to change our style of play with the current players. To point at Vardy to show that Wenger may have turned a page is naive.

Exactly how I feel. It's not even anything against Vardy. It's the damn manager.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

We have no discernible system to speak of anyway.

[Özim]

Lukas Podolski. Played as a central striker or second striker for his previous club FC Koln. Even at Bayern he'd play predominantly play these central positions. Didn't cost £20m but £11m was a lot for us before the new sponsorship money. We knew we were losing RVP and we sign two experienced first team strikers in Giroud and Podolski. Pod had just come from scoring 18 goals for a team that came bottom of the league. That's pretty good record considering he's playing for a struggling team. But he arrives at Arsenal and we play him on the left wing. :doh:

Now this goes back to what NQ said.



Thinking back to when we had signed Giroud and Podolski, the assumption was that we'd play a two man striker system. Combine the two to replace RVP's goals. Combined as a pair they may make up for what the others deficiencies. Giroud's good team play combined with Pod's clinical finishing. But that didn't happen. We stick him out on the left so even when in a shooting situation he's most likely going to be on his weaker foot. Thank goodness he was able to shoot with his laces and outside of his boot otherwise he'd have been even more useless in that position.

After his debut, where he played just over an hour as a striker, he didn't play again in that role until the end of the season. A run of 4 games and that was all he was given. Not once did we try to change the system and play him and Giroud up front. It made no sense not to try to combine the pair. Pod lacked Giroud's hustle and build up play but was clinical in front of goal and had some acceleration to get beyond defenders. I have no idea why Wenger wouldn't even attempt a different system. Don't assume to know what the heck Wenger would do if we signed Vardy. He might not even start over Giroud. He's way to rigid and I've given up hope that he'll change his ways.

:goodpost: You've got him here, Podolski is a perfect example, he'd scored goals up front before he came and as you say ended up on the wing, some people like to live in denial.

[Ralpheroo72]

Leicester vice chairman has as good as said Vardy is staying at Leicester. So I wonder if there is a plan B.....

[The Emirates Gallactico]

Leicester vice chairman has as good as said Vardy is staying at Leicester. So I wonder if there is a plan B.....


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lA1UEplzew

[Letters]

Guys, we haven't even signed him yet so it's perhaps a bit premature to criticise the manager for sticking him on the wing.

:lol: you're right, obviously, but I hope you appreciate the irony of you of all people saying it.

[Niall_Quinn]

:lol: you're right, obviously, but I hope you appreciate the irony of you of all people saying it.

There has to be irony before it can be appreciated. I don't criticise Wenger for shit he hasn't done, only the shit he has done - which is voluminous.

[Niall_Quinn]

He has players in his current squad that can change the system. He hasn't set us up to play on the counter when Walcott starts and he hasn't done that when Welbeck has started. Joel Campbell started his career as striker and could be given a go up front. Sanchez as well. So it's not as if we don't have options or haven't had the option to try a different set up. I think you're being slightly naive.

Also, this isn't a myth about Vardy only thriving off balls over the top. You've constructed that argument from thin air and think people are being swept away the media some how. I don't pay attention to that crap. If you're looking at his goals and counting how many of those goals didn't come from a ball over the top hoof, you're not looking at what I'm looking at. I'm basing my argument off two teams with very different attacking philosophies. One team plays counter attacking football and the other plays the possession game and pins an opponent back trying to ware them down with a million passes.

I'm not saying Wenger wouldn't sign a player like Vardy and then try to shoehorn him into our shit system. I'm not saying that at all. I'm hoping, more than anything else, that after 10 years of seeing the same shit over and over even Wenger has twigged. It might be a vain hope, but it literally would be crazy to buy Vardy and then set him up to play with his back to goal. Can Wenger do crazy things? Of course. Will he keep doing them? I hope not. We know Wenger is here for at least another season, I'm betting it's another four seasons, so if you can't hope he'll figure this shit out and react accordingly you're essentially saying that's it for us - fuck all for the foreseeable future. And you may be right. But if all hope is gone then I wonder what other sport we can watch while we wait for Wenger to bugger off?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Leicester vice chairman has as good as said Vardy is staying at Leicester. So I wonder if there is a plan B.....

Well not really, he has come out and said he thinks he'll stay. Hardly conclusive given he is the vice-chairman.

He hasn't decided yet still. Dick.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

:goodpost: You've got him here, Podolski is a perfect example, he'd scored goals up front before he came and as you say ended up on the wing, some people like to live in denial.

Poldi had been out on the wing for Germany for most of the time he has played for them - it wasn't an unknown position for him.

Also when he did play as the striker, granted it wasn't much but when he did his performances were quite rancid.

[Kano]

:goodpost: You've got him here, Podolski is a perfect example, he'd scored goals up front before he came and as you say ended up on the wing, some people like to live in denial.

You've got him there! Brilliant. How old are you again?

Anyway, Podolski played on the left for Germany, so it's a role he's more than comfortable with. In fact, that is where people started to notice him outside of his league because he played so well at Euro 2008 onwards. My comment was that Wenger hasn't played a first team regular absurdly out of position on a consistent basis. Podolski doesn't fit that profile. Putting Vardy, who has played a couple of times on the wing for England, out on the left for us would be insane and Wenger has no record of doing that for experienced players.

EDIT: just noticed Maccy said exactly the same thing above.

[Power n Glory]

Maybe we should sign Gotze as our striker or revert back to playing Ozil out wide if we're going on what Germany do.

Podolski wasn't more than comfortable with that role but I suppose when called up for International duty you're happy to be selecting and do your duty. He preferred playing down the middle.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/9662683/Lukas-Podolski-urges-manager-Arsene-Wenger-to-give-him-a-central-strikers-role-at-Arsenal.html


Podolski, though, favours the central role he performed in scoring 32 goals over the past two seasons at Cologne. “I’d rather play centrally up front,” said Podolski. “On the left I have to do a lot of defensive work, constantly running up and down. I am not a classical winger.”

Also, Pod had only scored two goals over two years at International level. But in his last season for Koln he scored 18. Which performances were more likely to get him on our scouting list especially since we were preparing to lose our striker? Also, it says a lot that we started him off as a striker in our first game of the season. He was bought to play that role and would have stayed playing that role if not so 'rancid' or if we didn't also buy Giroud that window. So the original intention was there which makes this relevant to Vardy.

Vardy has played for on the wings for England if we're going look at International records and he's also had odd games out wide for Leicester so it's a possible option for Wenger if see's that something isn't quite right about Vardy up front. It's something to bear in mind.

Here is Wenger's reason for shifting Pod out wide. So if he tries to play Vardy as a target man and it fails, we may see him attempt the same thing. It's not impossible.

Wenger told Arsenal.com: "I played him centre forward a few times and I felt he came a lot to the ball, more like an off-striker than a target striker."

[McNamara That Ghost...]

All attacking players prefer playing in the middle as they see that as the best place to get glory; someone has to play out wide. He got 16 for us in his first season, two less than when he was the outright striker and that's most likely more than any other players we've played out wide recently, apart from Alexis.

I don't get what the issue is.

Your response on saying Poldolski was from Kano saying we haven't taken a player and put them in an absurdly different position; mentioning Vardy and England is facetious when Vardy has been with England for all of a handful of games - Podolski had been with Germany on the left for a long, sustained period of time.

The point is, for Podolski it is not an absurd position he has not experienced.

Also you say don't presume to know what Wenger would do with Vardy but then you're saying Podolski was bought to play as a striker for us as shown in the first game of the season he played for us? If that's the case, then can it not be said Wenger didn't like what he saw in that first game?

[Özim]

Poldi had been out on the wing for Germany for most of the time he has played for them - it wasn't an unknown position for him.

Also when he did play as the striker, granted it wasn't much but when he did his performances were quite rancid.

Podolski didn't fit into our system well, he did score some goals though, in addition he never got much of a run up front to play himself into form.

Yes he played there for Germany but primarily he's a forward and that's where he's most effective.

[Özim]

You've got him there! Brilliant. How old are you again?

Anyway, Podolski played on the left for Germany, so it's a role he's more than comfortable with. In fact, that is where people started to notice him outside of his league because he played so well at Euro 2008 onwards. My comment was that Wenger hasn't played a first team regular absurdly out of position on a consistent basis. Podolski doesn't fit that profile. Putting Vardy, who has played a couple of times on the wing for England, out on the left for us would be insane and Wenger has no record of doing that for experienced players.

EDIT: just noticed Maccy said exactly the same thing above.

You've got a nerve to say that to me after your recent posts to be honest.

He made a valid point, for some reason you refuse to acknowledge what Wenger does with players, he's got a record of playing them in the wrong positions, he's done it reguarly I find it odd you play dum with this.

Vardy has pace, it's quite feasible he could appear on the wing, for some reason you don't seem to think so. Podolski score plenty of goals before he arrived, didn't stop Wenger playing him as a winger instead of up front where he would score goals.

I also find it odd you're coming round to the idea of Vardy based on a few nonsense stats rather than real life game time too be honest, you're easily swayed.

[I am invisible]

Look, Vardy would almost certainly end up on the wing for us at some point - it's inevitable with our fitness record. That doesn't mean it's necessarily a tactical preference, or that we view him more as a wide forward / winger - it could simply mean that he can at least do a passable job there when we have no other options, and Giroud can't? How often have we actually had a full compliment of forwards and midfielders available at any given moment over the last few years? I think whoever we chose to play CF in those rare moments will tell us most about what our preference is...

[Özim]

I'm not saying Wenger wouldn't sign a player like Vardy and then try to shoehorn him into our shit system. I'm not saying that at all. I'm hoping, more than anything else, that after 10 years of seeing the same shit over and over even Wenger has twigged. It might be a vain hope, but it literally would be crazy to buy Vardy and then set him up to play with his back to goal. Can Wenger do crazy things? Of course. Will he keep doing them? I hope not. We know Wenger is here for at least another season, I'm betting it's another four seasons, so if you can't hope he'll figure this shit out and react accordingly you're essentially saying that's it for us - fuck all for the foreseeable future. And you may be right. But if all hope is gone then I wonder what other sport we can watch while we wait for Wenger to bugger off?

You think Wenger might have twigged, really? I doubt if very much, if he had twigged it would have happened a long time ago, the guy is more stubborn than a mule he won't change anything, the only reason he's going for Vardy is because Wellbeck is out and Vardy is in football terms quite cheap, no other reason, if Vardy was 30 million he wouldnt look at him twice.

When does Wenger ever do the right thing in the transfer window, the answer is never, this summer will be no different, we'll have to wait until he leaves (whenever that is, could be another 5 years by the sounds of it) before we start seeing change.

[Özim]

Look, Vardy would almost certainly end up on the wing for us at some point - it's inevitable with our fitness record. That doesn't mean it's necessarily a tactical preference, or that we view him more as a wide forward / winger - it could simply mean that he can at least do a passable job there when we have no other options, and Giroud can't? How often have we actually had a full compliment of forwards and midfielders available at any given moment over the last few years? I think whoever we chose to play CF in those rare moments will tell us most about what our preference is...

If we signed a top class forward who scored goals he wouldn't end up on the wing, much like Henry didn't. Players generally end up on the wing when Wenger doesn't fancy them up front or prefers someone else over them (Giroud in this case) and unless we find someone he can't play on the wing because they prove to be prolific, then the new signing will end up there.

[I am invisible]

Incidentally, this is one of the reasons I'd be keen to see another wide forward / winger signed this summer - the better the options we have out wide, the less likely it is that we'd see guys like Welbeck and Vardy (if he signs) having to fill in down the left and right, while Giroud keeps the CF spot by default, largely through his inability to play anywhere else.

Walcott and Podolski are different cases for me in that I don't think Wenger actually rates / rated them as CFs, and doesn't / didn't know what else to do with them. He might have wanted them to be CFs to begin with, but that's not how it's panned out...

[Power n Glory]

All attacking players prefer playing in the middle as they see that as the best place to get glory; someone has to play out wide. He got 16 for us in his first season, two less than when he was the outright striker and that's most likely more than any other players we've played out wide recently, apart from Alexis.

I don't get what the issue is.

Your response on saying Poldolski was from Kano saying we haven't taken a player and put them in an absurdly different position; mentioning Vardy and England is facetious when Vardy has been with England for all of a handful of games - Podolski had been with Germany on the left for a long, sustained period of time.

The point is, for Podolski it is not an absurd position he has not experienced.

Also you say don't presume to know what Wenger would do with Vardy but then you're saying Podolski was bought to play as a striker for us as shown in the first game of the season he played for us? If that's the case, then can it not be said Wenger didn't like what he saw in that first game?

Vardy has played for club and country as a wide player. It's not just England. When Leicester spanked Man Utd 5-3 the season before, Vardy came up with a goal and 4 assists. He hasn't played there often but it's not an absurd position he hasn't experienced. Anyone here really going to suggest our manager wouldn't consider playing him as a wide player with Giroud up top? Pod's numbers were decent but he wasn't suited to play there for us. Most attackers with pace may be considered for a wide position if there is no space for the centre. Heck, we've seen Wenger play Bendtner on the wing. That's why I say we could very well end up with Vardy on the wing if things don't go according to plan.

In Pod's case, we were on the verge of losing RVP and a striker was needed. Pod was our first signing and earmarked to takeover from RVP by most of us on here and the press. His team had just been relegated after he scored 18 as a central player and it was an opportunity to pick up an cheap International player with a rep. An opportunist buy to fill that striker position. It's similar to Vardy's case. I wouldn't have thought Wenger had Vardy marked down as first choice but he has that transfer clause that makes it more appealing. Pod playing wide wasn't absurd per se we all know Wenger likes players that can play multiple positions. But our priority was to sign a striker that season and managed to sign two for cheap but shifted one on to the wing. We didn't even need Pod for that position because we had just signed Gervinho the season before.

I think it's pretty obvious Wenger didn't like what he saw from Pod as a striker. I'm not even arguing he was any good at it for us. But at club level, he predominantly played through the middle. At international level you play a handful of games each year. It's not week in week out. So when you look at Pod's caps over the years, it's similar to the odd games Vardy has played out wide here and there. If Vardy was discovered earlier and picking up caps at a young age like Pod was, he may have been played wide because Rooney was our first choice central striker.

I haven't even mentioned Danny Welbeck. Bought to play as a striker but shifted out wide once Giroud was fit to play.....and yes Danny has experience playing out wide but it goes back to what our original intention was when we signed him.

[I am invisible]

If we signed a top class forward who scored goals he wouldn't end up on the wing, much like Henry didn't. Players generally end up on the wing when Wenger doesn't fancy them up front or prefers someone else over them (Giroud in this case) and unless we find someone he can't play on the wing because they prove to be prolific, then the new signing will end up there.
Yes they would mate, if their playing style was right for it, and we were running low on other options - try and dig out Wenger's comments about South American forwards, and why he rates them. All of the front 3 for Barca do it, Suarez did his stint there at Liverpool, I've seen Aguero play wide for city, Cavani does it for PSG - obviously with other options available you'd want to keep them as CFs, but none of them are above filling in out wide when needed...

[Power n Glory]

Look, Vardy would almost certainly end up on the wing for us at some point - it's inevitable with our fitness record. That doesn't mean it's necessarily a tactical preference, or that we view him more as a wide forward / winger - it could simply mean that he can at least do a passable job there when we have no other options, and Giroud can't? How often have we actually had a full compliment of forwards and midfielders available at any given moment over the last few years? I think whoever we chose to play CF in those rare moments will tell us most about what our preference is...

It probably won't be a tactical preference. It might not even be a case of us having injury problems. It could come down to players coming back from injury and Wenger trying to fill a slot without dropping someone else. I'd love to think he'd try Giroud and Vardy up front if we sign him. But I can't see him playing two strikers up front. It would mean dropping Ozil, playing Ozil wide, or trying to play a diamond with Ozil top of the diamond. I can't see it happening.

[Power n Glory]

Yes they would mate, if their playing style was right for it, and we were running low on other options - try and dig out Wenger's comments about South American forwards, and why he rates them. All of the front 3 for Barca do it, Suarez did his stint there at Liverpool, I've seen Aguero play wide for city, Cavani does it for PSG - obviously with other options available you'd want to keep them as CFs, but none of them are above filling in out wide when needed...

If we signed one of those guys, I think Giroud would hit the bench.

[Kano]

You've got a nerve to say that to me after your recent posts to be honest.

He made a valid point, for some reason you refuse to acknowledge what Wenger does with players, he's got a record of playing them in the wrong positions, he's done it reguarly I find it odd you play dum with this.

Vardy has pace, it's quite feasible he could appear on the wing, for some reason you don't seem to think so. Podolski score plenty of goals before he arrived, didn't stop Wenger playing him as a winger instead of up front where he would score goals.

I also find it odd you're coming round to the idea of Vardy based on a few nonsense stats rather than real life game time too be honest, you're easily swayed.

Reading posts in full, rather than sections usually lead to better discussions. My opening line mentioned that Wenger, rightly or wrongly (meaning some I agree with and some I do not) has put a lot of young players in different positions as part of their development. I can't be clearer than that. Well, I can but it would take far longer and I'm not that interested to spend even longer typing this out on my phone. Podolski played in the middle for his club and on the wing a lot for the national side, so going back to my original post again, it is not absurdly out of position. He played there very successfully for the national team, so it's not unreasonable to have played him there for Arsenal. You can find a problem with anything really, that's not a hard thing to do and it is generally something you excel at. And as Maccy mentioned, he was gash when he played in the middle for us. Slow, lumbering and nearly all fans didn't want him played there. It is strange what time does to the human memory.

With Vardy, it's a case of reading some stats, then re-watching his goals again (something else that was that same post) listening to other people, reflecting on all the televised Leicester games I saw from last season and thinking maybe I've got it wrong. Hopefully it's ok to change my mind and change opinion, rather than making it up fully, 100% and sticking rigidly to it no matter what. I'm not sure why anyone would do that to be honest.

[Power n Glory]

Oh yeah...Eduardo and Wiltord. Two more examples.

Eduardo's career was short with us but Wenger would play him wide. Wiltord arrived from France as a Ligue 1 golden boot winner for Bordeaux. He was a striker. But for Arsenal we played him as a winger.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Look, Vardy would almost certainly end up on the wing for us at some point - it's inevitable with our fitness record. That doesn't mean it's necessarily a tactical preference, or that we view him more as a wide forward / winger - it could simply mean that he can at least do a passable job there when we have no other options, and Giroud can't? How often have we actually had a full compliment of forwards and midfielders available at any given moment over the last few years? I think whoever we chose to play CF in those rare moments will tell us most about what our preference is...

Yup.

[Globalgunner]

Everybodys a winger in Wengers mind. its the same way he used to play. Djourou, Senderos and latterly Chambers at RB even when they proved to be abysmal in the same positions. Its as if he slips players anywhere just to give them a game while not moving his favourites/dependables from their usual positions. I am still waiting to see Cech on the wing someday.

as to whether Wenger has twigged or not. I think he realises as well as we do that next season could be bloody. 6 or 7 top managers, well funded trying for 4 places. I see Wenger aiming for a new contract. There is no way even the numpties in charge at the Emirates can sell it if we are mid table by Jan 2017. He knows he has to do something. everything is up for change IMO. Someone will come in whether Vardy or another. Personally I an not enthused by him as I hate the stratergy of [poaching your competitors best players. Its somehow demeaning, but who cares really. Personally I would like to see more Iwobi and less Giroud unless something golden falls into our lap.

[I am invisible]

If we signed one of those guys, I think Giroud would hit the bench.

With everyone in the squad fit, then yes, of course the top striker plays CF and Giroud hits the bench. But that's not what I'm saying - I'm talking about what happens when we end up in our usual situation where 90% of our first choice midfield and attack are out injured, and the only senior options we have left are Giroud, who can't play anywhere other than CF, and another guy who can play other roles (even if that guy happens to be a wizard-good striker) - in that scenario, do we keep Giroud on the bench and just play the other guy at CF, surrounded by a bunch of reserves and youth players? Or do we put Giroud up top, and move the other guy to wide attack for a bit? If we were talking about someone like Suarez, for example, do you think it would make that much of a difference to him? Or Griezmann? He's making a name for himself as a CF, but we also know he's a 20-25 goal player from our wide too - would anyone hesitate to move him to the left or right for a few games if we were running low on other wide options, and we had another CF available?

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

Jim White saying Leicester have bid £25m for Troy Deeney.

:arry:

[Power n Glory]

With everyone in the squad fit, then yes, of course the top striker plays CF and Giroud hits the bench. But that's not what I'm saying - I'm talking about what happens when we end up in our usual situation where 90% of our first choice midfield and attack are out injured, and the only senior options we have left are Giroud, who can't play anywhere other than CF, and another guy who can play other roles (even if that guy happens to be a wizard-good striker) - in that scenario, do we keep Giroud on the bench and just play the other guy at CF, surrounded by a bunch of reserves and youth players? Or do we put Giroud up top, and move the other guy to wide attack for a bit? If we were talking about someone like Suarez, for example, do you think it would make that much of a difference to him? Or Griezmann? He's making a name for himself as a CF, but we also know he's a 20-25 goal player from our wide too - would anyone hesitate to move him to the left or right for a few games if we were running low on other wide options, and we had another CF available?

I'm fine in that situation. We have little choice when it comes down to injuries. That's the sensible thing to do. I'm more so talking about situations where we have plenty of options. When hard choices have to be made but he avoids dropping a senior player and has them playing out of position as a compromise. The sort of silly decisions that keeps an in form and effective player like Campbell out of the squad and can potentially hamper a players momentum and confidence. It's even more frustrating to see because the player that's being played outside of his favourite position isn't happy being played there on a long term basis. It's a double edged sword that damages both players. That's what frustrates me the most. If we have injury crisis, that's different. Most players are happy to help.

But Wenger has to stop being a coward. Take a risk and change the formation if you want to play two strikers. Don't just stick Welbeck on the wing because that's the reason he left Utd and joined us. He came to Arsenal to develop as a striker. Play him there, adapt the system or sell him if he's not good enough. The same applies to Wilshere, Ramsey, Walcott and whoever else feels they aren't being played in their best position. Unless there is a shift in mentality, we'll soon be bemoaning the lack of proper wingers if we eventually fix this striker problem. It's a problem that just seems to rotate from one position to the next. Kicking the can further up the road. He has to clear out the dead weight and buy players that can be effective in that position or adapt the system so everyone playing is at their best and playing to their strengths. We've seen him slowly but surely address the central midfield and defensive midfield situation. But he'll create a new problem for himself if he tries to keep the dead weight players in the first team line up after being dislodged from their most effective positions by superior players.

[I am invisible]

I'm fine in that situation. We have little choice when it comes down to injuries. That's the sensible thing to do. I'm more so talking about situations where we have plenty of options. When hard choices have to be made but he avoids dropping a senior player and has them playing out of position as a compromise. The sort of silly decisions that keeps an in form and effective player like Campbell out of the squad and can potentially hamper a players momentum and confidence. It's even more frustrating to see because the player that's being played outside of his favourite position isn't happy being played there on a long term basis. It's a double edged sword that damages both players. That's what frustrates me the most. If we have injury crisis, that's different. Most players are happy to help.

But Wenger has to stop being a coward. Take a risk and change the formation if you want to play two strikers. Don't just stick Welbeck on the wing because that's the reason he left Utd and joined us. He came to Arsenal to develop as a striker. Play him there, adapt the system or sell him if he's not good enough. The same applies to Wilshere, Ramsey, Walcott and whoever else feels they aren't being played in their best position. Unless there is a shift in mentality, we'll soon be bemoaning the lack of proper wingers if we eventually fix this striker problem. It's a problem that just seems to rotate from one position to the next. Kicking the can further up the road. He has to clear out the dead weight and buy players that can be effective in that position or adapt the system so everyone playing is at their best and playing to their strengths. We've seen him slowly but surely address the central midfield and defensive midfield situation. But he'll create a new problem for himself if he tries to keep the dead weight players in the first team line up after being dislodged from their most effective positions by superior players.

Yeah, I'm not saying that it's always the best decision, and that there aren't other things we could try - just that Giroud doesn't necessarily end up as CF all the time because he's Wenger's dream player, and that there's not a reluctance on the part of the manager to use anyone else. Some days Giroud will no doubt get the nod because he's in good form, or he's the right choice for a particular opponent, but a lot of the time I think he simply retains the role by default because of a decimated squad and reduced options. I'm basically arguing against this suggestion that Wenger buys strikers with absolutely no intention of ever using them as strikers, and that he's so in love with Giroud that the team is being shaped around him - I don't believe that to be the case. I think a lot of time Giroud's inclusion is a reactive decision and a solution to a problem caused by injuries or the piss poor form of other players - you or I might think there's a better solution there, but I can at least understand why Wenger opts for that one.

Where I think there is an argument to be made is that he doesn't prepare well enough for these situations by making sure that he has enough wide options that he trusts enough to use - it kind of makes it inevitable that other players, like the strikers, will have to fill in there if he's only got one or two wingers who he rates, and they end up unavailable...

[I am invisible]

Wenger now saying the Vardy deal is pretty much dead, so I guess we shelve that one.

Shame - that was actually a decent chat we were having about football for a little while there. Back to calling Wenger a cunt I guess...

[Niall_Quinn]

Well at least Wenger went after a player, made the bid, tried to get the thing done early. However, if players from Leicester are now turning down the chance to move to Arsenal, we now have something new to think about. Inevitable really. You can't be nearly men for a decade and expect to maintain credibility.

[Power n Glory]

Rags also saying Mkhitaryan prefers a move to Man Utd.

[Munchies]

Rags also saying Mkhitaryan prefers a move to Man Utd.

I'm sure he'll like Maureen telling him to defend for 95% of the game

Must be offering him insane cash

[Niall_Quinn]

Rags also saying Mkhitaryan prefers a move to Man Utd.

That'll be for the silly money. This is where we lose out too. The old sustainable, ranch fund doesn't help us at all.

It's one thing having players like Ozil and Alexis here. Another when you see them failing to achieve. It's a big message. Come to Arsenal and you will no longer compete at the top. Come to Arsenal and you too can get knocked out of the CL as soon as you play the first credible opponent. If it happens once, twice, okay. But for a decade. That stuff will stick and new perceptions will be created. Perceptions that tally with the reality for a change.

This is how you measure success at the top level. And by any football measurement the Kronke era has been a spectacular failure. I wish he'd piss off, but why would he?

[Özim]

Wenger now saying the Vardy deal is pretty much dead, so I guess we shelve that one.

Shame - that was actually a decent chat we were having about football for a little while there. Back to calling Wenger a cunt I guess...

Great news, hopefully we can forget about this one season wonder and find someone more appropriate who will score us goal, none of the Wellbeck level players please.

It's good to know it hasn't dragged on all summer at least.

[Özim]

Well at least Wenger went after a player, made the bid, tried to get the thing done early. However, if players from Leicester are now turning down the chance to move to Arsenal, we now have something new to think about. Inevitable really. You can't be nearly men for a decade and expect to maintain credibility.

I'm happy about this, but I have said I thought our stock had fallen and like you say if Leicester players turn us down you know things aren't great.

[Chippy]

I'm happy about this, but I have said I thought our stock had fallen and like you say if Leicester players turn us down you know things aren't great.
Spot on! We are the new Everton. Lol!

[Niall_Quinn]

Great news, hopefully we can forget about this one season wonder and find someone more appropriate who will score us goal, none of the Wellbeck level players please.

It's good to know it hasn't dragged on all summer at least.

I put it 90/10 against us signing anyone now. At least not anyone who will make a blind bit of difference. Saying goodbye to Vardy is pretty much saying hello to Giroud for another season.

[Kano]

Wenger now saying the Vardy deal is pretty much dead, so I guess we shelve that one.

Shame - that was actually a decent chat we were having about football for a little while there. Back to calling Wenger a cunt I guess...

Dunno, having watched the video it's the softest of questions (literally) and I can't see why Wenger would reveal the truth to a random Japanese female interviewer. I guess we have to base it on the words he says but he's hardly the straightest of batters when it comes to the press. I think there might still be legs in this one but I'll guess we'll find out definitively in a week or so once England are dumped out.

Anyway, definitely a cunt. Always. Nothing can ever change that. From the very first moment he walked into Highbury.

[Niall_Quinn]

Anyway, definitely a cunt. Always. Nothing can ever change that. From the very first moment he walked into Highbury.

Never once has anyone ever said this but why let that spoil the artistic effect?

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

I'm happy about this, but I have said I thought our stock had fallen and like you say if Leicester players turn us down you know things aren't great.
So do you actually reckon it will happen?

In normal circumstances you would probably believe that us losing out on Vardy and signing an average player or nobody is more likely than us losing out on Vardy and then signing a world class player.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Reading back seems I just said what NQ just did....but you get my point.

Not sure why you are so pleased with yourself Zim! It's as if you actually expect us to sign a world class forward!

[Özim]

I put it 90/10 against us signing anyone now. At least not anyone who will make a blind bit of difference. Saying goodbye to Vardy is pretty much saying hello to Giroud for another season.

If we don't sign anyone, we don't sign anyone, would be nothing new, we won't be competing for the top prizes anyway with the current manager in charge. The way I see it, if we're not going to sign a top class forward, then lets not bother, would rather wait until a proper manager comes in and spends the money as it should be sent, even if it's in 4 years time.

[Özim]

Reading back seems I just said what NQ just did....but you get my point.

Not sure why you are so pleased with yourself Zim! It's as if you actually expect us to sign a world class forward!

Didn't want Vardy here, he's not good enough, if we're not going to sign a world class forward, then let's sign a young guy with potential to score plenty like Janssen and if we don't do that, lets not bother at all, as I said above it won't make a lot of difference as we won't be competitive anyway.

[I am invisible]

Dunno, having watched the video it's the softest of questions (literally) and I can't see why Wenger would reveal the truth to a random Japanese female interviewer. I guess we have to base it on the words he says but he's hardly the straightest of batters when it comes to the press. I think there might still be legs in this one but I'll guess we'll find out definitively in a week or so once England are dumped out.

Anyway, definitely a cunt. Always. Nothing can ever change that. From the very first moment he walked into Highbury.
I suppose he hasn't actually said that the deal is off - just that as far as he knows the player is staying at Leicester - so he could just be forcing Vardy's hand? I hope the veiled message here is that the offer is still on the table, but we're no longer waiting around for an answer and are gonna start sounding out other options. Basically, Vardy has until we find someone else to decide - after that the offer is withdrawn.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

So he has till the last day of the window then.....:d

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Didn't want Vardy here, he's not good enough, if we're not going to sign a world class forward, then let's sign a young guy with potential to score plenty like Janssen and if we don't do that, lets not bother at all, as I said above it won't make a lot of difference as we won't be competitive anyway.

To even maintain the status quo we need a little bit of activity, particularly given Welbeck's injury....lest the next manager be given a mountain to climb.

Given your actual disposition, not least of all your view on the management, I am surprised you are particularly moved one way or another on the Vardy deal.

[Özim]

To even maintain the status quo we need a little bit of activity, particularly given Welbeck's injury....lest the next manager be given a mountain to climb.

Given your actual disposition, not least of all your view on the management, I am surprised you are particularly moved one way or another on the Vardy deal.

I'm not bothered about Vardy as mentioned, he's not good enough, I really only want a top class forward or someone at a young enough age who is scoring goals and who could become that, I don't believe in the management so new signings are really just for entertainment for me, seeing a player score some goals for us will improve the level, we won't be winnng anything significant so either way, but I don't want to be stuck with players which then prevent us signing genuine quality because we have enough players in that position.

[I am invisible]

So he has till the last day of the window then.....:d

Which one?

[Niall_Quinn]

Some up and coming young striker who may or may not do something, is precisely what we don't need. Not as the main answer to our long standing problem. Finding a decent striker who will begin his work in August and keep going until next May, scoring 20+ PL goals on a consistent basis, is what we must have. There's no title challenge without that. The chances of a PL novice doing it - close to zero. A Martial or Rashford to supplement an experienced pro, that would be ideal. But relying on a youngster for the 20 plus goals? Wishful thinking. One more "nearly", "almost", "would'a, could'a", season and we can start saying goodbye to our top players. They won't stay at a club that has no ambition and doesn't challenge.

The idea Vardy isn't good enough for Arsenal is tough to understand when we have dross like Walcott drawing bigger wages than he'd be on. Of course he's good enough and he'd give us everything we need in that department and at a price that satisfies the skinflints in charge. Hard to see how we'll come up with a better alternative. Certainly there will be better £50,60,70 million alternatives out there. And we won't be spending that. If it's true we have blown this because we wouldn't extend the deal from 3 to 4 years then that's crazy. Whatever Vardy decides to do, this is his last big contract. Of course he wants 4 years and I don't see what difference it would have made to us, a club that kept Diaby on the books for how long? If we could get 2 decent seasons out of Vardy that would be more than a big enough pay off. As it is we probably won't sign anyone now and we'll be in an even shittier position this time next year when not only will we still be hunting for a striker but we'll also be begging the club to spend £120mill on top to replace Ozil, Alexis and pay those replacements.

Often the cheapskate route is the expensive route in the long term. That's if it's true we baulked over 4 years. Maybe it isn't, maybe there are other reasons. But for so many reasons we should have landed this player. A big message has just rung out around the football world. One that our own players and prospective signings will notice and pay attention to. Now we need to reverse that message by getting the wallet out and shelling big money for, I suspect, somebody who won't be as good as Vardy in a real world, boots on the ground sense. £50mill on another tier 2 option like Bif - your Lukaku or Morata or Cavani - would make me cry.

£30-40mill on Vardy and a top young prospect - that was the way to go. For a brief moment there, that's where I thought we were going.

Psyche!

[Bergkampwonderland10]

Real would be fools to sell Morata, but he is the striker we should be going all out for, though they'd probably insert some buy back clause again there. Aubemeyang would be the perfect fit for us, but can't see him going for less than 50million which is probably the max we would ever pay for a striker. Higuain is probably the most realistic signing for around that fee.
The plan B is to hope that if Real hold on to Morata then perhaps Benzema becomes available. He seemed a little unhappy up until Zidane took over there...He'd be well-rested this summer too, might be up for a new challenge somewhere.

[Kano]

Fuck no to Benzema.

[I am invisible]

Just reading the link on Arseblog about the Croatian FA, and the reasons behind all the trouble with the ultras - pretty incredible stuff...

http://arseblog.com/2016/06/arsenal-pursuing-options-giroud-xhaka-get/
https://www.reddit.com/r/soccer/comments/4omrzm/an_explanation_to_rsoccer_about_why_did_croatian/

I can't condone the way the dissenting factions are going about their protests, but if any of this is true then we should steer well clear of doing any business with Dinamo Zagreb while this guy Mamic is around - sounds crooked as f--k!

[selassie]

If we don't sign anyone, we don't sign anyone, would be nothing new, we won't be competing for the top prizes anyway with the current manager in charge. The way I see it, if we're not going to sign a top class forward, then lets not bother, would rather wait until a proper manager comes in and spends the money as it should be sent, even if it's in 4 years time.

I'm leaning towards this way of thinking too. If we don't sign Vardy, Wenger will do one of two things IMO, he'll either panic and bring in some squad rotation/stop gap type player and sell us the line that we have Welbeck coming back and that Giroud and Walcott are world class strikers. Failing that I think he'll just promote from within and go with what he has.

Wenger has form for this and has NOT addressed this position for 4 seasons now, he won't spend the money or aggressively pursue options so we're going to be stuck with what we have.

I'd rather we leave this to someone else to rectify because I absolutely do not think Wenger can and will do what is necessary.

[Gooner23]

I know where you are coming from, but the issue with that as I think NQ mentioned, is that failure to significantly improve the squad this summer will likely mean Ozil and Alexis off next year. It makes the new manager's (if there is even to be one) job much more difficult in terms of attracting players and re-building the squad.

We won't win the league next season under Wenger, but I at least hope to be able to watch better players and better performances. I would be hugely disappointed if we didn't land a top striker.

[selassie]

I know where you are coming from, but the issue with that as I think NQ mentioned, is that failure to significantly improve the squad this summer will likely mean Ozil and Alexis off next year. It makes the new manager's (if there is even to be one) job much more difficult in terms of attracting players and re-building the squad.

We won't win the league next season under Wenger, but I at least hope to be able to watch better players and better performances. I would be hugely disappointed if we didn't land a top striker.

Oh I totally agree re: Ozil and Sanchez, they clearly want to see that the club matches their ambition, they want to see the Club actively competing to sign quality players.

The Xhaka signing is definitely a step in the right direction, I really like him as a player and think it's a good signing for us, I just hope Wenger continues in this vein and actively pursuits quality additions to the squad, Striker being the absolute priority.

I don't care what it costs us to sign players, it's not my money and quite frankly we should be in a position now to compete for quality players, if it means we have to pay over the odds then so be it, we have the money.

I will be hugely disappointed too if we don't secure a top striker.

[Kano]

Wanyama apparently on the verge of joining Spuds for £11m. On his last year of contract, hence the knock down price.

[Marc Overmars]

Easy signing for Pochettino, he'll slot right in with the athlete ball and pressing style. Like at Southampton.

[Kano]

I think he may have been the guy that signed him back at the Saints, so yeah, makes complete sense.

[Marc Overmars]

Pogba's agent has opened talks with Real Madrid. Could be a world record transfer fee. :lol:

[Özim]

Can't be right, players can't be signed during the Euros, you have to wait till they're over.

[Power n Glory]

Arteta has joined Pep at Man City. You have to wonder why Wenger hasn't kept this guy around if he has a bright future in management. Probably best Arteta learns from someone else but it's an odd one.

[fakeyank]

Arteta has joined Pep at Man City. You have to wonder why Wenger hasn't kept this guy around if he has a bright future in management. Probably best Arteta learns from someone else but it's an odd one.

Career growth wise for Arteta, its not even a comparison. A winner v/s a moaner.. not even a competition.

[Penguin]

It's the money.

[GP]

Or, it could be that we already have an assistant manager.

[Master Splinter]

No, it's because Wengcunt moans.

[fakeyank]

Or, it could be that we already have an assistant manager.

Adding someone to the backroom staff does not always mean making them assistant manager. With how clueless our manager, he should look to utilize all the help he can get.

[Marc Overmars]

Arteta probably would have had to start at the bottom with our kids, like Bould did and currently like Henry is doing.

No brainer really to go and cut his teeth with arguably the best manager in the game.

[Kano]

Arteta probably would have had to start at the bottom with our kids, like Bould did and currently like Henry is doing.

No brainer really to go and cut his teeth with arguably the best manager in the game.

Exactly. From Arteta's point of view, why wouldn't you want to go and learn from one of the best in the game at the moment, to add to what he's learnt from his time at Arsenal. If you want to broaden your chances of success in your career, you broaden your horizons.

[Power n Glory]

I'm just wondering if we offered him anything at all. If he's highly rated and sought after, it would make sense to keep him. We've got some old dinosaurs in our ranks and the backroom staff needs shaking up.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Can't be right, players can't be signed during the Euros, you have to wait till they're over.

Wanyama is playing in the Euros?

[GP]

Wanyama is playing in the Euros?

Kenya didn't even qualify :haha:

[Özim]

Wanyama is playing in the Euros?

No but Pogba is.

Probably wish you hadn't said that now.

[selassie]

Real would be fools to sell Morata, but he is the striker we should be going all out for, though they'd probably insert some buy back clause again there. Aubemeyang would be the perfect fit for us, but can't see him going for less than 50million which is probably the max we would ever pay for a striker. Higuain is probably the most realistic signing for around that fee.
The plan B is to hope that if Real hold on to Morata then perhaps Benzema becomes available. He seemed a little unhappy up until Zidane took over there...He'd be well-rested this summer too, might be up for a new challenge somewhere.

If Morata goes back to Real and they make him available we'll be last in the queue to sign him, we simply don't compete for players who have many suitors and like you said he'll go for big money, Real have already said they will sell him to the highest bidder, that immediately rules us out. Same for Benzema who I'm sure would be on a lot of teams lists if he was made available.

[fakeyank]

Dont rate Morata or Benzema. Aubamayeng though is a different beast... I think he would settle down real well and take the PL by storm. Will we get him? But as well, we have Sanogo who can play there...

[I am invisible]

Dont rate Morata or Benzema. Aubamayeng though is a different beast... I think he would settle down real well and take the PL by storm. Will we get him? But as well, we have Sanogo who can play there...

No chance! If Dortmund are unwilling to take 25-30m for an almost-out-of-contract Mkhitaryan, then I can't see them letting Aubameyang go, who is signed up until 2020...

[Niall_Quinn]

Dont rate Morata or Benzema. Aubamayeng though is a different beast... I think he would settle down real well and take the PL by storm. Will we get him? But as well, we have Sanogo who can play there...

I think Aubergine is being touted around at #80mill now, media speculation no doubt but that's roughly what it would take to buy him out and then there would be wages on top. Big, big wages because of the big, big fee. In all honesty, can you see it?

Forget about Morata and Benzema too, unless absolutely nobody else wants them.

I know we all poo-poohed Vardy, but he was the one. Realistic at least.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

No but Pogba is.

Probably wish you hadn't said that now.

Not really. You didn't quote anyone so just had a guess.

Congrats to Marketing on signing Pogba by not signing him.

[Marc Overmars]

Morata has re-signed for Madrid.

Presumably to be sold on now for big bucks.

[Niall_Quinn]

Morata has re-signed for Madrid.

Presumably to be sold on now for big bucks.

Yep, the agents will be thrashing around biting lumps out of each other.

[Özim]

I think Aubergine is being touted around at #80mill now, media speculation no doubt but that's roughly what it would take to buy him out and then there would be wages on top. Big, big wages because of the big, big fee. In all honesty, can you see it?

Forget about Morata and Benzema too, unless absolutely nobody else wants them.

I know we all poo-poohed Vardy, but he was the one. Realistic at least.

We may not sign a decent striker, but frankly so what, it's not like we're going to be winning the title or the CL, we all know that right.

If we were going to sign someone of top quality then fine as it would at least bring more entertainment for the fans, but players like Vardy I have zero interest in us signing, too old, too unproven and nothing special about them.

So if we do sign noone so be it, we're use to it nowadays, hopefully that money can one day go towards the top forward that we crave.

[Özim]

Not really. You didn't quote anyone so just had a guess.

Congrats to Marketing on signing Pogba by not signing him.

It was pretty obvious seeing as I posted it after the Pogba comment.

[Özim]

No chance! If Dortmund are unwilling to take 25-30m for an almost-out-of-contract Mkhitaryan, then I can't see them letting Aubameyang go, who is signed up until 2020...

The other problem will be attracting players like him when more successful clubs are interested, the challenge is no longer just about money but also about desirability and in a straight fight with the big clubs we'll lose out thanks to the last 10 years, if anything in a way we're now less of a big club than we back then.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

It was pretty obvious seeing as I posted it after the Pogba comment.

And that they've signed him I guess.

[Özim]

And that they've signed him I guess.

Well clearly it will take a bit of time seeing as the fee will be massive, the point was just because players are at the Euros it doesn't mean everything transfer related has to stop.

[Kano]

Not really. You didn't quote anyone so just had a guess.

Congrats to Marketing on signing Pogba by not signing him.

Man Utd haven't signed him as well.

We could include ourselves in that list too really.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

If you look at this interview (the agent) it just shows what scum they are.

In the breadth of one interview he manages to mention:

Provisional, early talks with Real Madrid.
Zidane's wish is important.
Three offers from clubs which are all enticing.
Pogba has no problem staying at Juve where he is happy.

[Kano]

If you look at this interview (the agent) it just shows what scum they are.

In the breadth of one interview he manages to mention:

Provisional, early talks with Real Madrid.
Zidane's wish is important.
Three offers from clubs which are all enticing.
Pogba has no problem staying at Juve where he is happy.

Sounds as good as done to me.

[Niall_Quinn]

If you look at this interview (the agent) it just shows what scum they are.

In the breadth of one interview he manages to mention:

Provisional, early talks with Real Madrid.
Zidane's wish is important.
Three offers from clubs which are all enticing.
Pogba has no problem staying at Juve where he is happy.

Well that's obviously what's going to happen when you aren't even allowed to beat agents to death with a hammer. These ridiculous restrictions hurt everyone.

[I am invisible]

Guess we'll find out what's happening with Morata pretty soon then: either Madrid are bringing him back to keep him; or they already have a buyer lined up. Can't imagine they'd be going to all the expense and hassle of bringing him back, with the intention of selling him, if they didn't already have a deal agreed with someone agreed though ? That could easily blow up in their face and leave them with a player they don't really need, if nothing is agreed with anyone, and no one bites. One way or another, I think we'll be able to conclusively rule him in or out as an option pretty quickly (and I suspect it will be a massive "out" at the prices being touted)...

[Özim]

Morata isn't that good anyhow, wouldn't want us to spend big money on him, very overrated, Real can keep him.

[Power n Glory]

Why would Real want to sell him? Might be a silly question but one of the few home grown Spanish strikers that's come from Madrid and they're looking to sell.

[I am invisible]

Why would Real want to sell him? Might be a silly question but one of the few home grown Spanish strikers that's come from Madrid and they're looking to sell.

Who knows why Madrid do anything! Shirt sales and global marketability, I expect...

[Power n Glory]

Who knows why Madrid do anything! Shirt sales and global marketability, I expect...

It seems like his stock is on the up on the hype department. I'm thinking they don't rate him that highly but the hype machine is rolling so they're trying to get their money's worth.

[I am invisible]

Morata isn't that good anyhow, wouldn't want us to spend big money on him, very overrated, Real can keep him.

Yeah, I'm not convinced - certainly not at that price! Hopefully we'll know what's going on with him pretty quickly now though, so one way or another we should be able to put this one to bed and stop talking about it...

[I am invisible]

It seems like his stock is on the up on the hype department. I'm thinking they don't rate him that highly but the hype machine is rolling so they're trying to get their money's worth.

Yeah, could just be cashing in on the general shortage of strikers that are around at the moment? Don't see him as a Madird / Perez player though - not Hollywood enough - so I think we'll know where he's going pretty quick...

[Kano]

Guess we'll find out what's happening with Morata pretty soon then: either Madrid are bringing him back to keep him; or they already have a buyer lined up. Can't imagine they'd be going to all the expense and hassle of bringing him back, with the intention of selling him, if they didn't already have a deal agreed with someone agreed though ? That could easily blow up in their face and leave them with a player they don't really need, if nothing is agreed with anyone, and no one bites. One way or another, I think we'll be able to conclusively rule him in or out as an option pretty quickly (and I suspect it will be a massive "out" at the prices being touted)...

I reckon he'll be sold. They usually flog on one or two assets to help fund the basis over their stupid overpriced purchases. So if Pogba does end up there for example or Payet, or they want to bid another £100m for Modric again, getting shot of this guy helps.

[Ralpheroo72]

Our business may be done. When Wenger wants a player, he goes all out, Xhaka, Sanchez etc. The rest are hopeful punts, with no real conviction. Vardy may say no, and Wenger may just say well that's that. Wouldn't put it past him, even with the fabled 'war chest'.

[GP]

I think that's very unlikely.

[Power n Glory]

Word is we've pulled out of the Morata chase and focusing on Lukaku.

[Niall_Quinn]

Word is we've pulled out of the Morata chase and focusing on Lukaku.

:doh:

Is there really nothing better than Morata and Lukaku available? What are these scouts paid for? To bring us the names of players who are already being furiously touted around by agents?

[I am invisible]

Word is we've pulled out of the Morata chase and focusing on Lukaku.

Fair enough. I like Lukaku - just wary of the asking price.

I suppose those concerns are relative to how much other work the club are looking at getting done this summer? If we're genuinely only after another 2 players, then fuck it - wight as well blow the bank on getting our man (whoever that might be)! After all, what does it really matter when we'll be getting the money back again every summer as part of this new TV deal? On the other hand, if we're looking at a larger overhaul of the team / squad, then we might need to make that money stretch a bit further this summer - getting another 100-150m next year won't really matter much if we need the money now...

[LDG]

Lukaku just reminds me of Emile Heskey.

i.e. shit.

[Power n Glory]

Lukaku just reminds me of Emile Heskey.

i.e. shit.

:lol: He's better than Heskey but I get what you're saying. Doesn't seem all that impressive.

[mastermind84]

Lukaku and his shaky first touch and poor movement off the ball will be a delight.

:doh:

Is there really nothing better than Morata and Lukaku available? What are these scouts paid for? To bring us the names of players who are already being furiously touted around by agents?
better strikers are at big clubs already. We have to buy potential now.

[Marc Overmars]

I think Wenger could easily get more goals out of Lukaku, if crap like West Brom and Everton can then you have to think we could potentially move him up a level. Worked for Adebayor who had a similar clumsy style. He also does have more PL goals than Giroud playing for lesser teams, which I think is decent considering his age.

I've been put off by his attitude though, he seems like a bit of a dick. Threw in the towel last season and proceeded to blame Everton for his lack of form. He thinks he's better than he is and it would be a heck of a gamble to blow the budget on him. I'd rather have Vardy.

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

He's got the ultimate snake for in agent in Raiola as well so you can bet your life that he was having words with Lukaku all season.

[dostoy]

I would much rather have Lukaku than Vardy although it would cost a lot more.

Lukaku is 6 years younger than Vardy.

I cannot see Wenger buying Lukaku though, it will be somebody from the French League, maybe the man from Marseille.

[fakeyank]

There is a higher probability that Wenger will not sign a striker than him actually signing a striker. We have Walcott, Welbeck, Giroud, Sanchez, Sanogo and Campbell who can play there... if there is top top quality, then we will go but at the moment, we are good to go!

[Özim]

:doh:

Is there really nothing better than Morata and Lukaku available? What are these scouts paid for? To bring us the names of players who are already being furiously touted around by agents?

We seem to have some sh*t scouts tbh, can't seem to find any decent players most of the time, we sometimes go through a whole summer signing 1 maybe 2 players, I think they must sit and watch football for the fun of it rather than to watch players.

[fakeyank]

Is there no up and coming cunt in South America or something? Let's look for the next Aguero, Forlan (of Atleti), Suarez etc.

[Kano]

I'm sure no one else is doing that.

[fakeyank]

Yup, seems like everyone else does it except us. We are participators in everything: PL Title, CL trophy, player transfers.. we always come up second (or should I say 4th).

[Globalgunner]

Is there no up and coming cunt in South America or something? Let's look for the next Aguero, Forlan (of Atleti), Suarez etc.

Problem is. even if we find one. He will never get a work permit. we will have to park him at some Spanish club for at least 3 years. Bullshit Home office rules.

[Kano]

Yup, seems like everyone else does it except us. We are participators in everything: PL Title, CL trophy, player transfers.. we always come up second (or should I say 4th).

I was impressed by how City and Liverpool found their strikers in the back water leagues of Spain and Holland. Forlan worked out well too I remember.

[Özim]

Yup, seems like everyone else does it except us. We are participators in everything: PL Title, CL trophy, player transfers.. we always come up second (or should I say 4th).

We seem incapable of finding a decent striker, whether it be through the youth project or through signings, loads of other clubs seem to do alright, honestly don't know what our scouts do.

[Power n Glory]

Yup, seems like everyone else does it except us. We are participators in everything: PL Title, CL trophy, player transfers.. we always come up second (or should I say 4th).

Yeah, as Global said we're unlikely to get a work permit from anyone on that side of the globe. Lord knows how we got Denilson through.

But I've seen a couple pf posters turn their nose up at the Dutch league even though that's where Liverpool got Suarez from. It's not as if we have a bad record there either when it comes to our players. Not sure how Dortmund find their players but we certainly need to take a risk like most other clubs have.

[Özim]

Yeah, as Global said we're unlikely to get a work permit from anyone on that side of the globe. Lord knows how we got Denilson through.

But I've seen a couple pf posters turn their nose up at the Dutch league even though that's where Liverpool got Suarez from. It's not as if we have a bad record there either when it comes to our players. Not sure how Dortmund find their players but we certainly need to take a risk like most other clubs have.

If we got a work permit for Denilson, considering his lack of talent I don't see why we can't get one for someone with clearly more ability, because Denilson had achieved nothing when we signed him.

Agree about the Dutch league too, plenty of players have come from there and done very well, it's one of the leagues where you have more chance of getting someone decent IMO if you're looking for potential.

Dortmund, Southampton, Athletico etc etc these clubs seem to find top players when we struggle despite our huge resources, yes I know other top clubs don't find that many either but they are willing to pay the going rate whereas we're not.

[fakeyank]

I was impressed by how City and Liverpool found their strikers in the back water leagues of Spain and Holland. Forlan worked out well too I remember.

Never said that they (City and Pool) found those players there, unless you are reading something I didnt write. Didnt know we only had to follow the example of English teams when signing players either. Probably a new rule I havent read or heard about..

[Power n Glory]

If we got a work permit for Denilson, considering his lack of talent I don't see why we can't get one for someone with clearly more ability, because Denilson had achieved nothing when we signed him.

Agree about the Dutch league too, plenty of players have come from there and done very well, it's one of the leagues where you have more chance of getting someone decent IMO if you're looking for potential.

Dortmund, Southampton, Athletico etc etc these clubs seem to find top players when we struggle despite our huge resources, yes I know other top clubs don't find that many either but they are willing to pay the going rate whereas we're not.

I think we've been blacklisted after that Denilson swindle. :lol: They made us jump through hoops to get Campbell, Vela and Ryo here.

[fakeyank]

Dortmund, Southampton, Athletico etc etc these clubs seem to find top players when we struggle despite our huge resources, yes I know other top clubs don't find that many either but they are willing to pay the going rate whereas we're not.

We are between the top clubs and the other clubs you mentioned- Athletico, Soton etc. We are again neither here nor there.. we dont buy top players like the top teams nor unearth gems like the above avg ones. We just exist..

[McNamara That Ghost...]

And yet Wenger can get us second. He's a genius!

[Maestro]

How do you get a work permit? A good lawyer helps.

Most South Americans turn up at mid to lower clubs in Spain or mid to top sides in Holland and Portugal. They do their initiation one or two seasons to get their papers sorted and boom they become available, but even then we are always last off the mark if at all we are interested.

Regards the scouts, yes they are shit but Wenget has the power to revamp that whole department but he never does, so they must be meeting his expectations or they file reports on top talent only to be overruled by the overlords opinion of talent and value.

Either way we are screwed, and that's the good bit because all expectation has been sucked out of us too. In fact we are not grateful enough for what we have, fucking fickle fans.

[fakeyank]

And yet Wenger can get us second. He's a genius!

Yes, he is.. after charging the highest ticket prices and picking up one of the highest paycheck in Europe for nearly a decade, that is a humongous achievement. He should be knighted tbh..

[Kano]

How do you get a work permit? A good lawyer helps.

Most South Americans turn up at mid to lower clubs in Spain or mid to top sides in Holland and Portugal. They do their initiation one or two seasons to get their papers sorted and boom they become available, but even then we are always last off the mark if at all we are interested.

Regards the scouts, yes they are shit but Wenget has the power to revamp that whole department but he never does, so they must be meeting his expectations or they file reports on top talent only to be overruled by the overlords opinion of talent and value.

Either way we are screwed, and that's the good bit because all expectation has been sucked out of us too. In fact we are not grateful enough for what we have, fucking fickle fans.

Not sure how we can pass comments on the scouts when we hear nothing from or about them. Going by the hilarious and ridiculous list of players we could have signed, it sounds like the scouts are doing a great job. But how do we know who they watch and who they don't? Any club with big resources will have scouts in the main territories, watching the same players a lot of the time and a lot of it comes down to timing and getting in ahead of rivals. Their job is just to locate, watch and present the data. Beyond that the senior decision makers at the clubs are the ones that have to do something with that. So the by the sounds of it, the scouting is shit, the negotiations are shit, the coaches are shit, the manager is shit and a lot of the players are shit. Whoever said the fans didn't know what they are talking about.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Yes, he is.. after charging the highest ticket prices and picking up one of the highest paycheck in Europe for nearly a decade, that is a humongous achievement. He should be knighted tbh..

He can't be knighted silly!

[Maestro]

Not sure how we can pass comments on the scouts when we hear nothing from or about them. Going by the hilarious and ridiculous list of players we could have signed, it sounds like the scouts are doing a great job. But how do we know who they watch and who they don't? Any club with big resources will have scouts in the main territories, watching the same players a lot of the time and a lot of it comes down to timing and getting in ahead of rivals. Their job is just to locate, watch and present the data. Beyond that the senior decision makers at the clubs are the ones that have to do something with that. So the by the sounds of it, the scouting is shit, the negotiations are shit, the coaches are shit, the manager is shit and a lot of the players are shit. Whoever said the fans didn't know what they are talking about.

:haha: ...and the fans are shit too

[GP]

He can't be knighted silly!

The French equivalent is the Légion d'Honneur. He won't be getting one of those any time soon.


Because he already has one.

[Niall_Quinn]

The French equivalent is the Légion d'Honneur. He won't be getting one of those any time soon.


Because he already has one.

And deserved as well.

But he's well past awards these days.

[Marc Overmars]

:haha: ...and the fans are shit too

Arsenal have the worst fans.

[Xhaka Can’t]

We're worse than the Russians.

And they're cunts.

[Maestro]

we need to sort ourselves out, where's Heavy D, Fam, TY and Claude

[selassie]

Not sure how we can pass comments on the scouts when we hear nothing from or about them. Going by the hilarious and ridiculous list of players we could have signed, it sounds like the scouts are doing a great job. But how do we know who they watch and who they don't? Any club with big resources will have scouts in the main territories, watching the same players a lot of the time and a lot of it comes down to timing and getting in ahead of rivals. Their job is just to locate, watch and present the data. Beyond that the senior decision makers at the clubs are the ones that have to do something with that. So the by the sounds of it, the scouting is shit, the negotiations are shit, the coaches are shit, the manager is shit and a lot of the players are shit. Whoever said the fans didn't know what they are talking about.

Yep, i'm with you on this Kano. I don't think scouting is the problem, I think the decision making regarding bringing players in is and the fact that we aren't as "en vogue" as we were say 10 years ago.

As an example, 10 years ago + we cleaned up the French Market when they had young talents coming through, any young talented french player would run a mile to play for us, not the same anymore, we've been turned down recently by quite a few young french stars and by clubs that are questionably not more attractive than us, examples, Kingsley Coman turned us down for Juve, Griezmann turned us down for Atletico Madrid.

Wenger is not lying when he says French have a wealth of young talent and he is aware of them, the scouts most likely are too, the problem is that we are in a queue to secure their signatures and are quite far down the queue when it comes to enticing them here, well far down in respect to other big European clubs.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Come on Morata.

Or anyone really.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

So what was all the bollocks about Vardy wanting to concentrate on the tournament then!??

[McNamara That Ghost...]

He realised what national team he's playing for.

[Niall_Quinn]

So what was all the bollocks about Vardy wanting to concentrate on the tournament then!??

Agent stench.

[Keith]

So what was all the bollocks about Vardy wanting to concentrate on the tournament then!??

Said to his agent, get me £100k over 4 years anywhere and I'll sign it.

"Loyal to LCFC"

[selassie]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-36611512

That's us out of the market! Pound has taken a battering now we're out. Wenger has his excuse not to spend now. :crying:

[Marc Overmars]

West Ham bid £28m for Batshuayi. :wacko:

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

Isn't that basically a free transfer now?

[Niall_Quinn]

West Ham bid £28m for Batshuayi. :wacko:

That was 10 mins ago. Now the bid is £236mill.

[Marc Overmars]

Vardy reportedly had reservations about our style of play not suiting him and also Wenger playing him out of position. :lol:

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11712/10323500/jamie-vardy-snubbed-arsenal-over-reservations-of-role-under-arsene-wenger-sky-sources