Summer Transfer Misery and Recriminations.

[Munchies]

Not in the least bit excited about the new season to be honest, pretty much the same squad so far other than Xhaka (I'm not really that excited about him based on what I've seen, sure he'll be a decent DM, but not really a player to get you out of your seat) and some Japanese kid noone has ever heard about, cares about and probably will ever hear anything about.

Disappointing doesn't start to describe the summer so far.

Jakka has all these floaty passes, but there'll be no one infront of him to pass to!

[Niall_Quinn]

Jakka has all these floaty passes, but there'll be no one infront of him to pass to!

He has all these floaty passes on Youtube. But for the Swiss he had two functions. Pass short, pass sideways. And a sub-role of encouraging his team mates to pass short and sideways when they had the ball. Not judging him yet, maybe Wenger has different ideas for him (like riding a flying pig), but absolutely bored by everything I've seen from him so far and horrified at the prospect of him playing that way for 38 games and me having to watch it.

Very difficult. Football has become this negative shit heap of a thing marshalled by cowardly managers and hyped up by crappy pundits. To win it you need players like Xhaka controlling the endless possession in the middle without actually risking forward momentum. So I can see why he's here and I can see what he'll bring. And in the horrible context of the football we play he's a great signing, he'll do exactly what we want him to do and he'll do it expertly. I just don't want to see any more of that type of football. It hurts my eyes.

The Japanese kid.

WHO?

[Xhaka Can’t]

It's rockin in here!

[Kano]

It's rockin in here!

You pissed again?

[Munchies]

He has all these floaty passes on Youtube. But for the Swiss he had two functions. Pass short, pass sideways. And a sub-role of encouraging his team mates to pass short and sideways when they had the ball. Not judging him yet, maybe Wenger has different ideas for him (like riding a flying pig), but absolutely bored by everything I've seen from him so far and horrified at the prospect of him playing that way for 38 games and me having to watch it.

Very difficult. Football has become this negative shit heap of a thing marshalled by cowardly managers and hyped up by crappy pundits. To win it you need players like Xhaka controlling the endless possession in the middle without actually risking forward momentum. So I can see why he's here and I can see what he'll bring. And in the horrible context of the football we play he's a great signing, he'll do exactly what we want him to do and he'll do it expertly. I just don't want to see any more of that type of football. It hurts my eyes.

The Japanese kid.

WHO?

But Jakka topped the stats with most passes in a game?!?!?! :patrice:

[Marc Overmars]

"Sky sources" :rolleyes: say we are interested in Higuain.

[GP]

Manolas, too.

Definitely happening.

Also Draxler.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

"Sky sources" :rolleyes: say we are interested in Higuain.

About three years too late, but never mind

Believe it when i see it....by it i mean him in an Arsenal kit

[dostoy]

Don't want him.

Too expensive fee / wages and too old now having not played in the PL before.

Would much rather have Lukaku, much younger and used to English football

Wenger won't do anything.

[fakeyank]

Balotelli is available

[Niall_Quinn]

"Sky sources" :rolleyes: say we are interested in Higuain.

Not impressed by him when I've seen him play over the last few seasons. Not a bad player, but nothing special either. Another one of these hype merchants who isn't going to score more goals than Bif.

[Niall_Quinn]

Balotelli is available

Might add some much needed entertainment I suppose. But on the downside, won't add anything on the pitch.

[Niall_Quinn]

Arda Turan linked too. And that Higuain deal, some are saying it's a swap deal for Bif. No chance of that and no benefit to it either.

[AFC Leveller]

Higuain is a step up from Giroud but he loves a miss or two, esp in key moments of a game.

We agreed terms with him 3 years ago but decided to go down the dead end that is Suarez and ended up with noone (Sanogo).

[GP]

Swap deals never happen.

Bif isn't going anywhere, and nor should he.

[Niall_Quinn]

Napoli want Higuain's £80 million...

That's EIGHTY MILLION POUNDS AND ZERO PENCE...

met.

:haha:

We need a better smilie for beyond hysterical laughter. Something like the one we have now but with piss and shit coming out of it and maybe a heart attack to finish off.

[Niall_Quinn]

Swap deals never happen.

Bif isn't going anywhere, and nor should he.

It was Bif + £50mill apparently. Hilarious shit. Has anyone watched Higuain playing recently? I'd rather have Bif.

[Munchies]

Could've bought Higuain AND Draxler for £25m each a few seasons ago

Now we're being linked to both in huge deals

[Özim]

If they wanted to make this believable they should have made the price more realistic. Wenger will never let Giroud go as anyway, he's like his quiffed lovechild, but Higuain is a better finisher although he is guilty of some horrendous misses too, he's not far from 29 though as well...we had our chance with him several years ago and as usual we did our "PR thing" and signed noone.

[Özim]

Could've bought Higuain AND Draxler for £25m each a few seasons ago

Now we're being linked to both in huge deals

Yeah totally ridiculous, honestly if we had any sense we'd have snapped up Draxler last summer for 25 million, not worth getting now would cost too much for us, this is the usual PR stunt linking us with all and sundry when we have no intention of buying any of these guys. As you said same with Higuain, we didn't want him for 25 million we certainly won't want him for 60 million.

[dostoy]

Who is noone ?

We signed him a few years ago apparently.

Do you mean no-one ?

We sign him every year.

[fakeyank]

I think we dont need to buy a striker. We just need to change our playing style and use Alexis up front with Giroud or even Theo with Giroud. I wouldnt mind us buying some quick wingers to add width to the team though.

None of the strikers that are mentioned for trillions of dollars are a serious upgrade on what we have. I would rather we looked internally to solve the striker situation and rather focus on the bigger issue we have- our playing style.

[Özim]

Our playing style isn't going to change, Xhaka is proof of that, he's a Wenger player, a slow, passing midfielder. We can't rely on Giroud, Alexis and Walcott, Giroud goes missing for half the season, Walcott is awful and whilst Alexis is very good, he's played through another summer and is going to be burnt out, eh already struggled a nit in parts of last season.

We need a striker and we need a CB, we should also get rid of some of the midfielders and bring in someone like Draxler that can score some goals from the wing, this team just doesn't have enough goals in it as it stands.

None of this is going to happen of course, but that's what we should be doing.

[dostoy]

None of this is going to happen of course, but that's what we should be doing.

I agree

Nothing is going to happen.

[rodders]

Best outcome is for Wenger to get England Job

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

It's never happening but Higuain is a level above Giroud. No doubt.

[Niall_Quinn]

It's never happening but Higuain is a level above Giroud. No doubt.

£80million better? Or say £60mill if we twist their arm and then offer ours to be bitten off. I'd rate them the same - inferior to the top tier strikers, and in the end that's all that will count. Wenger's already shown us what he wants to spend - £20mill. That doesn't get us Troy Deeney these days. Silly old sod should have given Vardy that 4 year contract he wanted. But stubborn old, has-been gits will be stubborn old, has-been gits.

[alexander]

I think Im taking my time getting used to these new transfer fees. Im still in the era of Zidane for £50mil (ish) and Figo for £45 mil (ish) when I thought, "yeah, they are at the very top of their games, they are probably worth that". Now Im seeing Higuain for £60-70mil, Pogba for a reported £100mil, it seems most half decent national team players can command almost whatever they like.
I want us to sign a striker, I really do, but if we are spending £60-70mil, then they need to be massively better than what we have. If Higuain is a £60mil player, that must make Giroud £40-50mil right? 24 goals last season in all comps, premier league player, France striker that starts most games for them. TBH, most of the strikers Ive seen us linked to are rather underwhelming. They may be slightly better than Giroud, but thats it.

Mad world.

[Munchies]

Who is noone ?

We signed him a few years ago apparently.

Do you mean no-one ?

We sign him every year.

He plays for Cardiff

Craig Noone

[Özim]

I think Im taking my time getting used to these new transfer fees. Im still in the era of Zidane for £50mil (ish) and Figo for £45 mil (ish) when I thought, "yeah, they are at the very top of their games, they are probably worth that". Now Im seeing Higuain for £60-70mil, Pogba for a reported £100mil, it seems most half decent national team players can command almost whatever they like.
I want us to sign a striker, I really do, but if we are spending £60-70mil, then they need to be massively better than what we have. If Higuain is a £60mil player, that must make Giroud £40-50mil right? 24 goals last season in all comps, premier league player, France striker that starts most games for them. TBH, most of the strikers Ive seen us linked to are rather underwhelming. They may be slightly better than Giroud, but thats it.

Mad world.

What you have to remember is that clubs like West Ham and C Palace aren't thinking twice about spending 30-35 million now, that's all down to the TV money, clearly clubs are rolling in it, we have been for quite a while of course, we just want to pocket the profits rather than improve the team. You move with the times, clubs have been all too happy to see these massive TV deals and that's whats pushed the fees to ridiculous levels, you go with it or get left behind.

As for quiff, let's not kid ourselves, he's OK but he went 15 odd games without a goal at the most important stage of the season, no decent striker goes through a drought like that, there's plenty better out there, if Giroud can score 20 odd goals a half decent striker will get 30 with us easily.

That miss in the Euros where he was clean through and just needed to look up and pass rather than fluff his lines completely sums him up really.

[I am invisible]

I think we dont need to buy a striker. We just need to change our playing style and use Alexis up front with Giroud or even Theo with Giroud. I wouldnt mind us buying some quick wingers to add width to the team though.

None of the strikers that are mentioned for trillions of dollars are a serious upgrade on what we have. I would rather we looked internally to solve the striker situation and rather focus on the bigger issue we have- our playing style.
Yeah, I think I'm starting to lean that way too - give Sanchez another run as CF (a sustained run this time), and sink the money into a couple of really good wide players instead. Draxler would make sense as one of them, if we still think there's a potential CF waiting to be made there, and I'm not sure who else - Mahrez maybe, or see if we can get Götze playing like he was at Dortmund again? Fekir, Boufal, Barbosa, Sane, Yarmolenko, etc - feels like there's probably a better market for this kind of player at the moment...

[Niall_Quinn]

23rd most valuable sports team (not football, but all of sports) in the world. Worth a couple of billion. Kroenke has made an absolute killing, he's doubled his money and then some. Crazy. More valuable than the chavs and the gypos. Way more valuable than Liverpool. And outspent by all of them.

This doesn't translate to cash in the bank (apparently we are the number one sports team on the planet in that respect), but it does reflect on how much we can afford to invest in the team taking a relatively safe risk here and there. We take no risks. We are a sustainable club. We sustain Stan's insane growth in wealth. That's what sustainability means to us. That and sustaining the wages of a non-winning manager and a bunch of mediocre players than bottle it every season.

How high up that list do we need to get before we start hearing about Arsenal going head to head with Bayern or Utd or Marketing for the signature of top talent? And I wonder when that leech Kroenke is going to cash out. Surely the money train can't keep rolling at this rate? 2019 when the "big 5" losers cement perpetual CL spots, that's probably when he'll take his winnings.

Not a football team - an investment fund.


World’s Most Valuable Sports Teams

Team Current value ($bn) Sport 2015 rank
1. Dallas Cowboys 4.0 NFL 2
2. Real Madrid 3.65 Soccer 1
3. Barcelona 3.55 Soccer 4
4. New York Yankees 3.4 MLB 2
5. Manchester United 3.32 Soccer 5
6. New England Patriots 3.2 NFL 6
7. New York Knicks 3.0 NBA 8
8. Washington Redskins 2.85 NFL 9
9. New York Giants 2.8 NFL 12
10. Los Angeles Lakers 2.7 NBA 6
=10 San Francisco 49ers 2.7 NFL 22
12. Bayern Munich 2.68 Soccer 11
23. Arsenal 2.02 Soccer 36
28. Manchester City 1.92 Soccer 29
36. Chelsea 1.61 Soccer 31
41. Liverpool 1.55 Soccer Not listed

[Munchies]

23rd most valuable sports team (not football, but all of sports) in the world. Worth a couple of billion. Kroenke has made an absolute killing, he's doubled his money and then some. Crazy. More valuable than the chavs and the gypos. Way more valuable than Liverpool. And outspent by all of them.

This doesn't translate to cash in the bank (apparently we are the number one sports team on the planet in that respect), but it does reflect on how much we can afford to invest in the team taking a relatively safe risk here and there. We take no risks. We are a sustainable club. We sustain Stan's insane growth in wealth. That's what sustainability means to us. That and sustaining the wages of a non-winning manager and a bunch of mediocre players than bottle it every season.

How high up that list do we need to get before we start hearing about Arsenal going head to head with Bayern or Utd or Marketing for the signature of top talent? And I wonder when that leech Kroenke is going to cash out. Surely the money train can't keep rolling at this rate? 2019 when the "big 5" losers cement perpetual CL spots, that's probably when he'll take his winnings.

Not a football team - an investment fund.

Top post.

Bunch of cunts, the lot of em!

And we still penny pinch every f'n year.

There to make up the numbers

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

£80million better? Or say £60mill if we twist their arm and then offer ours to be bitten off. I'd rate them the same - inferior to the top tier strikers, and in the end that's all that will count. Wenger's already shown us what he wants to spend - £20mill. That doesn't get us Troy Deeney these days. Silly old sod should have given Vardy that 4 year contract he wanted. But stubborn old, has-been gits will be stubborn old, has-been gits.

The argument against Higuain is a little sheepish like the one against Messi as to his international contribution. The international failings of Messi wouldn't stop us signing him. Higuain has scored consistently in two of Europe's top leagues now and scored 30 in the Italian where they are pretty good at denying space. He played some considerable time for Real who aren't the sort of team to accept mediocre players in key positions for extended periods of time.

I ignore the reported fees as I don't know how much credence it has. What I do know, is, Higuain is the level we should be looking at. Vardy's release clause was 20 mill but that doesn't mean that is our ceiling on a worthy forward. At this point though I am at a loss......it really is a position we have addressed seriously years ago.

[Gooner23]

23rd most valuable sports team (not football, but all of sports) in the world. Worth a couple of billion. Kroenke has made an absolute killing, he's doubled his money and then some. Crazy. More valuable than the chavs and the gypos. Way more valuable than Liverpool. And outspent by all of them.

This doesn't translate to cash in the bank (apparently we are the number one sports team on the planet in that respect), but it does reflect on how much we can afford to invest in the team taking a relatively safe risk here and there. We take no risks. We are a sustainable club. We sustain Stan's insane growth in wealth. That's what sustainability means to us. That and sustaining the wages of a non-winning manager and a bunch of mediocre players than bottle it every season.

How high up that list do we need to get before we start hearing about Arsenal going head to head with Bayern or Utd or Marketing for the signature of top talent? And I wonder when that leech Kroenke is going to cash out. Surely the money train can't keep rolling at this rate? 2019 when the "big 5" losers cement perpetual CL spots, that's probably when he'll take his winnings.

Not a football team - an investment fund.

For years they peddled the sustainable club argument and we lapped it up as something to be commended (which back then it probably was to a degree).

Now though they are just taking the piss out of the fans. I haven't been to a game or spent any money on the club (knowingly) for 2 seasons, and sadly don't intend to until something changes.

[Munchies]

@fkhanage
Arsenal have no interest in Gonzalo Higuain.
https://twitter.com/fkhanage/status/753483568727359488

No interest in anyone :lol:

[Niall_Quinn]

The argument against Higuain is a little sheepish like the one against Messi as to his international contribution. The international failings of Messi wouldn't stop us signing him. Higuain has scored consistently in two of Europe's top leagues now and scored 30 in the Italian where they are pretty good at denying space. He played some considerable time for Real who aren't the sort of team to accept mediocre players in key positions for extended periods of time.

I ignore the reported fees as I don't know how much credence it has. What I do know, is, Higuain is the level we should be looking at. Vardy's release clause was 20 mill but that doesn't mean that is our ceiling on a worthy forward. At this point though I am at a loss......it really is a position we have addressed seriously years ago.

I think all you really need to know is the nominal value of the club increased by £500mill (Stan's entire investment) in the last 12 months. Arsenal is a world class money printing machine, unparalleled in it's efficiency.

Oh yes, and we do that football thing as well.

[Marc Overmars]

Relax guys, Sanogo has got this.

[GP]

Relax guys, Sanogo has got this.

Got what? Parkinsons?

[Niall_Quinn]

Got what? Parkinsons?

He wouldn't even do Parkinsons properly. He'd have something more like Wogans. Or Postman Pat Syndrome.

[Niall_Quinn]

Gypos close to shelling £45mill on a player ironically named Sane.

Football has officially become a loony bin. This money is obscene. We are seeing the end game of the whole 20 year project. Inflate the bubble, grab as much as you can, we know what comes next. This at a time when we are "all in it together" on the austerity trail. Banksters get it in the neck, rightly so. But where's the widespread condemnation for the shit going on in football? And the added insult - the games are BORING. As boring as hell.

I really couldn't give a shit who we sign or don't sign. I have looked at all the names floating around, watched (endured) them playing and I'm thinking yeah, so what? Bloody average players. Fuckers who can't string a couple of passes together, beat a man or put a decent cross in. The real stars are few and far between and they are well locked down. The rest are just contract cows, like this Pogba who is one of the better players I suppose and has plenty of potential, but £100mill? WTF?

[Özim]

Gypos close to shelling £45mill on a player ironically named Sane.

Football has officially become a loony bin. This money is obscene. We are seeing the end game of the whole 20 year project. Inflate the bubble, grab as much as you can, we know what comes next. This at a time when we are "all in it together" on the austerity trail. Banksters get it in the neck, rightly so. But where's the widespread condemnation for the shit going on in football? And the added insult - the games are BORING. As boring as hell.

I really couldn't give a shit who we sign or don't sign. I have looked at all the names floating around, watched (endured) them playing and I'm thinking yeah, so what? Bloody average players. Fuckers who can't string a couple of passes together, beat a man or put a decent cross in. The real stars are few and far between and they are well locked down. The rest are just contract cows, like this Pogba who is one of the better players I suppose and has plenty of potential, but £100mill? WTF?

Frankly who cares how much we spend as long as we get the players, the TV deal has made transfer fees irrelevant, it's not our job to worry about that, we should just worry about the team. Like I said before Palace and West Ham are willing to Shell out 30 million plus, on that basis 90 million is what we should be able to afford comfortably as we're much bigger and richer than those clubs.

Noone is putting any kind of limit of transfer spending so it will continue to rise, not for us to worry about.

[dazthegooner]

Arsenal to swap Giroud for Higuain



Arsenal are willing to pay Napoli €50 million plus Olivier Giroud for star striker Gonzalo Higuain, Italian publication La Gazzetta dello Sport are reporting.

The Argentina international scored a remarkable 36 goals in 35 league appearances for Napoli last season, and would be the top class striker Arsenal need to mount a serious title challenge next season.

The Gunners will face competition for the 28-year-old though, with West Ham also said to be lining up a big money bid but they hope offering Giroud in part exchange will persuade the Gil Azzurri to cash in on their most valuable asset.

Reports have suggested Higuain has already turned down a staggering €50 million-a-year offer from China.

Erm Arsenal or West Sham no brainer! Why have a burger when you can have steak?

[Munchies]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CnUPEgJWcAACTFE.jpg

[Niall_Quinn]

Frankly who cares how much we spend as long as we get the players, the TV deal has made transfer fees irrelevant, it's not our job to worry about that, we should just worry about the team. Like I said before Palace and West Ham are willing to Shell out 30 million plus, on that basis 90 million is what we should be able to afford comfortably as we're much bigger and richer than those clubs.

Noone is putting any kind of limit of transfer spending so it will continue to rise, not for us to worry about.

Well who is paying these fees in the end? At a club like Arsenal it's the fans, the TV viewers, the people who buy shirts, the people who have to fund the sponsorship deals through increased pricing for related products. None of this is coming out of the clubs or the owners pockets. Look at how shit the TV deal is for fans now. Have you seen the prices Sky charge? BT's "free" offer got a whole lot more expensive. Live games have been removed entirely from the terrestrial channels. Look at how much a shirt costs. It's fine to say don't buy it, try telling that to the kid when all his mates are running around in the latest gear and he's in an ASDA T-shirt. The kid doesn't understand exploitation or slave labour or any of that, he just doesn't want to be teased by his mates. It's not as simple as saying it's not our money, because ultimately it is our money. And we should be getting a fucking awesome product for the prices being charged. But we aren't. The product stinks. This can't go on. So in the end we're only shelling out to fund a bubble that has to burst. And a few fuckers will walk with the proceeds having wrecked the nation's traditional sport.

It is, in fact, an absolute disgrace that we should all be pissed at. Why don't the thieving bastards at least, at the very least, give us something we can watch without falling asleep? This is a one way street now, everything flowing in one direction and fuck all in the other.

[Niall_Quinn]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CnUPEgJWcAACTFE.jpg

For me it's:

1 SECOND - Higuain! £60mill? :haha: That has to be a joke!

[alexander]

Gypos close to shelling £45mill on a player ironically named Sane.

Football has officially become a loony bin. This money is obscene. We are seeing the end game of the whole 20 year project. Inflate the bubble, grab as much as you can, we know what comes next. This at a time when we are "all in it together" on the austerity trail. Banksters get it in the neck, rightly so. But where's the widespread condemnation for the shit going on in football? And the added insult - the games are BORING. As boring as hell.

I really couldn't give a shit who we sign or don't sign. I have looked at all the names floating around, watched (endured) them playing and I'm thinking yeah, so what? Bloody average players. Fuckers who can't string a couple of passes together, beat a man or put a decent cross in. The real stars are few and far between and they are well locked down. The rest are just contract cows, like this Pogba who is one of the better players I suppose and has plenty of potential, but £100mill? WTF?

each year a little bit of my love of football and the Arsenal dies. Next summer we will be seeing £150mill players. I actually believe that. I know a few people who have given up on the premier league and now have season tickets for Colchester, Ipswich, and other local teams. They feel more a part of the club and players. One was formally a spurs fan, and one a Chelsea.

This is kind of madness, even with the SkyTV hype machine in overdrive, can't last another 5-10 years at this rate surely?!

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

each year a little bit of my love of football and the Arsenal dies. Next summer we will be seeing £150mill players. I actually believe that. I know a few people who have given up on the premier league and now have season tickets for Colchester, Ipswich, and other local teams. They feel more a part of the club and players. One was formally a spurs fan, and one a Chelsea.

This is kind of madness, even with the SkyTV hype machine in overdrive, can't last another 5-10 years at this rate surely?!

Where as in most summer transfer windows i am feverishly looking for any hint of moves and ultimately making myself very frustrated and disappointed, i very rarely bother this time around. If we don't sign the players we need i will be disappointed, but i can't say i will be surprised or angry.

You start to give up hoping for anything better to happen.

[dostoy]

Where as in most summer transfer windows i am feverishly looking for any hint of moves and ultimately making myself very frustrated and disappointed, i very rarely bother this time around. If we don't sign the players we need i will be disappointed, but i can't say i will be surprised or angry.

You start to give up hoping for anything better to happen.

I agree.

Its very nearly got to the point now when I hope Wenger does NOT sign anybody else and we have a Chelsea season.

Its possible, only possible, that if that happens HE might leave.

We can then start fresh with somebody new who will sign top class players next summer.

If we finish in the top 4 next season, there will be a 3 year deal waiting for him to sign.

[Niall_Quinn]

I agree.

Its very nearly got to the point now when I hope Wenger does NOT sign anybody else and we have a Chelsea season.

Its possible, only possible, that if that happens HE might leave.

We can then start fresh with somebody new who will sign top class players next summer.

If we finish in the top 4 next season, there will be a 3 year deal waiting for him to sign.

Whichever permutation you try to figure, it really doesn't matter. When the value of the club jumps half a billion quid in a single year then placings and trophies and all that stuff just doesn't register. The chavs had a chav year and the value of the club increased by £300mill. The flood of money in the game is wiping away all other considerations, the actual football is a very distant second priority. Look at the Euros, teams filled with supposedly 30, 40, 50, 60 million quid players. 100 million quid players! What a shit fest. Boring football. A plunging standard. But it doesn't matter, the hype juggernaut just keeps rolling. The arseholes are talking about Ronaldo being the greatest of all time. He missed a few free kicks, dived a bit, went off after 25 mins in the final. Irrefutable proof he's the best to ever play the game. Your Cruyffs, Peles, Zicos, Beckenbauers, Bests, forget them. Guys on a few quid a week, playing on wasteland like pitches, hacked to bits, still managing to pass, cross, shoot, actually perform at the very top level. Nah, Ronaldo with his sun tan and his acrobatic dives, the greatest. There's no football, only hype. You're watching shit and they are telling you how great it is, and you sit there and endure it because you hope some of the stuff you grew up with might somehow happen. But it won't because these players aren't even capable.

No, we could finish 15th and the board could find a way to spin that. Share price would still rocket and maybe they'd sign a major hype merchant to appease the fans. They have so much money they can afford the best PR in the business. That's if they are even bothered what the fans think. Which they aren't. All they are bothered about in relation to the fans is the wrong message being sent out that might spoil the fantasy. That's why they tour away grounds nicking non-PR friendly banners. Now they are trawling Twitter and Facebook to make sure nothing bad reflects back on the money cow, banning fans who say the wrong thing in an arena that has fuck al to do with Arsenal and over which they have precisely no jurisdiction.

This is Winston Smith's Arsenal. If you want a picture of the future, imagine a claw reaching into a wallet — forever.

[dostoy]

Would you rather finish 10th and have Wenger leave or finish 4th and have him here for another 3 years after that until 2020 ?

[Niall_Quinn]

Would you rather finish 10th and have Wenger leave or finish 4th and have him here for another 3 years after that until 2020 ?

He's here until 2019. The board have said as much. They are just waiting for the right moment to announce it. We're not going to get as far as finishing 10th or 4th before he gets the offer. It's probably him making the offer to himself anyway. But if they did wait until the end of the season, then no, I wouldn't want to see us 10th. I want to extract any last crumbs of entertainment and enjoyment from the season, there won't be many. But there won't be any if we are languishing in mid-table so I can't see the point of that, especially as it wouldn't force Wenger out the door anyway. He's at a supposedly top club, he's failed to compete for a title in a decade, he's failed to mount any sort of a challenge in the CL. What makes you think finishing 10th in a league awash with money no matter where you finish will see the back of him? Fan protests? They won't care about that.

[selassie]

He's here until 2019. The board have said as much. They are just waiting for the right moment to announce it. We're not going to get as far as finishing 10th or 4th before he gets the offer. It's probably him making the offer to himself anyway. But if they did wait until the end of the season, then no, I wouldn't want to see us 10th. I want to extract any last crumbs of entertainment and enjoyment from the season, there won't be many. But there won't be any if we are languishing in mid-table so I can't see the point of that, especially as it wouldn't force Wenger out the door anyway. He's at a supposedly top club, he's failed to compete for a title in a decade, he's failed to mount any sort of a challenge in the CL. What makes you think finishing 10th in a league awash with money no matter where you finish will see the back of him? Fan protests? They won't care about that.

Aye, agree with this NQ, it's depressing but it's the reality of the situation.

[selassie]

Frankly who cares how much we spend as long as we get the players, the TV deal has made transfer fees irrelevant, it's not our job to worry about that, we should just worry about the team. Like I said before Palace and West Ham are willing to Shell out 30 million plus, on that basis 90 million is what we should be able to afford comfortably as we're much bigger and richer than those clubs.

Noone is putting any kind of limit of transfer spending so it will continue to rise, not for us to worry about.

That's my take on it too. We have the money, we all know this, it's just Wenger refuses to spend it.

I've been looking at numerous links to us over the past few weeks regarding strikers and pretty much every link goes like this....

Arsenal interested in making offer for Player X, Y or Z but only if the selling club reduces their valuation in Player X, Y or Z. We look cheap and act like it too.

[dostoy]

Still say that if we finished 10th or thereabouts he might go.

If what you say is true and he is here for another 3 years even if we are nearly relegated then what is the point of supporting Arsenal any more ?

He will never win the PL again and as for the CL, we will go out in the last 16 again, that's if we get through the group stages.

It will be the same shit as last season and the 10 seasons before that.

[fakeyank]

Would you rather finish 10th and have Wenger leave or finish 4th and have him here for another 3 years after that until 2020 ?

I will take 17th place in a heartbeat for that mean to leave this club.

[Marc Overmars]

each year a little bit of my love of football and the Arsenal dies. Next summer we will be seeing £150mill players. I actually believe that. I know a few people who have given up on the premier league and now have season tickets for Colchester, Ipswich, and other local teams. They feel more a part of the club and players. One was formally a spurs fan, and one a Chelsea.

This is kind of madness, even with the SkyTV hype machine in overdrive, can't last another 5-10 years at this rate surely?!

Can't see the bubble bursting anytime soon, the popularity of the PL grows every year, even if regular fans like us zone out there are millions across the globe all willing to foot the bill. Fans that actually bother to attend games are small fry, it's the armchair fans that it's marketed towards. TV companies pay so much because they keep getting returns on their investment and that isn't going to stop unfortunately.

There will be a £100m player soon and on it will go. Once upon a time I'm sure it was view as obscene to spend £1m on a player. :shrug:

[Niall_Quinn]

Still say that if we finished 10th or thereabouts he might go.

If what you say is true and he is here for another 3 years even if we are nearly relegated then what is the point of supporting Arsenal any more ?

He will never win the PL again and as for the CL, we will go out in the last 16 again, that's if we get through the group stages.

It will be the same shit as last season and the 10 seasons before that.

I think it may actually be a bit different this season. It looks like we won't sign a striker now or bring in any signings that would signify serious intent. So that will mean Ozil and Alexis leaving either in the January window or next summer. So that's something a bit different than the last few years.

[Özim]

I will take 17th place in a heartbeat for that mean to leave this club.

He'll never leave, the guy doesn't give a toss what anyone thinks and the owners love the money making fool, he's here for as long as he wants and can do whatever he wants with no comeback.

We know how this is going to go, the wrong signings or ones that don't change a thing, an unjury crisis and collapse every season, failure in the CL in the last 16, always the same.

Still seems to have some weird cult that follows him and worships him as well. What a weird club we've become.

[Marc Overmars]

Negredo and Subotic to Boro. :lol:

[Özim]

It looks like we pay someone to put some BS rumours out there every summer just to keep the fans happy, sad thing is it works for most of them. When we employed him we must have told him he had to give up all the other BS he invented.

[Munchies]

I will take 17th place in a heartbeat for that mean to leave this club.

:gp:

He is a parasite

[Özim]

We're being linked with Vermaelen :lol: the guy was cheap rubbish when we signed him and he played like it, couldn't defend for toffee. Never understood why Barca signed him, but supports my theory they don't give a toss about defence, hence the reason Puyol lasted so long (that and the fact he was Spanish of course) We've got barely a striker for the start of the season and now barely a CB :lol: joke of a club.

[Niall_Quinn]

We're being linked with Vermaelen :lol: the guy was cheap rubbish when we signed him and he played like it, couldn't defend for toffee. Never understood why Barca signed him, but supports my theory they don't give a toss about defence, hence the reason Puyol lasted so long (that and the fact he was Spanish of course) We've got barely a striker for the start of the season and now barely a CB :lol: joke of a club.

:lol: That can't be right.

[Munchies]

Wenger is still sitting on his arse

[Munchies]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sF3c5oPUuH8

One for the future eh :haha: :haha: :haha:

Defenders don't even chase after him either

Joke club. Joke manager

[McNamara That Ghost...]

That's not a shocking miss, that's unlucky.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

We're being linked with Vermaelen :lol: the guy was cheap rubbish when we signed him and he played like it, couldn't defend for toffee. Never understood why Barca signed him, but supports my theory they don't give a toss about defence, hence the reason Puyol lasted so long (that and the fact he was Spanish of course) We've got barely a striker for the start of the season and now barely a CB :lol: joke of a club.

This rumour - absolute cock.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

I will take 17th place in a heartbeat for that mean to leave this club.

Winning mentality. :bow:

[Munchies]

That's not a shocking miss, that's unlucky.

Both sides of the keeper were empty!

No need to go for that

side foot it in.

I could've scored that

[Kano]

You can't even spell properly half the time so I don't know how you could score that.

[Munchies]

Higuain moving to Juve according to Di Marzio

Di Marzio: Arsenal only showed interest in Higuain but didn't make formal contacts with player reps or Napoli

[fakeyank]

Winning mentality. :bow:

If you aint first, you are last. 4th = 17th to me.

Ricky Bobby :bow:

[Munchies]

Higuain to Juve seems a done deal

Arsenal :haha:

[Niall_Quinn]

The idea we latch onto players to generate rumours but have no intention of bidding is starting to get legs. Who are we after next? Pogba?

[Özim]

The idea we latch onto players to generate rumours but have no intention of bidding is starting to get legs. Who are we after next? Pogba?

It seems odd we seem to be chasing a player or two every summer and nothing ever happens, it's almost as if we want it to look like we're after someone so it keeps the fans happy, if we don't sign someone (which we generally don't), fans can be happy with the fact we tried our best to sign so and so and that there wasn't any one else around, it also odd we often sign someone quite early on (as if to encourage season ticket sales by raising expectations of summer transfers) and then nothing. Look at the Suarez debacle, offering £1 extra, it's almost as if we were purposefully trying to irritate Liverpool with a petty bid, it worked all too well, we also went after Higuain and then conveniently dropped out and went for Suarez. Then last summer it was apparently after Benzema a guy we had zero chase of ever getting.

Things like this might happen, but not all the time like it happens to us, other clubs never have the issues we have.

All seems very strange.

[selassie]

Higuain moving to Juve according to Di Marzio

Di Marzio: Arsenal only showed interest in Higuain but didn't make formal contacts with player reps or Napoli

Apparently Napoli and Higuain's agent have denied he is joining Juve.

I really don't think it affects us either way, we're not getting him unless they significantly lower their valuation.

This is turning into a typical Arsenal summer really, I wouldn't be surprised if we don't sign another player.

[Power n Glory]

We're probably putting all efforts on getting Asano his work permit. When that fails, we'll do a last minute scramble in the transfer window.

[Kano]

Apparently Napoli and Higuain's agent have denied he is joining Juve.

I really don't think it affects us either way, we're not getting him unless they significantly lower their valuation.

This is turning into a typical Arsenal summer really, I wouldn't be surprised if we don't sign another player.

Well of course. Muppets that believe what is said by the 'experts' on Twatter or anywhere else on line need a good slap.

The club always does stuff as privately as possible and the media are always the last to know. But every single time fans fall for it - at every club.

[Özim]

The club always does stuff as privately as possible and the media are always the last to know. But every single time fans fall for it - at every club.

It's easy to keep things private when you chase nobodies or better still sign noone. Almost all transfer deals appear in the papers before they are completed, so noone actually manages to keep things under cover these days.

[Kano]

4

[Özim]

4th place

Ok then.

[Thierrymon]

What's Kalou up to these days?

[Marc Overmars]

Chelsea agree a 32m fee for Kante. :lol:

[Niall_Quinn]

Chelsea agree a 32m fee for Kante. :lol:

Unfortunately a good signing for them. Kante was always the one most likely to bail. Bit sad though that a mid-table bunch of chavs is a bigger draw that us. More and more people have Wenger sussed I think.

[GP]

Assuming we were ever in for him.

Which we weren't. We don't need him.

You'd be the very first one to moan if we signed another midfielder.

[Master Splinter]

When did N_Q transform into Generic Obnoxious Neurotic Mindless Arsenal Internet Fantard #589?

It's a pretty sad thing to see.

Or is it some long-game parody he's playing?

[Niall_Quinn]

Assuming we were ever in for him.

Which we weren't. We don't need him.

You'd be the very first one to moan if we signed another midfielder.

I was comparing our move for Vardy with the chavs move for Kante.

[GP]

Why would you want to do that?

[Ralpheroo72]

The transfer door is shut at the Grove. We will be starting season minus our Copa and Euro players, and so we will already be at a disadvantage. Worst transfer strategy of any of the 'top' clubs. We are taken for mugs every summer, with empty promises. Stan lining his pockets, and laughing all the way to the bank.

[AFC Leveller]

So we will start the season with our a striker... typical wenger mismanagement. How can you pretend to be ambitious when all the enthusiasm is taken out of the fans before I ball is even kicked.

Tbh as I said on the other thread, not many fans have missed the football or are actually looking forward to the new season so it doesn't make any difference.

Joke of a club.

[Xhaka Can’t]

On the plus side, I won't be getting FY any tickets this season.

[Gooner23]

Just read on Arseblog that Mahrez won't be signing a new contract. We should be pulling out all the stops for him now that the other options seem to be drying up.

[Chippy]

The transfer door is shut at the Grove. We will be starting season minus our Copa and Euro players, and so we will already be at a disadvantage. Worst transfer strategy of any of the 'top' clubs. We are taken for mugs every summer, with empty promises. Stan lining his pockets, and laughing all the way to the bank.
Why are we so surprised? This happens every year. One more season of this shit and Le Prof should be gone.

[Niall_Quinn]

Julian Draxler's hopes of sealing a move to Arsenal this summer remain slim after Wolfsburg sporting director Klaus Allofs insisted he will '100 per cent' stay at the club.
As reported by Sportsmail this week, the Bundesliga club expect 22-year-old Draxler to push for a move and Arsenal remain keen on sealing his signature.
But Allofs has insisted the Germany international, who is valued at £50million by his club, will not be leaving the Volkswagen Arena in this transfer window.

I think we should go for Zlatan. I know he's just moved, but a solid round of rumours and speculation followed up by a concerted effort to avoid all contact with the player and his club might just lead to a spectacular announcement. We should at least not try, what do we have to gain?

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

for people who are in no way surprised, there does seem to be a lot of thinly veiled anger dressed up as sarcasm on here

I just shrug my shoulders and think it's not worth getting angry about.

I can believe the Higuain link was true in so far that we asked if he was available and a basic estimate of how much and De Laurentis told us either where to go or quoted the ridiculous price he came out to the media with and instead of trying to turn the player's head and negotiate a lower asking price, we shrugged our shoulders and said "well we've done everything we can".

[Niall_Quinn]

for people who are in no way surprised, there does seem to be a lot of thinly veiled anger dressed up as sarcasm on here

I just shrug my shoulders and think it's not worth getting angry about.

I can believe the Higuain link was true in so far that we asked if he was available and a basic estimate of how much and De Laurentis told us either where to go or quoted the ridiculous price he came out to the media with and instead of trying to turn the player's head and negotiate a lower asking price, we shrugged our shoulders and said "well we've done everything we can".

I guess going into the summer many, including myself, imagined not even WUMger could pull the same shit again. There was too much unrest throughout the fan base during last season. The inability to compete with Leicester was a new low point. The fact WUMger had been shown up time and again as the mistakes everyone pointed out last summer came home to roost. Surely this man, despite his overwhelming arrogance, his incompetence, his supreme stubbornness would change the equation just a little, if only to preserve what little is left of his shredded reputation. He still has a month remaining. But after so many seasons of the same old shit Arsenal fans can detect the signs. There seems to be no limit to what this fool is prepared to do to keep on trying to prove his methods that have failed and failed and failed again have validity. Too many years in the one place, too much power. Too complacent. No consequences for his actions or inactions. A recipe for nothing and that's what he keeps on delivering to the fans. Or, viewed from the board's perspective, holy shit, the man's a genius! And that's the divide.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

Think the board are caught between a rock of we don't want to rock the boat because our minimum objectives are being met and damn that marble clad stone flooring in my bathroom is nice.......and the hard place of people might stop coming to the emirates and buying our toot which might upset current and prospective sponsors and i'm paying for this marble clad stone flooring in instalments.

And Wenger is doing what any person would do when there's very little job pressure on him and the only one who decides whether he stays or goes is himself, the bare minimum.

I think he is genuinely more scared of spending loads and still failing which in his mind would be tarnishing his legacy as well as betraying his bizarre "changes to whatever best suits him" principles.

If you know you are going to please management if you do things the way you always have done things, why would you do things any different?. Why not just live on past achievements and pretend that your record of never finishing lower than 4th means something.

If i was 66 and knew my best years were behind me...I'd do exactly the same.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

I am not too fussed, because if he fails to challenge for the title and is awarded with a new contract then there will be no doubt in my mind that the club is not worth investing any of my time in. I can maybe derive some amusement between the Wenger out Brigade where despite being far more sympathetic to their point of view have nothing better to channel their frustration into other than blind rage at anyone who dares to look at the situation with any sense of detachment, and the Arsene Knows Bests who frequently change their goalposts because they equally can't divorce emotion from their assessment of the situation.

I know a lot of people are tired of the factionalism and the silly i'm in one camp or the other mentality, but it's what people do....they are desperate always for a sense of belonging and will defend something they know to be nonsense because they've planted their flag.

The only sane thing to do, is hope for the best, expect the worst....and have something better to do with your time when it invariably goes wrong.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

Think the board are caught between a rock of we don't want to rock the boat because our minimum objectives are being met and damn that marble clad stone flooring in my bathroom is nice.......and the hard place of people might stop coming to the emirates and buying our toot which might upset current and prospective sponsors and i'm paying for this marble clad stone flooring in instalments.

And Wenger is doing what any person would do when there's very little job pressure on him and the only one who decides whether he stays or goes is himself, the bare minimum.

I think he is genuinely more scared of spending loads and still failing which in his mind would be tarnishing his legacy as well as betraying his bizarre "changes to whatever best suits him" principles.

If you know you are going to please management if you do things the way you always have done things, why would you do things any different?. Why not just live on past achievements and pretend that your record of never finishing lower than 4th means something.

If i was 66 and knew my best years were behind me...I'd do exactly the same.

It certainly wasn't an emotional reaction not renewing my red membership, i just didn't want to spend money on something which i probably wouldn't end up using. There was no "so it's come to this" lamentation, it was a bit like sifting through clothes to get rid of when i moved last week it was a case of "I don't really need this any more".

[GP]

Are you talking to yourself?

[Niall_Quinn]

Are you talking to yourself?

Damn, I forgot to switch accounts :doh:

[Özim]

Unfortunately a good signing for them. Kante was always the one most likely to bail. Bit sad though that a mid-table bunch of chavs is a bigger draw that us. More and more people have Wenger sussed I think.

Signing a player for most other clubs takes days, it takes us all summer only to not sign them, we're a complete joke, as I said Vardy turning us down just shows how much players rate us now, the only thing we seem to attract is unknowns like Xhaka.

[dostoy]

Can anyone really see Wenger paying the prices that are now quoted for top players ?

He would not pay anywhere near the those figures.

If we don't sign a striker, and we struggle next season, which we will, and when the next set of financial results come out they show that we have cash reserves of 200 million plus, what do you think will happen ?

That is correct, a new 3 year contract will be there for him to sign with a big pay rise as well for having so much cash to spare.

That only happens at Arsenal.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Time to bring back the Higuain thread from the dead? :lol:

[GP]

It's ON!

[Xhaka Can’t]

My membership has lapsed. I thought hard about it as I had Silver membership which strangely enough is now harder to get than a season ticket.

[Power n Glory]

This is the usual pattern for us. We often do business early up until mid July and August are always quiet for us. Rarely sign players around this point. I'm not expecting any major moves until deadline approaches.

[Gooner23]

It is. But that shouldn't be acceptable any more. How many seasons do we start off under prepared and lacking players in key positions. We just never learn our lessons, or rather Arsene doesn't as ultimately he calls all the shots.

The failings of last season have no doubt already been forgotten. It's why this season I hold out zero hope for any success. I'd just like us to play some better football so I can enjoy watching the games again.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

Are you talking to yourself?

As much as I find its the only guarantee of a sensible conversation, in this instance I had clicked on reply with quote rather than editing the previous message.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

As much as I find its the only guarantee of a sensible conversation, in this instance I had clicked on reply with quote rather than editing the previous message.

Tit

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

It is. But that shouldn't be acceptable any more. How many seasons do we start off under prepared and lacking players in key positions. We just never learn our lessons, or rather Arsene doesn't as ultimately he calls all the shots.

The failings of last season have no doubt already been forgotten. It's why this season I hold out zero hope for any success. I'd just like us to play some better football so I can enjoy watching the games again.


Why is it any less acceptable than it was last summer or in the summer of 2013?.

AWs response to the atmosphere at the Emirates last season could just as easily been "well they are probably all on their periods or something".

[Power n Glory]

It is. But that shouldn't be acceptable any more. How many seasons do we start off under prepared and lacking players in key positions. We just never learn our lessons, or rather Arsene doesn't as ultimately he calls all the shots.

The failings of last season have no doubt already been forgotten. It's why this season I hold out zero hope for any success. I'd just like us to play some better football so I can enjoy watching the games again.

It's not acceptable but it's down to the fans to take some sort of action. Whether it's protests or boycotts, however you see fit, something has to be done differently. The Board and manager are following the same patterns so it's down to the fans to change their behaviour. No other way. We have deep rooted problems and just seeing how the club have handled the Arteta and Henry situation should be set the alarm bells off.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

What i find it that fans of other club are just as split on our predicament as the Arsenal fans themselves are

Some don't understand why we don't spend more money on players and why we keep Arsene Wenger, and some don't understand what we complain about and would love the "consistency" we have in our league finishes which i suspect is the artificial creation of a top four finish as actually meaning something in itself.

My answer to the latter, I don't think it's unreasonable when we pay the highest ticket prices in Europe to expect a bit more than consistency.

It's interesting how they view Wenger, like us they don't believe he is a top manager any more where as i remember ten years ago clubs like Liverpool's fans said they'd take him as manager.

Most don't believe he deserves to be sacked, but that he should move on.

[The Emirates Gallactico]

The recent Arsenalvision podcast on transfers is pretty good.

Clearly the three targets we've seemed to have made genuine moves for are Xhaka, Vardy and Mkhitrayan. The latter two obviously didn't come off but had they did we'd be in a much better position than we are right now.

Agree with Tim Stillman though, I think what will happen is that Wenger will end up reluctantly parting the money for Lacazette. Clearly he doesn't rate him that much otherwise we'd have concluded the deal already but with Welbeck out this season, I think he knows this isn't a season he can't skate through again with just Giroud. Draxler as well if the deal is good, but it really beggers belief why we didn't go for him last season when his stock was lower and the price was semi reasonable. If he really rated him then a couple of bad seasons shouldn't have deterred him - now we're looking at 40 million if we're lucky

[Niall_Quinn]

Honestly, I hope we don't bring in that LaCassetetape bloke. He looks very ordinary. 5th choice French striker. He'll just be another huge irritation and constant reminder of what a cheapskate our manager is. Draxler yes. We already know how L'Idiot is setting up to play this season. Draxler could add some spark to that corpse. But it sounds like it'd be closer to £50mill.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

Honestly, I hope we don't bring in that LaCassetetape bloke. He looks very ordinary. 5th choice French striker. He'll just be another huge irritation and constant reminder of what a cheapskate our manager is. Draxler yes. We already know how L'Idiot is setting up to play this season. Draxler could add some spark to that corpse. But it sounds like it'd be closer to £50mill.

Draxler?, what happens when he decides he wants to take up Ballet and even his close-minded Geordie miner family help him realise his dream

[Gooner23]

Why is it any less acceptable than it was last summer or in the summer of 2013?.

AWs response to the atmosphere at the Emirates last season could just as easily been "well they are probably all on their periods or something".

I don't think it is particularly any less acceptable. Last season showed that even with all the excuses stripped away Wenger just isn't up to it anymore. He is so set in his ways, that transfers can only take place at the beginning and end of the window. Its really damaging to the club.

[GP]

Mauro Icardi

[Mr. Lahey]

i think the best bet at this point is to get the best player we can in. Laccazette isnt really that good, especially for the silly price Lyon are asking. Pay whatever it takes for Draxler and move Alexis up front with Giroud. Revert back to a 442 with Draxler-Xhaka-Ramsey-Ozil as the midfield.

[Niall_Quinn]

i think the best bet at this point is to get the best player we can in. Laccazette isnt really that good, especially for the silly price Lyon are asking. Pay whatever it takes for Draxler and move Alexis up front with Giroud. Revert back to a 442 with Draxler-Xhaka-Ramsey-Ozil as the midfield.

He won't revert to a 4-4-2. According to the experts, who are forever being proved wrong, 4-4-2 doesn't work in the PL. WUMger is one of those faddish experts. Besides, you can't play negative, shit football as easily with a 4-4-2. Much better to pack the middle and tip tap it around to get that all important 65% possession stat. This is the reason I prefer Draxler. He's technical and could cope with Wenger's bullshit but at the same time he's creative so could bust out of the shackles and do something positive, like Alexis and Ozil. CasseteBoy would be another player who would get lost in the Wenger maze, well from what I've seen of him which admittedly isn't that much. But it doesn't look like he has that extra bit of talent that could make a difference.

[Niall_Quinn]

Draxler?, what happens when he decides he wants to take up Ballet and even his close-minded Geordie miner family help him realise his dream

That's the danger with any player we sign. If they can't get the better of Wenger's system then they become non-entities. The old fool would have seen Ramsey playing in the Euros but won't have uncovered any clues. He'll have seen Alexis playing in the Copa, but that would have flown right over his head too. So yes, Draxler would have to be strong to make an impact, but he looks like he has the attributes to overcome whatever Wenger throws at him. At £50mill he's not cheap but then again Troy Deeney is now a £30mill player so in this market, and having lost out once already, we should get him before he's £80mill or £100mill.

[Niall_Quinn]

Apparently Monsieur Peanuts will up our offer of 750k to 2.5mill to sign Rob Holding from Bolton.

[Gooner23]

Get in there.

[Mr. Lahey]

He won't revert to a 4-4-2. According to the experts, who are forever being proved wrong, 4-4-2 doesn't work in the PL. WUMger is one of those faddish experts. Besides, you can't play negative, shit football as easily with a 4-4-2. Much better to pack the middle and tip tap it around to get that all important 65% possession stat. This is the reason I prefer Draxler. He's technical and could cope with Wenger's bullshit but at the same time he's creative so could bust out of the shackles and do something positive, like Alexis and Ozil. CasseteBoy would be another player who would get lost in the Wenger maze, well from what I've seen of him which admittedly isn't that much. But it doesn't look like he has that extra bit of talent that could make a difference.

you are probably right and I agree regarding Draxler. He has the talent to be a game changer in spite of the shit we play. hes got his best years ahead of him - its a no brainer for me.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

That's the danger with any player we sign. If they can't get the better of Wenger's system then they become non-entities. The old fool would have seen Ramsey playing in the Euros but won't have uncovered any clues. He'll have seen Alexis playing in the Copa, but that would have flown right over his head too. So yes, Draxler would have to be strong to make an impact, but he looks like he has the attributes to overcome whatever Wenger throws at him. At £50mill he's not cheap but then again Troy Deeney is now a £30mill player so in this market, and having lost out once already, we should get him before he's £80mill or £100mill.

I know you are much more of a Ramsey fan than me, but isn't it possible just possible than the abject averageness of player performance in the tournament made Ramsey look better than he actually is. Don't get me wrong there is no question that Wenger isn't getting the best out of a lot of his players, but it's also easy to look good when many of the players around you in terms of technical ability are championship quality.

[Niall_Quinn]

I know you are much more of a Ramsey fan than me, but isn't it possible just possible than the abject averageness of player performance in the tournament made Ramsey look better than he actually is. Don't get me wrong there is no question that Wenger isn't getting the best out of a lot of his players, but it's also easy to look good when many of the players around you in terms of technical ability are championship quality.

Well I think that averageness extends across all European football. So in the context of the PL the same could be said, Ramsey is above average by comparison. The problem we have is Wenger has overloaded us with attacking midfielders (or players who in his mind are attacking midfielders), so you have to sacrifice somebody if you want to get the best from Ramsey. Now we have Xhaka I can't see an effective role for Ramsey unless we are dropping Cazorla, and Cazorla is Wenger's favourite player because the poor sod busts a gut and has enough talent to drag something out of Wenger's shit system. I'd be fine with us upgrading our football to the system Wales played - and it would be an upgrade. Sensible football, playing to the strengths of what we have. That shitty Barca-lite kicked into touch forever.

Ozil behind the striker, Ramsey box to box, Xhaka the grafter holding the centre, Alexis and Mahrez/ Draxler wide, a decent striker up top. With our injury list there would be plenty of opportunity for Cazorla, Coquelin, Elneny, Wilshere, Walcott, Welbeck, Ox, Iwobi, Campbell. It's not such a bad squad with a couple more additions. But it would take a smart manager to get a good rotational system in place, make sure square pegs are in square holes, rest players at the right moments. Wenger does none of this. So normal ideas go out the window and we tend to go through the season in crisis mode in terms of the selection.

[selassie]

Apparently Monsieur Peanuts will up our offer of 750k to 2.5mill to sign Rob Holding from Bolton.

The fact that it takes us months to sign a championship or should I say League One player now that nobody wants tell us all we need to know about our transfer policy. Calling it a Transfer Policy is a compliment.

Wenger and his "Throw our Dog" a bone Transfer Policy is laughable, it's disturbing.

[selassie]

Can anyone really see Wenger paying the prices that are now quoted for top players ?

He would not pay anywhere near the those figures.

If we don't sign a striker, and we struggle next season, which we will, and when the next set of financial results come out they show that we have cash reserves of 200 million plus, what do you think will happen ?

That is correct, a new 3 year contract will be there for him to sign with a big pay rise as well for having so much cash to spare.

That only happens at Arsenal.

Of course he won't, he refuses to adapt, he's a shell of a man stuck on 2007 prices. He won't train, won't buy, won't adapt, flat out refuses to accept. He's right and everybody else is wrong. The sad thing is he is here to stay, he'll decide it ALL.

[Munchies]

this place is a ghost town :getcoat:

Guess we haven't signed anyone then :lol:

[Xhaka Can’t]

There is nothing to say that hasn't been said in previous years threads.

This folks, is the definition of stagnation.

[Niall_Quinn]

Even Dave's getting riled. So that's it, everyone else on the planet knows what's needed leaving just the one man who disagrees.


Arsenal legend David Seaman has piled the pressure on his former boss Arsene Wenger to further improve his squad in the summer transfer window.
The Gunners have so far only added £30million Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka to their squad that once again faded in the title race last season, eventually finishing second behind Leicester.
And the former England goalkeeper, who spent 13 years at the club, believes Wenger still needs to strengthen in key areas if they are to maximise their potential in the coming campaign.

'We still need a dominant centre-half,' he told talkSPORT. 'We'll see what Granit [Xhaka]'s like in midfield, but ideally we need someone like Patrick Vieira. And a striker as well.
'He needs to buy someone to give the club a lift and give the fans a lift. Ideally a striker would be great, but either a centre-half or midfielder would do for me.'
Arsenal had renewed interest in Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain but the Argentine goal-getter looks destined to join Juventus for a upwards of £70m.

[Niall_Quinn]

According to german newspaper, Bild, Arsenal are tracking young German midfielder Philipp Ochs.


The 19-year-old is German youth international represented his country at this summer's European Championships for his age group, and scored a stunning hat-trick in his side's 4-2 defeat to Portugal on Thursday.


Any player who can score a hattrick in a 4-2 defeat is worth looking at!

[Niall_Quinn]

Newspapers are starting to copy/ paste previous day's rumours, almost unedited, for all Arsenal "activity". I think our role in this transfer window is mainly to allow players to be linked with us so they get better deals at their existing club. Icardi is the latest to take advantage of our free service.

[Özim]

Newspapers are starting to copy/ paste previous day's rumours, almost unedited, for all Arsenal "activity". I think our role in this transfer window is mainly to allow players to be linked with us so they get better deals at their existing club. Icardi is the latest to take advantage of our free service.

and to convince our own fans we're working hard on getting players in, but that transfers are very hard, so that when we don't sign anyone some of the fans can think we were just unfortunate and can go into the season saying AW tried to sign so and so.

[selassie]

and to convince our own fans we're working hard on getting players in, but that transfers are very hard, so that when we don't sign anyone some of the fans can think we were just unfortunate and can go into the season saying AW tried to sign so and so.

What makes it worse is that Kos, Ozil and Sanchez are all stalling on signing new deals. Our club is a shambles and this shit is self imposed, it's equivalent to self harming.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Pretty depressing hey. If we aren't going to sign a CF, we should at least be looking to bring in someone who can score 15 goals in the league + from a wide position.

I'd like Leicester to be stripped of Mahrez even if it wasn't us he came to...........that'll learn ya, Jamie Vardy.

[GP]

Icardi
Mahrez
Manolas


Calling it now.

[Niall_Quinn]

What makes it worse is that Kos, Ozil and Sanchez are all stalling on signing new deals. Our club is a shambles and this shit is self imposed, it's equivalent to self harming.

The Kos thing with Bayern sounds a bit worrying. If we lost Kos :haha: we'd be fucked beyond belief. Would be textbook Arsenal, going into the window looking for a striker and coming out having lost our best defender instead.

[Marc Overmars]

Yep, if we don't want to take a punt on a striker then we absolutely should go after a midfielder that can score regularly, ie Mahrez.

[Özim]

Let's get real, we're not going to sign anyone decent, were mickey mouse merchants, we belong in the Vauxhall conference not PL in terms of transfers.

We've been here, seen it, done it so many times before and we're almost always left disappointed, neither the club nor manager are interested in spending money and bringing in top quality, all they want is cheap nobodies, firstly so th club can save a few pennies and secondly so the manager can pat himself on the back and tell people you don't have to spend money to win things.

If we were interested in signing players then these alleged rumours about us being interested in someone would quickly turn into concrete signings, they don't because we're more interested in letting rumours circulate so that people don't think we're doing nothing and just enjoying our summer holidays.

The pretence is over now, for year we hid behind the stadium investment as the reason why we couldn't spend, that's not there any more and it's clear as day that all along we just didn't really want to spend.

Get use to being disappointed, that's what this club does best, that and generating money for the guys that matter at the top.

[selassie]

The Kos thing with Bayern sounds a bit worrying. If we lost Kos :haha: we'd be fucked beyond belief. Would be textbook Arsenal, going into the window looking for a striker and coming out having lost our best defender instead.

:haha: I know, classic Arsenal!

[Özim]

As for Sanchez and Ozil hard to see why they would want to stay, surely they've realise by now that Wenger isn't interested in signing quality players, I'd imagine when they move here he spun them some story about being the best team and winning stuff and they assumed that involved bringing in quality, Ozil seems to be calling for us to sign a striker, I hope he's prepared to be disappointed as many former have been in the past. Once players see through the nonsense they don't have much of an incentive to stay.

[Özim]

:haha: I know, classic Arsenal!

I think most half decent players would be reluctant to sign a new contract if they have other optons at big clubs available, they would have surely cottoned on we aren't serious competitors for the major trophies and won't sign the players to ensure we have more of a chance.

The only players who stick around are players like Walcott and Wilshere who know they're onto a good thing getting paid big bucks for being injured most of the time or not performing, at most other clubs they'd be out on their ear, ut not at Arsenal, you can probably last a decade there if you're clever.

Koscielny should really be looking to move if he wants any major success, he's 30 now and it's his last chance and he won't really be around when we have a new manager and perhaps a chance of winning the big prizes again. If he sticks around he's just going to end up with a couple of FA cup medals and some 4th place trophies, not exactly a cabinet full of medals.

[Niall_Quinn]

From LeGrove:


News just in… Apparently we have made contact with Mauro Icardi’s reps about bringing him to London. Here are his stats for the last three seasons:

Goals 47
Mins/goal 145
Conversion (excl pens) 24%
Assists 12
Mins/chance created 81

So more second tier shite, but this time with a 50mill Euro price tag attached. Better to leave the money in the bank so Stan can mortgage a new ranchthe new manager can spend it.

In 2032.

[Özim]

From LeGrove:



So more second tier shite, but this time with a 50mill Euro price tag attached. Better to leave the money in the bank so Stan can mortgage a new ranchthe new manager can spend it.

In 2032.

:lol: He's the next rumour we're putting out there, this should keep going for a few weeks, maybe enough time to take us into the new season.

[Marc Overmars]

Icardi is 23, there's probably more to come from him and he's already a 1 in 2 striker.

Honestly, I really think people desperate for something that just isn't attainable or worse still, doesn't exist.

Every top striker had to start somewhere until they exploded. We're far too quick to write off players, unless it's someone so obviously shit like Sanogo then we need to give them a chance.

[Niall_Quinn]

From Arseblog:


We play a friendly against Lens on Friday night, then there’s some travel and a trip to Californeeeee to play two games on Thursday 28th and Sunday July 31st. There’s more travel as we hit Norway to play Viking FK on August 5th, then it’s Pep Guardiola and Man City on August 7th in Sweden.

That's some pretty impressive round-tripping. Would have been nice for our new striker to be involved in some capacity, such as actually being part of the club, but you can't always have anything. I guess the players back from the Euros won't be involved much. So it looks like we have two real pre-season games in there and the rest is money spinning. Which means we'll end up with knackered players that didn't go to the Euros and knackered players who did. Consistency. We're a long way from camp in Austria because Wenger doesn't like fucking up the players even before the season starts. But the money compensates I suppose.

Can we sign a player before Friday? Or is it better to wait until the season starts, dump hm in it and hope he floats? Or is it cheaper to sign nobody at all?

[Özim]

I'll believe these rumours when they happen, personally just think some guy is putting these rumours out there and that none of them are actually true.

Let's face it we won't be paying 50 million for anyone, Wenger has already shown his hand, he wants to spend 20 million max, that's why he went for the one season wonder.

[Özim]

Can we sign a player before Friday? Or is it better to wait until the season starts, dump hm in it and hope he floats? Or is it cheaper to sign nobody at all?

We should wait until the end of the transfer window, that's the best time and where you have the most choice, clubs are desperate to sell their star players then you see because they have plenty of time to replace them.

[Niall_Quinn]

Icardi is 23, there's probably more to come from him and he's already a 1 in 2 striker.

Honestly, I really think people desperate for something that just isn't attainable or worse still, doesn't exist.

Every top striker had to start somewhere until they exploded. We're far too quick to write off players, unless it's someone so obviously shit like Sanogo then we need to give them a chance.

We grew up on Wright, Bergkamp, Henry, RvC. Yes, Sanogo is a bit of a let-down, but Giroud represents where we seem to be in terms of what Wenger calls talent these days. Icardi, Lukaku, Morata, all have time to develop and they all have another thing in common. None of them will ever be in the same class we grew accustomed to. Being the club with the most money in the bank and one of the most valuable teams in football then why do we have to put up with this when your Barcas and Madrids and gypos are fielding the real deal? We are most definitely playing in the second tier, but the whole point of austerity was to put ourselves up there with the big guns. Now we have the money to do that, in fact the money is pouring in s fast they can't count the stuff. Biggest TV deals in history, increased sponsorship and merchandising, the most expensive tickets in the known and unknown universe. But we are playing in the second tier when it comes to transfers. It's little surprise that fans don't get excited by that.

[selassie]

Icardi is 23, there's probably more to come from him and he's already a 1 in 2 striker.

Honestly, I really think people desperate for something that just isn't attainable or worse still, doesn't exist.

Every top striker had to start somewhere until they exploded. We're far too quick to write off players, unless it's someone so obviously shit like Sanogo then we need to give them a chance.

I highly doubt we'll sign Icardi at the prices being quoted...55mill Euros or whatever it is.

I'd personally take him, I think the guy has a lot of potential even though he's not been as prolific last season as he was the season before.

We're basically in a position now where we're going to need to pay a lot of money for a striker who may not even be a big upgrade on Giroud if at all. That's how the market is now and clubs are probably sensing we are getting desperate.

[The Emirates Gallactico]

Icardi is 23, there's probably more to come from him and he's already a 1 in 2 striker.

Honestly, I really think people desperate for something that just isn't attainable or worse still, doesn't exist.

Every top striker had to start somewhere until they exploded. We're far too quick to write off players, unless it's someone so obviously shit like Sanogo then we need to give them a chance.

Yeah this. The mythical 30 goals guaranteed striker just simply isn't out there or attainable.

You're next best bet is to get the most promising 22/23 year olds who then have the potential to become one and that's what Icardi is. 1 in 2 when your 23 isn't too shabby tbh. Would be happy with Icardi .... may not be much (if at all) of an immediate upgrade on Giroud, however unlike Giroud he has time on his side to get much better.

Now if we could compliment him with a source of goals out wide (Mahrez) then we'd be complete.

[Niall_Quinn]

Barca interested in Mahrez. So a no-go unless they drop that interest fast.

[Özim]

Yeah if Barca is interested then that deal is deal, no player will choose us over them.

We're doing our very best to mess up this transfer window, we're so slow at doing anything the local dinner lady could probably complete a deal for these players quicker than we can, that's even with no prior knowledge.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

The big Spanish clubs tend not to sign players from England unless they are from one of our big clubs. It's almost like buying an unglamorous player from a mid table / small English club is beneath them. And of course the presidential politics plays an unreasonable part in it all.

Regardless...... if we wanted Mahrez we could have bid for him by now ourselves! If we don't get him it won't be because Barca bullied him off us.


On a different subject I was interested to hear Phillipe Auclair say he wasn't the biggest fan of Pogba.

[GP]

I don't know what to make of Pogba.

He's obviously talented but his decision making lets him down.

If he's sold it will be for a record fee but I really don't think he warrants it.

[Globalgunner]

I don't know what to make of Pogba.

He's obviously talented but his decision making lets him down.

If he's sold it will be for a record fee but I really don't think he warrants it.

Let United spend their money. I hope he goes for 120m. Mourinho will hopefully bankrupt them

[Marc Overmars]

I think Pogba will become a great player in time, he's a bit of a show pony right now but I don't think it will
be long before he elevates himself to a new level. He reminds me a little bit of Ronaldo in his younger days, he was very hit and miss but suddenly turned into a beast.

As for the fee, well that's just representative of the game these days.

[The Emirates Gallactico]

I don't know what to make of Pogba.

He's obviously talented but his decision making lets him down.

If he's sold it will be for a record fee but I really don't think he warrants it.

Good player but horrendously over rated at that price ...... if he's worth 100 million than Xhaka should be 80 million.

I wish Man Utd paying the fee quoted would be enough to bankrupt them but the sad reality is that they can just sign another multi million pound sponsorship deal with some Emirati Shoe company to recoup some of the money.

The only hope is they yet again fail to finish inside the top four because then and only then will we may see some of their sponsors start pulling back, otherwise 100 million is almost nothing to them.

[Kano]

Good player but horrendously over rated at that price ...... if he's worth 100 million than Xhaka should be 80 million.

I wish Man Utd paying the fee quoted would be enough to bankrupt them but the sad reality is that they can just sign another multi million pound sponsorship deal with some Emirati Shoe company to recoup some of the money.

The only hope is they yet again fail to finish inside the top four because then and only then will we may see some of their sponsors start pulling back, otherwise 100 million is almost nothing to them.

£100m plus wages and all that comes with it is a lot for any club. But the biggest benefit clubs have now is the relaxing of the FFP laws, which were never going to be upheld for long. £300m in debt, paying out the arse for individual players - doesn't mean a thing to the lawmakers in the game it seems.

[selassie]

£100m plus wages and all that comes with it is a lot for any club. But the biggest benefit all clubs apart from ARSENAL have now is the relaxing of the FFP laws, which were never going to be upheld for long. £300m in debt, paying out the arse for individual players - doesn't mean a thing to the lawmakers in the game it seems.

Fixed it for you.;)

[Özim]

Pogba is very Vieira like IMO, which is what makes him valuable, he makes those pwerful runs from the midfield which is quite rare these days, he's a powerful player, players like him tend to lead counters and open up teams, he's not the finished article but there's signs he could be a monster in midfield.

Would love one of those dynamic midfielders playing for us, last time we had one was Vieira and our play realyl exciting and more unpredictable.

I wouldn't pay 100 million for him that's for sure, seems to be more down to market forces more than anything, but I certainly see his merit over a holding midfielder, because he offers far more attacking wise and offensive players generally cost a lot more.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

I don't quite believe it will be 100 million he will go for.....If Manure offer 80 million I find it hard to believe that it will be rejected but we will see.

The price tag doesn't help the assessments made of him and he clearly is a talented player but he is worth nothing like 100 million....at least to Arsenal.

If you aren't expecting the football bubble to burst though, that 100 million given his age, probably doesn't look so ridiculous.

[Niall_Quinn]

We have a way to go.


MANCHESTER UNITED'S EXTENSIVE COMMERCIAL PARTNERSHIPS
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[Japan Shaking All Over]

Barca interested in Mahrez. So a no-go unless they drop that interest fast.

FFS when will we be linked with a player and actually go out and buy the fu&ker in a heartbeat? We always leave the door open for another to come waltzing through and steal from under our noses.

Get him in.....he doesn't need scouting or courting we just need to stump up the cash!

If we must get some money back which we don't because Stan has made a killing at the expense of a decent transfer policy but if we do then shop Walnutt for 15-20 mil

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

FFS when will we be linked with a player and actually go out and buy the fu&ker in a heartbeat? We always leave the door open for another to come waltzing through and steal from under our noses.

Get him in.....he doesn't need scouting or courting we just need to stump up the cash!

If we must get some money back which we don't because Stan has made a killing at the expense of a decent transfer policy but if we do then shop Walnutt for 15-20 mil

You and I both know Wenger is an agonising, hand wringing prevaricator

and ultimately anything remotely related to football, he calls the shots

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

Do you guys want Wijnaldum then?

I can put in a good word.

https://33.media.tumblr.com/ced3b10ca17bec0173e09f615ac000e6/tumblr_mtzsut0tAO1sjwg5lo1_500.gif

[The Emirates Gallactico]

Wijnaldum is actually pretty good tbh and deserves far better than championship football. Would be amazing for a high mid table team like Southampton or Everton and perhaps could do a job for a Liverpool or a Spurs.

But for any team with any ambitions of winning the title and guaranteed top four football, he's not good enough. Mind you, the same thing could be said about the likes of Theo and Campbell but then again they aren't starters .... or at least they shouldn't be.

[AFC Leveller]

Typical.

We sit here every summer waiting for key signings and as always nothing happens
Wenger's mismanagement a arrogance cannot b tolerated anymore, something must be done. Enough is enough. Fuck off.

[GP]

something must be done.

Go on then.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

Typical.

We sit here every summer waiting for key signings and as always nothing happens
Wenger's mismanagement a arrogance cannot b tolerated anymore, something must be done. Enough is enough. Fuck off.

The same kind of response every season as well

Last season I was angry, not this time.....really just don't care enough

[Power n Glory]

People need to commit to doing something different this season if the situation at the club is that bothersome.

[Ralpheroo72]

Our transfer window was shut a long time ago. Anyone that comes in, will be a squad filler, not the quality that we need. But the better news is, our cash reserves have surged to 300,000,000,000!!!! Plus our fans have bought more shirts, and tickets, so its set to surge even further with our Top 4 trophy prize money!!!!

[Marc Overmars]

The same kind of response every season as well

Last season I was angry, not this time.....really just don't care enough

Yeah I think the club has just become a parody of itself, the situation has grown so tiresome now there's really no point in wasting anymore emotion on it. The manager is the way he is and nothing is going to change that. Wake me up when he's gone.

[Kano]

Our transfer window was shut a long time ago. Anyone that comes in, will be a squad filler, not the quality that we need. But the better news is, our cash reserves have surged to 300,000,000,000!!!! Plus our fans have bought more shirts, and tickets, so its set to surge even further with our Top 4 trophy prize money!!!!

Where did you get the figure from? Back in May, AST reckon it was just shy of £200m, with half that available to spend.

[Ralpheroo72]

Where did you get the figure from? Back in May, AST reckon it was just shy of £200m, with half that available to spend.

Well we have saved money by charging for toilet roll in all of the stadium toilets for a start. With all the money that we aren't using on player transfers, and lets not forget the money all of our tourist fans from the far east will spend in the Armoury.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Wijnaldum is actually pretty good tbh and deserves far better than championship football. Would be amazing for a high mid table team like Southampton or Everton and perhaps could do a job for a Liverpool or a Spurs.

But for any team with any ambitions of winning the title and guaranteed top four football, he's not good enough. Mind you, the same thing could be said about the likes of Theo and Campbell but then again they aren't starters .... or at least they shouldn't be.

I've gone on record saying I wouldn't have minded us signing him before we signed Elneny and Xhaka...... he is a very good player and is technically good enough to be a part of any squad in the league.

I've said similar about Sissoko too but these days I just can't look beyond who we are buying or who we aren't buying at CF.

[Marc Overmars]

£2m bid made for Rob Holding.

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36833562

:lol:

[selassie]

£2m bid made for Rob Holding.

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36833562

:lol:

That's our third signing we were promised. Xhaka, Asano and Holding, business done, Window closed.

[Niall_Quinn]

£2m bid made for Rob Holding.

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36833562

:lol:

Textbook.

We've tracked him patiently. Gone through the wanting period. Endured the waiting period. Executed the wanking period superbly by striking with a brilliantly insulting offer. And finally, finally we've landed our nobody. Add him to the list of prospects who will never play for the club, never be heard of again.

Ladies, gents, this is how it's done!

Now just one more panic buy that makes zero sense, right at the close of the window, and it's been another brilliant summer. We've picked up potentially the most boring player in world football, a little Japanese kid who makes cutesy hand gestures and some other guy. It's on!

[Özim]

This would be a joke of a signing, just like Jenkinson was, we're so friggin cheap it's unreal.

How anyone can't be totally and utterly sick of Wenger I don't know, the guy is an total and utter clown.

[Gooner23]

Yeah I think the club has just become a parody of itself, the situation has grown so tiresome now there's really no point in wasting anymore emotion on it. The manager is the way he is and nothing is going to change that. Wake me up when he's gone.

I am firmly in this camp now as well. No point in getting angry about a situation that wont change anytime soon. I've cancelled my red membership but thats not going to change much.

[selassie]

People need to commit to doing something different this season if the situation at the club is that bothersome.

I hope they do. It obviously got toxic towards the end of last season when we collapsed as per norm in the title race, a poor or indifferent start and the knives will be out again.

As others have eluded too, it comes as no real surprise that we are where we are in this window, it's just disappointing more than anything else.

[Özim]

I hope they do. It obviously got toxic towards the end of last season when we collapsed as per norm in the title race, a poor or indifferent start and the knives will be out again.

As others have eluded too, it comes as no real surprise that we are where we are in this window, it's just disappointing more than anything else.

Toxic but as always Wenger gets away with it, a fair few fans decided to stand by the guy despite it clear he can't cut it. We all knew what was going to happen let's face it, so it doesn't come as a surprise, or it shouldn't at least. Somehow you hope it might be different even if you don't really believe it will be.

IMO Wenger is ruining this once great club and undoing all the work he did in the the early days, it's starting to become hard to remember what it was like when we were really good as it has been such a long time now.

[Niall_Quinn]

I am firmly in this camp now as well. No point in getting angry about a situation that wont change anytime soon. I've cancelled my red membership but thats not going to change much.

Olympics should help to forget about it for a while. By the time they are finished the same old shit pattern will be unfolding at the Emirates and by comparison it won't even register. I think a lot of fans are waiting Wenger out, myself included. This season is already written off. And if he drags it out until May and delivers his stock mediocrity and calls it a day then fair enough, we'll be back in business come June 2017. But it will be a very different story if a contract offer comes in between now and then. The fans will have to act and act forcefully if they club threatens them with 3 more years of Wenger. I hope he does the smart thing. He'll probably even get a favourable send-off if he plays it fair.

[Gooner23]

It wouldn't surprise me if the rumours of a new deal are true though. It would be totally ridiculous, but also very Arsenal like. I just hope that Arsene realises it's time to go.

I know every year some fans predict us falling out of the top 4 and get mocked for it. This season for me personally does feel different though. Perhaps it's the lack of enthusiasm, but I think the level of complacency from the club is unprecedented. Unless we're surprised with 2-3 top 1st team signings I can't see anything other than a battle for 4th / 5th with the Spuds and Liverpool.

[Power n Glory]

We've sold Wellington Silva. :lol: Made zero appearances for us. Wenger's youth development. :lol:

[Bergkampwonderland10]

To be fair on Wenger, I didn't expect Alexi Sanchez deal to pop up, nor Ozil. 2 wonderful signings in the last 2-3 years. Cech also, brilliant.
We've been linked with Xhaka before and he looks like he will really be a Matic type player for us.
Shame we missed out on Mhyktarian but if we can land Mahrez, then it's pretty like for like.
I would love a bullish defender like Koulibaly - he looks like he could command the area well.
I would love us to test Dortmunds resolve with a massive bid for Aubameyang and I'm a fan of Morata if Real let him go.
otherwise...we signed the Leicester statistician so hopefully he's got a few good ideas ;)

[Özim]

We've sold Wellington Silva. :lol: Made zero appearances for us. Wenger's youth development. :lol:
3.5 million we wasted on this chump, we could have used that to put towards someone top quality. Only we could got out and pay 3.5 million for some 16 year old dud from Brazil, the amount of money we've wasted on kids must be huge.

[Bergkampwonderland10]

Doubt much has been wasted when we've sold so many for such huge amounts. Probably broken even over the years or made a profit to be fair.

[GP]

Doubt much has been wasted when we've sold so many for such huge amounts. Probably broken even over the years or made a profit to be fair.

No, don't you see, we are the only club who sign young players that don't work out. Wake up SHEEPLE!

[Özim]

Doubt much has been wasted when we've sold so many for such huge amounts. Probably broken even over the years or made a profit to be fair.

You forget we have to pay a lot of these kids and also have their wages for years, I doubt we've made much money seeing as weve taken on so many kids, paid them so much and most have gone for nothing or next to nothing. Waste of time and money IMO but Wenger has been completely obsessed with signing youngster after youngster since 2005.

Other clubs might also do it but not on the scale we've done it on and they've not spent the kind of sums we have.

Yes go out and bring in the odd one or two who seem to have something special about them, but don't waste your time on others.

Our youth policy is a failure overall, hundreds of kids brought in for millions and only the odd few who we ever any good.

[Bergkampwonderland10]

Bellerin seems okay to me. Always good to take a calculated risk on the youngsters imo. Wellington didn't work but there are plenty over the years that have, whether we kept them or sold them for profit shouldn't matter. It would be great to have a few more coming through the academy but not many of the top 10 perm clubs can boast too many there.

[Bergkampwonderland10]

I think we made a profit on most of the youngsters we've sold on and again with their sell-on clauses too.
I reckon we haven't made too many losses.
I would love us to have more players coming through the academy though. In recent years I can't think of a top 10 premiership team who has boasted much success here...so it's an ongoing problem for many clubs. The pressure to buy in doesn't necessarily give the time needed to the youngsters to develop.
It's a a tricky thing to get right. We want big signings but also want youth products to hit the ground running whilst they are still learning the game.

[Power n Glory]

You forget we have to pay a lot of these kids and also have their wages for years, I doubt we've made much money seeing as weve taken on so many kids, paid them so much and most have gone for nothing or next to nothing. Waste of time and money IMO but Wenger has been completely obsessed with signing youngster after youngster since 2005.

Other clubs might also do it but not on the scale we've done it on and they've not spent the kind of sums we have.

Yes go out and bring in the odd one or two who seem to have something special about them, but don't waste your time on others.

Our youth policy is a failure overall, hundreds of kids brought in for millions and only the odd few who we ever any good.

The amount of time and effort we've invested in these players is what annoys me most. It's a waste. For example, if 4 years down the line we have the same outcome with Asano and we don't sign a proper striker in this window, I'd really like to know how much time and energy went into scouting this kid and could we have been doing more to find someone more worthwhile.

[Power n Glory]

Also, people forget that we dedicated a huge chunk of years to investing in youth. It was our Plan A strategy for a while and we haven't produced the goods. Looking at other clubs that mix experience with youth and don't seems as focused in that area, it seems like we're really coming up short. It explains why we've had to change our youth academy coaches. It's been a failure.

[Bergkampwonderland10]

There are some excellent Japenese players so who's to say he won't turn out like Kagawa or Honda. Give the guy a chance.

[The Emirates Gallactico]

I have a really hard time believing that it takes up a lot of resources to sign the likes of Asano and Holding to the extent of it affecting other major transfers we may want to do. We're a big club, with scouts and staff around the world. We can probably deal with three or four transfers at the same time if we really wanted to (see last minute trolley dash in 2011).

The reason we haven't signed striker is not because we've been focusing our efforts on Asano and Holding but more that since Vardy, Wenger hasn't found anyone else that he really wants.

[Xhaka Can’t]

It wouldn't surprise me if the rumours of a new deal are true though. It would be totally ridiculous, but also very Arsenal like. I just hope that Arsene realises it's time to go.

I know every year some fans predict us falling out of the top 4 and get mocked for it. This season for me personally does feel different though. Perhaps it's the lack of enthusiasm, but I think the level of complacency from the club is unprecedented. Unless we're surprised with 2-3 top 1st team signings I can't see anything other than a battle for 4th / 5th with the Spuds and Liverpool.

In the top four, outside the top four, I couldn't give a fuck.

[Bergkampwonderland10]

I have a really hard time believing that it takes up a lot of resources to sign the likes of Asano and Holding to the extent of it affecting other major transfers we may want to do. We're a big club, with scouts and staff around the world. We can probably deal with three or four transfers at the same time if we really wanted to (see last minute trolley dash in 2011).

The reason we haven't signed striker is not because we've been focusing our efforts on Asano and Holding but more that since Vardy, Wenger hasn't found anyone else that he really wants.

It might also have something to do with clubs being unwilling to sell and quoting 78million for someone like Higuain.
I'd love it if we gazumped Mourinho in a signing... Let's say Pogba :)

[Bergkampwonderland10]

In all seriousness, Janssen and Wanyama would have been excellent additions to our squad and at bargain prices too. Not sure how Spurs got Wanyama for 11million?

[Xhaka Can’t]

Quarta ad honerem in infinitum.

[The Emirates Gallactico]

It might also have something to do with clubs being unwilling to sell and quoting 78million for someone like Higuain.
I'd love it if we gazumped Mourinho in a signing... Let's say Pogba :)

I wouldn't. 100 million is actually a big deal for us and spending that in one transfer would compromise our efforts elsewhere ....... and anyway, with Xhaka in now I'm not sure we could really use him.

If we're going to start operating as recklessly and flagrantly as Man Utd and City, we might as well blow the big bucks on Higuain who at least fulfils a long term problem area for us. Though as said, it's a completely ludicrous price for a soon to be 29 year old.

[The Emirates Gallactico]

In all seriousness, Janssen and Wanyama would have been excellent additions to our squad and at bargain prices too. Not sure how Spurs got Wanyama for 11million?

Wanyama publicly wanted out for ages plus I don't think he's that good either. Reminds me of Tiote, physically imposing but without the necessary technical skills to fit a top team that's inevitably going to dominate the ball.

Janssen yeah seems like it was worth a punt considering there's nowt much else available out there. I'd be livid if he turns into the next Van Nistelrooy at Spurs.

[selassie]

Toxic but as always Wenger gets away with it, a fair few fans decided to stand by the guy despite it clear he can't cut it. We all knew what was going to happen let's face it, so it doesn't come as a surprise, or it shouldn't at least. Somehow you hope it might be different even if you don't really believe it will be.

IMO Wenger is ruining this once great club and undoing all the work he did in the the early days, it's starting to become hard to remember what it was like when we were really good as it has been such a long time now.

Yep I agree Zim, to be fair the majority on here seem to have given up on him, me included. Still plenty of "Wengerites" at the stadium though, they seem to blindly back him no matter what.

Oh he's most definitely undoing all that good work. It's a shame really, we all know what he is capable of but he seems hell bent on doing things the "hard" way or what he would describe as "the right way". We've handicapped ourselves as a football club by placing self-imposed restrictions, it's all very boring and tedious.

[Toronto Gooner]

I'd be livid if he turns into the next Van Nistelrooy at Spurs.
At the same time, he could be another Ryan Babel or Alfonso Alves.

[Özim]

It might also have something to do with clubs being unwilling to sell and quoting 78million for someone like Higuain.
I'd love it if we gazumped Mourinho in a signing... Let's say Pogba :)

At the end of the day if you want a player you pay the going rate, there's no a hugely lucrative tv deal in place, we can afford it, other clubs pay it, if we're a big club as we claim we are we should be willing to as well. Besides the right signing bring much more money back in in terms of merchadising, marketing and success.

[selassie]

Also, people forget that we dedicated a huge chunk of years to investing in youth. It was our Plan A strategy for a while and we haven't produced the goods. Looking at other clubs that mix experience with youth and don't seems as focused in that area, it seems like we're really coming up short. It explains why we've had to change our youth academy coaches. It's been a failure.

Massively when you look at our noisy neighbours down the road, they built a team that challenged for the title last season largely based on youth.

The difference with their recruitment of youth seems to be that they buy specific players for specific roles. None of this shunting players all over the place to give them experience.

Poch has really shown up Wenger with Youth and our flawed youth recruitment policy. Our policy consists no more of taking random punts on youngsters hoping they come good, "hoping" is the key word here.

[The Emirates Gallactico]

At the same time, he could be another Ryan Babel or Alfonso Alves.

True and that's why you have scouts.

But it's not like they've been wrong in the past or that we've missed out on other top quality players from the Dutch League either (Suarez etc). The advantage with Janseen is that he was relatively cheap compared to most of the other strikers we've been linked to (Morata, Icardi, Lukaku, Lacazette etc) and I don't think he's necessarily any worse if at all then them.

[Özim]

I think we made a profit on most of the youngsters we've sold on and again with their sell-on clauses too.
I reckon we haven't made too many losses.
I would love us to have more players coming through the academy though. In recent years I can't think of a top 10 premiership team who has boasted much success here...so it's an ongoing problem for many clubs. The pressure to buy in doesn't necessarily give the time needed to the youngsters to develop.
It's a a tricky thing to get right. We want big signings but also want youth products to hit the ground running whilst they are still learning the game.

Again though, you're ignoring the wages we pay them which add up into the millions, not sure we made much profit at all, we've had so many youngster overs the years.

I don't want us to sign youth players, well I do but only the odd one or two now and again because they have something special about them, in the same way other clubs do, I don't want us wasting a few million on the likes of holding and Takano because IMO these aren't special talents and we're just wasting our time with them.

There's only a handful of players from Japan who have had any kind of impact, even less in the PL. Even their very best players aren't anything amazing, workmanlike and some decent skills but nothing extraordinary IMO.

[Özim]

I have a really hard time believing that it takes up a lot of resources to sign the likes of Asano and Holding to the extent of it affecting other major transfers we may want to do. We're a big club, with scouts and staff around the world. We can probably deal with three or four transfers at the same time if we really wanted to (see last minute trolley dash in 2011).

The reason we haven't signed striker is not because we've been focusing our efforts on Asano and Holding but more that since Vardy, Wenger hasn't found anyone else that he really wants.

Have you been watching our signings in recent years, we struggle to sign more than 1 most of the time, whilst most other clubs have no problems, suggest to me that a) we won't pay the money b) we don't have a list of players to go after (well we do but it has 1 max 2 names on it, it's a joke) and c) we spend more time looking for kids who amount to nothing.

There's just no excuse for our transfer policy tbh.

[The Emirates Gallactico]

Yeah as much as it hurts to say it, Pochettino has really shown up Wenger in terms of Youth Development recently. His coaching skills are more in line with the modern game then Wenger's who, like most of his ideas now, are outdated and stale.

Wenger's been living of his previous reputation for a while now and even more so if The Ox ends up being thrown into the trash heap after this season.

[Özim]

In all seriousness, Janssen and Wanyama would have been excellent additions to our squad and at bargain prices too. Not sure how Spurs got Wanyama for 11million?

Simple, they tried and got in there before anyone else, they don't hang around for months doing nothing which helps a lot when signing players.

[Özim]

At the same time, he could be another Ryan Babel or Alfonso Alves.

For the money they paid for him it's pretty much no risk, pocket change in today's game. That's the kind of kids we should be signing IMO, players who have at least got some experience and some record of delivering, not unknowns who have only played in the youth team and once scored a couple goals.

[Marc Overmars]

SSN are reporting that United have opened talks with Juve over Pogba. Fee is thought to be €104m. :lol:

[The Emirates Gallactico]

Have you been watching our signings in recent years, we struggle to sign more than 1 most of the time, whilst most other clubs have no problems, suggest to me that a) we won't pay the money b) we don't have a list of players to go after (well we do but it has 1 max 2 names on it, it's a joke) and c) we spend more time looking for kids who amount to nothing.

Pretty specious reasoning tbh.

The transfer window is long; it's rare then to get transfers clogged up all in one moment so we don't usually have the problem of dealing with multiple transfers at once, though whenever it's happened we've dealt with it. See the aforementioned 2011 example or two years ago when we signed the likes of Debauchy and Alexis pretty close to one another.

Can you actually point to a specific example where a transfer was delayed/lost because we were too busy dealing with another transfer in a completely unrelated position?

[GP]

Yeah as much as it hurts to say it, Pochettino has really shown up Wenger in terms of Youth Development recently. His coaching skills are more in line with the modern game then Wenger's who, like most of his ideas now, are outdated and stale.

Wenger's been living of his previous reputation for a while now and even more so if The Ox ends up being thrown into the trash heap after this season.

I'm not sure how much credit you can give to Pochettino for youth development. He hasn't really been there long enough to develop anyone.

[The Emirates Gallactico]

I'm not sure how much credit you can give to Pochettino for youth development. He hasn't really been there long enough to develop anyone.

He's been there for two years now and he had a similar record at Southampton, turning promising youth players into good established players, e.g. Shaw, Lallana.

Would you not credit him for turning the likes of Kane into what seemed destined to be a journey man lower league striker to a contender for PL top scorer last year? Likewise Alli into one of the best CM's in the PL last year?

Or turning what seemed really should be turds like Rose and Mason into good players for Spurs, who fulfil a function.

Or even resurrecting the career of Lamela who seemed finished when he arrived?

All those really happened under his watch.



Would easily take Pochettino here in a heartbeat tbh.

[selassie]

He's been there for two years now and he had a similar record at Southampton, turning promising youth players into good established players, e.g. Shaw, Lallana.

Would you not credit him for turning the likes of Kane into what seemed destined to be a journey man lower league striker to a contender for PL top scorer last year? Likewise Alli into one of the best CM's in the PL last year?

Or turning what seemed really should be turds like Rose and Mason into good players for Spurs, who fulfil a function.

Or even resurrecting the career of Lamela who seemed finished when he arrived?

All those really happened under his watch.



Would easily take Pochettino here in a heartbeat tbh.

Yeah totally agree.

Even Eric Dier has developed into a very promising player, he was one of Pochettino's buys. He has a very good record with young players there is no doubt about that.

As you rightly said he did a very good job with the young players down at Southampton, he did the same at Espanyol in Spain, he had no choice but the fact that they had pretty decent seasons with a team largely made up of homegrown players is commendable. Pochettino is one of if not the best coach in the world right now for developing youth.

[Özim]

Pretty specious reasoning tbh.

The transfer window is long; it's rare then to get transfers clogged up all in one moment so we don't usually have the problem of dealing with multiple transfers at once, though whenever it's happened we've dealt with it. See the aforementioned 2011 example or two years ago when we signed the likes of Debauchy and Alexis pretty close to one another.

Can you actually point to a specific example where a transfer was delayed/lost because we were too busy dealing with another transfer in a completely unrelated position?

Last summer and the other summers where we've struggled to sign more than one/two players and yet we seem to have these kids lined up like a conveyor belt, it's obviously impossible to prove from outside the club but it seems to me we always have some kid lined up and yet that's hardly ever the case with first team signings, if anything we don't even have a list of players we want.

IMO our focus is on kids because they're cheap and Wenger wants the credit if they ever turn out to be any good (rarely), and you're right the transfer window is long and for some reason wenger thinks its better to sign players a month into the season rather than earlier so they can adapt to their new club, we're a shambles with transfers, we're cheap, disorganised, never have a shortlist of options and are more than happy to go into a new season short, we're a big club only in name and financially, in every other way we're middle of the road.

[Özim]

Yeah totally agree.

Even Eric Dier has developed into a very promising player, he was one of Pochettino's buys. He has a very good record with young players there is no doubt about that.

As you rightly said he did a very good job with the young players down at Southampton, he did the same at Espanyol in Spain, he had no choice but the fact that they had pretty decent seasons with a team largely made up of homegrown players is commendable. Pochettino is one of if not the best coach in the world right now for developing youth.

If you're going to go down the youth route (and it must be pointed out he does mix it up with some first team signings as well) then you need a proven track record and he has. At our club we have a guy who has been persisting with the youth route for years and has totally failed and yet won't acknowledge he's not good at it and continues down the same path.

Wenger is frankly horrendous at developing youth players.

[Niall_Quinn]

3.5 million we wasted on this chump, we could have used that to put towards someone top quality. Only we could got out and pay 3.5 million for some 16 year old dud from Brazil, the amount of money we've wasted on kids must be huge.

Supposedly he's not a chump at all. A tidy player by all accounts. But how would he ever break through at Arsenal when Campbell can't get a game even when he performs well. You'd be an absolute fool to come to Arsenal as a youngster. Same could be said for many of the top teams of course, but this myth that Wenger is good for a player's development really has to be kicked into touch. It's one of the most ridiculous notions that persists in the game. So many cautionary tales, Campbell is only the latest.

what happened to that Polish wonder kid we signed a couple of seasons back? Poor bastard. I though he was going to be fast tracked through? And there's Adelaide and Gnabry and the rest. None of them stand a chance. We've been caught between bringing kids through who play proper football (i.e. NOT the Arsenal ShitBall™ Way) and bringing in established first-teamers who aren't second grade (a couple of notable exceptions of course). Really, the manager is totally incompetent. Even the accidental Coquelin is likely to end up on the bench this season.

[Niall_Quinn]

Bellerin seems okay to me. Always good to take a calculated risk on the youngsters imo. Wellington didn't work but there are plenty over the years that have, whether we kept them or sold them for profit shouldn't matter. It would be great to have a few more coming through the academy but not many of the top 10 perm clubs can boast too many there.

Trained in the basics elsewhere. Like Henry, Vieira, Bergkamp, Alexis, and so on. Wilshere is one of ours. The comparison is stark. This business of Wenger knowing how to bring a young player through is a myth. The exact opposite is true. Walcott, Ox, Chambers, promising young players who came here and went nowhere fast. Wenger has dragged on so long now that these myths are starting to be dispelled.

[Niall_Quinn]

I wouldn't. 100 million is actually a big deal for us and spending that in one transfer would compromise our efforts elsewhere ....... and anyway, with Xhaka in now I'm not sure we could really use him.

If we're going to start operating as recklessly and flagrantly as Man Utd and City, we might as well blow the big bucks on Higuain who at least fulfils a long term problem area for us. Though as said, it's a completely ludicrous price for a soon to be 29 year old.

The owners are enjoying massively inflated balance sheets, the clubs are enjoying massively inflated TV deals and charging some of the most expensive prices on the planet, the players are enjoying super inflated wages - why shouldn't the scalped fans enjoy some decent transfer activity? Especially as we haven't exactly been prolific in the past? Where's all that money going to end up? In the pockets of a few individuals or on the pitch?

It's not Wenger's money. Why the fuck does he care or even have a say in how it is spent? He's a football manager (allegedly). The old goat shouldn't be sitting there deciding what represents value, he should be focused on what he needs on the pitch and fuck the value or the onward transfer fee or anything else that is none of his damn business.

Except it is his business. Arsenal is a bonkers club. One man runs the whole show from top to bottom. Sack all the executives and use their fat salaries to buy a player. They aren't needed. Wenger does everything himself.

[Özim]

Supposedly he's not a chump at all. A tidy player by all accounts. But how would he ever break through at Arsenal when Campbell can't get a game even when he performs well. You'd be an absolute fool to come to Arsenal as a youngster. Same could be said for many of the top teams of course, but this myth that Wenger is good for a player's development really has to be kicked into touch. It's one of the most ridiculous notions that persists in the game. So many cautionary tales, Campbell is only the latest.

what happened to that Polish wonder kid we signed a couple of seasons back? Poor bastard. I though he was going to be fast tracked through? And there's Adelaide and Gnabry and the rest. None of them stand a chance. We've been caught between bringing kids through who play proper football (i.e. NOT the Arsenal ShitBall™ Way) and bringing in established first-teamers who aren't second grade (a couple of notable exceptions of course). Really, the manager is totally incompetent. Even the accidental Coquelin is likely to end up on the bench this season.

I think the kids comes to Arsenal because we do something we don't do in the proper transfer market, offer shedloads of cash to kids who've barely ever played a 1st team game, we offer to make them rich regardless of whether they are any good or not, hard for a 16 year old to turn down really. Football wise yes you'd have to be a fool but not financially.

We waste money on kids left right and centre and continue to do so even when they are crocks, we won't spend the extra few million required to sign those top class players we so desperately crave however. But yes I guess in Wengers eyes we are morally superior, despite rewarding players who have never proved or achieved anything with big money and in the process creating players who feel entitled to earn big money and instead of focussing on football, probably take their eyes off the ball (no pun intended) and lose focus due to the sudden large amounts of disposable cash that has dropped on their laps.

Once upon a time kids had to learn and earn their stripes before getting big money, then Wenger happened.

[Gooner23]

In the top four, outside the top four, I couldn't give a fuck.

Nor could I to be fair. 2nd or 5th, either way it's not first which is what we should be striving for. However the club thinks very differently to that.

[Özim]

Nor could I to be fair. 2nd or 5th, either way it's not first which is what we should be striving for. However the club thinks very differently to that.

Very few people care about top 4, there's Wenger (he's deluded and think top 4 is actually an achievement), the board and owner (because they love to see the cash rolling in) and a few misguided fans (who still believe we can win the CL and hail qualifying for the CL as if it's a major honour, all rather embarassing).

I'd rather only the Champions got into the champions league, then you wouldn't have this false sense of achievement, if anything it devalues the competition having 2nd, 3rd, 4th place teams as you get the same reward whether you win the league or come 2nd or 3rd.

We may as well have the top 5 teams or top 10 teams whilst we're at it, after all they haven't won anything either.

[Power n Glory]

There are some excellent Japenese players so who's to say he won't turn out like Kagawa or Honda. Give the guy a chance.

He could be great but given our history of not playing Asian players along with what regularly happens to players that have to go out on loan before playing for us, I think Wenger needs this message more than me.

[Power n Glory]

I have a really hard time believing that it takes up a lot of resources to sign the likes of Asano and Holding to the extent of it affecting other major transfers we may want to do. We're a big club, with scouts and staff around the world. We can probably deal with three or four transfers at the same time if we really wanted to (see last minute trolley dash in 2011).

The reason we haven't signed striker is not because we've been focusing our efforts on Asano and Holding but more that since Vardy, Wenger hasn't found anyone else that he really wants.

We don't know that. If he hasn't found anyone he really wants then why sign Asano? How has this particular player caught his attention and could he be a player he's been scouting since the guy was 15 or something? Resources and man power shouldn't be an issue but say the old goat is really banking on this player because he believes he is the chosen one?

[Munchies]

Top posts by NQ and Zim as per usual

[Munchies]

Denilson bought for £4m from Sau Paulo
Returned for free to Sao Paulo

Wellington the same to a different team :lol:

[Power n Glory]

Massively when you look at our noisy neighbours down the road, they built a team that challenged for the title last season largely based on youth.

The difference with their recruitment of youth seems to be that they buy specific players for specific roles. None of this shunting players all over the place to give them experience.

Poch has really shown up Wenger with Youth and our flawed youth recruitment policy. Our policy consists no more of taking random punts on youngsters hoping they come good, "hoping" is the key word here.


I can't understand how so much time had been dedicated to this and we've produced so little. We have binned the majority of our youth players.

[selassie]

I can't understand how so much time had been dedicated to this and we've produced so little. We have binned the majority of our youth players.

Me either, I've nothing against us signing young talents, it's necessary. What I would like to see is us have is a dedicated development plan for these players with a specific role in the team in mind. I don't like the way Wenger plays them all over the place to give them education/experience, it seems to screw up their development if anything.

A lot of the young british guys we've brought in young haven't really developed properly and are no closer to having specific roles in the team, even some of the guys who have come through our youth system have been moved around.

Chambers is a classic example of a player who seems to have stalled, he started well as a CB, keep him there and develop him in that position, no need to shunt him over to Right back or DM.

[Marc Overmars]

Manc bid for Pogba rejected. Will have to be £100m to get him. :lol:

Looks like the Rob Holding deal will be done this week. :bow:

[Power n Glory]

Me either, I've nothing against us signing young talents, it's necessary. What I would like to see is us have is a dedicated development plan for these players with a specific role in the team in mind. I don't like the way Wenger plays them all over the place to give them education/experience, it seems to screw up their development if anything.

A lot of the young british guys we've brought in young haven't really developed properly and are no closer to having specific roles in the team, even some of the guys who have come through our youth system have been moved around.

Chambers is a classic example of a player who seems to have stalled, he started well as a CB, keep him there and develop him in that position, no need to shunt him over to Right back or DM.

Good point about the constant swapping of positions. I can’t think of a single player it’s helped develop. I wonder about the technical advice he gives to his players because when I look at Wilshere, Ramsey and Walcott for example, their weak areas are pretty clear but I’ve seen no improvement from them. They keep making the same mistakes over and over. But at least these guys have managed to make it on to the pitch. We have a lot of players we’ve spent time looking for (Campbell) and they don’t even get the game time.

[GP]

Manc bid for Pogba rejected. Will have to be £100m to get him. :lol:

Looks like the Rob Holding deal will be done this week. :bow:

Signings :bow:

[Özim]

Looks like the Rob Holding deal will be done this week. :bow:

He'll be back playing Championship football in a few years. :coffee:

[Özim]

Manc bid for Pogba rejected. Will have to be £100m to get him. :lol:

They bid 85 million apparently, I guess for some football clubs it's not all about shafting the fans.

[Power n Glory]

Manc bid for Pogba rejected. Will have to be £100m to get him. :lol:

Looks like the Rob Holding deal will be done this week. :bow:

Looking at what’s going on with Higuain and Pogba, maybe the Italian clubs are looking at the bigger picture and what selling off their best players means for their league. They won't attract the hefty sponsorship money if they keep selling their best players. Series A stock has really fallen over the years.

[Power n Glory]

We've beat Man Utd to signing Norwegian defender Erik Tobias Sandberg. Under 16 captain. Great!

[Power n Glory]

Me either, I've nothing against us signing young talents, it's necessary. What I would like to see is us have is a dedicated development plan for these players with a specific role in the team in mind. I don't like the way Wenger plays them all over the place to give them education/experience, it seems to screw up their development if anything.

A lot of the young british guys we've brought in young haven't really developed properly and are no closer to having specific roles in the team, even some of the guys who have come through our youth system have been moved around.

Chambers is a classic example of a player who seems to have stalled, he started well as a CB, keep him there and develop him in that position, no need to shunt him over to Right back or DM.

Was just checking on Eisfield and wondering what happened to him. Found this interview. High praise but a few things that may raise an eyebrow.


EXCLUSIVE: The ex-Gunners midfielder, who joined Fulham in July 2014 before being loaned out to Bochum, says the Frenchman is withdrawn during sessions

Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Eisfeld has revealed how Arsene Wenger is "very quiet" in training - unless you start doing long balls.

Eisfeld arrived from Borussia Dortmund back in 2012 with a billing as one of Germany's top young talents, but struggled to make the breakthrough with the Gunners before being sold to Fulham in July last year.

The 22-year-old, now on loan at German side Bochum, only made two appearances for Arsenal's first team but reserved praise for his former coach over the gravitas he displays behind closed doors.

He told Goal: "Arsenal stands for a certain kind of football. Arsene Wenger has formed the club, he emphasises the beauty of the game.

"If you play a long ball in training you would get some words - even from the other players. He [Wenger] is very quiet, doesn't talk much. During training sessions he rarely corrects something.

"Only after having finished he will talk to you, two or three sentences. And that is what you remember for a long time. In general, he is a person everybody respects, absolutely."

Although his time at the Emirates Stadium was ultimately unsuccessful, Eisfeld insists that he would make the same move if he were to have his time again.

"If you get an offer from Arsenal you don't decline it as a young player," he added. "The club is a world club, regularly playing in the Champions League.

"I would sign right away. You learn so much. The level at training is crazy high. There are several players who are internationals competing for the positions. There's so much to learn for a young player."

[Özim]

We've beat Man Utd to signing Norwegian defender Erik Tobias Sandberg. Under 16 captain. Great!

Another Norwegian kid who'll never play :bow:

That's the only thing Wenger seems interested, we seem to be going back to 2005 when this whole period started by signing kids left right and center.

[Özim]

Was just checking on Eisfield and wondering what happened to him. Found this interview. High praise but a few things that may raise an eyebrow.

If that's his idea of developing youngsters no wonder so many fail :lol:

Former players have time and time again identified his failings, sure he's good at some things, but he's terrible at quite a few things too, a great manager he is not.

[Niall_Quinn]

We've beat Man Utd to signing Norwegian defender Erik Tobias Sandberg. Under 16 captain. Great!

Wenger's off in la-la land. Always building for the future, consistently failing to deliver today. He's failed to notice that by now some sort of future ought to have arrived. That won't deter him though. If at first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth you don't succeed - try, try, try the same thing all over again.

It's silly. We need a proper manager now.

[Niall_Quinn]

Was just checking on Eisfield and wondering what happened to him. Found this interview. High praise but a few things that may raise an eyebrow.

This doesn't bode well for our new £33mill signing Xhaka. He seems to be a player who can do more than tip, tap it left and right. But the Swiss manager didn't fancy him doing more than that and Wenger certainly won't. Wenger is all about possession. If they other team doesn't have the ball then they can't score. Trouble is, without some variation to the play we may well keep the ball but the opposition has an easy job of it because we're so predictable and we'll never do that "vulgar" stuff that might stretch a defence. His training sessions should happen in a Dojo, not on a football pitch. He's not a football manager. He's something else.

[Globalgunner]

Im pretty sure Wenger is confident he`ll be around to see these players sold or playing their 10th year with us. He has take Walnutt from a nobody back to a nobody in 10 years. Brilliant manager.

[Özim]

Wenger's off in la-la land. Always building for the future, consistently failing to deliver today. He's failed to notice that by now some sort of future ought to have arrived. That won't deter him though. If at first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth you don't succeed - try, try, try the same thing all over again.

It's silly. We need a proper manager now.

Wenger said he did not see it (when referring to the last 11 years) but that we are 2% away from domination and that the waiting period is almost over because of of our spirit and togetherness, until now we've just lacked a little bit of sharpness.

[Power n Glory]

If that's his idea of developing youngsters no wonder so many fail :lol:

Former players have time and time again identified his failings, sure he's good at some things, but he's terrible at quite a few things too, a great manager he is not.


It's odd that he doesn't correct the players in training except if they do a long ball. Why be so vocal about that particular part of a players game but not stop the game and correct players when they’re beaten too easily and not defending hard enough? Why not shout at Wilshere for over dribbling or Walcott for not even attempting to take on his man? He may feel it’s not constructive to shout at a player during a game or training to correct a mistake but it’s pretty evident from every team he’s coached that hoofing the ball forward is unacceptable. So they’re taking something in when he shouts instructions. It’s pretty clear what’s acceptable and what’s not in the squad so I don’t get why players can get away with slack defending and they don’t get a bollocking in front of their teammates. A quiet word after training or game just isn’t enough.

[Özim]

Im pretty sure Wenger is confident he`ll be around to see these players sold or playing their 10th year with us. He has take Walnutt from a nobody back to a nobody in 10 years. Brilliant manager.

It's the biggest falacy in football that he's a great manager, history will say otherwise.