Winter Transfer Window Intrigue and Excitement.

[Özim]

Sounds pretty expensive.

Emery: "At the moment the club is telling me this is not a good moment to buy new players. But the club say to me in the summer it is going to be different, & we are going to have chances to take and spend money to buy players."

That Adidas money needs to be life changing to make any sort of real difference.

Doesn't have to be, Liverpool managed just fine signing players for reasonable amounts initially.

[Marc Overmars]

I'm patient enough to wait and see what happens in the summer.

If we don't qualify for the CL though then we will most likely struggle to recruit top players again unless we have proper money to play with.

[SMatthews]

Not sure they bought established players. No one knew a thing about Firmino, everyone laughed at how much they paid for Benteke, Lallana and Mane (the latter proved a great buy in the end). Even Wijnaldum cost about £25m. The prices they paid then were high, but the market has gone even crazier since then. Mane would prob cost £50m+ from Southampton (maybe more given how much they sold Dijk for) and Firmino would go for more than £36m now if he came from Hoffenheim. Buying established players on their mid-20s would cost a lot of money.

[Özim]

Not sure they bought established players. No one knew a thing about Firmino, everyone laughed at how much they paid for Benteke, Lallana and Mane (the latter proved a great buy in the end). Even Wijnaldum cost about £25m. The prices they paid then were high, but the market has gone even crazier since then. Mane would prob cost £50m+ from Southampton (maybe more given how much they sold Dijk for) and Firmino would go for more than £36m now if he came from Hoffenheim. Buying established players on their mid-20s would cost a lot of money.

So is paying 35-40 million for a 29 year old, they have no resale value whatsoever so it's just money down the drain in reality, better to pay a bit more for a younger player you can sell off if you need to a few years down the line than some 29-30 year old who will not only be worth nothing but will also need replacing in a few years (so in fact he'll probably cost more than buying the equivalent 25 year old).

It's pretty shortsighted to buy players of that age if your budget is relatively restricted IMO.

[Özim]

Talking about money according the to the Times:


The departure of manager Arsene Wenger and his staff from Arsenal cost the Gunners £17.1m.

Thanks Arsene!

[SMatthews]

Isn’t that the same with every manager that leaves the club early? We could’ve always let him run down his contact for another year I guess...

[SMatthews]

So is paying 35-40 million for a 29 year old, they have no resale value whatsoever so it's just money down the drain in reality, better to pay a bit more for a younger player you can sell off if you need to a few years down the line than some 29-30 year old who will not only be worth nothing but will also need replacing in a few years (so in fact he'll probably cost more than buying the equivalent 25 year old).

It's pretty shortsighted to buy players of that age if your budget is relatively restricted IMO.

We haven’t agreed to pay that have we? That’s just what Inter want from the deal. The fact we seem to be asking for a loan with an option shows we aren’t committing to that sort of money at all. If we got him on loan and he helped get us into the CL, or win the Europa, the loan would’ve been a success. But that said, I don’t think he’s coming here because of the fee we’re being asked to pay.

[Bumble]

So is paying 35-40 million for a 29 year old, they have no resale value whatsoever so it's just money down the drain in reality, better to pay a bit more for a younger player you can sell off if you need to a few years down the line than some 29-30 year old who will not only be worth nothing but will also need replacing in a few years (so in fact he'll probably cost more than buying the equivalent 25 year old).

It's pretty shortsighted to buy players of that age if your budget is relatively restricted IMO.

does it matter if a player has a resale value if its a player that we really need. you are starting to sound like Wenger :-)

[Marc Overmars]

Perisic is 30 in a couple of days, I didn't realise he was that old.

If we can get him on loan, great. However I certainly don't blame the club if they're balking at the obligation to buy him. 35m for a 30 year old who's never really excelled throughout his club career and is currently dining off a few decent performances at the World Cup.

[GP]

https://www.goal.com/en/news/henry-was-the-main-reason-i-joined-monaco-fabregas/cnu83y0nek5wzrudmqzuq6fq

lol

[SMatthews]

Seems like we’ll be getting Suarez on loan with an option to buy. An extra body can only help from now until the summer.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

In the summer if we don't make the CL, the excuse will be that we can't attract players of the sufficient quality to get us back into the CL as we have no money......yet now we are saying we have little money and are saving what little we have for the summer. It's not even a cycle....it's constantly aiming to reach the horizon. The jam tomorrow approach has already started to wear thin.

The 40 million summer budget still won't be enough to sign a top centre half, a top wide player and plug any other holes in the squad unless we unearth absolute gems that don't require 2-3 years+ to come of age.

Can we not offer Inter Mustafi plus a little cash for Skrinrar? Phase Mav into the squad asap so we can see if he is a genuine prospect or another for the scrap heap.....?

Given the lack of funds, Chambers for 10-20 million this summer is virtually absolutely necessary. Then we need to find a viable option and alternative at right back.

[Özim]

Isn’t that the same with every manager that leaves the club early? We could’ve always let him run down his contact for another year I guess...

17.1 milllion for 1 season is a joke frankly.

[Özim]

We haven’t agreed to pay that have we? That’s just what Inter want from the deal. The fact we seem to be asking for a loan with an option shows we aren’t committing to that sort of money at all. If we got him on loan and he helped get us into the CL, or win the Europa, the loan would’ve been a success. But that said, I don’t think he’s coming here because of the fee we’re being asked to pay.

Inter want a deal where they sell him at the end, they don't want a loan, if we agree to the loan we'll probably have to buy him, granted we haven't agreed it yet but it's a pointless deal unless we don't have to commit to buy him.

[Özim]

does it matter if a player has a resale value if its a player that we really need. you are starting to sound like Wenger :-)

Unfortunately it does for us as we don't seem to have much money to spend, so if we had valuable players we could sell one and use that to bring a few more in (like Liverpool). If we were rolling in money it might be different, but we're not, we got outspent by loads of small clubs last summer (most of the money the previous January came from player sales) and we have no money this January, so to me it sounds like we don't have much.

[Özim]

Perisic is 30 in a couple of days, I didn't realise he was that old.

If we can get him on loan, great. However I certainly don't blame the club if they're balking at the obligation to buy him. 35m for a 30 year old who's never really excelled throughout his club career and is currently dining off a few decent performances at the World Cup.

I'm with you on this, Inter want to flog him now that he's nearly 30 and isn't performing, they're hoping to mug us for 35 million, with us you never know we might take the bait, we're quite amateurish in the transfer market.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Ornstein says Suarez is on his way.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47049873

Welcome. :bow:

[SMatthews]

17.1 milllion for 1 season is a joke frankly.

Think you missed the bit about the staff. Welcome to modern football.

[Özim]

Denis Suarez, is that really the best we can do? I wouldn't have bothered we don't need someone in his position until Ramsey leaves and this guy won't be good enough to be a regular, seems to be a squad filler.

[SMatthews]

Update on Nkunku. He wants to join but according to his agent it’s ‘complicated’. Might have to wait to the summer when he has a year left on his contract.

[mkkreuk]

Apparently we’re in talks to sign yannick Carrasco. He’d be coming from China so crazy wages potentially?

[SMatthews]

If it’s a buy, rather than a loan, it’s probably not true. One thing that has been consistent is we ain’t buying shit this window.

[Mac76]

Denis Suarez, is that really the best we can do? I wouldn't have bothered we don't need someone in his position until Ramsey leaves and this guy won't be good enough to be a regular, seems to be a squad filler.

agree it doesn't sound like the best use of our limited resources but maybe it says something about Emery's lack of confidence in our current squad...:unsure:

[SMatthews]

We haven't got any natural wide players. Iwobi is difficult to rely on and aside from that it's Mikhi. Relying on Laca and Auba every game is risky when we have no back-up. Especially given our luck with injuries this season. Plus we lost Bellerin who was a great asset for our attack. Hopefully Suarez can help. It certainly can't harm us to have him on loan.

[Marc Overmars]

Carrasco was a great prospect a few years ago but he’s wasted a year in China so you can’t be sure if he’s still potentially a top level player.

If we could get him as well as Suarez though that would be a couple of nice options to have until the end of the season. Particularly for the Europa League.

Still won’t solve anything at the back however...

[Özim]

We haven't got any natural wide players. Iwobi is difficult to rely on and aside from that it's Mikhi. Relying on Laca and Auba every game is risky when we have no back-up. Especially given our luck with injuries this season. Plus we lost Bellerin who was a great asset for our attack. Hopefully Suarez can help. It certainly can't harm us to have him on loan.

He's a CM I don't really see how he helps any of those to be honest, an extra body yes but not particularly in an area we're desperate for, we need a winger and defenders more.

[SMatthews]

He can play on the right or left, as he did for Emery at Sevilla.

[Özim]

He can play on the right or left, as he did for Emery at Sevilla.

He's a CM though, if you need someone to play wide then surely you'd buy a winger not a CM who can fill in? But either way, based on his career to date not too sure what he can add, he's not what you'd call and outstanding talent.

At least now we don't have to buy him which is something, but in reality we should have been looking at defenders and genuine wingers, we seem to be well stocked in CM at the moment.

[SMatthews]

I think I’d trust a manager who successfully managed him as a winger for an entire season, than just rely on calling him a CM because it’s listed as one of the areas he can play on the internet.

[Özim]

I think I’d trust a manager who successfully managed him as a winger for an entire season, than just rely on calling him a CM because it’s listed as one of the areas he can play on the internet.

That's if you count it as successful, I wouldn't have called it successful personally, Sevilla never bought him after having him on loan which speak volumes, epsecailly given the fact he cost peanuts.

[SMatthews]

He also played there for Villareal before Barcelona thought he was good enough to buy. Just see what happens will you? It's not going to ruin our season.

Say something positive about Arsenal. I dare you. Anything you like. Your choice.

[dostoy]

Wenger's gone.

That's the only positive I can think of.

[Marc Overmars]

Sky Sports are reporting that the Suarez deal is done.

[Özim]

He also played there for Villareal before Barcelona thought he was good enough to buy. Just see what happens will you? It's not going to ruin our season.

Say something positive about Arsenal. I dare you. Anything you like. Your choice.

You mean the 3.5 Euros (yes you heard it right) one of the worst Barca sides in recent history paid for a squad filler, that doesn't exactly fill me with confidence, especially now they're all too happy to let him leave as well.

I've see too many of these nothing signings to not think he's going to be anything special, at least he's on loan, worrying thing is Emery seems to like him.

Lacazette is brilliant and key to our future, there you go.

[Özim]

Sky Sports are reporting that the Suarez deal is done.

Let's pop the cheap champagne and celebrate!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

He's coming back to show Citeh what they're missing. :bow:

[SMatthews]

Hopefully he can add something for the next few months. God knows he can't be any worse than Mikhi.

Apparently we've made an offer to Carrasco (loan I presume) but a language barrier with the president of Shi Xueqing is fucking things up :lol:

Inter pulled out and now greasy Ivan at Milan is looking to get involved.

[AFC Leveller]

How jenkinson has outlasted The British Lads is beyond me. That famous picture of Ramsay, Wilshere, Gibbs, Chamberlain and Jenkinson signing extensions now looks a bit silly.

[SMatthews]

Carrasco and Perisic deals are toast, according to Ornstein, but Nkunku could still happen.

[SMatthews]

Emile Smith Rowe going to RB Leipzig for the rest of the season on loan.

[Özim]

Emile Smith Rowe going to RB Leipzig for the rest of the season on loan.

Don't understand why we wouldn't bring him back and give him some games.

[SMatthews]

Rumours in quite a few places that Ozil turned down a loan move to PSG who were looking for cover for Neymar.

[Bumble]

Don't understand why we wouldn't bring him back and give him some games.

yeah although signing Saurez probably the reason why. I think instead of the signing we should have given him more opportunity.

[Gooner23]

Looks like Suarez will be the only player in. With Smith Rowe going out on loan I'm struggling to see how we've strengthened at all. Would rather see the youngster stay and get game time.

[Ralpheroo72]

One loan, that’s it. Kroenke will be rubbing his hand, hasn’t had to spend fuck all.

[KSE Comedy Club]

ES-R going out is a stupid decision tbh.

The lad deserves to feature in some first team games the rest of the season. I can never understand stuff like this??

Sure, it makes sense when you have a top starting eleven with good options off the bench - yeh of course he's gonna struggle to get any game time, but we have a lot of shit in the starting eleven, with fuck all on the bench.


So what gives!?

[KSE Comedy Club]

Suarez plus 1 more would have been alright business, I can live with that till the summer.

But just Suarez in and ES-R out is fucking shocking tbh.

Oh, and Ozil rejecting PSG - what a tosser, of course he would reject them. It might mean he will have to start playing games each week :rolleyes:

[GP]

Denis Suarez is official

https://www.arsenal.com/news/denis-suarez-join-club-loan

[Özim]

ES-R going out is a stupid decision tbh.

The lad deserves to feature in some first team games the rest of the season. I can never understand stuff like this??

Sure, it makes sense when you have a top starting eleven with good options off the bench - yeh of course he's gonna struggle to get any game time, but we have a lot of shit in the starting eleven, with fuck all on the bench.


So what gives!?

Totally agree, we need someone like him to inject a bit of energy, would rather him over Suarez, he's been doing well in Germany.

Not fussed about Suarez, not convinced he offers anything we need.

I just don't get this club, it seems incapable of making any logical decisions.

[Marc Overmars]

Ornstein says Nkunku is unlikely.

Carrasco was apparently keen to move but we were stingy with the loan fee.

Perisic we knew we wouldn't commit to buying so that's fair enough.

All in all, meh.

[Bumble]

Totally agree, we need someone like him to inject a bit of energy, would rather him over Suarez, he's been doing well in Germany.

Not fussed about Suarez, not convinced he offers anything we need.

I just don't get this club, it seems incapable of making any logical decisions.

the signing is purely because Emery knows him. As a signings its fairly meh!!! but would rather have given the youngsters more game time. although maybe we will get a lot of good performances out of him as he will be in the shop window with either us or another team.

[KSE Comedy Club]

I heard that Suarez is cup tied as well - is that true?

[SMatthews]

Totally agree, we need someone like him to inject a bit of energy, would rather him over Suarez, he's been doing well in Germany.

He’s never played in Germany. Unless we did in the Europa.

[SMatthews]

I heard that Suarez is cup tied as well - is that true?

No that’s been scrapped by UEFA. But that was a concern about Perisic as Inter in Europa, rather than Suarez.

[SMatthews]

Still trying this Nkunku deal. Apparently PSG want the buy option to be a lot more than the 20m euros we’ve offered. Sounds like a more than fair offer on our part.

[AFC Leveller]

Suarez looks like Xhaka and Ramsay’s love child.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

I was thinking he looked like Ramsey myself.

Nkunku sounds like the French AMN.....young player not quite established being played all over the shop. Not sure what there is to be excited about with him till we actually see him like with Suarez.

[KSE Comedy Club]

He’s never played in Germany. Unless we did in the Europa.

I think Ozim meant Nelson

[KSE Comedy Club]

No that’s been scrapped by UEFA. But that was a concern about Perisic as Inter in Europa, rather than Suarez.

Well, that's something to be thankful about I suppose :good:

[KSE Comedy Club]

Still trying this Nkunku deal. Apparently PSG want the buy option to be a lot more than the 20m euros we’ve offered. Sounds like a more than fair offer on our part.

I actually think I would've preferred Currasco. Just pay a bit more for the loan and he's ours effectively.

I read today that we can expect 30% from a £12m sale of Bennacer or something.
Surely we could use that money?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

It's Jim White Day!

[SMatthews]

I actually think I would've preferred Currasco. Just pay a bit more for the loan and he's ours effectively.

I read today that we can expect 30% from a £12m sale of Bennacer or something.
Surely we could use that money?

God knows, depends on when it’s being paid I suppose. A quiet window all round. Especially when you factor in the four teams chasing the two CL spots.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Sky seem excited by it all.

Crouch has gone to Burnley. :haha:

Why?

[Mac76]

Sky seem excited by it all.

Crouch has gone to Burnley. :haha:

Why?

I agree it doesn't make much sense until you remember he currently plays for Stoke...

[SMatthews]

Palace trying to nab Batshuayi on loan last minute. Would be a good signing for them.

[Özim]

Underwhelming transfer window, in all honesty would have been happier with noone and keeping ESM than bringing in Suarez who Barca fans are happy to see the back of.

We paid them 2 million for the loan, don't even think he's worth paying that when we had a young guy with potential already here. If we could we should have brought Nelson back who's done well but has been on the subs bench a lot at Hoffenheim.

People tack the mick out of the Higuain signing Chelsea made, but this guy in many ways is worse as he has no sort of track record, for all that's said about Emery and him at Sevilla, Emery never signed him permanently.

Apparently we pulled out of the Malcolm loan signing, personally think he was a much better bet and more what we needed, yes he hasn't been a hit at Barca, but he's hardly had any time there and it takes time to settle, they didn't really give him a chance. Suarez had years and still couldn't cut it.

Has to be said gone are the days when you sign a Barcelona player and are safe in the knowledge he'll be top notch.

[Ralpheroo72]

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/arsenal-owner-stan-kroenke-praised-13940231

Hope the Patriots smash them

[McNamara That Ghost...]

I'd rather the Rams won; he wins the Superbowl, what other motivation is there?

[Özim]

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/arsenal-owner-stan-kroenke-praised-13940231

Hope the Patriots smash them

Me too

[Özim]

I'd rather the Rams won; he wins the Superbowl, what other motivation is there?

Not Arsenal that's for sure.

[SMatthews]

I'd rather the Rams won; he wins the Superbowl, what other motivation is there?

Win it again?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Win it again?

Not likely with how NFL is.

[SMatthews]

True but that’s the ambition that will keep him going. Everyone will want to become the next Patriots - as unlikely as that is.

[Mac76]

I'd sooner watch snail racing than american sh*teball - it's the worst so-called sport ever invented

[SMatthews]

It can be pretty good sometimes. Last year’s superbowl and this year’s AFC championship were good games. Just takes too f long.

[GP]

I'd sooner watch snail racing than american sh*teball - it's the worst so-called sport ever invented

I used to own a racing snail.

I tried to make it go faster by removing it's shell. Just made is sluggish.

[Letters]

I used to own a racing snail.

I tried to make it go faster by removing it's shell. Just made is sluggish.

Letters :bow:

[Mac76]

I used to own a racing snail.

I tried to make it go faster by removing it's shell. Just made is sluggish.

:lol:

[KSE Comedy Club]

Rumours are that we have a massive, humongous - £45m available for transfers in the summer.

wow.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/one-thing-unai-emery-must-13954264

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6667421/Arsenal-boss-Unai-Emery-transfer-budget-just-45m-summer.html

[Marc Overmars]

Rumours are that we have a massive, humongous - £45m available for transfers in the summer.

wow.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/one-thing-unai-emery-must-13954264

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6667421/Arsenal-boss-Unai-Emery-transfer-budget-just-45m-summer.html

That's pitiful.

Main priority has to be getting Ozil off the books.

[SMatthews]

That’s been around since last October after the AST crunched some numbers.

Unless we sell a big asset, the best we can hope for is squeezing into the CL and some cup successes.

No title challenges and anything meaningful in the CL.

[dostoy]

No title challenges and no CL more like.

Which 2 of the big 5 are Arsenal going to finish above in the league ?

Can anyone really see Arsenal winning the EL with the diabolical defence they have ?

The other little cups aren't worth shit anyway.

[SMatthews]

By completely dismissing the other two cups you wipe out 50% of the trophies you can win.

The other cups aren’t pointless - they’re just not as important as the other two.

With regards to our budget, whatever the number, that will also include salaries, not just transfer fees.

[Özim]

To be honest, it's shocking the club are in this state, the owner and the previous administration have a lot to answer for, it's a shadow of the once great club it was, I'd happily turn the clock back 20 years when we were at Highbury and go back to what we were.

[hobson's choice]

This Suarez signing still puzzles me. Why did we bring in player we don't need, who is literally just a butt average player. When we have young players on the books, who can do the same fukking thing. Run around and pass sideways.

How about see what have in youth ranks(like Spurs do) before signing averageness.

And another thing, why can't we go in our youth ranks and find a RB who can at least sit on the bench.

This club is done for a while. Cause Kroenke has no problem with mediocrity, long as money is rolling(ask Rams about Jeff Fisher). And we seem to have the right people in place for this.

[Mac76]

Oh well, at least everything else in the world is ok isn't it... oh.... :blink:

[Marc Overmars]

https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/arsenal/arsenal-supporters-trust-fear-shocking-financial-fall-below-tottenham-after-champions-league-a4058636.html

Seems like CL qualification has never been as important as it is now for us.

[Özim]

https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/arsenal/arsenal-supporters-trust-fear-shocking-financial-fall-below-tottenham-after-champions-league-a4058636.html

Seems like CL qualification has never been as important as it is now for us.

Mismanagement of the highest order, thanks Wenger, Gazidis and Kroenke.

[SMatthews]

I dunno, Spurs shouldn't really be our comparison point. Clubs that win trophies should be.

[Letters]

Mismanagement of the highest order, thanks Gazidis and Kroenke.
:gp:

People who thought Wenger going would fix our problems :haha:

[Marc Overmars]

Not sure why you've removed Wenger from that trident, he's just as culpable for overseeing such a decline on the pitch.

[GP]

I've been wondering what that special place in hell looks like, for those who promoted #WengerOut, without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely.

[Marc Overmars]

:lol:

Well we had a sketch but the person who drew it fucked off before we even got going.

[Letters]

Not sure why you've removed Wenger from that trident, he's just as culpable for overseeing such a decline on the pitch.

Is he, though?
I don’t absolve him of all responsibility but if we have an owner more interested in profit than competing then we’re not going to sweeping all before us whoever our manager is.
The accepted wisdom was that Wenger was such a bumbling idiot that any manager would come in and improve things. It’s not really working out that way so far and apparently we have no money available for proper investment this summer.

[Marc Overmars]

That was accepted wisdom from those who hated Wenger and wouldn’t hear a good word said for him. Most fans that weren’t blinded by hate knew the difficulties facing the new manager, you can’t just erase 22 years in one go and turn over a new leaf, it was always going to be a challenging period in our history. Besides for how shambolic we’ve looked this season at times, we’re at least closer to 4th than we were last year.

Wenger was the one who spent pretty much all the money available to him and ended up taking us out of the CL, so he is most certainly responsible for his part.

Kroenke is the biggest obstacle to our progression granted, but let’s never forget how poisonous Wenger’s closing years were thanks to what we were seeing on the pitch.

[Letters]

That's all pretty reasonable, but the people who hated Wenger and wouldn’t hear a good word said for him were a loud and irritating presence particularly on line over the last couple of seasons. Any attempt I made to say that maybe things were a bit less black and white than that were met with howls of derision.
That said, Wenger definitely had become "a problem". I'm starting to feel a bit disappointed in Emery though. I wasn't expecting miracles but while we are better off points wise than at this stage last year it's not by that much. Two of Wenger's big flaws were a lack of tactical nous and a lack of ability to motivate the team. Emery seems better in those departments but the results so far haven't been that markedly different.

[SMatthews]

You forgot about David Dein. The prick who welcomed Kroenke with open arms and sold out for a healthy return.

[SMatthews]

That's all pretty reasonable, but the people who hated Wenger and wouldn’t hear a good word said for him were a loud and irritating presence particularly on line over the last couple of seasons. Any attempt I made to say that maybe things were a bit less black and white than that were met with howls of derision.
That said, Wenger definitely had become "a problem". I'm starting to feel a bit disappointed in Emery though. I wasn't expecting miracles but while we are better off points wise than at this stage last year it's not by that much. Two of Wenger's big flaws were a lack of tactical nous and a lack of ability to motivate the team. Emery seems better in those departments but the results so far haven't been that markedly different.

As we are the 5th/6th best team, I’m not sure what else there is to expect. The expectations after only 6 months on a new manager are ridiculous.

But in reality, the frustrations of the past few years are still being felt and now placed onto the new managers back. Hardly anyone is willing to give him a ‘free pass’. Even if we do get into the CL via Europa or 4th, he still won’t be given enough credit for it, even though most fans thought we’d miss out at the start of the season. But again, how online fans react to those in the stadium are two different worlds in the most part.

[Mac76]

As we are the 5th/6th best team, I’m not sure what else there is to expect. The expectations after only 6 months on a new manager are ridiculous.



i expect him to work out far more quickly than he has that Xhaka, Mustafi, Iwobi and Lichsteiner are shit

i expect him not to set up the team so defensively over Christmas against mid-lower table teams and throw away a load of points

i expect him not to get so huffy with one of our few creative players, to the point where instead he brings on a mediocre new loan signing, straight off the plane, against Man City

i expect him not to risk pissing off one our few quality players by constantly subbing him on 65 minutes

need more...?

[SMatthews]

i expect him to work out far more quickly than he has that Xhaka, Mustafi, Iwobi and Lichsteiner are shit

i expect him not to set up the team so defensively over Christmas against mid-lower table teams and throw away a load of points

i expect him not to get so huffy with one of our few creative players, to the point where instead he brings on a mediocre new loan signing, straight off the plane, against Man City

i expect him not to risk pissing off one our few quality players by constantly subbing him on 65 minutes

need more...?

You expect, you expect - too many fans online have no idea how easy or difficult it is to change the culture of our club and deal with the current infrastructure. To most, it's like a game of FIFA or Football Manager.

The great is, the over expectations of fans will only lead to more frustration due to the way our club is set up. Dump the manager, get a new one in and see just how little things would change right now.

[Mac76]

You expect, you expect - too many fans online have no idea how easy or difficult it is to change the culture of our club and deal with the current infrastructure. To most, it's like a game of FIFA or Football Manager.

The great is, the over expectations of fans will only lead to more frustration due to the way our club is set up. Dump the manager, get a new one in and see just how little things would change right now.

well he is being paid more money a year than i will ever earn in my lifetime so i expect him to be super good at working out basics like which players are League 1 level as opposed to which are upper-PL level.

i'm not suggesting sacking him at all, and clearly the Kroenkes etc are not helpng but i'm underwhelmed so far tbh.

judging from his press conferences i do wonder whether language is still an issue also - i for one still can't understand a word he says

[SMatthews]

well he is being paid more money a year than i will ever earn in my lifetime so i expect him to be super good at working out basics like which players are League 1 level as opposed to which are upper-PL level.

i'm not suggesting sacking him at all, and clearly the Kroenkes etc are not helpng but i'm underwhelmed so far tbh.

judging from his press conferences i do wonder whether language is still an issue also - i for one still can't understand a word he says

Again, it's boiled down to the most simplistic analysis - he earns loads of money so he should have all it covered. Come off it.

The frustration levels are already bordering on the edge of moving on from Emery. Imagine we start next season with one or two poor results - you don't have to imagine what fans would be asking for then.

Of course you're going to be underwhelmed - that's where we are as a club. It's a big hole to climb out of. Man Utd went from champions to also rans. Sure, they finished second last season, but they were never in the title race. Then look what happened for half of this season.

Let's for a minute imagine there was a magic wand that sorted out all of those problems you mentioned above - where do you think we'd be in the league if none of those existed?

[Marc Overmars]

I'd say the one thing Emery doesn't have any excuse for is the defending. It's somehow worse than it was with Wenger and that's even with a lot of defensive signings last summer.

[KSE Comedy Club]

Is he, though?
I don’t absolve him of all responsibility but if we have an owner more interested in profit than competing then we’re not going to sweeping all before us whoever our manager is.
The accepted wisdom was that Wenger was such a bumbling idiot that any manager would come in and improve things. It’s not really working out that way so far and apparently we have no money available for proper investment this summer.

It reminds me of when Gordon Brown and the labour party were kicked out of government - 'good luck rebuilding, the cupboard's bare'

[SMatthews]

We all suffer from it, but perception of how things were a year ago in anything to do with life are often forgotten. That's definitely the case with the defending.

It was just as bad last year and has been for years. We've sat here for years as fans biting our nails in the last ten minutes of games scared shitless the opposition would score. The biggest problem almost every fan thought we'd have to overcome this season is the defence. It's no surprise that is exactly how it's panned out.

Last season we conceded 51 shots on target, this season it's 36 so far. There really isn't much difference there.

What I'm not saying is Emery is perfect or immune from criticism. But what I am saying is the frustration that has hung over this club for years has not disappeared with a new manager, and given what he has at his disposal, it was never going to.

Free passes have already been thrown out the window and its getting ridiculously intense when he already has one hand behind his back with the mess upstairs and restricted money to change things. He's a big boy and I'm sure he can take it, but fans - especially online - have to get a better grip of where we are as a club right now and what we can achieve. He needs time - at least two seasons - but frustration levels are so high he won't get it.

[Özim]

His job is to manage the club to the best of his ability, that includes as Mac pointed out not making basic errors job bloggs down the pub wouldn't make.

As has been mentioned, he's got no replacement for Ozil, so to cut him off because he doesn't like him seems like cutting off his nose to spite his face, as does bringing some middle of the road nobody in a position we absolutely don't need right now and ignoring the real problem positions.

The defending again there's no excuse for, he stuck with the likes of Lichsteiner, Mustafi, Xhaka for far too long, they were rubbish before he came and since he has been here they've done nothing different other than give more goals away, it doesn't take a genius to work out they need replacing and in the short term that we need to try something else.

We basically needed a winger (for Iwobi who has no football intelligence and zero end product) and defenders as our defence is shocking and yet all we find is Suarez a player who plays somewhere we should have never even been looking for (the guys also very small and he's hardly going to make any difference this season given his lack of physical attributes, Aguero brushed him off the ball the other day!).

The lineups have been very questionnable at times this season, we also have to look back at the unbeaten run and see how we basically didn't turn up in the 1st half of games at all and it took Emery half a season to partially fix that.

I'm all for giving a new manager a chance, especially give the mess Wenger left us in, but what is less forgivable at the errors the guy down the pub wouldn't make! I wasn't convinced Emery was the answer when he came (but he was the best of an unfortunate choice between him and Arteta as the club had no interest in proven managers at all) but that's the hand we got dealt so we have to give him a chance, I'm not expecting him to win all his games or get us into the top 4, but what I am expecting is common sense to prevail in his decisions which doesn't seem to be the case at the moment.

[Bumble]

While Mourinho was still managing United I still fancied us for 4th place. Chelsea are having their regular manager issues and the uncertainty around Hazard could have an impact. Now I think United have the better squad and players than us. So 5th might be as high as we get.

If there is so little money to spend why did we remove the contract offer for Ramsey especially if we are going to move on Ozil. Surely it would have been cheaper the keep him at the salary he wanted than sign a new player + salary + integration time. Unless we get a few bosmans which are tricky without CL football to get the better ones, we could struggle.

Up until maybe the 2-2 with United you could see the benefits, the football was more exciting, we were attacking. There was more energy. this seems to have dipped. But on a positive there is still 13 league games to go, so plenty of time to pick up 4th place. Also we only have to go to Spurs and have United at home of the top 5.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Emery has a lot of time to turn it around, things can change very quickly and as pointed out, we have more favourable games than others. Having said that, we've not fully capitalised on a Man ure team who were performing way below their capabilities and were 12 points behind 4th place before Christmas.

We also don't defend like the 6th best team in the league which is what we might actually be. We defend more like the 10th/11th best team in the league....which is a slightly more obscure way of saying, we can defend far better. We have made 4 defensive signings, two of which are very tough experienced players and one of which is one of the best midfielders in the league and we are still defending terribly.

I see the Suarez signing as almost an irrelevance and not something I need to slander him for, but the defensive side nevertheless needs addressing. I have been disappointed with the managing of Ozil too. Not because I am his greatest fans but for many of the reasons already clearly stated. There is no iteration of reality where Arsenal are a better squad of players with Ozil at home playing fort nite or whatever they hell it's called than it is with him at least included in the squad.

He has been very transparent about the lack of money but very cloak and dagger regarding Ozil, Sven's leaving and even Ramsey.

Watch this space, let's see what happens and lets get behind the team.

On a side note the abuse Iwobi gets at the ground is very draining. Really don't look forward to that...

[Marc Overmars]

Emery will get a fair crack, I haven't seen anyone call him out irrationally, most of the management related concerns raised so far are fair and the real anger has been directed towards Kroenke. However it shouldn't be forgotten that he is only on a 3 year deal, so he will have to show something soon that suggests it will be worth extending that because the club are in a position to make a judgement call if they wish to. We live in the real world now where coaches are disposable and need to show that they're taking the team forwards if they want to continue.

This time next year we will be better placed to see what Emery can do, but for now taking it game by game is fine and we do have a lot to play for. He could still make himself a hero or at the very least endear himself to the fanbase.

[Özim]

I see the Suarez signing as almost an irrelevance and not something I need to slander him for, but the defensive side nevertheless needs addressing.

We didn't need a CM and should have never signed one, you don't just someone for the sake of it when you don't need him. It was a defender or winger or nothing IMO.

To me it stinks of having no plan at this club, likewise loaning out ESM, it makes no sense he should have got some game time. AMN should also get a go in his natural position not at full back where he can't play.

We don't even have a head of recruitment now that Mislintat has gone.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Juventus sign Ramsey.

£400k a week, surely not?!

[Marc Overmars]

Good luck to him, great move for himself.

Hope he still has the appetite to help us out for the remainder of the season.

[dazthegooner]

Wow how much is Ronaldo on?

[GP]

Wow how much is Ronaldo on?

8-10, probably less with good behaviour.

[dazthegooner]

BOOM! :ilt:

[SMatthews]

Nowhere to hide on that type of salary. Except the psyhio room, of course.