Match Reaction v Valencia (away) - Baku bound!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

We're in to a European final again. :bow:

Lacazette and Aubameyang were brilliant.

[GP]

Sensational!

We recovered from conceding the early goal to complete what's widely regarded as the greatest comeback in Europe this season!

[Letters]

Football could yet be saved this season!

[SMatthews]

40 in 64 for Auba. What a striker.

[Master Splinter]

Auba :bow:.

Laca :bow:.

Gabriel :haha:.

Coquelin :haha:.

John Carew :haha:.

[GP]

John Carew can juggle my sack

[LDG]

:)

[Xhaka Can’t]

John Carew must have big hands

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Up the Arse!

Season could yet end on a high.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Will be ridiculous if Mkhitaryan can't play in a European final due to some political bollocks.

[AFC Leveller]

By far the greatest comeback this week.

As long as have Laca and Auba fit we will have a chance.

[Mac76]

Great performance, did us proud but you've got to ask where some of that spirit was last Sunday though...

[Mac76]

As long as have Laca and Auba fit we will have a chance.

They definitely shouldn't even be at the Burnley game - that should be a pure B team

[Letters]

Great performance, did us proud but you've got to ask where some of that spirit was last Sunday though...

Agreed. But while everyone is wanking themselves into a coma about Spurs let’s not forget the shitty run Spurs have been on in the league.

[Master Splinter]

They definitely shouldn't even be at the Burnley game - that should be a pure B team

If they're rested, it pretty much is tbfh.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Great performance, did us proud but you've got to ask where some of that spirit was last Sunday though...

We drunk it.

[Mac76]

If they're rested, it pretty much is tbfh.

:lol:

[Özim]

Great performance an result, strikers we immense today, particularly Aubameyang.

Chance to win a European trophy, always special to win one of those!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Amazing for Petr Cech on what his final match will be.

[SMatthews]

They definitely shouldn't even be at the Burnley game - that should be a pure B team

Nah, both play and get an away win at a tough ground to keep momentum going and to build confidence away from home. We are team that put together runs of good form followed by bad. Let’s keep this one going. A few weeks to final anyway.

[Mac76]

Amazing for Petr Cech on what his final match will be.

Unless Emery plays Leno ;)

[Özim]

Amazing for Petr Cech on what his final match will be.

Leno should play in the final, not sure why Cech played today, you play your best team and Leno is better than Cech.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

The performance from midfield was no real different from what we've seen in the league recently. Our forwards were mustard today though.

[Mac76]

Nah, both play and get an away win at a tough ground to keep momentum going and to build confidence away from home. We are team that put together runs of good form followed by bad. Let’s keep this one going. A few weeks to final anyway.

Yes silly me, it's much better for them to get kicked about on a cold afternoon up north... :rolleyes:

[AFC Leveller]

Cech is joining them as a coach, wouldn’t play him tbh. Leno is our best goalie and that should be it.

[Marc Overmars]

Wonderful result.

Auba. :bow:

Now let’s win this fucking thing! :sick:

Best league in the world with all 4 European finalists. :bow:

[Gooner23]

Just read on Arseblog that the clubs will get 6000 tickets each, for a 69,000 seater stadium. It will probably cost around £1000 to get out there and take 9 hours with a stopover somewhere. All for a country that won't allow one of our players in. Football for all :bow:

[Özim]

Wonderful result.

Auba. :bow:

Now let’s win this fucking thing! :sick:

Best league in the world with all 4 European finalists. :bow:

European teams have really dropped the ball, Real messed up when they sold Ronaldo and lost Zidane and thought they'd be fine, Barca didn't invest enough in quality, Bayern have an ageing team and didn't spend enough again, PSG brought in an average overrated manager, Juve I was surprised about, thought they'd do better than they did.

I mentioned the fact that whilst it's nice to think the fairytale can happen, Ajax getting through to the semis was a bad thing in terms of stopping English teams winning it, these smaller teams tend to get a few shoc results but then bottle in when the pressure is on in the latter stages, would have preferred Juve there as I think they would have been a better match for the English teams.

Liverpool are a very good team, but the opposition has been weaker this season. It's great we've got to the Europa League final, hopefully we can win it though it's certainly not a gimme, only bad thing is that we've got to a European final but two sides have got to the final of the biggest European competition.

[Mac76]

European teams have really dropped the ball, Real messed up when they sold Ronaldo and lost Zidane and thought they'd be fine, Barca didn't invest enough in quality, Bayern have an ageing team and didn't spend enough again, PSG brought in an average overrated manager, Juve I was surprised about, thought they'd do better than they did.

I mentioned the fact that whilst it's nice to think the fairytale can happen, Ajax getting through to the semis was a bad thing in terms of stopping English teams winning it, these smaller teams tend to get a few shoc results but then bottle in when the pressure is on in the latter stages, would have preferred Juve there as I think they would have been a better match for the English teams.

Liverpool are a very good team, but the opposition has been weaker this season. It's great we've got to the Europa League final, hopefully we can win it though it's certainly not a gimme, only bad thing is that we've got to a European final but two sides have got to the final of the biggest European competition.

all good points, clearly the best results now are for us to win the EL and Liverpool to win the CL - as i said elsewhere i don't mind Liverpool winnig the CL so muach as they won it fairly recently, it's the Premier league their fans really want.

notwithstanding your last point we'd still have some bragging rights over spuds if we won our final and they lost theirs - once again a seaon where they are trophyless aand we aren't.

it's a shame Liverpuddle have something to play for in their last league game or they could rest players - i'm willing to bet spuds will rest a few people given it's almost impossible for us to catch them up (and i'm hoping we'll rest players anyway)

[Globalgunner]

all good points, clearly the best results now are for us to win the EL and Liverpool to win the CL - as i said elsewhere i don't mind Liverpool winnig the CL so muach as they won it fairly recently, it's the Premier league their fans really want.

notwithstanding your last point we'd still have some bragging rights over spuds if we won our final and they lost theirs - once again a seaon where they are trophyless aand we aren't.

it's a shame Liverpuddle have something to play for in their last league game or they could rest players - i'm willing to bet spuds will rest a few people given it's almost impossible for us to catch them up (and i'm hoping we'll rest players anyway)

The final is 3 weeks away. Asides from getting an injury, there is no upside to resting players. Our first team is barely PL top grade while our bench is championship at best

[Mac76]

The final is 3 weeks away. Asides from getting an injury, there is no upside to resting players. Our first team is barely PL top grade while our bench is championship at best

you make my argument for me...

[Globalgunner]

you make my argument for me...

Ok. But still

[SMatthews]

Auba and Laca our best striker partnership since Henry and Berg? Probably.

[Letters]

Auba and Laca our best striker partnership since Henry and Berg? Probably.

First time for a long time I've felt we've got 2 really good quality strikers up front.
Wenger :bow:


:ninja:

[Marc Overmars]

They are brilliant. You always know you have a chance with strikers like them in your side.

Just a shame the rest of the team is a level below. Their conversion rates are abnormally high, so god knows where we’d be without their efforts this season.

[GP]

We are in a European final!!

It's long overdue. Time to lay some demons to rest.

[Letters]

https://newsthump.com/2019/05/10/manchester-united-to-feed-more-successful-teams-cats-during-european-finals/

:lol:

[Mac76]

https://newsthump.com/2019/05/10/manchester-united-to-feed-more-successful-teams-cats-during-european-finals/

:lol:

yeah and with Citeh in the FAC final and likely to win the league, Moan Ure really are the total losers in the top 6 this season :lol:

ole at the wheel :haha:

[KSE Comedy Club]

We do have a couple of weeks to rest the players before the final however, I want to see Auba and Laca both fit and able to line up against the Chavs.

[Mac76]

We do have a couple of weeks to rest the players before the final however, I want to see Auba and Laca both fit and able to line up against the Chavs.

there's just no question, we can't risk them or players like Kos, Leno and others prior to that Chelsea game.

my lineup for Burnley would be:

Cech (because i'd play Leno in the final)
Lichsteiner (RB)
Mustafi
Medley
Jenkinson (LB)
Elneny
Xhaka
Willock
Saka
Iwobi
Eddie

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

yeah and with Citeh in the FAC final and likely to win the league, Moan Ure really are the total losers in the top 6 this season :lol:

ole at the wheel :haha:

Fuhk me I totally forgot the FA cup!

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

there's just no question, we can't risk them or players like Kos, Leno and others prior to that Chelsea game.

my lineup for Burnley would be:

Cech (because i'd play Leno in the final)
Lichsteiner (RB)
Mustafi
Medley
Jenkinson (LB)
Elneny
Xhaka
Willock
Saka
Iwobi
Eddie

Mavropranos still can't get a game....

[Mac76]

Mavropranos still can't get a game....

i figured we'd need him in Baku :)

[Marc Overmars]

Don’t agree with playing Leno.

Cech has been absolutely fine throughout the campaign and it would be some serious cuntery on Emery’s part to drop him for the final.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

With crosses coming in late on for Giroud.....I'd want Cech there personally.

[GP]

Cech is a true professional. If anyone thinks he'd be chucking goals in because it's Chelsea then they really don't know the man.

[dazthegooner]

Cech is winner and will want to go out with a bang so hopefully a trophy and a clean sheet to boot :)

[Özim]

We're not a charity, you play your best players and Leno is out best keeper, no other top club would play their 2nd keeper in a European final if their 1st choice is fit.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40004559

[Letters]

Don’t agree with playing Leno.

Cech has been absolutely fine throughout the campaign and it would be some serious cuntery on Emery’s part to drop him for the final.

Agreed. I think Leno should, overall, be first choice.
But having been a feature in the team that got us there it would be twattery to drop him for the final.
What more incentive do you need in your last game?

[LDG]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40004559

Are you suggesting, Maccy, that Utd are a top club? :sulk:

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

Auba and Laca our best striker partnership since Henry and Berg? Probably.

Ah, what happened to the noise you've been making that his contribution is subpar (Laca) and his stats don't look good even as a second striker?

Or do you no longer believe our problems can be solved by flogging him off after repeating the drivel all season long?

[Mac76]

We're not a charity, you play your best players and Leno is out best keeper, no other top club would play their 2nd keeper in a European final if their 1st choice is fit.

This

Our being in the CL trumps any romantic last appearances for a goalie who had a laugh and a joke with his Bayern Munich mates after letting them put five past him at the Emirates

https://www.90min.com/posts/4686314-arsenal-fans-react-to-petr-cech-manuel-neuer-s-interaction-after-bayern-thrashing

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

Cech deserves to play the final not out of charity but because he was one of the main reasons we got this far.

I mean you all are making Leno sound like some sort of Oliver Kahn, instead of recognising his inconsitencies is one of the reasons we have little to play for this Saturday. Choosing him to play the final over Cech would be ridiculous in so many ways especially seeing we are playing Chelsea a team Cech knows better than anyone.

[LDG]

I’d play Seaman.

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

This

Our being in the CL trumps any romantic last appearances for a goalie who had a laugh and a joke with his Bayern Munich mates after letting them put five past him at the Emirates

https://www.90min.com/posts/4686314-arsenal-fans-react-to-petr-cech-manuel-neuer-s-interaction-after-bayern-thrashing

Didn't you read what you posted. He was on the bench for the both matches and Osipna was the one in goal.

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

I’d play Seaman.

I would too.

[SMatthews]

Ah, what happened to the noise you've been making that his contribution is subpar (Laca) and his stats don't look good even as a second striker?

Or do you no longer believe our problems can be solved by flogging him off after repeating the drivel all season long?

I don’t the see the problem here. I’m always open to have my mind changed as I want the best for every player that puts on the said. And yet, if a big offer came in during the summer for Laca I’d want us to have a serious think about it. I’m trying to take into consideration how little may be available to spend during the summer.The big question then is does all of it go back to reinvest? Who knows, but it’s an option. And it’s also not the only option. I’d like Laca to stay as he’s a very good player, but I’m also open to using one of our assets (Bellerin is another who would get big money but hes injured throughout the summer). If it could help us push on, ala Coutinho, who everyone thought would be a huge problem for Liverpool to solve. We won’t get Coutinho money but we’d still get a huge fee. You can boil my point down to say I believe we solve all our problems by flogging Laca, but that’s not what I’ve been saying. Great, we win the EL, get into the CL and have a better pot to piss in during the transfer window. But if not, we need to make the best of all our options.

[Letters]

I mean you all are making Leno sound like some sort of Oliver Kahn, instead of recognising his inconsitencies is one of the reasons we have little to play for this Saturday. Choosing him to play the final over Cech would be ridiculous in so many ways especially seeing we are playing Chelsea a team Cech knows better than anyone.

This is the key thing. Cech was part of the team that got us there, he deserves his place.
If there was a big gulf in class between him and Leno then I’d agree we should play Leno but there really isn’t.

[Mac76]

Didn't you read what you posted. He was on the bench for the both matches and Osipna was the one in goal.

Not properly no :doh:

I'd forgotten that he didn't play, even though i was at the home leg :pal:

But still it's not the thing to do is it?

[SMatthews]

https://youtu.be/62zMRboGGS8

Forget the Cech talk. Get this guy in for Baku. 4 penalty saves and a converted penalty.

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

I don’t the see the problem here. I’m always open to have my mind changed as I want the best for every player that puts on the said. And yet, if a big offer came in during the summer for Laca I’d want us to have a serious think about it. I’m trying to take into consideration how little may be available to spend during the summer.The big question then is does all of it go back to reinvest? Who knows, but it’s an option. And it’s also not the only option. I’d like Laca to stay as he’s a very good player, but I’m also open to using one of our assets (Bellerin is another who would get big money but hes injured throughout the summer). If it could help us push on, ala Coutinho, who everyone thought would be a huge problem for Liverpool to solve. We won’t get Coutinho money but we’d still get a huge fee. You can boil my point down to say I believe we solve all our problems by flogging Laca, but that’s not what I’ve been saying. Great, we win the EL, get into the CL and have a better pot to piss in during the transfer window. But if not, we need to make the best of all our options.

I don't know, I can't really fathom how any of us could consider breaking up a partnership we've been yearning for more than a decade.

Yes, we need to invest in the squad but do we really need to sell our best players to do so? Isn't that just creating more gaps that need to be filled?

I think we fans should be putting pressure on our model to change; Man U, Chelsea and City don't need to sell before taking advantage of the market- in fact let's not forget that Liverpool bought Van Dyke even before they sold Coutinho.

I honestly don't think it would take that much money to sort our defence if we had a coach or TD who knew how to spot talent, then I could see us getting 4 really good defenders for under 80m total. Oh and we've not even talked about replacing Ramsey, as a like for like alone would cost us nothing less than 50m (and that's being conservative). Van der Beek is being mentioned. Plus we still need to get Torrierra someone good to play with. Ah, and what if Auba or Laca gets injured, or both at the same time.........

In short we have a lot of gaps in this squad, selling any player that's actually performing means creating another gap that will need to be filled. You don't want us to drop out of the top 6 but that's exactly what will happen if we keep on with this silly model of selling or letting performing players go because we want to bring in new ones; while keeping the likes of Xhaka and Mustafi to stink up the place and cost us more and more points.

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

This is the key thing. Cech was part of the team that got us there, he deserves his place.
If there was a big gulf in class between him and Leno then I’d agree we should play Leno but there really isn’t.

BTW who remembers the season we got to the CC cup final with some exceptional kids and we binned all of them at the final to play the first team. I remember the feeling of losing that final and just thinking to myself after the game- wouldn't it have been better to have played the kids all the way?

I think it was during our extreme trophy drought as even AW wanted to win it so badly that year.

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

Herrera available on a free.

Offer £150k and ship off Xhaka, anyone??

[GP]

Nah

[SMatthews]

I don't know, I can't really fathom how any of us could consider breaking up a partnership we've been yearning for more than a decade.

Yes, we need to invest in the squad but do we really need to sell our best players to do so? Isn't that just creating more gaps that need to be filled?

I think we fans should be putting pressure on our model to change; Man U, Chelsea and City don't need to sell before taking advantage of the market- in fact let's not forget that Liverpool bought Van Dyke even before they sold Coutinho.

I honestly don't think it would take that much money to sort our defence if we had a coach or TD who knew how to spot talent, then I could see us getting 4 really good defenders for under 80m total. Oh and we've not even talked about replacing Ramsey, as a like for like alone would cost us nothing less than 50m (and that's being conservative). Van der Beek is being mentioned. Plus we still need to get Torrierra someone good to play with. Ah, and what if Auba or Laca gets injured, or both at the same time.........

In short we have a lot of gaps in this squad, selling any player that's actually performing means creating another gap that will need to be filled. You don't want us to drop out of the top 6 but that's exactly what will happen if we keep on with this silly model of selling or letting performing players go because we want to bring in new ones; while keeping the likes of Xhaka and Mustafi to stink up the place and cost us more and more points.

It has to at least be considered if we don’t get a CL cash boost and transfer funds are paltry. I’ll stress again I don’t see it as the only the answer, but it’s one to be mulled over if we get a big offer. You went through a list of players above - and I don’t think we need to spend hundreds of millions to be even more competitive - but the noise we’re hearing is a transfer kitty of £50m or below (hopefully higher with CL money). That alone is not enough to play with to make a real change during the summer - especially when Sanllehi doesn’t want anything to do with the winter transfer window.

Given the ever increasing size of transfer fees we might need more money and it will have to come from somewhere, as it won’t be doled out by our owner. Hopefully all the speculation is wrong and we have more to spend, but we really don’t have a clue how we’ll operate now that Kroenke has all the marbles.

When it comes to putting pressure on the club to change our model that’s a bit hard to do when the owner is never over here. City can’t even be compared to, aside from PSG, while Utd have mega commercial deals and even the Chavs have changed their approach in recent years (and they should be worried about their owner being kept out the country). I don’t think the complaints from fans (voiced less at games, more online) about Wenger pushed the owner to get rid. He’s made it clear he will do as he pleases and couldn’t give a shit.

The reason I mentioned Liverpool and Countinho (whose sale was announced days before Van Dyke’s so they knew the money was there to spend) Is because Liverpool had to remodel their team after his departure. Most people thought it was a big step back selling him - but it’s the best bit of business they’ve done in years.

Of course, you need a good management set-up (including the Technical Director) to make the most of it. Are Emery (and potentially Edu) those guys? I don’t know, but I’m willing to give a new manager 18-24 months and a chance to spend to find out. I’m not sure Emery is the long-term answer, but I think he has enough to get us back into the top four consistently - although with the competition around the top six it is incredibly tough to do every single year now unless you are one of the top two sides.

I won’t go into the whole top six thing because we’ll continue to disagree about that point. Yes I want us to succeed and challenge more. And to do so I think we need to be creative as a club in how we source and use our money. If that means making sacrifices that will help us along, I’m all for that. If we don’t have much to spend I don’t think there are any ideal options available to us if we want to move on.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Cannot stand Herrera. I'd actually rather just keep Xhaka.

[I am invisible]

Personally speaking, I’d be doing everything I could to keep Lacazette at the club - I’m all for a huge overhaul of the squad, and I would be open to one or two big name / shock departures to raise funds, but he wouldn’t be someone I’d be looking at.

Aside from anything else, I really think it’s important for us to redefine the standards that are expected at this club, and keeping Lacazette could be a key part of that. It needs to be shown that you earn the big rewards at this club by putting in the same kind of consistency of performance and effort that we’ve seen from Auba and Laca; just as it needs to be shown that you get benched and sold if you consistently underperform or take the piss. No more of this ‘Arsenal is like a family’ BS, where everyone is forgiven for everything and shielded from consequences, and where the squad is collectively rewarded for the work of a handful of players. We need to get back to being a meritocracy again.

Normally I’d say that you don’t want to see too many changes in one window, for the sake of stability, but in our case I think wholesale changes are probably essential. There’s a pervasive sense of casualness and weakness of mentality about this club - one that might be so firmly entrenched that it’s becoming / become an identity - and the only way I see to halt it at this point is to cut as much of it away as possible, like a cancer, and replace it with healthy tissue.

And it’s not just about changing things at Arsenal either - a massive part of the problem is perception and how the other clubs look at as an easy meal. As long as we keep lining up with more or less the same players, our opponents will look at us and think that all of the same old weaknesses are there, and will come into every game against as fired up and fancying their chances. We need to break that confidence and certainty, and create a bit of uncertainty on how to approach us and how we’ll act and react. Again, the only way I see of doing that at this point is if we’ve changed things to such an extent that opponents look at us and literally see a different beast!

[SMatthews]

The thing is, if we wanted to sell big to raise transfer funds, the ‘big names’ are few and far between. Laca and Bellerin (who can’t be sold due to injury) are the only two we could flog for considerable funds. It would be great if it didn’t have to come to that but there’s a lot riding on Baku.

[GP]

The thing is, if we wanted to sell big to raise transfer funds, the ‘big names’ are few and far between. Laca and Bellerin (who can’t be sold due to injury) are the only two we could flog for considerable funds. It would be great if it didn’t have to come to that but there’s a lot riding on Baku.

The problem with selling Laca is, he'd have to be replaced. Unless you're selling for 100m+ there doesn't seem to be much point.

[SMatthews]

Depends how you want to rebuild the team using that money and where you are shopping. I think he has 3 years left and is at the right age and peak of of form to possibly get that sort of cash. The South American market is going be a favourite spot if Edu comes in - we’re already pretty Spanish from the execs to the manager.

[I am invisible]

The thing is, if we wanted to sell big to raise transfer funds, the ‘big names’ are few and far between. Laca and Bellerin (who can’t be sold due to injury) are the only two we could flog for considerable funds. It would be great if it didn’t have to come to that but there’s a lot riding on Baku.
Honestly, I think it’s more about slashing wages than raising funds for transfer fees - the ‘big names’ I’m talking about losing are all the players who are on big-name, £100k/week+ contracts (who either aren’t delivering or are coming towards the end of their careers and will need replacing soon anyway). Obviously we’d want to get good fees wherever we can, but in some cases I’d happily sanction free transfers just to be rid of certain players.

I wouldn’t be surprised if we actually had considerable sums sat in the accounts there somewhere, untapped, but even if we’re skint, we should still be able to finance most transfer fees, if the deals are structured in instalments - again, it comes down to getting overheads down so we can cover the repayments as part of our annual turnover (and not breach the new PL rules on spending).

[SMatthews]

Honestly, I think it’s more about slashing wages than raising funds for transfer fees - the ‘big names’ I’m talking about losing are all the players who are on big-name, £100k/week+ contracts who either aren’t delivering big-name performances or are coming towards the end of their careers and will need replacing soon anyway. Obviously we’d want to get a high fee where we can, but in some cases I’d happily sanction free transfers just to be rid of them!

I wouldn’t be surprised if we actually had considerable sums sat in the accounts there somewhere, untapped, but even if we’re skint, we should still be able to finance most transfer fees, if the deals are structured in instalments - again, it comes down to getting overheads down so we can cover the repayments as part of our annual turnover (and not breach the new PL rules on spending).

Hopefully the noise we’re hearing about transfer funds are low (not withstanding any CL money we might get if we qualify) is not true. Im not sure slashing wages will be enough to raise funds to spend, but then again I’m no financial expert so maybe you’re right. It would be the better alternative.

Ozil has already said he’s not leaving, and his agent was at it again this week. Hopefully that’s just PR rubbish so he doesn’t leave looking the bad guy.

Also, Mikhi’s agent - Mino Raiola - has been banned from making transfers for 3 months (perhaps Pogba won’t be going anywhere too)

[SMatthews]

I think the fact we’re being heavily linked to a 17-year-old Brazilian wonderkid called Martinelli indicates where we’ll be hunting around over the coming years.

[I am invisible]

Hopefully the noise we’re hearing about transfer funds are low (not withstanding any CL money we might get if we qualify). Im not sure slashing wages will be enough to raise funds to spend, but then again I’m no financial expert so maybe you’re right. It would be the better alternative.

Ozil has already said he’s not leaving, and his agent was at it again this week. Hopefully that’s just PR rubbish so he doesn’t leave looking the bad guy.

Also, Mikhi’s agent - Mino Raiola - has been banned from making transfers for 3 months (perhaps Pogba won’t be going anywhere too)
Well, the Adidas deal should give us an extra £30m of annual revenue to work with, and losing Ramsey, Welbeck, Cech and Lichtsteiner will probably free up another £25m - chuck in the basic amount that all clubs are allowed to increase their spending by each year without boosting revenue (£7m is it?) and we’re already past the £60m mark without doing a thing.

Again, it’s important to stress that we’re talking about amounts that we can increase our *annual* overheads by here, and not how much we can spend on transfer fees in one summer. If someone like Torreira, for example, was signed for £22m (ish), to be paid over 4 years, and on a contract of £70k/week (ish), then that would only account for about £8m/year of our budget (5.5 in structured repayments and 3.5 in wages) - it’s not as straightforward as saying we’ve got a transfer budget of 60m and then subtracting 22m (which is how the papers usually frame it).

It’d be a dream to get rid of Özil and Mkhi - they can both go for nothing with my blessing - but there’s literally loads we can do, even if we just leave those two to rot until their contracts expire. Mustafi and Kolasinac must be in that 90-100k/week club - both could easily be replaced with players just as good (or better) on half their wages. Xhaka too - hasn’t been the worst player this year by any stretch, but we could bring in someone just as good or better for half the money. And we’d probably get some kind of fee for all three of those guys too.

I love Koscielny and Monreal, but they’ve got to be on pretty big money after all these years, and both are going to need replacing soon anyway - might as well deal with it now.

Why are we keeping Elneny and Jenkinson around? Sell. Get them off the wage bill. The amount they actually feature for us they wouldn’t even need replacing. Ditto for Chambers - find a place for him in the squad or sell him.

I’d even consider letting Bellerin go, if a crazy offer came in - Maitland-Niles has been looking increasingly good in the same role, and is probably on a much smaller contract... nice to have two players there of that standard, but it feels like a bit of a luxury given the amount of surgery we might need.

Honestly, I’m really not worried about how we might finance a rebuild - by far my biggest concern right now is whether we actually have anyone at the club who I’d trust to oversee the recruitment!

[I am invisible]

I think the fact we’re being heavily linked to a 17-year-old Brazilian wonderkid called Martinelli indicates where we’ll be hunting around over the coming years.
I hope so - the more unknown the better, as far as I’m concerned. I want to go into next season as a complete mystery to everyone...

[SMatthews]

Well, the Adidas deal should give us an extra £30m of annual revenue to work with, and losing Ramsey, Welbeck, Cech and Lichtsteiner will probably free up another £25m - chuck in the basic amount that all clubs are allowed to increase their spending by each year without boosting revenue (£7m is it?) and we’re already past the £60m mark without doing a thing.

Again, it’s important to stress that we’re talking about amounts that we can increase our *annual* overheads by here, and not how much we can spend on transfer fees in one summer. If someone like Torreira, for example, was signed for £22m (ish), to be paid over 4 years, and on a contract of £70k/week (ish), then that would only account for about £8m/year of our budget (5.5 in structured repayments and 3.5 in wages) - it’s not as straightforward as saying we’ve got a transfer budget of 60m and then subtracting 22m (which is how the papers usually frame it).

It’d be a dream to get rid of Özil and Mkhi - they can both go for nothing with my blessing - but there’s literally loads We can do, even if just leave those two to rot until their contracts expire. Mustafi and Kolasinac must be in that 90-100k/week club - both could easily be replaced with players just as good (or better) on half their wages. Xhaka too - hasn’t been the worst player this year by any stretch, but we could bring in someone just as good or better for half the money. And we’d probably get some kind of fee for all three of those guys too.

I love Koscielny and Monreal, but they’ve got to be on pretty big money after all these years, and both are going to need replacing soon anyway - might as well deal with it now. Why are we keeping Elneny and Jenkinson around? Sell. Get them off the wage bill. The amount they’re played they wouldn’t even need replacements. Ditto for Chambers - find a place for him or sell him.

I’d even consider letting Bellerin go, if a crazy offer came in - Maitland-Niles has been looking increasingly good in the same role, and is probably on a much smaller contract... nice to have two players there of that standard, but it feels like a bit of a luxury given the amount of surgery we might need.

Honestly, I’m really not worried about how we might finance a rebuild - by far my biggest concern right now is whether we actually have anyone at the club who I’d trust to oversee the recruitment!

The wages will be freed up - but also a lot of it will have be reallocated to new player wages. But yes, the media simplify the sales and buys away from the reality of the situation. That's why the whole 'net spend' argument is garbage, as clubs use amortisation to plan how wages and fees are run through their accounts.

It definitely won't all happen in one summer, and not even two, there's just too much to overhaul across the squad. I see Bellerin and Laca as our two biggest assets and given the way we want to play I'd say Bellerin is more important to us. But if Bellerin was fit during the summer I'd want us to consider selling and reinvesting as he'd go for £60m plus, but he won't be back until Sept/Oct. But that said, I'm on the other end of the spectrum and not convinced with AMN. He's done as well as he can there but I don't think he's a long-term option.

Selling Laca is only one option, but as you suggest, hopefully there are more that open up funds for us to progress. I think we could be seeing more of those Martinelli-type signings once Edu gets his feet under the table.

[Chippy]

Mavropranos still can't get a game....
Thats because he is either injured or banned!