We need a British spine in our team

[Joker]

Today, we didn't have a single Englishman out there. I'm absolutely not a nationalist, but given that we're playing in the English Premier League, I think we desperately need at least a couple of British players in the central positions of the team, to cope with the unique style that we face in this country. That's why I was calling for the signings of Cahill, Jagielka, Baines and someone like Parker. These players have grown up playing football in this league, and know what it's about and how to cope. Instead, Wenger has this strange bias against signing established British players (he's got no problem signing young ones though) and that's negatively impacted upon our squad over the last few years IMO.

[Niall_Quinn]

Parker, Bellamy, Cahill, Jagielka, Baines and even Barton. They would have all been cheap (big tick mark for the board) and all ready to hit the ground running. Why we didn't buy them is a mystery. Some sort of snobbery on Wenger's part. To buy the equivalent from abroad and expect them to influence this season we'd need to spend 3 times more money which would never happen. So yes, without a doubt we should have bought the British talent that was hanging on the low branches this summer. It was a mistake that will hopefully cost Wenger his job and the board their seats. I'm assuming these guys are all honourable and know where the bucks stops? PS. Some fucking chance. Greedy stupid cunts.

[Ollie the Optimist]

this english spine is myth and total bollocks, the english team have an english spine and fuck up on the big stage. sign good payers and dont give a fuck where they come from.

[Marc Overmars]

You don't have to be English to see out a game against Blackburn.

You just have to be mentally stable.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Today, we didn't have a single Englishman out there. I'm absolutely not a nationalist, but given that we're playing in the English Premier League, I think we desperately need at least a couple of British players in the central positions of the team, to cope with the unique style that we face in this country. That's why I was calling for the signings of Cahill, Jagielka, Baines and someone like Parker. These players have grown up playing football in this league, and know what it's about and how to cope. Instead, Wenger has this strange bias against signing established British players (he's got no problem signing young ones though) and that's negatively impacted upon our squad over the last few years IMO.

No we don't need a british spine we need a compitent manager who knows what the fuck to so not the clueless idiot we have

[gunner6smith]

What Ollie said.

[Niall_Quinn]

this english spine is myth and total bollocks, the english team have an english spine and fuck up on the big stage. sign good payers and dont give a fuck where they come from.

The board and Wenger won't spend the money! It would be great to sign some serious talent (and I don't mean second rate shite masquerading as the real deal). But when it's suggested, Wenger and the board start complaining we want to sign Messi. They're against it, nothing will change until they are gone. So snapping up those British players with PL experience would have been a smart move.

[Ollie the Optimist]

The board and Wenger won't spend the money! It would be great to sign some serious talent (and I don't mean second rate shite masquerading as the real deal). But when it's suggested, Wenger and the board start complaining we want to sign Messi. They're against it, nothing will change until they are gone. So snapping up those British players with PL experience would have been a smart move.

why english? arteta is spanish has prem experience and already he goes into tackles commited etc. dont have to be english to have backbone, you have to be good. arteta at 10m was cheap and plenty more like him who are better then half the english

[Niall_Quinn]

why english? arteta is spanish has prem experience and already he goes into tackles commited etc. dont have to be english to have backbone, you have to be good. arteta at 10m was cheap and plenty more like him who are better then half the english

Yep, fine, I'll have Arteta on that list too. Doesn't have to be exclusively British, but the British players that were available this summer for the sort of money we'd be willing to pay would have all done a job for us. And they bring the advantage of not wanting to fuck off home because they are already home.

[Edin Gooner]

Parker, Bellamy, Cahill, Jagielka, Baines and even Barton. They would have all been cheap (big tick mark for the board) and all ready to hit the ground running. Why we didn't buy them is a mystery. Some sort of snobbery on Wenger's part. To buy the equivalent from abroad and expect them to influence this season we'd need to spend 3 times more money which would never happen. So yes, without a doubt we should have bought the British talent that was hanging on the low branches this summer. It was a mistake that will hopefully cost Wenger his job and the board their seats. I'm assuming these guys are all honourable and know where the bucks stops? PS. Some fucking chance. Greedy stupid cunts.

To be fair, watching MOTD, yes even Barton may have done a job for an interim period. The one thing you can't fault is his passion and fight in midfield, something seriously lacking with the likes of Song, who at times looks like he cant be arsed.

[Özim]

What we need is quality, they don't necessarily have to be English.

Problem is we've been spending what money we've chosen to spend on shite for years....very few decent players bought in the last 6 years and this is the result.....you can't keep buying cheap nobodies and bargain basement buys and expect to be any good.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

What we need is quality, they don't necessarily have to be English.Problem is we've been spending what money we've chosen to spend on shite for years....very few decent players bought in the last 6 years and this is the result.....you can't keep buying cheap nobodies and bargain basement buys and expect to be any good.

Not really we need a manager who recognises the problems of the team, you can have all the quality you want but you don't sort out the problems they will still be there.

We could buy Hazard and Mvilla and Benzema/Falco or Klass jan, yes we'd have quality but our problems would still be there Mentally.

[Coney]

Today, we didn't have a single Englishman out there. I'm absolutely not a nationalist, but given that we're playing in the English Premier League, I think we desperately need at least a couple of British players in the central positions of the team, to cope with the unique style that we face in this country. That's why I was calling for the signings of Cahill, Jagielka, Baines and someone like Parker. These players have grown up playing football in this league, and know what it's about and how to cope. Instead, Wenger has this strange bias against signing established British players (he's got no problem signing young ones though) and that's negatively impacted upon our squad over the last few years IMO.

British or English - you seem to use them interchangably which, given the PL is an English league and British includes Scots, Welsh and N-Irish does not match up.

If you are implying that only British players can make up a spine, then I think you are following a gross stereotype and also need to explain how teams in Europe without British or English players have a spine.

If you mean we need a better and more solid defence, then maybe you could just be onto something, but I'd start by looking at what players can and cannot do, rather than their nationality.

[Gubby Allen]

this english spine is myth and total bollocks, the english team have an english spine and fuck up on the big stage. sign good payers and dont give a fuck where they come from.

Traditionally English players are less likely to **** off back home or off to Spain, given they're already at home. That's the benefit, more often than not, you'll get. But it needs to be proven PL quality that is top on th list.

[Power n Glory]

We need more English players. Since Campbell and Cole left, we haven't been the same.