Napoli v Arsenal match reaction - let the bed wetting begin!

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Originally Posted by Steve French

Because we haven't got the capacity to see it through up front. Giroud, as good as he is, is not enough. We are on our way however. Other teams will strengthen for sure, but so will we presumably, and with a younger and more in prime core, any improvement we make ought to be more material.

I simply don't think it will happen this season, but at the same time, it might. That is the hope I have. Right here, right now, that and then hope we will continue to strengthen the team is good enough for me now.

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I kind of agree with what you are saying here in regards to strengthening up front.

I don't think Arsene will refuse to strengthen the attack out of principle, but it is more a case of I don't really see there being any top class forwards available in the January market to upgrade the team/improve the squad immeasurably. Ultimately I think Arsene will gamble and stick with Theo & Podolski supporting Giroud.

Will that take us over the line and cement our position as the number one team in PL? I don't know, but I do know that I would feel a lot more comfortable with a quality addition like say a Benzema or Diego Costa or someone like that. I might sound greedy but either the above would be great buys but if we don't decide to enter the market we should aim for the best in the Summer and aggresively pursuit their signatures, I.E. A Suarez or a Rooney.

The summer market was where we really should have strenghtened the attack...but we didn't and we are where we are.

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Originally Posted by selassie

I kind of agree with what you are saying here in regards to strengthening up front.

I don't think Arsene will refuse to strengthen the attack out of principle, but it is more a case of I don't really see there being any top class forwards available in the January market to upgrade the team/improve the squad immeasurably. Ultimately I think Arsene will gamble and stick with Theo & Podolski supporting Giroud.

Will that take us over the line and cement our position as the number one team in PL? I don't know, but I do know that I would feel a lot more comfortable with a quality addition like say a Benzema or Diego Costa or someone like that. I might sound greedy but either the above would be great buys but if we don't decide to enter the market we should aim for the best in the Summer and aggresively pursuit their signatures, I.E. A Suarez or a Rooney.

The summer market was where we really should have strenghtened the attack...but we didn't and we are where we are.

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Agree with that but the next issue is our transfer policy. Last year we had some idiot who decided it would be a great idea to offer Liverpool £1 over Suarez's release clause fee thinking it wouldn't alienate us, we had an idiot trying to sign Cabaye who says on the phone " that's too expensive for a squad player" with Cabaye listening, we have people who think its really clever to leave everything to the last minute - nobody see's the sense in getting business done as early as possibe to get the new players on pre-season tours etc. Its like we've got a school kid dealing with transfers - get someone in who knows what they are doing & understands how to negotiate.

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Originally Posted by Steve French

Because we haven't got the capacity to see it through up front. Giroud, as good as he is, is not enough. We are on our way however. Other teams will strengthen for sure, but so will we presumably, and with a younger and more in prime core, any improvement we make ought to be more material.

I simply don't think it will happen this season, but at the same time, it might. That is the hope I have. Right here, right now, that and then hope we will continue to strengthen the team is good enough for me now.

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This is the sporting equivalent of Federer and Nadal being out injured for a grandslam or Schumacher retiring after years of dominance with Ferrari. We should be doing all we can to win the title this year. This is a massive opportunity.

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Originally Posted by Steve French

I was not lashing out against 'good debate'! :haha:

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I didn't say that. I said it doesn't encourage good debate or comments on the actual game.

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Originally Posted by Power_n_Glory

This is the sporting equivalent of Federer and Nadal being out injured for a grandslam.

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Not really, it's more like them changing coaches and there being some uncertainty about how they'll do.
Chelsea and City haven't disappeared, they've both got ridiculous squads and one of them has a manager who has won the title for them before.

I don't discount the point you're making, but even in this environment, who in their right mind thought at the beginning of the season that we had a chance.

We've had a great start, so much so that if as Syn says, we become a good FTB, we have a chance.

For my money though, City are winning the title. A monkey should be able to take that talent to the top. Unfortunately they got rid of someone stupider than a monkey

I really don’t see it that way and thought we’d have a serious chance if we spent this summer. It was cemented as soon as Ivan started talking. I didn’t believe it was the usual PR talk and was totally pissed about how late we left our business because we were blowing a serious opportunity. Who in their right mind? We’ll flip that. What makes you think an opportunity like this will come again? Who says Wenger will even be here coaching in a few years? Who says after assembling our best squad in years City and Chelsea won’t spend silly money or Jose hasn’t put together a really strong Chelsea side we just can’t keep up with? I guess we have different expectation levels, hence the ‘bed wetting’ comment but you shouldn’t really be mocking people that believe we can do it.

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Originally Posted by Letters To Santa

Not really, it's more like them changing coaches and there being some uncertainty about how they'll do.
Chelsea and City haven't disappeared, they've both got ridiculous squads and one of them has a manager who has won the title for them before.

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But do you get the point? Again, what makes you think it will be any easier next season once they're in their stride?

A week is a long time in football.

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Originally Posted by Power_n_Glory

I really don’t see it that way and thought we’d have a serious chance if we spent this summer. It was cemented as soon as Ivan started talking. I didn’t believe it was the usual PR talk and was totally pissed about how late we left our business because we were blowing a serious opportunity. Who in their right mind? We’ll flip that. What makes you think an opportunity like this will come again? Who says Wenger will even be here coaching in a few years? Who says after assembling our best squad in years City and Chelsea won’t spend silly money or Jose hasn’t put together a really strong Chelsea side we just can’t keep up with? I guess we have different expectation levels, hence the ‘bed wetting’ comment but you shouldn’t really be mocking people that believe we can do it.

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Opportunities are going to come along regularly if there is indeed a fundamental shift in our transfer policy. Tbh, I prefer my scenario where we continue to build on the competitiveness of the team over a sustained period rather than a one off hurrah because others are in transition. Besides, what is the guarantee that their transitions will be successful?

As for your last point, I never mocked anyone for thinking we can won things this year. Not once.