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I think come the first of July we are all going to be a little bit shocked to see how many of our players have already been sold. I think we will also sign a couple at that point and 1 maybe 2 more before the window closes.
I will judge Arsene at the end of this season and see if he genuinely can change what he does.
I just think this is going to be another summer of disappointments. Sure, some of the deadwood will be shifted out, but I doubt Wenger will make the necessary signings that will help break this cycle of underachievement that we've been in for the last 5 years. The early signs aren't exactly promising, with Jones (a player we were apparently interested in) having a medical at United, Nasri making noises about wanting to leave, etc.
http://www.arsenal.com/usa/news/news...ager...-part-1Quote:
Looking at the number of players Arsenal use in a given season shows the team needs to do a better job of rotating the squad and building depth. Arsenal used 21 different outfield players as starters this past season, compared to 26 for the league champions, Manchester United, and 24 for their Champions League Final opponent Barcelona. Arsenal had 14 outfield players with ten starts or more in the league, compared to 17 for United. Especially with the added workload of playing into the Carling Cup Final as well as in several match replays, a team needs many more players than the 11 that take the pitch on a given night. Depth has been shown as a necessity this past season, potentially more than any in the recent past. Arsenal need to keep their players fresher throughout the year, take calculated risks on when players should be used as substitutes or on the bench, but still maintain a high level skill and continuity throughout the players who do start in any given match.
Personally, you can argue about mentality this, composure that - but we started the league with less senior squad players than the limit. Beyond the first 11, our squad players where greatly over estimated which created significant tactical problems on the pitch on probably 4/5 of the occasions. And then there are the individual errors... more than any other season I can remember, it was a theme for the season sure, but over the last 6 years? No, the seasons before we lost due to not beating the teams around us, this season everyone dropped points at the lower league teams.
And stop trying to suggest that the specific problems we have had are independent from specific players in certain positions and it's ALL down to training and the manager - 50/50 at best.
We've had defensive problems since Sol Campbell had that break down. From Kolo Toure and Senderos, Gallas and Toure, Gallas and Vermaelen, Kos and Djourou, Kos and Squallaci...regardless of the combo it's been a problem area. The lack of leadership and fight when the chips are down...that's a team problem that the manager has to correct. After the Birmingham game he said we'd fight to the end and the team didn't. This isn't the only season where we've collapsed either. It's not 50:50 in my eyes. We've seen Wenger build three different teams over the past 6 years and each of them had the same problem. From the Captain Henry years, Captain Gallas years to Captain Cesc. Same problems with all of them.
@ the OP
Do we need a sugar daddy to compete with the financially doped clubs going forward? No - provided that AFC maintains its current CL position, and chooses the right manager.
The reason why so many people are of this view is that we have, undoubtedly, had the quality of players to have won titles in the past 5 years - despite the likes of the Chavs; Manure; Citeh and even Spurs and Liverpool spunking far more than we have in the transfer market. It is the mentality that has been wrong, and not only might another manager have provided that mentality and addressed the obvious flaws in AW's regime, but he might have spent judisciously to address problem areas rather than gambling on 'proteges' delivering.
Going forwards, it is reasonable to believe that even with the relatively limited spending power that Arsenal has (compared to the teams listed above), an astute manager will be able to continue to compete - in the same way that AW has for the past 5 years, less perhaps some of his more inexplicable blind spots. We are a big club, in terms of revenue - and therefore almost uniquely equipped to compete with the doped clubs - particularly with teh Fair Play rules coming in.
Where we may find it a lot harder, though, is if AW continues down the route he is on and falls out of the CL places. Then we may find it difficult to attract the players needed to get back up there.
Spot on.Quote:
Originally Posted by Power_n_Glory
We're also more than good enough to compete because of the manager we have.Quote:
Originally Posted by Marc Overmars
It is maddening combination but don't underestimate how well Wenger has done to assemble a squad this good without spending silly money.
The fact that they're so much less than the sum of their parts when push comes to shove is down to him too of course.
We're already finding it difficult to attract talents, beyond kids and a few french players, no one good wants to come here. If we dropped out of the top 4 we'd be truly fucked.Quote:
Originally Posted by Nasri Scoreng
Quote:
Originally Posted by AKBapologist
And whose fault is that?
Wenger says signing quality and experienced players will "kill" his youngsters. A sugar-daddy won't change that if the manager isn't willing to spend and buy and buy well where and where necessary!
So wanting a sugar-daddy is one thing; NEEDING one to compete (as club of our stature) is bollocks.
thats more to do with the wage structure. most fans despise the amounts these mugs earn so why shouldn't a club and/or manager make an issue of it and not just cave inQuote:
Originally Posted by AKBapologist