Summer Transfer Speculation and Shit

[I am invisible]

Players will need time to adjust to new tactics and formations, we're only 2 weeks into the season and some of our key players haven't even had a pre-season. Nobody thought Wenger would play Alexis upfront against Everton but this has been part of Wenger's thinking for a while. Up until now he had to be rigid in formations because we just didn't have forwards we could trust - (either on quality or injuries) and that was Wenger's fault. But now he has a few options - he has wanted a livewire upfront. He tried for Suarez who would've been perfect but now he has landed Alexis which gives him more flexibility and he's trying it out.

Yeah, I agree - looked like a combination of being short of match fitness/sharpness (most noticeably in the lack of players we had committing to get forward quickly in support in the first half) and some teething problems with adapting to playing in a new way (probably due to a reduced pre-season, where Alexis only featured in a few minutes here and there, and on RW at that), but I expect both of those will improve if we persevere with it.

I thought a couple of Wenger's comments were interesting the other day, when asked whether Alexis would get another chance at CF, and explaining why he was subbed against Everton...

...When asked if Sanchez can play up front on a long-term basis, the Arsenal boss said: "Of course. You do not convict a player on one half. It was not all bad what he did.

"There was some quality in what he did. I just felt, on the day, we needed some more physical presence because I knew we would play in one half [of the pitch] in the second half [of the game], and would need more presence. And once you are 2-0 down you will not play on counter-attack.

dailystar.co.uk

...I know it ended up looking like we were playing the same system throughout, where we just swapped one striker who wasn't working for a more suitable option in the same role, but that highlighted bit suggests that we were actually meant to be playing a counter-attacking game in the first half (even if it didn't quite work out that way)? We've still clearly got some work to do in terms of getting it right and breaking some old habits, but at least there seems to be a desire and a willingness there to try something a bit different, and mix our tactics up a bit?

[Marc Overmars]

'Zigic to Arsenal' is trending on Twitter.

We know Wenger is a WUM but that would be senile.

[Niall_Quinn]

From 2006

Arsène Wenger has no need to sign 6ft 8ins striker Nikola Zigic because he already has a beanpole frontman waiting in the wings.

The Serbia striker, currently at Crvena Zvezda, has been linked with a move the Premiership, and certain reports have suggested the destination might be Highbury.

However Wenger is more interested in 6ft 3ins Nicklas Bendtner. The 18-year-old Danish striker has hit 27 goals in 30 starts for the Reserves, the youth team and the Under 18s this season.

"No," replied the Arsenal manager when asked if he wanted Zigic. "I admit we have seen him, but we already have a young Zigic in our youth team. Bendtner."

The new Bendtner.

He's free, he's from the lower leagues, he'll have trouble getting a work permit. Ticks all the boxes. Signing him would give Sanogo some competition on the beach ferrying holidaymakers up and down.

[Özim]

Arsenal unlikely to sign new striker following Olivier Giroud injury

Arsenal are not planning to sign another striker to replace Olivier Giroud - even if scans on his ankle confirm a serious injury.

The club have no intention of recruiting any forwards on a permanent deal in this summer's transfer window.

Gunners manager Arsene Wenger will assess the loan market.

The Frenchman plans to stick with his existing options of Alexis Sanchez, Joel Campbell, Yaya Sanogo, Lukas Podolski and Theo Walcott.

France striker Giroud, 27, was due to see a specialist to assess the extent of the injury, picked up in the Saturday's 2-2 draw at Everton.

There are fears he has broken his ankle and that he could be ruled out for up to three months.

An update on the results of a second scan - carried out after the swelling had gone down - is likely to come after Wednesday's Champions League play-off second leg against Besiktas.

Giroud came off the bench to score the Gunners' equaliser in the 90th minute at Goodison Park but picked up the injury in the closing seconds of the game.

Arsenal still hope to sign another versatile centre-back or holding midfielder who can potentially perform both roles - as back-up for what they already have available to them.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28953337

[KSE Comedy Club]

The news gets better and better.

Happy days

[I am invisible]

To be fair, it's better news than possibly signing Zigic...

[Marc Overmars]

Zigic's agent confirms Wenget has enquired. WTF?

http://www1.skysports.com/football/n...enals-interest

Lets hope that's just made up bullshit in order to ramp up some interest in him.

Jesus Christ.

[Power n Glory]

Can't believe we've been linked with Zigic again. This is where this obsession with tall useless players that can lay off passes started.

[Niall_Quinn]

So we all thought Utd vs MK Dons was unbelievable and fantastic and ridiculous. But it has been topped within a few hours with news that Zigic could be on his way to Arsenal. You won't get a more ludicrous story than that all year, maybe ever. Obviously it's not true because it just can't be.

[fakeyank]

I suspect it's all down to the training methods, GPS vests, calories burned per mile, heads of broccoli consumed on Wednesdays. We play statisticsball and on average it does serve to haul us to that top 4 spot every year. Deviating from it comes with a £20-£30mill risk. When new players come in they stand out a mile, Ox looks direct and exciting, Chambers looks a world beater, Campbell is the most entertaining player on the pitch. But we train it out of them. The thought of Ox as a central midfielder is a joke. He could be the classic winger. But some academic has said wingers don't work so that's that. Can't play two up top either, that's prehistoric apparently. Everyone is trapped in this fuck awful congested five man midfield that bores the fuck out of everyone but gets the results.

If Everton had more ambition in the second half against us and took the risk of continuing to play instead of shutting up shop they would have run out easy winners. We didn't force two goals, they let us back into it by being negative. Negative is what keeps contracts alive, points coming in and money rolling. But it's boring so runs counter to the whole purpose of the sport.

Our substitutions are telling. Like for like, no change in the system. One exhausted cog out, another slotted in. Machine keeps ticking. It was funny Celtic being beaten by a nobody yesterday, but the match was actually quite enjoyable to watch. Admittedly because both sides made a ton of mistakes and were low on quality. But the end to end play and the expansive passing was entertaining. And there was a drama to it, whereas with us I just yawned when we pulled a goal back because I'd already been bored to tears by that stage.