Summer Transfer Temps and Journeymen

[Penguin]

Only at Arsenal would our transfer policy go from not buying anyone at all to seemingly overpaying on young talents or picking up washed up players from our so called rivals.

The David Luiz deal amounted to 24 million, 24 million pounds for a defender who is not only old but wasn’t even deemed good enough for Chelsea’s mess of a defence.

If we are seriously going to give Willian are 3 year deal then Raul & Edu should be fired immediately.

I had the same reaction as you initially, but I wouldn't mind getting Willian on a free transfer if it means we can focus our budget on signing 2 or 3 genuinely quality players in midfield and defense. I don't want us spreading the money out too thin and ending up with a bunch of mediocre players like Xhaka, Mustafi, Giroud.

Ideally we can unearth a young gem like Martinelli instead, but that's easier said than done.

[selassie]

I had the same reaction as you initially, but I wouldn't mind getting Willian on a free transfer if it means we can focus our budget on signing 2 or 3 genuinely quality players in midfield and defense. I don't want us spreading the money out too thin and ending up with a bunch of mediocre players like Xhaka, Mustafi, Giroud.

Ideally we can unearth a young gem like Martinelli instead, but that's easier said than done.

Aye, if it’s Willian plus Gabriel (Lille defender) & Partey then that’s a decent window. I do get the feeling that we need to make some space in the squad to bring in proper additions. The likes of Ozil, Mustafi, Sokratis, Kolasinac, Torreira, one of Holding or Chambers & Elneny all need to be moved on though. I think we would struggle to find a buyer for most of that lot With the exception of Torreira and the English lads.

[Mac76]

Aye, if it’s Willian plus Gabriel (Lille defender) & Partey then that’s a decent window. I do get the feeling that we need to make some space in the squad to bring in proper additions. The likes of Ozil, Mustafi, Sokratis, Kolasinac, Torreira, one of Holding or Chambers & Elneny all need to be moved on though. I think we would struggle to find a buyer for most of that lot With the exception of Torreira and the English lads.

I still have faith in Holding and think Chambers is great ,decent footballer in several positions and a real Arsenal lad, remember how he was bombing forward even when Emery was telling him not to?

I think we should keep him around

[selassie]

I still have faith in Holding and think Chambers is great ,decent footballer in several positions and a real Arsenal lad, remember how he was bombing forward even when Emery was telling him not to?

I think we should keep him around

Oh I agree. I actually really like Chambers, think he's a decent player and was starting to really establish himself before he got crocked. I'd keep him around for sure assuming he recovers from his injury well. I actually think he could force his way back into contention again as a first XI player.

Holding isn't bad either but....I don't think there is room for both him and Chambers.

[Penguin]

I was disappointed that Holding didn't give a better impression of himself to Arteta. Not entirely his fault because Arteta threw him in at the deep end against Leeds, and then froze him out. But that little run of games he got was a really good opportunity to make the position his own, like Martinez has done at GK.

Both Holding and Chambers are at an age where they need to take their chances when they get them. Saliba is here now and hopefully we'll be signing a top quality CB this window too, so they might not get the game time they want.

[fakeyank]

https://www.skysports.com/football/n...contract-offer

Looks like the offer for Sideshow Bobs black brother is official

[Marc Overmars]

Bit of talk again on getting Coutinho on loan.

Though I’m not sure how much is genuine and how much is just the media putting two and two together because of the individuals behind these players.

[selassie]

I was disappointed that Holding didn't give a better impression of himself to Arteta. Not entirely his fault because Arteta threw him in at the deep end against Leeds, and then froze him out. But that little run of games he got was a really good opportunity to make the position his own, like Martinez has done at GK.

Both Holding and Chambers are at an age where they need to take their chances when they get them. Saliba is here now and hopefully we'll be signing a top quality CB this window too, so they might not get the game time they want.

Holding is a limited player IMO due to his lack of pace. He has put in decent performances the last few games but I never feel confident when he’s in the team and he never puts in 9/10 performances which is also kind of a flaw. That’s what sets him and Chambers apart IMO, Chambers has put in some top class performances for the club over the years.

Defence is the biggest area we need to look at for rebuild IMO. We need to get it right this time because we have wasted millions on defence over the past few years and our defence is now in worse shape.

The one thing I have hope with Arteta and those above is that they do genuinely seem to know what’s needed, it’s just about finding those players.

[I am invisible]

I don't think Holding is the answer to our defensive problems, but then again I think he's only on something like £40k/wk, so he's also nowhere near as much of a financial burden as other hangers-on in our defence.

I guess the difference between Holding and the likes of Sokratis and Kolasinac is that he's young and English, so if someone came in with a decent bid for him I think that might decide it (ditto for Chambers, who I think is at least fit enough now to pass a medical, even if he still needs another couple of months of rehab to get up to match-fitness)?

[I am invisible]

Holding is a limited player IMO due to his lack of pace. He has put in decent performances the last few games but I never feel confident when he’s in the team and he never puts in 9/10 performances which is also kind of a flaw. That’s what sets him and Chambers apart IMO, Chambers has put in some top class performances for the club over the years.

Defence is the biggest area we need to look at for rebuild IMO. We need to get it right this time because we have wasted millions on defence over the past few years and our defence is now in worse shape.

The one thing I have hope with Arteta and those above is that they do genuinely seem to know what’s needed, it’s just about finding those players.

Holding is a bit like Luiz in terms of consistency and reliability: occasionally brilliant, occasionally terrible, but mostly just OK.

Tbh, it's really difficult to properly assess our defence and attack right now, because we haven't had much in the way of protection in front of the CBs for years, and we don't have much in the way of supply for the forwards (we're also extremely thin on ball-carriers and line-breakers in midfield so there's not been much linking defence to attack). Some defenders obviously need to be moved on asap, but others might actually be OK if we sort the midfield out?

Ideally we invest in both areas this summer, but if funds are that tight then I think I'd prioritise CM over CB. We already have Saliba to add to the defence, and we've also seen very, very little of Tierney across a full season so far, and almost nothing of Mari, so we already have 3/4s of a new-look back 4 there - bring in someone like Partey to sit in front of them (and secure the post-lockdown Dani Ceballos) and that might be enough to buy us a bit more time to look at the defence?