Summer Transfer Misery and Recriminations.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Look, Vardy would almost certainly end up on the wing for us at some point - it's inevitable with our fitness record. That doesn't mean it's necessarily a tactical preference, or that we view him more as a wide forward / winger - it could simply mean that he can at least do a passable job there when we have no other options, and Giroud can't? How often have we actually had a full compliment of forwards and midfielders available at any given moment over the last few years? I think whoever we chose to play CF in those rare moments will tell us most about what our preference is...

Yup.

[Globalgunner]

Everybodys a winger in Wengers mind. its the same way he used to play. Djourou, Senderos and latterly Chambers at RB even when they proved to be abysmal in the same positions. Its as if he slips players anywhere just to give them a game while not moving his favourites/dependables from their usual positions. I am still waiting to see Cech on the wing someday.

as to whether Wenger has twigged or not. I think he realises as well as we do that next season could be bloody. 6 or 7 top managers, well funded trying for 4 places. I see Wenger aiming for a new contract. There is no way even the numpties in charge at the Emirates can sell it if we are mid table by Jan 2017. He knows he has to do something. everything is up for change IMO. Someone will come in whether Vardy or another. Personally I an not enthused by him as I hate the stratergy of [poaching your competitors best players. Its somehow demeaning, but who cares really. Personally I would like to see more Iwobi and less Giroud unless something golden falls into our lap.

[I am invisible]

If we signed one of those guys, I think Giroud would hit the bench.

With everyone in the squad fit, then yes, of course the top striker plays CF and Giroud hits the bench. But that's not what I'm saying - I'm talking about what happens when we end up in our usual situation where 90% of our first choice midfield and attack are out injured, and the only senior options we have left are Giroud, who can't play anywhere other than CF, and another guy who can play other roles (even if that guy happens to be a wizard-good striker) - in that scenario, do we keep Giroud on the bench and just play the other guy at CF, surrounded by a bunch of reserves and youth players? Or do we put Giroud up top, and move the other guy to wide attack for a bit? If we were talking about someone like Suarez, for example, do you think it would make that much of a difference to him? Or Griezmann? He's making a name for himself as a CF, but we also know he's a 20-25 goal player from our wide too - would anyone hesitate to move him to the left or right for a few games if we were running low on other wide options, and we had another CF available?

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

Jim White saying Leicester have bid £25m for Troy Deeney.

[Power n Glory]

With everyone in the squad fit, then yes, of course the top striker plays CF and Giroud hits the bench. But that's not what I'm saying - I'm talking about what happens when we end up in our usual situation where 90% of our first choice midfield and attack are out injured, and the only senior options we have left are Giroud, who can't play anywhere other than CF, and another guy who can play other roles (even if that guy happens to be a wizard-good striker) - in that scenario, do we keep Giroud on the bench and just play the other guy at CF, surrounded by a bunch of reserves and youth players? Or do we put Giroud up top, and move the other guy to wide attack for a bit? If we were talking about someone like Suarez, for example, do you think it would make that much of a difference to him? Or Griezmann? He's making a name for himself as a CF, but we also know he's a 20-25 goal player from our wide too - would anyone hesitate to move him to the left or right for a few games if we were running low on other wide options, and we had another CF available?

I'm fine in that situation. We have little choice when it comes down to injuries. That's the sensible thing to do. I'm more so talking about situations where we have plenty of options. When hard choices have to be made but he avoids dropping a senior player and has them playing out of position as a compromise. The sort of silly decisions that keeps an in form and effective player like Campbell out of the squad and can potentially hamper a players momentum and confidence. It's even more frustrating to see because the player that's being played outside of his favourite position isn't happy being played there on a long term basis. It's a double edged sword that damages both players. That's what frustrates me the most. If we have injury crisis, that's different. Most players are happy to help.

But Wenger has to stop being a coward. Take a risk and change the formation if you want to play two strikers. Don't just stick Welbeck on the wing because that's the reason he left Utd and joined us. He came to Arsenal to develop as a striker. Play him there, adapt the system or sell him if he's not good enough. The same applies to Wilshere, Ramsey, Walcott and whoever else feels they aren't being played in their best position. Unless there is a shift in mentality, we'll soon be bemoaning the lack of proper wingers if we eventually fix this striker problem. It's a problem that just seems to rotate from one position to the next. Kicking the can further up the road. He has to clear out the dead weight and buy players that can be effective in that position or adapt the system so everyone playing is at their best and playing to their strengths. We've seen him slowly but surely address the central midfield and defensive midfield situation. But he'll create a new problem for himself if he tries to keep the dead weight players in the first team line up after being dislodged from their most effective positions by superior players.

[I am invisible]

I'm fine in that situation. We have little choice when it comes down to injuries. That's the sensible thing to do. I'm more so talking about situations where we have plenty of options. When hard choices have to be made but he avoids dropping a senior player and has them playing out of position as a compromise. The sort of silly decisions that keeps an in form and effective player like Campbell out of the squad and can potentially hamper a players momentum and confidence. It's even more frustrating to see because the player that's being played outside of his favourite position isn't happy being played there on a long term basis. It's a double edged sword that damages both players. That's what frustrates me the most. If we have injury crisis, that's different. Most players are happy to help.

But Wenger has to stop being a coward. Take a risk and change the formation if you want to play two strikers. Don't just stick Welbeck on the wing because that's the reason he left Utd and joined us. He came to Arsenal to develop as a striker. Play him there, adapt the system or sell him if he's not good enough. The same applies to Wilshere, Ramsey, Walcott and whoever else feels they aren't being played in their best position. Unless there is a shift in mentality, we'll soon be bemoaning the lack of proper wingers if we eventually fix this striker problem. It's a problem that just seems to rotate from one position to the next. Kicking the can further up the road. He has to clear out the dead weight and buy players that can be effective in that position or adapt the system so everyone playing is at their best and playing to their strengths. We've seen him slowly but surely address the central midfield and defensive midfield situation. But he'll create a new problem for himself if he tries to keep the dead weight players in the first team line up after being dislodged from their most effective positions by superior players.

Yeah, I'm not saying that it's always the best decision, and that there aren't other things we could try - just that Giroud doesn't necessarily end up as CF all the time because he's Wenger's dream player, and that there's not a reluctance on the part of the manager to use anyone else. Some days Giroud will no doubt get the nod because he's in good form, or he's the right choice for a particular opponent, but a lot of the time I think he simply retains the role by default because of a decimated squad and reduced options. I'm basically arguing against this suggestion that Wenger buys strikers with absolutely no intention of ever using them as strikers, and that he's so in love with Giroud that the team is being shaped around him - I don't believe that to be the case. I think a lot of time Giroud's inclusion is a reactive decision and a solution to a problem caused by injuries or the piss poor form of other players - you or I might think there's a better solution there, but I can at least understand why Wenger opts for that one.

Where I think there is an argument to be made is that he doesn't prepare well enough for these situations by making sure that he has enough wide options that he trusts enough to use - it kind of makes it inevitable that other players, like the strikers, will have to fill in there if he's only got one or two wingers who he rates, and they end up unavailable...

[I am invisible]

Wenger now saying the Vardy deal is pretty much dead, so I guess we shelve that one.

Shame - that was actually a decent chat we were having about football for a little while there. Back to calling Wenger a cunt I guess...

[Niall_Quinn]

Well at least Wenger went after a player, made the bid, tried to get the thing done early. However, if players from Leicester are now turning down the chance to move to Arsenal, we now have something new to think about. Inevitable really. You can't be nearly men for a decade and expect to maintain credibility.

[Power n Glory]

Rags also saying Mkhitaryan prefers a move to Man Utd.

[Munchies]

Rags also saying Mkhitaryan prefers a move to Man Utd.

I'm sure he'll like Maureen telling him to defend for 95% of the game

Must be offering him insane cash