Summer Transfer Misery and Recriminations.

[Letters]

I think there are a fair number at the Giroud or Welbeck level but that isn't going to push us on.
There aren't many at the very top level who we have a realistic chance of getting.

[selassie]

I'm not convinced they are, and it's not even necessarily about money. Assuming we were prepared to spend 60million on Lewandowski or Aubemeyang.....would they want to join us, or would they want to wait until a bigger club comes calling.

I don't even think we need a Lewandowski level type signing to upgrade on Giroud. Sure Lewandowski would be a dream signing and one that would elevate us but he's not obtainable and we are a step down from Bayern. Aubameyang may be possible but as you said he would cost a fair bit and we would face heavy competition.

When I say we are not prepared to spend, what I actually mean is that I don't believe Wenger sees value for money in buying say an Icardi, Morata or Dybala for say 40-50million, even someone like Lukaku...though I'm not totally sold on him. I personally feel we should be looking at a second tier striker like those names I have mentioned, someone who is young with room to grow and develop into a top class striker.

We know how much these types of strikers cost now and their value won't plummet so we either buy in that market or continue to suffer.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

I've not seen anything of Morata that convinces me he is better than Giroud in terms of overall goals.....Juventus aren't going to sell Dybala and as for Icardi the jury is out.

I agree with you in that we are so risk adverse in that we are not prepared to make a big outlay on a player with the potential to be better than what we have, as for it being a sure thing and they are glaringly out there. No I'm not convinced.

I'm personally not convinced by Dybala or Morata, Icardi i'm not sure...we have to accept that whilst Wenger is manager we are going to play his style of football and that means a striker who will need to hold up the ball more than Icardi would. In that regard i would probably go for someone like Islam Slimani and have him link up with his international team mate Mahrez.

[selassie]

I've not seen anything of Morata that convinces me he is better than Giroud in terms of overall goals.....Juventus aren't going to sell Dybala and as for Icardi the jury is out.

I agree with you in that we are so risk adverse in that we are not prepared to make a big outlay on a player with the potential to be better than what we have, as for it being a sure thing and they are glaringly out there. No I'm not convinced.

I'm personally not convinced by Dybala or Morata, Icardi i'm not sure...we have to accept that whilst Wenger is manager we are going to play his style of football and that means a striker who will need to hold up the ball more than Icardi would. In that regard i would probably go for someone like Islam Slimani and have him link up with his international team mate Mahrez.

Fair points, can't argue against them. I definitely agree with you in that we are risk averse, well Wenger/Arsenal are in general. I don't think Morata is an upgrade on him right now but I personally think he/Wenger would develop him to a very high level, he's got all the attributes to be a top class player IMO.

Yeah we've missed the boat with Dybala, from what I've seen of Icardi he has a lot of raw potential, he is definitely different to Giroud, more of a poacher, but his hold up play isn't bad and would improve here. I think like Morata, Icardi has high potential. I personally think we should just bite the bullet and bring in someone now who can deliver but has room to grow.

I'll be honest I've not seen much of Slimani but I've heard he is rated. Mahrez I would love but can't see it.

[Özim]

I think there are a fair number at the Giroud or Welbeck level but that isn't going to push us on.
There aren't many at the very top level who we have a realistic chance of getting.

Giroud and Wellbeck are just above average there are plenty of strikers better than them, you're just make excuses, if we stump up there's plenty of strikers we could have got, trouble is we're too cheap.

[Letters]

I'm not making excuses. We should be signing someone who will push us on.
But players at the level who would don't grow on trees.

[fakeyank]

I agree with Letters that players of the quality that will improve our squad do not grow on trees. I cannot think of a realistic player other than Lukaku who I believe is possibly available now... even then, I think he is a money grabbing cunt who will leave us if another big money offer comes in.

What I cannot understand one bit about this situation is why the manager or any of his minions ever suggest a different system of play? Walcott is pretty wasted everywhere, why not play him with another striker like Giroud? Or how about playing Sanchez upfront with Giroud? Why bench Campbell when he was doing well on the wings?

Money can solve many things in life and football.. since we dont want to splash the cash, why not try something different because what we are trying clearly isnt working?! No Plan B or C ever.. frankly our plan A is pretty shitty too.. and this more than Wengers reluctance to spend money takes the piss for me. I cannot stand the mans stubbornness and rigidity. He cannot leave soon enough!

[Niall_Quinn]

Always.

Always...

If the manager repeatedly fails to do his job, assuming his job is still to manage the team, if this goes on season after season then isn't it legitimate to criticise him? If criticism is dismissed as "whining" then this gives a free hand and zero consequences for the policy that has handicapped the club to continue, does it not? For people who still have an outside interest in Arsenal, the club they may have supported since childhood and in many cases the club they pay a rather large amount of money to watch play, isn't it right they also demand a return on their investment? Plenty of money has gone in. What has come out? 2 FA Cups? For a club the size of Arsenal? Using the topical Tesco as an analogy, if that was the only shop in the world (captive fan base) and all they sold was bags of shit at super inflated prices, without your increasing complaints how would you hope to change their policy? And if you were holding your expensive bag of shit at the checkout and happened to mention you were pretty pissed with the deal you were suffering, what would you think and do if the cashier told you to stop whining? I think a punch in the face would be just about right - don't you?

[Niall_Quinn]

I'm not making excuses. We should be signing someone who will push us on.
But players at the level who would don't grow on trees.

We're not asking fruit pickers to find them. We're asking supposedly elite and extremely well paid individuals to do that job. A job that every other club seems to manage. Why should our expectations be different at Arsenal?

[Letters]

We're not asking fruit pickers to find them. We're asking supposedly elite and extremely well paid individuals to do that job. A job that every other club seems to manage. Why should our expectations be different at Arsenal?

They shouldn't.