Summer Transfer Misery and Recriminations.

[Kano]

I knew this would happen, we aren't going to and haven't signed a striker for 4 or 5 seasons now because of Wenger's reluctance to pay the market prices. It's actually ridiculous.

Every team has a budget and valuation they place on things. A story has come up that City aren't willing to pay the price Everton have set for Stones. Of course no one knows if that is a bullshit story or not, most probably is. However change the team to Arsenal and it becomes certified truth. Alexis was around £35m for us, for a player that wasn't an absolute essential part of Barcelona's set-up (like a Suarez or Neymar type) and was probably overpriced by a good ten million. His value has probably increased at Arsenal due to his ability becoming crucial to our team and more of a spotlight on him because of that, so his profile has increased. So I honestly think he would pay the figures being quoted here. However the press simplify everything seem far simpler than it is.

[Özim]

If he paid the prices quoted, we would have signed a lot more players throughout the years, you don't need to press to tell we're cheap, 4 years without a decent forward tells you that, as does the majority of players we've signed.

[bignev]

Not that i'm saying Wenger is right and his judgement on players is particularly astute, but the fact that we haven't increased the bid despite almost being invited so to do suggests he doesn't rate him that highly and that the speculation of our interest in him after our original bid comes completely from Lyon.

I suspect that Wenger doesn't think he's that good. He's trying to find someone better for the same money. If we don't then we'll go back for Lacazette.

The question is, will it be too late by then?

[Power n Glory]

Paying 13million for a player who you don't believe fits into the style your team wants to play is different than spending £35million

I don't agree with how Wenger makes his decisions, but there is no sense in saying i don't understand it. Although interestingly was Arseblog Arsecast the other day that suggested that the club had to persuade the manager to up the amount he was prepared to spend on Xhaka.

I personally don't see the value of bringing in a striker before addressing why we seem to only have the one outlet for chances created and that's Mesut Ozil, the lack of goal scoring chances creating down our right hand side is especially problematic when you consider Giroud is a striker who gets a lot of his goals by ghosting in at the near post.

For me, we should be going all out for Mahrez, and if the club is cheap enough to not want a striker on top of us than we have the option at least of rotating Walcott, Giroud and Alexis up front.

You've lost me there. So we need to create more chances for a striker hadn't scored in 18 games or something like that despite Ozil apparently setting the created chances record that year?

No way. The striker situation is the most urgent position we need to address. The lack of clear cut goal scoring chances boils down to the type of striker we have leading the line. Our best attacking displays came against Munich and Man Utd and that was down to Theo leading the line. Pace. It's essential and if we have a threatening striker, it opens up avenues for others. With our style of play, a wide player can struggle just as much to create chances if we have no movement in the box because of a static striker.

[Power n Glory]

Christ Sutton is spot on:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0438xyq

For sure and I hope the media keep the pressure on this season.

[Özim]

You've lost me there. So we need to create more chances for a striker hadn't scored in 18 games or something like that despite Ozil apparently setting the created chances record that year?

No way. The striker situation is the most urgent position we need to address. The lack of clear cut goal scoring chances boils down to the type of striker we have leading the line. Our best attacking displays came against Munich and Man Utd and that was down to Theo leading the line. Pace. It's essential and if we have a threatening striker, it opens up avenues for others. With our style of play, a wide player can struggle just as much to create chances if we have no movement in the box because of a static striker.

I agree, problem is our forwards don't put away their chances,we do get chances but fluff them often, so having someone more prolific will help a lot, quality forwards can also score goals out of nothing which only adds to our need for one.

I'd love Mahrez but for me it would be as well as a striker not instead of one.

[selassie]

I'll judge him when the window SLAMS shut

[Power n Glory]

I suspect that Wenger doesn't think he's that good. He's trying to find someone better for the same money. If we don't then we'll go back for Lacazette.

The question is, will it be too late by then?

He's waiting for a deadline deal bargain but I can't see many strikers leaving on deadline day. It's a bigger gamble because the type of striker that moves might not fit into our set up.

[Özim]

I suspect that Wenger doesn't think he's that good. He's trying to find someone better for the same money. If we don't then we'll go back for Lacazette.

The question is, will it be too late by then?

You won't find anyone better, we've left it so late again the options have really dried up, you can't expect to sit on your arse all summer and still have a huge array of options.

Lacazette is our best option now, his goal record is good, he's 25 so will be around a fair few years and has pace, he's the one we should go for. If you leave it to Wenger he'll find some unknown no hoper who can't hit a barn door with a banjo, after all he shocked us all and signed Wellbeck and many laughed at before he arrived, Wengers' idea of top quality is way off the mark.

[Özim]

He's waiting for a deadline deal bargain but I can't see many strikers leaving on deadline day. It's a bigger gamble because the type of striker that moves might not fit into our set up.

It's very foolish and makes absolutely no sense, last time we had to make do with Wellbeck another misfiring forward, this is Wenger idea of quality sadly, cheap, poor finishers.