Summer Transfer Misery and Recriminations.

[Bumble]

It is ridiculous that we haven't signed a CB already after the Merts injury. Gabriel has just made it worse and if we sign a CB now not sure there is really time to bed in and play in the first game of the season. Problem is that Wenger probably thinks that well Monreal can cover at CB and Gibbs is experienced left back to cover for Monreal so not alls lost. With the other CB being Chambers and Bellerin at right back. Not ideal but we have had worst back 4s under Wengers time.

I also don't think we are going to sign a striker, we would have done it by now... its not like we had to wait to sell players to raise the cash. we can buy any player in the world but obviously with arsenal the cliché you have to spend money to make money doesn't really apply.

[dostoy]

I don't think we are going to sign Lacazette now especially with his injury.

I cannot see us signing Mahrez either.

It seems more likely to be Javier Hernandez from Leverkusen or even Mario Gomez, probably Hernandez.

We need a defender now more than ever, FFS Wenger get one ASAP.

I just cannot see anything happening until the last few days of this month.

[Munchies]

Didn't Wenger once say that he wanted the transfer window to be closed before the season started?

Guy is so out of his depth it's unreal

[Gooner23]

I don't think we are going to sign Lacazette now especially with his injury.

I cannot see us signing Mahrez either.

It seems more likely to be Javier Hernandez from Leverkusen or even Mario Gomez, probably Hernandez.

We need a defender now more than ever, FFS Wenger get one ASAP.

I just cannot see anything happening until the last few days of this month.

Whoever we sign now is going to need some adaption and the first couple of games will be too soon. Bit of a shambles really, but nothing unexpected. Really wouldn't be surprised if that's our business done already, maybe a cheap CB squad filler.

[Power n Glory]

We still need another striker, Sanchez and Walcott up front is great but we won't be in there without a striker. We know Wenger is as cheap as they come and that he'll always look at answers within his squad of bottlers, fact is though the answer isn't in there, years of the same tells you that.

As for the CB, we won't have one next week (he's already confirmed that), Liverpool will be rubbing their hands together and may even come away with a win now and if we do sign one knowing Wenger it will be some cheap bag o' sh*te, I just don't understand how the guy can take the p*ss like this and still get away with it, even the pro Wenger fans said we needed a striker etc in the summer and yet again the man has failed to deliver.

I'm already writing off this season and expecting a few beatings to be honest from the big boys when it matters most.

I’ve said this before, I said the same last summer, I can live with us not signing a new striker if I thought Wenger would commit to playing someone like Sanchez, Walcott or even Campbell up front. As long as he keeps Giroud out of the squad, I think we could find the internal solution. Even on a bad day, Theo Walcott couldn’t go as long as Giroud did without scoring a goal. But we’d still have problems in other areas as seen from yesterday’s game. The finishing from other players needs to sharpen up. Ramsey really should have scored from that header.

Also, team selection is important. I’m a little worried by Xhaka. He was a bit too easy to stifle and after the first goal City dominated us. Elneny was a lot better and should play for sure. I think he’s essential. Which opens up the can of worms we see every season. Square pegs in round holes to try appease bruised egos. Wenger will have to be tough and drop certain players. We’ve collected far too many central midfielders and it’s good to have back up but I don’t trust him to rotate or keep in players that are vital. I don’t want to see Ramsey played out wide just to give him game time or Coquelin tested at CB just so he can kill two birds with one stone.

[Power n Glory]

If Sanchez is used as a striker then we really should be looking at another winger / wide forward. Iwobi looks great but it's too much to ask for a kid to be relied on so heavily. Ox will get injured, Theo is hit and miss (mainly miss) and Wenger clearly has no faith in Campbell so he wont be used that much.

Can't have any complaints over the CB fiasco though. We should have signed a top one at the beginning of the summer, let alone when Merts got injured.

I think we need wide players too. I don't even trust Ox to have a good season. I saw a few of his cheeky goals recently but he hasn't be good over the last two games. That chip he attempted may have got him subbed off. Iwobi is still very young but I'm hoping Campbell gets more games this year. Walcott is definitely hit and miss. Still no idea if he'll play as striker or winger this year.

[LDG]

I know we need players, and I think we all know where those players are needed.

That's only part of the problem though. If we fail to change our ways in other aspects, then we will continue to fail. It's proven that we fail to prepare for games, motivate ourselves or adapt during the game when required. Add in our injury record, and you have a recipe for failure.

This won't change. It never does.

[mastermind84]

Even on a bad day, Theo Walcott couldn’t go as long as Giroud did without scoring a goal.

he did last season, or came close to it.

Also, team selection is important. I’m a little worried by Xhaka. He was a bit too easy to stifle and after the first goal City dominated us. Elneny was a lot better and should play for sure. I think he’s essential. Which opens up the can of worms we see every season. Square pegs in round holes to try appease bruised egos. Wenger will have to be tough and drop certain players. We’ve collected far too many central midfielders and it’s good to have back up but I don’t trust him to rotate or keep in players that are vital. I don’t want to see Ramsey played out wide just to give him game time or Coquelin tested at CB just so he can kill two birds with one stone.

Ramsey out wide is fine, its a 3rd CM and he will tuck in anyway. That helps us dominate the middle more.

The Xhaka issue will come up if we play Coquelin beside him. Easy to double on Xhaka, and Gabriel is not a ball player. In some ways, Gabriel's injury isnt the worse thing because Chambers, Bielek, Kos, and Holding can all play the ball in between the lines. Makes it difficult to double Xhaka, imo. Should play Ramsey or Elneny with Xhaka to free up passing lanes.

[Power n Glory]

he did last season, or came close to it.


Ramsey out wide is fine, its a 3rd CM and he will tuck in anyway. That helps us dominate the middle more.

The Xhaka issue will come up if we play Coquelin beside him. Easy to double on Xhaka, and Gabriel is not a ball player. In some ways, Gabriel's injury isnt the worse thing because Chambers, Bielek, Kos, and Holding can all play the ball in between the lines. Makes it difficult to double Xhaka, imo. Should play Ramsey or Elneny with Xhaka to free up passing lanes.

You've got to learn how to put arguments into context. I'm talking about Theo playing as striker not as a winger.

As for Xhaka, you said he's a player that can hold the midfield on his own and liberate both Jack and Ramsey to roam forward in a 4-3-3. It's unfair to put the blame on Coquelin (again) after Elneny just showed how it's done whilst playing without Xhaka. If you haven't watched the 2nd half of the City game, it's worth watching to see what I'm talking about. Coquelin is not the problem. You can't remain static in midfield and think you'll have all the time in the world to make a pass. Blink mentioned Xhaka had a lot of time to spray those passes around when watching those youtube clips. He may need some time to adapt to a faster league. But watching Elneny, how he kept things ticking was that he never stopped running when the ball was deep. If it went to the wing backs or CB he's always running to make himself available or finding the gaps so the pass can be made to him at the right angle. He'd always slip away from his marker and not point elsewhere so he doesn't receive the ball. I like that about him and it's also why Cazorla works well even if playing with Coquelin.

[Power n Glory]

I know we need players, and I think we all know where those players are needed.

That's only part of the problem though. If we fail to change our ways in other aspects, then we will continue to fail. It's proven that we fail to prepare for games, motivate ourselves or adapt during the game when required. Add in our injury record, and you have a recipe for failure.

This won't change. It never does.

Yeah, for starters we need to be prepared for Klopp's team to play a high and aggressive pressing game for starters. Central midfield will need to be prepared and try to break up play and then pass the ball out for the counter. I guess when it comes to transfers I'm hoping the type of player he buys is an indication of a change in tactics and approach. Since we've bought another CM and kids.....last thing I'm holding on to is finding internal solutions. I could at least find some sort of enjoyment from watching Theo or Sanchez up front with Campbell, IwobI and the other new players in the line up. Something different and not so predictable this season at least.