Summer Transfer Misery and Recriminations.

[Marc Overmars]

Spuds bid £15m for Zaha.

[selassie]

What this Perez thing also shows is we have absolutely no transfer strategy, we're just nicking other clubs scouting because ours is so inadequate, Everton were well on their way to signing him, we probably had never even heard of him.

Yep, the last couple of seasons have definitely shown us that we don't have a proper strategy per se. I think a lot of that has to do with Wenger and his reluctance to pay the market rate.

I think he did have an idea of what he wanted but as usual has prioritised getting what he perceives as market value over the quality of what we actually need.

[Niall_Quinn]

It's never about the quality. It's always about the price tag. It's a gamble.

That's one of the reasons Wenger is a laughing stock. He's all qualiteeee this and qualitieeee that, oh we can't sign that expensive player unless he brings more qualiteeee. Shove a pile of barrel scrapings at him though and fuck quality, he's in there in a flash with his penny purse at the ready. I think we're supposed to be fooled by it all. When you start bringing together all the aspects of this summer, the statements from the club and the manager, the laughable financial claims being made, the dithering and fucking around, the negligent and probably already terminal start to the season, the continuing two fingered salute to the fans and anyone else who dares ask question - you can really start to see that this club is run by scum and managed by a deeply dishonest, deceitful and devious individual. I don't know what's happened to the bloke. Filth like Kronke, you expect it. Wenger used to be a totally different guy though. Now look at him. Up to his neck in it.

[Niall_Quinn]

Satisfied with this (potential) signing. Not a mega star by any means but it's clear that Wenger doesn't feel that there are any gettable ones out there and that he doesn't rate the likes of Icardi or Lacazette.

Also quite reassuring that we managed to pip Everton to him as Koeman is certainly a good judge at evaluating players.

The German bloke was a done deal too. Don't believe a word of this until he steps onto the pitch in our kit. Even if we do sign him he could still have a broken back, an arrest warrant from Interpol. Any way we can find to fuck it up, we'll do it.

But say he eventually steps out on the pitch.

What will your response be when he runs over and takes up position on the right wing?

[cricketsi]

He's almost 28 now though, just find this signing uninspiring to be honest, we claim we only look for quality and then are interested in a guy again noone have ever heard of, who is getting on, has a poor career goal record and most importantly who is cheap (that's our only criteria let's be honest here). Again as you say 1 season up front by the age of 28, could have just been a one off, he has no kind of goal record before that, whether he's on the wing or not, his record should still be somehwat better if he can shoot.

I can't get excited about this, we've done this repeatedly since RVP left, never signing quality and settling for 2nd tier players and that's why we are where we are now, this signing isn't going to win us anything, 4th place is about our limit.

I agree, it's not an inspiring signing, but my previous point was that stats can't necessarily tell you everything, so maybe there is hope, and not write him off just on the numbers. Stats can tell lots of stories, for example, up until the age of 27, RVP had 63 goals in 192 league games, and Lucas Perez has 48 goals in 148 league games - almost identical ratios.

Not saying he will be as good, but we know there were reasons behind the relatively poor early career stats for RVP compared with what he became, and I don't think any of us know enough about this guy to say there isn't scope for him to be better than he first appears.

[Niall_Quinn]

What this Perez thing also shows is we have absolutely no transfer strategy, we're just nicking other clubs scouting because ours is so inadequate, Everton were well on their way to signing him, we probably had never even heard of him.

We do have a transfer strategy. Dither, obfuscate, avoid, evade, hide, wait, delay, haggle, insult - anything to avoid getting the deal done. I'm surprised you haven't noticed.

[Japan Shaking All Over]

Wait, wait, wait I might have jumped the gun. There is a reason for those really shitty numbers.

He was winger. It looks like last season was the first time he had a consistent run up front.

Wow......Wenger going for a player who can play on the wing, who would have guessed

[Niall_Quinn]

I agree, it's not an inspiring signing, but my previous point was that stats can't necessarily tell you everything, so maybe there is hope, and not write him off just on the numbers. Stats can tell lots of stories, for example, up until the age of 27, RVP had 63 goals in 192 league games, and Lucas Perez has 48 goals in 148 league games - almost identical ratios.

Not saying he will be as good, but we know there were reasons behind the relatively poor early career stats for RVP compared with what he became, and I don't think any of us know enough about this guy to say there isn't scope for him to be better than he first appears.

Because it's such a struggle to get anything done in the transfer window the next major problem is being overlooked. RvC benefitted from playing with the likes of Henry, Vieira, Pires. The qualiteeee of the team has dropped sharply since those days. But even if Ozil manages to do it all on his own, we still have the system this poor sod will be dumped into if he joins. Tip, tap, again the opposite of what we used to enjoy. That's supposedly one of the reasons Vardy wouldn't come, he thought our much vaunted beautiful game would leave him isolated and redundant. No striker can score when he's just standing there watching the team endlessly tap it across the edge of the box. This guy will have to learn that system and like so many others that have "benefitted" from the tuition, his game will decline.

[Niall_Quinn]

Wow......Wenger going for a player who can play on the wing, who would have guessed

Also he can play CB.

[Japan Shaking All Over]

If we have two players that can score 15+ potentially then that surely is better than having one. You would hope that if one hits a wall and doesn't score, the other one can step in and carry that on. Whether or not that is this guy, it remains to be seen. Either way, as long as he has an Arsenal shirt on he deserves our support to prove himself. This is where we are now, whether we like it or not.

I always join this camp and let us see what he is like first........I cannot see Wenger every going out and getting that franchise player who would cost us 50mil easy, the one that everything is going to go through, the one that will nab us 30 goals a season. He much prefers to have the goals spread over the place, he wants teams to believe that the threat could come from anywhere......Sanchez, Giroud, Walcott, Cazola, Ramsey......I don't think he saw what TH14 turned into coming! He wants to spread the money, I can see Musatfi and Perez coming in and that will be it............I resign myself to the way he does things, it is just frustrating that it takes too long to get the deals done........there is a call to have business done before the fist ball is kicked (which I believe Wenger lends his voice to) maybe that will get him to move his arse but I very much doubt it.........bottom line I welcome this guy as we are now running out of time and options and pray he works out.......would have liked us to be a bit more serious about Nolito though (maybe it's because he is playing for Citeh but he looks decent)