All the more reason to buy him. 50% discount. I think we should also consider Cristoph Kramer from Leverkusen, Speciality DM, right age, right profile, maybe 20M tops. can play offensively too.Originally Posted by I am invisible
All the more reason to buy him. 50% discount. I think we should also consider Cristoph Kramer from Leverkusen, Speciality DM, right age, right profile, maybe 20M tops. can play offensively too.
I hear Kallstrom and Bischoff are available..
Arsene Wenger, the only football manager that got paid 8 million quid to do nothing but sit on his arse..
I think it's the common mistake of equating quantity with quality, in terms of player numbers we do have enough but in terms of quality we don't.
For me it's bizarre, Wenger is prepared to be ruthless when it comes to signing a top goalkeeper when we already have two but he won't do it to provide us sufficient defensive midfield cover or a superior striker.
These are not "it would be nice" signings they are essential to a sustained title challenge
Silly Wenger
Yep spot on.
The problem is that Wenger never goes into a transfer window with a plan. Last season Mourinho needed a goalscorer and a playmaker and he got Costa and Fabregas. Van Gaal needed to address United's weak midfield and bought Schweinsteiger and Schneiderlin. Wenger went in the market needing a striker and came back with Ozil.
If his wife sent him out to replace a broken mirror and a shower curtain he'd come back with a box of chocolates and an orange.
For defensive midfield cover, if we're going to the market, we'd be looking at a Monreal type signing. But considering we have Arteta and Flamini as cover I don't see us signing anyone in that area. You never know, Wenger may try Rosicky or Jack in the DM position. I'm not overly concerned with DM.
My main concern is the fire power up front but as said, I think Wenger will take a look at the squad in training and go to the market late. I think we need a striker or right winger. Ox isn't ready and too injury prone and I don't want to see Welbeck or any CM playing out wide. It's the waiting game. Wenger hinted early that we won't see any major signings and hoping he'll change his mind come pre season training.
My question to you would be that in the event that Coquelin gets injured are you happy to see Arteta or Flamini play for any sustained period potentially against the top sides?.
But we can extend that question to many areas of the pitch. If Sanchez gets injured...if Ozil gets injured, Walcott, Cech, Kos......we'll lose something from each of those players that we can't replace on the bench. We just have to hope whoever gets that call to replace them can really up their game. It happens. Most doubted Coquelin could play at this level and now look. We need a strong squad and we need the bench players to really bring their A game. That's how we've always done it. We never have a player on the bench that could replace Henry, Bergkamp or Pires. We had to cope.
No I'm sorry I don't buy that, if we lose Ozil we have Cazorla, if we lose Sanchez we have Walcott and Ox....are they exactly the same level? No. But the difference is we could rely on them, Arteta and Flamini are too slow, and we are asking them to cover a position where we know they have been destroyed by the top sides before I think is actually reckless.
Ozil, Sanchez, Walcott and Cazorla are all starting line up players. We'd be looking more so at Welbeck, Wilshere, Ramsey and Ox to fill gaps and those guys aren't that reliable in the big games either.
As said, we're not going to spend £20m on DM cover so just get over it. We need more fire power for the first team starters. If Arteta is starting game ahead of Coquelin, i'd see your point but if he's not, this is all a fuss about nothing.
I don't completely buy the 'if somebody becomes available line'. I think you have to make players available by showing the colour of your money at times. Then suddenly unavailable becomes available.
As most know, I have no fundamental problem with Arteta but I also have no issue with having 2 top players in each 11 positions. Let the better of the two come to the fore.... There are players around the globe who could seriously push Coquelin and for less than 20 million.
I will accept whatever the manager's decision is on a central midfielder but I think we really need to be adding another devastating attacking player to the fold. Preferably a CF (as Walcott and Alexis are capable of 20 goals) but a wide forward capable of 20+ goals (from a wide position that is) would have a significant impact and take the pressure off Giroud/Welbeck.
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