Winter Transfer Despair and Bafflement.

[HCZ]

Yeah I tend to agree, I don’t buy into this “Genuine Gooner” stuff

That kind of one club loyalty very rarely exists in footballers anymore. I am sad that he’s gone especially to Chelsea plus I think we’ve taken a massive risk in divesting ourselves of three players who have scored 293 goals between them and replaced them with one good goal scorer and a midfielder.

Defence is defence but we are really struggling for goals this season especially away from the Emirates. 23 goals in 19 games this season.

[Marc Overmars]

Shame on the club for doing Chelsea a favour.

I'm not particularly sad to see him go but I wish Giroud well, he was a good servant for us. Scored some truly great goals.

[Özim]

Not too bothered about him going tbh he's 31 and never been a great goalscorer, bit more concerned at the fact we've got rid of 5 players this season from our squad (4 this January) and only brough 2 in to replace them, especially given our need for defensive players.

Club doing the absolute bare minimum again, we're not far off brak even this January alone and we haven't even spent the money from Ox.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

He should be sold next summer. Whoever scouted him and recommended him should be sacked. Wenger should be sacked for playing him week in week out and if he starts again against Everton.....

I remember a former poster, Mastermind would argue that buying Xhaka would free up Ozil and Ramsey to create and go forward because Xhaka was supposed to have it all in his locker. 100% wrong about that. Xhaka isn't suited to this league and he's a burden to whoever is partnered with him. I can't think of a single combination that would work well with him in the team. You'd need someone that has the ability to do the job over two players.

I hear you on Ramsey. He's one dimensional but you at least know what he can create space for our forwards with his runs and get goals. I just wouldn't put him in the midfield. I really don't know why so many players lack self awareness in this squad. If Ramsey made it his first priority to build play from the middle and protect the defence, he'd be a really good player.

I was actually pondering that exact thought in bed this morning!

[Marc Overmars]

He must have been a Rowley signing or worse still, a recommendation from that crappy stat software we invested in.

Thank fuck we’ve got some proper football men on board now.

[The Emirates Gallactico]

He did the best with the talent he had which is more said than some of the other wastemen at the club. Wasn't his fault that Wenger kept him as the main or only striker at the club for so many years.

Nothing but good wishes for him and it's testament to how well he did that he's still well regarded by the vast majority of the fanbase despite his departure. He's only on an 18 month contract at Chelsea so who knows where he'll be then.

[Niall_Quinn]

Citeh

£65m plus undisclosed player for Mahrez.....???

‘We have a budget that we must work to’

Leicester agreed to taking an undisclosed player? How do they know they haven't been lumbered with Sterling? Risky in the extreme.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

I just don't get it on any level having seen him now.....just completely the wrong profile of player for any combination we could muster. On his best day, he has one redeeming feature which is the Hollywood passes which deserted him ages ago.

I am bothered by the Giroud sale and yet again we are strengthening a rival. Everybody is for sale at this club apart from the fuhking manager and the the odious majority owner.

So our plan B can now be the blunt instrument that is Welbeck or blindly throwing every forward on we have or sending Mertesacker up front.

Shame we won't be selling Xhaka to Spurs/Liverpool/City....but that wouldn't necessarily strengthen them so it will never happen.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

If Guardiola seriously wanted Xhaka then I never want him near our club. Perhaps it was just his Djemba Djemba / Kleberson moment.

[Marc Overmars]

I think we’re undergoing our biggest transition since the Emirates move. Modern football men working above Wenger, big money spent on players who wouldn’t necessarily fit Wenger’s profile, long serving players being moved on, it’s all very...different.

Hope this is the beginning of the end of Wenger’s tenure.