Winter Transfer Speculation and Shit.

[Özil's Panoramic View]

Oh dear god.

What does it matter whether he's able to caress the ball into the back of the net or if he's better at pummelling it in there? I thought goals were what we wanted, which he's clearly capable of delivering.

I'm sure you've witnessed time after time after time Drogba raping us. Oh wait, just remembered you hardly ever watch our games - and that's by your own admission. Anyway, bear in mind that Drogba didn't use much finesse when he used to tear us and other teams a new one back then.

Stop positing silly stuff in your attempts to discredit the player.

[Power n Glory]

Have you seen him play? He reminds me of Adebayor for some reason.

[Power n Glory]

I wouldn't say he's better than Higuain who is a more natural finisher and has better technique. He's a powerful hard working type of striker.

And we've got that.

[Özim]

Have you seen him play? He reminds me of Adebayor for some reason.

Yeah reminds me of him a bit as well tbf.

[GP]

Oh dear god.

What does it matter whether he's able to caress the ball into the back of the net or if he's better at pummelling it in there? I thought goals were what we wanted, which he's clearly capable of delivering.

I'm sure you've witnessed time after time after time Drogba raping us. Oh wait, just remembered you hardly ever watch our games - and that's by your own admission. Anyway, bear in mind that Drogba didn't use much finesse when he used to tear us and other teams a new one back then.

Stop positing silly stuff in your attempts to discredit the player.

Good luck with that.

[Özim]

Oh dear god.

What does it matter whether he's able to caress the ball into the back of the net or if he's better at pummelling it in there? I thought goals were what we wanted, which he's clearly capable of delivering.

I'm sure you've witnessed time after time after time Drogba raping us. Oh wait, just remembered you hardly ever watch our games - and that's by your own admission. Anyway, bear in mind that Drogba didn't use much finesse when he used to tear us and other teams a new one back then.

Stop positing silly stuff in your attempts to discredit the player.

Clearly? I wouldn't say that's proven, this is his first really good season (well half a season so far), his career record isn't good enough to support your argument. As for Drogba, yeah he's definitely no Drogba!

[JonasTC]

Instead of listening to the "expert" zimm, listen to the bunch of managers and players from spain who, before this season, believed he was already better or was going to be better than Falcao. He scored 15 goals from last winter to the summer (in 20 games), the season before that he got 10 goals in 16 games after being out for half the season.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Ok, so I probably didn't explain myself properly regarding being capped at International Level. My argument regarding a player being capped at International Level was more geared towards the player being established at that level, or at least to the extent of playing more than earning 2 caps.

Sure every player purchase is a risk, but when spending upwards of 30million I personally feel a player has to have shown his true worth over a period of time across every level, E.G league, european & international level.

30million is a hell of a lot of money for a club like Arsenal to be spending money on an unproven talent, it's not like we can write it off in the summer and go splurge again, we are not Chelsea or Man City.

Sure Ozil was a risk as said above like every player purchase, but Ozil is a PROVEN world class performer, he has done it on the big stage (world cup, cl, bundesliga, la liga etc), he has done it over a sustained period of time. he is established quality.

Spain can nationalise whoever they like, it doesn't cost them a dime and gives them extra options upfront which in fact is a position they are not blessed with talent.

Point taken on me using the word "wasting", "spending" is more the correct term. I personally would not feel that comfortable with us "spending" 30 million on him just yet.

Something tells me he is going to quickly earn more caps to put you at ease....
Arsenal have a history of signing players who have an awful lot to prove. Not necessarily in excess of 30 million but we have no history of signing any players of any ability in that price bracket anyway. Most of us have conceded that a large sum of money should have been spent on top players way before now though. Ironically, Wenger tried to sign Ozil well before he had proven himself on every stage, even if not for a huge fee, but the 42.5 million marks a change in approach. Not every transfer will be huge but we now recognise they can't all come in for way below their actual value.

I can't remember Arsenal signing the leading scorer in a top European league ever before. Not Henry, Bergkamp, Wright or anyone else, so from that point of view one might build an argument for justifying spending that price. I should stress it is not actually his set in stone price tag. It is his clause which forces the onus on them to sell. That makes a potentially time consuming and convoluted deal much easier to manage. That's not to say I believe he will come on the cheap but some people are speaking as if there will be a lot more top quality forwards to choose from this Summer at much better prices. There simply won't be.... and they will be that closer to the World cup.

Costa would have to be an almighty flop for 30 million to be simply and as you put it 'written off', otherwise he will have a resale value at his age and with his ability. So it's not simply a case of 30 million well spent or 30 million down the drain. I realise that perhaps I'm taking you a little literally, but there is a paradigm of polarisation where football is concerned in the modern age that I don't always quite understand.

The point about Spain going to the trouble to nationalise him (and the wheels were put in motion well before his 17 goals in 16 games) is that they are unlikely to go to such trouble for just any joe bloggs / johnny come lately player. They are a proud nation after all who are bursting with talented players have won the last 3 major tournaments and even played one for the majority without a forward. That they are even attempting what they are with Costa is almost beyond belief considering their wealth of talents and forwards including, Llorente, Torres, Soldado, Negredo and the promising Spanish strikers at Real and Barca or whoever else I've forgotten.

It is certainly a course of action in Spain's history which does not have a whole lot of precedent.....even before their recent success when they were perennially underachieving.

YouTube ain't the most reliable of places for scouting.......but I'm underwhelmed and say 'nay'.

He looks very unpolished. The strikes aren't clean and he doesn't look like the sort of striker that's going to make a huge difference to us. I'd have to watch him in full but I haven't seen a goal that I can't see Giroud, Theo, Pod or even Bendy scoring from.

Isn't the point about Giroud that he just doesn't take enough of his chances, make enough for himself and generally score enough, rather than the fact that his goals aren't spectacular.

Costa almost sounds like the player Baptista SHOULD have been for us....which is no bad thing necessarily. If he has to thunder 38 goals in 38 league games I'd be absolutely delighted. DELIGHTED I tell you PG!

[Globalgunner]

I think the overriding point is that he is much better than what we have got now in Giroud or Bendtner...and that there is not much else better than him available at this moment.

Still doubt we will get him or that Wenger will even bid. I am already resigned to him saying Poldi will be like a new signing which could be true as Podolski will be doing his utmost to make sure he gets selected for the WC. a revitalised and scoring Lukas would be a great boost to our title hopes, same with Walcott.

We however desperately need a defensive MF to work along or instead of Flamini. Arteta is NOT, repeat NOT a DMF

[JonasTC]

I agree with Arteta, i like him and i think he is great, but he is more of a Pirlo type and the only reason Pirlo works out on DM, is because Juventus is playing with 3 central defenders, so he doesnt have to focus as much on the deffensive side of his playing style as arteta needs to do in our system.

I really believe we will sign a quality striker in January, he tried to sign David Villa back in January, in the summer he went for Higuain, Suarez & Ba. Why would he stop trying to get a striker in now?