Friday's press conference

[Darth Vela]

Fair enough that's your opinion, I think Young would have been a good fit because he's use to the league and would probably hit the ground running. He played at quite a high level towards the end of the season for both club & country and IMHO would have been quite useful to us not just domestically but in Europe too.

Gervinho is definitely a talented player, that I'm not doubting. I just question how long it will take him to adjust to the league.

I'm not really asking for big names, just players who are established in this league, is that really too much to ask?

No, I think wanting experience is perfectly reasonable but I think there are those out there who seem to just want a bit of a marguee signing, feeling a bit left out from Man U announcing well-known players and knowing that Citeh and Chelsea will be spending big, ofc that's a bit of a generalisation but it's the vibe I pick up. I want some PL players too, especially in defence where we need the extra physicality and nous but guys that actually give us something we need rather than getting them in because we need a player there and they're PL proven, I guess most people think that but there's rather a large variation of opinions on what it is we actually need, for me that isn't Young.

[Darth Vela]

In fact the primary objective seems to be to buy young, unproven players for next to nothing (sometimes providing incentives to parents to encourage their son to move to the club), develop them to a good standard, then sell for profit. On the YoungGuns website, the owner of the site effectively said the same thing when asked about the failure of the youth project. Yes, I don't doubt that Wenger would be pleasantly surprised if the Youth Project delivered as a trophy, but that's a secondary considering to profit making IMO. How often has Wenger pointed out how we are a self sustaining business. Well, one reason why we can be a self sustaining business is that we use our Youth Project as a Cash cow, churning out profit to maintain the value of share prices.

You almost seem to be using the financial benefit of developing youth as an example of a bad thing there, it really isn't.

Pretty sure the primary objective is winning a trophy with qualification for the CL and maintaining a good financial base as secondary objectives in order to achieve the primary but that seems to be a pretty niche opinion nowadays.

[LDG]

I don't think folks necessarily want "big names" they want "Proven PL Players", I personally don't think there's anything wrong with that & if I'm honest I would prefer some "Proven PL Players". If it costs a bit more so be it.

Meh. Nothing excited me striker-wise from the PL last year that would make me want them for "a few million more". In fact, with RVP, we had the best striker in the last half of the season.

I personally want us to blow shitloads on Benzema, but I know that won't happen.

Just saying I won't judge Gervinho until I see him play.

[Özim]

No, I think wanting experience is perfectly reasonable but I think there are those out there who seem to just want a bit of a marguee signing, feeling a bit left out from Man U announcing well-known players and knowing that Citeh and Chelsea will be spending big, ofc that's a bit of a generalisation but it's the vibe I pick up. I want some PL players too, especially in defence where we need the extra physicality and nous but guys that actually give us something we need rather than getting them in because we need a player there and they're PL proven, I guess most people think that but there's rather a large variation of opinions on what it is we actually need, for me that isn't Young.

Is it Gervinho though, a striker from the French league with 45 goals in 142 appearances and in reality someone who untested at the highest level and will probably take 6 months to a season to settle.

If Young isn't the answer I don't see how Gervinho can be either, he's a gamble at best at a time when gamble's are not really what we should be looking for.

For me this is just another example (if you need it) of Wenger not having changed and not having suddenly realised changes are needed.

[Darth Vela]

Well, quoting stats from over 3 years is rather misleading when a player is just starting to come into their prime as it includes their development periods which skews all kinds of things. Take a look at his stats from last season, something like 15/16 goals and 10/11 assists if memory serves, those are pretty good from the wing.

In terms of comparisons to Young, I'm looking at it from types of player rather than which league they're playing in, Young is a slightly built attacking midfielder/winger whereas Gervinho is a quick, powerful winger/striker who likes to dribble and has a pretty direct style. I think we have too much of the former and need more of the latter, simple as that.

I think if you're hoping for Wenger to 'change' in that he'll suddenly go out and spunk 70m on 3/4 Prem players then you'll invariably be disappointed but what you'll see is players with more experience coming in, probably at least one or two from the PL, and guys that are a little different to shake up our squad; I'll be shocked if we don't anyway.

[selassie]

No, I think wanting experience is perfectly reasonable but I think there are those out there who seem to just want a bit of a marguee signing, feeling a bit left out from Man U announcing well-known players and knowing that Citeh and Chelsea will be spending big, ofc that's a bit of a generalisation but it's the vibe I pick up. I want some PL players too, especially in defence where we need the extra physicality and nous but guys that actually give us something we need rather than getting them in because we need a player there and they're PL proven, I guess most people think that but there's rather a large variation of opinions on what it is we actually need, for me that isn't Young.

I get where you're coming from Darth. I think we probably want the same, I'd like a PL based CB (Cahill or maybe even Samba at a stretch).

I suppose my fear is that Arsene will repeat the same mistakes as last year and end up buying from the European market. I'm not doubting that quality can be picked up from abroad and more often than not at cheaper prices but this team needs some experience/preferrably PL based experience if it really wants to move forward domestically. That's just my opinion anyway.

[Darth Vela]

Can't argue with that

[LDG]

Seconded.

[IBK]

Haven't we got used to the fact that AW will only buy players whom he feels he can develop? Value/potential is as important to the manager as immediate fitness for purpose - and when you see the likes of £50M Torres, or £27M Dzeko, its difficult not to be able at least to understand where Wenger is coming from. Where I think that in the past he has slipped up is not having experienced heads to learn from. So if its Gervinho, fine, but we also need some wise heads.

[LDG]

So....back to the OP.

Erm.

I think AW is going to just sit there and talk about....ermm....oh....

Shittest press conference EVER!