Summer Transfer Speculation and Shit.

[Globalgunner]

4 years with a stable presence at the back, Kos ahead of him and hopefully a more settled defence in general isn't a bad prospect. 4 years for Ches to get a clue in the care of a steadying influence can't hurt either. The whole "Arsenal spine" thing is vastly overplayed but in terms of adding quality to a critical position this is a good signing. Kos is more than good enough. I think Sanogo is actually underrated because he doesn't have the big media name.

Striker please! If we add some top quality up front then coupled with the undoubted quality we've just added to the back you have to call that a good transfer window. All comes down to this striker. If we are serious then our activities over the next few weeks will be the demonstration.

You sound positively Wengerish nowadays NQ

[Power n Glory]

11 million for a 33 year old isn't fantastic business in my book as for being a top 5 keeper, highly debateable, he's very good but not World Class anymore, before his head injury he was unbelievable but in recent times he's looked positively human. It's true he's a lot better than what we've had or have, but that's not hard as we've had to put up with dogshite keepers for years since David Seaman retired.

He's a good keeper, but hardly the future and thats my point, sure keepers can play on into their late 30's but they are nowhere near as good when they get there, Buffon for example looks a shadow of the keeper he was and is prone to some real clangers.

But why are you looking at the future? Why look so far ahead when we needed results yesterday? The biggest gripe we've had with Wenger is the over investment in youth. I don't see how this is a bad investment when it's an immediate improvement to the first team, a reputable, experienced...Prem experienced keeper with titles under his belt. How is this a bad move for us?

Top quality young keepers are rare to find. For years Casillas was the only top quality keeper holding down a first team spot in his early 20s. What we're seeing now with De Gea and Courtois is rare. You never usually find keepers that good so young or for sale. We've tried the young keeper route and it hasn't worked out for us. We can't develop them. We've tried with Chesney, Fabianski...heck we tried signing Richard Wright for big money at the time and it hasn't worked.

What's the sensible solution here? Who should we buy instead and how much money should we put up for them?

[Dein-machine]

Innit.

Even the WUMs are rubbish on here.

GW

Lehman = £1.5 mill, Alminua £Undisclosed, Sir Ches £minimal bought as youth team player, Fabianski £2.1 mill, Ospina = £3 mill.

Now finally Wenger realises he may have to spend £10 mill to find a 33 year old who can catch properly.

City & Chelsea bought Hart & Courtois as youth players & would now make a fortune if sold. Utd £19 mill for Ge Dea, Spuds £8 mill for Lloris & Liverpool £9 mill for Mignolet - all finally showing their quality & if sold would fetch far more.

Who's wumming?

[Xhaka Can’t]

I think by the time keepers get to the age of 37 their reflexes are slower and they are more prone to errors, I think we have him for 4 years at best and then he'll start to go downhill.

In which case, if the rumoured fee is true, we got a very good deal.

Also, I don't get this 'signing a number 2' criticism at all. It's a bit like saying that Roger Federer is now shit because he's the second ranked tennis player in Switzerland.

I think by the time keepers get to the age of 37 their reflexes are slower and they are more prone to errors, I think we have him for 4 years at best and then he'll start to go downhill.

In which case, if the rumoured fee is true, we got a very good deal.

Also, I don't get this 'signing a number 2' criticism at all. It's a bit like saying that

[Niall_Quinn]

You sound positively Wengerish nowadays NQ

I don't think you need to be 100% pro or 100% anti, there are 99 other percentage points to play with depending on the circumstances.

Signing a top keeper can't be a bad thing no matter who is managing the club. Signing a top striker would be another benefit regardless of the manager. Neither can hurt. Ozil, Alexis, Cech plus a £50mill striker? Beats the hell out of selling all our players to the gypos. This is what the fans have been asking for so when the club delivers why should they be criticised?

As to how Wenger will deploy these assets over another season, well that's another topic.

When they fuck up then criticism is valid. When they get something right then praise is valid.

[Dein-machine]

You sound positively Wengerish nowadays NQ

I agree - Letters must have had words

[Power n Glory]

Lehman = £1.5 mill, Alminua £Undisclosed, Sir Ches £minimal bought as youth team player, Fabianski £2.1 mill, Ospina = £3 mill.

Now finally Wenger realises he may have to spend £10 mill to find a 33 year old who can catch properly.

City & Chelsea bought Hart & Courtois as youth players & would now make a fortune if sold. Utd £19 mill for Ge Dea, Spuds £8 mill for Lloris & Liverpool £9 mill for Mignolet - all finally showing their quality & if sold would fetch far more.

Who's wumming?

So you want us to sign a young player to eventually sell him? Isn't that another problem we have with Wenger? What point are you trying to make?

[Power n Glory]

I don't think you need to be 100% pro or 100% anti, there are 99 other percentage points to play with depending on the circumstances.

Signing a top keeper can't be a bad thing no matter who is managing the club. Signing a top striker would be another benefit regardless of the manager. Neither can hurt. Ozil, Alexis, Cech plus a £50mill striker? Beats the hell out of selling all our players to the gypos. This is what the fans have been asking for so when the club delivers why should they be criticised?

As to how Wenger will deploy these assets over another season, well that's another topic.

When they fuck up then criticism is valid. When they get something right then praise is valid.

Exactly.

[Letters]

Who's wumming?

You and Zim, as usual.

[Dein-machine]

So you want us to sign a young player to eventually sell him? Isn't that another problem we have with Wenger? What point are you trying to make?

My point is our transfer policy. All our main competitors have either invested in youth & you can do that when you already have a quality No 1 or gone & spent the money required on quality keepers that can improve - can you not see the chaos caused with Wengers penny pinching.
We are going back to 2003 with the Lehman signing. 12 years of cheap, shit keepers.
Cech is better than what we have, no argument but isn't that a little worrying to be saying that about a team supposedly trying to become Europe's best when he's no longer 1st choice at one of our rivals & is 33 years of age - 12 years on from signing Lehman.