Other clubs' transfers

[Guest Heneage]

Walcott again looked very average today.

 

He isn't a player who is going to look top-drawer in terms of touch, etc. on a constant basis. He does have the ability to make things happen fairly regularly though thanks to his pace and movement.

 

I still wouldn't write him off yet, but he does need to improve in the way that Lennon did/has at Spurs.

I agree he's not a write off, and still has potential to have his moments, like that run against Arsenal in the Champions League. I just think his technique is so poor, he rarely looks to have it under control, and his shot today from the corner just highlighted that.

[Ash]

Sagna     Djourou    Vermaelen     Clichy

 

Fabregas    Song

 

Walcott     Nasri     Arshavin

 

van Persie

 

Just to stick my nose in like

 

No 'keeper, I like it. You might be onto something there - get on the phone to Wenger!

[Rich]

The only way I can see them having a good chance is if they avoid any significant injuries, and Man Utd and Chelsea get knacked by a few. I would really like to see Arsenal do it but as I say, I don't see anything that has changed which would result in anything different to the previous 3/4 years, i.e. a challenge early on and falling away.

 

I am very surprised they haven't made any really big moves this summer, although I'm not completely up to speed on their financial situation.

 

For me it was at the point where Wenger really had to splash a bit of money and really beef up the core of his team with a top-class striker (target-man style, which Chamakh may prove to be I suppose) and a defender/'keeper of a similar reputation/stature (again two dominant types). Song is good enough to do this sort of role in the midfield.

 

They are still the best footballing side in the league at a canter but can be incredibly one-dimensional (sounds a mental accusation to level at them) in their style of play. Beefing things up would have helped them out a great deal and at least enabled them to compete with the physically tougher sides.

 

The "Invincible" (cough) team was so good because it had all the technique and grace of the current squad allied with some real physical power throughout the core of the team in the likes of Campbell, Toure, Vieira, Gilberto Silva, Bergkamp and Henry that allowed them to steam-roll teams.

[Gash]

Aye, we need to be lucky with injuries to win it, if we are we can, i think we could.

[TaylorJ_01]

Odd sentence.

[Rich]

Aye, we need to be lucky with injuries to win it, if we are we can, i think we could.

 

What is the crack with the lack of any major investment Ash? Is the money there?

[Gash]

Aye, we need to be lucky with injuries to win it, if we are we can, i think we could.

 

What is the crack with the lack of any major investment Ash? Is the money there?

The board's stance is Arsene Wenger has never been denied funds for a player and never will.

The club is loaded, could easily go and spend £60m and it not be in any way detrimental to the clubs finances but it's not Arsene's way is it.

There was a very fitting quote from Arsene Wenger once where he said something like "If i was given £100m[to buy players] i'd give it straight back'

He's an accountant, he's a money man, it's all about self-sustaining for him.

[Neil]

The only way I can see them having a good chance is if they avoid any significant injuries, and Man Utd and Chelsea get knacked by a few. I would really like to see Arsenal do it but as I say, I don't see anything that has changed which would result in anything different to the previous 3/4 years, i.e. a challenge early on and falling away.

 

I am very surprised they haven't made any really big moves this summer, although I'm not completely up to speed on their financial situation.

 

For me it was at the point where Wenger really had to splash a bit of money and really beef up the core of his team with a top-class striker (target-man style, which Chamakh may prove to be I suppose) and a defender/'keeper of a similar reputation/stature (again two dominant types). Song is good enough to do this sort of role in the midfield.

 

They are still the best footballing side in the league at a canter but can be incredibly one-dimensional (sounds a mental accusation to level at them) in their style of play. Beefing things up would have helped them out a great deal and at least enabled them to compete with the physically tougher sides.

 

The "Invincible" (cough) team was so good because it had all the technique and grace of the current squad allied with some real physical power throughout the core of the team in the likes of Campbell, Toure, Vieira, Gilberto Silva, Bergkamp and Henry that allowed them to steam-roll teams.

 

Gilberto Silva, what a player he was btw.

 

I'd also agree with your one-dimensional comment. It's so frustrating watching them at times - they seem to lack someone who can suddenly speed the game up with some quick passing which seems odd to say of such a good passing side but today just underlined a one-paced nature that is prevalent when they come up against a solid, well-drilled defence and midfield.

[Ronaldo]

Arsenal are still a fair way behind the top 2. Can only see a 3rd or 4th place finish for them if i'm honest.

[Rich]

Re: Wenger: I could understand it if he was still winning things every season, but how long has it been now? 6 years+ for the PL and 5 years+ for the FA Cup?

 

I'm a big fan but it seems his pride/ego has been pretty apparent in recent seasons as pertains his transfer dealings, which has therefore had a negative effect on the club's performances.

[Neil]

Aye, we need to be lucky with injuries to win it, if we are we can, i think we could.

 

What is the crack with the lack of any major investment Ash? Is the money there?

The board's stance is Arsene Wenger has never been denied funds for a player and never will.

The club is loaded, could easily go and spend £60m and it not be in any way detrimental to the clubs finances but it's not Arsene's way is it.

There was a very fitting quote from Arsene Wenger once where he said something like "If i was given £100m[to buy players] i'd give it straight back'

He's an accountant, he's a money man, it's all about self-sustaining for him.

 

But there's surely a limit to how much you can plan for the future. He's been going down the "this is a young team" line for too long now IMO. His persistence in putting this attitude, even an ego perhaps, above anything else is a major flaw of his and has become more and more obvious in the past few years.

[Gash]

Gilberto was brilliant. I'm sure he could still cut it now alongside Song, his last season he was woeful though and couldn't get in the team but when i have watched him since he has been brilliant and he's still getting in the Brazil team at the end of the day and captaining them. We could do with him again, and Edu for that matter, or Flamini should have offered him his extra £10k 

[Rich]

Gilberto was brilliant. I'm sure he could still cut it now alongside Song, his last season he was woeful though and couldn't get in the team but when i have watched him since he has been brilliant and he's still getting in the Brazil team at the end of the day and captaining them. We could do with him again, and Edu for that matter, or Flamini should have offered him his extra £10k 

 

I loved Edu like. He was your Acuna.

[Neil]

Bring back Grimandi.

[Gash]

Aye, we need to be lucky with injuries to win it, if we are we can, i think we could.

 

What is the crack with the lack of any major investment Ash? Is the money there?

The board's stance is Arsene Wenger has never been denied funds for a player and never will.

The club is loaded, could easily go and spend £60m and it not be in any way detrimental to the clubs finances but it's not Arsene's way is it.

There was a very fitting quote from Arsene Wenger once where he said something like "If i was given £100m[to buy players] i'd give it straight back'

He's an accountant, he's a money man, it's all about self-sustaining for him.

 

But there's surely a limit to how much you can plan for the future. He's been going down the "this is a young team" line for too long now IMO. His persistence in putting this attitude, even an ego perhaps, above anything else is a major flaw of his and has become more and more obvious in the past few years.

He's said himself we can't use that excuse anymore after this season, there is a good level and mix of ages.

[Gash]

Bring back Grimandi.

Remember the Bergkamp testimonial where he took out Davids(Spurs at the time) so he didn't get the first goal at The Grove?

The look on his face was priceless.

[KaKa]

Think Arsenal are well worth a cheeky punt if they can land Given too. I was surprised by how long their challenge lasted last season, and the team is certainly improved this time around.

 

Really liked the look of Koscielny today. Looks like another really good signing at centre back just like Vermaelen was.

[ElDiablo]

Still think Arsenal are lacking in the wide areas, Walcott is better when given that free role off the striker and the same goes for Arshavin, Rosicky and Nasri can be shoe horned out there but never look comfortable imo. When you think back to Pires and Ljungberg that is where a hell of a lot of their goals came from and they haven't replaced that at all. Someone like Malouda would transform them imo.

[Wullie]

Don't really understand Wenger's approach tbh. His great successes with Arsenal in the late 90s/early 00s didn't come with inexpensive youth players, it's not like he's had big success that way and continues to persist with it. It seems like when he unearthed Fabregas, that totally changed his approach. I admire it in a way and having a team still up there just using youth and relatively cheap players is all well and good but he's unlikely to beat any of the other big guns to a trophy, something he used to do regularly.

[Guest Heneage]

Don't really understand Wenger's approach tbh. His great successes with Arsenal in the late 90s/early 00s didn't come with inexpensive youth players, it's not like he's had big success that way and continues to persist with it. It seems like when he unearthed Fabregas, that totally changed his approach. I admire it in a way and having a team still up there just using youth and relatively cheap players is all well and good but he's unlikely to beat any of the other big guns to a trophy, something he used to do regularly.

It had elements of youth in it. But I think the rise in fee's scares him, where once Wiltord cost 11m, you'd struggle to get a player like that for 11m now.

[madras]

Don't really understand Wenger's approach tbh. His great successes with Arsenal in the late 90s/early 00s didn't come with inexpensive youth players, it's not like he's had big success that way and continues to persist with it. It seems like when he unearthed Fabregas, that totally changed his approach. I admire it in a way and having a team still up there just using youth and relatively cheap players is all well and good but he's unlikely to beat any of the other big guns to a trophy, something he used to do regularly.

there arent that many inexpensive youth players. the days of anelka and viera(pre fab btw) have passed

[Gash]

In a similar vein, we probably never would have seen Bergkamp at Arsenal if he wasn't a pre Wenger signing.

[macca888]

Arsenal are the best footballing team in the country without a shadow of a doubt but when it comes to playing the best in the league, they have difficulty in breaking down defences, no matter how much possession they have.

 

I love watching them but sometimes, they need to adopt a more direct or varied approach and the lack in doing this is usually their downfall against the top teams.

 

By the way, I like Kosicky but cannot understand all the hype about Nasri.

[Village Idiot]

Madrid very close to sign Özil, according to the two Madrid rags. €14m is their last offer.

[Guest firetotheworks]

Hold on, weren't Arsenal the team that took the most points from other teams in the top four last season?