We now have less than two weeks before the start of the Premier League season of 2013/14 and I find myself wondering about whether our squad has the necessary quality or depth.
This summer has been typical of other transfer transactions periods very quiet and with more rumoured than actual movements. Fortunately it looks like we are making more concerted efforts to move out the players, in both the 1st team and youth squad’s, that have not made the grade, hopefully this will free up funds for new acquisitions. Another thing to be pleased about is that all the players who have left this summer have been of our choice and we have not lost any of our key players.
So far the only addition to our squad has been Yaya Sonogo at 1.91m (or 6’4”) he will become a big physical presence in our attack, but will it be this season or later?.
It’s when I take a close look at the Arsenal.com 1st team squad who are currently the players we have to start the season with that I become concerned. Out of the listed squad of 29 players we only have18 recognised Premier League players who are fit and ready, we also have 2 untried players, 2 injured, 4 on the chopping block and 3 out on loan.
Therefore the 18 fit and ready players will, most likely, have to form our 1st team and our substitute’s bench, which is assuming we make no further acquisitions or suffer any more injuries. With time running out before the start of the season it will be a hammer blow to get any serious injuries and if we do make further acquisitions they will have little or no time to settle into the squad.
We have 5 games in the first 16 days of the new season starting with Aston Villa on August 17th and ending with Tottenham on September 1st and squeezed in there are our 2 vitally important Champions League qualifying games – not an easy start.
Without any more changes to our squad we are going to be heavily reliant on our Youth Academy to fill out our squad and allow the fit and able 1st team squad to be rotated and rested. From what little I’ve seen of the youth players we have quite a few with high potential but with little or no 1st team experience. Players like Miquel, Eisfield, Gnabry, Zelalem and Akpom are exceptional talents – but ready for the 1st team? I’m not at all sure.
Perhaps my biggest single concern is with our goalkeeping, we have 2 reacognized keepers in Szczesny and Fabinanski and if either of them gets an injury or suffers from a lack of form then who do we turn to? – in our youth team we have 3 keepers in Martinez, Vickers and Iliev but to my knowledge none of them have played in the 1st team.
I am seriously concerned about both the quality and depth of our squad and if we don’t make serious changes we may be looking at qualifying for the Chumps League and not the Champions League.
Ist Team Squad
1. Laurent Koscielny Center Back
2. Per Mertesacker Center Back
3. Kieran Gibb Defender
4. Carl Jenkinson Defender
5. Nacho Monreal Defender
6. Bacary Sagna Defender
7. Lukasz Fabianski Goal Keeper
8. Wojciech Szczesny Goal Keeper
9. Mikel Arteta Midfielder
10. Santi Cazorla Midfielder
11. Emanu Frimpong Midfielder
12. Aaron Ramsey Midfielder
13. Tomas Rosicky Midfielder
14. Jack Wilshere Midfielder
15. Olivier Giroud Striker
16. Oxlaide-Chamberlain Striker
17. Lukas Podolski Striker
18. Theo Walcott Striker
Untried in the EPL
Ryo Miyaichi Striker
Yaya Sango Striker
Injured
Thomas Vermaelen Center Back
Abou Diaby Midfielder
On the chopping block
Ju-Young Park Striker
Nicklas Bendtner Striker
Marouane Chamakh Striker
Gervinho Striker
Out on loan
Johan Djourou Center Back
Francis Coquelin Midfielder
Joel Campbell Striker
These are our youth and academy players as listed on Arsenal.com.
Who do you think is ready to step up into the 1st team?
Youth/Academy
Hector Bellerin Defender
Daniel Boateng Defender
Tom Dallison Defender
Zachari Fagan Defender
Isaac Hayden Defender
Ignasi Miquel Defender
Ormonde-Ottewill Defender
Leander Sieman Defender
Arinse Uade Defender
Damian Martinez Goal Keeper
Josh Vickers Goal Keeper
Deyan Illev Goal Keeper
Chuks Aneke Midfielder
Thomas Eisfeld Midfielder
Serge Gnabry Midfielder
Anthony Jeffrey Midfielder
Glen Kamara Midfielder
Alfred Mugabo Midfielder
Kristoffer Olsson Midfielder
Jon Toral Midfielder
Jack Webb Midfielder
Nicholas Yennaris Midfielder
Gedion Zelalem Midfielder
Benik Afobe Striker
Chuba Akpom Striker
Zac Ansah Striker
Tarum Dawkins Striker
Alex Iwobi Striker
Austin Lipman Striker
Wellington -Silva Striker
Out on loan
Samuel Galindo Midfielder
I hope that I’m just being paranoid – but I fear not.
GunnerN5
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
First
Second!
Third
Not at all wot kind of human beign z dat manager yesterday ginter deal agreed stop decivin us
We definitely need to sign at least three established/quality players otherwise we will not finish anywhere near 4th place. We need a CB, striker and maybe a defensive midfielder. It seems the fans are being fed lies yet again with none of the so called 70m budget being spent. I really don’t know why Wenger doesn’t make the signings early so that they can integrate into the squad, hopefully he doesn’t panic buy on the last day with people like Santos coming in. We will have to wait and see.
Good morning to you all.
No, GN5 you are not being paranoid.
It’s not just the squad that is lacking, the first team is also short on real quality in vital areas. What am I saying? In ALL areas.
Szczesny and Fabianski together do not make up one Seaman. Neither Gibbs, for fitness worries, nor Jenkinson for experience/quality are a match for Dixon or Cole.
In midfield we have some good not great players and, with fitness caveats aside, a potentially exceptional one in Wilshere.
Neither Giroud or Podolski can be spoken of in the same breath as Wright, Bergkamp or Henry.
Without some top quality reinforcements a top four finish will be a distinct struggle.
Morning
If I said what i really felt I would be labelled the doomer of all doomers.
This season more CL revenue, more money from TV rights,part payment on new shirt deal, a massive saving already from players sold or loan out and less than two weeks from the kick off.
I can’t second guess what’s really going on but i believe that Gazidis and Wenger don’t see eye to eye or maybe kroenke is just happy to have all tickets for Home games sold.
The more I read I believe the Suarez bid is a red herring and IF we are in for a couple of quality players they should have been secured by now or at least have a back up plan for others.
I could tear that list above to pieces to give us what amounts to our real squad and it’s pretty thin.
Not a happy bunny and I think the true feeling of many fans is pure frustration.
Thanks GN5, my answer is a resounding yes. I avoided commenting after the defeat to Galatasaray, but what I saw was a preformance from a lightweight side relying too much on a couple of key individuals being at the top of their game.
Take kozzer, Santi and Arteta out of Arsenal and we’re a very average side. I know Jack has amazing potential but it is clear that AW has not found his best position in midfield to gel with the players around him.
The fluid midfield 5/6 only works if all the players have the ability and are in tune with each others play.
Morning kelsey, I think Gazidis came out with the ‘we’ve got £70m to spend’ statement to force AW’s hand into being more bullish in the transfer market. So far it hasn’t worked, but we’ve got a month to go, so who knows?
This year the squad is very thin. It is only a couple of injuries away from disaster. I am surprised, why no one has been signed yet with the season starting in 2 weeks. God knows what is going on behind the scenes. I only pray that good sense prevails and we bring in at least 3-4 players along the spine of the team.
Morning all, that’s a pretty worrying squad in terms of depth, but it seems we are freeing up the wage bill for some big signings, why else would we move Gervinho on? Not world class but more tested and probably capable than Ryo, that’s not to dismiss Ryo but it seems the lad has struggled with the physicality of Senior football in England picking up injuries on loan wherever he has been.
We will get one more year from Bacary who has looked in pre season to finally be over the leg breaks. TV5 is a concern as he had by his standards a dreadful season last year and needs to get regular football to find his confidence….I don’t see him doing that with BFG and Koz staying fit.
The midfield is well covered but we probably need cover for Arteta, although TV5 could be the man for that position if we are blowing our budget on a front man.
Our attacking options appear to be where we need to add the most strength.
As for the youth I think Miquel, Yennaris, Gnabry, Eisfield probably have the ability and strength now. Aneke has gone for another season on loan to Crewe where he was well received last season, I hope he can come back and make a claim for a shirt. There was also a lot of chat about Daniel Crowley in the academy pre season and of course there is Zelalem.
It’s obvious that Arsenal don’t have enough depth in the squad even to challenge for 4th place given the quality of changes that other competitive sides have made to their squads. They should have signed Julio Cesar, Ashley Williams, Marouane Felliani & Gonzalo Higuain early in the transfer window with the huge funds they claim are available to them (and maybe a Rooney) to bolster the squad and allow these players to settle in. Then, they would have been serious contenders for the title and even gone as far as the Semi-Finals if not the Final. But oh well, as always, Wenger is always all talk and no action. If nothing is done this transfer window, Arsenal can look forward to winning the Europa League next season.
Rasp if Wenger is refusing to spend can you explain why Gazidis or anyone else on the Board think he should have an extension to his contract? I just can’t see it this time, fair enough they wouldn’t probably pay him off a year or two on a contract over last couple of years, but at the end of this season they have absolutely no reason to allow him to continue if he is not buying.
And anyway if Gazidis turns round and gives Wenger 4/5 players do they think he won’t use them? It doesn’t really matter whether Wenger wants to spend or not, Gazidis if he is so desperate should just go and get the players after all he has the power to do so surely?
Morning GiE, like you, I don’t know the facts. I do know that we should take anything reported with a pinch of salt.
If you’re asking me what I surmise then it would be that SK is happy to offer AW an extension as his investment is growing with him in charge and the Board are happy because they are a closed shop that like AW, is not challenged. If anyone, I would think that IG is the one who may see life beyond AW.
At the moment 2 + 2 = 5
I am firmly of the opinion (that’s my opinion not a claim to be spouting facts) that AW has not dropped his ‘socialist wage’ ideals and will not go beyond his (not the clubs) valuation of a player.
I fully expect there to be a flurry of transfers in the last few days of the window when the second tier of spenders will do their business – and that means us. But it doesn’t have to be so. The totts have made 3 quality signings early – it is possible.
Reblogged this on deanomartins's Blog.
If he does why has he made comments about being happy for him to continue?
Its all politics GiE, when would a Chief Executive ever criticise the manager of a club, one of them would have to go as a result.
…. also Gazidis has to cover his own backside, if the Board and owner are happy, he is on a hiding to nothing.
As it is, the team is weaker than it was last season.Without at least 4 quality additions in Goal, DM, CD, and upfront(doesn’t have to be Suarez), we will struggle again, and then you can expect some of the more decent players clamouring for exits next season. Trust me.
Arteta calls for reinforcements again
If there’s one thing more noticeable than the frustration of Arsenal fans this summer, it’s the repeated calls from senior first team players for the club to make signings.
Now, for the second time in as many weeks, Mikel Arteta has urged the club to get the chequebook out and bring in new faces ahead of the start of the Premier League season.
““If the club can target players who will improve the team they are going to be very welcome because that is what we want — a better team, better players to compete and win trophies,” said the lego-haired Spaniard.
“The club is working on that. It is in their hands and I am sure they are going to do it.”
So far, as we all know, the only arrival has been Yaya Sanogo while the exit door has been spinning like a top. Let’s hope another public call for the manager and the club to get busy will be heeded.
Arsenal players on record about signings
Jack Wilshere, August 3rd – “New signings and big players always bring confidence.
Lukas Podolski, July 24th – “I’m happy when players come in. When a big striker or a big defender comes in, they help the team and they help me.”
Wojciech Szczesny, July 22nd – “This season the only thing that everyone is talking about is ‘Who is Arsenal going to bring in? It makes us feel stronger and more united as a team.”
Bacary Sagna, July 19th – “I believe that we can challenge for the title with a couple of good signings.”
Olivier Giroud, July 17th – “I am for his [Luis Suarez] arrival. I’m not afraid of competition.”
Jack Wilshere, July 16th – “Everyone talks about the names at the training ground. We’re saying: ‘You heard about this player or that player? It would give everyone such a massive lift.”
Mikel Arteta, July 15th – “The club have said they are going to be very ambitious in the market and have got the financial resources to get big players. I think it’s about time.”
from arseblog. Thjis is quite worrying and it follows the pattern of last year with “the club has no ambition” as stated by RVP
There’s no point pontificating now about signings or the lack thereof. They will come after the Champions League qualifiers and the quality of those signings will depend on whether or not Arsenal is in the Champions League this season.
Hi GN5, 🙂
Interesting Post, altho’ from someone normally positive in your Arsenal outlook I found it surprisingly introspective.
I have always thought of Rasp and Kelsey as Worry Bros and therefore their reaction to your well set out Post is no surprise! 🙂
My long time friend, Zane, was a bit like I imagine the Rasper to be.
We once went on a round robin trip, some years back, which took in Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, LA, San Francisco, NY, France and the UK.
I could not wait to get going!,
We met up at the airport where he looked really ill. I asked him what was the matter, as I was concerned for him. He told me he was having trouble sleeping because he worried that the taxi would be late, and he would not catch the flight, and if that happened, he was concerned in case I went without him, (as if) and if we caught a later flight that would mess up our connections, and then the hotels might not keep our reservations, and on and on — a right old worry guts.
In the event, the taxi was on time, we got all our flights on schedule, the hotels were superb and the whole deal was ace.
By the time we got back he had quite forgotten how ‘worried’ he had been at the start.
That is what is likely to happen next season for Arsenal too.
We will sign one or two big newbies; the spirit in the camp will be great; we will win a trophy or two; and Kelsey and Rasp will have quite forgotten how worried they were about what Arsene and Gazidis did or did not think of each other, or the strength or the weakness of the squad, or whether the Tea lady had ordered enough custard creams, or not!!! 😀
The truth is many fans worry because they cannot predict what is going to happen at the club, and do not know what is going on, or how events will turn out. It has always been thus.
Relax guys. Go with the flow. It’s too early to worry — yet! 🙂
Thanks for the post GN5
I am not concerned with the basis of the squad at all, there is a hell of a lot of quality there. It is the same type of pool of players that attains top four and reaches the knock out stages of the Champions League and has massive scope of advancement via its young talents.
Arsenal have entered a new period were rather than us talk about losing key players we are all pondering who we will bring in. For me thats a massive turning point and one which people should reflect on.
Just because we have not acquired the players we want yet, there must be something wrong. Gazidis and Wenger dont get on. We are been conned. Wenger lacks the bottle to spend. We are incompetent and dont know how to buy players etc etc.
Rather than look for conspiricay theorys or make wild assumptions why not ponder the boring truth.
Top players are hard to get early, its a market place for heavens sake, and just because fans scream for activity, why should the Board and Wenger panic and yield to there demands?
They will not panic, and neither will they pay over the odds through fan angst. There responsibility is for Arsenal to progress, and to take actions that are always in the best interests of the Club, however demanding the pressure.
When we have had to flog players, we have done it for the right reasons. Now that we are in a more fortunate position and can acquire players, that will also be done for the right reasons.
Great comment Redders
Kelsey,
Your comment at 11:23 is exactly what I was trying to say.
You link your frustration with very upbeat, positive vibes coming from the players about the stories and rumours of this player or that signing for Arsenal.
Chalk and cheese spring to mind! 😀
Hi Terry, 🙂
Your comment and mine make it sound as if we have a meeting of minds — when you and I know we don’t have one between us!! 😀
Accountants, eh?
Dont think you could ever be accused of lack of mind Redders. Me on the other hand? hahaha
Anyway, minds are overrated. I have always found thinking through the nether regions a lot more appealing.
Redders, I pointed out the other day that although I am regularly given a label due to my standpoint, I never apply the same criteria to those who think differently from me.
The evidence of past transfer activity supports my standpoint. The problem is I only want the best fro Arsenal and therefore always wish to be proved wrong. But I often wonder what it would take for some supporters to actually open their eyes to at least consider that the club could do certain things better rather than resort to labelling those who have the freedom of mind to take a step back in their analysis.
Good morning all,
Like most of us I was very impressed with the manner in which the pre season started – high scoring wins, Giroud on fire and a nice smattering of youth players strutting their stuff. The 2 games at the Emirates were a totally different kettle of fish, against stiffer competition we simply were not good enough.
I recognised that we were experimenting with our squad and were giving our younger players an opportunity to show their growth and capability, but the erratic results concerned me and brought up the question of our real depth and quality. That caused me to take a deeper look at our entire group of players, and what I found was of deep concern.
I never look to point the finger or blame any one individual simply because we do not know any of the real facts about the goings on behind the walls of the Emirates, but my cursory investigation showed up many weaknesses in the end result – which is our current group of players.
To answer my own question, I’m not the least bit paranoid and I feel we all have a right to be very concerned about our current squad.
Here are my thought on the team make up.
It lacks both quality and depth in goal but one shrewd buy could solve that problem.
Our fullbacks, although not great are not a major issue.
At center back we are really lacking depth and utilizing Sagna only weakens of full back position. We need to add proven coverage.
Mid field is our strongest area and one where we have a lot of depth, another defensive mid would be a plus but not essential in my mind.
Up front we have a far different issue given all of our creativity we simply do not score enough goals and given our propensity to leak soft goals we need to score more. Our crossing is woeful and our finishing is sub standard – both need to be resolved.
Rasp,
Sorry if I have offended.
Don’t take my tongue in cheek comment to heart.
You will be aware that I have often voiced concern about certain actions taken by the club that were beyond my comprehension, and seemed at the very least to be capricious.
It is not that I go around with my eyes shut, as you put it, but I find it hard to take unsubstantiated worst case scenarios seriously.
But I have no objection to anyone else doing so. 🙂
Rasp
Do you really believe your 10.13am comment?
Or is it just a momentary outburst of frustration?
Rasp, forgive me if ime wrong here, but recently you have developed a penchant for having to justify your opinion.
I find nothing wrong in what you say, and i certainly dont feel that you must some how “repent” for your words.
As you say, you have the best interests of the Club at heart and as far as i see it present a coherent argument.
Its just one that i dont agree with. hahaha.
You say that the evidence of past transfer activity proves your standpoint. Well, i struggle to see how you can draw such conclusions, when the last eight years has been dominated by selling players, were as now its more of a question as to who we can add.
The envoirement has changed Rasp, and the transfer window has a long way to run.
Hi everybody,
Thank you for your responses. I knew my stance would be surprising but it’s really heart felt and a direct result of analysing our entire squad and looking at our first 5 games.
As I mentioned in my post @ 12:09 when I look at specific areas we simply do not have the necessary depth – the most glaring example being goal keeping, we are down to only two experienced keepers and woe betide either one gets injured or has indifferent run of form.
Having 5 games in the first 16 days almost forces us to use our existing squad and with 3 of those games being 2 CL qualifiers and a game against Spurs we will have to be at our best.
I still have a very positive outlook and attitude but that does not exclude me from having some feelings of paranoia and some realistic concerns.
This negativity has been created by the media. Clearly, the fans were drooling over the prospect of Higuian and likes of Suarez joining the squad. But the failure to do so has fuelled negativity amonst us and that’s the least we need at the start of the season.
Yes, Ivan promised there is money available for Wneger to spend and that we will do business early. But if, and only if Wenger thinks the player is of quality. He did state that the signings are down to Wenger and “what fans think is exciting may not excite Wenger”.
There may be conspiracies and counter-statements circulating around, but in reality, what the team really need is not Suarez or Fellani. they need backing of the fans which is impossible with this cloud of negativity created by media.
Sai @ 12:42
“There may be conspiracies and counter-statements circulating around, but in reality, what the team really need is not Suarez or Fellani. they need backing of the fans which is impossible with this cloud of negativity created by media”.
I would like to agree 100% with those words…………….but in reality we do need Fellani and Suarez types of players
Hi LB, yes it’s just the opinion I have formed, I cannot present it as fact any more than those with a contrary conclusion
Thanks TMHT 🙂
Hello there, chums – apologies for the Marie Celeste job, I’ve not been in a footy mindset since the end of the season, and have also recently moved jobs. Excuses, excuses.
I see not a lot has changed though! Summer brings its usual quota of angst and tension amongst the Gooner fraternity. Usually, it’s about which one of our players is going to be pinched by a richer, usually less responsible club; this time, it’s about who we are or aren’t bringing in.
Personally, I prefer to look at things with some optimism. Largely, that’s on the basis of the consistency shown by the current squad from mid Feb to the end of the season. To my mind, they showed what they can really do in that period, and provided an excellent foundation on which to build for this season.
What have Wenger or Gazidis done wrong this summer? They’ve started thinning out the squad, something we all wanted, with the accumulation of players who just can’t contribute sufficiently. It’s a matter of public record that they’ve been putting in bids that any sugar daddy club would make for top quality players. Things can’t just happen when we want them to, these things are complex and time-consuming. It’s naive to think otherwise.
We do need additional quality, I would say that as much as anyone, but that doesn’t mean what we have is poor – it’s a very good, well balanced squad already. As GN5 points out, the numbers in the ranks are lower now but is that such a bad thing? Does any of seriously think it would be better to keep Denilson or Santos or Arshavin or Squillaci on the books? Wenger clearly wants to bring in the three or so quality outfield players we all want, plus there are some excellent kids to bring through. The ideal first choice squad probably has 20 genuine first team players. To make that, we probably need a top striker, a good deep lying midfielder and a 4th choice centre back.
Nothing’s certain, obviously, and the time line can’t be controlled, but I do think Suarez will join us, perhaps not till after the start of the season (a la Nasri when he left for City), but Liverpol’s failure to get CL football will ultimately cause him to leave and we are his best bet right now. I also think we’ll see another midfielder and centre back join. I think Wenger really does want to get Fellaini but doesn’t want to splurge £25m on him, so is waiitng for the expiry of his buy-out clause, after which Everton could find their bargaining position for replacing Fellaini seriously damaged. And then there’s Williams – if Miquel really is being loaned to Leicester, something like that would seem likely.
The one area I do have some concern, like GN5, is in goal. I lost faith in Szczesny being our number one choice last season, and do feel we need to get someone in. We appear to be passing up Cesar, who would seem to be an ideal signing if we were recruiting a keeper. Perhaps Wenger has someone else in mind but it isn’t very clear right now, and that is a weakness. It looks to me like he’s going to allow the two Poles to continue to battle it out for the shirt, and perhaps allow Martinez to replace Mannoen as third choice. If that’s right, I wouldn’t feel too chirpy about it.
But overall, like TMHT and Derriere Rouge, I see far more to feel good about than bad.
26M;
It seems that we are pretty much in agreement with the needs in our squad, but my biggest concern is lack of depth.
With the level of intensity in the EPL every game is of importance and as the teams above us get stronger it makes it more and more difficult to “blood” our youth players which in turn leads me to the conclusion that we need to buy more experienced players to give us the required depth.
Red Arse
I never speak with a forked tongue 😉 I am a realist and always have been. The club should just shut up and do their business in private and not give out statements that can be interpreted in so many ways.
I totally agree GN5. We are short of numbers and need at least 2 quality additions. Although unlike you, I think a DM is a must. Seeing Ramsey and Wilshere together in the Emirates Cup, I think it’ll be a while yet before they can play together against top opposition. Which means we are a 31 year old Arteta getting injured away from having an easy-to-bypass midfield. Midfield is one area where we have numbers, but I think we need some added quality in there.
Rasp,
We rarely agree, but you are among the minority of people who disagree with me about Arenal, and don’t manage to annoy me 🙂 What I’m saying is, I see no need for you to be worried about how your comments are perceived. You have many valid points, and even when you don’t (as I no doubt will feel the need to point out on occasion 🙂 ) you always come across as reasonable and wanting the best for the club.
Hi GN5
I guess it’s a matter of perception: we agree on much but I wouldn’t say there’s a lack of depth in defence, central midfield or attacking midfield. Wenger is clearly creating space in the squad, which I imagine is partly for signings to come and partly for kids of the callibre of Bellerin, Eisfeld, Gnabry, Olsson, Yennaris, Toral, Miquel, Miyaichi, Sanogo and perhaps even the very young Zalelam.
Up front and in goal, I would agree that there is a lack of depth. But playing one forward, I would be very happy with Suarez, Giroud and Sanogo, with Podolski and Walcott providing occasional additional options. And in goal, we’re completely in agreement.
As to the theories of Wenger being against spending, I just cannot believe that is true. It’s stated that Wenger will not pay above his valuation of a player. I think no one pays above their valuation of a player. If they are wlling to push the boat out to sign someone, it still means that they value that player at the amount. ManCity don’t pay 50m for every player. They negotiate transfers too.
When Wenger joined us, we spent 13m on Wiltord, who was a squad player. We signed Henry for 10.5, Van Bronkhorst for 7 etc etc. (not exorbitantly high, but accounting for inflation, fairly big money buys) We paid among the highest wages in the land. We had the capacity to do that. Liam Brady complained about how Wenger doesn’t give academy prospects a chance. Wenger said he has to decide whether he plays someone who’s ready now, or someone who might be ready.
What has changed is circumstances. Not just in terms of our finances. But also the rules, such as needing homegrown players. The first meant that we had to let our high earners go, which is why the Invincibles were broken up so quickly. To replace them, we brought in 16-17 year olds and trained them through the academy until they were good enough. At this point Wenger publicly put his weight behind needing to blood in and develop youngsters. This is where his image of not wanting to spend comes from. That doesn’t account for his many statements saying he would be willing to spend whatever it took to get the player he wants as long as the club could afford it. We will continue to bring through players, but there is no way. Absolutely no way we will not buy more players this season.
If we had unlimited secured funds and really wanted to compete to win trophies, these are the only players that would be in my starting 11 + subs, with our current squad.
Cazorla,Kos,Sagna,Arteta a fit Wilshere and Gibbs, and the Ox. All the rest are ok ish,might improve or don’t add any real steel to the team or don’t excite that they might be special..
I would mention mertesacker as a good example as he has as many good points as bad.
We don’t have unlimited funds but IMO it is still a poor squad with too many injury prone players.
Now shoot me down 🙂
We could do with strengthening in pretty much every area of the squad.
GK – I agree with GN5 and 26m. But I don’t think this area will be a priority, and I’d be fine with it as long as other areas are strengthened as needed.
CB- 3rd/4th choice CB required
DM- Essential
AM- could do with more creativity
Wings-not essential, but would help
Striker-top quality player needed
Now, I don’t think that means we need to but 5 or 6 players. We could buy a DM who also plays CB, as well as occasionally play Sagna there. Especially if Bellerin will be playing in the cups at RB.
We could buy an AM who also plays on the wings, or vice-versa. Or we could promote Ryo/Gnabry, or Eisfeld and buy a player for the other position.
Striker- It seems it’ll be Suarez. I see him as less of a striker though. He’s probably going to be the all purpose creator for us. Taking away the need for the AM. He can play behind Giroud or Sanogo, or come in from the flanks. If he plays striker he will drop deep and play through Walcott and Poldi. Basically, he gives us lots of options without needing to buy lots of players.
So I think we’ll see a CB, a DM, and Suarez sign with us. The rest of the squad will be supplemented by the reserve players.
This would also explain why our business is being held up. If we get Suarez, it reduces our need to buy in certain positions. Because I don’t think Wenger sees players as slotting into set positions. He sees them as part of a team, and what they bring to it. If we don’t get Suarez, we might need to buy 2 players such as a versatile Winger/AM and a striker. This’ll then reduce funds for the DM and CB we want. Which would impact on our choice of players.
That may or may not explain it, and I’m as desperate for some top quality signings as any. I don’t know who we’ll get. I am confident we will add to the squad though.
Add in Walcott, Ramsey, Mertesacker, Monreal, Arteta, Podolski and Giroud, and I’d agree Kelsey…. 🙂
It’s an interesting stage in the team’s development: the manager clearly wants to make big changes (both in and out) but there is a solid foundation in midfield and defence on which to build the new squad. In previous years, with no resources to hand, Wenger would probably have held onto players like Gervinho, Coquelin and Djourou. Something else is happening now.
I must agree that we have a solid core of players on which we can build a very successful team but in order to achieve that we will need to buy some seasoned players. Pretty much the same scenario each year.
For me it’s down to the timing of the transactions, with the top teams being so strong a poor start could see us “wishing and hoping” for another top four position and out of the CL – in a big hurry.
I remain optimistic but I have a few pessimistic/realistic doubts.
I can’t see any problems with the overall strength of the team as proved against Bayern last season.
The mix of youth and experience and new Managers coming in will give us the edge this season.
Its interesting that many of the ‘reasonable’ folks on here say they are happy with the squad and then go on to list our need for a GK, CB, DM and striker – I shall assume that they’d just be even more happy if we actually signed players of that description 😆
26M, 😀
(or as some of us know you – 13*2M)
It is good to see you back in circulation.
To spare your blushes, I will simply say that your legal expertise and acuity of thought have been much missed!
Rasp,
I object to your use of the term ‘reasonable folk’!! As I have not waxed eloquent, or otherwise, regarding the need for a GK, CB, DM, or striker, you must be inferring that I am ‘unreasonable’?
You will be hearing from my lawyers – Terry, Mancini and Syrup!
Dortmund have proved what can be achieved with limited funds and Arsenal are no different
Having watched Jenks closely at RB on Sunday, I can say I am happy with Sagna playing the CB role, but less than convinced that CJ has yet reached the standard to be a regular starter. Sagna was actually playing the role of CB and RB as Jenks was marauding forward a lot. Unfortunately every time he tried to push the ball past the opposing player he was done for pace and invariably lost possession.
I love his attitude but he could learn a lot from BC who rarely takes on the midfielder but plays a pass and receive with a midfielder to get into a position to deliver a cross.
On the other hand, I am always going on about having too many titches in the midfield, so I suppose I am guilty of titchyism.
The thing is Rasp, although it is obviously true that your view is a valid as the rest, Shard, for example, can give a detailed explanation as to why he thinks you are wrong where as your 10.13 comment just looks like a short jab below the belt.
People on this side of the fence really, really try and understand your concept that Wenger and Gazidis are as out of synk as you suggest but all the evidence points in the opposite direction.
Great to read your comments again 26
Haha Redders, there is a certain irony in some of the comments. Anyone who states categorically that we must have a CB, GK etc etc is wrong, but to suggest that the squad needs strengthening and these are the areas of concern is fine … semantics …. who’d have ’em 😆
Rasp
Your comment is anti-semantic.
Hi LB, actually I feel quite patronised by some of the responses. I am merely stating my opinion which is as valid as anyone’s and I feel backed up by as much ‘evidence’ as the opposing views.
To suggest that Shard presents facts in the form of his ‘detailed explanation’ is just a way of saying you agree with his point of view – which is fine.
After 3 1/2 years of being involved in the daily administration of this site and in excess of over 3,500,000 hits, I think I can claim some experience in judging issues and as you know, my role is often that of encouraging healthy and diverse debate, not stifling it.
😆 Shard
LB, as regards my 10:13 suggesting that there was a motive behind IG stating that we had £70m to spend.
I can’t think of a single occasion when he has said anything that has not been carefully scripted for a desired effect, he is a slick master of spin.
The tone of IG’s comments (the tone!) has frequently differed from that of AW responses when asked about transfer prospects. I cannot believe this is a deliberate strategy agreed between the two and so have concluded that they may differ (who knows to what extent) on the need to be proactive in the transfer market.
Rasp, LB
I think we’re all just trying to make sense of things in absence of too many facts. My starting point is that I think it is unreasonable to assume the worst unless there is overriding evidence of it, or there is no other theory that fits.
Could Wenger and Gazidis be at loggerheads? Sure. But I doubt it, because that is a pretty major philosophical difference. It also means that Wenger cares more about Arsenal’s money than Arsenal do, which to me again, makes no sense, It also, as a subplot, assumes that Wenger is more powerful than the people that employ him. I’ve looked at Le Grove today, and I love how they so confidently state that Wenger is indecisive, has no plan, and is holding up all the deals. Why? Simply because Gazidis said the club have more money and income than ever before and are looking to spend? That’s a giant leap in logic. Although no one would accuse Le Grove of being logical.
The other thing that people assume about transfers that also I see on LG, is that managers should just give a list of players they want in different positions, in order of preference, and then let the CEO or Director of Football get on with buying them. Why this doesn’t work is because unlike in computer games, players aren’t just a position. A manager can give a list of targets. But his first option in midfield, might not work the way he wants with the 3rd option in attack, and so on. This is why the manager needs to be a part of the negotiation process. We can get 1st option in midfield, but that’ll only leave us with 4th option in attack and 2nd option in defense. Will those players work? No? Let’s negotiate more to have money to buy better players, or let’s go for other targets.. Stuff like that which should be pretty easy to understand but isn’t apparently.
Sorry Rasp.This isn’t to suggest that you think like that. Not in the least am I saying that. I just got carried away with a rant.
I do think though, that a rift between Wenger and Gazidis on as fundamental an aspect as money and whether to spend it, is highly unlikely.
Referring to my earlier attempt to categorize a pair of venerable bloggers by type, I wonder if Arsene in his usual thorough fashion carries out M-BTI tests on prospective transfer purchases.
If that is the case, I wonder how Suarez would get on?
The essence of the MBTI theory is that much seemingly random variations in the behaviour of individuals is actually quite orderly and consistent, being due to basic differences in the ways individuals prefer to use their perception and judgement.
What the ‘fook’ is that, you may ask. Well an individual’s perception involves all the ways of becoming aware of things, people, incidents, or ideas.
Judgement involves all the ways of coming to conclusions about what has been perceived by that individual. If people differ systematically in what they perceive and in how they reach conclusions, then it is only reasonable for them to differ correspondingly in their interests, reactions, values, motivations, and skills.
Steady – steady – I am not going to try and take you through the theory, other than to say, imagine a crossed line on a page, with at the top the word ‘introvert’ and at the bottom ‘extrovert’, with ‘Sensing’ and ‘Intuitive at the end of the left and right line of the cross.
It would be possible, using this theory, to map a person’s psychological type.
So for example, someone who is an ESTP (Extrovert, sensing) could be described as flexible, tolerant and pragmatic. They are focused on the here and now, are spontaneous and energetic, so theories and conceptual explanations bore them rigid. (Gulp!).
Whereas an ISTJ (introvert, sensing) Is an example of someone who is quiet, serious, dependable and responsible as well as being practical, matter-of-fact and realistic.They are capable of making logical decisions and work regardless of distractions.
They take pleasure in organisation, and greatly value tradition and loyalty.
OK, I am there now. Not only could that table be a way of explaining the variations in the many different perceptions and judgements arrived at by AA bloggers (all types being equal) based on the same data/info or lack thereof, it could be used to ensure that a player’s psychology would meet the managers expectations.
I doubt that Suarez or Bendtner would be ISTJs for example. 🙂
I will write to Arsene — might make a few bob doing it for him!! 😀
Thanks LB, and RA, good to see you too!
Rasp, speaking only for myself (of course), when you draw attention to the irony about some (me included) saying “they are happy with the squad and then go on to list our need for a GK, CB, DM and striker”, you are right to say that you “assume that they’d just be even more happy if we actually signed players of that description”. I know it was a gentle piss-take, but you still sum it up well for me! Based on certain assumptions about what is happening and what will happen, I am happy. Positively chipper in fact. But if we get to 1 Sept and there isn’t at least the new top-notch striker, then I’ll change my tune – we have a good squad right now, one that could once again battle for 3rd and 4th place, but it needs to be supplemented if we are to be able to aim higher than that.
We are all human beings!
I know that’s a big call, and occasionally there is evidence to put doubts in one’s mind — but there it is.
Why does that matter? Well, I am not the sharpest tool in the box, but sometimes I read an original comment and response, followed by a response to the the response and so on, and somewhere down the line the original gets distorted and ‘send reinforcements we are going to advance’ becomes ‘send three and four pence, we are going to a dance’.
[I don’t have a clue about three and fourpence, but it is a famous quote and sounds good!) 🙂
You see the inaccuracy of our understanding of the other fellows words, is only matched by his lack of understanding of ours.
Obfuscation is the by-word for human, and many a war has been started by people who agree with each but don’t realise it.
[I could name examples of bloggers who seem to vary little in their respective positions but who spend aeons clarifying them.]
But I won’t!! 😀
Thanks 26may and let me join others by celebrating your welcome return the blogosphere. I hope my earlier comment didn’t come across as too much of a piss take 😛
Shard and I have joked about the role of semantics today. I agree with everything you’ve written on the subject, but could just as easily have disagreed with someone else who tried to make the same points but in a more bullish manner, or if I perceived they had an anti-Arsenal agenda….. my bad 🙄
Rasp @ 2:54
Clearly an ISTJ — what did I tell you? 😀
BTW, 26m, let me introduce you to our resident troll …… Today masquerading under the name senior
Haha Redders,you made the same point but with more syllables 😀
My slant on all things Arsenal really boils down to one thing – they have been my team from my earliest recollections and my passion since my first game, at 10 years old, on a very cold day in Nov. 1947 my body was frozen but my feelings were on fire!
Nothing has changed to douse my passion, I may well be subconsciously deaf and blind to the constant criticism but I prefer not to buy into any of the theories pertaining to internal squabbles or this or that transaction, instead I wait for things to materialize.
To each their own, but after having been in executive management and on BOD’s for so many years I came to understand that folks perception of what happens at that level are seldom the reality.
I like this:
“I am happy. Positively chipper in fact. But if we get to 1 Sept and there isn’t at least the new top-notch striker, then I’ll change my tune.” (26)
I feel very similar, I have said this before and I will say it again: I think Suarez’ arrival is a done deal.
My reasoning is this, can you name me one other situation in which Wenger has spoken so forcefully about a player before a deal is complete? I paraphrase but it was something like “we are very much in the hunt for Suarez”. My conclusion is that he is very confident about this one.
At least we haven’t had the disheartening spectacle of our best players leaving for pastures new in this transfer window.
Could it be though that what we have left are just not wanted by any other club?
Depressing thought isn’t it?
The idea that Gazidis feels he has to make public statements in an attempt to force Wenger to spend more money is irrational, it might be an opinion but it is irrational opinion. It is irrational because it makes not sense.
The “money” is neither Gazidis’ nor Wenger’s. Once Wenger has identified a target it is Gazidis job to land said target. Furthermore, Gazidis doesn’t turn to Wenger to go over budget he turns to Kroenke.
Am I wrong here, if I am would someone point out why?
Could it be that Arsenal are not an attractive proposition for top class ready made players. We don’t pay top wages, we are not serial trophy winners, maybe top players are not so anxious to play for Wenger.
I think we are seeing something similar at Old Toilet, with the departure of Old Red Nose some of the gloss have rubbed off and Moyes is not the “name” that Fergie was.
Norfolk, you’re absolutely right that our period of investment has made us less attractive for big ticket players (remember the days when they would be fighting to join us?), but I see that beginning to shift now. Two or three years ago, a player of Suarez’s quality and established position in the English game would not have even thought about moving to us, he would only consider United, City or Chelsea. But today Suarez is clearly seriously considering it (or perhaps as LB suggests, has already agreed to join us).
Of course, to continue to rebuild the attractive features of the club for established and ambitious players, over the next few seasons we will need to start winning trophies and properly competing for the league and CL again. But the process has begun.
OK LB, so what is your ‘non-irrational’ (rational 😕 ) explanation for Gazidis’ declaration?
None of us know who turns to whom over the question of how much we are prepared to pay for players/wages etc. We do know for sure that the wage policy a few years ago was structured in a narrow band and that strategy has generally been attributed to AW.
Sniffer is in a positive mood today, one wonders whether it was an attempt to see if his comments were left up…..sorry to disappoint Sniffer here comes the deodorant.
I can’t believe we have not got any players in yet, we need 3 at the very minimum.
I think we should of had Fellaini in the bag already, just activate the release clause & do the deal. Think he would improve us dramatically.
Should of bid 30M for Higuain if you ask me but we are just dreaming, the club just have no ambition what so ever, same old crap every year.
Love Arsenal but starting to hate the way it is run, everything we do is long & drawn out & they just make the fans suffer.
Looks like another season of nothingness unless we do get some top talent in 😦
If Arsene and Ivan are in such marked disagreement then there is only one course of action, one can be sacked, one can resign.
Neither is happening.
Great debate – well started by Gn5!
I’m in the 26 camp (welcome back 26 🙂 ) – I am happy with the core of our squad – the players who put together a really excellent run to clinch fourth last season.
But I will be very disappointed (and, frankly, stunned) if we don’t add several players before the TW ends.
Unfortunately I suspect those players will come in the last couple of days of the TW, rather than before the start of the season. I just hope we haven’t had too many injuries or slip-ups by that time.
Bryan, “the club just have no ambition what so ever, same old crap every year.” So how do you explain the on-the-record (courtesy of LFC) bids of £35m and £40m? Sounds distincitly like ambition to me, and not very crap at all.
Cheers, the Rock! 🙂
Thing that worries me is that we could get a really tricky CL qualifier, it seemed sensible to me that we got at least 2 quality players in to help us get into the CL proper because if the worse happens we are not going to get the top players we want
Rasp, re your 2.54pm, you’re welcome to take the piss, I usually deserve it…..
26 we have waited years for those bids & as usual they are not good enough, I don’t expect us to get him for that & we will probably get the “well we tried” crap I am fed up of being optimistic, I am firmly behind Wenger but am sick of how this club does business
Proper ambition would of been getting Higuain in, Fellaini in & maybe Ashley Williams in. Those could of all been deals done by now but we decided to chase 1 player & forget the rest, it seems totally ridiculous to me because we had V Persie & were not good enough, so we could of got those 3 in which would improve us, then get another 3, 2 top quality next year & we would have a side to challenge for the league
Bryan, I agree that the CL qualifiers are the greatest threat we face this side of November, and are critical, which is why I was so hacked off that United rolled over and allowed the Chavs to win at OT in the run-in last season, enabling the Chavs to pinch 3rd place. But even without a star signing in place by then, we should (I emphasise should, not will) beat even the best of the others in the non-seeded pot (Sociedad and PSV looked the biggest worries there).
Personally, I think the Suarez thing is going to fall into place pretty quickly now: Liverpool will need time to use the money (what’s the point getting £50m on 31 August when they could get £45m now?), Real are going to splurge their money on monkeyboy, taking them out of the running, and Suarez may well follow what Rooney appears about to do and submit a formal transfer request. The forward-musical-chairs-game is getting close to the finish. I reckon Suarez will be done within 7-10 days.
The other signings may be the ones to run to the wire.
Just my guesswork, anyway.
26 I hope your right but as I said at 4.24 that would of made more sense its not really going to leave us with much to spend on other players & yes is a class player but a horrible human being who will be doing the same to us in a year or 2 wanting to join Real Madrid
Bryan
Do we really do business in a manner that is very different from the rest of the clubs? I mean that as a genuine question. It might be, and that is the impression I tend to have too, but thinking about it, what is it that we do so differently? Is it just that we tend to feel our transfers are dragging on only because we all follow it with such interest? While because we don’t pay attention to other clubs it feels like they just get their business done. I think that must at least partially be true.
Oh, but about Higuain. What makes you think we would have got him for 30m? Just because Napoli got him for that much? You are forgetting that that is an auction. If we’d bid that much, the price would only have gone up. Sure, we could have gotten involved in the auction, and if that is your view that is fine. But the price would have been higher than 30m.
26m
Just on that point, Suarez has been left out of Liverpool’s squad traveliing to Norway for a friendly, due to injury. Think of that what you will.
Personally, I would be surprised if we got him before we qualify for the CL. Unless we up our bid or he hands in a transfer request.
I really want to know that trying to sign or even signing Ashley Williams shows….Liverpool need centre backs (Carragher gone, Skrtel off?) yet Rodgers who knows the player doesn’t go in for him, and he signed Mr Sideways himself Joe Allan (then had a conversation about what was a good number for him!?!?!).
Ashley Williams has undoubtedly had a couple of good seasons in the PL, he is 28 is not better Koscielny, and has had what experience exactly? Okay he has a League Cup winners medal, but then if thats the basis we should sign the whole Swansea squad. Perhaps it’s because he tried to murder BSR according to PurpleNose.
AW deserves a lot of respect, not only for building (and re-building) the team managing it well over a long period of time, but also doing so in the absence of a strong Board. I am happy to place my faith in his judgment. Surely, some signings are going to be made. But, ex post, if performance is not credible in the first half season, contract talks will turn out to be interesting.
I hope it is not all “doomsday scenerio”, and AW has the opportunity to serve the club for a long time still! Happy to support him for the moment. Yes, it is frustrating as fans that we do not get to hear too much about the behind of scenes negotiations, but hey! Surely that is the best way to do transfer business, is it not!
Hopefully, one day, someone will come out with Memoirs, so that we know more about what goes on behind the scenes.
Rasp
I have explained many times that I believe Gazidis comments about the much fabled 70 mil purposely act as a advert to alert players and their agents.
They are designed to make top players and their agents aware that if they want to join Arsenal we not only have the money to pay a sizable transfer fee but we are able to pay the wages as well.
As for this narrow band structure, I get the impression that you think Wenger wasn’t spending all his budget, why wouldn’t he? Ok he might want to keep some powder dry but after that it is very much in his interest to have as bigger squad as the budget that is handed down to him allows.
The idea that Arsenal football club is in such disarray that Gazidis has to make public statements in an attempt to force Wenger to spend more money that belongs to neither of them is irrational, and, not only am I saying this, five other people above have made the same point in their own way.
Shard
I just typed a big response but when posted it did not work for some reason, I haven’t got time to type that again but yes I do think we dp business slower than most other clubs, for example Spurs wanted Paulinho 2 weeks later they have him.
& Yes I believe we could of got Higuain for 30M & believe he wanted to come but alas all speculation.
Really annoyed my original post didn’t work but heyho
Anyway that’s enough of me venting, got to go, thanks guys
I think the people carping about not bringing in any decent players will all be eating humble pie by the end of the TW.
If I’m wrong, it’ll be me bibbing up and tucking in instead 🙂
Bryan
The club are not so naïve as to not realise that should Suarez sign he will be doing so as we are the next logical step to his ultimate goal of joining Real; in fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if the club were purposely using that as a carrot to land him.
26 if Rooney hands in a transfer request should we join the race?
Would serve two purposes:
a) Liverpool might get worried.
b) ManUre may be keener to sell to us than Chavs.
If Maureen hadn’t gone back I don’t think Rooney would be interested, I think he’d like to try a bit of free flowing football.
I’d choose Rooney everyday because I think he has more heart, and more likely to pull up trees to get the team ticking which is the one thing if anything we miss.
Redders
Custard creams? Yum!
(and better than humble pie, any day)
Join the race or join the auction? We will be outbid every time.
The great thing about Suarez taking a bite out of a chav is that they cannot come in for him; he would never be allowed in that dressing room.
Bryan, re your 4.24pm, we only see the tiniest bit of the tip of the iceberg in terms of the reality of trnasfer dealings, and (to mix metaphors) that tiny sliver of information is clouded by a load of misinformation from the agents and journos. So who knows how realistic getting in any of the players you name would be? I’m very reluctant to criticise someone for what I don’t know. But what we do know is that Arsenal do have available resources to use in this transfer window, so if we get to the end without having used them to good effect, then I will find something to criticise.
If we make no further buys before the start of the season this will be the make up of our squad, AW will have to name 3 more players from the youth/academy players to make up the 25 man squad.
In my opinion it would an awful mistake to start the season with 2 injured players and 5 relatively untried/unknown players.
1. Laurent Koscielny Center Back
2. Per Mertesacker Center Back
3. Thomas Vermaelen Center Back (Injured)
4. Kieran Gibb Defender
5. Carl Jenkinson Defender
6. Nacho Monreal Defender
7. Bacary Sagna Defender
8. Lukasz Fabianski Goal Keeper
9. Wojciech Szczesny Goal Keeper
10. Mikel Arteta Midfielder
11. Abou Diaby Midfielder (Injured)
12. Santi Cazorla Midfielder
13. Emanu Frimpong Midfielder
14. Aaron Ramsey Midfielder
15. Tomas Rosicky Midfielder
16. Jack Wilshere Midfielder
17. Olivier Giroud Striker
18. Oxlaide-Chamberlain Striker
19. Lukas Podolski Striker
20. Theo Walcott Striker
21. Ryo Miyaichi Striker (Untried)
22. Yaya Sango Striker (Unknown)
23. Untried/Unknown
24. Untried/Unknown
25. Untried/Unknown
Let’s set the scene.
Bryan: I would like to buy your very nice used car.
Salesman: That will cost you £5,000.
Bryan: OK done — I will pick it up tomorrow.
Next day, Bryan (A name selected at random 🙂 ) goes to collect car.
Bryan: Here we are — £5,000.
Salesman: No. It’s now £7,000.
Bryan: But we had an agreed deal!!
What does Bryan do? Walk away? Cough up? Smack the git in the teeth?
Moral: What is the difference between the above, and Arsenal agreeing a £25m deal with RM for Higuain, only to find when they go to complete the deal, RM decide to put the price up to £35m?
What do Arsenal do? Walk away? …………well you know the rest!
Actually, it looks like Bryan would meekly cough up the extra £5m — anyway, what’s £5m of someone else’s money?? 🙂
Stop making eyes at the custard creams, Rocky, you will only start Rasp worrying, again! 🙂 (Not that I said that!!) 🙂
I am glad you all agree with me.
GN5
Our official squad doesn’t have to have 25 players. We ca have 17players of any nationality (non-homegrown status) and 8 homegrown players. Any players under 21 years of age on the 1st of Jan 2013 will be able to play without being registered.
Using your list above, we have 12 non-homegrown players, 5 homegrown players (Gibbs, Wilshere, Ramsey, Theo, Szczesny), and 5 under21s (Sanogo, Ox, Ryo, Frimpong, Jenkinson)
Which means we’ll be using only 17 squad spaces.
I am a little insure about Wilshere needing to be registered because he is born on Jan 1st, but I think he will have to be registered this season)
Hi Kelsey,
If you were a young soldier marching in the Army I bet your mum would say “look at them, they are all out of step with my boy!!”
Congratulations for agreeing with all of us. Ermm, haven’t seen too much agreement here today, mind! 🙂
Strewth, Shard, when you asked me about the HGR last January, you really were paying attention. 🙂
“Strewth” what a strange word. 🙂
Right up there with ‘forsooth’.
But don’t flatter yourself RA. Although you are a giant, if your head gets any bigger it might just become too heavy for your neck to support. 😀
It’s from “God’s Truth” apparently Redders.
Not sure where ‘forsooth’ originates from.
As ive said, personaly i am very happy with our squad, but if we get Suarez that migh just solve our puzzle up front.
Maybe some one like Bernard as decent cover wide is needed to.
Of course, i wouldnt say no to Fellani, we need some height in the middle
We probably need another tall centre back, maybe williams is the man
I like our goal keepers, but having an experienced back up like that Brazilian, cant remember his name, would be useful
Jenks looks a bit inexperienced and Bacary is getting older so a possible right back could be in order.
But apart from those slight modifications, i am delighted with what we have. hahaha
Forsooth is of Shakespearean origin, Rocky.
Oddly enough it means, “For truth” or “indeed’. [Googled] 🙂
Terry 😀
You forgot that the tea lady is getting on a bit and keeps forgetting to leave enough custard creams out. We definitely need cover in that area 🙂
Shard you snake!
Just wait until you screw up next time — seek no help from me, snake hips!! 🙂
A random thought just occurred to me. I don’t mean to jump the gun regarding Suarez joining us. Nor am I saying he should have that ban removed, but I’m just thinking of Sebastian Bassong when he joined Spurs. He was on a two match suspension. He missed one at the end of the season. Then moved to Spurs who took the view that since he had already served one match at Newcastle the ban continued to apply to that club and not Spurs. Since Newcastle had played a week earlier in the Championship, the FA agreed that the ban had been served and allowed Bassong to play on the opening day.
Obviously the crime is different in Suarez’s case, and I suppose the scheduling might make a difference to how Arsenal even want to interpret it, but it might be worth keeping in mind. Not that I think Arsenal will appeal for it. If we even get him of course.
Bentdner is been groomed for that role Rocky, he just dosnt know it yet. hahaha
For all of those who have enquired from time to time of my brothers health, he is in total remission, his body free of Cancer and has returned to his own home today to be monitored on a Quarterly blood test regime. So fingers crossed and God bless the NHS and its hard-working staff.
Rocky,
I used to go to Japan on business quite a lot.
Their version of custard creams were beautifully wrapped in foil, and called ‘Langue do Chat’ which given the Japanese penchant for strange spelling, I was not sure if they were made from cat – or worse! 🙂
Never tried them!
That’s wonderful news, DanDan – really pleased for your/his family!!
RA,
Snake hips?? Hahaha.. For some reason your reaction really made me laugh. 😀
On a different scale, I received some good news today too.
My hospital regimen was changed some time ago from a weekly session with some nasty blood sucking needles to a fortnightly session.
Then today I was told my appointment next week was cancelled and I will not have to go for another 3 months!
Not in the same league as your news, but for a chicken like me – welcome indeed. 😀
Kelsey said he did not speak with a forked tongue — so it must be you — innit? 🙂
GIE, Where are you?
My friend lost his father a few months ago to cancer. It’s a horrible disease. I’m happy for your brother and all of your family dandan. Best wishes.
RA,
Why do they want to stick bloodsucking needles in you? I didn’t realise you had such a regimen at the hospital. I might have to start being nicer to you from now..Well, maybe 3 months from now.
Dandan,
Great news, I’m happy for your brother, you and all your family, all the very best.
HIssssssssssss……
Afore I go, me hearties, my feelings towards Suarez are ambivalent, so if we get him, I will welcome an excellent player, but if we do not, I will not be sorry as he is pretty despicable on a personal level.
Win, win, Rasper — see, no worries!! 😀
oh damn.. talk about a screw up. Obviously I wasn’t hissing at you goonerjake. Yikes.
Guru Shard, Redders has paid you the ultimate compliment.
I used to be a struggler with women until years of research led me to the understanding that been atractive to the opposite sex is all in the hips
In the old days i would either talk rubbish, asking them wether they enjoyed watching the Sweeney or played with train sets. if my sweet talk failed i would just stare, but since i look like a serial killer that was no good.
Now, i just approach women and swivel my hips. It hasnt got me any were yet, apart from the odd black eye, but i have only been doing it for three years so theres plenty of time
So, if you can hip swivel like a snake, you will be fighting them off, you lucky bugger. hahaha
Dandan – that’s great news.
You too Redders!
Terry
We can’t have Bendy on tea-and-biccies duty. It will be the end of the custard creams and nothing but Danish pastries for everyone. A massive break with tradition…
Shard, thank you for your enquiry.
Suffice to say, almost 3 years ago I was due to go back to NY, but I began to feel unwell some weeks before departure.
I have been pretty much housebound in the UK since, and having what is regular unpleasant treatment (for a coward like me). 🙂
Things are looking up, at last!
Dandan, epic news about your brother. My mum has been in remission for about five years now, despite having been told she had no longer than 15 months at the outset. I hope your brother continues to do well too.
And RA, well done you too.
Terry just wants Bendtner to leave pieces of his signature designer jewelry in the pies, Rocky. That ought to do the trick with the ladies. Along with his hip swivel of course.
Great news DD, great news RA too.
I have to say i have the utmost respect for the physicians and nurses in our wonderful NHS.
Are you visiting some medieval apothecary where they prescribe bloodletting for being unwell RA? Leeches is not the way to go my man 🙂
I hate to do this, but on a serious note, I wish you well my friend. Hope you get better real soon.
Terry, 🙂
Swivel hips? 🙂
BTW, ignore you know who — if he becomes more abusive, we have his WordPress details from when he was ‘Just-call me Jules’!
Ask him how his guitar strumming is going! 🙂
Night Guys – much appreciated.
First up, Dandan.
Absolutely fabulous news.
GN5,
About time you stepped up with a post 🙂
Well worth waiting for, thank you.
You all know what I think. DM and Goalscorer.
Most terrifying news is that LB is positive that Suarez will be with us.
26, what a pleasant surprise.
Last up,
Amongst Kelsey’s comment earlier, this made I ROLF: “said the lego-haired Spaniard”
It’s great news to hear of the folks who are recovering from cancer or are in remission, from personal experience, with someone near and dear to my heart, I know just what a relief it is to finally get positive news.
I’m happy for all concerned.
Micky,
Yep it’s only my 2nd post in the past 4 days, I’m really slipping………………..
Just wanted to go back to a couple of comments earlier on.
There was one from Shard at 4.36pm, when he said he would be surprised if we get Suarez before we qualify for the CL, unless we increase our bid or he hands in a transfer request.
First off the bat, one or both of Shard’s exceptions could easily apply: the games now being played between LFC and the player’s agent (eg, Suarez’s new injury) are developing and there could easily be a transfer request soon, to force the pace. And the Arse may chuck a bit more money in the pot.
But even setting that to one side, looking at the situation from Suarez’s point of view, we really do represent his best bet of CL football, even with the qualifiers to overcome. Real looked like his best bet but for whatever reason they’re not on the scene. Perhaps Suarez is thinking we should get through our qualifier in any event, but with him on the pitch (he won’t be banned for those games), we’d be in even better shape. The risk for him is waiting until 29 August to check we have got through the qualifier. What if we decided not to wait and to sign someone else? And could he be sure that everything would be done in the few days of the window that would remain?
My guess is that Suarez joined Liverpool in the expectation that they would have been in the CL by now but even with him in the team they are resolutely showing themselves to be a distance from that. He’s 26 now and he really does need to be playing on that stage. I have no illusions that he may well be involved in an exit to Madrid in a couple of seasons, but I do think the odds favour him joining us this window, and sooner rather than later.
At 4.55pm, Exile put a question to me, about whethe rwe should jump into the race for Rooney if he hands in a transfer request.
My guess is that Rooney has made it clear that he wants to go to Chelsea, and now that there are officially bids coming in, he will press that. We could try to exploit it but, if the word is out already, the emptiness of the bid would probably be obvious to all the agents, managers, CEOs etc on Planet Football. But if Rooney really might consider joining us, sure, why not?
Great news dandan, and Redders, there can’t be any amongst us who hasn’t lost a nearest and dearest to cancer. We can make a beef burger without a cow, shame we can’t beat cancer yet, but I believe it will happen.
26m, if Real don’t get Bale, I’d bet my bottom dollar they go for Suarez and he would choose them over us. I think everything hinges on the Bale deal
26
I almost forgot what a reasonable fellow you are.
I really must stop calling Wayne a “foul mouthed” whatnot and “fatso”. Just in case.
Missed something on my skim read. Off to track down the RA good news.
Ah ha, RA, great news indeed.
Delighted for you I certainly am, however I feel the news may be equally well received by those poor Nurses you have threatened.
Very pleased for you.
Great news dandan and to you Red Arse. I always had my suspicions that RA was actually Dracula 🙂
I hope my daughter and I also eventually get some good news.
I was just closing down my laptop, when I realized I may have made a massive bob-boo.
Delighted with DanDan’s news I blurted out my own, but I may have inadvertently misled you.
I have a rare blood disease that will need treatment for the rest of my life, hopefully that will now be on a 3 month cycle, or it will carry on affecting my heart and liver, but it is not cancer — I am sorry if I led you to think that was what I meant. 😳
26may
There are some financial aspects regarding Suarez that need to be considered too.
Suarez needs to balance foregoing his loyalty bonus by submitting a transfer request against the benefit he gets by moving to Arsenal and a bigger wage.
Arsenal need to balance the cost of paying Suarez’s wages for an extra month versus risking losing out on him.
Liverpool are stuck between agreeing to sell at a lower price and getting in replacements early, or waiting and hoping that some other club comes in with a bigger offer.
It’s all about who blinks first. I doubt it’ll be Suarez unless he’s confident that Arsenal will move quickly, because he wouldn’t want to give up his money at Liverpool and still not get an increased wage by joining Arsenal early. Arsenal will not want to increase their offer as well as pay Suarez for a month more. Liverpool will want either Arsenal to pay more, or Suarez to forego his payment. An impasse if ever there was one, with the clause and the possibility of other clubs coming in, acting as the jokers in the pack.
RA;
Let’s just hope that it stabilizes and you can have even longer periods in between treatments.
Wow,
Great analysis of the Suarez dilemma Shard, however I’m still very content in paying no attention until the transfers are concluded..
I’ve been keeping an eye on ManU’s friendly game at AIK. Their defense seems very suspect. AIK seem to be playing through them with ease. Except Lindegaard has kept them out. It is also apparently Robin Van Priceless C***’s 30th birthday today. Hopefully his best years are behind him and all he declines quickly.
I just remembered the feeling watching them celebrate last season. I want that for Arsenal. I want to prove that BSR made the wrong decision. I hope the club use it as added motivation too.
If people think our Emirates Cup performance was bad, they should watch ManU right now.
Although I’m sure now I say that they’ll go on to score 3 or 4. Bastards.
WTF?? ManU have improved now, but they just had a penalty shout where the keeper came out to push the ball away from the striker’s foot. Got the ball cleanly, Referee waved play on. And their commentators while watching the replay say, that it falls in the category of seen them given.
Well I bet they have, the cheating c***s.
what a lovely surprise – 26may and LB blogging again, lovely jabbly 🙂
I don’t believe Real rate Suarez that much, they have known about him for years and have consistently ignored him.
They would have known him when he was a youth in the National Uruguayan side and could have got him then — but didn’t, they would have known about him going to Ajax and could have stepped in — but didn’t; they would have known about him going to Liverpool and once again could have stepped in — but didn’t.
As bizarre as it sounds to us, Bale is probably viewed by the Real fans as being more exotic than Suarez.
I may regret saying this but when you say the name Bale phonetically in Spanish it sounds really, really good.
It is very difficult to use one word to explain but it all positive: OK, great, happening, let’s go. It’s hard to imagine a more perfect name, phonetically pronounced, in that country.
There is not enough “C” word on this blog if you ask me which is why I am pleased that Shard is doing his best to change things — Go Shard.
OK, three and out.
Thank you for your kind comment Evonne, I feel a bit of a fraud now. I have got a horrible cold which I have been taking out on Rasp all day, poor man always catches it when I am under the weather.
I rode that 100 mile London/Surrey thing on Sunday morning in a respectable four and a half hours, well at least I thought it was respectable and anyway; I am waffling, the result is that I got a cold and am chained to the computer.
Night, night.
LB
Suarez and Bale are both pretty exotic: one’s a cannibal, the other’s an ape 🙂
26may blogging and LB taking his cold out on Rasp and dandan’s brother in remission and RA using up less NHS needles – oh happy day 🙂
I feel like a mother hen 😉
LB – nighty night, sweet dreams (we are winning a treble this season)
Rocky – that is a gem of a comment 🙂
off to read the post
Peaches goober?
I know what everyone will say if the window closes and we haven’t signed a big name – it’s as predictable as the club’s performance. It seems there is no right time to express reservations. If we start the season without bolstering the squad all we can do is get behind the team 100%
LB and 26may – BEWARE!!! in your absence this blog has been invaded by a kid with unexplained dislike of the Club and Wenger in particular. He calls himself different name every day, sometimes he is a man sometimes a girl (confused?); writes in reasonably good English but utter bollox – out of context crazy short statements aimed at us and trying to upset us (as if 🙂 )
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES be tempted to reply. That’s what he wants. We are all ignoring him and you should probably do the same.
felton @ 8:58 is the troll aka Sniffer Norris
I have just read on BBC that Suarez is injured, trust Wenger to try and sign another injury prone foreigner 😉
how many more times do I have to tell you Rasp that we will buy??!!
chill out man 🙂
GN5 – excellent post, thank you! Are are beginning to rely on your short classics! Keep writing. Peaches will one day stop building and will publish that book about Arsenal, she might want to quote you there
I have not changed my mind one iota after seeing the Napoli game. We are good, very good for short periods, but not good enough to win anything. Not because we have not become a better team in the last 2 years, which we have, but because others became even stronger. Both Shitty and Chavs have very strong, experienced squads, we places them above is in any competition. To me is still a case of a top notch goal stopper and a thoroughbred goal scorer. Add a powerful, experienced defender and we are rocking, we can take any team on. Fingers crossed Mr Wenger reads our blog
GiE, Rooney, Bale and Suarez all have phantom injuries. I know you are being ironic and are not too bothered if we sign Suarez. Given the choice, would you rather Suarez or Fellaini?
we places them above is ??? should be which places them above us
Hmmmnnnnn ‘goober’………..slip of the fingers, had to sign in 😆
Gobbledygook rules eh evonne 😉
FACT:
Madrid bid £87m for Bale – now “injured”.
Arsenal bid £40m for Suarez – now “injured”.
Chelsea bid £30m for Rooney – now “injured”
Excellent Post GN5,
We are short in 3 positions Forward,Defensive Midfield and a keeper.. I am not sure who will play on left wing may be Santi and Poldi as TR7 is fit now.. I don’t know what is running inside Le Prof head but first time from past 8 years I have seen him releasing almost all the fringes player…
Rasp just saw your question, can i have Rooney? Or someone as silky at football as Suarez but a little less bitey.
So Suarez has now gone public in unambiguously saying he wants to leave LFC for CL football on the basis of a promise made a year ago. It really is just like RvP’s exit, only this time with us on the other side of the equation.
I think you’re right 26. No way he can stay at Pool now.
where is everyone?
Wonderful gathering of gooners,I love it when we discuss issues affecting our club.
26may – yes and no. He is vile to the club that supported him though all his problems, but at least he gave them 2 good seasons, whereas we only got one of the dutch thing
26may – you probably don’t want Suarez anywhere near the Club. I remember you were saying that he has a face that make you want to take a cricket bat to
I don’t like him and would much prefer fatboy slim with a toupee
evonne says:
August 7, 2013 at 4:31 am
where is everyone?
I mean, how dare Canada and the UK go to sleep. 🙂
We spend years and years breaking even on transfers, and now we’re about to spend £40m on a single player?
I know we’ve lightened the load in parts, but still.
Any thoughts on a potential book balancing bombshell like throwing one of our better players into the mix?
Well, I’m heading off on some light domestic manoeuvres this morning, leading to Gatwick for take off early tomorrow.
Fully expect to hook up with Big Raddy while in Italy, so will of course get him ripped to the tits and find out the secret theme of this season’s pre-matchers.
hiya Micky 🙂
I was on airport duties this morning, back to bed now
Suarez – I think that Arsenal wanting everything to appear kosher bid 40000001 for the squirrel so that they could legally check the player’s contract. They must have found something about CL promise and enlightened Suarez. It probably was their idea for LS to go to the trustworthy Guardian with the interview. I can smell Gazidis in all of this….
Anyhow, both Pool and Arsenal fans don’t really want Suarez 🙂 But if he scored > 30 a season for at least 2 seasons, I think he might grow on me
Ah ok Evonne.
With many of the sensible people on here saying this Suarez thing has gone too far not to have legs, then I must take note.
However, there is still too much DidIt in me to think we’ll blow that much on one player.
My gut says three players. An £18m’ish front boy. A £12m’ish Coquelin replacement/DM, and an £8m’ish defender. What’s that….errr…£38m…yip, sounds about right.
Right that’s it from me.
Have a good two weeks one and all, and of course I look forward to the good news when I get back.
Fellaini and Suarez 🙂
Now Suarezhas gone public saying he wants to leave doesn’t it get cheaper now?
Enjoy your hols Micky.
Good morning, and happy hols to Micky.
Evonne (hi there) recalled at 4.51am (4.51am? Bloody hell…) that I’d said in the past that I detested Suarez. That’s certainly true, his cheating and general behaviour really got to me, and the one and only time I’ve edited a page on Wikipedia came after Uruguay’s win over South Africa in the 2010 World Cup – he dived several times that night, once winning a penalty and getting the South African keeper sent off, prematurely ending the keeper’s home World Cup. And later in the tournament, there was the famous goal line save against Ghana, after which the crucial penalty was missed which was celebrated by the player after being sent off. My Wiki edit was deleted within ten minutes but Suarez was not someone I liked, even with the ability that made him Ajax’s star player.
I remember a debate on here in the following months as to whether we should sign him, despite the cheating and the bite-ban he earned in Holland. Some were definitely willing to take him then but I wasn’t one of them, I felt he was beyond the pale, no matter how good he was.
But I’ve changed my tune. My logic is that recruiting a top quality striker this summer is vital for Arsenal – with that one player a good side could become an excellent side, and the signing would also cause confidence to flow through the club, the players and the fans. Even though I don’t think he’s quite as good a player, I might have preferred Higuain. Exile likes Rooney, and I can understand his thinking. But Suarez appears to be the one the club are going for. And if he joins, I will hold my nose and applaud the signing. I’ll never like Suarez’s character, he is a cheat and he did bait Evra with racist abuse, but we need someone of that calibre, and in the end that’s more important than getting a player like Henry, Bergkamp, van Persie, Fabregas, Pires or Vieira, a genius who also has a personality I like. Hypocritical, I know, but such is life.
A little postscript: I still have a theory that we will re-sign Flamini. He’s out of contract and wants to return to England, and is in a position where we need an additional player. He’s not as good as Fellaini but is still very good.
Good morning to you all.
I’ve just read the Telegraph article for the second time and nowhere in it does Suarez mention our club by name. There are various “quotes” and he talks, in those “quotes”, about wanting to play Champions League football, his contract and Liverpool’s broken promises. But mention of Arsenal? No!
Good morning folks,
SO Suarez went public yesterday with his desire to leave. After how public Liverpool have been regarding this whole transfer, they can hardly blame Suarez. However, this doesn’t change things too much. Liverpool pretty much always knew they were going to have to sell him. They’ve just been haggling over the price and hoping other clubs come in. THat doesn’t change even with the statement. Nor will it change really with a transfer request because I think Liverpool are wanting to play this out so as to not look like bigger chumps than they already do. If Suarez does go to the PL to adjudicate on the clause, that might stir things up.
I dislike SUarez, but I have to say I’m enjoying the boot being on the other foot this once. I hold no ill-will towards LIverpool but their officals have made this more fun, and it is fun to see the journos and ex-players scrambling about trying to reconcile events with past arguments about how unambitious Arsenal are, with constant reminders of Liverpool’s greatness.
I think buying Suarez goes against our morals and principles. But if I had to put up with what the club has been through, and been put through, my morals would probably take a back seat once in a while. As long as we don’t offer him unjustified support like Lverpool did, I’d be fine. Though I don’t like his diving and stuff and I hope he cuts it out to a large extent because that is not the game I enjoy watching. He’s obviously moving to us as a step towards something, and we’re obviously using him to start something new in terms of the type of players coming in. It’s a marriage of convenience (if it happens) and we shouldn’t be surprised to see him leave in 2 years.
26may. Good shout on Flamini. I’ve considered the possibility as well. I haven’t seen him play though, but surely he wouldn’t be the worst signing in the world. Next season we could go and get Cesc and Hleb too 🙂 I still think we’ll be looking at other players for that position, but Flamini is a decent option.
What confuses me is this trial we’re giving to a 26year old AM from France’s Ligue2, and being linked with 27 year old striker and free agent who played with Schalke last year. The last can be dismissed as agent talk perhaps, but we’ve given the Moroccan guy a trial, so there must be some interest.
This summer really is unprecedented for Arsenal. I don’t remember so many players leaving in one window. We’ve never had as much money at our disposal, and it is just difficult to know exactly what we have in mind for the squad. If we get Suarez, a DM and CB, I don’t think it would be a bad idea to get in some free players to flesh out the squad as long as their wages were fairly low.
Re-sign Flamini………interesting call.
Red Arse your comment August 6, 2013 at 5:18 pm
Bryan would not be getting a deal for a 10k car for 5k in the first place, Just like Madrid said they had not received any offer from us.
I don’t know why people use arguments in the normal world dealings with football transfers as we all know it is a mad & very different kettle of fish.
We don’t know the facts but lets be honest firstly our offer was supposed to of been 22M not 25M & secondly at todays inflated prices for players Higuain is worth 30M anyway.
& my answer to others, yes surely we will buy before the transfer window is closed otherwise I think there will be a lot of unrest on the terraces but I think we should of had at the very least 1 decent player purchased by now.
I really can’t see why we would want to re-sign Flamini, due to injury, a serious knee problem requiring an operation, he has made only 24 appearances in the last two seasons and prior to the injury he hardly set the world alight. At age 29 his best years are behind him and surely we have enough midfielders as it is.
Norfolk
A probable reason to re-sign Flamini.
We want Bender or Gundogan to be Arteta’s long term successor but if their clubs won’t sell this year, we go in for Flamini to support Arteta. (This also saves money for our prime targets in other positions)
Next year we add a returning Coquelin to the mix and get Arteta’s successor. This’ll mean we either sell Arteta (who I think will be in his last year) or sell Flamini, while the one who stays helps the new DM settle in slowly.
26m – it is a well known fact that we the football fans are fickle characters 🙂 I will be delighted every time Suarez scores for us, but like him – I won’t. I’d take Rooney anyway, I actually like the guy, both on and off the pitch. Flamini – NO. He started the exodus, played best football in his last season to get himself on most wanted list, stuffed us together with his mate Hleb. I still think that if those 2 didn’t leave when they did, we would have had best chance of winning the league. Traitor in my books. Let him finish his career nowhere,
Sorry Shard I can’t see the logic in signing a player like Flamini to fill in until we get someone better. I’d rather we spent the money to get someone we really want now. As to selling Flamini in a year or two, he’s on a free right now so what would he be worth aged 32? Sod all!
Evonne has a point too, We owe Flamini nothing, we’re not a retirement home for former players.
Morning all.
Not Arsenal related but as you know Dempsey was on 28K a week at Fulham, went to Spurs and had a release clause and now this.Amazing.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2385259/Clint-Dempsey-paid-David-Beckham-was.html
Here’s a worrying though, check out the list of first team strikers on Arsenal.com in particular numbers 27,29,30 and 52.
though? should be thought. 🙂
Yep no Flamini for me , he has done nothing since his last season for us & as evonne said he let us down
Morning all
We have a New Post ………………….