And, we're off.....2016/17

[Pin-seeker]

Didnt you sell van persie to Man U when over this age, and he helped them win the league.

Granted, he was proven in the prem, which Higuain isnt, but dont buy the age factor at 28.

RVP didn't go for €94m.
If Higuain was available for the £30m mark all the top clubs would have been fighting over him.

 

[pokerjoke]

No what I mean is if you buy at say 23 then it really doesn't matter if it takes a year to settle because the best years are still ahead. At 29 it's different, can't really afford to wait a season to settle. Yes players are playing a little longer these days and keep themselves in top shape but they will still lose their pace.

Why 7th to 12th when for the past 18 seasons we've managed to finish top 4?

Whatever Wenger does he still achieves that milestone which is tremendous!

7th to 12th was tongue in cheek banter.

Sean 4th is knowhere mate trophies are what counts for clubs and medals and trophies for players.

As I said there is too much money on football and maybe players and managers are looking at their bank balances instead of the trophy cabinet.

 

[Pin-seeker]

It is a lot of money however that's the going rate for a good player.

To be honest there is so much money in football at the moment and billionaires use clubs as play things and as long as that continues if you don't pay top dollar you will get left behind.

Man Utd have done well to attract big names even though we are not in the C/L because we will still spend the big money wether on a manager or players.

Look at Liverpool and what they are attracting without C/L and they will continue to fall.

Arsenal have money but are happy with qualification to the C/L every year but if they have ambition to win things they will have to spend big.

Yep I agree with all of that,I just think as good as he is its over priced (even by today's standards) for a player of his age.
Morata would be a better buy imo.

 

[Pin-seeker]

Either way if Arsenal don't win the title this season (which I don't think they will) it really is time for Wenger to do the right thing and walk.

 

[Slime]

Either way if Arsenal don't win the title this season (which I don't think they will) it really is time for Wenger to do the right thing and walk.

Some have been saying that for the last three years ....................... and he's still there!

 

[Pin-seeker]

Some have been saying that for the last three years ....................... and he's still there!

Yep,he's going no where.

 

[sawtooth]

7th to 12th was tongue in cheek banter.

Sean 4th is knowhere mate trophies are what counts for clubs and medals and trophies for players.

As I said there is too much money on football and maybe players and managers are looking at their bank balances instead of the trophy cabinet.

It's not true trophies are not everything Tony. There are supporters from other clubs who have never seen their team win anything in their lifetime but they still love their club. They still watch and support their club no matter what.

And there are no guarantees that a club will be in the top flight YoY or even in existence 50 yrs from now. I place stability and long term security over winning trophies. That means the prime goals for PL league teams are staying in the division, trying to get CL football and spending within your means in case things go pear shaped. If you can do all that then yes it would be great to win trophies on top.

Got to look at the big picture and blowing 78M Euros on a aging player hoping that he can get us the goals that might help win the PL is not a sensible and responsible thing to do. If it's not in the long term best interest of the club then don't do it. Seems right to me.

With that said I would like Wenger to buy a good player or two before the window closes.

And whether it's a Mahrez-like prospect for £4M that Wenger has managed to find or the real Mahrez at £40M I dont really mind. Nobody heard of Ljungberg when he came to Arsenal and he turned out to be a dream of a player.

 

[Deleted member 18588]

It's not true trophies are not everything Tony. There are supporters from other clubs who have never seen their team win anything in their lifetime but they still love their club. They still watch and support their club no matter what.

And there are no guarantees that a club will be in the top flight YoY or even in existence 50 yrs from now. I place stability and long term security over winning trophies. That means the prime goals for PL league teams are staying in the division, trying to get CL football and spending within your means in case things go pear shaped. If you can do all that then yes it would be great to win trophies on top.

Ask the real fans, the ones who actually go to matches rather than watching on TV, and I think you would get a different answer.

Would they rather win a trophy or just stay in the PL never winning anything?

I think it would be the former.

 

[Pin-seeker]

It's not true trophies are not everything Tony. There are supporters from other clubs who have never seen their team win anything in their lifetime but they still love their club. They still watch and support their club no matter what.

And there are no guarantees that a club will be in the top flight YoY or even in existence 50 yrs from now. I place stability and long term security over winning trophies. That means the prime goals for PL league teams are staying in the division, trying to get CL football and spending within your means in case things go pear shaped. If you can do all that then yes it would be great to win trophies on top.

Got to look at the big picture and blowing 78M Euros on a aging player hoping that he can get us the goals that might help win the PL is not a sensible and responsible thing to do. If it's not in the long term best interest of the club then don't do it. Seems right to me.

With that said I would like Wenger to buy a good player or two before the window closes.

And whether it's a Mahrez-like prospect for £4M that Wenger has managed to find or the real Mahrez at £40M I dont really mind. Nobody heard of Ljungberg when he came to Arsenal and he turned out to be a dream of a player.

Not sure how true it is but apparently Ljunberg was close to a move to Barnsley before he had a good euros and Arsenal spotted him.
Quality player.

 

[Slime]

Trophy cabinets are for trophies ..................... for the fans to brag about.
Fans don't want to see a trophy cabinet full of balance sheets with black figures!

 

[Papas1982]

All fans dream of trophies.

This idea that (mainly arsenal fans float) people would be happy finishing 4th is a myth. Most clubs would love to reach the CL. But once there they wouldn't be chuffed of that was all they got for10years! Eventually people want their clubs to progress.

Arsenal wont under wenger. If they couldn't winit last year then they never will. All credit to Leicester, but miraculous team spirit or not. Arsenal blew that last year big time.

Im a saints fan and I'd love a cup run. I'd rather win the cup and finish 12th. Than finish 4th as I know that we don't have the finances the compete and stay there.

Me me and my friends reminisce about our runs to quarters and semis, even the zenith cup gets a mention. None of us care too much about getting new record points totals the last few seasons.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Higuain is expensive because he scores goals and a lot of them - he scores the amount of goals that would give a team a step up in results - he may cost £70mil but that is an outlay that would turn Arsenal from also rans in the CL and just top 4 to seriously challenge for the Title - he is the type of player that would earn that fee back in 2 years - at 28/29 he is getting close to peak and got a good 5 years left in him.

But Arsenal won't pay that money and they will have the same season as the last decade and will celebrate beating Spurs again no doubt

Football for all clubs should be about winning things - success , watching them lift a trophy - Arsenal fans have turned getting into the top 4 as a trophy win

 

[Pin-seeker]

Higuain is expensive because he scores goals and a lot of them - he scores the amount of goals that would give a team a step up in results - he may cost £70mil but that is an outlay that would turn Arsenal from also rans in the CL and just top 4 to seriously challenge for the Title - he is the type of player that would earn that fee back in 2 years - at 28/29 he is getting close to peak and got a good 5 years left in him.

But Arsenal won't pay that money and they will have the same season as the last decade and will celebrate beating Spurs again no doubt

Football for all clubs should be about winning things - success , watching them lift a trophy - Arsenal fans have turned getting into the top 4 as a trophy win

So why have Liverpool recently signed 2 players with a combined age of 69 & a player from a team that was relegated?

I'm sure you can put a good spin on it tho Phil 👍🏻

 

[sawtooth]

Trophy cabinets are for trophies ..................... for the fans to brag about.
Fans don't want to see a trophy cabinet full of balance sheets with black figures!

Yeah Leeds were ambitious and dreamed of trophies and look what happened to them. Portsmouth too.

Maybe they wished they had healthy balance sheets in the cabinet and were in the top flight? Leeds no longer own their ground things got that bad.

Not saying trophies are not important, there's things that are even more important. Like surviving and being able to pay bills. Unless you have sugar daddies you have to worry about those things too.

 

[Papas1982]

So why have Liverpool recently signed 2 players with a combined age of 69 & a player from a team that was relegated?

I'm sure you can put a good spin on it tho Phil 

The same reason wba won't sign a player like higauain. They couldn't make themselves appealing to him. Arsenal could, but have chosen not to. That's the difference.

 

[Papas1982]

Yeah Leeds were ambitious and dreamed of trophies and look what happened to them. Portsmouth too.

Maybe they wished they had healthy balance sheets in the cabinet and were in the top flight? Leeds no longer own their ground things got that bad.

Not saying trophies are not important, there's things that are even more important. Like surviving and being able to pay bills. Unless you have sugar daddies you have to worry about those things too.

Arsenal not signing higauain isn't about you risking survival though is it. You could afford one superstar striker. Not signing him is down to Arsene, not the board (wenger helped employ) being prudent.

 

[Pin-seeker]

The same reason wba won't sign a player like higauain. They couldn't make themselves appealing to him. Arsenal could, but have chosen not to. That's the difference.

Excuse me😱😱 Liverpool fc are one of the biggest clubs in the universe & it's a honour to play in front of the Kopp.

 

[Papas1982]

Excuse me Liverpool fc are one of the biggest clubs in the universe & it's a honour to play in front of the Kopp.

Sorry, my mistake.

I thiught they were a well known team that wasn't willing to pay proper wages and aimed to finish in the Europa league....

 

[sawtooth]

Arsenal not signing higauain isn't about you risking survival though is it. You could afford one superstar striker. Not signing him is down to Arsene, not the board (wenger helped employ) being prudent.

It will no doubt break the pay structure and then open the floodgates for other players to ask for improved contracts or threaten to leave.

And if it doesn't work out? You sell at a huge loss and you have to go again.

Also I don't think Wenger will want players at the club that he had to bring kicking and screaming. If Higuain really fancied Arsenal it might have happened who knows.

 

[freddielong]

Excuse me😱😱 Liverpool fc are one of the biggest clubs in the universe & it's a honour to play in front of the Kopp.

Liverpool are only big when it suits them.

Chelsea have proved you can sign players without champions league football.