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

[Kellfire]

We came second , it was a good year.

Unless you support Leicester you are in no position to criticise.

Apologies, I meant second, I edited just before you replied.

And that is a nonsense argument. I am absolutely in a position to criticise as the only thing we are discussing here is Arsenal and you implied that you had a good season when you demonstrably had a relatively poor one.

The final league positions of other teams doesn't directly influence the fact that the league was weak last year and Arsenal (easily the most settled team in terms of personnel) didn't take their best chance to win it by a long shot.

Football isn't a case of "If your team don't do something, you can't criticise my team for not doing it". That's pure playground antics!

I support Man Utd. We were rubbish last year. We won the cup but that didn't make us have a good season.

 

[USER1999]

They have been looking for a striker for 4 years. To have not found one is pretty poor, given the cash in the attic.

They need 2 centrebacks, and a right winger too. A proper winger. Not Campbell, Walcott , oxlade chamberlain, Ramsey, or any one else who would rather play in a different position.

No, not a total make over, just some basic improvements. Certain players are just not good enough, and others are getting older.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Wenger is trying to bring in a CB and striker. if we can get those in and our players back fit then we will do just fine.

Or are you suggesting major rework?

Top quality players on the cheap, want to play for Arsenal, no other club has spotted, whose wife likes London, was a boyhood Arsenal fan, that dislikes Spurs, that wants to take a pay cut, loves to talk about the unbeaten season, dreams about playing for Wenger and that are available are not that easy to find.

Fixed that for you😃

 

[Dan2501]

Wenger is trying to bring in a CB and striker. if we can get those in and our players back fit then we will do just fine.

Or are you suggesting major rework?

Top quality players that are available are not that easy to find.

If they're not that easy to find, how come teams across the country have managed to spend £475m on players? Been tons of top players moving around Europe all summer and yet Wenger seems to find it so hard to find any that are available. Arsenal have been in need of another centre back and a striker for a good 3 or 4 seasons now. Koscielny is class but he needs a world-class partner and has done for a while. Just seems like the same old story every year for Arsenal and everyone but Arsenal fans seems to notice. This year is the most competitive Premier League season possibly of all-time on paper. City, United, Chelsea and Liverpool have made big steps with new managers, new systems and new players and are showing clear desire to improve. For Arsenal it's just the same old story, and I'm amazed more gooners aren't kicking up a fuss. I'd be fuming, they've got £200m in the bank and starting the Premier League season with Holding and Chambers at centre back.

 

[Kellfire]

We always hear that Wenger doesn't want players who don't want to play for Arsenal.

What a cop out - part of his (and Arsenal's) job is to sell Arsenal to players so they want to join.

Man Utd have been able to make marquee signings consistently, even when not in the Champions League. Liverpool are good at it, as well to a lesser extent. Arsenal seem to struggle to get over the finishing line with some big signings even with the draw of London and CL football. Why? What is Wenger failing to do? What is the world on the street amongst the players that puts so many good players off? Is it Wenger himself?

 

[Dan2501]

So many defenders from around the world have been sold this year too, Wenger could have gone in for one of them. Umtiti, Hummels, Benatia, Bailly, Matip, Rudiger, N'Koulou, Bartra, Naldo, Mammana, Castan, and even Stones and Williams would have been better options than Chambers and Holding. All available and all sold this summer.

As for strikers. You've got Higuain, Batshuayi, Zlatan, Morata, Gameiro, Milik, Hulk, Embolo, Musa, Janssen, Vazquez, Volland, Jese and Ben Yedder. All available, all sold this summer

 

[stokie_93]

Mixed emotions in terms of my team on Saturday.

Happy with a draw at Boro but they were there for the taking. They should've been 2-0 up at half time we were that bad.

Missing Glen Johnson in the team and Pieters had his worst game in a Stoke top. Shawcross looked a lot more solid 2nd half and Butland only out for 2 weeks which is great news.

Our midfield looks great but we so obviously need a striker, no output from midfield to attack it's all just knock it a round and hope something happens.

Was dreading playing City next week but they weren't great this weekend, have to wait and see!

 

[sawtooth]

So many defenders from around the world have been sold this year too, Wenger could have gone in for one of them. Umtiti, Hummels, Benatia, Bailly, Matip, Rudiger, N'Koulou, Bartra, Naldo, Mammana, Castan, and even Stones and Williams would have been better options than Chambers and Holding. All available and all sold this summer.


As for strikers. You've got Higuain, Batshuayi, Zlatan, Morata, Gameiro, Milik, Hulk, Embolo, Musa, Janssen, Vazquez, Volland, Jese and Ben Yedder. All available, all sold this summer

Our CB problem started only a few weeks ago with Metersacker was injured. The problem became serious when Gabriel was injured barely a week ago.

Hindsight is something only armchair managers have unfortunately. Wenger brought in Holding and hopefully Mustafi will sign later this week.

I'm not against Wenger buying a good promising English centre back (Holding) . I think that's a positive thing. Mustafi is proven quality so no complaints there either.

Any new CB partnership will look at odds with each other doesn't matter who they are. So no complaints there either.

As for a striker , again it's not like we are not trying to do something. Still hopeful that Wenger will sign one of his targets before the window closes. Personally I don't think we have a crisis in the scoring goals department but admit that we do need reinforcements as the games come thick and fast during the season.

 

[fundy]

Our CB problem started only a few weeks ago with Metersacker was injured. The problem became serious when Gabriel was injured barely a week ago.

Hindsight is something only armchair managers have unfortunately. Wenger brought in Holding and hopefully Mustafi will sign later this week.

I'm not against Wenger buying a good promising English centre back (Holding) . I think that's a positive thing. Mustafi is proven quality so no complaints there either.

Any new CB partnership will look at odds with each other doesn't matter who they are. So no complaints there either.

As for a striker , again it's not like we are not trying to do something. Still hopeful that Wenger will sign one of his targets before the window closes. Personally I don't think we have a crisis in the scoring goals department but admit that we do need reinforcements as the games come thick and fast during the season.

Take the tinted glasses off lol. We went into last season with only 3 proper centre halves in the squad (yet 93 small attacking midfielders). And of those 3 only 1 is close to being top class, the other 2 are no more than adequate and none of them are proper leaders. Reliant on using inadequate full backs as cover for injuries and suspension. You can actually go back further that too, not really had a top class centre half pairing for getting on for 10 years. Balance of the squad is totally wrong and has been for a while

 

[pbrown7582]

Stones for Williams
Lukarku for Charlie Austin you sure you just got a rich investor not an asset stripper?

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Stones for Williams
Lukarku for Charlie Austin you sure you just got a rich investor not an asset stripper?

Is from the same source that told you weeks ago we'd signed Mata😃

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Bolassie has officially signed for Everton. We have paid over the top but that is the market and we have the Stones money banked to cover it. He will certainly add pace to the team, I don't know enough about him to say more. Pace in a team is always a good thing though.

Could Hart be next? Looking at the top teams it is Everton and Liverpool who need a top keeper, the others have that position covered. I assume City have someone lined up to replace him as Cabellero is pretty poor for their level IMO. I'd take Hart.

 

[stokie_93]

Bolassie has officially signed for Everton. We have paid over the top but that is the market and we have the Stones money banked to cover it. He will certainly add pace to the team, I don't know enough about him to say more. Pace in a team is always a good thing though.

Could Hart be next? Looking at the top teams it is Everton and Liverpool who need a top keeper, the others have that position covered. I assume City have someone lined up to replace him as Cabellero is pretty poor for their level IMO. I'd take Hart.

Looks like Bravo is going to City.
Really strange one as Hart is a good player, saying that not really seen much of Bravo recently.

Stekelenberg looked really good for you on Saturday and saved a point for you, that save from Lamela was brilliant.

Without being offensive I don't think Hart will want to make that much of a jump down from Champions League & there's plenty of clubs that would probably take him both over here and abroad.

Think Begovic would be an ideal signing for yourself.

 

[Dan2501]

Liverpool bought Karius who is very good, and was one of the top keepers in the Bundesliga last year, just unfortunately for them, he got injured.

I'd happily take Hart at Everton. Again, will be hugely over-priced but he's a class keeper.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Don't want Hart, if he's dodgy with a top defence, he'd be a liability for us.

 

[Kellfire]

Arsenal fans don't like me - they never reply to my points or questions. :'(

 

[Rooter]

Arsenal fans don't like me - they never reply to my points or questions. :'(

you should add a poll. Arsenal fans love a poll!

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Looks like Bravo is going to City.
Really strange one as Hart is a good player, saying that not really seen much of Bravo recently.

Stekelenberg looked really good for you on Saturday and saved a point for you, that save from Lamela was brilliant.

Without being offensive I don't think Hart will want to make that much of a jump down from Champions League & there's plenty of clubs that would probably take him both over here and abroad.

Think Begovic would be an ideal signing for yourself.

I agree about Begovic, I'd love him. I didn't think about Hart as I didn't see him as being available. With regards as to whether he would come in normal terms I would agree. We are not challenging for the title, nor are we in Europe. However if you look at the top teams, Man Utd, Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal, Leicester they all have keepers of the equal or better than Hart. You then get into the Southampton, Everton, Stoke, West Ham level. Southampton and Stoke have two quality keepers, the West Ham lad looks okay too. As someone has mentioned Liverpool have bought someone otherwise he would come in ahead of Mignolet. Unless he goes abroad I see Everton being the highest team he can get into, unless I have missed a team. Up to Hart to choose where he wants to be.

 

[sawtooth]

We always hear that Wenger doesn't want players who don't want to play for Arsenal.

What a cop out - part of his (and Arsenal's) job is to sell Arsenal to players so they want to join.

Man Utd have been able to make marquee signings consistently, even when not in the Champions League. Liverpool are good at it, as well to a lesser extent. Arsenal seem to struggle to get over the finishing line with some big signings even with the draw of London and CL football. Why? What is Wenger failing to do? What is the world on the street amongst the players that puts so many good players off? Is it Wenger himself?

We'll probably never know but it's likely to be money. Not just the fee, wages but often the parasitic agents.

Arsenal just wont pay over the odds for a player and IMO if you are in bidding war then it's better to step away because the player is probably not worth fighting for.

Utd, City and Chelsea are willing to part with large sums all day long and if it doesnt work out then no problem they buy more.

I accept that certain players will sign for Utd because they are United but this won't apply to Chelsea or City quite the same way.

 

[USER1999]

Arsenal fans don't like me - they never reply to my points or questions. :'(

I don't need to. I think my views on Arsenal and Wenger are pretty well known.