As we're unlikely to see terraces again at football, this is the virtual equivalent where you can chat to your hearts content about all football matters and, obviously, Arsenal in particular. This forum encourages all Gooners to visit and contribute so please keep it respectful, clean and topical.
FFS, the kid MIGHT turn out ok. Who knows? My only problem is if this is the only type of signing we make this summer. In and of itself, there is no harm in bringing in young players on a free, you need a squad in the modern game, BUT it has to compliment buying in top quality experienced players as well.
Exactly. In itself I would hardly complain about a kid on a free but the problem comes when in late August Wenger claims that we don't need another striker, citing the likes of Joel Campbell and Sanogo as evidence of our options up there.
You need quality and potential in a balanced squad.
highburyJD wrote:pretty much guaranteed we'll sign another striker
if this kids isn't ready to contribute we need another two
I agree that we'll sign a striker (and I think Higuain will happen) but it wouldn't surprise me if either next summer or the following one all the fans are hankering for a new striker and we're told that Sanogo is a ready-made replacement or otherwise factored in as a first-team option when he shouldn't be.
LeftfootlegendGooner wrote:I think if we do end up buying just Higuain it will not improve us enough to finish higher than 4th.
As most posters on here agree we need 3/4 top quality players before we can think of closing the gap on the top 2.
^^ 100% this.
It frustrates the shit out of me how close we really are to being able to compete again. And I mean compete for an actual trophy - NOT a CL place or a bit of a cup run. Yeah, it's all doom and gloom on here, I know, and every player is shit etc etc etc. But the reality is a bit different tbh. Several seasons since 2008 we've had the necleus of a very good team but Arsene has failed to identify and strengthen when we often only needed to strengthen 2 or 3 key areas. So when the shit hits the fan late in the season our core of key top players are tired or injured and we fall by the wayside. It's like Groundhog season every year.
We have enough players of a standard that they could be useful in a squad role, we don't need anymore French Div 2 players or 16 year old Nigerian kids. We have a core of top players that would only get better by playing with other top quality players. Add 3 or 4 top quality signings to that and we could actually - I know, this bit is mental - win a trophy!
The problem is Arsene doesn't believe that. Arsene still thinks every 17 year old he signs will turn into Patrick Vieira. So on top of those 3 or 4 key signings I also still firmly believe we need a new manager that will be pragmatic and identify and sign those players. And then proceed to work out a couple of systems of play that use those players to their best abilities rather than try and wedge players into his own idealistic view of how the game should be played.
it frustrates the shit out of me how close we really are to being able to compete again. And I mean compete for an actual trophy - NOT a CL place or a bit of a cup run.
LeftfootlegendGooner wrote:I think if we do end up buying just Higuain it will not improve us enough to finish higher than 4th.
As most posters on here agree we need 3/4 top quality players before we can think of closing the gap on the top 2.
^^ 100% this.
It frustrates the shit out of me how close we really are to being able to compete again. And I mean compete for an actual trophy - NOT a CL place or a bit of a cup run. Yeah, it's all doom and gloom on here, I know, and every player is shit etc etc etc. But the reality is a bit different tbh. Several seasons since 2008 we've had the necleus of a very good team but Arsene has failed to identify and strengthen when we often only needed to strengthen 2 or 3 key areas. So when the shit hits the fan late in the season our core of key top players are tired or injured and we fall by the wayside. It's like Groundhog season every year.
We have enough players of a standard that they could be useful in a squad role, we don't need anymore French Div 2 players or 16 year old Nigerian kids. We have a core of top players that would only get better by playing with other top quality players. Add 3 or 4 top quality signings to that and we could actually - I know, this bit is mental - win a trophy!
The problem is Arsene doesn't believe that. Arsene still thinks every 17 year old he signs will turn into Patrick Vieira. So on top of those 3 or 4 key signings I also still firmly believe we need a new manager that will be pragmatic and identify and sign those players. And then proceed to work out a couple of systems of play that use those players to their best abilities rather than try and wedge players into his own idealistic view of how the game should be played.
Agree 1,000,000% - Especially when the world and his dog seem to 'know' this, and yet Inspector Clueless is either oblivious (which Personally I do NOT believe) or he is simply being stubborn, because he seems to think he has some weird point to prove....the thing is the world and the prem have long moved on from when he first arrived and could 'unearth diamonds' from the Ivory Coast, or sing a real talent for peanuts and make them a legend...because all the other clubs have now caught up with Arsenal's scouting Network etc...which is why he HAS TO adopt a new philosophy and approach to how he does things....will he though!?...well he hasn't for the past 8 seasons...which is why this transfer window is HUGE for him and us...he either spends the money we all know is now available on at least 3 if not 4 already established top quality players - and not just one star signing....because if he only does the latter we are truly screwed for yet another season.
I would add though that while we all know we need 3/4 top quality players to challenge for the pl I believe that 2/3 of them need to be bought from the pl.
That's if Arsene wants to challenge for the pl in his last year (I know I know ), his majority of signings need to be ready from the off and used to the demands of such a physical league.
Right, the sun is shining, I've got one job to do that should take an hour and then I might give myself the rest of the day off to get some golf in
Cricket tomorrow followed by beer session.....fuck the football
LeftfootlegendGooner wrote:I would add though that while we all know we need 3/4 top quality players to challenge for the pl I believe that 2/3 of them need to be bought from the pl.
That's if Arsene wants to challenge for the pl in his last year (I know I know ), his majority of signings need to be ready from the off and used to the demands of such a physical league.
Right, the sun is shining, I've got one job to do that should take an hour and then I might give myself the rest of the day off to get some golf in
Cricket tomorrow followed by beer session.....fuck the football
Agree on PL signings. Huge advantage if they can hit the ground running.
Enjoy your weekend Lefty ya lucky fuckmuppet ya! I'm stuck in the office until at least 4.30 with meetings and the sun is splitting the heavens in Dublin!
LeftfootlegendGooner wrote:I would add though that while we all know we need 3/4 top quality players to challenge for the pl I believe that 2/3 of them need to be bought from the pl.
That's if Arsene wants to challenge for the pl in his last year (I know I know ), his majority of signings need to be ready from the off and used to the demands of such a physical league.
Right, the sun is shining, I've got one job to do that should take an hour and then I might give myself the rest of the day off to get some golf in
Cricket tomorrow followed by beer session.....fuck the football
Agree on PL signings. Huge advantage if they can hit the ground running.
Enjoy your weekend Lefty ya lucky fuckmuppet ya! I'm stuck in the office until at least 4.30 with meetings and the sun is splitting the heavens in Dublin!
Anyone who has ever been to dublin will know that "dublin" and "heaven" do not belong in the same book much less the same sentence
LeftfootlegendGooner wrote:I would add though that while we all know we need 3/4 top quality players to challenge for the pl I believe that 2/3 of them need to be bought from the pl.
That's if Arsene wants to challenge for the pl in his last year (I know I know ), his majority of signings need to be ready from the off and used to the demands of such a physical league.
Right, the sun is shining, I've got one job to do that should take an hour and then I might give myself the rest of the day off to get some golf in
Cricket tomorrow followed by beer session.....fuck the football
Agree on PL signings. Huge advantage if they can hit the ground running.
Enjoy your weekend Lefty ya lucky fuckmuppet ya! I'm stuck in the office until at least 4.30 with meetings and the sun is splitting the heavens in Dublin!
Anyone who has ever been to dublin will know that "dublin" and "heaven" do not belong in the same book much less the same sentence
>Goat raping or uncle-marrying emoticon needed here<
keep hearing this 'French Div2' thing as though they're our typical signing...
pre Sanogo (no idea whether he'll be Anelka or Diawara) wasn't Kos the only one we signed from ligue2?
(and technically he was ligue1 as they'd been promoted...)
Stupid question but why don't we look at our own league 1 or 2 or does it only apply to France or Western Samoa etc etc ? (guess it's the ridiculous money asked) .....but remember where Wrighty came from is all I'm saying.
Lee1 wrote:Stupid question but why don't we look at our own league 1 or 2 or does it only apply to France or Western Samoa etc etc ? (guess it's the ridiculous money asked) .....but remember where Wrighty came from is all I'm saying.
Totally agree with this! Been saying this for ages, it's amazing that players snapped up from
the lower divisions we've been linked with after they've done pretty well Jageilka, Lescott (for example) and even Fellani when he was at Standard Liege! Except, the *word censored* that is Wenger would rather dip
into his homeland league for utter garbage! I can't wait until he's gone, i hate him with a burning passion!
Lee1 wrote:Stupid question but why don't we look at our own league 1 or 2 or does it only apply to France or Western Samoa etc etc ? (guess it's the ridiculous money asked) .....but remember where Wrighty came from is all I'm saying.
Ramsey? Jenkinson? Walcott? Chamberlain? - were these guys not bought from Cardiff, Charlton and Southampton?
