Arsenal Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2016

Ken Shamrock

speedboatchase wrote: »

Higuain is a year younger and will cost about x3 the price of Vardy.

He's also about x3 the player.

gosplan

speedboatchase wrote: »

Higuain is a year younger and will cost about x3 the price of Vardy.

I get that but what are we keeping the money for??

wawaman

Genuine Question: If we were to spend £50m, would you rather it spent on Vardy & Mikitariyan or all on one striker (Morata, Higuain)?

speedboatchase

gosplan wrote: »

I get that but what are we keeping the money for??

I agree but Napoli will rinse us and we won't address any other areas of the pitch if we go fully in for him. Also, for that price, better to go for Auba, at two years younger. The way I see it we had our chance years ago with Higuain but stupidly baulked when Real raised the price.

Ol' Donie

The Hunky Monster wrote: »

Did you not see this :pac: after I said that? Jesus yourself.

Honestly, I missed the smiley.

Jesus, myself is right. Think the summer break is probably a good thing, need to relax the cacks a bit!

Skylinehead

wawaman wrote: »

Genuine Question: If we were to spend £50m, would you rather it spent on Vardy & Mikitariyan or all on one striker (Morata, Higuain)?

Vardy and Micky Tarzan over Morata, definitely. Higuain....tough call. I'd love Mkhytaryian (that name though, disaster), he'd be the answer to our wide forward problem.

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000

Ol' Donie wrote: »

Honestly, I missed the smiley.

Jesus, myself is right. Think the summer break is probably a good thing, need to relax the cacks a bit!

I understand your frustration 100%, I'm an arsenal fan too ya know!

speedboatchase

speedboatchase wrote: »

I agree but Napoli will rinse us and we won't address any other areas of the pitch if we go fully in for him. Also, for that price, better to go for Auba, at two years younger. The way I see it we had our chance years ago with Higuain but stupidly baulked when Real raised the price.

Makes you wonder if we would have done any better if we got Higuain and not Ozil.

greendom

gosplan wrote: »

Despite me not really liking Vardy, an important point is that the last time h scored more than 20 goals was 5 years ago in the conference.

In the last 4 years his league goals totals have been 4,16,5,24.

Higuain is a year younger and his last five goals totals have gone 22,16,17,18,36.

I mean why exactly do we want the money?

For me it's to buy someone like Higuain.

I find it really hard to believe that playing for us, afaik the team who creates the most chances last year, he wouldn't have added 10-15 goals more.

That would bring us to 80 points which is where you start to win leagues.

Vardy is a much much bigger unknown.

From those stats, they both had exceptional seasons last year. Prior to that Higuain is at Giroud levels for goal scoring, Vardy a step or 2 below.

One difference between them is that Vardy is already adjusted to the rigours of the EPL, it may take him a while to fully fire. Vardy is already well adjusted and knows what to expect.

eagle eye

greendom wrote: »

From those stats, they both had exceptional seasons last year. Prior to that Higuain is at Giroud levels for goal scoring, Vardy a step or 2 below.

One difference between them is that Vardy is already adjusted to the rigours of the EPL, it may take him a while to fully fire. Vardy is already well adjusted and knows what to expect.

Higuain has always been a class act, miles ahead of Giroud.

Mickeroo

greendom wrote: »

From those stats, they both had exceptional seasons last year. Prior to that Higuain is at Giroud levels for goal scoring, Vardy a step or 2 below.

One difference between them is that Vardy is already adjusted to the rigours of the EPL, it may take him a while to fully fire. Vardy is already well adjusted and knows what to expect.

That's league goals only, 4 of the last 5 years he's cleared 20 in all comps, 29 & 38 the last two seasons. His goal scoring stats are better than Giroud in fairness.

DvB

Vardy & Mikitariyan on top of Xhaka would be a better return for the summer window than I would have expected TBH.

However, as it stands there's still only one confirmed, one up in the air & another rumoured at best.... Long way to go but I still haven't got my hopes up on anything more than a young lad with 'potential' alongside Xhaka coming in. Call me pessimistic but thats the way Arsene & Arsenal roll... anything else will be a pleasant surprise.

FTR I'd take Higuain over Vardy any day of the week but in terms of value for money, Vardy is probably the more attractive option & has already got PL experience under his belt. He's ultimately less of a gamble & for that reason can see why Wenger would be interested in signing him.

Hyzepher

I would spent everything on Abeumyang. Statement of intent for everyone.

domrush

Aubameyang -> Higauin -> Vardy -> Morata for me.

I don't put too much credence to this rumours of Aubameyang to City, as far as I know he plays as a lone striker. Aguero isn't at his best when playing beside a partner (Bony and Ich have combined brutally with him this season IMO). Not too sure on Aubameyang's preferences as I've only seen him play a handful of times but again he's always been a lone striker. So unless he's being bought as the replacement for Aguero's inevitable injury spell I don't make sense of it. City also have far bigger issues at CB, RB, CM and RW which would surely be priority.

On the other hand we've already spent 30-35 million on Xhaka, I really can't see us spending anywhere near 100million in a single transfer window to be honest, it just isn't Arsene. I'm expecting a 30 mil striker and a 20 mil winger which rules out most of the targets we're talking about.

My personal preference would be spend everything we have on a top striker and let Ramsey/Campbell/Walcott battle it out for RW

gosplan

domrush wrote: »

Aubameyang -> Higauin -> Vardy -> Morata for me.

I don't put too much credence to this rumours of Aubameyang to City, as far as I know he plays as a lone striker. Aguero isn't at his best when playing beside a partner (Bony and Ich have combined brutally with him this season IMO). Not too sure on Aubameyang's preferences as I've only seen him play a handful of times but again he's always been a lone striker. So unless he's being bought as the replacement for Aguero's inevitable injury spell I don't make sense of it. City also have far bigger issues at CB, RB, CM and RW which would surely be priority.

On the other hand we've already spent 30-35 million on Xhaka, I really can't see us spending anywhere near 100million in a single transfer window to be honest, it just isn't Arsene. I'm expecting a 30 mil striker and a 20 mil winger which rules out most of the targets we're talking about.

My personal preference would be spend everything we have on a top striker and let Ramsey/Campbell/Walcott battle it out for RW

This is spot on.

All across the pitch, we were good enough last year. Obviously we could improve but the problem was converting chances.

ronjo

gosplan wrote: »

This is spot on.

All across the pitch, we were good enough last year. Obviously we could improve but the problem was converting chances.

Keystone Kops defending didnt help at times either

Ken Shamrock

and we struggled at times to create meaningful chances, If our RW options this year are Ramsey/Walcott/Campbell I would be very worried.

farna_boy

Ken Shamrock wrote: »

and we struggled at times to create meaningful chances, If our RW options this year are Ramsey/Walcott/Campbell I would be very worried.

How much of that is down to Giroud though? I mean is it a case that the only reason we didn't do better this year was because Giroud didn't convert the chances he was given or is it that besides Ozil we just weren't creating enough opportunities?

If we get a new striker that is able to convert more chances, does this become less of a concern?

Or is it that we still need to be creating more and better opportunities for our attackers to score? Or will it be enough as long as Cazorla doesn't get injured again.

greendom

farna_boy wrote: »

How much of that is down to Giroud though? I mean is it a case that the only reason we didn't do better this year was because Giroud didn't convert the chances he was given or is it that besides Ozil we just weren't creating enough opportunities?

If we get a new striker that is able to convert more chances, does this become less of a concern?

Or is it that we still need to be creating more and better opportunities for our attackers to score? Or will it be enough as long as Cazorla doesn't get injured again.

Giroud went through a dip, undoubtedly, but Sanchez was terrible for a good period after he came back from injury same for Walcott bar the goal against Man City. What's happened to Ramsey as a goal scorer ?

Ozil should be scoring more too and his assist numbers went through a barren spell too. Whether that was down to the above players all failing or whether he had a part to play too is open to debate.

Ken Shamrock

farna_boy wrote: »

How much of that is down to Giroud though? I mean is it a case that the only reason we didn't do better this year was because Giroud didn't convert the chances he was given or is it that besides Ozil we just weren't creating enough opportunities?

If we get a new striker that is able to convert more chances, does this become less of a concern?

Or is it that we still need to be creating more and better opportunities for our attackers to score? Or will it be enough as long as Cazorla doesn't get injured again.

It's a lot of factors, it would be wrong to say it's all Giroud's fault for not converting enough chances but that is definitely a factor, so addressing that by buying someone like Higuain would be huge. Keeping Giroud would also be a good idea as he offers something a lot of other strikers don't.

However I feel we have problems out wide as we lack natural wingers who can provide excellent crosses, excellent width, strong finishing etc and at the same time can provide cover to a certain extent for our full backs.

Sanchez is excellent for the wide position but really we don't have anyone else capable of providing what we need. Campbell possibly, but if we could sign a solid reliable RW as well as a world class striker I think we would be in a massively better position than we are now as far as creating and converting chances.

Quazzie

Wasn't there an article somewhere that showed that even though Ozil's assist rate dropped to nothing in the second half of the season his chances created rate remained the same?

EDIT:

Just found it. Not quiet the same, but still record breaking nonetheless.

LINK

Radharc na Sleibhte

Just sign Aubamayeng.
It's that simple.
We could, so I can't understand why we don't.

greendom

Quazzie wrote: »

Wasn't there an article somewhere that showed that even though Ozil's assist rate dropped to nothing in the second half of the season his chances created rate remained the same?

EDIT:

Just found it. Not quiet the same, but still record breaking nonetheless.

LINK

Was he providing the type of chances that Giroud thrived on. Headers and low crosses where he nips in to convert?

Godge

Radharc na Sleibhte wrote: »

Just sign Aubamayeng.
It's that simple.
We could, so I can't understand why we don't.

We don't know that, he may not want to come to Arsenal.

Player preferences matter too, as do wage structures. If he is being offered 250k at City and is costing £60m that means we have to offer increases of that nature to Ozil and Sanchez, the cost for us balloons and we can no longer compete.

greendom

Ken Shamrock wrote: »

It's a lot of factors, it would be wrong to say it's all Giroud's fault for not converting enough chances but that is definitely a factor, so addressing that by buying someone like Higuain would be huge. Keeping Giroud would also be a good idea as he offers something a lot of other strikers don't.

However I feel we have problems out wide as we lack natural wingers who can provide excellent crosses, excellent width, strong finishing etc and at the same time can provide cover to a certain extent for our full backs.

Sanchez is excellent for the wide position but really we don't have anyone else capable of providing what we need. Campbell possibly, but if we could sign a solid reliable RW as well as a world class striker I think we would be in a massively better position than we are now as far as creating and converting chances.

Good summation! Can't argue with anything there!

Ken Shamrock

Ken Shamrock wrote: »

It's a lot of factors, it would be wrong to say it's all Giroud's fault for not converting enough chances but that is definitely a factor, so addressing that by buying someone like Higuain would be huge. Keeping Giroud would also be a good idea as he offers something a lot of other strikers don't.

However I feel we have problems out wide as we lack natural wingers who can provide excellent crosses, excellent width, strong finishing etc and at the same time can provide cover to a certain extent for our full backs.

Sanchez is excellent for the wide position but really we don't have anyone else capable of providing what we need. Campbell possibly, but if we could sign a solid reliable RW as well as a world class striker I think we would be in a massively better position than we are now as far as creating and converting chances.

I don't really think we play in such a way that uses wingers that provide width. Our front 3 should be fairly interchangeable, looking to get into the box.

It's our left and right backs that generally get up the flank and should be providing the crosses. How many decent crosses came in this year from Bellerin or Monreal? They got in great positions to provide those crosses constantly, but very rarely would the put in a decent ball (at least from my fairly average memory).

Bobby Baccala

Basil3 wrote: »

It's our left and right backs that generally get up the flank and should be providing the crosses. How many decent crosses came in this year from Bellerin or Monreal? They got in great positions to provide those crosses constantly, but very rarely would the put in a decent ball (at least from my fairly average memory).

To be fair a lot of the time Monreal and Bellerin put in quality crosses but we had no one in the box challenging for them.

Radharc na Sleibhte

Godge wrote: »

We don't know that, he may not want to come to Arsenal.

Player preferences matter too, as do wage structures. If he is being offered 250k at City and is costing £60m that means we have to offer increases of that nature to Ozil and Sanchez, the cost for us balloons and we can no longer compete.

Ah I know, my tongue was firmly in my cheek.

On that subject, I feel sorry for Dortmund, every time they build a side it just gets dismantled in the summer!

Kirby

Godge wrote: »

We don't know that, he may not want to come to Arsenal.

Player preferences matter too, as do wage structures. If he is being offered 250k at City and is costing £60m that means we have to offer increases of that nature to Ozil and Sanchez, the cost for us balloons and we can no longer compete.

Arsenal not being able to compete? They are one of the richest clubs in the world. Paying Ozil and Sanchez 200k a week doesn't effect the finances of a club this healthy.

The greatest feat in football has got to be the Arsenal board convincing the fans they are financial minnows while raking in the profits. It's unbelievable tbh.

greendom

Kirby wrote: »

Arsenal not being able to compete? They are one of the richest clubs in the world. Paying Ozil and Sanchez 200k a week doesn't effect the finances of a club this healthy.

The greatest feat in football has got to be the Arsenal board convincing the fans they are financial minnows while raking in the profits. It's unbelievable tbh.

Undoubtedly a very wealthy club but still behind Chelsea. City and United. (Ahead of Leicester tho)

Ken Shamrock

greendom wrote: »

Undoubtedly a very wealthy club but still behind Chelsea. City and United. (Ahead of Leicester tho)

Forbes have us ranked 5th in the world, ahead of Chelsea, City and every other PL club apart from UTD.

greendom

probably because in the books City and Chelsea owe billions to their owners in loans. Arsenal don't receive massive amounts of money from benefactors, more's the pity.

Drexel

Looking like Vardy will turn us down due to concerns over being a starter.

Cant say Im too disappointed

Better get someone else though or I will be

wonga77

even if he doesnt come to us then at least the board are looking, thats a good sign this early on in the window

Bobby Baccala

On to the next one so. Please just lump money at Higuain.

emergingstar

Why put in a clause in contract to join champs league club and then be worried about his place?

I bet he signs for us

Hope he doesn't though

speedboatchase

Sky Sports reporting that Watford have rejected a bid from Leicester in the region of £20m for Troy Deeney. Surely Leicester only made that bid if they believe Vardy is off?

Ken Shamrock

speedboatchase wrote: »

Sky Sports reporting that Watford have rejected a bid from Leicester in the region of £20m for Troy Deeney. Surely Leicester only made that bid if they believe Vardy is off?

or if they want more options/back up for that position.

speedboatchase

Ken Shamrock wrote: »

or if they want more options/back up for that position.

True

Ken Shamrock

speedboatchase wrote: »

True

They're both possibilities. But I doubt they think they'll be able to compete again next year without any new additions.

gosplan

speedboatchase wrote: »

Sky Sports reporting that Watford have rejected a bid from Leicester in the region of £20m for Troy Deeney. Surely Leicester only made that bid if they believe Vardy is off?

He will defo go somewhere. The big money move will get him more than he's ever made from football. Footballers get a lot for sure but compared to other top flight players and especially anyone who's scored 20+ goals in the PL, he's earned peanuts. He needs te big transfer or he'll never be able to afford the Bently.

Young players can stick around/take a chance but Vardy is a bad injury away from not being set up for life.

But it all sounds like a bit of posturing/negotiation stuff tbh. He's not going to be a guaranteed starter at any CL club - in fact us more than the rest.

I'd like to think that this falling apart would force a move for Higuain though.

gosplan

Just FYI on the transfer thing.

Vardy made 850 quid a week before he moved to Leicester.

By normal standards the 45k a week(about a million or so per year after tax) he's made at Leicester is fantastic. He's 4 million better off!

However by football standards, it's not a lot.

Just read that Adnan Januzaj gets 60k per week and got a signing on fee of 5 million as a teenager.

Holy sh1tballs!! 5 million. No wonder his form dropped so much.

'Here teenager. Have 5 million. Now stay focused'

beer enigma

Do you remember a couple of years ago there were the Rooney rumours after he requested a transfer....a lot of people thought he was coming to Arsenal but turns out he was only using it to leverage a bigger money contract out of Man U.......sound familiar

Andip

Andip wrote: »

Do you remember a couple of years ago there were the Rooney rumours after he requested a transfer....a lot of people thought he was coming to Arsenal but turns out he was only using it to leverage a bigger money contract out of Man U.......sound familiar

People thought Rooney was coming to Arsenal?? Wow. Who are these people?

omega man

Some saying they don't want Vardy. Crazy talk considering our current striker options.

Wait and see what you think when we don't sign a striker come the start of the season!! Vardy would be a fantastic footballing addition.

Kirby

If he was called Vardinho, there would likely be a bigger positive reaction. Just because he's English doesn't mean he's crap. They aren't all Walcott or ox.

Arghus

A lot of why I hope they don't sign Vardy is down to the fact that I don't like the cut of him.

brianregan09

Hilarious someone comparing this to Rooney two years ago aswell he was never even close to coming to arsenal in fact i think that silly rumour came about because either Ivan or Chips was quoted to have said we could sign anyone with the money we have including some one like Rooney

With this one we have bid .....had a bid accepted and offered contract to player....so no comparison at all

emergingstar

Have yet to see anyone say don't sign Vardy and stick with what we have

What I have seen is not Vardy lets get someone better

omega man

emergingstar wrote: »

Have yet to see anyone say don't sign Vardy and stick with what we have

What I have seen is not Vardy lets get someone better

Like who? Wenger ain't going to outbid other teams to get Morata or Higuain. That's my gut feeling.

Vardy is also proven premiership, smashing records along the way to winning the league title at a club who should have been battling relegation again.

Not sure why he's not getting the love here compared to other top strikers. I get the off field stuff to some extent but not the footballing ability.

Reckon Ozil would relish the thought compared to Giroud week in week out.