Arsenal Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2016

tayto lover

wonga77 wrote: »

Il be glad when the transfer window is shut, im bored of the will he/wont he stuff. Either way come the 1st September we know what we have and can get on with it

Exactly. We'll know then whether we have a chance or not. As it stands now I don't believe we have. A few gaping holes not fixed as yet.

tayto lover

tayto lover wrote: »

Exactly. We'll know then whether we have a chance or not. As it stands now I don't believe we have. A few gaping holes not fixed as yet.

Better starting 11 than last season. Champions have weakened. Surely the league is in the bag? :pac:

tayto lover

Basil3 wrote: »

Better starting 11 than last season. Champions have weakened. Surely the league is in the bag? :pac:

Squads win leagues though.

gosplan

tayto lover wrote: »

Exactly. We'll know then whether we have a chance or not. As it stands now I don't believe we have. A few gaping holes not fixed as yet.

Yeah. As I've repeatedly said, I get the idea that it's not worth 50 million replacing Giroud with a player just as effective. I'm fine with that when they say 'we won't buy just for the sake of buying'. Strikers are thin on the ground.

However, give me the budget, a telephone and a fax machine and in an afternoon I'd buy a better RW and CB than we have in the first team.

I'll give them the benefit. I've no problem accepting that we may have moves underway for players who haven't decided yet, after all, if you were Mahrez, would YOU jump straight into a long term contract with us?

But when the window closes it'll be obvious where football stands at this club.

tayto lover

tayto lover wrote: »

Squads win leagues though.

Maybe. Not for the last two seasons though.

Ken Shamrock

Basil3 wrote: »

Maybe. Not for the last two seasons though.

How is our starting XI improved? Xhaka? With Wilshere,Ramsey,Carzola,Coq,Elneny etc we're hardly going to be improved too much unless Xhaka is seriously good.

farna_boy

L'prof wrote: »

I still don't think the club can really compete with the silly spenders, but his statements have really annoyed me and many other I know :mad:

Re the bold part. I wonder is Wenger afraid to go out and try to get players until the end of the window when it will be too late for the silly spenders to come in and gazump him, especially on wages.

I agree that we have the money to buy any player that we want but I don't think that is where the problem really is anymore.

We could offer £50-60m for whatever player and that may be agreeable to whatever club we are buying from, but if one of the silly spenders decides to come along, they can probably offer the player a whole lot more money in wages than what we will.

I mean our top players are probably on something like 150k per week, but how much is Pogba or Higuain going to be on after their transfers? If we wanted to offer them similar money it would need a whole wage restructuring, something I guess the board don't want to do.

Ken Shamrock

Ken Shamrock wrote: »

How is our starting XI improved? Xhaka? With Wilshere,Ramsey,Carzola,Coq,Elneny etc we're hardly going to be improved too much unless Xhaka is seriously good.

Yup, I'm saying he will improve our starting 11.

gosplan

Ken Shamrock wrote: »

How is our starting XI improved? Xhaka? With Wilshere,Ramsey,Carzola,Coq,Elneny etc we're hardly going to be improved too much unless Xhaka is seriously good.

I can't see how our 65 goal total is going to be improved on either.

tayto lover

Ken Shamrock wrote: »

How is our starting XI improved? Xhaka? With Wilshere,Ramsey,Carzola,Coq,Elneny etc we're hardly going to be improved too much unless Xhaka is seriously good.

I believe he is seriously good from what i've seen of him. However the squad is not strong enough with the amount of injuries we seem to get every season.

gosplan

gosplan wrote: »

I can't see how our 65 goal total is going to be improved on either.

That's always been an issue, and at the start of last season, Wenger said we needed everyone to chip in.

What is a realistic target for all our players? We should have at least 5-6 players hitting double figures....but even then 100 goals like Liverpool and City a few years back seems a long way away.

Ken Shamrock

Basil3 wrote: »

Yup, I'm saying he will improve our starting 11.

I think we all hope he will but it's certainly not guaranteed.

gosplan

As regards Walcott's speed and how it's unmatched in the squad, just read that Asano can do 50m just 0.4 seconds slower than Bolt.

gosplan

gosplan wrote: »

As regards Walcott's speed and how it's unmatched in the squad, just read that Asano can do 50m just 0.4 seconds slower than Bolt.

But he's 21 and wasn't even first striker for his team.

What's with that??

tayto lover

This thread has you talking to yourself now Gos :pac:

extra gravy

Tired of Gazidis and his annual shiite talk about transfers. One minute we can compete with anyone and the next we we can't. Who does he think he's trying to kid.

tayto lover

extra gravy wrote: »

Tired of Gazidis and his annual shiite talk about transfers. One minute we can compete with anyone and the next we we can't. Who does he think he's trying to kid.

It's all a game.
Like Good Cop / Bad Cop.
Wenger saying we need a striker CB etc and Gazidis coming out behind him saying we have to be prudent. He's taking the heat off Wenger for next season as Wenger is the public face of the club and he's behind the scenes and not getting any public flack.
All a game.

gosplan

tayto lover wrote: »

This thread has you talking to yourself now Gos :pac:

Been watching Mr Robot recently. I'm pretty sure you're all in my head.

Gringo180

Hyzepher wrote: »

The comments from Gazidis are just trolling at this stage. Trying to tell us that we cant compete with others who have loads of cash. ffs we have loads of cash. Whats the point of earning it if you aren't going to do anything with it. All it ends up doing is going to the tax man.

Trying to sound all business like and then saying that they've spent big on youth training etc (£20m). They could allocate 50% of the tv money alone for 2016 and be able to improve the squad and the way things are going that money is only going to rise. We'll get it every year. Year after year, after year.

They are afraid of spending - he has all but said it.

We are not a club with ambition. No future manager will change that. No WC player will consider us while the club's finances are so much more prioritised ahead of the players ambitions.

The players know it and they could be arsed half the time.

The Ajax of English football :mad:

FixitFelix

How many here actually think Arsenal will sign another player?, I myself am resigned to the fact Xhaka and Holding are it.

tayto lover

FixitFelix wrote: »

How many here actually think Arsenal will sign another player?, I myself am resigned to the fact Xhaka and Holding are it.

I've been saying that for some time.

Gringo180

extra gravy wrote: »

Tired of Gazidis and his annual shiite talk about transfers. One minute we can compete with anyone and the next we we can't. Who does he think he's trying to kid.

I think that is just a ploy so clubs wont try and inflate the transfer fee just because its us bidding.

gosplan

So Takuma Asano...

Judging from the YouTubes, he's the next Henry.

Realistically though, you can say he's a young athletic forward and J-League's young player of the year.

He's slightly bulkier than you'd expect given that he'd only barely lose a race to Bellerin. Physically, he's be up to the league I'd say.

And he said this after winning the Asian u-21.
“I have to do a much better of job finishing. My team-mates set me up a number of times yet I didn’t take the chances I had. I had the two goals in the final, but I wasted so many opportunities. It’s something I can’t ignore and I have to make the effort to work on my game

Maybe one for the future. Look forward to seeing him in the olympics but not much use this season.

Edit: actually no work permit so on loan for a couple of years.

brianregan09

I definitely think we'll sign two more players i'm not buying into (padon the pun) the hysteria going on here

gosplan

Gringo180 wrote: »

I think that is just a ploy so clubs wont try and inflate the transfer fee just because its us bidding.

I don't think there's any smart intention about it. He's being honest IMO.

I think the club are happy to plod along in fourth and won't be pushed into making a transfer that doesn't tick their required boxes.

I imagine their plan is to stay in CL places till some Arsenal kid flukely develops into the next Suarez.

emergingstar

Why is Ivan everywhere giving interviews

Just be quiet know one wants to hear it

Kobe248

Id be very surprised if Arsenal didnt sign two players

Its would be a terrible decision not to

Love Giroud but another top striker is needed

Remember the days of Kanu, Wiltord, Henry and Bergkamp

I dont know why Wenger ever shifted from them days having back up of that caliber

gosplan

Kobe248 wrote: »

Id be very surprised if Arsenal didnt sign two players

Its would be a terrible decision not to

Love Giroud but another top striker is needed

Remember the days of Kanu, Wiltord, Henry and Bergkamp

I dont know why Wenger ever shifted from them days having back up of that caliber

In Wenger's first season (I think) he signed Anekla, Petit, Vieira and Overmars.

j14

Supposedly PSG are looking to replace Zlatan with Lacazette and willing to offer the full asking price of £40m.
Don't know if Lyon would willingly sell to PSG but then again I didn't think Napoli would sell Higuain to Juve.
Money talks I suppose.

gosplan

j14 wrote: »

Supposedly PSG are looking to replace Zlatan with Lacazette and willing to offer the full asking price of £40m.
Don't know if Lyon would willingly sell to PSG but then again I didn't think Napoli would sell Higuain to Juve.
Money talks I suppose.

PSG are going to beat Lyon anyway and Lacazette is going to leave in the next 12 months.

They'd be mad not to take a good price.

But mainly if PSG are in for him, we're defo not getting him.

JustTheOne

Stand by what I said last week.

Desperation set in because we left it too late.

Now we're seeing the excuses been rolled out.

16 days till Liverpool.

JustTheOne

JustTheOne wrote: »

Stand by what I said last week.

Desperation set in because we left it too late.

Now we're seeing the excuses been rolled out.

16 days till Liverpool.

Keeping beating that drum mate, you're completely clueless.
















It's 17 days.

KaiserGunner

gosplan wrote: »

I don't think there's any smart intention about it. He's being honest IMO.

I think the club are happy to plod along in fourth and won't be pushed into making a transfer that doesn't tick their required boxes.

I imagine their plan is to stay in CL places till some Arsenal kid flukely develops into the next Suarez.

Yeah I think that definitely appears to be the case, based on the last 5 or so years. I'm just so surprised at Wenger though, why does he always leave his team short in areas? Why would he be happy just to get a champions league spot and not fully compete for the league and champions league? He used to be a ruthless winner, the fact that Theo Walcott will actually play for us next season, just shows how much he has mellowed over time.

speedboatchase

tayto lover wrote: »

It's all a game.
Like Good Cop / Bad Cop.
Wenger saying we need a striker CB etc and Gazidis coming out behind him saying we have to be prudent. He's taking the heat off Wenger for next season as Wenger is the public face of the club and he's behind the scenes and not getting any public flack.
All a game.

But why don't either of them want to sign players with the ridiculous amount of money we have?

speedboatchase

speedboatchase wrote: »

But why don't either of them want to sign players with the ridiculous amount of money we have?

They do.

Quazzie

gosplan wrote: »

In Wenger's first season (I think) he signed Anekla, Petit, Vieira and Overmars.

No he didn't. David Dein did.

gosplan

Basil3 wrote: »

They do.

They actually do, and Wenger has no issue finding world class players.

The problem is that they're doing it way too slowly.

I've no problem with the acquisitions at the moment, we're on the way to a world class first team from front to back with a decent squad behind it.

But they seem to be ignoring the fact that world-class players won't stick around for ever and hope your squad building project finishes before their careers.

AFAIK, Alexis and Ozil both have two years left on their contracts. They're also both 27. It's said that Ozil is on 180k a week that may be increased and there's also a rumour that Alexis has been offered 12million a year(230k pw).

If they leave next year they'll be 28 when then start at a new club. If they resign with us, then the rest of their time at the top will be spent at Arsenal.

They would both be absolute fools to sign those contracts right now.

They probably won't sign next year anyway...

But what, we expect world class footballers to be happy spending the rest of their careers not competing in any really way for trophies and getting dumped out of the CL in the quarter finals.

It's the only hope I have. The ambition of our top players will dictate what the club does.

gosplan

Quazzie wrote: »

No he didn't. David Dein did.

So true

The horribly ironic thing is Dein left because he saw the way forward as Oligarch driven. Huge investment by some rich guy.

Arsenal said no and for a while we sneered at Chelsea being 'some russian's plaything' as we embarked on project Wenger.

Lucky us, we get to be some American's investment vehicle instead.

tayto lover

Has the Mahrez thing died down altogether lads. No talk about him at all now.

JustTheOne

Basil3 wrote: »

Keeping beating that drum mate, you're completely clueless.
















It's 17 days.

Hopefully I am.

But I see nothing to suggest any different.

Skylinehead

We'll definitely sign someone, quote me on that at the end of the window. Whether it's someone good enough...I dunno. Also I'd much rather we got business done before the season starts, but probably unlikely.

FixitFelix

tayto lover wrote: »

Has the Mahrez thing died down altogether lads. No talk about him at all now.

Supposedly the offer has been there since May, so make of that what you will

FixitFelix

Skylinehead wrote: »

We'll definitely sign someone, quote me on that at the end of the window. Whether it's someone good enough...I dunno. Also I'd much rather we got business done before the season starts, but probably unlikely.

What's the point in signing just anyone?

Pudders

Its just Groundhog Day when it comes to transfer windows. I used get all worked up, search every nonsensical site for the latest rumour and worse believe them.

The issues are:
1) we were told we couldn't compete with the stadium debt but then the handbrake would be unleashed. Ok we have stopped selling but we aren't competing on the buying front.
2) we were told 3 years ago we could buy anyone (Rooney mentioned by gazidis). Now we can't allegedly.
3) we are told we can't compete on wages but we have always been top 4 in wage bill. Personally I'd prefer a world class player on 250k a week than Theo and Ox which would be close to that anyway.
4) we as fans pay the highest price per tickets, have the highest global match day revenue, kit deal 2nd largest in England and are the 5th most valuable club and sit on in excess of 150m yet are told we can't afford to make transfer mistakes. Buy a player for 40-50m and even if rubbish you'll get most of your money back (Andy Carroll) so it's not such a risk.
5) we are told we can't find players better than the current players. For me this is utter nonsense. I'd be happy with a striker that was back up to Giroud but surely there are strikers out thee better than our current alternatives to Giroud. Also there has to be a central defender and a really get winger better than our first team let alone squad.
6) we are terrible sellers. Either get a rubbish price or just don't move on the players we should, they only players last few years sold are young players not going to make it or old players out of contract.
7) we were told that previously we needed to secure champions league group stages which prevented getting all/any of our business done early. Well ok we are doing that now but just signing 1 player a summer transfer season is utter nonsense.

We need to get rid of wenger, gazidis and Kroenke.

At least they froze our season tickets. It's a business not a club anymore. And what's worse is the amount of fans in north London who hope that arsenal fall out of the champions league is probably split between Spurs and goners.

Just rinse, repeat and rob the fans of their hard earned.

gosplan

Skylinehead wrote: »

We'll definitely sign someone, quote me on that at the end of the window. Whether it's someone good enough...I dunno. Also I'd much rather we got business done before the season starts, but probably unlikely.

I'm positive we're going to sign a fairly interesting attacking player whether it be Mahrez or Draxler or Lacazette.

Mainly as Wenger has said as much and as I said above you'll 100% lose Kos, Ozil and Sanchez next year if no more ambition is shown this window.

Also, everyone around us has strengthened so much. Another year and a transfer window for Klopp at Liverpool, Spurs will be good. Then add Mourinho, Guardiola and Conte, all with squads to match/better our own.

**** just got real.











(And we've signed a DMF, a Japanese kid with no work permit, and a CB who got relegated from the championship)

gosplan

Are Sky Germany any use or are they full of BS.

They just said we're in talks to sign Mustafi and are being very specific in terms of prices.

Didn't we have someone who used to keep track of squad numbers with home grown players/under 21's etc?

How much wiggle room do we have? Do players have to leave for others to come in?

gosplan

Pudders wrote: »

Its just Groundhog Day when it comes to transfer windows. I used get all worked up, search every nonsensical site for the latest rumour and worse believe them.

The issues are:
1) we were told we couldn't compete with the stadium debt but then the handbrake would be unleashed. Ok we have stopped selling but we aren't competing on the buying front.
2) we were told 3 years ago we could buy anyone (Rooney mentioned by gazidis). Now we can't allegedly.
3) we are told we can't compete on wages but we have always been top 4 in wage bill. Personally I'd prefer a world class player on 250k a week than Theo and Ox which would be close to that anyway.
4) we as fans pay the highest price per tickets, have the highest global match day revenue, kit deal 2nd largest in England and are the 5th most valuable club and sit on in excess of 150m yet are told we can't afford to make transfer mistakes. Buy a player for 40-50m and even if rubbish you'll get most of your money back (Andy Carroll) so it's not such a risk.
5) we are told we can't find players better than the current players. For me this is utter nonsense. I'd be happy with a striker that was back up to Giroud but surely there are strikers out thee better than our current alternatives to Giroud. Also there has to be a central defender and a really get winger better than our first team let alone squad.
6) we are terrible sellers. Either get a rubbish price or just don't move on the players we should, they only players last few years sold are young players not going to make it or old players out of contract.
7) we were told that previously we needed to secure champions league group stages which prevented getting all/any of our business done early. Well ok we are doing that now but just signing 1 player a summer transfer season is utter nonsense.

We need to get rid of wenger, gazidis and Kroenke.

At least they froze our season tickets. It's a business not a club anymore. And what's worse is the amount of fans in north London who hope that arsenal fall out of the champions league is probably split between Spurs and goners.

Just rinse, repeat and rob the fans of their hard earned.

I think the transfers have been OK in the last few seasons since the shackles allegedly came off.

Cech
Gabriel
Xhaka
Ozil
Alexis
Ospina
Debuchy

I really think they were about the best options in those positions. Then add squad/young players like Elneny/Chambers/Welbeck and it's pretty good.

The issue is it's going on too long and there are still gaps in the team which Wenger hoped would be plugged by Walcott/Ox etc.

No-one has stepped up and they need to finish the squad now.

If they went and got Mahrez and Mustafi and a backup striker now I'd say fair enough and remember basically that ducking around with Suarez/Higuain and trusting Walcott and Ox to come good cost us a couple of seasons where we could have competed for the title.

salmocab

For me the problem is that we are ran too well as a business and its to the detriment of the football team.

Soups123

Sky News are going with the we are in discussions with Mustafi story as breaking news