By Walter Broeckx
The league is 4 matches far. And some say it is all over already. That all is a bit quick if you ask me. But that happens when you only look at one result and then predict the future. Or even looking at 3 results and hen telling that this is the way it will be. I think we will have to wait till after some 10 matches are played before you can even say something remotely about who will have a chance of winning the league or not.
As always you have some quick starters and then you have the slow starters. And sometimes last seasons quick starters are this season slow starters. A quick look upon the league now and then.
Last year we had Chelsea with the perfect start after 4 matches and they went all the way. This time City has done the same. So that’s it then City is champions. Except that isn’t always so and the season before Liverpool had a great start and then slipped up in the end. And City then won the league by taking over 2 days from the end. And the last time Manchester United was crowned champions they had already lost 1 match after 4 matches and was in second place. Of course it helps to have a good start but there is still such a long way to go that nothing is set in stone yet.
We also see that each season a few teams have a great start. Last season Aston Villa and Swansea had great starts. The fickle part of our fans was shouting and crying and swearing and wondered how it was possible that those clubs had taken over. Well the lesson we learn from these good starts by smaller teams is that you better wait to judge them after 10 matches. Because last season after their great start Aston Villa finished 3 points above the relegation zone and Swansea ended up in mid table. Which is not bad for Swansea of course but they couldn’t keep up the high tempo from the start.
And mostly it is the smaller teams that have a great start and then slowly fade away. At the moment they have that great start the fickle fans use that club as an example on how it should be done. Their manager gets all the praise and we are told that he is far better than Wenger and we should kick the latter out and replace him by whoever is the flavour of the moment. Later when said team fades away in the league table they usually shut up about him or that manager. But meanwhile they had their say and their few moments of ‘glory’ on telling us deluded souls what idiots we are. But as usual the dogs bark at the passing convoy but the convoy just goes further. Undisturbed.
People who write of Chelsea now, do this on their own risk. Of course it is very funny to see Mourinho losing at home to Crystal Palace. And to have seen them drop points in such a way that they are now 3 points behind us and 8 points behind City. I will not deny it that I love every bit of it. Mourinho of all people. The one who was much, much better than Wenger.
Despite him spending all the money he has already spend in the last 3 seasons it seems that spending money and more money still cannot prevent a team from having a bad patch in a season. But we have to keep in mind that they still have some great players in their team who can turn things around and go on a run.
Meanwhile we get the tried and tested Mourinho scenario, where, in his 3rd season at a club, it all goes wrong. So I hope he keeps it up as he is doing. Fighting with backroom staff, medical team, players and all and sundry in order to keep any blame from him. And what it also shows is that by spending each time it doesn’t guarantee winning all the time.
Football goes in cycles. Sometimes teams cannot score even if their lives depended on it and then suddenly for no obvious reasons a team start scoring and cannot stop scoring. Arsenal are in such a low scoring period. Something that every Gooner should know that will happen during a season. A period where the ball doesn’t come at the right pace at the right time in front of the right player. I think I have seen that frustrating period in every season I have followed the Arsenal.
And for those saying ‘the invincibles’ I can only say that if you look at their results you will find periods where we didn’t produce high quality performances week in week out. The big wins are still in our minds. But the narrow wins, the hard fought wins, even the undeserved wins….they are forgotten. And sorry if I broke the dream but we did have those during the unbeaten run also. As each and every team that won the league has during the season .
Meanwhile we have seen some strange results so far. With Arsenal losing form themselves at the opening day to West Ham repeating the trick at Liverpool. Manchester United whose fans already said aloud last week that they had the new invicibles because nobody could score against them suddenly woke up losing from Swansea (well done Lukas).
When we won at Crystal Palace some shrugged their shoulders and said that it was only a small win and we didn’t play good. That might have been the case but Crystal Palace played 4 matches and won 3 of them and lost only one and that was against us. More importantly however is that they went to Chelsea and won at their ground. So maybe they aren’t as bad as they said they were? Of course Palace might be one of those teams who start on a high and then slide down. And the chance they will slip back is rather large, I think. But that still shows that beating them was not nothing.
The league is still a marathon and we sit behind a bit. But not every quick starter reaches the end of the marathon in first position. There are some who can but most of the time they don’t. So we have to make sure that we will keep as close to Man City as can be till they get their moment of weakness. It will come. It always does.
——————-
Untold Anniversaries – the full list of today’s anniversaries is here – just scroll down the home page
- 1 September 1934: First home match for George Allison. Arsenal 8 Liverpool 1. Ted Drake and Ray Bowden each score hattricks in front of 54,062. Having won the league for the last two seasons expectations were very high despite Chapman’s death. It was Jack Crayston’s first game.
- 1 September 1953: Ted Platt sold to Portsmouth. Ted never made it as the first choice keeper, playing only when Swindin was injured until in 1952 with Swindin out for much of the season Ted Platt played in only the first three games, and after letting in five goals in that short sequence he was replaced by Jack Kelsey.
- 1 September 1970: Arsenal 0 Leeds 0. League match 7 of the first Double season. This was one of only three draws at home that season – every other home league match was won. But after six games played Arsenal were sixth.
Latest from the Pre-season files
- 1980: The Arsenal pre-season after trying to win nearly everything
- 1893: The first Woolwich Arsenal pre-season
Untold Campaigns
- Latest news on the Untold Banner (as of 25 August)
- A Memorial to the founders of Arsenal’s Highbury dynasty.
- The petition to raise a Parliamentary Debate about State Aid for the new WHU stadium is running. If you feel that there should be an investigation and you are resident in the UK, please do sign the petition.
Untold Books
- Woolwich Arsenal: The club that changed football – Arsenal’s early years
- Making the Arsenal – how the modern Arsenal was born in 1910
- The Crowd at Woolwich Arsenal
Very good read Walter…admittedly its pretty much as I see things too!
The league table after 4 matches, no matter how we look at it, tells us precisely nothing, IMO, about the final outcome. Indeed, in my view it is positively foolhardy to try and forecast who will prosper and who won’t.
Last season’s signings will be starting their all important second stint. This Window’s new boys have yet to bed in.
The current table, with 34 games still to play, is still a view into the unknown. 😉
Agree on the 10 games theory, so it happens, does Aaron Ramsey.
Chelsea certainly have some excellent players, and as you say, would be foolish to write them off, but things just dont seem quite right there…but we shall see. May get interesting if Jose does not get the players he wants.
City….great start, great players, but are there now too many great players to keep happy? Chelsea seem to offload as they buy these days, but for the most part, City seem to be able to keep…and buy. Some very good players…and big egos will not be playing too regularly…bit I guess 200 grand a week helps. I am sure City will be there or thereabouts, but maybe need to wait a bit , and see if there are any effects from Europe, or unexpected losses to derail them a bit.
Utd – seems like a scattergun approach to transfers, a lot of changes, a lot of negative football, players who do not fit in with things, players just departed ctiticising the manager, their main sriker misfiring…for now….and then there is the De Gea episode, if they do not sort that, could bring a bit of a poisonous atmosphere, the keeper will have friends there who will sympathise with him, the keeper who almost singlehandedly put Utd in the top 4 last season.
Liverpool….they have flaws.
Conclusion, City cannot get better, think ourselves and Chelsea will get better, Utd- would be concerned if I were a fan, Liverpool- much of the same
I wonder if the buying of KDB will not bring unrest in the team at some point. Silva his position is most in danger if you want to play De Bruyne to his strength. And as we know KDB doesn’t want to sit on the bench…ever. So if he doesn’t play all the matches he will be unhappy and restless and start moaning a bit as is his habit over the years. We also have to wait to see if the PL is fit for De Bruyne. I’m not convinced it is to be honest. He is build for the Bundesliga in my opinion as that is a league that allows players like him to shine.
Not much to say really. Of course the table at the moment does not tell us much, but that is never my concern. My concern is that we improve every game and get back to our selves putting in the effort that is needed, making sure we do have a little influence on our luck by shooting, making runs, closing down and being focused.
I know we will get better and like all Arsenal i want us to get better sooner than later. Looking forward to seeing who from the youth will start to make strides towards the 1st team. Some of them are looking good fe true.
And then those on loan looking forward to seeing them soon too.
I am bracing myself for the bombardment (if we don’t bring someone in) by aaaa’s on here once the window closes! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Wise words, Walter. Still, as you say, it is very enjoyable to see Chelsea and particularly Mourinho squirm, whether it lasts or not. Interesting insight into Kevin de Bruyne. I’ll be watching out with that in mind.
Think KDB is a big gamble at that price, mind you, thought the same about Sterling, and he seems to be doing ok.
Looks like the cry babies will be out in force today, but the fact is, AFC are not in a position the make the type of gambles City can, thanks to Platini/UEFA for that one. Perhaps a case can have been made for Schneiderlin…in the absence of Coq going stellar of course, but other than that, look around and cannot see anyone who has moved that we really need. Of course some good players have moved, but better than who we have?
These DMs – all very well, but Coq is too good to drop now, and these players will not want to play second fiddle- and as we know, Wenger does not play 2 out and out DMs.
If,as perceived we need a striker- where are they, dont see them on the move. Martial – big gamble at that price. Benteke, no thanks, over rated creation of the media.
Of course there is a risk with the KDB signing but I think he’ll do a decent job at City.
Personally, I think a far bigger risk is United signing Martial – hardly anyone had heard of him this time yesterday and the next minute they’re spunking a reported £36 million up front for him. Now I’m hearing that the fee is £58 million including add-ons. That kind of money gets you a Benzema or a Cavani with change to spare yet the clowns over at Old Trafford are laying it out on an unproven 19 year old kid. I don’t know who the hell is signing off on the deals over at United but the past 24 hours has been comedy gold where they’re concerned. Add in the De Gea fiasco and van Gaal siphoning off far more players than he’s bringing in and I could’ve sworn they’re trying their best to emulate the kind of cock-ups that City have made down the years.
So there hasn’t been a transfer all summer that could have improved Arsenal FC? The signing of KDB will make City weaker? The table after 4 games doesn’t tell you anything? I would say all three of these comments seem pretty ill informed to me.
So i am would guess every team in any top league in europe with any ambition at all will have signed an outfield player to try to improve there team this year but Arsenal dont need to as the squad is so strong?
Its great to support the team but you cannot defend the indefensible as not signing anybody doesn’t seem the right decision to me or Wenger come to think of it he said himself “We have a team working on transfers 24 hours a day” Seems to me he needs a new team at best.
Agree on Martial – £58million – thats incredible for someone who can only be described as a raw talent. That just sounds like some sort of highly inflated panic buy, would imagine if Benzema or Cavani really were available, Utd would have been interested, but not too many strikers out there this time. Do get the feeling Utd are an accident waiting to happen under Van Gaal, and could well have quite an amusing season. Cannot imagine Moyes would have done any worse with that sort of money, and he may have done better…and played more attacking football.
KDB is clearly an excellent player, but so is who he is likely to be competing with at City unless the manager has some tactical tweaks up his sleeve?
Good post Walter.
Spot on todays football scenario.
Sorry again off topic…but the social media meltdown regarding our manager has started…and its not nice!!
What a wonderful transfer window! It goes to show each club’s character.
ManC is spending like there’s no tomorrow. If the player is expensive, they want him! I think they’ll start signing expensive ball boys by the end of tonight!!!
Chelsea’s random management style keeps buying & selling players in the hope of getting it right by chance. They are now selling players they bought just last year!
ManU is a one man circus act! LVG’s philosophy at work, the only problem is that his philosophy does not include defence our GKs! He just loves buying overpriced attacking players, and alienating current players. To miss out on Pedro at 30M and then pay 58M for a young player is simply reckless (unless somebody’s getting a cut of the price!).
Our good old Arsenal, being wise with their money as always… Almost to a fault.
And Tottenham buying 22 players to compliment Kane, while offering Adebayur to every possible club.
Ain’t it fun?!
Mandy Dodd,
Funny you should mention Moyes – speaking to my boss this morning who is a United season-ticket holder, he said he would’ve preferred to keep Moyes rather than go for van Gaal. Reckons that things would’ve been more organised under Moyes and more progress would’ve been made by now. I think he, like many United fans, is puzzled as to how they can spend hundreds of millions and look a worse side for it. Of course, it could all be part of a van Gaal masterplan and this time next year they may well be the best team in the country but the evidence so far appears to suggest otherwise.
Regarding KDB, he takes the place of Navas (maybe a bit harsh as Navas has started the season well). He won’t be an out and out winger though – he can also cut inside and run directly at defences (something we’ve lacked a little) and a front 4 of KDB, Silva, Sterling, and Aguero is fluid and interchangeable. With Sagna finally now showing glimpses of his Arsenal form we should still see option of the ball getting delivered into the box from the right – in fact, Sagna’s crossing is more accurate than that of Navas. Plus of course KDB himself can deliver a decent cross.
Looks like City is going to try to play like Arsenal did with KDB in the right win Ramsey position. A position he doesn’t really like (both of them? 😉 )
Goonsville, the problem with your approach is that you don’t give any depth to your assertion – only assertions. And the world is always full of assertions
apo Armani,
the aaaa (who doesn’t exist of course) is out in full force. Wishing Wenger to die is about the thing a lot of them agree upon. As you say its not nice.
It is in fact disgusting but someone has to keep an eye on them to see what is brewing in the underbelly or gutter regions of the Arsenal fandom.
Yes Walter..not nice!!
I hope they (who ever they are – cry babies as Mandy calls them), don’t disrupt the team with antics at home and away games!
That would be detrimental.
Heathrow getting in on the act!!!
Well John Brewin is on the ESPN transfer deadline day if anyone wants to question him on some of his articles/transfers
Good afternoon Mr. Attwood. IMO, the truth of the matter is, it is better to start fast than to start slow. This is to avoid not falling short of a 4th place finish in the table and got relegated to the Championship. After 4 games played, one can describe Arsenal as starting acceleratingly and no longer starting slowly as they have already gathered 7 points out of the possible 12. I believe Arsenal will beat Stoke after the break to keep going in acceleration mode. Now, let me have a discussion on the deadline day possible deals as it may concern us. From the look of things, save any miracles happening in our favour, the Boss will not sign my target that I have advised him to sign. The target is reported being loaned to West Ham by the media after extending his current deal to 4 years with his parent club. And it has also been said by the media that the Boss is after the signings of Edinson Cavani & Adrien Rabiot of PSG. Well, as for me Rabiot could be okay. But for his age & cost price, Cavani is no. That all I have to say for now. Thanks.
I have covered the City method (Arsenal intellectual property based) before. It is proven already & with the unlimited capital can be reproduced (though not completely). There is no brand but flowing finance from the Emirates oil fields will sustain the success.
Martial was mentioned on Untold before as being a good buy (everything has a true price) but not at £58million. The United brand is being risked big time.
The chavs have a specialist in arrogance with everything blamed on staff. Nothing is Jose’s fault!! 😉
There are so many signs available from the initial games but none can guarantee glory. Bought glory can be celebrated but greatest sweetness is from created glory. The difference being true prices & internal grown players.
Cost of Trophy is a critical difference in sport & in business – but when money is not earned but poured in, it becomes obscene.
Walter
Silva’s position is not at risk.
I don’t know if you watch many City games but Silva is what makes them tick. He’s been unplayable in three out of four games thus far, from the opposition point of view.
If there’s a player on City who’s at risk of losing his starting role for good, it’s Navas who has taken the most shots on goal without scoring and his crosses have been simply terrible.
Most of the comments are assertions because as far as i know the season has not finished yet. We will find out the answers and depth of those assertions at the end of the season.
I was questioning the logic of some posters saying KDB will cause problems at City, why will he? Just because Moroonio said he doesn’t have it. Normally this site would pour scorn on anything that man has to say unlesss he says something that suits a point they want to make to mock amabition at that particular club.
The table doesn’t tell you anything after 4 games? It does it tells you the current position of the teams and the form there showing just like it does after 10,15 or 20 games.
I dont see the strikers that we could have signed? I would have taken Benteke, Martinez or Mandzuckic to name but 3.
The aaaa may be sharpening their knives but they’re just as clueless as van Gaal; missing out on pedro for £21m, then paying nearly 3 times that for an unproven teenage striker, and having 4 goalkeepers in the same team. Comical.
This comment is on a synthesis of recent posts.
Seems that the very stupid amongst our support(?) are out in force again. Just buy. BUY! BUY ANYONE (as long as they are expensive). See that fool Tim Payton from AST has been quoted on BBC feed.
Anyway, Man Utd seem to be taking a more emotional approach to transfer dealings and I’m not sure it is doing them much good… (!!). £50mm+ for Martial… you what? De Gea failed due to an administrative error…. you what? At least Man City are trying to buy in a structured way, albeit paying over the odds (in my view).
Anyway, from Arsenal’s pespective this is the situation for those who are stupid enough not to understand it.
1. Arsenal are competing at the top of the table, primarily with Man City, Man Utd and Chelsea.
2. These 3 clubs all have significantly superior financial resources (see observations above).
3. Notwithstanding, Arsenal are currently competing with these clubs because (i) they have bought very judiciously in the past; and (ii) Wenger is peerless in the player development stakes. It also helps that Arsenal have enjoyed long term stability…
4. However, to IMPROVE Arsenal’s squad is very hard because there are not many players available who will do that – and these are, in general, very expensive (in terms of fees and wages). Arsenal not only have to have the money in place to be able to do that – but also need to out-manouvre the above 3 clubs.
5. Therefore Arsenal have to hope that somebody they want becomes available late on. It won’t always happen.
Consider further, who have MU/MC/Chels bought this summer for their 1st team?
MU: Depay, Martial(?), Schweinsteiger(?), Schneiderlin(?)
MC: Sterling, De Bruyne
Chelsea: Pedro.
(Arsenal: Cech.)
I can’t think of any more – apologies if I missed anyone.
How many of these players would improve Arsenal’s 1st team? Significantly? How many are worth the money paid? Could Arsenal realistically afford this (plus the wages – and need to consider knock-on impact on other players’ wages).
More specifically, only Martial could be classed as a centre-forward. And I don’t recall anyone at all – even the most rabid spend-spend-spend merchants suggesting him for £56mm.
So please explain to me exactly where Arsenal have gone wrong in this transfer window?
And if anyone can point to any players bought by Liverpool, Spurs or any other Prem club and state (i) they are good value for money; and (ii) they would IMPROVE Arsenal’s first team, then I look forward to hearing from you.
Just read Real Mad’s and MU’s statements regarding De Gea/Navas c*ck up. Absolutely surreal. Can you imagine the reaction if Arsenal had been involved in a fiasco like this?
What is staggering is that 800m pounds and climbing has been spent so far on transfers so far!!
I’ve published so many notes about the stupidity of sending me either rude comments, or comments which question my integrity, or comments about freedom of speech, or bias or whatever, that I have got fed up with answering them.
The answers as to why we don’t publish every comment are to be found on the site. But in case it is not clear, calling my integrity into account does not generally help get a comment published.
@Samuel Akinsola Adebosin
so are you ADVISING Wenger to buy Balotelli?
http://untold-arsenal.com/archives/37337#comment-804927
:E
Please do shed me some light o’ wenger advisor sama.
Pete
Arsenal involved in such a cock up = bedlam.
Martial is costing £36 Million from what i have read not the £50+ mentioned on here. Apparently people who have worked with Henry and Anelka are putting this kid in that catergory of potential.
Draxler was sold for £28 million and West Brom want £25 million for Berahino. £30 Million for a player in todays market is not a huge amount of money i mean clubs in the middle of the PL can spend these sums £28Million Lukaku.
De Gea failed to be sold! Matial bought for loadsa money. Pedro was bought by the Arrogant Specialist. Spurs have bought. Pardew has bought. West Ham have bought (with Tax payers subs). Wenger – the miser spent nothing yet. He must go!!! 😉 😉 😉
It will all appear soon but Wenger is the only one showing common sense. Looking forward to the chaos of the idiots who won’t buy a round but are happy to spend Arsenal’s earned money.
The De Gea scenario reminds me of the (apt) toilet cartoon with a toilet roll ‘The jobs not complete until the paperwork is done’.
As far as I’m concerned, Arsenal doing all to strengthen the team. If they can’t do it for whatever reason, the current squad is good enough for me. I don’t think we’re too far from where we want to be.
It’s an hour and a half after my challenge was posted. Still want to know which player who has been purchased by a Premiership club this summer would (i) improve Arsenal’s first team and (ii) be decent value for money?
To make it more exciting I am also going to ask you to say which player should be dropped from Arsenal’s first team to make way.
Let’s assume that Arsenal’s first team is: Cech, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscsielny, Monreal, Coquelin, Cazorla, Ozil, Ramsey, Sanchez and Giroud.
And, say, you suggest Pedro is better than Ramsey, can you also confirm he would be better than the Ox and Walcott? Ditto Gabriel for Mertesacker or Ramsey/Wilshere for Cazorla?
And Pedro cost £20mm+ (not sure on wages) and is 28 – compared to Ox 22, Ramsey 24 and Walcott 26 (I think).
Unfortunately my job takes me all around Europe and for sanity reasons ( I drive) I tune into the only radio station that can be picked up all over. Nearly every person associated with this station are clueless pratts ( similar to some so called gooners wanting Wenger sacked) and why oh why do they state that S Robson is an Arsenal legend!!! Every comment is an attack on us and Wenger. Today I’m listening waiting for the ferry at Calais (4hr delay) and all I can hear is how Wenger is an embarrassment, Arsenal should spend some money,Arsenal fan’s are in uproar ( so glad they know how I feel) and Arsenal will win nothing unless they buy Benzema who they have been chasing all summer….. really! I thought this myth had been dispelled. Had enough now some ex cricketer is now slagging us off must be mad but will tune into a French radio station now aaaaaaagh nightmare
Pete your posts on here are spot on, nobody will have an answer to that, and unfortunately have had to read messages from friends calling Wenger a f*%#ing disgrace, we should have bought at least two players (obviously not telling me ho, how, or how much) and now reading people wanting to protest outside emirates at 7, if that happens looking forward to the media coverage…
@Goonsville
*The crowd is opening their mouth in awe…
@Pete
howabout the names that Goonsville mentioned above?
Sukebe, I known what you are referring to. I will open that web address later. Even if Balo’s exploits on the field had turned out not to be a success story at Liverpool, that doesn’t hold any water he won’t be a success at Arsenal had the Boss signed him. Right? One man’s poison is another man’s food. Arsenal are a different club with a different manager and with a different style of playing the game from those of Liverpool. Besides, footballing is not a static activity as it moves about on the field. So too is a player fortune could move for the better. We’ve heard what Balotelli said about Brendan Rodgers as he arrived at Milan. At the Super Eagles of Nigeria Level, Victor Moses is a very fast right wing touchliner up to the edge of goal post. And he has a good ball retention and can cross the well to assist. He also can score.Tell me, are these his good attributes not enough to make him an upgrade to Wilshere & Ramsey, who are being adapted to play wide to the right? These are not natural right wingers but Moses is. But agreed, Jack Wilshere is adapted well in that right wing when played there. It’s not because Moses is a Nigerian like am I that I want the Boss to sign him, but for his top quality at a possible steal price instead of spending trice of his cost to bring in a player of his equaled quality. But all that is over now as he has gone elsewhere. Moreover, can I Influece the Boss decisions on transfers?
Ibra 😉
@Samuel
Moses? true to every attributes you’ve pointed..
but yeah, chelse.. mou… already took cech…
howabout Moses, Pete? is he an upgrade to Wilshere and Ramsey?
$iteh need to advance in the CL and the existing players had underachieved there.
Adding KDB is really a long term addition knowing that he’s unlikely to really hit his stride until next season but his addition will push the existing squad that little bit more, including the 29 year old Silva. I don’t think KDB will prove to be worth his money but he’s certainly not a bad player and they can afford it.
The more interesting thing will be how they replace the 32 year old Yaya Toure. When he plays well, the team usually does well, and his physical presence + skill will be difficult to find in one player.
Add in that many of their players (all their full backs) are coming towards the end of their PL careers and you can see they need to bring in some youth.
Thanks for comments…
Moses – isn’t close to Chelsea’s team. I think he would struggle to get on the Arsenal bench – nowhere close to Ramsey/Wilshere. Certainly behind Sanchez, Ox and Walcott in my view. Ramsey and Cazorla are less out and out wing attackers so less a fair comparison.
Ibra – Is 34 I think – one season at most?
Martial – Interesting. I vaguely recall his name from when we played Monaco 6 months ago. But can’t remember if he played – if he did he didn’t stand out at all. Do we know if he is significantly ahead of, say, Akpom? In any event £56mm (which is what the French are claiming is the price) is beyond ludicrous.
Draxler – I think we would have signed him if we had wanted him. Fine player but, from memory, his goals /assists record isn’t great. Again, where would he fit in? Would he take Ozil or Sanchez’s place?
As for Behrahino and Lukaku, I don’t think they would get in our first team either.
Most of these would be decent squad players. But why on earth pay £25mm+ on a squad player? Madness.
But happy to debate the relative merits of players.
It is just really important to state who your proposed signing would displace – then we can debate it.
Window closed without Arsenal dipping in. Let all the hysteria begin. Let’s start using words like transfer meltdown, botching transfers, etc…
ARSENAL WILL WIN EPL THIS SEASON!!!
COYG!!!!
ARSENAL WILL WIN EPL THIS SEASON!!
COYG!!!
ARSENAL WILL WIN EPL THIS SEASON!!!!!!!
COYG!!
ARSENAL WILL WIN EPL THIS SEASON!!!!!!!!
COYG!!!!
ARSENAL WILL WIN EPL THIS SEASON!!!!!!!!
COYG!!!!!!
Okay, now that transfer the madness is temporarily over (January transfer rumour is around the corner), can we, who support the team, players and manager look forward to the rest of the season with excitement while the WOB (aptly described by a poster recently as Without Our Brain) wait until we lose a point or three before coming out to vent their life frustration again.
I just love this man Wenger like my dad.
In Wenger I Trust.
COYG!
Ofcourse every team goes through scoring lots to scoring zilch, it is in those times we start to expect 1-0 wins, either through a direct or indirect FK or corner or a penalty. We know we wont get penalty with PG”mob”. So best to expect a goal from set piece, which isn’t currently happening, despite us being not so bad at it based on last season stats.