This is what I was saying all summer. People were chastising Wenger for not buying, Gotze, Hazard, Kaka etc When the fact was that these players were never for sale anyway. Those that were available, ended up going to clubs who could pay them £100k+ per week.
We don't ask to sign only big names but as Giles Grimandi says We knew Cesc was leaving and the notion of keeping Nasri only to let him go at the end of the year was never going to be entertained by the board and TBH, it was quite clear he wanted out and couldn't be talked out of it. In the knowledge that we would have the funds from the sale of these two players, we could and should have bought early or earlier in the transfer window. As it is, the squad have not had time to settle. This delay has been so much a topic that has come up in discussion just about everywhere. We also missed out on the likes of Scott Parker and that was just another of those who got away. He wasn't even expensive. We embarked on this approach of growing our team for the last six to seven years and ended up with nothing. Now we have to do it all over again and quite possibly from a lower position on the EPL... Not much joy really.
Regardless of when Cesc and Nasri left, we still wouldn't have been able to replace them with players of their calibre.
Agreed. So the strategy of replacing the 3 (inc Clichy) with half a dozen experienced players was sound IMO. Players like Arteta, Benayoun and Mertesaker will prove their value with games under their belt - whether it's enough to get us 4th place remains to be seen, I have big doubts, but the strategy I think was right. For those who are expecting a January raid I would advise you to prepare for disappointment. Players in January are notoriously expensive, they're invariably cup-tied and if I'm honest I can't remember a January buy from a big team that worked out well in the long term.
Don't deny that and in a similar way it is difficult to replace a Bergkamp, Henri or Vierra. However we did leave everything till it was so late and failed to act on bringing in players when we had the chance. I go on about what Stewart Robson said but he and others did comment that Arsene took a long time in coming to decisions and to the extent that we had over the years, lost out on players. In the long run and as a result of that, we lose out...
Yes but is he even likely to return anyway? There aren't even any rumours about upon which we could at least hold out some small degree of hope...
Did you see the BBC interview with him recently? In it he said that he would love to return to Arsenal. That he misses - on a daily basis -working with Wenger and when asked if it was likely that he would return, he responded by saying that he is currently 'on the subs bench' I'll try and dig out a link for the interview
The Board don't seem to want Dein back. Wenger is certainly still in touch and talking to him - there were photos of them on holiday together this summer. Doesn't look like he'll be back any time soon. Although he was responsible for introducing Kroenke to the club, wouldn't have minded Kroenke bringing him back, but that's just not his style.
I think the problem is Hill-Wood. They famously fell out over the whole Kronke affair. Hill Wood saying 'We don't need their sort at our club', sacking Dein and then doing a massive u-turn by embracing Kronke.
It's clear he wants to return, but the conditions are clearly not right at the moment. Remember it was Dein who brought Kronke to the club, and Usmanov. Maybe when Hill-Wood eventually retires, Dein will come back into the fold. Maybe before if we have a crap season and the board shake things up. One thing is for Sure - Dein is Arsenal to the core
Dein can't return whilst Silent Stan is the majority shareholder and the way he went out and bought up Arsenal shares Usmanov has a wealth that dwarfs Abramovic, if he really wanted to buy Arsenal he could but he's been a large shareholder for almost 5 years now and seems to have no plan (certainly no rush) to take over. The ownership is at a stalemate which also cannot be helping, but even if the Russian does come in and plunges £200m into the transfer kitty would people really be happy ? Would that make us proud Arsenal fans ? It might give us more of a chance of winning things but the strategy wouldn't sit well with me....
I'm kind of split on this at the moment. On the one hand, I really want our sustainable business model to work and to an extent, it is. But it definitely leaves us short of being able to compete financially with the likes of Chelsea, City and Utd. Maybe when FPP comes in, there will be a level playing field, but by that time, we might be so far behind, that top players won't want to play for us anyway. The idea of some fat cat pouring his ill gotten cash into our club, doesn't sit well with me, but at the same time, I'm a pragmatist and it might be that we need a short term cash injection to boost the squad. Decidedly undecided
What about Vucinic, Vidal, or Inler who were all on the market? They would be an improvement on what we have now and were affordable but we didn't go for them.
Ramseyyyyyyyy Send my love to the record breakers please! Not the phoney ones like SKA though. Specifically my dear friends Digby, Baaders, Barry, Andy and United! Hopefully the gym talks still pumping testosterone over there, driving fear into the veins of all inferior bumders! I miss you all greatly, even resorted to using the fantasy football forum lol but had no replies! No Replies, I miss that time! Anyway I've already had several warnings about my behaviour here so if I don't reply, it's another forum that hates Alvin lol. Also I saw someone say I insulted Barry and everyone else before I left... No I didn't it's all lies!! Lies I say lies!!! Love youuuuu PS not606 is crap
Woooowww just looked back atthe last few pages of comments on the record page.. Even Andys turned against me!! I see tyke and ska are still the mos mentally disabled posters on that article though! When was I nasty to Andy or anyone other than SKA and whoever the other guy was with him when I got banned. All I said that could even sloghtly be taken offensively by anyone other than those was the site was getting boring and repetitive, a view alot of people share! I didn't even insult Tyke when I left! Send alot of love other to Digby though. Top man that guy!
i have copied and pasted your message, but the main ja's arent there now, its tyke and ska really, and fred basset (newbie) i will c and p it again when everyone is back, where have you been the past month or so? roaming the cyberweb? 5 stars on my first article, I STILL GOT IT!
