the Bendtner saga merely confirms we have been handing out high wage contracts to the ordinary and sometimes mediocre. That results in us being stuck for the life of the contract unless some other clueless manager values them highly.
I don't know about clueless, mediocre and ordinary. I would prefer Bendtner to Carrol myself. I don't think we should label players like this. Football is complex these days and just because a player doesn't fit a system or a team, doesnt mean that they are totally useless to every team. Bendtner has turned into a big (size) striker and if you look at the type, they mature very late, and Arsenal/Wenger doesn't really go for that type of striker. Very few of our players are totally useless, but a lot of them grow in a way that makes them a bad fit for us. I can see a lot of teams wanting Bendtner, he is a handful for any defence. Scored a good headed goal at the week-end.
Back to the thread's title, it's occured to me that we still haven't signed Podolski. Our "expert" negotiators have probably manged to **** up by now.
Don't know if that is a worry yet. This is a very unusual time to be announcing signings when a player isn't gooing to be out of contract. I suspect we may get "This week" reports until the end of the season, every time there is a slow press day. Wenger certainly seems like he is hopeful, so that is a good sign although in the past it has not always been a 100% indicator. I don't really know how I feel about this signing. On the one hand I like the fact that he can play on the left, but on the other hand he is very different to our other left-hand side players, so maybe even better, we have a plan B potential, or maybe our team will not be able to adapt to having this kind of player on the wing. Still if Wenger thinks he is good, I guess that is why he is paid the big salary.
I think players are judged not on their ability but also who they play for. It's not acceptable to be just a good player when playing for Arsenal or any top team. You have to be excellent - technically, mentally, and physically. Players like Bendtner get called useless, because for Arsenal's needs he is useless. If he plays for a mid table team and the expectation is lower then he can do a job. When judging players you must also consider the expectation.
TT - I said 'ordinary and mediocre' in context with a club of the standing of Arsenal (always top4 for 15 years running) but as usual you have to exaggerate. It was YOU who used labels like USELESS - not me.
Sorry, I didn't really mean anything by that. However, I think Jayram made a better case that he is "Useless" (to Arsenal), than you made saying that he is mediocre and ordinary. Anyway, he is one of the players that I think we will not have any trouble offloading in the summer. Although Arsenal fans don't like him much, for perfectly valid reasons, I think there will be a lot of takers. I really hope he isn't one of those players that we regret letting go.
You cant 'sign' someone before the transfer window opens unless they are out of contract. The German press seem to think an agreement is in place though between Kolhn and Arsenal. However nothing is official until he puts pen to paper.
Was listening to Raphael Honigstein today, and he said Koln had planned to announce the deal but they went back on that after Koln lost a few games and also got thumped by Dortmund. It would have pissed off their fans so they have delayed it.
Exactly. Why on earth would they announce this deal before the end of the season, regardless of current results.
Good point there. I hadn't thought of that. I had just assumed Hill-Wood and Gazidis had ruined everything, as usual.
But the deal cannot be sanctioned till the transfer window opens. It will not be done till then, so if a City want to come in and scupper it they can.
Is that how it works? If he's signed a contract to start when his current contract ends, then it's binding.
