I would be amazed if this truly happened. If it did, it would signal a change in Arsene's thinking and his stubborn ways. This will finally be the start of building a top team again, which was orginally promised in the Arsenal project many years ago.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...ann-mvila-would-welcome-an-offer-from-arsenal Invited to appear on the noteworthy Canal Football Club (aired by French TV station Canal+) for their Sunday night program, Stade Rennais midfielder Yann M'Vila dropped a not-so-subtle hint about where he may be playing his football in a few months' time. With a move away from Ligue 1 action looking increasingly likely, the question has now turned to "where" M'Vila will find himself playing come next fall. Tom Williams reported on Twitter that the 21-year-old French international (18 caps) revealed that he would welcome an overture by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger to bring him to the English Premier League outfit. (https://twitter.com/#!/tomwfootball/status/186527630177214465) As M'Vila put it succinctly, "If it's [Wenger] who asks you and who wants you, of course that changes things."
If we wrapped up three signings, not to mention three BIG signings, pretty much before the transfer window opened I'd be stunned. ...and also slightly worried we'd be investigated for tapping up
I think the whole club from top to bottom realised what a pigs ear they made of the summer transfer window. I am hopeful that they will be determined not to make the same mistake again. As I said - any existing player, no matter who they are, who doesnt sign a contract extension within two weeks of the season end should be shipped out, and we should lock up all our signings PRIOR to the Euro's
Agreed but I'm pretty sure RVP is waiting to see who we bring in to decide wether or not to stay. If we added those three, he will sign a new contract. If we sign nobody of merit he'll leave.
I'd still have a quality specialized LB over Vertonghen though. Koscielny and Vermaelen, with Mert and Djorou as backup is already decent. Our problems in defense aren't down to individual quality, and a transfer from the dutch league who needs to adapt to EPL isn't likely to improve that. Wilshere would be a huge boost if he returns to the form he showed last season. Keep in mind though he will be out longer than Ramsey was for his double fracture! We know how that went... I think we need some cover for Rosicky/Wilshere more than we need M'Vila. (I'll have Song over him any day)
Mark my words - Jenkinson is going to be a top full back - and he can play on the left or right. Also I wouldnt write off Gibbs or Santos - I like them both.
I'm beginning to see a very bright future for Mr Santos. If we buy well this summer the club has the makings of a bright future too. However there are the niggles we need to put right such as the ability to grind out three points from games where we seem to be going nowhere and need I say, we also need to win the games we are expected to. We have given away points far too cheaply this season and it remains to be seen if Arsene is the man who can change this trend.
Wenger has his flaws but so do all managers. If he manages to attain his targets in this transfer window he WILL take us forward. When Wenger gets his signings right... he REALLY gets them right. This is the guy who built the 1998,2001 and 2003-2004 squads, if he goes back to signing players (and not just selling them) he can take us back to the top.
I think we'll win the FA Cup next season. That'll take some of the pressure off HUGELY. Probably finish third, get knocked out in the quarters/semis of Europe and lose in the semi with our Carling Cup reserve team, mind.
So Jenkinson, Santos, Arteta, Oxo . . maybe last summer's transfer window wasn't such a pig's ear after all ?
No it was a complete pigs ear. Jenkinson is one for the future. Arteta was a panic buy after the season had already started and we'd already lost any real chance of winning the league Santos was a panic buy after the season had already started and we'd already lost any real chance of winning the league Both had to settle in, by which time we were playing catch up. OXO is a player for the future - he was never going to make a huge difference this year. In my opinion all four were good signings but the way we brought in experienced players too late, having lost Nasri and Fabregas after being told they were staying or 'we were not an ambitous club', was just a mess. As I said, the management team made a hash of the window. I just hope they have learned and will not repeat it.
I don't see the need in M'Vila, unless we're moving Song forward, allowing him to play in a box to box role, with M'Vila holding. Personally, i think we need a creative spark. Podolski may provide that, but playing on the left limits creative input. I would like to see us consider someone like Gourcuff, who could grow under Wenger's tutelage, and would be dirt cheap.
To be honest, I think if Wenger had brought in the exact same players he did in the summer, but sewn it all up 2 months earlier, we would have challenged for the league. It may be we only need one or two more to really get there - as well, of course, as securing the players who could leave.
All i see us needing is the aforementioned creative spark, something we lack at the moment (no offence to Rosicky, who has been pretty effective). I feel that another Holding Midfielder is probably a step in the wrong direction. I agree about the signings we made this season, we would be in the hunt for the league if we'd made them sooner.
I'd love that, but Dortmund have won the Bundesliga, it would take a pretty big offer for them to sell him, considering he was their main man for the majority of the season.
In an ideal world Jayram, every manager gets to keep his best players and sign the ones he wants when he wants for the price he wants. In reality though, there are a multitude of variables that means that the transfer window is anything but a smooth operation. Considering that Wenger fought to keep both Nasri and Fabregas (as he should) he did pretty well to bring in these 'good signings' after they had left. It's easy to criticise from the outside, and I think all Gooners would have liked to have seen the events of last summer unfold differently. But, I think Wenger made the best out of a really bad situation. That said, I hope this summer sees us do our business nice and early so that all of our players are ready and in pre season training together.
