One of the key points will be if we strengthen in this transfer window. Last year we brought in Henry on loan and this year I want to see a top world class striker signed on a permanent deal as a minimum. I'd even settle for Theo moving to the middle and a top winger being brought in, but still dont thinnk Giroud is the answer and he mainly scores against the weaker teams and when we are very dominant in matches. We need a striker who can score against the top teams and win games as well. At the moment I feel havent moved forward and although we brought ina few players we have not replaced RVP or Song. I'm very wary of relying on Diaby and although I think Ramsey has improved a lot I dont think he is the answer yet as a DM, maybe if he continues to improve to add to his excellent workrate. If we add the striker and DM I want to the current squad then I will think we have gone forward. Or even better for the likes of Giroud and Diaby to prove me wrong and prove they are the top players who can remain injury free that we need.
Personally i don't think buying a forward is a priority,i think our priorities are a DM,CH,a decent back up LB and a decent back up GK
Winning a cup would make a huge impact on this squad. I genuinely believe that our team lacks self belief. Had we won a trophy earlier and not gone through such a long barren run, it would have injected much needed strength and belief to put us on that next level. The players need to taste success in an Arsenal shirt! Just imagine if the 08/09 team won the premiership? Things would have been so much different.
Where are these players going to come from? I mean leave the back ups aside, given that I don't think any player you would consider to be a good enough back up, would be prepared to play back up. But a 4th string CH? We had the best 4th string CH in the premiership and sent him out on loan. What sane CH that isn't going to interest one of the top 3 is going to come to be clearly better than Per and TV? Finally we get to the DM and we realize that it is a case of needing a back-up again. Diaby, Arteta, Ramsey.... What DM is going to come in and fight for a place in that group? We are stuck with the squad we have. I think they need to get used to each other and to gel. I don't think chopping and changing every transfer period helps. Let these players get this season under their belts, hopefully win someting, and then they will be a lot better next year.
Ramsey is not a DM. Diaby is not a DM. Coquelin doesn't seem to be trusted. Frimpong is out of contract in summer. Arteta is not a big physical DM, but is the best of the bunch. If I were M'Vila, or Strootman, or numerous others, I'd definitely fancy my chances.
I really don't care what thyou call them. Let's face it nobody really cares what tactical system you have in your head, because it isn't ever going to happen. How you expect Wenger to enact some grand tactical plan that only you have any clue about is mystery to me. I certainly cant give you answers, but I can tell you that you seem to be creating a hope for which you are almost 100% certain to be disappointed. I just don't get it. Why hope for Wenger to go all in, for a system that no other team in the world is really playing with any success right now, making out that it is the only thing that will make you happy, and then claiming that everybody at Arsenal is wrong because they will not enact your master plan that you can't even articulate clearly. Honestly, it is complete madness, Song was about as perfect a big DM as you could hope for and he was (apparently) not the answer, so why keep harping on, hoping for this event, that just isn't going to happen.
. Maybe so, but there must be 50 posts like it, over and over again, every thread the same. I feel for the poor sod, I really do, because there is simply no chance of it happening. It is just an exercise in futility! It's not even about whether I agree with him or not, at this point I don't even care if we do get a big DM. I'm almost at the point where I hope we get one just to stop him posting about it.
It's the way that Barca play - they have Busquets who plays the role. He does it fairly well, and they seem to be doing alright with it. Not so sure why you felt the need to single me out when it's Cym who said a DM was required, but so be it. You know where the ignore setting is, please feel free to use it.
So you think we have the players to play like Barcelona, interesting, Walcott is as good as Messi is he and who is Xavi and Iniesta? Im surprised that a DM like Busquets was where you started, if you wanted us to play like Barcelona!
Actually, I said we should play two in the middle and two on the flank in a 4-4-2 That said, a DM wouldn't go a miss . . .
What a fantastically gross exageration. You have successfully tansversed from a tactical system to the players involved. I was responding to this, by saying Barca play a system with a dedicated defensive midfielder, as do Liverpool with Lucas, and Spurs with Sandro. There are numerous other instances of teams playing this way. Barca are being successful with it, Spurs seem to be on the up. Arsenal also play this system already - Ramsey played the DM role last night, and Arteta has been for the rest of the season. My opinion is that there is a lack of quality in this area, an opinion shared and expressed by many others on this board. I've stated how I feel plenty of times. I don't name-call, or get personal, and I try to reason my arguments, without jumping to "Walcott is like Messi is he?" If you dislike it, I strongly advise that you ignore my posts, and you won't have to read any of my opinions ever again.
I'm not entirely convinced by this comparison to last season. We were dire in the first half of last season and suddenly became brilliant in the second half, just about getting CL football in the last game of the season. We've been similar dire this first of the season. So basically, the comparison is... we need to have a blinding second half of the season (and hope other teams crash and burn like last year) and then we can scrape CL football right at the very end? If we don't have a blinding second half of the season, and just a merely 'quite good' one then we're ****ed. And Wenger isn't yet making any signings because he thinks no-one will add quality to this squad? The squad who've got 1.5 points per game in 24 games? The squad who haven't opened the scoring in a Premier League game since the end of December? The squad who've won 1 premier league game out of 5 in January (an identical stat to our November)? Optimists should be applauded for their continued optimism... pessimists should stop being so miserable... but realists can justifiably be a bit frustrated.
We are 4 points off 4th - it isn't a massive stretch of the imagination to be optimistic that we can overturn a 4 point gap in half a season... Not sure where all this stuff about us having to have an amazing run of games etc is comming from - we just have to match spurs and out-do them in two games... Considering the fixture lists i don't think that is unrealistic. Especially when you consider we have to play spurs still and have beaten them 5-2 the last couple of times we have met on the pitch!
It's not unrealistic, but are you happy with those chances? Seems like Wenger could have improved those chances by bringing in players this month.
I agree the right player or two could improve our chances alot - still a few hours for it to happen But i still think this current squad has a very good chance of finishing in the top 4.
