he does have the turning circle of the titanic though. certainly pace isn't everything but its not his only weakness. koscielny is vital - if he doesn't play then arsenal struggle defensively.
Let's look at it the other way round. How many times have you heard clubs complaining that they have spent time, effort and resources in bringing on a talented young player, only to have a big club snatch him away for nothing, or next to nothing? Southampton cannot level that sort of accusation against Arsenal under Wenger. They probably feel Wenger treated them FAIRLY, rather than over-generously. Both Walcott and Oxlaid-Chamberlain are now regulars for England. They had value when Wenger bought them, and Southampton weren't cheated out of it.
no, but norwich can. phillip roberts was taken by arsenal for nothing despite our club demanding a fee as he was the outstanding talent coming through at the time. arsenal would have done the same to southampton had it been possible to get away with it but fact is, saints held all the aces due to their age. for every instance you find that wenger (or indeed any manager) has treated a club fairly, you'll find 50 instances where they haven't. trust me, i know a hell of a lot about what clubs get up to behind the scenes with regards nabbing youth players and its pretty disgusting to be honest - our own club included - and its only going to get worse with the eppp rules. smaller clubs are going to get raped of their best young players by top clubs for peanuts. the rich get richer, the poor get poorer
I see the squad number have been announced and both 15 and 16 are vacant. Could indicate we are looking for a couple more players.
Johan Elmander's wikipedia page is a mess. Apparently he joined us after his contract expired at Bolton (?), but that he also signed for Crystal Palace on the 26th of July this year.
Philip Roberts had just turned 16 when he accepted a scholarship from Arsenal. As far as I'm aware he was nowhere near playing for our first team. So to compare him with Walcott or Oxlaid-Chamberlain is very misleading. The ace that Saints held was not their age but the proof of their quality. You can probably tell us how long Roberts had been with us, but however long it was, his value was still debatable. As far as where he is now, he was released by Arsenal this year and has signed a two-year contract with Falkirk (after spending last year on loan at Caly Thistle). Certain future England international? I don't think so. On the more general point, there should certainly be a fair system under which all the clubs who invest resources in a young player benefit if that player makes it and acquires value in the professional market place. I don't know how the EPPL rules deal with this; they were supposed to make things fairer, but you are saying they won't and I'll happily take your word for it.
we'd developed him since the age of 8. as i say, we got nothing towards that development period and this is essentially what will happen to clubs in the lesser categories. they will get compensation but for any club outside the top flight the maximum they will get is £40k (i think), no matter who they are or how good they are (i think there is a minimal fee for every few appearances a player makes on top of this amount). ok, roberts wasn't in our first team but just like with angus gunn going to man city (aged 15), he was highly prized at the time and i know for a fact manchester united and liverpool both offered us considerable money for his services but unfortunately the lad wanted to join arsenal who offered nothing at all. he might not have fulfilled his potential (doesn't say a lot for arsenal's development though cos he was sensational at 14) but whose to say he wouldn't had he remained here? that's the gamble clubs take if they pinch someone else's player - but the point remains, he was taken away. we weren't compensated for essentially producing him. no doubt, had he played for the gooners first team they'd be hailing their youth system but they would have had very little to do with him. unless clubs put a fee on a young player, therefore meaning contracts, something we don't really want to see, then the big boys will take whoever they want, whenever they want.
Linked with Frederick Sorensen in the Times this morning along with Southampton, he is a CB currently playing for Bologna.
Probably because of the amount of goals we shipped when Bassong wasn't available. I get the logic but I don't see it as a priority personally.
or it could be an indication of how is going to be playing tactically next season?, more defensively, than offensively. Worried that he's not looking at a AM to be honest.
But how do you know he's not looking at an AM? I wouldn't worry if I were you chap, his record in the transfer market thus far surely tells us that he knows what he's doing
surely we are always looking to bring better players in, not play more defensively. hence the contact with alderweld (spelling)
Mainly because all has gone quiet on the Ola front and there don't seem to be any new links to AM's, sure his achievements so far in the window have been excellent but I would say we should be prioritising a AM over a CB. He could be thinking that our midfield is okay, and this move is more about filling in a gap in the defence rather than tactics. Personally I don't think our midfield is 100% there.
Just because you aren't hearing about things, it does not mean they are not happening. Also, I've no idea why you think signing a new centre back signals a potentially more defensive approach? It is just improving the options we have in that area.
In the little I've seen of him, I've actually been pretty impressed with Sorensen, so I'd be pleased with that if the fee's sensible. As to the attacking midfielder, I really hope something comes off, but I'm kind of resigned to it not now. I do wonder whether we're still trying to woo Toivonen.
My post wasn't a statement of belief, if you read it you will find it contains an open question!, at no point have I said that I think CH will play defensively I just asked what others thought I like to speculate on such things, that's what the transfer window is all about after all!
