"Willian and Lamela are NOT related to the Bale money - but there is an offer on the table, which may be taken." Cannot see how both can be bought without Bale being sold.
Maybe with the influx of tv money and the opening of the American market it's good business. But who knows, as you say. The one thing I'm concerned about is that the 30 million went to a winger and not a playmaker. If we had a Moutinho or a Mata I'd be a lot more confident about this year. I'd be a lot more confident about this year if I knew Carroll would get a good run. I also said Chadli was crap against Palace, but might have added he was good for Belgium against France, including one sequence when he got himself into acres of space, dribbled in, and left a perfect backheel to send de Bruyn in clear on goal. But he was crap against Palace in a way which turns fans against players--trying out his repertoire of moves when everyone else was trying to graft three points. I don't imagine it wins you many friends in the dressing room either, and he might do well to work extra hard and keep his repertoire a little more limited in the near future.
Oh wow, the depth of your squad Holtby for me seems a good player, needs some game time though, same with Chadli, can't write them off right now, they're the sort of players you've brought in to develop, at the moment they make good squad players at the very least.
On the other hand, rumor has it we're selling a player not quite as good as RVP, if a few years younger, for three times what Arsenal sold RVP for...
and ironically RVP was the one man team before he was sold. Bale was the one man team last year. is there anyone we can setup to be our one man team this year and then cash in.
Time was when, every year or so, there was Taarabt in the press talking about how he'd "consider" a move to Barcelona or Real Madrid. Actually a short while ago I'm sure I remember him saying that he'd be open to an offer from Arsenal. I couldn't believe the lack of ambition in the lad. Player like him, who had a couple of good touches on his debut about six years ago - why so modest? I assume that Fulham is just a stepping stone for him to get to Bayern Munich. Still a highly promising player many experts think he might be the star of the 2054 World Cup. Which will be held undersea. In three two-week installments throughout the year.
Sorry, I don't understand. Better than he is? At what? Football? I'm talking about Adel Taarabt here. You know - THE Adel Taarabt?!
So what does Baldini do at the end of this summer spending mayhem ? Just put his feet up and watch the salary cheques coming in til he's 65 ?
This is a guy who is not here for a decent payday. This is a guy who is not here for an easy ride, he knows his stuff and he means business. Believe me when I say, he is the best signing we have made in years. When he talks, people listen, he is so knowledgable and already he has taken our signings to a new and higher level. I can't speak highly enough of the man, other than to say if the previous transfer policy had continued, we would most certainly not be in the great situation we are in today.
Don't get me wrong - I wasn't being critical of him in the least. My point is that by the end of the transfer window we're going to have made about 10 years worth of signings in one summer. On that basis, I can't see us being in the market for new players for a long time. So what will Mr Baldini do ?
At all levels, football clubs are always looking to improve, stand still and you'll always get caught out. Managers will always want another couple of players, and so his search to get us to the next level, and then keep us there, will continue. But his role is not just about the first team, it is also about the teams beneath. We feel we have a stable infrastructure in our youth set up, but the fact remains we continue to fail to produce an acceptable number of home grown players. Baldini will be overseeing this, looking at areas where we can improve. I could go on, but I am sure you get my drift.
In fact iI will go on. He wants players to be watched a minimum of 25 times before we even consider making a bid. He wants background checks on every player we watch - what is their social status, what is their weaknesses on he pitch and off it. This wasn't in place before he arrived and no stone will be left unturned before this guy will even consider recommending to Levy that we should consider buying.
I really like the sound of that. I'm sure that a player's character really does make a difference to how he does on the pitch. And intelligence too. I was impressed, for example, that Sandro hired a psychologist before he came to the UK to help him adapt. That speaks of a player being committed, intelligent and open-minded. I was under the impression a while back that Wenger treats character as a big factor in deciding transfer targets and wondered why it wasn't more common.
