I know what you mean, I keep waiting for a story bout Harry Redknapp coming back to dual-management role for Spurs and England!
So the Metro and the Mirror are running the story that we have submitted a 24m bid for Granite Xhaka. Now he's a quality player, would fit into our squad well. However the thing is another Box to Box/ deep plying midfielder is not exactly a priority right now. A TOP class centre forward and a CB should be priorities but knowing Arsene we will probably end up splashing 30-35 million on a player like Goetze and ignore the areas we actually need to prioritise.
The full-back positions are other areas we need to be looking at, as well. Monreal is 31 next season and although Gibbs is at a good age, some rumours are suggesting that he's looking for a move away. We need to be prioritising that position. Then at right-back, we only really have Bellerin. Chambers can play there too, but Wenger has said he sees his future in midfield or as a central-defender. I think we need more players than some people think. IMO we need about 5 players in the Summer transfer window if we truly want to compete. I'd expect no more than 3 players coming in though. Which won't be enough.
This is who we should realistically have hopes of signing if we showed some drive and ambition (could hopefully get at least a few of): LB - Ricardo Rodriguez CB - Aymeric Laporte CM - William Carvalho LWF - Dimitri Payet CF - Breel Embolo (really can't see Aube wanting to leave Dortmund, or them selling) However, this is who Wenger will probably sign: CAM: Goetze CAM: Fekir CAM: Tielemans CAM: Draxler
Fullback positions never really worry me. Something Wenger seems to have a really good understanding of. Besides isn't Jenksinson back in the Summer? Bellerin and Jenkison Monreal and Gibbs Chambers as cover. I would be happy with a Striker and a CB. Ibrahimovic/Lukaku/Cavani - want someone who can hold the ball up and fit straight into our side. Hummels/Stones/Rudiger - Someone physically capable to match the leagues more powerful forwards. Hummel would be my choice as he's a natural leader and would added some much needed calmness to our defending.
Does anyone else think that a loan move might be best for the Ox? A 6 month loan deal to a club where he's not under a lot of pressure could allow him to play with confidence and come back to us with a massive confidence boost ?
Yep. I reckon this could be a really good option. I know he's had a poor season, but I still think he's got it in his locker to make it at the very top. He needs a sustained run in the team (or another team). Don't think we should sell him just yet.
His comments don't inspire confidence in the up coming summer transfer market but then again neither does another season of Wenger. Pretty much the same old comments coming out from him so nothing new to take from them, better to put him on mute to be honest. Like all good politicians, he's trying to detract from us bollocking up the title challenge and potentially ending below Spurs. Sometimes I'd rather hear something passionate than the usual sanitised borefest.
Have to say Wengers recent comments do really piss me off. “If you look at the top three, you’ll see that the teams have not changed a lot." - Really? Leicester, Tottenham and Arsenal. That's a 66% change on last Season. Arsenal the only constant. “The core is not good enough? That’s an outside point of view. We have again to analyse it in an objective way. And this team has won many games and the quality of many games was at top level" - To be honest I don't think we have been 'TOP level' at any point in 2016. We looked excellent from September to late October 2015 - but that's it. “We have to strengthen, but it is not obvious, despite the money the English clubs will have, to find the players who will strengthen your squad. We will of course work very hard to do that and we are already working, but we have to find the players. It’s not easy". - I mean its blatantly ****ing obvious that we need TOP quality centreforward. It makes me concerned that perhaps Wenger might not see that. But at least he has admitted we do need to strengthen. The problem is we have a good squad and only TOP class players will improve us. But these don't come cheap and Wenger doesn't like to spend. There's a paradox here that could keep us in limbo once again.
If you're a manager who thinks Elneny and Welbeck are players who improve the quality of your squad rather than just pad it out then I don't see how you can also say that is tough to find the required quality to strengthen. There are dozens of 8/10 players like those two out there in every position.
Pretty sure he meant that us and Leicester haven't changed our teams much (although he's wrong) not that the same teams are there. I think he's managing expectations on buying players for next season.
Very little but all the reports and reputed stat collecting sites like whoscored.com have him as a top class player for the past two seasons. Why?Have you watched him play full 90 a lot?Are you of the conclusion he is all hype?
Absolutely no clue about him. But I'd just rather Wenger didn't waste any more transfer money given that whoever he signs would likely make little to no impact on how our season would go next year. Just leave our kitty alone for our next manager to spend next summer.
Does anyone really see Arsene going next year? I reckon the board will offer another 2 years contract. They seem quite happy with the mediocre performances so far and as long as Silent Stan keeps getting a good dividend on his investment there is no pressure to change.
