Transfer Rumours Transfer Rumours Thread

I think there are a few things that make the more cynical believe that the transfer window hasn't been a success.

1. We are so used to whining about transfer windows that it is just habit by now. We signed 2 forwards, replaced Vermaelen (who hardly played at all last year), replaced Sagna (with at least the same quality), and didn't lose anyone else significant.
2. We are so used to Walcott and Diaby being injured that we feel they have to be replaced even when they are going to be potentially fit for most of the season.
3. Arteta doesn't fit in with most of our perceptions of a DM, he isn't fast or big, or a box to box type, yet the stats prove that he is one of the best DMs in the league. I think we just have to get over it.
4. Predicting not winning, is always a more successful proposition than predicting winning.

 

Or maybe it's that our transfer windows are continuously poor?

Are they? How many fit seasons have those two had exactly?

I don't care about the stats. Find someone who doesn't think we need to strengthen at centre mid. Arteta is not great.

Incorrect. We win more games than we don't. Therefore you'd be right more often by predicting a win every time.

 

My take on the transfer window is that the reinforcements on the attacking side have been excellent, while the ones on the defensive side are risky as ****. That's not to say that I'm disappointed with Chambers, Debuchy or Ospina, rather it's that more should have come in; a pool of six players to fulfil defensive duties is scary. Also, some plan needs to be in place to bring in someone who can fulfil Arteta's role in his absence/when he's passed his prime. January needs to be an active month on this front. Overall, a B- from me.

I'm looking forward to seeing what Welbeck can do. My understanding is that he rarely played as centre forward for United, and the hope is that Wenger will deploy him there and give him time to flourish. There have been positive noises made about him from SAF, Phelan and Meulensteen - who all worked with him - so I'm confident.

 

If I had to give this window a rating it would be 6 / 10. We made some really good signings. Sanchez, Debuchy, Chambers, Ospina and Welbeck. But the DM and CB position still need to be addressed and we look really light at the back. I guess we can always recall Jenkinson if we need to. But we shouldn't have gone into the new season in this way.

 

Thats probably about right, but its inexcusable, I believe, not to have addressed the CB and DM postions.......

 

I think i'd give it around that too due to the CB and DM issue. To be honest we should recall Jenks now. I think you will agree that having a green 19 year old covering both RB and CB is a little risky. What happens if Chambers has a dip in form, which could easily happen due to his age. He is still in the process of development, and throwing him into the deep end isn't the best way in my opinion. He isn't even fully physically developed yet!

 

The problem is we evidently left it til the last day in an attempt to get cheaper deals.

Which is frankly just typical Arsene.

There's reports we made bids for 5 defensive players on deadline day but didn't get them done.

 

The guy loves a deal doesn't he! What's funny is he spends loads on Sanchez and Welbeck but doesn't bring the core standard players like CBs and DMs. It's almost like he doesn't want to look at the defensive side and just thinks ATTACK!!!!

 

A lot of sauces claiming we tried to offer Sporting Campbell + money for Carvalho on monday

We'll never know for sure who the club try to buy though..

 

There was another rumour that we couldn't get the Carvalho transfer done because of problems over third party ownership. I did see the rumour about offering £16million + Campbell for him though

 

I think most would have it about there but if the Sanchez, Debuchy, Ospina and Chambers signing sbeen done late in the window I think most would have it higher.
I give AW massive credit for getting some serious business done early, I also give him credit for bringing in what is probably a very good striker, where I think he's failed is believing that Arteta and Flamini are the holding midfielders for the season and another CB wasn't needed.
I firmly believe we needed a top quality striker with Giroud fit, and had the Frenchman not gone lame I'm sure we wouldn't have gone in for Welbeck.

If you grade the window overall I'd probably have it around a 7, if Chambers stays fit and performs at the level he is currently at, and Flamini/Arteta are fit until May and avoid suspension, he may just get lucky we have a successful season and AW is considered a genius, my fear is we're an injury away from serious problems....

 

By the same token, if the Welbeck deal had been done earlier (say with more than a week to spare), it would have been rated lower - the "last minute relief" factor works both ways.

 

You posted this 25/11/2012 and it still holds true. Where is our DM

 

We can't kidnap players and make them come here.

Arteta's stats are out of this world. Ramsey is playing out of his skin. Flamini and Wilshere are not terrible options. Any player coming in risks sitting on the bench for the majority of the season, certainly for the big games, unless he plays right up to top form, and learns the pace of the PL straight away.

I doubt this is a case of money. This is about players wanting first team football. As much as some fans want to disrespect all our players, we were winning when everyone was fit. Most of the targets that were mentioned in the window are not the sort of people who just want to play in cup games and if someone is injured. Many of them know that midfielders cant walk into a team in England and be first choice as soon as they arrive. many never fit in.

Hell, look at Fellaini, he would have been many people's ideal DM. Cant play worth a toss at MU. Stop thinking finding a player is easy.

 

We just about finish 4th every season, some of these players can't be quite as top level as you make out. unless you think the management is the problem?

 

No they're not. Compare to actual quality deep central midfielders and he loses. He's merely 4th place quality. That's the problem. Compare our central midfield pair to the best in England (Toure/Fernandinho/Fernando and Matic/Fabregas). This is why we get overrun against the best teams. Good enough for 4th, not good enough to win.

Actually slightly out of form right now if you've watched him... but yes, he is a top player.

No-one says they're terrible. They're just not title-winning options. They're squad options who will help us get 4th. Who should be behind a top player in centre mid... not behind Arteta.

Only if they're not really good enough for holding the centre mid and only suitable for finishing 4th. Like Arteta, Wilshere and Flamini.

No we weren't, we were finishing 4th. What is your definition of 'winning'?

Matic, Fernandinho, Toure, Fabregas. All walk straight into centre mid. Admittedly we don't need someone like Fabregas but still...

Fellaini is still a very good football player, he's just barely played and rarely ever in his best position when he does.




it's such a kop out nowadays to say it's hard to find the right players. In fact it's just straight out of the Wenger book of excuses. Players move all the time. Very good players. For not extortionate amounts of money. It's just so very rarely us they move to.

Recent moves:
Ginter - £8m
Fernando - £15m
Kondogbia - £20m
Balotelli - £16m
Mandzukic - £18m
And to a lesser extent... Manolas - £10m, Bony - £12m

 

It's all down to expectations. If you're happy with 4th then you're going to be happy with players like Arteta, Flamini, Giroud etc.

 

Whoops... replying to myself now.

 

What's your alt account you forgot to log in to?

 

My alt is ToledoTrumpton