After reading this http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20521275 it made me think about what I would do, so thought I would ask all of you as well. The only rules are that it has to be realistic and reasonable. If Theo doesnt want to sign Id sell him as theres no point in keeping him there and him leaving in the summer for free. Id use the money to buy Nani as a proven successful player in the PL. (I'll wash my mouth out later) I'd sell Giroud, who despite working hard is not good enough imo. Id replace him with Ba (or even better, someone like Huntelaar if available within budget) and maybe add this Charlie Austin guy from Burnley in the bbc list I'd also sell Diaby if we can get a good offer as I've lost patience with him after years of injuries and replace him in the squad with one of a number of players who could give at least as much over a season, possibly a player around 20 or so to replace Arteta in the long term who is already over 30, or at least challenge Coq for that place. If we did those deals it would be fairly cheap and if the likes of Arshavin go as well we could still make the profit that Wenger/the board love so much. The only certainty would be to replace Giroud in the first team with a proven goal scorer.
Glad you aren't the Arsenal manager. "Well I was surfing the net and came across this Charlie Austin guy on the BBC website. I've decided to sell Giroud for a packet of crisps and a Bradford ticket and get this guy".
Football manager - Falcao and Fellani Realistically - Ba and Sissoko (didn't know his contract was expiring in the summer) Wenger - Zaha.
Man U are rumoured to want Zaha so I dont feel he is realistic anymore. But Ba has a £7m release clause which is why I had him as a reasonable buy. Just a question for you. Why has no one given any consideration of what they would do and only said what they would not do. Its even more unreasonable than JA606 on here today!
First things first - Walcott needs to sign a new deal. I'd offer him around the 85k a week mark - if he insists on more than that i'd offer him the opportunity for his wage to rise to an 100k cap over the first two years of his contract based on performances. We need him to sign. Then i'd put in an offer for Isco. I think we need one more tricky player who can play outwide or in the middle - this would give us good options going forward. I'd like to bring in a top, top quality striker, preferably one who can play wide if needed. Previously i had though Huntelaar might be the man, but he has signed a new contract. I'd only want someone of the level of Llorente/Cavani/Villa - otherwise it is not worth bringing in a striker - all of podolski, walcott and giroud can play to a good standard as the front man. It is not worth buying any more half decent strikers - we need a top, top quality signing up front. If none is available then wait for the summer. And i'd also possibly bring in M'villa or a similar player to sure up the midfield. This would mean Rosicky and Diaby could be used sparingly and actually make them more effective and useful - as opposed to over relying on them and then them getting injuries. In particular Diaby should be played how Ledley King was at the spuds. I'd also bring in Henry on loan - even having him around the players is good for them and he is still a quality player - useful to throw on for 20mins in search of a goal. So in summary, Walcott, Henry, Isco - first three things to get sorted nice and quickly. Then M'villa and a top striker (Villa would be my choice) if it's possible. If we don't bring in another midfield player we need to be very careful how we manage our squad to avoid injuries.
I definately wouldn't sell Giroud though - think you might be jumping the gun a little there. He has 8 goals and a ton of assists (im pretty sure he is second in the assists rankings for the CL isn't he?) in just under half a season in his first season in a new league. I think he has done well. He gives us what Chamakh should have - a real aeiriel threat, height, strength etc... I'd get rid of Park, Chamakh and Arshavin before worrying about off-loading one of our latest signings who in the 5 months he has been in the country seems to be settling into the team well. If we signed a new striker then Giroud would be a brilliant back-up, he is the best striker we have at the club at the moment in my opinion (until Walcott has been given a chance to show off through the middle at least!). So i think seling him this soon would be a mistake. It would also send the message to new players that unless they immediately explode onto the scene in the EPL that we will sell them on - doesn't make it an attractive career move if you have such little job security that if in 5 months u haven't been sensational your out of the job!
Yeh thank god you aren't the arsenal manager, you would sell giroud after 6 months??? any football fan knows that some players take longer than others to adapt, look at vidic and drogba. And selling diaby, are you mad? i would hold onto diaby for as long as possible because he may get to a stage where he gets rid of his injury worries and he will be a top player when that happens. What would have happened if we had done the same thing with rvp a few years ago when he had his injury worries, and yeh wenger has said that we aren't going to sign ba and huntelaar has signed a new deal with schalke.
Ok, I accept I may be jumping the gun about selling Giroud, but I have only said that about a few players in the past including Squillaci, Denilson and other flops. When Denilson was playing regularly I was calling for Song to replace him long before many others, I think that was on the old bbc 606. It just hasnt happened for him yet and I dont think he has the speed of movement or thought required to be a top PL striker. But even having said that I would only sell hm to use the money towards a better replacement. Time will tell if Im right, but how long would you want to give him before you decide enough is enough? On another note, are you happy with Djourou as 4th choice CB. A lot of people think he should be replaced on some forums but I think we are lucky to have a CB of his quality who has stayed at the club despite limited opportunities and think it is unlikely we would get anyone better for that far down the pecking order.
Personally, I would sell Chamakh, Arshavin, Fabianski and Squillaci. Then I would tie down Theo to a good contract. Bring in: Llorente/Benzema. I like Giroud he's a decent player but he's just not sharp enough to really excel in a top league. (He's a 15 goals a season workhorse - a good backup and impact player for the squad) Wenger has been a fan of Benzema for a long time. I've always thought he would suit our style of play perfectly. Llorente is also a good option and with only six months left on his contract could be a January bargain. Yann Mvila. France's bad boy. Having issues at Rennes we could get him on the cheap if we move now. A year ago he was being linked with a 30 million pound move to Barca. Wenger can handle this kind of player. He's strong, aggressive athletic and technically superb. With the right coaching could be a world beater.
It's simple really. 1. Either get Theo to sign or sell him now. 2. Bring in a replacement or just buy a winger who can cross 3. Buy Moussa Sissoko. He's Diaby without the brittle bones. 4. Get Henry on loan again. Good for morale, and good for the books too, think how many more shirts we'll sell. 5. Get a LB. Anyone will do. Gibbs needs backup. 6. Don't sell Sagna, keep at all costs.
2. You've been listening to the English press to much. Firstly we dont play wingers, Secondly Oxo can cross as well as anybody and thirdly; Giroud is the only player that would really benefit from playing like that. The rest of the team would suffer if we started playing like Stoke. How many crosses do you see Barca or Dortmund firing in? Personally, I would rather we stuck to the footballing approach and just bought in a TOP drawer striker who would benefit from Carzorla and Wilshere's creativity.
Still want to sell Giroud? lol, like 2 goals in 5 mins on the pitch and almost a hatrick within 20 mins!
Not bad, but not a top goal scorer that a club like Arsenal should have. How many has he got in the league? I've had a look and it looks like he now has 6 league goals in 19 games, but please correct me if I'm wrong. As we're half way through the season lets double it and it gives 22 in all competitions and 12 in the league. IN fact, even treble it to give 18 in the league for a season and its still welll below what we should expect from a central striker at a club like Arsenal. But to be fair, on todaqys performance against a Newcastle side who were tiring in their second tough game in a few days he may deserve a place on the bench, he can be our super sub.
Some people forget it's Giroud's first season. I've never been as sure about a player making it as I am with Giroud.
I like Giroud, he works hard and seems to have a good attitude but for me he's not a TOP level striker. The play slows down too much when he receives the ball and he lacks the sharpness in front of goal that most TOP strikers have. Giroud is a 15 goal a Season guy.IMO When you compare him to target men like Gomez, Huntelaarr, Llorente, Dzeko, Cavani etc.. Its clear that is in fact the case.
