Arsenal Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2013/14

keano_afc wrote: »

All joking aside, can we name 18 players for Saturday? We have a squad of 24 according to arsenal.com, but that includes Bendtner, Park, Frimpong and a couple of other no marks.

Inc Diaby in that. Hasn't kicked a ball since March.
This week's stupid International friendlies are no help either. Santi heading to Paraguay FFS.
Our squad is paper thin.

Deleted User wrote: »

Ah go on then

Szcz

Sagna
Mert
Kos
Gibbs

Arteta
Wilshere
Ramsey

Santi
Walcott
Giroud

Bench: Fab, Monreal, Jenks, Oxo, Rosicky, Pod, Sanogo(!)

That actually not bad weakest link being Sanogo but we really badly need a couple of signings and especially a CF come on Arsenal get the finger out, as much as I hate to say it I don't think we will be panic buying but I'm getting the feeling more and more were going to let our deals come right down to the wire, and also that a few of them may be depending on the games against Fenerbache.

I used to post on Garythegooners site but I left it because I got fed up with all the conspiracy theorists and anti Wenger posters. Which kind of makes what I'm about to post slightly painful and against all I have been sure of over the last number of years. I hope I'm wrong about this. I wrote here some time ago that we are no longer a big club. I'm not saying that our traditions and ethos have lessened - I'm saying we are no longer considered a major player or force to be reckoned with among the elite of European, possibly even English football. We cannot attract big players - the only players we consider are the players that other elite clubs don't want or wish to discard. We were told that we have the wherewithal to sign any target we wish and that we could afford to compete wages wise with other teams. We can't and we don't. If it was a shoot up between Madrid and us for Suarez who would he choose. Like wise Rooney - likewise Sweinsteiger - likewise Benzema. My point is whilst all of us have been saying money is dictating who goes where, the fact is top players don't choose Arsenal because they don't believe they will have success at Arsenal or believe in Arsene's philosophy. We don't attract top players. We're all getting excited over the imminent arrival of Gustavo - but in fact Bayern don't want/don't need him. It was the same story with Higuan - a good player but not a world class player. We are buying players who are under the radar of top clubs or players who are considered not good enough for those clubs. Then if they prove their worth with Arsenal they are being lured away - we can't even keep the players that we have nutured.

This was a summer when I believed we would show our ambition and the club would be vindicated for the previous years of financial prudence - by affording investment to strengthen our squad and challenge realistically in all competitions. Never has the time been so right for solid and ambitious investment - all our major Premiership rivals are in transition as are most of our European rivals. We have a solid base and with two or three marque signings could has added incredible strength and depth. We didn't and now I don't believe we will. We should have been looking at the very best players in England, Europe and South America, drawing up our list and then targeting them. Similar to how Ferguson targeted Van Persie - he knew he needed him and he got him. If Madrid want Bale they WILL get him - they got Ronaldo. Barca got Neymar - Bayern got Goetze and will get Lewandowski. We won't get players like this. We won't press for them and we won't be ambitious enough to even try. If Utd sign Bale, Fellani or Baines why would we not go for these players? If they're good enough for Utd/City/Chelsea are they not good enough for us - or is it that we are conceding that there's no point to bid as they wouldn't be interested. Our board of directors have told us we have the money - obviously we're not convincing these players of our ambition or commitment.
Even if it's a case that we can't attract the bigger names why have we missed out on Vertonghen (bad miss on Arsene's behalf) - David Villa - Reus - etc. Is it really a fact that our club is so bad at doing business that we are missing out on the type of player we used to be able to identify whilst others overlooked or didn't even spot their potential? It's not that long ago that I read that Denis Bergkamp had recommended Erikksen as an Arsenal aquisition. Likewise there have been players in France - Grenier. But we seem to have lost our clout or appeal to attract even promising players.

I apologise if this sounds all doom and gloom but I can assure you all I'm not a glory hunter. I don't want Arsenal to turn into a City/Chelsea/PSG/Monaco and try and buy a league. But I would like to see some ambition shown by our manager and board - or should I say proven by them. If we don't sign at least one significant name then I think we have as fans been slighted and insulted. Ivan should have kept his mouth shut. Like many of you guys here I travel over to see our team play every season - I support them through thick and thin and have done since 1968 when I was a kid. Am I asking too much now for a club who are in such a strong financial position to give us back what we have put in by investing in our club?

f*cking hell Arsenal why can't we just close a deal!

speedboatchase wrote: »

If he goes to Napoli this place will explode.

Looking at Deans tweets there he has said in the last hour that he has heard our verbal offer was accepted its down to the player and personal terms.

I find it unusual that the player is making a statement on his future. I don't think that would happen if he was coming to us, considering how cloak and dagger we usually are about our rare dips into the transfer market.

re Dzeko - i don't think that's a go-er it looks to me that Pellegrini rates him.
As for Michu, well they'll look for top dollar - not that I care at this stage about value etc.
Wenger is looking worse and worse for leaving things so late.
As Ugsparky said the club should be giving back to the fans, is it wrong to suggest that after a few years of sh1te that we deserve an exciting signing to make us believe that we can compete?

As it stands with the squad so thin there's nobody who thinks we can.

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Just out of interest (and for quoting over the course of the season :pac: ) I wonder what everyone thinks of the following:
1) How much will we spend before the transfer window closes?
2) How many first 11 and back-up players will we sign before the transfer window closes?
3) If we sign no-one then where do people expect us to land in the league let's say after 10 matches, at the end of the year and at the end of the season?

1. £74m
2. 2 first 11 2 back up
3. After 10 top 4 end of season top 6