Ok, so lesson learned from yesterday is that no one wanted to shoot the shit with me about famous warlords.
So, today, let’s talk about PLAYER SIGNINGS!
That handsome chap at the top of the screen is our new reserve right back. He’s dropped 250 appearances in Serie A, the most since 2008. He’s the fourth most capped player in the entire history of football played in Switzerland, and he’s one a bucket load of trophies.
Unai Emery had this to say on his first acquisition.
“Stephan brings huge experience and leadership to our squad. He’s a player with great quality with a very positive and determined attitude. Stephan will improve us on and off the pitch.”
Get in son!
I’m excited about his signing. This isn’t some tin pot player like Silvestre, this is a smart defender who has played at the highest level in Europe. He’s played in super complex systems for Conte and Allegri. He’s a winner.
We don’t need him to play more than 25 games next season and that’ll be more than enough. He’s here to help change the culture of the dressing room. He’s here to hold players accountable. He’s here to bring a bit of winning dust to the Arsenal.
The next player rumoured to be joining is Sokratis. The big Greek is coming in from Dortmund after turning down United.
“There was interest from United but he had to wait until July for them,”
“United have a very good relationship with Dortmund, the teams talked but Sokratis chose to go to Arsenal.
Clearly he’s had a word with Mikki about Jose and chosen to be reunited with Dortmund 2.0. Again, the signing isn’t Unmtiti, but it’s a solid one regardless. Forgetting last season, if you read the read ups, people and online magz were talking him up as a hardcore competitor and a good passer of the ball. He’s played under Klopp so he understands the gegenpress. He’s also experienced the madness of Thomas Tuchel and he was the favoured centre back during his first year in charge. Key with this guy is his leadership, he was the AEK Athens captain at 19. He’s known for unshakeable self-belief. That’ll be much needed at AFC this season.
As Matt and I opined on the podcast last night. Both are super pragmatic signings, but if you look at our business over January to now, it’s not terrible. I’ve read people say we’re doing West Ham like deals… well, I’m not so sure about that. I’m willing to give Diamond Eyes a chance, and as many people that work in and around the club will tell you, Arsenal aren’t that far away from being a very good side.
We have a lot of stars or stars in the making. We have 50 goals in two players in our frontline. We have 20 assists in Ozil if he turns up. We have 15 goals and 10 assists in Ramsey if he can stay fit. Arsenal are trying to do work on the back 5 at the moment. I think Sokratis could prove to be a very solid signing who could help shepherd in Mavrapanos. I think the Swiss is going transmit knowledge into the other players. We’re building in solidity into a starting 11 that didn’t have any balls. I still can’t quite believe we won’t sign a ball playing keeper, that feels imperative for a team that’ll need to play out of the back, but it’s early doors.
I’m also not quite sure about the Fellaini deal. He’s been playing clogger football under Mourinho. I think there are probably additional levels to his game. But you can’t help but look at him coming to Arsenal as anything outside hiring in a professional piece of shit-housery. Still, worth noting that he’s 29 years old, he’d be free, he’d do a very specific job for us and United and Juve are both interested. He’d be great off the bench, he’d be great away in tough games and he’s given our midfield something it doesn’t have in terms of size and strength.
It’s also notable that we’re hiring in players like Yacine Adli. If we start to build out the youth team with players who can push within a season or two, we have our succession plan for the old players that’ll be retiring in 3 years. Key here is the players have people they can learn from. Our young players have been left to rot in a zero coaching setup. Now they’ll be learning from the staff and players. They will be held accountable and pushed like never before. That’s a smart strategy.
It’s clear the club is trying to change the dynamic of the dressing room, and their clear goal for next season is to make top 4 so they can invest proper money in elevating positions.
I can get behind that plan. We need incremental wins. We’re not going to be able to challenge from the league in the first year. We have to be real about where we are as a club, and how much work needs to be done.
This is pure play pragmatism. We are in a three-year plan. This isn’t going to be tika-taka football all the way. The club are addressing spirit, culture and the glaring lack of know-how left by Arsene Wenger.
Basically, shut up and support the new post-Wenger infrastructure.
Right, listen to our return podcast because it is SO GOOD and I’ll see you tomorrow morning.
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Look. it’s not going to happen, Arsenal won’t go out and spend money on transfers the way the elite Clubs here and in Europe do. not while Stan is owner, and maybe never.
The window of opportunity closed, other clubs have caught us up and passed us. Thank you, Arsene, and thank you, Stan.
Emery has to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. That is why we should applaud the prudent moves he is making.
Marko Fellaini can play in several positions and his physical presence would be an asset. Is he the future? No,. Is he an affordable ,useful stop gap? Yes, possibly. Of course this begs the question: why is Arsenal fc, the 6th richest football team in the world buying older, stop gap type players? We should all know the answer to that by now. It certainly isn’t because Unai Emery chooses not to spend money made available to him to prove he can win things with kids and average players. Anyway, Until the ownership changes ,we are stuck with things as… Read more »
The acquisition of both Lichsteiner and Sokratis will add experience, some stability and hopefully leadership onfield at the club. Offield I hope that Emery will add a “gameplan” something which has been lacking at the club in recent years. However, the point is now reached where the club needs to refrain from further investments “in elder statesmen” players and any additional recruitment should be in the 21-25 age range. Players like Aldi who will be 18 in July are obviously investments for the future, but no-one believes seriously that he is likely to be playing next season more than a… Read more »
Gelson Martins being linked quite a bit, would make sense considering he is a pacey winger and also with our new look for an opportunity sort of transfer approach it may be Arsenal try to take advantage of Sporting’s situation.
MfaberJune 5, 2018 17:08:39 Good post I was thinking similar about pace & physicality Loyika “No one is being unrealistic about how Arsenal works with transfers, Arsene’s going is not suddenly going to change the way we spend money. What the club has to do is be smart with how we spend, but painting a “Freebie” as some sort of “Wow!” just smacks of hypocracy (regardless of whom that player is) because we would all cry wolf if this signing were done way back.” Nail on head buddy! The hierarchy is still the same and Wenger imo was only part… Read more »
I see the club are going in the right direction. A lot of the fans aren’t on board the lichtsteiner, sokrates signing. But what I think Arsenal are trying to do at the moment is get in a stop gap player for the defense and get a long term, permanent player for the Midfield. if our budget is to be believed then, I would much prefer that we use that money to clog the midfield problem we have had. defenders price do not hike as high as a midfielders so to get temporary solutions for the defence and a permanent… Read more »
bernd Leno for 20m.. get it done..
You don’t go 14 seasons without being a real club and then show up and sign marquee players. Signing stop gap players was always the first step. That’s what the Wenger In idiots never understood. They were supporting a man out of sentimentality and too stupid to realize that with every season he stayed on the re-build job would be just that much harder.
I’m afraid I don’t go along with this “no players over the age of 30” philosophy. One of Arsenal’s/Arsene’s main problems over these past twelve years is believing that by investing in youth, we are protecting our future. Players are now fitter, stronger and far more capable of playing on into their late 30’s. Experience/leadership is paramount for any team, and although I’m all for promoting youth from within, I feel greater emphasis must be placed on trusting in players who could offer far more to the club, even if it’s on a shorter term basis. Lichtsteiner and Sokrates can… Read more »
Tits
No point dwelling on the “idiots”.
They will just have to live with it.
Donyel malen
Where is he now
Was going to be the big Dutch hope.
He joins
Aderliade as to another of wengers yoot signings that fade ….
No more oldies eh ES. You were signifying your concern about the age of the squad before the Sokratis and Lichtsteiner signings. Now they signed it’s alright though. No more. But if Arsenal sign one more oldie that will be ok. No more oldies after that one. And so on and so on lol I was only stating in the other post yesterday that Lichtsteiner is a back-up to Bellerin. Didn’t even say he was an awful signing said he can be useful at times but there wasn’t good enough for some on here. They want to hear it’s a… Read more »
I always think it can be beneficial to have more mature older experienced players in the spine of the team Cech notwithstanding.
That’s why I can’t understand why so many seem to be against the N’Zonzi signing.
I understand there are the numbers currently to fill the holding midfield but all the signs are that Emery is looking for a physical DM.
I hope this physical DM has the necessary experience and maturity about him.
Atm there is no maturity for this position in the Arsenal squad.
Ishola
You also kept referring to Licht legs have gone. Which may be true. But I ask you how can he be an ok signing then if his legs have gone?
I would of thought at this stage of his career he would be smart enough to get others to do the running around him.
Silverhawk.
Dick Emery was a comedian mid 60s-80s.
He had his own television shows.
Very funny man but a different humour obviously
exists today.
Watch him on U-TUBE.?
Ishola 70 The club now has on its books Cech, Koscielny, Monreal, Lichsteiner and Sokratis who are 30+. Next season Ozil and Mkhitaryan will also be 30. These players have a maximum of 1-3 years at top level and are short term choices for team/squad. Some like Koscielny are also injury prone. None will have a resale value at end of contract. So the club needs to be recruiting in the next age group i.e. 20-25. Personally I do not think that we need to recruit a lot of players, but perhaps a decent midfielder or goalkeeper in that age… Read more »
Ishola
I think that’s right, there might be numbers to fill the CDM role in the team at the moment, but no actual CDM.
That is an absolute must in terms of a buy this summer.
Liverpool apparently in for Soyuncu, not sure I mind that actually.
Watched his highlights against Iran and he had a couple of bad mistakes that could have cost them and against Russia he gifted them a goal. Sure he’s young and all that but we already have enough mistakes in our back 5 as is.
For 35m you need to be a lot better than that imo.
Seems our attention is on Pavard a little at the moment in terms of a young CB, but he will cost a large fee, can be offset though by the sales of Mustafi and Chambers.
“That’s why I can’t understand why so many seem to be against the N’Zonzi signing.”
Because we cant keep signing 29/30 year olds.
If we sign Nzonzi we would pretty much have to replace Auba, Lacazette, Ozil, Mykhitaryan, NZonzi and Sokratis at the same time.
I’m not against N’Zonzi but that would pretty much mean Xhaka is out of the side and we would still need a fast, workhorse in the middle as well like Torreira.
Signing N’Zonzi would basically be admitting failure with Xhaka.
Which I should say I am not against, but it’s just the signing does not cure our midfield problems completely.
At least Chelsea are in now for Seri.
“I love the idea of signing YaYa for a dollar!!! Put him in at CB for Europa and Domestic cup games. ”
Agree!! But if we forget his birthday cake, he will be gone in a heartbeat.
Gambon
The balance is wrong in the team.
Older spine is seen as beneficial but there are players away from the spine that are getting on as well. Attacking players.
Ideally you want some new fresh blood in an attacking forward position(s)
What you don’t want is players who don’t have much maturity in the spine of the team and unfortunately this is the case atm in the holding midfield position.
Is Pavard that good a defender CA?
He’s a bit of a baller know that much.
“Ideally you want some new fresh blood in an attacking forward position(s)”
Which is exactly why i’ve been advocating selling Lacazette and bringing some younger talent in.
“but it’s just the signing does not cure our midfield problems completely.”
Not only that,at least players like Sokratis,Licth,have got experience,leadership along with the winning mentality to make their deals worth the risk and largely more beneficial to the team unlike Nzonzi.
Samesong
“I would of thought at this stage of his career he would be smart enough to get others to do the running around him.”
It’s hard to get others to do the running for you though in the position he plays as FB.
I didn’t say his legs were completely gone otherwise obviously Arsenal wouldn’t sign him but there are indications in the minutes he plays on the pitch that he is slowing somewhat. Maybe not slowing more stamina for 90 mins
Freddie
I agree
In an earlier post I said I was quite happy for chambers and holding to be given time and proper tuition, then perhaps we will see th3 best of 5hem, this soy chap should be a miss out for us.
Other than that let’s judge in January give them all four months to shape up or be shipped out.
Though I can understand the argument against signing players who are around the age of 30, I am personally not bothered in the slightest of their age or whether they have a re sale value… I don’t know why Arsenal fans are so pre occupied with how much we can sell a player for, no other fans from the top 6 clubs are so obsessed with age and re sale value. if the team performs well next season and challenges for the trophies that should be enough to satisfy the fans. Over the next 2/3 years young players can be… Read more »
ES
All I was pointing out to you was that prior to the Sokratis, Licht signing you were saying the squad/team is already old enough and younger players were required.
But now we have two additional older players brought in after your initial statement that the squad is too old you now say that they are good purchases.
Doesn’t seem to be consistency there in your views.
links to goalkeepers gone horribly cold,suspected that would be the case the moment Cech was handed the #1.maybe Emery has seen something to work with in Cech then.
Also signing Nzonzi will improve our midfield defensively immediately…. Disciplined, Very good in the air, good intelligent passer of the ball, positionally good, reads the game well… Nzonzi or someone similar is what we have needed to balance and control the midfield for years.
The argument I have heard against signing him are too old and doesn’t contribute enough attacking wise which to me are bottom of the list for reasons as to why you wouldn’t sign a player of his ilk.
Vic “but it’s just the signing does not cure our midfield problems completely.”Not only that,at least players like Sokratis,Licth,have got experience,leadership along with the winning mentality to make their deals worth the risk and largely more beneficial to the team unlike Nzonzi.” I don’t understand this comment not regarding Sokratis but Lichtsteiner and N’Zonzi. If N’Zonzi is bought he comes as a first team starter without question. Lichtsteiner has been been signed as back-up to Bellerin. How can a player that will see significantly less minutes on the field of play be more beneficial than a player who is seen… Read more »
“I don’t know why Arsenal fans are so pre occupied with how much we can sell a player for, no other fans from the top 6 clubs are so obsessed with age and re sale value.”
Chelsea have been the most successful team in the PL in the last 10 years based mainly on excellent selling of players.
They have spent far less than City & UTD on a net basis, but a significant amount on a gross basis, which has allowed them to continually buy top players despite a much smaller budget than the Manchester teams.
Pierre and Ishola might just be about the only two posters to rate Nzonzi here,odd that
NZonzi would be a good signing if you dont worry about his age.
He would massively improve the midfield.
If our goals are very much short term (get into top 4, increase the very low standards Wenger had started to accept) then he would be a good signing.
However we have to be careful about getting back into the top 4, then only to fall back out shortly when all these guys get to 32-33.
There needs to be both a short and medium term plan, at the moment we are only really seeing a short term plan.
Explain Vic how Lichtsteiner will be more beneficial to the team even though he has been signed as back-up to Bellerin in comparison to signing N’zonzi who will be signed as an undisputed first team starter.
Lichtsteiner cost nothing
N’Zonzi will be 25-30m.
Oh look Vic.
There is another one that rates N’Zonzi.
And there were plenty of others previously when he was first mentioned.
You’re not paying attention enough Vic or you only see what you want to see.
Ishola
‘Lichtsteiner has been been signed as back-up to Bellerin.’
Except it’s not conclusively given that Bellerin has the right position rubber stamped,wont be surprised in the slightest to see Licth come in straight into the starting 11…Alves is 35/36 and has the PSG rb position on a lock
also think Licth’s top level experience and leadership dwarf whatever Nzonzi will bring to us, sorry
Ishola
Just because a player cost 20/25 million and the other is a free it doesn’t mean he will not be more beneficial to the team.
It’s what happens on the pitch what is most important not how much they cost or are getting paid
Ishola what I see is that you have your head far down Nzonzi’s arse probably because of your absolute dislike of Xhaka who you don’t rate at all.. so the idea of Nzonzi coming to replace your whipping boy has got you wetting your knickers.
Gambon
I get the impression you are being deliberately thick.
Any idiot would know that Chelsea stockpiled players for years and that over the last few years have been recouping their money on them players.
Selling debruyne, Lukaku and salah was not exactly good business was it.
Nzonzi decent with Ishola on that.
But most know that at this time Licht has not been signed to go straight into the first team. He is not an undisputed first team starter signing .
N’Zonzi would be an undisputed first team starter signing.
Therein lies the difference.
I hope this makes it clearer to you Vic.
And at this stage if both were signed this summer to suggest that Lichtsteiner would be more beneficial is a bit silly.
Only someone who is very much anti-N’Zonzi would make such a statement so we know why this pie in the sky comment was made don’t we.
If only Bellerin knew how to cross and shoot we could put licht at rb and Bellerin as our wing forward.
Bellerin is nowhere near good enough offensive though.
I don’t know if Bellerin will step up with good coaching and pressure on his position. I hope so. Last year he was basically a fb version of Walcott…
victorious
I rate N’Zonzi.
I also rate Lichtsteiner.
Beyonce isn’t bad either!!
Ishola 70
What I said was that we had recruited in January two players aged 28/29 and I
did not think that we should continue investing in players who have no resale value.
Arsenal are at the moment the second oldest squad after Chelsea in top 6 with
average age of over 27. You do not want the average age to move up to 28 this
season.
Sure Vic.
I want to see maturity in that holding position. A player that shows maturity on the pitch. Doesn’t even have to be maturity in age although that does mostly come with age and experience.
We have had a holding midfielder that has been learning on the job for two seasons and people wonder why the team suffered these last two seasons.
Victorious
If you don’t rate nzonzi, fair enough.. What I would say is find a link for the man u v sevilla champions league game and you will see a top level performance away at Old Trafford where he bossed fellaini in the air, his distribition was nigh on perfect and was positionally spot on… If you still don’t rate him and dont think he could improve the arsenal midfield then that’s fine.
isohla
you are really pushing the “buy nzonzi” propaganda, but Then on the other hand you come out saying, no one is actually saying to buy him. just drop the nzonzi talk and move on to other players…
Pierre
Is “Stockpiling” the new “Financial Doping” that the AKB use to justify Chelsea outperforming Arsenal?
Stockpiling is code word for “buying good players and selling well”
Both signings improve on our current situation. Lichtsteiner is free and nzonzi isn’t that expensive. I’m comfortable with both joining. Their only major downsides are their ages, but licht is free so no major downside and we already have Bellerin and nzonzi has a good few years left in the tank in all likelihood. Sign both and a quality keeper and then start fishing around for some major prospects under the radar, cheap young players who we can slowly bed in to be long term options. I really don’t see there’s anything wrong with having an older squad if it’s… Read more »
China don’t talk about N’Zonzi
We are under strict orders not to talk about him from gonsterous lol
Regarding the hunt for top 4 next season, let’s not forget that it’s very unusual for all the other top 6 teams to have good seasons at the same time In any given year normally 2-3 of them are either shit or at least disappointing. If we have a solid but unexceptional season we have every chance of making top 4 (no trophy mind lol). But at least we can use the CL money and the platform to attract more top young talent and compete better in the following transfer window We don’t need miracles to make top 4 next… Read more »
At the end of the day, excellent young players who also have serious experience at serious clubs come very pricey most of the time. Unless we want to reignite project youth (makes me com in my mouth a bit) and bank on young players who haven’t won much to deliver us major trophies (very fucking difficult) then it’s better for us to build a serious and competitive platform out of experience and players who know what it means to actually win. Young players coming into that team can get dragged up by the experience around them much better imo. Sure… Read more »
*vom in my mouth
Remember when Arsenal fans used to lose their shit when wenger wouldn’t give a player over 30 more than a years contract – not once did anyone think about resale value back then , now all of a sudden it’s a massive deal like it directly affects our personal bank accounts …… now people are shitting themselves about buying a 29 yo !! If we buy Sokratis for 15 mill , How long do you think it would take arsenal as a business to make that 15 mill back ? How much do we earn on a home match day… Read more »
Gambon
“Stockpiling is code word for “buying good players and selling well”
Gambon, in your honest opinion, do you think selling Lukaku, de bruyne and salah is good business.
Chelsea did buy well 5/10 because they had a shit load of money to buy well so they could afford to make mistakes in the market.
I wouldn’t say buying morata, babayako, giroud and that Leicester midfielder are a case of buying well, would you.
The problem with arsenal is there is little pragmatism.
Most of what the club has done for the last decade is built on hedging long bets and outright praying they pay off.
Let’s take some shorter odds for once and not build our club on a hope and a prayer. A bit of pragmatism will do wonders for us right now
As I wrote I have no issue with signings of Lichsteiner and Sokratis. Both are solid players, but they are short term solutions with no resale value. Lichteiner is cover in right back position where we did not have cover since departure of Debuchy. Sokratis is a centre back who is experienced and probably an upgrade on all the other CBs on our books. Mertesacker has retired and there must be questions about future of Koscielny. However, I would be personally opposed to recruiting Nzonzi. Bringing in yet another player approaching 30 is just finding short term solutions to an… Read more »
“5/10 years ago”
‘Only someone who is very much anti-N’Zonzi would make such a statement so we know why this pie in the sky comment was made don’t we.”
Oh,Except I’m not as ‘anti-Nzonzi’ as you’re ‘anti-Xhaka’.. am I?..you keep on yapping about the qualities of Nzonzi(which are mostly intangibles)…at a stretch you then mention the match against United which was just a one off
We have brought in Licth(34),Sokratis(29) and want a 30 Nzonziyear old added to the pile of oldies…when we could easily target savic,Rabiot,Tolisso,kovacic.huge NO
Good read pedro. They are solid if not spectacular buys. Emery has clearly identified the lack of leadership in the back 4 and is trying to resolve that.
Steady the ship first and foremost.
Ignacio camacho is a decent chap. won’t cost us more than 15m to sign him. not just a great DM but has an eye for a pass. just another example of players available when we don’t limit the DM options to nzonzi or a 50m player…
Did anyone realistically think that Leicester or Chelsea (after finishing tenth, I think, the season before) would win the league…. So yes it can be done if you get the early momentum.
And on the subject of us not being able to gain an extra 12/15 points next season – come on now – we only won one anyway game in 2018 , that’s not our usual away form is it , look at the teams we lost or drew against away , that away form is not likely to happen again so an extra 12/15 points is an easy target – make top 4 then we go from there , we made top 4 without tactics , a game plan or coaching for 20 something years imagine what we could do… Read more »
Pierre
Youre using one year of bad purchases to prove Chelsea dont buy well?
They have won 2 x league titles, 2 x FA Cups, The Champs League and the Europa League in the last 6 years.
Of course their policy is massively successful.
Vic
Rabiot is going to have many suitors after him.
Tolisso will add nothing defensively to the midfield. Nice player but will add nothing defensively.
Kovacic leaving Real Madrid soon is he? To Arsenal? Bit weak in the air that one.
I didn’t say the dreaded N word in all of that either.
Victorious
Personally, I would prefer 2 holding midfielders, similar to what Tottenham use.. Xhaka is a good player but is too often left to fend for himself in midfield.. As I said before, Ramsey has been at the club for ten years and, as yet, has failed to build a partnership with any other Arsenal midfield player… Why is that.
or the tunisian Ellyes Skhiri who’s only 23 years old, has great stats, plays for Montpelier , would cost peanuts, has Ariel ability. give him a season under emery and we’ll have sorted the DM position for years to come…
also if I can find players just looking them up on the internet, how come people in the footballing world, paid millions, can’t come up with players that could fit the system ( cause I suppose they know what system they want to play or implement)?
Sevillas president has publicly stated that Arsenal are welcome to buy N’Zonzi. For his buyout clause of 40 mil euro. So stop with the 20-25 million numbers please. He would cost as much or more than a player like Rabiot or Doucoure that we can get 4-6 years more out of OR sell on for good money. We obviously can’t piss money up the wall on more stop gap players, as evidenced of our scrambling around in the second hand bin this window. Our average age for our starting XI is already over 28 years, why would we need more… Read more »
isohla
you’ll love this.. the kid has long langy legs…
“also if I can find players just looking them up on the internet, how come people in the footballing world, paid millions, can’t come up with players that could fit the system”
Did you ever think these players you are recommending might not be good enough?
Same old, same old
“Personally, I would prefer 2 holding midfielders, similar to what Tottenham use.. ”
Tottenham use 1 holding midfielder.
Gambon
Their policy, of course, is successful… I was just pointing out to you that the fortunes they spent on players 5/10 years ago is the reason why their net spend looks good on paper….
Of course, there is no denying that our buying and selling policy has been poor during that time albeit with a fraction of what some of the others have spent…
gonsterous
As long as he covers ground and is mobile. Unlike what we have atm.
Long langy legs ala N***** and little legs ala Torreira.
Makes no difference.
Gambon
Dembele and wanyama or dier =2 holding midfielders.
Neither get ahead of the ball, neither are interested in scoring goals.. Both control the centre of the pitch and both protect the defence.
2 holding midfielders allow the front 4 to attack with freedom knowing that they are protected by 2, thats TWO, holding midfielders.
Dembele is not a holding midfielder.
“We need pace, power and skill ”
Not necessarily all those for a holding midfielder.
If you can recommend a player that has power, pace and skill but is also defensively sound and positionally cute everyone is listening.
Rabiot is going to be much sought after and by clubs in CL. Big clubs.
Sevilla will only let Nzonzi go for 35 million.
Spending £35 million to sign a 30 year old midfielder is madness. That’s just financial recklessness.
We might as well sign Lucas Torriera from Sampdoria for his release clause of €22.5 million.
We should have been looking at 30m release cause, 22 yo, young defensive leader in Clement Lenglet. Not at 29 yo Sokratis who’s never been top quality anyways. I want our new people with power to succeed more than anyone, but Diamond Eyes and Sanllehi are not giving me much optimism. Bad winter where they could have went all in and try to make transfers that will win us Europa League. We were a good player away from winning vs Atleti. If someone of Auba’s caliber was eligible to play in attack, or we had a winger that can actually… Read more »
That £35 million will cover most of the cost for Doucore.
Nzonzi is a fool’s dream.
Stop the madnesss.
Get Doucore
Sell Elneny and squeeze to get Torriera and we are in business.
Pierre
You are not comparing Dembele/ Dier/Wanyama with a potential Xhaka/N’Z**** partnership are you.
Xhaka and N’Zonzi are incapable of what Dembele does in midfield and he is the permanent fixture in midfield.
Let’s talk plainly
Spending £56 million on a striker that was not qualified to play in the Europa league was UTTER MADNESS. They should have realized that Europa league was our best chance back to the CL and considered that.
We’ve made some crazy bets and lost.
The problem with Doucoure is that he is not a specialist player.
He’ll run about for you box to box but probably will not excel or stamp himself in a certain area.
Ishola70
I’m not convinced we need a pure holding midfielder, I would prefer 2 defensively minded b2b players.
Rabiot has been linked to us, now and in the past, is supposedly a fan of the club (according to his dad) the only other solid link this window is to Inter Milan for £27m.
Serie A is not as attractive as the PL, we can beat them on both transfer fee and wages.
I don’t see the problem here, should we continue our failed Wenger policy of only going after players no one else wants? That worked out great…
Similar players to Dembele are Modric and Wilshere. None of them can be classified as holding midfielder. All three of them are probably what central midfielder should mean in books.
Pierre is the cause of this Nzonzi hysteria.
I wouldn’t let him anywhere my retirement funds. If he has his way, we’ll drop £35 million on a player with no resale value, at a time when we are already stretched.
It’s a crazy as the chant to keep Sanchez and take a hit just to prove a point.
What exactly is Nzonz going to do to justify that silly risk? Score 30 league goals t9 get us fourth place and win us the Europa league single handedly?
I think there will be a big problem Freddie signing Rabiot.
All the big boys are looking on with interest at what is going on at PSG atm and Rabiot is a real quality player.
Ishola
Who’s your specialist defensive midfielder?
That title is redundant, you should know that. The successful defensive midfielders are the one who can break up play and initiate attacks quickly with their running (Edgar Davids) or passing (Claude Makalele). They have to be very good central midfielders as well.
Nzonzi is a central midfielder who just has physical attributes to defend.
Why did you dismiss Doucore for such a flimsy reason?
See Dissenter is just thinking about scoring tonnes of goals again.
How about sorting out that embarrassing goals against record season just gone.
You are talking like a thoroughbred Wengerite.
Freddie
Agree that we don’t necessarily need a pure holding mid. Two defensive-minded, responsible CMs might be just as good if not better.
Question for all those pro Nzonzi advocates who are prepared to spend £35 million+ on a 30 year old player. Do you know any other club in top 6 of EPL who would spend that sort of money on another player in that age group with no resale value? Man City, Man Utd, Liverpool, Spurs and Chelsea are spending £30 million+ on players aged 20-25. Man Utd acquired Sanchez aged 29 but swapped him for another player of a similar age and did not have to pay a transfer fee. Whilst several posters would like to see Xhaka replaced in… Read more »
N’Zonzi only makes sense if we’re selling Xhaka.
Dissenter
If Lacazette were more convincing, they never would have been in for Aubameyang.
But you’re right that it would’ve helped if Aubameyang could’ve played in the Europa.
However, we were still being managed by Wenger, so there is little to no chance we would’ve won that, even if Aubameyang could’ve played.
Why are we all fixated on Nzonzi, whom I like btw. However I absolutely won’t mind another DM in the form of William Carvalho. Domineering, younger, cheaper, sits perpetually in front of the back 4/5, put fires out with minimal fuss and an ever present in one of the most competitive national teams of the past 10 years. And don’t give me the line about his club, I still watched him play Athletico a few weeks ago and I was as impressed as I have always been. And can even play CB at a stretch I heard. What’s there not… Read more »
N’Zonzi only makes sense as a replacement for Xhaka. Pairing the two together is a no-go.
“I want our new people with power to succeed more than anyone, but Diamond Eyes and Sanllehi are not giving me much optimism”
When you look at the players we’ve brought since January PEA, Mhikki, Mavropanos & Lichestiner i honestly think that we’ve brought quite well all things considered.