New centre-mid linked: Squad player, or Ramsey stop-gap?

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Listen, you don’t need to feel bad about it. We all did it yesterday. Yep, we all cheered a Spurs player because he took MIGHTY England to the land of 3-Glorious-Points. What an adventure. Say it quietly, but I quite like Gareth Southgate. He’s level-headed, he talks intelligently about the game and he’s managed to make the World Cup far less of a spectacle than it usually is.

Funny to watch our boys get the thug treatment. A quarterfinal would be exceptional, fingers crossed we can keep our focus in the next two games.

In Arsenal news, there are rumours heading out of Italy that Arsenal is in for Éver Maximiliano David Banega. The central midfielder is plying his trade at Sevilla at the moment. He’s been a bit of a journeyman, he’s played at Atleti, Valencia, Newells Old Boys and Inter Milan. At 29, he’s no spring chicken, so I’m not sure why we’re going after him. He’d certainly bring additional steel, experience and a touch of class to the middle of the park… my concern is we already have that in Aaron Ramsey?

There’s nothing the Argentine can do that Aaron can’t do better. You can’t imagine a player who dropped 50 appearances last season would entertain Arsenal as a sub, so it’s a bit of a mystery? He only had 5 assists and 6 goals last season. In fact, over 5 seasons, he’s never broken double figures for goals or assists. I could only see him as a back-up, or a panic stop-gap if Rambo decides he wants out this summer.

The mainstream press are reporting that Arsenal are close to doing a deal with Bernd Leno. Ornstein doesn’t know who is making way for him, but you’d have to imagine it’ll be David Ospina? Or maybe it’ll be Cech? Crazy that I can’t decide because both are unappetizing, even as number 2s. I think I’d prefer to have some exceptional kid as our backup. Regardless, having a keeper with cat-like reflexes dropping sweeper keeper for us next season gets me very moist.

Torreira is also hot on the lips of Ornstein, deal isn’t done yet, it’s being held up by the World Cup. No doubt his agent is waiting for a MoM performance so he can squeeze a few extra pennies for his client.

Also, someone needs to run this analysis over Ozil.

Right, short post this morning. MORE WORLD CUP to come.

See you in the comments.

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Ishola70

Quality goal in a quality match.

KAY Boss

Alex cutter and red, please enough of your hate towards Africans. we may have weird ways of approaching our game. we may not play like Europeans but we play the African way which you don’t like. we Africans and proud. these same Africans (born inside or outside) are mostly playings who have made out team and league great. the Henrys, Vieiras’, essien, ian wright etc.

Bamford10

Except insofar as Kroenke believed in Arsene Wenger, that is.

Marko

It also shows, of course, that the problem was always Arsene Wenger and never Stan Kroenke.

I mean to be fair we’re signing Leno for 20 million and not a Oblak for whatever for example because of Stan.

Dissenter

Leno has played all but 5 Bundesliga games for Bayer Leverkusen since his debut.
There is no wa he’s agreeing to come and be assistant to Cech.

Honestly, I have no emotional connection to Cech. All I see are the blue colors of Chelsea.

TR7

I will reserve my judgement on our transfer activity. Sure we have signed a few players but each one of them is a punt, no proven quality players. Let’s see how many of them actually make a difference.

Leftsidesanch

Cech was given the no.1 jersey as courtesy/senority. He will likely feature in our cup games and EL campaign.

Dissenter

TR7
Leno is a punt?????????
230 appearances for Leverkusen in more than seven seasons with the Bundesliga side… and he’s still a punt.
He was the fourth keeper on the German squad before they droped him for Trapp, Ter Stegen and Neuer.

How can he be considered to a be a punt?

Bamford10

Kay

Alex Cutter is just joking; he does not mean any real disrespect towards Africans or Africa. I don’t think.

Redtruth, on the other hand, has expressed a number of racist sentiments recently and seems to think he’s going to get attention this way.

I, for one, respect and love African football. Cameroon and Ghana have provided teams that were a genuine pleasure to watch and there are of course many great African players.

Cheers.

Freddie Ljungberg

Great news, and done in a timely manner. Leno is probably the best deal we could have done this window with the budget we had and what is available. If Sokratis is done as reported and if we get Torreira signed soon that’s all the glaring holes plugged and we can breathe a lot easier this summer. Still upgrades that are possible of course and we still really need a winger but feels really good that we have a plan for once. Think any other signings depends on if Ramsey stays and what we decide to do with Welbeck, are… Read more »

TR7

‘It also shows, of course, that the problem was always Arsene Wenger and never Stan Kroenke.’

I wouldn’t be surprised if our net expenditure was less than 50M.

Bamford10

Marko

Right, but as always, we can only spend what our operating revenues allow us to spend. We can’t sign four or five £50m+ players to address our weaknesses. We have to be more creative than that. But whatever bullshit we did in the market under Wenger — e.g., signing only Cech in 2015 — was down to Wenger’s idiocy, not to Stan telling him that he couldn’t spend.

Seg

Arsenal are suddenly finding it easier to buy players!! Used to be difficult!

Bamford10

TR7

And if so, that’s what our operating revenues and self-sustaining model allow us to spend — and what Gazidis, Sanllehi and Emery feel we need to spend. It will not be what Stan Kroenke has dictated they can spend.

Alex Cutter

“Alex Cutter is just joking; he does not mean any real disrespect towards Africans or Africa. I don’t think.”

I’m actually rooting for the African sides in most matches.

Just find that idea that in 2018 people are still trying to sneak live chickens into World Cup matches to be hilarious.

Ishola70

Egypt going down like a lead balloon.

Rubbish from Egypt.

WengerEagle

Egypt really are poor outside of Salah.

Marko

Still obviously a long way to go but I like the signings of Leno and the likely signing of Torreira the others I’m skeptical about. Still could do with more especially if we really want to compete for titles but a nice start to the window

WengerEagle

Dzyuba is so much better than Smolov.

Great goal.

Dissenter

Wenger would have dithered on Leno vs giving Cech another extension.
He would have kept Cech beyond his usefulness to terrorize the fans.

Almunia was brought as cover for Lehman yet Wenger kept him as number one needlessly for several seasons.

steve

Elneny is fucking shit. Such a nothing player. Of course Wenger wanted him. He loves these type of players. Adds nothing.

James wood

Call us a Camel.

Redtruth

You are mistaken, i am chastising the Africans for playing the European way.

Bamford10

Alex

That’s what I assumed.

Marko

But whatever bullshit we did in the market under Wenger — e.g., signing only Cech in 2015 — was down to Wenger’s idiocy, not to Stan telling him that he couldn’t spend.

True but again to be fair we’ve apparently got a budget of 50 million now and that’s down to Stan. Actually 70 million I heard that he freed up 20 million for the budget don’t know how true it is but it’s apparently 70 million

Dissenter

Afrixcan teams have been very shabby this world cup. I wont be surprised when the clamor starts to reduce the number of African qualifiers.

Egypt have been really pathetic today.

Bamford10

Marko

Except that whatever the transfer budget is, it’s not “down to Stan”. It’s down to the self-sustaining model.

Dissenter

I don’t care about the “net spend” argument.
So long as we are selling off useless players, correcting our weaknesses and bringing in good replacements then I’m good.

Dissenter

If this is what a 50 million transfer window looks like then our squad would be very strong had we done this consistently for the past 8-10 seasons.

Wenger would dither and dither, arguing over small sums of money , waiting for the “special player” to improve his team of average players.

TR7

Bamford

That even after Wenger has gone we are going to spend only what we make proves that self sustainability is Stan’s modus operandi. Snahelli, Sven and Emery are merely working under the expenditure framework laid out by Stan. Would be too much of a coincidence if all of them really thought we didn’t need to spend much, no?

Graham62

Dissenter

“It just shows how much Wenger held back this great club back”

You’ve realised this only now?

Graham62

Sorry delete the extra “back”

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Not sure where I stand with Steve Gould staying on..?

Is it cos he was not approached by another club?

Or does he fill there is unfinished business at the club?

Or is he just draining the gravy boat dry?

useroz

The issue was Wenger’s insistence on ‘top, top qualitees’ that the t market didn’t have much of apparently. What a crime in footballing sense. .

Look forward to those Leno reflexes albeit in condensed youtube clips! Excellent signing for the reported price.

Receding hairline

when we should have signed Oblak was before he went to Athletico and not now for a 100m or whatever

I will be pissed if we spent that amount on a goalie

Leno has the height, agility and experience to do well in this league and the price is just right

Alex Cutter

“Alex — That’s what I assumed.”

And credit to Chicktorious for not biting…

TR7

‘MarkoExcept that whatever the transfer budget is, it’s not “down to Stan”. It’s down to the self-sustaining model.’

Surely you can’t be ignorant enough to not understand that ‘self sustainability’ is Stan’s model unless you think Wenger is still running the club.

Bamford10

Nigerian football editor at ESPNFC addresses the chicken stories:

“Nigeria supporters deny ‘ridiculous’ chicken reports”
http://www.espn.com/soccer/nigeria/story/3534049/nigeria-world-cup-chicken-story-is-ridiculous-say-supporters

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Athelitco just built new stadium

Held on to manager
Held on to star player
Brought exciting new young player.

How can they do it but we couldn’t.

You watch Spurs will be doing next season no new stadium hiccups.., that only happens to Arsenal

Bamford10

TR7

Except that you’re the ignorant one, mate. The self-sustaining model was adopted by the Arsenal board prior to Kroenke becoming majority owner, and Kroenke was required to commit to abide by it before he was allowed majority ownership.

Dissenter

Steve Bould is there to provide the English connection to the coaching team. He’s there to anchor them to reality. He’s the one who’s played in the English game and been to 90% of all the grounds in the league.
Emery will do himself a lot of good to LISTEN to what Bould think, if he’s to do well.

Bould is also there as insurance should Emery fail, he’s Arsenal’s man in the team. He will be appointed till a replacement comes in.

WengerEagle

With you on that Steve.

How elneny is rated on here I’ll never understand.

Dissenter

Bamford
““Nigeria supporters deny ‘ridiculous’ chicken reports””
Pass it unto Alex Cutter
He’s the gullible fool who’s using the “chicken” story to jerk himself off to sleep every night,

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Is our Japanese loanee with the Japan squad.

Graham62

Three words that have pissed me off since 2006 –

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MODEL.

TR7

Yeah must be the same board which Wenger easily bypassed to directly strike a new deal with Stan. And now that Wenger is gone board is dictating terms to Stan, sounds logical.

Carts

Elneny is pony poo.

WE

you’re not really 23 are you lol?

Bamford10

Dissenter

Oh, relax. He was just having a bit of fun with it.

A million times worse was your ‘the criticism of Xhaka here is just groupthink’ or ‘Charlie is so good at maintaining multiple conversations’.

The first is utter fucking nonsense, and the second is fucking gag-worthy. Just gross, man.

Graham62

R.S.P.C. Arsenal

The answer is easy. We had Wenger.

TR7

Dissenter

Sorry for the late reply

That Leno is error prone makes him a punt. High potential but error prone.

Ishola70

Leno is a signing like Sokratis where we will just have to see how he gets on when the season actually starts.

And for the stat lovers best steer clear where Leno is concerned.

Don’t touch those Leno stats.

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Graham

So he was just lining his pockets all the time,

And we are not up there with Real Madrid after 12 years we ain’t even up there with athletico Madrid.

Bamford10

TR7

Well, you’ve twisted what I’ve said. But again, the self-sustaining model was adopted by Arsenal prior to Stan Kroenke, and Stan Kroenke was required to commit to abiding by it prior to his being allowed to become majority.

Could he spend money from his own pocket if he wanted to? Sure. But he is not limiting what Emery, Sanllehi or Gazidis can spend; their only limitations come from our operating revenues and the s-s model.

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

It’s widely known that Leno has stagnated last few years,

Could be lack of coaching
Could be contentment
Could be need a fresh start.

The time God will tell us by December.

Plus cech sale no loan shit.

Victorious

Marko

“This transfer window so far is making a complete mockery out of anything Arsene’s ever produced”

What an embarrassing comment,although not unexpected from the residential moaning bitch,hang your head in shame

Graham62

Some on here seem surprised by the sudden change in Arsenal’s transfer dealings.

Where have you been hiding?

Victorious

Your Comment Here

Receding hairline

Bamford that comment to Dissenter is way out of line.. Totally unnecessary

He is one of the posters here who doesn’t jump on your back…he has a right to his opinions and those two comments were his opinion

You see what I mean when I call u a disgrace?

Graham62

12 years of stagnation.

Now that the restraints have been removed, we can all move forward.

Victorious

We have some truly disgraceful fans supporting the club,using every opportunity to take pot shot on a man who has made himself a part of what basically has laid the foundations for this great club to succeed.

Wenker-wanger

Wenger has a legacy…he has left a recent memory akin to a bad smell. The incompetent fraud was out of his depth, getting by on the back of world class players he somehow brought into the club. He had the budget, and bought some great players. He failed miserably in blending these players into a formidable team. Players like Sanchez were ultimately playing on his own as the “great manager” failed to manage either the team or individuals. Wenger’s philosophy of “just go out there and express yourselves”, was akin to a chef taking all the ingredients of a meal… Read more »

Champagne charlie

“This transfer window so far is making a complete mockery out of anything Arsene’s ever produced“ This is a quite a turnaround from mocking an ‘ambitionless’ signing in Lichtsteiner, and an ‘average 30 year old defender’ in Sokratis. You do make me chuckle Marko.. “or ‘Charlie is so good at maintaining multiple conversations’.The first is utter fucking nonsense, and the second is fucking gag-worthy. Just gross, man.” LOL how mad are you? That comment was made two days ago and you’ve learnt been desperate to vent about it. Get over yourself Hahahaha Ironic that you’d refer to anything as gag-worthy… Read more »

PessimisticPat

Elneny is a bang average footballer. Just runs around and plays sideways passes SHIIITE

TR7

I know you are not someone who concedes a point even in the face of mounting evidence or facts but I will try one last time 1. For ages you suggested Wenger was an idealistic man who abhored the idea of spending money and that Stan was just catering to his wishes/principles. Funny now you say Stan was dutibound to follow self sustainability as if that were a precondition to acquire Arsenal , so I take it that it was not Wenger restricting our spending ? 2. Stan didn’t become Arsenal’s shareholder because he believed in self sustainability but because… Read more »

PessimisticPat

Gag worthy and gimp lol CC

Ishola70

Are you fed up with self-sustainability TR7?

DaleDaGooner

Let’s hope he’s no Jay Leno on the pitch.

Champagne charlie

Tr7

Mate, it’s wasted breath on a select few.

I mean the idea a billionaire investor with designs on outright ownership was dictated to by an employee of the club he was taking over is laughable.

Then again the way some talk you’d have thought they were the ones in the room hashing out the clubs vision. Chips are you here mate?

Ishola70

Stan wasn’t dictated to regarding self-sustainability.

What he did do though was take advantage of coming into a set-up that was already geared in self-sustainability knowing that he could just sit and not do much of any note other than get steady profit from not putting much back.

Are you fed up with self-sustainability TR7?

Victorious

“Ironic that you’d refer to anything as gag-worthy considering you’re the biggest gimp going.”

Either that or he’s probably a chick,that would explain his bitchy tendencies,..i mean my 13 year old little daughter has shown more comportabilty in dialogues

Dissenter

Receding
Chill out on Bamford
Some of your positions actually relfect what Bamford has been saying here for a long time and of course you disagree with him on other points.

Consider the fact that it was Bam who posted the rebuttal follow-up to the nonsensical chicken story.

gambon

Nothing wrong with a sustainable model. Man Utd operate a sustainable model and they have about £150m to spend each year.

Sustainable also doesn’t mean spending Nothing, or only spending what is left over after costs.

Taking on sensible debt is critical in business.

Our problems have been far more a result of Wengers incompetence than lack of money.

This transfer window is showing up all of Wengers assertions.

Bamford10

TR7

Sorry, mate, but you’re not really comprehending the issue or what I’ve said on the issue very well. I’m just going to point you to what I said at 20:38:37 and 20:50:28. These are the facts and they’re incontrovertible. Cheers.

Bamford10

Hairline

I like Dissenter and I appreciate that he has defended me at times from a couple of our resident dickheads’ bullshit attacks. But we are all entitled to our opinions, and I found his statements above vomit-inducing and beneath him. So I’ve said so. That is all.

Dissenter

Cheers.

Cesc Appeal

We had a problem with defence and the GK situation, not out of June and we have got Lichtsteiner, Sokratis and Leno with Torreira looking likely as well.

This is a complete change to what we are use to.

Whatever you thought of him Gazidis has rescued the club from Wenger when no one else could or would.

Receding hairline

@ Bamford

So when a poster takes a stand that contradicts yours rather than debate that or accept it as his opinion you wait for two days and then bring it up tagging it vomit inducing… How very mature

@ Dissenters

Ogbeni u are a bigger man than I am thats for sure ..i for one would have gone at him guns blazing…as for the chicken dude he was just seeking attention and I deliberately starved him of it.

Cheers

Ishola70

Kroenke just parroted the things that were said by Gazidis and others before he took over.

It’s not all about money.

It was all set up nicely for him.

TR7

Ishola I am not particularly fed up with self sustainability. It’s a very rational model to operate provided all our rivals follow the same model. But given the current scenario, Emery and his support staff will always have to get our team punch above our weight to have any chance of competing. I don’t like moaning about signings before they have even played a game for us but if we are frank Leicht and Sokratis are unlikely to add much value to our squad or take us to a new level. Leno and Torreira could turn out to be good… Read more »

Wenker-wanger

Arsenal fc were and always will be BIGGER than the lucky fraud arsene wenger.
Our club is a world famous, top class name in football. Wenger was appointed when the team was a hard-to-beat band of brothers with great match winners.
Any fckin dipstick could manage a team with Adams and co..
Anyone that still hasn’t assessed Wenger’s lucky start and Wenger’s joke finish, really needs a reality check……or a fckin short lesson in basic logic.

Marko

Except that whatever the transfer budget is, it’s not “down to Stan”. It’s down to the self-sustaining model.

I know that but he’s a billionaire who can add to the budget if he so pleases. And he has apparently he’s given 20 million to the budget. 70 million yippee

Victorious

The hypocrisy on this space is mind stunning,wenger would have been verbally slaughtered on here if he had brought in Lichsteirner,absolute zero consistency in views and perspectives of how some of you see the club

Nw9 gooner

So Wilshere is leaving this summer

Champagne charlie

Why do some choose to conveniently ignore our January business and pretend a change in transfer efficacy is down to Wengers absence completely?

The movement in January, with Wenger as manager, was pretty seismic.

I’ve no doubt the major reason for our change in tact, and it’s the introduction of dedicated competent personnel to take care of matters. Wengers influence is being massively overstated for no other reason than to take tired shots. Surprising nobody in the process of course.

Nw9 gooner

Sad to see him go but better for the team

Dissenter

If we ran a self-sustaining approach last summer then we would has promptly sold off Sanchez and Ozil.
Nothing wrong with a self-sustaining net spend of 50 million transfer window.

Victorious

Receding

Ogbeni,lol you must be Yoruba

gambon

Cesc Appeal Yes…you have to say, we may well have the best recruitment team in the game right now. That doesn’t mean these players will be right, so I don’t mean we have the best scouting. I mean ability to get deals done. There’s no doubt we have beaten other teams to most of these signings. Obv the big test will be if the players are good enough. These signings certainly put Wengers recent business to shame. Wenger bought Xhaka, Kolasinac, Mustafi, Perez, Lacazette for £139m Our new set up bought Torreira, Sokratis, Lichsteiner, Mykhitaryan, Mavropanos, Leno and Auba for… Read more »

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

On a different note

Just seen the film adrift

Fucking awful.

Wait for the dvd in the bargain bucket at the chairty store in December.

Or it will be on five star around midnight in september .

TR7

Think of it this way – Stan can give Arsenal FC an unsecured loan equal to our outstanding stadium debt on zero interest and that alone will free up 23M for transfer spending every summer. Our so called self sustainable model continues to be the way it is and we have more money to spend.

Bamford10

Hairline

Actually, I brought it up immediately when I asked if Dissenter’s account had been hacked.

And re those two points, there’s really nothing to discuss.

But more importantly, where do you come into this, exactly? How is any of this about you? Oh that’s right; it’s not. You’re just this anti-negativity troll who showed up here a couple of weeks ago.

Dissenter and I are fine. Trust me. Thanks for chiming in, though.

Cesc Appeal

‘The hypocrisy on this space is mind stunning,wenger would have been verbally slaughtered on here if he had brought in Lichsteirner,absolute zero consistency in views and perspectives of how some of you see the club’ Probably because the views would be based on ten years of fucking shit transfers windows, and probably because the most likely scenario would have been Lichtsteiner on a free at the arse end of the window having hailed Cazorla and Wilshere as new signings on new deals having fucked around trying to sign one player for the whole window and then deciding not to because… Read more »

KAY Boss

Elneny isn’t arsenal material. complete waste of space. Leno, I hope will come great even though he’s got some few errors in him but such was sczesny before he left for Roma. he shall come good hopefully.

Receding hairline

Victorious

Nah I only know about 7 words of the Yoruba language….

Wait my chicken just ran off…..

Victorious

“Wengers influence is being massively overstated for no other reason than to take tired shots. Surprising nobody in the process of course.”

apt.
considering the nature of the blog,i’m very much not surprised

Frost

Jack Wilshere has confirmed he will leave Arsenal on instagram – Did a small video consisting of some of his best moments at the club. The video ends with ‘Thank you for the memories’

Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

Wenker-wanger

I haven’t heard of any offers coming in for the great Wenger. ????
He has been found out.

alexanderhenry

TR7 ‘That even after Wenger has gone we are going to spend only what we make proves that self sustainability is Stan’s modus operandi. Snahelli, Sven and Emery are merely working under the expenditure framework laid out by Stan. Would be too much of a coincidence if all of them really thought we didn’t need to spend much, no?’ Absolutely right. Whether arsenal pursued self sustainability before or not, Kroenke can change that. He has a controlling stake . He can do pretty much what he wants. What he has actually ‘achieved’ since being involved, is effectively downsizing arsenal football… Read more »

PessimisticPat

Wilsheres leaving bbc confirms

Marko

This is a quite a turnaround from mocking an ‘ambitionless’ signing in Lichtsteiner, and an ‘average 30 year old defender’ in Sokratis. You do make me chuckle Marko

Not sure I’ve said that about Sokratis and yeah if we were just signing Licht I’d be pretty pissed because unlike you I don’t see him improving our starting 11 he’s a back up RB anyone who gets excited about a back up RB or feels the need to argue about a back up RB needs adjusting. Leno and Torreira improve our starting 11 it’s a start.

Receding hairline

“Anti negativity troll”.. ….thats a new one

That makes you a pro negativity troll I guess does it Bamford? You are actually admitting your sole purpose of posting here is to encourage negativity towards the club it took you 20 years to decide to support .

Glad we cleared that up