ARSENAL TRANSFER WINDOW LOOKING BLEAK – WHAT NEXT?

by .

Well, the transfer window does not look like it is going to bring gifts. Never say never, the club will be trying to find names right up until the last minute, but when David Ornstein says it’s unlikley, it’s probably best to accept that it’ll be minimal movements.

Edu and Arteta are many things, but rarely the guys that end a transfer window with nothing to show for it.

The main two areas of focus over the next day will be in the striking department. Auba looks likely to join Barca, James Benge seems to think that they don’t have to shift players to secure the loan, the debate will mostly be about his monster wages which will total about £7m by the time summer comes around.

This is the right move, the player isn’t fit for our system, he knows it, which is why he’s been so bad this season. Some are suggesting he’d be good off the bench, I don’t agree, he’s not a bench player. He’ll sulk, he’s a big name, so that’ll impact others, it’s better to clear the decks and save the cash. If he does well, he’ll get a summer move to Europe, if he tanks, he’ll have to go to Saudi Arabia.

The really weird rumour is that Newcastle are still looking to do the deal for Eddie. We rejected an offer from Palace, probably because it was pitiful, but Newcastle could still pull off a deal by tomorrow. I think Eddie has goals in him, he’s not the best, but he could do well for Newcastle and he could help Arsenal. But if he goes, we will have one striker at the club who has 2 goals in 17 games.

That is a very, very risky plot. At best, you could maybe pass Nelli as a second striker, at a mega stretch, you could maybe say Biereth could be an emergency offering. I don’t think either option is ideal and it would leave us very exposed.

The big deflation amongst the fanbase is that we didn’t move on Isak.

I get it, we fall in love with his Youtube videos, but I’m sorry, if we’re spending £75m on a striker (his release), they need to be a rockstar. That’s basically Lukaku money without the massive experience. We can all agree he looks like a top talent, but I will not have anyone tell me the rational move is to spend £75m on him. You need guarantees for that sort of cash, not a two-year coaching project.

We are better off waiting until the summer to see who is available. Clubs with big strikers are far more inclined to sell when they aren’t in season competing, and when they have time to replace. Isak becomes a player you can negotiate for versus one you have to activate a release clause.

The reality of this striker signing is the deal needs to be for the perfect name. We can’t afford a fuck up at mega-money levels because there will be no more money after that. Also, let’s be real here, the fans demanding we blow rockstar money on a non-rockstar name are the same people that would be calling Arsenal Leadership bums 4 games into a goal drought. It is irrational to say ‘JUST SPEND £75M ON SOMEONE WORTH HALF.’ Cash is finite, we cannot afford mistakes like Chelsea, City or Newcastle.

This window has been very good from a player exit perspective. We’re basically near the finishing line when it comes to players we need to move on. The squad has slimmed down drastically, we’re getting closer to two players in each position, the bad eggs have been moved from the squad.

Squad planning hasn’t been good enough though.

Eddie should have gone out on loan last season, he’d be more ready now, or we would have sold him and found someone better.

Balogun should have exited in September because he might be ready to fight for a place in the starting 11.

We should always have options to recall players to the club when they are crushing loan moves. Saliba and Mavropanos should all be options for us as we head into the last 17 games of the season.

So now let’s talk top 4 chances.

Why do people think we can’t compete?

Look at the table.

Read what fans of our rivals are saying about their window.

Get some perspective.

We basically have one game a week for the rest of the season. We have just two games in February. We have the youngest team in the league, which should mean they are more robust, so injuries should be less of an issue for us.

… and the big one here: We are 21 games (55% of the season) in after our worst start in history, we are 2 points from top 4 with games in hand, and we have to play all our rivals at least once. It’s in our hands.

Why would the team that is in striking distance after 21 games not be good enough to compete? The back half of the season last year had us top 2 for points accumulation. We did that with Europe.

I also don’t get the weird logic that every other team is going to bang just because.

Look at West Ham Twitter, their fans are mocking their pursuit of Raphina and the total inaction of the window. They lost their last two games. (zero signings)

Look at Spurs Twitter. Paratici is currently trying to funnel money back to his old club by signing two of their players to help them pay for the Vlahovic deal, their fans are fuming because they see what we saw with Kia and Raul. A non-league player just rejected Spurs and the biggest manager in their history. Journalists are writing, with seriousness, that ‘Mr Elite’ might quit because he’s not getting what he wants. Imagine reading that if you are a player? Does that seem like a happy dressing room? Harry Kane wants out!

Then look at United. The football is dreadful and they’ve just suspended Mason Greenwood who is involved in one of the most horrendous scandals I can remember.

Everyone has their own problems, we have one: We are very sure of about 16 of our players, we’re just not sure we can deal with an injury pile-up.

We’re going to need a lot of luck. Young players are going to have to continue to step up. Senior players are going to have to stop getting suspended. Everyone is going to have to chip in with goals. We need to continue to be the club that doesn’t make excuses.

But we can do it, we have the same chance everyone else has.

Right, we have a podcast out. We debate the window, the exits, the lack of incomings, and what it means for the future of Arsenal FC. It’s a spicy one. Enjoy.

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MidwestGun

Not looking good.. Raps.

Keep checking different news agencies and it is…. nothing with a clear lead in the race.

Guns of Hackney

Marko

How fast he got there is irrelevant. You cited Auba’s 92 goals for us as a beacon of what he achieved. I countered that by using Theo as an example.

Both scored goals. Both are footnotes in Arsenal’s history.

Auba has been a terrible purchase. Especially after the Ozil situation.

Bergkamp63

I wouldn’t call 92 goals in 163 appearance a poor return.

That said, he retired the minute he signed his contract like Ozil before him.

Glad to see the back of those type of deals.

raptora

Just saw Bruno G mocking us on his IG. Not the happiest I’ve felt tbh. He would have substantially upgraded us.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CZXrCL9K69s

Samesong

The report says Aubameyang has scored 68 league goals in the last four years.

His goals have won 53 points for Arsenal, which is more points than Mohamed Salah’s goals have won for Liverpool in the same period.

He is also the fourth-highest scorer in England’s top division since February 2018.

Mo Salah, 92, Jamie Vardy, 74 and Harry Kane, 72 are the only players who have scored more than him.

Before he went downhill.

Buzzy

Arteta has ruined this club…on and off the pitch…absolutely depressing stuff what is going on..the man is a fucking dictator…i hope Arsenal lose every game and this narcissist cunt gets the axe…i will dance naked on the streets

Guns of Hackney

Same

But what did he win for us? Goals scored is a personal thing if you aren’t bringing home the bacon.

raptora

Without Auba to save Arteta’s ass, we’d have fallen below top 10 and Arteta would have been managing Shamrock Rovers FC.

Goobergooner

If auba had a proper team behind him in his first few seasons he would have scored even more and may have lead us to some actual glory. But when we have always had at least one glaring hole in the squad it’s hard to say he wasn’t one of our best performers in previous seasons. I was keen to keep auba on if we polished the centre of the pitch with a baller to partner partey, someone to help sure up the centre and give more options moving forward. Unfortunately we didn’t do that and I’ll never know if… Read more »

Negative Nigel

Talk of Everton making a late move for Jovic who Real Madrid have agreed can go? Will be really pissed if they nab him.Though we’d move on him as a loan deal at least.wtf?

raptora

Not sure it’s Auba’s fault that Arteta wants his CF to play like an advanced defensive midfielder lol

Negative Nigel

Oh today is Bedwetter Heaven!

Goobergooner

And yes, I don’t rate auba as an all-round player. But his records speak for themselves he is a tap in merchant and a half!!!

Goobergooner

Just why you came on Nige? To bathe in it

Goobergooner

Hahaha an advanced defensive midfielder. That’s gold

Mr Serge

raptoraJanuary 31, 2022 12:24:38
Just saw Bruno G mocking us on his IG. Not the happiest I’ve felt tbh. He would have substantially upgraded us.

That is an absolute piss take cant wait to abuse him after we batter them

MidwestGun

The thing is.. Bruno G. Basically took the money.. to go to a relegation scrap. So he can mock all he wants but it’s not wise to burn your bridges when you could be in the Championship wanting to get out in 2 years. I do think he is a very good player but Newcastle has a lot of issues.

Not the least of which their kit which he is proudly displaying looks like a prison uniform from the 1950’s. All he needs is a chain around his ankle and a little black and white cap.

Bergkamp63

You can’t lay blame to Auba for not winning (other than FA Cup) trophies as it’s a team game not an individual sport.

The squad has been in decay for a decade and you can’t change 30 players in 1 or 2 seasons, that level transition takes 3 or 4 years given some of the contract lengths, many of which have to be run down to zero.

Major_Jeneral

We will get a better midfielder than Bruno in the summer. We don’t need to get into panic mode.

raptora

Ye, I definitely agree Serge and Middy. Fuck him up when we play them. Not the brightest of him to do. You want us to hate you, we for sure will.

Marko

If anyone thinks Guimaraes put together that video I dunno. It’s clear he’s just reposting a video by Newcastle.

Matt

I doubt that Bruno G is even aware of that Instagram post, much less had any involvement in it.

It’s embarrassing on all kinds of levels that something like that has been put together to commemorate him signing for a club in the bottom 3!

Valentin

Aubameyang padded his stats because the team played exclusively for him. Long term Successful teams are more balanced. At the height of Van Nistelroy goal scoring prowess, Red Nose just jettisoned him to promote Ronaldo and Rooney. The objective was clear. He said so himself. Van Nistelroy was overtaking the team and that meant that against team that defended solely against him that was a ceiling. Van Nistelroy was unwilling or unable to adapt his games. So off he went. It is the same at Arsenal, Aubameyang is a counter attacking player, a speed merchant. Against low bloc with his… Read more »

Goobergooner

Still, it’s no Sanchez on the piano

raptora

Video is posted on Bruno G’s IG and Twitter and reposted on Newcastle’s twitter. So it’s vice versa Marko. Not saying he personally made it but come on dude, that’s pretty low, why even bother going there at all?!

InsideRight

raptora – Bruno G is “not the level”. Pedro said so.

Nelson

“Elneny man of the match for Egypt did any one watch the game, Did his role differ to how he is played at Arsenal?”
______________________________________________________________________________
Thanks to Arteta, Elneny is well rested. And with Salah playing in front of him….

Guns of Hackney

We signed a 31 year old flat track merchant to a three year £300kpw deal.

Criminal. We will not finish top four. Ever again.

Marko

Rap it’s really not that big a deal at worse it’s a bit of banter. He might feel aggrieved a bit cause that’s twice we could have and should have signed him once when he was in Brazil and now but you know Arteta preferred Xhaka and now he prefers…doing nothing. It happens

Mics_

Who is going to score for us after the sixtieth minute when lacazettes legs stop working?

Leftside

I wouldn’t expect anything to occur before the end of the window. Poor to focus solely on outgoings and not plug any of the gaps we had.

When it ends badly, and it will – please don’t PR us with process or the target being top 6 because we won’t attain that with Mr KFC upfront who doesn’t score goals.

InsideRight

Major_Jeneral – “We will get a better midfielder than Bruno in the summer.” It will be interesting to see how we get someone better than his level if we cannot offer CL football. Now the squad has been thinned out and lacks quality, once injuries, suspensions, red zone rest periods etc kick in, achieving 6th is far from nailed on. I’ve never known an entity be so close to one of its objective a year ahead of its schedule, yet pass up the opportunity to go for it and instead hope that it might be able to strengthen later in… Read more »

raptora

Marko, Bruno G prolly failed the character test. Maybe he was late for a training once in his 2 full years in Lyon. Got nothing on best-in-training superstar Xhaka.

Leftside

Auba is going to a better club, even in the midst of their problems and to a system that will probably at least attempt to utilise his strengths and get the best out of him.

I would pick him any day over a manager that could find an argument in an empty park, a manager that cannot get his team to finish higher than 8th place in the PL managing a club like Arsenal.

S Asoa

JoshuaD on 7 am Kickoff “ this is insane. while i won’t argue that not replacing auba won’t be a big deal, i will argue that arsenal are allowing their best goal scorer and a fantastic resource to leave when they need goals; all because of what seems like a personal problem between that player and the manager. let me say this to be clear to everyone that thinks i hate arteta. i don’t hate anyone. i will admit that i’m not a fanboy of his. he did not make a favorable first impression. my first impression with him was… Read more »

raptora

Álvaro Morata has decided to stay at Juventus until the end of the season. No Arsenal, no Tottenham, no Barça move on #DeadlineDay. Flag of Spain #Juventus

No Morata either. Oh well. Still time to do some business. Not looking likely atm though.

MidwestGun

Guns- it’s not criminal to waste Stan Kroenke’s money.. And in fact wasting money is how most teams get into the top 4. Auba had just won the Golden Boot … there was not many other options out there at that time to replace a 20 goal or more striker. They did what they thought they had to . It’s more criminal to not spend Stan Kroenke’s money, in my opinion. However, I do not believe Arteta doesn’t want players. So somebody above his paygrade.. is making that call if we don’t sign anyone. Not absolving him of blame but… Read more »

Negative Nigel

Goobergoon.Yes.It’s giving me a lovely warm glow.Can’t wait for later this pm when the temp really hots up.Expect it to hit boiling point with soggy nappies & screaming from the rooftops!

Dissenter

If Auba was so unprofessional, why are big clubs lining to sign him?

There will be a split screen situation for the rest of the season:
Arsenals goals scoring situation compared to Aubameyang’s goal scoring form at his new club.

andy1886

By that metric Harry Kane is a useless c*nt and Spurs would be better off releasing him.

TR7

I am not a fan of Auba but there will be games this season in which we would need someone to score goals to seal 3 points and we would be left wishing if Auba were there.

raptora

Middy, then how do we explain the £60-65m we were ready to blow on Vlahovic? We had the money. We didn’t get the right players according to Eduteta imo.

Mb

I mean it’s not criminal to give a youngster in Eddie proper game time and discarding him then loan out your best goal scorer in Auba, then to give chance to the same Eddie because you don’t have any options left.

Anyways, I will judge him in May. Top 4 or ArtetaOut.

“Live by the sword, die by the sword”

Negative Nigel

Asoa,that’s such a woke piece I could 😪.when Arteta arrived it was Club 18-30 .That was common knowledge.You don’t think he had inside info on what the craic was? Pleasssssssse.

Dissenter

It’s a bit of sour grapes to say Bruno Gu9mares ‘just took the money” by going to a relegation scraper

It’s obvious that this is the start of a revolution at Newcastle United. Guimares can’t be blind to the fact that his new club is owned by the Saudia; more big signings will follow in the summer, don’t you worry.

Newcastle, are favorite to escape relegation and will push unto bigger things next season.

MidwestGun

Middy, then how do we explain the £60-65m we were ready to blow on Vlahovic? We had the money. We didn’t get the right players according to Eduteta imo.
_________
I dont think Josh K or whomever gave them a blank check .. this window., they must have got that deal approved. Doesnt mean they can get every deal approved. That’s how I see it.. No idea what the inner working s of an Arsenal war room looks like… would like to be a fly on that wall.

AL

According to sky
“Aubameyang arrives Barcelona but deal still not agreed”

Gentlemen, the Peter Odemwingie situation is brewing.

Raulishuss

Look how miserable they are. If you want shining new toys go support newcastle. Wenger always talked about buying top top quality and it is harder to get one in january except you think bruno that left to join relegation bound newcastle is top quality. Lmao

Marko

Wenger always talked about buying top top quality

He sure did. Thick cunt he was

andy1886

“Wenger always talked about buying top top quality”

Sanogo, KimK, Gervinho, the list is endless…

Leftside

All I see you do is come on here and critique posters. Never a view on the team or football in general. By what metric are you more of a fan than anyone else. Get off your high horse Raulish.

S Asoa

A sort of White Paper on Arsenal on what looks like a done deadline day. Assessment of our assets still in hand

https://gunnerstown.com/arsenal/2022/01/31/transfer-deadline-day-is-mikel-content/

S Asoa

Quoting
“ According to sky
“Aubameyang arrives Barcelona but deal still not agreed”Gentlemen, the Peter Odemwingie situation is brewing. “
Auba goes fast, only problem is tarries coming back kicking up a fuss of of a cat which has fallen in a sink full of water

TR7

Lot of Bisoumma rumours linking him to United/Spurs/Villa.

Gonsterous

Arteta offloading players so he can use the wages saved to get a raise and a new contract.

Can’t wait for the announcement next week, mikeal on a new 3 year contract with improved wages and a secure severance package in case it goes tits up…

Matt

Who cares whether Aubamayang is smiling again. Another mercenary who didn’t care about the club or fans and was sometimes terrible, often average and occasionally (pre contract) very good.

Possibly the worst captain choice of all time as well.

TR7

Romano : Espanyol director José María Durán to Esport 3: “Arsenal called for Raúl de Tomás but we didn’t even want to talk. We won’t let him go now, no way. His release clause is €75m”. 🚫🇪🇸 #AFC

EdTheRed

I honestly think we’re already at the stage where serious quality players will refuse to come to Arsenal and be coached by Don Mikel.

Mr Serge

EdTheRedJanuary 31, 2022 13:46:35
I honestly think we’re already at the stage where serious quality players will refuse to come to Arsenal and be coached by Don Mikel.

no chance we are a massive draw its the teams that are not seling right now not the players. you think bruno would have gone newcastle to play under howe if we came calling? come on now

Mb

Probably Arteta confused Auba with Guen. He was wrong then, he is wrong now.

Negative Nigel

Great to see back of “ laughing boy”.I’m sure the Uber critical Barca fans will enjoy it should he tank.Lets see.

CG

Inside Right

”””’CG, the non league player who turned down Spuds, Ollie Tanner, was on Arsenal’s books”””

Thanks, One to watch then.

InsideRight

EdTheRed, that’s the risk we run in the summer for having waved away the opportunity to make incremental improvements that help maintain a top 4 push.

It’s not inconceivable that we could still make top 4, it’s just a diminishing probability. Equally it’s not nailed on that we will make top 6. But players looking at the way Arsenal have behaved won’t be tripping over themselves to come here, especially if there’s no CL football on offer.

Kegunner

Big players attract other players to a club. Smith Rowe attracted Tavares. Laca attracted Auba. Depleting the squad of big names can be a ticking time bomb or a breath of fresh air. Arteta and Edu have so far gotten good transfers through especially in the last window. They may have an ace up their sleeves.

Samesong

. They may have an ace up their sleeves.

Or a 🃏

EdTheRed

InsideRight

I can’t see how we can get to 69 points which will be bare minimum for top4 spot. That’s 34 points in 17 games left. No chance. We’ll hit 60-63 max.

Raulishuss

Imagine saying wenger was thick? Ladies and gentle i give you marko.

Marko

Only signs top top qualidee goes on to buy garbage players… like I said thick cunt Arsene Wenger.

Invincibles

Looks like Auba Deal stalling as Dembele not interested in a reverse loan to us – per Fabrizio Romano?!

Ernest Reed

When all the dust is settled at end of day today we will know where the club stands. This is Arteta’s club now, no doubts remain. Its on him to either maintain the current position or better it. I would consider the remainder of this season as The truest test of his managing skills. I am of several thoughts, the primary being as to whether Arteta will rotate his squad, something that he’s already demonstrated that he’s not particularly fond of. The secondary is his constant tinkering up front that has produced mixed results and does not leave one with… Read more »

Negative Nigel

Dear oh dear oh dear.

Matt

I genuinely thought that with this season being filmed by Amazon, the club would have gone all out to try and have a successful one.

On that note, instead of ‘All or Nothing’, maybe it will be changed to ‘Arteta or Nothing’…

raptora

Like I said about a week ago, the most important transfer the club will make this window will be extending the contract of Arteta. For better or worse.

Ernest Reed

Auba travels to Barca with no deal finalized. Tells you just how desperately he wants away from Arteta and the club. His end at Dortmund was somewhat similar in as much that he wore out his welcome. Its clear now that his days at Arsenal are over, whether he stays or goes today.

Ernest Reed

“Like I said about a week ago, the most important transfer the club will make this window will be extending the contract of Arteta. For better or worse.”

Only Pedro and his Acolytes will rejoice in that news.

Considering the club gutted itself and essentially signed no reinforcements, announcing a managers extension would not be ideal. I suspect the club will wait a while before announcing.

DUIFG

We will drop like a stone once pl restarts.

I’m afraid arteta and edu have consigned us to this

Leftside

‘We will drop like a stone once pl restarts.‘

You can just see it, everyone but the argumentative manager and Edu can.

Naija+soccer

Have we signed anyone yet ?

Crimson

Bit slow. So-
Haven’t seen this on here but if Suttgart get relegated then Mavropanos transfer will be void cause of a clause in contract. So could still come back in the summer. Rather than moving for the pittance of 2 million. There currently 2nd bottom. So in theory 4 top quality Cbs for next season

Samesong

Have we signed anyone yet ?

Rhetorical question

Graham

Ernest Reed “the primary being as to whether Arteta will rotate his squad” –

I think with the numbers we will have left (assuming at any one stage 1-2 players will be out with COVID, an injury or a suspension) there won’t be anything left for him to rotate– unless he asks the players to swap positions on the pitch (albeit are they not meant to stick to their channels in JdP)

So it’s taken Arteta and Edu 6 transfer windows to get rid of the deadwood, and we’re making out like it’s been a great transfer window for players out. What a load of shit. Everyone who’s not dumb have been saying for 19 months we need a striker, yet our 2 geniuses are going into the second half of the season where we genuinely HAD a chance for top 4 , with a strike force that before our little purple patch had only scored about 13 goals in our first 15-16 games, yet now they’re expected to get us top… Read more »

PhD2020

DissenterJanuary 30, 2022 18:03:04
Does anyone know what Aubameyang actually did to deserve this drastic measures
Just falling out with Arteta shouldn’t lead to us cutting of our noses to spite our faces.
————–
DissenterJanuary 30, 2022 18:23:18
.Why exactly did Auba do?

————

Auba probably told Arteta whilst nutmegging him in training,that he in fact has the ‘prettiest wife’-not Arteta,whilst grinning like a Cheshire cat.

And further added-that Emery agreed with such sentiments(all said in the Basque language mind you)…

Samesong

Site 2nd time gone down in a week.

Samesong

Everton have so many midfielders

Leftside

Everton will buy anybody who is available. Silly club.

Leftside

Auba on his way back? the Amazon All or Nothing documentary will be hilarious, Amazon might want a sequel next year.

Berg10kamp

Seeing as Bruno did what he did, he doesnt embody the values of the club. That lacked class

Vlad

I’m happy! We took Lino Sousa from West Bromwich!

Dissenter

Pedro
Looks like you’re going to get those 2 million posts today
Lots of pent up feelings and we don’t play another game till next week

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