Sorry to raise a vey British grammar point but since you are British, Pedro, you should know that Arsenal or any other team, is treated as a plural entity .
Therefore, it's " Arsenal are attacking" not "Arsenal is attacking" or. Arsenal are playing well not is playing well..
The window, for me, was a serious show of intent and a smack to the face to alot of narratives here not least Pedro (who has considerably changed tone and let go of the ageing down and waiting for Pep to leave thing). We signed a 35, 28 and 29 year old in a window. That sounds like "ready to win this season" signings and I support that 100 percent.
I may not necessarily agree with Merino (I wanted Bruno) and not upgrading on Haverts (I wanted about 6 other strikers) but I don't run the club and all I can do now (have always done, really) is support the players that step out every match day in hope that the best will happen. Not a good way to live but no choices.
I guess the thinking with Haverts is that when his best impression of being a top 5 striker is winning duels in the defensive 3rd and all that, that Saka, Tross, Raheem and Ode could get the goals that we need to win matches.
And a 22 year old who was conveniently omitted from your list. I am very pleased with the TW but still view the strategy of signing 20-24 year olds as being the way to go. Like every rule though there will be exceptions.
A key one is for back ups which Neto and Sterling are. Who else would be prepared to simply be a back up? - not a player in his prime so either you go for a raw youngster or an experienced pro. The latter is better from a short term perspective
When it came down to Raheem or no one, I was 100 percent going for Raheem. There's no way you look at his history and not think that he could replicate some of that in this team. The environment alone is can do wonders. Let's hope to the best.
Funny thing is I don't even think he'd remain back up for long. He's probably better or at par with all we have bar Saka.
My biggest concern beyond the injuries.. is not really having any kind of replacement for Odegaard within our system.. I hope Nwaneri is the wonder kid.. many on here tout him to be.. because that's a lot of pressure on a teenager, but sometimes the ignorance of youth works out, they don't know what they don't know and just play.
So glad the window is finally .. over and we can move on to what matters .. the actual matches. It was Heee larious reading Le Grove and the wide range of emotions going on ranging from sheer panic to ecstasy. Think it's more likely the real emotion should have been somewhere closer to the middle. Unlike the Wenger banter windows it's pretty clear the Club knows it's weaknesses and attempted to address them while moving on players that were never going to feature. And we didn't go for over priced big names.. we tried to add pieces that make sense. Sterling would not have been my choice but as Edu admitted sometimes things just work out that way and you take the best option within your means to get it done. Let's Go!
I went to bed at 10.30 to stop checking feeds and have finally now sneaked a look at what actually happened. I felt sure all along we would sign Sterling and stated this on here immediately after he was excluded by Maresca. Although it seemed tenuous at 10.00!
Great move for us and overall given the massive constraints now in football I think it has been a very good TW for us.
Couldn't sleep. Seen the Sterling announcement. He was scorned by pep and then by this Maresca guy. He is coming in with a point to prove. And Arteta knows his strengths. This was a stupid good deal for us. No loan fee. 100k a week.
Tiring out teams using Saka and Martinelli/Trossard and then bringing on Trossard/Martinelli and Sterling. That is box office. We will also have Jesus when fit to sub for Havertz. Literally 6 quality attacking options depending on form.
indeed we all love a player with a point to prove. He doesnt want to return to Chelsea. He is gonna bust his arse to stay with us or get sold somewhere else. If we win the prem I can see us signing him up again.
"It’s an unbelievable feeling. It’s really exciting. I’m buzzing.
"It’s one where we kind of left it late but it’s one I was hoping for. Looking at everything, I’m just, like, ‘This is a perfect fit for me’, and I’m super happy that we got it over the line.
"I spoke with Edu and I said that it’s something you can see from the outside, you can see the real togetherness from Mikel’s time here and you see the journey that the boys are on, and you can see the hunger, and I keep saying again, the togetherness is something I’m looking to be a part of."
Edu Gaspar
"To be fair we never planned really to sign him when we started the transfer window, just to be very transparent," Edu said of the deal.
"But we always say to everyone that you have to be prepared for every single scenario. It makes a lot of sense to have someone like him because I’m pretty sure he is going to add a lot in the squad. He has experience, he understands more than anyone the league, he’s played in the Champions League many times. He won the Premier League a few times as well, so I think he can add a lot to our squad and I feel really happy to see someone like him in our squad."
Not really, we are very well positioned with PSR. ‘One in one out’ and ‘finances’ were about responsible housekeeping of our squad and changing the conversation about us as club to move from perceived weakness to strength in negotiations.
Outgoings we held firmly to our valuations, incomings we negotiated well and weren’t bullied.
We just showed everyone that our players are valuable and can’t be taken cheaply, and that when we like a player we won’t be held to ransom.
We clearly have raised our standards for players we want to spend money on and we’re no longer in the business of blowing money on short-term solutions that burden us financially.
It’s reliably known that we want Nico Williams and Benjamin Sesko, but for reasons outside our control that couldn’t be done this window. The club have the strength and confidence to wait for those players and not undermine ourselves by wasting that money on compromises.
The money is there, it’s an open secret. We’re just not spending it on anyone because we’re not desperate. This means we get a massive upgrades less frequently than regularly buying for the sake of buying to plug gaps with whatever player.
I agree with many of your points but we are poised to take the prem from City. We needed a few pieces in attack, more so that defense that did not materialize. The team knows this, they fucked up and we were lucky to get Raheem. That could have also not happened. We went for Sesko, it did not work out. So what was plan B? Also a back up RW? No plan A no plan B? Anyhow, glad we got RS but losing this many players meant we should also have been making deals earlier for our needs. Not just selling everyone and then going, hmmm we need to buy some players LOL
LG - Only by selling homegrown players we are able to buy the new players. Or else the risk of running close to breaching PSR was already there after past 2 season's spending. Arsenal has been pretty smart on navigating through the finances, adding quality bodies and recouping much needed funds. This will help balance out the books for sure.
Guns - buying players just for the sake of having enough bodies is what we've done before. The team is much leaner now but there's absolutely no drop in quality, increased it for sure. Now Arteta has more flexibility on players rotation that he can trust. Sterling can adapt in almost all attacking positions too. I feel this is one of the best TW we ever had with both incoming and outgoings.
Yes but getting RS was just be sheer coincidence. This was not pre planned. Sure we took advantage but to me it seems we were never really in for a RW or forward until Jesus crocked himself. We spent all summer getting Merino, Pool gets Chiesa in one day. They identify and get. We dither. then Get lucky sometimes
You can’t assess a transfer window until days after
You’ve got to sleep on it and just let it marinade.
The good thing about this window is that is was more thorough and reset the club. The next 2-4 windows will be easier because of the decisive actions we’ve taken this window.
Sorry to raise a vey British grammar point but since you are British, Pedro, you should know that Arsenal or any other team, is treated as a plural entity .
Therefore, it's " Arsenal are attacking" not "Arsenal is attacking" or. Arsenal are playing well not is playing well..
Regards
Kai Havertz: sooooooooooooo overrated
3 Hale Enders on subs bench as well as Setford
The window, for me, was a serious show of intent and a smack to the face to alot of narratives here not least Pedro (who has considerably changed tone and let go of the ageing down and waiting for Pep to leave thing). We signed a 35, 28 and 29 year old in a window. That sounds like "ready to win this season" signings and I support that 100 percent.
I may not necessarily agree with Merino (I wanted Bruno) and not upgrading on Haverts (I wanted about 6 other strikers) but I don't run the club and all I can do now (have always done, really) is support the players that step out every match day in hope that the best will happen. Not a good way to live but no choices.
I guess the thinking with Haverts is that when his best impression of being a top 5 striker is winning duels in the defensive 3rd and all that, that Saka, Tross, Raheem and Ode could get the goals that we need to win matches.
Looking forward to Brighton
And an 18 year old who is now our no 3 keeper
And a 22 year old who was conveniently omitted from your list. I am very pleased with the TW but still view the strategy of signing 20-24 year olds as being the way to go. Like every rule though there will be exceptions.
A key one is for back ups which Neto and Sterling are. Who else would be prepared to simply be a back up? - not a player in his prime so either you go for a raw youngster or an experienced pro. The latter is better from a short term perspective
When it came down to Raheem or no one, I was 100 percent going for Raheem. There's no way you look at his history and not think that he could replicate some of that in this team. The environment alone is can do wonders. Let's hope to the best.
Funny thing is I don't even think he'd remain back up for long. He's probably better or at par with all we have bar Saka.
Bloody 430am kick off west coast tomorrow.
Yep cutting myself off now .. get my 5 hours of beauty rest before the 630 am k/o here.
My biggest concern beyond the injuries.. is not really having any kind of replacement for Odegaard within our system.. I hope Nwaneri is the wonder kid.. many on here tout him to be.. because that's a lot of pressure on a teenager, but sometimes the ignorance of youth works out, they don't know what they don't know and just play.
So glad the window is finally .. over and we can move on to what matters .. the actual matches. It was Heee larious reading Le Grove and the wide range of emotions going on ranging from sheer panic to ecstasy. Think it's more likely the real emotion should have been somewhere closer to the middle. Unlike the Wenger banter windows it's pretty clear the Club knows it's weaknesses and attempted to address them while moving on players that were never going to feature. And we didn't go for over priced big names.. we tried to add pieces that make sense. Sterling would not have been my choice but as Edu admitted sometimes things just work out that way and you take the best option within your means to get it done. Let's Go!
Those of you that lost your shit, welcome back. No point ridiculing anyone. Transfer window can really break a man’s mind.
We are a very well-run club. Can’t wait to support my club again this season. COYG
Sounds like we have skinned those fucks over Sterling. Massive wage cut and 50% subsidised by them. Eat sand you cancerous shithole of a club
We already took Kai and made him better. There's a nice video going around of him saying how much he's learned in 1 year under Arteta.
People scoffed a few years ago when I used to point out what Sane, Sterling and some others gave Arteta credit for..
I know it's only a loan for now, but it would be great if Sterling agitates to make this move permanently next season.
Of course it does depend on how he performs etc, but it will be interesting to see if Arteta manages to revive Raheem.
And considering what he has managed to do with Kai, it will be interesting to see if Raheem also manages to get back to his best.
It will be interesting to see what happens with Raheem this season.
The truth hurts.
I went to bed at 10.30 to stop checking feeds and have finally now sneaked a look at what actually happened. I felt sure all along we would sign Sterling and stated this on here immediately after he was excluded by Maresca. Although it seemed tenuous at 10.00!
Great move for us and overall given the massive constraints now in football I think it has been a very good TW for us.
I like the fact that Espanol tried playing hardball and we walked away. How we've dealt with them and also how we've sold sets a great precedence.
Couldn't sleep. Seen the Sterling announcement. He was scorned by pep and then by this Maresca guy. He is coming in with a point to prove. And Arteta knows his strengths. This was a stupid good deal for us. No loan fee. 100k a week.
Tiring out teams using Saka and Martinelli/Trossard and then bringing on Trossard/Martinelli and Sterling. That is box office. We will also have Jesus when fit to sub for Havertz. Literally 6 quality attacking options depending on form.
Sterling is for sure the best deal of this TW even on loan. He's going to be an impact player on and off the field.
indeed we all love a player with a point to prove. He doesnt want to return to Chelsea. He is gonna bust his arse to stay with us or get sold somewhere else. If we win the prem I can see us signing him up again.
Sterling on the move
"It’s an unbelievable feeling. It’s really exciting. I’m buzzing.
"It’s one where we kind of left it late but it’s one I was hoping for. Looking at everything, I’m just, like, ‘This is a perfect fit for me’, and I’m super happy that we got it over the line.
"I spoke with Edu and I said that it’s something you can see from the outside, you can see the real togetherness from Mikel’s time here and you see the journey that the boys are on, and you can see the hunger, and I keep saying again, the togetherness is something I’m looking to be a part of."
Edu Gaspar
"To be fair we never planned really to sign him when we started the transfer window, just to be very transparent," Edu said of the deal.
"But we always say to everyone that you have to be prepared for every single scenario. It makes a lot of sense to have someone like him because I’m pretty sure he is going to add a lot in the squad. He has experience, he understands more than anyone the league, he’s played in the Champions League many times. He won the Premier League a few times as well, so I think he can add a lot to our squad and I feel really happy to see someone like him in our squad."
sounds like he wants a longer term with us to stay with the togetherness
Sounds like he’s fired up and ready to work his arse off :)
Welcome Raheem mate, welcome
The TW was all about navigating PSR and not just splashing money around. I read somewhere Arsenal had the highest outgoing (31) this TW. That's huge.
Not really, we are very well positioned with PSR. ‘One in one out’ and ‘finances’ were about responsible housekeeping of our squad and changing the conversation about us as club to move from perceived weakness to strength in negotiations.
Outgoings we held firmly to our valuations, incomings we negotiated well and weren’t bullied.
We just showed everyone that our players are valuable and can’t be taken cheaply, and that when we like a player we won’t be held to ransom.
We clearly have raised our standards for players we want to spend money on and we’re no longer in the business of blowing money on short-term solutions that burden us financially.
It’s reliably known that we want Nico Williams and Benjamin Sesko, but for reasons outside our control that couldn’t be done this window. The club have the strength and confidence to wait for those players and not undermine ourselves by wasting that money on compromises.
The money is there, it’s an open secret. We’re just not spending it on anyone because we’re not desperate. This means we get a massive upgrades less frequently than regularly buying for the sake of buying to plug gaps with whatever player.
I agree with many of your points but we are poised to take the prem from City. We needed a few pieces in attack, more so that defense that did not materialize. The team knows this, they fucked up and we were lucky to get Raheem. That could have also not happened. We went for Sesko, it did not work out. So what was plan B? Also a back up RW? No plan A no plan B? Anyhow, glad we got RS but losing this many players meant we should also have been making deals earlier for our needs. Not just selling everyone and then going, hmmm we need to buy some players LOL
LG - Only by selling homegrown players we are able to buy the new players. Or else the risk of running close to breaching PSR was already there after past 2 season's spending. Arsenal has been pretty smart on navigating through the finances, adding quality bodies and recouping much needed funds. This will help balance out the books for sure.
Guns - buying players just for the sake of having enough bodies is what we've done before. The team is much leaner now but there's absolutely no drop in quality, increased it for sure. Now Arteta has more flexibility on players rotation that he can trust. Sterling can adapt in almost all attacking positions too. I feel this is one of the best TW we ever had with both incoming and outgoings.
Yes but getting RS was just be sheer coincidence. This was not pre planned. Sure we took advantage but to me it seems we were never really in for a RW or forward until Jesus crocked himself. We spent all summer getting Merino, Pool gets Chiesa in one day. They identify and get. We dither. then Get lucky sometimes
You can’t assess a transfer window until days after
You’ve got to sleep on it and just let it marinade.
The good thing about this window is that is was more thorough and reset the club. The next 2-4 windows will be easier because of the decisive actions we’ve taken this window.