After Sterling swap snub have Arsenal become EPL whipping boys?

While Arsenal fans, or a growing portion of them at least, have been moaning for years about the club’s lack of ambition and Arsene Wenger having lost his edge, we have still been seen my most rivals as a real threat and by players as a good or at least a decent option to sign for.

I get the impression, however, that those days are over and that every other club, player and manager in the Premier League and even across Europe is now seeing Arsenal and Wenger in a different light. They smell blood and it is not in the cut and thrust and fiercely competitive nature of modern football to not exploit any weakness.

This was highlighted for me this week when Jonny Evans reportedly turned down the possibility of signing for Arsenal, something he would surely have jumped at the chance of doing when Man United sold him to West Brom a few years back. An even bigger and more worrying sign, for me, was the fact that Man City are refusing to consider letting Raheem Sterling come to north London as part of the transfer deal that would take Alexis Sanchez to the Etihad, despite the fact that Guardiola really wants him.

Can this be because they know we have no bargaining power left and will sell our striker to them anyway. Are the Gunners really there for all the other clubs to take aim at now?

Bob.

34 Comments

    1. 4-4-2 would be 4-4-1-1, because Lacazette would play behind Giroud. That could be a good if Arsenal can exclude Ozil (they don’t need a passenger), but it would be another form of 4-2-3-1.

      Arsenal had been using 4-2-3-1 for more than a decade and we all know the results. The problem is not the formation, but the system Arsenal has been using.

      The tempo is still too fast. This leads to many mispasses and Arsenal lost many better chances because they always rush when in possession.

      A skillful playmaker and better players are needed to lower the tempo and control the game. Playing to dominate the possession like this requires more skillful players, otherwise they will get robbed a lot.

      But if Arsenal cannot play like that, due to their current players’ skills and the staffs’ knowledge, they had better switch to a fully pragmatic approach, like Mourinho and Simeone. Get players with excellent physical attributes (tall, strong and fast) and always look for a quick set-piece goal in the first half, then get ready for counter-attacks.

      1. True soooo true, Your last 2 paragraphs are on the money. But that is the way we were playing right up to the Van Persie and Fabregas teams. The point is we cannot use Giroud in that style of play because of his blatant lack of any speed whatsoever

  1. More like weeping boys… Why is our club run this way for heaven’s sake? I’ve seen more ambition from my high school football club! And now we are selling Chamberlain to Liverpool? After how the disrespected us with the Suarez saga and even included a clause in Firminos contract to sell to anyone but Arsenal? Man Kroenkes lust for money knows no limit.

    1. Honestly didn’t think that would happen – could see Chelski, but coudn’t see us selling to Liverpool – I think when Wenger started going on about having to sell players, after we seemed for once to be strong and spending, Kroenke gave him a call warning him to stop the spending. This is almost as embarrassing as the 4-0 loss, at least we could’ve had a replacement in place before selling him, to give us the appearance of some sort of strength

    2. Arsenal always prioritize profit in front of achievement, maybe before Wenger came 21 years ago. They will not fire Wenger, because they need a scapegoat, and Wenger is happy to be a rich scapegoat.

      What if they replace Wenger with other managers and the club is still underachieving? The fans will see what is actually happening and do not support the club anymore.

      The players can see this and that’s why they want to leave. Most fans can wait forever for Arsenal, but the players should not waste their short career and life in a profit-oriented club like Arsenal.

  2. Maybe a good job Lucas wasn’t sold. This almost feels worse then when we were being robbed when the stadium was being built. There is a lot of infighting, and it would seem Kroenke has stopped the spending due to increasing costs for his NFL stadium, even though it’s the clubs money – so much for the self sustaining model.. It feels like we are weak, weaker than Everton, and the fact that we are making a PROFIT in the transfer window should be a mark of shame, that there is no investment. I could really cope with ending up at the bottom of the league, as long as Kroenke goes. The fighting between AW and the board is damaging the club, with players being bought and not used, yet Kroenke doesn’t seem to care. The in fighting must be affecting the players as well. Maybe Kroenke doesn’t understand that it isn’t like the states – relegation does exist. Maybe that’s the only way to get the club back. Ox should not have been sold before a replacement was in place, Mahrez or Lemar, then we wouldn’t have seemed so weak, but it looks like Kroenke doesn’t want any spending. I really thought that the days of vultures circling had ended, but thanks to Kroenke, they are back.

    1. On the up side, maybe we can get the club back from Kroenke – he is causing this, as other clubs must know he is reigning Wenger in.

      1. That’s probably what they said at Nottingham Forest, Leeds United, and Blackburn Rovers once-upon-a-time!

        Although I agree it’s very unlikely. Kroenke would lose too much money from that, and would have to invest to keep us at mid-table in that scenario.

      2. Why is it ridiculous?
        A name of a club does not guarantee anything.
        In a year or two there will be no top players at Arsenal and if there are Kroenke will look to sell them.
        There is no solidarity at Arsenal so there is no one playing for the club.
        I say we are vulnerable to a relegation dog fight even now..

  3. I partly agree with you. But only on the less bargaining power. I attribute that to the fact the we let the contracts get down to the last year. However, I’m of the minority opinion and believe that Sanchez is not going to be sold no matter what. I believe that Arsenal are trying to make a statement and get power on contracts and transfers back into the hands of the teams.

    I’m sure I’ll get thumbs down for this opinion. But I truly believe that. Arsenal will score a major victory for PL teams if they keep Sanchez by showing other teams that they can retain control over players as long as they are under contract with the Sanchez example.

    1. And lose £50 million plus by not selling him and keeping a player who clearly does not want to be here.
      Makes no sense to me..
      But then again Arsenal makes no sense to anyone..

      1. Money makes no difference to us fans, it goes straight to Kroenke – the Ox money is not being re-invested.

    2. Honestly don’t believe there is any cause behind this, is just a short sighted and damaging way of getting AS half price for a year, oblivious to the fact that we’re throwing 100 million down the drain. The trouble is, if we now lose him, it will make us look really weak, but we are not investing to give the team the required strength to give us a chance – thought it was make or break this year but Kroenke appears to have wielded the axe.

  4. Liverpool gets a little bit stronger.
    We get a little bit weaker.
    Kroenke gets a lot richer.
    Arsenal fans a lot more unhappy
    And Wenger still remains in post.
    Where is anything good in this?

  5. Haven’t we been like that a while ago after missing on so many targets? How transfer dealings make us look like an amateurish and even them know how to spend the damn money. No clear strategy, no clear plan Bs & being laughed at by everybody as well as looked like fools!

    The type of owner we have do not help. I understand that he wants the club to run on it’s own equity but sometimes you have to leverage. If you don’t want to spend from your own pocket you have a minority owner who would be more than willing to support one big big player a summer. It would benefit everyone sporting wise and specially you money wise…

    Wenger can’t help himself he thinks he is still the right man to save the sinking ship and he is holding onto it as nobody will ever offer him a home as comfortable as Arsenal. A platform to fail again and again and again yet have a shot every single time to make it right: insanity!

    Finally a board who can’t help themselves and make the decision for him. As if they are afraid of making a tough call that if it doesn’t work they have to own up to it. Or afraid that they would be exposed if a new manager comes in and summer business is still the same?! Wenger call the shots transfer wise but is that really all there is?

    1. Kroenke leverages of the club – that’s why we have to hold such large reserves, he also draws out 3.5 million a year, for ‘advisory services’ – which is basically advising Wenger and the board not to spend. If only we could run on our equity without him taking dividends and leveraging of us, we would be in a far stronger position.

      1. What surprises me is that Wenger is the longest Manager in the EPL. He knows you have to spend money in order to win titltes. Buy A mobile DM and Draxler or Mahrez. He is either naive or arrogant to think he can will the EPL without bringing the required changes. Dhaka should play with a very mobile DM. Ramsey should go back to the bench. Ozil should not play all games. Rotate Ozil and Iwobi. We would do well by changing to a more direct approach. Xhaka playing long balls from deep. 3412 formation. Xhaka and A mobile DM. Ozil behind Lacazette and Draxler/Giround. Sell Welbeck. Sell Sanchez. Buy one of Draxler or Mahrez. Buy one of Veratti or Rabbiot. Make these moves today Arsene.

      2. According to news reports he is also taking out a massive loan to build a new stadium for his LA Rams. All together now “it’s a small world free all…”

        1. Apparently according to terms of the deal to build his stadium, it has to fulfil certain criteria, to be one of the most advanced stadiums. Now we know why we had to make a profit this transfer window… Unless something happens today, the atmosphere will be toxic, with all our competitors strengthening.

  6. Conspiracy theory:

    Wenger is on purpose playing players out of position so he doesn’t have to play the 5-2-2-1 formation anymore.

  7. Is it that hard to figure out that we deeply need new signings. With the current form we wont even go far in Europa.

    In:
    VVD – 65m
    Mahrez – 50m
    Draxler – 35m
    Di Maria (if ozil leaves) – 50m

    Out:
    Gibbs – 7m
    Ox – 40m
    Ozil – 45m
    Sanchez – 60-70m

    ffs we dont even need to spend much after selling those players.

    Draxler – Lacazette – Mahrez
    Ozil/Wilshere
    Ramsey/Xhaka – Coq/Elneny
    Kola – Kos – VVD – Bellerin
    Cech

    Then we might still have a chance to compete im the bpl.

    On a side note. Its cant annoy me more the fact tht aurier is heading to spurs for 23m?! N now liverpool suddenly is interested in lemar cuz Arsenal tried to sign him

  8. We started so well in the window, Kolasinac and Lacazette adding to the squad. But even spending £50m on a player hasn’t convinced Ox and Sanchez that we’ve got a chance of winning trophies. Sanchez should have been sold weeks ago for at least £70m or with Aguero coming the other way. Arsenal are far too weak when it comes to negotiations. We’ve seen that time after time. Suarez, Lemar, Draxler, Benzema, Mahrez, Aurier. Players we’ve been interested in but backed out because we wouldn’t reach the valuation. We’ve become a selling club despite signing players for £30m+. We need a new manager, a new owner and new ideas. We’re falling further and further behind

  9. Show up to the stadium to support the club but do not enter, just hold a massive party outside the emirates with a beer tent and radio 5 on a sound system

    1. Unfortunately both – we are allowing Liverpool to make complete fools of us, beating us 4-0, taking one of Wengers favourites, and attempting to push the deal for Lemar over the line, which we couldn’t manage all summer. They are valued at approximately half our value, so how are they managing to this? One word – Kroenke.

      1. I blame Kroenke for the 4-0 as well, as he was the one who overrode the board, and kept Wenger in place, and allows the infighting between the board and Wenger to carry on, which is tearing the club apart.

      2. It’s crazy indeed. I’m getting furious. We’ve weakened our squad by given Ox to Liverpool and now it seems that they have a brighter chance in capturing our targets from us. It is ever becoming likely that VVD, Lemar and Draxler stand a better chance of going to Liverpool than coming over to Arsenal.

        You can imagine how that would strengthen their squad, especially after beating us 4-0. The clock is ticking down, the countdown is on. I pray for a miracle cos we need one earnestly. Let’s hope for the best fellow Bgooners.

  10. And congratulations to Arsene Wenger.
    Raising the bar for levels of incompetency whilst successfully negotiation a pay rise and extended contract.
    Truly top work – for his sake though I would stay away from Arsenal fans.
    They are not a happy bunch.

  11. hate him all you want but ozil is miles better than sanchez and ox put together in terms of attitude. We have all but everytime made him useless but in the real sense he loves arsenal more than your so called favorite. shame on all of us who has slated people like ozil, giroud ramsey. I think this are the only true gunners left in our squad. I know it meant nothing when they came out and apologised to the fans after the pool game it only shows they care. for all I care sanchez can fu** off our club along with whom ever that wants to go. yes we may finish below 10 but at least is better to have players that will fight for the team even though with less quality.ox is an ingrate after everything arsenal did for him. well I wish him success. at least lucks if not sold is way better than him.

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