Arsenal vs Europe by Seetsuma
Summer. The Women’s World Cup is over, the Copa America is over, and the only matches to watch right now are the Gold Cup, Wimbledon, Baseball, NBA Summer League basketball and reruns of Game of Thrones. Now that it is July 11th and the EPL transfer market has officially been open for 10 days, we’ve got a bit more than just rumours to go on for a change. We’ve actually got confirmed transfers, which is exactly what I’m here to discuss!
I’ve noticed that many people have been upset about Arsenal’s seeming lack of involvement in the transfer window thus far. To be honest, I feel as though we’ve started off better than most. That is not to say that I feel as though Arsene is done, nor do I feel as though we should be done, so do not take it that way. Here is a quick look around Europe to see what the other big names have done so far. This list is up-to-date based on www.transfermarkt.com (as of today) and only includes CONFIRMED transfers in and out. I have also done a minor bit of screening in order to include only transfers of note.
Arsenal — Lost Podolski, Miyaichi, Diaby and Flamini, signed Cech.
Chelsea — Lost Cech and Drogba, signed Falcao (loan).
Liverpool — Lost Coates, Gerrard and Johnson, signed Clyne, Firmino, Ings and Milner, .
Man City — Lost Negredo, Nastasic, Boyata and Milner (free), no signings of note.
Man United — Lost Nani, signed Schweinsteiger and Depay.
Tottenham — Lost Paulinho, Capoue, Assou-Ekotto (free) and have signed Alderweireld.
Bayern — Lost Schweinsteiger and Shaqiri, signed Ulreich, Douglas Costa and Kimmich.
Dortmund — Lost Castro (and Jurgen Klopp), no signings of note.
AC Milan — Lost Destro, signed Bacca, Adriano and Bertolacci.
Inter Milan — Lost Alvarez, signed Kondogbia, Miranda (loan) and Shaqiri.
Juventus — Lost Tevez, Pirlo and Ogbonna, signed Dybala, Khedira, Pereyra and Mandzukic.
Napoli — Lost Michu, signed Reina.
Athletico Madrid — Lost Alderweireld, Miranda, Mandzukic and Arda Turan, signed Martinez, Carrasco and Vietto.
Barcelona — Lost Xavi and Deulofeu, signed Turan and Aleix Vidal.
Real Madrid — Lost Khedira (free), signed Danilo Da Silva.
Monaco — Lost Carrasco, Falcao (loan) and Kondogbia, signed Cavaleiro.
PSG — Lost Cabaye, no signings of note.
It looks like, outside of Italy, most of the big clubs have been selling (or replacing) and not necessarily upgrading their squads at all. As a caveat, Barcelona cannot play any of their new signings until the January transfer window, as well as they are replacing their president, so that could have a lot to do with their stagnant transfer window. Again, while I am very pleased with the first 10 days of our transfer window, I’m looking forward to three more signings before the season begins!
Seetsuma
At this point I would say we have a chance of 4th place Czech an improvement for sure but worth 3 or 4 points max …. Man utd have strengthened darmian is certain and if they add otiamendi they will have replaced a shaky defence with a solid one .. With Chelsea Falcao better than drogba so already stronger attacking option and I am guessing one more quality signing possibly replacing oscar and if it’s griezman they will be way out favorites .. Man city will certainly bring in two quality players so will have to wait and see… Lpool probably a stronger squad now but still seem to lack quality options … Spurs seem clueless at moment … So without two serious signings we will not be challenging for top honours
… Fitness is important but not a substitute for quality
you are right, Man untd have signed unknow Darmian, talented Depay but not proven and old Sweiny, so i guess they are stronger than us LOL, Liverpool also, signed few average players and they are expecting to put a title challange? LOL without any adition we are still stronger than Untd and Liverpool by mile.
Liverpool…yes we have a better squad but I wouldn’t say by a mile. I don’t know about United. I think if anything Man Utd have the edge in squad strength.
If you look closely to Untd squad you will see that, only Di Maria and maybe Rooney would get in our team, to win League you need whole team to step up, yes they added players, but is that what they needed? similar to our transfer window, we need only striker or winger and we have full squad, but still i think we can win league without any adition. Injuries are strongly monitored, cuz we have just signed 2 new physios.
Whatever helps you sleep at night my friend. To avoid injuries in the first place you need a big squad full of quality so that the replacements can come and perform at almost similar levels as the starters. Adding physios without adding players is exactly how it sounds when you repeat it to yourself.
If you think we can win the league without any other addition…then all I can be is sorry for you. This is the same squad virtually as last season and you somehow expect different results while the competition keep boosting their squads and improving.
You know that saying about insanity?
“To avoid injuries in the first place you need a big squad full of quality so that the replacements can come and perform at almost similar levels as the starters.” Thats not solving injury problems, replacing injured player doesnt mean you solved injury problems LOL
When players are not being overplayed, you PREVENT the likelihood that they will have injuries.
Prevention is also a method of solving problems my friend.
You can have all the F*cking physios you want but if you only have one quality player that you overplay and they get injured for 6 months then your physios can’t do sh*t but help in the recovery process. They do not solve injury problems. Its not their job. Their job is to PREVENT injuries and having adequate quality players that the manager can rotate helps the physios. They are not miracle workers.
Whatever you took this morning might be impairing your cognition because I am sure I am pretty clear and simple.
I repeat I did NOT say SOLVE injuries… I said PREVENT injuries. No one can solve injuries. They happen like sh*t happens.
CHELSEA HAVE HIJACKED OUR DEAL FOR PEDRO!
FABREGAS HAS PERSUADED HIM, YOU DISLOYAL SON OF A B*TCH…..
why did i use big caps?
sense of urgency…i do not wanna lose pedro to chelsea
please!!!
So explain how Chelsea went the whole season using the same back six 95% of the time without a single injury over two weeks.
There is obviously more to injuries than simply rotation and this is the first two summers where we have addressed it.
“No one can solve injuries. They happen like sh*t happens.” Are you joking?
Mr k-ool do you listen to yourself when you talk? …chelsea won the league last season virtually using the same set of players the whole season…Matic was in almost every game if not all…how did he stay injury free the whole season???
Unknown to who? One of best defenders in a league of quality defenders …. I suppose u r excited about getting Johnny Evans …. Which if true will b it for wenger in my books … The fact is we finished 5 points ahead of one of worst man utd teams in decade or more … And 4 points behind a weak man city team …. If u r confident that adding Czech makes the difference then I hope u will be passing along the name of your supplier of mind altering drugs coz u must be downing a hell of a lot of em
We have to accept our transfer season has been below our expectations. Only a cech in for us!!!other teams are signing quality players while we give new contracts to players like arteta…a real shame
@seancali,
Agreed. Couldn’t say it any better.
Ok, I have a question for you defeatist people out there who actually up voted this nonsense. Do you think we have a 15% chance of finishing ahead of Chelsea , how about Man City, Man United, and Liverpool?
We would have to have a 15% chance of being ahead of all 4 of those teams individually to make the odds of us getting top 4 lower than 50%. I hope this proves the lunacy of “At this point I would say we have a chance of 4th place”.
I also love how he has just decided that all the signing every other team makes will be raving successes.
What you’re some kind of closet actuary now … If u think that’s how teams reach the top good luck to u but suggest bet365 might be the more appropriate web site … Winning EPL depends on how u stack up against rivals that all … Haven’t decided anything just that man utd were obviously weak defensively and the guy is trying to repair that weakness with some serious signings …. Mourinho can see weakness with right wing and will correct … Man city acknowledge they had same weaknesses as us in DM and attack as us and will try to correct for sure … Wenger says it’s just about fitness ..all I am saying is that there are lots of fit teams in bottom half of EPL …
I hate to say this but I admire Mourinho. For one the guy is honest. Two seasons ago, he flat out said Chelsea will not win the title that season and his squad wasn’t exactly how he wanted or good enough to win it (and he stuck by his word all season long) but that the next year they would be ready and they would win.
So it disgusts me on this site that people actually believe the same team we have that didn’t win the league last year while goalkeeping wasn’t a serious problem expect us to pull off a miracle with the same squad and just Cech in it.
Lets be honest with ourselves here.
@K-ool, I have not always agreed with you on everything…however, this is the most honest comment I’ve read since the beginning of the transfer window. It bothers me that many Arsenal fans don’t see it.
If you love the guy you can read it that way. If you aren’t so keen on him you could say he was getting his excuses in first and didn’t have the coaching ability to work with a squad that had won the league 3 years earlier and he saw spending money as the only way out.
the betting odds have us in the top 3… they have us much close to winning the title than losing top 4
We Arsenal fans are some of the most deluded ever.
It is obvious that the board are running down the transfer window.
Same thing they do every season.
Expect a signing similar to sonogo or an average 30 year old player rather than a world class player?
Have we already lost flamini?
If we get arturo vidal that would surely make this gooner a very happy man indeed! Coyg!
We haven’t really done anything in this transfer window.
Cech is little better than Ospina but goalkeeping wasn’t a problem last season.
I for some reason remembered Eduardo da silva today and was reflecting on that NEARLY season, the closest we’ve come in the past 11 years…what a striker we had before we lost him to injury. He was quick, he could dribble, had trickery and his finishing was superb. I mean what rubbish do we have in our squad today. Its appalling…an immobile log of wood that can’t do anything special. It frustrates me.
Its like we forget this club has had a good record of classy strikers. We don’t have any now…its a shame. We will not win anything major until we have a great striker.
Goal keeping wasn’t a problem? What planet are you from then?
How was it a problem? Which matches could have been won with a goalkeeper? Wasn’t Ospina brilliant enough? Czech is a good signing but the LEAST PRIORITY.
How about you elaborate?…be sensible and I might agree or see your point. But I am pretty sure you have nothing to say that will make any sense.
Btw…its E-A-R-T-H. Answer to your question.
Simple, by getting Cech we are getting experianced top keeper, has atributes of a leader and has been top for years ( top 3 gk in world ). Defenders need someone to lead them and organise them in match, we were so exposed from set pieces, i bet that will decrece dramaticly with Cech. His presence alone will improve us.
Leading from the back … F****** brilliant … Football strategy derived from the batlle of the Somme …. I do think Czech could give us 3 or 4 points extra but it ain’t enough to overhaul Chelsea man city and if van gahl gets his act together could lose ground to Man U ….We are 2 and possibly 3 quality signings from leading from the front ….
I’m struggling to say anything sensible when you tell me that Ospina and Cech are two goalkeepers of the same ability……..
Southampton away he was a bit iffy but my goldfish memory isn’t giving me any others.
Monaco at home? guess you didn’t watch..
I also happen to notice that we have a WORLD CLASS STRIKER that missed 3/4 good chances that day. *THAT WAS THE MAIN ISSUE*…not finishing the chances when the moments and chances came.
Rewinding back…Kondogbia’s goal (1st goal) was a wicked deflection from Mertersacker the ever-so-slow. The other two goals were very good goals most keepers or none would save and caused about by defensive errors rather than the goalkeeper.
Gotta love the way you guys airbrush history. Wenger buys Cech and now we never had a problem in the most important position on the field.
If everyone is fit, We have a pretty good squad with depth but lack quality in some department… The problem is its gonna be a long season and we’ll be fighting in 4major competitions. Suspension, lack of fitness and the usual ‘injury’ will always set it so I wish we sign a Striker and DM or push walcott to the middle(striker) and sign a prolific Winger like Reus…..Hopefully, Wenger signs the players we need or give us a player in the middle of the park or up front…
We are fighting for 4th place but not trophies with our current crew. That’s the sad truth.
Our squad is good enough to win the title, but there is always room for improvement
You sound like Wenger. What a stupid comment Mr. Wenger
I may sound like wenger, but that is the truth. We have a squad of very good players capable of winning the title
Yes, I agree. The same squad man-for-man with the exception of Ospina that won the league last season.
We have a great squad that won the premier league last season….TF?! is wrong with some?
Gabriel, Coquelin, Bellerin, Cech. We may have only made one summer transfer but we don’t have the same starting team as last season and our entire defence is far more stable.
Chelsea also went the whole season without injuries (more than 2 games) to any of their 6 defensive players: Terry, Ivanovic, Matic, Courtois, Azpilacueta and Cahill.
If we are having a good enough crew, how come we aren’t even in the second place for quite a number of years and more than 10 points behind the trophy team this year?
Stop your day dreaming!! We are just 4th place chasing team with our current crew.
Stop your day dreaming. We aren’t even close to winning the premier league for the past few years. That only tells our current crew is not good enough.
When did we sell flamini?
I also can’t find any evidence of his transfer.
I was a bit up set when AW let Jackson Martinez gone for Atletico Madrid without tabled any offer. I feel he’s a truly up grade of Giroud. Even up set when AW extended Arteta’s contract. Looks like there’s no more classy DMF will coming. But, to see our last two marques signings, I won’t judge AW transfer policies yet. We shouldn’t.
Three more signings? Not that optimistic. Just two players, one world class striker (Benzema or Higuain) and one DMF (Bender or else), will be enough.
We still need one deep lying playmaker to be Santi’s back up, and we can find him on the team. One midfielder between Jack or Rambo should sacrifice their nature as B2B, and learn from Santi of his accurate long passing and how to be discipline in defense. If it’s done then WE ARE READY. COYG!!!!!!
In my opinion we have title winning squad, but there is always chance for improving, why should we sign players who cant improve us? Of all availible strikers out there i consider only Benzema worth of our team, maybe Lacazzete.
I disagree.
We do NOT have a title winning squad. We are at least a ST and CDM away from being title contenders. But we will come closer with Benzema or Lacazzette as they are the type of strikers that fit the way we play. They are quick, skillful and can make their own chances and score.
With the creative force in the team, I can see Benzema (not being overshadowed by Ronaldo) scoring 20+ in the league. Lacazzette as well.
Why do you think that we need new DM, new striker i understand, but new DM is not needed, last year you could see that our team is dominating and other teams are defending whole match, so Wenger even sub Coq cuz we couldnt penetrate their defence, we had the best defence in 2015, only 14 goals conciding, add Cech to that and we would concide even less, defence is the most important thing in EPL, that will Untd and Liverpool learn again next year.
So if Coquelin gets injured…then what? Arteta? What if Coquelin is just a one season wonder and doesn’t replicate next season?
Doesn’t Chelsea have Matic, Ramires and Jon Obi Mikel?
Have you looked at the squads of Man City, Real Madrid, Barca, Bayern, PSG etc.?
There has to be competition in the squad because it brings out the best and if one quality player gets injured…another quality player is there to cover.
That is why.
But yes, you are right. We are aiming for 4TH place anyway. Its not like we are trying to win the EPL or CL. What is the point of bolstering the squad with quality players? I am sure we don’t need Scneiderlin/Vidal and Benzema/Lacazzette/Higuain/Lewandowski in our squad.
I mean, lots of defenders quake in their boots when they hear Giroud and Arteta coming to play against them.
Haha, lets see
Real DM = 0 ( Kroos and Modric arent DMs)
Barcelona DM = 1 ( Busqets )
Chelsea DM = 2 ( Matic and Obi Mikel ) Ramires is Ramsey type player
Man Untd DM = 1 ( Blind )
Man City DM = 2 ( Fernando, Fernandinho )
Arsenal DM = 2 ( Coq and Arteta )
We look good if you compare arent we? You say what if Coq is one season wonder, well you can say that to every other player, what if Falcao surpasses Costa, what if, what if. If you look closely DM rearely gets injured, Coq showed in every match he played that he up there with Matic in every aspect, Arteta vs Obi, i think thats preaty equal too, so no need to worry!
lol…you lost me at Arteta. DREAM ON. Your argument is pointless. I really hope we don’t sign anyone…not a ST not a DM…no one. Let’s just stay as we are now and end the transfer window so you see how ignorant you look at this time next year. You will still be saying the same NONSENSE that this squad can win the league like you will say on July 12, 2016 after we don’t win the EPL and/or CL next season. I will try to save your comments.
Point is those teams have better options than ours. Their starters are better and then they have adequate replacements in that position. Which is why we could use a Scneiderlin or Vidal with Coquelin as the adequate replacement. Then you could say we can measure up and not actually look delusional.
I would take Schweinsteiger and Blind over Coquelin and Arteta.
I would take Kroos and Modric over Coquelin and Arteta also. I would also take Man City’s options over ours.
I don’t have to keep going on and on. Support is one thing, delusion is another my friend. Thin line.
Your assessment is incorrect.
Man United have Carrick who can play as a DM/holding type if necessary, not to mention they just signed Schweinsteiger.
Kroos for Real Madrid has already adapted quite nicely into Khedira’s position. Although he had more freedom at Bayern to attack, he is being played as a DM/holding mid and according to stats and assessment is doing extremely well. A club such as Real Madrid would never let a player such a Khedira go without having a suitable replacement.
As for Arsenal, no way is Arteta a DM, we have seen this countless time. He is an ok’ish holding midfielder against weaker teams, but thats about it. I have to agree with k-ool, we need another decent DM/holding mid to rotate with le Coq, or even on at the same time to close of a game when we are in the lead. We NEED this type of resource and I think Schneiderlin is the perfect man for the job, although I also would not mind seeing Vidal in the red and white.
Thats not what we need, you say Kroos is now DM, than Wilshere and Ramsey are also DMs, we need someone who will sit and protect our back 4, would Vidal do that? First look at definitio what DM is, than come back to talk about DMs, Shneiderlin would be good choice but will he come here and be sub?
I red that Schweinsteiger said the only team that scared him as us…just saying
You expect Coquelin to play up to 65 games, or not get injured at all. Of course we need another DM. Think before you write.
If Walcot Wellbeck
Sanogo Campbell Gnabry
Chamberlain Rosicky
Wilshere Arteta Debuchy
Gabriel Chambers + Szcz step up
it will be like 13 free LANS 🙂
lol
apparently wenger made a phone call to benzema and benz said he isnt leaving madrid.
we all know higuain is over priced (90mill euros)
only strikers left are cavani and lacazzette n i doubt cavani is on the market plus am not hearing anything serious with lacazzette.
best we get either griezman or reus for right wing, and let walcott battle giroud in the middle.
I am glad that Untd signed Sweinstaiger, i hope other teams sign big players too, we have stable team, glued very well and the best player in league in Alexis.
Best player in the league was Hazard by the way. Try to make a logical analysis or statement free of bias. I mean where does it get you? Most people like me aren’t stupid.
We know Arsenal is not the best team but at least I want Arsenal to be the best. Acquisition of high quality players for the positions we need will only help us be the best.
That’s debatable, I would go with Hazard even though Sanchez had an almost identical goal and assist record in his first season here
Sanchez was amazing. I would say second best player in the league. But Hazard inspired Chelsea to winning the EPL and if I remember well he was also awarded for being the best player in the league.
Sometimes it happens like that…Sanchez inspired Arsenal but Hazard inspired Chelsea to win the EPL.
The WSL is on. They are in J-Bay at the moment and then Tahiti.
All those clubs u have mentioned there even without signing new players will beat us!
Thats the spirit my boy
Sorry but I do not feel happy. Wenger seems, as others have said, to have “Transfer Paralysis”. We are starting to fall behind. Our squad is not good enough to make a whole years challenge and how is Coquelin going to play up to 65 games? Not right at all to leave Coquelin as the only DM. What is up with Wenger? Is he getting cold feet about finishing the job?
Just at least get these 4 players
1. Cavani or Higuain
2. Lacazette as backup striker
3. Greizmann or Reus or Vargas
4. Carvalho or Aranguiz
I see a lot of people including stupid media reports saying cech can win us the title. You must bare this in mind. Our current defence and Chelsea’s which has been one of the best for a few years ( not my opinion) check the stats, have shielded him when he has played. will he get the same protection from ours? Le coq has been solid since put back into the team and our defence better off for it. But if he gets injured I fear cech getting exposed will enlighten Chelsea fans and infuriate some arsenal factions into then calling him sh!t. Adding another DM and world class striker like cavani would give us a strong spine and then Id say we should be in for the league.
Agree in part but it is a 2-way street – a world class GK can affect and improve the 4 defenders in front of him. Difficult to work out the cause and effect – but generally a top class GK will improve the whole defensive unit. If Terry, Ivanovic and the rest had had Fabianski or Schezza behind them for the last 10 years instead of Cech and Courtois would they have been quite so impressive?
Come on you ozzi muzcan
Why do i think that we can win EPL without new players? Cuz last season when we had full squad we won 8 games in row, last time this happend we were invincibles! So relax and let Wenger do his job, he knows better than you or i.
Loool so many cry babies on this site, 10 days in and we’ve signed cech, seems decent enough to me and im sure they’ll be 1-2 more.
Adding fresh quality players to a team does not only bring their qualities but make existing players in the team raise their game. Its always nice for a team to ve d fear factor. We still need to add at least 2 quality players in DM and ST.
We didn’t sell Flamini, he was let go on a free as far. I forgot to put it next to his name:(
Nice article seetsuma…I quite agree with you – arsenal’s transfer window is looking good thus far…however I know wenger is not done yet…He wants the league title once more & he knows how to get it…he maintained 4th position with the worst team we’ve had for a while- now improvement is beginning to crawl its way back yet arsenal fans on here won’t just support this man…Pathetic!
I like our window so far. How can you complain? We have a world-class keeper and we probably will sign one more quality player. I think we’ve made mistakes regarding a quality ST though and we need to locate one and sign him ASAP. Another quality DM would be good. Send Flamini to Bastia or MLS
All this whining is very irritating. Gooners never learn. Chelsea won the league by getting Costa and fare gas ( every other signing was insignificant). All we need are the right additions, not necessarily an entire squad like Man Utd is buying. Infact I kinda feel sorry for them cos integration is gonna be difficult.
Let’s pray we get the right guy (s) before August 31st – assuming we haven’t already signed him. COYG! !!!