Former Arsenal winger Perry Groves has claimed that the club need £100 Million or £150 Million invested in it, with manager Mikel Arteta being forced to play a number of players who ‘he doesn’t really want’.
The Gunners won against Liverpool in midweek to cling to hopes of qualifying for Europe for next season, but the win wasn’t pretty, and Groves described it as ‘survival football’.
He insists that while the Spanish coach clearly has a plan, the club needs to strengthen in various positions.
“Arsenal need money spent in different areas, especially at centre-half and in central midfield,” Groves told Talksport.
“I can see what Arteta is trying to do, I can see there’s a plan, but at the moment he’s dealing with six, seven, eight players he knows he doesn’t really want, but, he’s got to keep using them and be cute.
“We’ve got a lot of young players coming in, which is good, but watching the game against Liverpool it was survival football, let’s be honest. There is a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel, but the finances, that squad probably needs £100m or £150m spent on it.”
It’s hard to disagree that our club needs vast investment to return to the fore, especially with our rivals all expected to add to their already-superior squads in the coming window.
Looking at Chelsea’s signings already givens me a sour taste in my mouth, realising the amount of quality added at not-so expensive transfer fees.
Will Arsenal get the backing from the board to make such changes? Would Ziyech or Werner have made a big difference to our first-team?
Patrick
The truth is we got 70 points last season, which would easily get us third this, with a “poor coach” and no team ethic. We are better off this season because we got rid of our poor coach and the most we can get is 59. I think it is a whole lot deeper than spending 100 or 150 mil. We spent 130 mil last summer if my figures are right and are 11 points at least, worse off. The club is not in any position for a quick fix.
agreed. A well-spend $100M would be sensational. Spending as we have over the past number of years will just get us more of the same…this is a renovation project now and there are some positives: some of the younger guys; having 2 high end goalies; improved team play at the back end (recognizing our issue of a blunder always around the corner).
Here we go again… Another ex-player with influence making a case for big money spending and ignoring the processes that need to be followed throughout the Club in order to get us back to the top. We defeated Liverpool at the weekend primarily because their two big money purchases VVD an AB made careless errors. We made our last big money spending on Pepe and what did we really achieve. Also, I cannot foresee any successful team transitioning up to 8 new players into one team in a short period of time. We need to be clear-eyed and understand that there is no overnight solution to our problem.
Lastly, I wonder if during the interview for the job, the Board made it clear to MA he would be forced to use players he did not really want.
He didn’t mean big money buys, but the whole squad needs improvement of 100m or above which could be use for 1 player purchase or 5players depending on the recruiter
The days of winning on the cheap are over. Get real.Those days ,in my grandad’s time,when Wolves and Burnley won the title are over,
Now its about money,money,player power.
If the football authorities are genuine about levelling the playing field,they could limit each senior team to a maximum of 4 at most 7 bought players.
How did MC and Chelsea won the epl titles?Through massive amount of expenditure on top players.Thats why when Guardiola was available,
Arsenal didnt go for him. He would have demanded a transfer kitty of at least gbp 220 million.
Get real all gooner fans. Arsenal will be stuck in mid table and have no chance of competing
Dont be surprised MU will try to lure Abu.It could happen .In one stroke they have effectively disarmed Arsenal just like rf did when he bought the top strikers from other teams to nullify their threat to his dominance.
I’m afraid Arsenal will continue to continue to trail the top money spending teams in winning trophies and games and soon will be another epl team plodding along.
£100m doesn’t guarantee anything. Chelsea did not spent anything, but they are above of us in the log. If Arsenal can only sell 4 players and buy 3 players the squad will be in a position to compete at a higher level. Arsenal need to sell Ozil, Xhaka, Mustafi and Torreira. Keep hold of Auba, Lacazette, and Ceballos
sell ozil, mustafi, sokratis,lacazette,xhaka,kolasinac,chambers
buy upamecano and loan him to Dortmund or Bayern,
buy partey, thiago alcantara,coutinho
get thiago Silva to help in the growth of saliba for a season bfo upamecano joins after a season
buy Dominik szoboslai to be our no.10 .
then trust pepe Nicholas to the fullest.he is just capable of making wonders
buy Roca from espanyol to make numbers in midfield
all in all we need a good passing midfielder like Toni kroos .just to help us in keeping the ball possession. that’s where I chose thiago alcantara
Agree with top gunner. No guarantee if you spend half a biillion pounds of epl success unless you are in Germany,Spain and Italy.
If the FA aiant careful,England will be like those
3 countries. Currently its not total domination like in Spain or Germany where the perennial champions are always among a clutch of 4/5 teams.
In time to come it will be Liverpool /Mc/MU and Chelsea who will dominate. Arsenal wont have a smell.
It’s interesting what you are saying, but Arsenal were in a very small group of top clubs. It was a 2 horse race. Became a 3 horse race and then MC came along to make it 4. Liverpool proved that good ownership, getting a good manager and giving him time has altered the dynamic yet again. I believe that success is cyclical as ManU and Arsenal are proving. ManU appear to be getting it right just now and it’s up to Arsenal to work towards the same end
I’m not saying that the clubs you have named won’t be nearer the top than the bottom but there are no guarantees of success. Leicester proved it was possible. SU have surprised us all.
I am not confident a swift turnaround is possible but it isn’t all about spending squillions.
JAMES. I’d like you to consider this: Spending does not, as you say, guarantee top four, but not spending guarantees you won’t make top four. A more nuanced question than your comment makes.
Where did the £100m that was spend during the beginning of this season take us? We are in mid-table and Sheffield United is bettrr than us. Its not all about spending money. Arteta should stop selecting players based on favouritism, but on merit
Can you name these players Arteta is slecting on favouritism?
And the ones he is not.
This means you are in the know while the rest of us are just speculating. You have got to be part of the coaching team at Arsenal or be there in training every week to have come to that conclusion.
Xhaka and Mustafi
Top Gunner
you keep saying the same things over and over, though is your opinion, but is rubbish because Arteta knows more than you
I don’t think that he has any choice with the selections. First, I think Xhaka has been pretty good – and I know that a lot don’t agree – he is doing the dirty jobs pretty well and he is making a difference in support at the back end – even if they strengthen, and I hope they do, I think you keep Xhaka (unless you get serious cash for him that can be respent).
At the back, playing either a three or a four, there always has to be at least one of Mustafi, Luiz or grabby hands Sokratis. Maybe that changes next year, but we aren’t there yet.
FAVOURITISM? Well then , if that means favouring players who work hard and sidelining posers like OZIL who never works and arrogant bigheads like Guendouzi, then that is OK with me. At least our team now has fight and shows it regularly, unlike the last decade of softie WeNGER.
Might have to spend some dosh now that Martinelli is out until the end of 2020 and not just the end of this season according to BBC.
I agree with Grooves, this team need massive improvement, we need our recruitment team to be smart too and maybe luck in recruiting. 100m well spent on 3 or 4players that are established will close the gap between us and utd/cfc, say we buy Mings, Partey, and an AM a younger version of debryne that isn’t above 40m. We can sell AUBA, and replace with a pacy and powerful winger (am still hoping GM, get better and pick up form) , sell Torreira, Guedozi, sokratis, chambers, mustaffi to raise funds, loan Ozil to turkey and pay part of salary, sell mikki, and elnely. And we are contender again.
OT. Winning the remaining 2games will land us in Europe place, can we do it!?
Partey is now staying put on a doubled salary so won’t be coming to us and GM is out until beginning of next year. Winning our remaining games might get us into Europe but only if the teams above us all lose so no, I don’t think we can do it. Our best chance of getting into Europe is by winning the FA Cup which I do believe we can do.
I’m with you Declan
It’s looking unlikely we’ll get a place in the EL without winning the cup. But you never know. There are always banana skins
If you check the table, teams above us are playing each other, so, 59points are enough to get us at least 7th
I think we will rue those dropped points against Leicester and the spuds, Adajim…. we’d be in a much better place if we hadn’t dropped them!! Been exactly the same the last few seasons!
We’re just going to have to go for it tomorrow…. gulp…….
Yeah, have to agree Sue. We are looking for other teams to slip us (again)! 🙁 🙁
Spur vs Leicester
C’palace vs Spur
Shefd vs Everton
soton vs Sheffield
Wolves vs C’palace
Chelsea vs wolves
Even top 5 will be interesting as Chelsea still has Liverpool and wolves, while Leicester has spur and utd
Did i not read a post a few weeks ago that we had let Mikki join Roma on a free? if that is true i think whoever agreed no fee should be sacked as we are in serious financial trouble according all reports.
I don’t know why more of us don’t want mings, I think he would be a good addition to our defence.
I agree with this approach; I can’t say the same for the individual players though. If we start by improving the spine of the team, especially the defensive midfield, this should relieve the pressure on the defenders too, and as a result, ,
they will play better. But do we have the scouting talent to perform this job!!
It’s a question of priorities.It looks to me that apart from bringing in Sarr on a free,we will not be buying another CB unless we can get rid of Sokratis and Mustafi which will be well nigh impossible in the current financial climate.A quality DM seems to me essential and Guendousi and Torreria may well be used to finance the deal.Szoboszlai of Red Bull Salzburg, and Dennis Zakaria of Borussia MG would top my ” wish list” but unfortunately it would seem they are likely to move elsewhere.
Our squad is ridden with players who simply do not know what it means to wear the Arsenal shirt. It”s just a colour to them. Hopefully our youth players will wear it with pride and passion in the future. Right now though, they need strong leaders in the squad which we know aren’t there. I know it’s like flogging a dead horse and I have said it before but, this squad needs a manager like Arteta who loves the club and wants to succeed. It also need the kind of players he knows will improve the squad as he starts to rebuild. Who every they are, I hope they have clubs values in mind and strive achieve the “Arsenal way”. Good defence and ferocious attacking power!
It won’t need £150 million. It will just need the owners and top brass to realise the errors it has made over the past decade and to bring in the right players!!
STOP running this club like imbeciles and get the priorities sorted out. Contracts renewed in good time and shift out the dead wood for some sort of profit if possible. After that we will hopefully see some light at the end of the tunnel!!
It’s not going to happen over night. But, let’s give Arteta our full support (club and fans alike) and move forward, finally!!
Leadership is more important than spending £100m. Arteta is the problem
How is Arteta the problem?
He inherited a team that is “non-functional” because it has been assembled by owners, recruiters and managers who were desperate to change things in their way. You could put Pep or Klopp in charge and nothing will change how average some of these players are!
Xhaka and Mustafi
Gouendouzi and Maitland-Niles are being victimised for the mistakes that they did. They are sidelined for doing that. But Xhaka as the club captain, insulted Arsenal fans but life goes on for Xhaka