So, in the end Arsenal’s summer net spend was approx. 120 million.
It’s like the boy who cried wolf. The Kroenke Family invest a serious amount of money but it’s too late, the damage has been done.
Whether it’s a PR move or an acceptance that the gap between us and the top 6 would only grow without investment, it’s hard to accept that our owners suddenly care.
We needed them to show ambition when we needed an established keeper when we were top of the Prem.
A Fabregas, Nasri and Van Persie needed experience names brought in offer game management at crucial moments
When those names left, we needed their fees reinvested on replacements – not put in the bank.
We needed them to go that extra mile to get deals for Suarez or Higuain over the line.
If even one of those things had happened our future might have been different.
So no, I’m not going to pat anyone on the back for only bothering to try and fix a problem when the rot has already settled.
As customers being charged the highest ticket prices in the UK, we should be seeing improvements if a business is failing.
Arsenal have taken too long to accept that inflated prices is what the modern game looks like.
They tried to fight it but when the Champions of England and Europe can pay nearly 100 million on one player, 150 for 6 players suddenly doesn’t seem that much.
Can the gunners complain about an inflated market while pricing shirts at 70 – 100 pound for a public in a pandemic?
Even if Stan Kroenke doesn’t know a lot about the sport, he’s got a right to know how he’s agreed to 150 million being spent, yet not one purchase is guaranteed to improve us on the pitch.
That’s for the recruitment team to answer.
They took the policy of quantity over quality.
So instead of a marquee name taking up your entire budget they chose to get players who have potential.
With zero European Football to offer, this is an action plan we had to take.
We are not in a period of history where we can attract world class players so it makes sense to build a team around potential, those who could become world class.
The fear is we don’t have enough leaders to support the youth and you sense we might regret not taking that extra step by getting a Auoar and/or Lautaro Martinez.
If you rewind back to January some gooners convinced themselves it was a positive window due to Arteta getting rid of ‘deadwood’.
I’ll say now what I said then, that’d only good if you’re bringing in better replacements.
There are still names on our wage bill that the club wish were not. Offloading these personel due to their salaries has been a problem that’s hurt us for years.
Not that the current regime can keep blaming the old one.
Edu’s hands are not clean when it comes to overpaying for mediocrity.
Whisper it quietly though, Arsenal are not immune when it comes to having players who can’t be shifted due to big wages.
They are not unique in having squad players who a manager doesn’t rate.
They are not a special case in making buys that turn into flops.
Where our manager has gone wrong is not holding his cards to his chest.
He freezes out anyone who doesn’t suit his ethos which encourages potential suitors to make offers at a reduced fee, because they know Arsenal would rather sell then keep a player who knows they are not rated by their own boss. That’s why so many of our players have left on loan but not permanent.
Too many loans.
6 loans!
Arteta was allowed to pay the likes of Ozil to sit at home but seems to think this is normal.
When he sees things he doesn’t like, instead of improving skills on the training pitch he simply gives up on them. His employers should have stepped in because it’s left an unbalanced mess.
There are players still at our club who know if the employers had their way they would have been sold. Can Arteta show the man management skills to transition players back into the squad having previously discarded them?
It’s hard to judge this window on its own without the context of what’s gone wrong previously.
In isolation, I like that we have a plan and a clear criteria about who we should target.
Selling players remains an area that needs improvements.
Too many times we are accepting loans instead of asserting a take it or leave it asking price.
The biggest question is; where do you think we will finish in the table?
If you think the gap with us and the ‘big 5’ will get bigger then I can’t score this window that high.
Ultimately that decides everything.
6 out of 10
Send me your score
Be kind in the comments
Dan