The transfer window is open and that affords Arsenal the opportunity to reinforce their squad.
The Gunners flopped last season and reached a new low after they finished the Premier League campaign outside the European places.
Mikel Arteta’s side would now have a free midweek and they can use that to rest well enough ahead of their weekend league games.
This should give them the chance to do better next season and perhaps get back inside the top four.
However, they have to sign the right players before they can achieve that and now is the time.
Our summer transfer window hasn’t started well after Aston Villa pipped us to the signature of Emiliano Buendia.
We certainly don’t want it to continue that way and I am sure that Mikel Arteta and Edu know that.
We remain in contention for several targets including Sergio Ramos, Ben White and Manuel Locatelli.
These are names that should excite you, but realistically we can only get White among those players if we agree to spend the money.
The one that seems close enough according to recent reports is Anderlecht’s Albert Sambi Lokonga.
The youngster looks like a fine player, but is he good enough to fire us back inside the top four?
I admit that signing top players will be hard because we cannot offer them European football, but this transfer window has hardly been inspiring especially when we are still struggling to tie Emile Smith Rowe down to a new deal.
Are you excited about any of the players we’ve been linked with so far?
An article from Ime
Arsenal have mentioned the whole players in the whole world but have not buy a single player, why?
Arsenal hasn’t mentioned any yet. Forget the media speculations.
Henry they are talking about Sterling on the left wing so Auba can play in the middle Where is SAKA going to play??
Well, as there have been NO confirmed major signings, (except your villa example of course) and we have been linked with over 70 players to date, I suggest we wait for the euros to end before questioning anything.
Looking for Arsenal’s official Twitter handle please help.
@Arsenal
Thanks pat
ken1945 I really don’t know if they know what they are doing or what players they want if you read the papers we are loaded with money and are trying to buy a new side. Buy too many players and you will finish up like Koeman sacked remember Everton?
I think IME the question you should have posed should have been “why haven’t Arsenal been linked with a game changer player “and the simple answer is why would any top player want to come and play under Arteta unless it was because of money .
We can all slag off Wenger but he always had that pulling power that most managers will never have .
Imagine a top player looking at us last season and thinking this manager can get the best out of me and this season and we will be challenging for top honours .
Where as we went side ways with Arsene we have gone completely backwards with the last 2 spanish idiots that have taken over .
It’s scary to think that some slow thinking fans believe this manger is going to take us to the promise land it really is .
He had the best squad I’ve seen as an Arsenal fan in the last 10 years and he embarrassed us with 8th position and out of Europe for the first time in a quarter of a decade ,imagine believing he can turn it around .
Dan
I can’t even believe you.said we have had the best squad in years
We have had a pile of rubbish .
Players who take the money but don’t want to play for the club
Players with no back bone
Love him or hate he is slowly driving out the dross who have week in week out drawn down exuberant amounts of money for faking injuries or playing badly
Our captain for what ever reason had a stinker
His strike partner who managed a few but has lost his legs
Midfielder who half the supporters will freely drive to the airport and put him on a plane to Italy
Goalkeeper who is decent but not good enough for us
No Commanding center half
The back bone of the team is weak and has been for many a season. Not just under MA
We won 5 on the bounce at the end of the season ..may be too little to late but it felt good winning
So you keep croaking on about sack him but you never mention who you think is brave enough to take up the poison chalice
Plenty of managers who could take over and do a better job ,bloody hell even Southgate could get us top 6 .
I’ll tell you what Alan I’ll keep croaking as you put it till January and if he has us in top 4 by then I’ll donate a 100 pound to a charity of your chosen how about that .
Until then don’t keep making silly excuses for him and pretend I’m impressed .
Well Dan
I we hold you to that
So no grey areas
Should MA get us in to a top 4 spot by January or within January you will donate £100 to a charity of my choice which I will tell you know will be macmillan cancer. It will be like taking candy from a 👶
And I will match you for what you put in which doesn’t make it a real bet does it but its for a good cause
As for making silly excuses for MA.
We are under no illusion thst He is a coach learning to be manger in a job that has been full of holes for many a season. An owner who has under funded this club from the start of his reign.
Your croaking on about how bad he is doing and many a manger who could take up the job but you can only manged to come up with name “Southgate”
I am sorry but I cannot have a debate with someone who says Southgate could do a better job
I will be back for your 💰
⁹I’ll be honest, the rumors are starting to become too annoying to arsenal fans . The media are profiting from it and are doing it as a click bait .
however, I will give you various reasons why it’s happening and why the players are underperforming from business perspective.
First reason is that arsenal are still considered a big club as Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Manchester united historically. the media are using it to make players look average and make managers clueless and receive hate from the fan base. There is a reason why even hazard, coutinho, ousmane dembele, griezeman, etc…. underperforming or struggling with injuries with their current clubs
Second reason is that teams are either struggling economically or the players is having difficult time adapting or having unwanted behavior behind the scenes, but the media make it as the manager is to blame or the player treated badly . for example, in Sergio Ramos case, they stated the club disrespect him , but the truth is that they couldn’t afford it . that’s why team’s wanted super league before withdrawing due to fan pressure. so, maybe we can conclude that maybe saliba is not ready to take risk and live alone .
Manchester city and Chelsea case is totally different because they are still not a big club which make it easy for players/ managers to play at their best and win trophies . they don’t receive a lot of pressure from the media, just credit. maybe after few years, they would receive the same treatment as arsenal, Manchester united, Liverpool, real Madrid, and Barcelona . then we will see if they can stay up to the level they are now and if the owners can deal with the pressure and toxicity from the media and anger of the fan base when things don’t work.
proof: arsenal scouted isak, after few days, the media used Chelsea as a tittle in the transfer targets for clickbaits when in the truth, tuchel is not even considering him
Conclusion, the solution for the media to stop playing into the fans emotions and profiting is for kroenke to sell and an ambitious owner to come and put the fake rumors journalists to shame.
Who agrees ?
AB, have you ever asked yourself why our last three managers and, now, no less than “The chosen one” all see the quality of the midfielder that you suggest half of the club’s supporters would drive to the airport?
Since the end of AW’s reign, we have spent over £250,000,000 on (I believe) seventeen new players….another way to look at it is a completely new squad for a match day!!!!
From goalkeeper to every other position, there has been a signing to, supposedly, improve what you describe as a team with no backbone… and yet here you are, talking about the past, players who are here just for the money, making up fake injuries and playing badly….. Whose fault is that?
Willian and Luiz were good signings?
The treatment of Saliba, ESR, Balogun, AMN are a sign of progression?
Style of play – what style of play do you see?
Let’s examine where we are TODAY :
No European football for the first time in two decades u
Lowest league position in over two DECADES
Yet another obscene £300,000 plus reportedly given out, despite the Ozil contract debacle
Worst home record for over two decades
None of the above happened under AW or UE, even though you claim we haven’t had a backbone for years…. that might be true, but since they left, all the above has happened and all of it under MA.
So let’s not keep burying out heads in the past and blame others – let’s look at what has happened since MA took over.
Please don’t bring kronkie into this either, as both AW and UE had to deal with the man and, to date, both got better results/performances than MA, despite him supporting our current manager more than either of the other two.
I’m hoping that MA can turn our situation round and he will have my support for the start of the season and the only reason I will have to remember/think about AW, is the records around the Emirates and the style of football he gave us.
Now let’s start judging MA in the same way as AW and UE were judged – style, performance and results.
Ken
I will start with UE
Stats can play a funny.part.of our lives but when we get.to the core of it UE died in the last part of his first full season and started off how he left off
Lost the dressing room and had us playing in a stop start negative fashion.
Now we can say he didn’t have a enough time. Didn’t have the players he wanted but Hence the sack
AW under many constraints got us in to a top 4 position year in year out but many fans at the end saw a slide of grace
. Me included where we saw the rot had set in
He stayed to long but should have been moved upstairs and his knowledge, experience and passion for the club should have been retained within the club. You cannot buy that and you cannot buy a manager who would bleed red and white
MA is not a top manager
He is a top coach by all accounts
You don’t just become a top.manger overnight but in opinion I believe he will become one and I for one will.give him time. Even though he will give.me heart ache and pent up frustration along the way
Silent stan
Dont bring him in to it you say
The pure cancer of the club is all I have to say and if you can’t see through that ken then I am sorry you have been blinded
Stick in there, and we will.come.good again but we need time, patience, hardwork and faith
Nothing comes that easy unless you buy it.in and we don’t have 500m for a full revamp
We can all disagree about who we want in charge but we all want the same thing …success for the club
The reason I said not to bring kronkie into it, was because this has been another lame excuse to deflect criticism from MA.
I would like you to explain to me why /how under both previous managers, we didn’t have the list I produced above… before we saw MA sign seven new players at the start of last season?
I realise MA is not the finished article, but if we hide him behind AW and UE, instead of challenging his record (as Dan has done) then he will finish the club!!!
Everything that AW was criticised for, MA has repeated and “improved” on, so why are we being so two faced?
If we are allowed back to the Emirates next season and MA produces the results we saw last season, MA will be hounded out by the crowd and that’s a certainty!!!
Good Morning Ken
Apologies as I couldn’t answer you last night
Needed my beauty sleep
Unfortunately I will have to mention sk again
AW was too much of an honorable and respectable man to slate stan who turned us into a business rather than a football club and It took AW his years of experience to try and keep us on course which of course after years of selling our best players and maybe complaciency and was SACKED
UE Sacked as his record at the end was appalling
Willian and Luiz were good signings?
I was excited about Willian about the signing of him.
I am not naive to understand his best days are behind him but i thought he might bring some experience to the the.. boy has he dissapointed
The treatment of Saliba, ESR, Balogun, AMN
I dont have the privileged of seeing them every day. There habits, attitude ect so hard to make a judgement on who is right and who is wrong but as a manager you calls on what you think is right and I could be wrong but you stick with it
Saliba. I beleive his parents just died or at least one of them so being so young and away fromhe could have had a melt down but who knows. Not always as it seems from the out side
ESR is playing now but still from the finished article
Balogun has just signed up so will get his chance
AMN supposedly wants to play midfield and MA doesn’t want him there so out he goes. That’s not treating him badly, that’s making a decision and sticking with it
MA has not even accumulated a Tad of experience compared to the 2 above
Do I expect him too fall on his own sword at some stage of time..yes because that’s life and football
Ken
You and Dan want him gone but no one hasn’t mentioned who they think we could get or who would want it, having to work under stan
Ps
Got it wrong
Dan said Southgate 😄
Saliba’s Mum passed before he joined us and he only played once, in an August friendly against MK Dons. I’m hearing news of him being loaned out again…
Ken, you’re contradiicting yourself. If you truly want to talk about where we are TODAY then stop making historical comparisons. Where we are today is close season, starting afresh with no points in the EPL. with no Euro place. Instead all you do is talk about history. I’m bored with people rolling out stats to support certain arguments, so I won’t go there.
I agree football hasn’t been great, with a couple of exceptions. When things are not good (unless you believe the club was in a good place when MA came in?) you can go two ways. You either try to paper over the cracks to gain a short term, limited resurgance or you rip it up and start again. Putting new building blocks in place throughout the club is a slow process, often meaning you go backwards to go forward. Arteta was stupidly allowed as a rookie to take on the whole thing. Additionally behind the scenes changes, player changes, covid and no time to train have also impacted. It could never be done overnight.
I fully understand fan impatience, and also the point of view that he makes too many mistakes, or his plueprint will not work. I have these major concerns myself, but I still believe more time is needed to gel the team.
Secondly I will argue that overall Luiz WAS a good buy for Arsenal. Willian wasn’t, but EVERY manager has made more than one wrong buy, and you know it, let alone rookies. Do they all get sacked?
Come Christmas I and many others will judge Arteta
AB, I don’t want him gone _ I want 100% for him to be a success.
I loved him as a player, I admire him as our spokesman and I also have nothing but admiration for the way he tackled head on, the mess that he inherited.
But that doesn’t mean we should ignore what he has got wrong, the awful signings, the style of play, his record home defeats, his cup defeats etc etc.
I’ve been accused of being a supporter who is poisoning the fan base from a post below, just as Dan has been accused of all things negative – yet we are only pointing out the facts are we not?
Look, if MA succeeds, we will ALL be over the moon and I’m prepared to give him the time to do just that – but if, by pointing out the negatives to date is somehow disloyal or an act of treason, we might as well all pack up, sit back and watch the club we all love become another Sunderland – count me in for another £100 and let’s hope MA keeps giving!!!
2nd since Christmas says best squad to me. That is more than half a season. We don’t even need new additions. We have players who are under utilised. Willock anyone?
If the squad is bad then at least we should be spared the 2nd after Christmas nonsense.
I don’t like how some will use one thing to slate Unai and Wenger and twist to the point of breaking the very same thing to praise Arteta.
HH, this argument of “2nd at Christmas” is used merely to signify how much we’ve improved since the Chelsea game…This is not to conceal the obvious fact that the squad needs some improvements
Yes every squad need improvements to keep up or keep their place. I agree with your point here is to hoping they will carry the form to the new season.
Allegri or similar and we are probably pulling in some big names. As it’s not the case we have to pray that boring Spanish football with boring average players can bring it home.
I just pray to God we don’t sign the wasteful Maddison. Never has a number 10 scored less then 10 a season in a successful team and been so lauded. May as well re-sign Mustafi and give him a shot at the role.
Very good comment based on reasoning rathen than player based sentiments at the expense of the club. To make a long story short and answer the question, we have let one error prone player (a red card favorite) released, another is about to move to Roma (set piece in dangerous areas favorite). These two men have cost us 4-6 points a season, hence top 4 is within touching distance. If Leno goes, another 3-4 points saved from howlers with his horrendous back / forth passing.. With three errornous players gone, 10 points per season can be saved without even kicking a ball.
Add youth in Sambi Lokonga, Patson Daka or Issac and a reserve LB, were are good for a top 4 shout.
@Alanball08
I wouldn’t bother debating with Dankit mate. He has consistently proven that he has little to no knowledge of Arsenal. To suggest we’ve had a great squad is beyond delusional! And if it was so good, why have we needed to ditch so many then? And if not being competitive for 14 years straight in the league, and winning nothing for 9 years straight under Wenger, is about going sideways, then I would dread to see what going backwards looks like!!!
You are spot on saying we have had a load of rubbish.
That’s a bit harsh, TMJW. It’s his opinion which isn’t doing you any harm. I was under the impression you didn’t want owt to do with him, so am a little perplexed as to why you’re always having a pop at him?
Morning sue & TMJW
I THINK EVERY ONE has right to express there opion and I take on board some of of it may even be justified
whilst I Don’t agree with Dan and Ken on some matters I know we all have the same goal and we all bleed red and white
Wouldn’t life be boring if we all agreed on everything
Onwards and upwards
Anyone taken a look at the league the right now
We sit top
DAN coming for your MONEY TO BE DONATED TO MCMILLIAN 😃
He’s trying to get a reaction sue ,I’ve told him after years of going back and forth I’ve now stopped conversations with him as he started to turn into a nut job ,hopefully he gets the hint this time .
@Sue
Hey Sue! I have no issues with a difference of opinion, what a boring world if we all thought the same, but it doesn’t mean everyone is right.
Dankit not only is consistently wrong, but he goes full troll mode even when he’s been debunked by facts.
To say Arteta inherited a brilliant squad, and that there were no other issues whatsoever going on within the club, is factually wrong by a country mile. We don’t even have a top 6 squad, in regards to quality and mentality, yet we should comfortably be making the top four by all accounts!
I agree Sue it is not the players it is the style of play they are trying to adapt to which they cannot get their heads round sideways passing back passing. Sometimes when we have a corner for some reason unknown to me it finishes up back with our keeper and bringing out from the back needs to be quicker our forwards are in our penalty area Explain that to me
Hey TMJW.. I agree, it would be boring if we all thought the same. I just struggle with the attacks over opinions! I don’t always agree with what I see on here, but just leave it at that.
We have a good squad
It’s so difficult to say who wouild be great and who would not. Players from abroad must adapt to a diferent league, different language, different climate, and different cuilture. Even players from the same league must adapt to differences in club culture, roles, systems and tactics so nothing is guaranteed regardless of how good they looked at therir former clubs or for a few weeks in a tournament. Just got to hope that the club consider all of these things and get the right guys.
Any number of the players linked would be upgrades on the current roster. But if Arsenal only signed one player, Locatelli is the only one that might improve Arsenal enough to get them back in the Champions’ League.
I don’t think the incremental improvement White would provide is worth £50m. If they are going to spend £50m on someone, spend it on Locatelli. Then maybe they’d have a chance to sign him.
Can’t agree buddy by saying one player will get us into the CL.
Arteta was given one of the best CMs in world football in partey and he’s just been voted in the top 10 of the worst signings for last season in th prem .
Another rant from you Dan? You use every opportunity to turn any question into an attack on Arteta.
1 Arteta has ruined Partey? Maybe read Partey interviews where he cites fatigue, injury and adjusting to EPL football . Throw in IMO the lack of midfield support. Watch him next season.
2 99% of fans here do not slag off Wenger. He was managing on a shoestring and in the last couple of seasons you could no longer perform miracles.
3 Arteta had the best squad since 2010? Absolute rubbish. I’d struggle to find one sensible person saying Arteta inherited a great team.
4 Nobody wants to come because Arteta is manager? Firstly we don’t know yet who will come. Only two transfers have been announced so far in the EPL, because management and players are at the Euros or on holiday. Secondly, Arteta has a lot more respect from players and football outsiders than he does from some Arsenal fans. And thirdly, if you don’t think that players primarily move for money and/or CL football then you are very naiive.
And before you say that Arteta is solely at fault that we hace no European football, a survey has just announced that, if VAR decisions were excluded from all games, Arsenal would have finished FOURTH.
I am not an Arteta desciple. He got an awful lot wrong, and for me the jury is still out. But your hatred of Arteta is giving you an unreasonable view on recent events, and a jaundiced, pessimistic view of your club.
Well said sir 🙌
Couldn’t have said it better myself
The season hasn’t even kicked off and we are ready bashing our manager
Its very boring 😴
Birds of a feather flock together, AB. Good luck with your gaga land speculations and optimism.
Morning Joe
Always been a person who is an optimists rather than a pessimist
Life’s to short my friend to be thinking negative all the time
My gaga speculation has as much chance of coming good at this moment of time compared to your thoughts of doom and gloom
Time will tell
Onwards and upwards
guy, I could not agree with ALL you wrote more than I do.
DAN KIT is on a daily vendetta to crucify MA and EDU. He is not alone in that but he is not an unbiased man and is possibly the single most unfair person on JA, even though he does well in Dans predictions league.
Far from unintelligent obviously but even further from being a fair minded man.
Spot on Jon and very well articulated Guy.
Only at Arsenal players take the entire duration of their contract to adjust. Why don’t we put Willian in the mix too? He is still adjusting to the Emirates environment.
Arteta has or is ruining Partey. Don’t expect Partey to say that in public otherwise he will suffer the protection clause.
Willock performance at Newcastle says everything about Arteta no need to go further.
Contrary to popular opinion Dan Kit is one of very few realists on JA. Real realists that is. Hope is a good thing but realists and hope don’t sit on one table.
The league position does not lie. 8th once shame on us 8th twice shame on Arteta.
Since he has been shoved down our throat we can only hope he does better but don’t question anyone who doubt it because they have evidence to back up their doubts whereas you have nothing to back up your hope.
Guy
1-Where did I say Arteta ruined partey ?
2- ?
3- your telling me last seasons squad was worse than teams that Wenger himself had to manage,easily the best squad ive seen since probably 2010 ,Auba Partey,Leno ,saka,TIerney,Laca,,pepe -that’s some serious outlay right there .
4-let’s wait and see shall we .
Blaming Var and injuries and having a sh1t owner can’t be used as an excuse because that as been going on for years at Arsenal ,we never hear fans saying that when Wenger was in charge and still getting us top 4 on a shoestring budget so Arteta shouldn’t have that excuse should he .
Haha, usual lies from Dan kit.
You have said Arteta ruined Partey many times. Completely ignoring the fact he’s barely even been fit enough for MA.
Well said Guy.
He inherited a good team and tried to get them to play his way??
Well our priority this season should be touch and take in the transfer market.
but that is not happening yet, considered that we have already linked with host of players without buying any, instead we are just detecting good players for those that are ready to throw the cash and buy them, for instance the case of Buendia slipping away from our hand which he could have be a better signing for us.
Zero chance of signing Locatelli for the reasons I stated in a separate post.
I feel Maddison is a game changing player only if Arsenal can get him on board.70 Million pounds will be enough to tempt Leicester to sell.Neves is another player am also rooting and then a quality attacker like Joaquin Correa who we have being linked with.If we can bring in all these players,we will definitely get into the champions league place again
LUCKY JAMES We don’t know how much he has to spend. We could be in Harrods or Tesco’s Maddison was found in a Coventry team so there are diamonds to be found there if only they would look. Buying players from abroad means they need time to get use to playing in the EPL
it will take several players. From the players we’ve been linked with, Maddison would have the potential for the most change. but of course we havent even signed a single player yet so nothing to get excited about at all. so many summers have started with promise and ended with disappointment. linked with everyone, signing nobody,
Too many players need replacing. Kroenke’s only in it for the money he can take out, not the glory.
Arteta does not have whatnit will take (maybe he never will).
A club looking to spend £40m ish on a single player and then £15m/20m each on another couple of players – that all adds up to 7th place.
Franck kessie would be perfect alongside partey in midfield. He scored 13 goals and 4 assists last season which is high for a DM. In the last year of his contract so shouldn’t cost more than £30m-bargain. A notch or two above bissouma imo.
Yes again 03G. The guy’s a bulldozerwith a Mercedes engine. I really hope that Milan cant afford that pay rise. Not sure we will go for him though, as being another African we will still have no midfielders here for a potentially critical month next season. Im sure thats also why Bissouma hasn’t been mentioned lately.
Hopefully we sign Ben white he could deputies in midfield alongside lokonga and chambers can play there to.
It depends what you mean by”linked”. If all the countless rumours are considered to be “linked,” then yes, we have been linked with game changers; Sterling for one, Maddison for another.
But like Ken above, I as a realist will wait and see what happens. None of us knows anything for sure.
JA links us hourly with all and sundry but wiser fans see through this charade, done purely for the sake of articles.
I firmly believe Lokonga WILL arrive within a few days but other than him, I have not a clue who will come. And neither does anyone else not inside the club, including JA.
Arsenal are not in contention for Locatelli. He wants to stay in Italy and will go to Juventus. The last Italian player to sign a permanent transfer to Arsenal was Mannone in 2006. Only 3 Italians have ever played for Arsenal and one was a backup keeper on a one year loan.
to answer the question simply , Maddison.
There are a whole bunch of others who would not do it single handedly as it is a team game , the sum of its parts etc.
I presume we have all played some form of football management games and built our teams /squads and managed to get results without throwing visa at the game? In the process of doing that we build with our vision of the wanted team/squad to deal with a varied season , the vision in our heads? putting players together to complement each other to get results that overshadow pricier combos.
I cant see that vision in Artetas head, neither can you but we have to allow him to put his plan into action and that is where he will be judged.
On the past managers bit, Awesome Wenger (as it said on my shirt) pooped miracles but we all were screaming about the need for a dm and it was never addressed .The defence deteriorated to awful and meant our offence was having to work overtime to tread top 4 water. It was sadly time to go when he did.
Unai ,well , wasnt around long enough to properly evaluate but there were doubtless a few reasons for his departure.
MA has had the job given to him of bringing back our values as well as success while using hale end. To make that particular omelette eggs a plenty needed breaking. Yes , some decisions i disagreed with ,and Willians hopelessness was not that foreseeable.
Thing is the bunch of freebies we signed and cheap flops was when Kroenke thought funding did not matter as ESL would line is pockets anyway.Now he has a proper budget to get a less packed out squad with a quality average increase in line with that vision in his head.It wont be a total fix but one hell of a building block for future growth.
Lastly , (thank the Lord i hear you say) he will have more time to get his ideas across and push on with the remarkable progress made in the last two thirds of the season where our defence was in the top 2 or 3 and our position was top 2 or 3 . Not too shabby with a squad that had began to fail badly for a while before.
Sort ESR contract and get on and show us you are right MA , as there are a lot of Kens out there ready to poison the club from fanbase up!
Good piece AFC. Although Maddison per se isn’t my number one choice (he’s not a great team plyer, recovers form and fitness slowly after injury and can be inconsistent) he is still a class player and I get what you’re saying. Our single biggest need is a great creative midfielder as it’s crucial to our style of football. Even with a good team out we look like a bunch of headless chickens without someone pulling the strings. In other positions we can make do and still get by, but without a conductor we will never play as well as we would hope.
It seems to me that the reason we have not been associated with any game-changing players is because Arteta wants to make too many changes in this transfer market.
He wants a new keeper, two new fullbacks, a new CB, a defensive midfielder and a number 10, and on top of that lot he wants a center forward.
That is 7 new players to be found in this transfer market. I am sure the transfer kitty is not that large, so we will undoubtedly go bargain hunting again.
I will say this one more time, we need to splurge on a top footballing defensive midfielder and a top goal-scorer – these two players should be the kind that excite the fans. Hopefully these two additions will help us get into the Europa League by the end of next season. Then, maybe we can buy two more top class players next season, and so on……
Just a thought…….
In a way I agree JW, But a couple of things to consider. If there is extra money there, and it looks like there might be, it may well be a once only offer ie use it or lose it. Also Arteta may well be out of a job in 6 months, so may think whats the poinnt of waiting. We are getting rid of so much dross that if we only bought one or two players then we would have a tiny squad – for example if Willock, Xhaka, Torreira, Guendouzi, AMN go we currently have 2 (Partey, Elneny) CMs left, both of whom could go to the African Nations Cup…
All I know is if it takes this long to get no one over the line, the chances of us conducting 10+ first team player transactions, both in and out, in a singular window seems highly unlikely…for me it was imperative that this big talking management team hit the ground running, if for no other reason than to prove, with their actions, that things would be fundamentally different under this administrative collective…fact is, if this is what their idea of a decisive plan looks like, I would hate to see what the indecisive, wing-it version might entail…thus far, it reminds me of every other window over the past decade or so, minus the year we secured Sanchez prior to season’s end, which can be summed up in two words, totally underwhelming…the worst part is that it has been exactly as I expected, rumours and feathers
RVL4E – perhaps you should put the blame where it belongs? At last count only two senior EPL deals had been done as everyone is away at the Euros or on holiday,’ In addition clubs don’t often accept offers without lining up a replacements- similar to being in a housebuying chain, so its often more than 2 clubs involved.
Is it Arsenal telling the media we are buying all these players? Is it Arsenal even saying they are interested in all these players? One unscrupulous mischief maker posts a tweet in Peru and next day the world’s sports writers publish it as fact and you expect Arsenal to act on it?
Please be realistic rather than using it as an excuse to slag off YOUR CLUB.
Just enjoy the rumours for a week or so and wait for the real thing.
So Man City is buying Kane for 100 Millions Guaranteed fee plus Laporte, Jesus and Sterling in Exchange..
So Man City has spent almost 1 Billion since Pép has taken over..
Dan is pounced upon, yet nothing is said to the people who constantly slate our players (who have the cheek to call out other ‘supporters’).
I’m sick of all the moaning, slating and whining on here. I’ve managed to put the horrors of last season behind me, have renewed my membership (45,586 on the waiting list!), and am looking forward to next season and finally stepping back on that Emirates-bound train!
The window is far from over, the season hasn’t even started – let’s wait and see what happens before slagging everything off even more, right?
Agreed Sue! Two thirds of a season would do f**k all if we finish 8th. That’s what matters and as much as I would like to only slate our players, the manager is also to blame and people should not be triggered over differing opinions.
👍
You are right Sue about the atmosphere it’s better to stay out of it when even someone like you start to be bothered by it.
I just can’t stand Arteta fans double standards and not even bothering to hide it, using same stats to slate Emery and Wenger and praise the clueless manager, someone even crediting him for Willock performance at Newcastle because “he is the one who sent him on loan”
I will never like him again because of his seemingly arrogance and ego and publicly slating Wenger who opened Arsenal doors for him to deflect the attention of the horrible job he has done. That ship has sailed.
I would rather see him gone because he is in the way of me enjoying the club I love (that is just my feelings) and before anyone become judgemental of my feelings towards Arteta please (as Sue mentioned) reflect upon your love and affection towards Wenger, Ozil, Xhaka, Kolasinac, Mustafi, Emery, Bellerin and Guendouzi. Only then you can cast the first stone. And don’t bother replying to me saying they were ruining the club if you cannot show how Arteta is not doing the same.
However I won’t be selfish and wish he improve on his predecessors for the good of the club. For the good of the atmosphere this is the last time I talk about Arteta.
Hi HH.. That is what I like about you, you don’t ram your opinion down throats, you have your say and that’s it and good on you!
I do agree with you about the double standards and a lot of that leads to why it’s exhausting on here at times..
I know we’re all passionate and only want the best for our beloved club, but some never seem contented with anything Arsenal, which really does make me wonder why they bother following the club at all…
@Sue.
Para’s 2 & 3 spot on, and well said.
My OPINION is this.
I began to see relatively early on in the “process” the phases we were working through, and particularly that the current regime were going to stick with M A come what may (bar relegation ……. maybe ?).
This was painfully obvious – and I do mean PAINFULLY.
But –
As you say, I decided to throw my support behind Arteta (not easy at times), not fixate on last seasons finishing position (unacceptable), get this window under our belt and take it from there.
There are no longer any excuses to hide behind, particularity if the long overdue backing is provided to the manager (both in terms of sufficiency, and prospective purchases actually being ready to make a difference).
No single event in history can be changed.
We finished 8th last year – we get it.
We do not have European football this year – we get it.
Kroenke is sticking with Arteta for the foreseeable – some get it.
Passive submission has never been my bag, but I for one am so very tired of the anti- Arteta rhetoric – particularly given the ownership have long since made their stance very clear.
Many fans slate Arsenal Fan TV for being too negative, and at times actually wanting the side to fail (garbage).
But of late J A makes AFTV seem like Utopia !
WELL SAID A J. I am maybe more out than in currently but the constant venom is tiring. For a short period I too was a critic, but I eventually found myself standing up for him because, contrary to what is written, he is not the Devil Incarnate.
I believe Arteta CAN (can not necessarily will) bring back the good times, but it will take longer than some fans are willing to wait.
We will not affect anything by being negative. The leadership will not change. We MAY improve things with some positivity, and will certainly make this site a more pleasant place to visit.
I for one would love to come on here and discuss football without the hatchets. I have seen it on other sites – it can be done!
Totally agree Guy.
My backside is red raw for “sitting on the fence” re’ Arteta.
However, like yourself, I do think there is a very good manager in there – which does seem to be the wider opinion from within the game.
I can of course see how many fans see him as “learning on the job” at our place as not being good enough, and understand this opinion.
But the duration, and sometimes personal level of the criticism, just gets too much and over the top at times – particularly given what I stand by were / are a number of mitigating circumstances.
However, given the multitude of contributing factors (problems) he was faced with upon arrival I soon became prepared to “cut the man some slack” – albeit bloody difficult at times.
Firmly focused on next year now.
Take care.
Hi A J.. Great response – thank you!
Bang on – last season is done and dusted and cannot be changed, as much as we’d love to!
We’re now at the time of year where my excitement/expectation levels are sky high, i’m longing to see the team in action and hopefully we pick up where we left off..
Thanks A J.. as frustrating as things are, at least we can see a glimmer of hope 🙂
Sue, I apologise if you think I was unreasonable with Dan. It just annoys me – I am by nature optimistic and this time for me is traditionally one of great hope and anticipation.
It reminds me of the first National Lottery. I bought ONE ticket, and I exitedly sat down in front of the tv at 8pm and seriously expected to win!
Deep down I KNOW most of the transfers won’t happen, and that the odds are against a team being built in a day to win the EPL (although “Ford v Ferrari” gives me some hope).
What I DON’T need are the attempts of some fans to take away all hope, to sidetrack readers at every opportunity with diatribes against Arteta. I feel the same about those who constantly bring everything back to Kroenke. I may actually agree with them, but there is a time and a place, and a close season transfer forum is not it.
I admit to being baffled as to why some people are fans, such is their negativity towards the club and inability to see any positives.
For me watching and discussing Arsenal is like life, primarily about having hope for the future, tempered with a dash of realism, (particularly just after we get played off the park). But I feel that some people just resent happy Arsenal fans.
I understand what you say about criticising players. It is easy to forget that nobody actually tries to play badly (Xhaka is an obvious example), and there are fair ways of saying they are not good enough which are too often not used.
Hi Guy.. I’m sorry – frustration levels are rising 😄
I agree with your excellent comment completely.. it is hard on here when you’re surrounded by relentless negativity, but I’m going to rise above it and keep smiling! And I know you’ll do the same!
No looking back, just look ahead to our bright future!
Thanks Guy 🙂
Cheers sue,it’s only the same few on here that seem not to understand that everybody as a difference of opinions ,like you said fans slagging off our players ,iE I don’t rate Gunduzi never have And couldnt give 2 sh1ts about his attitude for me it’s all about if I think he’s good enough but I saw a post this week and someone called him a creep (wonder who that was )I mean cmon and can you call someone a creep that you have never meet ,also Bellerin called a weedy tree planter because some fans believe he’s not a good defender .
You know me sue I can argue with the best of them on here but have chilled in the last few months and stay away from the 3-4 posters I don’t get on with ,unless they rile me too much-case in point my reply to jonny boy up top .
Oh my Batman and robin joke didn’t last long 😂
This is a site for intelligent debate, not a school playground.
Someone called Bellerin a weedy tree planter?!!!!
Totally unnecessary but unfortunately also quite funny!
Hi Dan.. yes, you have mellowed recently and good on you. It’s tough on here, it shouldn’t be, but it is!
Saka starts, Dan! Points up for grabs!!
I would love to see Lauren Blanc as arsenal manager…..he is proven….and free…..not at any club at the moment…..!
Lokonga incoming. He will be Arsenal’s first signing.
Give arteta time,we have started seeing improved pepe,terney,holding,chamber,etc,any player can strungle in a new team,alexis sanches at man u,no europe football for a year is a time be able to work and make the team work as a whole,with the squad that chelsea have they spent huge a lot of money on young hot player,they got rewarded because the team work is high,has werner improved than pepe,but because the team got something,that is easily forgiven,what has ole achieved for the past 3years at man u and hasnt have his head removed,tuchel spot the materials in chelsea and was happy to come,why cant he do thesame at psg,correction is needed there,let arteta remove those bad ones in the team and get those player ready to listen and work for the club
45,586 on the waiting list can only mean that Arsenal need to increase the sitting capacity of their Emirates Stadium to take in more matchday fans to match the Old Trafford sitting capacity or even surpass it.
In this wise, if Arsenal owner would invest to expand the Ems so as to increase it’s sitting capacity to say, 80,000 fans maximum, it will obviously generate more gate takings money for the club. And also make the Ems to look more iconic than it’s presently looking to be as it is getting old by the day.
Yes of course, it’s true that this summer transfer window still has a little more than 10 weeks to it before it closes. And Arsena are being expected to announce their first signing of the window. The reason why I think they are not eager in the window to sign any new players so far after their failed Buendia episode could be because they want to avoid making any mistakes that could cost the club financially and to avoid not do the better player signings. Who can fit in into the Arsenal philosophy comprehensively. This is IMPORTANT!!!
And as Arteta and Edu including the club’s coaching personnel and scouts are watching the current major tournaments of Euro 2020 and Copa America to see and rate the performances of some the players in whom they’ve expressed their interest to possibly sign them this summer. Yes, it’s okay if Arsenal take their time to weigh up their options carefully before committing themselves to do any undertakings. For, a £40-50m rated CB in the PL should be called to the England squad for Euro 2020 and be played in the matches if he’s that top. So that Arsenal can properly assess his performance at this top level before slashing a heavy cash on him. The same thing should go for the other players whom Arsenal are expressing their interest on them I would say.
“The Meek shall inherit the earth”, it might take a while and there will be a lot of moaning on the way, “are we there yet?”
I refer to the Bible because the number of postings on this one have made it about as long a read but read I have and by and large I think I concur mostly with Guy but also really liked the postings of Honest Fan and AFCom
Comparing views on players can be fun, who we’ve got, who we might buy and so on, comparing Managers in different situations is not so easy
I think Arteta is the right fit for our current circumstances
Changes are obviously needed at the Club, at all levels and all aspects
I reckon Stan handing over to Josh (whenever that might have happened) could be the catalyst, I honestly think that he genuinely wants on field success to the highest level possible
Arsene was great, the best, he came in and managed massive changes very quickly, all to the good but in the end couldn’t change again, his philosophy of we will always outscore any team we play was fantastic but ran out of steam and he was either too stubborn to adapt or couldn’t, don’t know but it was an unforgettable era in our lives that may never happen again
I think Unai is a very good Manager, perhaps not really one to change things though and I think he may have struggled with the politics and media coverage that goes with the Arsenal job
The Mourinhos and Ancelottis of this world don’t need to take on a gig like this, too much of a risk to their reputation and not a lot to gain, yes Carlo came to Everton but soon scooted when something more “suitable” came along
Brendan Rogers might well have been a good option for us but Mikel is the opposite of Mourinho and Ancelotti in this instance in that his only reputation is as a great Number 2 – Coach, which he won’t lose, however he has everything to gain in management terms. Not least the experience of trying to do it, even if he ultimately appears to fail and somebody else swoops in and takes the credit when it comes good, as it will stand him in good stead for his next opportunity but I think he is very intelligent and will stick with it no matter what for as long as he is allowed to, who knows it might even start to arrive as early as next season
I believe that the much maligned “Project” & “Process” or whatever it is could be just that, we are shooting for the stars as a Club and understand there are a number of things to do to get us there, it won’t be easy or straight forward, there will be plenty of bumps in the road and lots of mistakes will be made, all in the goldfish bowl that is AFC
It could be a bit like getting lost in the countryside, asking for directions to be told “well, I wouldn’t start from here”!
We will be impatient as fans because that is our thing, same as it ever was, no problem with that but unconditional support for now would be better
Anyway, that’s my twopenny worth, come on you Gunners!
Great read, Fingers – please post more often. You really highlighted a lot of the (IMO) fundamental issues here and in a very clear and eloquent fashion.
1 Arteta really cares about Arsenal (maybe stating the obvious but easy to forget) and he is trying to do the job well.
2 He could have taken many short cuts to get us a little higher up the table for now, but he has gone mostly for the long term, sustainable option. To balance this comment he did make some bad short term mistakes, but in his defence he had absolutely no cash to work with and needed positions filled with cheap or free transfers – namely Willian, Cedric and in some opinions Luiz.. I think he learned a lot from making those poor choices.
3 Its not his fault that they gave him the job, or that they then made him manager. It was a mistake at the time as it proved too many balls for him to juggle, but maybe the worst has passed, We all learn from mistakes and hopefully the backroom is now sorted and he can spend more time doing what he should be coaching
4 We all criticised him on negative passing, including me, but when you have such unskilled passers as Leno in goal, limited CBs and your best midfielder is Xhaka, were there many options?
Of course there was an option guy – if you haven’t got the players to carry out your vision, just play to their strengths until you can change that scenario.
That’s what AW didn’t do in his last season and was pilloried for it…. that is what MA did last season and that’s why some of us are questioning the double standards.
I don’t care if he is a novice, all I want is to see him utilise what he has…. as he did so superbly in the FA cup semi and final games.
SUE – 40odd thousand before you!!!!
At least you remain true to the faith and it is fans like you, who actually support the club, who keep our club firmly as one of THE big clubs – I take my hat off to you AND the thousands of others waiting patiently for the Holy grail – a season ticket.
With kranky family at the reins and Edu in charge of recruiting, excitement and hope are the last words that come to mind.
However, I do hope that whatever squad they end up with, wins up to 70 points. Will it be enough for top 4 or top 6 is as much up to the boys as it is up to other teams.
Even though we’ve seen one horrible season, they did win more points than in 2019/2020. So there’s some hope they could win more.
I guess it will all depend on how well the new DM fits into the squad, bought or promoted.