Former Sunderland man, Kevin Phillips, insists Arsenal needs to make new signings in this transfer window and he hints their lack of movement in the window could be a suggestion there are financial problems at the club.
Arsenal’s fine first half to this campaign could go to waste if their rivals who have strengthened their squad this month outperforms them in this second half.
The Gunners have been around the top four, but the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham have played fewer games.
In the second half of the season, everyone will do their best to make the top four and adding new players will help.
After letting the likes of Ainsley Maitland-Niles leave the club, Phillips insists Mikel Arteta needs new men.
He tells Football Insider: “They’re really short – especially in that midfield area. “It’s amazing that we’re talking about Arsenal being short in those types of areas when you consider the size of that football club.
“Maitland-Niles going out is fine, I can see how that makes sense. But surely they need to bring in another midfielder and another striker.
“Whether it’s a financial issue, I don’t know – but Arsenal are desperate for reinforcements in those two positions.
“Lacazette is out of contract in the summer, so is Nketiah. That’s a really concerning area that they need to address.”
Just Arsenal Opinion
We had expected a busy January transfer window, and it certainly wasn’t just about outgoings.
Arsenal has now become the club that gets linked to several players, but none eventually joins.
If we do badly in this second half of the season, we cannot blame Arteta.
“ but the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham have played fewer games.”
United have actually played one more game and Tottenham one fewer game.
That’s Kevin Phillips opinion.. if we do badly then we will be critical of Arteta he’s had enough excuses every other Arsenal manager faced the same critics and Arteta is no different even though some people think he’s some kind of messiah, the man has had enough free hits and spent enough money.
Truth is the money spent in the summer without any pay back of CL football with strangle us to death. The vast amount ploughed into this team needs results and that means this season. The clock is ticking and we cant keep bankrolling failure.
Will strangle.
If we can’t point fingers at Arteta, then who should be blame? Arsene Wegner?
Over the last two years, Arteta has incurred losses of over 500M due to: luxury purchases; paying players to leave; giving players up for free, and losses in player values.
Aubameyang is the perfect example. After convincing the Kroenkes’ to re-sign the player at 350pw, (less than two years ago), he has now turned his back on the player, at our expense.
Can this club (including the Kroenke’s) really trust the process or trust the “incompetent one” again to spend our money? I don’t think so.
Charles Watt is right about the false Vlahovic bid.
The story is false, fake, misleading, bogus. This was clearly a story planted in the press to deliberately mislead honest fans….at a time when they are expecting us to believe in the false doctrine of fan engagement.
I don’t trust pundits normally but in this case I think Kevin Phillips is spot on.
good point RF….the fact is you can’t have to both ways, either the whole Vlahovic pursuit was just another organizational ruse to feign intent or we actually have the financial wherewithal to have turned our attentions towards other top-notch recruitment options in positions of need…like Reggie remarked earlier, if we don’t qualify for Europe recruiting any top drawer players will be incredibly problematic…it’s like putting the cart before the horse
@RFrancis
Actually, one can point the finger at the previous regime of Wenger/Gazidis.
By all means, Arteta and Edu have to take the blame for any new problems, but lets not forget the MASSIVE issues they inherited, dating years back.
A squad jam packed with average players on monstrous contracts, making it near impossible to sell them.
And when we look at our transfer business of late, it’s been very good. Deadwood that had no value almost all but gone, and we now have a really young squad full of potential, and value.
There’s been the odd mistake (Willian is most obvious), but find me a club that doesn’t make transfer mistakes. Overall, Arteta and Edu have created a really exciting squad. We just need some more depth, and a little more experience.
Credit to you for making a reasonable case in support on the current regime. I must concur that transfer errors are a part of the business, but Willian was not the odd mistake. In fact, there is a consistent pattern – Mari, Soares, Runnarson – are three examples. The jury is still out on Ben White too.
And based on how on-loan players have performed to date (Saliba, Guendouzi, Torreira and Mavropanos) our squad would be a lot stronger, cheaper and better if they were here.
My main gripe with Arteta is his decision- making abilities; this includes team selection, style of play, in-game decisions and of course overall management of players and their contracts. You would be surprised to know, I was a staunch supporter of the manager at the start, but had a change of heart about a year into his tenure.
I agree we have an exciting group of young players, but not sure if we will be able to keep them. Arteta has shown no ability to recruit and work with experienced players for the benefit of the club. He’s not the right man for the job.
Sorry.
We can certainly debate other areas of Arteta’s management, but looking purely at signings, I think he’s done a great job. I have just wrote an article on this going into more depth, which hopefully admin will post.
I also do not agree on there being a consistent pattern of poor signings. Although it’s too early to really assess in detail his signings, the vast majority of them have been a success so far, almost all have been bargains in relation to the market, and duds you mentioned (Mari, Cedric, etc,) cost almost nothing. Mari was also decent squad player in my opinion, and very cheap, and I don’t really count him as a dud, Only Runnarsson, Willian and Cedric for me.
I agree that there does seem to be some issue with Arteta working with some experienced players. Although almost every experienced player he has worked with at Arsenal (the inherited ones) needed replacing regardless the manager.
As I say in my article, Arteta has assembled a quality squad, with huge potential, which should be respected, but is he the right man to get the best out of them?
Absolutely quality analysis Jonbo. I’ve just finished reading it and it will be posted in the next available space mate.
Do not forget that the LA Rams, a subsidiary of KSE, was find just less than $1bn by the city of St Louis.
I do not know the repayment schedule, but it is certainly a large debt.
This may be why we cannot buy a top DM, let alone a top forward.
Kroenke family can ruin arsenal legacy, it is their club but I blamed those that brought this owner into the club or that sold their shares to them. One thing I know if they are not making money again they will eventually sell the club, is a matter of time.
David Dein is the one who brought them to the club.