Time to judge Arsenal’s transfer window – and early season form

Whats up lately at Arsenal and the premier league? by KM

Hello again folks. After a month in the U.S. I missed Arsenals last 3 games and had to settle for Match of the Day highlights. The season has started and it’s that time where you start to judge the transfer window.

We started sloppy, but recently managed two wins in a row which last year took till November or December was it? I don’t think we’ve had a very tough fixture list so far, bar an away trip to Palace.

From what I saw so far is that we miss a lot of chances. The striker topic at Arsenal is nothing we haven’t heard before on the radio so I will leave it as it is. Both our strikers in Giroud and Walcott scored against a terrible Stoke side. Both missed sitters too.

The problem? With both, the finishing touch is not at the world class level everyone talks about. Then the two of them have the complete opposite strengths. Giroud has physique, good heading and aerial presence. Walcott has speed, agility and the ability to run past the defense.

Ultimately, we need something that is a mixture of the two with a little better technique. Maybe we can try playing them both? Unlikely though, because Wenger would have to sack the number 10 role that every Arsenal player eventually wants to play in.

Alexis is yet to hit form, though he was unlucky not to score, hitting the post twice against Stoke. We will be heavily relying on him again this season. The Champions league starts on Wednesday with a trip to Croatia and Dinamo Zagreb.

We need to take the game seriously and leave no room for error with Bayern in our group. Then we have Chelsea away. This will be a significant game for both teams for two reasons. A, it is a team Chelsea loves to play and it’ll be a good time for them to turn their luck. B, it’s because Arsenal will go there as slight favorites, thanks to Mourinho being himself.

The Chelsea boss did what his bizarre way of coaching football sooner or later does – he got in bad relationships with the players. In his first season he used war of words to put pressure on other by making enemies rather than friends. The problem with this nature is that the more enemies you make, the smaller the group of friends you have becomes.

If we beat them at the Bridge, which still is a huge IF because this after all is Arsenal and Arsene who does not miss an opportunity to repeat a mistake, we’ll put them 9 points behind in round 6.

The top teams in England are in shambles again because of managers like Mourinho, Rodgers, LVG and Arsene being head of the original top 4 clubs. All have their different reasons for failure but Man City have taken the opportunity to look back at what they did wrong, fill the gaps with some cash and they are off to a flyer.

We need a strong Champions league presence, because recent failures let a country like Italy catch us up. This year is about putting a real challenge for the title and going past the last 16 of the champions league.

We plugged the goalkeeper hole (amazingly though Szczesny is doing great for Roma) but still left only one DM and a good striker short. Hopefully this will not come back to bite us, but the season is long. The next two games will be interesting.

Have a supreme Arsenal week.

Konstantin

Tags Giroud Walcott Zagreb

65 Comments

    1. How many clone account will you make? Not enough what you have so far? Being outnumbered by smart people so you need to boost your ego by creating tens of accounts?

    2. Spot on. Assess it now or in 6months and no matter the time passed the summer window was a shambles. We needed outfield talent and bought nobody despite having Welbz and Jack crocked until after Xmas.

      Clutching massively at straws when the author comes out with statements like “2 wins in a row”, that’s not a row….when we manage 5/6 games straight let me know. But hilariously we could end up better than last season thanks to a Mourinho meltdown. The AKB’s will no doubt claim we improved should that happen. The delusion is palpable.

      1. Truth hurts, now AKB’s do everything possible to prove that Wenger was right not to buy any player, there were no good enough players to improve our squad, that our team good enough to win EPLand ECL. 4th place is the best we can hope for this year, plus Emirate Cup of coarse . Wenger Out

        1. No one said that. What was being said was that you have to be out of your mind to pay more than 50 mil euros for a player of Benzema caliber. Probably Cavani was worth that much but since none wanted to switch clubs (they said that themselves) all discussion is closed.

          1. wow, same typical penny pinching wagner loverboy.

            no wonder, john w henry owner looserpool mocked us, when wagner try to overbid suarez clause by EXTRA 1 pound.

            you AKBs already wagner’s brainwashed.

              1. wow budd, so you are the admin right now, so you can ban everyone against your opinions?

                wow i guess we know which side this website stand for?

                AKBsssssss liked you…..

          2. Giroud your top class better than Benzema is Red carded just now after missed so many chances the guy is simply useless now Arsenal had to suffer w 10man. Your great manager I also useless he has to go or kicked out.

      2. Correct me if I’m wrong CC, but you have not advocated for Wenger’s departure as of yet. In there eye’s this makes you an AKB. I didn’t class myself as an AKB but seen how I was looked upon this way solely because of the respect showing to Wengers strong suits and because I don’t think he deserves the sack. So now when they say I’d like an AKB to answer something ..I realise they mean anyone who doesn’t want him gone right at this moment. Food for thought.

        1. I’m neither. Both views are the very extreme of their respective allegiance, AKB worship at Wengers feet while AOB are completely done with his governance. I’m more balanced, while I see we have a squad bnetter than we had 6 years ago I also see we manage to royal mess up our chance to improve it by using the same old cop-out with money.

          1. i feel the same a decade frustations too mate.

            that’s what AKBs didn’t even care, they let wagner brainwashed them to think as he think, so if going mediocre is their options they obedience all their arse holes to wenger as altar loverboy, that’s why Arsene still on power behind him.

            it feels like WOBs fans didn’t belong for arsenal,

            i feel like the outsiders, it’s very agitating.

  1. lol OT;

    Reports reaching me are that @ManUtd fans ain’t boarding PSVs anytime soon to show how much outraged they’re with last night’s performance.

  2. I guess the author of the article did not see Benzema yesterday night. I don’t even want to think what he would say about Giroud or Walcott for missing those chances. Especially Giroud as Benzema was seen as his expensive replacement. And is not a temporary form, same was against Espanyol and France national squad.
    I don’t want to hear about Giroud or Walcott replacements unless they are Lewandowski or Muller. Or Suarez.

    1. Benz has scored in every game he’s played this season…..

      The fact you seem to hint that he’s not good enough is embarrassing. It’s early season, he barely featured in a pre-season remember, yet still has more goals than Theo and Giroud combined. You clearly have a distinct lack of knowledge where football is concerned. Either that or you display an utter inability to be objective when judging a footballer and have chosen to ‘side’ with Giroud in the comparison stakes.

      Any way you cut it Benzema wipes the floor with anything we have as a ST.

      1. First of all you are not correct, Benzema did not scored in every game he’s played this season as you include only Real Madrid. And of course you are also incorect when saying his 3 goals so far are more than Giroud and Walcott combined.
        But this is not what I want to highlight, Benzema missed more chances in all these 3 games than Giroud. And that is bad because of what Real can put behind him in order to help him score. Of course I side with an Arsenal player. This is what a supporter should do. If you can’t do that then probably you should revise your expectations.

        1. “You include only Real Madrid” – Of course I do, as I don’t care what a player does on the international stage seeing as that doesn’t affect Arsenal.

          “Benzema missed more chances than Giroud” – Aguero misses more chances than any Premier League ST. Top ST’s get chances because of their movement and smarts. Giroud gets few because he’s not as good, period. Benzema has scored more and missed more than Giroud because he’s a a massive level above.

          “Of course I side with an Arsenal player, this is what a supporter should do” – Cancerous statement. When judging whether a player would improve our team there should be no bias whatsoever. By admitting you side with Arsenal players I can’t take you seriously at all.

          1. To be fair, Benzema has never been the greatest upgrade on Giroud as witnessed by how they seem to trade places in the national team with Benzema edging it obviously. People like Lewandowski, Suarez, Aguero are better than him. Honestly, I don’t see a world class striker in the Premier League right now apart from Aguero. In previous years we had a few in RVP, Suarez, Rooney, Drogba etc. Nowadays, the best I see apart from Aguero is Diego Costa, who has been rather inconsistent after last season’s good start. While I was really miffed with Wenger not buying any outfield player this season, I am tending to agree with him that its worth giving Walcott a shot up front than put 50m on a striker you are not sure would bring in the requisite quality.

            1. You don’t follow the french national team very well then, Benzema always plays ahead of Giroud when the game means something. Always.

              1. Not true again. Giroud started two games before Benzema on the last World Cup. And against friendly Brazil. And surprise, Benzema was not injured. If you hate that much Giroud and love Benzema probably you should not be posting in an Arsenal blog. Just saying, maybe you will be better off.

          2. Exactly because there’s no bias anywhere. Conversion rate for Giroud (and Walcott) is exactly right there with all EPL top strikers. Some have more chances and some don’t.

        2. So you are basically saying that football fans (who always support their club regardless of what you say) should just sit and throw money at already very rich people and shouldn’t have an opinion? Besides, the Author didn’t mention Benzema at all. You Brought him up in support of Wenger and the fact we didn’t land an outfield player…

          1. Nah, I did not said that. I said that I am supporting Jack Wilshere as I support every Arsenal player.
            Secondly, why would I support Wenger in buying Benzema with this outrageous price tag? Not like he wanted to pay though and not like Benzema wanted to leave but just for the sake of discussion.
            And lastly, the author did mention Benzema in one of his articles during the transfer window as being a better option (which I am allowed to refute) to our strikers.

      2. yes, it’s really impressive that a striker manages to score a goal a match in three games where his team have won 4-0,5-0, and 6-0 but when anyone mentions that Walcott has scored in his last 11 starts in a row they get bombarded with “that stat doesn’t mean anything, blah blah blah”.

            1. right now i prefer walcott as first choice than GIRUDE.

              let wagner give him a full chance for a whole season,

              if still crap like budd, walcott should be sold.

        1. He carefully takes out the missed chances so that it counts as valid argument. As I said, I don’t even want to imagine what he would have wrote should Giroud miss only the last evening super sitters.

          1. I don’t take ANYTHING out. Benzema may miss chances, but Giroud doesn’t get as many chances because he’s an inferior ST, and on top of that Benzema scores and then misses chances. Giroud just misses.

            If you can’t see the difference between scoring and then missing chances vs plain missing then you’re more ignorant than I thought. Did Benzema cost Real last night? No. Does Giroud? More often than not.

            1. Which makes your point moot. You complain about Giroud missing chances and compare it with Benzema missing more chances than him. And then you come saying that Benzema scores more. Of course he does, from 1000 chances Benzema scores 20 and Giroud from 100 scores 15.
              Other than that I noticed you started ad hominem remarks (not like I care because it shows the level you went) when thes are not called for. All you have to do is to tell me if you really want a discussion because if not I can simply ignore your comment and treat you the same as the posting kids flooding this site lately.

              1. Pulling numbers out your arse as ever Budd. You keep dressing up the idea Benzema misses more as some slight against him…..are you oblivious to the fact it is testament to his ability to be in the position to score goals? vs Girouds inability.

                As i stated, Aguero misses more than any premier league ST. So by that logic is Aguero a lesser player than Giroud? Clearly not. Arsenal have created the most chances in the premier league this year, but go ahead and spew the “Benzema has a great supporting cast” line in a lame attempt to deflect from the obvious.

                1. No, I already said that Aguero has the best conversion rate in EPL. Followed closely by Walcott and Giroud. There was an article right here about that. The numbers were an example you could understand. I did not know you can understand decimals but I will be more accurate from now on. Thanks for the tip.

                2. Haha both of you are wrong on this one…
                  Giroud’s on the end of more chances than Benzema. Benzema was more clinical in the Champions League (Giroud only featured twice), but Giroud had more attempts at a higher conversion rate, with a slightly higher efficiency in the league.

              2. kids ha budd, you can guess my age budd???

                so yiu think, kids got enouh guts to debate you???

                so how old are you budd?

                by judging your picture budd, i guess you’re as old senile as LE F@rt Prof, huh???? or the other way around? maybe just some p@nk

            2. Jesus… Last year in the league
              Benzema shots per game – 2.4, 154 mpg
              Giroud shots per game 2.6, 133 mpg
              On the end of more chances, a better conversion rate, as well as more frequent scoring.
              ‘Cost Real’ they won 4-0, what are you talking about!?!?! If Giroud scores against Dinamo I’m quite sure you’ll palm it off as nothing…
              ‘More often than not.’ You’re absolutely deluded Charlie. 21 league starts last season, 14 goals. 2 goals in 2 victories this season.

              1. Why of course Josh, let’s reduce Girouds 3 year tenure at Arsenal to 21 league starts when he hit a patch of form and call it the standard.

                Christ above, the people on here are thick as sh1t. 2 goals in 2 victories this year….nothing in the draw and loss ayyy Josh. Selective nonsense as ever from the usual suspects.

                Any fan that attempts to say Benzema is inferior, or on the same level as Giroud is utterly mental. The reasoning you lot throw up is hilarious. Theo and giroud are comparable to Aguero… I’m in tears with that particular chestnut.

                1. Yeah, people on here thick as sh!t, we can predict it easily as die hard AKBs wagner’s spies here. and too many, that’s why wenger is not scared to be sacked, knowing so many his loyal servant blind followers.
                  They ‘re all brainwashed and shallowed.

        2. Perhaps if you look at context you’d understand. Benzema starts EVERY game for Real, Theo gets thrown in constantly vs weaker teams and when games are won. Stats get padded. Play Theo for 11 straight games as a starter and he won’t score 11 as you’re suggesting he has.

          1. He just did scored 11 in his last 11 starts. What are you talking about? He did not scored in all 11 games but he did scored 11 in his last 11 starts. Care to refute this?
            BTW, you should be warned that you have to go back a while to pick all 11 starts for Theo. Just saying. Statistics is a bitch.

            1. You can’t read, or comprehend clearly. 11 goals in 11 starts is context now is it? Pointless talking to you, better off conversing with an inanimate object.

          2. What are you talking about!?!?!
            Benzema’s played against Espanyol, Betis and Shahktar in absolute demolishing’s and you’re praising him for getting on the score sheet in every game..
            Benzema doesn’t score 11 in 11, no-one does!! You have complete double standards when comparing players. It’s infuriating!

            1. Josh talking to you is a waste of time and energy your football comprehension is non-existent, you don’t read what’s said, and you argue like a 9 year old.

              Talk to Budd, something tells me you guys would get on great.

              1. And your football comprehension is right there with Wenger’s level, right? Maybe even higher. Good to know where to ask for inspiration. Hell, did you called Wenger to tell him you can actually help?

                1. Can’t even manage comprehensible english now I see Budd. I’d just give up mate, your complete lack of intelligence has tellingly shone through in a number of your comments on this article. Suggest in future you have a little think before bashing away at the keys to reveal the simpleton within.

                2. if you think you’re so fookin genius budd,

                  let me illustrate you my idea for simple STRONG TEAM line ups for wagner’s window to miss: 4-3-3

                  _______________________Cech_____________________

                  Bellerin_______(VARANE)_________Koscielny______Monreal

                  ____________Le Cog_____Cazorla____(KONDOGBIA)_____

                  Oxlade_____________(CAVANI)________Alexis__________

                  but, i guess you will say that 3 missed players are too expensive?

                  oooh…we didn’t have money like man shitty…..

                  ahhh….crapp…

    2. @Budd
      LOL!!!
      The social media kids grasp onto whatever’s thrown at them and try to make it reality…
      Benzema, Manzukic, Zlatan…CTFU!!!!

    3. I think it was Benzema who was booed by French fans !!!!!! Not Giroud, you are amazing you follow every detail but your boss no eye to see a certain things not to your liking.
      Wenger Out this is the worst for Arsenal since 2005.

  3. Lets not rush into making conclusions for this season.

    Still early days for all the teams. Sad to say but Chelsea can improve, so can Lpool and the other teams mentioned in the article. One thing that has brought a smile on my face is seeing City’s last two games. They have been very wasteful in front of goals and cracks in there defense are begging to show (good news for the league as early on they looked to be running with the title already).

    Not to focus so much on other teams, Wenger should have definitely secured at least two players, a WC striker and a back up CDM, if his claims are true that the team was in the market and didn’t find quality players that can improve the squad all I can say now is thanks for trying and try harder next time. Lets get behind the boys, so far so good. My may concern is we are not putting away all those chances been created, but the fact that we are creating so many gives optimism for a good season ahead.

    Lets judge the team game by game and not judging them now for the season that ends in May.

    1. Chelsea will not bounce back with this current team. They have to start using hungry players from the bench but is there enough quality? Liverpool will not bounce with the current coach. Of course, should they sack him there is a glimmer of hope.

      1. Do you want to bet on that Budd? I certainly wouldn’t.

        Football is a strange old game, things change so much more than a soap opera on telemundo. Chelsea are still the champs and we all know they are usually good at picking up points, a couple of wins for them in the league and things can start changing. Liverpool are so unpredictable under Roger’s, but lets not right them off completely, whether they are top 4 material remains to be seen. I have a strange feeling should they fire Brenda they might go all out for Kloop or a better coach who can turn things around.

        1. Well, I have said it. I guess I will have to bet on it now. 11 points from the leaders is not impossible to overcome but by trying to do that you are introducing extra fatigue. I give last season as an example.

      2. let me ask you question budd.

        why maureen is so fast to be sacked after winning epl title last season?

        why it doesn’t happen to your wenger after a decade?

  4. Sanchez will score tonight, hope koscielny is rested
    Cech
    Debuchy, chambers, Gabriel, Gibbs
    Ramsey, coquelin
    Ozil
    Oxlade, giroud, Sanchez
    Prediction, 3-0,goals for Alexis, giroud, Ramsey

    1. I haven’t seen Ramsey and Bellerin boarding the plane to Zagreb. Maybe not in the photos but there’s a big chance they are not playing tonight.

  5. I think leaving our young right back out is a good thing and I would have FQ on the bench to and as for AR well I think 2-3 weeks rest would do him good as he is forcing his game. BfG well don’t no what to say here but bench player for me. PC I think likes what he has had for the past few weeks it works for him and I just wouldn’t play bfg this weekend because we will face a nasty team fighting for 3 points. That game I would definitely play the OX man just needs to be. And TW on the other flank

  6. OT, i know this sounds stupid but anyone notice that Sanchez pants have gotten longer, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, he’s more comfortable i guess with last season pants, i know im clutching at straws but we need him to hit form soon.

  7. Transfer window was not good considering all the available players we didn’t get. Lots of quality was available at the DM/Box-to-Box positions and like usual we didn’t spend and will have to rely on Arteta at some point.

    Season hasn’t started too bad. With a win against D. Zagreb and Chelsea I would argue our start has been good.

  8. Not a lot to discuss really….transfer window for us was virtually non existent, aside from signing Cech, getting rid of some dead woods and keeping the board happy and the start of the season has been good, not great I think that about covers all the topic

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