It's a fraction over 2 weeks until the transfer window slams shut. So far we have

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Originally Posted by Peter

Also, we wont be signing a defender. I cant recall us being seriously linked with one and we don't need one.

The idea that we are falling behind City, Chelsea and United in terms of spending is quite funny. We have never competed with any of them on spending. Even when we were just competing with United we didn't match their spending and the idea of competing with City now is absurd. We wont even compete with Everton if they continue their current approach.

Not a problem, just the reality of the business model.

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F*ck the business model, P. Clubs sell to the highest bidder. If we aren't willing to spend the money we are reliant on castoffs that none of the top clubs want.

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Originally Posted by Rich

Well I shall be most disappointed if we are not able to offload the deadwood that I have referenced. There is simply no point in us paying their wages since they are not remotely close to the first team squad. The only conceivable benefit is that we play them in the Europa League group stages when we play teams with butchers, dog-walkers and postmen in the starting XI. Theo can also be ****ed from a window of great height if we sign Lemar.

Also - I cannot fathom why Alexis and Ozil would turn down £300k a week, or Ox turn down £150k.

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Sanchez leaves for nothing next summer, no tfr fee so he gets a stupid signing on fee.... same for Ozil. Ox, allegedly, hasn't been offered £150k a week, that is what he wants but we won't pay it.... again allegedly, Chelsea will.

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Originally Posted by Pokster

Sanchez leaves for nothing next summer, no tfr fee so he gets a stupid signing on fee.... same for Ozil. Ox, allegedly, hasn't been offered £150k a week, that is what he wants but we won't pay it.... again allegedly, Chelsea will.

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Not sure Ozil will command a huge signing on fee unless he goes to China. We can pay Sanchez a signing on fee for this deal, pay him £300k a week for the season and have a £60million release clause (with 10% payable to the player himself) should a club choose to meet it.

Call me Dick Law.

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Originally Posted by World's End Stella

This shouldn't surprise you, Rich. Anyone who believed the 'catalyst for change' nonsense hasn't been watching Wenger for the past 20 years. His fatal flaw is his combination of arrogance and stubbornness, there was simply no way he was going to look at players like Coquelin, Ox, Theo, Ramsey* and Wilshere and say to himself 'I got it wrong so I'm going to sell, take the proceeds and the cash the club holds and buy high quality replacements'. If he was capable of that, there would be no Wenger Out signs all over the Emirates and we would be challenging for the league more frequently.

The sensible conclusion at this point is that the incomings are done and that some of the excess you refer to you will be sold at a cut rate price and as you suggest, we will probably have to pay some of the wages.

And yes, City and ManU and others have left us behind, yet again. It's why we'll finish 4th or 5th and be out of the league by February, yet again.

* this may or may not have been for SW's benefit :-)

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True, he isn't going to change. We knew that. Moving to a back three must have been hard enough for him.

I think the one key area where we are light is midfield, where we pretty much know we are going to struggle again for periods of the season as the usual suspects struggle for fitness and form.

The players you all mention will mostly end up going on loan for a season. We are not going to be able to sell all of them/any of them because they are either ****, constantly injured or hugely overpaid- sometimes all three.

The squad is a bit better than it was. Can’t really ask for much more than that. The nagging problem is that we kind of know the problem isn’t just about the players. We know how, why and more or less when our season is going to stagnate/blow up and we know we will finish between 4th and 7th. I doubt that activity in the transfer market in the next two weeks is going to make any real difference to that.

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Originally Posted by Rich

seen no departures, a superb freebie in Kolisinac and an averagely priced striker who actually looks like very good value for money at this stage.

No outgoings - though it's clear that at least Perez will be off in the next few days. I would expect the same to be true of Jenkinson, Campbell, Debuchy and Gibbs (though we'll likely have to swallow some of their combined £200k a week until their deals expire - they are all going to need to take pay cuts).

I feel as though we have been left behind by City, United and Chelsea a bit - with sums of money several times greater than us being spent.

However, there is still scope for improvement. Bring in a defender/Lemar and tie Alexis, Ozil and Ox down to new mega-money deals and I'll give Arsene an 8 for this window.

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He's improved the forward division (even if Alexis leaves, imo) and He has improved the backs. So if they all perform, then our midfield is the best in the league #champions

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Originally Posted by Rich

Not sure Ozil will command a huge signing on fee unless he goes to China. We can pay Sanchez a signing on fee for this deal, pay him £300k a week for the season and have a £60million release clause (with 10% payable to the player himself) should a club choose to meet it.

Call me Dick Law.

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The only ever so slightly small problem with that cunning plan is...... he has made no noises that he has the slightest intention of staying.

Offer him what he wants and then the wages other players want have to go up. You can't just **** the business model

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Originally Posted by Peter

True, he isn't going to change. We knew that. Moving to a back three must have been hard enough for him.

I think the one key area where we are light is midfield, where we pretty much know we are going to struggle again for periods of the season as the usual suspects struggle for fitness and form.

The players you all mention will mostly end up going on loan for a season. We are not going to be able to sell all of them/any of them because they are either ****, constantly injured or hugely overpaid- sometimes all three.

The squad is a bit better than it was. Can’t really ask for much more than that. The nagging problem is that we kind of know the problem isn’t just about the players. We know how, why and more or less when our season is going to stagnate/blow up and we know we will finish between 4th and 7th. I doubt that activity in the transfer market in the next two weeks is going to make any real difference to that.

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I'm fine with finishing between 4th and 7th with the occasional cup run. It's the failure to challenge for any sustained period that is frustrating. I think if Arsene bought in 2/3 £50million players in the next two weeks, we'd be able to give it a good shot. Instead we will end up with a front three of Rhys Nelson, Giroud and Theo at some stage this season. Inspiring stuff.

Central midfield seems OK - We have Ramsey and Xhaka, we have Wilshere who played for the yoofs the other day. We have Elneney and Coqulein. We have Maitland Niles. We have Santi Cazorla who is going on cross trainers again. So this area is positive.

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Originally Posted by Rich

I'm fine with finishing between 4th and 7th with the occasional cup run. It's the failure to challenge for any sustained period that is frustrating. I think if Arsene bought in 2/3 £50million players in the next two weeks, we'd be able to give it a good shot. Instead we will end up with a front three of Rhys Nelson, Giroud and Theo at some stage this season. Inspiring stuff.

Central midfield seems OK - We have Ramsey and Xhaka, we have Wilshere who played for the yoofs the other day. We have Elneney and Coqulein. We have Maitland Niles. We have Santi Cazorla who is going on cross trainers again. So this area is positive.

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I'm confused now... you are happy to finish between 4th and 7th but think he should spend £100m in the next 2 weeks???

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Originally Posted by Pokster

I'm confused now... you are happy to finish between 4th and 7th but think he should spend £100m in the next 2 weeks???

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I would like him to spend in order to formulate a challenge. Finish 4th but only a few points off top, having given it a really good go until April/May and I think most fans would be happy. One way to achieve this scenario would be to purchase some new talent (for which we must pay the going rate).

Capitulate to 8th in Feb and finish the season well to claim 5th on the final day and they will not.

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Originally Posted by Rich

seen no departures, a superb freebie in Kolisinac and an averagely priced striker who actually looks like very good value for money at this stage.

No outgoings - though it's clear that at least Perez will be off in the next few days. I would expect the same to be true of Jenkinson, Campbell, Debuchy and Gibbs (though we'll likely have to swallow some of their combined £200k a week until their deals expire - they are all going to need to take pay cuts).

I feel as though we have been left behind by City, United and Chelsea a bit - with sums of money several times greater than us being spent.

However, there is still scope for improvement. Bring in a defender/Lemar and tie Alexis, Ozil and Ox down to new mega-money deals and I'll give Arsene an 8 for this window.

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If I could change one thing about modern football, it would be to get rid of transfer windows. They are an utter misery that could almost have been designed to encourage a very particular type of ****ery among fans and pundits.