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

[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.

[SWv2]

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.

Good man Dick

Some of the above is either incorrect or simply won't happen but I applaud your efforts.

SW

[Rich]

Good man Dick

Some of the above is either incorrect or simply won't happen but I applaud your efforts.

SW

Would you care to highlight the bits that you refer to, SW?

[SWv2]

Would you care to highlight the bits that you refer to, SW?

Incorrect:

Lacazette is not an "averagely priced striker", he is actually a very expensive striker. Simply because others cost more does not lessen the cost of the other.

We have not fallen further behind Chelsea (as it currently stands). They have perhaps fallen behind others who have aggressively strengthened, City for example, but if anything I would suggest we have maybe improved whereas Chelsea have not.


We will not manage to release all the players you have mentioned.

Lemar will not happen.

We will not manage to tie down the 3 players you have mentioned to new deals, I would actually be surprised if we managed to get one of them to renew at this point never mind all.

[Rich]

Incorrect:

Lacazette is not an "averagely priced striker", he is actually a very expensive striker. Simply because others cost more does not lessen the cost of the other.

We have not fallen further behind Chelsea (as it currently stands). They have perhaps fallen behind others who have aggressively strengthened, City for example, but if anything I would suggest we have maybe improved whereas Chelsea have not.


We will not manage to release all the players you have mentioned.

Lemar will not happen.

We will not manage to tie down the 3 players you have mentioned to new deals, I would actually be surprised if we managed to get one of them to renew at this point never mind all.

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.

[Pokster]

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.

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.

[Peter]

Incorrect:

Lacazette is not an "averagely priced striker", he is actually a very expensive striker. Simply because others cost more does not lessen the cost of the other.

We have not fallen further behind Chelsea (as it currently stands). They have perhaps fallen behind others who have aggressively strengthened, City for example, but if anything I would suggest we have maybe improved whereas Chelsea have not.


We will not manage to release all the players you have mentioned.

Lemar will not happen.

We will not manage to tie down the 3 players you have mentioned to new deals, I would actually be surprised if we managed to get one of them to renew at this point never mind all.

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.

[Rich]

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.

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.

[Billy Goat Sverige]

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.

Actually the business model allows us to spend £100m (and we'd still turn a profit) with the current tv deals. If we don't spend our full budget this summer it will be because Arsene a) couldn't get his targets and refuses to look elsewhere (see Lemar) or b) he thinks Elneny and Coquelin are good enough and Ramsey won't continue to be an injury prone ********.

It's probably a little bit of "a" and a lot of "b".

[World's End Stella]

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.

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