We can't really carry on with this embarrassment of riches in midfield , can we ?

[7evens]

I read that Arteta's contract is up for renewel again.

Arsenal mids

Wilshere
Arteta
Flamini
Diaby
Ramsey
Ox
Ozil
Santi
Coq
Zelalem
Bielik
Tomas

12 Diaby probably gone and the consensus is that we need a defensive mid.

Chelsea Mids

Cesc
Hazard
Oscar
Shirley
Wilian
Mikel
Ramires
Salah
Matic

9 and Shirley and Salah appear to be transfer bound.

[Billy Goat Sverige]

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

Far too ****.

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

Zelalem and Bielik both a few years away.

All of a sudden it’s normal.

[Classic Jorge]

In mitigation, Diaby plays about quarter of an hour a season and Gedion is 17, as is the young Pole.

You've also forgot Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Christiensen.

PS, why are Chelsea some sort of benchmark?

[7evens]

Forward planning ?

[PSRB]

ready for the 1st team

Wilshere off this summer, imo

[7evens]

[Ben.]

They also probably have at least seven or eight on loan, 10 million Van Ginkel is one.

[redgunamo]

[Classic Jorge]

[Ben.]

10m Van Ginkel is one, plus as j said you would also count Ruben Loft Conversion.

[Ghost of Highbury]

personally I would swap a couple of them for one brand new defensive midfield tough guy but that's just me (and hundreds of thousands of other people)

[7evens]

Arsenal 6 listed
Giroud
Walcott
Alexis
Welbeck
Gnabry
Akpom

Chelsea 3 listed
Costa
Drogs
Remy

:sherlock:

[Monty91]

[Pokster]

our more defensive minded midfield players

[Classic Jorge]

God that man is such an arch pragmatist. Can you imagine being married to him?

[7evens]

[7evens]

http://www.arsenal.com/first-team/players

[Billy Goat Sverige]

more appearances for us at the same stage and he's just signed for a 3rd division team in Spain.

[7evens]

Their ROI shats on ours at this stage in the competition.

[Classic Jorge]

You can supplement that with home grown players, which chelsea don't have any of.

Does this help?

[Pat Vegas]

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

[Ghost of Highbury]

is something that's only come about this season - and maybe only this moment because of the usual horrendous injury list.

with the younger players improving and the older ones uninjured - suddenly we're up to our ears in options.

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

The next Cesc, they said :-(

[redgunamo]

[Billy Goat Sverige]

[Classic Jorge]

Granted, they are great at moving players on but they pay agents handsomely for this too. Also, Mourinho is a great deal more ruthless than other managers, and Wenger less so.

I quite like the faith Wenger shows in players, it's been repaid time and time again by his former players too. Weah invited him to receive his FIFA award ffs

[PSRB]

there or thereabouts

[Classic Jorge]

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

We cannot control the urge of some to parachute young players into stardom.

Zelalam was the new Cesc or whoever, then Dan Crowley arrived and he was the best since Brady.

Now we have a Polish kid who some think is first team material despite being younger than the aforementioned duo.

All of the above overlooking the simple fact that all these players are miles behind the experienced options we already have.

[Classic Jorge]

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

everyone else is (of course) but I don't really get the point.

Apologies, I'm a little slow today.

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

Similar to Pogba who if signed by City for example would be in their 'home grown' roster.

Definition of same being that the player spent x years between the ages of 15 and 18 at a domestic club.

Some of the numbers, and indeed variables such as x, may need confirming.

[7evens]

You could make a serious case for TR but realistically, he should be gone..

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

Let's just wait and see all the same.

When he is ready he will be played, as will all the others, if they are good enough.

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

[Classic Jorge]

How galling is that?

[Ashberto]

They spent 50m on a striker they had to just throw away because it didn’t work out. They’ve spent gazillions on players again and again without risk until a successful formula is reached.

[redgunamo]

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

Or Chelsea for that matter.

He will of course probably come to us.

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

I've barely heard of this Zelalem.

I was talking of Fran Merida.

[7evens]

these days, as opposed to their profligate past.
They seem to have their model reasonably well aligned these days.

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

Oh my, the japes we have on here.


Now never mention this again, okay.

[Classic Jorge]

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

f**k off.

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

[Classic Jorge]