I'm a bit surprised at people's enthusiasm for f**king Theo out the window this summer

[Monty91]

Isn't the whole idea of us being rich that we can afford to have good quality 100k a week squad players?

I mean, we are talking about a player who can score 15-20 goals a season. Surely worth having him knocking around the squad for the occasional turnout?

[Luis Anaconda]

If he signs a contract great, if not you can see why we would get shot

[Classic Jorge]

Nor do I think the club would be happy letting an asset, an asset that would fetch us 15m too, sat there depreciating.

We may be nouveau but I doubt we're in a Sheikh Moneybags mindset just yet

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

Or signs a deal to do so.

The basic principles of running a business means you take 20m (or whatever is appropriate) and move on.

[Billy Goat Sverige]

[Classic Jorge]

[Monty91]

[Monty91]

pay him enough to convince him to re-sign, surely?

[Berni]

keeping him precludes getting in someone better or being f**ked around by him and then losing money we might otherwise get by selling early.

[Red N White Army]

Of course, he will think he deserves to start, which he doesn't. And if he moves to another top 4 challenger, he'll face the same problems, so he may as well stay put. He'll only be first choice at somewhere mid-table. Barcodes would love him, and pay him silly money.

[Ben.]

having forgotten to stop and check when it is his contract expires.

[Winston Wolfe]

The good thing for Theo is that his role still isn't properly defined within the context of the game we are playing.

Plenty of options and at the moment gives us a genuine plan b in attack.

Just needs some games and he will be back to the same level he was at pre Tottenham.

We definelty still require his services especially in light of Alex most likely a small rest at some stage or a series of shortened games i.e. Just playing the first 65 to 70 minutes.

The player fans should be getting on the back of is Wilshere. Mainly because the positions he plays have been taken with suitable back ups in the wings.

Can't play in a withdrawn central position with Coqblock, Ramsey and Arteta returning from injury,

Flamini another option but suspect Jack has more quality. add in the fact we're likely to sign a new defensive midfielder in the summer then that position is out of bounds for Jack.

Just leaves an attacking Central position but with Ozil, Santi and Rosicky vying for 1 spot he's got no chance.

He's way to small, less mobile and lacks the speed to play the wings like Theo, Alexis, Ox and Welbeck so that's busted as well.

in other words he needs to really step up on his game to break back into the side (maybe even the full match day squad).

[Classic Jorge]

We might not even need to replace him at all.

Also, experience would suggest that were we to let him run the contract down he would invariably be unavailable for the next 2-3 weeks for the entire season and be bugger all use to us anyway.

Personally I'd say we should keep him, despite him being demonstrably **** in many areas of his game, just not for the reported 150kpw he's holding out for though.

[Classic Jorge]

[Monty91]

If we can afford to pay him what he wants to stay, why on earth sell him?

I do not propose giving him a Rooney-esque salary hike, but if we can throw him an extra, say, 20 grand a week, then why not keep a potential 15-20 goal a season player?

[Classic Jorge]

I do hope the Andean Pele gets the bloody rest he sorely needs now.

Isn't there a Chile v Brasil game at the Emirates this interlull?

[Monty91]

Does he think he's better than Sanchez?

Presumably he's aware he's returned to fitness while the team has embarked on an excellent run of results without him. You would hope he would understand why he's not at the top of the pecking order after a year out.

[Nicosia Gooner]

AWIMB experts who don't believe he is good enough for Arsenal and should be sold, end of.

[Winston Wolfe]

you have to remember Theo was just your average kid when Arsene signed him.

Basically shaped and changed his entire life.

Now he doesn't ever have to worry about money and happily married to his sweetheart.

It could be he's just learning from the way Arsene sign his own contract with the club and replicating that because he knows no better.

(We all know Arsene waits as long as f**k before he signs his extensions).

[Monty91]

At the time he got injured he was probably showing the most promising form of his career. Why would you be so keen to rule out the chances of him finding that form again?

[Monty91]

[Luis Anaconda]

is a very likely possibility - if the young German is back up to speed so to speak, he clearly has the talent

[Classic Jorge]

There's a myriad of alternatives, many of whom would be preferable to Hampshire's very own Tony Daley.

[Luis Anaconda]

[Winston Wolfe]

[Classic Jorge]

or TR7 - footballing age: 22 - for instance

[Monty91]

and can play in two, or all three at a push, of those positions. You don't think he will get plenty of football over a season?

Moreover, you don't think he will get enough chances to force himself up the pecking order?

Mental...

[Winston Wolfe]

[Pat Vegas]

14 in 2012-2013

all the other seasons he's not even scored 10.

I am talking league goals before you start pulling out the numbers.

[Monty91]

bit overloaded, we have two excellent players (Arteta and Rosicky) who due to their age are likely to be content with reduced roles over the coming year or two.

Upfront we have 5 or 6 highly versatile (other than Giroud) players fighting for three positions. Extremely healthy, imo, and plenty of opportunities for everyone over a season.

[Classic Jorge]

[Billy Goat Sverige]

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

I am not fully on the whole Sterling bandwagon yet.

[Monty91]

compete and keep our best players and as soon as we are people are advocating sacking off an established, proven player like Theo with potential.

[Classic Jorge]

Every player with a contentious contract issue develops temporary diaby-etes, you know this as much as anybody.

He won't be useful to keep, he'll just be an expensive ornament in the treatment room.

If he signs a new contract, fine. If not just get rid.

[Monty91]

And as you know things change very quickly in football. Injuries or just general rotation could give him a chance to push himself up the pecking order.

[Billy Goat Sverige]

be because they want out or you have no space for them :shrug:

[Billy Goat Sverige]

either wide position.

[Luis Anaconda]

and as you talk about balance, I would say considering the way is set up, allowing space in the squad for a player of Gnabry's immense potential is still very important

[Monty91]

would utterly defeat the point of us being (relatively) minted.

Assuming, as I have said, that he doesn't want a Ronney-esque salary hike.

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

The manner in which he has been marginalised since his return to fitness for beginners, the fact that Chamberlain and Welbeck offer realistic competition for his place – the latter having been selected ahead of Walcott for such high profile games as Spurs, United and Monaco.

Theo already is a high earner so presumably he will want more again, is this his last realistic big contract?? Do we push even further and inflate an already huge wage bill, knowing that a raft of other players will also be looking for comparative or better deals when their time comes.

We may be loaded as you say, but we appear to still run a very considered and almost cautious business model.

I expect football, as opposed to just money, is going to be paramount in this.

He was very difficult to convince the last time, Wenger may just decide now is the time to ‘cash in’.

[Monty91]

[Monty91]

and Ox seems to be increasingly utilised centrally.

And as I said, he has been back from a year out for about two months. Not a huge amount of time to force himself back up the pecking order in a squad full of such attacking talent.

[Classic Jorge]

[Billy Goat Sverige]

would play Ozil and Sanchez in the wider positions before putting Theo there.

[Luis Anaconda]

would be deemed acceptable to a guy who probably thinks he should be first choice for England in that role, especially given that two of the players in front of him are also English

[Monty91]

then I would said that speaks volumes about how harmonious the balance currently is.

And it is absolutely obvious that we would have to sell him if he doesn't sign a new contract. By point is that we should do all we can to keep him, presuming we can now afford to do so.

[Red N White Army]

[Nicosia Gooner]

not count?

[Pokster]

who will fit in with his current plans for the team.

I'd like him to stay but he isn't worth 150k a week imho

[Monty91]

though I notice you've been a little bit quiet about that this time around :-)

As I said, you may be right about Theo's current place in the pecking order. But that is after a year out injured and things can change very quickly.

[Supermac1976]

[Pokster]

which is prehaps what we might do with TW

[Billy Goat Sverige]

At the start of the season he was played out wide.

[Bergkamp's Brain]

[Classic Jorge]

[Pat Vegas]

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

Things have changed since his last deal, we have developed as a football side, improved. Other options are now available which perhaps, or definitely, were not there at that time.

I don’t think anybody will complain if he agrees to stay and signs, why would they. Different however if there is another contract stand-off, then the club and Wenger have a decision to make.

20m or nothing?

[Monty91]

for a player of his quality, even if it meant getting rid of some deadwood to finance it (though our deadwood is a bit thin on the ground nowadays).

[Luis Anaconda]

Now he is fully fit Wenger plays him in the position he plays him in most which is at No 10

[Billy Goat Sverige]

[Monty91]

after a year out injured. Wenger said when he came back that it would take time for him to get used to contact again.

Add to that our excellent run of results and it's hardly the biggest snub in the world for him to have missed out on these games,

[Hillary]

Then, we were desperate for him to stay. Now? No so desperate. If he thinks he can hold a gun to our heads this time, he is going to be disappointed I feel.

That's not to criticise him for his behaviour last time, by the way.

[Luis Anaconda]

[Monty91]

[Bergkamp's Brain]

If Dr Neg were here he'd say the club were responsible for his injuries

[Billy Goat Sverige]

off at Haskell, but we played some really nice stuff which was nice to see. I think the team is almost settled but for maybe two or three changes. Launchbury will obviously come back in, and i hope either Wood comes back on for Haskell, or they bring back Armitage and put Robshaw at 6. Can't see the latter happening though. Also would bring back Tuilagi at 12.

[Pokster]

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

The big games being the ones they really want to be involved in.

You are correct though, 3 games is nothing in the bigger picture but you surely cannot deny that you would have expected him to be involved more than he has been. He is fit after all.

Thing is I think you have basically agreed with everybody who is offering a counter argument. If he agrees to sign then great, if not – by summer I would suggest - then he is sold.

That is the crux of what most people are saying. The issue is how far we bend over but as none of us sit in on Arsenal Football Club board meetings, nor none of us sit in his transfer negotiations, then we are all commenting from a position of complete ignorance.

[Hillary]

[Billy Goat Sverige]

He played ahead of Santi and Coquelin. Are we going to do this whole thing again?

[Bergkamp's Brain]

We got him on a free :-(

I'd say we overspent

[Monty91]

All with the options to roam (though Wellbz obviously had to be a little more disciplined than the other two as our main focal point and outlet).

Perhaps this is what confused you. Whe you saw Ozil take up central positions you thought this meant it was his starting position.

Easy mistake to make, for a layperson :-)

[Billy Goat Sverige]

silly *******s. Chamberlain went off injured in the second half and then it changed to Ramsey in the middle and Ozil went out to the right, interestingly enough while Walcott was on the bench. So proof you talk **** about Ozil's position on the pitch and Walcott's position in the pecking order.

[Nicosia Gooner]