Begovic, Benteke, Milner. Think would have improved us

[devongunner]

[Alexism - Atheoist]

players.

The three you listed, pah, we have much better in house already.

[devongunner]

Coquelin good example. We all wanted Khedira and groaned when he recalled Coquelin from loan

[Peter]

Today with just three players missing. Had to have sanchez there when he isnt ready and arteta and walcott were the only available midfielders or forwards.
Hence three defenders on the bench.

And that is with just three injuries which will probably be our lowest total all season. And this is the first game of the season.

We have 21 outfield players in the squad and that includes flamini. It isnt loads, particularly given their/our fitness records.

[TRENT COLTON]

Not doing a bit more business. DM could've been upgraded. I still like Schneiderlin a lot. I would've been ruthless and looked to upgrade Mertersacker too. Not sure I'd go with the names you mentioned. But there is a feeling that we should've done a bit more in the market. I hope we still do.

[devongunner]

never understood why Ox hasn't been given more chances ahead of him. Giroud decent but not good enough to take us to the title.

if we cant get benzema then why not Benteke. Good record in a poor team. But of course too late now

[Fred Killah]

One striker is perhaps all we need now.

An argument could be made about defensive midfield, but then we do have Coquelin, Arteta, Wilshere and Flamini who could all perform that task and so far Coquelin has put in consistent minutes.

[Alexism - Atheoist]

Arteta, Wellbeck, Wilshere, Walcott, Gabriel, Gibbs or Debuchy, Ospina.

Not making the bench even are:
Rosicky, Gibbs or Debuchy, Chambers, Flamini.

If you add 3 players like Benteke, Milner, Begovic, then you're adding to the "Not even making the bench" list.

I'd rather have Walcott and Giroud than Benteke.
I'd rather have Wilshere than Milner
I'm just fine with Ospina over Begovic (esp at 11 million)

We have the team. We need balance, cohesion, and belief.


The only position I'd look to add to would be DM (Coq's failed clearance opened door to goal 2 btw.) But this doesn't strike me as critical. I think Wenger has to be ruthless with his pairings and not force the extra central midfielder into the squad.

Arteta is a passer, pair him with Ramsey.
Coq - pair him with Cazorla who'll be the distributor.


An argument can be made for a Reus/Draxler. We lacked a natural left midfielder today and shoehorned central midfielders there throwing off our balance. But this would go away with a fit Wellbeck and adding a player of that quality where would he play when Alexis is fit?

[The Tony]

hackman6

[Peter]

Always more than that. No squad of 20 odd players is going to have everyone fit all the time, and certsinly not ours.

Perhaps we are not horribly short but i would say we are leaving ourselves exposed if we experience the kind of injury problems we have had every year for as long as i can remember. Certsinly The idea that we are in some way full up or overloaded is nonsense.

[Peter]

And happens everywhere.

I think an extra forward would be useful and we need a settled midfield. I dont want cazorla moved out left every time sanchez doesnt play.

[Alexism - Atheoist]

[devongunner]

Arteta at tend of career
Wilshere injured again
Rosicky at end of career
Welbeck injured
Flamini good for the first 6 months he rejoined

Think Begovic would have been as good a buy as Cech
Don't rate Walcott
Giroud not good enough

So on that basis room for even more than the 3 I mentioned

[Alexism - Atheoist]

Trying so hard...

Fighting so hard from changing my name to ATheoist.

But part of me doesn't think Theo exists at all. I didn't see him today. (OK good volley attempt, full credit on the snap shot, but beyond that...)

[Fred Killah]

As for: "...we need a settled midfield. I dont want cazorla moved out left every time sanchez doesnt play."

We'd all love that. But I think there will be plenty of changing and chopping in the midfield throughout the season, sometimes due to injuries/fitness and other times due to tinkering by the gaffer which will grate the majority of us here :-)

As it is, I still believe we have a relatively deep squad and refuse to react obtusely to today's rather **** result.

[Hendon Gooner (Only Easy Day Was Yesterday))]

[Bergkamp's Brain]

[Peter]

Game :hehe:

[redgunamo]