City paid £47.5m for Stones

[Billy Goat Sverige]

:-| :-| :-| :-|

[Monty92]

:-| :-| :-| :-|

Do you think we should be competing for players at these kind of prices? (genuine question)

[SWv2]

Do you think we should be competing for players at these kind of prices? (genuine question)


Well done City.

He was the player they identified as wanting to add to their defence, they worked with Everton and came to a mutually agreed fee. £5m over the odds? £10m over the odds? Who cares.

Same applies to United with regards to Pogba though obviously not in defence.

Football supporters generally speaking should not get too hot and bothered about transfer fees, it is not our money as such.

Rule number 1 of transfer windows, specifically summer ones, is to try and pour scorn on the activities of others. This is made somewhat more difficult for us as we sit and try to make sense of our own.

[Billy Goat Sverige]

Do you think we should be competing for players at these kind of prices? (genuine question)

No. If we sign this Mustafi chap for the rumoured fee of £25-£30m then i'd say that's fair enough. Promising young player, part of a successful international team, decent amount of experience. He's probably of a similar profile to Stones in that respect. £47.5m for Stones, someone who has always had a dodgy moment or two in every game i've seen him in is ridiculous imo. I mean, he could turn out to be brilliant in 3-4 years time, he could also turn out to be not very good. We can't really take those risks, or afford to. Stick to spending that sort of money on Sanchez and Ozil types, although the way things are now they'd probably cost twice as much than what we paid for them.

[SWv2]

Do you think we should be competing for players at these kind of prices? (genuine question)

Yes, if the relevant players involved are players that Wenger has specifically identified as those he wants to strengthen his team.

Not just buying for the sake of it you understand, to “give out a message”, but to invest in the playing side on the resources that the manager wants.

The money in football is obscene/ridiculous now but we are part of the whole circus and are happy to accept the massive monies from Sky while charging supporters expensive sums to participate in the whole experience.

[Mo Britain less Europe]

Good point. Few clubs seem to complain about the obscene amounts of money they are getting.

[Monty92]

Good point. Few clubs seem to complain about the obscene amounts of money they are
getting.

I don't recall anyone at arsenal "complaining" about the cost of players. Acknowledging it, yes. Complaining, no.

[Monty92]

Yes, if the relevant players involved are players that Wenger has specifically identified as those he wants to strengthen his team.

Not just buying for the sake of it you understand, to “give out a message”, but to invest in the playing side on the resources that the manager wants.

The money in football is obscene/ridiculous now but we are part of the whole circus and are happy to accept the massive monies from Sky while charging supporters expensive sums to participate in the whole experience.

As I say below, I haven't seen anyone at arsenal criticise the inflation in transfer fees, only acknowledge it. So I don't really see a case of double standards or hypocrisy here.

[SWv2]

As I say below, I haven't seen anyone at arsenal criticise the inflation in transfer fees, only acknowledge it. So I don't really see a case of double standards or hypocrisy here.

You will also struggle to find mentions of hypocrisy or double standards in my opinion above.

[Ash]

Rule number 1 of transfer windows, specifically summer ones, is to try and pour scorn on the activities of others. This is made somewhat more difficult for us as we sit and try to make sense of our own.

I'm fairly sure that rule No. 1 is to despair at our own lack of transfer activity. Rule No. 2 is to point and laugh at other clubs' exuberant spending as some sort of therapeutic relief to rule #1.

[SWv2]

I'm fairly sure that rule No. 1 is to despair at our own lack of transfer activity. Rule No. 2 is to point and laugh at other clubs' exuberant spending as some sort of therapeutic relief to rule #1.

My rules were more general as opposed to AFC focused.

I simply don't understand ours any longer.

[IUFG]

why not? We have the means at our disposal to compete with big boys, I'm paraphrasing Gazidis here.

AFC simply choose not to, for some reason or another.

[Ash]

why not? We have the means at our disposal to compete with big boys, I'm paraphrasing Gazidis here.

AFC simply choose not to, for some reason or another.

That was the Gazidis of three years ago. The latest version reminds us we are a second tier club who can't compete.

[Monty92]

You will also struggle to find mentions of hypocrisy or double standards in my opinion above.

I thought it was implicit in your final paragraph. If I'm wrong,
I'm not entirely sure what purpose that paragraph serves other than to state the obvious.

[SWv2]

I thought it was implicit in your final paragraph. If I'm wrong,
I'm not entirely sure what purpose that paragraph serves other than to state the obvious.

Okay reading it again I can see how you may have interpreted as such, but it was never a direct meaning or accusation from me.

Football is money now, €20 - €30m which a few season ago we baulked at now seems to be almost a starting point. I am loathe to use the term average players but you know what I mean.

We are massively rich and can afford most of the fees paid by clubs this summer with the probable exception of Pogba but I believe there is a lot more to that deal than simply figures of it costing United 100m, for example there is a link between both parties and Adidas which has seen the club retain some hugely important image rights which will recoup them ****loads.

If Wenger really wanted Stones then why not pay the £47m, the basic status of the club’s finances suggest it is more than able to absorb such spending before even looking at the fact that the sum would be paid over x years.

What we do not appear to have is the willingness to enter these markets, which is the club’s decision so good luck to them.

We may yet be surprised as there is 3 weeks to go.

[Yesterday Once More]

Okay reading it again I can see how you may have interpreted as such, but it was never a direct meaning or accusation from me.

Football is money now, €20 - €30m which a few season ago we baulked at now seems to be almost a starting point. I am loathe to use the term average players but you know what I mean.

We are massively rich and can afford most of the fees paid by clubs this summer with the probable exception of Pogba but I believe there is a lot more to that deal than simply figures of it costing United 100m, for example there is a link between both parties and Adidas which has seen the club retain some hugely important image rights which will recoup them ****loads.

If Wenger really wanted Stones then why not pay the £47m, the basic status of the club’s finances suggest it is more than able to absorb such spending before even looking at the fact that the sum would be paid over x years.

What we do not appear to have is the willingness to enter these markets, which is the club’s decision so good luck to them.

We may yet be surprised as there is 3 weeks to go.


Spot on: Wenger lost my respect by providing a convenient shield for the board to hide behind between 2006-2011 when the game was changing exponentially. Clubs could no longer achieve success by relying on untapped diamonds from the continent costing next to nothing, they needed to spend big not only on first choice players but also on squad cover (the likes of Raheem Sterling, Falcao etc). Since the constraints arising from the stadium move were lifted, Wenger has continued to cruise on astronomical wages while not being willing or able to accept the new reality required of being successful in the modern era.

Even when he does splurge in the transfer market, it is usually reactive rather than proactive and right at the end of the window when there are limited options left and we are charged a premium for last-minute shopping.

Alf Ramsey once said that Martin Peters was 10 years ahead of his time. Arsene Wenger is 10 years behind his.

[Luis Anaconda]

Spot on: Wenger lost my respect by providing a convenient shield for the board to hide behind between 2006-2011 when the game was changing exponentially. Clubs could no longer achieve success by relying on untapped diamonds from the continent costing next to nothing, they needed to spend big not only on first choice players but also on squad cover (the likes of Raheem Sterling, Falcao etc). Since the constraints arising from the stadium move were lifted, Wenger has continued to cruise on astronomical wages while not being willing or able to accept the new reality required of being successful in the modern era.

Even when he does splurge in the transfer market, it is usually reactive rather than proactive and right at the end of the window when there are limited options left and we are charged a premium for last-minute shopping.

Alf Ramsey once said that Martin Peters was 10 years ahead of his time. Arsene Wenger is 10 years behind his.
Congrats- if any post summed up the complete retard that you are it is this. Oh - and everything else you have ever posted. Talk me through the massive success of Falcao and Sterling

[Ash]

Clubs could no longer achieve success by relying on untapped diamonds from the continent costing next to nothing, they needed to spend big not only on first choice players but also on squad cover (the likes of Raheem Sterling, Falcao etc).


:cough: Leicester.

[Luis Anaconda]

:cough: Leicester.

Good shooting, sir