A disastrous transfer window is taking shape

[Mo Britain less Europe]

The refusal to plan ahead and do early business has meant we'll end up with a shortage at centre-half or with expensive stop-gap crap.

Time to change our system so that this season you're already thinking ahead to next and puttin g out necessary feelers.

[TheCurly]

The refusal to plan ahead and do early business has meant we'll end up with a shortage at centre-half or with expensive stop-gap crap.

Time to change our system so that this season you're already thinking ahead to next and puttin g out necessary feelers.

It doesn't help that there are very few good players available.Look at Man City,they have spent something in the region of 140 million trying to find a partner for Kompany.Wenger thought he had the centre back position filled with the addition of Holding.How was he supposed to know both Gab and the BFG would get injured in the space of a fortnight?

[Billy Goat Sverige]

It doesn't help that there are very few good players available.Look at Man City,they have spent something in the region of 140 million trying to find a partner for Kompany.Wenger thought he had the centre back position filled with the addition of Holding.How was he supposed to know both Gab and the BFG would get injured in the space of a fortnight?

Mertesacker was injured nearly six weeks ago. From that point he said he wanted a defender and we still don't have one. There's also plenty of defenders available better than Gabriel, Holding, and Chambers, which is who we have playing next to Kos until the new year.

[Rich]

Mertesacker was injured nearly six weeks ago. From that point he said he wanted a defender and we still don't have one. There's also plenty of defenders available better than Gabriel, Holding, and Chambers, which is who we have playing next to Kos until the new year.

I think we'll get James Rodriguez. Can he play up front?

[SWv2]

It doesn't help that there are very few good players available.Look at Man City,they have spent something in the region of 140 million trying to find a partner for Kompany.Wenger thought he had the centre back position filled with the addition of Holding.How was he supposed to know both Gab and the BFG would get injured in the space of a fortnight?

I think it is the apparent lack of planning that is frustrating for many C.

Take the striker issue. We all know we need one, apart from Rich. Wenger openly stated that one of the primary reasons for the failure to win last season’s title was goals scored. So fair play he looked to address this early in the summer with an opportunistic offer for Vardy. Perhaps lazy and/or the cheap option but he went for it, deals all done and business over before the Euros.

We all know what occurred and here 9-10 weeks later, nothing.

Was there ever a plan B? Does he really want to spend given his very obvious reservations about modern day transfer fees. Is he now so out of touch as to steam on with what looks like a one man crusade against reality.

Waiting for a 29th August late bargain and a few million saved, and of course savings on related salary costs over the summer.

[TheCurly]

Mertesacker was injured nearly six weeks ago. From that point he said he wanted a defender and we still don't have one. There's also plenty of defenders available better than Gabriel, Holding, and Chambers, which is who we have playing next to Kos until the new year.

Oh don't get me wrong,Wenger is not blameless in this.Personally I think he should have replaced Mertesacker this time last year.And our injury record is soooooo incredibly fúcking sad,boring and downright maddening.As for better than what we have I just don't see it out there

[Rich]

I think it is the apparent lack of planning that is frustrating for many C.

Take the striker issue. We all know we need one, apart from Rich. Wenger openly stated that one of the primary reasons for the failure to win last season’s title was goals scored. So fair play he looked to address this early in the summer with an opportunistic offer for Vardy. Perhaps lazy and/or the cheap option but he went for it, deals all done and business over before the Euros.

We all know what occurred and here 9-10 weeks later, nothing.

Was there ever a plan B? Does he really want to spend given his very obvious reservations about modern day transfer fees. Is he now so out of touch as to steam on with what looks like a one man crusade against reality.

Waiting for a 29th August late bargain and a few million saved, and of course savings on related salary costs over the summer.

I think we need a striker better than Giroud. They also need to fit into our wage/transfer fee structure which rules the likes of Zlatan out.

I have a feeling that Arsenal fans expect to compete with United, City, Chelsea and even Liverpool when we simply do not generate enough cash to do that.

[TheCurly]

I think we need a striker better than Giroud. They also need to fit into our wage/transfer fee structure which rules the likes of Zlatan out.

I have a feeling that Arsenal fans expect to compete with United, City, Chelsea and even Liverpool when we simply do not generate enough cash to do that.

Indeed.Fúck a centre half,spunk every penny we have on a striker.

[Billy Goat Sverige]

I think it is the apparent lack of planning that is frustrating for many C.

Take the striker issue. We all know we need one, apart from Rich. Wenger openly stated that one of the primary reasons for the failure to win last season’s title was goals scored. So fair play he looked to address this early in the summer with an opportunistic offer for Vardy. Perhaps lazy and/or the cheap option but he went for it, deals all done and business over before the Euros.

We all know what occurred and here 9-10 weeks later, nothing.

Was there ever a plan B? Does he really want to spend given his very obvious reservations about modern day transfer fees. Is he now so out of touch as to steam on with what looks like a one man crusade against reality.

Waiting for a 29th August late bargain and a few million saved, and of course savings on related salary costs over the summer.

Not only that, we bid for Lacazette as well. Lyon released an official statement confirming as much. That tells me he's only willing to fix what he considers a problem if it's within his value range. Complete *******s.

[TheCurly]

Not only that, we bid for Lacazette as well. Lyon released an official statement confirming as much. That tells me he's only willing to fix what he considers a problem if it's within his value range. Complete *******s.

:nod: we discussed this yesterday.He is taking an unwinnable stance.He is in the right but he's gonna lose

[SWv2]

I have a feeling that Arsenal fans expect to compete with United, City, Chelsea and even Liverpool when we simply do not generate enough cash to do that.

Well to be fair some may expect us to compete as we were told we could and would compete by our very own CEO. Then he confuses issues by contradicting his earlier comments when speaking to US media this summer.

We probably generate more money than 2-3 of the clubs you mention, where we differ is with our attitude to spending money where we as a club believe in spending within a self-sustaining model. Not for us to speculate to accumulate.

Fair enough, each business can choose to run their business as they so choose. Which is why you will rarely see me criticising other clubs for exorbitant spending, good luck to them.

What annoys chaps is not spending when there appears tangible evidence that we’re ****ing minted.

And Zlatan, to use him as an example, there is always ways around wage structures. Remember Sol Campbell???

[Burney]

:nod: we discussed this yesterday.He is taking an unwinnable stance.He is in the right but he's gonna lose

Well he acts as though he can buck the laws of supply and demand and he simply can't. There are more clubs out there with the money to buy good strikers than there are good strikers. That means the price of good strikers goes mental. Bidding less than the market value of a player and only offering what you (perhaps correctly) think they're worth, simply isn't going to work.

He's a stubborn old ****er is what he is.

[TheCurly]

Well he acts as though he can buck the laws of supply and demand and he simply can't. There are more clubs out there with the money to buy good strikers than there are good strikers. That means the price of good strikers goes mental. Bidding less than the market value of a player and only offering what you (perhaps correctly) think they're worth, simply isn't going to work.

He's a stubborn old ****er is what he is.


We are all going to be SO embarrassed when the young Japaneezer walks away with the golden boot come May.

[Pat Vegas]

We are all going to be SO embarrassed when the young Japaneezer walks away with the golden boot come May.

Work permit denied.

[Alberto Balsam Rodriguez]

I think it is the apparent lack of planning that is frustrating for many C.

Take the striker issue. We all know we need one, apart from Rich. Wenger openly stated that one of the primary reasons for the failure to win last season’s title was goals scored. So fair play he looked to address this early in the summer with an opportunistic offer for Vardy. Perhaps lazy and/or the cheap option but he went for it, deals all done and business over before the Euros.

We all know what occurred and here 9-10 weeks later, nothing.

Was there ever a plan B? Does he really want to spend given his very obvious reservations about modern day transfer fees. Is he now so out of touch as to steam on with what looks like a one man crusade against reality.

Waiting for a 29th August late bargain and a few million saved, and of course savings on related salary costs over the summer.


This is still assuming that it is Wenger and his one man crusade against transfer fees and not him covering for the board/Owner not releasing him the funds that he requires. Or, perhaps, he and the board feel that only X million of the money banked can be spent this summer. The fact that no one really knows is a testament to how well the board/Wenger keep information private.

Not that this helps, mind!

[TheCurly]

Work permit denied.

Fúck me.Wenger out the fúck.

[Mo Britain less Europe]

This is still assuming that it is Wenger and his one man crusade against transfer fees and not him covering for the board/Owner not releasing him the funds that he requires. Or, perhaps, he and the board feel that only X million of the money banked can be spent this summer. The fact that no one really knows is a testament to how well the board/Wenger keep information private.

Not that this helps, mind!

I believe Wenger partly covers for the board an genuinely hates paying too much money.

But it's irrelevant whose fault it is. The point is planning ahead for this season and the next should be a part of running the team or the business and it isn't being done properly.

[Ash]

Well he acts as though he can buck the laws of supply and demand and he simply can't. There are more clubs out there with the money to buy good strikers than there are good strikers. That means the price of good strikers goes mental. Bidding less than the market value of a player and only offering what you (perhaps correctly) think they're worth, simply isn't going to work.

He's a stubborn old ****er is what he is.

I blame BT for inflating the market under the sealed bid system. Their bid did not reflect the market's demand for their product, because their football customers are not paying that price. BT have tried to use the cash from their (articially created) infrastructure monopoly to destroy Sky. Sky in turn had to save itself by making a monster bid which they are passing onto their customers with increased prices for reduced football content. How long their customers will put up with this remains to be seen. It's only their cricket and F1 coverage that are keeping my custom this year but I am wavering.

Now, one can argue that Sky have an infrastructure monopoly of their own, but they built that comercially. BT's position comes from a state-built enterprise. You will have seen where I'm going with this by now. Oh yes. For the dire state of this transfer window ... I blame Thatcher!

[Burney]

I blame BT for inflating the market under the sealed bid system. Their bid did not reflect the market's demand for their product, because their football customers are not paying that price. BT have tried to use the cash from their (articially created) infrastructure monopoly to destroy Sky. Sky in turn had to save itself by making a monster bid which they are passing onto their customers with increased prices for reduced football content. How long their customers will put up with this remains to be seen. It's only their cricket and F1 coverage that are keeping my custom this year but I am wavering.

Now, one can argue that Sky have an infrastructure monopoly of their own, but they built that comercially. BT's position comes from a state-built enterprise. You will have seen where I'm going with this by now. Oh yes. For the dire state of this transfer window ... I blame Thatcher!

The market will correct itself as Sky starts to lose customers due to its extortionate prices. That will inevitably happen.

[Mo Britain less Europe]

That's what they said about housing prices. Thirty years ago.

[TheCurly]

The market will correct itself as Sky starts to lose customers due to its extortionate prices. That will inevitably happen.

The huge rise of encoded Firesticks must be hurting them more

[Burney]

That's what they said about housing prices. Thirty years ago.

People need houses. They don't need Sky. I ****ed it off years ago, for instance. Haven't missed it. The more people ditch it, the better chance they have of normalising the market. On the other hand, if you keep paying extortionate prices for a relatively mediocre product, don't complain that the market's skewed.

[Burney]

The huge rise of encoded Firesticks must be hurting them more

Firesticks? Is that a word for matches? What are you talking about, c?

[Alberto Balsam Rodriguez]

I believe Wenger partly covers for the board an genuinely hates paying too much money.

But it's irrelevant whose fault it is. The point is planning ahead for this season and the next should be a part of running the team or the business and it isn't being done properly.

Fault is not the point. It is where the constraint lies. If it is with Wenger, then he is the issue. If it is the board, then there needs to be a totally different tactic.

[TheCurly]

Firesticks? Is that a word for matches? What are you talking about, c?

Amazon Firestick jobbie.One can,if so inclined,buy them "hacked" to receive free Sky/BT stations.Call into the Rose & Crown ask for Dodgy Harry.

[Mo Britain less Europe]

Yes. But my point is it's not just about transfers in a window, it is about having a squad for now and for the future. So the argument that we didn't know Mertesacker and Gabriel were going to get injured should lead to a discussion as to whether Mertesacker should have been considered as anything else than a 4th choice centre-half this season and, if so, should we not have considered replacing him instead.

[Burney]

Amazon Firestick jobbie.One can,if so inclined,buy them "hacked" to receive free Sky/BT stations.Call into the Rose & Crown ask for Dodgy Harry.

Oh, right. Well I'd never have any truck with that sort of thievery at all. You wouldn't catch me using a Raspberry Pi to run Kodi and stream hooky films on my telly *Ahem*

[TheCurly]

Oh, right. Well I'd never have any truck with that sort of thievery at all. You wouldn't catch me using a Raspberry Pi to run Kodi and stream hooky films on my telly *Ahem*

:thumbup: you know it makes sense

[Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult]

People need houses. They don't need Sky. I ****ed it off years ago, for instance. Haven't missed it. The more people ditch it, the better chance they have of normalising the market. On the other hand, if you keep paying extortionate prices for a relatively mediocre product, don't complain that the market's skewed.

Good point.

I can't stream a nice zone 2 2-bed flat on the web for free - I have to pay real GBPs. But I've never paid for Sky in my life, though my old man did.

[highberries]

That's what they said about housing prices. Thirty years ago.

this is a world of nonsense where is the chat with the tree view, i can't even begin explaining how annoyed i am, Im not even sure who or what im quoting lol

[barrybueno]

'a one man crusade against reality'

Brilliant :hehe:

[George Morrell's Tache]

Anybody can play up front, it is whether they are any good in that role. World football is not currently overflowing with world class strikers.

[George Morrell's Tache]

Well to be fair some may expect us to compete as we were told we could and would compete by our very own CEO. Then he confuses issues by contradicting his earlier comments when speaking to US media this summer.

We probably generate more money than 2-3 of the clubs you mention, where we differ is with our attitude to spending money where we as a club believe in spending within a self-sustaining model. Not for us to speculate to accumulate.

Fair enough, each business can choose to run their business as they so choose. Which is why you will rarely see me criticising other clubs for exorbitant spending, good luck to them.

What annoys chaps is not spending when there appears tangible evidence that we’re ****ing minted.

And Zlatan, to use him as an example, there is always ways around wage structures. Remember Sol Campbell???

Don't we pay Ozil a rather tidy sum? Reputed to be £190,000 per hard working week!

[George Morrell's Tache]

I think it is the apparent lack of planning that is frustrating for many C.

Take the striker issue. We all know we need one, apart from Rich. Wenger openly stated that one of the primary reasons for the failure to win last season’s title was goals scored. So fair play he looked to address this early in the summer with an opportunistic offer for Vardy. Perhaps lazy and/or the cheap option but he went for it, deals all done and business over before the Euros.

We all know what occurred and here 9-10 weeks later, nothing.

Was there ever a plan B? Does he really want to spend given his very obvious reservations about modern day transfer fees. Is he now so out of touch as to steam on with what looks like a one man crusade against reality.

Waiting for a 29th August late bargain and a few million saved, and of course savings on related salary costs over the summer.

Would you be happy to see the club spend £50m on Mustafi and more on Lacazette? Just asking!

[Ash]

Anybody can play up front, it is whether they are any good in that role.

We need insight like this. Which reminds me, WHERE IS REG?

[Sir C]

We need insight like this. Which reminds me, WHERE IS REG?

Oh, he'll just be quietly fomenting a civil war or military coup somewhere, fear not.

[Burney]

Oh, he'll just be quietly fomenting a civil war or military coup somewhere, fear not.

I wonder where? I do hope the weather's nice for him.

[George Morrell's Tache]

I wonder where? I do hope the weather's nice for him.

The weather is fine!