Can anyone see us making a January signing ?

[7sisters]

All I keep reading is how clubs are running scared of FFP. Our revenues have fallen to an all time low in recent years with a welcome uptick for the current one.
We’ve blown 100 on Rice alone last window, 65 on that useless stick insect and, in turn, recouped very little.
I don’t have the actual data but my instincts tell me not to expect much change until the summer.

[Peter]

All I keep reading is how clubs are running scared of FFP. Our revenues have fallen to an all time low in recent years with a welcome uptick for the current one.
We’ve blown 100 on Rice alone last window, 65 on that useless stick insect and, in turn, recouped very little.
I don’t have the actual data but my instincts tell me not to expect much change until the summer.

I dont think we will and am not convinced we need to. Would love to see an extra defender but I can't see us bothering with that at this point.

[pjlincs]

All I keep reading is how clubs are running scared of FFP. Our revenues have fallen to an all time low in recent years with a welcome uptick for the current one.
We’ve blown 100 on Rice alone last window, 65 on that useless stick insect and, in turn, recouped very little.
I don’t have the actual data but my instincts tell me not to expect much change until the summer.

Can't see it. ESR could be a new signing! Start left midfield at Forest!

Don't forget next summer will start with shelling out £27m for Raya. Though some of that will be recouped with Ramsdale's inevitable departure to a club where he will royally thwart us in seasons to come.

[PSRB]

Can't see it. ESR could be a new signing! Start left midfield at Forest!

Don't forget next summer will start with shelling out £27m for Raya. Though some of that will be recouped with Ramsdale's inevitable departure to a club where he will royally thwart us in seasons to come.

ESR looked very sharp when he came on, I think that MA will rotate him and Havertz.

[WES]

ESR looked very sharp when he came on, I think that MA will rotate him and Havertz.

Could have sworn I saw a video with Timber in training in Dubai :rubchin:

New signing :cloud9:

[PSRB]

Could have sworn I saw a video with Timber in training in Dubai :rubchin:

New signing :cloud9:

Long time from starting running until actually playing. April at the earliest, imo

[Pat Vegas]

All I keep reading is how clubs are running scared of FFP. Our revenues have fallen to an all time low in recent years with a welcome uptick for the current one.
We’ve blown 100 on Rice alone last window, 65 on that useless stick insect and, in turn, recouped very little.
I don’t have the actual data but my instincts tell me not to expect much change until the summer.

Just saw Benzema filling up his car on Hornsey Road Esso. He looked annoyed as Hatem Trabelsi was in front of him taking ages.
Formaly Texaco

Not sure why these players leave it until just before they arrive at the Emirates to fill up their cars.

[redgunamo]

I dont think we will and am not convinced we need to. Would love to see an extra defender but I can't see us bothering with that at this point.

:-\ More players is ALWAYS better than less, Peter.

I do see what you mean though, at this point; there IS something to be said for having a small squad. It's just that, after all we've been through, I do not believe any of us really wants to be caught saying it :-\

[redgunamo]

Just saw Benzema filling up his car on Hornsey Road Esso. He looked annoyed as Hatem Trabelsi was in front of him taking ages.
Formaly Texaco

Not sure why these players leave it until just before they arrive at the Emirates to fill up their cars.

I blame Instagram.

[Peter]

:-\ More players is ALWAYS better than less, Peter.

I do see what you mean though, at this point; there IS something to be said for having a small squad. It's just that, after all we've been through, I do not believe any of us really wants to be caught saying it :-\

Arteta seems to take a bit of time to trust players and is very reluctant to actually give game time to those he doesn't trust. Trossard came in last January and made an immediate impact but it is unlikely we will find another one of those.

Finding forwards who are better than what we already have is going to be unbelievably difficult and prohibitively expensive.

What we need to do is focus on getting more out of the players we have, particularly Martinelli. The Palace game showed what he is when we actually get him into good positions- he is the best finisher at the club.

[7sisters]

Arteta seems to take a bit of time to trust players and is very reluctant to actually give game time to those he doesn't trust. Trossard came in last January and made an immediate impact but it is unlikely we will find another one of those.

Finding forwards who are better than what we already have is going to be unbelievably difficult and prohibitively expensive.

What we need to do is focus on getting more out of the players we have, particularly Martinelli. The Palace game showed what he is when we actually get him into good positions- he is the best finisher at the club.

And yet he trusts Havertz ? Although, probably like many, I’m hoping he’s usurped by ESR over the next couple of months.
Until inevitably, ESR breaks down again, natch :)

[Peter]

And yet he trusts Havertz ? Although, probably like many, I’m hoping he’s usurped by ESR over the next couple of months.
Until inevitably, ESR breaks down again, natch :)

Havertz has a particular set of abilities that I think Arteta feels are uniquely appropriate to the way he wants us to play/ be able to play. That set of abilities doesn't currently include being able to play as a midfielder so there is work to do.

I think you have to look at this season as kind of a development season.

[PSRB]

Havertz has a particular set of abilities that I think Arteta feels are uniquely appropriate to the way he wants us to play/ be able to play. That set of abilities doesn't currently include being able to play as a midfielder so there is work to do.

I think you have to look at this season as kind of a development season.

I thought he had a good game against Palace. Nothing spectacular but solid.

[WES]

Havertz has a particular set of abilities that I think Arteta feels are uniquely appropriate to the way he wants us to play/ be able to play. That set of abilities doesn't currently include being able to play as a midfielder so there is work to do.

I think you have to look at this season as kind of a development season.

Not being able to play as a midfielder is very harsh, Peter. He has improved since the start of the season when he was very tentative and often confused. He's no Odegaard, but he has looked much better recently. And as you said, he brings things that Arteta must think we need.

I agree about the development season, I'd be very happy with top 4 and a sense that we are moving forward towards what Arteta is trying to achieve.

What ever that is :-)

[Peter]

Not being able to play as a midfielder is very harsh, Peter. He has improved since the start of the season when he was very tentative and often confused. He's no Odegaard, but he has looked much better recently. And as you said, he brings things that Arteta must think we need.

I agree about the development season, I'd be very happy with top 4 and a sense that we are moving forward towards what Arteta is trying to achieve.

What ever that is :-)

I am happy to clarify- to play as a conventional midfielder. But it may well be that Arteta doesn't want that from him. The thing is, there will be games, or part of games, where we need that from him so it is something he needs to improve on. Part of the process.

It may well be that the Havertz experiment doesn't work, or that Arteta decides to go a different way. Either way, it is far too soon to call it a failure. He has had good games and has also shown the ability to contribute something of significance whilst having a bad/ ordinary game.

If we finish in the top 4, win a few more games in the Champions League and get closer to nailing the balance between control and genuine creativity, we will be placed for next season. If he can add reducing the number of idiotic defensive errors, that would be great :-)

[PSRB]

Not being able to play as a midfielder is very harsh, Peter. He has improved since the start of the season when he was very tentative and often confused. He's no Odegaard, but he has looked much better recently. And as you said, he brings things that Arteta must think we need.

I agree about the development season, I'd be very happy with top 4 and a sense that we are moving forward towards what Arteta is trying to achieve.

What ever that is :-)

A fit Timber and Partey and we'd have at least another 6 points, imo.

[Peter]

A fit Timber and Partey and we'd have at least another 6 points, imo.

We still don't know if Arteta sees Partey as part of his plans and, if so, exactly how. That is hugely significant, I think.

[PSRB]

We still don't know if Arteta sees Partey as part of his plans and, if so, exactly how. That is hugely significant, I think.

I'm pretty sure he wanted him alongside Rice.

[Peter]

I'm convinced he wanted him alongside Rice.

That is a powerful midfield. I'd like to see it :-)

Watching City at Newcastle was a great example of what we are up against. Despite Newcastle scoring two strangely similar goals to turn the game on its head they dominated the second half and found a way to win. Rodri was exceptional and De Bruyne came off the bench and played the game on a different setting to everyone else.

If we want to win the league we have to finish above them :-(

[redgunamo]

What ever that is :-)

:-\ The Real Madrid job.

[Peter]

:-\ The Real Madrid job.

Hmmmmmm..... I don't think so. He wouldn't have the control he wants.

The City job is more likely....

[PSRB]

That is a powerful midfield. I'd like to see it :-)

Watching City at Newcastle was a great example of what we are up against. Despite Newcastle scoring two strangely similar goals to turn the game on its head they dominated the second half and found a way to win. Rodri was exceptional and De Bruyne came off the bench and played the game on a different setting to everyone else.

If we want to win the league we have to finish above them :-(

City right up there and missed Haaland for a month and KdB just returning, ominous

Salah out for a month....guarantee he'll be fit for 4th Feb.