ARSENE WENGER TRANSFERS:DO YOU WANT HIM TO HAVE MORE MONEY?

Babatunde · Post by **Babatunde** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 10:07 pm

I was thinking about Arsene Wenger's transfer record and talking about it with a Gooner mate. We talked about Wenger's actual transfer record, and spoke about Youth etc....Now.
Over the past 5-6 years, it is my contention that Arsene Wenger's record in the transfer market has been absolutely fucking pitiful. I genuinely mean this, but I could be wrong of course.

Below is a list of all of Wenger's transfers since then. Have left out all the new summer ones for fairness' sake. I'd be interested to note which of these players people would list as a 'success'. By 'success', I mean was a quality first team player for Arsenal for more than one whole season.

My thoughts are that looking at this list, it is very Harry Redknapp-esque. So so much money just blown left, right, centre with no clear plan. Just literally spunked on uselessness, there seems to be little thought going into this in my opinion. Perhaps some disagree though and that's their right.

Yes every manager makes mistakes but when one realises the kind of players available for the money spent, which is where top managers should be justifying their wages well....

Here it is. Apologies if a bit exhaustive....
___________________________________________

January 2006:

In:

Theo Walcott (Southampton, Â£6 million initially, rising to Â£12 million on completion) FLOP
Abou Diaby (Auxerre, Â£2.5 million). Arsene's boyfriend MEGA-FLOP.

Summer 2006:

In:
TomÃ¡Å¡ RosickÃ½ (Borussia Dortmund, Â£8 million) FLOP.
Justin Hoyte (Sunderland, loan return) FLOP.
Jeremie AliadiÃ¨re (Wolverhampton Wanderers, loan return) FLOP.
William Gallas (Chelsea, player exchange) FLOP.
DenÃlson Pereira Neves (Sao Paulo, Â£3.4m) FLOP.

Summer 2007:

Łukasz Fabiański ( Â£2m, Legia Warsaw) MEGAFLOP.
Carlos Eduardo da Silva (Â£7.5m, Dinamo Zagreb ) FLOP. (Unfortunate yes. Still a flop. sold at a loss too).
Bacary Sagna (Â£7m, Auxerre) SUCCESS.
Lassana Diarra (undisclosed, Chelsea) FLOP (due to management. Quality player, sold at a ridiculous knockdown price, played out of position, sacrificed for Flamini. Idiotic.)

Summer 2008:

In:
Carlos Alberto Vela Garrido (returning from loan, work permit approved) FLOP
Aaron Ramsey (Â£5m, Cardiff) JURY OUT
Samir Nasri (Â£11m, Marseille) SUCCESS
Amaury Bischoff (Â£1.3 million, Werder Bremen) Ha ha ha ha.
MikaÃ«l Silvestre (Â£750k, Manchester United) Ha ha ha ha ha.

January 2009:

Andrey Arshavin (Â£10m initially, rising to Â£16.5 million Zenit St. Petersburg) FLOP

Summer 2009:

Thomas Vermaelen (Â£10m, Ajax) SUCCESS.

Summer 2010:

Marouane Chamakh (free) EPIC FLOP.
Laurent Koscielny (Â£10.5 million, Lorient) JURY OUT (so far I'd say a flop at that price though)
____________________________

In SIX years, I count Bacary Sagna and Tom Vermaelen as almost unqualified success stories. And Vermaelen is yet to do more than one season but benefit of the doubt going there. Samir Nasri? According to most Gooners 'he only ever had a one half season'....so it'd be interesting to see what people make of him now then??

The question I keep asking, is especially seeing that Wenger spent over Â£50 million this summer past and managed to get not one player of remotely world-class potential, should he be trusted with more funds?

Interested to see opinions on this....

frankbutcher · Post by **frankbutcher** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 10:14 pm

BournemouthRED · Post by **BournemouthRED** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 10:16 pm

Jesus mate, do you ever go outside?

Babatunde · Post by **Babatunde** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 10:16 pm

And here's a fun game to play: where are all these much-vaunted Young Arsenal next golden generation of Wenger gems now?

All since 2006 also:

Philippe Senderos (given away at a Â£3 million Loss)
Luke Ayling
Kerrea Gilbert
Fabrice Muamba
Sebastian Benet Larsson
Anthony Stokes
Sebastian Benet Larsson
Joe O Cearuill
Jeremie AliadiÃ¨re
Matthew Connolly
Ryan Garry
Fran Merida
Mark Randall
Pedro Botelho
Armand Traore
Rui Fonte
Sanchez Watt
Giles Sunu
Havard Nordveit
Vito Mannone
Henri Lansbury
Craig Eastmond
Gavin Hoyte
Justin Hoyte

To be fair to Wenger, Alex Song, Johan Djourou and Sczesny are still about. Yet out of these only one of them is actually rated as a proper serious footballer!

Rosie_titters · Post by **Rosie_titters** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 10:18 pm

BournemouthRED wrote:Jesus mate, do you ever go outside?

Post by **flash gunner** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 10:18 pm

Post tits quick!!!!

topcat · Post by **topcat** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 10:18 pm

Babatunde wrote:And here's a fun game to play: where are all these much-vaunted Young Arsenal next golden generation of Wenger gems now?

All since 2006 also:

Philippe Senderos (given away at a Â£3 million Loss)
Luke Ayling
Kerrea Gilbert
Fabrice Muamba
Sebastian Benet Larsson
Anthony Stokes
Sebastian Benet Larsson
Joe O Cearuill
Jeremie AliadiÃ¨re
Matthew Connolly
Ryan Garry
Fran Merida
Mark Randall
Pedro Botelho
Armand Traore
Rui Fonte
Sanchez Watt
Giles Sunu
Havard Nordveit
Vito Mannone
Henri Lansbury
Craig Eastmond
Gavin Hoyte
Justin Hoyte

To be fair to Wenger, Alex Song, Johan Djourou and Sczesny are still about. Yet out of these only one of them is actually rated as a proper serious footballer!

Cheers mate, that was "a fun game to play"...glad you taught me it.

Rosie_titters · Post by **Rosie_titters** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 10:20 pm

bats your obessed with Wenger,

mcdowell42 · Post by **mcdowell42** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 10:20 pm

WOW another lets all moan about wenger thread we havent had 1 of those for a while

frankbutcher · Post by **frankbutcher** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 10:20 pm

Babatunde wrote:And here's a fun game to play: where are all these much-vaunted Young Arsenal next golden generation of Wenger gems now?

All since 2006 also:

Philippe Senderos (given away at a Â£3 million Loss)
Luke Ayling
Kerrea Gilbert
Fabrice Muamba
Sebastian Benet Larsson
Anthony Stokes
Sebastian Benet Larsson
Joe O Cearuill
Jeremie AliadiÃ¨re
Matthew Connolly
Ryan Garry
Fran Merida
Mark Randall
Pedro Botelho
Armand Traore
Rui Fonte
Sanchez Watt
Giles Sunu
Havard Nordveit
Vito Mannone
Henri Lansbury
Craig Eastmond
Gavin Hoyte
Justin Hoyte

To be fair to Wenger, Alex Song, Johan Djourou and Sczesny are still about. Yet out of these only one of them is actually rated as a proper serious footballer!

Is that the full Crystal Palace squad list 2011-12?

Babatunde · Post by **Babatunde** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 10:20 pm

Just to be clear: I am NOT levelling the accusation that all of Wenger's transfer have been crap. As he has clearly made excellent signings in the past. And of course, every single manager out there has erred in the transfer market. Ferguson would also have a long list of failures and young players who don't make it.

The point being made here, is that Wenger has repeatedly used two points:

1. That he saves Arsenal money (he does not. He costs us a fortune in wages)

2. That he has a solid Youth policy. (He says this ad verbatim). This is also false.

The point being made principally here, is that since 2006, Wenger has almost completely lost his touch and seems like a dinosaur in the transfer market. There have been nothing but a massive series of cheap gambles, with hardly any of them paying off. In terms of wages, it's cost this club a fortune, and so so many have been just passed on at a loss (see Denilson, Squillaci, Senderos etc.).

I honestly think this club needs a Director of Football type of person.
Someone like a competent version of Comolli, who has a budget and scouts a list of top players, hands his list to Wenger and then lets Wenger decide who on the list he fancies.

I guarantee you there won't be one single player from French Ligue 1 on that list....

Babatunde · Post by **Babatunde** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 10:22 pm

LOL

I got bored watching the England game so decided to start a conversation.

Maybe I should post a thread called: 'Let's all suck Arsene's cuddly balls.'

I bet no one would have any objections to that eh?

SWLGooner · Post by **SWLGooner** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 10:22 pm

Wouldn't you say at least one of the Seb Larsson twins was a success? ;)

Rosie_titters · Post by **Rosie_titters** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 10:22 pm

yep it's all wenger's fault

topcat · Post by **topcat** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 10:22 pm

Babatunde, its getting late mate. Go to bed and we'll all be fresh to discuss this topic in the morning.