The January "He Looks Quite Good" Transfer Thread

[sk-gtfo]

Totally agree the negativity around the forum dictates no matter what Wenger does some people will not be happy. Looking at the transfer in isolation, we have bought a proven finisher, more clinical even than Sanchez. Whilst it will be hard to replace Sanchez, signing Mahrez with Lacazette would go a long way to filling the void.

So it takes 2 players to replace Sanchez?, I agree, however this means that we are no better than last season effectively, if we sign Mahrez and Lacazette, therefore we would need at least one more high quality addition to 'improve'. I also don't see how we can accommodate both Mahrez and Ozil in the first 11..

[the playing mantis]

mahrez is shite. typically wenger spunk money on signing. one good season, rest is crap, michael ricketts, michu, marcus stewart etc

[GoonerMuzz]

Tbh if we were to sign Lacazette and lose Sanchez i'd rather keep Welbeck than Giroud or Walcott, Wenger will likely never play 2 up top so Giroud is only ever going to be a super sub and i'd replace Walcott with either Perez or even Campbell if we keep him, both those players have a better work rate than Wally and are probably considerably cheaper in the wage deparment and disappear less in games.

But then again this is Arsenal PLC circa 2008-2017 so fuck knows who stays, who goes and who replaces who because even Mystic Meg couldn't predict what Wengers going to do except fuck it up

[g88ner]

It's pleasing that we seem to be busy trying to get deals done before the season starts. I know the situation demands it but still pleasing all the same.

I'm still hopeful sanchez will be forced to see out his contract but history suggests the player will get his way. Also, signing mahrez would surely signal a depature for sanchez and/or ozil?

If sanchez stays, a front 3 of sanchez, ozil/mahrez and lacazette looks very interesting....

Less appealing is a front 3 of lacazette, mahrez and either ozil or welbeck... but that may be what we end up with.

Either way, i'd sell theo.

Worryingly no defensive midfielders are being linked again. Do we ever learn?

[DB10GOONER]

I don't buy the Welbeck fitness thing as an excuse. He is bang average on a good day. His basic technique is quite poor, his first touch ropey as hell and his finishing is anything but instinctive.

Giroud is slightly better but he too is no more than average. Neither are near good enough to be first choice striker if you want to win the PL or the CL.

Lacazette? Who knows how he will adapt to the PL. He might hit the ground running or he might be utter shit. Let's not write him off before he's even kicked a ball, but equally I'm not overly excited by his signing...

Yes but you think Lukaku is average .

Seriously though, Becks probably isn't the 25 goal a season striker we need, but you can't fault his effort and in the cup final he put in a totally unselfish shift. It would be good to see him over a whole season mind, before we come to all of these knee jerk opinions. He has after all scored some quite notable goals in his time at the club, the one that sticks out is the winner vs Manure in the cup a few seasons back.

Lukaku is PL average, just like Giroud and Welbeck. Lukaku had one stand out season last season. It happens. I'll take €20 of anyone's money he won't repeat that this coming season.

How is calling Welbeck "average" after he has failed to hit double figures in every season he's played in the PL a "knee jerk opinion"? If anything I'm being generous. He's average. Average is fine if you don't want to get relegated, or if you want to try for a top 4 place, but average does not win you the PL or the CL.

[DB10GOONER]

Welbeck has been a PL regular for 7 seasons and has yet to hit double figures for league goals in any season. Just not good enough.

Ferguson knew his level - fourth-choice striker who would get chucked on along with the kitchen sink when they were desperately chasing a goal.

Like Giroud, a player with a very limited role to offer a squad but whose shortcomings will get them painfully found out if starting regularly. Particularly as a lone striker.

It took 8 seasons before Shearer started hitting 20 goals a season and looked how it worked out for him. Plus welbeck has overcome 2 serious injuries in his short career and plays better on the left, rather than through the middle. I wouldn't rule welbeck out until he's had a full season where he's been available.
Lacazette is a central striker and with Ozil behind him and maybe Mahrez on the right will have opportunities galore. His shot to goal conversion rate is 4th best in Europe. Better than Kane, lukaku and Aguero and anyone else currently at the club. Definitely a step forward if he does sign.

No it didn't. At the age of 22 Shearer hit 16 PL goals in 21 games, at the age of 23 he hit 31 PL goals and followed that up with 65 PL goals over the next two seasons. You could probably have set the bar a bit lower than Shearer to be fair!

"I wouldn't rule out Welbeck until he's had a full season where he's been available" is an attitude a bit too used to tolerating mediocrity. Even if you rate him, he's had three seasons with us all plagued by injury and the idea of waiting around hoping that he'll miraculously stay fit for a year and on top of that significantly increase his performance levels doesn't really enthuse me.

He has played at least 25 games for 5 seasons, think that is probably enough to judge. Some may want to give him more time but personally i would say get rid and get someone better in. As for the Shearer comparison, seriously? Shearer was scoring 30+ goals a season at a much younger age than Welbeck.

100% with Nick and NB123 on this. Shearer comparison? Sorry, but

[nut flush gooner]

I don't buy the Welbeck fitness thing as an excuse. He is bang average on a good day. His basic technique is quite poor, his first touch ropey as hell and his finishing is anything but instinctive.

Giroud is slightly better but he too is no more than average. Neither are near good enough to be first choice striker if you want to win the PL or the CL.

Lacazette? Who knows how he will adapt to the PL. He might hit the ground running or he might be utter shit. Let's not write him off before he's even kicked a ball, but equally I'm not overly excited by his signing...

Yes but you think Lukaku is average .

Seriously though, Becks probably isn't the 25 goal a season striker we need, but you can't fault his effort and in the cup final he put in a totally unselfish shift. It would be good to see him over a whole season mind, before we come to all of these knee jerk opinions. He has after all scored some quite notable goals in his time at the club, the one that sticks out is the winner vs Manure in the cup a few seasons back.

Lukaku is PL average, just like Giroud and Welbeck. Lukaku had one stand out season last season. It happens. I'll take €20 of anyone's money he won't repeat that this coming season.

How is calling Welbeck "average" after he has failed to hit double figures in every season he's played in the PL a "knee jerk opinion"? If anything I'm being generous. He's average. Average is fine if you don't want to get relegated, or if you want to try for a top 4 place, but average does not win you the PL or the CL.

DB10 is there a good crop of whacky backy going down in Dublin this summer, pleeeease.

Lukaku is on a different planet to Giroud and he is coming into his prime years, Giroud is finished now. He had no pace to start with and now he's hitting 30 don't expect his goal return to improve.

To be at Arsenal for 5 years predominantly as our number one striker, and not score 20 league goals once is unforgivable and unacceptable. I hold him responsible for us not being able to hold onto Leicesters coat tails when the league was there for the taking in 2016.

In the middle of a run of 12 games without a goal versus Swansea, when he was ponsing around the pitch doing fuck all as usual, he raised his arms to the fans suggesting we should raise the volume. Would that prompt a goal from the numpty, would if fuck.

If Lukaku goes to Chelsea, he will outscore Giroud with ease next season. Even if he stays at Everton he will outscore Giroud. I am willing to wager that.

With regards to Welbeck, yeah he's never scored in a prolific way I agree. But he's never really had a run of 2 or 3 seasons without injury. He adds so much more to our side than Giroud, when he was picked for the cup final it was 100% a correct decision. He can never be faulted for his work rate, and having pace always helps a front line.

[DB10GOONER]

I don't buy the Welbeck fitness thing as an excuse. He is bang average on a good day. His basic technique is quite poor, his first touch ropey as hell and his finishing is anything but instinctive.

Giroud is slightly better but he too is no more than average. Neither are near good enough to be first choice striker if you want to win the PL or the CL.

Lacazette? Who knows how he will adapt to the PL. He might hit the ground running or he might be utter shit. Let's not write him off before he's even kicked a ball, but equally I'm not overly excited by his signing...

Yes but you think Lukaku is average .

Seriously though, Becks probably isn't the 25 goal a season striker we need, but you can't fault his effort and in the cup final he put in a totally unselfish shift. It would be good to see him over a whole season mind, before we come to all of these knee jerk opinions. He has after all scored some quite notable goals in his time at the club, the one that sticks out is the winner vs Manure in the cup a few seasons back.

Lukaku is PL average, just like Giroud and Welbeck. Lukaku had one stand out season last season. It happens. I'll take €20 of anyone's money he won't repeat that this coming season.

How is calling Welbeck "average" after he has failed to hit double figures in every season he's played in the PL a "knee jerk opinion"? If anything I'm being generous. He's average. Average is fine if you don't want to get relegated, or if you want to try for a top 4 place, but average does not win you the PL or the CL.

DB10 is there a good crop of whacky backy going down in Dublin this summer, pleeeease.

Lukaku is on a different planet to Giroud and he is coming into his prime years, Giroud is finished now. He had no pace to start with and now he's hitting 30 don't expect his goal return to improve.

To be at Arsenal for 5 years predominantly as our number one striker, and not score 20 league goals once is unforgivable and unacceptable. I hold him responsible for us not being able to hold onto Leicesters coat tails when the league was there for the taking in 2016.

In the middle of a run of 12 games without a goal versus Swansea, when he was ponsing around the pitch doing fuck all as usual, he raised his arms to the fans suggesting we should raise the volume. Would that prompt a goal from the numpty, would if fuck.

If Lukaku goes to Chelsea, he will outscore Giroud with ease next season. Even if he stays at Everton he will outscore Giroud. I am willing to wager that.

With regards to Welbeck, yeah he's never scored in a prolific way I agree. But he's never really had a run of 2 or 3 seasons without injury. He adds so much more to our side than Giroud, when he was picked for the cup final it was 100% a correct decision. He can never be faulted for his work rate, and having pace always helps a front line.

You just cannot reply to anyone without trying to be patronising can you, mate? You've been called on this many times before, particularly on the EU thread. It makes you come across as a bit of a pompous dick tbh...

Anyway, I don't agree about Lukaku. His stats are more or less the same as Giroud's over the last few years - apart from one season, last year when Giroud wasn't a starter for much of the season. I usually hate to see stats brought up in an argument but where first choice strikers are concerned it can be relevent to a certain extent because their main job is to score goals, not to set up goals, or run around. It's nice if they do that, but it is not a vital requirement. Scoring goals is. If you want to win the PL you need a better first choice striker than Lukaku. My opinion is that while I agree Lukaku is coming into his prime years and Giroud is on the other side of his, Lukaku will never regularly score more than Giroud currently does to the extent where we should look to sign him. We should look to a better level of striker than either of them.

It seems to me you don't like Giroud's arrogance, which is fine (and a tad ironic! ), but to say Welbeck adds more is, to my mind anyway, ridiculous. Giroud scores goals and Welbeck doesn't. Again it's about goals. If Welbeck is to play as a first choice striker he needs to score goals. Giroud needs to score more, accepted, but Welbeck is nowhere near even Giroud's modest level of goalscoring. I too like the fact that Welbeck works hard for the team but that is the role of a winger or a midfielder or a second striker.

[OneBardGooner]

I don't buy the Welbeck fitness thing as an excuse. He is bang average on a good day. His basic technique is quite poor, his first touch ropey as hell and his finishing is anything but instinctive.

Giroud is slightly better but he too is no more than average. Neither are near good enough to be first choice striker if you want to win the PL or the CL.

Lacazette? Who knows how he will adapt to the PL. He might hit the ground running or he might be utter shit. Let's not write him off before he's even kicked a ball, but equally I'm not overly excited by his signing...

Yes but you think Lukaku is average .

Seriously though, Becks probably isn't the 25 goal a season striker we need, but you can't fault his effort and in the cup final he put in a totally unselfish shift. It would be good to see him over a whole season mind, before we come to all of these knee jerk opinions. He has after all scored some quite notable goals in his time at the club, the one that sticks out is the winner vs Manure in the cup a few seasons back.

Lukaku is PL average, just like Giroud and Welbeck. Lukaku had one stand out season last season. It happens. I'll take €20 of anyone's money he won't repeat that this coming season.

How is calling Welbeck "average" after he has failed to hit double figures in every season he's played in the PL a "knee jerk opinion"? If anything I'm being generous. He's average. Average is fine if you don't want to get relegated, or if you want to try for a top 4 place, but average does not win you the PL or the CL.

DB10 is there a good crop of whacky backy going down in Dublin this summer, pleeeease.

Lukaku is on a different planet to Giroud and he is coming into his prime years, Giroud is finished now. He had no pace to start with and now he's hitting 30 don't expect his goal return to improve.

To be at Arsenal for 5 years predominantly as our number one striker, and not score 20 league goals once is unforgivable and unacceptable. I hold him responsible for us not being able to hold onto Leicesters coat tails when the league was there for the taking in 2016.

In the middle of a run of 12 games without a goal versus Swansea, when he was ponsing around the pitch doing fuck all as usual, he raised his arms to the fans suggesting we should raise the volume. Would that prompt a goal from the numpty, would if fuck.

If Lukaku goes to Chelsea, he will outscore Giroud with ease next season. Even if he stays at Everton he will outscore Giroud. I am willing to wager that.

With regards to Welbeck, yeah he's never scored in a prolific way I agree. But he's never really had a run of 2 or 3 seasons without injury. He adds so much more to our side than Giroud, when he was picked for the cup final it was 100% a correct decision. He can never be faulted for his work rate, and having pace always helps a front line.

You just cannot reply to anyone without trying to be patronising can you, mate? You've been called on this many times before, particularly on the EU thread. It makes you come across as a bit of a pompous dick tbh...

Anyway, I don't agree about Lukaku. His stats are more or less the same as Giroud's over the last few years - apart from one season, last year when Giroud wasn't a starter for much of the season. I usually hate to see stats brought up in an argument but where first choice strikers are concerned it can be relevent to a certain extent because their main job is to score goals, not to set up goals, or run around. It's nice if they do that, but it is not a vital requirement. Scoring goals is. If you want to win the PL you need a better first choice striker than Lukaku. My opinion is that while I agree Lukaku is coming into his prime years and Giroud is on the other side of his, Lukaku will never regularly score more than Giroud currently does to the extent where we should look to sign him. We should look to a better level of striker than either of them.

It seems to me you don't like Giroud's arrogance, which is fine (and a tad ironic! ), but to say Welbeck adds more is, to my mind anyway, ridiculous. Giroud scores goals and Welbeck doesn't. Again it's about goals. If Welbeck is to play as a first choice striker he needs to score goals. Giroud needs to score more, accepted, but Welbeck is nowhere near even Giroud's modest level of goalscoring. I too like the fact that Welbeck works hard for the team but that is the role of a winger or a midfielder or a second striker.

'a bit' !?????

[Swiss Tony Adams]

The Optimist


The Double-threat


The Dream


Two steps forward, one step back


One step forward, two steps back


The penny-pincher


The big man - little man


The cold, harsh reality


It's going to be the One step forward, two steps back one I believe, as Mahrez is next.

Oh, and no mention of Welbeck, just as an aside.

[DB10GOONER]

Yes but you think Lukaku is average .

Seriously though, Becks probably isn't the 25 goal a season striker we need, but you can't fault his effort and in the cup final he put in a totally unselfish shift. It would be good to see him over a whole season mind, before we come to all of these knee jerk opinions. He has after all scored some quite notable goals in his time at the club, the one that sticks out is the winner vs Manure in the cup a few seasons back.

Lukaku is PL average, just like Giroud and Welbeck. Lukaku had one stand out season last season. It happens. I'll take €20 of anyone's money he won't repeat that this coming season.

How is calling Welbeck "average" after he has failed to hit double figures in every season he's played in the PL a "knee jerk opinion"? If anything I'm being generous. He's average. Average is fine if you don't want to get relegated, or if you want to try for a top 4 place, but average does not win you the PL or the CL.

DB10 is there a good crop of whacky backy going down in Dublin this summer, pleeeease.

Lukaku is on a different planet to Giroud and he is coming into his prime years, Giroud is finished now. He had no pace to start with and now he's hitting 30 don't expect his goal return to improve.

To be at Arsenal for 5 years predominantly as our number one striker, and not score 20 league goals once is unforgivable and unacceptable. I hold him responsible for us not being able to hold onto Leicesters coat tails when the league was there for the taking in 2016.

In the middle of a run of 12 games without a goal versus Swansea, when he was ponsing around the pitch doing fuck all as usual, he raised his arms to the fans suggesting we should raise the volume. Would that prompt a goal from the numpty, would if fuck.

If Lukaku goes to Chelsea, he will outscore Giroud with ease next season. Even if he stays at Everton he will outscore Giroud. I am willing to wager that.

With regards to Welbeck, yeah he's never scored in a prolific way I agree. But he's never really had a run of 2 or 3 seasons without injury. He adds so much more to our side than Giroud, when he was picked for the cup final it was 100% a correct decision. He can never be faulted for his work rate, and having pace always helps a front line.

You just cannot reply to anyone without trying to be patronising can you, mate? You've been called on this many times before, particularly on the EU thread. It makes you come across as a bit of a pompous dick tbh...

Anyway, I don't agree about Lukaku. His stats are more or less the same as Giroud's over the last few years - apart from one season, last year when Giroud wasn't a starter for much of the season. I usually hate to see stats brought up in an argument but where first choice strikers are concerned it can be relevent to a certain extent because their main job is to score goals, not to set up goals, or run around. It's nice if they do that, but it is not a vital requirement. Scoring goals is. If you want to win the PL you need a better first choice striker than Lukaku. My opinion is that while I agree Lukaku is coming into his prime years and Giroud is on the other side of his, Lukaku will never regularly score more than Giroud currently does to the extent where we should look to sign him. We should look to a better level of striker than either of them.

It seems to me you don't like Giroud's arrogance, which is fine (and a tad ironic! ), but to say Welbeck adds more is, to my mind anyway, ridiculous. Giroud scores goals and Welbeck doesn't. Again it's about goals. If Welbeck is to play as a first choice striker he needs to score goals. Giroud needs to score more, accepted, but Welbeck is nowhere near even Giroud's modest level of goalscoring. I too like the fact that Welbeck works hard for the team but that is the role of a winger or a midfielder or a second striker.

'a bit' !?????

I was trying to be nice.

[sk-gtfo]

Worryingly no defensive midfielders are being linked again. Do we ever learn?

We already have two DM's?, not especially good one's granted but we do have them - Coquelin and Elneny. Also with 3 at the back do you need a DM?.

[sk-gtfo]

Bad news everyone:

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/ ... at-arsenal



Funny how loyal players become when you give them £100K PW+ contracts.

[DB10GOONER]

Bad news everyone:

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/ ... at-arsenal



Funny how loyal players become when you give them £100K PW+ contracts.

We simply will not win the PL or the CL with either Giroud or Welbeck (or Lukaku ) as first choice strikers...

[Swiss Tony Adams]

Bad news everyone:

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/ ... at-arsenal



Funny how loyal players become when you give them £100K PW+ contracts.

And that's the people remember you as a loyal warrior on the pitch - that you always give your best for the team.

Yeah.

Surplus to requirements at Grenoble, signed for Tours FC in summer 2008, after a season and a half there he signed for Montpellier in January 2010, but stayed at Tours til the end of the season, then after 2 seasons at Montpellier he left the Club, who had just become French Champions, and went to us. Very loyal.
As for the "warrior" bit? Oh dear! And don't even mention the "giving your best" bit.

Footballers are *word censored*. ( well, mostly. Well done Jermain Defoe - gooner - for restoring my faith )