As we're unlikely to see terraces again at football, this is the virtual equivalent where you can chat to your hearts content about all football matters and, obviously, Arsenal in particular. This forum encourages all Gooners to visit and contribute so please keep it respectful, clean and topical.
So what we are saying is we should have kept Guendouzi. Decent enough player. Very hot headed. Could we have stayed patient with him for several seasons while he got it out of his system? Perhaps. Would he have been first choice? No. Was Partey initially pretty good but as he has got older and had personal issues he has been injured for stints and been inconsistent. I don’t like this revisionist thinking. Partey two years ago was light years better than Guendouzi who is currently a more mature player in 2025. This revisionist thinking is not helpful.
Guendouzi flattered to deceive. He run around a lot but couldn’t win a tackle to save his life. Had Xhaka not been re-introduced back into the team, we would’ve been drawn into a relegation dogfight. Torreira makes a compelling case but neither player is good enough for a title tilt and that’s why they are currently playing for second rate clubs. I find it rather odd that some are arguing they would’ve kept these players simply because they are better than our current options. Surely if the expectation is to win the title, then the argument should focus on whether said players were championship winning material.
So what we are saying is we should have kept Guendouzi. Decent enough player. Very hot headed. Could we have stayed patient with him for several seasons while he got it out of his system? Perhaps. Would he have been first choice? No. Was Partey initially pretty good but as he has got older and had personal issues he has been injured for stints and been inconsistent. I don’t like this revisionist thinking. Partey two years ago was light years better than Guendouzi who is currently a more mature player in 2025. This revisionist thinking is not helpful.
Yep, that’s what I’m saying. You talk about revisionism, yet paint Guendouzi as some wild lunatic. He played with a passion, but I don’t recall dangerous challenges and a string of yellows and reds. He lost his temper with the serial wind up merchant Maupay. Good, I wish he’d chinned him. Great to see a player show some passion and fight. To be dropped (and then sold) over no more than grabbing the bloke by the throat and a few verbals was piss poor management. As augie said, Arteta wants yes men, not characters.
As for Partey, I’ve been completely underwhelmed since he arrived. I knew nothing about him, but there was a fan fare from a lot of desperate supporters, so I was disappointed to see how bang average he was, at best, so I don’t share your high opinion of his early days with us. The last couple of years have been fucking dreadful.
I see you don’t mention ESR….would you have kept him?
So what we are saying is we should have kept Guendouzi. Decent enough player. Very hot headed. Could we have stayed patient with him for several seasons while he got it out of his system? Perhaps. Would he have been first choice? No. Was Partey initially pretty good but as he has got older and had personal issues he has been injured for stints and been inconsistent. I don’t like this revisionist thinking. Partey two years ago was light years better than Guendouzi who is currently a more mature player in 2025. This revisionist thinking is not helpful.
Yep, that’s what I’m saying. You talk about revisionism, yet paint Guendouzi as some wild lunatic. He played with a passion, but I don’t recall dangerous challenges and a string of yellows and reds. He lost his temper with the serial wind up merchant Maupay. Good, I wish he’d chinned him. Great to see a player show some passion and fight. To be dropped (and then sold) over no more than grabbing the bloke by the throat and a few verbals was piss poor management. As augie said, Arteta wants yes men, not characters.
As for Partey, I’ve been completely underwhelmed since he arrived. I knew nothing about him, but there was a fan fare from a lot of desperate supporters, so I was disappointed to see how bang average he was, at best, so I don’t share your high opinion of his early days with us. The last couple of years have been fucking dreadful.
I see you don’t mention ESR….would you have kept him?
ESR is a squad player for a Title aspiring side. He was injury prone for us and apart from a good run one season he underwhelmed. Gone to Fulham and good luck to him. Yes we would be happy for him to help out currently with our injury and illness situation but he wasn’t the answer.
Guendouzi flattered to deceive. He run around a lot but couldn’t win a tackle to save his life. Had Xhaka not been re-introduced back into the team, we would’ve been drawn into a relegation dogfight. Torreira makes a compelling case but neither player is good enough for a title tilt and that’s why they are currently playing for second rate clubs. I find it rather odd that some are arguing they would’ve kept these players simply because they are better than our current options. Surely if the expectation is to win the title, then the argument should focus on whether said players were championship winning material.
So if I'm reading you correctly, you are acknowledging that those players are better than the current players in their respective positions ? The current players went close (the pro arteta lobby keep saying) so if those other players are better, does it not suggest that we could have won the league if we kept them ??? The intention as I see it, is that every time you buy a player then he should improve the team cos he is better than what he is replacing - if he is not better then what is the point buying him ?? My argument is that we have not spent the money well overall, and have bought too many average players
Guendouzi flattered to deceive. He run around a lot but couldn’t win a tackle to save his life. Had Xhaka not been re-introduced back into the team, we would’ve been drawn into a relegation dogfight. Torreira makes a compelling case but neither player is good enough for a title tilt and that’s why they are currently playing for second rate clubs. I find it rather odd that some are arguing they would’ve kept these players simply because they are better than our current options. Surely if the expectation is to win the title, then the argument should focus on whether said players were championship winning material.
So if I'm reading you correctly, you are acknowledging that those players are better than the current players in their respective positions ? The current players went close (the pro arteta lobby keep saying) so if those other players are better, does it not suggest that we could have won the league if we kept them ??? The intention as I see it, is that every time you buy a player then he should improve the team cos he is better than what he is replacing - if he is not better then what is the point buying him ?? My argument is that we have not spent the money well overall, and have bought too many average players
No I don't think those players are better and even if they were like some argue, the difference isn't hugely significant. On the whole, we've replaced the majority of Emery's squad with better players and that's why we are competitive. Yes the intention is to acquire better players but transfer don't always come off. Main thing is to not persist with players who fail to meet the mark and move them swiftly. For the most part Arteta has done this.
Using hindsight, Martinez is the obvious one. Don’t agree with keeping either Torreira or Guendouzi. Truly desperate stuff to think they are the answer. Even if they are the three we were keeping though, it’s not exactly game changing stuff is it? It’s not Chelsea selling Salah and De Bruyne.
Arteta built a squad from not a lot. We recouped basically nothing from that squad once you do deals to get rid of Pepe, Auba and Ozil and loads of other pay off deals. We were an effing shit show. A literal United clone. Look at them now. Look at us. We’ve got more transfers right than wrong. We have made mistakes. We’ve cocked up last Summer’s window. But I don’t see the need to ironically throw the baby out with the bath water and get rid of Arteta.
The cone boy has made 34 signings since becoming AFC manager - name 18 good ones so
I will answer your question once you have answered mine.