Signings please in the name of the lord

[lowerwest]

I am concerned that these two friendly cup wins are going to deflect from the real business of pre season...and this one in particular. The squad isnt strong enough...its the main reason no one is tipping us to do much (fine) but in reality we are probably 2 experienced signings away from a tilt at the Premiership and the Champions League

As it stands injuries and suspensions will hurt bad like last year and we will flatter to deceive.

[donaldo]

Even though i was pleased with how we got on in Pre season.We still need an out and out wide man.I still cant believe we let Ribery go to Bayern.Eduardo will be at his best if we can get crosses into him. Helb and Rosicky are better behind the front two not stuck out wide.

[Red Carpet]

Couldn't agree more ... I hope these wins do not mask what is a real concern .. namely, we are a little thin, especially up front.
There are two many variables that have to work for us to be a success this season.

Firstly, RVP has to stay fit all season. Something he has never done. If he does he will get I reckon between 15-20 goals.
Rosicky, Hleb, Walcott and Fabregas must score something in the region of 10 goals apiece. Something they have never done, and I doubt they will.
Adebayor needs to score between 10-15, something he has never done for us, he will get nearer 10 than 15.

Just don’t see where the goals are gonna come from to sustain a serious challenge. Unless Eduardo and Bentner do the unimaginable.

Its not all doom and gloom of course, a few things that did please me. We saw a bit of fight, which won’t go amiss, Eboue looks great ridden of his defensive responsibilities and I think could be a massive hit on the right hand side.

Clichy on the left is also a big plus, he is looking very good as well.

But the bottom line is to seriously compete we need at least one more top class striker.

[lowerwest]

We know we are light but why cant le boss see it. Would not be unlike him to be stubborn and try and fill those gaps with youth. All very well but...my view is i see great promise but in the end it will fall short. Bit like last years Carling Cup final.

[gus ceasar is a legend]

Hallelujah! A sensible opinion about the friendlies!

Which one of you was not shitting yourself at the end of the Ajax game with RVP on a stretcher? My heart was in my gob waiting to hear the that word.......METARTASAL!

It has to be clear that the squad is still thin in many areas. Sure we may have an 18 year old that can come in and cover should things be desperate but that is not the strength you need to challenge for the major honours!

[Cockerill's chin]

Agree wholeheartedly, but I find myself consistently posting thoughts along this negative theme. People might start thinking I'm Statler or Waldorf.

There's much at Arsenal I am upbeat about; worldclass stadium, much coveted-coach and worldclass scouting structure. We also have a much admired prudent attitude to debt.

However, I wish our transfer policy didn't resemble Crewe Alexandria's in the 90's.

[Red Carpet]

Man Utd scored 80-odd goals in winning the title last season ... now I know that you can arguably score less and still win it, but using that as a benchmark i'm struggling to see where we get 60 goals from.

A top class striker is essential.

A top class wide man on top would be the icing on the cake and would have us all dreaming of future glory.

[Galasso]

Couldn't agree more ... I hope these wins do not mask what is a real concern .. namely, we are a little thin, especially up front.
There are two many variables that have to work for us to be a success this season.

Firstly, RVP has to stay fit all season. Something he has never done. If he does he will get I reckon between 15-20 goals.
Rosicky, Hleb, Walcott and Fabregas must score something in the region of 10 goals apiece. Something they have never done, and I doubt they will.
Adebayor needs to score between 10-15, something he has never done for us, he will get nearer 10 than 15.

Just don’t see where the goals are gonna come from to sustain a serious challenge. Unless Eduardo and Bentner do the unimaginable.

Its not all doom and gloom of course, a few things that did please me. We saw a bit of fight, which won’t go amiss, Eboue looks great ridden of his defensive responsibilities and I think could be a massive hit on the right hand side.

Clichy on the left is also a big plus, he is looking very good as well.

But the bottom line is to seriously compete we need at least one more top class striker.

It's the case that it is fear of the unknown that bothers us. It seems that Henry and Ljunberg leaving presents a watershed in Arsenal's future. All bets are off as to where we go from here.

I would be happy to see another striker in the team if they would provide something different - namely the potential to stick the ball over the top. Anelka would ideally have fitted the bill. Other than that, the truth is we just don't know hoe Bendtner will do at this level, if Adebayor will score more than he misses, how Eduardo will fit into the team.

Maybe this is Wenger's choice, and not monetary constraints, that sees him want to build a side in such a fashion - and that 15-20m big name buys do no fit into such an idea. Maybe the blend of strikers (tall man Bendtner) will provide opportunities for others.

Rosicky and Hleb can contribute more goals and past records in other leagues (Pires) is no precedent for what one is capable of in the English league. And played in more favourable (i.e - their favoured) positions might help. Fabregas gets enough chances as it is and just needs to learn to keep it down and straight.

Clichy looks good and Eboue in midfield, while still can't see the end product, if he does play right side, is likely to provide more steel in the midfiled (ala Parlour - Ray's crossing/shooting, even to the end, was hit and miss)

As for a winger, it just looks to me like if Wenger had wanted a winger, then Ribery would have been tied up, or if he didn't want to pay the price, then something else would have been done. If you look back over the 10 last 10 years, we have had two distinctive styles of play.

The first with Overmars, and a pacy Anelka; the second a more fluid style with wide men, interchangeable, rather than wingers. With the players we have now, I can't see Wenger wanting to buy a winger.

For us, there are alot of variables simply because we don't know, and everyone feels more comfortable with what they know (a 20 goal a season striker)

I am trying to think what is Wenger doing and why he is doing it. Maybe it is all down to money, maybe not and it's Wenger's express choice. Whatever the case may be, for me the squad would be improved by the following:

Anelka - something different

Diarra - potentialy very good holding player.

Decent defensive coaching - they look like they only meet for the first time.

Letting Song Go - If you are only as good as your weakest point...

[lowerwest]

Good post that last one totally captured the dilemna. I started off a previous thread by saying i didnt entirely believe our boss when he stated last week he was looking at 1 or 2 signings. I still dont but am prepared to be presently suprised. Diarra would be a strange one though it might allow us to offload useless Song or limited Flamini. Apart from that a goalscoring winger is a must as is a back up striker.

[T.S]

but in reality we are probably 2 experienced signings away from a tilt at the Premiership and the Champions League.

I disagree. Maybe the Champions League - as you require a bit of luck for that, but not the league. Seriously, look at Man Utd's squad - we are not two players away from having a squad like that. I know it's only on paper, but I really think that no matter who we bring in now, we're a couple years away from winning the league (that is of course if we keep the current bunch together...).

[Gunnerz4life]

Myles Palmer has been talking about Royston Drenthe a lot of late. I dont know if he has any inside info or he just thinks he would be good for us.

[njac]

we are light & short of goals - we were last year & nothing so far has changed that. Messages we are hearing are yet again somewhat mixed from the boss - one minute he is saying worringly that we have a big squad and lots of quality & then he is saying that Bendtner is raw & not up to starting matches in Premiership this season ...if that is the case then we have RVP, Adebayor & Eduardo as strikers to compete - take out Ade in January & we are down to the bare bones - surely we have to be signing a proven top flight striker? I am hoping that his comments today are preparing the ground for a much needed new buy & preparing Bendtner for a Carling Cup run ...but we must bring in a wide player who can contribute goals

[T.S]

we are light & short of goals - we were last year & nothing so far has changed that. Messages we are hearing are yet again somewhat mixed from the boss - one minute he is saying worringly that we have a big squad and lots of quality & then he is saying that Bendtner is raw & not up to starting matches in Premiership this season ...if that is the case then we have RVP, Adebayor & Eduardo as strikers to compete - take out Ade in January & we are down to the bare bones - surely we have to be signing a proven top flight striker? I am hoping that his comments today are preparing the ground for a much needed new buy & preparing Bendtner for a Carling Cup run ...but we must bring in a wide player who can contribute goals

Bang on the money.

[augie]

Totally agree with njac when he says that if bedtner is too raw then in effect we have only 3 strikers ready for this level. I would again question the point of playing 1 up front - its alright if you have 2 or 3 goalscoring midfielders but if the likes of hleb,rosicky & cesc are only getting 10 goals between them then you are sacrificing a goalscoring striker(eduardo or a new signing) which will never get the required amount of goals. I keep hearing about this year Cesc will step up and score more goals but I heard the same last season - don't get me wrong on cesc cos I think the boy is class but we have to face facts that he is not a natural goalscorer. The bottom line is if van Persie gets a serious injury (or suspension) then we are f*cked for goals. The obvious answer to that potential problem is to buy either a goalscoring midfielder or a top quality striker(or both).

PS Should the headline not have read
"signings please in the name of the board " ?

[T.S]

PS Should the headline not have read "signings please in the name of the board " ?

I thought the exact same thing!