The squad & transfers since 2008

[fadidaeus]

I'd say that 2007-08 was the last time we were genuine title contenders & arguably the best team in the country for a period of months. Had it not been for that Birmingham game I'm convinced we would have been Champions. Anyway, I was thining about whats gone wrong with our squad since then (summer 2008) so looked at which current 1st team players we still have from them (or have come through our ranks), how much we spent at each position & how much we sold (source: http://www.transferleague.co.uk/premier ... sfers.html )

Goalkeepers:
Szczesny + the 3 stooges
spent 0m
sold 0m

Defenders:
Sagna, Djourou, Gibbs, Miquel, Bartley
Spent 40.95 million
Sold 31.7 million

Midfielders/Wingers:
Wilshere, Ramsey, Song, Walcott, Diaby, Rosicky, Denilson, Lansbury, Frimpong
Spent 37 million
Sold 74.8 million (!) on

Strikers:
RVP
Spent 14.55 million
Sold 32.2 million

The crazy thing is you can make up most of our current 1st team & bench out of players we still have from then:

Szczesny
Sagna - ? - ? - Gibbs
Song
Wilshere - ?
Walcott - RVP - ?

& still have a ton of players leftover for the bench.

We've supposedly spent 92.5m to improve the squad since then, whilst recieveing 138.7m in fees, yet you'd hardly know it looking at the 1st team squad. For me it really puts into perspective how badly we've managed our squad over the last few years, sacrificing quality for quantity. I know we've operated as a net seller to balance the books but we've still spent a fair bit of money without getting very much in return in terms of improving the squad whilst simultaneously racking up the wage enough to restrict us from signing any marquee players or retaining our best ones. Really depressing stuff....

[SammyDroppedHisShorts]

I'd say that 2007-08 was the last time we were genuine title contenders & arguably the best team in the country for a period of months. Had it not been for that Birmingham game I'm convinced we would have been Champions. Anyway, I was thining about whats gone wrong with our squad since then (summer 2008) so looked at which current 1st team players we still have from them (or have come through our ranks), how much we spent at each position & how much we sold (source: http://www.transferleague.co.uk/premier ... sfers.html )

Goalkeepers:
Szczesny + the 3 stooges
spent 0m
sold 0m

Defenders:
Sagna, Djourou, Gibbs, Miquel, Bartley
Spent 40.95 million
Sold 31.7 million

Midfielders/Wingers:
Wilshere, Ramsey, Song, Walcott, Diaby, Rosicky, Denilson, Lansbury, Frimpong
Spent 37 million
Sold 74.8 million (!) on

Strikers:
RVP
Spent 14.55 million
Sold 32.2 million

The crazy thing is you can make up most of our current 1st team & bench out of players we still have from then:

Szczesny
Sagna - ? - ? - Gibbs
Song
Wilshere - ?
Walcott - RVP - ?

& still have a ton of players leftover for the bench.

We've supposedly spent 92.5m to improve the squad since then, whilst recieveing 138.7m in fees, yet you'd hardly know it looking at the 1st team squad. For me it really puts into perspective how badly we've managed our squad over the last few years, sacrificing quality for quantity. I know we've operated as a net seller to balance the books but we've still spent a fair bit of money without getting very much in return in terms of improving the squad whilst simultaneously racking up the wage enough to restrict us from signing any marquee players or retaining our best ones. Really depressing stuff....

Hmmmmmmmm

[Yankee_Gooner_Dandee]

great post and shows the #1 issue at Arsenal FC right now. Besides Wenger himself.

[QuartzGooner]

Good thread.

Virtually this entire Forum is wondering where the money has gone, because it has not gone on players to the extent we would like.

But wages are high, and long term contracts for mediocre players have eaten up too much money.

[Barriecuda]

Does that strikers figure include Alex OxChambo?

If so, that means we've spent like maybe 2m on the position in the last 3 years, when it has been needed badly at all times throughout those said 3 years. Not to mention, our ~13m AOC barely plays right now.

There's a huge sense of irony here, because Wenger does great work with what isn't that brilliant of a squad. Yet at the same time, it's his fault it's not that brilliant of a squad, because surely we have the money to go get some of these marquee players like Goetze or Hazard. If Wenger came out and said "I need to sign Eden Hazard" do you think the board would risk a public mutiny by denying that request?

Board or Wenger or both, who knows anymore. Point is, money comes in but never seems to go back out.

[stg]

Szczesny 18, Sagna 25, Gibbs 19, Song 21, Wilshere 16, Walcott 19, RVP 25 and Ramsey 18. Thats 8 players Arsenal had on their books back in 07/08(and their ages at the time) who at this moment in time would be in our starting 11 if fit.

So since the end of the 07/08 season Wenger has been looking for 3 positions to fill 2 CB's and a midfielder. This season we now have the 2 CB's and a midfielder.

The problem comes in two forms 1-we have changed formation from a 442 to a 433/451 and 2-Injurys

point 2 first is either bad fitness programing from the Arsenal coaches or bad luck or even a bit of both(Hernia, Broken leg, ankle/foot injury, sprained ankle & calf/shin injury for 5 first team players out at the moment)

point 1 is where I think our main problems lay back in 07/08 going forward we had Fabregas, Hleb/Rosicky, Walcott, Adebayor & Eduardo. Skillfull midfielders, quick wide men and strikers who could feed of of either eachother or the midfielders.
Now we have moved to the 433 formation which has lead to many problems we have needed a defined holding midfielder, attacking wide midfielders who can track back to cover the full backs and a striker who can play as a lone striker but also link up with the other two attacking midfield/strikers.

So back to the main point I think the money has gone on trying to find the players to fit the new formation and rather worrying failing to find the players for the formation and keeping the players for the formation(either starting 11 or back up players). Our full starting 11 can now I think play the 433 formation but when we lose any of our starting 11 that is when we begin to struggle and add this to point 2 and you find us in the position we are in at the moment, no fit full backs, no cover for Song or Ramsey and no other striker able to play the roll needed.

Im not too sure when Wenger went from the 442 to the 433 formation but the change has at the moment done us no favours at all with the players we have had. have now and the injury problem we seem to get.

[DB10GOONER]

What killed our title chance in 2008 as much as (actually more than) the Brum game was Wenger's failure to strengthen sufficiently in that January's transfer window.

We can talk about changing to 4-5-1 etc til the cows come home but Wenger looked at the side in January 08 and decided we were great. He failed to allow for the fact that players get injured and also towards the end of a season they can get tired and can lose form, which is why he should have strengthened in January. It's a squad game, not a first 11 game. That is basic stuff and Wenger has failed in this regard year after year after year.

[Boomer]

What killed our title chance in 2008 as much as (actually more than) the Brum game was Wenger's failure to strengthen sufficiently in that January's transfer window.

We can talk about changing to 4-5-1 etc til the cows come home but Wenger looked at the side in January 08 and decided we were great. He failed to allow for the fact that players get injured and also towards the end of a season they can get tired and can lose form, which is why he should have strengthened in January. It's a squad game, not a first 11 game. That is basic stuff and Wenger has failed in this regard year after year after year.

Agreed, and it hasn't been the first time either and judging by this season hasn't/won't be any different.

[StuartL]

What killed our title chance in 2008 as much as (actually more than) the Brum game was Wenger's failure to strengthen sufficiently in that January's transfer window.

We can talk about changing to 4-5-1 etc til the cows come home but Wenger looked at the side in January 08 and decided we were great. He failed to allow for the fact that players get injured and also towards the end of a season they can get tired and can lose form, which is why he should have strengthened in January. It's a squad game, not a first 11 game. That is basic stuff and Wenger has failed in this regard year after year after year.

And what better time to purchase than when you are (were) in a position of strength. going for titles and glory - very pursuasive to professional footballers.