Groundhog summer transfer window thread

[TeeCee]

In my opinion we have four "Running midfielders":
Walcott, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Gnabry.

I would definitely have Rosicky in that list too?

[mcdowell42]

Arsene Wenger : "We are not in talks with Real about Morata "or anybody else"
9:51am - 10 Jan 14

[mcdowell42]

Wenger says Rosicky will stay at #afc at end of season. "He's a marvellous player," says Wenger. Hear hear.
9:48am - 10 Jan 14

[mcdowell42]

Arsene Wenger "we have no shortage as long as we have no other injuries we are fine "
9:43am - 10 Jan 14

[kiwomya]

Arsene Wenger "we have no shortage as long as we have no other injuries we are fine "
9:43am - 10 Jan 14

Cue mass overreaction.....

[augie]

Arsene Wenger "we have no shortage as long as we have no other injuries we are fine "
9:43am - 10 Jan 14

Cue mass overreaction.....

So you agree with him then ?

[northbank123]

Arsene Wenger "we have no shortage as long as we have no other injuries we are fine "
9:43am - 10 Jan 14

Cue mass overreaction.....

So you agree with him then ?

Exactly. If he thinks that this squad is going to last the pace he is deluded beyond belief. This isn't some media-induced hysteria, it's a perfectly reasonable complaint based on the fact that we have fallen short on all fronts for the best part of a decade now every season because of our weak squad and also based on the fact that no team has ever won the PL with anything like the dearth of striking options we have.

[kiwomya]

Arsene Wenger "we have no shortage as long as we have no other injuries we are fine "
9:43am - 10 Jan 14

Cue mass overreaction.....

So you agree with him then ?

Exactly. If he thinks that this squad is going to last the pace he is deluded beyond belief. This isn't some media-induced hysteria, it's a perfectly reasonable complaint based on the fact that we have fallen short on all fronts for the best part of a decade now every season because of our weak squad and also based on the fact that no team has ever won the PL with anything like the dearth of striking options we have.

Is this the first time Wenger has responded like this? He's deflecting as usual because he doesn't want Arsenal all over the headlines like the media are starting to do. Nothing new here - wait and see what the club does this month.

[SteveO 35]

Arsene Wenger : "We are not in talks with Real about Morata "or anybody else"
9:51am - 10 Jan 14

Morata isn't coming

[SteveO 35]

Wayne Rooney and Edin Džeko have emerged as audacious targets for Arsenal in their pursuit of a striker. (Source: Daily Mail)
1:05pm - 9 Jan 14

Rooney and Dzeko aren't coming

[northbank123]

Arsene Wenger "we have no shortage as long as we have no other injuries we are fine "
9:43am - 10 Jan 14

Cue mass overreaction.....

So you agree with him then ?

Exactly. If he thinks that this squad is going to last the pace he is deluded beyond belief. This isn't some media-induced hysteria, it's a perfectly reasonable complaint based on the fact that we have fallen short on all fronts for the best part of a decade now every season because of our weak squad and also based on the fact that no team has ever won the PL with anything like the dearth of striking options we have.

Is this the first time Wenger has responded like this? He's deflecting as usual because he doesn't want Arsenal all over the headlines like the media are starting to do. Nothing new here - wait and see what the club does this month.

No, he's done it more or less every window for the past 6 years. And every window he's been true to his word in failing to make the necessary improvements to our squad. Including, despite the excellent capture of Ozil, this summer when it was obvious we were crying out for a striker.

As for the old "wait and see" - do you know who we've signed in January transfer windows since we moved to the Emirates? Arshavin (when we weren't going to qualify for CL otherwise), Monreal last year (on account of not having a left-back) and Sol Campbell back in 2009 (on a free). Three players, even though every single year we clearly need reinforcements due to inadequate activity in the summer window, and last time we were in this situation in Jan 2008 his dicking around led to us falling away and ultimately setting us back 6 years. Looking at the circumstances under which those two players were signed I think you can understand a bit of cynicism towards the situation given our league position.

It's almost like people are surprised our lack of striking options have caught up with us, when in reality we've been exceptionally lucky that the one bloke who can play the role week in week out has only missed one PL game through injury.

[rodders999]

What time must we sign someone by today so that they would be eligible to play Monday night?

[Henry is a Gooner]

In my opinion we have four "Running midfielders":
Walcott, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Gnabry.

I would definitely have Rosicky in that list too?

Any idea what's happened to Eisfeld? Le C*ck said he was a decent finisher & a bit like Pires in the box He did ok against the Baggies but at 21 he's still not in the 1st team squad

[northbank123]

In my opinion we have four "Running midfielders":
Walcott, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Gnabry.

I would definitely have Rosicky in that list too?

Any idea what's happened to Eisfeld? Le C*ck said he was a decent finisher & a bit like Pires in the box He did ok against the Baggies but at 21 he's still not in the 1st team squad

Eisfeld has always impressed me - granted against poor opposition - and I'm actually quite optimistic about his future (although Wenger would have to get rid of somebody to make way for another first-team midfielder, possibly natural replacement for Rosicky in the next two years?). I'm personally glad he hasn't been involved because it's testament to the strength of our midfield options, although I'm surprised he hasn't gone out on loan, expect he will next season.

Gnabry was a bit stranger for me. He came on a few times last year when we were at our worst (Schalke and Norwich spring to mind) but when he started against Stoke and Swansea this year he played really well both times imo. He was then frozen out completely even though, especially in the absence of Walcott and Chamberlain, he offers us something nobody else can.

[QuartzGooner]

In my opinion we have four "Running midfielders":
Walcott, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Gnabry.

I would definitely have Rosicky in that list too?

Rosicky works hard but I see him as more of one of our passing midfielders along with Ozil, Cazorla and Wilshere...the guys that mainly create and play through balls that the others can capitalise on.
Passing and intelligence are his main assets in my opinion.
It is not 100% defined though, i.e. Gnabry's through ball for Cazorla vs Spurs.

Flamini and Arteta are defensive midfielders (in the main) so it is a bit different to categorise them as they are restricted by greater positional limits, but Arteta is more of a passer then a runner, Flamini more of a runner but not in the attacking sense of the four I was originally talking about.

Podolski is a hard one to categorise, has not worked especially hard but that may be down to injury?
Cannot say he makes loads of forward runs, but he has a good shot.