Signings please in the name of the lord

augie · Post by **augie** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 2:44 pm

The old line of "the boss hasn't seen anyone that matches his valuation" dates back to George Graham's last year in charge and that went tits up on the pitch as well as off it. I acknowledge that wenger doesn't buy superstars but he creates them, however he did make the statement early in the summer about buying "super super class players" and I have no doubt that has played a significant part in the fans frustrations at the lack of signings thus far. I believe that the main reason these super super class signings haven't arrived is that the cash hasn't been made available to sign them and that comes back to the board. If however the problem lies with wenger then he is showing a lack of consistancy - he bowed to henry for too long in a bid to keep him happy so refusing to sign players now to keep our ambitious players happy smacks of hypocrisy. Either way we need 2 more signings(although a 40 goals a season striker might be a tad unrealistic) if we are to challenge for honours this season.

lowerwest · Post by **lowerwest** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 3:08 pm

There u go boys..i am not his greatest fan as i think if he was a flake he would eat himself but arent we missing David Dein for precisely the reasons that have been discussed.

Bridge between board and boss-DD
Smoothing the press-DD
A calm voice in times of stress-DD.
Contracts,signings etc-DD.

All this is now on Wenger. Maybe thats the real reason he will walk.

Leigh On Eea Gooner · Post by **Leigh On Eea Gooner** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 3:17 pm

No idea ..Are we ? Didn't sign superstar's when he was there either !!

Cockerill's chin · Post by **Cockerill's chin** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 3:24 pm

This summer has been the most frustrating so far. We were told Â£40million and super class and end up netting Â£15million plus. Wage bill has been slashed, while at the same time revenue rises from gate receipts and TV deals.

Surely a long term strategy shouldn't completely write off the short term.
Perhaps we should take pride instead that we are the most sensibly run business/football club in the Premiership. The board have got all their ducks in a row for an Arsenal share auction next year.

So we don't go doolally, I think we've got to lower our expectations to those of the board and the manager. Although, reading the Crystal Balls out Thread it looks like we already have.

What a shite summer.

Galasso · Post by **Galasso** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 3:56 pm

Yeah this super, super class players line has left the boss a hostage to fortune. If he wanted to buy super, super class players then he has to pay super, super prices. David Dein would know that! If that statement was more to give confidence to the players already at the club, then I don't know what to think!

As for Henry, he bowed to Henry in making him captain but let Vieira and Pires go - which as someone on the fourm recognised, upset Henry in the timing of these departures and the pyschological effect on the dressing room.

Post by **Belfast Boy** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 5:01 pm

Wenger will sign!

tomkingsbury · Post by **tomkingsbury** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 5:54 pm

Yeh i think Wenger will sign. Cockerill's Chin suggested we would have Â£40m to spend. Not that im arguin he, but exactly is saying this - certainly not the board or wenger, paper talk again. Sure wenger and the board says there is money to spend, but that could be anywhere from Â£100k to Â£100m (well maybe not that much).
Everyone is concerned, obviously, but im pretty sure a few years back a certain team was criticised for not making many signings, and ended winning the league....
however i am concerned as everyone else - we need cover at the back, a centre back perhaps, and we all know we need 1 or 2 att mids, and poss a striker - but how many we will get i dont know.
What i love about wenger, is that he has continually shown u dont have to buy big to compete (albeit last 2 seasons), and in fact our players who did command a high transfer fee i.e. reyes, jeffers, wright (richard i may add), where not our most consistent performers.
Bent cost 16m i think, reo-coker 9m, and to think how many anelkas, fabregas', diabys', aliadieres' (- spot the odd one out), u could buy with 25m??
the problem now is takeovers, and clubs such as chelsea suddenly double the price of player - lyon and marseille pretty much named their price for essien and drogba.
Frustrating summer true, lacking physicality and depth yes, but lets give the old frenchman some credit and hope his faith in our squad wins us a competitive trophy this season.

Cockerill's chin · Post by **Cockerill's chin** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 8:47 am

The figure of Â£40million might be spurious, agreed.

But Edelman did come out promising a significant transfer budget. This was taken to be around 40million. If the board think 100k is significant we're fu**ed.

Then again, if the budget is 100k, that means we've got Â£15.1million left.

Magic Hat · Post by **Magic Hat** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 9:04 am

Arsene has never spent big so why change now? The only things I think we need are
1) A defence coach
2) shooting practise
3) Cover for the wings, left most of all.

We have three good keepers, cover in all the defensive and central area's with five forwards, not including support ones like Hleb. I can see goals coming from Van Persie, Eduardo with support goals from from Ade, Hleb, Roscikcy, Cesc, our big Dane and others popping up every now and again. I'm confident in the short and long term future of the club but think Chelsea are too relentless for them not to be champions.

WengerKnows · Post by **WengerKnows** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 12:09 pm

every time someone puts in a hard challenge on van persie we will all have minor heart attacks , unless we get another top class striker . we are putting all our eggs in a rather fragile basket

can anyone honestly say that without van the man in the starting lineup we are a top 2 side ?

Burnsjed · Post by **Burnsjed** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 12:29 pm

Are we a top 2 team with him in the team then!?

RaM · Post by **RaM** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 9:17 am

Heard an exciting rumour today (although from two not very reliable sources.)

Stated we will sign Lucho Gonzalez, from Porto.

Never even seen him before, and my only idea of him comes from this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM1j3IjQ0t0

All_Arsenal_1886 · Post by **All_Arsenal_1886** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 9:38 am

Belfast Boy wrote:Wenger will sign!

Not just for the sake of it, he will only sign if he feels we realy need a player Wenger seems happy at the moment.

Also i would rather he signed a new contract than a new player

Come Wenger sign on that dotted line please ..............................

WengerKnows · Post by **WengerKnows** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 9:53 am

looks a good player Ram , but on the utube link it seems the everton fans think they are going to sign him also . also what position does he play , looks to be a attacking central midfielder / in the hole kind of player which both rosicky and hleb are .

RaM · Post by **RaM** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 10:01 am

According to Wikipedia, CDM or Right Wing.

He seems to be on the wing in a lot of that video.