THE WENGER THREAD

[BFG4]

a 'straight answer'?
So we're half way through a deal with a club our manager should reveal it?
We think Flamini is asking for a bit too much money so he should turn the fans against him in advance?
'Straight answers' on uncompleted transfers would be a mistake.

Every time ManUre lost Fergie attacked somebody. Mourinho has pre-prepared soundbites.
Don't think their chat is the thing we really judge managers on.
If we win every game nobody would care if leProf does his interviews in Japanese...

No not at all, a straight answer could be, we have targets, who we are negotiating with, that way names dont have to be mentioned. Also, you conveniently skipped over the fact, our manager, doesnt give a straight answer on anything, you can be guaranteed if we dont beat Fulham, that will be blamed on the Champions league qualifier.

[highburyJD]

all talk about talk is BS IMO. Games about results.
I hear that we need more honesty from Wenger, less honesty from Gazidis...
reality is we need results, that is fundamentally what the game is about.

This board is like an alternate reality - men in white coats indeed! We came 4th FFS.
You would think we were relegated.

I'm disappointed we haven't made signings in time for the first game.
Personally even more shocked we are gambling with CL qualifier by not having signings in place for that.
But if those gambles pay-off and we bring in the right players this window can still be a big success.
(crosses fingers, toes and self)

[BFG4]

all talk about talk is BS IMO. Games about results.
I hear that we need more honesty from Wenger, less honesty from Gazidis...
reality is we need results, that is fundamentally what the game is about.

This board is like an alternate reality - men in white coats indeed! We came 4th FFS.
You would think we were relegated.

I'm disappointed we haven't made signings in time for the first game.
Personally even more shocked we are gambling with CL qualifier by not having signings in place for that.
But if those gambles pay-off and we bring in the right players this window can still be a big success.
(crosses fingers, toes and self)

IMO a successful season is to win a trophy, and unfortunately if it comes down to a last 16 champions league game, or an FA cup tie, we all know what will be prioritised

[Herd]

wait - Herd seriously. You wanted us to KEEP Gervinho?!?!?

No fool but it isnt a good idea to sell players without lining up a replacement .
You dont go short in a rising market but thats what weve done.
We go into a very important week of football one injury away from disaster .
Even you can grasp that .

[officepest]

all talk about talk is BS IMO. Games about results.
I hear that we need more honesty from Wenger, less honesty from Gazidis...
reality is we need results, that is fundamentally what the game is about.

This board is like an alternate reality - men in white coats indeed! We came 4th FFS.
You would think we were relegated.

I'm disappointed we haven't made signings in time for the first game.
Personally even more shocked we are gambling with CL qualifier by not having signings in place for that.
But if those gambles pay-off and we bring in the right players this window can still be a big success.
(crosses fingers, toes and self)

We have two weeks to bring in the right players. Considering Wenger's reticence to pay the market rate (rightly or wrongly) who do you think we'll get?

The over heated transfer market is only going to get worse, not better, in terms of fees and wages as the game has been irrevocably changed thanks to Arab money and sugar daddies.

If we follow our recent transfer model we will end up with mid priced players who will not be good enough, again. I don't want to throw £30m around willy-nilly but I'd rather take that gamble on star quality that bring in another Gervinho, Grioud or Park.

[northbank123]

Without doubt results matters more than what's said BUT Wenger's press conferences and other quotes are evidence of his thinking and why it's holding us back. Complaining about fatigue every week as if we're the only club it could affect, complaining about dizzying transfer fees as if we can't afford to buy players and it's only a few clubs who can/will pay those prices etc. All points towards the root of our problems, which is that he's convinced we can't compete and why he thinks that he's doing a tremendous job by scraping 4th.

[Supagoon]

"If you bring me tomorrow players who are better than those we have, I promise you we will look at them. It's as simple as that. You cannot say that Wilshere is a super player and then ask why you do not buy better player than him?"

Source: http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/ ... z2cDtUHYEw

I know what Arsene is saying, I don't want to buy players who will stop wilshere or ramsey or whoever playing. Arsene this is squad sport, we need a squad to win trophies, but of course with Arsene it's not about trophies it's about his selfish persuit in developing young players into a winning team. The winning comes first Arsene. I honestly don't care about individual player's careers when the club success is at stake. He was very happy to pay an inflated 12M for a 18 year old ox, but you wouldn't pay market price for Higgy.

The prices for players are inflated, because of the oil money in football. We sold Kolo and Adebayor for 24M EACH. We know pre City they were never in that price bracket. But we took the money. Napoli sold Cavani to cash rich PSG for 55M, they used that cash to pay another inflated fee for Higuain. That's the market today.

Arsene knows these things, but wants to do things his way. Well he can continue doing things his way at another club.

Arsenal >> Arsene.

[GranadaJoe]

I've wanted Wenger to go for a couple of years now, but I believe we need a strategy other than hoping we have a bad run of form (as some on this forum are suggesting) to force him out.
I know we all (mostly) take the piss out of the 4th place trophy, but if we were to finish out of the CL spots we would be in grave danger of not regaining one for a long time. We'd have less money and players would be less interested in joining us though more interested in joining the Scum or the Victims.
AW has looked (rightly) beleaguered in recent seasons and if the WOBs could organise and put pressure early on to the point where he really felt unwanted (some more ex-players moaning would help) he might just go.
I don't want to see us down in 8th or 9th, with the season over before he's replace.

[highburyJD]

wait - Herd seriously. You wanted us to KEEP Gervinho?!?!?

No fool but it isnt a good idea to sell players without lining up a replacement .
You dont go short in a rising market but thats what weve done.
We go into a very important week of football one injury away from disaster .
Even you can grasp that .

either you want us to play Gervinho or not
I didn't, so I'm happy he's gone. Can't have your cake and eat it.
We won't play NOBODY on the wing because Gervinho is gone
and I'd personally rather see a youth team player given a chance than suffer forehead

[highburyJD]

We have two weeks to bring in the right players. Considering Wenger's reticence to pay the market rate (rightly or wrongly) who do you think we'll get?

Probably undervalued players - maybe some from Anzhi, people out of contract, relegated players.
All pure guesswork, I have no inside sources...
Cesar, Eto'o, Flamini and Cabella would be good and could be possible.

[g88ner]

I'm disappointed we haven't made signings in time for the first game.
Personally even more shocked we are gambling with CL qualifier by not having signings in place for that.
But if those gambles pay-off and we bring in the right players this window can still be a big success.
(crosses fingers, toes and self)

Agreed. Too early to label this window a failure just yet (even though I'm losing hope of it ever being labelled a success )

[officepest]

We have two weeks to bring in the right players. Considering Wenger's reticence to pay the market rate (rightly or wrongly) who do you think we'll get?

Probably undervalued players - maybe some from Anzhi, people out of contract, relegated players.
All pure guesswork, I have no inside sources...
Cesar, Eto'o, Flamini and Cabella would be good and could be possible.

I thought Cesar was spent but have been impressed with him, in spite of QPRs relegation. He was excellent in the CC for Brazil so would have no problem if he came in. Eto'o is, I think, too much of a financial package for us to commit to, plus if Chelsea want him he'll go there.

Flamini on a free is right up Wenger's street so can see that as a possibility and I can't give an opinion on Cabella.

[northbank123]

We have two weeks to bring in the right players. Considering Wenger's reticence to pay the market rate (rightly or wrongly) who do you think we'll get?

Probably undervalued players - maybe some from Anzhi, people out of contract, relegated players.
All pure guesswork, I have no inside sources...
Cesar, Eto'o, Flamini and Cabella would be good and could be possible.

Cabella and Flamini are definite potentials. Eto'o he is never going to shell out the ludicrous wages for and if he was going to sign Cesar surely he'd have done so by now? Although imo he's a fantastic option for very little money.

[SteveO 35]

I'm thousands of miles away.....is there any breaking news that Wenger's new contract is about to be signed ?

I need to get on to my local butchers to pre-order the celebratory feast if that's the case

If that isn't the case then do we need to organise a day of mourning instead.......Arsenal FC who once lived here 1996-2014

[g88ner]

I'm thousands of miles away.....is there any breaking news that Wenger's new contract is about to be signed ?

No, but he's put all our mind at ease about the transfer market. We're in the same boat as United and Chelsea apparently, so no need to panic

Where are you, SteveO?