Arsenal Banter Archive December 11 2015

 

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11 Dec 2015 13:18:32
I have a horrible feeling that we won't sign a defensive midfield player in the January transfer window. Wenger has just ruled out signing Wanyama, who I believe we should sign.
I think Wenger is under the impression that we have the following players for the defensive midfield positions:
1) Coquelin - out with a serious knee injury
2) Arteta - Out injured. Never a defensive midfield player and at his age after spending most of last season out injured, we should never have extended his deal
3) Flamini - Woeful. We just couldn't get rid of him last summer.
4) Cazorla - Out injured, has had an operation and will be out for most of the season. Superb player, but not a defensive midfield player.
5) Wilshere - Out injured. Excellent player, but not a defensive midfield player.
6) Ramsey - Superb player, but again looks better played further forward and centrally.
7) Chambers - Good young player, but hasn't any experience playing the defensive midfield role.
I think I have covered everyone!
The problem is that we really only have one decent true defensive midfield player, Coquelin, and he is injured.
Our best teams under Wenger, had Vieira, Gilberto and Petit in the defensive midfield positions. I cannot for the life of me, understand Wenger's reluctance to sign a proper defensive midfield player. Imagine Wanyama and Coquelin protecting the back four, allowing the likes of Cazorla, Ramey and Wilshere to play in a more advanced position.
No doubt we will sign a forward or a wide player. This will not be a top quality signing, but a low budget squad player.

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11 Dec 2015 14:45:39
His thinking is world class or nobody, and he's right. We might try for carvalho if arsene really does rate him that highly.

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11 Dec 2015 17:11:54
Wanyama would never cut it at Arsenal or any other top club. He sprints around and sticks his foot in, and therefore people think he is defensive. He isn't. He isn't disciplined, he doesn't read the game, he doesn't sense danger. He wasn't even getting in the Southampton team regular until Schneirderlin left. If Wenger has ruled out signing him then I'm fine with that.

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11 Dec 2015 18:19:37
Ubi u mad. Wanyama has always been a starter for the saints. Him and Morgan where the partnership. I know he's not world class but I still wouldn't say no to him. he's better on the ball than people think.

Remember kdb and griezmann wouldn't add to our team either :) lol

There's better options but there's also a lot worse. Are people forgetting we currently have arteta as an option. It's like Susan's boyles bf turning down a date with Michelle Keegan.

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11 Dec 2015 20:48:26
Wes when you say world class or nothing at all are saying you'd rather have Arteta than James McCarthy or Wanyama? Just because you can't get the Ferrari of your dreams doesn't mean you should revert back to the old corsa in the garden that seldom starts any more and when it does has a top speed of 2mph.

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11 Dec 2015 22:11:48
I donno 62, that's what Arsene was saying all along, world class players only. Things might change now with Coquelin's injury.

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11 Dec 2015 21:42:26
Because he is better than Arteta does not therefore make him a good signing.

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11 Dec 2015 22:21:37
But the fact by your admission he's better, makes him an upgrade ubi, which has to be a good thing, no?

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11 Dec 2015 23:04:34
G62 - not sure we sign anyone just because they are an upgrade on Arteta

I want more than that.

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11 Dec 2015 23:41:24
SY we all want a lot more than that mate but if the chioce was nothing at all or a better alternative than Arteta why would you stick with Arteta? I really don't understand that.
Surely not another window of "no one was available" so we stick with what we no doesn't work for sure rather than take a chance.

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12 Dec 2015 00:20:48
Would people not have had draxler in the summer? The boys got something about him.

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12 Dec 2015 01:15:51
We sigm Wanyama because we need a stronger squad plain and simple, unfortunately nothing is plain or simple with Wenger and so we'll end up signing some random who'll arrive injured, lose valuable points and Wenger will tell us it's ok because he was out looking for players but none were available.

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12 Dec 2015 09:40:56
"No one available " has to be favourite for Jan closely followed by " we have so and so coming back who is like a new signing "
Long shots are Bender and Draxler and for the really brave punter's out there Benzema is worth 50p each way if your feeling flush.

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12 Dec 2015 11:13:46
G62, if we sign players, they need to be able to challenge and improve the first team, not just another squad player. I don't know how else to explain it. If you're saying you just want someone better than Arteta then you are effectively just saying "let's just buy anybody". Buying average players because you think we have 1 or 2 players that are below average is not the way forward for a big club.

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12 Dec 2015 12:53:28
Ubi what about paulista then. Good signing but he wasn't the world class addition Wenger bangs on about.

Im all for buying world class. Put the money on the table. Stones 50mill pay it. If we want carvalho pay it.

You can't moan about prices and still say you want only world class additions. People bulked at the sterling price. But over time hel be a bargain

Higuain 35mill he wouldn't pay it but he's been worth every penny. Prices will go up next summer with the TV money. Let's hope he doesn't moan.

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12 Dec 2015 14:45:59
It's not that Waynama isn't better than Arteta it's just that I don't think he is good enough for Arsenal. Yes we need a defensive midfielder, but he still has to be a very good footballer. Gilberto and Petit weren't just thugs in the middle of the pitch
, they were both excellent footballers. I am not saying Wanyama is a thug by any means, but I just don't think he is good enough. Also with any signing you have to consider the opportunity cost. Signing Wanyama would be a better option than playing Arteta, but will also mean we won't sign anyone else even if they become available and are better.

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12 Dec 2015 13:27:53
I'm trying to have a sensible debate Derby but you're just naming your favourite players. Paulista was signed because we play 2 cb's and we only had 2 in the squad. We play with one DM and have 3 in the squad. So if we are going to make a significant investment in that area, (which I think we should) it needs to be a player who can challenge Le Coq or is already better than him. I don't for one minute believe Wanayama to be that player, and the fact g62 starts with "he's better than Arteta" rather than "he's as good as Coquelin" suggests he probably agrees with me.

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12 Dec 2015 15:57:58
But Wenger doesn't sign players that will kill peoples progress. Kim kallstrom lol. He'd rather have a back up to coquelin and let him push on. Or keep giroud happy and not get a benzema.

The players I name sent unrealistic. We got ozil. Sanchez. We could of got kondogbia.

With 200mill and TV money on the up we can buy stars

U say we need world class. I name some you say unrealistic. So what isit I'm lost.

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12 Dec 2015 16:14:30
We're not talking about Kallstrom, he was a loan. We're talking about Wanayama who would command a big fee. If we pay big money, then I want a player who can make our first 11 and improve it, Wanayama wouldn't!

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12 Dec 2015 19:37:58
Welbeck? Chambers? i'm all for buying world class players. It just depends what Wenger wants to do.

The fact he got flamini back on a free showed he wasn't keen on spending. We only had arteta ahead of him. Bad times mate.

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12 Dec 2015 23:06:17
Bad times? We are in the best shape we've been in a decade. We have players like Ozil and Sanchez who are just ecstasy to watch, and we could well win the league. Yes mate bad times. Because we're not splashing hundreds of millions on the players who you think look good on YouTube. Bad times.

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11 Dec 2015 07:24:27
{Ed's Note - We have posted a new article entitled, Injuries, Racism, Deaths And Debt, Football This Week

Believable0 Unbelievable0

11 Dec 2015 22:37:59
In view of the issues that port vale obviously have given their chairman's comments, would it not be a good idea for the players union to ask its members not to sign for the club as an act of unity, thus forcing port vale as an entire club to move into the 20th century with a view to joining the rest of football in this country in the 21st century within say 5 years when the players action could be reviewed?

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11 Dec 2015 05:15:10
Arsène Wenger, what a man and purely on sentiment am not ready for him to leave. Am 19 and i started supporting the Arsenal in 2004 so all I've known is Wenger, in fact here in SA you cannot separate the two entities; Arsène and Arsenal.
Players have left, he's been called every nasty word in the book and still stayed, despite better offers from elsewhere. He practically sacrificed a big portion of his career to keep us steady, and what a fine job he has done.
For me seeing him go will be too hard, that's why i don't even have a favourite candidate for the job, i just cannot imagine Arsenal without Arsène. But its coming, question to even the staunchest Wenger haters, are you ready?
thoughts.

Believable4 Unbelievable0

11 Dec 2015 06:51:57
Hey come on now, you've been on here long enough to know the score.

Posts have to contain a number of elements.

1. A subject to enable posters to blame Wenger for something.
2. A subject where they can simply agree that Wenger is to blame for something.
3. A mention of either the summer window just gone or the window approaching where posters can agree that Wenger was to blame and will be to blame for what ever did or doesn't transpire.
4. The fact we will never win another trophy under Wenger.
5. Should we stick or twist with Jack Wilshere.
6. Flamini, Arteta and Rosicky should have been let go in the summer.
7. Any obscure subject where you can lay the blame on Wenger
8. Positivity under any guise is really a risky subject.

Finally be advised that should Banbury reply it will be further up the page under a completely new thread and will contain a number of words in capitals as he likes to shout to get his point across. :-)

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11 Dec 2015 07:45:06
You two have been brain washed by Wenger :-)

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11 Dec 2015 08:25:20
That cracked me up Dog.
Top reply :-)

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11 Dec 2015 09:43:40
give me 8 million a year and call me what you like. he had offers but there risky jobs without the control he has at arsenal.

i am ready yes. we have 200mill to tinker with the squad. depends on the manager tho., carlo would or simeone would of been good. conte i think is a clever manager and if we go french again lauren blanc i tihnk is excellent.

wenger is a legend and we will never have a manager here for half his time i do not think. il be happy if he wins a major trophy and leaves on a high. we build a statue and push on.

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11 Dec 2015 10:09:15
Personally I dread the day Wenger leaves us. Has taken the club to a different level on and off the pitch. Some on here believe he is a facilitator for the board, come on, the man is too principled for that. When players were jumping ship left, right and centre, Wenger stayed and put the good of the club above personal glory. Every club wanted him and dare I say would still want him if he was available. Sure he has his faults, who hasn't? Ferguson had millions to spend at United and had a wonderful tenure as their manager but look at the mess he left behind. Mourinho had millions to spend at Chelsea and its starting to look a bit messy there too, and could you really accept that classless p***k as our manager? It won't be til Wenger is gone that we really appreciate him.

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11 Dec 2015 10:15:43
Personally I think the past has been so much better for having Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, people talk about players being legends but in reality not even Henry or Bergkamp come anywhere close to the legend that is Arsene Wenger, i don't think there's a football fan of Arsenal or any other club that would argue with that.
The thing that devides people is how long to show gratitude for and to accept missed opportunities because of past brilliance, some want Arsenal to compete for titles with or without Arsene others want Arsene with or without being real title contenders, for me that's what sepreates everyone.

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11 Dec 2015 10:37:59
Would you not agree G62 that there was a period where we overachieved because of Wenger? I'm convinced no other manager could have kept the club in the champions league with the resources that were available to him. We are starting to make progress again, a couple of trophies and third place finish last season. Of course we want to compete for the title and I believe we will with Wenger as our manager. He more than anyone has earned the right to lead us back to the glory days, his glory days.

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11 Dec 2015 11:50:29
I would totally agree what we have achieved under Arsene in the past would not have been achieved without him Ros and of course once the spending freeze was over he fully deserved the right to lead us to glory, up to there I agree 100% mate.
I was very pro Arsene for Arsenal up until January 2014 when he failed to strengthen our title bid dispite lots of injuries and a totally knacked Giroud who's only cover was Sanogo a kid and still no DM who everyone knew was missing, to me that was a crazy missed opportunity to push on and build on our title lead and become champions again but I was still pro Arsene but only 85% because doubts had crept in.
Summer 2014 and still not addressing the DM situation i found unbelievably naive and letting us go into the season with just 2 CBs and one of which Kos our best was already injured from the world cup to me said Arsene has lost it, at this piont I changed my mind on Arsene being Arsenal manager any longer and knew we would always be up against it while he was in charge the second half of that season things improved dramatically when he stumbled upon Le Coq by accident which just confirmed what most had said for years about a DM but sadly we'd left it to late as a title challenge was beyond us, I found that beyond frustrating.
Last summer Arsene was the only manager in Europe who decided his side could not be improved which I again found totally baffling and just reaffirmed my opinion we would never be all we could be again with Arsene as our manager.
To me Ross he just so many things no one understands but him that it really is a question of genuine title challengers or Arsene as I think the two are incompatible sadly.

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11 Dec 2015 12:21:25
Say what you want about fergie but they have spent what 300million since he left and and still non the wiser as to how to get back to his level,

i think wenger likes the security here and the full control. at real madrid you win or your sacked simple. people say he's ready to walk away but i don't think hel have a lot to do after arsenal. its his life.

would anyone see him taking platini place or sepp blatters?

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11 Dec 2015 12:28:18
I agree G62,some of the decisions regarding recruitment are baffling and so frustrating. I do believe that it wasn't from lack of trying during the summer though. There was some luck involved with Le Coq but it also involved him accepting that if he wanted to play for the club it was going to be as a defensive midfielder as identified by Wenger quite a while before that. I just feel that in an era where we rant and rave about the lack of loyalty in the game maybe we should show some to a man who has shown us a lot. At the very least let him leave on his own terms. He's earned that much.

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11 Dec 2015 12:56:13
And why have they had to spend 300 million since he left Derby?

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11 Dec 2015 13:19:21
Great manager, despite our criticisms of him, we will miss him when he is gone.

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11 Dec 2015 13:31:10
Haha, no not brain washed 62, I think we all suffer the same frustrations about Wenger, Sanchez being the latest, he drives us all nuts, just some more than others but personally I love the guy and do still believe he will win the league before he goes.

Thanks Dags, just waiting for Banbury to hit me. ;-)

Someone posted yesterday about Spurs and the way they play, they will never play the way a Wengers Arsenal play, ever.

There will be an Arsenal after Wenger but no one can guess what it'll be like, will we suddenly win things, he's certainly leaving a fantastic foundation for whoever comes in.

Which is a lot more than can be said of Ferguson, title winners or not it was RVP that hauled them over the line.

In the 2+ years since Fergie left I honestly think they have no more than 5 players to take them forward. De Gea who may not stay, Luke Shaw, Schneiderlin and Martial are their stand out players whilst maybe Herrera is a great little squad player. Beyond that they offer little and how they are in fourth I have no idea.

I can see a top four of Arsenal, City, Spurs and Liverpool. I'm not saying in that order but it would be nice.

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11 Dec 2015 14:25:11
G62 - you speak a lot of sense :-) You are spot on about Arsene - but for being blinded and for some unfathomable reason, not signing a DM (and to a lesser extent a striker) , these are his faults. What he has achieved both during his stellar initial spell, then during and post the stadium move have been immense.

I do think success is around the corner but could be accelerated a little had we have more transfer activity these past few windows.

For all Arsene's qualities (and there are many) , we all know he has a stubborn streak. It's both a quality we should admire, but it is also a weakness. It's obvious to all fans our need for a DM this January window. Only time will tell whether he second guesses himself and buys one or not!

But an Arsenal without Arsene will happen, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of our lives.

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11 Dec 2015 16:30:09
Red dog my view it wasn't the squad fergie left that was the problem. It was the space he left. He was feared and its like when a suppy teacher fills in. No doubt in my mind he stays there top2 but without a doubt top4. You leave a team that's champions he can do no more. 300million spent and still no top centre half. De gea is off to deal Madrid another hole to fill.

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11 Dec 2015 19:53:40
Boys I do totally understand your loyalty even if I no longer share it and unbelievable I hear what your saying about once he's gone that's it mate and no matter what I think about his judgement/methods now days because of all the fantastic memories he's given us a huge part of me will be sad to see him go still.
I just want Arsenal football club to achieve all it can and I don't think we've done that in the last two seasons especially, because if in 2013 2014 Liverpool were good enough to finish 2nd we should have finished 1st Saurez or no Saurez we had the base to build from and reasorces available way beyond what they had that season, then last season we could and should have run Chelsea very very close if not out point them because again we had it within us as club to do so, this season who knows but so far Arsene hasn't filled me with confidence with his decisions at any point be it team selctions or squad building but let's see, i certainly wouldn't be disappointed if Arsene gave me a years supply of humble pie to chew on that's for sure.

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12 Dec 2015 13:08:14
RG I'm sorry a manager can't Win a league leave let them spend 300mill and still be blamed. Fergie was a class manager. they may spend another 200mil and still be wondering how to win the league.

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10 Dec 2015 23:47:52
Watched the spurs tonight it's got to be said this is the best team they've had in years, the way they play is the way I would like us to play when Wenger leaves.

Plus they seem to have a conveyor belt of academy players coming through, wheres all our academy players that Wenger is supposed to be so good at?

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11 Dec 2015 02:35:29
Credit where its due. They look good this year and in the absence of Chelsea I tip them to finish top 4.

Dier, Alli, Mason, Bentaleb, Kane, Lamela, Walker, Davies, Eriksen. Lots of fantastic young players. Defensive core of Alderwereld, Vertonghen and Lloris looks very strong.

As much as I like to see them do miserable, they are a credit to the premier league playing football like that. I hope they go really far in Europa (hampering their top 4 chances of course) ;)

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11 Dec 2015 08:12:01
There are 7 big clubs Arsenal Chelsea Manchester United Man city Liverpool Spurs and Everton, although for the last decade the title has been dominated by utd city and Chelsea the other 4 will all have a resurgence at some point, Poch and Klopp are looking like they could possibly be the men to deliver their clubs dreams, time will tell.

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11 Dec 2015 08:49:58
alderweireld the rock. what a buy he was.

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11 Dec 2015 12:59:32
It's also the other players they have coming through like Josh Onomah, Nathan Oduwa, Marcus Edwards, Cameron Carter Vickers, the list is endless. That's what a properly ran academy does.

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11 Dec 2015 13:05:52
Makes me laugh. Same old Tottenham.

We are 2nd in the Premier league and could easily go top this weekend and have reached the last 16 of the Champions League. We have built and paid for our stadium. We have won a trophy for the last 2 seasons.

Tottenham are 5th in the Premier League, having drawn more games then they have won. They are in the later stages of the second rate Europa League. They haven't won anything since 2008.

People are criticising Wenger and think Pochettino is the best thing since sliced bread. Give me Arsene and Arsenal any day, over second rate Tottenham and Pochettino.

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11 Dec 2015 13:34:32
Maybe you need to take a look at Adelaide, Sheaf, Crowley, Awobi, Willock etc and see what's coming through ours.

When bigger clubs come running the likes of Kane, Alli and Lloris will be off. They are still a selling club.

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11 Dec 2015 16:38:09
No doubt spurs will cash in again. But under poch they have the best chance to build.

I think theyl finish top4. With a stadium coming them having champs league is important to pay if off quickly like us

Loris was a mega signing. Him with alderwiereld. Dier. Ali and Kane is a cheap spine. And vertoghen was worth every penny.

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11 Dec 2015 23:18:29
RG69, I am a gooner myself! It's just that I appreciate what they're doing there.

Wenger is the reason why we have soo many injuries, why we have scraped through into two f. a cup finals recently, why we haven't won the league in a decade blah blah blah. The sooner he goes the better and we will see the difference with a modern coach/manager.

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