Arsenal Banter Archive August 15 2016

15 Aug 2016 22:43:56
Dags has got it sussed.

If a player want's a pay rise and a contract extension, he get's his agent to contact Arsenal.

Arsenal contact players club. Club give Arsenal valuation. Arsenal offer half.

Club than thinks "let's offer player pay rise and contract extension".

Job done player happy and stays at club and pockets an extra £30,000 per week.

Crazy? Vardy, Mahrez, Lacazette, Mustafi?

15 Aug 2016 22:56:50
The Benzema Higuain Mahrez statues are on order to go along with Bergkamp and Henry's and will be moved into the stadium as seats become available, if Arsene signs a new contract the statue makers will go into production of the so solid crew members statues immediately.

15 Aug 2016 23:18:24
Heard they thinking of erecting a statue of Ed025.

Unfortunately, the council said no as it takes up too much room and it's an eyesore.

However, the local pigeon's have lodged a complaint as the statue would have given them a bit of target practise.

The Council are looking into it.

(Love you really Ed :-) ) .

15 Aug 2016 22:18:48
Still supporting Wenger but growing frustrated by the way the window is playing out.

Options are over-priced but the amount of money we get from Sky is crazy -> so just spend it on 3 or 4 new players who add to the squad

I must say that - Williams would have made a huge difference to the defence yesterday and could have done well with Holding.

Frustrating.

Difference between us and Liverpool was a decent striker as both defences sucked.
For all those Klopp lovers - what tactics did he show yesterday? Almost managed to throw a 4 1 lead due to over attacking.

15 Aug 2016 22:47:12
Sy take off them rose coloured specs. Klopp yet again beat wenger, we were poor second half tactically and liverpool took advantage. Back to 3-4 we never looked like scoring at all. To comfortable for liverpool in the end. And klopp won at the emirates.

15 Aug 2016 23:30:25
Klopp was hopeless and not tactically astute - if that had been Wenger you would have laid into him.
Take off your anti-Wenger gown
I believe I showed a bit of balance - give it a go.

{Ed091's Note - klopp left with 3 points?. Must be hopeless.

16 Aug 2016 00:20:55
Sy remind me again, who was at home and who walked away with three points. Its not anti wenger, its fact.

16 Aug 2016 06:13:11
Steve, move past that. You seriously thought Klopp showed great tactics in that game? Seriously. He was lucky he caught us with most of our team missing and were a mess. If you think Klopp demonstrated why you think we missed out on him then shame on you. At least be honest,
Those tactics will see Liverpool come 7th.

15 Aug 2016 23:54:50
Ed
I don't want to fight with EDs.
Liverpool were clueless at 4 1 up, left back was hopeless and survived as we were even worse. They were that bad they Liverpool let us well and truly back into the game. The difference was one player. Take him out and different result. Klopp didn't help him put a soft free kick into top corner or shin another into the net. Without him, the score would be different - if he signed him then credit due but please don't praise his tactics.
We were just useless in defence and Klopp got us on an easy day.

{Ed091's Note - still curious to who won the 3 points with their half time team talks?

16 Aug 2016 11:47:59
Do you actually rate Klopp ed? Even if Wenger retired today, I wouldn't want Klopp, he's good but not great - not yet anyway and last year's Europa League defeat to Sevilla proved that.

Steve you're extra effort to be anti-Arsenal is getting boring now - we get it.

{Ed091's Note - i would love him in charge of my club

16 Aug 2016 13:30:42
How did his German live story end?

16 Aug 2016 13:50:52
Tpg like wise mate but I only quote facts. The facts are for the umpteenth time we fail to win at home at the start of the season, wenger fails against klopp, we let a shed load of goals in in a short space of time, we get injuries at the start of the season in areas we should have strengthened. We have a poor window again, players are turning this club down, fans are getting bored with the regime, the pattern is the same year after year, you can predict what will happen and it does and we are not sorting problems out. You are slagging klopp off whom I would have at this club now and he has come in and improved a pretty poor liverpool team last year, they got to two cup finals and got some pretty good results with a squad rogees had left. Now this year he has started adding his own players and i'm sure he will need time but they are moving forwards, how far remains to be seen. But I am anti wenger, but what I am saying about sunday has nothing to do with anti wenger it is fact that I am quoting not making up or glossing over like some people do. We lost at home for the first game of the season again, we let in shed loads of goals, which led to that defeat and we made the same types of errors we always make. what have we done to correct last seasons problems, in the transfer market and on the pitch. Knocking klopp after he has just brought a team to our home winning and taking three points leaving us with nothing and
then knocking my thoughts is far more rediculous than what I am saying. I don't hide the fact that I don't want wenger at this club but I don't fudge about with my reasons. What did ee see on sunday that would make me think any different. What did we see on sunday to make you and sy come out with rediculous comments slating a manager who had just beaten us at home and you call him. Crazy.

16 Aug 2016 16:12:17
It doesn't work like that, this isn't pokemon battles. When Bradford beat Chelsea it didn't make Phil Parkinson a better manager than Mourinho - it's called an upset. Even still, you miss my point. Even if I agreed that Klopp was better than Wenger - I still don't think he's amazing is what I'm saying, I think people cloud their judgement on him because they like him as a person.

15 Aug 2016 21:53:03
I hope Wenger wouldn't come out saying there were no strikers available who would improve our squad because there's Lacazette who imo is better than walcott now.
If Wenger had told us that moving to our new stadium would stop us from winning major trophies, i wouldn't have gone down well with that. I would have loved us to remain at Highbury and then maintain our invincible squad than to experience this nightmare!
No ambition, no intent, no hunger and desire, no mental strength.
The best always settles for the best. We are supposed to settle for nothing than a win. Look at Barca, always hungry for trophies, the likes of Madrid, Bayern, Juve and other elite teams among europe are never satisfied. Yet here we are showing hunger for top 4 spot rather than the ultimate prize (the epl title) .

16 Aug 2016 00:19:53
You're spot on, Willy.

15 Aug 2016 16:22:49
After watching Henry and Souness talk about the clubs transfer policy, one thing really stood out to me.

Henry said how at the end of last season, the club said that the money was there and that we would be able to compete with all of the top clubs financially, and then, weeks before the start of this season, apparently we don't have the money to compete with the top clubs.

Call me a conspiracy theorist but I'm starting to notice a trend here. For the last three summer windows we've gone out and done a bit of business early on, make one marquee signing (Sanchez, Cech, Xhaka) and then nothing for the rest of the window, excluding any deadline day panic buys when the injuries inevitably come rolling in. It's been the same case the last three summer windows.

This leads be to believe that the board are only willing to sanction one senior transfer throughout the whole window (until the injuries hit) for the sole purpose of making an early signing as a sign of intent and ambition from the club, to get the fans to renew their season tickets. Once that's happened, the board have achieved their goals for the summer, the fans are yet again deceived, and the money comes flooding into Stan's pockets. They know most fans are at the end of their ropes, and we know that they see the club as nothing more than a cash cow. Makes a lot of sense really. Fans get excited, spend their money on tickets, shirts and other merchandise, and then come August we're back to square one.

We moved to the new stadium to compete, yet we're less competitive than we ever have been. The stadium generates enough revenue for the club to compete with Europe's elite in the transfer market, yet that revenue is not being reinvested into the club. We have the money to sign whomever we want - but only enough for one player. Oh and now we can't compete with anyone in the transfer market. How convenient you tell us, Mr. Gazidis after we renew our horrendously overpriced season tickets, memberships, and buy this season's home and away jerseys at 50 quid a pop.

Luckily, I live too far away from the Emirates to be able to go to matches, so I'm not so much out of pocket.

In fact I'm not out of pocket at all. I've cancelled my membership, and haven't bought anything Arsenal since the season we signed Ozil. I will always support Arsenal and will never abandon the club, but I refuse to let any of my hard earned money go towards the men in control of the club, who blatantly couldn't give a monkey's toss about the fans, the people to whom they should be grateful for being the reason why they are so hideously wealthy.

I'm done with being lied to.

15 Aug 2016 20:26:50
Stan kroenke is only a majority share holder

The money in the bank belongs to the club.

15 Aug 2016 21:33:38
Does it though Malaga? What's to say Kroenke and the other board members aren't embezzling funds from the 'war chest'? This is only speculation, as its not like we have access to the club's books, but with the stadium being paid off and the fans still being made to pay astronomical ticket prices, you have to wonder where the money is going. In the last nine windows we've spent over £200 million less than Spurs, Liverpool, Chelsea and both Manchester clubs, and Arsenal is supposedly the seventh richest football club in the world. Richer than Juventus, who were still able to fork out nearly 80 million for Higuain. Richer than Liverpool, who have spent almost 100 million during this window.

Every football fan and his dog know that there should be money available to invest in the squad. Gazidis can't make his mind up as to whether it's there or not. So where is it?

I think we're getting beyond the point of blaming the manager, incompetent as he may be. We need to start asking serious questions of the board. Is there or isn't there money to spend? If there is the can we get some for of tangible evidence that there is? If its not being used to reinforce the squad then where is it going? If there isn't then why not? Before the club can move forward in any way, I think there needs to be a bit more transparency from the board, instead of them constantly telling us one thing and then the complete opposite as and when it suits them.

15 Aug 2016 21:43:47
There's a reason that the Ed's advise to keep talking about the money side of football to a minimum.

15 Aug 2016 21:51:32
We do have access to the clubs books

There's an AGM every year

Did you know Wenger had the final say on Gazidas employment

Wenger has the final say on everything.

15 Aug 2016 22:02:36
Everyone has access to the books - they are freely available on Arsenal's own site - google it, they really are not hard to find.

Stop with the conspiracy of this so called "warchest" being used as the board members personal piggy bank, the cash reported in the accounts will be backed by independent confirmations from Arsenal's bankers. Deloitte, who are our current auditors, then sign that balance off.

If the club doesn't spend the money, that's a club decision. Yes, there have been mixed messages with regards to what we can spend but that doesn't mean that within the space of a few weeks, the club has lost £200 odd million down the back of the sofa.

If Arsenal do not spend the money, there is very much a decision behind that.

15 Aug 2016 22:12:51
I'm absolutely sure every penny is very accountable and as it should be, I think we're within our rights to question the clubs ambitions but not their integrity without very good reason to do so.

15 Aug 2016 22:39:50
Okay, I may have made a few misinformed points there. My bad. It just doesn't add up though. At the end of last season, the money is there, enough to compete with the rest of the big clubs in europe. The start of this season we spend £34 million and now we can't compete, while clubs with less financial power continue to outspend us.

If there is a decision behind it like you say, Joker. Then we as fans, the people who put more money into the club than anyone else, have a right to know what that decision is, rather than being fed the ambiguous nonsense that Wenger and Gazidis keep spewing out.

G62. I believe that we are well within our right to question the integrity of individuals who tell people one thing and do the exact opposite, or to tell people the complete opposite a number of weeks/ months down the line. Even if there is fiscal transparency within the club, I feel we're still having the wool pulled over our eyes, in some way, shape, or form.

15 Aug 2016 22:56:39
I don't call Xhaka a marquee signing.

15 Aug 2016 23:19:10
Xhaka is not a marquee signing. Potential but not marquee.

15 Aug 2016 23:47:21
At £34m that makes him the third most expensive player we've ever signed. It makes sense to think that Wenger and the board view it as a marquee signing even if none of the fans do. Either way, spending that amount so early in the window is a pretty strong statement, which once again has not been followed through on.

15 Aug 2016 17:48:47
So how many games do we think Xhaka will miss through suspension, he needs lessons in tackling and timing I'd say and is a long way to being the boss that many people think .

{Ed091's Note - lessons in tackling? He's does it all the time, no more than a thug.

15 Aug 2016 17:54:18
We've been missing a bully for ages, although no idea how good Xhaka will turn out to be.

{Ed091's Note - there's being a bully, then there's being a thug out to hurt players. He doesn't have the temperment for the pl and I do not understand where wenger is going with this one.

15 Aug 2016 17:59:48
he is exactly the player we've been crying out for for a long time. Someone who puts there foot in and takes no sh*t. Look at Vieira's disciplinary record mate. Nuff said ;)

{Ed091's Note - Viera was clever. Xhaka is...well, not.

15 Aug 2016 18:05:44
Lol one game in already on his back 😂.

15 Aug 2016 18:10:47
Exactly D first premier league game and everyone's already in a panic.

15 Aug 2016 18:48:39
X XC

That's bloody nonsense he has an awful record, his tackling his his weakest part of his game . The ideal considering what he was purchased for.

Totally agree with Ed, the buy was a head scratcher.

15 Aug 2016 19:02:57
Well said ed and Banbury

Waste of money when we needed a CB and forward

Kante was cheaper.

15 Aug 2016 19:13:11
Let's give him until the turn of the year either way, personally I think he's been talked up for more than he's worth as were Bielek and Elneny before they kicked a ball for us, because we don't get many players some of our fans can get over excited about everyone we sign :-) , there's a reason he's at Arsenal and not utd city Chelsea or Bayern right now and by January we will all have a much better idea if their loss is gain as his performances resemble Kante last season or if he's 4th placetasic like so many players we already have at the club or he struggles to have any impact at all.
Who'd have thought Fwlco and Di Maria would struggle so badly in the premier league while Vardy Kante Mahrez would shine so brightly?
Les wait and see boys.

15 Aug 2016 19:27:58
Ok so kante was cheaper by 2 million so I don't see your point Malaga, what's your thoughts on Roy keane.

15 Aug 2016 19:42:47
Xhaka cool down about Xhaka:-)
If he's any good you get to gloat and if he's not you get to become Axhaka Axhaka cants :-)

{Ed025's Note - bless you.. :)

15 Aug 2016 19:53:40
Welcome back Ed025 mate having you back on the scene is music to my eyes :-) your definitely the signing every gooner wanted most mate.

{Ed025's Note - cheers G62 i just hope the guys lighten up a bit mate, not a great start but with that team out not really a surprise, things will improve and with a couple of good signings who knows how far the gooners can aim, im a big fan of arsene but i have to say he really needs to get his act together over his stubbornness when it comes to recruitment mate..

15 Aug 2016 19:52:14
Xxc roy Keane was a leader of men

Yes he was dirty but so is any world class cm

He's there to take the team by the scruff of the neck

Football has changed since the Roy Keane and paddy Viera era

You should watch the Viera and Keane program, they had nothing but respect for each other.

15 Aug 2016 20:13:31
Bring back ed041,

He was s better class of ed

Sorry 025.

{Ed025's Note - thanks malaga (or dags) but im afraid your stuck with me mate.. :)

15 Aug 2016 20:17:47
Only joking mate, good to have you back.

{Ed025's Note - thanks mate.. :)

15 Aug 2016 20:44:54
Ed025, good to see you back on here. A voice of reason amongst all of us letting off steam. What impressions do you take from your teams first game and hopes for this season?

{Ed025's Note - i think koeman is the right guy 14 and with the backing of moshiri things are looking up i believe, we lacked fitness in the first game and hung on for the draw which is not a bad result against spurs mate..

15 Aug 2016 21:05:56
Ed025, given time I think Koeman will turn out to be a shrewd signing. I think he will be allowed to implement his own style as your club seems to show loyalty to managers. In saying that, the money in the game right now means it is essential a new manager gets off to a good start.

{Ed025's Note - i might sound like an old fart 14 but the supporters of today demand instant success, managers need time to bed in and develop a team but are seldom given the time mate..

15 Aug 2016 21:42:52
Ed025, unfortunately that attitude holds true for our society in general. Fans nowadays don't see the merit in nurturing a great team and watching it progress . Money dictates the quick fix attitude in the game now.

{Ed025's Note - unfortunately you are dead right 14, the young today seem to lack the concept of things like saving up to buy the things you want, they put it on a credit card and worry about paying for it later..oops..nearly fell off my soap box there mate.. :)

15 Aug 2016 22:27:19
Good points boy stand corrected.

15 Aug 2016 14:50:54
The infamous twitter says a deal (probably mustafi) has fallen threw.

Brace yourselves for Matthieu.

GRIM GRIM GRIM.

15 Aug 2016 15:25:18
We could try to get Dann, djik, mangala, prodl all better than chambers and the inexperienced holding mertesacker isn't really first choice material is he yes these are not world class defenders but alongside kos they could form a decent defence.

15 Aug 2016 17:14:26
Mathieu's hurt his hamstring apparently BB!
So hopefully we don't pull a Kallstrom.

Sky still seen confident in Mustafi, but I just can't trust them.

As far as I'm concerned, this is it now, Mustafi maybe, but nobody else.

I reckon there might be a late, late move for Isco or James, something that'll distract fans for a bit.

15 Aug 2016 17:37:27
Don't be surprised if Wenger thinks he doesn't need a CB, he will know Kos is back for Leicester .

He certainly won't be fussed if we don't get a striker, he will think 3 goals at home without, Giroud and Ozil is a bonus.

15 Aug 2016 18:34:41
We could and should have had van Djik last year. Did not move for him for £13M, we certainly won't do it now for the £30M it costs.

15 Aug 2016 12:36:25
Hi stoner

Hope you had a safe journey there and back for the game

Do you think Wenger is still the right man for the job.

15 Aug 2016 12:49:24
If you don't me jumping on this to give my opinion. I'm unsure if he's the right man still been loyal for a while but still wonder. However I really would like some change upstairs before him. Something is not right at our club and I wonder what it is. We can all sit here debating Wenger. But it seems he changed somewhere. Around the Emirates time why was this. Stubbornness? It does it go further into the boardroom. Maybe it's just him but I have a feeling we don't know the whole story.

15 Aug 2016 14:06:56
Fair shout 16.

15 Aug 2016 14:30:26
Hi Malaga,

I did thanks, got back about 1am. Went with Mrs Stoner who is unfortunately a die hard Liverpool fan.

No mate I don't, I said before that last season would really be the last I stood by him and he did nothing in last summers window and to finish 2nd like we did for me was failure. He should really have gone then. Whilst I'm not going to slate him I have to be honest and say he's run his course.

I looked at both teams and I can say hand on heart without bias I wouldn't truly have swapped any of there players for ours.

Looking at the benchs I would have hands down swapped managers. I think he would cause havoc with our squad.

I know you got slated for saying you hope he fails but to be honest he is failing us. It's truly unfathomable as to why he and this club won't go that extra mile to make us a force.

As spoken about below my Mrs, her 1st time at the Emirates, said she was gobsmacked at how quiet the crowd was, why was there no singing, she could clearly hear the Liverpool boys below us. She asked where or what part of the ground was our Kop.

It was difficult to pick out to many positives with the exceptions of maybe the Ox, Monreal, Coquelin and Cazorla when he came on. Saying that Xhaka looks like he'd punch your lights out if you looked at him the wrong way. Can see why he's had a few red cards.

As far as the team, it's game one, we have a lot of talent with players to come back but Wenger has to pull something out the hat in the next couple of weeks to make us stand any chance and keep players like Sanchez and Ozil. Sanchez was woeful yesterday. Looked unfit or uninterested, I'm hoping not the latter.

All in all got to see 7 goals just to many at the wrong end and had to constantly listen to "Mind the gap" all the way back to Hillingdon on the tube.

15 Aug 2016 14:53:00
Just to add, even the booing at the end was half hearted and walking up to Finsbury in amongst the crowd nobody was even really complaining.

Saw a group of younger guys around the Arsenal TV guy at the end and they briefly started chanting, "Spending some f-ing money".

Empty seats inside too, one particular box was completely empty, with the thick leather seats, probably Kroenke.

There was sadly just a feeling of apathy about the place.

15 Aug 2016 18:16:07
Great post mate.

15 Aug 2016 12:29:07
I have never seen such a dejected group of so called supporters anywhere, jesus christ we lost a game to a team that often causes our team trouble, in my opinion that was just the start we needed not the result but the kick up the arse we need to push on, people seem to forget we were playing with a makeshift defense, so that taken into account we didn't do too bad and contributed to what was a fantastic game of football, did any of you watch the other so called title challengers? none of them looked too hot either just had lesser teams to play in their first game not a team who had been in training for the past six weeks and who had a fantastic 25 minutes other than that we controlled the game. What I'm really getting at is you lot need to calm down and stop running our team down its one game against a team on the up big deal get behind our team and see what happens during the whole season and not slate our team after one early defeat.

15 Aug 2016 12:57:07
I haven't seen anyone slate the team

Just Wenger.

15 Aug 2016 12:59:03
Problem is though mate, it's not one game is it?

3 of our last 7 opening games have been defeats.
3 have been draws.
1 has been a win.

So clearly there's some issue with coming out the blocks.
Why are we so slow to kick on?
Is it fitness, lack of tactics, poor training?
But there's something.

You mention the other challengers, but Utd won 3-1 and City won 2-1.
City's win wasn't pretty, but top teams grind out results by hook or by crook
And as for playing with a makeshift defence, that's our own fault, nobody else's.


I don't think people are slating the players as much as they are the manager.
Certain players were poor, yes, Theo (other than the goal) Coquelin, Alexis, Ramsey, had bad games, but as you say, this is the first game of the season (though Theo and Ramsey's bad form isn't new) and they can hopefully kick on.

But the teams poor state is something we could and should of addressed way before today.

Let's not pretend a striker was impossible, Lacazette has been there, his club say they'll sell him for a large fee and he said yesterday he's open to leaving.
In this inflated market, £45m for a 25 year old, hitting peak and with a good record, isn't a bad price.
Is it a gamble?
Of course, signing anyone is a gamble of some sort.

And let's not pretend a CB was a priority before the injuries.
Should it of been?
Absolutely.
But if it was, this apparent Mustafi deal (which I've got a feeling will fail) would of been done long ago.

And the longer the window goes on, the closer to deadline day, the higher the price.

If Valencia want £25m now for Mustafi, then imagine how much they'll want with only 5-7 days to replace him?
They're going to want an inflated fee, as his replacement will now be inflated too.


Look, at the end of the day, I'm 100% with you about backing the team, can't stress that enough.

But there are glaring deficiencies at our club and there needs to be some accountability.
Can you imagine going to your job, not doing the work and then blaming the clients because you haven't done it?

An Arsenal blogger, LeGrove (there'll be mixed opinions in sure) makes a point that interests me.

If Wenger goes out and spends £100m+ now, signs Lacazette, Mustafi and Mahrez, on top of Xhaka, that's a title challenging team and if it fails, then the only man accountable is Arsene.

But if he doesn't sign anyone, just the bare minimum and continues to fail to compete, the he can just blame the lack of spend or ability to do so.

Is this true?
I have absolutely no clue, but the theory interests me.

Is it Arsene's fault?
Is it Gazidis's?
Is it the board?
Maybe Doris the tea lady switched to PG instead of Tetley.

I don't know, but someone has to bite the bullet and accept the workings off the pitch aren't good enough.

In this world, staying the same is equal to going backwards and that's where we stand now.

15 Aug 2016 13:08:50
Gunnerwin

That's only Liverpools 3rd win away at Arsenal in 16 league games, so they don't give us that much trouble .

Why were we playing with a makeshift defence, who's fault is that?

Yes I did watch the other othenders and they didn't concede the quantity of goals we did . Let's see if they concede 4 in a home fixture shall we, we all know it's how you get on against your rivals in the 'mini ' league that counts .

I haven't once criticised the team, just the manager.

15 Aug 2016 12:10:43
Very disappointing result yesterday. Since the end of the season and slightly before Wenger knew that Welbeck would be out until next year, missing most of the season and Giroud would be out due to the Euros. He had to buy a striker early on and failed.

At CB, it was a bit different, but again he knew that Koscielny would be out due to the Euros. Injuries to both Mertesacker and Gabriel couldn't be predicted, but Chambers had regressed as a RB and the transformation to CB will take time, indeed it's rare for CB's to mature until they are around 24 years of age. The acquisition of Holding was a good decision, but one for the future.

Mertesacker is in the last year of his contract and hasn't been suited to our high defensive line due to a lack of pace and Gabriel has been a disappointment, I had high hopes when he joined. We needed and still need a CB. I fail to understand why we didn't go for Van Dijk, when he left Celtic and even now he would be worth buying. He is ideal for us, he is tall, technically good and used to the PL.

We must force through a couple of purchases this week; hopefully the Mustafi deal is virtually concluded and we must buy a striker, even if it takes £60m for the right one. We can't rely on Giroud when he returns, for the whole season.

The problem now us that the defeat makes us even more desperate to make these signings and teams can demand more for their players and the players can demand higher wages. The problem we have is that on Saturday, Leicester will throw everything at the back four and have a potent attack. We appear to have suffered injuries again, with the treatment room filling up fast. Again one questions the conditioning of the team.

15 Aug 2016 10:12:32
How'd you solve a problem like Alexis?

Yesterday, Sanchez looked isolated, lost and disinterested.
Part of that may be because he was playing as a lone forward and that really doesn't suit his style, let's remember, for Chile he plays with Eduardo Vargas, not by himself.

But for me, he barely seemed involved.
Apart from a poor free kick in a decent area and a good run at the end when Santi's cross hit Monreal, what did he really produce?

He may need a game or two to get going, he may still be a little jaded, but to me, he just seemed disinterested and that's a worry.

I'm honestly concerned that he and other players are worried by the lack of activity.
We've already seen Cech, Wilshere and Mertesacker commenting on it in interviews, what if it's affecting the squad?
Say what you will, but a new face raises morale.

Do you think Utd players were upset when Pogba joined?
How about Chelsea's lot and Kante?
Maybe City players kicked up a fuss over Sané.

What do our players have to be happy about?
ANOTHER CM, a 20 year old that COULD be good (in fairness, Rob already looks better than Chambers) and a striker who nobody this side of the orient knew of till last week (again, could be great, are getting a BVB Kagawa or a Utd one? )

There are rumours that Inter will offer £69m for Alexis.
Now, I assume it's rubbish because I'm pretty sure inter are still broke.

But if it's not, look at logic.
Inter may not be on top of the world right now, but they have a decent team, they're improving it year by year, they'd clearly have no problem spending the big bucks and its in a league Alexis likes and has played in.

He'd want out in a shot.
Now, to be honest, for almost £70m I'd let him leave.
2 years on his deal, not looking like signing a new one, we won't reinforce to change his mind, it's probably the best option.

But would we reinvest that cash?
Even if he left right this second, there'd be two weeks of window left and we'd be hearing 'not enough time to replace him'

At the end of the day, the lad looked annoyed and can you blame him?

All these 'ITK's' were saying Mustafi medical today.
Now it's suddenly moved to Wednesday, which if true, means he won't be ready for Leicester anyway.
I wouldn't be surprised if there isn't a Mustafi deal at all and Xhaka is it.

If that's the case, can you blame players like Alexis for being naffed and maybe wanting out?

15 Aug 2016 11:39:37
A lot of guesswork on what everyone is thinking there D, are you sure?

15 Aug 2016 12:43:13
It's always guesswork with me mate, I don't have any inside track.

A bit of common sense (I can't stress enough that it's only a bit! ) is my only real backing for my claims!

15 Aug 2016 07:51:17
"It looks like players don't wan't to come to play for Arsenal football club. It seems like it is difficult to attract players. " Quote by Thierry Henry 14 August 2016.
Well Thierry!
IF YOU READ THIS?
Tell us something we don't know. I have been posting this to this for ages.
I remember Ed 025 saying similar as did Ed01.
Maybe you had better start reading this site mate it's seems more informed.

15 Aug 2016 13:34:04
So you're having a go at Henry for saying something that you agree with? Getting ridiculous now.

15 Aug 2016 07:40:13
I've a feeling Lacazette will move to the premier league but I've a feeling it won't be to Arsenal, his performance yesterday won't have gone unnoticed and we are not the only team who still needs players.
I can just see someone else going for him and getting a deal done without all the messing about.

15 Aug 2016 07:48:06
I've given up

I said weeks ago we've signed our lot now, get it into your heads TFI balances the books, 40,000,000 is our window limit.

15 Aug 2016 03:42:43
There was so much wrong with yesterday's game that it is almost impossible to go into details.
We concede once (I question Cech's positioning on the free kick) then we implode. Mental frailty again and again. Tough sides play better when someone has the temerity to score against them.
25 minutes of abject patheticness follows.
Selection MADNESS. Sanchez cannot play CF except in maybe a 442. He was worse than Walcott as a cf, imo.
Other people have mentioned the other selection stupidities.

Wenger has to go. I can see us having 1 or 2 points after 4 games but Wenger is so blinded by his past glories and conviction that he is right and the rest of the world wrong that he will hang on. Hull with no manager are doing better than us with our most experienced in Europe (megalomaniac) manager.

15 Aug 2016 07:02:28
Melbourne, I agree with the mental frailty point. There are no leaders in the team . We need people who will fight not self absorbed and image obsessed players who are quite happy to get a footballing lesson and post another cosy little selfie. They don't hurt the way a team of winners should and it stems from a board and management team who lack any ambition. This club is fast becoming a target for ridicule and it is easy to see why . It also annoys me that the fans are treated with contempt when they raise valid questions over the ambitions of the club and there is a lack of transparency from the top. I seriously hope something changes this season, whether it is our players attitudes or the management changes their philosophy but I just can't see it at the moment .

15 Aug 2016 08:37:29
What I don't get is he has made mertesacker the captain who won't be playing for months, what message does that send to the rest of team. He must sign a striker and cb they are an absolute minimum.

14 Aug 2016 23:49:20
Ok - the boy still wants a move. He's telling you Arsenal to up your bloody offer. What more do you need.

"If there are offers that are not refused, I would like to respond, " Lacazette told Canal+.
"But I am at Lyon. I was in the mood today and I scored three goals.
"If I have any offers? Ask the president. And if he is satisfied that I will stay, I will stay. "

For everyone's sanity - make it happen!

Everyone will be behind you if you sign him, Mustafi and especially Mahrez. Plus the Armoury gets to use all those Ms and Zs.

If you don't - whAt will you do with the Zs if Sanchez and Ozil leave - think about the wasted money there! :)

So looks like M&M could play at the Emirates.

15 Aug 2016 02:56:15
If we had any hope of signing mahrez, I fear that may have changed after today.