Arsenal Banter Archive July 31 2017

31 Jul 2017 19:05:17
Eds with Mahrez on his way to Roma now (FOR ONLY 30MILLION) , does that mean we are more than likely getting Lemar? Sounds stupid but being an arsenal fan is quite depressing right now.

{Ed025's Note - lemar is far from nailed on ibrahim but im sure there are other options being considered just in case mate..

(Ed033's Note - Lemar, is the answer to a Never Ending Story...

31 Jul 2017 23:27:17
I feel a bit disappointed, who do u see coming in ed025?

{Ed025's Note - that would just be guessing on my part ibraim so i wont just bandie names about mate, arsenal know how important it is to get back in the top 4 and they must give themselves the best possible chance, that means bringing in more quality so i think we will see at least a couple of new faces come in..

01 Aug 2017 10:10:27
Thanks mate, hope Everton does well this season (lol I don't really mean that)

{Ed025's Note - it could be you and us fighting it out for 6th ibraim..

01 Aug 2017 13:22:54
Loool*.

01 Aug 2017 13:22:41
Look you think you got jokes don't u ed.

{Ed025's Note - im deadly serious mate..

31 Jul 2017 18:34:31
People often say on here " they won't sell to us " when talking about Chelsea and their players
Well they just sold to Utd and I'm pretty sure they see Utd at the very least as big a rival as us, so that's another myth busted :-)

31 Jul 2017 19:01:40
But gunner they are selling from a position of strength. Chelsea sold us Czech and they never suffered from it. Our record is not quite the same.

31 Jul 2017 19:09:52
Gunner they might think bakayoko and Kante is an upgrade on matic and kante. What I'm saying g is chelski aren't sitting on their laurels and looking to go stale.

31 Jul 2017 19:51:04
Exactly Steve. And also they made sure they got as much as they could from the deal.
Who have we ever signed from our rivals that actively wanted to join us and that they didn't want to sell?
A semi retired Mikael Sylvestre?
Wenger wasnt in the country when Welbeck signed and expressed surprise at his arrival.
We are not as sharp as half the teams in the PL when it comes to forcing through deals.
Theres a lot of second guessing for a manager who signed stepenovs and squillachi and rewards standard player performances with 80,000 and 100,000 weekly salaries.
I mean he dawdled and overlooked Gary Cahill who signed for Chelsea for under €10M but had been open to signing for us for ages 5 years ago and now you wouldn't get him for 40M.
Theres plenty more where that came from aswel and its the root of most of our collective frustrations.

{Ed025's Note - maybe if that scumbag kronke spent more time overseeing transfers instead of creating a tv channel where poor defensive endangered animals are killed then your dealings would improve mate..

31 Jul 2017 20:00:17
I'm sure they do think they are upgrading on what they have Steve and are probably right too but so too are Utd and that's what is important to both sides.
I just think we sometimes kid ourselves about how others see us when it comes to possibly selling to us, I'm sure Chelsea see our Liverpool or Spurs 20 million as more attractive than say Southamptons 15 million when it comes to a player they are prepared to part with.

31 Jul 2017 20:23:06
Ed maybe if he wasn't our owner and maybe if he hadn't resigned Wenger in a private meeting only him and Wenger know what was said, we might be in a better position but hey ho.

31 Jul 2017 22:27:47
Personally not bothered about Matic going to United, never been a big fan, but more worried about the £40 million Chelsea get to sign better quality.

31 Jul 2017 23:10:36
Funnily enough Stoner I'm not too worried about Chelsea :-)
I don't think think we will be fighting the same battles as them unless you count the cups of course ;-)

31 Jul 2017 17:12:13
The whole Sanchez thing reminds of the Fabregas / Nasri contract situation 6 yrs ago when Wenger said he was prepared for both of them to see out their contracts but Kroenke stepped in and we sold them in a matter of days. I personally would make himsee out his contract but as we are a financial business first and a footballing club second i think Stan will have the last word and sell him to the highest bidder. I think the idea that Alexis is putting out that he wants to win the Champions league and its not the money is bollocks bec if he wanted to win the Champions league he wouldn't be looking to go to City or PSG.
Also how have Chelsea and City have managed to do their business with Monaco and we are still faffing about as usual.
As for Emirates Cup Ox looked good so did Chambers but Welbeck was e----g awful
Take care everyone.

31 Jul 2017 18:12:50
To be fair Heybridge mate Alexis stands a lot more chance of winning the champions league with either City or PSG not just in the season ahead but in the new few years that he would by staying with us.
Niether club maybe favourites for the competition but it's impossible to doubt both sides ambition to be European champions.
I genuinely think the man is leaving for footballing ambition ahead of financial ambition.

31 Jul 2017 18:23:49
Yes gunner that quite right and they are very ambitious.

31 Jul 2017 18:26:49
You say that g62. But on what do you base that on city have never come close to the CL and historically have performed worse than us! Obviously there is no chance of winning it with us this year but I'm presuming you meant even if we were in it.

31 Jul 2017 18:52:19
Didn't they make the semi final two seasons back Sanogo mate? No one can seriously doubt City's ambition to the best team in the world, the ability to realise that ambition is debatable but not the desire
If you had to back a years income on which of us or city would next win the premier league or win thier first champions league title seriously would you back us over them?
People want Sanchez to be leaving for financial gain because they can't bring themselves to admit it's our lack of ambition that's the really the problem.

31 Jul 2017 20:36:39
I would back us ;-)

31 Jul 2017 21:17:45
Fair play Xhaka mate :-)

31 Jul 2017 21:18:42
XXC please don't put more than 10 or even 20 pence on us. You would regret it. In fact if you value money, put it in your piggy bank or money had.

{Ed033's Note - steve, do you have a "money had"?

31 Jul 2017 21:19:29
You do have to actually be in it to win it.

31 Jul 2017 21:27:23
Also if the champions league was his main motivation, he would of bent over backwards for bayern and not priced himself out of that move.

31 Jul 2017 21:36:52
Ha ha bloody predictive ed, jar.

31 Jul 2017 23:07:02
It's all made up mate. Everyone's ambitions is to win prizes you pull up a semi two years ago lol.

31 Jul 2017 16:18:24
I know the transfer window still has a month left, but league commencements are right upon us now and it seems this club and its manager are dragging their feet as always in relation to being ready to contest a league from the get go.

The French league gets underway with Monaco facing Toulouse this Friday. My question to any of the informed eds is basically the same as iv asked recently and its whether you are aware of Arsenal showing a legitimate, determined effort to strike realistic deals with the respective clubs in relation to, specifically, Lemar, Seri or Benzema?

I'm growing tired of what seems like deliberate posturing and half hearted/ incompetent approaches more as a PR stunt to cover up for their actual reluctance to address glaring issues within this squad than genuine concerted efforts to strengthen.

I understand fully the reality that most clubs are under no obligation to sell and that the processes can be lengthy and difficult at the best of times but this club has a colourful recent history of incompetence when failing to progress past initial enquiry for players and then tabling bids that are insulting to the selling clubs and also make a player who may have been open to the mover question our sincerity or desire to get his signature.

Higuain, Mata, Suarez, Kante, Gary Cahill. these are only some names where they have dropped the ball for players whose value rose two and three fold only a season or two after we showed lukewarm interest and put in derisory offers.
Basically eds are we looking at our squad for this season right now?

31 Jul 2017 11:08:11
All very quiet on the transfer front eds. is nothing happening at the moment regarding potential transfers, or is it all just the same stuff, I. e. Lemar first choice, we won't meet valuation, so we turn to mahrez.

{Ed002's Note - Nothing happened overnight as far as I know.}

31 Jul 2017 11:33:55
I think we will meet the asking price for Lemar eventually, it's all a bit flat in the run up to the season and we have the money and Arsene and the board need the fans to be full of optimism rather than pesimism going into the season at least.
If we spend and things go badly people will be a lot more understanding for a lot longer than if we are not seen to be trying to improve
I'm pretty sure the club will do what it needs to do to give the Emirates some sort of chance of at least starting the season with excitement.
Difficult to think otherwise really.

31 Jul 2017 12:08:46
Or gunner we can dilly dally and miss out like we normally do, panic and buy another downgrade.

31 Jul 2017 12:31:41
We could Steve but I'm not sure the club really wants to start the season on the back foot with the fans and will do enough to get most on their side come kick off on the 12th mate.
The club could be more than happy to have another season of empty seats and the media mocking but I'm not convinced they are as up for that as some people give them credit for.

31 Jul 2017 12:43:16
The merry go round is just getting started and when the big boys step in we will be thrown off.

31 Jul 2017 13:09:48
That is always a possibility Steve but not the only possibility mate.
Two weeks to kick off and 24 hours in football this time of year can see a lot change let alone 2 weeks mate.
Who knows by Friday Sanchez could be at City Ox at Liverpool and Kos at utd? Don't give up yet Steve mate :-)

31 Jul 2017 13:12:45
Liverpool want lemar also so we better hurry up and agree a fee or he be going there.

31 Jul 2017 17:10:05
I think another reason is we are having trouble moving our dead wood on. The squad could become unbalanced as far as quotas are concerned. I think we will end up loaning them all out again to any takers.

31 Jul 2017 17:48:06
If Liverpool are interested Stephen that can only be a good thing for us mate as it forces our hands and takes away our usual patience in being prepared to wait and wait and wait until finally and only after months of long drawn out speculation and rumours when the club has teased us the player and the entire footballing world,
Absolutely nothing happens :-)

31 Jul 2017 10:46:48
Amusing comment from Wenger in respect of players entering the lsat year of their contracts is 'ideal'. Clearly this is a negotiating ploy as there is no way Arsenal will lose possible transfer fees of around £125m for Ox, Sanchez and Ozil. Nor another £30m for Wilshere and Gibbs. Indeed Gibbs has been replaced by Kolasinac, Sanchez by Lacazette and possibly Lemar, If we manage to secure his signing. I belive Wenger is trying to force the price up for these players, as, if we appear desperate we will receive lower fees. In respect of improving the squad, Kolasinac is a definite upgrade on both Gibbs and Monreal, whilst Lacazette and Lemar may compensate for the loss of Sanchez. Then we need to think about eplacing Ox, who looks likely to leave. Ozil may say as I can't see many teams willing to pay a hefty transfer fee and high wages.

31 Jul 2017 11:03:02
Gibbs has spent the last 3 seasons being a bit part player so one more season probably isn't that big a deal for him.
He like the rest aren't exactly on bad money now and next summer they will be in an excellent position to negotiate really good deals for themselves either with us or elsewhere simply because they will be free to a good home :-)

31 Jul 2017 11:09:12
There is no excuse or explanation that can justify what arsenal have done letting so many players contracts run down to a year. Just puts us in the limelight again for complacency and lack of ambition. And the "ideal" clap trap explanation is embarrassing.

31 Jul 2017 12:10:36
I'm beginning to get the impression there is no plan as such and we are just making it up as we go on the football side of things :-)
It would make sense of a lot that's happened and been allowed to happen.

31 Jul 2017 13:34:51
Agreed G62 - Wenger has had total control for to long. this just emphasises how much we need a director of football or certainly someone to take over the management of contracts and transfers.

31 Jul 2017 08:57:31
Stronger first 11 . ?

Is anyone else concerned about our lack of spending to date?
Yes, we have bought Kolasinac and Lacazette but I don't really see this as enough.
(Giroud keeps Lacazette out of the France team more often than not) and in my opinion, we need wholesale changes . !
I fully expect Sanchez to leave in the last few days of the the transfer window and swopping Giroud for Lacazette and d Gibbs for Kolasinac and losing a world class player in Sanchez does not improve the first 11 in my opinion.
Talk of Mahrez or Lemar arriving may improve the first 11 IF we keep Sanchez, but not if we then sell him, so it seems to me we would be standing still if this happened or possibly a very slight improvement, which is not what we need, we were a long way off being champions last year and no English team threatened in the champions league!
As was seen in our pre season games to date, we simply can't defend as a team ( and this has been the case for a number of years ) and this needs addressing urgently.

One of the area's that we need to improve on is the dark arts, stopping attacks ( by any means ) before they occur, this is where Mourinio's teams excel, I don't like seeing it, but its part of the game and we're too nice.
A foul in the oppositions half, stopping a dangerous counter attack doesn't normally result in a red card, we usualy wait until they get in our box before we foul . !

We also need a top class centre half and a top class defensive midfielder, preferably one who is experienced and knows how to win. ( and possibly a Corzola replacement )
We need to address this losing mentality . !



And all of the above needs addressing, now, not on the last day of the window, because we will already be 3 or 4 points behind Chelsea by then . !

ah well, I can dream . !

31 Jul 2017 10:24:57
I'm starting to worry we won't strengthen in those areas. I
Have doubts we're even going to land lemar. We need to sell before we can buy because of the size of our squad. And although there is still a month to go in the window our season starts pretty soon and I for one do not want to play catch up. Again!

31 Jul 2017 10:44:44
Lacazette signing baffled me when aubameyang and benzema are available .

31 Jul 2017 10:45:23
Only 5th place in the league is guaranteed a europa league place so that needs to be our absolute minimum target and that won't be easy at all

Everton Liverpool Chelsea Utd City Spurs will all like us have top aspirations but 7 into 4 doesn't go so 3 of the 7 might need to fight it out for 5th should both domestic cups be won by non top 5 teams.
No European football at all would be a new low for the club so for that reason alone we need to strengthen quite a bit on what we have.

31 Jul 2017 16:19:51
Sanogo, Benzema does not want to leave Madrid so he is not available, Aubameyang will only leave to a Madrid or Barcelona he will would want to come to Arsenal. Lacazette is about the best player we could have attracted to us as a striker who is available.

For me if the price for Lemar gets too silly we should move on and try and get a powerful and defensively disciplined CM as I am not 100% sure on the Xhaka and Ramsey partnership that we will be relying on is good enough against the best teams.

We should go far in the Europa league and may well win it ( only a Few teams will be at our level) but it puts physical demands on the players with all the extra games and you are always playing catch up in the league as you play more games on Sunday which adds pressure.

I think the top 4 this year will be your standard City Chelsea, Utd and us tbh. Spurs will get nowhere near the same heights as proven time and again in the past when they have one good season they can deal with expectations and they will struggle with home games at Wembley.

Liverpool could be a threat but will be a lot weaker if they lose Coutinho. Everton have done well in the market so could be a real threat more so than Liverpool perhaps if Rooney does fire.

31 Jul 2017 18:23:50
I disagree on Spurs Ryan, Wembley will be a hurdle for them to overcome but they are not one season wonders they have progressed year on year under Poch and I would be very surprised if they along with Chelsea Utd and City didn't make top 4, if I had to pick one of those to drop below 4th it would be city for me but I'm pretty sure all 4 will make it by next May and it's only the order they finish in that is in my opinion tough to predict.