Some people think that, but I think it's the easy way out. Look at the real building blocks we have: Bellerin, Mustafi, Xhaka, maybe Larry if he holds up, Holding, AMN, Iwobi, maybe Ramsey and Wilshere, Lucas, Giroud, Theo and Moe as role players, that's really quite a bit. As I look around the other top six squads, there's none of them where I'd obviously trade places based on squad quality, and a couple where I know I wouldn't. The big problem is that out two best players are playing out the string, and aren't really here for the long term. So as bad as Wenger has been this year (and it's been bad), I think you still have to give the devil his due.
Nah, Prince didn't you know that it's not possible to jump in the air without "protecting yourself" or doing that "naturally".
Bellerin, Mustafi, Xhaka, maybe Larry if he holds up, Holding, AMN, Iwobi, maybe Ramsey and Wilshere, Lucas, Giroud, Theo and Moe Who's Moe? Bellerin? Okay Mustafi = not good enough Xhaka = yes Koscielny = should be replaced soon Holding = too young Whos AMN? Iwobi = the only young star needs to track back more Ramsey = career is over, and Arsenal career should be over time to let go Wilshire = don't make me laugh uncontrollably Lucas = super sup Theo = should be let go Giroud = the less said the better A good manager could make this work, but it's in reality a very very very flawed squad talent wise and because of AW's dawdling not good enough to win the EPL anymore since I assume they won't win this year and by next year we have lost the 2 yr window of the big money clubs fuhkin' around and wasting time.
Arseblog today: "Unless he does something remarkable, like win the Champions League, we’re at a point where extending his contract would not be [the] best thing for this football club." This is basically where I'm at too.
Arseblog is wrong, there are £85 million reasons why extending him is a great thing for the club. Do the numbers baby!!!!
Really? I'm inclined to agree with you about Ramsey but I think Wilshere actually has a great future at the club, the more so because of the turmoil here. I can definitely see Wilshere as the successor to Arteta and Cazorla as a DLP, plus having creative talents further up the pitch if we've established possession. Going forward, I suspect that Xhaka/Wilshere is our best midfield from among the players on the books now. He's getting consistent game time for Bournemouth and he's clearly their best creative player. He's not doing anything defensively for them (neither is anybody else tbh) but I he could be rounded into that with a new manager. To do well for us in that role, you need football intelligence, agility, and technique. Wilshere has all of them, and not so many do.
Where's that number come from. Given the various contractual commitments Wenger has made, I don't think he's as fiscally beneficial for ownership as he's been in times past.
What a shit show of a club. I'm not typically an optimistic person... I think I let my love for the game cloud my feelings on Arsenal too long. I loved seeing Rosicky holding the FA cup... but I would have loved it even more to see him and Diaby lift the PL trophy after all the struggles. The club let the fans, and the players down, that lose to Chelsea was embarrassing, it was the first time I have ever felt embarrassed as a fan for any club. I'm from Toronto, I'm a Leafs fan for God's sake. Seeing Hazard shrug off our DM almost made me throw up, and its not that Coq isn't strong enough the system just requires him to run 25 yards to put a tackle in. That goal was coming because we couldn't find an outlet, because Sanchez the GAWD, he who can't be coached can't, hold a position to receive a long pass. #IHateRanting
Do you watch Bournemouth or are you just making assumptions? Cause man when I've watched him, I don't come away impressed that "Yeah this kid is turning into what Arsenal thought he would be". He lacks football inteligence, and agility but has technique albeit he's super one footed. We gotta stop this madness man we just sitting around pretending players are who we want them to be. It's not happening. Please a beg. Let it go man. I'm really shocked people are holding on to this Wilshire fantasy. It's almost as bad as thinking that Ramsey can actually do anything here. Ramsey and Wilshire are dead, ruined by the manager overplayed, under coached and now injury prone. Harsh as it is it's time to move on from both.
Thats roughly how much money United loses out on for missing CL, I figure our numbers are comparable.
Cl tv revenue is betweer 20 and 30 million, plus revenue from home games, iirc. So 40 million, tops? Doesn't factor in impact of sponsorships, but I haven't heard of anything like that at Arsenal. United's deals supposedly take an enormous haircut if they miss out two seasons in a row.
A little harsh on Ramsey, because he's been effective when healthy and gotten a run of games, but he can't stay healthy. Time to cut bait.
Probably no more than you do, I do try to watch Wilshere if I'm watching Bournemouth, either live, delayed or on highlights. You probably do as well. I like how he's playing for them. He's not trying to do too much, but what he does do seems to work. I would have agreed with you before this loan but as it is, I think he's gotten the experience of another club and another manager and I think that will serve him well. I'm also wondering what you don't like about his intelligence and agility. In particular, by intelligence I think he has a lot of what Rosicky had, where in a crowd of opposition players he has the intuition to make touches to decrease the pressure on the ball. That's what makes him the best candidate to take over from Arteta and Cazorla. Xhaka is a great passer, and for defensive shape it's a good thing that his instinct is to stay back, but in terms of getting the ball off the back four, I think Wilshere is better if the opposition is trying to press us out of possession. The thing is, he doesn't have to drive the ball past the opponents. I think that's where he was getting into trouble before, both in terms of injury and loss of possession. If it's there, he can do it, but in general for Arsenal he can orient his game to dribbling out of pressure and finding the open guy.