El indecido me molesta, si no me quiero, Transfer Thead 2016

I wonder if other clubs have as many supporters that seemingly bury their heads in the sand as Arsenal does. I'm not "reading into things," we all know what will occur from here on out...we've seen this the last 5 years now.

 

Whoa, calm down. Season hasn't even started and we're talking about next summer already? lol

 

Well, in the past 5 years, we've also had summers where we brought in the likes of Podolski, Giroud, and Cazorla in one summer. A summer where we made final second swoop for Ozil. A summer where we signed Welbeck, Debuchy, Sanchez, Chambers, and Ospina.

It's frustrating that we never seem to finally have a squad we're comfortable with. But it's not like everythjing is wrapped up every July. We need a big surprise in August, and it can still be done.

 

Unfortunately, out of those you just listed, I'd only rate 3-4 of them as true contributors or worthwhile signings. And true, everything isn't wrapped up in July and we also need an August surprise, however, we also signed kallstrom in August if I remember correctly and I for one don't want to repeat that surprise. Just rinse and repeat with this club every single year.

 

I'll take the bait. I bet we will sign at least one more first team player.

 

Care to quantify it a little? I'll buy you a pint if we sign one player that starts one or more prem matches this season.

 

I'll take that deal. We'll sign at least one player who will play at least 15 premier league games for us this season.

 

Okay, a player that is good depth or an upgrade to current squad so they'll need to start not just close out games. You pick the number.

 

Crazy mentioned start...I'm leaning towards him. I doubt we sign a player that starts many games this season.

 

More so the likelihood of Ozil and Sanchez wanting to leave if things stay the way they are

 

So if we win the League or CL, we won't get prize money, more shirt sales, more commercial revenue, which will offset any transfer fees?

 

Okay, I will go extra optimistic and say he will START at least 15 games.

The Holding article specifically mentions we're still in the market. You can say I'm gullible, but I can't remember an article on the official site including a phrase like that before. I think they know our fans are impatient and angry, and I think this is their way of saying, "Just wait a little while longer." I think they're working on something reasonably big. and I also just think there's no way we go into the season with just what we have. I think we will sign one more forward/winger at minimum.

 

I know that.

But then with all of this revenue, it means a higher budget to buy players.

Even accoutning for agents' fees, signing on fees, wages and other stuff, I don't see why we cannot afford top players at a regular rate. And with prize money, TV money, more merchandise, then it stands to reason transfer budgets will increase.

 

I won't call you gullible mate. I'd just say you're a loyal fan who hasn't reached his limit yet. Unfortunately, we all have different levels/limits and mine has been reached. And sadly, wenger and the board HAVE said the same thing every year, "just be patient, trust us, have faith," etc....and they repeat the same actions every year without fail.

It's like @Aaron d said, they expect us to believe it and patronize us the whole time.

 

A fan to me (not just me, many others) are in it for the long haul. Peolpe who support teams only for them to win don't really understand football nay sporting culture. Just as we are at a peak NOW with money, then there is no reason why we cannot maximise that. You mention Europe, but then other bigger clubs use their resources to challenge and improve the teams, we are always the odd one out, like Bayern, Barca, Man United, Chelsea, City.

 

I agree with you, I think an integral part of being a sports fan is feeling that strong identity with your team and not moving from that even when times are hard. But the truth is for Arsenal that's not a model of supporter-dom that's more profitable than just churning the tourists through the gates. It would be different in a different city but we're in the heart of London, one of the biggest sites for tourism in the world, and one of cities most known for football in the world.

 

I mean we can hope, but I'm done giving that guy the benefit of the doubt

 

I think we'll sign one more player yet, and then proceed to do one of our two options for the season:

a) Shit the bed early before finishing the season strong and finishing 3rd or 4th.
b) Start strong and hover around the top of the league until February, when the team will break down due to lack of bench options and rotation, finishing 3rd or 4th.

 

Problem for me is that the window isn't even over, so a lot of this hand-wringing just seems premature.

I don't believe we are done yet. The Holding article confirms my suspicion. I don't think they'd say we're still in the market if we weren't still in the market. If nothing else, we will add a body who can provide cover at striker. I don't think we go into the season with just Giroud, a crocked Welbeck, and a bunch of wingers who can't really play CF.

 

Cech, Ospina, Chez
Kos, Per, Gab, Chambers, Holding
Monreal, Gibbs, Bellerin, Jenks, Debuchy
Xhaka, Coq, Elneny, Ramsey, Wilshire, Cazorla
Alexis, Ozil, Campbell, Iwobi, Ox
Giroud, Walcott, Welbeck

The squad profile is a bit strange. One of Ospina or Szczesny should go. The dropoff from Koscielny to the next best CB is steep. Per and Gabriel are both decent depth options. Chambers and Holding (I'm assuming) are projects. Fullback is well stocked.

The midfield personnel screams for a set of 3 on the field, but the wing depth is not great. There's Alexis (who you could argue is better through the middle anyway and isn't a prototypical winger), and then makeshift pieces. Ozil is elite and should always be included, which means you need to keep the 10 spot open.

The system the French used at the Euros seems a good fit for the players Arsenal have on hand. Ozil is superior to Payet and will create more. Alexis while not as comfortable as Griezmann in the the SS role is better towards the end of moves rather than mid-way through. Adding personnel depends on the system and so far for many seasons going, the system hasn't been optimal for the players you have imo.

Just 2 cents.

 

Yes, but it is supposed to be a relationship that goes both ways. The fans are being taken advantage of for the last several years.

 

Thought I read we nearly had an agreement for Xhaka a year earlier, but he wanted to stay for one more season. Might explain why it happened so quickly this window and why we were seemingly so complacent at DM last summer.

Anyway, buying players isn't like buying groceries. I imagine it's a pretty complex process. I think sometimes we wait for a team to get relegated or have financial issues (i.e. Podolski, Holding, Cazorla) and then start trying to get a bargain from the sinking ship. Other times it seems like our transfers are contingent on other moves (i.e. Bale/Ozil). Other times it seems like we come in at the 11th hour and try to unsettle a player to force a transfer request (that's how I remember Arteta coming off, though I could be wrong). Finally, I think there's a lot of posturing that goes on during the window. Teams like Inter and Napoli probably already know whether or not they're going to sell Icardi or Higuain. If the answer is yes, they're trying to work the market to get the best bid possible before finally giving in.

 

I agree to a point, but the obvious money won't cover it. Winning the CL would, but odds of that are pretty low for us I think. Winning the league would just mean a small bump in tv and prize money and backend cash from shirt sales are marginal.

It's the hidden and long term benefits of winning that cover those costs. Half of our fan base (at least global) is a direct result of the early winger years...trophies, glorious footy, amazing stars in the squad. In a broad sense, we've been riding this wave for a decade. Ozil, Sanchez and the two FA cups were what we thought to be the start of the next wave.

Then last season we sat on a wad of cash while Leicester won the league--Leicester fcuking city. We all knew we needed an CM and a striker.

As plastic as United and Chelsea fans are, eventually soft plastic becomes hard and they've managed to keep most of those plastics on the hook because they've won. They may not be the best squad or best coached but at least the glaziers and RA are putting the money they take in back into the squad. The fans see that and at least hope they'll get it right occasionally at least.

When AW starts every goddam season 1-2 players short of a contending squad, it robs us of that very hope that usually accompanies a fresh season for even the lowliest of clubs.