*Official* English Football Season 2015-16

[duffer]

Where does he say that?

 

[sledger]

That is clearly what is being implied. The author is basically challenging the reader to prove that suitable prospective signings do not exist (which - given the way it is pretty much impossible to prove the non-existence of anything - is in itself somewhat intellectually dishonest) whilst providing no suggestions of his own.

 

[duffer]

Jackson Martinez, Dybala, William Carvalho, Wanyama, Schneiderlin? All could've offered us something extra, all were available and in our price range.

 

[sledger]

Jackson Martinez, Dybala, William Carvalho, Wanyama, Schneiderlin? All could've offered us something extra, all were available and in our price range.

Yeah, but Jonjo Shelvey could have added "something extra". The squad is at the point where it does not need "something extra", it needs one or two genuine world-class talents, and if none were available I would rather stick with what's on the books at the present than twist and buy some bloke who's had one or two good seasons and hope he becomes amazing.

All the players you've mentioned would have perhaps marginally improved what the current squad, or not improved it at all. I'm not convinced that even if Arsenal signed the whole lot their fortunes would be greatly improved.

 

[harsh.ag]

Sledger talks like scouts do

 

[sledger]

Sledger talks like scouts do

I doubt that.

 

[duffer]

Yeah, but Jonjo Shelvey could have added "something extra". The squad is at the point where it does not need "something extra", it needs one or two genuine world-class talents, and if none were available I would rather stick with what's on the books at the present than twist and buy some bloke who's had one or two good seasons and hope he becomes amazing.

All the players you've mentioned would have perhaps marginally improved what the current squad, or not improved it at all. I'm not convinced that even if Arsenal signed the whole lot their fortunes would be greatly improved.

Dybala is a world class talent imo, was exceptional whenever I watched him last season. So even if we couldn't get a world class striker in his prime, he would've been a good project buy. Carvalho imo is in the same boat and having him as insurance in case Coquelin was a one season wonder would be good too.

 

[duffer]

Protest going well

 

[cpr]

De Gea is an even bigger shambles. We were getting £27m plus arguably the best replacement possible. Now we'll get nothing, it's hard to see De Gea being anywhere near his best for the last year after the **** the clubs have contrived to put him through, and RM won't sell us Navas in the next window. It's a shambles. There's no point pretending otherwise.

I won't dispute the first part, but I'm unsure on this.

Firstly, we don't need £27m (its nice but...), we need a damn good keeper who can shore up the back whilst LVG doesn't sort out the strike. De Gea is that. Given that realistically 4th is once again our highest hope, he could make the difference between CL and Thursday Cup which will make up for the money lost in transfer fees

I do think he'll get his head together and perform though. Sure for the next few weeks he probably wont, as you're right, its been a ****fest for him. But he's also had all summer to adjust to this situation - He's known he's got a year left on his contract, and that Utd don't want to sell him and will let him run it down. He hasn't handed in a transfer request, gone public about desires to move etc. That suggests to me he's accepting of the situation and willing to see out his contract. I expect he'll do that with the same professionalism he's shown. The support from the stands will certainly help on the pitch.

He's got a European Championship at the end of the year, he'll want to make sure he's definitely Spain's no 1 (though I cant think who'd replace him, he can't rest on his laurels), and to do that he needs to focus and keep on performing. I'm sure he'll get his head together, play well and look forward to next year when he knows for sure he's definitely going home.

 

[Uppercut]

I don't see what his professionalism has to do with anything. Nobody does their job as well as they possibly can when they're unhappy and I don't think De Gea is an exception. That doesn't mean I think he'll be terrible but I can't see him being as good as last season either.

 

[Cabinet96]

The way some of the fans speak of Wenger is so unedifying though. I mean, talking generally, I guess a lot of these people who give it large on twitter have grown up with Arsenal as a top 4 side or never known it any other way, always in the Champions League, etc. But who do you think made it that way?

I mean obviously there are ****heads like Piers Morgan who are just plain ungrateful.

Wenger obviously makes mistakes but the thought of Arsenal sacking him is beyond absurd. He goes when he chooses to if Arsenal have any shred of decency as a football club, which tbh I suspect they do.

Interestingly I've found the biggest Wenger out people to be much older, the type who come out with "we were a great side before Wenger. It's Arsenal FC not Arsene FC" stuff. The younger generation are much more supportive IMO, and all their football memories are basically down to Wenger.

I find it weird people get so up in arms over the transfer window though. That's definitely a bit of a young generation thing. It's more important than the actual football for so many people now. My peak Wenger scepticism came at the end of our highest spending window ever, because we were playing ****e football.

 

[Cabinet96]

I do think Arsenal were in a weird position this window though. They've got genuine quality throughout the squad. Ospina, Debuchy, Chambers, Gabriel, Gibbs, Arteta, Wilshere, Chamberlin, Rosicky, Walcott, Welbeck; Flamini and Campbell is pretty good backup set of players. Arsenal didn't need a striker who was better than Giroud for two months of the season , or even a slightly different option. We've got Walcott, Welbeck and Alexis for that. All the people complaining that we didn't buy Dzeko or Mandzukic are simply bored. Same with Jackson Martinez. Arsenal needed a forward who was a level up on Giroud, and couldn't get it. I think a good defence for them is to look at the other strikers that moved this window. Benteke for £32m. Martial for £36m. Arsenal had a budget of around £50m from my understanding, who would've they have been able to buy with that who is elite with that going rate? I'm struggling for names.

Definitely should've signed a midfielder though. Would've taken any of Illaremendi, Cabaye, Carvalho etc. I would've been content with that window.

 

[sledger]

I do think Arsenal were in a weird position this window though. They've got genuine quality throughout the squad. Ospina, Debuchy, Chambers, Gabriel, Gibbs, Arteta, Wilshere, Chamberlin, Rosicky, Walcott, Welbeck; Flamini and Campbell is pretty good backup set of players. Arsenal didn't need a striker who was better than Giroud for two months of the season , or even a slightly different option. We've got Walcott, Welbeck and Alexis for that. All the people complaining that we didn't buy Dzeko or Mandzukic are simply bored. Same with Jackson Martinez. Arsenal needed a forward who was a level up on Giroud, and couldn't get it. I think a good defence for them is to look at the other strikers that moved this window. Benteke for £32m. Martial for £36m. Arsenal had a budget of around £50m from my understanding, who would've they have been able to buy with that who is elite with that going rate? I'm struggling for names.

Yes, precisely.

 

[Furball]

Jackson Martinez, Dybala, William Carvalho, Wanyama, Schneiderlin? All could've offered us something extra, all were available and in our price range.

Wanyama is categorically not Arsenal class.

Martinez isn't an upgrade on Giroud either. You're in 'sign someone for the sake of signing someone' territory with a lot of those names.

 

[Furball]

I do think Arsenal were in a weird position this window though. They've got genuine quality throughout the squad. Ospina, Debuchy, Chambers, Gabriel, Gibbs, Arteta, Wilshere, Chamberlin, Rosicky, Walcott, Welbeck; Flamini and Campbell is pretty good backup set of players. Arsenal didn't need a striker who was better than Giroud for two months of the season , or even a slightly different option. We've got Walcott, Welbeck and Alexis for that. All the people complaining that we didn't buy Dzeko or Mandzukic are simply bored. Same with Jackson Martinez. Arsenal needed a forward who was a level up on Giroud, and couldn't get it. I think a good defence for them is to look at the other strikers that moved this window. Benteke for £32m. Martial for £36m. Arsenal had a budget of around £50m from my understanding, who would've they have been able to buy with that who is elite with that going rate? I'm struggling for names.

Definitely should've signed a midfielder though. Would've taken any of Illaremendi, Cabaye, Carvalho etc. I would've been content with that window.

Lewandowski according to his agent, although I reckon the asking price quoted was his agent not understanding how much money is in the English game.

 

[marc71178]

Weren't you just on yesterday? Must be the new Brentford

No, the game was moved to Monday night because the Ricoh was hosting a gamers festival all weekend, the joys of not owning your own ground...

 

[marc71178]

When was the last time they finished below a smaller or poorer club than themselves? They've performed above-average for 7 or 8 years in a row while turning a profit and occasionally breaking the top 4. You can pick out individual mistakes or PR blunders but results say they're doing reasonably well.

When you spend £100m you've got to be challenging for the title.

 

[Cabinet96]

Lewandowski according to his agent, although I reckon the asking price quoted was his agent not understanding how much money is in the English game.

Yeah agree with that. It certainly wouldn't have made any sense for Bayern to sell for that price, because they wouldn't have been able to have improve the squad by reinvesting it on someone else.

 

[Uppercut]

When you spend £100m you've got to be challenging for the title.

Isn't this a Brendan Rodgers quote?

 

[Cabinet96]

When you spend £100m you've got to be challenging for the title.

https://vine.co/v/ew0ad9iQKIU