*Official* English Football Season 2014-15

[sledger]

Maybe. Depends what you want to believe about him.

I wouldn't read too much into pre-season games normally but it was so enormously different from Moyes's start that it's hard not to feel optimistic about it. Van Gaal said in a press conference that they need results like this because otherwise the players will lose faith in the system he's trying to implement and I think that's true.

I suspect the truth is somewhere in the middle tbh. I have no trouble believing that Herrera is a good player, but one feels that a player of high quality will appear to be of an even higher quality against opposition that isn't exactly tip top.

But yeah, what Van Gaal has said makes a lot of sense tbf.

 

[Jarquis]

Callum Chambers to Arsenal apparently. Love it.

 

[Pothas]

How awful must it be to be a Southampton fan this summer.

 

[sledger]

I guess that's the writing on the wall for Carl Jenkinson then.

But yeah, terrible window for Southampton.

 

[Cabinet96]

Weird, signing a young RB kind of goes against the logic of purchasing Debucy instead of Aurier. Should keep Jenkinson if possible though. Sort of guy who would probably be happy to be back up for the next ten years, which is kind of an underrated asset when it comes to how valuable a player is (see Danny Welbeck).

 

[Cabinet96]

As for Southampton, Schneiderlin is still pretty heavily wanted...

 

[Jarquis]

Debuchy is 29 and likely to be on a 3 year deal. Chambers is an ex England U-19 CM, is a phenomenal talent and potentially versatile. In terms of potential backup with an eye on the future Chambers > Jenkinson and Aurier

 

[Jarquis]

Obviously it's not an ideal window for Southampton but they've gone about it in all the right ways. Signed replacements early and players with the right sort of profile - though there's the obvious question of how they'll adapt to the PL (a big question tbf) but I like what they've done thus far.

 

[sledger]

Weird, signing a young RB kind of goes against the logic of purchasing Debucy instead of Aurier. Should keep Jenkinson if possible though. Sort of guy who would probably be happy to be back up for the next ten years, which is kind of an underrated asset when it comes to how valuable a player is (see Danny Welbeck).

Not necessarily, Debuchy is a relatively low-risk transfer in a sense. He didn't cost the earth, is a seasoned pro with Prem experience, and if he's a total flop he'll be shipped back over to France for a reasonable fee. He should hopefully be a good mentor to Chambers, who I can only assume Wenger rates more highly than Aurier, and will of course count as a home grown player for quota purposes. I suppose the logic is that by the time Debuchy has had a decent mileage squeezed out of him, Chambers will be ready to be the regular starter.

That said, I've seen it suggested that apparently Wenger's had the idea of trying Chambers and Jenkinson out as centre backs. Not sure I'd feel particularly optimistic about that idea.

 

[Pothas]

Obviously it's not an ideal window for Southampton but they've gone about it in all the right ways. Signed replacements early and players with the right sort of profile - though there's the obvious question of how they'll adapt to the PL (a big question tbf) but I like what they've done thus far.

Yeah I don't think you can fault what they have done, it just sucks as a fan to see your team dismantled, especially when so many of them have come through the system.

 

[Pothas]

Debuchy is 29 and likely to be on a 3 year deal. Chambers is an ex England U-19 CM, is a phenomenal talent and potentially versatile. In terms of potential backup with an eye on the future Chambers > Jenkinson and Aurier

Aurier would have been the first choice instead of Debuchy surely?

 

[Cabinet96]

Not necessarily, Debuchy is a relatively low-risk transfer in a sense. He didn't cost the earth, is a seasoned pro with Prem experience, and if he's a total flop he'll be shipped back over to France for a reasonable fee. He should hopefully be a good mentor to Chambers, who I can only assume Wenger rates more highly than Aurier, and will of course count as a home grown player for quota purposes. I suppose the logic is that by the time Debuchy has had a decent mileage squeezed out of him, Chambers will be ready to be the regular starter.

That said, I've seen it suggested that apparently Wenger's had the idea of trying Chambers and Jenkinson out as centre backs. Not sure I'm feel particularly optimistic about that idea.

This would make sense as we still haven't signed the young CB we need...

I'd rather they broke the bank for Martinez at DM and backup CB than converting a pair of RB's though...

 

[Jarquis]

Aurier would have been the first choice instead of Debuchy surely?

I don't think he was tbf.

I made the point about Chambers' versatility.Truth of the matter is he's 3 years younger and already a better player than Jenkinson; whose main stengths are crossing and stamina - neither of which are important for a CB - and main weaknesses are positioning and general defensive ability.

 

[Cabinet96]

Wasn't it a straight choice of either Aurier or Debuchy, rather than potentially signing one as backup? Weirdly enough Aurier has gone to PSG, who were most heavily linked with Debuchy until Arsenal swept in.

 

[Pothas]

Yeah that it is what I was getting at, and at 21 I thought Aurier would have been the better option. I know it is dangerous judging on the World Cup but he looked good and had a good reputation going into it.

 

[Tangles]

The first part of this sentence may go some way to explaining the latter part, tbh.

True but it's a much more energizing and promising signing than Fellaini who wouldn't look that good in under 12s. Except that he'd still be tall and be able to head. Much like his only attribute in the PL.

 

[Jarquis]

Yeah, Aurier would have been signed to play had we bought him. He just obviously wasn't first choice ahead of Debuchy as it was us who pulled the plug on the deal.

Basically Aurier was a bit of a half way house, good player with potential. Debuchy is currently a better player, or so it seems Wenger believes, and Chambers has more potential

 

[Eds]

Interesting signing that. Supposedly Chambers has been a CM his whole life until this year so it might be a bit of a risk but he looks pretty good.

 

[sledger]

Signing one of the most highly-rated young players in the country isn't especially high risk so far as transfers go tbh.

 

[grecian]

I've picked some Fantasy Teams today, always the start of the season for me. I reckon I'll win all the Leagues this year, everywhere.

Exeter completed our odd tour of Brazil by scraping past Rio Cricket Club. What days to be alive.