Summer Transfer Window 2013/2014 aka Arsenal , we can afford folks and the mancs really want Fellani

Status
Not open for further replies.
Moses said:
He had a dodgy start/was under a ridiculous level of scrutiny, but such stats demonstrate he's performing well, no? That, mixed with the fact he's got a zillion caps for Germany, leads me to believe he's rather good. I can't say I've watched him religiously, though.
Click to expand...

I'm not saying he is a bad player but his pace does let him down. And if he gets caught with the ball he isnt able to get back to cover.

He has done well though this season.
 
@HangTime

We'll have to see about Vermaelen then, I remember his debut season being fantastic at both ends of the pitch, last season is a bit of a blur for me though, probably for the better! I was probably a bit strong saying he can go, maybe he deserves another season and a chance to build some form up. I never really thought of keeping him as a backup option, my main reasons for hating on him this season are his defensive frailties and then his belief that making stupid runs forward at stupid times will make up for those frailties.

For captaincy I'd rather Arteta get it on a permanent basis. :)
 
Well if he isn't going to be first choice then there has to be a different captain, long term Wilshere is the standout candidate (vs Barca he gave and absolute lion performance and was doing all the talking - more of a captain than Cesc) however I'm not 100% convinced on his temperament yet in terms of being a bit impetuous (red card vs MU being a classic example that you could see coming a mile off) but could mature with age.

Arteta would be the 'safe' choice but depending on what transfers get made you could make a case for his position being at risk too - in terms of ability/potential bearing in mind his age he is probably behind Cazorla and Wilshere so if Arsenal were to buy another CM would he still be guarenteed a starting berth?

As for Vermaelen's runs forward yes he does make a lot of reckless charges up the pitch but sometimes that is a good thing when Arsenal are losing in terms of it giving a bit of impetous and taking a risk to get things moving (which you will never ever see from steady eddie Mertersacker sitting back as a sweeper). He needs to rein himself in a bit when we are leading though.

Realistically to compete for Champions League places you need a minimum of 3 decent CBs, if we sold him we'd have to replace him and getting anyone better would be difficult without paying silly money. On the season just gone MU had Rio/Vidic/Jones/Evans/Smalling, MC had Kompany/Nastasic/Lescott/Richards/Toure, Chelsea had Terry/Ivanovic/Cahill/Luiz, Spurs had Vertonghen/Gallas/Caulker/Dawson/Kaboul etc. If Vermaelen left then Arsenal would be left with Djourou and Miquel as backup which is a bit of a liability. Not suggesting all the other names from other clubs are legends of the game but the point is I'd rather keep a decent player (albeit perhaps out of form hence got dropped in the first place) who can't get in the team rather than sell them and replace with a new player who may or may not be any better. One issue with Wenger's squad development in recent years has been a tendancy to bring in players to fill out the squad (Santos, Squilacci, Gervinho etc) rather than bringing in better players for the first XI and then 'demoting' players down to fill out those squad places. Essentially squad places should be filled by a mix of good players pushed out of the first team (assuming wages not too ridiculous), or developed youth prospects, not paying £6m+ fees and £60k/week for mediocre players just to pad things out.
 
Last edited:
Wilshere has to be the captain in the long term, but first he will have to prove his fitness. He has all the qualities of a captain but I'd rather we go with a virtual ever-present for now such as Arteta, plus Arteta does have bags of experience and seems to say all the right things in the post match and other interviews.

I guess with Vermaelen it probably is better that we keep him like you say, Djourou has made noise about staying in the Bundesliga on a permanent basis and outside of him we only have youth options. I wouldn't be against promoting Miquel to the first team and having him as one of our 4 CB's for next season.

At least then we can spend in the areas that need it, Wenger will have to buy a right back as I'm now assuming Sagna will be leaving, not exactly a bad thing when you consider his form over the past few seasons. I'd happily have Jenkinson as first choice and sign a more experienced player who would be willing to rotate with Jenks and maybe teach him a bit.

We've looked a bit toothless at times and while between them Podolski and Giroud have done well to make up the goals from the sale of RvP I can't help but feel we need another striker. If it were up to me I would sell Gervinho, buy a winger and play Podolski as a striker but Wenger seems to have decided to play Podolski predominantly as a left winger so I think we need another decent striker, I wouldn't mind Dzeko if City were willing to sell.

Not sure on some of the rumoured targets, outside of FIFA/FM I know nothing of Jovetic and judging from the figures being thrown around it wouldn't be a Wenger signing, much less a final year of contract Wenger signing.
 
The Running Man said:
See, now its 'mismanagement'. Because, presumably its okay to use this word now Fergie is no longer active manager?

When he was playing rooney on the wing, or Rafael in midfield, or jones in midfield, or smalling at RB it was just good old Fergie rotating his players. And it was me at fault because fergie has won everything.

I've watched Kagawa well enough, like I say, he is quite neat and tidy. Influential on a game as a whole? Not so much.

Last match, second half I think, the ball broke to him near the half way line. No one (as I recall) was marking him and he could have turned and ran right at their defence, but instead he just passed it back into trouble in towards our centrebacks. I so wanted to make a gif.
Click to expand...

I am sure I have said it before but I will say it again but you are aware that Utd's training regime is about players being trained in multiple positions with the exception of out and out strikers and goalies.

So Wellbeck can play on the left or the right, a striker, dropping off a number nine. Rooney can also do this. Chicarito can do this albeit less effectively. Kagawa can do it. Hang on Rafael gets injured or sent off so Tony V can do that bit on the right.

If your midfielder or winger gets sent off then one of the forwards can drop into the position without losing the shape that a rigid 4-4-2 restricts you to.

Amazing how a lot of the teams in Europe do this. Is there not a player at Madrid who bangs them in for fun and slotted into their system of fluid football from day one because he could play left/right/through the middle ? I guess thats lost on you though
 
Valencia goes right back because hes not the best winger around. Not to give him x training. We do it when we want to get someone good on the flank usually...Rooney is awful on either wing not sure why we'd even try that.
 
Tummy said:
If Stoke change the way they play football, they will face a long time of readjustment with new players and a new ideaology.

It's going to be a very interesting summer window and a very interesting season, I just wish it wasn't a World Cup season as they tend to be more low key.

On the plus, I can't wait to get over to Brasil for the World Cup :cool:.
Click to expand...

It all depends on who we bring in. I'm worried about Pulis leaving as he has done a great job. The football was so boring and dull though! I've said this season that if we were to get a young exciting manager in with potential and get relegated i'd be happier than watching that **** week in week out!

Pulis got to Christmas and decided "this is my last season". He then took his foot off the pedal, spent more time at home in Bournemouth and less time at the training ground. I think it is as much him walking as being fired.

If Benitez comes in (which he won't) that'll be a fantastic move by the board. However if it is Mark Hughes, what the hell are they thinking!

The new manager needs to use the academy players so expect Stoke to play with some younger players next year and invest in the academy. Whoever does come in will be given time, money and a sensible, ambitious board to work with!
 
jakeke said:
Koscielny is our best defender
Click to expand...

Yep he had a dodgy first season but that game against Barca in his first season showed me that this lad had some talent about him.

As for Mert?? hes ok but hes far too slow for my liking, hes got the height and has put in some sterling performances this season but im always thinking that hes bound to slip up.
 
Yas786 said:
As for Mert?? hes ok but hes far too slow for my liking, hes got the height and has put in some sterling performances this season but im always thinking that hes bound to slip up.
Click to expand...

Why though? As a pair they have been very solid:

http://www1.skysports.com/news/11673/8713769/

Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny are unbeaten in their last 17 starts together for Arsenal, winning 10 and drawing seven. They have conceded just four goals in their last 11 Premier League starts and not more than one goal in a game since November.
Click to expand...

Mertesacker didn't have a fantastic start, but he's improved and the pair of them seem to have a good understanding of how they both play. If Szczesny can cut some mistakes from his game then our defence will be pretty solid next season. If we can only concede 4 goals in 11 games and have unbeaten runs like we have done in the season just gone then that would point to improvements in Szczesny too. Plus we were second in the league on goals against which does give me a bit of optimism going into next season.
 
Black Dynamite said:
It all depends on who we bring in. I'm worried about Pulis leaving as he has done a great job. The football was so boring and dull though! I've said this season that if we were to get a young exciting manager in with potential and get relegated i'd be happier than watching that **** week in week out!

Pulis got to Christmas and decided "this is my last season". He then took his foot off the pedal, spent more time at home in Bournemouth and less time at the training ground. I think it is as much him walking as being fired.

If Benitez comes in (which he won't) that'll be a fantastic move by the board. However if it is Mark Hughes, what the hell are they thinking!

The new manager needs to use the academy players so expect Stoke to play with some younger players next year and invest in the academy. Whoever does come in will be given time, money and a sensible, ambitious board to work with!
Click to expand...

I don't think Stoke will attract a manager like Benitez, I found it actually quite interesting that Stoke fans being interviewed were talking about bringing in a top manager (Benitez was mentioned) and I just thought they must have been on something.

Stoke have an old squad, who play an ugly style of physical hoof ball and to change that would be huge as they would need a lot of staff and player changes, they would need the attitude and expectations of the fans to change.

I think Stoke don't really have many good players (I don't think it helps that Pulis the caveman plays players out of position) but I think the only players of any quality are Shawcross and Begovic and I would expect them to move Begovic on with the in coming goalkeeper.

Although it is interesting you mention Pulis walking as much as being pushed, why do you think that was? He's never had it so good and has over achieved at Stoke in my opinion.
 
K1LLSW1TCH said:
Why though? As a pair they have been very solid:

http://www1.skysports.com/news/11673/8713769/



Mertesacker didn't have a fantastic start, but he's improved and the pair of them seem to have a good understanding of how they both play. If Szczesny can cut some mistakes from his game then our defence will be pretty solid next season. If we can only concede 4 goals in 11 games and have unbeaten runs like we have done in the season just gone then that would point to improvements in Szczesny too. Plus we were second in the league on goals against which does give me a bit of optimism going into next season.
Click to expand...

This is the thing that confuses me that they are good partnership, like i said i like Mert but his pace is a liability or could be a liability but seems stats dont lie and his lack of pace hasnt affected our defense too bad. I know SSN put up some stats and in the league we had the second best defence regarding goals conceded, only City did better than us and that was a measly 3 goals in it.

Problem is this season it didnt look like we were that good defensively especially when we had a one goal lead ie the games against QPR and Fulham had me on edge..even the Newcastle game had me on edge but somehow we managed to weather those storms.

Id like to see Jenks get a starting place next season and Sagna needs to be offloaded and get someone else in who is better and can be a decent backup to Jenks, rumours are that PSG are after him and they are welcome to him. As this season he has been far too error prone for my liking, the game against Utd a few weeks ago...could have won that had Sagna not brought RVP down in the box to make up for his stupidity.

If we can get an RB like Monreal, who is a real talent imho then i think we are set in all honesty.
 
Gilly said:
Was that recently? Like, this morning?

I can't even find the newspiece I saw now :confused:
Click to expand...



Leo Messi says he does not know if Neymar will join Barcelona this summer, but he hopes the transfer does happen.



Barcelona remain confident of beating off strong competition to sign Neymar


The Santos attacker, 21, has long been linked with a move to the Catalan club, and talks with the players’ various owners are thought to be well advanced. On a promotional trip to Qatar this week, the Argentine told local TV channel Alkass that Neymar would bring something different to the Barca front line.

"Only the player knows if he will sign for the club or not, nobody else knows," Messi said. "For us he would be a marvellous addition. He is the type of player who offers individual solutions different from the rest. He is a great player, who is very good in one-on-ones with opponents."

Reports on both sides of the Atlantic suggest the move is close, but details remain to be ironed out. Brazilian paper O Globo have claimed Neymar has already signed personal terms with Barca, on a contract which begins after this summer’s Confederation Cup, which would mean his last game for Santos will be this weekend against Flamengo.

AS and Mundo Deportivo both say the deal is complicated as Neymar’s ‘rights’ are divided between Santos (55%) and investors DIS (40%) and Teisa (5%). Marca add the investors Sonda and the player’s own father to that list of ‘stakeholders’, and say Barca executive Raul Sanllehi and Santos representative Odilio Rodrigues met this week for further talks on a move.

"The conversations with Barca are continuing," Rodrigues said in Marca. "Neymar wants to leave and we are trying to achieve an agreement. If there is a good offer for Santos, and for the player, we will analyse it. We will receive offers from other European clubs."

This is seen as an attempt by Santos to try and start an auction, with Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City other possible bidders. Barca reportedly remain confident that their total offer of about €35 million [much less than his €65 million release clause] will eventually be accepted by all parties as, with Neymar's heart set on joining Messi at the Camp Nou, he would move for free in 12 months' time when his current deal with the Brazilian club ends.
Click to expand...



http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/1456500/messi-welcome-neymar-barca?cc=5739


Dont know if thats the story thats Newbie was talking about.
 
Burned_Alive said:
Seen it mentioned in the Telegraph today that it would appear a deal has been done for Begovic and he is quoted as saying he's looking forward to getting together with the Liverpool players on July 10.

Obviously this would mean Reina is either on the way or expected to leave.

EDIT: Bottom of this article:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...ker-keen-to-make-his-mark-with-Liverpool.html
Click to expand...

Toure, Papodopoulos & Begovic, good start to the STW..hope we have a few surprises in store though.
 
I'm not sure how legit the Begovic quotes are. None of the press over here have really committed to the story - a few mentioned him as a possible replacement for Reina should he go but at least 1 I read claimed he was far from first choice.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom