As expected Arsene Wenger was heavily quizzed on his transfer strategy this morning as the media arrived at London Colney for the first press conference of the new season.
While shying away, as ever, from talking about specific names the boss accepted that his squad is short on numbers at the moment before making clear he’s still looking to sign two or three players.
“I don’t disagree that we are a bit light at the moment,” he said.
“There are 18 days to go until the end of the transfer market and we are of course looking to strengthen our squad. I don’t want to come out on any specific name because that would not be right. Usually in the press, you are well informed.
“Ideally you would want it to be quicker, but to finalise any transfer you need the agreement of three parties. You can see from our main rivals that it is not easy.
“At us, Chelsea, Machester United, it is difficult to find the quality players to strengthen the team and the squad who are available at the moment but there are a shortage of top, top, top players who are available.
With it being public knowledge that Arsenal are willing to nearly triple their record transfer fee he continued:
“It’s not a question of spending the money, it’s a question of finding the right players. As I told you, you are well informed, you certainly heard that we are not scared to spend money. But we want the right players.
“I am optimistic of course [of making signings] but it is very difficult for me to give you a number.
“We look more for quality than for numbers. The first request is to have the quality to play for Arsenal Football Club, after the number comes in. Yes, we would like two or three players if possible but we will not compromise on the quality of the players.”
Rather worryingly Wenger also touched on how the transfer market has become an increasingly difficult beast to shackle. Stopping just short of name-checking mega-rich Monaco, PSG and Manchester City he stated:
“The transfer market is a worry nowadays and it has always been basically. With every transfer market you could write a book, and a very interesting one. So it is a worry, I don’t deny that.
“It is maybe more difficult nowadays because there are more quality spenders on the market, especially in France. They have come on the market as well and bought at a very high level, so it is difficult.”
There’s nothing particularly new in any of the above. The boss is often more cagey when the cameras are rolling compared with the ‘intimate’ chats with newspaper journalists which follow. We’ll wait to see if they’ve secured anything juicier when their embargoes end later this evening.
We can never have a normal summer can we 🙁
Unfortunately this is the new normal. Prepare for the annual end of summer transfer window lolly scramble!
Annual end of summer transfer window lolly scramble????????????? That is because no top top top quality Arsenal standard around Europe we will not compromise on the quality of the players at Arsenal. If you look around Europe you would never find top top top quality better than Giroud, Pod and Theo. This is the top top quality we are talking about Arsene??????? FFS Arsene, not only you are finished as a top manager, but also your BS is getting worse. you mean Tevez was not Arsenal standard for 10 million? You mean Paulinho for 16 million not Arsenal standard? Fellini… Read more »
finished as a top manager? really? and newsflash mate, not every good player in the world wants to sign for us, its a sad fact we have to live with, the man knows better than you do, let him get on with it
Mike, he isn’t saying that at all. All the players he has mentioned have gone/are possibly going to teams that (we would like to think) are inferior to us. He’s saying that someone like Paulinho would undoubtedly improve our squad, and would probably have chosen us over Spurs IF WE HAD BEEN IN THE MARKET FOR HIM. None of those players have gone to the Uniteds, the Citys, the Barcellonas, the Bayerns, yet they would have undoubtedly improve our squad. You do realise that if we drop points at home against Villa all hell is going to break loose?
errm no, sorry we cant say they would have some to us, and we cant say we weren’t in the market for him either, sorry bro but just because something isn’t in the rumor mill doesn’t mean it isn’t happening, unless you are willing to say you KNOW what is going on behind the scenes and aren’t relying on rumors then you cant possibly comment on whether or not we were in for him. It is exactly this kind of repetition of rumors over and over again or lack of rumors to such an extent that we forget what they… Read more »
While I share the frustrations of leaving things late, it’s more than just a case of rattling names off that we think would improve the squad. Wenger may well have, rightly or wrongly, decided some of the plausible targets you namechecked didn’t fit into the team. That’s entirely a legitimate reason. You could almost justify not pursuing Higuain further by the preference of a penetrative attacker, which Suarez is, over one that provides less of the direct runs, which Higuain certainly provides fewer off. I still would’ve loved Higuain with us though, mind. It certainly feels like Wenger has a… Read more »
you forgot Lewandowski who is still available
This reminds me of a few years ago when everyone was up in arms that we didn’t sign Melo or M’Villa or whatever player that would undoubtedly improve our squad. When the dust settled it turned out that these players probably weren’t significantly better than what we already had and would stand in the way of the talent (Ramsey, Wilshire, etc) that Wenger was trying to bring through. Maybe Gustavo and Paulinho are different beasts but it certainly sounds familiar.
Santos’s bum, Lewandowski is not available Dortmund won’t sell him now. Weeks ago yes especially anywhere overseas but now there season has started. They have a happy ship and selling him could ruin them.
We have a good team but only a small squad. I just can’t believe we have only signed one player as the season is starting. Man it’s depressing.
Mr Boner, the problem with young talent is takes time to bloom. Bad enough Napoli but Wolfsburg come on. Wow the new golf really is amazing.
Seems pretty normal to me by our standards!
Oh, too right, Nick. In fact, I’d say this is super normal. Only top, top normal. Indeed, we should shy away from using words like “abnormal” or “retarded” to describe our summer, since those words are exclusionary and pejorative. Nevertheless–and I know I risk the wrath of the more sensitive readers here–this is one half-eyed, wet-lipped behemoth of a summer, and it just keeps lumbering along beside us, unwanted and unloved.
My grave concern and utter disappointment with the dealings at the club this summer spring from the fact that this is the first time in donkeys years that the negativity and gloom surrounding Arsenal isn’t caused by forces we can’t really control, like key players wanting to leave. This was totally self-inflicted and entirely avoidable…..the management at the club have singularly created the needless gloom, negativity and even hostility from the loyal fans by not doing what THEY promised they’d do, which is sign top, top, top quality players quickly in the summer. Ivan bragged about it and shouted it… Read more »
Remember the days when we didn’t buy “top top players”, but just “good” players, and then, as a team, played better, by using appropriate tactics – the “whole being greater than the sum of the parts”, sort thing. For years now, I’ve thought that we are “less than the sum of our parts” – that the 11 on the pitch don’t seem to be a good as they should be from a whole team point of view. Which sort of fits in with many people’s comments that Arsene is tactically poor, and seems to need to buy the “top top… Read more »
‘Footie-Ninja’, what qualifies you to judge our ‘shockingly naive and amateurish approach to signings’? If, like most of us, you are just going on what is reported, then you have no idea what is really going on behind the scenes. I have my frustration with Wenger like everyone else, but it’s ridiculous to presume that there are easy solutions that our manager and club are just too stupid to see. I still respect Wenger (*ducks*), and I still think that with a couple of quality signings, and a a fit Wilshire, we are challengers. This ain’t over. In fact, the… Read more »
So are saying that our transfer dealings are going according to plan, given the fact that the season starts tomorrow and we have only recruited one low-profile, injury-prone player?
I hear you…the gist of my point is that this whole situation was wholly avoidable. I mean, why would Gazidis so publicly announce that we’ll have big signings and that we’d wrap up our summer business early, and yet the season is starting tomorrow with effectively no signings at all (no disrespect to Sanogo)?. Surely with the funds at our disposal, with effective negotiation and with a clearly defined recruitment game-plan, we’d have at least 1-2 signings by now at the very least? That, I think, is not an unreasonable expectation for a club of our stature and prestige. And… Read more »
@Jimmy Brain’s brain
I agree with your point of view, but I’d just have to say that “low-profile” should never be used as an argument against our transfer policy.
Let’s not give a shit about reputations when players come in, as it is almost entirely relevant.
Let Usmanov take over at least he’s willing to dip into his billions unlike cranky kroenke
Not disagreeing with you mate but wenger still wouldn’t fuckin spend it….!!
We haven’t spent 70m so WTF difference does it make?
Our book would be the most expensive book ever with an unbelievable amount of super super quality blank pages in it!!!
To have a normal summer, you need the agreement of three parties. At least, that’s what I learnt this summer.
Yo AFC, some of us have been saying this all summer. Wenger must have been reading Arseblog. In case you are reading this, Arsene, old fruit, we got shot of around eight underperforming squad players this summer. If you only buy one, two or three super quality players we are still down five, six or seven players from the squad. That means if we get a few injuries we could be playing a large chunk of our so-far-atrocious, who have been gangraped in every preseason game this summer, and who themselves are often supplemented by Academy players. We haven’t got… Read more »
…that would be our very disappointing U21 team I was referring to as our saviours if we get an injury crisis. It doesn’t sound like they’re up to it to me. Buy some fucking grown-ups Arsene.
Arsene Kows???? Haha. Not yet. Maybe later. He did get rid of the sheep this summer. “Kows” would be an upgrade.
You know what I really meant.
Taking this approach would lead to having more deadwood to clear out next year; then the next year. We may have to resign ourselves to that just for numbers, but as a policy surely we don’t just want to replace deadwood with future deadwood.
yep like a 7-0 mauling at the hands of luton and a thrashing by Colchester that’s our future U21s bring back the combination
@ Gutbukkit Deffrolla
Are you arguing with yourself? It looks that way in the posts. My god we’ve all been sent mad in this transfer window.
COYG
Although I agree that the U21s can’t make up for the lack of experienced squad players, you can’t tar all the U21s with the same brush. There are plenty of poor teams around with a few very good players but not playing as a team.
Fellow fans,
This is a problem of misunderstanding. Wenger hints at it above! “You are well-informed.” Apparently it is to be well-informed to know only of official company position statements made by the CEO. We can spend money!
Show’s over, jog on, keep calm AND BURN ALL THE NEWSPAPERS.
Let’s not give a fuck about this fucking summer of madness any more. It will soon be over (I will miss the sun). Forget the transfers, the injuries and all the other bullshit.
Tomorrow, football starts again, real football!
Here’s something to cheer you up ladies and lads.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvaS9DtIH0g
Love Parlours goal against the russians and absolutely love Ray himself. True Arsenal great!
Who’s with me on the ‘sick and tired of this crap’ list. Come tomorrow, I hope we win. Wenger I know you can’t help but reply the press and all that crap. But I really hope u could shut the hell up.
http://www.sincearsenallastwonatrophy.co.uk/
it hurts
http://www.haveyoueverseentottenhamwintheleague.com/
That should make it better
I don’t we would until wenger allow this team of ours test life without Europe or even in religation dats when the board would sit up. The infuse fight between the conservatives and progressive usmanof will kill arsenal one day.
I’ve a Ph.D. from Cambridge, and have no idea what this means.
WTF
I’ve read and re read a dozen times and ……..
…… I don’t what to say
WTF
I’ve read and re read a dozen times and ……..
…… I don’t know what to say
Please forgive him. He is suffering from Arsenalmylitis
Does anyone know if Walcott is fit to play tomorrow?
Arsenal’s transfer policy is like when you walk into a supermarket with £10 and you really want a magnum but you think the magnum which costs like £2 should really be worth what the calippo is worth at £1.50 although really you could buy like 4 whole magnums and still have £2 left over but there are only like 12 magnums left and some fat cunt comes in and buys them all whilst your negotiating and then you end up buying a pizza and sitting in front of TV watching mean girls because you missed the prison break rerun while… Read more »
I really fear for this season if we don’t make more signings,
we’re going to end up crippling players without any rotation and if that happens Wenger will deserve no sympathy at all
IMHO hw deserves none as it is. Him, Gazidis and Dick Law have failed, failed and failed again in the transfer market, selling players to rivals at knock down prices while bringing in substandard replacements. Despite Chamakh being free and Park only 3ish million they both seem incredibly expensive for their return.
We only just scrapped top four last year and everyone around has built on their squad. Spuds are in a better position then last year even if they do sell the chimp.
We have no one.
Don’t be such a grumpy git
Vermaelen, Monreal, Arteta are injured, as well as many others only half-fit like Walcott, Ramsey, Cazorla!! 😀 😀 😀 We have 15 players fit, so happy!!
We were promised great signings this summer with the debt from the stadium no longer dragging us down. Yes!!! Sanogo!!! 😀 😀
We also pay the highest ticket prices in the league!! 😀 😀 Yeeeeeeeeeeeess
So fucking happy right now, this club is doing an amazing job :)))))))
Does Gazidis have anything to do with buying or selling players? Genuine question.
My understanding is that him and Dick Laws form our negotiating team, it is also my understand they are fantastic at annoying other clubs.
He’s more in charge of commercial deals and contracts and is not in the same post that Dein was at all, however it looks like he is beginning to try to get involved with transfers, but that probably takes up 30 minutes a year
Our negotiation are done by A “DICK”!!!
If they were fantastic at annoying other clubs by poaching their best players I would have no problem with that at all, but I don’t think that’s how they’ve been doing it though. I think it comes more from talking like Billy Big Bollocks and trusting bitey racist’s agents tricks.
same old bollocks
Abraham Lincoln says
You can fool all the people some of the time;
And some of the people all the time;
But you cannot fool all the people all the time…
What annoys me most is I know there will be people at emirates with their “in Wenger we trust”s , sadly, seems Londonars are always fooled ones
Someone shot him. Dead.
Have some respect
Is Arseblog newshound advocating the Assisination of Arsene Wenger? Bloody hell things are bad.
john wilkes booth i believe
Someone shot him dead, with all due respect.
Proving that you can fool some of the people some of the time but it only takes one of them to get angry enough and you pay the price Big Time.
Optional Last Lines:
1) If Abe Lincoln feels I have disrespected him just tell him to come down to Sydney and I’ll stand him a beer.
2) I don’t deny that I have great respect for Abe Lincoln. Did you see the way he wrecked that steam train????
If we all had guns we would probably have had a lot more prime ministers.
Apparently Ivan Gazidis did that again this time and you can bank they will do the same season ticket renewal time next year
http://swissramble.blogspot.com/ – read this. We have money to spend but we don’t use it. Wenger is being fishy.
didnt you know..he is keeping it all for his villa in acapulco to pay the dealers and the hookers ..tony is there already with paul waiting….
So Arsenal aren’t run by lizard people after all. But by halibut.
Oh, that makes so much sense now you’ve said it.
And at ManU too … David Gill … Obvious … Why were we all so blind?
Valuation. Of course the issues aren’t that simple but if I could sum up our main problem with one word, it would be valuation. Certainly a bright future for the club, let’s just hang on to that thought for now.
It’s a shame that our business hasn’t been done sooner but there’s no way the transfer window will shut without additions to the squad. I think that once we have (hopefully) qualified for CL proper there will be a flurry of activity. I don’t think they’ll be any big name signings unfortunately but I still trust AW even if he doesn’t wear a magic hat any more.
I also like that he’s getting fussier. It’s not just about ‘top, top quality’ but now it’s about ‘top, top, top players’…whatever next? Top, top, tippety tip top additions?
another apologist.
The problem is we’ve moved on from hoping for top quality players to now just hoping for ‘additions’. Just getting bodies in isn’t acceptable, you end up with Park or Santos, we should be buying first team players and challenging our current players to force their way back into the side.
This is true, however last time we were in this position we ended up with Arteta and Mertesacker (and Benayoun – who def did a job for us) as well as the cuddly one and the non appearing one. In fact the last big name that AW signed was the Russian owly one, who didn’t exactly live up to the ‘big name’ and record transfer fee…one of his best signings recently was from Ligue 2 so let’s all just take a moment…have a little word with ourselves (say a little prayer) and relax…
Sorry but arsenal cant attract top,top,top players anymore.
If you throw enough money at a top player, they will come. But you can’t low ball them, then expect to wait them out. Another club will come in a pay the necessary price.
Yep, and he who throws the most money gets the top player. We ain’t he. Your theory omits little details like where your team plays, what they are competing for, what they have a serious chance of winning, whether the player has worked for the manager before, whether famous players are already at the club, how the country taxes high earners, what the place is like to live and eat in, what the pubs and clubs are like, what the women are like, what the age of consent is, etc etc etc. (Luis Suarez wants CL football. Money is secondary… Read more »
Too little. Too late.
What a balls up.
Come on, it’s hardly too late already. Later than we would have liked, yes, but there’s still two weeks of the window left and the season is yet to start. Let’s not be doom and gloom before the season’s already begun, our boys will do a job until reinforcements arrive. Deadline day is usually when a lot of business happens but hopefully we’ll bring in what we need before then.
Other than trolly dash few seasons ago, Arsenal did not sign any player closer to the end of summer transfer window for a long long long time
Times change. Look, I can see as well as the next man that our squad is too thin, that the summer has been depressing and disappointing beyond belief, that this late-buy thing is very risky, all of that, but I don’t want us to go into this season on a massive downer, writing ourselves off before we’ve even kicked a ball. That’s just crap. As annoying as it is, it’s disingenuous to say it’s too late, or imply that our season is already ruined before it’s started. Believe it or not, we have very good players at the club already,… Read more »
We made that heroic struggle to secure a qaulifying place at the end of last campaign only to unnecessarily leave ourselves short for the play-off? Can’t make sense of it.
It’s fucked up, I know. I suppose I just can’t not give our club the benefit of the doubt, and I can’t not back us to pull through whatever shitstorm we manage to get ourselves into. Really, really hoping Arsene proves me right on this one, otherwise we’re in serious trouble.
I respect your loyal sentiment, and we may yet get away with it. It’s just that I cannot see a reasonable justification for leaving ourselves so dangerously exposed.
Still nothing, too late.*
Same old same old…
Hate to say it, but “2 or 3” signings will NOT be enough. When you consider that our squad last season was weak enough after a few injuries – with the players who filled those gaps (i.e Gervinho, Arshavin, le coq, etc.) have now left the club. The amount of departures we have had necessitates the signing of at least 5 players in my opinion. I don’t mean 5 world class players that Wenger believes will be the only players that can improve Arsenal (probably 2 of those would be a success)- we need some solid squad players who can… Read more »
i would rather we buy 2 or 3 top quality players this window, rather than extra numbers of more squad filler which we may then be stuck with for years
with this summers war chest and then another big influx from the new deals next summer we have to start buying players from top tier, 1 or 2 a window
obviously though we’ve bought fuck all so far
I agree with you Bee, I’m happy to be patient if we are moving in the right direction, a couple of great players each year would keep me happy.
I wonder if the club and Arsene realise the divisions they have created in the fan base?
I don’t think Wenger has a clue about fans opinion and if he did he wouldn’t care anyway
Quite right too Daft Aider. If Wenger gave a shit about fan opinions he would definitely buy Suarez, and he would deifinitely not buy Suarez.
Wenger can’t win. He could have gone out and purchased loads of ‘cannon fodder’ players and still not really improved the team but why would we do this when we spent the summer clearing them out!!
I’ll judge at the end of the transfer window however in saying he is after ” top, top, top players” I’ll be disappointed if the three signings are not Cesc, Messi and C.Ronaldo.
We are clearly active in the market, but for the wrong reasons, clearing out players and nothing coming in. Does Arsene define being active as trying to sign players but none of them coming off? If so then we are the most active team in the window. I’m really struggling to understand what is going on at the moment, at this stage it could well be a supermarket sweep job on deadline day, someone should be held accountable for not using the resources available, we have a pile of cash at hand which is unheard of these days and still… Read more »
Think about the wages we have saved and made available for new signings. This means transfer funds remain transfer funds. Squid, Djourou, Santos wages equals wages for ttt defender. Denilson, Arshavin, Gerv …….. ttt midfielder. Chamalacaalach ……. Well, his 60k will come in handy. If only we could add 52k to that. None of the players who have left worry me, although Gervinho is a decent option off the bench. However, if that allows us to bid £48,000,001 for gnasher, fantastic. We cannot give in to comical demands because we have money. It took a lot of sacrifice to get… Read more »
Forgot to say…
Let’s smash those villains. COYG
What a disgusting state of affairs. We could be fielding the youngest ever premier league bench tomorrow, while we sit on 100m. Total negligence and mismanagement. How arrogant of our all-knowing manager to cite the activity of United – like he thinks we are anywhere near their level at the moment. Wake up Arsene, Firstly: they pissed the league last year, Secondly: why should their activity have any bearing on what we do anyway? This is the only time fans can vent as during the season frustrations get met with cries of “Get behind the team & manager…there is nothing… Read more »
“Firstly: they pissed the league last year…”
You forgot “on the play of a striker YOU sold them.”
Why does Wenger continue comparing Man U transfer summer to ours? One team barely finished fourth and needed a win on the last day to seal it, while the other steamed to the title at a canter. It doesn’t take a genius to realise which team desperately needs to strengthen and which can afford the luxury of not. In my personal opinion Wenger continues to apply his strict valuation of players because he is afraid of getting it wrong, afraid the player will fail him. It’s all well and good writing off Gervinho for £10-12 mil but not so easily… Read more »
There is a significant difference – Man Utd’s team is getting old. Ferdinand, Vidic, Giggs, Evra and Carrick are all past 32, and Rooney might as well be 40 given his current physical state. They do need new players pretty soon, and I’m surprised they haven’t got them to offset the Ferguson hangover. The main difference between them and us is not in their squad, but in the confidence (/arrogance) that success breeds. Also van Persie…
This is getting very tired the same reasons every year and more clubs with big purses to spend,
our squad is weaker then last year our rivals are strengthening, we need to add players in many positions, come on Arsenal sign some bloody players
I wait for the day when he says top, top , top so much that he just gets stuck on repeat like a scratched CD.
I have faith, but I’m more than a little worried. Of course, a win on Saturday and I’ll be fine.
He think we are stupid. How can he bring up United in comparison? They won the League. Why didn’t he mention Spurs and City? Anyways, why even compare ourselves to others – we need players regardless of other teams. Wenger’s explanations assume he is belittling us and our understanding of football.
He is using them as an example of how difficult it is to sign quality players – Man Utd would be the perfect example as despite being clear champions and one of the biggest clubs in the world they are also struggling to sign players. So the fact that we were 4th and they were champions only enhances his point. I don’t think he was commenting on how mush each team needs signings just the difficult in the market. The problem i have is that its never made clear who is responsible for signings, deciding fees / salaries. We all… Read more »
Man talks perfect sense. Gets thumbed down for not agreeing that Wenger is, was, and always will be an utter waste of space who is unfit to sit at table with the likes of approximately a third of all Arsenal fans (based on the thumbs so far).
This is what vitriol is all about. 100% anti-Wenger and anti-anybody who dares to defend him even when it is a qualified defence.
Aren’t we supposed to hate Spurs? I’ve never seen a bad thing said on here about their current manager.
wenger is playing with the fans heart arsenal need strong defensive midfielder gustavo will have been good.
What about Willian, is it true we wouldn’t match Bayern’s valuation of Gustavo by €3 million. There’s more than Arsene to blame for all this, but he needs to be held responsible more than most.
I thought most deals would have been wrapped up before the window opened. I remember being nervous July 1st when we signed no one, here we are 46 days later, one day before our first game and still nothing. The shit may hit the fan, or in this case fans quickly.
Say. Something. Else.
The same shit…different day.
I like the 18 EPL players we have. There are no real stars but they are steady and reliable. Three more top signings make 21 and a third keeper for cover makes 22 and Sanogo makes 23. I doubt that any of the youth team are really up to ECL or EPL but may get time in the Capital and FA cups but we shall see. I think with so much focus on Utd, Citeh and Chelski and with our very soft draw Arsenal can just get on with our own programme and steal the EPL from under the noses… Read more »
If we had a “real star” it might encourage other “real stars” to join the club, but at the end of the day, the main factor is MONEY. If a player is offered enough, he will agree terms, regardless of whether we are in/out of the CL or any other factors.
Anyone else think Micah Richards would be a good signing? Yes injury prone however he’s only 25 so he would have quite a few season ahead of him. He is strong and good in the air, complementing kos and per aswell as keeping pace at the back. He is also versatile and can play CB and with arsenals constant shortage of Central defenders would be a bonus.
As much as i love arsenal ,wenger needs to go .we need a manager to come in and boost the team .we need a new face to shake the team up.wenger has become to relaxed and it seems as every season is treated the same .We’ve become a team that has to fight for 4th place and its getting to a stage where enough is enough .
I love arsenal too, but I honestly can’t think of a jobless football manager who’d be any better than arsene at the moment. The only jobless one that comes to mind is di matteo, and with all due respect, fuck that. Jupp heynckes is great, but too old really. It’s all very well saying he should go, but finding someone better to replace him would be a serious task. For my money, the managers that have moved around this season (pelligrini, moyes, martinez, hughes, ancelotti, mourihno) are either not as good as wenger, or totally wouldn’t suit our club. The… Read more »
Jurgen Klopp please!
Yeah, but what the fuck. Who cares. Sack him after our first loss or draw of the season and then we can start looking for a new manager. no problem. What could possibly go wrong?
Who doesn’t want Jurgen Klopp charismatic charming and does an outstanding job with youngsters.
Wenger will never quit being a wanker. A more serious minded would have at least sign one quality player among the bunch we were connected to this summer. Honestly am beginning to replace the love I have for Wenger with hate.
If you are allowing your love for Wenger to be replaced by hate, then you sir or madam, are a drama queen.
The transfer market is only as difficult as you want to make it for yourself. I’ve heard all of this nonsense from Wenger before. A few years back our lack of transfer activity was Man Ud’s fault, then Chelsea’s, then City’s, now it’s Monaco and PSG’s fault, complete nonsense. It’s no-ones fault but Arsene’s and the board who allow him to do whatever he wants. Those clubs didn’t put Diaby on 50K a week, buy Chamakah, Squillaci, Santos, Denilson, Vela, Gervinho etc WENGER did. He’s had money for at least two seasons and he’s p1ssed it up against a tree.… Read more »
“Please tell me that none of Spurs or City’s signing’s this summer are not ‘top’ players and wouldn’t walk straight into our team.” Some of City’s would but that’s a moot point as its unlikely we would’ve competed with City. Even then I’d say only Navas would ‘walk’ in. Spurs signings? Not so sure – which ones would ‘walk into our team’? Not convinced Soldado is much better than Giroud and cost well over double. Who would Paulinho Chadli or Capoue replace? I think these players would improve our squad not sure the would walk straight into our team though.… Read more »
I think Capoue, Paulinho and Soldado would walk into our team and are better than Arteta Ramsey and Giroud. Granted I’m basing this on what I saw of Capoue & Soldado on ESPN/SKY last season and Paulinho at Confederations Cup but they just look much better than what we have. It will be interesting to see how they adapt to English football and obviously the derby on 1 September. I would also disagree with what you say on City’s signing’s, I think in this window and previous ones that players like Jovetic and Navas could have been signed if Wenger… Read more »
Ok I think there could be an argument about certain players but the term ‘walk straight in’ suggests a player who is much much better and I’m not sure these are than what we’ve got.
I’d have welcomed any of them and as i say we need more players but i’ll still dispute they are much better. – Hardly the star signings we were hoping for but better than our business this summer to date admittedly.
Well, don’t we all look foolish now as compared to the start of the summer?
People have such short memories. 1 We haven’t sold our best players this year!! I am excited. 2 we have shipped out a lot if dead wood! (Thank god we’ve still got bendtner. He’ll probably get a statue after bergkamp) lol 3 you know we will buy a couple of players. It won’t be Suarez and Rooney. It will be a couple of guys who we have t heard of, everyone will kick off because we haven’t remortgaged the stadium to buy one player. But after a short while we will realise that wenger has done the best business in… Read more »
utter guff.
That’s fine if you want to scrape in to the top four. But you play to win the game. We were supposed to turn the corner and challenge for the title. No need to remortgage, we have money. Isn’t that why they were banging the drum of “we can sign Rooney?” Signing a couple squad players to cover for injuries is necessary just to keep the status quo. Hopefully they make me eat humble pie, but sadly I don’t see it happening.
We “could” sign Rooney, but only if he was for sale, he wanted to sign for us, his agent wanted him to sign for us, we wanted him to sign for us, Manchester United wanted him to sign for us, and only if his wife was happy to up sticks and move to London, and then we could have all sat down and discussed how much money they all wanted from us for the fat little cunt. That is how transfers work. It’s not point-and-click.
Wenger will get suarez he is very confident without naming the player in this interview he obviously knows things we don’t know about the situation. When he gets him all of you haters will be sucking wengers wrinkly one. Then it will be wenger knows best blah blah. The guy is actually saying he dont want to buy crap players for the sake of it why don’t you fools get that? He’s got time and money so let the friken guy do his business jeez guys afc fans are way too hormonal these days.
What a load of shit Wenger talks. Top, top quality. He’s been saying this crap for 5 years, is Gervinho top top quality? Santos? Park? Giroud? Monreal? Podolski? Chamberlain? Jenkinson? Squillaci? Chamakh? Miyaichi? You can’t believe a word this bastard says anymore. The whole set up is obviously a complete joke. Crap scouting, shitty negotiators, and a clueless bungling idiot making the final call. What Gazidis does is a complete mystery, while that wanker Kroenke doesn’t seem to give a toss either way. The supporters are just as bad, propping up this lame regime; making feeble excuses for the inexcusable.… Read more »
Spoken like a true Spurs fan. Vitriol and hate. Well done.
Gooner4life,
Absolute incompetence management………….to let your squad get that light!! as a manager you SHOULD equate for this!!
The AFC we trust fans you are as clueless!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The ONLY saving grace is that they secure suarez or MORE importantly plan b in place, also top class midfielder and center back………………………..by end of transfer window I predict maybe one player French under21 div 2 midfielder……………………then all the smokescreen oh transfer market tough, top players not available………..even WENGER said that a lot of late transfers do not happen as selling club cannot get a replacement Doh OBVIOUS!!!
The first person we should sign is David Dein, or someone similar, who can actually make a signing. I don’t know if we even bid anything for Gustavo, as the whole thing makes no sense if we did, but the whole Higuain thing should’ve been wrapped up before Napoli even got any money, this has happened time and time again – Mata being the most obvious example, where we’ve quibbled over a couple of million for so long, that other clubs have come in. Arsene Wenger is obviously aware of this as he is berating the big money clubs. If… Read more »
In recent weeks we’ve heard Wenger make the comparison to Chelsea and Man United a couple of times, but where does this even come from? Chelsea have brought in a permanent manager, signed Schurrle, de Bruyne, van Ginkel and Schwarzer. So they’ve certainly strengthened their squad (probably more in terms of depth than first team, but still). Man United admittedly haven’t signed anyone, but they won the sodding league last year. We finished 4th, got knocked out of cups to lower league teams, and yet we’re still twiddling our thumbs. God forbid we don’t win on Saturday because the atmosphere… Read more »
You added the extra ‘top’ right?
The transfer market is worrying…..really? It shouldn’t be, I dare say it should be exciting. Especially when that wallet you are sitting is stuffed with 80+ million pounds. That type of mentality from Wenger is the exactly the reason why we are where we are on August 16th. Until and unless that changes, then I am not sure any of the rest of it will change. I get he was asked the question so an answer was forthcoming, however, I am not sure any of us at this stage want to hear about how we are a bit light in… Read more »
It was only 70+ million last week. I’m glad we’re making a good weekly rate of interest on it.
Kondogbia. Go. Get. Him.
Uchida. Go .Get. Him.
Michu. Go. Get. Him.
Suarez. Go. Get. Him.
Sorted.
He will sign at least 3 players. There is simply no way we will end this window without reinforcements. But guys like Capoue, Gustavo, Higuain have all been passed up by Wenger, Gonalons signed a new deal. I have no idea who the hell else our targets are. Still hoping Arsene has a few tricks up his sleeve. I simply cannot fathom why a person as intelligent as him wouldn’t sign anyone. Maybe we have been holding our cards til the last minute. That’s what I hope will happen. If Wenger truly had no real plan or if we end… Read more »
fed up with hearing the “wait till the end of the window/after 10 games/opening of the window/end of the season” mantra. plus i have no idea where the apologists get this blind faith in wenger “still having a couple of tricks up his sleeve yet”. there has been no evidence of this since the day patrick vieira packed his bags and cleared his locker. it’s just an endless cycle of bullshit.
Gustavo for 20 million euros?…. he’s a 6’2″ Brazilian international who managed to make the Bayern Munich team for 64 games for the past 2 years… that’s Bayern Munich who won everything last year….
How is this not top top quality?
Guy basically threw himself at our doorstep and yet we get trumped by Wolfburg who set the Budesliga on fire last year, coming 11th or something…
I grant its a complicated business… and perhaps prices are inflated… but fck, every other club seems to get in players …
Sky Sports News @SkySportsNews
Sky sources: Luis Suarez has made an apology for his conduct #SSN
Sky Sports News @SkySportsNews
Sky sources: Luis Suarez trains with Liverpool first-team squad #SSN
Hal,
I so HOPE you are right………………….I have arranged to put money up for charity for I may have to eat my words with wenger if he buys what we need three WC players proven or young WC like a goetze!
WC
Is that “world class” or “toilet”??
“there are a shortage of top, top, top players who are available.”
HHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA
FUCK.ME
Dear arsenal fans, it is no worry that wenger is a real idiot and a fool.If he things money is every thing to go by then their is no need for fans to wast their money on ticket buying.why should one wast million pounds in a year only to be frustrated at the end of the season.After all the club existed before he was even born,let him quit and leave us in peace other than deceiving people every second and every year for ten solid years without a fruit .SAME ON YOU THE SO CALLED ARSENE WENGER – BOGUS
“Same old Arsene…. Always stingy…”
I think I read this, a year ago.
same Arsenal always make life hard for ourselves,,,,17 days more
Am not happy reading this because am tired of this same news and cock and bull story of our dear manager. i find it very hard to believe that Arsene is yet to see any top quality in those players he tabled bids for. He is here telling us its not about money but he chickened out when he was told to pay the right price for Higuain, Gustavo, Williams and others. Is he trying to tell us that he discovered they are not quality players midway into the deals. My dear Arsene i have been heavily criticized by friends… Read more »
It’s sad that we can sell our players with a single phone call, but we can’t buy a player in 2 months
This is completely an utter joke. I said here earlier this summer that Wenger and Gazidis couldn’t wheel a tire down a fucking hill and surprise surprise I was fucking right. The excuses I hear for and from Wenger and this ridiculous summer just make me laugh. “Don’t worry we will buy after we qualify for the champions league” hahaha get fucked. How are we going to win a champions league tie when half the team is crocked and on the injury table. “We are only looking for top top top top top top top quality players. We are looking… Read more »
Does anyone have any names of any quality players that haven’t just signed for another club or signed a new deal with their current club?
I admit my football player knowledge isn’t great but I can’t think of anyone that fits the bill and is available.
Someone please give me hope that there are actual quality players out there still that our negotiating team (of incompetent twats) might be able to sign.
I can’t really think of any to be honest, except maybe Bernard who we were linked with. The other issue I have is that this looks like another summer were we show up at the bargain bin the last day and grab as much as we can, but to me that is really the icing on the cake for a pure shit summer. Arsene won’t spend 20 mil to get one quality proven player but he will spend 20 to get two or three who are dubious additions at best. How can you say on one hand you want top… Read more »
Not another fucking novelette on his rubbish summer. I’d rather read Theo’s kiddy shite
WENGER”we want quality and not quantity”And you missed HIQUIAN,NEVAS,NEGREDO AND GUSTAVO and went YAYA SON…(sorry i don’t even know what he is even called).
I’m sick and tired of AW being so contradictory. He’s saying we’ll almost certainly make 2 or 3 signings, wants quality over quantity but then there’s no one of quality to buy because the selling clubs wouldn’t have the chance to replace them. I think we all realise that what this actually means is that they’ve f****ed it all up again, left it too late, haven’t really got a strong enough squad to viably contend for anything and are going to need more than a last minute piece of luck to secure 4th come next May. The board and their… Read more »
“miserably incontinent”
They must be pissing themselves.
“Yes, we would like two or three players if possible but we will not compromise on the quality of the players.”
Does he mean he cant find players as bad as santos, park squillaci etc etc… My god does anyone still believe a word this old bufoon spouts!”!
So the problem used to be we didn’t have the money to compete. Now we have the money but the market has become too difficult. How convenient.
The comments about only signing players who have the top, top, top quality to play for AFC show a staggering lack of self-awareness of his own transfer dealings in the past few years.