Arsene Wenger has again stressed that buying footballers isn’t as simple as going into a cheese shop and saying, “Some cheese, please!” and the man gives you the cheese and then you go home and eat the cheese – possibly in a toasted cheese sandwich which as we know is a truly great sandwich.
However, he says he’s in the market to do some January business and, thankfully, not for cheese but for a footballer.
“I would like to remind you that to buy football players is not to go into a supermarket and just say: ‘I want to buy a right-back or a centre-back,’ he said.
“It’s to find the right quality. If you go out tomorrow, you will see that everybody looks for the same positions everywhere. It’s not as simple as it looks.
“In January, it is even more difficult because players are even less available than in June or July. But we will try to be creative and have one or two good ideas.”
Speaking about potential recruits, he continued, “I always have lists that you readjust because you come in on Monday, someone has seen a player and you have to follow up, watch him again, then watch him again and someone else has to watch him
“Then when you come to a conclusion I have to watch him again. It takes time so that work never stops.”
But with a pressing need for a new defender, Wenger said, ” In January we will, of course, try to get at least one body in.”
Let’s hope it’s not the body of Laura Palmer, found wrapped in plastic on a beach, while suspicion falls on James Hurley and Bobby Briggs before we discover the awful truth and are subjected to the evil of BOB.
A central defender would be best. And if that doesn’t work, we recommend a nice Brie.
Gouda will do for me!
i’ve had enough of dutch cheese in our squad for a while.
Well, I was just talking about cheese…
Been a fan of this great club almost 30 years, and I am so sick and tired of this Wenger out nonsense by fans who have no clue what they’re talking about – and from what I’ve noticed who are the younger Internet troll nation. No offense to the younger fanbase- but it’s an common observation. If you think voicing an Out campaign is going to be worth your time like those orcs at Newcastle – who’re now eating their words like the cretinous pie devourers they are, then you’re seriously delusional. For a start the board aren’t going to… Read more »
I won’t speak for the Wenger Out faction but there are some of us who have observed the manager’s blind willingness to leave glaring holes in a squad that ultimately undermine the forward momentum of the club, resulting in the same scrap for fourth year after year. We would love for him to evolve tactically and financially so as to see his contract out in a blaze of glory but forgive us our realistic assertion that Wenger isn’t going to change this late in the game. We don’t pretend that the board will fire him or that he will retire… Read more »
Well put. It’s taken a lot for me to lose confidence in Wenger but I simply can’t see us progressing because he always leaves us short in an area and his tactics are so rigid. On the subject of age and wanting Wenger Out. I’ve always found that the ones that want him gone are stupid middle aged men and I would never want to associate myself with them no matter how I felt about the manager because I’ll always respect Arsene. I’m 23 and Arsene is all I’ve really known at Arsenal and to he honest I’m terrified of… Read more »
“blind willingness”, puhlease, show the me list of DMs that would have improved the squad and then which of those were available/affordable. And wanted to come to Arsenal. And didn’t want to go elsewhere. Who is that person that Wenger said no to? Because that is the only way you could say it was blind willingness. He bloody well knows he needs a defender, the point is who. Time and time again Wenger has bought poo to fill glaring holes (Park, Silvestre, Chamakh, remember how the fans were clamouring for him?) and then what…?
He’s been the manager for 18 years, there shouldn’t be any holes in the squad
James, please explain to me why a ‘Wenger out’ stance is (by you and others) automatically categorized as not being supportive of OUR club. I won’t spend much time on your comparison to Pardew at Newcastle, because that is a ridiculous assertion capable of being dismissed within a few words. Our acceptance of failure to progress has been going on since he was relegated as manager of Charlton Athletic!..Done Also, I have been following this club just as long as you have, but have yet to lose the desire for us to be THE leading force in English football. I… Read more »
Bang. On.
Oh Rdent – you’re a smart one aren’t you. Fact is you’re completely disregarding what’s gone on behind the scenes. Forgot we moved down the road to a new stadium did you ? While chelski Utd and man city all had sugar daddies and/or huge money to burn, Arsene had to orchestrate a squad on next to zero cash. All without the general public knowing. Let me ask you this since you seem to have all the answers smart one – who else is going to come in and all of a sudden send us straight to the top of… Read more »
Minimal January transfer activity is to get replacement for Flamini. If not done, Arsenal fans can start the Wenger out cry on 1st February. No new defence midfielder means we are not interested in the top 4 spot anymore.
I think we should add an Arteta replacement as well as it seems he’s more fragile than Diaby lateley. What happend to Diaby anyway? Wasn’t he fit?
No.
Minimal is to get a CB, that would free Chambers up to cover Areta/Flamini in midfield, whereas a DM would just free Chambers to sit on the bench while we play Kos/Mert into the ground.
@James B
So you are another Arsene FC supporter- if you are against Wenger and his policies you are against the club? That is bullshit I see spouted more often recently. We support Arsenal FC, not Arsene FC. By your logic we should just shut up and support, to give the impression we are satisfied, when we are NOT.
All supporters should support the team while they are playing, but have the freedom to express their views after, regardless of their age.
No, he said that if you’re against wenger and his policies AND you’re loud about it then then you’re not supporting the club (as opposed to ‘against’ the club). As the board will not sack AW (NO they won’t, no matter how loud you vocal few are) then you’re just not supporting the club. Do it in his last contract year if you must (in the vain hope that the club will take some notice of you and not offer him a new contract….. of course they won’t take notice but you few could try) but doing it this year… Read more »
Well some support the club, others support individual players and the manager and dont really care if the club progresses or not. This season is an all time low for Wenger with the worst league start in 34 years. To me none of our players are irreplaceable, infact if someone better is available im all for selling anyone on our team as long as the position is improved. But in todays digital world you get up close and personal with everyone on the team through YouTube videos, Facebook, Twitter, instagram etc. So fans today is much more attached to individuals… Read more »
Totally agree, these morons want him out and someone like Guardiola in his place. It’s nuts pep didn’t make that Barcelona squad or the Bayern Munich squad, he inherited 2 of the worlds best ever teams and plays in two of the most uncompetitive leagues in the world. Wenger has achieved More in the last 10 years relatively speaking than in any other manager in the world, sure I get upset when he doesn’t break the bank to get arturo Vidal or other players and yes I get annoyed when he doesn’t put Rosicky or Podolski on when we really… Read more »
I to have been a fan for 30 years and a massive Wenger fan, but you have to admit its getting boring seeing the same mistakes every week, and no effort to correct them. Einstein said “stupidity is doing the same thing over again and expecting different results” (or something similar anyway). I just think someone like klop should be given the chance, he’ll be available in the summer. Look what he has done in recent years with a small budget in a tough league.
That said I won’t be annoyed or disappointed if Wenger stays.
Well put Rob Just because people want change doesn’t mean they are personally anti Wenger the man. He has great skills in some areas but complete blind spots in others that mean there will be no change. Yes he had budget restrictions but then when they were lifted did he buy the players we needed or did he buy players in positions we had decent quality anyway? Did we sell those players he replaced or did we end up with a squad over inflated with similar players? With an over inflated squad in certain positions did he rotate or does… Read more »
I’d fancy seeing Audrey Horn in one of our skin tight kits.
Mighty fine coffee they got there at the Emirates.
And mighty fine cherry pie too.
“We are looking to add top, top quality”….a few weeks later “we working very hard”!
Why should the window be open for a month, if should just be for a week max! Torture!
Yeah it was so torturous when we signed Chambers, Debuchy, Ospina, SANCHEZ and all in the summer oh and Welbeck, yeah it was horrible
You were right till the point you said oh Welbeck, of course we needed him. However it was a torture watching TV being sold, with no defensive replacement bought.
Yeah even the Ozil purchase was a torture till it happened on the last day, last min of the transfer window!
Would you prefer we had held onto TV?
You understand that he’s been injured all this season and is out for another 5/6 months.
Yes we should have another CB but referring to TV in that statement is irrelevant.
At the time he was sold did we (fans) or Barca know that TV will not for play months?
Of course it was great business on the club’s part. However it was not fun watching us banking the money and not signing a replacement – there could be very good reasons for us not getting a replacement.
It was not fun then, its not now either!
I guess if he was signing some cheese to play for us, he could do a lot worse than Tony Edams.
Reveal the Ström
Loved his pen against Wigan. He just gives the cheekiest little smile before taking it.
BRIEhave yourself Wenger..
Am I the only one who seas the ghost in bottom left corner? Pls tell me I’m not seeing any signings….at least yet
“It’s to find the right quality”
yep, that’s why he needs to be sacked, so we can have that quality……..
Like Alexis perhaps….
The quality we need is in management
Long as we dont buy Swiss cheese. We have enough holes in the defence/midfield.
Please Wenger, make it a good start to the year for me, and buy a DM and a CB.
I know he reads Arseblog.
I look forward to our shiny new relatively unknown diminutive playmaking winger come January!
I’d like to see someone from the bundlesliga- big, strong, and a bit quicker than mertesacker (who has not shone in front of goal this season, so far) also a DM like magic matic- God knows Terry isn’t making Chelsea have a good defense.
It’s true. Mertesacker hasn’t even scored one goal! What a horrible striker he is.
Howedes, 26 years old, can play everywhere in defence and is captain of his team. But I doubt schalke will let him go though.
Wenger, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Every day, once a day, give yourself a present. Don’t plan it. Don’t wait for it. Just let it happen. It could be a new shirt at the men’s store, a catnap in your office chair, or two cups of good, hot black coffee.
No bullshit this time. This is a real opportunity for Wenger to strengthen this team properly. It’s such a good mix of players, and we see what happens when Arteta is out of the lineup. Bring in a younger more talented player to be groomed in that role, and it will allow others to flourish!!
I can’t think of another manager as allergic to transfers as Wenger.
Jan transfer window will be like every other incompetent one.
Now that’s the spirit!
I wonder has he tried shopping online. It’s all the rage these days.
I don’t understand why Wenger likes to be abused. It’s simple. Buy the players needed for Arsenal football club and no one would degrade you. We are all aware of Arsenal’s problems and have heard enough excuses from you. Is this going to happen every season? No sir, you will eventually leave if and only if you fail to get things together.
I think what he means is that he try to get someone one loan, preferably not cup-tied in champions league, like kim last season.
My ideal signing will be a Javier Martinez (bayern munchen). That’s my wet dream. But any cb will do
I too would love to sign a player that is in the middle of rehabbing a torn ACL.
Well, you gotta admit, it DOES sound like the sort of thing we’d do.
Go wash those bloody sheets
He’d fit right in, wouldn’t he? With his cruciate ACL
All I want for Chistmas is Hummels as a gooner.
Although, Reus would be nice too…
Am I the only one who sees a ghostly figure next to Arsene in that picture?
No. Not a ghost. Just a joke by the writers. He’s a character from twin peaks played by Michael J Anderson. Look him up
Thought I was on acid for a minute.
That gum you like is going to come back in style.
is that the injury ghost?
Can anyone see the creepy dude bottom left of the picture? That’s no sleep for me tonight then!
That’s Michael J. Anderson- the dwarf from “Twin Peaks”. Another twin peaks reference of this article…
Oh now that is creepy.
Thanks for making me scroll all the way back up.
What even the fuck is it?!!
If only Black Friday was in January – you’d see wenger slapping mourinho out of the way to get that cut price CB
If only the transfer window was just on Black Friday and fucking thing was over with in a day.
Yes, a whole month to strengthen your team is just horrible……….just bc wenger doesn’t like the Jan. window doesn’t mean his minions have to hate it too. I swear you guys have just been listening to his babble for 18 years now so you think it’s the holy word on football.
There isn’t 1 manager in the PL that likes the Jan window.
Its the same old debates every year, we always short players but do nothin about it, we are the nearly men but tell u what I love the craic this club gives us
We are short of one critical player. A cback. We are not short of players. We may have injuries galore but we also have a huge squad with plenty of depth built in. CF – Giroud, Welbeck, Sanogo RW – Campbell, Walcott, Gnabry LW – Podolski, Ox,, Alexis AM – Santi, Ozil, Rosicky CM – Jack, Ramsey, (Diaby/Coquelin) DM – Arteta, FLamini LB – Gibbs, Monreal RB – Debuchy, Bellerin CB – Per, (?????) CB – Koscielny, Chambers GK – Szsc, Ospina, Martinez That is plenty even given injuries and some questionable fringe players. The missing piece has caused us… Read more »
Overbloated squad. Dm position is filled with average players like arteta(who has admittedly been playing well lately) and flamini. Striking good, not great. It’s only our mid where i can say we have true depth in.
you shouldn’t be including ballerin in that list? if he’s our back-up RB why isn’t he playing? i’d love to hear wenger explain the reason behind letting jenkinson go on loan if he wasn’t prepared to play ballerin at RB.
Chambers was a RB for Southampton and came in as one for Arsenal, with Wenger seeing a LONG-TERM opportunity (if successful) for Chambers to play at CB and/or DM. Debuchy is not known as an injury prone player, but by the force of nature and powers that be – he happened to pick up a long term injury. As shown at the beginning of the season, Chambers played extraordinarily well at CB (for his age) and would have covered both CB and RB positions for expected week or few of injuries or suspensions in either position. However, no one could… Read more »
I agree that we need another CB but when you see the backline United brought to Emirates and almost ran out with a clean sheet, I sometimes wonder if it is just signings that we need. How about the mentality of those already there?
I still like him, but if Arteta is going to be injured on and off all season as he has been thus far then we are light at DM.
I think the key addition is at Cback. This will free Calum to push forward to understudy at DM which was a goal of Wenger’s. We need a defender who is good enough to rotate through meterscielny. Not just as a back up. Particularly with our main pair at 29/30, we can do with a player with sufficient experience but with good years ahead which suggest 23-25. A bit of height will also be important if metersecker should get a knock second half of season so 6’3 and over preferably. Hummels is yet to sign a contract extension (as is… Read more »
As regard DM, this is frankly not priority. It was not priority last summer. Arteta and Flamini are good enough to end of season. Come next summer, we will have to worry about replacing Arteta who is only going to suffer wear and tear. Podolski and Rosicky will also likely be gone. I can only see a DM come in if as mentioned above it is a versatile player of quality who can cover at Cback (No Capoue, Melo, Mvila, Wanyama, Gustavo, all proven to be limited) Or if a top quality player is available (say Khedira) for whatever reason… Read more »
Gustavo who can play as a right back is limited?? He’s better than arteta and flamini put together.
We were after Gustavo but he snubbed us to go to wolfsburg.
He won’t get another opportunity to join us.
I know that. But saying he’s limited is nonsense because he is clearly better than what we have at the moment.
Personally my dream signing would be javi martinez; but bayern would never sell him.
Schnederlin is good but not worth 27m. Knowing wenger. he’ll sign someone that can fill in as both a cb and dm.
Is Martinez back from his ACL injury yet?
If he is, it’s probably wise to give him a few months to find out if it’s effected him (many never recover properly).
If DM problem is not fixed in January I fear Alexis Sanches may get other ideas now that other clubs has seen his potential
Less like a supermarket, more like eBay. I presume he clicked ‘buy now’ when we signed Kallström.
2 positions: cb and dm. Anyone who thinks we don’t need a dm clearly isn’t interested in us winning anything this season.
Watch the games again and you will notice that both arteta and flamini have done a good job in forcing the opposition’s play wide but we have been weak in defending the wide areas.
A new DM would obviously be great but it isn’t necessary and is probably a position which will be tackled next year.
On the other hand a cb is a must
Buy any good dm n cb n make sure they r eligible for cl too. The league title is out of our reach long time ago, you never know about cl, every games will be like a final.
Edam well better get someone in. I mean halloumi old mucker, it’s obvious we’re short a player or two. Maybe a keeper in the mould of Peter Stilton, or Camembert Trautmanm? Or a mercurial striker like Gianfranco Gorgonzola? Either way he’s gouda brie big, he’s gouda brie strong and he’s gouda brie faster than light. With Wenger these days it feels like we’re so paneer and yet so far, but without investment we’re headed for a feta worse than death. With all the injuries we’re really caught between a roquefort and a hard place. So come on Wenger, you cheddar… Read more »
Well done sir! Finally some levity
Bravo!
Like he did with alexi sancheese?
some might say it was cheesy, I would say it was tasty
We just had the biggest cheese in the EPL land on our plates, fully matured overseas and begging to join us, and yet again we decided to sell him to one of our rivals, who he has put in an almost unassailable lead.
I’m sorry, but I don’t get it Mr Wenger, HOW can it get any more simple?
maybe when wenger said that cesc ended up where he wanted to be it’s the truth. maybe cesc didn’t want to come to arsenal. maybe cesc knew he wasn’t going to win any trophies under wenger. however, even if that’s the case you insert a right of first refusal for a reason. cesc should be playing for us and i’m positive that if wenger wasn’t managing he would be. in the past 3 years wenger has gifted the title to our rivals 2 times by not showing enough ambition in the transfer market. i wish he had some backbone like… Read more »
I’m pretty certain that Cesc knew he could never come back when he went on ‘strike’ to get the move to Barca. Far too much ‘history’.
Why is there an advert for a Manure top at the bottom of the article. Ruined it for me. Mancy cunts get everywhere
Gary Medel left Cardiff for 10 mil over the summer. That’s the sort of player we need – a defensive minded option in midfield who is equally good as a centerback. Anyway, I’m sure Wenger and co have some good players on their list. If Medel is 10m transfer just a year (?) into his contract then there has got to be someone else that can click those boxes.
Not another kallstromic player please
What I am hoping is that he doesn’t leave it until 23:59:59 on Jan 31st to bring someone in to save a couple of bob on wages. We need depth now which is why I have to wonder how other clubs can agree fees with clubs before the transfer window opens, but we can’t.
January is so flawed for signings for any club let alone the mighty gunners, so many complications,dont expect a big name coming in its time to try and pull the bunny out of the hat, any big named player will be over priced, and wenger wont pay over the odds no matter how desperate we are for a player in any position, they may be cup tied etc etc and would expect to be playing every week. for years we have been always 2 players short of a really strong squad, now we have the money nothing has changed in… Read more »
Some pace, aggression, height and athletisism in the middle of the park would be nice, Schniderlin and Pogba might cost £100 mill between them in Jan, but this is what any normal manager would do with our resources
Hes quite funny lad isnt he? Nothing will change under him thats one funniest thing yet.
only me who want NIGEL DEJONG? very cheap also
Yes it probably is ‘only you’.
For all this talk of defenders and defensive midfielders (which would be nice), I still think a world class striker should be top of the list. No team wins the league with average or pretty good strikers, but teams (utd especially) have won leagues with top strikers but not a world class defense/midfield
Gerard Pique?
Buy BOB. He would be a nightmare for the defenders.
Reid from West Ham is the best bet for a January defensive signing, Will be cheap due to his contract length is already a proven quality Prem CB and would be a great player as back-up to both Kos and Per and is good enough to allow those to rest occasionally. No adjustment time either.
I think the ‘supermarket’ statement is a little contradictory. Igor Stepanovs was definitely purchased from Poundstretcher.
I hope we get some oak-aged cheddar to cover the centre backs.
Schneiderlin really wants CL so you never know.
Can Kim Kallstrom play centre half?
Haha this made me laugh if only he would
Surely if you send in a £40m bid for Mats Hummels/Javi Martinez they would for sure consider letting those players go. What I think he is talking about finding a bargain ^^ Lol. Everyone is for sale for the right price and in desperate times like this we should definetly pay a premium price just to make sure we are strengthening.
Though ofcourse it is not down to the club only but the players, but surely there was player available this summer that we could have bought..
No. Everyone is for sale but the ‘right price’ rarely comes into it. You want to buy my house (which I’m happy in and have everything around me sorted) then you offer me ‘silly’ money, not the right price. When you buy it and then find that it has subsidence problems then everyone will know you are twice the sucker they thought you were when you paid the silly money in the first place. That’s not to say that you can’t buy the house next door (they may want to move), without subsidence and at the correct (right) price and… Read more »
I still can’t believe we turned down Cesc. We signed Alexis (who has been incredible) but those two would have torn the league up. Big mistake.
not with the system Wenger is playing right now, even Cesc will get frustrated. Our attack is shit passing sideways…makes me think he built the squad around Giroud’s ability to backheel and make those mini “connect” passes that made it so watchable in some matches last season and I’m not sure you should build your football team on anything Giroud if you want to be competitive for the tile…maybe except his hair
I’m pretty certain that Cesc knew he could never come back when he went on ‘strike’ to get the move to Barca. Far too much ‘history’.
Black Friday sale is over and we bought no one. Wenga out!!!
what we should do in January:
re sign bendtner, eboue, arshavin and denilson
new coat with a easier zip for wenger
some edam cheese.
and mini messi off ebay. that would be good.
its gonna be a good window.