Arsene Wenger says he’s open-minded about signing players in January after admitting his squad currently lacks depth due to Arsenal’s lengthy injury list.
With Santi Cazorla and Francis Coquelin deemed long-term absentees and Jack Wilshere, Danny Welbeck and Tomas Rosicky yet to kick a ball in anger this season, the Gunners look increasingly likely to dip into the transfer market to help bolster their title credentials.
“We are open-minded,” Wenger told his weekly press conference on Thursday.
“We are not the only ones who can decide about the speed of the transfers because we have to adapt to the availabilities and the speed of negotiations and the willingness of clubs to sell.
“We are open to do something because we are short.”
With his side second in the table ahead of Monday night’s clash with Manchester City, the boss appeared to be in a jaunty mood at London Colney. That being said, he refused to be drawn on Jose Mourinho’s circumstances at Chelsea, repeatedly batting away questions from that Sky fella with the annoyingly smug voice.
On Sp*rs’ decision to build a stadium with a capacity of 61,000 – raised because they today secured planning approval – the boss joked:
“Yes, are you surprised? We will try [to put in more seats at the Emirates]!”
Think it’s not possible? Arseblog News suggest smaller seats.
looks like he is gonna/not gonna buy anyone. what do i know!
Our second half of the season is tougher than the first with the big matches mainly away from home.
Would be great to have someone of a Gabriel level coming into DM and/or somewhere upfront to bolster us (especially if our injuries drag on). If Ramsey is injured before Coquelin and Cazorla come back I don’t know what we’d do to patch up at a high enough level to win the league.
Plus if Arteta and Flamini are going at the end of the season a DM might as well bed in anyway.
I love the last part of this comment. Signing a player 6 months before they will be urgently “needed” is about the wisest and most obvious thing a club can do.
Look at so many of our signings who either struggled from the first 6 months or just benefitted to starting their Arsenal career as a squad player.
Spend the f*cking money Arsene!!!
If he had bought the players we needed in the summer we would be about 8 points clear by now. I’d hate it if we missed out on the league again because he didn’t buy when he needed to.
The games we’ve dropped points in was played with pretty much the players that would’ve started even if we had added a few outfielders in the summer
Well thats not true, but you’re entitled to your opinion.
I find it amazing how wedded so many contributors are on here to the ridged Wenger think that you can’t rotate a strong squad of 20 players but have to have a fixed 11 with lesser back ups, i find it bizarre, but each to there own.
You can’t just say that’s not true without even attempting to back it up. He’s right, the games we have dropped points in wouldn’t have gone another way had we bought a DM.
Perhaps not another DM but i personally would have bought a right winger who actually scores goals.
Playing Ramsey there for 10 games with only 1 assist to show for it cost us points in my opinion.
Having said right winger would have given Wenger the opportunity to rest Sanchez because we wouldn’t have relied on his goals so he might not be injured. It also would have meant Ramsey could have played in rotation with Cazorla in midfield, so he might not be injured. Cazorla in turn could have played certain matches at no.10 and given Ozil a rest.
So your actual complaint is that he didn’t buy players in the positions YOU thought needed filling. Disagreeing with that idea cannot possibly be wrong. It can only be a different opinion. You need to learn the difference between opinion and fact.
Yes Gutbucket Deffrolla, thats how an opinion works.
To summarise, I do not think, in my opinion, that the results we have had this season are the best we could have possibly hoped for and could have been improved on with better players been bought in the summer. If we had bought a couple of quality additions we would be leading the league by several points and if we get them now this league is there for the taking.
I personally wouldn’t like more inaction it the transfer window to be the reason we don’t win it.
Do you have any understanding of the values at The Arsenal. We’re not Man Utd ‘250 million here 250 million there’, neither are we sp*rs or liverpool. If we miss out on the league it won’t be Arsene’s fault solely. We have good squad depth, you can’t load your bench and reserves with top class players because top class players want to play.
Admittedly a DM would’ve been nice but ‘spend the f*cking money’ isn’t the answer, lets hope we can sign someone Coquelin’s level or better.
These are not the values of The Arsenal but Arsene Wenger, i can tell you that having spent the last 30+ years going.
I will concede that Arsenal have been a miserable club on the spending front at times, Wenger wouldn’t be the first manager to be greeted with chants of “get your cheque book out!”
Course your 30+ years of management in football really sings through here. Wenger’s approach is weirdly echoed by many other top managers that a small squad which plays regularly actually works wonders than a large squad that doesn’t. The latter approach only works if you have genuine Galacticos who are happy to sit on the bench. And there are few clubs in the world, and none in England, that are like that. Wenger’s approach works if players are like Giroud – not injury prone. Cazorla and Coquelin are over played yes, we could have done with backups but to slate… Read more »
We don’t need more players, we needed to replace the older ones. A defensive midfielder should have been brought in for Arteta and Flamini and a goal scoring attacking midfielder for Rosicky.
Less players better quality and age
Don’t forget that Cazorla and Coquelin both suffered impact injuries, which don’t have much to do with being overplayed.
Ah, I get you now,
NEW!! NEW!!! NEW FUCKING PLAYERS NOW!!!!
BUY! BUY! BUY!
So a deep philosophy then.
I find the we can’t buy players to sit on the bench bemusing! First,every year in the past 4-5 years we have had an injury crisis and we are scrapping the barrel for fit or patched up players. Second, if it’s a top quality player that we had bought then they would play, it would have been someone from the current squad who would have spent more time on the bench. Third but not by any means least important – I would love for a player to leave us due to lack of playing time! That would be a first… Read more »
Podolski left because he wasn’t getting game-time not long ago. Szcz seems to be on his way out because he wants game-time (and because he’s a compulsive smoker). Debuchy wants to leave due to lack of game-time. Vermaelan was a couple years back… etc. Basically your point about no-one ever leaving due to lack of game-time is far off the mark.
Interesting you came up with some names, so let’s consider them Podolski – I was ones those big fans of his. However tell me if he left because of lack of playing time or because we didn’t want him? We were playing him out on the left and there used to be big debate if that is best position. However now it’s a position that is occupied by Sanchez – so please refer to the Q below. Szcz – again frozen out for his smoking indulgence. Again, I was/am a big fan of his. I think we all agree (despite… Read more »
You can’t guarantee perfect health and magical injury avoidance when buying any player. Anybody can get injured. Our long term injuries are not injured because they are unhealthy people with diseases or unhealthy habits. They are injured because they had an accident or were fouled badly.
‘Spend some f*cking money’ is a direct response to Arsene’s horrible tendency to leave obvious gaps in his squad. The gap at DM was obvious to my 5yo nephew. Now it’s come back to bite us, as it has the habit of doing every year. Last year it CB. Had we have had Gabriel from the start of last season we might have been there abouts come April… This year might be our best opportunity to win the league this decade. So, ‘spend some f*cking money’ Arsene! We’re not talking massive sums, just enough to fill the OBVIOUS holes. Why… Read more »
Hindsight is always 20:20, but you can’t make plans using it. We had Flamini and Arteta as backups. We did not go into the season with only one DM.
it’s been obvious to many people for a long time, so it has nothing to do with hindsight.
Over the last couple of season I’m pretty sure Arsene has ‘spent the fucking money’ as you put it or were Ozil and Sanchez free? Squad cohesion plays a big part in teams performances (just look at Leicester). Also there are only a set number of spaces for players available but let’s ignore that because some fans want more players…
No, Squads must be freshened up and rejuvenated every summer with a couple of players coming and a couple going. Arteta and Rosicky should have definitely been replaced with younger and better and quite possibly so should have Flamini. Arteta, Rosicky, Flamini, Cazorla, Mertesacker, Koscienly, Debuchy, Monreal, Giroud, and Cech are all around 30 years of age or over and will all need to be replaced within the next couple of seasons and that isn’t going to be cheap. And when they’re replaced you then have to start thinking about replacing Ozil, Walcott, Sanchez who will then be in there… Read more »
So what do we do with:
Emiliano Martinez
Deyan Iliev
Matt Macey
Krystian Beilik
Dan Crowley
The Jeff
Alex Iwobi
Gedion Zelalem
Chuba Akpom
Serge Gnabry
Isaac Hayden
They are all young players that can replace those you listed and will continue the team cohesion as they are already trained in Arsenal’s style of play.
No one knows if they can replace the one’s i’ve listed, and if they do then we sell the players they replace or maybe we have a whole squad of good players and we win everything!! Wouldn’t that be nice?
It’s very simple
And also how do you suggest keeping 3 goalkeepers happy?
What you said is very true…red nose approach is the best epitome of squad renewal. However I think you could not really fault wenger for not renewing the squad. The problem is more of our non-performing players over the years. And this boil down to our medical staffs and scouts.
Aren’t we doing exactly that? Every year, we bring in one or two players who come straight into the first 11 and one or two players who replace depth players or add to our depth. Last summer we didn’t do much, but that’s partly because we did a lot the previous year (Ospina, Chambers, Welbeck, Gabriel, Coquelin, Bellerin and Debuchy all came in over the past year and a half, not just Alexis and Cech). Sure, most Arsenal fans would agree they think we should have gotten in another DM, but apart from that our squad depth and quality is… Read more »
Who did we buy in the summer? All we did is allow the squad to get a year older and replaced a 25 year old with a 33 year old.
We don’t have excellent squad depth as several of our squad are injury prone and offer no depth whats so ever. i don’t think the quality is there with several of them either.
So if we’d spent the same 150m on turd like Man United did this summer and we were in the same position as them you’d be happy right? We’re sat high in the league, we’ve got a decent squad and quality players to come back. Yes, we might need a bit of cover, but writing a comment like “Spend the f*cking money Arsene!!!” is just ridiculous. I’m sure some fans engage more with the transfer window and players who don’t even play for us than they do the actual football we play with the players that we do have. I… Read more »
Goonerbert I refer you to my answer to Mark Hughes
Have a look at your answer and then think about our squad now. You’ve listed a whole load of players that you believe we need to go out and buy to replace. We start with cover, either from the youth team or younger members of the current squad and then you buy some quality to add to that. What you’re asking is what Wenger already does. It just happens to come from within and not buy buying a whole heap of replacements year on year. It just takes a few purchases to strengthen what we have and that’s what has… Read more »
So you’re basically agreeing in parts regarding little adjustments to the squad year on year as I didn’t say anything about whole sale changes.
And Wengers spending is nothing like Fergusons! Man Utd would regularly over pay for the right player, Keane, Ince, Cole, Ferdinand, Rooney, all record fees in some way. He never balked at the price, in fact the opposite, he revelled in overpaying as it was a sign of his and Uniteds dominance and power
I never said we needed to replace all of them now, i said they are getting to an age where they needed to be replaced and it’s better to do it slowly, 2 or 3 a year and when thats done there will be other players who because it’s 2/3/4 years down the line will then need to be replace and so on and so forth.
Player’s, like all other people get older.
Ahh fuck it! I’m pissed, Mourinho’s sacked! Let’s just hug it out and enjoy the season.
No need to sign, we have so many LANS flooding through after transfer deadline
😛
It’s Pogba and Messi in a double swoop on Jan 1st at 9am, this is so obviously going to happen.
The only thing that might prevent it? The intricate negotiations that as an IN THE KNO twitterati I am aware of – namely, to bring TGSTEL back to his spiritual home. Saint Nic – your statue awaits
Cue a slew of Metro-based detritus linking us to every man and his dog up until January 31st.
In spite of that, cue me Googling “Arsenal transfer news” every morning and night in desperate attempt to find something legitimate and soul-uplifting.
I’d take mahrez for about 15/20million. Can’t think of another player that might be available without paying way over the odds. Maybe that Portuguese dm everyone is hyping but as far as I know it’s just hype as I’ve never seen him play.
Personally although we are short in other positions I think he’d be a great signing. You’re dreaming if you think he’ll be sold for less than £30m though. Won’t happen I’m afraid
Are you crazy? Let Leicester play with all their players. We will beat them fair and square. Buying their players would be like cheating. We are not Mourinho’s team.
No chance Leicester will sell any of their main players in January unless it’s ridiculous money being offered. Their entire success is built on the team being a unit, their season will collapse otherwise. Saying that, I wanted a few transfers last summer because of our annual injury crisis, but with that almost over and considering we’re in the title race, I don’t actually think we need to add too many players.. Maybe one or two back ups at the maximum. Just need to find the two guys that can step in and help maintain our level when someone needs… Read more »
A bit off-topic I know, but that Mahrez goal against Chelsea was a fu*king beut – and Ass-billa-what’s-his-name ain’t no slouch!!
Yeah, I wouldn’t mind him at the Emirates come January.
I can’t think of any player named Mahrez who will be available in January. Leicester have a rare chance at glory. They won’t sell that chance, and Mahrez should be able to see that this is his shot at personal glory too. Be a non-playing Citeh squad player and you don’t get a medal. Drag Leicester to the title (along with Vardy) and you achieve cult status everywhere, and you can go anywhere in the future.
Make a cheeky bid of 8ish million for that dusted spanish guy from Chelseas bench… oh shite who am i kiddin we still love that bastard, Captain Fantastic
I’d go for a cheeky bid of £40m and one pound for Hazard.
That’d be hilarious.
£4m and one pound is what he is worth now.
If him being shit was Mourinho’s fault his value will be back up where it started by January 1st.
Smaller seats?! Fuck off Kroenke, jesus ?
you might want to check the date on that particular story… just sayin’
Keep Calm, it was an April Fool’s article if I remember correctly. Quite a number of sites went along with it 😀 😛
Read with the brain as well as the eyes. The date is the BIG clue. April 1 AND two years ago.
I think he is already on the case and we are negotiating with the X player, wenger know how much short we are and that this is our best chance to win the title, as Philippe Auclair tweeted that he is sure 99,9% that we will buy in January and the guy is pretty accurate, I to strongly believe so.
I’m no engineer but I’ve always wondered about how possible it would be to lower the pitch at the Emirates to get more seats into that big vacant ring around the playing area (thinking along the lines of Nou Camp, here). Surely there’s another 1000 or so seats available if they get the diggers in? Maybe I’m playing too much Minecraft.
The problem is not construction of the physical seats, there are options to do that. The issue is getting permission to have a significant increase in the number of people trying to get in and out of the stadiu and Tube stations, using roads in the vicinity, etc
You should be more ambitious: we should use smaller balls, build smaller goals and then reduce the pitch. We have a team of rather smaller players than average, it would be an advantage. Other players would bump in each others.
And then, add 1000 more seats on top of your 1000 seats…
The stadium is designed to take an extension I understand. Gazadis soke a year or two ago about it to supporters (I think) saying therer were currently no plans implement this now. I think it was 10,000 additional seats.
The stadium’s original design specification was for a capacity of 80000 however the planning application and in particular an objection from Islington council meant that the capacity was limited to 60000 (it was never likely to be much more than this in reality) this was also fairly optimal to deliver on schedule on not increase the debt based funding. So effectively the stadium is largely future proofed for an increase, I would suggest a business case could be made for it. More recent safety regulations may restrict additional seating at ground level but the is plenty of scope for utilising… Read more »
The challenge Wenger will have trying to find players to buy is I can’t see him buying someone that is going to be a sure starter once the players all return. He didn’t do so in the Summer so won’t know. He’ll be looking for players that can step in now and contribute while we are short, but will then become subs once Coquelin and others return. Even at Striker he is not going to replace Giroud or Walcott permanently right now with both having had good runs up top.
No, he’ll be looking for the best available players that he thinks will do a job for us, and that he can afford, in the positions he is short. This is because deciding who plays in that position next season or in April/May this season is not his priority right now.
As mature of a man Wenger may be, he still must be enjoying Chelsea’s Specialisim In Failure. I just just imagine him in his pjs sitting in his room trying to hold his laughter hearing jose plead that he felt that he was betrayed XD
That doesn’t sound even remotely like Wenger. Sounds more like a teenager.
Wenger could be a teenager (Mr Heckles voice)
We will buy for sure. It’s not about quality this time, but necessity. The real questions is: when will we buy?
Dunno why I read his quotes on this he always makes a few throwaway remarks to the press and we read way too much into them. I’ve been disappointed so many times it almost cancels out the joy of having signed Mesut and Alexis. Call me greedy but fuck me.
What if I don’t want to but fuck you, Greedy?
Wenger Knows…
Wenger Yesses….
Comment: This John C fella seems to be a Donald Trump kinda fella huh
I’m not going to slam the boss on transfers as I’ve done before when we’ve been crying out for a certain player (look at the difference Cech has made)…but if he says stuff like “we’re short…” He’s bound to get lots of stick when he doesn’t buy anyone again.
He knows we’re short, he says we’ll try to get someone. That someone still needs to be available. If he isn’t then we can’t get him. Yes, that’s simplified, but it is called a transfer MARKET for a reason. Note, NOT a transfer SUPERMARKET.
I’m going to throw this out there and I’m ready for the red thumbs…
Striker is not our top priority but I think we are a player light there with Wele out for a bit longer.
I’d go in for RVP. I know we all hate him and he left like a complete ass but where would he rather warm the bench? He’d be a useful back up for our strike force.
Feel free to hate away Van Haters- like I say he left the club in a cloud of idiocy.