Transfer Deadline Day

[Graham C]

Quite happy with Arsenal's business; Mertesacker, Santos, Arteta and Benayoun.

Same here, for once I think we've had a great transfer window, very pleased.

[TheChipPrince]

Everton 9-4 for a bottom half finish?

More than happy with Stoke's dealings, got them, at 18-1 +34 points in the handicap

[boldie]

Quite happy with Arsenal's business; Mertesacker, Santos, Arteta and Benayoun.

Same here, for once I think we've had a great transfer window, very pleased.

Really? Very pleased? Great transfer window??...Distinctly average considering what your team needs IMO.


 You were interested in buying Mertesacker last season (and in december) and didn't sign him even though he would have cost you roughly the same.

Arteta is another player you could have gone for ages ago but didn't. You were interested in him in 2009 but didn't pursue it...since then he has not improved as a player but has picked up an injury or two. He hasn't been nearly as good since 2009 as he was before then. Arteta WAS a great and interesting player but the last few years he has been distinctly average...OK, maybe better than the people he was on the pitch with but that's because he was with a very average everton side. Arteta had 4 assist last season ...hardly something to get excited about unless you're still using the 2008 version of football manager.

Benayoun is a decent player and definitely a type you need...not top class but OK..Congrats on a loan move, you're still a big club.

Don't know enough about Santos, heard from Turkish friends on Holland that they expect him to struggle but hope he does OK.

[Graham C]

Boldie, your glass is always half empty.

Yes they are great signings; a 6ft 6 solid defender with 70 odd international caps is exactly what we need, just because we didn't sign him last year doesn't mean that we no longer need him, perhaps Bremen didn't want to sell him last time, perhaps he didn't want to leave then, who knows?    Arteta has moments of brilliance in him, Arsene obviously thinks he can bring that out of him.    Benayoun is decent, but again there are always two teams and a player involved in transfer negotiations, perhaps it's not all Arsenals fault we didn't sign him permanently rather than on loan (perhaps the transfer will follow if he likes it there?)

[boldie]

Boldie, your glass is always half empty.

Yes they are great signings; a 6ft 6 solid defender with 70 odd international caps is exactly what we need, just because we didn't sign him last year doesn't mean that we no longer need him, perhaps Bremen didn't want to sell him last time, perhaps he didn't want to leave then, who knows?    Arteta has moments of brilliance in him, Arsene obviously thinks he can bring that out of him.    Benayoun is decent, but again there are always two teams and a player involved in transfer negotiations, perhaps it's not all Arsenals fault we didn't sign him permanently rather than on loan (perhaps the transfer will follow if he likes it there?)

True, I'm not an optimist

I am just amazed that you guys are happy with this. A few years ago you played the most attractive footie in the league..it has now all gone to pot. Your flair players are going, odds on V Persie being gone next season??, and you're not replacing anyone with anyone special. If I were an Arsenal supporter I would be gutted.

Liverpool are bringing in players, Spurs are bringing players in AND keeping Modric (though he's a big like Cesc and will probably go next season), ManU spend a bit of dosh, Chelsea are moving on with some nice moves.....Arsenal couldn't even bring Cahill to the emirates FFS.

The competition is getting stronger and you're not. Not sure that's something to be happy with mate.

[Josedinho]

Boldie GTFO. Massive post explaining why but cba to post it. Surely you can't know the financial position of Arsenal and each club they deal with over a period of years as it sounds like you do? Judge a transfer window at the end of the season or in a few seasons. Got to be an oracle to do otherwise. Especially when admitting you don't know enough about one of the players.

[Karabiner]

Okay boldie, care to back up your dissing of all things Arsenal with some hard cash?

I'm willing to bet Arsenal still finish in the top six this season, how much would you like @ evs.?

[TheChipPrince]

Okay boldie, care to back up your dissing of all things Arsenal with some hard cash?

I'm willing to bet Arsenal still finish in the top six this season, how much would you like @ evs.?

Doesn't that sentence say a fair bit in itself though?

Arsenal have gone from being 'the best team in Eng' to genuine contenders, to a guaranteed Champ league team, to battling for a Champ League place to being 50:50 ish to make the top 6.

I'm neither here nor there with the signings they've made, but are obviously weaker than they were 2 months ago when it was widely ackowledge they really need to improve things.

[Karabiner]

Okay boldie, care to back up your dissing of all things Arsenal with some hard cash?

I'm willing to bet Arsenal still finish in the top six this season, how much would you like @ evs.?

Doesn't that sentence say a fair bit in itself though?

Arsenal have gone from being 'the best team in Eng' to genuine contenders, to a guaranteed Champ league team, to battling for a Champ League place to being 50:50 ish to make the top 6.

I'm neither here nor there with the signings they've made, but are obviously weaker than they were 2 months ago when it was widely ackowledge they really need to improve things.

Obviously we have gone somewhat backwards this season  compared to last, but Fabregas going was always going to be tricky to absorb and combined with Nasri's situation the loss has been compounded.

There is obviously stuff going on behind the scenes that is not in the public domain too but I think people are writing us off a little too early as i still think we have a decent squad having added some necessary experience yesterday.

[Graham C]

Liverpool are bringing in players, Spurs are bringing players in AND keeping Modric (though he's a big like Cesc and will probably go next season), ManU spend a bit of dosh, Chelsea are moving on with some nice moves.....Arsenal couldn't even bring Cahill to the emirates FFS.

Really?  Who Spurs have brought in?  Parker?  Yeah he may stand out in a team that was relegated last season but his he ready for title challenges and Champions League, Chelsea didn't think so?  Adebayor?  He's on loan (ffs eh), but personally I think that's an excellent signing  Oh yeah they managed to turn down £40m for player that wants to leave and gave a shocking performance in a 1-5 loss last weekend.  And they couldn't bring Cahill either, perhaps Bolton are throwing spanners in the works rather than Arsenal not being able to sign him.    That was it for Spurs, I guess they couldn't do too much after we stopped being linked to players afterall

Liverpool have made a few signings but none of them could be considered amazingly better than our signings.  Signing Bellemy back is really moving forward eh?  Chelsea same again, very quiet from them I thought, can't see a massive improvement on their squad.  Man City, well when money is no object  you can't argue, but then they've signed some howlers in recent times.  Man U have made some great signings, I'll give you that.

If the people aren't available, you can't sign them.  Are you sure you're not just trolling with your anti-Arsenal hat on?  You should swap with Arsene, he's got a magic hat.

[boldie]

Okay boldie, care to back up your dissing of all things Arsenal with some hard cash?

I'm willing to bet Arsenal still finish in the top six this season, how much would you like @ evs.?

lol @ evens on a 1-4 shot with all bookies.

I used to love watching Arsenal play footie. They played the best football in the UK by a country mile but the last few years Arsene's stubborness has cost Arsenal. If the stories about the Arsenal warchest being approx £60-70mill, and having been that for years, are true Arsene has just messed up by being stubborn in the past few years.

Barcelona have the same mentality as Arsenal about playing the beautiful game...but even they sack the manager if he fails to deliver for a very long period. 6 years now since you've won anything..that shouldn't be good enough.

[Dubai]

Your memory must be evading you because Arsenal played the best football in the league LAST year, beat MU, Chelsea and Liverpool at home and choked against minnows

[Dubai]

I will take 2-7 top 6 finish

[kinboshi]

Liverpool are bringing in players, Spurs are bringing players in AND keeping Modric (though he's a big like Cesc and will probably go next season), ManU spend a bit of dosh, Chelsea are moving on with some nice moves.....Arsenal couldn't even bring Cahill to the emirates FFS.

Really?  Who Spurs have brought in?  Parker?  Yeah he may stand out in a team that was relegated last season but his he ready for title challenges and Champions League, Chelsea didn't think so?  Adebayor?  He's on loan (ffs eh), but personally I think that's an excellent signing   Oh yeah they managed to turn down £40m for player that wants to leave and gave a shocking performance in a 1-5 loss last weekend.  And they couldn't bring Cahill either, perhaps Bolton are throwing spanners in the works rather than Arsenal not being able to sign him.    That was it for Spurs, I guess they couldn't do too much after we stopped being linked to players afterall

Liverpool have made a few signings but none of them could be considered amazingly better than our signings.  Signing Bellemy back is really moving forward eh?  Chelsea same again, very quiet from them I thought, can't see a massive improvement on their squad.  Man City, well when money is no object  you can't argue, but then they've signed some howlers in recent times.  Man U have made some great signings, I'll give you that.

If the people aren't available, you can't sign them.  Are you sure you're not just trolling with your anti-Arsenal hat on?  You should swap with Arsene, he's got a magic hat.

Liverpool have moved forward massively in terms of the squad this summer.  Bellamy IS an improvement on Ngog (despite being a bit of a ****, and is a squad player rather than a first XI signing). We needed someone who was willing to sit on the bench a great deal of the time, so that limits the players who'd be interested in such a role.

Downing, Henderson, Adam, Luis Enrique - all good additions to the side.  We've definitely had more 'good' come in than go out.  Mereiles is the biggest loss, but other than him I don't really see who we're going to miss. 

OUT:  Kyrgiakos, Jovanovic, Insua, El Zhar, Ayala, Cole, Ngog, Poulsen, Konchesky, Degen, Aquilani, Mereiles

IN:   Downing, Henderson, Adam, Luis Enrique, Coates, Bellamy

That's a successful transfer window imo.

[Graham C]

I'm not saying they're not good signings, I'm saying that they're on a par with the signings we've made.