We signed Mesut Özil for a club record fee of £42.5m. Wow. Didn't expect that. Brilliant player, adds even more quality to our attack and will hopefully help create more goal scoring chances, something we sometimes struggle with.
I think most of us were hoping for a defensive midfielder and a striker. While he wasn't anyone's first choice, Mathieu Flamini knows the club, works hard and on Sunday's evidence he appears to still have plenty of ability. Could turn out to be a very useful signing, especially for free. Without him we might not have performed so well even when Wilshere went off.
We're hoping Giroud keeps up his good form and stays injury-free due to not signing any more strikers. Suárez and Benzema were linked, not sure if there was any actual interest in the latter. Apparently we were going for Ba on loan on deadline day, which wouldn't have been the worst signing as he has Premier League experience and would've offered something a bit different to Giroud, but that didn't happen. Yaya Sanogo hasn't exactly had us out of our seats so far but he hasn't had much of an opportunity. We've still got Bendtner and Park which I don't think we wanted to to be the case, but Podolski and Walcott can play up front if needed.
Plenty of people were hoping we'd sign a keeper, and although he's not Cesar or Casillas, Emiliano Viviano is an Italian international, which I guess is something. I like Szczesny and Fabianski and although I know nothing about Viviano I wouldn't trust Martinez yet.
MESUT ÖZIL!
ÖZIL!
Thoughts on the transfer window
posted on 3/9/13
Flamini is 29 and wont have the stamina to fly around the pitch making tackles. You're going to concede a lot of goals this season.
===
We had the best defensive record last season and have lost no players. The defensive side of our game gets over-exaggerated.
I do admit I'd have liked to improve the squad, but I'm not complaining. It's not everyday you add genuine world class players to your team.
And re: Flamini, who told you it's his job to "fly around the pitch making tackles"? That's not what midfielders at Arsenal do. Wenger likes his midfielders to be all-rounders, which he (and Ramsey, and Wilshere) are.
Honestly mate, it just sounds like you're trying to put the fans down after one of the best signings in the history of the club. Most sensible fans know it will take a season or 2 to really start challenging.
posted on 3/9/13
I don't think we have any major problems.In an ideal world we would have bought a world class striker and dm as well as Ozil. Bought none are particularly a pressing issues. I mean we had the second best defense and third best attack last season. Ozil will obviously increase our attack and Giroud looks like a better player this season.
==================================
Don't think your defence will be as good as last year as you got lucky with injuries. Also having someone like Ozil (who does very little defensively) would not help you lot defensively.
I'm still mad you lot sign Ozil
posted on 3/9/13
comment by {One & Only_honestlivpool~five~times} (U1661)
posted 7 minutes ago
Flamini hasn't been playing much for years
Players that rely on good stamina and pace usually start struggling towards early 30s/late 20s.
--------------------------------------------------------------
What a mundane statement. And completely incorrect. Ignore everything I just wrote in the above post which is Scientific fact then.
Yes most players rely on Stamina or Pace or a combination of the two, in one ear and out 'tother
posted on 3/9/13
And re: Flamini, who told you it's his job to "fly around the pitch making tackles"? That's not what midfielders at Arsenal do. Wenger likes his midfielders to be all-rounders, which he (and Ramsey, and Wilshere) are.
======================================
That's exactly my point. Arsenal midfielders usually use a lot of energy..
And I'm not trying to put your fans down. It's not every day teams get to sign world class players (unless you're Madrid).
posted on 3/9/13
Since when did defensive minded midfielders rely on pace? For the record, I wanted a younger defensive midfielder and striker, but I'm not complaining about Ozil or Flamini, for that matter.
Rosicky's injury record is poor and he is also 33 years of age. Meanwhile Cazorla, as good as he is, is 29 at the end of this calendar year and we need to ease the creative burden off of his shoulders. People who say we don't need Ozil are wrong.
However, I do agree with the sentiment that other positions were more important. Ozil is still worth the money though, regardless of what anyone says. One of the top 5 playmakers in the world and when you have a chance to sign him, it would be irrational for us to not give it a go.
posted on 3/9/13
What a mundane statement. And completely incorrect. Ignore everything I just wrote in the above post which is Scientific fact then.
Yes most players rely on Stamina or Pace or a combination of the two, in one ear and out 'tother
=================================
Players like Carrick/Pirlo usually get to play at highest/consistent level until mid/late 30s, while the likes of Lampard/Gerrard will usually start declining early on - early 30s/late 20s. Flamini is more like the latter.
I'm giving you practical examples.
posted on 3/9/13
Watching Ozil clips now, DAMN we have a player here
posted on 3/9/13
Bebe looks good on Youtube
Night
posted on 3/9/13
Night
posted on 3/9/13
You are so clueless, please just stop, I can't take reading any more of your drivel.