Ive just done this one

Was our MF really sorted before Xhaka?

Rosicky, Flamini & Arteta all released.
Ramsey and Wilshere always injured.
Santi getting on and was out for 6 months.

Coq and Eleney really arent top draw arethey.

I'm just saying a better striker will have more of an impact than another midfielder in Xhaka

comment by BO$$™ (U6401)
posted 8 minutes ago
Was our MF really sorted before Xhaka?

Rosicky, Flamini & Arteta all released.
Ramsey and Wilshere always injured.
Santi getting on and was out for 6 months.

Coq and Eleney really arent top draw arethey.
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I don't think the OP will feel the same way when Zelalem carries us through Christmas.

I think our budget was always approx. £90-100m and I believe the plan at the beginning of the window was Xhaka and a top striker, with some cheapo options to augment the squad and Holding for the future. CB was not a priority until the injuries to CBs in pre-season combined with our terrible negotiating meant a chunk of our budget had to go on fixing that.

We still could have got Lacazette (I think we were probably aiming higher) but obviously Wenger isn't thoroughly convinced by him. Our lowball initial offer was stupid but the fact that his quoted price seemed to go up by about £10m a week put paid to that ever happening. I guess Wenger was banking on him pushing to leave Lyon and them having to come back to the table late in the window more willing to listen to our offers. That didn't happen. Combine that with the haggling over Mustafi and time ticking away I guess the Perez thing was the best we could do.

I don't really care. Transfers are transfers. Imo our performance in the league would probably end up the same whether we signed someone like Lacazette or not.

There is little to suggest that Xhaka is top drawer quality... Have no idea why we didn't go all out for Kante.

Not sure how you can state he was unnecessary when most of the people on here had been moaning about your midfield, complaining that you only had Coquelin &
Elneny

but hey, what do i know..

There is little to suggest that Xhaka is top drawer quality... Have no idea why we didn't go all out for Kante.
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Xhaka has shown he is a good player playing for his former club plus for his country. Kante has done little compared to that to convince Wenger to recruit him. One good season he had with Leicester.

I think that's why Wenger opted for Xhaka. Also Wenger hardly signs players from PL. Of course there are some exceptions but those are rare.

Will be interesting to see how Kante does at Chelsea.

early doors but kante has been fantastic in the 2 games so far. Dont understand how we got him and for so cheap relative to todays prices.

Chelsea have been lucky to get 6 points, they can thank the refs for that not Kante.

Chelsea have been lucky to get 6 points, they can thank the refs for that not Kante.
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Correct. I was talking to a Chelsea fan at work and he said to me, he is ashamed of Costa's antiques on field. He said it's about time Costa might get another ban or two.

Xhaka already hated

Crying out for someone to play tough in the middle for years, finally get it, we hate him

Xhaka looks good to me. Last week he and Coq were excellent at breaking up play, tackling. He isn't scared to go in hard and we only have one other player like that who is indeed Coq. All the other MF we have want to be strikers and aren't so interested in defending.

Xhaka looks to have a good pass on him too.

Cazorla, Coquelin, Elneny and Ramsey are enough central midfielders. Subtract that £35m for Xhaka and look at this possible team:

----------------Cech
Bellerin Mert Koscielny Monreal
---------Coquelin Elneny
-----Ramsey Ozil Sanchez
---------------Higuain

Ospina, Holding, Gabriel, Cazorla, Ox, Welbeck. Giroud.

With everyone fit do you lot look like you are missing Xhaka, Perez and Mustafi? No. Solid back 5, 2 steely midfielders and a creative front 4 = title challengers.

Not to mention I left our youngsters like Iwobi and Gnabry.

Mustafi - £35m
Xhaka - £34m
Perez £17m
Total: £86m

You could've had Higuain with spare change.

comment by Zouma the new Desailly - Only Team in London with a European Cup - Carefree Since 94. (U12176)
posted 21 seconds ago
Cazorla, Coquelin, Elneny and Ramsey are enough central midfielders. Subtract that £35m for Xhaka and look at this possible team:

----------------Cech
Bellerin Mert Koscielny Monreal
---------Coquelin Elneny
-----Ramsey Ozil Sanchez
---------------Higuain

Ospina, Holding, Gabriel, Cazorla, Ox, Welbeck. Giroud.

With everyone fit do you lot look like you are missing Xhaka, Perez and Mustafi? No. Solid back 5, 2 steely midfielders and a creative front 4 = title challengers.

Not to mention I left our youngsters like Iwobi and Gnabry.

Mustafi - £35m
Xhaka - £34m
Perez £17m
Total: £86m

You could've had Higuain with spare change.

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"....with everyone fit..."

We've always needed about 30 bodies to get us through a season.

Real life trumps theory every time.

And if Higuain turns up for the start of the season looking like a fat mess and ends up not being that great in the Premiership?

Higuain for £35m 3 years ago? Absolutely. Suggesting we should have paid £80m for him today is ridiculous. I don't think most Arsenal fans mind us not doing that one.

comment by Nickalopodis (U9257)
posted 21 minutes ago
early doors but kante has been fantastic in the 2 games so far. Dont understand how we got him and for so cheap relative to todays prices.
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U didn't get him cheap he was not worth no more than that.

Higuain lol. Spend all of our budget on one fat selfish player.

TBH i wouldnt be happy if Arsenal paid £80M for Higuain especially at the age of 29.

£80Mil for Griezemann or Lewandowski would be a different story though.

comment by Whyalwaysme (U9900)
posted 22 minutes ago
Chelsea have been lucky to get 6 points, they can thank the refs for that not Kante.
_______

Correct. I was talking to a Chelsea fan at work and he said to me, he is ashamed of Costa's antiques on field. He said it's about time Costa might get another ban or two.
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Sure they're not BBC roadshow quality, but give the guy a break, I'm not sure a ban is necessary.

They're just not good enough antiques Herbie. One of the tables was from Ikea ffs!

Chelsea have been lucky to get 6 points, they can thank the refs for that not Kante.
_______

Correct. I was talking to a Chelsea fan at work and he said to me, he is ashamed of Costa's antiques on field. He said it's about time Costa might get another ban or two.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Sure they're not BBC roadshow quality, but give the guy a break, I'm not sure a ban is necessary.
_________

Give the guy a break? for what? Red / double yellow where it deserve..simple as that. Any cynical nasty foul unnoticed by refs, retro ban.

Against West Ham yes he should've been off but who wouldn't have went for that ball with Adrian mucking about?

Against Watford he dove, Players do it every game but because it's Costa he gets a hard press. Don't think what he's done has been disgusting at all. Take away the new rule changes and refs giving yellows for dissent then he wouldn't normally have seen red in either game.

I like antiques. They are a bit like MILFs yeah?

Costas antiques are an old story. Sooner hes an old crock the better for football.