we are starting to see movement outwards (Schez, Jenks, Brammall, Perez....) and with Gibbs, Debuchy and possibly Wishere, Ox sanchex and Ozil possible leavers the next 9/10 days will be interesting and will set out fully my expectations for the season (already low)

you are right, the buck stops with AW.

lets see what Aug brings but it feel a lot like previous seasons to me.

Sczc, Jenks, Brammall, Perez, Gibbs, Debuchy and many others are a long way off the first team (at least in Wengers mind, a lot of fans would like to see Perez given a chance) and you havent even mentioned half of them like Campbell, etc.

I dont think that is necessarily of Wengers design. He generally likes to have a few players out on loan but there have not been many takers yet.

Arsenal still have the same problems as last year. No defence and no holding midfielder. Lacazette will make no difference as that is not where the problem lies.

comment by xiuxiuejar (U6109)
posted 2 minutes ago
Arsenal still have the same problems as last year. No defence and no holding midfielder. Lacazette will make no difference as that is not where the problem lies.
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It has been a problem for 5 years, but the midfield problem has come about by Wengers changes and overshadowed the CF problem.. We are going backwards, hence the drop from CL to EL.

A striker was needed. Often last season we created lots of chances but no one could finish them. Lacazette will make a good difference.

But it's true, our main problems in defence and midfield are still unaddressed after basically 12 years. Kolasanic is a good addition. But I think Wenger could buy a world class CB and we'd still look poor defensively. Looks obvious Wenger puts little time into defensive coaching

comment by The Year of the Ox (U7080)
posted 4 minutes ago
A striker was needed. Often last season we created lots of chances but no one could finish them. Lacazette will make a good difference.

But it's true, our main problems in defence and midfield are still unaddressed after basically 12 years. Kolasanic is a good addition. But I think Wenger could buy a world class CB and we'd still look poor defensively. Looks obvious Wenger puts little time into defensive coaching
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Its Kolasinac and he's a great addition, but already looks like Wenger is setting up the team not to get the best from him.

By the rumour is, Ox has been offered a new contract worth £125m/week.

I like Koscielny for example, but he is not a patch on previous centre backs we have had. When we reached the CL final in 06, didn't we have Martin Keown doing some defensive work with the team and we did not concede from round 16 till the final.

Only 2 teams in EU can win trophies even if they have shaat defence 1. Real Madrid 2. Barcelona

Their attacking power and ball retention is unmatched.

comment by Whyalwaysme (U9900)
posted 16 minutes ago
By the rumour is, Ox has been offered a new contract worth £125m/week.
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Even £125k is too much let alone £125m

LOL..! typo...habit of talking in m because of transfer talks...yes 125k/week

wasted money if that is true.

we have some dross at the club. I just hope a new manager will come in and have a good clear out in 2 years.

We will never win the league again or the CL (or even Europa) under Wenger, just forget it. This tippy-tappy football no longer works as most teams now know how to stop it - they simply pack their defence when we get possession. You always need top, top quality players for tippy-tappy, which we don't have. Even Barca are struggling with it. Against Stoke we had 70% possession, yet we lost. We need a manager with a more direct approach, similar to what we were from the late 90s, with a quick-fire, solid spine capable of breaking down stubborn defences, as was the case in Vieira's team.

£125k for someone who's still hit and miss. Meanwhile actual WC players like Kane, Alderweirad ect are on loads less than that.

What do you call a horse running backwards?

mentally deranged manifested in a wild or aggressive way

125k? Wow. Outrageous.
Arsenal is such a charity club.

How is it outrageous? Jesse Lingard is on £100k a week. He is absolute poverty. If we sold Ox to Chelsea he would get that sort of money. We have to pay the going rate.

We will probably be paying Ox a lump sum equivalent of a signing on fee as well. And agent fees.

For the last 5 years we have started a striker not suited to Arsenal in a 4-2-3-1 formation. As a consequence we have suffered through slow build up that not only put pressure on our attacking but also defending counter attacks. Quite simple we were not direct enough.

Last season we were able to correct that situation after Alexis was promoted striker. We mostly improved our fluidity and performed well till one of our midfield players tasked with transitioning the ball from defence to attack to maintain tempo was injured. After that the speed of the ball travelling from defence to attack slowed and as a result Alexis was isolated. Wenger thought the issue was Alexis and moved him out of striking position to return to what was being done for the 4 years before. Of course now with a slow focal striker and a slow transition our play became stilted that put a lot of pressure on our defence. Which of course failed because of the poor defensive quality full backs like Monreal, Bellerin. So Wenger changed it to 3 at the back and a faster striker, Welbeck to run the channels.

Fast forward to this season and Wenger ha finally bought a player suited to 4-2-3-1. Of course we don't play that formation anymore.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry at Wenger's management.

Arsenal's flaws are down to Wenger more then the players (who imo are good enough to win the title).

For instance, would Wenger have won the title last season had he inherited Chelsea's squad? I think it would have been unlikely.