players and are due to release substantially more in their drive to revamp their squad and be competitive for the season ahead. It was announced today that Bacary Sagna, Gaël Clichy, Willy Caballero and Jesús Navas have been released. More announcements are expected with the likes of Yaya Touré, Pablo Zabaleta, Joe Hart, Eliaquim Mangala, Samir Nasri, Wilfried Bony and Jason Denayer unsure of securing a contract for next season.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/mar/16/pep-guardiola-manchester-city-clearout-18-players
Meanwhile, Arsene Wenger says that he has faith in 90% of his squad....(that's the same squad that finished fifth!), and he goes on to say that we only need just one or two players to be competitive next season
http://www.goal.com/en-za/news/4639/premier-league/2017/05/22/35733582/wenger-outlines-how-many-signings-arsenal-need-to-challenge
In my opinion, half of the players released by Man City would walk into Arsenal's first team, whereas the dross that we need to get rid of wouldn't even grace Man City's reserves.
Wenger will never learn that the business of sport is ruthless and one in which there is no room for sentiment. A successful manager encourages meritocracy i.e. those that demonstrate "form" will be duly rewarded. I expect the likes of Klopp and Mourinho to follow suit and surgically tailor their squads to reflect their competitive vision. Despite what Mourinho says, he has effectively frozen Rooney out of Man UTD and Klopp has let Sturridge know that he has an expectation to meet for him to be in his squad. They will not suffer fools gladly.
Wenger on the other hand operates under a loyalty code that is often abused by even our best players who up and leave him. This is further evidence, if any is needed, that Wenger has totally lost the plot and if nothing changes at our club there will be further turmoil with no success next season.
Man City Have Already Released Four
posted on 26/5/17
comment by Bats (U18355)
posted 11 minutes ago
comment by citrenoogeht (U13932)
posted 8 minutes ago
comment by Bats (U18355)
posted 21 seconds ago
So we should release players before the FA Cup final, is that what you want?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Obviously not. But let's not kid ourselves because we've been here many times before i.e. season after season. Wenger has also come out and already said that he thinks that 90% of the squad is fine and all we need is just one or two players. This does not fill me with confidence.
If this transfer window is typical to previous windows, he'll do some initial business early and then wait to the last days of the window, when the league has started and we've lost our first game, to make some panic buys. Once again we'll find that we are under prepared for the season without a recognised CF.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You are having a panic attack over what might happen and not what has happened.
Wenger is right about the squad anyway. It's very good. The main issues are really injuries, coaching and tactics. If you told me we would have the exact same squad next season and the above issues were rectified, I'd take that over adding the likes of somebody like Griezmann and Varane to the current regime
----------------------------------------------------------------------
What you call a panic attack, I call an epiphany. You'll see on ground hog day, which will be the first day of next season. Sadly, the one thing you can rely on Wenger doing is letting you down.
posted on 26/5/17
Bit odd if you are having an epiphany now.
Everybody knows how Wenger works. There's nothing I'll see that I don't expect. It doesn't matter who we sign if the REAL issues mentioned aren't addressed.
posted on 26/5/17
comment by Bats (U18355)
posted 12 minutes ago
Bit odd if you are having an epiphany now.
Everybody knows how Wenger works. There's nothing I'll see that I don't expect. It doesn't matter who we sign if the REAL issues mentioned aren't addressed.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pretty much spot on. Though you have to factor in the uncertainty around Wenger. If the board extends Wenger the crowd will get on the teams back very quickly next season. Don't think you can win in that environment even if Wenger suddenly becomes a tactical genius. The idea of a director of football will not be enough to placate anyone unless its Wenger. It should have been done a few years ago. Its all too late now.
posted on 26/5/17
comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 1 hour, 24 minutes ago
Bernardo Silva, btw, has just become the most over-rated player around. Yeah, decent season for Monaco. Hardly one of their key players or particularly effective week in, week out. Pretty sure Monaco are delighted this has happened early on in the window.
City have paid over the odds, but it may be a tactical move to increase the prices of other Monaco players rivals are interested in. Monaco have lost one of the lesser influential players and can now dig their heels in over others.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
This a wind up? Bernardo is a fantastic footballer
posted on 26/5/17
comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 1 hour, 52 minutes ago
Bernardo Silva, btw, has just become the most over-rated player around. Yeah, decent season for Monaco. Hardly one of their key players or particularly effective week in, week out. Pretty sure Monaco are delighted this has happened early on in the window.
City have paid over the odds, but it may be a tactical move to increase the prices of other Monaco players rivals are interested in. Monaco have lost one of the lesser influential players and can now dig their heels in over others.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Paying 43mill just to get rivals to pay more? Sounds ridiculous, as bad a conspiracy I've read on here.
Though he's pretty good, City now have 3 first team starting playmakers. Not sure having this many play makers is beneficial.
posted on 26/5/17
Paying 43mill just to get rivals to pay more? Sounds ridiculous, as bad a conspiracy I've read on here.
=======
Didn't say that. I said they were prepared to pay over the odds for a player they wanted. Monaco were happy to take the money as they are now in a stronger position. Win, win for both clubs.
posted on 26/5/17
Really don't think £43m is over the odds for him in this market. He's only 22 and is very likely to become a world class player
posted on 26/5/17
is very likely to become a world class player
======
No chance.
posted on 26/5/17
comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 7 minutes ago
is very likely to become a world class player
======
No chance.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I think so. There's a reason why Pep and Mourinho were both after him. His dribbling and ball retention remind me of a combo between David Silva and Isco
posted on 27/5/17
Agreed, wenger is the same beast and his not going to change at heading towards 70 is he?
Henry Onyekuru Seems to be a current target, its all a bit of the same old same old for Arsenal.