Olivier Giroud

If Wenger hadn't wasted all summer deluding himself into thinking that Cesc and Nasri would both stay
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Please correct me if I am wrong. But didn't Cesc have a long contract and didn't Nasri agree nay wanted to stay another season?

Yes but apart from Wenger it was obvious to everyone else that there was no way Cesc was going to stay for one more season. He made that pretty damn obvious by not going to the Far East tour and refusing to train with the team, that hamstring injury was just a smoke screen.

Nasri also made it clear that he wouldn't sign a new contract so it made all the sense in the world to sell him and get Mata to replace him.

Cesc......Nasri also made it clear that he wouldn't sign a new contract
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Certainly. Wenger was aware of both those issues. Now Auh has stated that we have a £60m transfer reserve. So we didn't need to sell to buy. You can't have both ways.

Arsene asked Gazidis to buy Mata. Arsene had talks with his agent. (as was explained by Mata in a recent interview) It was then up to Gazidis to agree the deal.

Why blame Wenger when it was Gazidis's fault?

Under Wenger our policy has always been to sell first before buying so if the Cesc/Nasri saga was sorted out before August we wouldn't have been in this precarious situation.

I'm not at all defending IG because he is a complete clown but Wenger also has to share the blame for our complete shambles of a summer.

Arsene asked Gazidis to buy Mata. Arsene had talks with his agent. (as was explained by Mata in a recent interview) It was then up to Gazidis to agree the deal.

Why blame Wenger when it was Gazidis's fault?

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I know you've stated this before but the simplicity with which you just posted it now has resonated with me somehow. Are you 100% certain that Wenger has no input into negotiations though? He doesn't name a price that he considers to be fair for example?

Under Wenger our policy has always been to sell first before buying
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Not true, for example. Arsene bought Sagna while Eboue was first choice right back. I can give you many more examples.

I'm not at all defending IG because he is a complete clown
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I also think he is a complete clown. Gazidis said we have a room full of negotiators ready to complete deals. And they couldn't meet the Mata 'opt out' clause. They offered a few million less than the clause and Chelsea offered more than the clause!

No, I don't think Wenger is to blame for the summer mess. I think it is all Gazidis with a touch of an ignorant Stan Kroenke thrown in.

Now I do think Arsene is at minor fault for the Jan mess. I think he is trying to protect Ramsey, Chamakh and Diaby. To a fault. In fact he is trying to defend Ramsey too much, just like he did with Denilson. But we don't have time and qualification for the top 4 is hanging by a thread. But I think it will be miracle if Arsene doesn't pick him as first choice.

Mata and Cazorla were record deals for us which were only possible after the sales of Cesc and Nasri. There was no way the Board was going to spend 30m+ on those 2 while both Cesc and Nasri were still here.

Wenger would have given himself a much better chance if he hadn't taken so long to sort out the futures of Nasri and Cesc. Knowing the type of clowns he has been working for he should have been much more decisive, no two ways about it.

An indecisive Manger working for an unambitious Board is a combo which is destined for failure.

Are you 100% certain that Wenger has no input into negotiations though? He doesn't name a price that he considers to be fair for example?
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I am sure Gazidis asks Arsene the worth of a player. But its not up to Arsene or Gazidis. The selling club sets the price. Its a sellers market because every Arsene target will also be Man City, Man Utd and Chelsea target.

So if Valencia say that Mata will cost £23m. Thats how much he will cost. Now saving £1m or £2m is not going to impact your overall budget. Negotiation at that level is not for the novice. We had a separate unit for it when I did my MBA. So I am 100% that Arsene will not have more input than a vague pricing. For example I would say that Arsene is not going to say that Mata is worth it if a £35m offer is turned down.

And its particularly dangerous to involve the manager. You need the manager not to get risk averse. He has to make decisions on players based on success and replacement. For example Arsene knows it would cost more £30m to replace RVP. Now if you ask Arsene to work out how much to pay RVP, what if he is injured a year later? So how will he react to the next player? Thats why you can only take that responsibility at board/shareholder level. Its their money! In my opinion thats why Arsene acquiesced to Kroenke selling Nasri.

Wenger would have given himself a much better chance if he hadn't taken so long to sort out the futures of Nasri and Cesc.
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He didn't have anything to do with either matter. As I explained. The board had set the price for Cesc. Barca were unwilling to meet that price. So Cesc was in limbo. Thats why he didn't go on the tour. Who actually decided to sell Cesc? The board of directors by setting a price.

Now I have read a few articles saying that Wenger had to go to the board and ask them to sort it even by accepting a lower price because it was no good for anyone. But that doesn't mean that Arsene is at fault for selling Cesc. Which a lot of journos decided!

Why did the board set a price in the first place? They could have just said that Cesc will not be sold at any price!

I have already posted the link in the other thread which shows that Stan Kroenke sold Nasri.

Don't sign Giroud. He's awful