Your squad is paper thin. Take out the first XI, and compare your second XI with City and with ours. City have hardly any drop in quality, ours is getting there, yours in division 2 level.
Declan Rice | signs for arsenal
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Is that not what transfer windows are for, to try and improve the first XI and ultimately the squad? If only there was 1 of them before the next season starts.....
So you are going to buy 11 top quality players in one window to make you competitive over a 60 game season.......
And that is why I am 100% sure we will finish above Arsenal next season. We have a few obvious holes in the first team, but much better strength in depth. Add 5 new players to our first team and 5 to Arsenal's, and compare the second XIs again - still no contest. You will still have 6 players from your under 12s in the second XI.
Well I admire your unwavering confidence if nothing else. However, unfortunately football is more complicated than names down on a bit of paper when comparing squads and success.
I mean, I doubt people rate the likes of Ramsdale, White, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Xhaka, Jesus etc as among the best players in the league, yet they topped the table for nearly all of the season.
It's almost like there's a bit more to real life coaching and management than Football Manager.
--------------------Turner
Tomiyasu--Holding--Kiwior--Tierney
------------------Jorginho
----------Vieira----------------Smith-Rowe
Nelson----------Nketiah--------Trossard
Whats the United second 11?
Something like this: Heaton, Dalot, Maguire, Lindeløf, Malacia, Fred, McTominay, Pellistri, van de Beek, Garnacho, Sancho
We’re a bit behind Arsenal in terms of attacking play and ball retention. They clearly have an idea of how they want to play with thought out patterns during a match.
If they sign a defender, midfielder and striker this summer then they will challenge City again next season.
If they sign a defender, midfielder and striker this summer then they will challenge City again next season.
I think the Arsenal second 11 is stronger. Even though 'Erik the Red' told me 'not to compare' the Arsenal second 11 to United seocnd 11.
Amazing how things actually are when you dont accept media narratives and Gary Neville soundbites.
Not sure i agree. Think that Utd team would overpower ours. Obvious weakness in our team at centre back and Vieira has it all to prove in midfield. However these are areas that we are looking to address, and it's not anywhere near as dramatic as Erik says. Utd have bigger names perhaps but guys like Sancho, Van Der Beek and Maguire have severely underperformed.
Looking like WHU expect Arsenal to chuck in Smith-Rowe on top of £90m to get near WHU valuation.
Wonder how Rice's meeting went with the soon-to-be new owner at West Ham in Prague.
Wonder how Rice's meeting went with the soon-to-be new owner at West Ham in Prague.
Interesting one potentially.
Wonder if West Ham would come calling for McTominay to fill the Rice gap?
Huh? Our second XI is horrendous. I wouldn't be shouting about it. Christ if we're relying on that to get us over the line we're in big trouble.
Second XIs are not that important in the league. A great first team and strong nucleus of 5-6 rotation options plus a bit of luck and keeping people fit matter much more. It's rarely going to come down to comparing players 21 and 22 in the second XIs, and besides, they're never, ever going to play a second XI all at once to make a comparison relevant.
We rejected a 35m offer for Smith-Rowe from Villa about 18 months ago. Smith-Rowe scored 10 league goals in the 21-22 season, the most recent season was decimated by injury but reports are Smith-Rowe isnt going anywhere. Many Arsenal fans categorized him with Saka and Martinelli and he was the standout in the first half of the 21-22 season before injury derailed him. We would value Smith-Rowe between 45-55m given his age profile, technique and potential. We wouldnt even consider selling Hale End Emile.
Cash deal only for Rice
I don't think Smith-Rowe is that amazing. Nothing you don't have covered with other players, which is pretty key. If he made a Rice deal easier to secure or cheaper I would do it. You'd be getting somebody that makes way more impact on your best side.
The names I've seen mentioned by people who appear to know their onions are Alvarez, Palhinha and Sangare.
McTominay, when he has been mentioned, is mentioned as a potential replacement for Soucek. He has a similar physical profile, but is considerably better in possession.
Wan-Bissaka was the player most often mentioned as someone WHU like the look of, but he seems to be back in favour with Ten-Haag.
Everyone who has some sort of contact with Rice and his close buds says the same thing, the boy has always favoured Chelsea. Even if he was to move to Arsenal, it's suspected he would view them as a stepping stone and look to hedge his bets with any contract so that he could move again.
I also think the United team is stronger all over, but the obvious flaw is the striker position. Since Weghorst was only a loan signing I had to leave him out. Probably for the best anyway
I'm not saying our second XI is that good, but that is where Arsenal fell apart last season. Their first team was flying for the first half of the season, with a decent lead at the top of the table, but once a few injuries set in, and they had to dip into their reserves, that is where City's strength in depth came to the fore. Obviously a team that is able to pay £50m per position to construct a reserve team will have a massive advantage, but that is what we are up against. I fully expect ETH to improve us this season as we fill the obvious gaps, and our team will look more and more like an ETH team. Last season we had six players that were his choices, including including some freebies. Remember Arteta has been at arsenal longer, so has been able to get the team playing in his style. We will get there in the next year or two, and I think we will be able to go toe to toe with city.
Good signing for Arsenal that!
Overpay but it was to be expected. Still a good signing and a big upgrade on Xhaka.
That’s a mad price.
It’s an insane fee but he’s quality and only 24 so I can see why they’re doing it. Will be their mainstay in midfield for the next decade. I’d much prefer Caicedo at that price (or cheaper) though.
£100m with the add-one included would surely be something like £80m + £20m.
Personally think that would be a good deal.
Where are Arsenal getting the money for these deals (remembering the fury of them spending £150m after claiming furlough money)?
Personally think that would be a good deal.
Where are Arsenal getting the money for these deals (remembering the fury of them spending £150m after claiming furlough money)?
Good signing for Arsenal, that, albeit an expensive one. He'll strengthen them considerably. I think he's really underrated on here.
In the article it says its 90m+10m.
Regarding the money, There are rumours that we have close to 180m/200m net budget this summer.
There is a chance that we may bid for Caisedo aswell after this (mentioned in the article).
And technically we have very rich owners who after the full takeover have started to spend. This is most likely the last summer we spend very big after this most likely back to self sustaining model. All the teams that KSE owns have done pretty well recently after an investment cycle in the team. Now its our turn it seems.
He’s massively underrated on here. He’s going to take Arsenal to the next level IMO. Incredibly frustrating to lose out on another MF target that would have been perfect for us.
Great transfer for Arsenal, they are truly back.
It’s mad how the London clubs all do business, I mean West Ham to Arsenal isn’t as bad as Chelsea to arsenal. Imagine city selling us De Bruyne though
Good time to convince Kronke to part with cash, just when his team are about to win the NBA finals. 
That's a insane fee.
CAF would be going mad over that fee and don't tell me it wouldn't.
CAF would be going mad over that fee and don't tell me it wouldn't.
I swear you were put on a FFP watchlist this summer?
Quality signing for Arsenal.
Good player but rather Caicedo and Mount.
If we had Jokic when Saliba went down we were winning the league 100%Good time to convince Kronke to part with cash, just when his team are about to win the NBA finals.
I wonder if we're really going to try for Caicedo too...
Analysts say that we will be very close to the limit but still compliant with the rules. With losses for 3 years in a row there will be some tricky accounting needed.
If we had Jokic when Saliba went down we were winning the league 100%
I wonder if we're really going to try for Caicedo too...
Analysts say that we will be very close to the limit but still compliant with the rules. With losses for 3 years in a row there will be some tricky accounting needed.
Don't think so.
Even if say we sped 300m. All players would be on 5y contacts so 60m/y amortization.
We will most likely sell
Tierney
Balogun
Xhakha
Patino
Holding
All combined have close to 10m in book value and may be sold for 80m+ maybe.
Plus our wagebill was less than 200m last season it would grow now (250m+) but we would have CL money aswell.
Amortization aswell would increase.
And most importantly this will be a transition year for UEFA for moving to 90% spending on wages and amortization.
Yeah, the increase in revenue from first Champions League qualification in years and broadcasting and sponsorship increases, coupled with the fact we actually have saleable assets for the first time in ages that many will be pure profit in terms of FFP is key I think.
Wasn't keen on this signing at the price he'll go for so if Arsenal sign him it's bullet dodged as far as I'm concerned.
Maybe history will prove me wrong though.
Maybe history will prove me wrong though.
Good signing but reinforces that Bellingham was a steal for RM.
If he's that short-sighted to base his decision on what could be 6 games then, meh.
Yes but it is calculated on a 3 years rolling period. And we've been in the red the last few years even after taking into account Covid losses and getting rid of those awful contracts.
I don't know what grade of infraction City did to get their fine but we will probably be far from it.
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