I think you are wildly underestimating the strength of the league. Without Nasri's penentration and Fabregas' class I can see you having a lot of trouble breaking some teams down, especially away from home.
Fabregas to Barcelona!
- Thread starter Bryan_Munich
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I think you are wildly underestimating the strength of the league. Without Nasri's penentration and Fabregas' class I can see you having a lot of trouble breaking some teams down, especially away from home.
You don't even try with these wums any more do you?
Fabregas was peripheral last season and Nasri poor after his injury in January. We don't have a problem attacking except being reliant on RvP staying fit.
Yeah sure. What makes you happy, Peter.
And you picked up what, 2 wins in the last 12 games? Clearly their poor form did not have an impact on the team's performances then.
Winning the league makes me happy.
that made me lol yeah that would've made sense for RMyou could bet your mortgage that Ronaldo will start in 99% games for RM when fit.
Glad to hear your memory is holding up
which is exactly why you have been a grumpy old man for some time now !
anyway it is a crazy world if Cesc Fabregas is sold for the same price as Andy Carroll 
Away from home hasn't been the issue - home form has. It's only going to get worse if the money isn't reinvested because the atmosphere will be poisonous. The Udinese game has gone to general sale - that should wake a few people up.
What season has that ever happened?
I didn't say it had been an issue, but I do expect it to be. Fabregas adds the element of control and craft to your midfield that perhaps only Wilshire will be able to replicate, but I think he's a good 5 years behind Fabregas. Nasri on the other hand has been providing the directness that your team forever seems to lack. Granted, Van Persie offers a direct threat but he's a striker after all. Hernandez is our "direct threat" striker, but move back and we have the same directness from Nani, Rooney and Young.
If you do lose Fabregas and Nasri, you'll have a sqaud with the ability of a mid table side IMO. They have plenty of potential, but it doesn't matter how good they will be in 2015, it matters how they perform this season.
Your Goalkeeping situation is still a problem, you needed to add defenders, instead you lost Clichy and signed Jenkinson. I'd say you are worse off there. You also needed another strong striker who could deputise for Van Persie, instead you sign another wide forward.
I know you guys find it hard to admit it, but your squad is really far off the pace. I wouldn't say I'm confident in my bet with Pete, but it was worth a punt, I really won't be surprised if you finish 5th or 6th this season.
Every year it's predicted we'll fall out of the top 4, it never materialises. If we lose Fabregas and Nasri, I'm sure they'll be replaced in some form. Wenger's not mad - he'll sign a couple of players if they both leave. If we're being honest though, Nasri won't go this summer.
Goalkeeper isn't going to be an issue for 20 years. Left back will be our biggest problem, and I don't get why that hasn't been addressed. Centre-half could be addressed too, hopefully not with a clogger like Samba.
We've got problems, but you're exaggerating when you say 6th. We're better than Spurs.
It's the first time I've predicted it, you've been in a gradual decline since 2005.
09/10 you lost Adebayor and Toure, both of whom would still be of use to you.
08/09 You lost Flamini and Hleb, again, your squad could still use, maybe less so with Hleb but you still needed him at the time.
07/08 You let Diarra go. Not sure on the circumstances but he would be a fantastic player for you now. He's a better player than Song.
That's 5 players who could still play a good part in your season. The difference between Wenger and Ferguson? Ferguson recognises the right time to release a player. With the mixture of the experience and quality of the above players in last years squad, you'd have made a bigger challenge for the league.
By letting Fabregas and Nasri go, you're only losing more experience. There's no continuity in your squad, you'll have a squad of players who have collectively won 0 Trophies in the English game. There's a few who have won domestic titles in the French or Dutch league, but it really doesn't equate to much.
Look at how continuity helps United:
Anderson, Smalling, Evans, Rafael, Fabio, Hernandez and Macheda all have Premier League Winners medals, some multiple. They know what it takes to win it. Some have played in UCL Finals against the best players in the world.
They have learnt what is needed to win from players that know how to win, because Ferguson keeps players and lets his youth learn not only technique but the mental toughness and attitude that is required to win from his team of winners.
Every time you sell a player that has built up experience playing for you, you take a step backwards and that's what Wenger has done for the last 6 years, 1 step forward and 2 backwards.
No no, every year, YOU (Arsenal fans) predict that you are gonna win the title.
A lot of us don't to be honest. Admittedly some do - both the prophets of extreme success and extreme doom tend to be equally wrong.
That's not a very convincing case is it? Five players who are unmotivated/past it or whose form dropped off alarmingly. Song is lightyears ahead of Diarra by the way.
I'll go out on a limb here - same top four as last year.
If both Fabregas and Nasri go and they aren't adequately replaced it will definitely be a possibility that Arsenal fall out of top 4. Wilshere is fine but he's also inexperienced, Ramsey is a solid midfielder as well and so is Song but you cannot realistically challenge with midfield that's average age is about 20. There will be no cover either.
I feel they would replace Nasri with Hazard which might actually work out pretty well for them. They've been linked a dozen of times and interest seems genuine, Lille have already sold half of their team so getting him won't be a problem.
An injury to Van Persie, which is more than likely to happen at some stage, will leave them as an average side. You cannot just sell two of your three main assets during one window and cope.
I feel they would replace Nasri with Hazard which might actually work out pretty well for them. They've been linked a dozen of times and interest seems genuine, Lille have already sold half of their team so getting him won't be a problem.
An injury to Van Persie, which is more than likely to happen at some stage, will leave them as an average side. You cannot just sell two of your three main assets during one window and cope.
He isn't. Seriously, what is superior in his game?! Why do you lads overhype Billong so much, nobody sees it but gooners. Ok it might be the same with us and Anderson but two wrongs don't make a right!
Song's excellent, underrated by pretty much everyone. Anderson's not rated by anyone except this forum.
No he's not. If he left Arsenal he wouldn't get a shor at another big club, most likely end up at Fenerbahce.
I don't see it, Billong is a good little player but certainly not excellent.
He's rash and limited.
Well he always starts for us, so he can't be that bad.
Check out Frimpong this season - he's a really excellent prospect, and he'll get in a lot of fights with Chubberson and the like.
Hleb was 27 when you let him go, hardly past it.
You're having a laugh if you think Song is "light years ahead" of Diarra and besides even if he was better having Diarra in your squad would have see you "light years" better off.
Mourinho has managed to motivate Adebayor, why couldn't Wenger? Toure was quality for you and had one poor season without a solid partner, Gallas was crazy as batshit and much better at left back.
It's just poor man management from Wenger. Why is it that Ferguson can hold together this squad of players while Wenger's get "unmotivated" or "past it" at the age of 28/29?
How would Arsenal line up if they lose both Fabregas and Nasri?
-----------Szczesny----------------
Sagna Vermaelen Koscielny Gibbs
------------Song-------------------
------Ramsey Wilshere------------
-Walcott --- RVP --- Gervinho----
?
-----------Szczesny----------------
Sagna Vermaelen Koscielny Gibbs
------------Song-------------------
------Ramsey Wilshere------------
-Walcott --- RVP --- Gervinho----
?
This is a very good point. It also scratches on the surface of the "squad too thin" issue. Not too thin in terms of available players, but too thin in terms of experience.
Oh please, you act like Denilson didn't used to start against the likes of Barca, oh and Almunia.
He's good, but billong isn't excellent.
Almunia was 3rd choice last year, and got a few starts. I'd love you to play 5 league games with Ben Amos in goal. We'll see how that goes.
If they got a good quality centre-half & left-back that'd be a pretty good feckin' team.
But Alfy started for you lads for many seasons.
Starting for Arsenal doesn't mean you're excellent.
See Billong as an example.
You obviously don't watch him enough. He's a warrior of gladiatorial prowess with gems for feet and an eye for erected netting. Quality stuff.
Yeah but they can't play that team every game. You need to account for injuries too. Do they have good backups?
Diarra's a midtable player - a bit like Fletcher. Adebayor was a flop at RM which is why he's being moved on. Toure is fecked, poor lad can't jump which is a problem for a CB.