That is true, our biggest problem is movement off the ball. So when we are pressed the player is usually trapped and unless he has good close control is easily possessed. Most of our CMs aren't good in tight spaces hence why we struggle.
Granit Xhaka
- Thread starter Ole's_toe_poke
- Start date
- Status
That is true, our biggest problem is movement off the ball. So when we are pressed the player is usually trapped and unless he has good close control is easily possessed. Most of our CMs aren't good in tight spaces hence why we struggle.
I feel like it does't matter who they sign. As long as Wenger is there they won't have the consistency required to go and win the league. He always seems one or two signings away but never makes them.
Xhaka's a good start but they need some one who is going to score at least 20 league goals next season and a defender. I don't think either of Mertesaker or Gabriel are good enough. One or two leaders on the pitch would be useful as well.
Xhaka's a good start but they need some one who is going to score at least 20 league goals next season and a defender. I don't think either of Mertesaker or Gabriel are good enough. One or two leaders on the pitch would be useful as well.
The problem with Wenger isn't as much tactics but players. Every season he leaves us short in key positions, with our luck we usually have an injury crisis or something in that position which fecks us up even more. Four seasons Giroud has been our lead striker, FOUR fecking seasons. Not so long ago that guy wouldn't even make our bench let alone be our first choice striker. The CM issue has been ongoing for years, we've needed another CB for years as well now. Chronic under investment in squad for years now. What happens is when you solve one problem another two have popped up.
Then our injury problems are beyond a joke, clearly something is wrong behind the scenes and despite a fecking investigation every year nobody seems to know what the feck is going on.
It was so obvious that you needed another striker last summer but it feels like Wenger wants Giroud to be that 20 goal striker that will get you a title. It's almost like he thinks he's giving up on Giroud if he buys someone else and doesn't want to go down that path. It's so bizarre because for at least the last three seasons the money's been there. If he wanted to go and get the players he needed he could have done it but for some strange reason he doesn't do it. I can imagine it must have been excruciating for him to give the go ahead on big money signings like Sanchez and Ozil considering how hesitant he is to spend money.
On the injuries I definitely agree that something is wrong there. You can't keep having players out for such long periods every year and call it bad luck. It also seems like players are out for longer than their original estimated return date. Welbeck's come back date was put back several times I think? I don't think it's training methods necessarily but you're right that something needs to be done. We're bringing in two new additions to the coaching staff from Bayern Munich (one of which is a fitness coach). Wenger should go out and do something similar. He at least needs to look like he's trying to fix the problem.
I do think Xhaka is a good signing for Arsenal though. I was hoping we'd go in for him a few weeks ago as he looked like a player we needed in midfield but you've got us beat as far as finances and consistency are concerned. It'll be interesting to see who Wenger lets go of in the midfield (other than Flamini and Arteta). Coquelin and Elneny seemed to have a good partnership going in midfield for a few weeks.
Probably as good as a done deal. Lets see who they will buy in the rest of the summer. They are starting early this time.
The thing with Wenger is he is principled and stubborn beyond belief. For example when we were trying to sign Suarez from you lot, an extra £5m-£10m seals the deal for us and the bloke probably would have won us at least 2 PL titles by now. Instead of getting the deal done indecision and wanting to stick to principles wouldn't allow us to bid over the release clause. You lot wanted to sell but you weren't going to be made to look weak. We walked away from the Higuain deal because we thought Suarez was the better option, which he was so get the fecking deal done. A few years back further we were dicking your lot around for Alonso, again a few extra million seals that deal and we'd have the best CM partnership in the league. It is stupid things like that, when you're generating close to £250m a year an extra £5m-£10m is nothing when it comes to getting the players your squad needs. When you look at Fergie for Man Utd he wasted plenty of money but he knew even if he paid over the odds in a few years nobody would give a shit. They wasted bucks on Nani, Anderson & Berbatov, while not pivotal players you could argue them being the in squad helped them with a few league titles and maybe even CL. Who cares if they didn't work out? Last season spend the whole summer chasing Benzema when it became clear half way through R.Madrid wouldn't be selling. You have to identify a target, try your best and if it doesn't work move on to someone else. We didn't have a plan B so were stuck with Giroud again. Just really poor planning and incompetence really. I wouldn't say just Wenger, those doing the deals don't seem much better.
We did bring a new fitness guy a while back, we still keep getting players injured but it should be noted since his arrival they are recovering a lot quicker now. Again trusting people who have been around too much, Sports Science is always changing so you need fresh and new ideas. Especially when the number of injuries we get is beyond ridiculous. This season just keeping our current squad fit probably would have helped us win the title or be a hell of a lot closer. That is something in general which Wenger hasn't done, he has surrounded himself with familiar people for too long. I honestly believe what helped Fergie change with the time wasn't just down to him, the people around changed and the new ideas helped keep them at the top.
Thing with Coq is while defensively he is good, on the ball he is a liability. Always giving the ball away and when teams sit deep his shortcomings get badly exposed. I think Elneny but I see him more as a squad player. A bit like Joe Allen, keeps things neat and tidy but he doesn't seem like the guy to take control of a game and dictate.
I read that Kante wants to go to Arsenal. Also, City is looking for Gundogan. In this scenario, we could be an option for Xhaka. He could give balance to our midfield. Unfortunately, for some reason I think he will end up at Arsenal or even Liverpool.
Arsenal being Arsenal.
Bild say Gladbach want 43M (euros) but Arsenal have only bid (25M) 
Bild failed to report the five magic beans we offered for when Xhaka wins the Ballon D'or.
Mr. Bludfam will be pleased about this.
as if they're doing this again. Just pay the fecking money!
Xhaka's quotes this week read as if he's really annoyed by the transfer negotiations and that it isn't solved yet. It seems as if he has made up his mind to move to Arsenal, so I guess it's legitimate to try and force Gladbach to sell him for less than he's worth. I doubt it'll work though, Eberl (Gladbach's DoF) has done a pretty great job in the transfer market in recent years. He won't sell their captain and best player, who's only 23 years old, for less than 40m now that they finished 4th and have a chance to play in the CL. Apparantly he has a release clause over 30m that can be triggered in 2017. He'll either move this summer for significantly more than that or next summer through his release clause. Something like €35-40m + bonus payments sounds reasonable, if a club wants him this summer.
Last edited:
They the magic beans from dbz?
Bild say Gladbach want 43M (euros) but Arsenal have only bid (25M)
Same Bild were saying a few days ago we bid close to €40m and were haggling over a few million, today they are saying we offered €25m....
He's nowhere near as good as this thread would have you believe
Bild aren't the most reliable, but Honigstein is reliable.
Is he really 43 million euros good? Haven't say I've heard much of this guy let alone seen him (at least I don't remember).Bild say Gladbach want 43M (euros) but Arsenal have only bid (25M)
I haven't seen much of him either tbh, though people have been raving about him for the last couple of years.
TBF, Rheinische Post (RP) - a comparably reliable source - reported €43m plus bonus payments so BILD isn't far off. IIRC it was Kicker claiming a bid of €23m or so. It looks as if Kicker have their source closer to Arsenal and RP / BILD closer to Gladbach.
He's to Gladbach what Rakitic was to Sevilla a while ago. If I was a part of the Gladbach management I wouldn't sell him for any less. Contract till 2019 as well and they've got CL qualifiers coming up.
I'm pretty sure I've been mistaking him for another player we got linked to a few times, every time I've heard his name. Much older and more limited player.
Oh well, cheers for the info.
I wonder if Arsenal only want him or Kante and are using Kante's buyout clause as the base for what they'll offer Gladbach for Xhaka.
Just what we'd do. Low ball until Bayern etc come storming in then say "We tried to get him!"
Should be completed over the weekend.
Arsenal won't be lacking penetration with a Granit-Coq midfield
He'll be a bloody brilliant signing for Arsenal, until he catches Arseitis and does his cruciates mid-November. Twas ever thus.
Strong MF they've got.
Imagine him, Coq and Santi together.
Imagine him, Coq and Santi together.
Haven't seen much of him since we played against Basel. Wasn't that impressed by him that time. Maybe he has improved a lot sincd then but 50 million is serious money.
£24m rising to £35m is what I've heard, sounds like a fair deal to me
From the BBC website
Arsenal are close to completing the signing of Borussia Monchengladbach captain Granit Xhaka.
The clubs have reached an agreement on a deal reported to be worth £30m for the Switzerland central midfielder.
Xhaka, 23, has flown to London to finalise personal terms and have a medical, scheduled for this weekend.
His arrival will strengthen a midfield depleted by the departures of Mikel Arteta, Tomas Rosicky and - possibly - Mathieu Flamini.
Xhaka will become Arsenal's first acquisition in what is expected to be a busy transfer window at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal are close to completing the signing of Borussia Monchengladbach captain Granit Xhaka.
The clubs have reached an agreement on a deal reported to be worth £30m for the Switzerland central midfielder.
Xhaka, 23, has flown to London to finalise personal terms and have a medical, scheduled for this weekend.
His arrival will strengthen a midfield depleted by the departures of Mikel Arteta, Tomas Rosicky and - possibly - Mathieu Flamini.
Xhaka will become Arsenal's first acquisition in what is expected to be a busy transfer window at the Emirates Stadium.
Good we've got this one done early, need to work on a striker now.
yeah he will be a good addition - but your right you could do with a striker (and I think a centre back) as a bigger priority (even a left back might not go amiss) I cant see Wenger getting all of them though - afterall its Wenger
Xhaka Gone
(I'll get my coat....)
(I'll get my coat....)
50m euros, so nearly £39m including potential add-ons. That's a lot of money.
I've rarely seen the him play, so won't comment on his abilities. But Wenger is generally pretty astute when it comes to these things.
I've rarely seen the him play, so won't comment on his abilities. But Wenger is generally pretty astute when it comes to these things.
Lot of teams being smart and getting signings done before the Euros. Hopefully we do the same.
Its not the united way. There has to be a saga
That is a really good signing for Arsenal, i didn't think they'd be able to sign him. Those Morata to Arsenal rumors wont go away either so if they manage to get him as well Arsenal will be better than what they were this season just gone.
Now to sell Ox, Feo and Joel Campbell to fund the new striker.
- Status