Suarez

[Rooney in Paris]

Liverpool didn't have much choice. If they hadn't agreed to what he wanted in the contract then he runs it down to a year and does a cnut-trick like van Persie and leaves for £20M-odd. At least this way they get £40M.

So what you're saying is that Liverpool's board is better at business than Arsenal's?

Is Suarez actually that good though? Perhaps I'm missing something probably due to "dislike" of both Liverpool and Suarez but to me he seems like the sort of player who runs around a lot and has 7592 shots per game, scoring once or twice through sheer law of averages. He's by far and away the main man at Liverpool so he's afforded the right to go on all his ludicrous runs, dives, shooting sprees, buffets etc. but I wonder how good he'd be if he wasn't the focal point and actually had to pass to better players than himself. I suppose he's been good for Uruguay though plus he has scored some good goals but I'm really not seeing all this "demands a huge fee", "deserves to be playing for the top clubs" etc.

Was having this discussion with my scouse mate the other day who seems to think Suarez is a little bit overrated too. We could both be wrong though, of course.

He is 'overrated' when people talk about him as 'best player in Europe after Ronaldo and Messi' (was that Steven 'Joe Cole will be player of the year and is as good as Messi' Gerrard?) or even the best in the PL, he looked especially good in a mediocre team but wastes a lot of chances and loses the ball way too much to be considered a top top talent. The impression you get about the 7592 shots a game isn't inexact, I think he has a pretty low shots to goals ratio, and there was a stat in here that showed that his dribbling was very poor as well, even though it's seen as his forte.

He seems to have worked on his finishing to a certain extent though (it's not as bad as when he first arrived) and can still progress. Also, as many have said, it's hard to say what his trajectory will be in a bigger team. Did he relish carrying the team on his shoulders and will therefore fade once he's not top dog anymore and has people doing work around him? Or will he go a step further? Impossible to say really.

Sp*rs without Bale and Poo without Suarez pretty much guarantees CL footy though. Question is can we take it to the next level?

Probably not, still think you're lacking in quality to challenge for the top.

I wouldn't burry Spurs too soon though, they've bought well so far and if they get silly money for Bale they could replace him with quality. They'll probably do a Spurs and feck up like every year, of course, but don't be too smug about it, you never know.

If Suarez does go to Arsenal, would you be happy with keeping Giroud up top as default number 9? (especially in big games)

 

[Donaldo]

Giroud doesn't worry me as much as he does other Arsenal supporters. He's a good, strong striker who will be better in his second season in English football.

van Persie had a year left in his contract. Big difference.

 

[alastair]

Giroud doesn't worry me as much as he does other Arsenal supporters. He's a good, strong striker who will be better in his second season in English football.

van Persie had a year left in his contract. Big difference.

I'm still not completely sold on Giroud but he's at least useful.

What's amazing about him is how Wenger has added so much to his game. At the start of last year, Giroud was basically just a lump but Wenger got him doing great one-twos and link up play in general which was actually pretty good to watch. Gibbs' goal v Swansea in the cup and Podolski's screamer v Montpellier two examples.

 

[Rooney in Paris]

I'm still not completely sold on Giroud but he's at least useful.

What's amazing about him is how Wenger has added so much to his game. At the start of last year, Giroud was basically just a lump but Wenger got him doing great one-twos and link up play in general which was actually pretty good to watch. Gibbs' goal v Swansea in the cup and Podolski's screamer v Montpellier two examples.

You do know Giroud played football before arriving at Arsenal, yes? That he was seen as a big lump was probably more due to the fact that he was getting used to the league, cos at Montpellier he was already seen as a pretty handy player all around. Not necessarily Wenger's making for him to be honest.

Still think he's quite limited and not good enough in the 9 position for a club aiming for top honours, especially in Europe and against the best teams in the PL. Very useful against smaller teams though.

 

[redman5]

Here in England, promising someone that they can leave if the club fails to finish in the top 4 doesn't mean the same as it does in Uruguay. It's all about the context in which it was said. Thanks to Luis, we know all about such things.

 

[peterstorey]

I wonder how this fits into the imaginary YEA strategy Arsenal seemed to be following.

That's Real Madrid's expression of it Arsene has been at it for a couple of years (see Britcore of Gibbs, Ramsey, Theo, Ox, Walcott, Wilshere, Jenkinson and Chezza) - without the money to deliver the complete strategy, of course.

 

[Eyepopper]

It's like modern art.

In that its mostly pointless bollocks?

 

[amolbhatia50k]

I'm still not completely sold on Giroud but he's at least useful.

What's amazing about him is how Wenger has added so much to his game. At the start of last year, Giroud was basically just a lump but Wenger got him doing great one-twos and link up play in general which was actually pretty good to watch. Gibbs' goal v Swansea in the cup and Podolski's screamer v Montpellier two examples.

It's called settling in.

 

[Dracula]

Here in England, promising someone that they can leave if the club fails to finish in the top 4 doesn't mean the same as it does in Uruguay. It's all about the context in which it was said. Thanks to Luis, we know all about such things.

Hehe

 

[Decotron]

Michael Di Paola ‏@MichaelDiPaola 2h
Can't really blame Suarez for wanting to leave a club where racial abuse & physical assault are condoned & proudly supported. I'd want out.

 

[Grinner]

Has Suarez actually mentioned Arsenal in any of his recent interviews?

 

[shaggy]

Has Suarez actually mentioned Arsenal in any of his recent interviews?

No you're pretty much the 2am girl unfortunately.

 

[Grinner]

I think he would prefer Madrid over us but would take us over Liverpool if nobody else came in for him.

 

[Member 39557]

I'd agree with that Grinner. If Arsenal sign him and he catches the eye of Madrid in the Champions League, I can see another summer of torment next year.

 

[Grinner]

If he signs for us I'm starting thread for bets on who he bites to force a move from us.

 

[Kraftwerker]

Pissing myself laughing at all the Liverpool fans on twitter now calling Suarez a racist cnut.

This is just pure gold. It's like watching a car crash except the car crash is really really funny.

 

[alastair]

Has Suarez actually mentioned Arsenal in any of his recent interviews?

He did say the PL was the place to be. I don't think he mentioned Arsenal because it was heavily implied.

 

[TheReligion]

I genuinely think he's short of offers. Not everyone wants the hassle he brings.

 

[alastair]

If he signs for us and he wants to move on in a couple of years, fine. We'd get back what we paid.

 

[TheReligion]

I don't think the big boys want the bad press that you get with the cnut.

 

[Grinner]

If he signs for us and he wants to move on in a couple of years, fine. We'd get back what we paid.

What's the fecking point of that?

 

[alastair]

What's the fecking point of that?

Because if we get Suarez, others will come. We'll be back in the big time, competing for world class players. It's a statement that has more of an effect than the signing of an individual player.

 

[Grinner]

Because if we get Suarez, others will come. We'll be back in the big time, competing for world class players. It's a statement that has more of an effect than the signing of an individual player.

Don't be a twonk.

 

[alastair]

Don't be a twonk.

You're very mean to me.

 

[Grinner]

You're very mean to me.

Well bloody hell Al...we're not in the business of breaking our transfer record for a player we'd think about selling in two seasons.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

Because if we get Suarez, others will come. We'll be back in the big time, competing for world class players. It's a statement that has more of an effect than the signing of an individual player.

Possibly. It could also be that PR wise this move looks to most people like Arsenal buying a tainted player that none of the "big time" clubs would touch. As such the move wouldn't necessarily have a broader, positive effect.

It would, of course, demonstrate that you have some money - and are willing to splash it, which has not been the case in recent years.

 

[alastair]

Well bloody hell Al...we're not in the business of breaking our transfer record for a player we'd think about selling in two seasons.

Our intention clearly isn't just to have him and sell him.

I'm just saying that it's clear that the effect of signing Suarez will be greater than just signing a top class forward player.

 

[alastair]

Possibly. It could also be that PR wise this move looks to most people like Arsenal buying a tainted player that none of the "big time" clubs would touch. As such the move wouldn't necessarily have a broader, positive effect.

It would, of course, demonstrate that you have some money - and are willing to splash it, which has not been the case in recent years.

I don't think many would think of it that way.

If you go out and spend £45m on a player, that's telling Europe that you're here to compete - something we haven't genuinely done for years.

 

[acnumber9]

If he signs for us and he wants to move on in a couple of years, fine. We'd get back what we paid.

That kind of attitude didn't get applied to Van Persie. Why would Suarez be different?

 

[alastair]

That kind of attitude didn't get applied to Van Persie. Why would Suarez be different?

It's not anyone's attitude. I'm just saying that if he does ask to leave, it's not going to be disastrous financially because the guy will still have re-sale value.

 

[acnumber9]

It's not anyone's attitude. I'm just saying that if he does ask to leave, it's not going to be disastrous financially because the guy will still have re-sale value.

Your attitude was it would be fine. It wasn't with Van Persie.

 

[Buchan]

We'll be back in the big time

 

[GaryLifo]

Has anyone mentioned yet how funny it would be if they signed the racist and then got knocked out of the CL in the qualifying round? I'd laugh.

 

[Hellboy]

Suarez will make sure he has an escape route if he signs for Arsenal anyways.

 

[Sam]

And don't forget Wenger gets about 20% more out of good players.

Makes you wonder why he persists with buying shit ones.

 

[Sandikan]

Has anyone mentioned yet how funny it would be if they signed the racist and then got knocked out of the CL in the qualifying round? I'd laugh.

This is why it won't be done until right at the end of the window, after the qualifiers are done.

 

[ghaliboy]

Because a) they value him higher than that, he is the clubs best player & on a long term contract and b) selling to a rival they are trying to catch up would put the club even further behind.

It's delusions of grandeur to value him higher than that. No surprises there.

Is that not part of the reason why United aren't selling Rooney to Chelsea, he obviously wants to leave.

I am drowning in the sea of literature telling us all he wants to leave.. .

Go read about Manny Ramirez. Henry and company dealt with an idiot player before and got the most out of him.

I googled Manny Ramirez, Baseball player. I closed the tab.

 

[Cheesy]

I don't think many would think of it that way.

If you go out and spend £45m on a player, that's telling Europe that you're here to compete - something we haven't genuinely done for years.

While it would be a statement that you're willing to compete, I don't think it's as simple as that. Firstly, if you want to then continue to compete for signing top quality players then you're going to have to go and spend that sort of big money again. Whether Wenger will want to so soon after breaking the club's transfer record is debatable. It's all well and good for big players to want to join Arsenal more than they would have previously, but if you're not willing to match their clubs valuation, and in some cases their ridiculous wages then you're still going to struggle.

Plus, if Suarez then leaves then it'll be back to square one in a way. You might get the money back, but you'll simply look like a selling club who can't hang onto their best players again.

 

[ShadesOfTomato]

Gordon Taylor confirming that the contract indeed says the club does not have to sell.

Looks we are firmly in the driving seat then. Enjoy Sanogo Gooners

 

[Sandikan]

Gordon Taylor confirming that the contract indeed says the club does not have to sell.

Looks we are firmly in the driving seat then. Enjoy Sanogo Gooners

It was a "gentleman's agreement"

Suarez and Liverpool. A gentleman's agreement.

It doesn't get anymore ironic than that.