(The not-so-temporary quite-official) Gooner Thread (Part 1)

Getting back to rumour mills, things have gone quiet on the Higuian, Benteke and Jovetic front.....

Have to say if Grenier and Songao despite injuries for the latter could be good potential for coming seasons while blooding in cup games etc for 2013/14.

What about now?? still seems glaringly obvious we need stengthening in the spine GK, CB, CDM and ST

For a keeper I am still keen as on Julio Cesar as his, age and experience would be an awesome addition, and although Mignolet could be good to add it could be destructive with him and Scez.

At CB this is more on the assumption Vermaelen will throw in the towel, I really hope he doesn't as he seems to be made of more tougher stuff in the determination and maturity department. If so I had wondered about Amorebrieta but he went to Fulham, after that??

CDM, seems the Ettiene Capoue rumour still lingers albeit mild, I wondered about Jeremy Toulalan from Malaga??

Then for the man that puts it in the back of the net, Benteke has grown on me, second season syndrome could hit? Personally of the three I would like Higuain the most, have to confess I have never seen Jovetic play so cannot comment.

What say you?

apparanetly jovetic price wont come down from 30milli to the 20milli we have offered, Would be pretty keen stoked if we could Higuian or Benteke or even remy if he gets off his case lol, only down fall to higuian would be lack of speed but his finishing is top notch. mmm for CDM Cheap option could be nzonzi or diame, not sure if Victor wanyama is still on the radar. Also a lot of talk about us signing Clement Grenier aka new nasri....not sure if we need him but if wenger is buying we shall take him :). Yip sign cesar he's decent, he need someone who will keep scez on his toes. Hopefully tv5 stays and trys to fight for his spot.  

Wonder if Wenger will get a rb if sagna leaves, Hector Bellerin is knocking on door apparently but having him and carl could be a bit much for the young gunners in the bigger games

Serge Gnabry will be promoted to the first team next season by all accounts

I'm looking forward to Gnabry... was hoping for a loan next season to a lower prem lg team (ie: Palace... Fulham... Sp*ds). He's a very exciting prospect if we can develop and keep him.

yeah loan would be ideal as can't see him getting much gametime next season, Poor ryo will need to go out on loan again as well

Ceaser is significantly better than Szecney, so will not be signed to "keep him on his toes"

I think you're underrating Szczesny a tad with the term 'significantly' but I agree Cesar is a better option as it currently stands for sure - obviously his experience is the main thing but his reflexes and shot-stopping are top notch. What's he like in the air though? 

Szczesny is good, the best in the air we've had since Seaman in my opinion. Very rarely 'flaps'. I think reading between the lines, Arsene's main issue with him is his communication at the back - which you would think comes with experience. His distribution also needs work.

His shot stopping and penalty saving are very good. 

Perfect mix for me would be to get 1-2 seasons out of Cesar with Szczesny on the bench, playing cup games, filling for injuries etc, then Szczesny should be ready for constant first team action after that. He is still very young for a keeper. The key will be keeping his head screwed on and Arsene convincing him to wait another season or two to be the number one proper. In saying all of that, I'd be perfectly fine if we extended Fabianski's contract and left the GK situation alone. We haven't suffered at GK for the last two seasons like we did before that, and those two will improve every year with experience. 

Think I've posted it before, but my essentials for this window are;

Get rid of dead wood - not going to list them again, I don't even like typing their names anymore

Re-sign Sagna, or sign a new RB

Sign a young squad-CB (4th choice) - Winston Reid would be nice FM :)

Sign a striker - I don't have a preference, but someone high-profile would be nice for a change, Jovetic or Higuain please

Sign a DMF, or put our lot in with Coquelin and give him a decent shot, I'm happy either way, I rate Coquelin

I don't think TV will be going anywhere - total press beat-up in my opinion. If he does then he'd be pretty weak to give up so easily, I just can't see it (famous last words?)

What are your thoughts about taking Fabregas back if he became available? Personally, I'd be all for it.

yip same here mate, Man u have made contact with Barca regarding him apparently. i pretty sure we have first refusal of him but in saying that i cant see barca letting him go now possibly next season if it all doesnt pan out. Cesc playing with Neymar will work better for him too. I dont think i could stand seeing him in a united jersey

Cesc back in a heartbeat 

I've been holding a candle for him for a while now... 

f*ck me if he did end up at ManU I dont know what I would do, that might be just too much to take

Part of me would love to have Cesc back but part of me says that he chose his path and we've moved on... we have a little Spaniard who can play in the middle and Jack is going to take a more domeinant role in the team (formerly known as Cesc's) and we have a couple of good young CM's coming through in Eisfeld and Gnabry that should be 1st team quality in 2/3 years (and are already seeing exposure to the squad) so I really don't see much point as there can only be a downside... agree with Paul that seeing him in another red shirt would suck the kumara but then if that's where he goes good luck to him... I'm not sure he is (or will be again) the player he was 3/4 years ago, possibly a result of injuries and/or confusion over where he wants to be. But anyway... I'm happy with where we are, and who we have coming through :-)

how does first refusal work? because i read that the united officials don't think it will be a problem with the Fabregas deal..

Presumably we get notified of any bid/s that Barca want to accept and are given the opportunity to match it? 

^ that's my understanding. Although there's surely a lot more detail in the contract.

Agreed Paul, and whilst Gnabry and Eisfeld aren't specifically CM's - they are showing a lot of potential and AW isn't exactly known for pigeonholing players into one position (particularly mids and forwards). Rambo seems to be showing more of his old self, not to mention Tomas' strong finish to the season once he was finally fit... if Cesc came back that'd be great - but tbh I can see that Utd need him (well, someone) whereas I can't see that we necessarily do so if they stump up 20 mil or similar, we'd be better spending that $$$ elsewhere.

But then... ???

I still think despite the mids in our squad I would take him back.

Only Wilshere and perhaps Cazorla can lay claim to the talent he possesses. The harsh reality is we are currently 16 points worse than the champions and we need to close that gap. Cesc would surely help with that. He'd also make a great ready-made captain...

If Arsene offered him the big bucks and the arm band then he may come... if he was intent on staying at Barca I'm sure he would have explicitly said so already. Either he's trying to get a payrise or a pivotal role in their team by staying quiet, or he actually wants out. 

With Barca's aging squad, surely his time will come. Like Paulm said, we could certainly do with his experience and skill in the midfield allowing for the usual injuries.

Don't get me wrong - I'd take him back tomorrow too... just can't see it happening, especially if Utd (or whoever) throw a decent amount of dosh at them.

I can't see us buying him back with the midfield we currently have. Which means one thing...we need to massively push up his price. 

Assuming he is leaving, which is a pretty big assumption.

Looks like the ink is drying on a deal for Clement Grenier, a 22 y/o attacking midfielder from Lyon.

Seem to remember someone Wenger? calling him the new Nasri, ability wise I hope rather than loyalty or consistency lol :)

Here is a quote from him:

"“I have more or less made a decision about which club I want to join.

“I have made the choice for sporting reasons above all. Arsenal? It could well be them.

“There would be competition for places, but you get that at all big clubs and it does not stop me making my decision.

“I am still young, but I have always set myself targets and I do everything possible to exceed them.”

Valencia had a final day melt down and miss the Champions League. 

couple of players from that squad will almost certainly be looking for greener pastures and if the rumors are true about the clubs perilous financial state ....

Who remembers this one?

go Ox go

Banega would be good, but his position is hardly where we need replenishment first. 

I thought i read at the time that fabregas dropped it on the ground to applaud our fans, then picked it up and left the pitch

arsenal.com player of the season poll results;

1: Cazorla

2: Koscielny

3: Walcott

4: Arteta

I'd probably agree with that. 

Perhaps Mertesacker and Giroud would be special mentions as well for me

Denilson has finally left on a free transfer. Arshavin and Squillaci should be next.

Is Bendtners contract expiring or do we need to gift him to another club too? (or Sp*rs lol).

Bendtner still has one year left on his contract but that didn't stop us terminating Denison's contract. There's a rumour that Cardiff could be interested in signing him.

That was what I was getting at - we should do the same... the win for us is in getting rid of the wages and nobody would give us a transfer fee for him.

Thanks for contracting 101 Paul but I do realise that.

In future posts I'll remember to add the bleedingly obvious to save you the effort in doing so rather than leave room for any assumption.

Yeah stoked Denilson could see common sense and the board for that matter to call time now, it truly is a win/win for all!

Sagna in talks over a new contract according to a french interview with him.

He hasn't ruled out leaving, but he did make an interesting comment about the world cup being at the end of this season. I got the feeling he might stay for one more for that reason, and then go out to pasture for a payday with PSG or Monaco or someone like that. That would be a pretty good result for us I think, we probably need just one more season for Jenkinson to develop, and we can also hopefully give Bellerin his first taste of first-team football before he's thrown into the squad properly for 2014/15. I also really like the idea of Sagna being an option at CB should we not sign anyone else there (although the constant rumours suggest we're in the market for a CB).