(The not-so-temporary quite-official) Gooner Thread (Part 2)
Rambo gets an unfair amount of crap.
Haircut is indeed a horror show but some of the carry-on you see about him is pretty ridiculous. The guy carried us to the top four in 2013/14, and hit the winner for our first trophy in 9 years. Hasn't been quite as good since then but he is still an important and high quality player for us.
Plus he has to take all that unfair sh*t every time he goes to Stoke, where he had his leg snapped, sometimes I wonder if he'll just up sticks and take off. Wouldn't blame him.
I love Rambo, but that haircut deserves copious amounts of sh*t.
It doesn't look great, though primarily because it's new and noone is used to it. But some of the vitriol I've seen on other forums has gone too far. People advocating selling him and suggesting it's a reflection of his deep rooted personal issues and ego which manifests itself on the pitch etc. It's just a dodgy haircut.
Rumours cranking.
Rodriguez skipped training for "unspecified reasons" last night, so there's speculation he's discussing personal terms with us. He has a 19m release clause so negotiating with his club isn't necessary, deal could be done quickly if the rumours are for real.
Also strong rumours linking us with both Gotze and Mkhitaryan overnight.
Hmmm Wenger doesn't have the best record with fullback signings in recent years. Santos was so bad we had to spend the money again a year later. Debuchy and Jenkinson were big flops too and we signed Chambers to be a right back then realised he was a centre back. We do need someone if one of our left backs are leaving though.
Despite the examples you mention I feel fullbacks are one of Wenger's best positions when it comes to signings.
Jenkinson was plucked from nowhere for practically nothing, as a youth product or back-up. Wenger was roundly mocked, I remember Frankie Mac even claiming Jenkinson wasn't even a footballer. Now he has England caps and is obviously an EPL level player, even if he may not be quite good enough for us anymore.
Wenger personally converted Cole, Gibbs, Clichy, Bellerin and Lauren to FB from other positions. That's pretty decent...
Monreal and Sagna were both excellent signings, despite none of us knowing who they were at the time.
It is one position where we've never really struggled during Wenger's tenure, aside from the usual injury problems of course lol
Yeah it has been a strong position usually, I just said that recent fullback signings have not worked out, not that they have always been flops. Been a bit of a theme elsewhere too actually. We traditionally always had a top class striker under Wenger until about the same time too.
Debuchy is a tough one to call a flop. The guy looks OK coming in from Newcastle, get's injured. Start's making a combeack only to get injured again because some c*nt pushes him mid air and he lands badly on his shoulder. During his time away a star is born from our youth ranks (points to Wenger for backing him over Chambers or recalling Jenkinson in the mid-season transfer window) and he get's frustrated at not getting a shot at the game.
Debuchy then becomes a bitter, twisted old man and bemoans publicly his lack of game time and his desire to make the Euro's. We loan him back to france & the poor bugger injures himself after 8 matches and is ruled out of the euro's.
You can't put any of that on Wenger.
Edit: Paul nailed the Jenkinson situation nicely, and Chamber's was signed as a CB/RB/CDM & has played all 3 for us :)
Great summary of Debuchy Brumbies.
He seemed like such a locked down good signing too. All the right ingredients - experienced international (keeping Sagna on the bench for France when we bought him), french, good EPL experience so no time needed to get used to the league, it was all there. An absolute no-brainer.
But now here we are 2 years later and I wouldn't swap Bellerin for anyone!
Funny how it works sometimes.
I like GX for "us" in the context of what he'll offer us in terms of leadership and a little mongrel - which we've been sorely lacking (which has been amplified with Jack being out). Yes Gundogan is a good player/signing, but I believe GX gives us more of what we need psychologically and mentally as well as what he offers as a player - which isn't too shabby either.
He's a potential captain in a couple or three seasons. If not sooner.
(calm down SQ... lol)
If this is our upgrade on Walcott, then I'm pretty happy. This is a buy for instant results. Don't normally see this sort of behaviour from us. Think I am coming round to this and feeling pretty happy overall. Just not many strikers out there, especially ones with as little risk as this.
Expected United to be spending big on him. Would be surprised if it happens but should be a good signing. Top scorer from the PL champions so hard to argue with that and would make a big change for Wenger. But then he's going to be 30 next season and only scored 5 league goals last season so was this season the one season of his life or could he do it again? The other main alternative being talked about is coming off a 7 league goal season and would cost 3 times the price.
Also with assault convictions and a history of racist incidents he's the type of scum Wenger doesn't usually go for. We do usually tend to sign players with a bit of class and not that sort of history, though there may be the odd exception I guess. Would still like to sign a younger striker as well. When was the last time Wenger went for an established striker around 30? Davor Suker?
I do like that we've started signing players for now though rather than always the future. A lot of players we buy for the future don't end up working out anyway so 20 million for the 2 or 3 good seasons he could immediately give us would be good business.
Interesting idea for a lineup should we sign vardy
Cech
Bellerin-Mertesacker-Koscielny-Monreal
Cazorla-Xhaka
Sanchez-Wilshere-Ozil
Vardy
Or shake up that attacking three - Ozil could go in the middle with Wilshere wide right and Sanchez left
Having pace up top as well as Sanchez means we could afford to play Wilshere and Ozil together in attacking roles... Imagine the technical quality with Cazorla, Wilshere and Ozil all near each other...
Ramsey and Giroud a great plan B off the bench
Based on the ability he showed this season he's a massive upgrade. Pace, finishing, aerial ability, link up play, there isn't one area Giroud beats him on the pitch but is probably a nicer character off it. I worry that Wenger would try and stick him out wide like Hodgson and persist with Giroud though. A forward lineup of Giroud, Vardy and Sanchez would give us some quite different options for how we can play, as does having too many midfielders so that's quite exciting.
This topic is locked.