If we get Lacazette, I'm with you on that. Keep Welbeck and Giroud and they're our main 3 strikers for me. Good mixture of skill sets, with Lacazette and Welbeck able to operate in other roles as well.
Lucas is going, and I would sell Walcott too. Walcott is a good finisher but Welbeck does literally everything else better.
Obviously if Sanchez and/or Ozil go, then we'd need to re-assess that.
I'd still love Mahrez added into that mix, whether or not we retain Ozil/Sanchez.
So Giroud has been with us for 5 seasons now. 98 goals and 41 assists, so basically averaging 20 goals and 8 assists per season.
Pretty decent return on the 12 million fee I'd say.
I hope we keep Giroud. He gets a lot of stick but has remained a consistent scorer and I'll never forget his assist for Ramsey in the cup final.
Also hope we keep the Ox and if he does go, please don't let him go to the scousers. Anyone but them.
If any of you Welly boys and girls fancy putting a bit of time (like, a bit, not a lot) into helping get Arsenal NZ moving a bit here in Welly - flick me a message... thanks :)
http://news.arseblog.com/2017/06/arsenals-back-thr...
Interesting read up on the statistical differences between playing with 3 at the back vs 4 at the back - quite surprising!
Here's some perspective for you. It's 45 days until we kick off the new EPL season at home against Leicster.
So far we've re-signed Wenger & signed Sead Kolsanic.
We haven't re-signed or sold:
Szy
Wilshere
Sanchez
Ozil
The Ox
Gibbs
The clubs got a busy few weeks ahead of them!
Lemar talk seems to have overtaken Lacazette talk now. Sounding like Lemar will sign if reports are to be believed.
All this talk around forwards coming in has got me thinking that Sanchez may indeed be going now.
As far as I can tell , that Lemar rumour came from a former page 3 girl on twitter...
I think we will;
Re sign Ozil
Sanchez will price Bayern Munich out of a deal in anticipation for a move to City next season
Oxlade Chamberlain will leave to 'Pool
Wilshere will stay and leave on a free next season
Gibbs will stay and leave on a free next season
Sign Lacazette at the end of the window for 60m.
Bellerin will stay
Snez will stay after we price Juve out of a deal
Ospina will go for 5m to some random Turkish club
Perez will go on loan somewhere
a.haak
Anyone else fizzing for the Sydney tour? So pumped to see the chaps live again, can't wait!
Yep. Left this morning, in Gold Coast for a week now.
Lacazette sounding like its got legs now
Sanchez sounds like he wants out
I don't think it directly is. Giroud is still a critical player if we sign Lacazette. But if Sanchez re-signs then I'm unsure Giroud will be happy having another season from the bench/cup matches like he had last year.
"hey Dad, someone's selling Kylian Mbappe on Trading Post!"
"How much does he want?"
"£125000000"
"....tell him he's dreaming"
E's Flat Ah's Flat Too
Sounds like Lacazette has signed. I'm excited to see how he'll go. Don't like the talk of selling Giroud though.
Rumours continue to swirl around Lemar, Mahrez and Mbappe, varying degrees of bullshark most probably.
If we land Lacazette and one of those three I'd be stoked.
Still missing a CM to replace Jack/Santi.
Sounds like Lacazette has signed. I'm excited to see how he'll go. Don't like the talk of selling Giroud though.
Rumours continue to swirl around Lemar, Mahrez and Mbappe, varying degrees of bullshark most probably.
If we land Lacazette and one of those three I'd be stoked.
Still missing a CM to replace Jack/Santi.
Can't see any CM action there. Ozil, Iwobi, Santi, Jack. No need for investment IMO
E's Flat Ah's Flat Too
Sounds like Lacazette has signed. I'm excited to see how he'll go. Don't like the talk of selling Giroud though.
Rumours continue to swirl around Lemar, Mahrez and Mbappe, varying degrees of bullshark most probably.
Don't see any connection between buying Lacazette equals selling Giroud UNLESS Oliver specifically made such a demand. Perez Walcott and Welbeck should all be sold before Giroud anyway...
And if we play 3-4-2-1 as our preferred Starting XI who is the Ox's back up? I'm more than happy for him to be guaranteed a start but not even I are optimistic enough to consider him more than a 35/season player.
E's Flat Ah's Flat Too
Sounds like Lacazette has signed. I'm excited to see how he'll go. Don't like the talk of selling Giroud though.
Rumours continue to swirl around Lemar, Mahrez and Mbappe, varying degrees of bullshark most probably.
If we land Lacazette and one of those three I'd be stoked.
Still missing a CM to replace Jack/Santi.
Can't see any CM action there. Ozil, Iwobi, Santi, Jack. No need for investment IMO
Santi won't play for at least half of next season. Surely he can't be in the equation - Jack too, who looked like a Bournemouth player, not an Arsenal one, and is also coming off another injury.
Lacazette is a very good signing; especially for the reported 45m which is basically bargain-bin for a top level striker. I think that in an ideal world we would instead be letting Walcott go - but it seems like the Ox and Giroud are the ones likely to depart. With Marseille offering us around 30m for Giroud, I don't think we will keep him now. Love the big French bloke - he offers something no one else does in the team - but 30m for a 30 year old striker who, according to most fans, has never really fit our style of game is hard to refuse.
Also, Giroud has already said he wants more game time and would think about leaving. With Lacazette signing, that game time naturally dimishes even further. If Sanchez and Lacazette are here (and Welbeck) - Giroud would rightly think that he'd get very few starts.
On signings, I think Mahrez is looking increasingly likely, though I wouldn't be surprised to see a curve-ball from Wenger. It also sounds like we're going in hard for Mbappe - and why the hell not. It's obviously extremely unlikely, but I think Wenger has hit the 'fudge it, why not try?' phase,
a.haak
With Ramsey and Xhaka the starters, and Elneny and Coquelin the back-ups, with Santi to come back from injury, and also the Ox if he stays, I think we've got a ton of CM options. And I'm getting the feeling that Wilshere might actually stay for the final year of his contract, given he's injured right now and there's not much interest in him, publicly at least.
I would sell Walcott and Lucas right away.
Lacazette, Giroud and Welbeck would be my 3 strikers in this squad. Welbeck and Lacazette can play other roles if needed too.
Ozil and Sanchez hopefully stay, with Iwobi and hopefully Mahrez (or Lemar?) to complete the attacking forward options.
Obviously if Sanchez were to leave then we need to re-assess.
Ramsey and Xhaka our starters with Elneny and Coq next off the cab is not a title winning team.
Agree on selling Walcott and Perez and keeping Giroud; but won't happen. It's a world cup year, Giroud wants to start games. Walcott won't leave; no offers on the table for him. Perez will go.
a.haak
If we throw out our starting eleven it doesn't matter if who we buy, they will never gel quickly enough to make an impact this season. Things take time. I'm looking for a quality upgrades to this squad. We already have two it seems, at LB and at striker.
I am keen to start Ramsey and Xhaka together from day 1 and continue building on that partnership - they were looking very good at the end of last season. Wilshere and/or Cazorla will hopefully get fit at some point during the season. In the meantime we'll have the Ox, Elneny and Coquelin to fill in when needed.
You reckon Ox will stay? Just rejected contract terms after a 'take it or leave it' offer.
a.haak
I think we'll lose Sanchez, The Ox, Jack, Gibbs. Sanchez is hard to replace, The Ox is a blow but there are plenty better CM's than he, the other 2 I'm not fussed on.
I'm with Valeo, that if we only have Coquellin/Elneny as competition for Ramsey/Xhaka we're in trouble. I'd love to see us sign Saul from Athletico (bloody transfer ban).
Ox isn't playing DM or CM in a 3-4-2-1
If Ramsey was injured he could go in and Hector starts at Ox's RB/RM. If Xhaka injured Ox and Elneny. Sell Coq.
I'm not convinced on Hector unless we play a back 4. He's very young though so a lot of promise.
Giroud
Alexis Ozil
Kov, Granit, Ramsey, Ox
Nacho, Kos, Mustafi
Cech or Scz
Holding then Per into back 3 Nacho can cover LB/LM
Hector for Ox
Elneny in middle
Iwobi or Mahrez for Ozil or Sanchez
Lacazette or Welbeck for Giroud
Santi and Jack to come back, both worth good points when they get fit. I know that's not 22 players for 22 eventualities but on paper that's a top 3 squad.
Perez Gibbs Theo sold :(
E's Flat Ah's Flat Too
It's hard to argue with his record in France, and his apparent attributes when you do a bit of youtubing.
A lot of gooners seem quite underwhelmed though, perhaps because there didn't appear to be any competition?
I can't wait to see how he goes. Got all the skills, speed, a ton of x factor, and appears to have a bit of the Henry pomp about him.
It's hard to argue with his record in France, and his apparent attributes when you do a bit of youtubing.
A lot of gooners seem quite underwhelmed though, perhaps because there didn't appear to be any competition?
I can't wait to see how he goes. Got all the skills, speed, a ton of x factor, and appears to have a bit of the Henry pomp about him.
The only thing that's underwhelmed me is how many penalties he's scored (11) out of how 30 something goals. That said his finishing, his pace, and his touch is incredibly exciting and a will be a step up on Giroud's. I couldn't tell if he was left or right footed until he took a penalty in his compilation videos.
It's hard to argue with his record in France, and his apparent attributes when you do a bit of youtubing.
A lot of gooners seem quite underwhelmed though, perhaps because there didn't appear to be any competition?
I can't wait to see how he goes. Got all the skills, speed, a ton of x factor, and appears to have a bit of the Henry pomp about him.
Except he is a lot shorter than Henry.
If you are old and wise you were probably young and stupid
Sounds like Lacazette has signed. I'm excited to see how he'll go. Don't like the talk of selling Giroud though.
Rumours continue to swirl around Lemar, Mahrez and Mbappe, varying degrees of bullshark most probably.
Sounds like Mahrez is in. You'll be pleased you have always rated him.
E's Flat Ah's Flat Too
If we did get Mahrez, and managed to keep Sanchez somehow, would we go back to 4-2-3-1 to accommodate?
Cech
Bellerin-Mustafi-Koscielny-Kolasinac
Xhaka-Ramsey
Mahrez-Ozil-Sanchez
Lacazette
Nacho for Kolasinac
Ox for Ramsey
In the 4-2-3-1
I do think Wenger is going to play 3-4-2-1 however.
E's Flat Ah's Flat Too
nice work from Hector to donate to Grenfell
E's Flat Ah's Flat Too
Apparently in talks to bring Mad Jens back as GK coach!
Former GK coach Peyton has gone, so legitimate vacancy.
But rumours also say he will be an assistant as well, and will be on the bench with Bouldy etc.
I love this.
Can you imagine us losing at HT and the lads coming into the dressing room for a Jens dressing down #scenes
Apparently in talks to bring Mad Jens back as GK coach!
Former GK coach Peyton has gone, so legitimate vacancy.
But rumours also say he will be an assistant as well, and will be on the bench with Bouldy etc.
I love this.
Can you imagine us losing at HT and the lads coming into the dressing room for a Jens dressing down #scenes
Didn't Cech want to bring his long time goal keeping coach but couldn't? Or am I making that up...
Listening to ArseCast Extra they're debating do you sell Sanchez now for 50m or keep him and lose him on a free.
If you keep him you're losing closer to 60m in wages you'll pay him. However is that 60m worth it for 30+ goals a season and a range of assists. I'd say yes.
The trickier question is do you sell him abroad now vs let him go on a free to Man City or another english rival in the summer.
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