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

what the fudge is going in at arsenal? Surely Wenger needs to go.

Ox to Chelsea for 35mil

Sanchez hands in transfer request

Wenger playing people out of position.

Its almost as if we haven't had a pre-season to sort all this shark out. what the fudge were we doing?!?

I'm gutted about the ox but when it comes down to it, he hasn't been good enough in central midfield or as a forward, we expect better in those roles. He looks a very good wingback, but we do have Bellerin and we just bought Kolasinac, so maybe his departure will spell an end to the out of position carry-on in our backline. 

The Ox is basically going to Chelsea to fight with Victor Moses for a right wingback spot. If that's the target for him and his career then good luck to him. He's clearly not going to get a look in at central midfield or a  forward role at Chelsea either. Although there are reports that he's actually pushing for a Liverpool move. He might have better luck getting a forward/midfield role over there, but I still wouldn't bank on it if I were him. 

So looks like Ox and Mustafi are gone. Mustafi a convoluted loan then buy deal. He & Gabriel were both purchases made based on StatsDNA - wonder if Wenger was forced to go down that road and instead is reversing rapidly.

Surely, SURELY, there must be a couple more signings to come.

We usually struggle to get good fees but 35m is an outstanding piece of business for someone who hasn't produced 6 months of top form in 7 years, still doesn't really have a position and has a centre back's goal scoring record. Good riddance tbh. Should have been done 2 years ago. Perhaps now we can stop playing our right back on the left and use one of our 3 fit senior left backs out there.

Thought Ox was our best player against Stoke in an unnatural position. Still think he is a big loss, but if he didn't want to stay there's no point faffing about.

Just wish it wasn't to go to Chelsea of all places.

I don't think Chelsea is buying him to get game time, they're buying him because he is english and a versatile squad player.

Reality is he's not going to get into the starting 11 for games that matter, unsure how this is any good for his career. But I'm with you AJC, great bit of business for us.

Latest yarn:

"Manchester City make incredible bid for Alexis Sanchez as they offer cash plus Raheem Sterling"

I'd take that in a heartbeat if I were Arsenal.

Sterling is half the player Sanchez is.

Absolutely, but he's also 22 and might actually want to be at the club. And there's still the cash extra as well.

If selling Sanchez is inevitable it's not a bad trade off.

Bite their hands off before they change their minds. Not a great fan of Sterling but having him for 3 or 4 years is obviously better than having Sanchez for 1 and not having the funds to replace him because he's left for free.

Not a fan of this at all. I get what you two are saying about having a younger player at the club, locked in a contract for several years and getting actual money for someone with time running out on their contract, but this is all complete bollocks.

So what.... we're gonna get an extra 40-50 million or whatever. Chump change for a club with our sort of revenue and net worth. We are yet again letting a key player, a WORLD CLASS player, go to a direct rival. We are strengthening a team in our own league, receiving an average sum of money (in the modern market), with the supposed "carat" being an inferior player being sent our way.

Not for me, thanks.

We have given up and Sanchez has too. Might as well sell him and be done with it now.

A ton of rumours floating around, most of them bad.

- Accepted Chelsea bid for the Ox (rumoured to be 35 - 40m), but Ox potentially holding out for Liverpool

- Man City offering cash plus Sterling for Sanchez

- Mustafi to Inter on loan, 5m fee, option to buy for 23m at end of season

- Gibbs undergoing medical at WBA

- Walcott plus cash offer being considered for van Dijk

- Supposedly enquiring after Draxler

ive also heard -

Watford tried to pull a swifty with Gibbs but couldnt agree to terms. It sounds like WBA and him still have some work to do as well

Perez to Newcastle is gaining speed

An unknown spanish club is after mustafi as well with a 45mil offer

Arsenal isnt an option for Seri

Monaco are dealing with liverpool over a potential lemar move (ffs)

f*cken wheels are wobbling pretty hard this week. 

If we're going to play three at the back for  most of the season, are we going to play two fullbacks out of position? Why are we getting rid of Mustafi exactly? Why does BFG never play?

"Alexis Sanchez will not be sold"

Arsene Wenger

It's getting far beyond the most jokiest of jokes now.  We need at least two resignations and a +50% share sale.

We'll get more of the same. Again.

seems like different year same shark again.....we did good business early with Laca and Sead then failed badly.....i have no idea why we are getting rid of Mustafi only after 1 season????? Seems like we are in for another hard slog this season

rumours this morning - 

Ox is off to Liverpool for 35m

Gibbs to WBA for 7m - I hope the move goes well for him, i have nothing but admiration and respect for Gibbs. i think hes a top professional. 

Van dijk and Walcott to swap clubs

Jack is off to some mid table la liga club

Sterling doesnt want to be a part of the swap plus cash deal for sanchez. 

Some talk we're back in for Mahrez. 

That or Draxler seem absolute no-brainers for me, for those fees, cheaper than what Liverpool are paying for the Ox!

We offered Ox 180k per week to stay too, can't imagine Mahrez or Draxler would take any more than that for their wages. 

And on the Ox, if Liverpool turn him into a proper class central mid then fair play to them, but can't see it myself, and don't know how he gets in ahead of Mane or Salah. Personally I don't rate Salah but as long as he scores goals he won't be dropped. Liverpool play 4 at the back mostly don't they? No room at fullback for him then either. The Liverpool fans themselves aren't even that keen on him, very odd move in my opinion, I would've thought he'd suited Chelsea better, where Conte appeared to have the RWB role earmarked for him. 

Seems it is all down to AW

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-...

Don't waste your time on that, written by Le Grove, no better than a Piers Morgan rant. Notoriously bad blogger. 

Gibbs confirmed gone, and if we're getting $40m for The Ox I'm OK with it.

Kolasnic & Lacazette in, Gibbs, Gabriel, Szy, The Ox gone isn't too bitter a pill to swallow.

Lunch time tomorrow will be interesting.

apparently mustafi is staying, which ends our pursuit of van dijk and Evans(why the f*ck would we go for Evans??!)

and sauces saying that him staying suits neither party, which makes me wonder what has happened internally...

The Mustafi thing is whack. I get selling Gabriel as he just wasn't up to it, but when Per is in his final season, Koscielny & Monreal in their 30's surely having a starting German CB in the squad is a good thing while we let Chambers and Holding mature into the future England CB pairing they're destined to be.

We still obviously have massive defensive issues to address; hard to say if we need new players or simply giving players correct instructions and/or playing them in the right position.

We still obviously have goal scoring issues (see Stoke and Liverpool); hard to say if we need new players or simply giving players correct instructions and/or playing them in the right position.

A few teams in for Jack. As things stand I'd rather we kept him if no one else is coming into the team. He might be unavailable a lot but at least he'll get stuck in - assuming he stays on the pitch.

Sanchez staying now. Was all set to go to City, according to one source had told close friends and family he was off, then the deal fell through because Lemar rejected us. The contractual agreement between us and City was we needed to sign a replacement before letting Sanchez go. The replacement was Lemar, and he has no interest in joining.

Scenes.

Perez has gone back home on loan. So presumably Welbeck and Walcott are now winners too.

Shaaaaaambles.

Joel campbell is off to Real Betis... didnt know we still had him...

Lemar scores a worldie.

Kos gets a kicking from Robben.

Wenger co-commentating on French TV according to reports.

Roll on Bournemouth next Saturday.

With Sanchez and Mustafi staying the lack of further signings isn't really an issue? Sanchez leaves end of season and we try again for a replacement. I'm more than fine with that. 

My only concern is central midfield. We're well stocked everywhere else except there. We're basically relying on either Wilshere or Cazorla to stay fit and contribute, unless Ramsey and Xhaka go the season without injury. That aint gonna happen, we all know Ramsey will do a thigh or hamstring and lose two months, happens every single season. 

Also reserve RB a concern. If we stick with 3 at the back then Nelson and Maitland-Niles can cover, but if we revert to a back four then neither of them are suitable. Is Debuchy actually still here??? Crikey. 

GK: Cech, Ospina

CB: Mustafi, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Holding, Chambers 

RB: Bellerin, Maitland-Niles, Debuchy

LB: Kolasnic, Monreal

CM: Ramsey, Xhaka, JW, Elneny, Coquelin, Cazorla, 

AM: Iwobi, Ozil, The Jeff

Striker: Giroud, Lacazette, Akpom

Winger: Sanchez, Walcott, Welbeck

That squad should confirm 3rd place & Europa final - if Wenger remembers how to coach.

Who is interested in 3rd place? Not me.

For 5-6 seasons 3rd place was very good by Wenger. Arguably the only Manager who could of done it. But that was 2 -3 full seasons ago. Now we play for #1 or bring in the people who have that as their criteria.

Everything about this offseason screams Ineffective organization. Given the 2 previous seasons starts having such dire consequences for the eventuality of their respective conclusions why are the same mistakes occurring or in this instance actually amplified?

Btw selling Ox (to Liverpool no less!) is one of the stupidest things we have ever done. 

I'd say Nelson has probably overtaken the Jeff at the moment, otherwise yea that's our squad. 

So differences from last year are 2 new first eleven players, and a bunch of fringers turfed out. That's it. 

I want to quote this as I agree with everything here (bar the ox bit).

I also want to "this" it about a thousand times.

Man City whinging about the failed Sanchez bid. Oh how I laugh.

Almost as satisfying as Barca's tantrum over Neymar. 

If I were an Arsenal fan I certainly would not be laughing. 

Here you have a player who clearly does not want to be at the Emirates and will more than likely leave for free after you turned down a 60 million quid offer.