No need to get too carried away there Claude.

with the right management, this team should have Mata, Fabregas and Cazorla behind whichever striker we choose to field. no need for Gervinho, could've even survived without Podolski in that instance. Wenger, Law, Gazidis, Gunnersaurus. Who is to blame?

Defo Gunnersaurus. He isn't pulling his weight at the club.

Claudius wrote:

this team should have Mata, Fabregas and Cazorla behind whichever striker we choose to field.

😆

Who'd win the ball and the headers?

we wouldn't have to win the ball. we'd have 70% possession.
with those three guys, you keep Song and bring in another brute to protect the back four.

Oh 70% possession! .........Well then...........

Some reputable sources in Turkey says Galatasaray wants Gervinho for 12m.

Oh no, another marquee player gone this summer.

That's terrible. We can't afford to lose another star this summer. That will be the straw that breaks this camel's back.

If this happens it will be Wenger's best deal of all time - a profit on Gervinho, no matter how much, is better than whatever we've earned on Anelka, Adebayor, Cesc etc combined!

We broke even on Cygan...

Shocking article. Would barely be believable even if they said Wenger plans to execute the raid over 3 summers

There seems to be a bit of a media consensus that this summer is the one where finally things will change at Arsenal.

Personally, I think it's just another line they're being fed by the club.

I reckon we'll stumble into fourth, and do it again.
We're just a rich Wigan. Stumble into your trophy (type 5 for us, type 6 for Wigan); sell your best players; spend the first 5 months of the season floundering; finally find some form at season's end; stumble into your trophy; sell your best players...

Rinse and repeat......

Wenger was asked about Corchia today, he was absolutely surprised and claims he doesn't know the guy.

Is this guy an upgrade on Sagna and the Corporal?

Supposedly highly rated in france, one of 2 best young RBs along with Aurier. Personally never seen him play a match before, but read that he is dead ball specialist and good in attack.


Meanwhile, Chelsea close to sealing Schurrle deal for 20m and with De Bruyne moving the other way.

Corchia's awesome in FM... 😆

Schurrle would be a very good signing, ridiculously expensive at 20m + De Bruyne though.

Fergie said something odd today about us building a good squad. Wonder if he knows something we dont

Could be the case that we are building a squad. We have decent pieces. But you need players to stay to build a squad. Look at how long United have had Rooney, Vidic, Evra, Carrick, Giggs and even Ferdinand/Scholes. If in two years time Cazorla, Wilshere and Koscielny are gone, then it would've been for nought.

I guess that's one way to look at it. Another way is that we're in the best position vis-a-vis player retention that we have been for ages—we just need better players.

Next season Chelsea continue in transition with another new manager, Terry, Cole and Lampard gone or fading further, and new signings. City will be in upheaval, Liverpool will continue mediocre, Spurs will probably lose Bale in the summer. Sadly United look like they'll have good continuity.

Burnwinter wrote:

I guess that's one way to look at it. Another way is that we're in the best position vis-a-vis player retention that we have been for ages—we just need better players.

Next season Chelsea continue in transition with another new manager, Terry, Cole and Lampard gone or fading further, and new signings. City will be in upheaval, Liverpool will continue mediocre, Spurs will probably lose Bale in the summer. Sadly United look like they'll have good continuity.

I think Liverpool are improving and I can see them switching roles with spurs

Yeah, dunno.

I think Spurs might drop off especially if His Apeyness departs, but I just don't have any faith in the Rodgers project. Rodgers seems to be technically a good manager, but when the going gets tough, he's such a laughable personality type I think the whole thing's going to implode. And Liverpool is not a patient setup.

Spurs may stay the same level but will eventually drop; especially when bale leaves and they have to up their wage bill

I really think we are in great shape to press on. It's just a case of adding a few players of undoubted quality. That said who knows what bizarro may do

That's true. Spurs will be behind the eight ball financially—new stadium dreams, and probably £50m of wages per season coming their way too. Well that just convinces me they're fucked.

Next season we'll have all the important players we've had this season, and if we add a really good, vocal, strong, no bullshit centreback and a star forward we might be interesting.

Probably the biggest variable is where will Mourinho be …

I feel pretty positive about our team and its future. Well, at least better than the I've felt for the past couple of years anyway.

However I still think we need a GK, CB, DM, Striker and if we really want to compete at the top, another creative Cazorla type player.

So, apart from needing a new spine, we're well set up? 🙂
A 20 goal a season striker and a Yayaesque midfielder would be my top priorities.

Fergie doesn't pay complements to his rivals, so I would be worried.

Burnwinter wrote:

I guess that's one way to look at it. Another way is that we're in the best position vis-a-vis player retention that we have been for ages—we just need better players.

Next season Chelsea continue in transition with another new manager, Terry, Cole and Lampard gone or fading further, and new signings. City will be in upheaval, Liverpool will continue mediocre, Spurs will probably lose Bale in the summer. Sadly United look like they'll have good continuity.

That's an excellent point actually, I hadn't considered the other club's situations in regards to next season.

Burnwinter wrote:

Probably the biggest variable is where will Mourinho be …

I can genuinely see him going back to Chelsea unfortunately 🙁

Mourinho might actually go on sabbatical, I was thinking. He must have looked at Guardiola and realised how much his stock could rise off the market.

Especially if he thinks Ferguson might retire at the end of next season for example.

we should get him in for two seasons. that wouldn't get in the way of his future Old Trafford ambitions. might re-animate us.

Linked with Kalou today. Thank god I was starting to worry about the guy.