No he should leave at the end of the season.

I look at the signing of Ozil as a wonderful parting gift.

Irish gunner wrote:

FEBravo wrote:

Surely Wenger laid some sort of plans to Ozil to convince him of our "ambition". Wonder what he told him the master plan was. Think we now have what, five Germans in the first team? That should give us a good advantage trying to sign other ones.

Reus

I ws thinking about that yesterday too

Vorsprung durch technik.

I think the only way I could start to soften on Wenger without a trophy would be if I thought he was really giving his all to getting a trophy. That means more top class signings and not taking the FA Cup for granted.

I also feel that the signing of Ozil was due to pressure from Kroenke to spend. Though I can recognise the significance that working with Wenger made on it actually getting done.

I think the pressure from Kroenke/Gazidis would have resulted in us going on a Tottenham like spree. I think it's Wenger's influence that resulted in us going for someone 'top top quality' rather than settling for the likes of Lamela and Soldado. Though that's also probably why we don't have the top quality striker we need.

I've had a feeling since Gaizidis statements at the start of the summer that the club/board/Kroenke wanted a big star. Someone to excite people and get them through the turnstiles. I think there was a real fear about a drop in ticket sales.

What qsi says pretty much goes along with what I was thinking....Gazidis with Kroenke's backing put the pressure on AW to buy a super player...I just can't get around him spending that kind of money without a hard push from upstairs....It must have been painful for him!

I'd also like to believe that we didn't get Ba/Lukaku because of our new addition, making us much more dangerous to Chelsea, rather than believing we would not cough up the 3 mil for Ba.....If that's what's really happened, it's classic Wenger....

In any case, I voted "no"....There have been no trophies since I started following Arsenal, not a one....Lay a first class foundation of players and leave....

Wenger has always said he will be up for signing super quality. This was his super quality. Wenger has been a huge admirer and Ozil became available. Wenger also said we will pay what we can afford, even if above market rate but not crazy prices. He knew he was under pressure to spend from the fans but I don't think that had any influence. I also don't think it was necessarily Kroenke/ Gazidis that pushed him to this.

We can't on one hand criticize him for complete control, for being stubborn, for being the authority on all football matters and then also not give him full credit for buying a player like Ozil.

I think we wouldn't have bought anyone if Ozil had not become available.

otfgoon wrote:

I think the pressure from Kroenke/Gazidis would have resulted in us going on a Tottenham like spree. I think it's Wenger's influence that resulted in us going for someone 'top top quality' rather than settling for the likes of Lamela and Soldado. Though that's also probably why we don't have the top quality striker we need.

Worth keeping in mind that Spurs are making a profit this window. They just bought before they sold is all. They have done well though! Think they will be a much better team than last season when they learn to play together.

Spurs are worse. Think they might even finish 6th.

I like the stability Wenger brings, and after Fergie's retirement I've come to see it as a huge advantage over our competitors.

If we are still a long way under man U in the pecking order come May then we should look to replace him. Still, a lot of my reluctance to get rid is linked to how little I trust the board to get the next appointment right.

qs! wrote:

I've had a feeling since Gaizidis statements at the start of the summer that the club/board/Kroenke wanted a big star. Someone to excite people and get them through the turnstiles. I think there was a real fear about a drop in ticket sales.

Fear based in reality. Lack of season ticket waiting list and corporate box sales must have kept them in the market for a top level statement signing, hopefully we keep in mind that we still have at least £40 mil available to spend if needed in Jan or to roll over for next year.

Wonder if we have built up enough senior German internationals to be giving the wink to players like Reus and Draxler next year and others going into the future.

Really don't think Spurs are worse off when all is said and done. Now they are certainly worse because they have a squad full of people who don't know each other, but they look solid, but unspectacular, in midfield. Dawson is cack, but both Vertonghen and Kaboul are good players, and Lloris is very good. In Soldado they have a striker who is a definite upgrade on seasons past, and both Eriksen and Lamela are exciting young players with plenty of creativity.

We need to approach Lewandowski in January. Last chance saloon for Dortmund to get some cash for him, and with the addition of Özil to Per and his fellow Pole PoPodolski we may look interesting enough to him.

I hope we get Reus.

His fellow Pole?

Rex wrote:

his fellow Pole PoPodolski

Err don't you mean Szczesny and half of Koscielny?

Born in Poland with Polish patents to be fair.

Rex wrote:

We need to approach Lewandowski in January. Last chance saloon for Dortmund to get some cash for him, and with the addition of Özil to Per and his fellow Pole PoPodolski we may look interesting enough to him.

That is even more impossible than Suarez.

Dortmund desperately want to sell him this window to any foreign club, but Lewandowski refuses to move anywhere other than Bayern.