otfgoon wrote:

Burnwinter wrote:

It makes me laugh that you hard-nosed pragmatists are talking about solving anything with untested kids like Lukaku and Neymar.

What's the alternative?

If you're spending 25m your alternatives are basically any striker on the market who isn't already a big star at a big club, or overpriced due to some other quirk like recent media exposure or Englishness.

What that means in terms of specific players? No idea. Certainly an established player of Anelka, Suarez, Berbatov, Forlan, Adebayor calibre - declining stars, second choice strikers at major clubs - wouldn't be out of the question, or failing that a rising young player who we've actually scouted so we can get him for less than 25m.

I take it you've watched Neymar, if we bought him we'd be acquiring the largest ego in the Americas, a lot of fancy tricks that would need to be ironed out of his game, and probably a distaste for cold weather and a burning desire to step on up to La Liga at Madrid or Barca.

Lukaku I would love us to get, to be fair, but for some reason I expect him to end up a very injury prone player.

talks nothing but sense.

Only thing is Neymar's definitely exceptional. It'd be awful watching him score for Chelsea.

Unfortunately it seems likely that we will have to witness the Neymar scoring for Chelsea scenario.

Unless, as some have been suggesting, Kroenke wants to mark the start of his era with a flashy summer signing.

Wenger did say the following during the week when speaking about spending the amount that Liverpool did on Carroll's transfer fee (I think)

"I do not rule it out, even if I haven't done it yet."

He also said that the Chelsea/Liverpool january spree represented value for money because they all got good players.

He may say whatever the fuck he likes, but relative to the competition Wenger has never spent big on signings

Burnwinter wrote:

otfgoon wrote:

What's the alternative?

If you're spending 25m your alternatives are basically any striker on the market who isn't already a big star at a big club, or overpriced due to some other quirk like recent media exposure or Englishness.

What that means in terms of specific players? No idea. Certainly an established player of Anelka, Suarez, Berbatov, Forlan, Adebayor calibre - declining stars, second choice strikers at major clubs - wouldn't be out of the question, or failing that a rising young player who we've actually scouted so we can get him for less than 25m.

It's not very fashionable, but what's wrong with looking at players doing well lower down the Prem? Forwards and wide players; Doyle, Jarvis, N'zogbia, Rodallega, Asamoah Gyan, Jordan Henderson, Ashley Young, Elmander, Chung-Yong Lee, Agbonlahor, Zamora, Odemwingie, Darren Bent....

In other position; Scott Dann, Scott Parker, Roger Johnson, Charlie Adam, Samba, Cahill, Enrique, Holden, Jagielka, Arteta, Fellaini, Dorrans, Baines, Rodwell...

I know some of those would be difficult to get and others aren't quite up to scratch, but a lot of them would improve us and represent better value for money than the next Belgian or Brazilian diva wonderkid. Fergie throws his weight around in the domestic transfer market and it works a treat for him, so I dont see why we shouldn't get in on the act too.

Spot on Tim. Bearing in mind as well that all we really need to improve is a striker who's better than Chamakh and Bendtner.

You could say the majority of our strikers in the last twenty years, English or otherwise, have been better footballers than both, so I'm not sure why it should be a grave difficulty to upgrade them now.

I think, the problem with getting a player from the Premier League is that they are often priced too high. Most established players who have gone from Premier League teams to Chelsea, Man United or Man City have cost more or similar to our club's record signings.

I'd take Kevin Doyle over Bendtner and Chamakh. If Wolves get relegated we could get him for a knock down price too. He's really impressed me in the last couple of seasons.

ILYAW: English players are overpriced, sure, but so are 17 year olds the likes of Neymar and Lukaku.

i dont know why, but i dont think Neymar would fare too well in the Prem. at least, not at a club like Chelsea.. based on not much really, just a hunch

I love Doyle but i don't think he's any better than Chamakh and they pretty much offer the same thing imo. Its a route i'd like to see us go down if possible though, and there are definitely players worth considering on that list.

Haven't seen much of either this season but Rodallega and Agbonlahor style wise are exactly the type of striker i'd like instead of Bendtner. Are they good enough though? I'd guess no.

I like Gyan a lot but i reckon he would cost way more than he is worth.

Thing is Armor, I've seen Doyle absolutely batter good defenders and good defences in the last couple of seasons. I'm yet to see anything like that from Chamakh, despite being a bit bigger and more athletic. Seems to be a bit of fire about Doyle, he'd run through a brick wall if it meant his team winning. He was also fantastic against us at Molineux earlier this year.

I just don't see how buying players that are by and large mediocre for what would have to be good money, represents a good idea?

Ye he has a fantastic attitude which is why i like him so much but i think Chamakh is a better fit for Arsenal. I don't think we'd get the best out of him and i don't think he'd score that many goals.

Haha, I knew you'd pipe up Ricky! ;-)

The simple answer is that, by and large, these players aren't mediocre. To do well in the Premier League nowadays requires a great deal of talent.

Burnwinter wrote:

ILYAW: English players are overpriced, sure, but so are 17 year olds the likes of Neymar and Lukaku.

I agree, they are.

But, we'll never get a player who is in his prime and is world class. So, bringing in someone who has the ability to be world class even after paying up a bit of silly money makes sense.

But, get down to a slightly lower level and there is a much larger set to choose from. So, a player from outside Premier League who costs considerable less is a better bet.

Tim wrote:

Haha, I knew you'd pipe up Ricky! ;-)

The simple answer is that, by and large, these players aren't mediocre. To do well in the Premier League nowadays requires a great deal of talent.

They really are mate. We judge players at Arsenal by far harsher standards, every single mistake is micro analysed, watch Roger Johnson for 10 games straight, watch every move he makes, as you would Koscielny, and I'd bet my life you wouldn't still want him here.

Most of these players are at mediocre clubs because they are mediocre players, the ones that are better than that are quickly snapped up by better clubs.

There are a few on the list I'd want here, and I bet it's those 3 or 4 who are plying their trade at a better club in a season or two - we all know the names because they stand out.