Rex wrote:

Hehe, it doesn't take a genius to watch press conferences. Wenger was asked about Özil's contract before the end of last season, and he said that they were about to start talking to his representatives. Internet is a great thing, my man!

Suggesting they were going to start talking about it and actually commencing negotiations are two different things. Wenger has also alluded that Wilshere will be given a new contract. It clearly doesn't mean negotiations have began. These timely statements are normal and aimed at protecting the club's assets. You would know when negotiations begin, the unscrupulous agents never fail to drip feed the media like it's happening currently.

ffs lay of it General. What date and time did negotiations start, then? What kind of sandwiches did they have? Jesus man.

Coombs wrote:

ffs lay of it General. What date and time did negotiations start, then? What kind of sandwiches did they have? Jesus man.

Yawn, do catch up, it's like one in one out here. The point was about entering into real negotiations with 18month left on contracts.

Concerned that these two are starting to think they are bigger than the club.

Granted Wenger has let them down with the players he's put around them but he's also reignited their careers.

These two need to show respect to the club and the fans.

Dules, I can see that. We saw Alexis try to do everything himself yesterday. That's because he doesn't trust his teammates to make anything happen - he knows he's in a different class to them.

This is probably an unpopular opinion, but I'm ok with letting Ozil go. He's a luxury player in a team of galacticos (which we don't have). He's not a fighter, and he goes missing in big games (at least for Arsenal) far too often.

One of the reasons we never truly challenge for the league is we are full of players who only play well when their teammates play well. At some point, you need players who will take charge and actually make that happen; in other words, who are drivers, not passengers.

Ozil is an incredibly talented passenger. Great attacking midfielders are plentiful. And tactically, I'm not sure I want us to rely on playing a 10.

Arshavin:

8709 minutes
31 goals
46 assists

Ozil:

11650 minutes
29 goals
49 assists

I know stats are just meaningless out of context and shit...but still.

Ozil is the most likely to sign out of the two.

He's very comfortable here. The poor performances will weaken his hand in negotiations.

HomeSteak wrote:

Arshavin:

8709 minutes
31 goals
46 assists

Ozil:

11650 minutes
29 goals
49 assists

I know stats are just meaningless out of context and shit...but still.

Arshavin is an extremely productive player. His entire game depends on end product so slightly unfair to compare both. We know how good Arshavin is on his day, especially in big games compared to Ozil.

That said, perception is really a funny thing.

General wrote:

Ozil is the most likely to sign out of the two.

He's very comfortable here. The poor performances will weaken his hand in negotiations.

Yeah pretty sure about it. There has been some "interview" with Ramsey in which he mentioned how Özil is Wenger's pet, that he's getting more days off than others and that he's constantly hanging in his office. Doesn't surprise me to say the least

I think Ramsey will seek pastures new. I'm ok with that too, as there aren't really any players at the club I'm desperate to see stay bar maybe Koscielny

I am entering the phase of being indifferent.

I think I will stay away from footie for some time.

Watching Wilshere at Bournemouth brought home the realisation we dodged the bullet by sending him out on loan. A few flashes of brilliance here and there but otherwise he has been average for the most part. He looked unfit and struggled with the pace of the game against Southampton. On another day he'd be here earning game time and contributing to our problems. Not many of our current midfielders would set this league alight if they left and joined other clubs.

Wilshere's been overrated for a very long time. In general, we overrate our players, esp our young players, not realising that every team has young players like that.

Ozil's great, but he's replaceable. Alexis would be much harder to replace. Strikers with his end product are not easy to find, nor cheap to acquire.

I want to.like ozil and think he helps us really get our passing game going as we don't have too many really good players in that respect now. But it is telling that Germany didn't want to build around a player like him and have pushed him into a wide role where he support rather than be the sole focus of play. They have won plenty and if he was such and irreplaceable cog in the team then why not build around him like France did with zidane? He just doesn't have a play through the pain mentality and it's always going to be an issue on what we've seen over the last few years.

I think fundamentally out players know they don't have what it takes as a collective, which leads to these episodes

mohan wrote:

I think I will stay away from footie for some time.

Cricket's where it's at bro. ;D

@lorddulaarsenal wrote:

I think fundamentally out players know they don't have what it takes as a collective, which leads to these episodes

i've had similar thoughts in the last few years. modern professionals know deep down know when their team is the real deal, and are willing to fight more when they believe in their team. the current group talk a good game every season, but perhaps privately don't believe in wenger's tactics or trust that the bloke next to them is going to lay down over barbed wire for the cause

"Modern professionals" know deep down if their team is the real deal?
What sets them apart from previous generations that they have this sense about whether or not the team in which they are playing is capable of winning the league?

Why did this team, on a lengthy unbeaten run and following finishing top in the CL group, suddenly decide that they weren't the real deal after they were a goal up to Everton?

Or did they feel all along that they weren't the real deal and the Everton equaliser drew this feeling to the surface?