The Shopping List—aka We've got flipping great wadges of cash: Page 64 - The Arsenal discussion forum and community: One More in the Tolly

The Shopping List—aka We've got flipping great wadges of cash

Klaus

asa: I don't think anyone suggested they should start for us. The problem with Arsenal isn't really the starting players anyway. It's the ones that get a game when the regular players are out. Diamé in particular would be an upgrade on Diaby and Denilson as cover for Song.

What's happened with the Alvarez deal?

asajoseph

Diaby's a good player on his day, and gives us something Diame doesn't. I'd stick with Abou, myself, as much as he frustrates the fuck out of me when he's not in the mood. Denilson isn't going to be backing anyone at Arsenal up next season.

So really, when it comes to the likes of Diame and N'Zonzi, we're talking about spending £7-8m on a player who sits somewhere in between Frimpong and Song - for me, we have bigger fish to fry.

And besides, as much as I think he needs to, I've not heard anything from Wenger that suggests he's going to play Song (or A.N.Other defensive midfielder) in a more rigid role next season, meaning that 'cover' for Song will likely remain quite a broad term.

asajoseph

Oh, and I tend to think there IS a problem with the first team at Arsenal, at least in terms of attitude, organisation, and mentality, though not (in my opinion) ability. That's something we need to do a proper job of fixing, and signing peripheral players like Diame who don't specifically give us what we lack the most doesn't really appeal to me.

I don't really think he's good enough anyway.

As for Alvarez, apparently there's a Jamie Sanderson special doing the rounds that we've cooled interest.

Klaus

The problem with Diaby in that role, inconsistency aside, is that he's not really a defensive player. Doesn't have any kind of positional sense either. He's mostly fine when you stick him in a more attacking role though as long as you don't have to rely on him to make things happen.

I get what you're saying though. I agree with the underlying point that we should either sign someone that is an improvement on Song - which is not an easy task, all things considered - or use the money for big signings on other positions. I'd still like better cover for Song at some point though. I'm hoping that Coquelin will provide that next season, but it would be a bit of a gamble.

asajoseph

I'm still betting on Frimpong. Only 'cos Charlie George says so...

You're right about Diaby - I just don't think Wenger sees Song as an out-and-out defensive midfielder any more, and thus doesn't feel the need to buy a new one to back him up. I think he looks to Song for his size and physicality, more than anything else, and you see the same thing from Diaby (again, when he's in the mood).

I seriously lost patience with Abou last season, and I won't shed a tear if he leaves, but there is just something about him that makes me not want to give up on him.

kamikaze

it's his ridiculous physical gifts. he has what you can't teach, and you can't give up on that. that said, i think he's going to end up like jenas - all kinds of talent but never fulfills it.

Clrnc

Tbf to Diaby, whenever he kept it simple and played in a DM position, he was quite good at it. He might be poor positionally, but he tracks backs and outmuscled people in the middle of the park, which is by far much more important to us than just being right positionally like how people always argue Denilson to be. I gave up on Diaby because he just can't keep fit, but whenever he played for us he was more than decent this season.

If Frimpong and Coquelin can provide decent cover for Song, I would focus our attentions to strikers and wingers. If not we should either buy someone better the Song and make Song the cover, or just like what Klaus suggests some decent cover for Song like Diame. Either is fine because I rate Song and he as a first choice for us is a non problem

Qwiss

Diaby needs to stay fit and get games in the same position if he wants to get anywhere close to reaching his potential. Here we are now talking about him as our back up to Song yet in the 07/08 season he was used as back up to Rosicky on the wing. Quite a few of Diabys problems are of Wengers making. He's the quintessential Wenger signing, he seen a kid with heaps of talent and signed him before considering what he'd do with the player once he had him.

Captain

I would disagree; Diaby came here to play centre-mid and he did until some prick broke his leg with a nonsense challenge. Since then he has struggled for fitness and to find a position in the team.

Timbob

Diaby hasn't got a brain and he cant stay fit. I would guess that he'll be as useless next season as he always has been.

lorddulaarsenal

Diaby's the last on the list of scragglers to get rid of. We should tick off everyone on that list but it's too much to expect it to all happen in one window.

I see that Oxlade Chambo Chamberlain's pa has said he wants his boy to sign for us as soon as poss.

Kraig

Parker, Baines, Falcao, Samba

SORTED!!!

Claudius

If Oxhead-Chambermaid signs for us, I will give up on next season, and watch our games with an air of disinterest and distance.

Burnwinter

Can't see Diaby getting a lot of games next season. With Ramsey back in contention he slips another rung.

goon

Caligula wrote:
If Oxhead-Chambermaid signs for us, I will give up on next season, and watch our games with an air of disinterest and distance.

No doubt you'd be first in line to moan about us not getting him if in 2-3 years he's banging in the goals for United.

Claudius

No doubt I won't.
Trust me. Do you ever he me complaining about kids we didn't get. The business of signing young players is very difficult. Five years ago it was hard to tell what would become of Theo. Same for Pennant at that age. Neither is/will be a superstar, but there were indications of potential in that regard. There is only a handful of players who shine brightly enough at 16 or 17 to confirm they will be worthwhile, and then go on to fulfill that promise (small group of guys like Messi, Seedorf, Rooney, etc).

I didn't care about missing out on Smalling. I don't care about missing out on Oxlade. All those kids we just stole from Barca. Could care less. Maybe one of them will turn out to be a star, but I'm not overly bothered.

goon

Most kids who are signed for a fairly significant sum (Theo, Bale, Ramsey, Smalling, Ronaldo, Young) generally turn out to be well worth it. Cheaper ones may be hit and miss but then there is no real gamble there.

Theo may not become a superstar in your opinion but how much would he cost now if we wanted to get him? A hell of a lot more than 8m, and more likely impossible given that he'd have been at another big club.

I can understand not getting excited by it but to oppose signing the best talents out there is just a bizzare standpoint.

lorddulaarsenal

What you care about is signing established talents and rightly so. We're one of the biggest clubs in Europe playing in it's most high profile city, we should be bringing in top talent.

Biggus

otfgoon wrote:
Caligula wrote:
If Oxhead-Chambermaid signs for us, I will give up on next season, and watch our games with an air of disinterest and distance.

No doubt you'd be first in line to moan about us not getting him if in 2-3 years he's banging in the goals for United.

But that my dear Otfty, the difference between supporters like Cally and myself and you is we're not interested in any more talk of potential in X amount of years (it always changes) we've been hearing that for ages.
I don't even want Wenger to deliver now- the time for that was last season, I want him to get the fuck out.

Claudius

otfgoon wrote:
Theo may not become a superstar in your opinion but how much would he cost now if we wanted to get him? A hell of a lot more than 8m, and more likely impossible given that he'd have been at another big club.

If Theo was available now, I wouldn't want him, not even for 8 million pounds. He is an inconsistent and limited player. Yes, he does certain things nobody else on our team does, but I would never open a thread on the wishlist for him if he was at Villa or West Ham. (maybe if he was Latin and his name Teodoro I'd get excited)

« Previous Page Next Page »