Does anyone really believe that won't be Wenger's reasoning for not needing to strengthen in the summer if Ozil does end up leaving?

Captain wrote:

Miki for Iwobi, Aub for laca in today's formation is much of a muchness.

Disagree, both of the incoming players are a solid tier above the current players. Not a Ugandan of Mikh but he’ll add far more end product - much needed for us - than Iwobi has in him.

MistaT wrote:
Captain wrote:

Miki for Iwobi, Aub for laca in today's formation is much of a muchness.

Not a Ugandan of Mikh

Don't know many people who are, to be fair.

Rumours he’s on 200k a week.

MistaT wrote:
Captain wrote:

Miki for Iwobi, Aub for laca in today's formation is much of a muchness.

Disagree, both of the incoming players are a solid tier above the current players. Not a Ugandan of Mikh but he’ll add far more end product - much needed for us - than Iwobi has in him.

It was written in response to this:

"Really struggling to see where Mhikitaryan would fit in. His arrival means we are forced to switch to 4-2-3-1, meaning one of Auba or Laca will have to play out wide and Wilshere or Ramsey will hit the bench. Our midfield will be even more porous with Ozil at 10."

The more I think about this transfer, the more i can understand why it is happening ahead of other AM options. I suspect that Mislintat has decided that a Mkhitaryan transfer is a multiplier for the Aubameyang transfer, and the two must happen concurrently.

If you watch Aubameyang videos, you will see that his real skil is getting into space in the box to meet crosses and through balls and finish. It often takes a long time for a striker to develop the understanding with his attacking midfielders to constantly create these chances. Perhaps, our team has decided to shorten this learning process by bringing in an AM who already knows Aubameyang’s playing patterns, rather than depend on Welbeck and Iwobi learning. They can barely find Lacazette as it is. In fact, in their last season together in Germany, Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan gave each 3 league assists, so it is acually a reciprocal relationship.

There might be sexier options on the market from an AM perspective, but we might want Aubameyang enough that we are shaping our AM purchasing around him, at least in terms of short-to medium-term gains.

I’m pleased Mkhitaryan is signing. I like his style of play. It’s a bit Arshavinesque.

But he’s getting a lot of stick

Claudius wrote:

The more I think about this transfer, the more i can understand why it is happening ahead of other AM options. I suspect that Mislintat has decided that a Mkhitaryan transfer is a multiplier for the Aubameyang transfer, and the two must happen concurrently.

If you watch Aubameyang videos, you will see that his real skil is getting into space in the box to meet crosses and through balls and finish. It often takes a long time for a striker to develop the understanding with his attacking midfielders to constantly create these chances. Perhaps, our team has decided to shorten this learning process by bringing in an AM who already knows Aubameyang’s playing patterns, rather than depend on Welbeck and Iwobi learning. They can barely find Lacazette as it is. In fact, in their last season together in Germany, Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan gave each 3 league assists, so it is in fact a reciprocal relationship.

There might be sexier options on the market from an AM perspective, but we might want Aubameyang enough that we are shaping our AM purchasing around him, at least in terms of short-term to medium gains.

mkhitaryan has been really poor since he moved to united, he turns 29 in a few days, and he looks out of shape. i dont think his telepathy with auba makes him more likely to be an asset here. ozil did not have any chemistry with anyone in our team when he signed here, and he showed his quality almost instantly. if we wanted to bring in another attacking midfielder to play next to ozil and thread in through balls to auba, we could have found someone a lot better than mkh.

plus, hes now manc scum.

we should have sold alexis for cash. put the cash in a lock box, and given it to sven to spend in the summer.

I think Claudius makes the more reasonable points.

I'm fine with Mkhitaryan, particularly given the circumstances - provided he's not Ozil's replacement in disguise.

Thats right, should have taken the money and let them keep their wasted asset and pay his wages. We should be after Fekir , show some serious intent ffs

GooneriC wrote:

Thats right, should have taken the money and let them keep their wasted asset and pay his wages. We should be after Fekir , show some serious intent ffs

Exactly this. It took ages to get rid of Walcott and in the window where we finally do it, we replace his place in the squad with a similarly aged liability. United would have found it extremely difficult to shift him with the wages he was on. He would have been there taking up a squad space and sitting on big wages. Instead, they got Sanchez and were able to get rid of a massive liability. We really are suckers. 

He's a Walcott/Welbeck replacement and competition for Iwobi.

Straight swap is a fucking joke. Why do we let United shit all over us?

If you keep thinking of this as a straight swap, you will lose your mind.