These early transfer deadlines are no fun - for us or anybody else. I miss the mad panic that sets in once teams lose the opening few fixtures.

Mirth wrote:

These early transfer deadlines are no fun - for us or anybody else. I miss the mad panic that sets in once teams lose the opening few fixtures.

Me too. I remember fondly the year when we lost 2-8 to Manchester United and it suddenly dawned on Arsenal that maybe selling Fabregas and Nasri the same summer without signing replacements wasn't the best way to start a new season. Four deadline day signings, and two of them actually ended up being pretty good. Transfer market geniuses.

Ah yes, the banter era. In a funny way I think I'll look back at it fondly.

Klaus wrote:

Mirth wrote:

These early transfer deadlines are no fun - for us or anybody else. I miss the mad panic that sets in once teams lose the opening few fixtures.

Me too. I remember fondly the year when we lost 2-8 to Manchester United and it suddenly dawned on Arsenal that maybe selling Fabregas and Nasri the same summer without signing replacements wasn't the best way to start a new season. Four deadline day signings, and two of them actually ended up being pretty good. Transfer market geniuses.

Or that time we signed Ozil a day after beating Tottenham.

I’m glad this ends and we can focus on football. As usual we have an incomplete team, but I have faith that a full season of Aubameyang and finally having someone like Torreira will make a significant difference to our play. Longer transfer window is just a distraction.

Yeah just want the season to start. Shame about our defense but it is what it is.

And it's done. Defense still a mess...but that's that.

HomeSteak wrote:

And it's done. Defense still a mess...but that's that.

Before the summer it was goalkeeper, defence and defensive midfield that was a mess. I'd say we've definitely identified that the whole defensive unit needed rehaul and every signing has been focused to fix that side of our game. I would prefer better CBs but we've not ignored the problem like we did under Wenger.

Would have preferred Soyuncu over Sokratis and maybe a wide player too, but the rest was good business.

Mirth wrote:

HomeSteak wrote:

And it's done. Defense still a mess...but that's that.

Before the summer it was goalkeeper, defence and defensive midfield that was a mess.

Yep. A few months months before that you could have included the attack in that mess too.

In half a year we've added Aubameyang, Mkhitaryan, Torreira, Sokratis, Leno, Lichtsteiner and Guendouzi while only losing a banged-up Sanchez. We've extended Özil's contract and we're getting close to extending Ramsey's, while also slashing the wage bill. And we have done all this while being out of Champions League for the second year running.

There are a few more failed Wenger projects left to weed out, and others who'll run out of contract next summer and leave on their own, but it's a pretty good start all things considered. Defence or no defence there's no reason why we shouldn't be able to make Champions League with this squad. It's a high bar maybe, but if Emery can't do it then he's not the right bloke to helm this club. He knew what we needed when he put pen to paper.

Hopefully they feel Nelson is up to the job of becoming that wide player we so crave.

It's great to have options innit. I have a feeling that Guendouzi is gonna surprise us all this season, in a good way. Bloke looks champagne.

lets hope so, because thats what we really fucking need.

Slightly disappointed we didn't secure a genuine wide attacker & suspect that may be our target in Jan.
Think we can also take a good look at a LB & any holes left in midfield or CB.