The problem is that Wenger was the bailing bucket, while many thought he was captain.

Wilson wrote:

Don Pacifico wrote:

Ah, more revisionism.

Even if Wenger isn't our current problem, he was certainly a problem towards the end of his reign. Let's not forget that. This ship was sinking before he left, so I have little doubt that if he were still our manager, the current predicament wouldn't be much, if at all, better.

Yeah, the ship was sinking, I agree. He did deliver CL football though until the last couple of years, and his name did help with getting players. Silva coming here doesn't feel out of place among Ozil, Sanchez, Auba, Cazorla. Our draw is lower today than Wenger's final years.

I think that's only true because we're further along in the timeline.

In terms of the draw of our managers, we still managed to bring in Partey last summer, so I'm not sure how much difference it makes. Silva is disinterested because we're not in the Champions League (or even close), so I'd posit that we still hold appeal based on our prestige but are losing out based on our league position.

Stupid stupid Arsenal , what happens when we wait for Odegaard and our secondary targets move on .. then Real decide to keep him and we are stuck with Xhaka and Elneny and lose Willock.

Or , he is the only target left and Real rinse our pockets for him

So what's a better move then? Just buy whoever you can easily get?

No , just don't be chasing Odegaard all the way to the end of the window and then get desperate and pay over the odds for him or not get him at all. He isn't that great a player.

Better than anyone else we've been linked with.

Real did not register him for the new season. Expect a load of link to him now

If we can't negotiate a good fee in light of this news and convince the lad to join - we are truly hopeless.

If that is true then this should happen and soon enough, unless Real attach an obnoxious price tag to him.

Gazza M wrote:

HomeSteak wrote:

Real did not register him for the new season. Expect a load of link to him now

is that true? I saw a Spanish journo say varane was still included in the squad list you're referring to, and odegaard and ceballos weren't. might just be a dodgy list

That might be the case, will look it up. I saw a post from that cringe tv show they have over there saying he was not, and he has no number, not present on la liga website either, you cannot buy a shirt with his name and all that.

Tier 2 for Real.

Summary: Isco, Mariano, Marcelo and Jovic are for sale but no offers have arrived for them. From the players that RM have received offers for, Odegaard seems to be the most likely to be sold.
Only one with offers to buy is Odegaard. Jose Angel Sanchez really wants to sell him because he feels Arribas is a much better player. He also told Ancelotti this.

I find that interesting, this is a pretty poor squad for Real standards, in the middle of the pitch they are fucked, the starters are old or very old like Modric. Almost all of them are injured and still, they don't want to keep Odegaard.

GooneriC wrote:

No , just don't be chasing Odegaard all the way to the end of the window and then get desperate and pay over the odds for him or not get him at all. He isn't that great a player.

But he will be pretty great soon. Maddison is probably ahead of him at the moment but I don't expect that to last if Odegaard moves somewhere where he gets consistent game time.

Martin Oh Dear God

Gurgen wrote:

GooneriC wrote:

No , just don't be chasing Odegaard all the way to the end of the window and then get desperate and pay over the odds for him or not get him at all. He isn't that great a player.

But he will be pretty great soon. Maddison is probably ahead of him at the moment but I don't expect that to last if Odegaard moves somewhere where he gets consistent game time.

Yeah would agree with this. Odegaard is not your traditional goal or assist getter he is more of an indirect influence. The pre assist guy that links everyone together. He will be great once he fully adapts

I honestly think he has the game to get numbers. In his time here he took shots, didn't pass them up. He didn't hang yards from the box either. It's mainly about movement with him I feel if he has to score more. Arteta said this of ESR last season, that the staff expects goals from him in his position and they will work with Ødegaard on the same. I am quite certain he has assists in him if not goals. He is a really good passer and sees the game well. Ødegaard is a multiplier kind of a player. He will improve the team around him. We definitely need him or Maddison. Just hope we can get it done soon.

Brilliant. I think he could be a top signing.

He's shit.

Lightweight and no influence on games.

Watch the load of excuses that people will have for his lack of goals and assists.

For a player in our front 4, he added nothing to the creativity.

We were playing out matches with hardly any chances created.

Tier 1 AS_SergioSantos
The thing from Odegaard to Arsenal, hot, hot ... I think it will be closed in the next few hours / days. Madrid wants to sell and the Norwegian is increasingly convinced to leave because he sees that Ancelotti does not have him.

Real Madrid want €50m + buyback clause for Ødegaard. Reports, @abc_es.

They all jumped on this

A bit of feel good before the first game tonight. Hopefully can be quickly settled.

Gunner89 wrote:

He's shit.

Lightweight and no influence on games.

Watch the load of excuses that people will have for his lack of goals and assists.

For a player in our front 4, he added nothing to the creativity.

We were playing out matches with hardly any chances created.

He's 22, came on a loan from abroad during the winter window and was injured half the time.

We served garbage football with or without him at all times under Arteta. Expecting a kid new to country and league to fix that in a couple weeks is disingenuous at best.

Maybe you should look for a different forum if you're tired of the "excuses that people will have". Homesteak has long surpassed you in the one thing you're good at and nobody will miss your constant bitching.

jones wrote:

Gunner89 wrote:

He's shit.

Lightweight and no influence on games.

Watch the load of excuses that people will have for his lack of goals and assists.

For a player in our front 4, he added nothing to the creativity.

We were playing out matches with hardly any chances created.

He's 22, came on a loan from abroad during the winter window and was injured half the time.

We served garbage football with or without him at all times under Arteta. Expecting a kid new to country and league to fix that in a couple weeks is disingenuous at best.

Maybe you should look for a different forum if you're tired of the "excuses that people will have". Homesteak has long surpassed you in the one thing you're good at and nobody will miss your constant bitching.

Nobody is expecting him to be alone in fixing anything.

I'm going by his whole career where he hasn't been wholly THAT creative or much of a goalscorer.

Expecting something to happen based on past trends is way more likely than expecting him to do things he hasn't done before.

Unfortunately, keyboard warriors like yourself rely on getting personal as opposed to giving valid answers or making your case.

He's actually been very creative, both at Arsenal and other clubs. Look up the stats.

Gunner89 wrote:

jones wrote:

He's 22, came on a loan from abroad during the winter window and was injured half the time.

We served garbage football with or without him at all times under Arteta. Expecting a kid new to country and league to fix that in a couple weeks is disingenuous at best.

Maybe you should look for a different forum if you're tired of the "excuses that people will have". Homesteak has long surpassed you in the one thing you're good at and nobody will miss your constant bitching.

Nobody is expecting him to be alone in fixing anything.

I'm going by his whole career where he hasn't been wholly THAT creative or much of a goalscorer.

Expecting something to happen based on past trends is way more likely than expecting him to do things he hasn't done before.

Unfortunately, keyboard warriors like yourself rely on getting personal as opposed to giving valid answers or making your case.

He hasn't been that much of a goalscorer because it's not his role and even then he got 8 goals from the wing as a 19 year old in the Eredivisie. He's been very much a creator wherever he's been.

I'm not attacking you for your opinion, I don't agree with it but you're entitled to it as much as I am to mine. I'm calling you out for your constant snide remarks whenever someone posts an opinion that you don't share.

"getting personal" such as in calling people racist like you did before you edited your post? Who exactly am I racist against?

I have plenty of doubts about Odegaard but he's a quality player, good value and the right profile. Bring him home.

jones wrote:

Gunner89 wrote:

Nobody is expecting him to be alone in fixing anything.

I'm going by his whole career where he hasn't been wholly THAT creative or much of a goalscorer.

Expecting something to happen based on past trends is way more likely than expecting him to do things he hasn't done before.

Unfortunately, keyboard warriors like yourself rely on getting personal as opposed to giving valid answers or making your case.

He hasn't been that much of a goalscorer because it's not his role and even then he got 8 goals from the wing as a 19 year old in the Eredivisie. He's been very much a creator wherever he's been.

I'm not attacking you for your opinion, I don't agree with it but you're entitled to it as much as I am to mine. I'm calling you out for your constant snide remarks whenever someone posts an opinion that you don't share.

"getting personal" such as in calling people racist like you did before you edited your post? Who exactly am I racist against?

I don't really think the Eredivisie is a barometer when any half-decent talent that goes there ends up with decent or inflated numbers.

You are of course entitled to your own opinion absolutely but there wasn't any snide element to my post. It's more or less about the quality of the footballer.

Rohit wrote:

Those are good statistics tbf but I'm more concerned about actual end product.

If a player is consistently good at creating chances then invariably he will put up decent numbers for assists.

So far I haven't seen him have a year where he's really hit the numbers.

This is a guy who's being paid 50m for apparently. If he cost 5m then he might be judged or have other expectations of.

yes! I really hope we can make this happen and w/o the buyback. Even better if this can be sealed before matchday 2. I'd really like for the team to give themselves the best chance of a successful season by being full-strength as close to the start of the campaign as possible. Not ideal that we'll likely be without Partey, Auba, Saka tonight.

Lucas Navarrete
@LucasNavarreteM
My personal take about Odegaard's departure is that he didn't show the grit to fight and earn his minutes for RM. He felt he already earned them during his loan deals.

I also believe he was never the same player after his knee injury with Real Sociedad.

Good transfer for RM.

Disclaimer: This is a take from a Madrid journo though

Gunner89 wrote:

Those are good statistics tbf but I'm more concerned about actual end product.

If a player is consistently good at creating chances then invariably he will put up decent numbers for assists.

So far I haven't seen him have a year where he's really hit the numbers.

This is a guy who's being paid 50m for apparently. If he cost 5m then he might be judged or have other expectations of.

He was really good for Sociedad. Your concern on actual end product is based on what a 22 year old has done so far while being shuffled around by his parent club, never settling, not on what you think he could be capable of having watching him technically. 

I would understand if you believed he will not develop any more and add much to his game. We have end product in the front line. We need someone to help us create high percentage chances for them to finish. We need the coach to be an enabler and we need the right players too. We are a poor passing side, with poor decision making, not great technically and very little vision throughout the line-up. He brings qualities that we lack. We will see if he is that player but you shut his prospects down quite emphatically.

Happy with this. Rumour is that we will buy both him and Aouar as we have sold Willock. That might prove to be much smarter than buying Maddison alone.

Like many others said he is a multiplier. The end product will come. Judging him based on 4 months with us thats interrupted by injuries is foolish