Sicario2 - Tier 1 We beat City 5-1 without Saka and you're done because the club won't make panic buys at the end of the window? Come on man. This isn't FIFA. We clearly are thin at striker and in a perfect world, we would bring someone in. But it's naive to think that it's just up to Arsenal to determine that. There are three parties in every transfer and our fanbase always assumes its us that is the weak link. 19 of 20 teams in the EPL would trade places with us in a heartbeat with a nearly complete squad and young teenage future stars coming up and grabbing headlines in big matches. Count me out of the chicken little headloss over transfers.

(Still hope we bring someone in- but it won't affect how much I love watching this team game to game for the remainder of the season)

    Sicario2 - Tier 1 we have a bunch of incompetent twats.

    ah yes, the very same incompetent twats who have turned around a shell of a football club to have us consistently competing for honours at the top end of the game...

    If you genuinely think Mikel Arteta doesn't want someone in before the end of this window, you haven't been paying attention to him.

      The argument that we'd likely sign a player who wouldn't displace or significantly upgrade the likes of Havertz, Martinelli and Trossard holds water. That's basically what Tel is and it might be what Nico Williams turned out to be in England as well.

      Not saying I'd turn my nose up at either, I'd be excited to see these types of players in our shirt but it'd be a wager not a sure thing.

      Watkins coming off the bench would be a better wager, but £80m is just too fucking expensive for a 29 year old former journeyman when we're already 6–9 points off the league pace.

      To be clear, I really hope we get a shot in the arm type signing announced, I just don't think it would transform our fortunes quite the way some think. For that we need a unicorn.

      Here's a completely uninformed and likely useless question but would you rather have:

      • Ollie Watkins (29 yrs old - proven EPL scorer) for 60m OR
      • Viktor Gyokeres (26 yrs old - proven in Championship & Portuguese league) for 80m

        I completely agree. Watkins at that price would be a no-brainer to me. Although the injury he picked up this weekend would worry me as it looked like a groin and those tend to linger. Yesterday's game confirmed to me that Havertz could easily play alongside more of a traditional 9, especially one that has the ability to play wider at times. When he was making those runs to the RW to find space and be an outlet, we looked great. Imagining that interchange with Saka and then potentially a striker that has the ability to play a bit on the LW (Isak and Sesko for sure, and potentially Watkins with his pace) had me really intrigued.

        samthegooner Gyokeres. I think he's got what it takes as far as physicality and finishing. Arteta can fix any problems with his head and his movement. And he's not too old, that's what it comes down to for me with Watkins. Most older players don't thrive in this league unless they're physical freaks like Salah, and older players also struggle more for motivation.

          daredevil

          I dont know why this keeps being brought up. Since then, Akpom has scored 14 total goals (22 if you count all comps). Gyokeres has scored 51 in that same time frame (and 77 if you count all comps).

          It was a statistical anomaly for Akpom (and those two were #1 and #2 in scoring for that Championship season). Gyokeres has gone on to bag tons for Sporting, and is 3 years younger.

              • naz

              • Post #1309

              We're getting neither so why does it matter 😢

              • est likes this.

              USArsenal

              The question is more about how much value can you place on the Portuguese league stats. Not that Akpom is better than Gyokeres or anything like that.

                It's a bit disappointing that we're not bringing anyone in but it's the right decision to not panic.

                No point blasting on someone we will eventually want rid of like Watkins or Cunha. Sucks for this season but I think it's the right call.

                  TambourineMan This is largely my mindset too. I'm not sure Watkins would be a waste this year but personally if it cost us a chance in the summer to get Sesko or make a run at Isak if Newcastle doesn't get Champs League, I'd be pretty disappointed. Now, if bringing him in got us the title this year, that's another story! I'm just still on cloud 9 from yesterday - that was easily one of my most enjoyable Arsenal wins in the last decade.

                    What really sucks is admitting it's very hard to make any kind of signing that decisively turns around a probable 9 point deficit to the league leaders at the end of January. We needed to get closer to Liverpool by now but we've only kept pace.

                      Burnwinter Liverpool currently on 92 point pace. I think, if they continue like that to the end of the season (I still don't think they will), it's salut and come back again next season.

                          RocktheCasbah They've had it all go their way so far; a bit like us in 22-23. They'll be extremely lucky if they don't run into some bad weather at some point.

                              SimplyThePest We've been saying that since November though and they haven't. I think they are just a really good side riding a tremendous season from their best player and also getting almost every 50/50 decision and injury luck to go their way. They can both be very good and really lucky unfortunately- they aren't mutually exclusive this season. The xG difference table is quite stunning right now. I think they are almost double the second place team, which I believe is us. That doesn't happen just by luck.