http://www.skysports.com/football/news/ ... fer-window

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Take any offer above £20M he's becoming a liability with his injuries. As I said before the formula in the past was foreign attacking players supplemented with English defensive players and it seemed to work, English attackers can't even get past Iceland ffs... how many English players do Chelsea have in attacking areas?.

Didnt expect Tottenham to win decisively or even at all at Soton. They'd have drawn that match at best not too long ago. Its Chelsea and 5 clubs fighting for 3 places. Its tight....very tight. Virgin tight.

Could Wenger's last season be the one he doesn't make top 4?

If it means getting rid of him (and Stan in the longer run) I'd take dropping out of the top 4, playing for 4th is just so boring now as everyone knows after 20 years of CL football we are not likely to win it under the current regime. Title or bust.

I agree. Time for a change, even if it means a little struggle while at it. With Wenger at the helm, it is getting boring. His rhetoric and excuses for lack of ambition is frustrating. But IF he goes out and make at least 2 top class purchases in January, my song will be different. That said, the latter is 99% unlikely to happen. He will say Cazorla and Welbeck are "new signings" in 2017.

I thought that said a lot about the camaraderie with each other. You wouldn't do that with someone you are not close with.

Quite recently Pete produced a list of things that happen to Arsenal practically every season. One thing I noticed at the time was that his checklist had been happening for so long, it doesn't seem to change with new players. Whoever is brought into the club, the same problems appear to continue. You mention that your attitude to Wenger might be altered if he makes two top signings in January. Personally, I suspect he could buy Messi and Ronaldo and Arsenal under Wenger still wouldn't win the title.

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yeah thanks Dec , Gaz , Bing , Ex , Warrior , Soc , Bernard , John and Old Man ..... not sure really stupid people deserve such sympathy .
Bit non plussed with the Boots comment Ex , the ambulance was a flat deck wagon with wooden wheels hauled by two bollocks John .


Amazing Debbie Reynolds cashes in her chips the day after her daughter .... have this bundle of slop Old Man
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etExP7050GI .... that's got rid of your breakfast

Evening Bernard ..... true I think he's lost it , forgotten the formula that brought success .

I carefully watched the West Brom game and the times we got the ball sped forward only for someone to get the speed wobbles and pass it to someone else in possibly a worse position , giving WBA time to regroup .

I don't think I've seen a more lop sided game possession wise involving Arsenal .... and to only scrape a 1 - 0 in the 86 minute shows something isn't right .......very encouraging how we hounded them into mistakes .

Of course we hark back to how we counter attacked at pace in the halcyon days of the Invincibles but man for man we had players who would make the greatest all time Arsenal eleven .
Was it down to Arsene's clever coaching or we were overloaded with talent who did their own thinking and ad libbed the gameplan .

Think Sanson might be the only player outside the Wenger era to get a spot .

My pick ... greatest ever
Seaman , Dixon , Adams , Campbell , Sanson , Vieira , Petit , Bergkamp , Pires , Henry , Overmars

...subs take your pick from Limpar , Rocastle , Jennings , Keown , Ball , Brady , Alex James , Ted Drake , van Persie

Your team is very, very close to mine. I think I'd have to find room for Brady in it as the creative midfielder, so Pires may have to drop to the bench. For speedy wide players I can't see anyone other than Overmars. Petit was the best defensive midfielder I've ever seen play for the club. I agree about Sansom but I might have Anderson as the right back, thinking about it. Jennings and Campbell are serious candidates for both North London club's best ever teams.

I saw a WBA team set up to counter Arsenal's passing game. This meant concentration, awareness, stick to your position. Pullis in his box shouting instructions at his players to keep them focused. This is why managers are given a box isn't it. To stand and scream/shout instructions to their players when things are not going as the manager would wish. Not sit on your arse playing with your ring or zip and hoping on hope that something happens.

Arsenal. Özil inside to Xhaka (WBA player makes no tackle, just closes down) Xhaka passes to Coquelin, who in turn passes out to Bellerin, who passes back inside to Coquelin, inside to Xhaka, outside to Özil, outside again to Gibbs. Gibbs stops can't get in cross, back to Özil, inside to Xhaka who in turn inside to Coquelin and on and on, over and over, why we rack 817 passes. All this time WBA players are not making one tackle, just closing down to force the pass.

After so many passes across and back the pitch Arsenal then try to break through, ball goes into Iwobi, Giroud, Özil and they try a flick it doesn't come off. They try a quick pass doesn't come off and give ball away cheaply. This is noble to try to play this football, which works in say Germany or Spain, but teams are different gravy here in the Premier League. If you don't turn up opponents can cause an upset.

When this noble passing game comes off, a typical Arsenal team move can look absolutely superb, but it's not that often. Many managers have been there, seen it and brought the t-shirt and know exactly how Arsenal are going to play.

Then Arsenal come out for the second half and bang straight in with shots from Iwobi and Sanchez. Sanchez hit the post. Iwobi shot blocked, Sanchez shot well saved. Arsenal are now mixing it up, WBA defence see us coming at them from all angles. WBA defence starts having to think, the crowd are up, Arsenal dominating, only surprise we took so long to score.

Now why not do that from the off. I think we all knew what WBA were going to play like. Surely so did Arsene. They were no threat at all apart from a little run of corners mid second half and a poor miss in the first half where it should have been easier to score than shoot over the bar from two yards.

Arsenal have the players to do so much better, we just need to play teams to their strengths as well as our own. In the first half I could not see a goal coming. In the second I could. I said to some around me, that we have scored many late goals already this season and WBA were looking tired from mid-second half.

We now have five games that should be winnable, not including PNE in the FACUP. Palace, Burnley, Watford at home and Bournemouth, Swansea away. Now I'm not one for saying must win matches, but if we are serious challengers, then we need 15/15 from these games before we go to Stamford Bridge. CFC have Stoke, Hull and AFC at home as well as Spurs, Leicester and Liverpool away.

No place for Ian Wright Wright Wright?

Some Spurs chief talking about their new stadium this morning, talking about how the atmosphere will be better than the Emirates and how the fans are 5m closer to the pitch than at the Emirates. Obsessed much?
The 61000 seats was funny, can imagine the top of the brief to the architects was simply 'make sure we have more seats than arsenal'

Spurs got the run of the green again with some decisions from the ref last night (look at me wannabe celebrity ref mike dean in charge) I thought the penalty and red card rule had changed this season? This being on the basis that the defender hasn't denied a clear goal scoring opportunity simply delayed it because the penalty is one as well. Obviously challenges that would get a straight red anywhere on the pitch would be a penalty and a red card still.

Ref also failed the spot the slap/scratch across the face by vertonghen.

We're not getting a lot of marginal calls, and have had some really bad ones like that bizarre Xhaka red. Hopefully the tide turns soon

With regards to the starting eleven, when you have the option of Henry and Bergkamp as the front two, I don't think there can be.

I think that's a very important point. Arsenal have one of the best squads in the Premier League as well as one of the best teams, but it looks like the season will be another fight for a top four place. No way of proving or indeed disproving it, but I honestly think if Arsenal had Conte, Pochetinno, Klopp or Mourinho as manager we'd have a damn good chance of winning the league with the same set of players. A much better chance than we have under Wenger.

Wilts, gooner7! Its gotten that bad? Outside 4th if it meant a change! Not judging mind you but O didnt think some fans were that disgruntled. Babu for sure. He is aa frustrayed as they come about this side. Steve taking the red pill and seeing Arsenal current dtate of affairs for what it really is surprised me as well.

The sad reality is I truly think Kroenke has no idea how the fans feel unless Gazidis tells him.
And the only reason I can think of for Gazidis to do it is to stick it to Wenger. .

But surely ahead of van Persie who finds a place on kiwis bench.

I find it hard to put players in who I've not seen as it means basing it on reputation alone. So if I was going to put Wright on the bench I'd rather include Wright instead of Drake, myself. Personally I'd try to find a place on the bench for van Persie as he could play both the main striker role and what's called the number 10 role. So he could fill in for both Bergkamp and Henry. Wright couldn't, I don't think.

Could not agree more Bernard. Younger managers for football of today. They are managers that want to challenge and win. Arsene seems happy bobbing along in the water. All I see is excuses from him or talking about others things both football and non-football related. There can be no doubt he will blame anyone or everything rather than himself as he is so stubborn. His real success was from a different era and the longer he stays the worse his overall record will look.

George got 6 trophies in 8 seasons. Arsene now has 9 in 20 seasons. If he signs on then I fully expect it to be 9 in 22/23 seasons and Arsenal looking a laughing stock. Other managers respect him, Why? There are not really that interested, more likely want him to stay as it overall takes a challenger out of the equation. I sometimes feel whatever he says to the media and on Arse.com, behind the façade he hates the grief the fans and media are giving him. So much so that he would happily stay just to spite.

I have yet once this season heard "One Arsene Wenger" sung out loud and proud at the Emirates so it makes me wonder who actually does back him? Most supporters that I know and go to watch Arsenal live, want Arsene gone.

Think you've hit the nail on the head there. When I hear the likes of Klopp and Guardiola praising him, I suspect a big reason for their comments is hoping the respect Wenger has in the game will make him more likely to stay in his current job. As you say, in turn that removes Arsenal as a challenger for the title which is to the advantage of these other managers who praise him. The one exception is Mourinho as he and Wenger seem to dislike each other.

So in my view, Mourinho has at least one good point.

Arsenal have scored 39 goals which isn't bad. However, 25 of those came in seven games, the other 14 in 11 games, there is part of our issue.

West Ham 5-1
Hull 4-1
Sunderland 4-1
Swansea 3-2
Watford 3-1
Bournemouth 3-1
Stoke 3-1

We need to start turning up against the other top six who we've only beaten CFC.

If Theo and ox are out is it about time Perez got a start on the right wing? Could work well with bellerin. Could use Sanchez left and giroud up too or Sanchez up top and Iwobi left

The one that got me in the game. Dembele got booked. Then Redmond got sent off for a pull on Alli. A few minutes later Dembele clearly pulled the Saints right back shirt and Dean gave Saints a free kick. Having already been on a booking Dean choose not to book and therefore send of Dembele. Then on being substituted Dembele goes over to the Dean and they shake hands. Not like Dembele was walking off and Dean happened to be there, no! Dembele made a detour to shake Dean's hand. No I don't know about you, but that's not right.

Klopp wants Ox but we aren't selling. A few of you on here are not Ox's biggest fans. Should we sell him?

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/ ... ex-9531094

Hadn't realized Debuchy was wanted by van Gaal's Man Utd side and we said no. I can understand not selling to a rival.
http://www.talkingbaws.com/2016/12/math ... -utd-move/

You sound worried to me and probably rightly so, with Kroenke & Wenger around Spurs have every chance of overtaking us in the next 5 years as we don't have the drive from the top to progress beyond being a club in the 2nd tier of world football that is happy to finish 2nd/3rd/4th, Spurs are already near this level themselves.

The worst thing of all is that if Sanchez does leave I think some of the fanbase would actually tollerate it, they might moan and groan a bit but they'd still buy their season ticket and club merchandise, I am waiting to see what happens this summer, potentially it could be quite turbulent but continuity is no longer a good thing.

Sperz are on the rise and are playing from strength to strength from last season. I thought last season could have been a one off but they are every bit of a top 4 club. If I had to choose which clubs would not be in the top 4, Sperz would not be the club I would name.
Of the 5 clubs: Chelsea, City, Arsenal, Tottenahm, Man Utd, City

I'd say Chelsea and City are a lock for top 4 and after that, just based on history, us. Then I'd put Tottenham over Liverpool and Man Utd. Liverpool to me is a bigger threat to them for top 4 than Man Utd..right now. Mourinho consolidates things and starts to grind out results like he did at Chelsea, then things would change.

You have a good point there. But, one can hope the additional stars inspire the team, irrespective of the manager. Wishful thinking, must be the festive cheer still swimming in my blood.

No Alexis or Özil ?

Yes, for me, it is that bad. Wenger doesn't inspire anymore.

No, no, no, no, no, no, No, no, no, no, no, no, No, no, no, no, no, no, No, no, no, no, no, no, No, no, no, no, no, no, No, no, no, no, no, no, No, no, no, no, no, no, No, no, no, no, no, no!

They have had at least vital spurious penalties this season alone after the plethora last year and the year before. and that's on top of the others given for them and the lack of any against them, and the lack of punishment for off the ball stuff. They have become a nasty, cheaty side as well as a much improved one. Mike Riley and his mates like them it seems.

To be fair, he's already having his most productive season to date and most per-minute since his first at the club. The question is, does he want to hang around and be a rotation option at best?

Wasn't Mike Dean the one who a few years back gave a little skip for joy when Spurs scored a rather dubious goal at our place? A degree of bias would certainly help to explain our awful record with him in charge, so often marred by bad decisions. Also, one of the most 'look at me' refs out there.

He's been decent at times but he's 23 now so should be pushing on in his development more, I just feel he's another one of those players who will be missing through injury for long periods and that will stunt his progress and therefore will be of limited help to the club, it doesn't matter how talented a player is if they are injury prone, being a rotation option is fine but it's sods law that he will be out injured when we need him to cover for someone and I'm not sure he would accept that anyway.

Having said that my slight concern would be looking at Wilshere who seems so far at least to have avoided more injury problems since joining Bournemouth, would he go to Liverpool or whoever and suddenly be cured of his injuries?, I don't think that's a good enough reason to keep him though.

I'm not sure City are as sure a bet as you. Chances are they may well finish in the top four, but I think it's a long way from guaranteed. I'm simply not convinced Guardiola is everything he's cracked up to be by most people. I'm pretty sure Messi, Xavi and Iniesta were already Barcelona players when he got the job as their first team manager, and how can you not be successful with those players? He won the Bundesliga three seasons running at Bayern. Big deal, as I think a Bayern manager who doesn't win the league should have to answer serious questions. I realise they don't win it every season, but they are so much bigger than every other German club it's reasonable to expect them to. I'm leaning towards agreeing with Ribery's comments. Words to the effect of, he's not half as good a manager as his reputation suggests. It's also no coincidence Muller signed a long-term contract the same weekend it was announced Guardiola was leaving Bayern. I would argue the big measure of a Bayern manager is their record in the Champions League more than the Bundesliga. Straight after winning it under Heynkes, they didn't even come close in the three years under Guardiola. He's now at City, a club with as much spending power as anyone, and is trailing Chelsea.

Brady was a genius.

I certainly am worried about spurs' progress as a club, but it is odd that they continually use us as their marker....obsessed with being better than us....which in terms of wanting to be bigger than your neighbour and rival is fine but we are a 4th placed team. If I were an excited fan of Spurs I'd want us to be setting our targets as being the best team rather than just being better than Arsenal.

The most worrying part of Spurs is their progressive, young, energetic and thoughtful manager. Hopefully he's poached by someone else soon. For Spurs a lot will depend on the loyalty of some of their players because some bigger teams will be eyeing up the likes of Ali, Kane, alderweireld because they certainly can't pay the wages the top clubs can and could be in a period of belt tightening with the new stadium

Brady ...no way ...excellent for sure but Pires / Henry were such a brilliant combo .... I'll create one for you , you create one for me ... like some beautiful Strauss , Mendelssohn , Vivaldi masterpiece .........sublime .

Extra height , looked and acted so cool .... no contest

"Petit greatest ever defensive midfielder " ..... Ahead of Vieira ....?

Buenos Dias Brom ..... to be honest forgot about Ian .

Would be wonderful in today's team , tough , combative he and Sanchez would be a nightmare for West Brom .

Drop Petit ...go to one defensive midfielder ..... holds merit .