Arsenal, Pt. X: Boom-Xhaka-Laca!

[rcon14]

5 hours ago, texans_uk said:

Wenger has said neither Ozil nor Sanchez are leaving in January. 

Either he is hoping Sanchez will carry them to 4th place. 

Or he's delusional and thinks they will sign a new contract. 

Trying to get CL. Honestly the money you'd get for Ozil and Sanchez at this point could be largely offset by making the CL. Also improve your standing in the transfer market by making the CL. Since we kept them through the summer might as well take them all the way home.

[Dr LBC]

Not to mention, while I think Sanchez is as good as gone, I don't think it's a foregone conclusion that Ozil is.  The guy really has a thing for Wenger and I think if he goes out on the market and doesn't get bowled over by a mega money offer from somewhere he really wants to go (could see Barca having obvious appeal for him, but he's not going to get the kind of wage he wants in Germany or Italy), I could see him slinking back in post-WC (because you know Arsenal aren't going to do any business before then) and seeing if that contract offer is still on the table.

I love Sanchez, but he's replaceable if the club are actually willing to be aggressive in going out and getting that player, rather than soft-stepping around and equivocating whether Player A is X amount of money better than Welbeck/Iwobi/ad nauseum.

[rcon14]

15 hours ago, The LBC said:

Not to mention, while I think Sanchez is as good as gone, I don't think it's a foregone conclusion that Ozil is.  The guy really has a thing for Wenger and I think if he goes out on the market and doesn't get bowled over by a mega money offer from somewhere he really wants to go (could see Barca having obvious appeal for him, but he's not going to get the kind of wage he wants in Germany or Italy), I could see him slinking back in post-WC (because you know Arsenal aren't going to do any business before then) and seeing if that contract offer is still on the table.

I love Sanchez, but he's replaceable if the club are actually willing to be aggressive in going out and getting that player, rather than soft-stepping around and equivocating whether Player A is X amount of money better than Welbeck/Iwobi/ad nauseum.

I don't really have a problem with Arsenal doing the last part. But it's about having your plan and targets ready in March so you can lay the groundwork over the spring. Having a plan and not being haphazard about it is the important part.

[Dr LBC]

5 minutes ago, rcon14 said:

I don't really have a problem with Arsenal doing the last part. But it's about having your plan and targets ready in March so you can lay the groundwork over the spring. Having a plan and not being haphazard about it is the important part.

I agree, but at the same time, unless you've got the player REALLY amped on joining Arsenal and Arsenal alone, the unfortunate state of the market (particularly in a WC year) is that for any player Arsenal (and Liverpool, and Tottenham, and a host of other clubs tbh) show serious pursuit of, said player's agent is going to immediately start prostrating to the clubs for whom money doesn't matter (United, Chelsea, City, PSG, Madrid) in an attempt to get his client (and thereby himself) a bigger payday.  It doesn't excuse Arsenal's behavior in the market as they should have contingencies and contingencies for contingencies and just flatly be more cutthroat with the agents/players: "Here is our offer, you either work with us to get your current club to sell to us or we're moving on to our next target."  But it does at least offer some relevant context that needs to be taken into account.  Barring us having a sugar daddy and a board who completely shine the wage bill, this will be our lot in the market - and the only way to really combat it is to actually win something substantial and be the kind of club that players are very specific about wanting to go to - a la a Bayern Munich.

[rcon14]

5 minutes ago, The LBC said:

I agree, but at the same time, unless you've got the player REALLY amped on joining Arsenal and Arsenal alone, the unfortunate state of the market (particularly in a WC year) is that for any player Arsenal (and Liverpool, and Tottenham, and a host of other clubs tbh) show serious pursuit of, said player's agent is going to immediately start prostrating to the clubs for whom money doesn't matter (United, Chelsea, City, PSG, Madrid) in an attempt to get his client (and thereby himself) a bigger payday.  It doesn't excuse Arsenal's behavior in the market as they should have contingencies and contingencies for contingencies and just flatly be more cutthroat with the agents/players: "Here is our offer, you either work with us to get your current club to sell to us or we're moving on to our next target."  But it does at least offer some relevant context that needs to be taken into account.  Barring us having a sugar daddy and a board who completely shine the wage bill, this will be our lot in the market - and the only way to really combat it is to actually win something substantial and be the kind of club that players are very specific about wanting to go to - a la a Bayern Munich.

Sure, and the reality is that Arsenal aren't going to compete monetarily with those clubs so they have to be more efficient.

[Dr LBC]

50 minutes ago, rcon14 said:

Sure, and the reality is that Arsenal aren't going to compete monetarily with those clubs so they have to be more efficient.

It's part of why I don't think you can just go get some old (speaking specifically to age), but historically successful manager like Ancelotti to be the long-term successor to Wenger.  Carlo's a fine manager, but I've never seen him as the type of manager that players go out of their way to play for.  I'm not convinced that the likes of Dyches, Silva, and Nagelsmann are quite to the level we need (but then Arsene was also a relative unknown managing in Japan when we appointed him manager).  And Gallardo isn't immersed enough in Europe yet for me to feel comfortable.  Of those I listed, I'd probably be most comfortable with Silva or Nagelsmann... or Arteta (though I'd prefer him to have some managerial experience elsewhere before just up and getting the Arsenal gig).  I was high on Nouri at this time last year, and he certainly wouldn't be a bad option to bring in in an Arteta type capacity if Wenger rides out the final year of his contract.

[SalvadorsDeli]

27 minutes ago, The LBC said:

It's part of why I don't think you can just go get some old (speaking specifically to age), but historically successful manager like Ancelotti to be the long-term successor to Wenger.  Carlo's a fine manager, but I've never seen him as the type of manager that players go out of their way to play for.  I'm not convinced that the likes of Dyches, Silva, and Nagelsmann are quite to the level we need (but then Arsene was also a relative unknown managing in Japan when we appointed him manager).  And Gallardo isn't immersed enough in Europe yet for me to feel comfortable.  Of those I listed, I'd probably be most comfortable with Silva or Nagelsmann... or Arteta (though I'd prefer him to have some managerial experience elsewhere before just up and getting the Arsenal gig).  I was high on Nouri at this time last year, and he certainly wouldn't be a bad option to bring in in an Arteta type capacity if Wenger rides out the final year of his contract.

Sarri is my dream replacement. Play beautiful football and win/compete while doing it. I like Silva a lot too; think he's got some Pochettino in him in terms of having the kind of qualities that will allow him to make the jump from succeeding at a midtable club to competing at the top.

Brilliant performance today but losing Lacazette is a big loss particularly going into the United game. The chemistry between him, Ozil, and Alexis is really only just starting to come together so it's a huge bummer to see that momentum get halted. 

Edited November 30, 2017 by BaltimoreTerp

[Dr LBC]

8 minutes ago, BaltimoreTerp said:

Brilliant performance today but losing Lacazette is a big loss particularly going into the United game. The chemistry between him, Ozil, and Alexis is really only just starting to come together so it's a huge bummer to see that momentum get halted. 

I really lament the loss in momentum and that groin injuries linger so this probably means we're going to be lucky to see him before Boxing Day - and we've got a brutal stretch just in frequency of matches until then.  I understand wanting to have your record-signing striker in the lineup against any big club, but speaking specifically to United and the tactic that we know Mourinho is going to deploy, I don't think it's as massive a loss, because it's the type of tactic that Lacazette hasn't been at his strongest against thus far this season.  We'll either get Alexis up top with Welbeck and Ozil behind him or Giroud up top with Alexis and Ozil behind him (my bet is the former); and Danny typically turns up in a big way for matches against his former club.  The likely necessity of having to have Alexis play more out-and-out striker than usual in the interim until Lacazette is healthy again, should facilitate more minutes in an attacking midfield role for Wilshere though - as Iwobi will be looked to to provide cover for the spot next to the Ozil/Wilshere spot rather than to be the cover for that (Ozil) spot.

[rcon14]

15 hours ago, The LBC said:

It's part of why I don't think you can just go get some old (speaking specifically to age), but historically successful manager like Ancelotti to be the long-term successor to Wenger.  Carlo's a fine manager, but I've never seen him as the type of manager that players go out of their way to play for.  I'm not convinced that the likes of Dyches, Silva, and Nagelsmann are quite to the level we need (but then Arsene was also a relative unknown managing in Japan when we appointed him manager).  And Gallardo isn't immersed enough in Europe yet for me to feel comfortable.  Of those I listed, I'd probably be most comfortable with Silva or Nagelsmann... or Arteta (though I'd prefer him to have some managerial experience elsewhere before just up and getting the Arsenal gig).  I was high on Nouri at this time last year, and he certainly wouldn't be a bad option to bring in in an Arteta type capacity if Wenger rides out the final year of his contract.

Just knowing how Arsenal really values stabiility and has more of a long-term outlook, I'd be surprised if they didn't try and go a Pochettino-esque hire and not roll through classic re-treads that get fired every 2-3 years.

[rcon14]

One thing worth noting, even with the defeat and acknowledging that ManU was bunkered for most of the game, Arsenal led in xG basically 5-2 and was particularly dominant after switching to a 4-3-3. I've never been a big fan of the back 3 for Arsenal because it doesn't fit Xhaka or Ramsey to be in a 2-man midfield.  I doubt it will happen, but switching to the 4-3-3 full-time would probably fit the personnel best.

[rcon14]

Translated transcript of interview with Mislintat: http://news.arseblog.com/2017/12/sven-mislintat-kicker-interview-transcript/

Good to hear he was big on Oliver Torres who was an advanced stats darling. Really think if Wenger listens, our recruitment will improve tenfold.

[TomRalph]

What's gonna happen with Joel Campbell? 

[rcon14]

On 12/21/2017 at 2:01 PM, TomRalph said:

What's gonna happen with Joel Campbell? 

He's going to continue to get loaned out until his contract expires and eventually sign somewhere else, I think.

[UKTexans]

On 29/12/2017 at 10:31 PM, rcon14 said:

He's going to continue to get loaned out until his contract expires and eventually sign somewhere else, I think.

So odd.

[marky mark]

On 11/21/2017 at 1:33 PM, The LBC said:

So this means that we'll now be linked every summer with Aubameyang (and never sign him); I mean, someone had to fill Benzema's shoes in that regard...