A few steps forward, a few steps backwards. Typical.

Sup gents! .... been a while.

Uhh, sigh of relief. We have signed three quality players, Santi Cazorla and Lukas Podolski, two experienced national and domestic players will definitely improve our tiny squad in terms of QUALITY. Lets not forget Giroud but I prefer to reserve my judgement until I see him in action regularly.

Probably, biggest transfer window since late 90s and early 00s, an invisible team perhaps? Probably (not).

Im in disbelief with Nuri Sahin rumors. I just cant imagine a player of his caliber joining our 'principle' Arsenal. He is one of the best midfielders and probably one of the most complete midfielders today. Him joining Arsenal with an option to buy tastes like a turkish baklava. Sweet...fingers crossed.

Yann M'Vila? Nahhh... that would make me travel every week from Zurich to London.

Im talking about the most realistic targets in Sahin and M'Vila. The former makes sense to me, left footed, deep lying playmaker who is struggling to find a spot in Real Madrid, too good for the bench. Really good idea for a season loan with an option to buy.

But, how about M'Vila?

Why is Arsene Wenger spending all those millions on a classic defensive midfielder? Thats the question we should ask.

With Alex Song and a couple young DMs, I see no reason to spend all that money in M'Vila, as good as he is and I think hes better than Song in terms of defensive attributes, but not that much better than what we have. Maybe.

Some journalists are so sure that the deal is done a dusted, Rennes GM admitted Mvila will leave at the end of this window and some other sources who seem reliable also talked about his possibility to join Arsenal.

But, assuming the deal is done, why Arsenal dont wrap it up?

Alex Song linking with Barcelona. Woww, what a surprise.

Whats going on??

As far as i'm aware Highburied the M'Vila deal is dead. We're not getting him. If someone would like to correct me please do.

But i agree on the point you make about turkish baklava

Highburied is back!! Hunstman and Cyber's kryptonite

Welcome back highburied!

As Verminator said - the M'Vila links seem to be dead since after the euros. Julien Laurens hasn't tweeted since his "99% done deal".

Sahin... well hope this happens regardless Song's situation - with or without him. Waiting for Real Madrid to come back from USA to let this happen. From what I've seen in the last two pre-season matches with Real Madrid he can cover Gibbs and Santos aswell when needed

If Song leaves get a replacement... doesn't have to be a big name, someone who works his ass off defensively like Capoue or Wanyama. This is where I totally trust Wenger.

If Song doesn't leave just sign Sahin on loan with a buy-out clause and go for the season. I would like us to for Dempsey aswell to have him come from the bench but this ain't happening.

p.s Capoue > M'Vila

Anyone else watch the Montpellier - Toulouse match today? I kept one eye on it, and Capoue looked good from what I saw. I neither want nor expect Song to leave in this transfer window but I think if he does it would be not so bad from a footballing perspective because of possibilities like Capoue, M'Vila, or Wanyama to come in at midfield and provide some DM solidity that Song hasn't consistently given (or has been given license to stray from). It would be more a potential problem in terms of morale & the proverbial 'statement of intent.'

What I don't get is why Song would even want to leave for Barca. He'll go from being a key player at Arsenal (or close to it) to a squad player at Barca. I don't have romantic notions about loyalty so much, but sometimes I'm just confused why a player would want to leave a good thing. (E.g., Kagawa - why his rush to leave Dortmund after just two seasons? They're playing great trophy-winning football and will only appear to get better. But I digress.)

As for Sahin's arrival contingent upon Song's departure, I can't see why the media are running with this angle. They're two quite different types of players, if Sahin comes at all I doubt it would have anything to do with Song.

Welcome back HB.

We have not taken any steps backward yet but we have taken some giant steps forwards and hope for more to come.

Why judge the situation on 10th August? Let Wenger complete his summer work.

Chumlum wrote:Anyone else watch the Montpellier - Toulouse match today? I kept one eye on it, and Capoue looked good from what I saw. I neither want nor expect Song to leave in this transfer window but I think if he does it would be not so bad from a footballing perspective because of possibilities like Capoue, M'Vila, or Wanyama to come in at midfield and provide some DM solidity that Song hasn't consistently given (or has been given license to stray from). It would be more a potential problem in terms of morale & the proverbial 'statement of intent.'

What I don't get is why Song would even want to leave for Barca. He'll go from being a key player at Arsenal (or close to it) to a squad player at Barca. I don't have romantic notions about loyalty so much, but sometimes I'm just confused why a player would want to leave a good thing. (E.g., Kagawa - why his rush to leave Dortmund after just two seasons? They're playing great trophy-winning football and will only appear to get better. But I digress.)

As for Sahin's arrival contingent upon Song's departure, I can't see why the media are running with this angle. They're two quite different types of players, if Sahin comes at all I doubt it would have anything to do with Song.

I also watched the game. I wrote a few paragraphs about Capoue in the 'Transfer rumour' thread.

yeah.. we have spent 40 million this summer.. yes... 40..!!
so i have a feeling that something will be done to recoup part of the money spent... either RIP or Song..

Why do i feel some of you don't know how complete we are?

our midfield last season was the BOSS, now with more mobility and in Cazrola, rozza and arteta can wreac more havoc

the attack would be OK

WE would win the EPL.. I am serious

Better RVP then song. Atleast we got two players to replace rvp, but no one to replace song. A major sale will be required to recoup some of the money.
Damn we are still being able to sell bendter and arshavin.
This should be a lesson to the board for giving out big contracts to youngsters and fringe players, as it becomes an obstacle when other clubs wants to buy them.

The timing from Kuntselona is amazing, isn't it. They wait for our squad to assemble to near perfection, then start wanking over Song and proclaiming he's suffering and was deceived and blah blah blah etc etc etc

Absolute twats

I don't think we need to recoup any money, if we can sell Bendy or Arshavin. There is also money probably coming in from Highbury Apts.

Wilson37 wrote:yeah.. we have spent 40 million this summer.. yes... 40..!!
so i have a feeling that something will be done to recoup part of the money spent... either RIP or Song..

Actually, there have been summers where we've spent a lot and haven't recouped it that same summer. We've managed to find some extra cash this time, so any sale at this point will be for other reasons than balancing the books.

Actually i heard the transfer money this season was from selling some of thse flats, they still havent touched the transfer budget

aleumdance wrote:Why do i feel some of you don't know how complete we are?

our midfield last season was the BOSS, now with more mobility and in Cazrola, rozza and arteta can wreac more havoc

the attack would be OK

last season when arteta got injured, the whole team started playing awful, and arteta isnt even a world class player, what does that tell you?

cazorla isnt really a midfielder but he should add some class to our passing, if we have wilshere and cazorla playing then the midfield is good

Im waiting til the end of season to explain what I meant with this thread.

Im in SHOCK right now.

I am well past any shock. I am actually happy. The happiest I have been since we sold Cesc infact

srigooner wrote:I am well past any shock. I am actually happy. The happiest I have been since we sold Cesc infact

lol I am not even worried about the transfer, i came to term with RVP leaving a long time ago when he wrote his little shitty statement to me he was already gone. I am looking forward to this season to see how the all team clicks together.

Remember, no player is bigger than the club!

"Play for the name in front of the shirt and people will remember the name at the back." - Tony Adams (I think).

We want legends of that ilk. Not comic book superheroes. I am with AnJl on the next generation of our academy products, the likes of Jack, Szczesny and Frimpong, taking up this mantle.