Re: The Official Arsenal Winter Transfers/Rumours Thread

[Jay29]

How would you define a midfielder as being better than Arteta, though? Arteta plays a specialised role in the side that's not a traditional holding role. Would a more physical midfielder be considered as better? Or would it be a midfielder that could can do what Arteta does and more? There are plenty of the former about (M'Vila, Capoue, Diame, Wanyama...) but not many of the latter (Busquets, and...?).

In my opinion, having a more physical midfielder in the squad would help a lot, simply because we don't have a midfielder like that. Even our "proper" defensive midfielder, Coquelin, is a small guy not noted for his power.

[MJ]

An example of someone who plays Arteta's exact position and could provide depth and competition would be Strootman. Deep lying playmaker, great vision and range in his passing, even has a powerful shot but he adds physicality to the midfield in that he's bigger and stronger than Arteta. At the age of 22 he could be seen as Arteta's successor even though the former probably has around 3+ more years of top football in him and Strootman is too good to simply bench.

The depth we'd have though...

[SamuelJayC]

Wenger: "Arsenal will be busy in January window."

"To find the quality of striker that would strengthen a top Premier League team at the moment in the world is difficult."

"We want players who can make an immediate impact."

http://t.co/u6WzIcBs

[Jay29]

Wenger talking up Walcott as a striker kind of puts some doubt on us actually buying a striker this month. Not sure if that's a good or bad thing.

[MJ]

Good thing - means that either Theo is staying or Wenger is trying to seem uninterested in other players to get a better price out of a potential deal.

#Wengermindgames

[SamuelJayC]

Spanish football expert Graham Hunter: "I don't think David Villa will be joining Arsenal or Chelsea, unless there's an extraordinary offer."

"I know for sure that two Premier League clubs have enquired about David Villa & asked Barcelona how much he would cost."

"I know Villa is unhappy with the amount of games he's been getting this season. He'll go in the summer if he's still unhappy."

"Turan would cost something in the region of £16m. He's an exceptionally gifted footballer who is overshadowed by Falcao."

"Turan can find solutions & unlock a defence. He'd be a good purchase for Arsenal. He's the Turkish Iniesta if you like."

http://bit.ly/UcSZXB

[VendettaRed07]

If we keep Walcott at CF then I don't think we need a new striker. Or atleast, all of the options out there at the moment wouldn't be a big enough upgrade to really be worth the money we'd have to spend. Giroud, Walcott Podolski gives us enough options.

If we make a splash on fellaini, Henry on loan, M'vila on the cheap, and a defender I think that would be all we would need.

Well, if we sell arshavin and move Walcott we really could use a winger. Fellaini + Adrian Lopez would be a dream.

[Jay29]

The reason why I'm not sure that Wenger putting faith in Walcott is a good or bad thing is because, with only two games as a central striker, he's very much unproven. We don't know if he's going to succeed there or not and the only way to really tell is to give him a fair amount of games to prove himself. Would seven or eight games from now until the end of January be sufficient? I'm not so sure.

A decision would have to be made very quickly here and there're big risks involved either way. We could go ahead and buy a striker, which would mean Walcott goes back to the right hand side and possibly doesn't commit to the club; new contract or not, he might ask to leave in the summer anyway if he knows for sure he's not going to play centrally. On the other hand, we could go with Walcott down the middle where there's a 50/50 chance he'll fail, thus leaving us with Giroud and Gervinho as our only other options (and Podolski, but we all know he's not going to play there). I really like Giroud, be he can't be our only choice.

Either way, we would need a winger to improve our attacking options further.

[RealGunner]

If we keep winning games with Theo upfront, then i won't mind us not signing a striker

But the problem is that theo is still untested against a better defence like jay said, and that theo is relatively injury prone and if him and Giroud both get injured, then we are in big trouble.

We should sign someone like Adrian for that reason.

[urbaNRoots]

Sign Capoue and Adrian pls. Now that we're linked with Turan/Isco... wouldn't mind one of them too. We would have some great depth and options because all 3 are versatile and can play atleast 2 positions.

CF: Giroud, Walcott, Podolski, Adrian

RW: Adrian, Walcott, Turan

LW: Turan, Adrian, Podolski

AM: Cazorla, Wilshere, Rosicky

CM: Wilshere, Diaby, Rosicky, Arteta

DM: Arteta, Capoue

RB: Sagna, Jenkinson

CB: Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Koscielny, Capoue

LB: Gibbs, Vermaelen

GK: Szczesny, Mannone (?)

Isco is a pipe dream, would have him over Turan anyday.

While sending the likes of Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain on loan to a PL club where they could get playing time while getting better. Sell/release: Arshavin, Gervinho, Squillaci, Chamakh etc...

Yeah right.......

[SamuelJayC]

Superdeporte: Arsenal interested in Valencia keeper Vicente Guaita. 25-year old has a release clause of £12m. - http://bit.ly/RXOXGX

[RealGunner]

Guaita is amazing

[Rev]

@Urban The lack of Coq is disturbing in your squad. Apart from that, that squad looks well equipped for all 4 competitions.

Add some youth to it and we're pretty much set for the next 2-3 years.

[MJ]

We need more Coq in the squad

If he's supposed to be our DM solution he needs to start showing it because we can't wait long. We need depth regardless, if he starts performing the way we need then, fantastic, we won't need to make a huge signing, but the far more realistic scenario is that he continues to perform as someone too young and as a square in a circle hole, one who isn't physical enough to markedly upgrade our midfield.

[RealGunner]

I don't think he can hold the midfield for us atm.

[RealGunner]

We have started formal talks with Atletico regarding Adrian Lopez according to AnonymousFC

[MJ]

Waiting for this:


Adrian Lopez? Striker for Atleteeco Madreed, posseeble weenger solution for us? Can play in a variety of attackeeng poseetions and has yet to re-sign for them? Never heard of him.

[urbaNRoots]

To be honest I completely forgot about Coquelin due to the ostracization that is happening. Personally I don't think he's what Wenger thinks he is... a DM. He's a box-to-box runner ala Wilshere, but Wilshere will always be ahead of him so for his best I think he should go to another club if he's not happy being Wilshere's backup. I would gladly let him stay though, with Diaby being constantly injured he could get some playing time but I don't think that's what he wants.

[AnJl]

I have this heavy feeling that we arent going to get anyone.

Heck, guys like Adrian and Turan sound like a dream. Good players that can add value to just about any team (bar a few).

But I think someone we do need sign someone with a winning or no bullshit menatlity, the invincibles were littered with them.

What ever happened to that African defender that kept Drogba in his pocket?

[SamuelJayC]

Wenger: "Demba Ba had a great game today." - http://bbc.in/YYkeeL

[SamuelJayC]

Ferguson: "We won't be letting Nani leave in January. We need him. He's got incredible talent." - http://bit.ly/UeHLSk

[SamuelJayC]

Marca: A decision over the future of David Villa will be made in June; Contract renewal or a transfer - http://bit.ly/Vi9OkO

[SamuelJayC]

Wenger on Canal +

"If Ba wanted you to notice him, I think he did well. A bit too well in my opinion..."

"Thierry Henry? I don't think it will happen."

[boyzis]

Wenger on Canal +

"If Ba wanted you to notice him, I think he did well. A bit too well in my opinion..."

"Thierry Henry? I don't think it will happen."

Welcome to Arsenal Ba !!!
Welcome to Arsenal Ba !!!
Welcome to Arsenal Ba !!!
Wenger seems to like you and so do i. He will work his magic on you and make you better.

[Chumlum]

Demba Ba is a fine player, but in case Arsenal don't try to sign him (or do try but lose him to e.g. Chelsea), let's recall two big question marks. 1 - his form seems to run hot and cold, for instance he had a superb first half of 2011-2012, but became comparatively anonymous in the second half of the campaign, when Cisse (himself now in a slump) stole the show. And yes Pardew was playing him "out of position" to some degree, but I think this was reactive to Ba's poor form, moreso than an obstacle to Ba regaining his magic touch. 2 - that bum knee. If Ba comes to Arsenal I'll be happy, and I'll keep my fingers crossed he stays fit, but I'll also immediately begin worrying about injuries ...

[SamuelJayC]

Sky Sports: Demba Ba to meet with Chelsea representatives tonight.

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