Re: The Official Arsenal Winter Transfers/Rumours Thread

[sportsczy]

The issue i have with it is that Walcott is not even one of the top 5 players for Arsenal... Cazorla, Podolski, Wilshere, Sagna and Arteta are all much better than him. Then you have a bunch of guys that can say that they're on par with him.

When you set this kind of precedent with a mediocre player on your club, you're asking for trouble. Wenger better be ready for a lot of guys to ask for raises or leave. You just broke your own rules. Now you have to live with it.

[Sri]

Think about this for a second. Only CR7, Kaka, Casillas and Benzema have higher wages on Real Madrid... and we tend to overpay our players. Now tell me how Walcott is worth more than Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo, Alonso, Di Maria, Ozil, Higuain, Modric and Coentrao.

Out of this world. But hey, it's not my money lol.

But come on. Madrid have the 2nd highest wage bill in the world... second only to Barca. We should be on the list of clubs that overpay lol. See the list:

http://www.sportingintelligence.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/GSSS-2012-top-12.jpg

That suggests the problem is with Madrid, not Arsenal. If Madrid has only 4 players above 100k p/w wages that you listed, and yet ranks second in the world on weekly wage scales, then it implies that there are a lot of people earning moderately high wages. ('Deadwood'?) How else can you explain the sum of wages being so high?

Besides, you are missing a key point in that comparison. What happens when these players you mentioned who are earning lesser than Theo renegotiate their current deals? Will they not earn more?

Another point I should bring up now, is the difference the tax systems make in take-home-pay vs. contract salary. The taxes are higher in England than in continental Europe, if I remember right.

[Lex]

We can't rely on Sagna and Arteta forever, especially since Arteta is entering the twilight stage of his career and Sagna is on the wrong side of 29

Furthermore, I don't think you're giving Walcott enough credit. Has more goals and assists than Nani, this website and the media's golden boy Bale and even Silva this season. He's only 23. Has years to improve his skills and hone his technique

[Sri]

The issue i have with it is that Walcott is not even one of the top 5 players for Arsenal... Cazorla, Podolski, Wilshere, Sagna and Arteta are all much better than him. Then you have a bunch of guys that can say that they're on par with him.

When you set this kind of precedent with a mediocre player on your club, you're asking for trouble. Wenger better be ready for a lot of guys to ask for raises or leave. You just broke your own rules. Now you have to live with it.

I agree with you on the quality part sports.

The reason why I am defending the deal is not because I think Theo deserves the money or that he is of the same quality.

Its because Arsenal and Arsene have toiled for 8 long years on developing him to what he is today. And he has shown he has the potential to be Henry 2.0, as his effectiveness this season highlights.

And he is 23 now. Imagine him when he is 27-28 if he continues developing under Arsene. The imperative is on not losing yet another quality player in this age group. Na$ri and Cesc left when they were on the brink of their peaks - aged 23-24.

[sportsczy]

Madrid only sign players of a certain quality... so their wages, on average, is going to be high.

The wages of CR7 and Kaka pushes things up a lot too. CR7 makes 13 million and Kaka 10 million.

The key to the whole thing is the Walcott is not even a very good player, let alone a WC one. He a reasonably talented player who has performed in a mediocre manner his whole career. I would have no problem with this wage if it was for a Cazoral-level player. Walcott isn't. That's why i'm so shocked.

[Raptorgunner]

The thing about Theo is that you cant expect much from him, you just hope he shows up, nothing like other Arsenal players.

He goes missing too often in games. The only thing that can go wrong here is, Wenger wont drop Theo no mater how bad he plays becsue it would look bad on Wenger part.

Theo should not have pass to start.

[Sri]

Top Goalscorers
Theo Walcott - 14 (8, 1, 0, 5)
Lukas Podolski - 10 (6, 3, 1, 0)
Olivier Giroud - 9 (6, 1, 0, 2)
Santi Cazorla - 7 (7, 0, 0, 0)
Gervinho - 5 (3, 2, 0, 0)
Mikel Arteta - 4 (4, 0, 0, 0)

Providers
Theo Walcott - 9 (6, 0, 0, 3)
Lukas Podolski - 8 (7, 1, 0, 0)
Olivier Giroud - 8 (2, 4, 1, 1) +1
Santi Cazorla - 5 (5, 0, 0, 0)
Andrey Arshavin - 4 (0, 0, 0, 4)
Mikel Arteta - 3 (2, 1, 0, 0)
Kieran Gibbs - 3 (3, 0, 0, 0)
Aaron Ramsey - 2 (2, 0, 0, 0)
Gervinho - 2 (0, 2, 0, 0)

__________________________________________________

Say what you will, but these stats, coupled with his limited appearances this season suggest otherwise.

Compare also with his stats in the last 4 years. You will see the improving trend.

Extrapolate to when he is 28 years old.

@Raptor : I doubt Theo would get a free run at the starting XI because of his wage. To prove my point : Andrey Arshavin.

[sportsczy]

Just to add to your point raptor... he has 8 goals and 5 assists in 3 games: coventry, reading and newcastle. He has 6 goals and 4 assists in his other 21 appearances.

[Great Leader Sprucenuce]

90% of those stats probably came against us tbf

Also its not worth anywhere near 100k and you're wage structure needs sorting out from top to bottom tbh.

But at least you didn't lose another player.

[RealGunner]

Official: Theo Walcott signs new long-term contract

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/theo-walcott-signs-new-long-term-contract

[sportsczy]

90% of those stats probably came against us tbf

Also its not worth anywhere near 100k and you're wage structure needs sorting out from top to bottom tbh.

But at least you didn't lose another player.

He has 8 goals and 5 assists in 3 games: coventry, reading and newcastle. He has 6 goals and 4 assists in his other 21 appearances. 3 goals and 2 assists against you lol in one game.

[Sri]

90% of those stats probably came against us tbf

Also its not worth anywhere near 100k and you're wage structure needs sorting out from top to bottom tbh.

But at least you didn't lose another player.

He has 8 goals and 5 assists in 3 games: coventry, reading and newcastle. He has 6 goals and 4 assists in his other 21 appearances. 3 goals and 2 assists against you lol in one game.

I concede to these points. As I already accepted, his consistency issues are well documented. And Na$ri/Cesc were much better players at the same age. But I am proud that the board hasn't *bleep* up and lost another player in the final months.

No doubting our messed up flat wage structure either. But limited resources demanded a flat structure. We can hope that the club has learnt from its mistakes in a time when the crippling resource constraints are beginning to dissolve.

New contract and salaries always go up. No player would sign for anything lesser. How this affects future contract negotiations with other players remains to be seen, but they will be in times when we have better resources to pay better wages.

[Lex]

Meh Aguero loves to stat pad against shit teams, but everyone still bum sucks him here

[Sri]

Manager Arsène Wenger said: “We are all delighted that Theo has signed a new contract. He joined us as a 16-year-old and since then has developed very well to become an extremely important player for both Arsenal Football Club and England.

"Theo is a strong player and also a great person, and the combination of his ability and pace always make him such a valuable asset either from the flanks or down the middle. Theo’s contract extension now gives us a strong nucleus of ambitious young players who have committed to the Club and want to be successful with us as a group.”

Theo said: "I am very happy to have signed a new contract here at Arsenal. Thanks to everyone for their continued support, especially the manager, everyone at the club and most importantly the fans. I have made it clear from the start that I wanted to stay at Arsenal so I am pleased we have agreed a deal that everyone is happy with. What’s important now is for the team to realise its potential and win trophies.”
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/theo-walcott-signs-new-long-term-contract
________________________________________________________

Silver lining.

[sportsczy]

I'm actually angry because Arsenal is fighting to catch up to 4th place and haven't added shat in the mercato yet... the news that we kept Walcott was good. The fact that we're overpaying him put me over the edge lol.

Sorry.

[Lex]

[Sri]

I'm actually angry because Arsenal is fighting to catch up to 4th place and haven't added shat in the mercato yet... the news that we kept Walcott was good. The fact that we're overpaying him put me over the edge lol.

Sorry.

Patience, my friend.

We have dealt with our biggest hinderance now. That leaves us with the time and energy to focus on the market. I still have hopes for the two deals AW talked about.

[RealGunner]

I'm actually angry because Arsenal is fighting to catch up to 4th place and haven't added shat in the mercato yet... the news that we kept Walcott was good. The fact that we're overpaying him put me over the edge lol.

Sorry.

I am with you, but disappointed rather than angry. I don't think walcott deserves 92k p/w. But this is the modern football i guess.

I hope Arsene can get a deal done in the last week or so. Like Arshavin 3 years back.

[Sri]

I hope Arsene can get a deal done in the last week or so. Like Arshavin 3 years back.

An impact signing to take us into top 4 come May? Yes.

But hopefully, a story with a better ending than Arshavin's.

[Jay29]

I honestly don't care that much about wages any more. Walcott might not be worth £100k p/w now, and he might never be worth that much, but then again he might grow into a player that is. We can't really be sure.

He's a bit under appreciated, I feel. People saying he's not one of Arsenal's best players and that he's never had a good season before; that's simply not true. Walcott has been a very productive player for us in the last three seasons, scoring 38 goals from the flank which is a good record no matter how you look at it, especially when you consider he's still only 23. He's got a good record in the big games, too.

For the sake of comparison, Pires scored 37 in the same period and Ljungberg scored 17.

With the way Arsenal have lost players recently, it was very important to get Walcott signed up. It's a boost to keep a player who you've spent a lot of time and money on, a player that fans have got a connection with (he is one of the more popular players in the squad) and a player who actually wanted to stay at Arsenal.

Moreover, Walcott could've easily sat out the remainder of his contract and signed somewhere else for an even bigger pay check. The fact that he committed to us is a big positive and shows that we can actually hold onto players.

So yeah, I'm very happy this has finally been concluded. Hopefully we can get Sagna signed up to a new deal, too, and hopefully now we can put all our effort into making a couple of additions to the squad in this window.

[Sina]

YES some good news finally

Moreover, Walcott could've easily sat out the remainder of his contract and signed somewhere else for an even bigger pay check. The fact that he committed to us is a big positive and shows that we can actually hold onto players.

this is a good response to those moaning about it being just 3,5 years as well

[RealGunner]

Theo himself looks genuinely happy and i think it was the best move for everyone. We should be glad that Theo isn't a backstabber like RVP (fingers crossed still )

His pace on Fifa will always be appreciated by me

[Sina]

now that british core

[Artilleristen]

now that british core

If only Ramsey wasnt a part of it

[Raptorgunner]

Who said Wenger does not sign in January? It took 2 years of hostage situation but Wenger finally lost.

[urbaNRoots]

If only Ramsey wasnt a part of it

What's the problem with Ramsey?

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