The January Transfer Window

[ricky1985]

We now have five top class players in the first team. Two who are potentially top class and one other who is not quite top class because he is so unreliable. A couple of promising youngsters after that.

I would actually say you are underestimating the number of quality players we have:

Defense: Clichy, Gallas, Sagna
Midfield: Fabregas, Nasri
Attack: Arshavin, van Persie

Looks like 7 to me. And then guys like Eduardo and Adebayor can also do a job.

I'd agree with that quincy. I'd also echo captains point that in some of the positions we don't have top quality players, we have top quality prospects. Djourou, Wilshere, Vela, Ramsey, Walcott, Coquellin - all have a chance to become top class players in time.

 

[longrufus]

I would take Gallas out of that, he may well have the ability, but he sure as hell hasnt shown it playing here. I would add Rosicky to that (when fit).

Walcott is on the brink for, me, was unlucky the injury hit when it did.

Adebayor would be on the list if he any sort of consistancy, but unfortunately he seems to have more off days than on.

 

[outlaw_member]

If Gallas hasn't proved to be a top class player, which I partly agree with, than neither has Rosicky. The Czech has shown plenty of promise, but he has delivered nothing.

 

[giuliob]

I think the list of 7 is a bit optimistic......Until Clichy and Sagna learn to cross better, they would not make my list of "top class" players...Very close, but not quite there.......

 

[-vapour-]

I think the list of 7 is a bit optimistic......Until Clichy and Sagna learn to cross better, they would not make my list of "top class" players...Very close, but not quite there.......

I would say more important than crossing for Clichy would be to iron out the daft mistakes. He is "top class" IMO, just not quite "World Class". He is still one of the best around, same goes for Sagna.

 

[True Gooner]

We now have five top class players in the first team. Two who are potentially top class and one other who is not quite top class because he is so unreliable. A couple of promising youngsters after that.

The defensive side of the game is still a bit ropey when you think that the first choice goalkeeper and CB partnership could be improved greatly but things are looking alot better with just signing of Arshavin and returns from injury.

Ahem, we're still all fur coat and no panties.

I don't think we could have got a defensive midfielder in this window - lack of availability, inflatory prices etc.

In my opinion we went out and bought the best player available for a reasonable price. Can't complain about that.

 

[Biggus]

No not at all True. I'm happy with Arshavin- he's a good addition and will come in handy but he's not what we really needed most. We needed a replacement for Flamini.

 

[DOUBLE-YOU]

No not at all True. I'm happy with Arshavin- he's a good addition and will come in handy but he's not what we really needed most. We needed a replacement for Flamini.

to be honest Biggus, i think we needed both. currently we have been a bit dour in attack and although we do need a strong holding player we also needed an attacking player to add potency. i don't think buying just a defensive midfielder would have helped us win games, and we are truly in a position where we need to win every game.

I also feel we needed to buy Arsharvin to make a statement. We currently don't have a fear element - which he provides. it's the type of statement manure made when they signed berbatov after winning the champions league. if we think we are a big club we need to do big things.

 

[KY]

No not at all True. I'm happy with Arshavin- he's a good addition and will come in handy but he's not what we really needed most. We needed a replacement for Flamini.

I beg to differ. I'm satisfied with our teams defending for the past month. They've shown a lot of solidity. And I'm sure wenger has found a system that works for us with regards to the way other teams try to attack us(which doesn't happen too often )

A great defense will only win you a definite one point. A great attack can win you a three. that's my bottom line.

 

[Rain Dance]

No not at all True. I'm happy with Arshavin- he's a good addition and will come in handy but he's not what we really needed most. We needed a replacement for Flamini.

Sure, but it's not as easy as that. Or you want us to do a Chelsea?

 

[Biggus]

@ Double-you When we get our injured players back we'll still have Denilson & Song in the team.

A great defense will only win you a definite one point. A great attack can win you a three. that's my bottom line.

I totally disagree. A great defence does indeed win you the game and is the platform for all great teams to win trophies, chances always come- they just have to be taken, ideally you should only have to take one. A great attack can get you ass raped- if you have no proper defence you just get hit with the sucker punch time and again.
Teams who rely on their attack whilst having a mediocre defence might be thrilling (for a neutral) to watch but are naive and always pay for it.

@ Rain Dance, As Double-you said- we need wins now thats the bottom line.

F**k trying to be attractive. F**k entertaining the neutrals. We need wins, and if that means 1-0 1-0 1-0 then so be it......But we can't do that, because Wenger has build a team of simplistic and naive attacking.

 

[Anzac]

or to put it in another perspective - a great attack can win you a Cup run, whereas a great defence can win you a League.........

 

[Biggus]

Yes, because your luck can hold out for half a dozen games- but you'll be found out again and again over the course of a season. A team should be built like a tree, around a strong trunk or spine- thats where the money should be spent.

 

[KY]

Yes but the main purpose of the game is to see who can score more goals, not who can prevent more goals from being scored. You don't get points for having 20 blocks, tackles or saves...

 

[Anzac]

Yes but the main purpose of the game is to see who can score more goals, not who can prevent more goals from being scored. You don't get points for having 20 blocks, tackles or saves...

conventional wisdom & history will tell you that the first order of business is usually to stop the opposition winning the game, until you can impose yourself & then attempt to win it yourself. The best sides usually combine the best defence of the season with the best attack, or very close to it.

Stop the opposition scoring & you have a point guaranteed, the same can not be said if you score.

I agree that the more realistic target for this window was AA to address our attack, as IMO it is easier to fix this with 1 player, than it would be to address our defensive issues with the players available.

However I'll cut sick if we see any continuation of AW weakening our attack to bolster the midfield & defence........ :wink:

 

[DOUBLE-YOU]

@ Double-you When we get our injured players back we'll still have Denilson & Song in the team.

totally agree and understand what you're saying but
1- we have been good defensively of late.
2- the club needed a boost. just look how negative the vibe is on this forum. just think how much worse it would be if the transfer window shut and we didn't get arsharvin. at first i didn't think we needed a creative player, but currently we don't have a name that instills fear in the opposition.

 

[DOUBLE-YOU]

Yes but the main purpose of the game is to see who can score more goals, not who can prevent more goals from being scored. You don't get points for having 20 blocks, tackles or saves...

Ahh, How sweet.

sorry KY but your philosophy is dated. yes in theory that's the aim of football. that's certainly what it was when football began, but now there's this horrible element called tactics which throws all positive philosophy out the window. A lot of teams play not to lose. They pack the defence or limit the numbers who attack and try to nick the odd goal(look how chelsea won the league 2006)
defence is too important. you can have the best strikers in the world but if the defensive foundation isn't good then you won't win much.
you need to watch your old arsenal videos to see how haviing a good defence won us trophies under GG

 

[TomasCR]

Shouldn´t we lock this now? I´m glad January is gone and I´m extremely happy the next transfer window is in 5 months. It was a difficult month.

 

[otfgoon]

conventional wisdom & history will tell you that the first order of business is usually to stop the opposition winning the game, until you can impose yourself & then attempt to win it yourself. The best sides usually combine the best defence of the season with the best attack, or very close to it.

Stop the opposition scoring & you have a point guaranteed, the same can not be said if you score.

Yes, and people here are generally delighted with draws arnt they?

Fail to score and you're guarenteed not to win. See what I did thar?

History will tell you the best attacking sides generally have a good defensive record, United, Barca, the Real and Arsenal of a few years ago.

Its not because they focus on defending first, its because they're focused on scoring, control the game and prevent the other side from worrying the defence at all or very little.

Achieve that and all the defence will have to worry about is doing the basic things right and not making any errors.

Also, stop being so boring :wink:

 

[Zico]

Otfgoon, take another look at the table. United are disappearing over the horizon but have scored only TWO goals more than us. There is nothing more valuable than the 1-0 victory.