The Importance of January

[Linson]

Now we're in November, we're a mere 8 weeks away from the January transfer window, which I think will be the most important January in recent memory, if not ever.
For the first time in a long time we've dropped out of the top four and I hate to say it, we deserved to drop. We, as fans, have been the victims of chronic under-funding / semi-neglect of the squad.

We potentially have some of the largest problems we've ever faced at the club, as it stands we have the potential to be losing many players:

Özil - ?signing new contract
Sanchez - Man City
Debuchy - unhappy with lack of opportunities
Giroud ?Everton
Walcott ?Everton
Ospina - unhappy with lack of opportunities
Mertesacker - retiring
Mustafi - ?Lazio

We also have players who are chronically under-performing / perma-injured and potentially can't be trusted in the long term:

Elneny
Coquelin
Cazorla
Koscielny


When taking this into account, our first 11 / squad suddenly looks bereft of experience and talent. We already lack proper depth in several areas. To bring players in in the summer window will mean a significant turnover of players that will take too long to be competitive come August. The second issue with waiting until the summer is when all those players leave, clubs will know we're desperate / we potentially won't have the attraction of champions league.


I think we should be aggressively pro-active in the January transfer window, identify high profile, available targets early on and move swiftly. I don't want this to turn into a wishlist thread but we know players like Draxler, Aubameyang and VVD are potentially available.

Thoughts?

 

[Rouski]

One of Wenger's problems is that the squad is heavy but would like to see similar signings to this summer i.e. big money signing, Lemar and sign a player with a contract running down De Vrij/Gimenez.

Özil - probably will sign new contract
Sanchez - on his way out
Debuchy - will stay unless he finds another club to move to
Giroud - staying
Walcott - staying
Ospina - will stay unless he finds another club to move to
Mertesacker - retiring
Mustafi - staying
Elneny - staying
Coquelin - staying
Cazorla - on a long road to recovery
Koscielny - staying

 

[Macho]

It’s not that important.

We’ve not got a realistic shout at the title..we’re not staring at relegation... we’ve even got a bunch of similarly mediocre level players fighting for spots at cup games.

It’s one of the least important windows for us ever - Özil and Sanchez aside. Even if they left it prob wouldn’t effect our 4th- 6th place finish.

Most likely drag our feet and flip flop on our position over our best players. Like every window.

 

[Tir Na Nog]

Nothing's gonna happen in January, Wenger despises the window.

 

[GeorgiaGunner]

We won't be signing anyone of note, but there's an offhand chance of one (or two) high-profile departure(s).

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

I think we should go for Lemar and a CB even if we have to loan them back to their existing clubs. We should look to offload Walcott and sort out the proper integration of AMN, Willock and Nelson in their proper positions so we hit the summer window with a clear plan. We also have to make a decision on Wilshere...

 

[Trilly]

I think we should go for Lemar and a CB even if we have to loan them back to their existing clubs. We should look to offload Walcott and sort out the proper integration of AMN, Willock and Nelson in their proper positions so we hit the summer window with a clear plan. We also have to make a decision on Wilshere...

Don’t think you can get Lemar level signings in Jan unless they’ve been frozen out or something. Agree with the rest though.

Would be nice to do a deal where we agree to sign somebody in the summer like Liverpool have with Keita. Our summer shopping list is going to be huge.

 

[truth_hurts]

I think the summer is much more important, this season we are going to bumble around the 4th place position. I agree that it would be nice if we could sign a couple of players that join us in the summer aka Keita to Liverpool.

 

[OSBK]

Cannot see anything in january unless we get a run of injuries. In that scenario it will be a neny type of signing. There is no doubt the squad is still well off where it needs to be but the prices in a january window will be too much for us.

The summer is key to us. Going off our transfer dealing this summer and our strategy with rotating epl and ec teams its clear wenger wants 4th place. A 4th place and above finish will mean a good spend, outside the top 4 means we lose good players with a lesser budget to replace.

The board indicated that changes were going to happen in the summer. Maybe this is it, maybe the carrot for wenger is if he gets us into the cl again he will get that warchest. I can understand why it didnt happen this summer, wenger has spent badly and missed out on cl. The board would have said why should we back you now, you have to go and prove you can get us back into the cl.

Thats my dream scenario, reality is probably something different.

 

[Lookin' for a new Baby]

I think the most important January window was the one when Leicester won the league and we had injuries going into it. If we'd bought a couple of decent players, we might have won the league that year. But that was then and this is now and I do agree that it is important re Özil, Sanchez and who comes in if they go sooner rather than summer.

 

[BobP]

Nothing's gonna happen in January, Wenger despises the window.

Unless there's a player of Elneny's calibre available.

 

[Lookin' for a new Baby]

Nothing's gonna happen in January, Wenger despises the window.

That's true, he always says world class players are not available then, but then he never buys world class players in summer. And don't expect too much this summer because it's hard to buy players when there is a major championship on.

 

[Linson]

My concern is that listing all the players I've listed above, all of which are painfully realistic losses, with the continued loss of champions league will mean we're going to struggle to attract the better players.

In my opinion we have 3 major issues, causing two further issues -

1. Loss of talent
2. Deadwood
3. Loss of champions league

Leading to: -

1. Arsenal being viewed as a non-elite club
2. Large number of players needed to be brought in
3. World class talent needing to be brought in


I think today's game also really highlighted our need of a change of formation. We're still trying to accommodate players in the wrong positions. If I was Özil I'd be fairly annoyed by now, everyone knows (apart from Wenger) that his best position is behind the strikers, yet he is continually placed on the wing, where he is largely ineffective.

 

[Mark Tobias]

I think the most important January window was the one when Leicester won the league and we had injuries going into it. If we'd bought a couple of decent players, we might have won the league that year. But that was then and this is now and I do agree that it is important re Özil, Sanchez and who comes in if they go sooner rather than summer.

Kim Kalstrom. Jesus even typing that name out sends a chili to my brain.

 

[Mark Tobias]

My concern is that listing all the players I've listed above, all of which are painfully realistic losses, with the continued loss of champions league will mean we're going to struggle to attract the better players.

In my opinion we have 3 major issues, causing two further issues -

1. Loss of talent
2. Deadwood
3. Loss of champions league

Leading to: -

1. Arsenal being viewed as a non-elite club
2. Large number of players needed to be brought in
3. World class talent needing to be brought in


I think today's game also really highlighted our need of a change of formation. We're still trying to accommodate players in the wrong positions. If I was Özil I'd be fairly annoyed by now, everyone knows (apart from Wenger) that his best position is behind the strikers, yet he is continually placed on the wing, where he is largely ineffective.

If you were a top player, who knew he had talent, why would you sign for Arsenal. Especially having witnessed Wenger leave his new striker on the bench for one of our biggest games. Just bizarre. Players don;t want that!

 

[tap-in]

January is important but the summer window just gone was more important. We didnt get that right so I don't expect anything to improve in Jan.

 

[Mark Tobias]

I don't think January is important for the below reasons:
1) We won't buy anyone of any value anyway.
2) Wenger has openly admitted he hates this window.
3) If we do buy, Wenger will 'bed them in' until May
4) We've already cocked out chances at the title (that was done last window)
5) We will be outbid by more serious clubs if we do chase anyone

 

[HollandGooner]

Now we're in November, we're a mere 8 weeks away from the January transfer window, which I think will be the most important January in recent memory, if not ever.
For the first time in a long time we've dropped out of the top four and I hate to say it, we deserved to drop. We, as fans, have been the victims of chronic under-funding / semi-neglect of the squad.

We potentially have some of the largest problems we've ever faced at the club, as it stands we have the potential to be losing many players:

Özil - ?signing new contract
Sanchez - Man City
Debuchy - unhappy with lack of opportunities
Giroud ?Everton
Walcott ?Everton
Ospina - unhappy with lack of opportunities
Mertesacker - retiring
Mustafi - ?Lazio

We also have players who are chronically under-performing / perma-injured and potentially can't be trusted in the long term:

Elneny
Coquelin
Cazorla
Koscielny


When taking this into account, our first 11 / squad suddenly looks bereft of experience and talent. We already lack proper depth in several areas. To bring players in in the summer window will mean a significant turnover of players that will take too long to be competitive come August. The second issue with waiting until the summer is when all those players leave, clubs will know we're desperate / we potentially won't have the attraction of champions league.


I think we should be aggressively pro-active in the January transfer window, identify high profile, available targets early on and move swiftly. I don't want this to turn into a wishlist thread but we know players like Draxler, Aubameyang and VVD are potentially available.

Thoughts?

Agreed, but we left it very late to replace one of the senior members in the squad, we should have solved this much earlier.

 

[rich 1990]

Hopefully we don't do anything. At this point, the less Wenger does, the less damage he can do. I wouldn't trust him to buy me a Big Mac.

 

[Mark Tobias]

Hopefully we don't do anything. At this point, the less Wenger does, the less damage he can do. I wouldn't trust him to buy me a Big Mac.

TBF I wouldn't trust many people to buy you a Big Mac. Or at least I wouldn't trust you to be happy with what you get from anyone trying to buy you a Big Mac.

On another note, is this the first football related post you've ever made