Wenger: Trust me in this summer's transfer market

[Clrnc]

Arsenal boss Arsène Wenger has called on the club's fans to continue to trust his judgement as he looks to strengthen the squad this summer.

Wenger - who lost key men like Robin Van Persie and captain Cesc Fabregas to injury this season - accepts one or two additions are needed to ensure the Gunners push for the title again next year but wants any deals done as soon as possible.

Arsenal are expected to confirm the arrival of Marouane Chamakh on a free transfer once the Morocco striker's contract with Bordeaux expires ahead of the World Cup and the club have also been linked with big money bids for Ajax's Luis Suarez and Palermo defender Simon Kjaer.

''They have to trust us. Historically we have done well on the transfer market,'' said Wenger. ''Last summer we bought Thomas Vermaelen, nobody knew about him and now he is in the team of the year, so they just have to keep faith in what we do. As always we will try to be intelligent, sensible and take care of this club in the right way.''

Wenger also reiterated his determination not to break up the squad, with Fabregas continually linked with a move to Spain.

''One or two will go out, which happens every year, but the first target is to keep the squad together,'' he told Arsenal TV Online. ''This team has a future. I believe the players want to have a future together and that is why it is my job to keep them together.''

Arsenal are set to finish third after seeing their title and European challenge fade following successive away defeats at Barcelona, Tottenham and Wigan.

Wenger added: ''You are never happy when you do not win the championship, but I believe it was a massive handicap to have so many players out going into the final sprint.

''We maintained our consistent position in the top three and I believe nobody expected that from us at the start of the season, so we have done certainly beyond expectation. But still for us it is not good enough because we want to win the championship.''

Make it 3? Almunia, Silvestre, Eduardo?

 

[kooldawg]

The 2 going out are probably Senderos and Merida. Gallas could possibly be out as well so my guess is another unknown cheap defender with Chamakh on a free with Wenger bigging up all the crocked players that we have as the same as new signings.

 

[MAK 14]

I do trust Wenger to make some good additions to the squad. However, I don't really trust him to make the needed ones.

We'll have to see though, it will be an interesting summer.

 

[Burnwinter]

The thing about those "new signings" is that when they get injured again they're just as useful as if they were "sold in the summer".

 

[Lord Dula]

I feel he's not only testing our patience now but a few of the players patience too.

He must know it's time to be mega proactive in the transfer market

 

[Herbert Chapman]

I think this summer will seal or signal the end of my continued belief in le boss.

Asking us to trust him really comes down to if we reinforce to the required degree or, trust that if we sign another unproven quantity, that this will be all we need and "trust us" to come good.

The early signs are not good because I believe we need 2 mid fielders, Dm & LM and already before the end of the season, he's ruled midfield signings out.

 

[yakso]

I don't know about trusting him but he is making me nervous. Apparently he doesn't want to strengthen our goalkeeping department. For me this is the most important area we should be looking to strengthen. Oh I hope to god he is not seriously considering Fabianski as our number one GK.

 

[General]

Once again, I find all this talk about bringing in new players puzzling. With the exception of a new goalkeeper I won’t lose any sleep if we signed no one. Start by addressing the basic organisational issues that have plagued us for the past 5 seasons. How our backline play like a congregation of strangers and how we concede the same pattern of goals over and over again. Overall a new goalie will help but I have no faith in Wenger to address the root causes of the aforementioned issues, to enable us to go from a decent top 4 side to solid championship force.

 

[flobaba]

I trust you Arsène.. To do some things right this summer.. But not to do enough. Again.

 

[Anzac]

Didn't he say much the same this time last year - 2-3 players of 'real' quality that will please the fans????

As much as I'd like him to address some issues by bringing in genuine starting quality players, I'm MORE concerned about him actually addressing the issues in training, patterns etc.

 

[irishgunnerz]

Didn't he say much the same this time last year - 2-3 players of 'real' quality that will please the fans????

As much as I'd like him to address some issues by bringing in genuine starting quality players, I'm MORE concerned about him actually addressing the issues in training, patterns etc.

Amen to that brother, we don't lack so much quality as organisation at the back

 

[Clarkey]

Indeed. Some of the best signings Arsène could make this Summer would be some changes and additions to the coaching team. Talking of which, he talks a good game but would Stewart Robson be up to the task?

Edit: obviously I meant defensively. Though with the talk of the kerfuffle up with Swiss Tony, and with him now heading out, could Mr Keown head back our way?

 

[11vanpersie]

I love it when this time of year comes around where Arsène promises these great new players. But then after a month, I hate it when nothing is happening and we are being linked with what seems like hundreds of players.

 

[Anzac]

Didn't he say much the same this time last year - 2-3 players of 'real' quality that will please the fans????

As much as I'd like him to address some issues by bringing in genuine starting quality players, I'm MORE concerned about him actually addressing the issues in training, patterns etc.

Amen to that brother, we don't lack so much quality as organisation at the back

It's always been my biggest gripe with AW = NOT the signings, but more the seemingly not doing anything proactive with the resources he has, other than making the usual substitutions & changes to our shape into a 451 etc.

 

[Rocafella]

I don't want to hear Wenger come out with this rubbish. Blowing his trumpet about Vermaelen, although leaving us with two poor goalkeepers and without a direct replacement for an injured van Persie for the majority of the season. I don't have much hope we'll go in to next season any stronger either to be honest. Chamakh alone won't come close to the additions this team needs. I expect more to leave than come in this summer.

 

[Klaus Daimler]

Blowing his trumpet about Vermaelen, although leaving us with two poor goalkeepers and without a direct replacement for an injured van Persie for the majority of the season.

The thing is that most fans were perfectly content with Almunia last season though (he was voted player of the season on Arsenal-Mania by quite some distance, even), and when we were linked to Chamakh last summer not a single poster wanted him except for me and ricky. Hindsight is great, but one or two signings wouldn't have made much difference when we lost so many players to injuries in the end.

 

[Y va marquer]

It’s funny how people just use whatever Wenger says in public and adapt it to suit their own particular beliefs, hopes, fears and biases.
It’s just PR - it’s not designed to inform or reveal anything meaningful regarding his true intentions so it allows for us all to read into it what we wish…
so……he’ll sign a GK and CB having already secured a CF in Chamakh?
Fine by me!

It would be amusing if he refused to comment any further on transfers, leaving a vacuum for people to fill themselves.

 

[Anzac]

Blowing his trumpet about Vermaelen, although leaving us with two poor goalkeepers and without a direct replacement for an injured van Persie for the majority of the season.

The thing is that most fans were perfectly content with Almunia last season though (he was voted player of the season on Arsenal-Mania by quite some distance, even), and when we were linked to Chamakh last summer not a single poster wanted him except for me and ricky. Hindsight is great, but one or two signings wouldn't have made much difference when we lost so many players to injuries in the end.

Don't entirely agree with this as it sort of smacks of a defeatist cop out = injuries f*cked us over so why bother. IMO 1-2 signings of genuine quality in key areas could have made a LOT of difference - a proactive/communicating GK, DM cover - less so CF cover as we had Nik. Perhaps a more pro-active approach from AW in regards to setting the team to better suit the resources he had would not have gone astray, even on a temporary basis.

 

[Burnwinter]

"A vacuum for people to fill themselves" pretty much sums up transfer season whatever Wenger says ...

 

[Y va marquer]

Exactly burnwinter!