Willian

[tap-in]

But you’re assuming he’ll play well in the first 1/2 years. His mentality now is this is his final payday, that’s a risk. Also, if it was that simple as you say why didn’t Chelsea give him 3 years? We’re offering him less money, but a longer contract. Why are their fans not that bothered about him leaving?

Depends who you talk to, the Chelsea fan I work with says he was one of their top players least season, and tbh, he was! Also less money per week but more overall ie 3 years maybe 4, thats important for a player of 31. Yes I'm assuming he will play well, he's just been playing well in July so no reason to suggest he wont play well next season. We couldn't have got a player of his quality for £5.2m per yr, thats why its a good signing. There is a risk to all signings, only time till tell. I think its good business, leaves us to go for CB & Partey or similar.

 

[Let's play Aubamawang]

I hate the way Willian's excellent injury record keeps being mentioned

What's the betting he sustains a season-ending if not career-ending injury on his first outing in an Arsenal shirt

Sounds harsh but it would save us money after giving a long contract to a 32 year old.

 

[Beksl]

Why is it likely? Could go either way.

Look at the stats ffs.

 

[GDeep™]

Chelsea offered him a contract. That's like your woman saying you are trying to get rid of her after proposing.

Not the contract he wanted. We gave him the 3 years he’s been chasing.

 

[Halcyon Daze]

Depends who you talk to, the Chelsea fan I work with says he was one of their top players least season, and tbh, he was! Also less money per week but more overall ie 3 years maybe 4, thats important for a player of 31. Yes I'm assuming he will play well, he's just been playing well in July so no reason to suggest he wont play well next season. We couldn't have got a player of his quality for £5.2m per yr, thats why its a good signing. There is a risk to all signings, only time till tell. I think its good business, leaves us to go for CB & Partey or similar.

Yeah, there is a risk with all signings. I was just never happy with that giraffe in a helmet, and this signing spooks me a bit. Like you say this is done, gotta focus on those other positions now. Hopefully Gabriel and Partey at a minimum and a maybe a cheeky curveball on the evening of October 4th.

 

[truth_hurts]

Not the contract he wanted. We gave him the 3 years he’s been chasing.

Piss off p*edo.

 

[Halcyon Daze]

Look at the stats ffs.

Stats for Chelsea. Look at Alexis’s stats for us. Heard recently he cost United £28k for every touch of the ball. Likely is the wrong word, that’s my point.

 

[HairSprayGooners]

Meh. Not finishing top 4 with these signings, that’s for sure.

Chelsea just finished 4th with Willian being a key part of that.

Hmm.

 

[Beksl]

Stats for Chelsea. Look at Alexis’s stats for us. Heard recently he cost United £28k for every touch of the ball. Likely is the wrong word, that’s my point.

It's more likely than what @American_Gooner is trying to insinuate.

 

[A_G]

Chelsea offered him a contract. That's like your woman saying you are trying to get rid of her after proposing.

It's more likely than what @American_Gooner is trying to insinuate.

I question his motivation, he took the easy option of staying in London and coming on big wages. Cech mk2.

 

[al-Ustaadh]

I question his motivation, he took the easy option of staying in London and coming on big wages. Cech mk2.

From all reports he took less money than what Chelsea was offering (unless those aren't to be believed). For some reason he really wanted a three year contract. There was a lot of talk about him and his family liking London. I wonder if the contract being three years has something to do with his family and England.

 

[lomekian]

Do you really ever see him being a starter for a title challenging side?

If we were in a healthy position financially, I'd loan him, but we have glaring holes in the first 11 that need addressing. 20m is more useful to the club than Nelson imo

I can see Nelson potentially reaching that level actually. Its a long shot, but he's technically excellent, but lacks confidence and power, two things that can be worked on. He's tactically more advanced than a lot of younger players too.

 

[lomekian]

Just wondered how he compared to Theo.

Walcott, Arsenal, 398 games, 108 goals, 78 assists

Willian, Chelsea, 339 games, 63 goals, 62 assists

Tells you 1) Walcott was underrated. Despite his manifest failings, the guy had good end product back in the day. Shame he did little else.
2) Willian is less of a goal threat, but similar assist ratio.

Probably because Willian is a totally different sort of player.

 

[Makavelii]

Does Willian remind anyone else of Cazorla?
I think he will be used in a similar way.

Probably will play on the wing at first but as he loses pace with age, Arteta will drop him back into midfield.

 

[Trilly]

Just loan him out to a PL team. No need to sell him.

Man I like Reiss, I really do.

But at some point there has to be a cut-off point. Where do we draw the line between being a top team or a team that acts as a development ground for young players? You can’t have it both ways.

The young players who play basically have to perform like a starter. It’s harsh but that’s where the bar is unless you want to be mid-table. Foden, Saka, Greenwood, Rashford, Martial, Pulisic, Mount etc are all young players who have forced their way into starting lineups because they’re actually performing.

Nelson may well go onto realise the potential but imo he’s had more than enough time to take his chance. If someone offers you 20M and you can use that to improve your team then you have to consider it.

 

[Trilly]

It would be a stupid idea to sell Nelson but Arsenal like to do stupid things so at this point I'm expecting it.

So how many minutes do you want to give him before you cash in/give up?

He’s played a lot man, we’ve seen Saka and Martinelli at our club alone take their chances while Reiss still needs more time. He didn’t impress at Hoffenheim while Sancho (who by all accounts is similarly talented) absolutely took his chance. He then comes here and Saka and Martinelli jump ahead of him in their development.

You have to start questioning if he’ll make it here, talent isn’t everything. His ceiling is high but will he actually hit it?

 

[Makavelii]

Man I like Reiss, I really do.

But at some point there has to be a cut-off point. Where do we draw the line between being a top team or a team that acts as a development ground for young players? You can’t have it both ways.

The young players who play basically have to perform like a starter. It’s harsh but that’s where the bar is unless you want to be mid-table. Foden, Saka, Greenwood, Rashford, Martial, Pulisic, Mount etc are all young players who have forced their way into starting lineups because they’re actually performing.

Nelson may well go onto realise the potential but imo he’s had more than enough time to take his chance. If someone offers you 20M and you can use that to improve your team then you have to consider it.

I agree with this totally.

Developing youth is more exciting. But honestly it doesn’t work if your aim is to be top 4 and eventually win the league.

Too often we overhype young players as the next big thing and 90% of the time they don’t deliver on the hype (Wilshere, Denilson, Bentner, Coquelin, Zelalem, Frimpong, Campbell, Theo... I could go on forever).
At best they usually become decent backup players who we eventually sell cause they’re not quite good enough for a top 4 side.

You can only rely on the ones like Trilly mentioned who are already proving value. Even then they often end up a flop with injuries like Wilshere and Diaby.

 

[Tom349]

So how many minutes do you want to give him before you cash in/give up?

He’s played a lot man, we’ve seen Saka and Martinelli at our club alone take their chances while Reiss still needs more time. He didn’t impress at Hoffenheim while Sancho (who by all accounts is similarly talented) absolutely took his chance. He then comes here and Saka and Martinelli jump ahead of him in their development.

You have to start questioning if he’ll make it here, talent isn’t everything. His ceiling is high but will he actually hit it?

Im sorry but to suggest Nelson has played a lot is so far from the truth its not funny. In the past two seasons he has played less than 2000 minutes, Mount alone played over 3000 minutes in the championship with Derby at the same age as Nelson. Pulisic at the same age with Dortmund had played 127 times and over 7500 minutes with many of those appearances being lacklustre.

 

[samshere]

Want to see Nelson under Arteta before I give up on him. Would also be open to sending him out on loan or selling him with a buyback clause.

 

[lillejohn]

William surely is at class footballer and should take us to another level in our ambition to control the games. Even though he is old and it maybe is a bit "boring" to buy a player who has been at his peak, he would be a major signing. Play him on his right hand side and move Pepe in central. Pepe as a center forward could be a success.