2013 Summer Transfer Window Thread....Continued.....CONTINUED

[Crimey]

First topic message reminder :

Want a couple more big deals before it closes.

Rooney
Lewandowski
Bale
Suarez

May all still be leaving.

[Guest]

Are you Joe in disguise? I haven't seen this much love for Joe Cole since...well....EVER!

It's slightly disturbing

[CFCNick]

Are you serious Azzy? Jose played Joe as a winger. One reason he didn't fulfil his "newspaper hyped" potential is because there was the deal of the much better Frank Lampard playing the central attacking role. Joe Cole was rough and needed his game cleaning up and Jose did that.

The fact he outlasted Robben and Duff shows how great Joe Cole was for Chelsea and was extremely important.

[Holymiky]

"He's here, he's there, he's every effin where, Joey Cole!"

[Guest]

I saw him score his first ever goal, for West Ham away at Birmingham. I saw a kid with so much talent, he could have nutmegged a black hole if he wanted. But as always, the English kid moved to the big club, and he went the way of 'he was asked to fit the team' rather than 'the team fit him'. So after a couple of failed seasons at a semi-big club, he's now back where he started, and West Ham allow him to be the player he always wanted to be (and should have been).

I love good football. Joe Cole was a potentially fantastic footballer. Instead he became an injury-prone, occasionally good footballer. His talent is the biggest waste since the Premier League began. Dean Ashton's career was also a huge waste thanks to England.

All this from someone who hates West Ham too

[Guest]

"He's here, he's there, he's every effin where, Joey Cole!"

Is this about the number of clubs he's been at?

[CFCNick]

I saw him score his first ever goal, for West Ham away at Birmingham. I saw a kid with so much talent, he could have nutmegged a black hole if he wanted. But as always, the English kid moved to the big club, and he went the way of 'he was asked to fit the team' rather than 'the team fit him'. So after a couple of failed seasons at a semi-big club, he's now back where he started, and West Ham allow him to be the player he always wanted to be (and should have been).

I love good football. Joe Cole was a potentially fantastic footballer. Instead he became an injury-prone, occasionally good footballer. His talent is the biggest waste since the Premier League began. Dean Ashton's career was also a huge waste thanks to England.

All this from someone who hates West Ham too

He wasn't injury prone at Chelsea. Just had one big bad one. I think you just really dislike Chelsea if you can't see how good he was.

[GSC]

Wasn't Joe described as the English Messi

[Guest]

Wasn't Joe described as the English Messi

Not even by Joe himself...I think you're confusing him with Carlton Cole

[Guest]

He wasn't injury prone at Chelsea. Just had one big bad one. I think you just really dislike Chelsea if you can't see how good he was.

I really dislike everyone. It's why I'm a neutral.

According to transfermarkt, Cole had these injuries from 2008-2010 alone:

2009 - 8 months, Cruciate Ligament Rupture
2008 - two weeks, Malleolar injury
2008 - three weeks, torn muscle
2008 - one month, Malleolar injury
2008 - five weeks, torn muscle
2008 - three days, Concussion
2008 - one week, unspecified injury

Not to mention 2006 World Cup, injury. December 2006, broken foot. In three of his last 4 seasons, he played less than 40 games. Compare that to Lampard, and he was clearly susceptible to injury.

[Guest]

Alan Pardew is hoping that Newcastle United do not leave themselves with insufficient time to react in the transfer window if Yohan Cabaye is sold. Great, not the interview you want to be hearing about..........

Dean Ashton's career was wasted because of an idiotic training tackle by the brainless Shaun Wright-Phillips. I don't think you can blame England for that one. Is everyone seriously thinking Luis Gustavo is a great signing for Arsenal? I think he's a descent player but that's it. Also £14m is ridiculous for a player, who's essentially not required somewhere else. Yeah, he maybe versatile as a strength but Arsene needs to be spending money on key positions, where the signings actually dramatically improve the side and helps them close the gap on the top 3. Gustavo does not do that.

[CFCNick]

Compared to Lampard everyone in the world is injury prone.

[Guest]

Gustavo is a signing, end of. Arsenal fans should consider themselves lucky that the Arsenal cheque book has been dusted off!

[GSC]

Gustavo is a good player, also covers CB and LB. 14m in this market is a pretty good deal

[Guest]

Oh he's a good player, but that's £14m of the £200m budget Wenger has, spent on barely improving the first XI. He needs to buy top quality players for top dollar, not faff around with squad players. Gustavo was not going to play a second for Bayern this season, that's how far behind Arsenal are.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Appears Napoli are also in for Gustavo

[GSC]

Pep doesn't like enforcers though, doesn't make him a bad player.

Arsenal need a bigger squad anyhow.

[Guest]

Appears Napoli are also in for Gustavo

This is like Albion and West Ham, every time we're linked with a player, they decide they want him too

Higuain, Reina, now Gustavo...

[Guest]

BBC Sport, 1136:

There is potentially bad news for Arsenal supporters, as German publication Kicker reports that Brazil and Bayern Munich defensive midfielder Luiz Gustavo favours a switch to Wolfsburg over the north London side.

[CFCNick]

Oh dear.  

[Guest]

It just gets better and better doesn't it? The gift that keeps on giving

[Guest]

 

You got to be mad to join Wolfsburg over Arsenal. Rejecting Champions League football and a big pay packet? Strange.

[CFCNick]

 

You got to be mad to join Wolfsburg over Arsenal. Rejecting Champions League football and a big pay packet? Strange.

I said it someone on this forum on some thread but it's just another case of a player with World Cup aspirations not wanting to move country in a World Cup year. Shame for Arsenal though. Hahaha.

[Guest]

Has it got to the point where players look at Arsenal being linked with so many players, signing no-one, and the new linked players say 'balls to that, there must be a reason no-one's going there'?

[GSC]

Brendan Rodgers continues to set out what Luis Suarez has to do to play for Liverpool again.

The guy lives in cuckoo land.

[Guest]

Obviously working from the dummies guide to football management

[Guest]

Liverpool are going nowhere fast under Rodgers.

[Crimey]

It's strange how Tottenham without Champions League football seem to find it easier to attract top players than Arsenal do.

[GSC]

Spurs tend to sign the best of the rest tbf

[Crimey]

Which is what Arsenal sign, when they actually do sign anybody, but Tottenham are just a lot more proactive in the market.

In fact, if you actually transferred Spurs' signings onto Arsenal, that would be a good summer.

[GSC]

I don't think Arsenal are kicking themselves over missing out on Nacer Chadli though.

Arsene has aimed a bit higher the past 2 seasons though. As I say, I'll judge teams business when the window shuts. Be surprised if United, Chelsea and Arsenal have all stood pat.

[Guest]

In fact, if you actually transferred Spurs' signings onto Arsenal, that would be a good summer.

Bang on. Arsenal needed a CM of quality - Spurs signed Paulinho. Arsenal needed a LW - Spurs signed Chadli. Arsenal desperately needed a striker - Spurs signed Soldado.

Arsenal are going to panic buy on 2 September.

[GSC]

Behave, Paulinho/Chadli/Soldado are hardly of the quality required for Arsenal to bridge the gap, which is clearly what they're aiming for.

[Soldier_Of_Fortune]

Liverpool are going nowhere fast under Rodgers.

Why? Because he's standing firm over Suarez?

I think he's handling the situation well

[Crimey]

I don't think Arsenal are kicking themselves over missing out on Nacer Chadli though.

Arsene has aimed a bit higher the past 2 seasons though. As I say, I'll judge teams business when the window shuts. Be surprised if United, Chelsea and Arsenal have all stood pat.

He'd be a decent replacement for Gervinho on the wings, because right now they only have two natural wingers in Chamberlain and Walcott.

I don't the players they've signed the past two seasons have been higher than the ones Spurs signed. Paulinho is around the same level of signing as Cazorla, Soldado is a bigger signing than Giroud. Going further back Vertonghen and Koscielny are around the same level.

[GSC]

Liverpool are going nowhere fast under Rodgers.

Why? Because he's standing firm over Suarez?

I think he's handling the situation well

Can't speak for John, but I've never particularly rated Rodgers as a manager.

[GSC]

Paulinho is around the same level of signing as Cazorla

Seriously? Most had never watched him play before the confederations cup. Cazorla was a quality player who was available due to Malagas money issues.

Giroud isn't good enough either, Soldado (like Negredo imo) feasted on a urine poor La Liga outside of the top 4/5.

[Guest]

Behave, Paulinho/Chadli/Soldado are hardly of the quality required for Arsenal to bridge the gap, which is clearly what they're aiming for.

Regardless of how far they'd improve Arsenal, those three would instantly improve Arsenal's first XI. Paulinho is twice the player Aaron Ramsey is, Chadli is better than OxoCube, and Soldado is miles better than Giroud or Podolski.

[GSC]

Seriously, Arsene would get criticised either way here I suspect.

Tries to nail a world class signing, should've bought in bulk.
Makes a bunch of B rate signings, never goes for the big player.

[Guest]

Soldado feasted on a urine poor La Liga outside of the top 4/5.

That Messi is hardly worth anything, he scores all his goals against urine poor La Liga

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Liverpool are going nowhere fast under Rodgers.

Why? Because he's standing firm over Suarez?

I think he's handling the situation well

Rodgers somehow got the job on the back of a decent job at Swansea (which has been shown up by Laudrup), and a couple of failures at Watford/Reading.

Constantly speaks out of his arse, doesn't seem to have taken Liverpool anywhere despite having the best player in the league last season. Dagleish was doing a better job than Rodgers

[Guest]

Seriously, Arsene would get criticised either way here I suspect.

Tries to nail a world class signing, should've bought in bulk.
Makes a bunch of B rate signings, never goes for the big player.

Of course he could have done what Arsenal set out to do, and sign big players in bulk. There was a point when it was Cesar, Fellaini, Jovetic and Higuain coming. Not one turned up. Now he's scrambling for anyone desperate enough to sign on for a £100k+ wage.

[Crimey]

You're comparing to hypothetical Wenger signings, if Wenger had bought those three players this summer there is no chance he'd be being criticised as heavily as he is now where he has signed basically nobody.

Those three would improve Arsenal, I'm not saying they'd push them to the top, but they'd certainly improve them.

The season starts in less than a week and Arsenal's squad is weaker than last year!

[GSC]

Behave, Paulinho/Chadli/Soldado are hardly of the quality required for Arsenal to bridge the gap, which is clearly what they're aiming for.

Regardless of how far they'd improve Arsenal, those three would instantly improve Arsenal's first XI. Paulinho is twice the player Aaron Ramsey is, Chadli is better than OxoCube, and Soldado is miles better than Giroud or Podolski.

And Suarez is miles better than Soldado. Gustavo has actually played at the top level of European football before. Arsene still has funds to chase a winger.

All very well saying they're upgrades, Arsenes chasing bigger upgrades

[GSC]

Moyes could pretty much sign Fellaini at the snap of his fingers. But hes chasing better players.

Chelsea could likely sign any number of strikers better than Torres/Ba.

[Crimey]

Behave, Paulinho/Chadli/Soldado are hardly of the quality required for Arsenal to bridge the gap, which is clearly what they're aiming for.

Regardless of how far they'd improve Arsenal, those three would instantly improve Arsenal's first XI. Paulinho is twice the player Aaron Ramsey is, Chadli is better than OxoCube, and Soldado is miles better than Giroud or Podolski.

And Suarez is miles better than Soldado. Gustavo has actually played at the top level of European football before. Arsene still has funds to chase a winger.

All very well saying they're upgrades, Arsenes chasing bigger upgrades

But he hasn't signed them...I don't understand how you can say three good signings isn't as good as chasing those players. Suarez is slipping away, Gustavo doesn't want to join, they've missed out on Higuain.

[GSC]

Because if he doesn't sign anyone, sure it was better.

Should he have come into the window with the attitude, Suarez might be difficult to get, Higuain and Gustavo might have other interest, I'll just settle for 3 guys that won't really close the gap to the top 3?

For so long Arsene made those kinds of signings, rather than chasing the big names and Arsenal slipped off the pace. Now the door has opened with United, City and Chelsea hiring new managers and hes trying to blow it wide open. Its to be commended.

[Crimey]

Because if he doesn't sign anyone, sure it was better.

Should he have come into the window with the attitude, Suarez might be difficult to get, Higuain and Gustavo might have other interest, I'll just settle for 3 guys that won't really close the gap to the top 3?

For so long Arsene made those kinds of signings, rather than chasing the big names and Arsenal slipped off the pace. Now the door has opened with United, City and Chelsea hiring new managers and hes trying to blow it wide open. Its to be commended.

I don't think it's even a matter of closing the gap to the top 3, it's keeping their top four place, Tottenham's squad looks better than Arsenal's right now. At a push Arsenal's first XI is better, but Tottenham's squad is certainly better.

Arsenal have failed in the transfer market, and they've allowed Spurs to catch up to them especially if they keep Bale. Those three signings are not the average signings you're making them out to be, it's not like Spurs have signed Downing, Cisse and Charlie Adam. They've signed players that could easily have been Arsenal signings, who are at Arsenal's level and who would close the gap better than no signings at all.

[Guest]

Problem for Wenger GSC - except for Rooney and Suarez, all the top players who were available have now signed elsewhere. Soldado, Higuain, Jovetic, Fernandinho, Navas, Negredo, Paulinho, Llorente, Tevez, Aubameyang, Bony, Schurrle, Thiago, Mkhitaryan, Neymar, Isco, Moutinho, Cavani, Falcao, Rodriguez, Toulalan, Mertens, Gomez, Strootman, Biglia...

There is no-one left to sign of any serious significance, and certainly not enough players to calm Arsenal fans down.

[GSC]

And if Arsenal get Suarez they'll be well out of reach of Spurs. Especially if they sell Bale.

Arsenal will have signings before the end of the window, as will United and Chelsea. So while its great to be winning the window at the start of August, its even better to be in September.

[Crimey]

And if Arsenal get Suarez they'll be well out of reach of Spurs. Especially if they sell Bale.

Arsenal will have signings before the end of the window, as will United and Chelsea. So while its great to be winning the window at the start of August, its even better to be in September.

I do think Suarez is slipping away now, they've sat back and not been aggressive enough in the market and it has backfired.

If they don't get Suarez, who do they sign? I think they've failed in the transfer market, they've only got 3 weeks to make signings, when they've had months to do it and failed to.

[Sponsored content]