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AW says signings in January are unlikely
Topic Started: Jan 23 2014, 09:03 AM (462 Views)
phatosas

In the past I have been frustrated with this type of inaction by Wenger but I am giving him the benefit of doubt. I think without question he is taking a huge gamble but I also dont think signing a striker is that simple. We could realistically find somebody that can come in, score 5-10 goals and give the club a lift. However that player could become a liability long term. When you look historically at the signings we have made in January for the last 10 years(we signed Reyes, Eboue, Adebayor, Walcott, Diabi, Vela, Arshavin and Monreal), what becomes obvious is most of these players havent gone on to be succesful. What is interesting is even in cases where the players have started brightly, they havent had long term success at the club. A couple of glaring examples are Adebayor and Arshavin brought in when the club were in dire need of a lift and they tempoarily lifted the club but long term failed to live up to expectation. It is almost as if not enough due deligence is done during the January window to properly scout the players or maybe there is just not enough value in the market and you are essentially feeding off scraps. The only situation which might work is when a young player that has been scouted for a long time is brought in and is not expected to make an immediate impact. That is why the Draxler thing seemed very serious and ideal even if he is currently injured and would probably not help Arsenal this season.
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supercollider7
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phatosas
Jan 24 2014, 04:19 AM
In the past I have been frustrated with this type of inaction by Wenger but I am giving him the benefit of doubt. I think without question he is taking a huge gamble but I also dont think signing a striker is that simple. We could realistically find somebody that can come in, score 5-10 goals and give the club a lift. However that player could become a liability long term. When you look historically at the signings we have made in January for the last 10 years(we signed Reyes, Eboue, Adebayor, Walcott, Diabi, Vela, Arshavin and Monreal), what becomes obvious is most of these players havent gone on to be succesful. What is interesting is even in cases where the players have started brightly, they havent had long term success at the club. A couple of glaring examples are Adebayor and Arshavin brought in when the club were in dire need of a lift and they tempoarily lifted the club but long term failed to live up to expectation. It is almost as if not enough due deligence is done during the January window to properly scout the players or maybe there is just not enough value in the market and you are essentially feeding off scraps. The only situation which might work is when a young player that has been scouted for a long time is brought in and is not expected to make an immediate impact. That is why the Draxler thing seemed very serious and ideal even if he is currently injured and would probably not help Arsenal this season.
Well, I don't think you can put all of those signings in the same bracket.

Reyes was a transfer we were trying to do summer of 2003 but didn't have the funds. Most of the rest were also young, unknown players clearly signed for the long term. Arshavin was the only signing brought in to make an immediate impact (which, to be fair, he did).

I don't necessarily consider Arshavin a failed signing either because he played a key role in keeping us in the CL places for 2 seasons, and was part of a decent supporting cast in his 3rd. He wasn't a Cazorla or Ozil but a decent player who kept us competitive.

But he was also a clear exception to Wenger's policy. I don't think he likes making big signings in the January window that might disrupt the team chemistry. We've traditionally seen young prospects come in midseason. He's also said that a player needs 6 months to adapt so signing in January allows the player to be ready for the next season. So if a coach thinks a player needs 6 months to adapt you can realize why he doesn't think signing in January can be the difference.

There is some truth to that but, like Arshavin, players can make an immediate impact. And I do think Wenger has been actively looking to sign a big striker. What I was hoping for is for us to get a player like Henrik Larsson. Ferguson got him on loan and he scored a few crucial goals. If only someone like that was available for loan right now, it would be perfect.
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santry_gooner
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phatosas
Jan 24 2014, 04:19 AM
In the past I have been frustrated with this type of inaction by Wenger but I am giving him the benefit of doubt. I think without question he is taking a huge gamble but I also dont think signing a striker is that simple. We could realistically find somebody that can come in, score 5-10 goals and give the club a lift. However that player could become a liability long term. When you look historically at the signings we have made in January for the last 10 years(we signed Reyes, Eboue, Adebayor, Walcott, Diabi, Vela, Arshavin and Monreal), what becomes obvious is most of these players havent gone on to be succesful. What is interesting is even in cases where the players have started brightly, they havent had long term success at the club. A couple of glaring examples are Adebayor and Arshavin brought in when the club were in dire need of a lift and they tempoarily lifted the club but long term failed to live up to expectation. It is almost as if not enough due deligence is done during the January window to properly scout the players or maybe there is just not enough value in the market and you are essentially feeding off scraps. The only situation which might work is when a young player that has been scouted for a long time is brought in and is not expected to make an immediate impact. That is why the Draxler thing seemed very serious and ideal even if he is currently injured and would probably not help Arsenal this season.
Here's what the transfer market is at the time of the year. Players contracts tend to run to the summer, so the proximity period whereby they can talk to another club as expiry approaches is awkward to say the least. I would say that a lot of winter moves are ones where the spadework was done the previous summer, but because the player couldn't complete a medical or because he was on a last chance with his present manager the deal got deferred. Equally winter windows can be used to signal intent, almost to 'flirt' with the possibility that something could end up happening but really to make initial contact on valuation and to test mettle.

You submit a couple of examples of winter moves, but really 90% of the players that get bought are unhappy or have fallen out with their club. For a good slice of those it's because they have lost form, become lazy, faded out in some way. Who wants a player like that, or at this level who,wants the risk of a player like that?
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chillyheat

still optimistic bout arriving player since window aint yet shut.
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chillyheat

countdown 2 meltdown if we sign nobody.
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jays712
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chillyheat
Jan 26 2014, 07:18 AM
countdown 2 meltdown if we sign nobody.
T-minues 5 days and counting. LOL
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rasjamaican
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I think the fact that Wenger was willing to spend big to get Higuain and then Suarez tells us that he himself was not happy with what we had in the striker department going into the season. As good as Giroud has been, I am pretty sure he still isn't completely happy and I feel we are taking a big risk going into the second half of the season with this over reliance on Giroud.

However, having said that, I am aware of the difficulty of buying in January. Wenger probably still wants to sign a big name striker this summer and that player is obviously not available in this window.
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dream_team
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So I'm hearing rumours(probably false) that Wenger is going to bring in Draxler(an attacking midfielder) in the summer and 'convert' him to a striker.
So what would happen during the process of conversion(only God knows how long that will take)?, Giroud will still be no1 striker, or Draxler will just be thrown in there as the no1 while still learning his new position.?
Edited by dream_team, Jan 27 2014, 06:19 AM.
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santry_gooner
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rasjamaican
Jan 26 2014, 09:49 PM
I think the fact that Wenger was willing to spend big to get Higuain and then Suarez tells us that he himself was not happy with what we had in the striker department going into the season. As good as Giroud has been, I am pretty sure he still isn't completely happy and I feel we are taking a big risk going into the second half of the season with this over reliance on Giroud.

However, having said that, I am aware of the difficulty of buying in January. Wenger probably still wants to sign a big name striker this summer and that player is obviously not available in this window.
You would be dead right. Even the 24m we bid for Higuain would have been a record, showing for all who consider themselves fair minded that once the money was available there was no lack of desire to spend it.
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chillyheat

SPLASH D CASH B 4 ANNUAL COLLASPE KICKS IN
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