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So How Well Have Arsenal Done In The Transfer Window


By Matty Sadler
September 1 2016

Matt Sadler takes a look at the Arsenal Squad now the transfer window is firmly shut and consider the implications for a succesful season.

I said at the end of last season that in this transfer window, as a minimum, I wanted a top central midfielder, a first choice centre back and either a top centre forward, or a better alternative to Giroud than Walcott. Waiting until three games into the season, after we'd only picked up four points from a possible nine, to get them all over the line, isn't exactly ideal, but with Granit Xhaka, Shkodran Mustafi and Lucas Perez, I've got what I wanted and can't complain too much, especially when you also throw in Rob Holding, who has looked decent so far, and foreign youngsters Takuma Asano and Kelechi Nwakali, both of whom will spend this season out on loan.


Mustafi

I spoke previously about the quality and depth of our central midfield after our recent additions/ departures. Whilst it is too soon to speak about the quality, as we don't yet know how quickly Mustafi will adapt to English football, how well Holding if forced to play a whole Premier League season, or if Gabriel will progress and develop after returning from his injury, I think depth-wise we're looking very strong in defence, which makes a change.

At left back we have Nacho Monreal and Kieran Gibbs, with Francis Coquelin, Gabriel and Rob Holding among the players who can fill in if we're desperate. At centre back we have Laurent Koscielny, Shkodran Mustafi, Rob Holding and young Krystian Bielik, with Gabriel and Per Mertesacker on their way back from injury and Calum Chambers out on loan. At right back we have Hector Bellerin and Mathieu Debuchy, who I felt we may hang on to at least until Jenkinson is back, with Carl Jenkinson on his way back from injury, Calum Chambers out on loan and Francis Coquelin, Gabriel and Rob Holding as players who can fill in if we're desperate. Good numbers in defence I feel, so hopefully we'll be equipped to deal with the inevitable injury crisis.

Up front I'm not so sure as I've never seen Lucas Perez play. On paper he looks like he offers similar teamwork and link-up play qualities to Olivier Giroud, but is more mobile whereas Giroud is more of a physical presence. If he can provide a better alternative to Theo Walcott upfront, then I'll be happy. Plus we have Danny Welbeck on his way back from injury, Chuba Akpom as a reserve, and Alexis who has provided mixed results up front so far this season. New signing Takuma Asano will also be on loan to Stuttgart this season, so we'll all be watching him intently.

In terms of departures and players who remain... Joel Campbell going out on loan is a disappointment for many of us, but unfortunately he doesn't count as home grown so Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were always going to get the nod. Hopefully Jack Wilshere's loan won't leave us short in midfield and will hopefully give his career the boost it urgently needs, ditto Calum Chambers in defence. Serge Gnabry's departure is very disappointing. Young duo Gedion Zelalem and Ainsley Maitland-Niles haven't gone out on loan yet so it looks like they, along with Jeff Reine-Adelaide, will be tasked with filling in for those three departing players and supporting the first team squad. Isaac Hayden joined Newcastle permanently and has made a good start to life there, while Tomas Rosicky, Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini were all released having overstayed their welcomes. Glen Kamara has left on loan as well. As mentioned above, Mathieu Debuchy not departing doesn't come as a surprise to me, but I'm amazed Yaya Sanogo hasn't gone anywhere as I can't see him getting any game time, though I believe he may be injured again.

I know many on here aren't particularly fussed about this, but it is an area I have quite a lot of interest in, one big criticism I have is the lack of recruitment at youth level, particularly defensively. We're struggling at the moment at U23 level and very short of defenders. I sense we're going to take an absolute battering this season.

Now it is down to Arsene Wenger to make it all come together on the pitch...

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So How Well Have Arsenal Done In The Transfer Window
Discussion started by Arsenal Times , 01/09/2016 08:59
Arsenal Times
01/09/2016 08:59
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2016:09:09:12:07:31 by Padre Pio.

Bergmars
01/09/2016 12:54
I'm also pretty happy let's see how we go now

Merlion96
01/09/2016 15:29
Very well, thank you.
For getting 4 players for the price of one.

Progba = Xhaka + Holding + Mustafi + Perez.

MattySadler
01/09/2016 18:28
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CrORemPXEAETmqL.jpg:large

Merlion96
02/09/2016 00:47
13 players out on loan!

MattySadler
02/09/2016 06:47
Compared to Chelsea's 38...

Bergmars
02/09/2016 07:27
Shouldn't be allowed max of fifteen would be good what's happened to the much vaunted FPP

Moax25-04-04
03/09/2016 19:21
Better late than never.

I will give him some credit as he has actually spent some money on the first team, and quite a bit as well, for arsenal at least.

Matty was spot on in his analysis.

I'm disappointed in Joel Campbell's loan move but think a spell away could do Wilshire some good. Personally I would have off loaded Ramsey and preyed Wilshire didn't get injured.

Not happy about gnabry leaving but it's not the biggest loss.

For me mustafi is the big one, a position we have been crying out for some reinforcements for years, plus the fact he is mates with ozil only makes it a double plus for me. We have to wait to judge him on a the pitch though.

It's down to Wenger and the players to prove all those AKBs right now though. I hope they do, but I'm still not getting over excited about the premier league yet.

SuperRob
04/09/2016 12:05
Underwhelming.

Hopefully the new signings will prove me wrong, but I don't think they are the top drawer players we needed if we are going to win the league. Were still short of attacking talent if ozil has a bad spell or gets injured

Merlion96
05/09/2016 01:07
Not underwhelming but met expectation that he had learned 2015/16 painful lesson and deepen the squad with astute buys.

Although he had spent 95-mil, one can't help that he is reserving some millions to buy a "super super quality" in summer 2017 when one of them become available at 60-mil to 80-mil.

Merlion96
05/09/2016 01:17
“I think he’s immense. He turned the club around if you look at the way we play football now, before they were saying ‘1-0 to the Arsenal’ all the time and then we were winning 3, 4 nil,” Ljungberg told Goal.

“It’s important to think about when we built the new stadium here we had no money here really and we managed to stay in the Champions League. Sometimes I think that gets forgotten.”

Read more at [www.squawka.com]

One more fact that Arsenal fans had forgotten ... this season is the first time that Arsene Wenger had the funds to spend 95-mil on new players without the need to sell any of his major players to fund those transfers.

Merlion96
05/09/2016 03:29
Lyon were hoping to tie the 25-year-old down to a longer stay at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais and they reportedly made a contract offer that contained a 70million euros release clause.

The France international would have become the highest-paid player at the club if he accepted the deal, but the terms are said to have been rejected.

Lacazette's future at the club is now in serious doubt and a January exit could be on the cards, with the Gunners and the Hammers keeping an eye on the situation.

[www.clubcall.com]

I think all those 2016/16 underachievers had bene put on notice that they have up to December 2016 to salvage their Arsenal career or else.

Arsene Wenger had done his "tapping" on marquee players and just waiting fro the right moment and right price to swop during January transfer Window for unsettled and unhappy players maybe hopefully Lacazette or Draxler or Isco whose price will certainly drop when they are running down their contract.

Of course, if Wilshere, Ramsey, Walcott, OX, Zelalem, Maitland-Niles, Iwobi and Reine-Adelaide developed to their potential by December and those youngsters are ready to step into for senior squad, then Wenegr will not buy.

Perhaps Wenger is on the look out for another creative playmaker as back-up to Ozil.

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