I want another big signing NOW
Mbappe it is then…we will get him tomorrow!
If we get 50m for Sanchez that means we will spend about 90m.
If you believe Wenger, he was willing to spend 125 on Mbappe, so what’s the problem?
Think he is referring to your choice of “adequate” for that outlay… the bottom line is we won’t be challenging for title again and are certainly going to be one or two players short… again.
Laca is a good start and if Lemar comes, great. But if Sanchez leaves and we don’t get top qualitteeee in the middle, I see us fighting for 4th/5th again.
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I think if we signed Lemar and kept Sanchez we would have a very good and deep squad, even after selling the likes of Walcott, Lucas, Gibbs, and a few more. A title challenge would likely be undone by Wenger and his tactics in some way but I would back us to finish 2nd-4th and to compete seriously for the Europa League.
CF: Laca (Giroud)
AM: Sanchez, Ozil (Lemar, Welbz, Iwobi)
LWB: Kolasinac (Monreal)
CM: Ramsey, Xhaka (Wilshere, Elneny, Coq, Cazorla maybe)
RWB: Bellerin (Ox)
CB: Kos, Mustafi Holding (Chambers, Mertesacker, Gabriel)
GK: Cech (Martinez)
Ideally, we’d add another more reliable top class CM to this team but there really aren’t many holes. Lemar could also play the LWB and perhaps CM roles in some matches so I think he’d be a starter more often than not and would be a key contributor.
The problem is really selling Alexis and keeping Walcott or Lucas, which I suspect is Wenger’s plan. Do that and all of a sudden this team lacks true quality up front and likely struggles for goals.
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My guess is that our league campaign will be hurt by our midfield, Ramsey dropping is inevitable and there’s a massive dip in suitability & quality after him.
Another guess though I’m not as confident on this one is that we’ll start to see the beginning of the end of Koscielny.
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Spot on, although I think we see at least another year+ of top Kosc… he has had injury issues, but isn’t that old yet and seems to have his head on right.
I have zero expectations of anything else, whatever moves we make.
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I don’t either really, but the premier league has shown itself to be pretty unpredictable, and we actually have a decent squad. If we keep the stars and get a top CM and winger to go along with Laca and Kola, only thing keeping us back is AW at that point.
Center midfield would certainly be our biggest hole in the squad, although it would be a bit less of an issue in the 3-4-3 as I think the formation puts a bit less responsibility on those players to do certain things like handle high pressure and maintain defensive shape.
I suspect that Wenger will take the first opportunity to go back to 4-2-3-1 though. This old dog doesn’t like new tricks.
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Agree with your post, the problems will be Wenger selling Sanchez and also when Rambo gets his injuries/ form slump Jack and Cazorla will be also injured, we will be stuck watching regular minutes of Elneny and Coq.
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Koscielny is a big question mark. Would love to see getting another CB.
I imagine 90m to be a semi serious figure.
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Spoken like a man who has been following Arsenal long enough.
I will go a step further and say even if we hold on to Sanchez and Ozil, and add another midfielder like Lemar, I wouldn’t have any expectations. In fact, even if my dream scenario of selling Sanchez, buying Mbappe and another midfielder happens, I wouldn’t have any expectations. I would be extremely excited about watching us play, but not expect anything.
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City could afford to pay that price, tbf.
Wenger was asked about Lemar and Mbappe
Said Lemar is a player he likes but would not be drawn into it further, said nothing concrete yet.
Said Mbappe has the choice of any top club in europe, and that Arsenal were one of them.
On Sanchez
Asked if he still insists on not selling Alexis to a rival, “Yes, that’s the continuity from what I said. Yes, that’s what we’ll do.”
On New Additions
“We play football based on movement - I believe both can integrate well into the team.
I believe they are great additions to the team. This is a good opportunity to get a first look at them.”
Alexandre Lacazette will make debut on Thursday according to Wenger and will also play on Saturday
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Great news! This formation has done us really well and let Holding take control of our defence.
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Don’t see any direct quotes in that article so I will believe it when I see it. I guess we should know in another day when we play or first pre-season game in Sydney.
It’s a direct quote.