^ this is the correct take and I’ll accept no other takes
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What exactly is the "other cover’ in this scenario?
Someone who isn’t this bad?
A young player? Bring Kola back? Use fucking Cedric? Maybe someone not throwing up these stats?
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Issue with these types of signings is people are expecting known bottom half talent to suddenly elevate the core functions of their role to a new higher level when we already know they’re limited.
This isn’t the type of PL/championship recruitment I wanted
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It’s not impossible to have someone elevate their game. People usually point out Andy Robertson and Mane as examples of players who came from bottom half teams. But they were younger so idk if that’s a fair comparison.
We are gonna have what 20 less fixtures cuz no Europe? He’s gonna be here to spell Tierney in the early cup rounds and probably in a couple PL matches. I’m not overly fussed, we all complained about Cedric and then he ended up being one of our more solid performers.
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Geeks gonna geek. Has that YankeeGunner actually seen Bertrand play before? He’s a solid left back. We’ll sign him for no longer than 2 seasons if even that.
It allows the club to focus elsewhere, given how many acquisitions we have to make that’s ok by me.
The club can identify a younger left back in the upcoming windows.
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I would much sooner us go for Tagliafico from Ajax…rumour is that he will be available this summer for around £13m…he is a quality LB and at 28 he has a few more years in him. Would provide good competition for Tierney, especially if/when injured, and means we have two very good LBs. Fee is more than affordable.
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?
Cedric has been an expensive warm body basically, he’s played pretty much like a bottom half PL player. His performances so far haven’t justified the initial money we spend or his current salary. The manager doesn’t seem to rate him now either, you want more of this?
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That would be a much tougher deal than it sounds.
First, you need to convince Tagliafico to join and play second fiddle to Tierney, with the reality of no European football.
Second, there are other sides looking for a LB(i.e. City). Surely, if he is available for that cheap then they will look at him too.
Third, this deal could drag. Ajax would play the waiting game to get the best deal possible. So he’ll most likely miss preseason.
Meanwhile, Arsenal is also looking for a GK, RB, RCB, CM and AM. Add to that the extra replacements in case we lose Leno, Xhaka and Laca.
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I feel like I’m taking crazy pills. We talked ourselves into signing Cedric and Willian under this same exact logic. It’s dumb. It’s very dumb.
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Different situations.
Willian was expected to get many games and make the difference(should have been squad option from the get go but that’s another matter). People will have you believe we’re paying 200k pw on him but we’ve seen reports that say it’s nowhere near that. The guy was Chelsea’s best player last season. Willian was a move worth exploring even in hindsight but for a shorter term of course.
As for Cedric, he was much younger at the time and he proved quite useful when we used him. If people are worried about what we’re paying Cedric they should look at what we’re paying Ozil(still) and Auba.
In a summer where we have to sell 10-15 players and get 5-10 others in. I really don’t mind going the safe route on a backup LB who will barely get 10 games in the season.
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Cedrics contract is bad but he’s actually better than Bellerin. Nobody wanted willian we thought he was squad filler but Arteta thought he was our starting left winger for the majority of the season we all knew that was a bad idea.
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I respect your positions but I can’t help but feel we’re (again) thinking this is somehow a shrewd move when it’s just a waste of money on a guy who will take up space, pull money from the budget and be impossible to shift when it doesn’t work. Look at Cedric! Arteta signed off on the move and now refuses to play him!
Plus Bertrand is ex Chelsea and I’m sick of signing their rejects.
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He does? Chambers was coming off a lengthy injury so we had no clue what he was going to look like when he returned, and Cedric did exactly what we signed him to do. Filled in for Bellerin a lot this season and did a fine job. Why are u piling on Cedric? He played fine this season, was exactly what we needed him to be.
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If the club would actually put in the time and effort they would have found a 20-year old left back who is as decent as Ryan Bertrand and who might have more upside. The notion that older, experienced players can do a job as suitable and reliable squad options is such a myth. Silvestre, Squillaci, Lichtsteiner, Willian. Cech and Luiz were starters, but definitely didn’t elevate the team with their experience. The last 15 years we’ve had enough examples at this club which have proven otherwise.
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I honestly don’t know what people expect us to do here, there are positions where we should be aiming for the moon, a RB deputy to Tierney isn’t exactly one of them. Squads need cover, not every signing has to be a Globe Trotter.
@Joshua that YankeeGunner dude looks like another opinionated fan that would prefer to look at a spread sheet than watch a player. His tackles and aerial duels are high but all the hipster stats are bad so he must be awful?
If we could get a young RB I’d be right there with you but the market is dry and young full backs cost a bomb, we done extremely well to land Tierney. Hard no on Kolasinac coming back as his wages would be far higher than Bertrand. I also struggle to believe people wouldn’t be complaining if we found ourselves relying on Kola’s abysmal defensive talents or Cedric OOP next season.
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We needed a backup LB. This dude has plenty of experience and will be happy as second choice.
We don’t need to improve on Tierney as he is already a top class LB. Maybe we hoped for a more tropical or exciting signing here, but a free transfer will mean we have more money to spend on key areas of the first team i.e. a starting RB and a midfield partner for Partey.
Hopefully he doesn’t turn out to be another useless cunt like Lichsteiner, but time will tell I suppose. Can’t hate the logic behind the signing though. And if it means the no hats no trainer merchant Kolasinac is fucked off for good, then even better.
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It’s not a perfect deal but it’s realistic and pragmatic. It’s easy enough to say we should be doing better but realistically who out there is there to fill this void?
It’s going to be hard enough finding a first team right back to replace Bellerin nevermind some mythical young, cheap and world class left back that’s happy to deputise to Tierney. CoughLewiscough.
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