Paulo Dybala

[DubaiSpur]

No one said poch didn't want to sign anyone last season, most sensible people said he didn't want to sign just some random player for the sake of it. Big difference, and it's exactly what he says in your quote. How you can twist that is beyond me.

Oh, no. People don't get to walk back on their stuff. 'There is money available', 'Poch doesn't want to spend.' Poch even says it - that was the perception last year.

Truth is, he wanted good players, probably. Good players cost money. He got nothing, so he couldn't buy them. It makes little difference if he actually received 0 pounds or some pittance - he couldn't buy the players he wanted. Contrary to the belief that there was no one on the market he was interested in.

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

They're not done yet, though. Tierney will likely join this week, taking spending past the 150m mark. That does address an area of priority.

There is some value in judging transfer outlay - because it shows how much a team is willing to invest in improving. Whether it's an area of comparative strength or comparative weakness, the money spent is an indicator of ambition. This has been true from the beginning.

They have spent 150m while in the Europa League. We are sitting on our hands waiting for prices to drop after making just one signing - a replacement for a key player we sold six months ago. And this, after reaching the Champions League final.

The hope at the beginning of the summer was that we would do a Liverpool- move aggressively to secure our targets, pay what it takes and get them done early.

Dybala would have fit into that level of aggressiveness and ambition. But we aren't prepared to do that yet. Thus, he is unrealistic for us - and the fact that we reached the final means nothing in this case.

But they havent spent £150m, have they? They will have spent the £150m in about 5 years time. They havent spent it now though. Thats why they moved on from Zaha to Pepe. They couldnt afford the up front cost of Zaha, but bizarrely Pepe is available in mini installments.

They arent showing any particular ambition or anything.

Their best move for the team was their worst financially - they got bent over for Ceballos.

They got pushed into over paying for an 18 year old defender they wont even take ownership of for a year.

And they added an attacker to their already strong attack, while Pepe might be excellent - he isnt improving them.

They have very clearly been working to significant financial constraint, and I do question the sense/worth in the moves they are making.

Always makes me laugh when people bleat about teams spending. Its irrelevant. Whats relevant is whether or not we strengthen appropriately come the end of the window.

 

[DubaiSpur]

But they havent spent £150m, have they? They will have spent the £150m in about 5 years time. They havent spent it now though. Thats why they moved on from Zaha to Pepe. They couldnt afford the up front cost of Zaha, but bizarrely Pepe is available in mini installments.

They arent showing any particular ambition or anything.

Their best move for the team was their worst financially - they got bent over for Ceballos.

They got pushed into over paying for an 18 year old defender they wont even take ownership of for a year.

And they added an attacker to their already strong attack, while Pepe might be excellent - he isnt improving them.

They have very clearly been working to significant financial constraint, and I do question the sense/worth in the moves they are making.

Always makes me laugh when people bleat about teams spending. Its irrelevant. Whats relevant is whether or not we strengthen appropriately come the end of the window.

Every club pays in installments. Every club. Even us. It's not some way to be cheap - in the end, you pay what you owe.

But not every club commits to 150m net in installments while being a tinpot club in the Europa League, because they want to improve their squad and chances for the season.

Hardly unambitious.

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

Every club pays in installments. Every club. Even us. It's not some way to be cheap - in the end, you pay what you owe.

But not every club commits to 150m net in installments while being a tinpot club in the Europa League, because they want to improve their squad and chances for the season.

Hardly unambitious.

Arsenal are hardly poor, are they? You make it sound like Brondby have blown the budget in an attempt to develop.

Just as you completely skim the point that despite their enormous investment they have barely improved their side (if at all).

It is expected Lo Celso and Sessegnon will be coming in, if they do that will eclipse the mamouth spend of Arsenal, and I suspect in both upfront expense as well as instalments.

Will that make you happy?

Just the numbers? Without even considering the players and positions etc? Can you see the folly of such logic - and for bitching about it before the window has even closed?

 

[DubaiSpur]

Arsenal are hardly poor, are they? You make it sound like Brondby have blown the budget in an attempt to develop.

Just as you completely skim the point that despite their enormous investment they have barely improved their side (if at all).

It is expected Lo Celso and Sessegnon will be coming in, if they do that will eclipse the mamouth spend of Arsenal, and I suspect in both upfront expense as well as instalments.

Will that make you happy?

Yes, that will make me happy. I pray Levy stops cheaping out and fudging does it before we all die of old age because he wanted to save 5m here or there.

Numbers show ambition. They show that a club takes risks in order to improve on the fielfd Arsenal are a tinpot, middling Europa League side now, but they are spending freely to try and improve their status. a
And they will improve - they have retained their strikeforce and added another striker, a winger, a central midfielder and (shortly) a left-back, as well as a central defender from next season. That's strengthening the entire spine of the side.

I'm glad you accepted that they are spending large amounts - that's what I was questioned on af the beginning, and was my point.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Every club does this. Even we do this. It isn't particularly unusual. We were receiving money for Bale in 2018, and paying for Soldado at the same time.

The difference is we didn’t have a known limit of what we could spend e.g everyone knows arsenal only had £45m to spend and they have spent it without actually paying for the players.. it’s a deposit for one player, a loan fee for another and an up front payment for one their signing
Next season they may have the same to spend again and be that money has already been spent on the lad they loaned back and Pepe...
It’s a big risk IMO
Especially as they have strengthened an area of strength and not addressed their defensive weakness

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Every club pays in installments. Every club. Even us. It's not some way to be cheap - in the end, you pay what you owe.

But not every club commits to 150m net in installments while being a tinpot club in the Europa League, because they want to improve their squad and chances for the season.

Hardly unambitious.

I’d argue it’s very ambitious as their speculating future success

 

[DubaiSpur]

The difference is we didn’t have a known limit of what we could spend e.g everyone knows arsenal only had £45m to spend and they have spent it without actually paying for the players.. it’s a deposit for one player, a loan fee for another and an up front payment for one their signing
Next season they may have the same to spend again and be that money has already been spent on the lad they loaned back and Pepe...
It’s a big risk IMO
Especially as they have strengthened an area of strength and not addressed their defensive weakness

That's fair. It's definitely a risk, given how you put it.

I’d argue it’s very ambitious as their speculating future success

Agreed.

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

Yes, that will make me happy. I pray Levy stops cheaping out and fudging does it before we all die of old age because he wanted to save 5m here or there.

Numbers show ambition. They show that a club takes risks in order to improve on the fielfd Arsenal are a tinpot, middling Europa League side now, but they are spending freely to try and improve their status. a
And they will improve - they have retained their strikeforce and added another striker, a winger, a central midfielder and (shortly) a left-back, as well as a central defender from next season. That's strengthening the entire spine of the side.

I'm glad you accepted that they are spending large amounts - that's what I was questioned on af the beginning, and was my point.

I couldnt give a toss about "showing ambition"! What a nonsense concept. We must spend to be seen to be swinging our dingdongs around?

Id much rather we just did business that improved the team. Be that cheap or expensive.

As stated, Arsenal are NOT SPENDING FREELY. They just arent. But you are so enamoured with the perception of it you miss the point their transfers are hardly improving anything in their side. Were you an Arsenal fan, which would you prefer? £150m spent (in installments, over years) on players you dont need, or £45m spent now on players that arent glamorous but address the areas of most need in the team?

Arsenal are not spending large amounts NOW. That is the point you are skipping. And they may well be mortgaging these moves against future budgets - impeding their future business - how on earth is that in any way admirable?

They have an excellent attack, and have added to it. That does not improve their team.

They have added a defender. Next year. That 100% absolutely does not improve their team this season. And only MAY improve it in 20/21, depending on how this rookie player (only 16 games so far as memory serves) actually develops.

They have brought in Ceballos. And lost Ramsey. Improvement? Maybe? Maybe not? But, its only a short term fix. Its a problem they still need to address next summer. I wonder if they will have the money to do so?

 

[camspur]

I couldnt give a toss about "showing ambition"! What a nonsense concept. We must spend to be seen to be swinging our dingdongs around?

Id much rather we just did business that improved the team. Be that cheap or expensive.

As stated, Arsenal are NOT SPENDING FREELY. They just arent. But you are so enamoured with the perception of it you miss the point their transfers are hardly improving anything in their side. Were you an Arsenal fan, which would you prefer? £150m spent (in installments, over years) on players you dont need, or £45m spent now on players that arent glamorous but address the areas of most need in the team?

Arsenal are not spending large amounts NOW. That is the point you are skipping. And they may well be mortgaging these moves against future budgets - impeding their future business - how on earth is that in any way admirable?

They have an excellent attack, and have added to it. That does not improve their team.

They have added a defender. Next year. That 400% absolutely does not improve their team this season. And only MAY improve it in 20/21, depending on how this rookie player (only 16 games so far as memory serves) actually develops.

They have bought in Ceballos. And lost Ramsey. Improvement? Maybe? Maybe not? But, its only a short term fix. Its a problem they still need to address next summer. I wonder if they will have the money to do so?

Shame I could only like this once!

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

Man Utd have 'agreement in principle' with Fernandes
Man Utd have reportedly already struck an agreement in principle to sign Bruno Fernandes from Sporting Lisbon.

The Red Devils have been heavily linked with the Portuguese midfielder this summer, and now look set to complete the deal before the transfer deadline shuts.

Portuguese publication Correio de Manha report (via Sport Witness ) that all three parties have agreed to the deal, but Sporting do not want to formalise the agreement until after Sunday.

That is because they want Fernandes to be on his best form for the Super Cup clash with rivals Benfica.

The game is expected to be his last in a Sporting shirt, and he will lead his team out as captain in an emotional farewell.



Would it be fair to suggest if this deal went through Dybala is much less likely of interest to them?

 

[Finney Is Back]

It is expected Lo Celso and Sessegnon will be coming in, if they do that will eclipse the mamouth spend of Arsenal, and I suspect in both upfront expense as well as instalments.

Will that make you happy?

The worry here for me is that we have gone into the last weeks of the transfer window on many previous occasions ‘expecting’ to sign players who haven’t ended up materialising (Grealish last year for example). I am starting to wonder whether Levy feels he has to move Rose on to bring in Sessegnon and Eriksen to bring in Lo Celso.

We currently have a slightly weaker squad than a year ago with N’Dombele replacing Dembele and Trippier and Llorente leaving with no replacements. There’s still time to fix that but it is starting to ebb away.

 

[glasgowspur]

They're not done yet, though. Tierney will likely join this week, taking spending past the 150m mark. That does address an area of priority.

There is some value in judging transfer outlay - because it shows how much a team is willing to invest in improving. Whether it's an area of comparative strength or comparative weakness, the money spent is an indicator of ambition. This has been true from the beginning.

They have spent 150m while in the Europa League. We are sitting on our hands waiting for prices to drop after making just one signing - a replacement for a key player we sold six months ago. And this, after reaching the Champions League final.

The hope at the beginning of the summer was that we would do a Liverpool- move aggressively to secure our targets, pay what it takes and get them done early.

Dybala would have fit into that level of aggressiveness and ambition. But we aren't prepared to do that yet. Thus, he is unrealistic for us - and the fact that we reached the final means nothing in this case.

Tierney likely to sign, is this similar to last weeks Eriksen likely to sign new contract?

 

[glasgowspur]

Oh, no. People don't get to walk back on their stuff. 'There is money available', 'Poch doesn't want to spend.' Poch even says it - that was the perception last year.

Truth is, he wanted good players, probably. Good players cost money. He got nothing, so he couldn't buy them. It makes little difference if he actually received 0 pounds or some pittance - he couldn't buy the players he wanted. Contrary to the belief that there was no one on the market he was interested in.

Im not talking about people and their perception, poch stated last season we had money to spend and chose not to', just like he has stated he won't spend money for the sake of it.

 

[alekaras]

Bit tinkled about this if true and can understand if that's what's irked Poch. We should be ahead of United for these sorts of players. Now they've signed Wan Bissaka and this fella.

He wants 350K in wages. He sounds like the perfect Yanited signing and somehow I don't think Poch would be tinkled if we didn't sign him.

 

[DubaiSpur]

Im not talking about people and their perception, poch stated last season we had money to spend and chose not to', just like he has stated he won't spend money for the sake of it.

Again, doesn't matter. He probably wanted a good player. Levy probably gave him enough for a crap player. Probably the 2018 equivalent of a Stambouli or a Fazio, judging by a similar set of affairs back when he joined in 2014. He chose not to sign anyone, given that eventuality.

But that doesn't mean that he 'had money to spend', unless you pedantically want to argue that he did - he had 5m or whatever utter pittance it was.

That's what I think he means by what he's just said - that the perception of him not wanting to sign players or having money but choosing not to use it was wrong.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Again, doesn't matter. He probably wanted a good player. Levy probably gave him enough for a crap player. Probably the 2018 equivalent of a Stambouli or a Fazio, judging by a similar set of affairs back when he joined in 2014. He chose not to sign anyone, given that eventuality.

But that doesn't mean that he 'had money to spend', unless you pedantically want to argue that he did - he had 5m or whatever utter pittance it was.

That's what I think he means by what he's just said - that the perception of him not wanting to sign players or having money but choosing not to use it was wrong.

Sorry but that’s garbage

I want a Ferrari but can only afford a BMW... I still want a Ferrari... but I have to cut my cloth according to my pocket

 

[DubaiSpur]

Sorry but that’s garbage

I want a Ferrari but can only afford a BMW... I still want a Ferrari... but I have to cut my cloth according to my pocket

Almost single-handedly turn your company around and get it to the equivalent of the Champions League final, and it would be a fudging travesty if you don't get your damn Ferrari. Especially if you're the most important thing to happen to your company in thirty years, and all you're asking for is the best set of tools to do your damn job.

 

[glasgowspur]

Again, doesn't matter. He probably wanted a good player. Levy probably gave him enough for a crap player. Probably the 2018 equivalent of a Stambouli or a Fazio, judging by a similar set of affairs back when he joined in 2014. He chose not to sign anyone, given that eventuality.

But that doesn't mean that he 'had money to spend', unless you pedantically want to argue that he did - he had 5m or whatever utter pittance it was.

That's what I think he means by what he's just said - that the perception of him not wanting to sign players or having money but choosing not to use it was wrong.

Your posts on these matters are all laced with probably, perceived, likely etc and yet you pass them off as fact and certainties, make sweeping assumptions on them and then judge people on it.

 

[Legohamster]

The worry here for me is that we have gone into the last weeks of the transfer window on many previous occasions ‘expecting’ to sign players who haven’t ended up materialising (Grealish last year for example). I am starting to wonder whether Levy feels he has to move Rose on to bring in Sessegnon and Eriksen to bring in Lo Celso.

We currently have a slightly weaker squad than a year ago with N’Dombele replacing Dembele and Trippier and Llorente leaving with no replacements. There’s still time to fix that but it is starting to ebb away.

My issue is next summer

We needed to do some of the work now - we still might before someone jumps on me.

Next season (as it stands) we are losing Toby/CE/Jan

Plus any refresh of the squad we need.

If we don’t get anyone else in this window I don’t think anyone can call it a success.