Football Season 2017-18

[Kav]

I hope that Ox turning us down means we're forced to use one of our youngsters... Tomori hasn't been loaned out just yet and would slot in nicely as an alternative or cover for Moses.

Also... we're still linked with Danny Drinkwater?! I'd much rather we kept Chalobah!

Edited August 30, 2017 by Kav

[Clownferret]

It's bizarre that Conte seemingly won't play Azpilicuetta at RWB even though he is a RB by trade. He'd be much better than Moses who is so far out of his depth in that team and would allow us to play 3 "proper" CB across the back three. Drinkwater is a strange one. Against better teams he'll no doubt play Kante & Bakayoko for solidity and use Fabregas against weaker teams to unlock defences so those 3 will get rotated a bit anyway. Not sure when Drinkwater will actually get a game?

Just need to get Costa & Remy off the books and in my opinion go all out for van Dijk & Sanchez.

[Happenstance]

*Sigh* Apparently Liverpool have agreed a fee for Oxlade-Chamerlain with Arsenal.

[Hero-of-Time]

21 minutes ago, Happenstance said:

*Sigh* Apparently Liverpool have agreed a fee for Oxlade-Chamerlain with Arsenal.

Yup. Not happy with that signing at all. He's simply not needed in our current setup.

[bob]

One for the homegrown quota, innit.

[Fierce_LiNk]

8 hours ago, Charlie said:

Apart from the odd result Celtic generally do quite well against the big sides at home. They might lose but it will be narrowly by 1 or 2 goals. That said, I can see Bayern and PSG absolutely destroying them home and away.

Got my tickets for Arsenal vs FC Koln. £25 for the middle upper tier, reasonably priced for a Europa League game I'd say. Looking forward to it. I'm also planning on going to Stamford Bridge that week for the Chelsea game as my friend is a fan and I said I'd go with him.

Enjoy the games! 

I hope that Celtic don't get turned over, but I can see Bayern and PSG going out there to make a statement. Would be amazing if Celtic could halt them or at least keep the scoreline down. You never know.

That price for Oxlade-Chamerlain is insane. Shows you how the market is crazy this year. It could be a good thing for England if Klopp helps him to fulfil his potential. To me, it's all about the message that's being sent out here about Arsenal. Are they still a club that can nurture and develop young talent? Especially, young English talent?

 

 

[Happenstance]

What do we think then, Coutinho to go today (or tomorrow when the Spanish window closes) or not?

[Hero-of-Time]

4 minutes ago, Happenstance said:

What do we think then, Coutinho to go today (or tomorrow when the Spanish window closes) or not?

I think it hinges on whether we can secure other players. Personally, i'm not that fussed either way. We've shown both last season and the start of this season that we can play without him. The whole thing has dragged on far too long now.

[Fierce_LiNk]

He'll go. Liverpool are just splashing out on players now so that the transfer fee has been spent beforehand, rather than afterwards with the inflated prices. Once a player has handed a transfer request in, that's pretty much it. 

[dazzybee]

How great is it how much arsenal have imploded...? So glorious to see. I’m sure they’ll panic buy to fuck for the second half of the day, but think they could fall so far away this season. Mid table!

weird how much Chelsea are struggling to get the players too. By all accounts Conte was desperate to get Llorente, then spurs make an approach and get it sorted in a few hours. Their new guy is meant to be so tough it’s fucjing up loads of potential deals.

[killthenet]

This is the most ridiculous transfer deadline day ever, still so many deals that can go through. Arsenal bidding £92m for Lemar is nuts, could still see some enormous transfers. 

[Julius]

Very happy to see Renato Sanches given the chance to go out on loan to Swansea and play under Paul Clement; he's got a lot to prove in the build-up to next year's World Cup and, if he can stay fit - and confident - I can see him being a great catalyst in the engine room for them.

It's blown my mind these last few years just how many times we've seen top-6 PL players leave for another top-6 team, and increasingly so in the last 18 months, with Matic to United highlighting that. Sanchez to Man City would all but sink Arsenal this season in my eyes and effectively make the title race one with three horses instead of just two if these first few rounds are anything to go by, and the teams supposedly have a verbal agreement for a £60m which Arsenal is only willing to finalise if they can bring in a replacement - which they can't realistically do until Sanchez is sold or a few loans are finalised because of the new Short Term Cost Control rules brought into play this season (meaning that they can only increase their wage bill by £7m from last season).

I've been absolutely appalled by CFC's business so far this summer, and don't expect to see much improvement tonight. We need at least another first team quality striker, winger and central midfielder, and one could perhaps argue for another wing back and centre back too. We've known all summer that we were going back into the UCL this term, and I'm confused by  Abramovich's decision to not back us in the transfer market this time around, especially given the speech he gave to the team in the dressing room back in 2012 when we unexpectedly won the UCL and he vocalised his desire for it to be the first in a line of triumphs in Europe's greatest club competition.

I'd go so far as to argue that this team - on paper - is even weaker than the one with which Mourinho nosedived a couple of seasons ago in terms of sheer numbers and quality, and I can see us having major problems come February/March should we make it to the knockout rounds of the Champions League.

 

[Fierce_LiNk]

That Renato Sanches transfer is a huge coup for Swansea. Brilliant for the club and he could become a fantastic player to watch in this league. Smart move to actually go on loan and get some experience rather than sit on the bench or reserves doing nothing.

Apparently the Arsenal move for Lemar is off as he wants Liverpool! But Liverpool don't want him and want to keep Coutinho, who wants to go to Barcelona. If Lemar doesn't go to Arsenal, then Sanchez stays and doesn't go to City. Crazy business!

Wouldn't it just make more sense for City to go for Lemar?

 

[Julius]

And now Lemar wanting to stay at Monaco (to play in the UCL and not the UEL - ouch) makes much more sense: Mbappe has just completed a move to PSG, and it's the most insanely sly workaround of Financial Fair Play I think we'll ever see, with a loan deal for the 2017/2018 season being followed by a compulsory purchase clause at the start of next season set to make him the world's second most expensive player at €180m.

I thought their ambition to win the UCL was supposed to be a long-term one? If Mbappe and Neymar can both stay fit and gel, French and European football is about to get a very loud wake-up call. 

[Fierce_LiNk]

I'm not sure if French football is going to get a wake-up call. All of the talent is getting scooped up by one team. It's far healthier for French football for Mbappe to stay where he was. Sure, PSG are assembling an insane team, but competition is healthy. 

It's crazy that Alexis Sanchez will probably stay at Arsenal now. Oxlade-Chamberlain has gone, Gibbs has gone, Alexis wants out and Lemar doesn't want to come. So, Arsenal have put an insane bid in for a player, haven't got that player, and are stuck with a player who wants out and who will most likely go for nothing next season. That's terrible organisation from the club. The players mooted about being transferred to Arsenal in exchange of Alexis (Sterling and Aguero) turned them down, so basically nobody wants to play for Arsenal. How are they getting themselves into such a mess? 

[Julius]

25 minutes ago, Fierce_LiNk said:

I'm not sure if French football is going to get a wake-up call. All of the talent is getting scooped up by one team. It's far healthier for French football for Mbappe to stay where he was. Sure, PSG are assembling an insane team, but competition is healthy. 

I respectfully disagree: Monaco won Ligue 1 last season having only been promoted back to Le Premier back in 2012/13, with signings in the coming seasons such as Joao Moutinho, James Rodriguez and Falcao coming as a result of having a Russian ogliarch for an owner, but said owner has recently lowered his investments significantly due to an extremely costly divorce and the club has flourished under the development of new brass. 

As made clear by last season's championship triumph, Monaco have a very strong team and a great manager in Leonardo Jardim, but there are plenty of other teams which have great potential.

Nice - Mario Balotelli's team - finished third last season and have signed Wesley Sneijder this summer and have a good manager in Lucien Favre. Similarly, Lille have a strong manager in Marcelo Bielsa, Marseille - who were bought out last October and have been investing in a new initiative - have Rudy Garcia, Nantes have Sérgio Conceição, and Bordeaux - who have recently changed president to someone committed to keeping their band of young players with great potential together - have Jocelyn Gourvennec. Lyon is also expected to make use of their profits this summer over the next few years having already brought in Memphis Depay and Bertrand Traore this year.

Whilst this by no means spells success for the championship in the future, I would argue that, all around, it is a lot stronger than it was some five years ago and has become much more competitive than Serie A at any rate. 

As for Mbappe's move, whilst I agree that the championship as a whole is weakened by his move, I think it was an obvious step for him to make: he was born in Paris and still has a lot of family in Paris. A move away from Monaco - technically a principality and not even part of France - to his hometown of Paris makes a lot of sense, and the money used to fund his move can only aid in Monaco's growth - one would hope - in the coming years.

[Fierce_LiNk]

20 minutes ago, Julius Caesar said:

I respectfully disagree: Monaco won Ligue 1 last season having only been promoted back to Le Premier back in 2012/13, with signings in the coming seasons such as Joao Moutinho, James Rodriguez and Falcao coming as a result of having a Russian ogliarch for an owner, but said owner has recently lowered his investments significantly due to an extremely costly divorce and the club has flourished under the development of new brass. 

As made clear by last season's championship triumph, Monaco have a very strong team and a great manager in Leonardo Jardim, but there are plenty of other teams which have great potential.

Nice - Mario Balotelli's team - finished third last season and have signed Wesley Sneijder this summer and have a good manager in Lucien Favre. Similarly, Lille have a strong manager in Marcelo Bielsa, Marseille - who were bought out last October and have been investing in a new initiative - have Rudy Garcia, Nantes have Sérgio Conceição, and Bordeaux - who have recently changed president to someone committed to keeping their band of young players with great potential together - have Jocelyn Gourvennec. Lyon is also expected to make use of their profits this summer over the next few years having already brought in Memphis Depay and Bertrand Traore this year.

Whilst this by no means spells success for the championship in the future, I would argue that, all around, it is a lot stronger than it was some five years ago and has become much more competitive than Serie A at any rate. 

As for Mbappe's move, whilst I agree that the championship as a whole is weakened by his move, I think it was an obvious step for him to make: he was born in Paris and still has a lot of family in Paris. A move away from Monaco - technically a principality and not even part of France - to his hometown of Paris makes a lot of sense, and the money used to fund his move can only aid in Monaco's growth - one would hope - in the coming years.

The bolded part is exactly what I was saying. The championship as a whole is weakened due to this move because there is a huge, undeniable disparity between PSG and everyone else now and this is down to PSG largely breaking and bending the rules. Especially if Monaco continue to sell their prized assets, as their better players are constantly linked away to other top European teams. No denying that Serie A has become weak, which is need of a big shake up and improvement. 

Sergio Conceicao manages Porto, so Claudio Ranieri manages Nantes now. Can't really agree about Sneijder being a great signing. His best days are behind him and I think you'd have to be hardpressed to count him as a marquee signing. 

The original point was about whether French football would get a rise from Neymar and Mbappe. My response is that it's great for PSG and very few other French clubs. PSG are undoubtedly breaking the rules to achieve this. I'll be happy to be proven wrong and for another team the win the league this season. I'd welcome it. Competition is good, but the only way that teams will improve is if they keep hold of their better players.

[Fierce_LiNk]

Apparently Ross Barkley has turned down a last-minute move to Chelsea. Deal agreed at £30million. Player began his move and travelled to London for the medical and but is reported to have changed his mind and is on the way back now. Wow!

[Julius]

57 minutes ago, Fierce_LiNk said:

The original point was about whether French football would get a rise from Neymar and Mbappe. My response is that it's great for PSG and very few other French clubs. PSG are undoubtedly breaking the rules to achieve this. I'll be happy to be proven wrong and for another team the win the league this season. I'd welcome it. Competition is good, but the only way that teams will improve is if they keep hold of their better players.

Probably should have fact-checked myself first

But yeah, I absolutely agree with you @Fierce_LiNk, and funnily enough my exact thoughts when I heard about Mbappe moving to Paris was that they'd broken the rules.

They're getting away with these things on technicalities, which seems very reminiscent to me of Watford (I think?) taking many Udinese players on loan a few years back due to mutual ownership, so I wouldn't be surprised if we see some big rule changes in the years to come concerning the financial side of things in Europe as a result of this transfer window. 

Weirdly enough, though, I do think PSG's takeover and subsequent spending over nearly a decade now is exactly the kick-start Ligue 1 has needed for quite a while now to have a lasting impact. Great Ligue 1 sides have come and gone since Marseille won the UCL back in 1993, but none of those teams has really stuck around for more than two seasons at a time at the very top of European football. 

I suppose it could well take a few years to see whether or not this summer turned out to be a good move for French football as a whole but I suppose in the meantime we can enjoy the triumvate of Neymar-Mbappe-Cavani  

[Clownferret]

6 minutes ago, Fierce_LiNk said:

Apparently Ross Barkley has turned down a last-minute move to Chelsea. Deal agreed at £30million. Player began his move and travelled to London for the medical and but is reported to have changed his mind and is on the way back now. Wow!

Thank God for that. The players Chelsea are going for make no sense.

[Fierce_LiNk]

4 minutes ago, Julius Caesar said:

Probably should have fact-checked myself first

But yeah, I absolutely agree with you @Fierce_LiNk, and funnily enough my exact thoughts when I heard about Mbappe moving to Paris was that they'd broken the rules.

They're getting away with these things on technicalities, which seems very reminiscent to me of Watford (I think?) taking many Udinese players on loan a few years back due to mutual ownership, so I wouldn't be surprised if we see some big rule changes in the years to come concerning the financial side of things in Europe as a result of this transfer window. 

Weirdly enough, though, I do think PSG's takeover and subsequent spending over nearly a decade now is exactly the kick-start Ligue 1 has needed for quite a while now to have a lasting impact. Great Ligue 1 sides have come and gone since Marseille won the UCL back in 1993, but none of those teams has really stuck around for more than two seasons at a time at the very top of European football. 

I suppose it could well take a few years to see whether or not this summer turned out to be a good move for French football as a whole but I suppose in the meantime we can enjoy the triumvate of Neymar-Mbappe-Cavani  

Yeah, the Watford/Udinese deal from a few years back was just dodgy as hell. Never quite sat right with me, that one.

We'll have to pay close attention to see what happens. It would be insane for PSG to win the Champions League and they've got a great chance now with the types of players that they're acquiring. Like you say, it'll be years before we know the impact of these signings. 

2 minutes ago, Clownferret said:

Thank God for that. The players Chelsea are going for make no sense.

Yeah, I can't quite work out why they're going for Barkley or what the game plan is here. I still think Barkley is a talented player and I do like him...and I think he's a bit of a melon not going for this deal. Could be a major chance to revitalise his career. If he stays at Everton, he's going to have pull his finger out as he's falling down the pecking order there and the manager has made it clear that he's not a fan.

[Hero-of-Time]

I have to say, that was one of the most enjoyable transfer deadlines i've seen in a while. Players turning down clubs, deals falling through, players unable to leave the clubs they are at, panic buys, all good stuff.

[dazzybee]

So weird, but yes, very funny. No one wants to play for Arsenal and Chelsea it seems... Lukaku turned Chelsea down, Aurier, Llorente and Barkley all want to play for spurs over them - it's hilarious to see!!

I'm not ecstatic at Spurs' activity, good, but I think we were set on Barkley and his injury has made us wait, presume we'll get him in January.

Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea all missing key signings. Man U and City did well though.

[Kav]

Too many of our youngsters loaned out and not given a chance... yet again.

Drinkwater..? I'd rather have kept Chalobah!

Generally happy with the buys we made but we should've kept some youngsters with us to utilise across the competitions.

[Fierce_LiNk]

11 hours ago, Hero-of-Time said:

I have to say, that was one of the most enjoyable transfer deadlines i've seen in a while. Players turning down clubs, deals falling through, players unable to leave the clubs they are at, panic buys, all good stuff.

It was excellent viewing just to see how many transfers didn't happen. Barkley will be the highlight for me, but Sanchez not going to City is another one. Mahrez seems to have made a meal out of his situation, too. I wonder if this means we'll be in for an interesting January window, with the players who didn't get a chance to move this summer (those that saw their deals fall through) finally moving along.