Arsenal Thread 2013/14

[Matty]

Can't quite remember the ifs and buts now, but isn't tax really low in Spain meaning the player doesn't cost the club a whole lot more than his wages, whereas in the UK clubs have to cover the 40% (?) tax as well? If so, cost to Arsenal is quite high.

I used to kind of like Arsenal, back in the bergkamp/Henry era. Didn't like Spurs too much, '81 and perhaps too many similarities. However, since I joined Bluemoon all that has changed. Found the Spurs lads on here to be all good lads (with one obvious exception, but I won't hold them responsible for that!). Wenger's rants and the Arsenal fans that have been on here over the past few years though have had the opposite effect. Some posters were descent enough and had reasonable questions and thoughts on our new owners but some were just twats of the highest order. None could get their heads around the idea that I had had to sit back and watch their wealth buy the league and so much more year after year. You seem to be doing a good PR job for gooners though AFC14, hope you keep posting and can give me a positive view of your club again.

I think that the top tax rate in Spain is roughly the same as the UK. Until last year the foreign players in the Spanish league were given a lower tax rate due to "Beckham's Law" but that's been scrapped now.

Doesn't matter what the top tax rate in Spain is though if they don't bother to pay it!!

 

[leighton]

Ozil is a top top player. I cant wait to see how he gets on. A lot of people slagging off Podolski but look at his record for Germany it isnt bad. I always wondered why they never used him as a forward as in my opinion he is the more clinical finisher if he is played as a front man. This signing yesterday was huge for them. I wonder come the January window if they will go again and try and buy someone else to add to there squad. They need another striker and defender in.

 

[AFC14]

I don't think it's that arguable. Ozil is one of the best players in the world. If he settles no reason to think he won't be the best in the league.

So the real question is, why did Real Madrid deem him surplus to requirements then?

It's Madrid; they do crazy things

Great signing for Arsenal, Ozil is a brilliant, brilliant player and could easily be among the top three in the league if he performs (and there's no reason he shouldn't; Wenger is a great coach). The lack of depth up front may mean they struggle to sustain a challenge at the very top of the league, though: I rate Giroud but am not convinced by Podolski as the spearhead of the formation.

Creatively Arsenal look fantastic: Wilshere, Cazorla, Ramsey, Ozil, Rosicky, Walcott - quite a collection and with a nicely diverse set of skills. Would be interested to hear the views of our resident Gooners on your forwards though

Giroud has pretty good passing and can hold the ball up for our other players. He has improved his finishing and provides a great focal point for our attacks. His link up play can be seen in this pass from last year.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vCbux8XHK0[/youtube]

Podolski is a fantastic finisher as shown in that video, probably the most clinical player in our squad. I haven't been convinced by his movement off the ball or his all round game but his end product is consistently good. Apparently he was playing through injury last year and was never 100% fit so if he is needed again up front to fill in for Giroud then it might work better than it did last season.

I prefer Walcott wide right rather than up front. His touch and dribbling have improved since his early days and he is always a threat on the wing due to his pace and movement. I don't think he works as well in the middle due to the lack of space, he is much more threatening when he makes a run in from the right and is picked out by our midfield.

 

[CTID1988]

£42 million for Ozil, so £7mil more than our highest transfer fee? Fair enough

 

[metalblue]

Even if they are signing an alleged £200,000 per week contract.

Majority of sources suggesting £6m/year, £115k/week. More than he was on at Real Madrid.

Can't quite remember the ifs and buts now, but isn't tax really low in Spain meaning the player doesn't cost the club a whole lot more than his wages, whereas in the UK clubs have to cover the 40% (?) tax as well? If so, cost to Arsenal is quite high.

I used to kind of like Arsenal, back in the bergkamp/Henry era. Didn't like Spurs too much, '81 and perhaps too many similarities. However, since I joined Bluemoon all that has changed. Found the Spurs lads on here to be all good lads (with one obvious exception, but I won't hold them responsible for that!). Wenger's rants and the Arsenal fans that have been on here over the past few years though have had the opposite effect. Some posters were descent enough and had reasonable questions and thoughts on our new owners but some were just twats of the highest order. None could get their heads around the idea that I had had to sit back and watch their wealth buy the league and so much more year after year. You seem to be doing a good PR job for gooners though AFC14, hope you keep posting and can give me a positive view of your club again.

I didn't... always on the end of a hiding back then. My last trip to Highbury was memorable due to rain coming through the stand where I was and us doing alright for the first 20 minutes until we had the cheek to have a shot when they then stuck 5 or 6 past us. It's not such a bad fixture these days.

 

[AFC14]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVRiUG21ZHM[/youtube]

 

[Ronnie the Rep]

Can't quite remember the ifs and buts now, but isn't tax really low in Spain meaning the player doesn't cost the club a whole lot more than his wages, whereas in the UK clubs have to cover the 40% (?) tax as well? If so, cost to Arsenal is quite high.

I used to kind of like Arsenal, back in the bergkamp/Henry era. Didn't like Spurs too much, '81 and perhaps too many similarities. However, since I joined Bluemoon all that has changed. Found the Spurs lads on here to be all good lads (with one obvious exception, but I won't hold them responsible for that!). Wenger's rants and the Arsenal fans that have been on here over the past few years though have had the opposite effect. Some posters were descent enough and had reasonable questions and thoughts on our new owners but some were just twats of the highest order. None could get their heads around the idea that I had had to sit back and watch their wealth buy the league and so much more year after year. You seem to be doing a good PR job for gooners though AFC14, hope you keep posting and can give me a positive view of your club again.

I think that the top tax rate in Spain is roughly the same as the UK. Until last year the foreign players in the Spanish league were given a lower tax rate due to "Beckham's Law" but that's been scrapped now.

You seem like a sensible poster. Welcome to Bluemoon mate. I try posting on Arsenalmania sometimes but all I ever get is dogs abuse from some of the kids on there

 

[AFC14]

Can't quite remember the ifs and buts now, but isn't tax really low in Spain meaning the player doesn't cost the club a whole lot more than his wages, whereas in the UK clubs have to cover the 40% (?) tax as well? If so, cost to Arsenal is quite high.

I used to kind of like Arsenal, back in the bergkamp/Henry era. Didn't like Spurs too much, '81 and perhaps too many similarities. However, since I joined Bluemoon all that has changed. Found the Spurs lads on here to be all good lads (with one obvious exception, but I won't hold them responsible for that!). Wenger's rants and the Arsenal fans that have been on here over the past few years though have had the opposite effect. Some posters were descent enough and had reasonable questions and thoughts on our new owners but some were just twats of the highest order. None could get their heads around the idea that I had had to sit back and watch their wealth buy the league and so much more year after year. You seem to be doing a good PR job for gooners though AFC14, hope you keep posting and can give me a positive view of your club again.

I think that the top tax rate in Spain is roughly the same as the UK. Until last year the foreign players in the Spanish league were given a lower tax rate due to "Beckham's Law" but that's been scrapped now.

You seem like a sensible poster. Welcome to Bluemoon mate. I try posting on Arsenalmania sometimes but all I ever get is dogs abuse from some of the kids on there

It's difficult to take the lobby on Arsenal-Mania seriously since there are so many posters who are either completely deluded (Ramsey better than Schweinsteiger, Wilshere better than Iniesta etc) or just there to irritate other fans by putting down the team.

 

[blueinsa]

Welcome to the board AFC14.

Always good to have sensible and articulate posters from other clubs.

Do us all a favour though mate and don't start with any graphs/charts and stats like one of our resident Spuds ;-)

As for Ozil.....wow, what a great player and what a fantastic signing!

 

[Jumanji]

Ozil used to have fitness issues at Real Madrid. He was almost always the first one to bw subbed at around 60-70 mins mark. Lets see how he adjusts to the much more physical league here.
Also, there is a huge difference in playing behind ronaldo vs giroud.

Ozil didn't play behind Ronaldo.

With the service he, Cazorla, Walcott et al will provide, even the inconsistent Giroud will be scoring for fun.

Giroud's a decent player, scored 17 goals & 10 assists in his first season in the prem. Not bad at all.

By behind, I meant providing assists to ronaldo.
And reg your 2nd statement, the same was being said about torres last year with mf of hazard, mata and oscar.

Torres is an enigma.

Hazard, and Oscar whilst good players, are not on the same pedestal on a creative standpoint to Cazorla and Ozil. They don't possess the vision, passing range, or ability to control a game.

 

[carlos tevez is a blue]

Yes they've bought a great player. But creative midfield isn't their weak spot. They still need a great keeper, centre half and striker

-- Tue Sep 03, 2013 2:07 am --

Yes they've bought a great player. But creative midfield isn't their weak spot. They still need a great keeper, centre half and striker

We got Viviano on loan as a backup keeper. Since he has come back into the team after being dropped for a period, Szczesny has been very good and I am not too worried about having him as first choice keeper, especially as he now has some competition.

Koscielny and Mertesacker have formed a great partnership over the last year and there aren't too many teams who have better 3rd and 4th choice centre backs than Vermaelen and Sagna.

A world class player like Ozil can't really be passed up and he will lift all areas of the team.

Viviano's better than Chesney.

 

[Castiel]

Torres is an enigma.

Hazard, and Oscar whilst good players, are not on the same pedestal on a creative standpoint to Cazorla and Ozil. They don't possess the vision, passing range, or ability to control a game.

Hazard got more assists in the league than Cazorla last season and he played out wide. As for his vision:

 

[olddirty]

Ozil used to have fitness issues at Real Madrid. He was almost always the first one to bw subbed at around 60-70 mins mark. Lets see how he adjusts to the much more physical league here.

It seams that head of their medical staff is dr. Mengele...
Podolski out for 3 months or more.

 

[Jumanji]

Torres is an enigma.

Hazard, and Oscar whilst good players, are not on the same pedestal on a creative standpoint to Cazorla and Ozil. They don't possess the vision, passing range, or ability to control a game.

Hazard got more assists in the league than Cazorla last season and he played out wide. As for his vision:

Hazard also got more assists than Silva, it doesn't mean much.

He's still not a true orchestrator of play in the same way as the others. Hazard has good vision, but Cazorla and Ozil are better in this department.

 

[Castiel]

Hazard also got more assists than Silva, it doesn't mean much.

He's still not a true orchestrator of play in the same way as the others. Hazard has good vision, but Cazorla and Ozil are better in this department.

He hasn't had much of an opportunity to try since he doesn't play centrally for us. I personally prefer him in a wider position because his pace and close control as recently demonstrated against Bayern is devastating. But his creativity and vision certainly are up there with the best of them.

I don't think Ozil is one to control a game in the way you word it. Alonso/Modric do that for Madrid. Ozil unlocks defences and brings their attackers into play. He's directly comparable to Mata for us.

 

[bleed.blue]

Ozil didn't play behind Ronaldo.

With the service he, Cazorla, Walcott et al will provide, even the inconsistent Giroud will be scoring for fun.

Giroud's a decent player, scored 17 goals & 10 assists in his first season in the prem. Not bad at all.

By behind, I meant providing assists to ronaldo.
And reg your 2nd statement, the same was being said about torres last year with mf of hazard, mata and oscar.

Torres is an enigma.

Hazard, and Oscar whilst good players, are not on the same pedestal on a creative standpoint to Cazorla and Ozil. They don't possess the vision, passing range, or ability to control a game.

The bolded part is very very debatable. You have either not seen all of them play or there is something very very wrong.

 

[bleed.blue]

Yes they've bought a great player. But creative midfield isn't their weak spot. They still need a great keeper, centre half and striker

Actually it kind of is. There were so many games last season when Arsenal won games 1-0 and were helped by quite a few questionable penalty decisions and dodgy offside calls. Their dogged defense got them the fourth spot last season. They were definitely crying out for creativity. what remains to be seen now is if Ozil can make it in his first season in the new environment.

 

[City Raider]

I can't help but think that Arsenal fans were so obsessed with spending money, any money, that they've forgot about spending it where it's needed.

As good as Ozil is, what if Giroud gets injured or turns back to the player he was last season. And don't even get me started on Mertesacker.

 

[supercrystal7]

Ozil didn't play behind Ronaldo.

With the service he, Cazorla, Walcott et al will provide, even the inconsistent Giroud will be scoring for fun.

Giroud's a decent player, scored 17 goals & 10 assists in his first season in the prem. Not bad at all.

By behind, I meant providing assists to ronaldo.
And reg your 2nd statement, the same was being said about torres last year with mf of hazard, mata and oscar.

Torres is an enigma.

Hazard, and Oscar whilst good players, are not on the same pedestal on a creative standpoint to Cazorla and Ozil. They don't possess the vision, passing range, or ability to control a game.

Both Hazard and Oscar are as creative as Cazorla. Ozil is a different matter though. I genuinely think a lot of people are underestimating just how good he is much like with RVP actually. When you sign a genuine top 10 player in the world it changes everything. Most people, myself included tend to use the term world class for a guy in the top 5 or 6 in his position, some even top 10. Not the case with Ozil.

 

[Castiel]

Both Hazard and Oscar are as creative as Cazorla. Ozil is a different matter though. I genuinely think a lot of people are underestimating just how good he is much like with RVP actually. When you sign a genuine top 10 player in the world it changes everything. Most people, myself included tend to use the term world class for a guy in the top 5 or 6 in his position, some even top 10. Not the case with Ozil.

I agree, but I'm not sure this is the best investment for them. I think a squad upgrade like Spurs did would have been wiser. Ozil is going to be magnificent for them, he's too good not to. But he can't solve some of the real problems in Arsenal's squad, and it's still severely lacking depth. The fight for CL places got more interesting but this doesn't make them title contenders IMO. I'm actually surprised Ozil was willing to go there considering they've been on the sidelines since the "Invincibles", unless Wenger made him some assurances about the future transfer wise. Got to hand it to them, I didn't think they had that kind of pull any more.