Arsenal Thread | 2024/25

[bridgeno1]

Soon as sterling released that statement I immediately said arsenal will come calling. Arteta cannot resist any cast off out there from his time at city in his bid to recreate city 2018.

Sterling could be a very potent player for Arsenal but your fan base wouldn't give him the support and time he would need to become that player, you'd Xhaka him before he found any kind of form.

I think he'd provide good cover but if he wanted £350k a week at Arsenal it would be a non-starter as a deal. He's 29 as well.

Of the 3 options above Osimhen would be the preferred one.

 

[bridgeno1]

Mikel Merino deal done subject to medical. He'll add good options in the middle, is a big lad as well so the likes of the barcodes will have less chance to try and dominate physically.

Merino was the lad who got the last minute winner against Germany in the Euros.

 

[hammocity]

Sterling would be a leftfied signing but actually might work for you with the way you play if he can get his confidence back

Any club that signs Sterling based on the last few seasons are taking a huge risk bearing in mind the transfer fee the Chavs would want and the wages Sterling would expect. I wouldn't want him even at a reduced financial package, he's been poor for a while now.

 

[ninjamonkey]

Theyve signed a decent but bang average player for the level they aspire to be at and are acting like he's the missing cog. Adds depth I suppose but he wouldn't even make it as a squad player at the clubs that actually win the big trophies.

Is arsenal signing Merino for £35m improving arsenal more than City resigning Gundogan on a free transfer improves us?

 

[bridgeno1]

Theyve signed a decent but bang average player for the level they aspire to be at and are acting like he's the missing cog. Adds depth I suppose but he wouldn't even make it as a squad player at the clubs that actually win the big trophies.

Is arsenal signing Merino for £35m improving arsenal more than City resigning Gundogan on a free transfer improves us?

He's not 'bang average', he's got the top stats in Europe for duels won and he's a big lad who has just won the Euros. He'd probably get in ahead of Kovacic (or at the least alternate with him) in your side and would walk into the Rags or Dippers midfield.

He'll add steel in midfield and provide cover for Rice. He's definitely needed for Arsenal's squad depth so comparing him with Gundo isn't the right comparison. £35m isn't a marquee signing so it doesn't give Arsenal a title but it gives Arsenal more depth.

Something like Arsenal signing either Pep or Rodri probably gets us the title but I suspect that isn't going to happen! So for now it's about adding an extra 2-5% capability to the team, small margins make the difference in certain games.

Put it this way - we could hardly get out of our half at the Etihad last season. What happened is our defence got it out to our midfield but then Rodri and Co just nailed them and won it back. Someone like Merino makes that harder for City midfielders to do, plus he's an absolute unit and gives us more power at set pieces etc.

 

[ninjamonkey]

He's not 'bang average', he's got the top stats in Europe for duels won and he's a big lad who has just won the Euros. He'd probably get in ahead of Kovacic (or at the least alternate with him) in your side and would walk into the Rags or Dippers midfield.

He'll add steel in midfield and provide cover for Rice. He's definitely needed for Arsenal's squad depth so comparing him with Gundo isn't the right comparison. £35m isn't a marquee signing so it doesn't give Arsenal a title but it gives Arsenal more depth.

Something like Arsenal signing either Pep or Rodri probably gets us the title but I suspect that isn't going to happen! So for now it's about adding an extra 2-5% capability to the team, small margins make the difference in certain games.

Put it this way - we could hardly get out of our half at the Etihad last season. What happened is our defence got it out to our midfield but then Rodri and Co just nailed them and won it back. Someone like Merino makes that harder for City midfielders to do, plus he's an absolute unit and gives us more power at set pieces etc.

Don't take part of what I said to twist it, I said he was bang average for the level arsenal aspire to be at, not that he was simply bang average. In other words, he's not at the elite level to be a key player for a team wanting to win trophies. He's 28, Spent a really underwhelming year at newcastle that nobody remembers and then spent the last 6 years at sociedad, why wasn't he picked up by a better team in that time?

There's not a chance he would get in ahead of kovacic. He's played for Real Madrid, Inter, Chelsea and now City, you don't move between clubs at those levels without being elite, Merino has never shown anything to suggest he's in the same breath as Kovacic.

 

[mexico1970]

He's not 'bang average', he's got the top stats in Europe for duels won and he's a big lad who has just won the Euros. He'd probably get in ahead of Kovacic (or at the least alternate with him) in your side and would walk into the Rags or Dippers midfield.

He'll add steel in midfield and provide cover for Rice. He's definitely needed for Arsenal's squad depth so comparing him with Gundo isn't the right comparison. £35m isn't a marquee signing so it doesn't give Arsenal a title but it gives Arsenal more depth.

Something like Arsenal signing either Pep or Rodri probably gets us the title but I suspect that isn't going to happen! So for now it's about adding an extra 2-5% capability to the team, small margins make the difference in certain games.

Put it this way - we could hardly get out of our half at the Etihad last season. What happened is our defence got it out to our midfield but then Rodri and Co just nailed them and won it back. Someone like Merino makes that harder for City midfielders to do, plus he's an absolute unit and gives us more power at set pieces etc.

You lot need a top striker (Fuck sake I sound like Merson using the word top) and by top I mean the very best, without that I can't see you winning the squeaky bum games.

You're a LOT closer to us than the rest of the pack just that little tweak and it might just happen.

 

[BigJoe#1]

You lot need a top striker (Fuck sake I sound like Merson using the word top) and by top I mean the very best, without that I can't see you winning the squeaky bum games.

You're a LOT closer to us than the rest of the pack just that little tweak and it might just happen.

Don't you mean a top top striker? 80)

 

[bridgeno1]

You lot need a top striker (Fuck sake I sound like Merson using the word top) and by top I mean the very best, without that I can't see you winning the squeaky bum games.

You're a LOT closer to us than the rest of the pack just that little tweak and it might just happen.

Agree that would help but proper top strikers are a rare commodity. In the PL I'd view only Haaland as being a proper elite striker. Bayern have Kane, Real have Mbappe, aside from that who's truly a game changer up front? We're linked with Osimhen but I don't think he's better than what we have already, certainly not for the transfer fee and wages it would involve.

So maybe a more compelling winger on the left would help. I agree we are a bit short currently to be title favourites, City have more game changers than us although at the other end of the pitch our defence is very strong.

 

[bennyboy]

Mikel Merino deal done subject to medical. He'll add good options in the middle, is a big lad as well so the likes of the barcodes will have less chance to try and dominate physically.

Merino was the lad who got the last minute winner against Germany in the Euros.

Also the lad that was shite at Newcastle.
6 seasons in Spain.190 games 20 goals.