Arteta

[Lancet Fluke]

I don't agree. Our midfield is totally one dimensional, we desperately need a player like Arteta. He is 28 which most people would consider to be entering the peak years for a footballer. If we want a ready made creative midfielder who can come straight in and transform us into challengers then we are going to have to pay a lot especially when you add on the money we have to pay because everyone knows we are rich and factor in that the market has inflated a lot over the last couple of years.

He's missed the best part of the last two seasons through injury. Surely after the Lescott and RSC signings we've learned our lesson, stay away from injury prone players.

I completely take your point on injuries. That would be my one reason for not buying him. I do think he is the right player for us though in every other respect.<br /><br />-- Mon May 24, 2010 2:51 pm --<br /><br />

He's missed the best part of the last two seasons through injury. Surely after the Lescott and RSC signings we've learned our lesson, stay away from injury prone players.

Not to mention the fact that although Arteta is a good player on his day, he's as immobile as Barry and De Jong, which is not at all what we need. In fact, I can see Arteta coming in and having a similar impact to what Barry had. Minimal.

Although I like him as a player, for me it's a big no unless one of Barry or De Jong is being moved on, and we intend to buy a couple of more central midfield players too...

I think that is a little unfair. Just look at the way Arteta played this season at Eastlands. Barry hasn't ever played like that for us imo. I wouldn't be unhappy to see Barry go but he may be worth giving another season but either way, I reckon Arteta is a far classier player.

 

[Anonymous]

I think that is a little unfair. Just look at the way Arteta played this season at Eastlands. Barry hasn't ever played like that for us imo. I wouldn't be unhappy to see Barry go but he may be worth giving another season but either way, I reckon Arteta is a far classier player.

Possibly - maybe I am being a little harsh on him. Certainly I'd have him over Barry or De Jong, but just not sure if both those players are going to stay and play, where Arteta would fit in.

 

[Lancet Fluke]

I think that is a little unfair. Just look at the way Arteta played this season at Eastlands. Barry hasn't ever played like that for us imo. I wouldn't be unhappy to see Barry go but he may be worth giving another season but either way, I reckon Arteta is a far classier player.

Possibly - maybe I am being a little harsh on him. Certainly I'd have him over Barry or De Jong, but just not sure if both those players are going to stay and play, where Arteta would fit in.

I suspect it is immaterial, I doubt we'll get Arteta anyway. Probably more likely to get Milner and a proper all out creative midifelder like Hamsik. But then even if only we get Milner I reckon Barry's days in the starting 11 are numbered. NDJ may be a one trick pony but at least he has a defined role and he does it very well, Barry always looks like a jack of all trades to me but doesn't do any of those "trades" well enough at all. Also Barry looked like a cripple at times this season to me, he has either been carrying a knock for a while or he's just not good enough for a starting place.

 

[Sabster]

He's missed the best part of the last two seasons through injury. Surely after the Lescott and RSC signings we've learned our lesson, stay away from injury prone players.

I completely take your point on injuries. That would be my one reason for not buying him. I do think he is the right player for us though in every other respect.

-- Mon May 24, 2010 2:51 pm --

Not to mention the fact that although Arteta is a good player on his day, he's as immobile as Barry and De Jong, which is not at all what we need. In fact, I can see Arteta coming in and having a similar impact to what Barry had. Minimal.

Although I like him as a player, for me it's a big no unless one of Barry or De Jong is being moved on, and we intend to buy a couple of more central midfield players too...

I think that is a little unfair. Just look at the way Arteta played this season at Eastlands. Barry hasn't ever played like that for us imo. I wouldn't be unhappy to see Barry go but he may be worth giving another season but either way, I reckon Arteta is a far classier player.

He did ALMOST nothing that game just defended well and followed Moyes' gameplans.

He is NOT what we need - SLOW, OLD, Doesn't score enough goals, Injury Prone

We need someone with a bit of pace who can carry the ball and beat a man occasionally (robinho).

 

[kenzie115]

I think that is a little unfair. Just look at the way Arteta played this season at Eastlands. Barry hasn't ever played like that for us imo. I wouldn't be unhappy to see Barry go but he may be worth giving another season but either way, I reckon Arteta is a far classier player.

Possibly - maybe I am being a little harsh on him. Certainly I'd have him over Barry or De Jong, but just not sure if both those players are going to stay and play, where Arteta would fit in.

Comparing Arteta and De Jong is like comparing Ashley Cole and John Terry; their positions on the pitch are close with regards to distance, but require largely different skills.

 

[Lancet Fluke]

I completely take your point on injuries. That would be my one reason for not buying him. I do think he is the right player for us though in every other respect.

-- Mon May 24, 2010 2:51 pm --



I think that is a little unfair. Just look at the way Arteta played this season at Eastlands. Barry hasn't ever played like that for us imo. I wouldn't be unhappy to see Barry go but he may be worth giving another season but either way, I reckon Arteta is a far classier player.

He did ALMOST nothing that game just defended well and followed Moyes' gameplans.

He is NOT what we need - SLOW, OLD, Doesn't score enough goals, Injury Prone

We need someone with a bit of pace who can carry the ball and beat a man occasionally (robinho).

I thought he was the best player on the pitch, outside of their back 4. Also I would see an ability to be disciplined, follow instructions and play in a way that may not be your favoured role as a positive not a negative. Incidentally, are we now saying that players who have just turned 28 are old? Surely not.

 

[Anonymous]

He did ALMOST nothing that game just defended well and followed Moyes' gameplans.

He is NOT what we need - SLOW, OLD, Doesn't score enough goals, Injury Prone

We need someone with a bit of pace who can carry the ball and beat a man occasionally (robinho).

I thought he was the best player on the pitch, outside of their back 4. Also I would see an ability to be disciplined, follow instructions and play in a way that may not be your favoured role as a positive not a negative. Incidentally, are we now saying that players who have just turned 28 are old? Surely not.

For me, I think if we were going to spend upwards of 20 million pounds on a player it would have to be either someone young but with tons of potential ala Rodwell, OR, someone proven at the highest level ala Gerrard.

 

[roylefamily]

Arteta would be a fantastic signing , he's just entering his peak , he's an established Premier League player with ' Spanish flair ' ... but can you see Moyes ever letting him go ? He fought like a madman to keep lescott , Arteta is far more valuable than he ever was to Everton .. on top of that Arteta seems happy were he is .. I think this is one battle Moyes might win , Moutinho from Sporting Lisbon is a similar player , 50 international caps , wants to leave , is younger and would be cheaper .. a better option !

 

[Lancet Fluke]

I thought he was the best player on the pitch, outside of their back 4. Also I would see an ability to be disciplined, follow instructions and play in a way that may not be your favoured role as a positive not a negative. Incidentally, are we now saying that players who have just turned 28 are old? Surely not.

For me, I think if we were going to spend upwards of 20 million pounds on a player it would have to be either someone young but with tons of potential ala Rodwell, OR, someone proven at the highest level ala Gerrard.

I think 20 million is absloutely sod all at the moment where we are concerned. 2 or 3 years ago you could get a player who was top class, now it doesn't even get you Lescott. I know that was a one off to some extent but it has inflated the market and certainly has inflated the market for us. I know Hughes was getting desperate at that point and that is why he paid so much but whether we like it or not, nobody is going to sell us a top player for less than 20 million. I know there is the AJ argument and that we got a bit of a relative bargain but I think that is going to end up being the exception to the rule. Gerrard will go for nearer 40 if he moves and he is 30 in a few weeks. Milner will go for 30 at least if it is to us. And if Rodwell was going to be 20 to united, he'd have been 30 to us. I don't think there is anything we can do about it now.

 

[Anonymous]

For me, I think if we were going to spend upwards of 20 million pounds on a player it would have to be either someone young but with tons of potential ala Rodwell, OR, someone proven at the highest level ala Gerrard.

I think 20 million is absloutely sod all at the moment where we are concerned. 2 or 3 years ago you could get a player who was top class, now it doesn't even get you Lescott. I know that was a one off to some extent but it has inflated the market and certainly has inflated the market for us. I know Hughes was getting desperate at that point and that is why he paid so much but whether we like it or not, nobody is going to sell us a top player for less than 20 million. I know there is the AJ argument and that we got a bit of a relative bargain but I think that is going to end up being the exception to the rule. Gerrard will go for nearer 40 if he moves and he is 30 in a few weeks. Milner will go for 30 at least if it is to us. And if Rodwell was going to be 20 to united, he'd have been 30 to us. I don't think there is anything we can do about it now.

Again, it's hard to argue with that.

As Fergie said - there's no value in the market...lol.

Do you remember how much Schneider went to Inter for last season, and Robben to Bayern. I think they were both under 20 million - great deals.