Draxler, Lacazette or James next? Will summer signings make Arsenal Champions again?

Morning all.

Well well, Arsene Wenger was all smiles yesterday morning during his press conference. The man who has been so heavily criticised for not spending money during a transfer window is on the verge of taking this summers spending close to £100 million and around £50 million of that seems to be on Mustafi and Perez. A true sign of ambition? Perhaps not in many Arsenal fans eyes as neither player are ‘big names’. If Perez turns out to be a hit, what a steal he will have been for £17 million and hopefully, Mustafi will adjust to the English game with ease. Let’s give them a chance, I know I will. According to reports, both passed their medicals yesterday so the deals could be confirmed today.

There’s a lot of speculation surrounding Julian Draxler and James Rodriguez future careers and both could yet move before deadline day. A James loan to Arsenal is being suggested which in theory would make sense as I doubt Real Madrid would want to sell him but he needs playing time to get his career back on track. Draxler, well he’s been linked with Arsenal for years and until he leaves his current club and settles, he probably always will. Could that be this summer, could he finally become an Arsenal player? I wouldn’t be at all surprised. The Mirror (cough) reckon Arsene is still in the hunt for Lacazette and a £60 million deal could yet be completed. No, I don’t believe that one either.

Once Mustafi and Perez are confirmed, who thinks the club have done enough to make us champions again?

[yop_poll id=”9″]

Anyway, Arsenal seriously need a win today at Watford and a top performance. The latter is equally as important because so far, we’ve been very average. With the news of imminent arrivals, perhaps a few players will step up their game because unless they do, this league campaign will be over before they know it. Not only the players though, Arsene Wenger needs to instil a lot more discipline into the players, a lot more passion, commitment and certainly a lot more effort! He needs to look at himself too. He can’t just sit on his seat and watch the game go by, he needs to be more proactive. If somethings not working, change it. If a player or two aren’t working hard enough, let them know or change them and if Coquelin or anyone else gets a booking and continues to play on the edge, get him/them off the pitch because not every referee will be as generous as the one last weekend.

Three times we played Watford last season and we thumped them both home and away but in the FA Cup and at The Emirates, we were woeful. We lost and with it went our chance of winning the FA Cup for a third year running.

No repeat of that please Arsenal!

129 thoughts on “Draxler, Lacazette or James next? Will summer signings make Arsenal Champions again?

  1. Wavy says:

    Put this on the last blog but it fits today’s too, so here it is:

    Has nobody else thought that these impending signings are a direct result of the toxic remarks made by the fans after the first two games? Has Wenger not responded to every critical blog by ‘spending some cash’. Far from wanting these two players they have become a pawn in his popularity stakes.
    Yesterday’s blog was full of optimism and hope, I mean that’s a great turn around from the previous six weeks of questions, demands and suggestions of his terminal decline and disappearance at the end of the season!
    The two players he’s bought are, probably by no means poor squad members but as many have said, they are not out of the top drawer either. However, the addition of these two will, to a certain extent, placate the fans’ feelings of failure and dismissal of the belief that new players are/were essential. Left to Wenger, “project youth” would have provided sufficient cover, to get by this season!
    Still it is what it is. He has answered his critics, buy two players, he’s probably silenced the fans and more than likely averted the wrath of the owner. Brand Arsenal is still, just, intact! Ever onward!

    Morning all. Damp and overcast here, again!

  2. allezkev says:

    First in terms of looks Digger…?!

    Just remember, a few of us know what you look like, so I’ll leave it at that, OK… ?

    Nice post Rico, £100m is a lot of dough, even in the current inflated market, but I ain’t sure that it’s gonna transform us into champions.

    Will it be enough to keep us in the top four?
    Probably yes…

  3. scottfromoz says:

    Wavy, I say no.
    Why do I say that?
    Because last season, he was under the very same pressure, had just as many abusive and insulting comments, yet did nothing, and he’s so stubborn, he doesn’t absorb what fans say, so for fans to even attempt to claim credit is crazy, imo.
    How about we give him some credit for a change and just appreciate the fact he has spent.
    I mean, if we are prepared to criticise, we must also applaud good work.

  4. allezkev says:

    Rick/Ginge,what is the breakdown of the 25 man squad, do we have room for anymore signings?

    Do players have to move on to make room?

    Wavy, I ain’t sure that Wenger would buy anyone because of public pressure, he could walk away with approx £40/£45m in the bank, I’d love that kind of pressure mate….

  5. Wavy says:

    The ultimate proof of the new ones quality will be in the playing! We’ll see. I hope they turn out to network gems but I have my doubts.

    As I’m in such a happy mood, Draxler, James……not a chance Wenger has spunked his wedge for this TW the cupboard is bare. We may have £200m scudding around in the funds, now £100 but the remains will be part of Cronky’s ‘services’ and not for another club to spend.
    Sadly Draxler is no more than a pipe dream……Darren Bent is more likely to come than young Julian! Imo, of course.

  6. kelsey says:

    Not sure Wavy.

    I think long and hard as I am sure all our supporters do as to exactly what direction the club wants to go. People are far more knowledgeable since the arrival of The Internet and Social Media and anger and frustration are the two most common words heard in any dialogue about Arsenal.
    We needed strengthening last year and didn’t and who knows if AW had any intention of replacing Mertesacker now, until had got a long term injury (It doesn’t matter what we think he should do)

    I am convinced neither of these two new signings were top of any list but I hope it works out for them and us and I still think one more signing is in the offing.

    I don’t think Wenger ever thinks about appeasing the fans he is stubborn, is very egoistic and to an extent is a dictator at a huge club steeped in history who only needs the right tweeting to at least challenge for honours.

    Spending vast amounts does not guarantee anything but as I said a few days ago we have a manager caught in a time warp and he will never change.

    I read yesterday that although the official attendence at Home games says we more or less sell out as tickets are sold in advance, a police report said there were more than 160000 empty seats combined for the whole season, WBA being the lowest attendence at 44000.only twice was the stadium actually sold out,so the point is that fans regardless if they can afford it or not are fed up with the whole regime and figures will continue to plummet unless things on the pitch improve dramatically.(I will try and find the article)

  7. frednerk says:

    Morning All
    Thats what it looks like to me Wavy.

    On the two new signings rico.
    Are we to believe that the new lads
    are of the same standard or better
    than we already have.
    Perez was yesterday compared to Vardy
    Arsene nodded agreement.
    Yet what I have seen of perez his game
    is cutting in with skill.
    We know Vardy like’s it over the top.
    Mustafi is another right footer,so not
    ideal.
    Arsene said yesterday we have the defender
    we wanted from the beginning so why hang
    about.
    He could have saved us, 5pts thats without
    today’s game.
    I think Arsene has to get some passion and
    commitment first towards our club.

  8. Bradster says:

    Morning all,
    If Mustafi was number 1. Why not sign him up before the Euros like Xhaka. Or did he only become a main target after Merts got injured.
    I worry Perez is Depay one trick pony but I guess we’ll have to see.
    Rodriguez loan good idea to take a chance, we need a goal scoring number 10, but not sure he’s our answer.
    Draxler any day for me. Smart, skillful and can finish and play any of the front 3.

  9. scottfromoz says:

    So a week ago, we were worried about no signings.
    Now, we are worried about the possibility we signed players who may or may not have been our no. 1 choices??

  10. Bradster says:

    But signing to make up the numbers isn’t helping the team either, still poor management. His gamble might work out though, we’ll see if it’s a Campbell or a Scillacci, both international defenders.

  11. zTom says:

    To Wavy:
    That’s overestimating the impact of any fans protest.
    Wenger, the club and its scouts network work by assessing players, making a short list of targets (that the press is NOT aware of unlike they’d want us to believe) then work towards bringing in the preferred option. They ignore the press, exterior factors and, Hell, the market itself generally.
    Here it was Vardy early on.
    Then they started working on seeing if a deal could be made for Lacazette and the second bid of the Summer (for the forward they were looking for) was made to test the waters with Lyon. Lyon didn’t want to sell, added a few millions to their asking price a few times before slapping one of those stupidly crazy prices on him to probably close the door to the sale.
    So Arsenal moved to their next target, which turned out to be Lucas Perez, who wasn’t signed before because he wasn’t at the top of the wish list.
    He actually seems in form and talented so at least should bring the support/competition for Giroud we’ve been needing. That’d be nice if he was as prolific as Michu with Swansea in his first season (without the strange disappearance afterwards ideally). The 2 signings were quite similar:a good striker outside the big name ones in la Liga, from a smaller team. 🙂

    Short version: Arsenal works methodically, secretively to bring its players not bothering about the press ir any external chatter.

  12. zTom says:

    To Bradster: Mustafi wasn’t on any list for this Summer as no other CB signing aside Holding being planned since BFG, Kos and Gabriel (then Chambers) were trusted to do the job this season.
    Mert and BFG’s injuries brought forward by a Summer the search for the former’s long term replacement and Mustafi’s club not wanting to sell, it was a game of chicken on who would blink first, a game we won.

  13. Bradster says:

    I’m happy we signed a CB as I was dreading the idea of Evans or similar. Why not before Euros, get it done and bedded in the way of Arsenal play or was it never a plan until Merts got injured.
    Perez I can’t comment on, I didn’t watch la liga relegation battles and his stats were not prolific. My take is how far off is Ighalo from Perez as a decent and different striker to Giroud with premier experience.

  14. Bradster says:

    Merts was crap last season, Kos was often injured and Gabriel was poor and injured often. Surely a quality experienced CB needed to be brought in even if these players were all fit.

  15. frednerk says:

    zTom
    You right with some of that
    But we have now got into
    the get out claus stuff
    ie: players we can go for but
    so can everyone else.
    Scouting system at The Arsenal
    drives a lot of us round the twist.

  16. rico says:

    Fred, Re your 10.30. We should expect both players to be better than who we currently have in their positions – after all, Wenger said he would only sign players who would improve the squad etc etc….

    However… lol

  17. Silky says:

    Hi all good-great read Rico! I think we will be top 4 at best, I just don’t think you can give pep or the former king of the chavs a 5 point lead at any stage of the season and expect to get ahead of em. I’m off out plz continue with the comments they are generally well up there with the post and I hugely look forward to reading all of them later! Have a good day all!!

  18. Joaquim Moreira says:

    when rico?
    I didn’t watches it
    Which player do you prefer from those 3?
    I think we start to have many stars and egos in the team nad that is not good-

  19. rico says:

    They should do now though Brad with the new rules. Some of the refs are toothless…

    Proves there’s no problem with his fitness too Scott.

  20. rico says:

    Liverpool v Totts JM, it’s on now.

    Hard to say really, they all have their qualities but probably James or Lacazette as they are more likely to get us goals…

  21. Rick says:

    Afternoon Rico and the House.
    Sticky day down south they said it was going to be cooler.
    Good day for the u18’s winning away to Brighton at h/t 3-0
    Goals by J Willick and Malan 2

  22. Bradster says:

    Good time to play Tottenham. They look like they’re in a transitional phase with the same over achievers as last season.

  23. Rick says:

    U18’s won 3-0 and are now top with 2wins and a draw.

    Kev, Kwama Ampadu is the coach and I understand Ljungberg is his assistant.

    I have seen the interviews that Ampadu has given and I must say he is very impressive.

    I will ans you 10.29 in a min.

  24. Micko says:

    Apparently we were offered Perez last week but turned Deportivo down, that’s a big u-turn in 7 days ! And our initial bid for Mustafi was 15 million……funny if true.

    We might be the underdogs today but I think we can eke out a result !

    Scum 1-1.

    Afternoon all, c’mon Arsenal.

  25. Rick says:

    Kev if we have signed Mustafi and Perez we have 25 players over 21 but as I see it there is no problem if Arsene wants to sign 1 more.

    Merts and Wellbeck are both out until next year and he could leave them out of the squad.
    I gather that Dubuchy wants out and I simply cannot see him including the post man so that brings the total down to 21

  26. Silky says:

    Scott from 10:24
    That pressure from fans came after JAn TW so he hadn’t much choice in the matter really!

    I hope the striker (Lucas?)turns out to be a good one, but I am one of those guys that thinks if it’s market value plus a few £’s but does wat it says on the tin then it ain’t expensive especially if u need it!

    And it turns out by being frugal we have actually spent more, again I speak of Batashuai at £4.5m 2 years ago at 21 years old now we spending £17m on a 27-28 year old.

  27. Rick says:

    How to treat a player the German way.

    Just before the Olympic games the German coach slated Arsene for the way he treated Serg Gnabry by not playing him .
    After the games Arsene gave Serge extra time off and he has not reported back.

    It now transpires that the German U21 team are playing next week and the coach has excluded the Olympic team from that game with one exception.
    He has stated the Gnabry needs to get to know the u21 suad so has included him.
    Serge must join the squad on Monday and is expected to play next week.
    I think its about time clubs had a say as to if a player can or cannot play in games such as this.

  28. Gd10 says:

    Can’t see us signing lacazette now, but tbh he’s vastly overpriced so I wouldn’t want us too.

    Either of James or draxler would be an awesome coup but having outplayed best part of 100m already I just can’t see it without offloading first.

    Make room by offloading lolcott? A guy can dream

  29. kelsey says:

    Familiar pattern t so many of our games.Get a ead, plenty of possession then hardly a shot and Watford gain confidence.Good save by Cech

  30. rico says:

    ‘ A lovely cross by Walcott’ screamed Le Tiss….

    Never thought I’d hear that…. 😉

    Afternoon all, how are we playing?

  31. kelsey says:

    first time Walcott touched the ball in twenty minutes.Ozil is playing really well. We need another two or three Sanchez’s .kos magnificent, holding prone to mistakes. generally nice to the eye without being convincing.

  32. Obi says:

    Rico true but we will have Perez to cover… even the players are inspired by our transfer activities…lol

  33. kelsey says:

    Arsenal 3 up at Watford. Wenger cancels all possible transfers.

    Gary Lineker

    GaryLineker

    Arsenal 3 up at Watford. Wenger cancels all possible transfers.
    2:49 p.m. – 27 August 2016

  34. Joaquim Moreira says:

    Cancels all possible transfers?
    But we haven’t enought players!
    I have a hearth attack always Watford attack!
    Koa possible own goal; we lost so many balls in front ogf the goal…

  35. Joaquim Moreira says:

    Ox was very complicated
    Wilshere adds little or nothing.
    Bellerin is out of shape.
    Chelsea are very strong. Very good 20 minutes.

  36. kelsey says:

    Because that’s how we play HRD under Wenger.

    Granit and Sancez and Cech were IMO our best players. The Ox very poor.Wacott as per norm drifts in and out of a game, is he a luxury wecan afford.? Nice passing but still a hell lot of improvement due. Remember this was Watford and they had too many chances for my liking in the second half.Apart from the 3 points I don’t think we learned anything new today..

    What do we talk about for the next two weeks.

  37. Micko says:

    Definately a game of two halves, we were wasteful but always had too much for them.

    The break has come at the right time for Monreal, he can rest up his ankle.

    As for Ox, 7 league goals in the last 5 years says it all ! He needs to push on this season.

    On the bright side you know it’s ya day when Ozil scores with his head.

    Cheer up Kelsey, the next 3 days are gonna be radio rental if you believe Arsene.

  38. Rick says:

    In Post Match interview Arsene has confirmed that we have signed Mustofi and Perez.
    He said Perez comes straight away Mustofi after playing for Germany

  39. kelsey says:

    Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger: “We had a good cushion at half-time. At the moment we are not completely there physically and could see that in the second half.

    “Ozil is not physically there completely but what we want from Ozil is assists and goals and I hope he can get that this season, 10 or 15 goals plus the chances he creates.

    “We have bought two players – Mustafi and Perez. They will integrate into the team now and we will help them join the squad. We had to work very hard to get signings done. We have not got any plans for anyone else now.”

  40. Rick says:

    Laugh of the day Rico Lewis has been given 55 place penalty for using too many engine parts.
    There are only 22 cars in the race

  41. Rick says:

    Spot on Rico its going to be worth watching.
    By the way there will be a number of our players remainig behind.
    None of the Spainish players have been chosen for Spain.

  42. rico says:

    I’ll be watching Rick, that’s for sure…

    Good re the players, I doubt OC, Walcott etc etc will be off with England either..

  43. kelsey says:

    Honestly how do Walcott,The Ox an Wilshere get in the England squad let alone team based on their respective last year performances. I know England are shite so that must be the reason/

  44. Micko says:

    Nite rico, 41% can’t be wrong ! And I think your right, I more to come.

    Don’t start Malaga lol.

    Isaic Success……great name if nothing else.

  45. allezkev says:

    Rick, so we could probably still bring in one more player to the squad and send Sanogo, Debuchy and Chambers out on loan…

    Not that I think we will, I think that Wenger is done, but the option is there…

    If JM is right about Chambers going to Roma, then that’s excellent for us and him…
    He needs games and he needs some proper defensive coaching, too many of our English players shy away from a spell abroad, I think it would be beneficial, might make them ‘think’ about the game and their game a bit more….

  46. kelsey says:

    Morning

    ” the Arsenal manager seems to have more business on the way with only four days remaining in the summer transfer window.

    After saying goodbye to the likes of Mikel Arteta, Mathieu Flamini and Tomas Rosicky in June, Wenger further trimmed his squad recently with the temporary departure of Joel Campbell on a season-long loan at Sporting Lisbon while Stuttgart have been allowed to borrow new signing Takuma Asano for a season.

    And it now appears that the Gunners are preparing to confirm the exit of Mathieu Debuchy as well. Reports earlier this week suggested the Frenchman was in search of a new club after growing frustrated with lack of action as a back-up to Hector Bellerin.

    Indeed, after being omitted from the Arsenal squad for every match so far this season, Debuchy is now no longer listed on the club’s official website for buying kits.”

    So there is a possibilty f one more purchase,isn;t there ?

  47. kelsey says:

    And Szsney on loan at Roma. How do we stand with the Home rule as I don’t understand it.

    By the way the automatic forth place in the CL starts next season if anyone is interested.

  48. Hell Raising Devil says:

    Good Morning Lovelies and Hunkies

    A good win yesterday……very happy…..but must keep feet on the ground. 1st win. Another 3 goals scored.

    Some important points after 3 games.

    Cech has been superb in the last two games. 6 great saves yesterday and a solid display at Leicester showed that he is a solid and dependable keeper. His kicks are also a strength…many fail to notice that his distribution usually ends up at the feet or head of one of our players.

    Holding has not only surpassed Chambers in the pecking order but imo he has surpassed also Gabriel and Per as well. A nice headache for AW to have…hard as it may seem now and also unfair, Mustafi will be Kos’s partner. So the pecking order should read…..Kos, Mustafi, Holding, Gabriel, Per (Chambers to go on loan). He is the Stones which cost just 2 million. Still a lot to learn but he has been immense and his 100% pass completion in the first half shows that he will be a top CB. I daresay that he will be in the England team in two years time. His next game will surely be against Forest unless AW sees that game to cement the CB pairing of Kos and Mustafi. Or will it be Mustafi and Holding???

    Bellerin is still way behind in physical terms. Its still early days but he needs to up his performance to reach his usual levels.

    Yesterday my dream axis was played….Xhaka, Cazorla and Ozil. It will not be like that in all games, and there will HAVE to be games where Coquelin will begin instead of Xhaka or alongside him. But what a nice headache to have. 1 axis of Xhaka, Cazorla and Ozil…….and another of …… Coquelin, Elneny and Aaron…..with Jack Wilshere coming on slowly in the last twenty/twenty five minutes of games. Maybe begin the odd game here and there but imo till December at least, Jack should be used as a regular sub to rest the others and to bring his confidence back. AW should not rush him.

    Alexis is not a number 9. End of. YEs he can play and score goals against the lower teams. He can lead the line against at least half of the EPL. But at the end of the day, Ollie is a superior player in games against the top teams….Chavs, Manure, Shitty, dippers, everton etc. He is the focal point and although he might drive us crazy he will remain there….even if we get Lacazette or Griezmann.

    in 3 games we have scored 6 goals. Good. and what is even better is the fact that they have been scored by 6 different players…..Chambers, Ox, Theo, Alexis, Ozil, Cazorla…..that is Defence 1, midfield 2 and Attack 3. That is how the ratio should be at the end of the season…1:2:3. I don’t think it will be kept at that rate but if we keep spreading the goals it will be much better than if we have a 25 goal a season player and everything goes through him. Up till now….6 goals and no assist for Ozil.

    Yesterday the majority of the play all went through the left hand side. 55% of the game came through the left hand side while 24% of the play came through the centre. Which left 21% of the play on Theo’s side. What does it tell us??? Nothing……and……Everything. It tells us nothing because players play the game according to where space opens and availability of the players in that space. So the OX was getting in better positions and making a better use of the ball. However, the players themselves sense where to put the ball and if Cazorla or Xhaka have the ball and both Theo and the OX are available equally the chances are that they will put it at the feet of the OX. That percentage would be higher if Alexis was playing on the left hand side since he is superior to OX. Which is not good as then teams will focus more on that side. Ideally it should be 33% left, right and centre. It also tells us that Theo is a luxury we are carrying atm. If Ollie begins the game and Alexis drops to the wings then the next spot will be taken by either OX or Iwobi ahead of Theo. Maybe now Perez as well unless he plays as a CF. And its unbelievable since on the right we have the fastest combination in the EPL in Bellerin and Theo.

    Nice permutations with a touch of headache for AW. He will not take Ibuprofen surely…will scrimp and save if he can bear it.

    But a nice position to be in at the beginning of the season.

    We surely WOULD LIKE another top forward like Griezman (over Lacazette any day) and it would make a great forward line having Alexis and Griezmann on the sides of OZil. But as it is, if both Chambers and Debuchy leave on loan we need a right back cover asap

  49. kelsey says:

    Morning HRD

    I couldn’t believe that was Santi’s first goal in 40 games.

    My point was proved with the third goal.Sanchez knew the perfect cross would be met by Ozil, that he scored was a bonus.

    On the downside both The Ox and Walcott are way below par for a team that wants to challenge.

    Only third game of the season and new boys to come in but Watford really gave it a go in the second half and as you say Cech was at his best.

    If either The Ox or Walcott hadn’t both missed with wayward chips at 3-1 we might have had a more emphatic win.

    As I say every year let’s see the points tally against the other top 5 or 6 to get a true reflection.

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