How to solve a problem like Arsenal

This season should be a massive wake up for Arsenal, they have squeezed into 4th place, just. But it's another season without a cup. The biggest problem at the club is the amount of deadwood in the squad.
I think the whole squad needs to be restructured. To do this Arsene has been given a reported war chest of £70 million.

If I was to be given the role of Director of Football then out of the club would go; Abou Diaby £3m, Bacary Sagna £8m, Sebastien Squillaci free, Francis Coquelin £2m, Andrei Arshavin free, Gervinho £8m, Andre Santos £3m, Johan Djourou £4m, Emmanuel Frimpong free, Marouane Chamakh £3m, Nicklas Bendtner £5m, Kieran Gibbs £7m, Lukas Podolski £12m, Lukasz Fabiański £1m, Park Chu-Young free and Denílson £3m.

This would raise £59 million. Add this to the £70 million and a huge amount of £129 million will be availabe to rebuild the squad, not to mention the money saved on wages.

In would come; Simon Mignolet (Sunderland) £8m, Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) £10m, Leighton Baines (Everton) £20m, Toby Alderweireld (Ajax) £8m, Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) £20m, James McCarthy (Wigan) £8m, Stevan Jovetic £25m (Fiorentina) and Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund) £30m.
This recruitment drive would cost £129 million.

Whilst I understand running a football club is not straight forward I belive all the players mentioned to be realistic signings. I also believe Arsenal could afford the wages.

I just think some of that is so unrealistic, all the players signed would be on much higher wages than the ones sold. You'd also have brought in 8 new first team players, which is crazy!

Crimey

Arsene Wenger has led alot of people up the garden path on the issue of wages. He does pay big money on wages but he uses a socialist wage structure where the gap between the top earners and the bottom earners is smaller than most clubs.

Have a look at these figures for weekly payouts; Abou Diaby 50k, Bacary Sagna 60k, Sebastien Squillaci 60k, Francis Coquelin 15k, Andrei Arshavin 90k, Gervinho 60k, Andre Santos 50k, Johan Djourou 50k, Emmanuel Frimpong 20k, Marouane Chamakh 65k, Nicklas Bendtner 52k (hence his squad number), Kieran Gibbs 40k, Denílson 50k, Lukas Podolski 90k, Lukasz Fabiański 40k and Park Chu-Young 40k. That will save £832,000 per week, which can be spent among 8 new arrivals.

Something needs to change at this club if they are to start winning trophies again. Stop buying unproven French/African Players. Buy quality not quantity. There is nothing wrong with the style of play.

On the issue of integrating the players that would be Arsene's problem as I'm just the Director of Football! Ha.

Buying unproven french/african players was one of the bedrocks of Arsenes best side. His team actually isn't bad, theres just nobody to lead them. Theres no Viera to drag them through games from midfield anymore.

Wellington wrote:This season should be a massive wake up for Arsenal, they have squeezed into 4th place, just. But it's another season without a cup. The biggest problem at the club is the amount of deadwood in the squad.
I think the whole squad needs to be restructured. To do this Arsene has been given a reported war chest of £70 million.

If I was to be given the role of Director of Football then out of the club would go; Abou Diaby £3m, Bacary Sagna £8m, Sebastien Squillaci free, Francis Coquelin £2m, Andrei Arshavin free, Gervinho £8m, Andre Santos £3m, Johan Djourou £4m, Emmanuel Frimpong free, Marouane Chamakh £3m, Nicklas Bendtner £5m, Kieran Gibbs £7m, Lukas Podolski £12m, Lukasz Fabiański £1m, Park Chu-Young free and Denílson £3m.

This would raise £59 million. Add this to the £70 million and a huge amount of £129 million will be availabe to rebuild the squad, not to mention the money saved on wages.

In would come; Simon Mignolet (Sunderland) £8m, Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) £10m, Leighton Baines (Everton) £20m, Toby Alderweireld (Ajax) £8m, Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) £20m, James McCarthy (Wigan) £8m, Stevan Jovetic £25m (Fiorentina) and Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund) £30m.
This recruitment drive would cost £129 million.

Whilst I understand running a football club is not straight forward I belive all the players mentioned to be realistic signings. I also believe Arsenal could afford the wages.

Alonsos been rumoured to be available for a while now and loves the PL. Its not likely, but its not the worst rumour I've heard.

Yeah, his contract runs out next summer. I'd hope he'd consider returning to Liverpool as well. I doubt the club would be willing to spend a lot of money on a player over the age of 25 though.

GCS

Fair point Henry, Viera, Petit, Pires, Toure were amazing signings, astute also.

The point I was trying to make concerned the likes of Squillaci, Gervinho, Chamakh. I feel the French league is scouted far more than in 1997, Newcastle being a fine example.

Your also correct in saying the Arsenal team is not that bad but I'm trying to do better than just finish in 4th place. I'm also trying to point out if Arsene was to change his wage structure and his type of signings he can compete for Europe's top players.

Wellington- I dont quite get why you would sell Podolski. Been a very good player for the Gunners, and would probably make the All-Premiership 2nd XI had he not been sidelined towards the end of the season. Eleven goals and nine assists is a very good debut effort.

Also, you suggest the best to win silverware next season is to sell 17 players and bring in nine?? Other than the obvious problem ( such a large scale squad change would take more than a season to gel), it would also create a depth problem.

I dont think Arsenal is that far away from glory days. Podolski and Walcott as a combo were at times mesmerising. The defence was pretty decent, all thats necessary is a decent striker (Giroud will be better next season, but I dont see 20 goals a season in his future), maybe Higuain?

Kingraf

Despite selling 16 players I would actually increase the squad depth. Andre Santos, Denílson, Marouane Chamakh, Johan Djourou, Park Chu-Young, Emmanuel Frimpong and Nicklas Bendtner have all been out on loan this season, Andrei Arshavin and Sebastien Squillaci have barely featured at all and Abou Diaby has been out injured for most of the season, so thats ten players who have had zero impact on the first team. So I would be selling 6 members of the first team squad and replacing them with 8 new players.

I didn't realise Lukas Podolski had such good stats. Perhaps he would be worth keeping after all.

I don't think Intergrating the players into the first team squad will be a major problem. Simon Mignolet, James McCarthy, Xabi Alonso and Leighton Baines all have premier league experience and Stevan Jovetic and Marco Reus are top quality players.

I agree I think Olivier Giroud will come good next season.

Arsenal are not a bad team but I feel they need a overhaul to push them onto the next level, challenging for the league.

Fairly simple what they need to do.

Stop selling there best players, and start splashing some cash

Arsenal are fast running out of time and options in the transfer market. They have signed the usual young unknown African from the French League now it's time to get down to real  business!
Totenham have signed some quality players over the sumer and at present I would tip them for 4th place.

Arsenal's number 1 priority should be a defensive midfielder, Daniele De Rossi would tick every box, £20m.
Next is a goalkeeper, I would take a punt on Ben Foster, he has improved since his days at United and he has Premier League experience, £10m. (There are few options out there).
Next I would make a speculative £25m bid for Robert Lewandowski, will Dortmund turn  down such an offer for a player in his last year of his contract? probably not, would Lewandowski go to Arsenal?  Probably not but hey ho why not try, I've known of stranger transfers.
A more realistic signing would be Mirko Vucinic at £15m, Juventus have signed Llorente and Tevez so Mirko will be struggling for first team action.
Two signings from Ajax now, both players are in their last year of their contracts so reduced asking price.
Christian Eriksen, a bid of £12m should secure his services, he would provide pace and creativity in midfield.
Toby Alderweireld, a talented defender, can also fill in at right full back, £8m.

Well thats £65 million spent on Ben Foster, Toby Alderweireld, Daniele De Rossi, Christian Eriksen and Mirko Vucinic. This will vastly improve the squad and secure a 4th place finish Arsene desires.

De Rossi's window to leave has passed I think, although Roma do have Strootman now. Could be a possible.

Albion would take anything above £7m for Foster. Maybe stretch to £8m. £10m would get you Odemwingie thrown in with him

Lewandowski, make it £30m, he might well come. Vucinic is a capable Plan B, but he's no RVP. He's barely an improvement on Giroud really.

Eriksen - £17m is the fee reportedly wanted from Liverpool, he'd be a brilliant signing. I have such a chubby for him.

Alderweireld - good CB, could well drag Vermaelen back into form.

What about this Casillas link? £15m did I hear rightly? You must want a piece of that!

Azzy Mahmood wrote:De Rossi's window to leave has passed I think, although Roma do have Strootman now. Could be a possible.

Albion would take anything above £7m for Foster. Maybe stretch to £8m. £10m would get you Odemwingie thrown in with him

Lewandowski, make it £30m, he might well come. Vucinic is a capable Plan B, but he's no RVP. He's barely an improvement on Giroud really.

Eriksen - £17m is the fee reportedly wanted from Liverpool, he'd be a brilliant signing. I have such a chubby for him.

Alderweireld - good CB, could well drag Vermaelen back into form.

What about this Casillas link? £15m did I hear rightly? You must want a piece of that!

27th August now, just under a week left to go before the window shuts. Why has it been left so late?