How are we ever gonna challenge the Mancs, Chelsea or Arsenal?

[bigfooty]

Further to my post:
Almunia - Undisclosed fee in Summer 2004
Sagna - 6.1M in Summer 2007
Toure - 150k in February 2002
Gallas - Free as p/ex with Cole Summer 2006
Clichy - 250k in Summer 2003
Eboue - 1.5M in January 2005
Fabregas - Free September 2003
Flamini - Free in Summer 2004
Hleb - 10M in Summer 2005
Rosicky - 7M in Summer 2006
Adebayor - 3M in January 2006

As you can see, no player who had been at Arsenal for more than 5 years and a total cost of around 30M. Only Toure was a regular in their previous title winning side.

[Joe King]

Adebayor was 8million

[JohnDoe]

Further to my post:
Almunia - Undisclosed fee in Summer 2004
Sagna - 6.1M in Summer 2007
Toure - 150k in February 2002 Youth Policy
Gallas - Free as p/ex with Cole (who was a Youth Policy product )
Clichy - 250k in Summer 2003 Youth Policy
Eboue - 1.5M in January 2005
Fabregas - Free September 2003 Youth Policy
Flamini - Free in Summer 2004 Youth Policy
Hleb - 10M in Summer 2005
Rosicky - 7M in Summer 2006
Adebayor - 3M in January 2006

[ronniedrew]

Further to my post:
Almunia - Undisclosed fee in Summer 2004
Sagna - 6.1M in Summer 2007
Toure - 150k in February 2002
Gallas - Free as p/ex with Cole Summer 2006
Clichy - 250k in Summer 2003
Eboue - 1.5M in January 2005
Fabregas - Free September 2003
Flamini - Free in Summer 2004
Hleb - 10M in Summer 2005
Rosicky - 7M in Summer 2006
Adebayor - 3M in January 2006

As you can see, no player who had been at Arsenal for more than 5 years and a total cost of around 30M. Only Toure was a regular in their previous title winning side.

thats pretty impressive stuff, when you look at it like that, he did buy wallcot though (16m?)

[JohnDoe]

Thats a shortsighted answer, well, actually its a shortsighted vision from the owners, whether it be moores or the americans, when we do need a player ****ing do it properly at the first time of asking not **** about over 2 or 3 seasons buying 2nd or 3rd choices.
In most walks of life people say something along the lines of "more haste less speed" well its relevant to our ****ing players too.....at present (ok, give the yanks the benefit of the doubt with Torres and it being their only window so far) we buy squad players not world class, and the funny thing is we spend the same amount of cash! Its ridiculous, **** it then, dont spend a single penny from now until summer 2009 and then lets blow £75-£100 mill on our first choice players. Its not as if our seasons arent getting wasted anyway.

So what should we have done in let's say the summer of 2006?

£20m to sign a right winger and two strikers we needed...

Sign a "World class" striker and get two bosmans for the time being? Bosmans as good as, let's say, Voronin?

[Darth Marty]

So what should we have done in let's say the summer of 2006?

£20m to sign a right winger and two strikers we needed...

Sign a "World class" striker and get two bosmans for the time being? Bosmans as good as, let's say, Voronin?

Why not? Its not as if our seasons were a roaring success in terms of the premier league was it? And at least we would have had a player who would be a main part of our first team for many seasons to come. Not like bellamy was for example.

It seems that (again Torres/babel aside) e have been buying players for a medium fee for 1 or 2 seasons, thats not a healthy long term plan is it.

[JohnDoe]

Why not? Its not as if our seasons were a roaring success in terms of the premier league was it? And at least we would have had a player who would be a main part of our first team for many seasons to come. Not like bellamy was for example.

It seems that (again Torres/babel aside) e have been buying players for a medium fee for 1 or 2 seasons, thats not a healthy long term plan is it.

You're over-simplifying things. So you'd suggest spending the entire 2006-2007 season with a first choice RW of Nunez' quality and have that "world class striker" and Crouch as our only strikers worthy of first team selection? Have that "world class" striker injured and I doubt we would have finished 4th in that season. People would have been outraged at Rafa for overlooking the RM problem and having no decent alternative to that "world class" striker (and I'm banking on him to succeed, right?).

[blacky]

1. Back Rafa financially - Need to shop in Harrods and not Primark i.e more players of Torres quality
2. Bring in an assistant for Rafa
3. Be more adventurous, play more expansive football - no guts no glory
4. Start bringing through some of the academy players
5. Sell the dead wood - you know who they are

[stevie_gerrard_8]

The thing is I think we could have spent far wiser. I understand the need for squad players but I really think we have gone overboard, I mean Pennant and say Benyaoun would equate to a Ronaldo. Kuyt & Crouch would mean a Rooney.

I dont know, all I want is to wake up back in 1975. 16 glorious years in front of me

At that time, all Rafa could afford was to build a strong squad. He nedded 3 or 4 players to improve the sqaud. Not the first team. This summer he didn't need 2 strikers, he needed one and bought him in, Torres.

If Rafa is given the money, Im sure we will be challenging. However, the money he needs is for the most expensive areas on the pitch being a striker and two wingers (unless Gerrard goes on the right)

However, my only concern is that all the teams around us are playing above thier weight. We are not. Is that one of Rafa's faults? If it is, then is he good enough to challenge?

[Joe King]

1. Back Rafa financially - Need to shop in Harrods and not Primark i.e more players of Torres quality
2. Bring in an assistant for Rafa
3. Be more adventurous, play more expansive football - no guts no glory
4. Start bringing through some of the academy players
5. Sell the dead wood - you know who they are

State the obvious please.

I agree. Teams who play attacking football win the title. They scare opposition with waves of attack mentally and confidence is a massive factor in sport.

Academy players will take some time to become good players. Only players I can see coming through are Bruna, Pacheco, Nemeth, Pourie, San Jose, Amoo and maybe Eccelstone.

[disco]

To do it properly in the long-term (not just occasional challenges (I hope!) and picking up cups)

Build a 70,000 stadium
Fill it every week
Sell a zillion shirts world wide
Get a very high paying sponsor

Long story short - make £250m a year like Man U do. At the moment, we're making £1-1.5m per home game less than Man U. That's £30-40m in a season just from tickets.

[AFII]

1. Back Rafa financially - Need to shop in Harrods and not Primark i.e more players of Torres quality
2. Bring in an assistant for Rafa
3. Be more adventurous, play more expansive football - no guts no glory
4. Start bringing through some of the academy players
5. Sell the dead wood - you know who they are

[JohnDoe]

State the obvious please.

I agree. Teams who play attacking football win the title. They scare opposition with waves of attack mentally and confidence is a massive factor in sport.

Academy players will take some time to become good players. Only players I can see coming through are Bruna, Pacheco, Nemeth, Pourie, San Jose, Amoo and maybe Eccelstone.

Guthrie, Hobbs and Anderson can make it into our squad soon. Insua as well.

[Howard_lfc]

1. Back Rafa financially - Need to shop in Harrods and not Primark i.e more players of Torres quality easy to say but will he be given the chance
2. Bring in an assistant for Rafa Get Pako back
3. Be more adventurous, play more expansive football - no guts no gloryDefinitely. We are far too negative and predictable.
4. Start bringing through some of the academy playersthey're not ready
5. Sell the dead wood - you know who they are

Rafa bought most of it!

[AFII]

Anderson would make into our squad now. Our wingers isn't exactly that good.