afc Wenger - Buying is not always the solution

[Lenny]

By Richard ClarkeSaturday’s defeat at Fulham will NOT influence Arsène Wenger’s moves in the transfer market between now and the deadline.The Arsenal manager has been after a central midfielder for some time and now has only a week to get his man. However before the game at Craven Cottage on Saturday, Wenger was indicating he might look for a replacement inside his own squad and, judging by his words afterwards, the manner of the disappointing reverse has not changed his mind.“When you lose a game the solution is not always to buy,” said Wenger. “Did we play at our best? I say no and so we have to look at why?“We had problems to win our first few games last year but we won them. This year we did not win - that is the reality. We had 60 minutes to come back on Fulham and we did not do it. Is that down to Fulham’ s quality or the fact we were not good enough? Only the future will tell us that.”However the departure of key midfielders Alex Hleb, Gilberto and Mathieu Flamini led some to suggest Arsenal are weaker than last season despite the acquisition of Samir Nasri and Mikael Silvestre.“Let’s not make too much comparison the team is almost the same," said Wenger. "The goal on Saturday was conceded from a corner and was not excusable. You can accept it sometimes when someone jumps higher than you but not when they scored from the middle of the goal area on the six-yard line. That is where we were guilty.”

1. f*ck right off, we need players2. The team is NOT almost the same ffs. Lost about 4/5 1st teamers with ALOT of experience and brought in kids and nobodies3. Address the issue like you said you would and sort out our defense.

[Kumasi]

FFS, he's really starting to annnoy me now

[Seth Rollins]

Gallas was slacking. Badly. Unacceptable.I really think that when we get the full squad back Nasri will weigh in with goals.

[MrJibbles]

Thank god Fabregas is nearly back.

[Lenny]

Gallas was slacking. Badly. Unacceptable.I really think that when we get the full squad back Nasri will weigh in with goals.

Gallas getting exposed for the average defender that he is, hes not a lead defender. Hes a MAIN defenders side kick. Which is what i think Kolo is too tbh..As for Nasri, Hes been our best midfielder in the past 2 games, but thats not hard when the midfield consists of Denilson, Wally and Eboue. 1 being a striker and a right back The levels have dropped in every part of our team

[Seth Rollins]

Agreed, but I thought we'd keep the same squad, add Nasri, one more player and kick on. Or at least REPLACE some of what went out.Now certain man are injured i'm a bit worried.

[MrJibbles]

Arsenal will step up their efforts to sign Xabi Alonso from Liverpool this week after Arsène Wenger’s team were outplayed by Fulham in the 1-0 defeat at Craven Cottage on Saturday. Alonso wants to leave Anfield after falling out with Rafael BenÍtez, but the Liverpool manager is holding out for £16 million for the 26-year-old Spain midfield player.Arsenal’s opening offer of £10 million was turned down three weeks ago, but after such a lacklustre performance, Wenger knows that he has to make a significant move in the transfer market if Arsenal are to be challengers for the Barclays Premier League and Champions League.Lassana Diarra, Mathieu Flamini, Alexander Hleb and Gilberto Silva have left the Emirates Stadium this year and Cesc Fàbregas’s hamstring injury forced Wenger to start with Denilson and Emmanuel Eboué in midfield against Fulham. “We lacked quality but when you lose a game it is not always a solution to buy,” Wenger said.Now there are TWO ways to feed your fantasyArsenal have been linked with four midfield players this summer – Gareth Barry, of Aston Villa, Marcos Senna, of Villarreal, Gökhan Inler, of Udinese, and Alonso – but the Liverpool midfield player, who was in Spain’s Euro 2008 squad with Fàbregas, is Wenger’s No 1 target.“Alonso would be perfect,” Fàbregas said. “He is my friend and apart from that he is a great professional.”Alonso’s relationship with BenÍtez became strained when he discovered at the end of last season that his manager wanted to replace him with Barry. Matters came to a head during an angry confrontation before Liverpool’s Champions League qualifying match away to Standard Liège this month. Alonso is adored by many Liverpool fans, but he failed to impress during the 2-1 victory over Middlesbrough at Anfield on Saturday.Liverpool signed Alonso from Real Sociedad for £10.5 million four years ago and the Spanish club are set for a windfall if he leaves Anfield. Under the terms of Alonso’s transfer from Spain to Liverpool, Real Sociedad will receive about £5 million if Alonso is sold for less than £13 million and 20 per cent of the transfer fee if he leaves for more than £13 million.Wenger has money to spend after a quiet summer in the transfer market. The Arsenal manager has spent about £18 million on Samir Nasri, Aaron Ramsey and Amaury Bischoff to boost his midfield options, but none of those players is the finished article.

[Seth Rollins]

Source?Please don't tell me it's The Sun.

[Mr Q]

Fully Doubt Alonso is leaving now.

[darkman]

Source?Please don't tell me it's The Sun.

The Sun gets it right sometimes you know

[Aquaman]

lol to even be in contention we need theo song gallas toure rosicky eduardo to be fit/ step upcant be relying on nasri he's obv gonna find it hard this season n will suffer from tryna adapt at some pointwhen u look at our squad then look at manures n chelski's.....smh man like swp is in the stands. the stands fam

[Guest Abou Diaby]

Midfield is shockingEven when Fabregas is back it'll only be him and Nasri who are good enough, we need a good DM and Rosicky back.But even then it's gonna take time for the midfield to gel and by then it'll probably be too late to win anything anyway.

[Scott Summers]

Hes lost the plot.The only way we will challenge is if every player stays 100% for bthe whole season.

[Shatterstar]

Now Songs back im not to worried about the DM position (as long as Wenger plays him there), he can run, tackle & intercept etc but he's also got good passing ability aswell & not just short passing but defence splitting 30 yard passes. I really think we need another creative midfielder, we miss Cesc TOO much when he doesn't play.

[Doug]

when i see wenger in the streets im gonna knock him out watch

[Buc Nasty]

This Alonso speculation is a smokescreen for another signing (hopefully), I doubt Wenger would bring in a player who is ineligible in the Champions League.

[Tom]

Senna would of been a decent aquisition but i think he's staying at Villareal.

[Guest Van Der Wavy]

Senna would of been a decent aquisition but i think he's staying at Villareal.

He's at Fenerbache I think.

[Taurus]

Senna would of been a decent aquisition but i think he's staying at Villareal.

He's at Fenerbache I think.

not yetthey said he signed but theres a problem or suttin so its cooled down nowdoubt arsene would want him anyway swear hes like 31

[JGGB]

Eboue can f*ck right off. Lets play 4-3-3 . Put Walcott up front.

[8BALL]

We should've kept Diarra, lord do we need him right now

[MrJibbles]

Senna is staying in Spain now.

Source?Please don't tell me it's The Sun.

The Times.

[Samir Carlos]

Does anyone actually think somethings gone wrong with Wengers mental health?Not even joking maybe just a check up in case

[gattsu]

Eboue can f*ck right off. Lets play 4-3-3 . Put Walcott up front.

no chancewalcott wont cut it up front

[Seth Rollins]

Eboue can f*ck right off. Lets play 4-3-3 . Put Walcott up front.

no chancewalcott wont cut it up front

Course he can. Don't be silly.That formation with Arsenal is a joke tho. Allow us playing 4-3-3 like say we have THAT strong a midfield. Our 4 couldn't even beat Fulham and barely beat WBA.