What a joke Arsenal have become...I mean we've always been a bit of a weak bunch when it comes to closing transfers, in the Kroenke era (and even before...Wenger's list of "almost Gunners" is painful to read"). But we've taken things to a new level now. At least under the guidance of Peter Hill-Wood and David Dein (sketch as he was), we were respected at the negotiation table. Now we are being pushed aside by the likes of Celtic and St-Etienne with gobs of rejected bids for players who wouldn't or are not ready to get a sniff at clubs we used to consider our competition. You can be assured that our first "offers" for the likes of Tierney and Saliba were completely derisory and when informed of what it would take, we've been countering with typical Arsenal low-ball offers. Meanwhile Spurs and other clubs circle above like vultures ready to buy these same players. While I don't think Spurs are some great quality ahead of Arsenal right now - just look how they went about getting Ndombele this summer, a player much more ready and expensive and at a much bigger club than Saliba...they are interested, they put in a respectable offer, they have the player.
The only saving grace for Arsenal right now is some of their classic competition aren't exactly covering themselves in glory lately either. United are squandering fortunes (still...they are better), Chelsea are entering their transfer ban and lost their talisman (and I think much of their "loan" brigade they are counting on to save them is overrated) and besides Ndombele, Spurs haven't done much and could still have some stars the subject of bids from the giants yet this summer. Meanwhile, even our backroom talent-identifying staff has been a shambles lately and although Edu is a Gunner though-and-through, I'm not sure he's got the power to be anything more than a "yes" man. I guess if he brings in some
I thought Emery had some good moments last year (Spurs game probably being the high point) but the way he failed so hard and so epic-ly when it mattered at the end, combined with one of the oldest squads in the league combined with Arsenal always folding like cheap suits when there is pressure combined with complete ineptness in the transfer market has me prepared for the 19-20 season to be a true low point in the contemporary era of this club. I'm sure not much can change when Kroenke is holding the lock on the coffers but I wonder if we wouldn't be better off trying to rid ourselves of basically every first teamer pushing past their prime and sinking this entire stinking ship - then rebuilding with what looks to be a very promising crop of youth players. I'm not completely dead on Emery yet but I just wonder if in the long-run, if given patience and a young squad, if somebody like Arteta might have been (and still might be) a more progressive choice for this project.
It's really just sad, I can't even say I've got much interest in things at the moment, maybe it makes me a poor or spoiled fan but it's just the same crap every day. A sick part of me hopes Spurs do get Saliba (although I feel their interest could be a complete ruse) except we don't ever learn so there's no point.
