The purchase of Welbeck and failure to acquire the types of players Wenger now claims to recognise we need is a dereliction of responsibility.

Fans, commentators and every one with an opinion has years commented on Arsenal's deficiencies yet the club's recruitment policy has become an opportunistic stab in the dark with the club unable to secure the quality players needed.

After 3 years as a senior Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck was discarded with less respect than Nicklas Bendtner exited the English game.

Meanwhile, Wenger and his merry men have been searching the globe for a prolific striker clinical enough to finish all the chances created but at the usual market stall prices.  Welbeck's twenty goals in 3 years at Manchester United was not a goal scoring record LVG or an ambitious team accepts even from a player that team has nurtured for more than a decade. Yet this is the player Wenger expects to propel Arsenal to glory.

The club suggests there is enough money to buy top quality players and for half the transfer window was open to completing their acquisition. Given these riches at close of the window Wenger was content with the diminished offensive and defensive options that has today shown Arsenal as a touring embarrassment losing 2-0 to a Dortmund team for 6 key starters were injured.

Given the inflated prices of English players £16M represents good value Welbeck, provided he is regarded as a squad player or a replacement for Bendtner. However if he's expected to score to goals needed to win a bet £16M is a waste. Wenger has been polishing diamonds from chalk coal since Anelka but can he really make a striker of Welbeck who in 2 games has had opportunities at pivotal times but have missed them all.  He does offer pace down the middle.

The TV tongues are already wagging Shearer, Owen, McManaman, Redknapp, Neville and others surprised by the move but confident he'll fit the Wenger mould, but does he really? Theo Walcott thinks Welbeck will be better at Arsenal and Welbeck himself has envisaged spearheading the arsenal attack, but to what end? How will he compare to Walcott for pace and power down the middle (as Theo wants) or as an alternate to Giroud, or Sanogo or will he be the new Bendtner?

Arsenal needed dominant striker, DM &  CB, but after it all we settled for Welbeck. Whether he'll prove I be of value remains to be seen.

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Comments  

#22 Babel Lemma Ethiopia 2014-11-04 06:22
The name arsenal has Grace untill arsenewenger is in Fly emirates so every supporter please support him
. We are watching from an outside perspective. We have no information to go by except the distorted info we get from the media. Therefore, we do have very little insight in what really matters.

But then, why do some of you recklessly criticize key men of your football club? They are goddamn professionals, have more insight than you ever will, and are problably making decisions with rational reasoning. However, not even them are protected by the complexity of football. done the same in the heat of the moment. So please stop the reckless criticism of transfers, substitutions and acts of managers in general. They aren't flawless, but we don't really know better than them at any situation.

I've observed that you are very prone to these ettors. We don't know **** and should be very humble in our approaches. Football is complex, it isn't "buy him, sell him, sack him". It's far more complex than finding scapegoats. Please speculate and discuss, but be humble to what we don't know.What else did fans expect?For me,I don't expect alot but a lucky winning if the god of football is on our side.I can't imagine a warrior going to a war without any of his battle equipment and expect to win.Wenger had planned to fail so is not surprise things if his team is loosing now.Let all the fans envisage their happiness in supporting Arsenal comes back after the end of this foolish manager's career except if he change his loosing mindset in January transfer which I don't see of him.The board and the manager are just denying fans of their joy of supporting a team @the detriment of their pocket mstcheeeew.We are tired of them.Time to lash out some undeniable criticism to all ignorant supporters out there, especially those whose football education circulates around FIFA14-ratings.

Please understand that football is a very complex matter. We are watching from an outside perspective. We have no information to go by except the distorted info we get from the media. Therefore, we do have very little insight in what really matters.
+1 #21 Swarnendu 2014-10-22 15:32
It's a shame that apart from that FA CUP and Community shield we have not been able to win anything bigger.
I have been with the team for the last 15 years or so but I dont get the charm I would find in the era of Vieira, Henry,Pires,Bergkamp.

Sorry to say that this Wenger has made the Gunners bored with all his outdated ideologies.
-2 #20 Abdul 2014-10-06 00:16
Go for Alex Song plz
#19 Abdul 2014-10-06 00:14
let ozil go is not a man
#18 Macgooner56 2014-09-18 20:42
Its simple Simon,not complex,Wenger is a busted flush now,he cares more about cash than anything.he is embarassing this great club iv supported for over 50 yrs.He should leave now and let Bouldy take it on.iv had enough bullsh-t from Wenger and the greedy board. id bring in Usmanov tomorrow!!!
#17 Nyasa Goonamaniac 2014-09-18 19:38
The coming in of welbeck is not bad,lets give him time as we may have done with Ozil.Even though he may not score,his pace intimidates opposition teams,unlike most of our players who are too slow on the ball and vanish in big games,therefore he is a good acquisition.
+4 #16 Alanrad 2014-09-18 07:11
Having watched football for 60 years - I will explain the problem Arsenal faces and its pretty simple. Our defence is as good as anyone elses. Its the strategy we use that is at fault. Arsenal have developed the lazy build up from the back as thier usual style. Our back 4 have become playmakers. Watch how many time our attacks start with our back 4. This has two problems. Firstly it allows all 11 oposition players to get into thier own half which means our 6 outfield players are always out numbered. Also this style requires the back 4 to move up to the halfway line. And this is where they continue to get beaten by quick break aways. We must develop a style that gets back to the old days when we broke very quickly and mid fielders were our play makers. So when you watch the back 4 passing slowly along the back and edging forward to the halfway line. You will see what the problem is. Then groan like me.
+1 #15 Bongomin 2014-09-18 05:29
I think Mr. Wenger has ran out of ideas, the 4 - 5 -1 formation he has adopted will not win him any silver ware this season. Let us revert to a 4- 4- 2 traditional formation where we used to see Henry and Bergkamp terrorizing defense. The current signing of Welbeck was a pure disrespect to Podolski, Gbanary, Campbell and the fans.
I THINK MR. WENGER SHOULD GO AND ANOTHER AMBITIOUS MANAGER RECRUITED.
#14 Greg 2014-09-18 01:38
Quoting Simon:
Time to lash out some undeniable criticism to all ignorant supporters out there, especially those whose football education circulates around FIFA14-ratings.

Please understand that football is a very complex matter. We are watching from an outside perspective. We have no information to go by except the distorted info we get from the media. Therefore, we do have very little insight in what really matters.

But then, why do some of you recklessly criticize key men of your football club? They are goddamn professionals, have more insight than you ever will, and are problably making decisions with rational reasoning. However, not even them are protected by the complexity of football. Factors as luck and randomness dominate football, therefore, a decision should be judged by how rational the decision process was, not by the outcome. The result is always in subject to luck and randomness. Therefore, please stop venomously judging leading people AFTER the outcome, you would problably have done the same in the heat of the moment. So please stop the reckless criticism of transfers, substitutions and acts of managers in general. They aren't flawless, but we don't really know better than them at any situation.

I've observed that you are very prone to these ettors. We don't know **** and should be very humble in our approaches. Football is complex, it isn't "buy him, sell him, sack him". It's far more complex than finding scapegoats. Please speculate and discuss, but be humble to what we don't know.

Simon, first FIFA doe snot rate clubs and I do support Arsenal and love my club. However anyone who has played at any level can see our shortcomings and in fact Arsene has mentioned them after the FA final and during the summer. It is his inabilty to pull the plug. Yes it is complex but why make it more complex. I hate Chelsea and think even less of Mou as a person but you have to admire that he recognized his short comings and before the premiership title chase was over he had already identified Costa as hos striker then went out and signed him. Arsene talks about finding quality but even if they a find one the economist in him comes out unlike his counterparts who see talent and just go get them. Don't just tell a player they are good enough put pen to paper to show you believe,
#13 gloster gooner 2014-09-17 23:21
What gooners need to do for a change, is get behind the team,and a certain Danny boy,instead of a constant barrage of ceritercism. Since the glory days of when I stood in the clock end of Highbury, we may have moved to one of the best stadiums in the world, but unfortunately we didn't bring the atmosphere with us.it constantly saddens me how quiet it is,but you never fail to hear a barrage of bickering arsenal fans. One day maybe this will change for the better and we'll get behind our team and encourage them to play the football we all know they are capable of playing, just maybe........
#12 ibrahim 2014-09-17 22:18
Please wenger should understands that there is no time to continue with his habit or should. I call it mentality of thinking to be bringing the young players always, premier. League of now adays is beyong that pls.
We make cesc, V.persie become what they are today but who are benefiting from them?!
Morinhois a typical example,do with who is ready and already made player please. DM,striker n CB.
+3 #11 Davith 2014-09-17 20:40
Quoting Simon:
Time to lash out some undeniable criticism to all ignorant supporters out there, especially those whose football education circulates around FIFA14-ratings.

Please understand that football is a very complex matter. We are watching from an outside perspective. We have no information to go by except the distorted info we get from the media. Therefore, we do have very little insight in what really matters.

But then, why do some of you recklessly criticize key men of your football club? They are goddamn professionals, have more insight than you ever will, and are problably making decisions with rational reasoning. However, not even them are protected by the complexity of football. Factors as luck and randomness dominate football, therefore, a decision should be judged by how rational the decision process was, not by the outcome. The result is always in subject to luck and randomness. Therefore, please stop venomously judging leading people AFTER the outcome, you would problably have done the same in the heat of the moment. So please stop the reckless criticism of transfers, substitutions and acts of managers in general. They aren't flawless, but we don't really know better than them at any situation.

I've observed that you are very prone to these ettors. We don't know **** and should be very humble in our approaches. Football is complex, it isn't "buy him, sell him, sack him". It's far more complex than finding scapegoats. Please speculate and discuss, but be humble to what we don't know.

Great, this is what makes football so fascinating, everyone has a point of view, much clouded, by emotion, passion and bloody mindness.
Most supporters support their team thro thick and thin. Me I have supported Arsenal since 1953, but last night was totally unacceptable, has Mr Wenger lost the plot???
+1 #10 Davith 2014-09-17 20:29
Why all the fuss about Wellbeck, let's give him a chance!!, the problems are no defensive midfielder, or back up defenders. Can someone inform me of the position of Jenkinson (at West Ham) can we not at least get him back??.
If this continues we will be lucky to finish in top ten. Ozil has been very disappointing to say the least. Looks disinterested at times, may be time to cut our losses?, and purchase someone with a bit more height and power.
+9 #9 Visitor 2014-09-17 15:43
Judging Welbeck on 2 games is stupid.
+1 #8 Taiwo 2014-09-17 11:04
What else did fans expect?For me,I don't expect alot but a lucky winning if the god of football is on our side.I can't imagine a warrior going to a war without any of his battle equipment and expect to win.Wenger had planned to fail so is not surprise things if his team is loosing now.Let all the fans envisage their happiness in supporting Arsenal comes back after the end of this foolish manager's career except if he change his loosing mindset in January transfer which I don't see of him.The board and the manager are just denying fans of their joy of supporting a team @the detriment of their pocket mstcheeeew.We are tired of them.
+3 #7 Arsenal Fan Zambia 2014-09-17 09:47
I must say that this first game of the champions league is the worst i have ever seen from my team. What we need is Defenders. Ozil needs bench, we have campell,Gnabri AND Pod to help us if other strikers are missing links. I dont understand Wenger maybe its time for him to Goooo. Arsenal for Life
#6 Simon 2014-09-17 08:28
Quoting Cliffy:
I don't agree with this humble guy. after nearly nine years, do you expect me to be humble? I think you just as stubborn as Wenger is.Did he really have to buy Welbeck? when he's got Campbell, Podolski and even Gnabri he can use as strikers? then there is also Walcott? Sorry Sir no humble pies around.

Obviously he must have thought that Welbeck was needed. Why? Because he accepted the transfer of Welbeck to Arsenal. Certainly Wenger does have some kind of competence in football, right? Or do you think that the fans are more competent than the manager?
-1 #5 Cliffy 2014-09-17 08:24
I don't agree with this humble guy. after nearly nine years, do you expect me to be humble? I think you just as stubborn as Wenger is.Did he really have to buy Welbeck? when he's got Campbell, Podolski and even Gnabri he can use as strikers? then there is also Walcott? Sorry Sir no humble pies around.
#4 Simon 2014-09-17 07:05
Quoting Alan:
They re not professionals. They re losers simon. Bit like you.. Do you work in Bruxelles or something ?

Nah. Just a regular CNC-operator, nothing more.

Just tired of ignorant supporters who do not understand how complex football is.

Us fans would never do better than the manager. That's all.
#3 Paul parry 2014-09-17 06:49
I thought wellbeck was a strange signing purely because our defensive worries are far greater in my opinion.2 good solid CB's were required before the season started (1 an experienced continental looking for a move, the other a young British prospect) The DM debate will rage on forever and a day but the truth is we don't needed one as long as our talented midfield is used to its strengths. Any new system takes a while to bed in as do new players so back them all as negativity doesn't help. COYG
+1 #2 Alan 2014-09-17 06:46
They re not professionals. They re losers simon. Bit like you.. Do you work in Bruxelles or something ?
#1 Simon 2014-09-17 05:51
Time to lash out some undeniable criticism to all ignorant supporters out there, especially those whose football education circulates around FIFA14-ratings.

Please understand that football is a very complex matter. We are watching from an outside perspective. We have no information to go by except the distorted info we get from the media. Therefore, we do have very little insight in what really matters.

But then, why do some of you recklessly criticize key men of your football club? They are goddamn professionals, have more insight than you ever will, and are problably making decisions with rational reasoning. However, not even them are protected by the complexity of football. Factors as luck and randomness dominate football, therefore, a decision should be judged by how rational the decision process was, not by the outcome. The result is always in subject to luck and randomness. Therefore, please stop venomously judging leading people AFTER the outcome, you would problably have done the same in the heat of the moment. So please stop the reckless criticism of transfers, substitutions and acts of managers in general. They aren't flawless, but we don't really know better than them at any situation.

I've observed that you are very prone to these ettors. We don't know *** and should be very humble in our approaches. Football is complex, it isn't "buy him, sell him, sack him". It's far more complex than finding scapegoats. Please speculate and discuss, but be humble to what we don't know.