Ox

[Hansern]

Douglas Costa would be high up on the list of targets. If we get CL football then a transfer should definetly be possible.

 

[dmishra]

OK, let's compare: Jesus Navas – 0 goals, 2 assists this season. 0 goals last season, 0 goals the season before that. Willian scored 2-4 goals per season until the last couple of seasons, when he got 5-6 per season in his very prime. Hazard, Pedro, Sane and Sterling are all strikers or wing-forwards – they need someone else to defend and supply the ammunition to them. I do agree with you that we need to buy someone like Mahrez, Gnabri or Salah to bolster our attacking line (especially with Sturridge likely leaving), but I just want to make a point that teams also need players like the Ox or Willian who might not produce great goal-scoring numbers, but still contribute enough in the overall play to justify their selection.

I don't rate Navas, which is why I didn't even list him. I have an aversion for players without end-product, and Navas typifies that.

Re: Willian - you're right, his scoring record isn't great, but it's still much better than Oxlade's. Scored 11 last season, and has got 8 this year. Further, Willian overall is a superior player to Oxlade. He's consistently fit, provides a good work-rate, and his skill level on the ball and overall creativity are also on a higher plane than Oxlade's.

 

[dmishra]

*When I wrote Jesus, I meant Gabriel Jesus, not Navas.

 

[rurikbird]

*When I wrote Jesus, I meant Gabriel Jesus, not Navas.

Yeah, now I get it! Too many false profets around

 

[Hansern]

To be fair the 35 mill £ havent been confirmed anywhere. Goal reported yesterday that Oxlade is one of several targets, but we wont pay more than around 20 mill.

 

[mom]

I'd say that's about right price wise. Although, hasn't he had a chequered past with regards to injuries. I'd rather pay premiums with all our potential targets and get players with a decent injury record.
Suarez had everything and was a god damn tank. Mentally and physically he was rarely unfit, and it's not as though he cruised through games. Yeh I know there's a paucity of his type, but, it'd be nice to not have to worry about potential injuries 24/7

 

[keniget]

The squad is thin so if there is a deal to be had it might be worth looking at - which I'd like to think is where our interest stems from.

35M is crazy money and even 25M is too high given the circumstances.

 

[binomial]

Early yellow for ox, takes out Fabio.

 

[hmmmmm1]

A Wild lunge too, no where near the ball. i thought he had pace

 

[Hansern]

The fee should be down to 18 mill then

 

[binomial]

A Wild lunge too, no where near the ball. i thought he had pace

Got done by Fabio shortly after too, he's really never been any good.

 

[Red Bird]

I guess the slippery surface isn't helping, causing many heavy touches and players to slip and fall because I haven't seen much of the blistering pace he's for which famed.

In other news, I see Downing is still the coward.

 

[Mystic]

Ox also has the advantage of being able to play the same positions as Lallana, ie the wing and the most advanced midfielder, we need more squad depth, and I feel he's talented enough not just to sit on the bench and be there if needed, but to actually challenge the first team and keep them on their toes, something we've always massively lacked in our squad. He shouldn't be, and I doubt he is, our number one goal scoring winger target, I'd have no interest in him for that role, but for <£20million as a member of the squad, it's a no brainer for me.

 

[Oncy]

Hes got shit hair. Im not having it.

 

[darkstarexodus]

Hes got shit hair. Im not having it.

Well, out goes half our squad then.

 

[Hansern]

He was good tonight. Very pacey aswell.

 

[Ryan]

We're (*massive fucking jinx alert*) likely to be in the CL next year, and you'd like to fucking think we'll make a better fist of the cups than we did this year - so you can add 25 odd games to our season. All of that, and desperately trying to stay in the top 4 whilst all of our competitors strengthen.

With that in mind, you don't really have time to bed in players who'll take time to adapt, and/or can't cope with playing against top European sides. You need guys that can walk in and play - either as a regular starting option, or a very good bench option that's gonna play 20-30 games a season.

Oxlade-Chamberlain fits that bill for me. And he'd fit well into our more direct style of play than Arsenal's ponderous, limp-wristed venturing. For 20M odd I'd be buying him all day long.

 

[darkstarexodus]

We're (*massive fucking jinx alert*) likely to be in the CL next year, and you'd like to fucking think we'll make a better fist of the cups than we did this year - so you can add 25 odd games to our season. All of that, and desperately trying to stay in the top 4 whilst all of our competitors strengthen.

With that in mind, you don't really have time to bed in players who'll take time to adapt, and/or can't cope with playing against top European sides. You need guys that can walk in and play - either as a regular starting option, or a very good bench option that's gonna play 20-30 games a season.

Oxlade-Chamberlain fits that bill for me. And he'd fit well into our more direct style of play than Arsenal's ponderous, limp-wristed venturing. For 20M odd I'd be buying him all day long.

I don't have a problem with any of that. But do your thoughts change on him if the price is, as has been mooted, closer to 35m GBP?

 

[Ryan]

I don't have a problem with any of that. But do your thoughts change on him if the price is, as has been mooted, closer to 35m GBP?

Yeah they would, but it's not gonna happen. He has 1 year left on his contract, so this 35M chat is superfluous really.

He'll be around the 15-20M mark, which for a 23 year old international with 25 England caps and over 100 club games at the absolute top level is cash money in my book.

 

[Gary25]

Yeah they would, but it's not gonna happen. He has 1 year left on his contract, so this 35M chat is superfluous really.

He'll be around the 15-20M mark, which for a 23 year old international with 25 England caps and over 100 club games at the absolute top level is cash money in my book.

But he does get injured loads.

 

[Dreambeliever]

We're (*massive fucking jinx alert*) likely to be in the CL next year, and you'd like to fucking think we'll make a better fist of the cups than we did this year - so you can add 25 odd games to our season. All of that, and desperately trying to stay in the top 4 whilst all of our competitors strengthen.

With that in mind, you don't really have time to bed in players who'll take time to adapt, and/or can't cope with playing against top European sides. You need guys that can walk in and play - either as a regular starting option, or a very good bench option that's gonna play 20-30 games a season.

Oxlade-Chamberlain fits that bill for me. And he'd fit well into our more direct style of play than Arsenal's ponderous, limp-wristed venturing. For 20M odd I'd be buying him all day long.

So a cup semi final isn't making a good fist of it?

Doubtful we will have more than 10 extra games next year however we will need to cope with 2 games a week in the first half of the season

 

[StevieM]

So a cup semi final isn't making a good fist of it?

Doubtful we will have more than 10 extra games next year however we will need to cope with 2 games a week in the first half of the season

It will be about 25 games extra, on our march to the Quadruple.

 

[StevieM]

So a cup semi final isn't making a good fist of it?

Doubtful we will have more than 10 extra games next year however we will need to cope with 2 games a week in the first half of the season

Also - finishing 4th will mean there's a fairly good chance the CL will give us 10 extra games on its own - through qualifying, group stages & at least not finishing last in the group.

You'd hope we could get at least 8 games from both domestic cups.

58+ games sounds about right, so 20 extra games.

We had 9 extra games this season.

 

[Dreambeliever]

Also - finishing 4th will mean there's a fairly good chance the CL will give us 10 extra games on its own - through qualifying, group stages & at least not finishing last in the group.

You'd hope we could get at least 8 games from both domestic cups.

58+ games sounds about right, so 20 extra games.

We had 9 extra games this season.

I took as Ryan saying we would have 25 extra games from what we will play this season which will be 47.

We would need to go a long way in the Europa league FA Cup and League Cup for that.

And even then I don't think we would hit 25.

 

[redhorizon2]

It will be about 25 games extra, on our march to the Quadruple.

We should only put out the reserves for the domestic cups.

 

[StevieM]

We should only put out the reserves for the domestic cups.

I disagree to an extent.

We saw how that worked against us in Jan.

We should have a bigger squad - so maybe reserves in the sense of adding in some Up and coming youngsters & squad players not considered first team regulars.

I think momentum and a winning mentality go hand in hand.

 

[mom]

Five pages of dicusssion and he'll probably sign an extension tomorrow.

 

[Silver Sean]

Worst nickname in football, or any sport. Fuck him.

 

[Hansern]

He can be called "the Penetrator" for all that I care, as long as he contributes to our success.

 

[Red Bird]

He needs to move for the simple reason he's making no progress at Arsenal. Last night, he looked pretty ordinary, playing safe percentage football in the hope somebody else would make it happen.