CONFIRMED: Vermaelen moves to Barça

[Zinc]

We were after Higuain, who went for £35 million, but we dropped him when we found out that Suarez had a release clause of over £40 million - you and PG may or may not know that £40 million is actually more than £35 million. I've shot holes in PG's default negativity on this one - in your desperation to whinge you guys sometimes just say stuff that has little do with actual reality.

[Cripps]

Ah reality.

The reality is we needed a striker last summer.

We still need one this summer

[Pudpop]

Ah reality.

The reality is we needed a striker last summer.

We still need one this summer

Debatable. We need a DM, yes, but we don't know yet if Sanchez can perform that role yet. For all we know we might have a WC striker in our hands. Worst case scenario we have a world class winger

[Cripps]

The fact that we don't know if Sanchez is a world class striker or not would suggest he's not.

If someone's world class, we know it. Agree on the winger part.

[Zinc]

Ah reality.

The reality is we needed a striker last summer.

We still need one this summer

I agree, I want a better first choice centre forward.

[VCC]

I would have liked to see him play as a DM to see how he would go there.

[Santi]

Let's face it though, the striking department has improved this year. Okay we don't have the full nailed on world class striker we have an improved Sanogo and a great player in Sanchez as options rather than just Bendtner (Sanogo injured half the season). It's much more manageable and comforting to know we can put Sanchez up there when we want and i'd much rather focus on a DM to replace Flamteta than a striker who won't improve us as much.

[Mexal]

Ah reality.

The reality is we needed a striker last summer.

We still need one this summer

Debatable. We need a DM, yes, but we don't know yet if Sanchez can perform that role yet. For all we know we might have a WC striker in our hands. Worst case scenario we have a world class winger

Even then, I don't think it matters. This idea that we need a world class striker since all goals comes from a striker is outdated. Germany on the world stage proved it's not a necessity and up until our injuries, we were scoring more than enough goals to win games. With the added attacking options of a healthy Ramsey/Walcott/Wilshere/Chamberlain/Ozil plus an improved Sanogo and the additions of Campbell/Sanchez, I think we have enough goals throughout the team. We might not have a 30+ scorer like Suarez, but we have a lot of 10-20 guys spread throughout the team and that will do just as well.

[DiamondGooner]

Let's face it though, the striking department has improved this year. Okay we don't have the full nailed on world class striker we have an improved Sanogo and a great player in Sanchez as options rather than just Bendtner (Sanogo injured half the season). It's much more manageable and comforting to know we can put Sanchez up there when we want and i'd much rather focus on a DM to replace Flamteta than a striker who won't improve us as much.

But you can't just throw people at ST and think they'll be good enough.

ST is an art form just like any position on the pitch you need to know your role and have form, he's not going to get that on the wing.

We don't need "options" we need a striker, I'd be more than happy with Sanchez as ST but Wenger needs to play him there for it to count.

Wenger is always banging on about players who can play multiple positions because he's a cheap b*stard!, When City or Chelsea want a ST they go out and get one, they don't get a friggin LB and say "Well I like him because he can play LB, LW and goalie".

We need specialists especially at ST, goal getter's, how's Sanchez going to learn his role being whored around our midfield?

Until Wenger plays him at ST regularly we actually have the exact same ST situation we did before the window.

[gunner3024]

All the best to him

[Santi]

Not really because even if he is a backup and plays 5 games there all season it's a better option than Ozil false 9 or whatever it would be if we didn't have Sanchez (ignoring Sanogo as he's in both scenarios). Plus having another amazing creative player on the wings/support striker negates the need for a top class striker in itself. I'm not disagreeing with you that we shouldn't have just got/go get an actual striker but I don't think it's fair to say it's not an improvement in our options. Finally, he's played second striker for both Udinese and Chile, see no reason why he can't fulfill the striker role in our team on a semi-regular basis.

[Arsenal Tone]

Just seen howedes mentioned on twitter. Unsung hero for germany, a bit like berty was for brazil the summer we signed him!

[Callum]

Not really because even if he is a backup and plays 5 games there all season it's a better option than Ozil false 9 or whatever it would be if we didn't have Sanchez (ignoring Sanogo as he's in both scenarios). Plus having another amazing creative player on the wings/support striker negates the need for a top class striker in itself. I'm not disagreeing with you that we shouldn't have just got/go get an actual striker but I don't think it's fair to say it's not an improvement in our options. Finally, he's played second striker for both Udinese and Chile, see no reason why he can't fulfill the striker role in our team on a semi-regular basis.

Good post, I agree with it all.

[Jugadorazo]

Hopefully we don't bring another Luzhny, Stepanovs,, Silvestre or Squillaci as Vermaelen replacement. We are desperately short at CB & need top quality!

[Va-Va-Voom]

Hopefully we don't bring another Cygan

But, but your user name...?