Thank you, Laca: Lacazette set to leave Arsenal

[LMAO]

Lmao can't wait for him to be the latest in a long line of WC Atletico strikers and then hear people say we should have bought him

Was such a f***ing obvious signing in 2015 in a summer where we signed f**k all

Not fair. We signed Cech

[Arsenal Tone]

No strikers were available...

We have giroud, welbeck, perez, walcott and alexis can play there too...

[Angelito]

Lmao can't wait for him to be the latest in a long line of WC Atletico strikers and then hear people say we should have bought him

Was such a f***ing obvious signing in 2015 in a summer where we signed f**k all

Wenger's gone obsolete. It's obvious just looking at his blunders. He has no sense of judgment anymore.

He didn't sign Cesc when we had first refusal because of Ozil. Jose didn't use him as a CAM. Rather, he used Oscar there with Cesc as a CM. We started that season awfully, with Ramsey in the middle and that lame 4-1-4-1.

What does Wenger do? He reverts to 4-2-3-1 and starts using Santi as a CM. I mean, if he'd turn another CAM to a CM, why not buy a world class CM who was begging to return? He'd have cost us less than what we paid for Xhaka.

Then, there is Project Giroud. It's almost the case of over-compensating for a certain Ligue One striker Wenger let slip, who went on to terrorize oppositions in every final he played.

I'm pretty confident that Wenger didn't go for Lacazette in 2015 because, "no big teams went for him." That's what Wenger does these days. Just looks at other clubs for inspiration. Just watch the summer. I'm pretty sure he will spend it feeling up Griezmann only for Greazy fella to move to ManU, while Wenger haggles over Lingard.

Wenger was a visionary when he came here and up until 2009, he did what was best for Arsenal. Since then, all he's done is replicate what has worked for other big clubs.

Trying to copy Bayern's model on and off the pitch. Trying to play like Barcelona. The whole English core was Wenger trying to replicate the successes of Bayern and Barca, with their German and Spanish cores.

He acts like our Academy is La Masia and justifies not getting players as a result. Even Barca have given up their philosophy. Because it's simply not sustainable anymore.

Look at the man's mischiefs:

Making Ozil play like Griezmann this season - basically a 2nd striker as opposed to an advanced playmaker when he nearly broke the assist record as one last season.

Comparing Ramsey to Lampard and encouraging a player with not a reek of technique to play like one of England's all time greats.

Freezing out the likes of Lucas and Campbell for some weird reason, whereas out of form/mediocre players get chance after chance.

Then, the classic case of overplaying certain players just because Messi and Ronaldo can do it. He basically ruined Wilshere's career by overplaying him in 10/11. On top of that, Jack was also played in the pre-season friendlies leading to his injuries. All at the age of 19 and a guy, whose body clearly couldn't hold up. People have different builds and the apparent sports scientist we have (Wenger) - couldn't figure it out. Same happened with Cazorla this season.

And, he buys players without paying heed to cohesion or symmetry. If you have Ozil in the middle, you support him with complements. Prime reason why Ozil and Cazorla work so well together is because of their individual class. Knowing Cazorla's injury woes, we should have bought a similar or an insane B2B player (Vidal, for example) instead of buying Xhaka. And if you do buy Xhaka, you don't play him in a 4-2-3-1. He only works in a 3-man midfield.

Why the heck are we even playing a 2-man midfield? None of the top teams play a 4-2-3-1 these days. There are exceptions like Atletico or Leicester last season, but then both teams are built on defenses.

When Ancelotti joined Real, the first thing he changed was the formation from 4-2-3-1 to 4-3-3. Yeah, and he won the CL/Cup Double instantly. He sacrificed Ozil. Sad, yes. Ruthless, yes. Germany changed to a 4-1-4-1 and won the World Cup.

Formation isn't everything but adaptability is. Ancelotti played a 4-4-2 diamond during his Milan days. For Chelsea, he tried that. It didn't work and he changed to 4-3-3. They scored 100+ goals and won the Double.

Regardless, we have a manager who can neither get his transfers right, nor get the best out of the squad. If we want to get the best out of Xhaka, we need to play him alongside a flair player (Cazorla, Verratti, Cesc, Kroos) and another B2B destroyer/all-rounder type who can do it all (Vidal, Modric, Rajda?). We have Wilshere who's of similar mold but his history with injuries means we can't rely on him.

With summer approaching, I expect Arsenal's PR to go overdrive ~ Reus ~ Lacazette ~ Schmeichel ~ Lukaku. Expectation - Reus. Reality - Lingard.

Tsk, tsk.

Sounds like a rant, I know. It's super frustrating that we could have bought this guy in 2015 and instead of Leicester (all due respect), it could have been us.

My Lord, and we have to tolerate 2 more years of Wenger..

[ESR10]

Angelito, hats off to you. One of the greatest posts I've read on the forum

[CrimsonGunner11]

Arsenal transfer news and rumours: Gunners face competition from Borussia Dortmund for Alexandre Lacazette?

PLUS: Arsenal's summer transfer plans revealed as midfielder suffers another injury setback

Arsenal face competition from Borussia Dortmund for Alexandre Lacazette.

The French striker is on Arsene Wenger's wishlist as he plots a summer overhaul at the Emirates.

Lacazette has had another fine season with Lyon, scoring 29 times for the club.

And Dortmund have registered an interest as they face up to the prospect of losing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, reports Bild.

With Arsenal set to miss out on the top four, the lure of Champions League football may give Dortmund the edge.

Arsenal have already begun their rebuilding plans for next season - and are making it clear Arsene Wenger will be in charge, writes John Cross.

The Gunners boss is expected to sign a two-year contract and oversee a major squad overhaul which will see a raft of incomings and outgoings.

chalke left-back Sead Kolasinac has been offered a four-year contract and Arsenal are confident of beating AC Milan to his signature.

That will almost certainly spell the end for 31-year-old left-back Nacho Monreal who is set to return to Spain.

Arsenal are offering Kieran Gibbs a new deal but if he decides to go then they are also in the market for Celtic’s Kieran Tierney and have looked at Fulham’s Ryan Sessegnon.

Jack Wilshere has suffered another devastating injury blow after scans revealed he has broken his leg.

The England midfielder got the bad news on Tuesday after a second CT scan on the injury he suffered to his left ankle in a tackle with Harry Kane during Bournemouth’s 4-0 defeat at Tottenham on Saturday.

It showed up a crack in his left fibula, similar to the problem which kept the Arsenal star out for most of last season.

Wilshere, 25, underwent an initial X-ray which did not show a break, but further checks revealed the full extent of the injury.

Source: http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/ ... s-10252510

[Cripps]

Lyon will "go mad" in their efforts to retain striker Alexandre Lacazette, amid interest in the 25-year-old France international from Liverpool and Arsenal, says club president Jean-Michel Aulas. (Telefoot, via ESPN)

This ones dead then

[DiamondGooner]

"Gunners face competition from Borussia Dortmund".

How low have we got for this sentence to be a headline?

[Mike Dean]

Even if Wenger wants him, As long as he is here, Arsenal cannot afford Lacazette.

Aulas is going to keep driving the price up.

He hates Wenger.

Lyon and Napoli are a no go.

[BS221B]

News says that he is gone to Atletico Madrid for £34m. Meanwhile we got Xhaka for £35m. what a daylight robbery was that.

[Sims]

Atleti's new Jackson Martinez

[BS221B]

Atleti's new Jackson Martinez

I think he is replacement for Griezmann.

I somehow believe that Griezmann agreed to join Manchester United in summer. Rooney to Everton as well.

[Sims]

Griezmann is nailed onto join United

Not too confident on Lacazette's chances of success in Atleti

For every good striker purchase they do they eventually get a dud

[Va-Va-Voom]

Atlético are finished anyway.

[gooney]

Atleti's new Jackson Martinez

Lool he is much better than that imo

[Angelito]

Forlan, Torres, Aguero, Falcao, Costa, Griezmann, Lacazette?

Tells you all when Griezmann is arguably the worst of the lot.