The Transfer Window Is Finally Over – So How Do You Feel Now It’s Over?

So the summer transfer window is finally over. After months of agony, frustration, despair and in some case anger, we finally have our new signings confirmed.

On the 1st July, we recruited Yaya Sanogo on a free from Auxerre, although reportedly it cost us about £400,000 in compensation.

Then, with only 4 days of the transfer window left and with Arsenal fans crying out for a big name signing (or even a “medium name” signing) we confirmed the deal of Mathieu Flamini on a Bosman. While it was a useful signing given his versatility and ability to play in midfield or at fullback, it didn’t excite all the Arsenal fans.

We are a very good team and the Premier League doesn’t lie. We’ve finished in the Top 4 for the last 16 seasons and that’s where we deserve to be, but unfortunately we haven’t manage to break into the Top 2 for the last 8 years. So that is a problem, a frustration if you like, we’ve suffered as a club recently.

You will remember the massive fall out when we lost 3-1 at home to Aston Villa on the opening day of the season. The aftermath was vicious to say the least and every Arsenal fan was angry.

We were paying the highest season ticket prices in the country and not getting a team that could compete. We reportedly had £180 million in cash reserves and spent absolutely nothing.

And then onto transfer deadline day. Arsene teased the media and the fans after we beat Tottenham in the North London Derby, saying he may have “a good surprise” for us all. Even though we had shown little ability to close a deal or complete a signing (I don’t need to mention Gonzalo Higuain or Luis Suarez) I still had that faint hope we would make a signing or two that would get us to the next level.

In the early hours of last night, there were rumours that Arsenal were in for three Real Madrid players – Karim Benzema, Angel Di Maria and Mesus Özil. We were also linked to Demba Ba.

But in the end, Arsene finally opened his cheque book, dusted off the cobwebs and spent big. And this afternoon, it was confirmed that Arsenal had struck a deal with Real Madrid and agreed a £42.4 million fee. Then later tonight, Arsenal.com was finally worth visiting as they confirmed the deal has been completed.

Arsene Wenger said:

“We are extremely pleased to have signed Mesut Ozil. He is a great player, with proven quality at both club and international level. We have watched and admired him for some time as he has all the attributes I look for in an Arsenal player.

“I have said throughout the summer that we have been working hard to bring in top quality players to this football club. This has involved many many people across the club and I have always had the full support of the club in making decisions on the football side.”

And there is no doubt he is a top top player. He is an exciting signing and will join fellow internationals Per Mertesacker and Lukas Podolski. His assists record for Real Madrid in 3 seasons is outstanding with 74 assists. If you watch the video below, you will see how class he actually is. A midfield consisting of either him, Cazorla, Wilshere, Rosicky and Ramsey is something to get excited about.

We also completed a loan deal signing of Emiliano Viviano who looks like Manuel Almunia’s twin brother. Let’s hope the similarities end there and he doesn’t make mistakes like the former Arsenal goalkeeper.

So that’s it, it’s all over. We can sleep at a reasonable hour, and not check our phones or computers constantly to see if we’ve actually bought anyone. Our new signings consist of Yaya Sanogo, Mathieu Flamini, Emiliano Viviano and Mesut Özil. There’s no doubt who the marquee signing and the others will be useful squad players.

But how did we do this summer? Have we done enough to take our team to the next level?

After the euphoria of Mesut Özil joining, then you would have to say we haven’t done enough. We’ve addressed the goalkeeping situation (in one way) and given Szczesny some competition. But could we have done with another defender? We have Sagna and Jenkinson at right back, Gibbs and Monreal at left back, and three decent central defenders in Mertesacker, Koscielny and Vermaelen. So numbers-wise, it isn’t a disaster, and obviously that’s how Wenger feels. Added to the fact that Sagna can fill in at centre back then Arsene must feel we are strong enough in defence.

In midfield, we now have Mathieu Flamini, Santi Cazorla, Tomas Rosicky, Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere and Mikel Arteta. That’s 6 players for 3 spaces. We have Theo Walcott and Mesut Özil who can play in a more advanced position alongside the striker and we have Olivier Giroud and Lukas Podolski who can play up top.

For me, if I was being picky (and I am) then I would have liked to see another striker brought in. Demba Ba probably would have been the right call as he is decent enough and if we get an injury to Olivier Giroud then we are in big trouble with Podolski out for the next 10 weeks.

Theo “could” fill in that position but it’s not ideal. Then there is the argument that it wasn’t cover we needed up front but a world class striker. Some are still unconvinced about Giroud and I am still on the fence. He is in excellent form and playing well but I can’t help thinking how good we would be if we had a truly world class finisher.

So overall?

I am pleased with the Özil signing – you can’t not be after bringing in a world class player – but time will tell if the 4 signings we’ve made are enough to mount a real challenge for major trophies.

 

36 thoughts on “The Transfer Window Is Finally Over – So How Do You Feel Now It’s Over?

  1. Not enough for us to win the league, but if we can hang in there until the january window opens we might just get the extra 4 players we needed (rb, cb, cf and a winger)

    I’m just hoping that we have a secret signing like we did with arshavin or we are able to pick up a couple of out of contract players to bolster the numbers.

     
  2. Can’t believe we let toby leave for ath.madrid, i realy wanted a backup striker @least muriel would have been absolutely fantastic for us.. Phew! All in all.. I must say i’m not impressed with our dealings @all. We only spent £42.5m.. When in truth a figure close to £67m would have made us instant contenders, now we have to wait for our injured players. Hmmm… ARSENAL FOR EVER ANYWAY

     
  3. Two missed points: you didn’t include Oxlade-Chamberlain, who fits both midfield and winger roles.

    And you also didn’t note Bendtner as effectively our striker signing. Not Higuain, for sure, but a better target man than Arshavin. And that’s all assuming that Sanogo is a non-entity, and not the next Henry. Watch that space.

     
  4. Excited about Ozil, but feel we’re still 2 or 3 players short of challenging for the title. Fingers crossed Koscielny and Giroud stay fit, or I fear we’ll wobble.

    No excuse for not bringing in a backup centre back and striker, there were plenty of inexpensive options available, but we like doing things the hard way.

    Not a time to be negative though, Ozil is a potential POTY candidate.

     
  5. Elated by Ozil signing, not least because in a roundabout way Spuds facilitated it. We now have the best midfield in the prem.
    I reckon our defence is fine, just a bit injury blighted at the moment.
    If we had snuck in a world class striker then it’d have been job done. Maybe it still can be if we let Walcott have another go at being ‘the new Michael Owen’ but not convinced Wenger wants to do that.

     
  6. Good, but not good enough. Wenger needs help to do deals because he leaves it too late and fails to realise we need more quality defense and a striker. Don’t accept a deal could not have been done for these positions, it’s just Wenger is out of touch

     
  7. Agree with the above suggestions of Alderweireld and Muriel. 25m could have got both and we’d have an excellent looking squad, with cover in all areas.

     
  8. Pretty poor effort from Wenger. If Ozil had been the star signing amongst a number of others I might have been satisfied, but to have a budget of £70m and not spend it is a disgrace.
    I dont want to see Bendtner in an Arsenal shirt again, he’s been on loan for 2 seasons because he’s useless. He didn’t cut it at Sunderland, why should we think he is good enough for us now? I’m glad Giroud is playing well, but if he gets injured we could be in real trouble. Sanogo didn’t look very good the other night. What happened to a defensive midfielder?
    Nothing much has changed for me, I want Wenger out, and now he has no excuses.

     
  9. Not too sure what to make of it.Sure he is a very talented player but does nothing to sort out the weaknesses in our team.We are still so easily bullied and look very shaky defending against most teams.Giroud has made a half decent start to the season but we definitely need another striker.It seems totally illogical to me that we apparently make big bids for Higuin and Suarezut then end up not signing any striker of worth.

     
  10. I still hold so much anger and hatred on Wenger. Arsenal can’t compete for any title with jst this signings. No star striker? Common, Arsene Wenger! You need to move on to another club. You have ended up destroying Arsenal. I’ll never support Wenger again.

     
  11. EVEN WITH THIS SIGNINGS I THINK WE WILL BE GOOD TO LIFT ALL AVAILABLE TROPHIES. THIS WIL DEFINITELY BE THE DOWN OF A NEW ERA FOR THE GUNNERS!!! (GUNNERS 4 LYF)

     
  12. I’m very pleased with the signing of Ozil. If we score alot of goals now then we are gonna score a lot more now with his assist record beating the likes of Iniesta every year in the La Liga. Another striker would of been ideal but only cause Podolski is injured. I have faith in Yaya Sanogo I think all he needs is more confidence in the team and some ball action to start getting few goals which is inevitable throughout the season. At least now at a stage we could have Flamini,Rosicky Wilshere,Chamberlain,Podolski,Monreal,Jenkinson & Viviano on the bench with a great first 11 out. Pretty good. Arsenal to win title.

     
  13. i am not pleased with our transfer at al,we needed a strong 4,but got flamini.we needed some one to compete with giroud and we got sanogo.
    The ox and podolski are on injury,which makes us left with the choice of santi.meanwhile he is awful in that position.our midfield was already okay.with jack,santi,ramsey,arteta,flamini,rosicky.we did not need ozil, but an angel di maria,who is good in both flanks and also up front.he is the right person to make wallcot compete for his position.ozil i hope is not a waste of time and resources.gooners for lyf

     
  14. Welcome Mesut! The transfer window could’ve been better but then I guess it could’ve been a lot worse without this fantastic signing. I don’t really understand why we didn’t go for Oedemwingie, ok, not the best striker in the world, but at 2m, cheaper than a loan from Chelsea, and he has EPL experience, and less issues than Suarez. We are desperately thin up front, we have one up to speed striker. What also annoys me a bit is all the MU fans moaning and saying they should’ve had Ozil, forgetting how lucky they are not to be in the same position as us last year. Maybe we should let them feel it by buying Rooney!

     
  15. Good signing, price is excessive though, could have done with Sakho, can’t believe we let the dippers get him, also need a top class dm, a rb and a striker, top 4 will be best we can get as is.

     
  16. i only found out 1thing at this end of the transfer window,what all arsenal fans needed is only signings nt trouphy can’t u people guess u can sign twenty players but is possible u can’t win a dam trophy.4 me thise is the begning of good eera at arsenal fc 4 de fact that wingei did nt sale our any of our consistent player rather he adds some quality, if u are nt fustrated enough,in ur rigth sense u wil knw that a player is capable of giving the whole squad confidence they need.as 4 me were are title contenders.dn’t pray 4 winger 2 go cause u will rely miss him,this may be the last season of winger incharge of arsenal watch well and observe that winger is trying 2 silence his mockers which he wil do b4 he leaves then u found out what am talking about

     
  17. Viviano, ozil and flamini is a good addition to our team but signing of asley willaims from swansea and suarez or any other good striker would hv make arsenal more title contender.

     
  18. Not enough depth. I love Ozil and he is a very high quality addition however we are lacking some depth. Did we do enough for trophies? If you consider 4th place a trophy; then yes..

     
  19. Thank god at last for signing player like ozil this will definately boost our attacking line,who knows maybe champion league cup is at our door mouth up gunners up wenger

     
  20. Ozil a great signing but Wenger has once again failed and managed to leave us short of quality in some positions. We have waited all this time and been teased by Wenger and the board for just one major signing. Still he has not spent all the money at his disposal when it could have been used to strengthen the team to bring in important signings so we can make a serious assault in all competitons. Once again political strategies by Wenger and co. will fool most naive fans. Very frustrating!

     
  21. I am highly disappointed,hw can u sign just a player n tell us u r ok,n oda coaches are signing big players, ozil is a good buy but can a tree make a forest,wat is d possibility of an injury free team,0%! Arsene n arsenal Board sit up n don’t tink the fans are fool,whereas u both are the STUPID and INSENSIBLE BEGINS,who believe the can reap were they do not sow, Arsenal Fc am sorry,am not been pessimistic but we aint TITLE CONTENDERS!

     
  22. Quality addition but we surely still need a striker & central defender to be title contenders. Anyway let’s see how it goes till January hoping Giroud keeps his current form & does not revert to his ways of making passes in front of goal rather than doing his striking duty. If Flamini does well defensively we may just get it right

     

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