Robin van Persie

[Carol Williams]

Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse

[Alex Holowczak]

The big problem with this is, he was the easiest possible pick for a Fantasy Football team; he scores that many points that despite the cost, he's worth it on a per £1m basis.

By going to a new team, he's likely to spend a few weeks getting into his stride, and will be far less prolific than he was at Arsenal simply because they'll play in a different system. Man Utd have far more depth up front, so he might not be an automatic pick for the likes of Wigan at home.

Time for a rethink of my Fantasy Football strategy.

[Eoin Devane]

There are still grounds for optimism. With Podolski, Giroud, and Cazorla in and only RVP out, I think we certainly are in a stronger position than this time last season.

In the past, Wenger has always been pretty good at selling players at the right time and getting good fees for them. This may be the case again here - £24 million for a 29 year old with only one year left on his contract, a consistent history of injuries, and only one full world-class season under his belt strikes me as a pretty decent piece of business!

[Carol Williams]

There are still grounds for optimism. With Podolski, Giroud, and Cazorla in and only RVP out, I think we certainly are in a stronger position than this time last season.

In the past, Wenger has always been pretty good at selling players at the right time and getting good fees for them. This may be the case again here - £24 million for a 29 year old with only one year left on his contract, a consistent history of injuries, and only one full world-class season under his belt strikes me as a pretty decent piece of business!

True - but there is a lot to be said for experience and I think RVP has a couple of years at top level left in him and maybe it would have served Arsenal better to have kept him - I don't think Arsene wanted to let him go and probably wanted to keep him to help develop the younger talent - something that Arsene has always been good at.


I thought the figure was £22 million but you may be right

[Eoin Devane]

True - but there is a lot to be said for experience and I think RVP has a couple of years at top level left in him and maybe it would have served Arsenal better to have kept him - I don't think Arsene wanted to let him go and probably wanted to keep him to help develop the younger talent - something that Arsene has always been good at.

The three we've brought in are experienced international players as well, though, so we're not really losing too much in that department.

I thought the figure was £22 million but you may be right

BBC are saying £22.5 million plus £1.5 million dependent on United winning either the PL or the CL in the next four years. Whatever the true figure, I think it's imperative that we reinvest it in the squad.

[Phil Neatherway]

I heard that RvP is suffering frm a bad back because he was carrying Arsenal last season.

[David Robertson]

Wouldn't it be cheaper all round for Arsenal to merge with Spurs? Just asking

[Phil Neatherway]

Personally, I think it would be better if the Woolwich Wanderers moved back to where they came from.

[David Gilbert]

Wouldn't it be cheaper all round for Arsenal to merge with Spurs? Just asking

Excellent idea. Newcastle could join up with Sunderland, Birmingham with Aston Villa, Sheffield United with Sheffield Wednesday, Manchester City and Manchester United, err Brighton and Crystal Palace, and Millwall with......... gulp!

Rotherham Town did previously amalgamate with Rotherham County to form the mighty Rotherham United. It just goes to show!

[Mick Norris]

Manchester North End was more creative (Bury, Rochdale and Oldham)

[Phil Neatherway]

Not to mention Maxwell's Thames Valley Royals idea.

[Kevin Thurlow]

"Excellent idea. Newcastle could join up with Sunderland, Birmingham with Aston Villa, Sheffield United with Sheffield Wednesday, Manchester City and Manchester United, err Brighton and Crystal Palace, and Millwall with......... gulp!"

You've forgotten Tranmere, Liverpool and Everton. Some of the above mentioned teams should merge with continental teams surely, bearing in mind where the players come from?

[James Byrne]

...

[Eoin Devane]

Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse

Things just did: http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archiv ... a-for-song

This leaves a big hole in the squad compared with last year. Given that we have made the decision to sell Song, rather than being forced into it by a contract situation, I presume that Wenger is confident that he can bring in the players to fill this gap. I'm not yet convinced that the likes of Diaby and Ramsey are of sufficient quality to be starting every week.

The talk is of a loan move for Sahin from Real Madrid. He would definitely be a good signing, though he did have his injury problems last season. Ideally, I'd like to see Sahin plus a proper defensive midfielder such as M'Vila. Song gave a bit of "bite" to our midfield, which is something that we need in addition to the technical ability.

[Greg Breed]

"Excellent idea. Newcastle could join up with Sunderland, Birmingham with Aston Villa, Sheffield United with Sheffield Wednesday, Manchester City and Manchester United, err Brighton and Crystal Palace, and Millwall with......... gulp!"

You've forgotten Tranmere, Liverpool and Everton. Some of the above mentioned teams should merge with continental teams surely, bearing in mind where the players come from?

Queen's Park Cardiff would be explosive although rather difficult to find a home ground!