All in all, I have to say I'm pretty pleased with the window.
First the drawbacks. No CB. No DM. While I'm sure it's news to everyone. Arsenal didn't sign a CB or DM. I have gather from comments around the web that most people think the businessmen at Arsenal simply didn't bother to pick up either. Given that we have been continuously linked with strong midfielders for the entirety of the window I find that unlikely. We have hardly been linked with defenders, however Arsene had observed several times in interviews that a defender is what they need, so I doubt that Arsenal simply didn't bother. It just didn't happen. This is, as I'm sure you'll agree, a shame. This is not, as you might not agree, a cause for revolt. We wanted. It didn't happen. The window is shut. Let's move on.
The good things. We added Ospina, Chambers, Debuchy, Sanchez and Welbeck. I am happy about all of these! (To varying degrees of course. Sun rays don't constantly shine from my Arse And All). I will list them in order of bringing me least to most happiness.
5. Ospina providing competition for Szczesny can only be good. I haven't seen much of him but noises around other blogs make him sound like great competition. However had we signed a back up no name Viviano-esque player I would have been equally as happy. Ospina would have to be outstanding to see Szczesny usurped. Hopefully, he is outstanding and this pushes Szczesny into the realm of Seaman. (this realm a bit more hairy and prickly with tache hair than the realm of semen which doesn't bear thinking about). Whatever. A good player who can back up/usurp a good player. Goalkeeper is that sort of position where you just need a really good one, not a particular sort of one, to my uneducated mind anyway.
4. Sanchez, to your great alarm I'm sure, is merely fourth on my list. Had all 5 signings been made at the same time Sanchez was certainly number one. Don't get me wrong. I love that he's already got 2 goals. I love that he played a blinder against Besiktas. I love that he is going to put the shits up a lot of opposition. After all, all of these players make me happy. I think I've just had enough time to get used to his signing be the end of the window so the happy feelings aren't quite as strong as they were. But tricky feet, energy, proven, superstar, he'll be awesome. The more players we have like this, the less the opposition will know who to double/triple mark.
3. Debuchy is clearly a hard worker and not afraid of a scuffle. I like that he is happy to be at Arsenal and told everyone how he's so happy to be here with the facilities Arsenal have. How it's another world to Newcastle, where they nurse ailments with their special tonic (Newcastle Brown Ale) and treat a broken leg by stamping on your foot (to take you mind off the leg break they say...). From what I've seen so far, he's an, dare I say it, upgrade on Sagna. Sagna, who everyone rated (and for good reason), seemed to get dispossessed or give the ball away with a crap pass quite often whenever I watched him which used to do my head in. Don't get me wrong. A consummate professional he was. But I haven't seen these shortcomings in Debuchy. While Debuchy has his own, which seem to be a side effect from playing with drawling trolls, I reckon they can be ironed out.
2. Welbeck is, in my humble bloggy opinion, going to be the most successful signing we've nicked from that little club in Manchester. Of course, there isn't a huge amount of competition. Welbeck however represents a signing of different circumstance: He wasn't palmed off to us in a trade for one of our superior players and he isn't past it. I am convinced he's yet to peak and when he does, he has the potential to peak high. Like many of you when I first heard we were in for Welbeck I treated myself to a sneer, but quickly my mind changed as I gave it further thought about what we need, how he is a gift bag of potential from a desperate rival, the fact that he sought us out for a transfer and Spurs were shafted in the process. The fact it dragged on into the night before confirmation took a lot of the glean off it in the end but I am looking forward to seeing what he does.
1. Chambers probably would have been the lowest down the list were all signings made on the same day. I had no idea who he was. He has come in and played very assuredly for a guy of his age at CB and at right back against Besiktas. He has made a few mistakes which have fortunately not cost us yet but come on. He'll be a great option for years to come and I feel more comfortable with him back there than Vermaelan. I loved Vermaelan and wish him the best at Barca but the manager didn't seem to rate him much by the end and neither did I.
All in all, a good window's business. What's more, we kept Podolski and Campbell. Okay they don't appear to be favoured options of the manager. But it's great to have someone like Podolski able to come off the bench and swing is left foot at the ball. Campbell is something of an unknown quality and he too is exciting.
Anyways, thanks for reading. Over to you guys. How do our five new boys rank from least to most exciting, least to most happiness-enducing, least to most delicious, least to most groingrabbingly awesome... Whatever you like. Let me know up the Arse and all.
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