Transfer News: Manchester United, Arsenal Vs Other Title Contenders

Chelsea, Manchester City bought their new players rather early and spend the remaining weeks of the transfer window ‘doing window shopping’ – only to buy when there is a proper need (in City’s case), or ‘indulging purchase (for example Chelsea signing of Willian). Tottenham Hotspurs did remarkably well with club record signing one after another plus cashing in massively over the sale of the overvalued Gareth Bale. Only Manchester United and Arsenal were left behind…in terms of new players arriving.
Over the course of one and the half month since the transfer window opened, Manchester United and Arsenal each had one signing, one unknown 20 years old rightback for United and one free signing (also 20 years old) from France for Arsenal. Not that there are no activities, rather unsuccessful ones for both United and Arsenal. In terms of marquee signing, United chased Thiago Alcantara and Cesc Fabregas (with Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale also among those linked) to no avail. Arsenal meanwhile chased Gonzalo Higuain, Luiz Suarez (and even Wayne Rooney), also to no avail. Both clubs attracted fair amount of criticism from their own fans due to lack of signing, understandably when rivals are actively signing players to strengthen their squad. Coming to the transfer deadline, both United and Arsenal entered into the ‘desperation buying mode’ (Arsene Wenger called it panic buy). Both end up buying a midfielder – both overly prized too. Are Mesut Ozil and Marouane Fellaini good buys?

 

For David Moyes it was not what he had envisaged to the Manchester United’s fans when he began his reign at Old Trafford. What Moyes wanted was a creative midfielder, a central midfielder as well as a defender. In the end he ends up with one (out of three) objective met. For Moyes it was one he knew well so the question of how to play Marouane Fellaini will not be an issue. Fellaini has been used by Moyes as an advanced midfielder at Everton before – and with good results. Fellaini is always an aerial threat for any teams, he can also scores as well as play in the holding role too, hence his arrival should be a positive for United. In addition to that United could not afford to be overly dependent on Michael Carrick with injuries and loss of form being the reason. An additional midfielder in the form of Ander Herrera would be most welcome but the deal falls apart on the last hours. The deal involving Herrera end up being one of most the farcical deal of this summer transfer and will be talk about (and ridicule) in the coming months. So do the ‘half serious-half hearted attempts at signing Roma’s Danielle De Rossi and Real Madrid’s Sami Khedira. In the defense with Chris Smalling, Jonny Evans and Phil Jones in the squad (all are Internationals), it would be sufficient to cover for Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand. At leftback, Patrice Evra has shown good form so far with Alexander Buttner and Fabio da Silva good enough as covers hence the question mark over Moyes’ interest in Leighton Baines and at the last minutes - Fabio Coentrao. Coentrao coming on loan would be a good option to provide competition for Evra but Real Madrid had pulled the plug due to their failure to get a backup for incumbent leftback Marcelo.

 

What is puzzling, and will continue to be for months to come is the manner in which Marouane Fellaini was brought in as well as the failed effort for Herrera and Ceontrao. Fellaini costs considerably cheaper when the transfer window opened in July and yet the manner of which his acquisition was conducted only attracts ridicules and criticism for David Moyes and the new Manchester United’s supremo – Ed Woodward. Make no mistakes though, Fellaini is a good buy, a towering midfielder capable of playing in various midfield position. Fellaini also provide that aerial threat in set pieces and most important of all – goals.

 

For Arsenal, Arsene Wenger had the clear objective of securing a world class centre forward to replace Robin Van Persie – the one that left two seasons ago. That remains Wenger sole objective as he pursued first Gonzalo Higuain, then Luiz Suarez – with interest in Wayne Rooney in between. Rooney is the difficult target as Wenger is experience enough to know Manchester United will not sell to their close rival as evidenced by Jose Mourinho’s failed pursuit of the striker. The one reason Wenger has for Rooney, even remotely is that Rooney was unsettled at Old Trafford. In the end wisdom told Wenger not to pursue Rooney but rather Higuan and Suarez. And yet Wenger failed to entice these two players to play for Arsenal. After strings of criticism, Wenger brought in Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid on the transfer deadline, paying a club record to secure his services. Ozil’s arrival is also partly due to the signing of Gareth Bale, making his (Ozil) position at Real uncertain. With Arsenal well stock of good midfielders one can only suspect that Ozil’s arrival is down to the need to have a marquee signing for Arsenal, not just to silence the critics but also as a statement of intent from the club’s perspective – after so many years without a single trophy. One can also suspect with Ozil’s assist record, he will be use rather further up the field with Oliver Giroud and Theo Walcott. In the end with Ozil’s class this is certainly a good buy for Arsenal.

 

Manchester City and Chelsea meanwhile did their buying early on, allowing the players time to gel with the clubs – both clubs are also under new managers. While Manuel Pellegrini remains calm during the pre season (perhaps learning to adapt to new environment), Jose Mourinho decided to sit back and engaged in mind games – particularly with Manchester United. The protracted pursuit of Wayne Rooney has many hidden agendas for Mourinho, knowing well enough to know that selling to your closest rival represent a suicide route – particularly an important and key player. This is further evidenced by Mourinho’s refusal to let Juan Matta leave, either to Tottenham Hotspurs or Arsenal, despite clearly shown that the attacking midfielder does not feature in his plan. Mourinho went further and ‘hijacked’ Spurs’ move for Willian at the last minutes (after the player pass his medical at White Hart Lane). Willian’s signing is also puzzling given that there are so many players in his position at Chelsea. With Samuel Eto’o, a signing wwhich can be seen more like ‘convenient signing’ but Eto’o will provides a good option to Fernando Torres and Demba Ba in Mourinho’s lone striker (and sometimes striker-less) formation. City meanwhile was happy with their summer signings and only enter the transfer market for a defender (Martin Demichelis) when their main centre back and captain Vincent Kompany suffered injury.

 

Tottenham Hotspurs under Daniel Levy looks like the one club to be doing well in this transfer window. Despite losing their star player Gareth Bale, Spurs had gone and make a number of significant signings. Never mind whether these signings will integrate as a fearful force, in terms of signings Spurs easily tops all the other Premier League title contenders. Selling Gareth Bale for a world record transfer fees as well as signing almost half a team proves just how well Spurs has perform in the transfer market.

 

Football can be cruel, and in the coming months, these new signings can or may define some managerial positions in the Premier League. Now that the dust has settled on transfers, these managers need to make sure their signings (or record signings) can settle into the teams and produce what they are paid to do. Manuel Pellegrini needs to settle into Premier League as fast as he can, Andre Villa Boas needs to make sure his ‘exciting’ new signings integrate well into the team, Arsene Wenger needs to make Arsenal’s fans exciting again with their new star midfielder and David Moyes – he needs to make sure the title winning team he inherited from Sir Alex Ferguson produces the kind of performance that allows them to win the title in April – with the help of the ‘dude with funny hairdo’. As for Jose Mourinho, he needs only to provoke!