Just noticed in the programme on Saturday how cheap Arsenal's squad was. It's true that they have shelled out heavily on fringe players like Edu et al but their first team, bearing in mind how good it is, was buttons. I mean, Pires only cost £6 million FFS. Henry only cost £8 million.

Why did Laurent Robert cost £10 million when an established French international like Pires only cost £6?

Do we get ripped off?

-- Anonymous, March 05, 2002

Answers

Arsenal have tended to be patient with players, giving them plenty of time to adjust to the EPL. They have also chosen players who they think will improve and hopefully hit their heights at the club. Anelka was an example, and was successfully sold on when he had peaked. So are Pires, Henry Ljungberg and Wiltord. Campbell was expensive and well established in England, but having been at Spurs still had a lot to prove at club level. That in my mind is the trick to ensuring players improve - make sure they are still hungry. Buying the high priced established stars can give you a boost in a particular position, but you can't build a succesful team around them. This sounds a bit tired and repetative, but it's common sense, as we are experiencing with Bellamy. This approach is easier if you are in Europe and can entice the promising underachievers. Last close season with the Intertoto only, we managed extremely well to attract who we did, including Robert, who I still reckon we should be more patient with.

-- Anonymous, March 05, 2002

I dont think we have done so bad either, Wenger is a master of finding promising (french) players. Dyer and Bellamy is two exampels, also Jenas will probably be worth a lot more in a couple of years. And dont forget Marcelino!!

-- Anonymous, March 05, 2002

Pires was worse than Robert last season

-- Anonymous, March 05, 2002

Sudden I'm trying very hard to forget about Marcelino then you go and remind me! Mind he didn't have a bad game for the resorves yesterday.

-- Anonymous, March 05, 2002

Wasn't Campbell free?

-- Anonymous, March 05, 2002

Yes - but very highly paid.

-- Anonymous, March 05, 2002

Paul, Pires was picking up by this point last season. I only know this cos I had him in my fantasy league team and he basically won me our office mini-league single-handedly after about February.

-- Anonymous, March 05, 2002

In terms of statistics yes, but in terms of getting physically involved in the game and tackling back and so forth he was no better than Robert.

-- Anonymous, March 05, 2002

Very possibly. Apart from on MOTD/Premiership/Sky, I haven't watched him in any detail and, on the basis that I'm always slagging off people who slag off our defence/Robert/Shearer et al without having been to a game all season, I'm not going to comment on Pires other than statistically :0)

The fact remains, though, that Pires was an established French international who cost Arsenal £6 million. Is Robert going to turn out to be £4 million better than Pires looked on Saturday? If so, we'll have a player who goes beyond World Class.

-- Anonymous, March 05, 2002

My mate's an Arsenal fan, I'm just taking his word for it to be honest.

He said Pires was awful last season, really weak, rarely took on his man and would drift out of games fairly regularly. At the end of last season he was talking about which players should be sold, and Pires was near the top of his list.

This season he has by all accounts been outstanding. He is stronger, more confident and works a lot harder.

-- Anonymous, March 05, 2002

Weren't we linked with Pires when Gullit was manager?

-- Anonymous, March 05, 2002

W were linked with Pires when Dalglish was manager but we signed Perez instead.

It's a mistake that could have been made by anybody ....

-- Anonymous, March 05, 2002

Fair enough, Paul. There was a Gunner in the Mag saying the same thing recently. Pires has been my standard line of Robert defence so far this season ;)

-- Anonymous, March 05, 2002

It's a fair question Dougs - and one that's concerned me several times in the past, especially where we've ventured overseas for players. For now though, my answer is that I trust Bobby Robson - not just for his initial decisions who to purchase, but critically for his ability to bring his signings along (perhaps with one or two exceptions !)

-- Anonymous, March 06, 2002

Pires is also 2 years older.

-- Anonymous, March 06, 2002

I'm Laurent's No 1 fan at Newcastle but, age and everything else aside, he is unlikely to be the player that Pires is and you do have to question whether we were held to ransom on the fee. Bear in mind that his agent told West Ham that he would probbaly sell for £6.5 million.

-- Anonymous, March 06, 2002

LOL. I'm a fan of Lolo but this comment on another site made me larf:

"If Will is Pop Idil, then Robert is Bone Idle".

-- Anonymous, March 06, 2002

Two examples for Arsenal:

Lauren : £7.2m

Sylvain Wiltord: £13m

-- Anonymous, March 09, 2002