If only Wenger had the balls to bid for Martial…

Ian Watson

Send your thoughts to theeditor@football365.com. Go on…

Best meaningless goals
In response to Mike Clewer, CFC let me tell you mate that Benteke’s overhead is both one of the best goals I have ever seen at OT and the only time since Real Ronaldo’s CL masterclass that I have seen United fans genuinely react with admiration for an opponents goal, then get really really awkward when we realised who he was playing for. It was stunning.

My own contribution would be De Rossi. ‘We’ scored 7 he manged the best of the lot. Any other game and that’s a shirt off, in the crowd, kick the corner flag celebration. Felt really sorry for him.

Regards
Dave [Rooney lookalike] Ferguson

 

I give you Dean Barrick, for Sheffield Wednesday at Liverpool in 1989.
Matt

 

This from Donati, Celtic 5-0 on aggregate v Arsenal and he does this in injury time.
Martin

 

PLEASE put this in. I strongly believe that Dean Ashton would have been the England #9 for at least half a decade had his career not been so cruelly curtailed by SWP on England duty. Give him his moment in the sun. PLEASE!

And to show it wasn’t a fluke, here’s another incredible meaningless goal from the big fella at Mark Noble’s testimonial. Note how he immediately asks to be subbed off, he actually seriously screwed his back up. What a legend!
Michael Johns

 

A twist
I take your ‘best meaningless’ goals, and raise you.

Best disallowed goals.

I’ll get the ball rolling [into the Brentford net from 70 yards].
Alex Stokoe, Newcastle upon Tyne

 

Martial the man
My God I would love if Arsenal put in a large bid for martial. He’s exactly the type of player we need up top playing this formation. Has more pace than Welbeck, and can actually finish! Honestly think Sanchez, Ozil and Martial as a rotating top three would be terrifying to face.

I know Wenger will never have the balls to bid big for a Utd player, and even if he did Jose would almost 100% not sell. But the kid needs more gametime and he’s french?
Galway Matt, AFC

 

Loanees and buy-back clauses
Mike J, Cayman is getting his panties in a twist isn’t he? A few points:

There are three parties to the transfer – Man City, West Ham and Iheanacho. If any of them do not think that the Buy Back clause is fair then they do not agree to the transfer and it does not proceed on that basis. Including – pay attention Mike, this is the important bit – West Ham.
If it doesn’t suit West Ham to sign up to this then they are free to make a different offer for a transfer without the clause.
Possibly the player wouldn’t be signing for West Ham in the first place if he wasn’t confident that he can go back to City once he proves himself.

City would definitely want more money without the Buy Back clause, and there may well be a clause that allows West Ham to buy out the Buy Back clause. For the Buy Back clause to make any sense to both sides the £20m fee must be significantly lower than what they actually think the going rate for Iheancho is.

The clause itself should tightly define when City can exercise the option. It’s very unlikely that it’s an open ended opportunity for City to click their fingers whenever Iheanacho shows a bit of form.

The clause will only be enforced if Iheanacho turns out to be brilliant. West Ham should be quite pleased if City do want him back as it means they’ll have had a brilliant player for a couple of seasons, not having paid the going rate to get him in the first place.
Of course, this assumes that West Ham think that the player is worth a lot more than £20m. Otherwise they’re idiots.
Monkey Steve

 

The need for speed
A Stoke City centre midfield pairing of Glenn Whelan and Darren Fletcher. Wow
Stephen

 

A plea for perspective
This has not been the best of seasons, but let’s keep things in perspective. We won the toughest FA Cup in a long time, beat Chelsea twice, Man City and a Mourinho team, We amassed 75 points, scored 121 goals all competitions and finished top of our group in the Champions League.

I am not saying it’s all rosy at the Emirates, but people need to calm down. While it has been disappointing, it is has not been the worst season ever. It was bound to happen after years of consistently disappointing-but-not-too-disappointing years. Now Wenger is in a position he has not been before. The CL won’t weigh us down. We wont have our heartbreaking february loss and maybe that could be a good thing. I’m not papering over the cracks, but we won the FA Cup like 4 days ago, let’s not start depressing about next season just yet.

Also, I understand Ravi’s point, but Martial was hardly not unknown mate. He was a starter for Monaco, who finished runner up in the Ligue 1 and had played Champions League football. He was highly sought after (Chelsea had a bid turn down earlier that summer). Yes he was no Griezzman, but it’s hardly Wenger signing Kolo Toure or Ferguson signing Bebe.
Guillaume, Paris

 

I’m still knocking about Jack, 22, London (is Chris Hump3 still knocking around these parts?). I think the mailbox should be more concerned as to the whereabouts of Stewie Griffin. Ever since Arsene was confirmed as staying for another 2 years I have visions of him walking around his house in his brown dressing gown and grizzly bear slippers slowing mumbling ‘Wenger…, Wenger…, Wenger…’

Still can’t decide if Arsene staying puts him in the Winners or Losers section though.
Chris ITFC, (The mystery ingredient is cough syrup) Liverpool

 

Revisionist history
In terms of George Graham being moved on despite doing well in the cup’s. I would urge Frankie to remember what actually happened. Graham was caught taking bungs for signing players who were decidedly average and subsequently was removed as manager for effectively stealing from The Arsenal.

I get that people are annoyed about Wenger, I myself am not most pleased. But let’s not get things twisted even further.

Thanks.
James Murphy

 

Arsenal WILL win the title. And here’s why…
Just wanted to say that QPR had a bit of an indifferent season. Thanks for listening x
Joey