As we all know, all transfers are held out in full view of the public, and so the absence of any news or information stands as incontrovertible, irrefutable evidence of the complete and utter absence of actual activity . We know and can track and evaluate every inquiry, every offer, every step in the negotiating process. What’s there to track or evaluate at this point? Nada. Zilch. Bupkis. Also, in a clear demonstration of how logic works, there’s been no news of any activity; hence, there must be no activity. What, are we to believe that clubs conduct transfers privately, involving only those directly involved in the negotiations themselves? Bosh. Flimshaw!
A whopping three days into the window, and there aren’t even any halfway decent transfer rumours to analyse. As we all know, there’s a direct one-to-one correlation between how often & breathlessly entirely reputable publications such as The Metro, The Sun, and The Mirror report on transfer rumours and the likelihood of their passing, and so it’s more than a bit concerning that the best we’ve seen has been a tepid trickle about Ivan Toney. Where are the stories of Vlahovic, Osimhein, or de Ligt? They’re barely anywhere to be found; ergo, there has been even less progress, behind the scenes or otherwise.
As we all know, the only way to improve a club is by buying more and more players. Expensive ones. Chelsea and Man U, to name just two recent examples, have proven this point beyond a reasonable doubt. Trying to develop academy lads is a fool’s errand, as no player in the history of this or any other club has been promoted to the first team, nor do young, diamond-in-the-rough players improve through practice and experience. This isn’t FIFA where you can train up players. The fact that Arteta hasn’t already signed and started the players this squad so sorely needs stands as an indelible stain on what might be called his “legacy,” and it would in no way be an overreaction to have him sacked by the weekend. We have a dicey FA Cup clash at home to Liverpool, and it might be nice to have that “new manager bounce.”
What’s the alternative? To accept that last season’s success might have exceeded expectations, that opponents have figured out how to negate our attack, that a young squad is trying to bed in key players while injuries to others have tied Arteta’s hands? Again, I say bosh. To that, I add flimshaw.
I profess in the sincerity of my heart, that I have not the least personal interest in endeavouring to promote this necessary work, having no other motive than the publick good of my club, by advancing our trade, providing for transfers, relieving the poor, and giving some pleasure to the rich. I have no children, by which I can propose to get a single penny; the youngest being nine years old, and my wife past child-bearing.
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