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You get one do-over

Which one would you take back?


  • Total voters
    74

AberGooner

Established Member
Trusted ⭐

Country: Scotland

Player:Gabriel
Was really excited at the time but it has to be the Pepe signing. Don't know what we would've used the money for instead but we'd probably be in a better position now.

Özil, whilst not the player he was, has still shown to be a serviceable player when given the chance, more creative than anyone we currently have anyway.

I'd also like to think with not signing Pepe, the repercussions down the line would be that Willian would never have been signed either.
 

Tir Na Nog

Changes Opinion Every 5 Minutes

Country: Ireland
How's this even a debate, 72 million for a player barely worth 22 million on a long term contract and if we sell him well have to take a MASSIVE loss.
 

Jae

Well-Known Member
Özil for me in hindsight, and it's not even for footballing reasons - it's for the general media attention and controversy surrounding him and the fact that any chance he gets he seems to stick the boot in on the club. It's become a bit of a circus.

Pepe isn't the first record fee player that's flopped and he won't be the last. There's been plenty. Plus the jury is still out anyway.
 

Flying Okapis

Most Well-Known Member
Willian for me, theres hindsight with all 3 but Willian is that same old retirement signing we have got ourselves into again.

Plus the timing of it, Özil, Mustafi, David Luiz all on the way out, selling the likes of Kolasinac and getting the deadwood out but now we have another one who 100% wont leave, it just sums up the past however many years with players getting a free ride at Charity FC.
 

Heskey

🌑 🌘🌗🌖🌕🌔🌓🌒
Trusted ⭐
I get why some say Pepe, although I still think the biggest problem here is not Pepe or his level/talent, but the two managers (three if you count Freddie) that have not managed him properly. Especially when you consider how his first season with us was (everything included he was having a decent first season) despite joining in a super turbulent year for us. Then this year to see himself benched for Willian from day one.

I could never say Özil. Like said by others before me, he had many great games after signing, and despite not delivering the same G/A numbers as prior, that wasn't his sole purpose in the team so I disagree wholeheartedly on purely measuring him on his G/A as many seem to do. I have seen similar rumors as @American_Gooner on his back problems being severe, and if true on both that and that the club has kept that quiet then that seems to be the club trying to "protect" their asset in terms of perhaps being able to sell a 'damaged' player while doing great disservice to their player at the same time.

Willian, however, I can find no positives in. Imo. the completely wrong signing no matter how you twist or turn. Aging, 3yr deal, high wages. Putting a player at our club with potential behind him in the queue for what resale/development potential?
 
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L3T5 PL4Y

Flair Accuser
Özil. It was evident he was finished and before that was unreliable both in fitness as well consistency on the pitch. Moving him on at the time would have accelerated and helped us in reshaping the squad.

Signing Pepe for 72m was ridiculous as well.

The worst thing however was not getting Wenger out after the first FA cup win and getting in Klopp.
 

AberGooner

Established Member
Trusted ⭐

Country: Scotland

Player:Gabriel
The worst thing however was not getting Wenger out after the first FA cup win and getting in Klopp.
Do you think Klopp would have left Dortmund at the time for us? They were still really good then.
 

AberGooner

Established Member
Trusted ⭐

Country: Scotland

Player:Gabriel
Well, he was looking to move on at the time and we weren't much different to Liverpool.
Yeah just think the timing on that one wasn't right. He didn't leave Dortmund till a year after the Hull final.
 

Big Poppa

Established Member
Trusted ⭐

Country: USA

Player:Saliba
Pepe by far. Cost more than Salah, Mane, Son and Sterling. We just panicked because we got dragged into a bidding war with Napoli and couldn’t get Zaha.

It’s like buying a car because you’re running late and missed the train.
 

Oxeki

Match Day Thread Merchant
Trusted ⭐

Country: Nigeria

Player:Saliba
Özil for me in hindsight, and it's not even for footballing reasons - it's for the general media attention and controversy surrounding him and the fact that any chance he gets he seems to stick the boot in on the club. It's become a bit of a circus.

Pepe isn't the first record fee player that's flopped and he won't be the last. There's been plenty. Plus the jury is still out anyway.
Exactly. There are plenty of big money transfers that have flopped in the PL.

But Özil is just the worse decision. On the pitch and off the pitch, it has been an unmitigated disaster.
 
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akhil

Well-Known Member
Pepe by far. Considering we've structured the deal to keep paying for years. We can't properly write it off cause we'll be paying for him 3-4 years from now.
 

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