✍️ OFFICIAL Ainsley Maitland-Niles (Out)

[AberGooner]

He had a decent impact on loan at WBA. They where too far gone to stay up but their results and defensive record really improved once he went into the side.

Our worst mistake was allowing him to build up form worthy enough of an England call up, convincing him to stay and then freezing him out of the set up almost completely. He was a £25m+ player at that point.

From here on out if Arteta has no intention of using a player he should just move them on if it means putting the money into signings like Tomiyasu etc.

 

[2Smokeyy]

Don't get this comment, they were already screwed by the time he got there and he was easily one of their better players. Didn't Gnabry go there and not make an impact many moons ago?

You can't read too much into loan moves players peak at differient times or within optimal settings.

Spot on. I actually managed to watch some of their games and AMN/Gallagher/Pereira impressed me a lot, it was quite obvious they didn’t deserve to be on that sinking ship.

Anyways, I think it’s very harsh to judge a player in a team set up by Sam Allardyce or even Tony Pulis (Gnabry). From the start of that season, I knew WBA looked like the favourites to go down as their squad lacked any quality, so if some were expecting AMN to go in there and rescue them, there was no chance of that happening.

 

[CaseUteinberger]

Didn't Gnabry go there and not make an impact many moons ago?

Tony ****ing Pulis was their coach at the time. Don't have a clue what Wenger was thinking. Easily one of the worst handled young players we have ever had. Talk about making an absolute hash of things by Wenger.

AMN isn't getting playing time at our club so it is time to get him off the books while he still has some value. I personally was always hoping he would become a solid RB, but that hasn't happened. Time to move him on and let him have his career elsewhere.

 

[CaseUteinberger]

I actually managed to watch some of their games

Watching West Brom games on a voluntary basis not being a fan of the club deserves a medal for dedication or being frowned upon for misspending ones time!

 

[Macho]

Tony ****ing Pulis was their coach at the time. Don't have a clue what Wenger was thinking. Easily one of the worst handled young players we have ever had. Talk about making an absolute hash of things by Wenger.

and yet everyone complained when we didn't force a prem/championship loan on Saliba. Can't win.

Not sure that one can be blamed on Wenger mate, he was starting him at one stage.

 

[A_G]

£12m is a joke though tbh, Sp**s got £16m for Nabil Bentaleb.

 

[Heskey]

This whole handling of AMN has been ridiculous.

Whether you like him or not, to only get £12M is just horrible.

Seemed we only wanted to use him whenever severely needed for us, and whenever he picked up form or had great performances he was benched while others who struggled were allowed to keep their place.
He got 5 caps for England, all last season. Been locking players down playing LB and RB and had MotM performances in midfield. Yet we will sell him for 12M. Hilarious.

 

[Red London]

and yet everyone complained when we didn't force a prem/championship loan on Saliba. Can't win.

Not sure that one can be blamed on Wenger mate, he was starting him at one stage.

It’s about where you loan the player though within the league. Loaning someone to let’s say Graham Potter’s Brighton is completely different to loaning someone to Tony Pulis’ West Brom. I am including location here as well as tactics and even diversity in the squad.

It was a poor loan for a young foreign player. It was Wenger’s biggest mistake as a manager in recent times for me. Gnabry was my favourite player and the potential was clear there. But for some reason he just abandons him and manages him poorly after he returns from a serious injury. That’s why he didn’t want to stay here after he proved Wenger wrong. He should have never been loaned out in that scenario.

 

[Macho]

It’s about where you loan the player though within the league. Loaning someone to let’s say Graham Potter’s Brighton is completely different to loaning someone to Tony Pulis’ West Brom. I am including location here as well as tactics and even diversity in the squad.

It was a poor loan for a young foreign player. It was Wenger’s biggest mistake as a manager in recent times for me. Gnabry was my favourite player and the potential was clear there. But for some reason he just abandons him and manages him poorly after he returns from a serious injury. That’s why he didn’t want to stay here after he proved Wenger wrong. He should have never been loaned out in that scenario.

I regret bringing Gnabry up and I've said my thoughts on the matter (it's not Wenger's fault imo).

Just saying AMN failing to single handedly reverse West Brom's relegation isn't not an indication of his ability. I'd say his England call ups, his form in our FA Cup run, and motm performances here and there, are.

Not advocating keeping him either but there's simply no balance at all in the mindset when it comes to Hale End. They are either WC who can do no wrong (Saka, ESR) or not good enough get rid (Eddie, AMN). A bit jarring.

I have questions about AMN application in training and stuff, but I wish him the best. He's capable of having a solid career in whatever position he wants to play regardless of what AM thinks.

 

[Red London]

I regret bringing Gnabry up and I've said my thoughts on the matter (it's not Wenger's fault imo).

Just saying AMN failing to single handedly reverse West Brom's relegation isn't not an indication of his ability. I'd say his England call ups, his form in our FA Cup run, and motm performances here and there, are.

Not advocating keeping him either but there's simply no balance at all in the mindset when it comes to Hale End. They are either WC who can do no wrong (Saka, ESR) or not good enough get rid (Eddie, AMN). A bit jarring.

I have questions about AMN application in training and stuff, but I wish him the best. He's capable of having a solid career in whatever position he wants to play regardless of what AM thinks.

Yeh none of my comment was angled towards AMN, it was exclusively about Gnabry.

Re AMN I think both parties have been at blame to an extent, as well as AMN being unlucky also. I think the guy needs to kick start his career and it won’t happen here. There has been too much confusion about where he wants to play over the years, but when he plays well he doesn’t even get a look in in the team.

We should have sold him when his value was the highest, like we did with Willock. You will get people being upset with the decision but it’s usually the right decision if they haven’t shown to have world class potential. Instead, we have let the value drop to its lowest point, just like we did with Chambers and Eddie too currently. We could have sold Chambers, Eddie and AMN for a combined 60-65m but may end up getting less than 20m for the lot. Poor management and running of the club.

 

[2Smokeyy]

Watching West Brom games on a voluntary basis not being a fan of the club deserves a medal for dedication or being frowned upon for misspending ones time!

I agree, I had a lot more time on my hands back then due to the pandemic and fortunately the working from home restrictions still in place, so I could watch quite a lot of other games. This is how I came across Conor Gallagher last season. Anyways, it’s no secret that I rate AMN a lot and will follow him closely wherever he decides to go.

 

[Macho]

We should have sold him when his value was the highest, like we did with Willock. You will get people being upset with the decision but it’s usually the right decision if they haven’t shown to have world class potential.

Largely agreed with your post. Willock is evidence that the club has learned to just take the money, so going forward I am sure we will see less of these situations anyways.

A lot of the poor situations like Chambers and stuff were inherited.

 

[MikelHadADream]

Feel for AMN, he's been robbed of 4 or 5 months of football. This surely means a CM is coming in, seen the links to Bruno G resurfacing again.

 

[2Smokeyy]

£12m is a joke though tbh, Sp**s got £16m for Nabil Bentaleb.

I’m not fussed about the fee as I used to be, I just want him out of here and playing football. Not even sure if that’ll happen at Roma under Mourinho tbh but surely he’ll get a better chance there.

 

[Red London]

Largely agreed with your post. Willock is evidence that the club has learned to just take the money, so going forward I am sure we will see less of these situations anyways.

A lot of the poor situations like Chambers and stuff were inherited.

I see some small improvements over that idiot Gazidis’ overseeing of the club but still a lot to prove. We will be getting ripped off on Mavropanos and AMN under Edu/Arteta’s reign. That’s another 25m flushed down the drain. They also had plenty of time to offload Eddie.

So the jury is still out but let’s see what their next batch of decisions are, because I guess they inherited these situations I speak about (as you eluded to).

 

[Red London]

Feel for AMN, he's been robbed of 4 or 5 months of football. This surely means a CM is coming in, seen the links to Bruno G resurfacing again.

This isn’t the first time as well, he got robbed of half a season after Wolves tried to sign him and Arteta kept him. Now a very similar situation has occurred.

 

[Macho]

Indeed @Red London the club still leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to sales.

We will see what happens after the latest round of contract expirations.

 

[Riou]

This isn’t the first time as well, he got robbed of half a season after Wolves tried to sign him and Arteta kept him. Now a very similar situation has occurred.

Arsenal acting like a kid that doesn't play with a certain toy, but as soon as your brother wants it, you throw a tantrum to keep it...then throw it away again, after 5 mins

 

[Penn_]

Anything less than 20m is pathetic.

He will he sold back to an English club within a few seasons for 30-40m

 

[TornadoTed]

Anything less than 20m is pathetic.

He will he sold back to an English club within a few seasons for 30-40m

More like £3-4m in my opinion