re: Arsenal 2012/2013 Season Long Thread

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I'm going to assume you know that stats only paint part of the picture.

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Of course, but 10 goals and 10 assists a season for the last two seasons is excellent production outside of everything else. I've already outlined in detail how I think he improves the squad. I think he adds quite a bit to our overall play for this reason. He never looks to face the game head on with the ball at his feet. He is always looking for a way behind the defense. Too often our team is full of players who only want to do the former. We don't have enough players who want to do the latter. This is why he is so valuable, and why his speed and timing is more important than his technique.

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I have said Theo at times plays like a class player and has the potential to become such a player but how long should we wait for that to come true? It has been 6 years already.

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What? You have statistical evidence that Theo is going to become a good player or already is a good player, and yet you want to throw away the 6 years of development that we've already put into him? I hate to break it to you, but Theo was always a long term purchase. No one should have expected him to do very much until he was 21/22, which is exactly when started producing. This is madness. What is the point of buying these kids young and developing them if we just get rid of them when they are just about to realize their potential? You don't buy 16 year olds to get rid of them only 6 years later. If we sell him, some other team will profit off our hard work.

As far as wages go, I think he should be paid what he wants. There is a much stronger correlation between the wage scale and the league table than there is spending lots of money in the transfer market and the league table. I also think we should keep the players we develop.

He is already on star wages at around 70k a week. Raising that to 100k isn't that obscene, but we have players who contribute much less than he does on much more wages (Arshavin). Hell, at least he has tangible product. He's been our most productive winger since Pires/Ljungberg. His job is to produce goals and assists. He does that better than most wide players. Him asking for a raise isn't that crazy.