Arsenal's transfer needs and Super Sunday tips: Ed Chamberlin
Thursday 27 August 2015 20:48, UK
Just days to go until the transfer window closes. Every six months, you think the brinkmanship and madness can't happen again - and yet here we are, with another crucial period coming up for any number of clubs.
Managers may complain about the window still being open once the season has started, but as Sam Allardyce explained so well last weekend on Super Sunday, while Roberto Martinez and Ronald Koeman will be desperate for it to close, plenty of other bosses have had a chance to assess their squads in the opening three weeks and realise that there are areas that now need strengthening.
Gary Neville was spot on when he talked about his admiration for what Arsene Wenger has done at Arsenal - and also his frustration that Wenger hasn't recruited the power needed in central midfield to win the Premier League title.
Sky Bet somehow manage to bet on all the potential big deals. In my days as an odds compiler, you weren't even permitted to have a single bet on a Premier League game (minimum trebles only) unless the match was televised, let alone have a bet on a transfer happening.
There are so many that 'could' go through. John Stones is the most talked-about transfer yet to happen, though Sky Bet's 1/4 suggests Chelsea will still get their man before 6pm on Tuesday.
Manchester City have made the biggest statement so far after their brilliant start. Signing Nicolas Otamendi and most likely Kevin De Bruyne, who shortened from 2/5 to 1/10 on Wednesday to join City, sends out a major message to the rest. No wonder Sky Bet have gone odds on (5/6) on City to win the title.
What will Manchester United do? They are 14/1 to stun the football world and sign Neymar.
Arsenal are the enigma yet again in a transfer window. How frustrating it must be to be an Arsenal fan.
Gary Neville was spot on on Monday night when he talked about his admiration for what Arsene Wenger has done at the club - and also his frustration that Wenger hasn't recruited the power needed in central midfield to win the Premier League title. Gary feels Arsenal are so close, yet the final pieces of the jigsaw are still missing.
He and Jamie Carragher agreed that the Gunners can't win it with Santi Cazorla and Francis Coquelin in the engine room. My concern is what Arsenal will do if Coquelin picks up an injury. They do not possess another top-notch holding midfield player. Mikel Arteta, Jack Wilshere, Mathieu Flamini and co are not the answer. Morgan Schneiderlin would have been perfect. I said after their resilient performance at Manchester City last season that they could play together in big away games to dig out results.
Arsenal fans will be clamouring for another striker in the next few days, which is needed too - they are 9/2 to sign Edinson Cavani - but a powerful midfield player should be the priority.
As a football fan, I was captivated listening to the boys discuss the Arsene Wenger years with Thierry Henry on Monday Night Football. Gary described why the 1998 team was the best team he played against; pace and power all over the field. Jamie argued that the Invincibles were even better and I loved his description about how intimidating it was to line up against them in the tunnel. The Arsenal players were so big and powerful, Jamie said it was like standing next to a basketball team!
Thierry was fascinating about Wenger's mentality and how he changed his thinking to build a team around Cesc Fabregas and how, for the first time, the manager changed his approach to sit back and be more defensive en route to the Champions League final in 2006. A brilliant insight.
In 2015, I'm confident Morgan Schneiderlin will turn out to be the summer's best piece of business. Mind you, Chelsea getting Pedro for £21m might rival that. What a piece of business that looks, when you see Juan Cuadrado leaving having originally costing £23m.
Firmino could be anything at £29m, whilst West Brom are rejecting a £22m bid for Saido Berahino. Pedro's arrival has almost single-handedly changed the landscape at Chelsea. Doctors, physios and the captain's position are no longer the headline. Their title odds have also steadied at 10/3. Pedro is 5/4 with Sky Bet to follow up his impressive debut with another goal on Saturday against Crystal Palace.
Live Ford Super Sunday
It's been a difficult few weeks for Southampton on and off the field. On it, they haven't found their rhythm yet and are one of seven Premier League teams without a win so far.
Sam Allardyce told me on Sunday that Ronald Koeman "has to put his foot down" - a painful thought with a ruptured Achilles - which in fairness he did do last week in firmly saying that no players were for sale. They need to hang on to Sadio Mané and Victor Wanyama and Saints fans will be re-assured, with both odds on with Sky Bet to stay.
The club are so well organised and always have a plan for whatever happens - however, losing your best players will eventually take its toll and now they have Europa League football to add to the equation. I like the way the club embraced the competition and unlike so many others in this country, they saw it as a positive rather than a negative. It's bound to be a strong team on Thursday night in Denmark.
On Sunday, they will have to deal with the rigours of Europa League football on a Thursday night and a team that are really effective away from home. Norwich will set a new club record 13 away League games unbeaten if they avoid defeat on Super Sunday. Impressive. Alex Neil is making an excellent impression.
Our second live game looks like a cracker - Swansea against Manchester United. I always enjoy our trips to Wales and the Sky Sports cameras seem to bring them luck at the Liberty Stadium. Garry Monk's team are a punter's dream with their reliability and they have picked up where they left off last season.
Swansea were the only side to complete the League double over Man Utd last season and are 11/5 with Sky Bet to make it a hat-trick. Wayne Rooney's hat-trick on Wednesday night is sure to get punters backing him but Bafetimbi Gomis has to appeal at 9/4 to score anytime, after eight goals in his last nine Premier League appearances.
Live Ford Super Sunday
Jefferson Montero has been one of the stars of the season so far and his battle with Matteo Darmian is eagerly anticipated. Darmian and United's back four have been their big positive from the season so far. They are yet to concede in the League; their best start defensively to a season for 10 years, since keeping clean sheets in their opening three League games in 2005-06.
It's helped them to gain seven points in the League and cruise in to the group stage of the Champions League. I look forward to asking Gary Neville what he's made of their start. We start at 12.30pm on Sky Sports 1. I hope you can join us.
