text: Clint Dempsey And Robin Van Persie – A Year On From 2012 Transfers « Soccer Report Extra
  Clint Dempsey And Robin Van Persie – A Year On From 2012 Transfers
  Written by Bobby McMahon on August 13, 2013 | 13 Comments » Posted in Arsenal, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur	The pre-season transfer window for England doesn't close until September 2 and yes the season will have been underway for over two weeks. That means that we still have many miles to travel before we find out if Wayne Rooney is going to leave Manchester United, whether Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers will allow Luis Suarez to return to the big boy's table and if Arsenal is going to …to read more please click on the link. Tweet	← Return of the Kings? New York Cosmos 2013 Style
  The Sun Sets On Fox Soccer – 1997 to 2013 →
  13 responses to "Clint Dempsey And Robin Van Persie – A Year On From 2012 Transfers"	Smiley says:	August 13, 2013 at 12:01 pm	re: Dempsy
  I agree that Demspey'e PR shine and marketing value is nowhere near the "Hair Model" Beckham's, Lando, Henry, etc. Especially when he has zoned out during several TV interviews and appeared stoned outta his mind.
  Although it is understandable when any player's move is dictated by family matters (i.e. Davide Villa to Atleti), I still think competing against lesser MLS opposition will dull Demspey's skills (even if he is fresher for the WC by avoiding the BPL XMAS schedule). And let's not forget that Dempsey could have easily been a starter for 90% of the European clubs in the top leagues.
  I also strongly disagree with many pundits who claim that an MLS team winning the CL and partaking in the FIFA Club World Cup would not be a big deal for MLS and its prestige worldwide. On paper, Seattle have the makings of the first side to do so!
  John Bladen says:	August 13, 2013 at 1:45 pm	Agree on both counts, Bobby.
  I am a little puzzled as to why Dempsey would want to move back to MLS… unless there were far fewer suitors than we had been told.
  I've been getting the feeling that Sounders fans are restless the last year or so. The initial wave of "expansion" joy has faded (but not the attendance levels, impressively. Well done), and despite open cup wins the club has not made the next level (either MLS cup or progressing through CCL). The fans keep asking for a DP… and now they have one. We'll see how Dempsey plays in, and scoring is always welcome. But this team does not look as good defensively as the one they fielded 2-3 years ago. Sometime back in the spring (Feb? can't recall) I remember having a discussion with someone about Arsenal's "level". Despite the hand wringing, at the time they had actually scored more goals without RvP than they had with him the year before. That doesn't make them a better club without him, obviously, but some suggested Arsenal might be near the drop zone without his offensive production. Laughable.
  As they used to say about Emerson Fittipaldi, "somebody has to be there to do it". A good side will create scoring chances. It's possible the Arsenal would have scored 85 or 90 goals if RvP had been in the side last year. But the suggestion that they would "lose 30 goals" without him was just wrong.
  Smiley says:	August 13, 2013 at 2:04 pm	@Bladen
  I'm quite skeptical about the concept of comparing a team's goal production in 2 different seasons as there are too many variables (strength/weakness of overall league and top clubs, timely opposition injuries/fatigue i.e. Arsenal 7-3 Newcastle, midweek cup ties, etc).
  Ed Gomes says:	August 14, 2013 at 9:10 am	I truly think that Dempsey's move is a player cashing in on a last deal. He's no different then any foreign player that mentions going to the MLS to retire.
  I've been a huge fan of Dempsey's, and found no fault with him playing and excelling for a Europa League type club. For me, he's still the best American player. The fact is that he has gone from a player trying to get CL play, to playing in the MLS in one year.
  If the money that's been mentioned is correct, it's great piece of business for Spurs and Dempsey.
  As for RVP, it was a great move by Man United and himself.
  Arsenal has to deal with the perception of not being able to hold onto "world class" players. It will and has become more difficult in obtaining world class talent. Arsenal is going to have to overpay for game changers that aren't being let go by their current club.
  I thought that Wenger did a great job last campaign, considering what he had to work with.
  Ed Gomes says:	August 14, 2013 at 1:49 pm	Never mind, I guess Arsenal is going to have to overpay for players that are being released by their current clubs as well.
  "Gustavo joins Wolfsburg instead of Arsenal."
  Wenger and "the Board" would have been better off keeping their mouth shut about the transfer kitty, and their quest for "world class" talent.
  The perception of being a "selling club" won't be easy to shake off. Arsenal has also failed to realize that there's new clubs offering more money with attractive projects.
  I still don't understand why they haven't been linked with Willian from Anzhi. Then again maybe that's a good sign.
  Ed Gomes says:	August 15, 2013 at 12:41 pm	It just keeps getting better and better for Wenger and Arsenal.
  Due to injuries and the utter impotence in obtaining any new talent never mind world class talent, it looks as if Wenger will only have 14 players available for the Villa match.
  Andrey Arshavin, Denilson (Sao Paulo), Sebastien Squillaci, Martin Angha (Nuremberga), Craig Eastmond (Colchester), Conor Henderson, Jernade Meade (Swansea), Sanchez Watt (Colchester), Johan Djourou (Hamburgo), Vito Mannone (Sunderland), Andre Santos (Flamengo), Francis Coquelin (Freiburg), Joel Campbell (Olympiakos), Chuks Aneke (Crewe), Marouane Chamakh (Crystal Palace), Ignasi Miquel (Leicestes), Gervinho (Roma).
  Sonogo (Ex-Auxerre)/Free – Injured
  I wonder if the board will boast its +11 million pound profit on the transfer market.
  That may sound good, but;
  – Arshavin left at a 14.5 million pound loss. Made some money off loan.
  – Gervinho left at a 3.5 million pound loss.
  – Santos left at a 6.1 million pound loss.
  – Squillaci left at a 5.7 million pound loss.
  – Denilson left at 4.4 million pound loss. Made some money off loan.
  – Hajrovic (not listed) left at a 264,000 pound loss.
  – Monteiro (not listed) left at a 176,00 pound loss.
  Arsenal has made a profit of 1.6 million pounds off the sale of Mannone to Sunderland.
  They'll also make some money off of players going out on loan. But that's not the point, or is it?
  If this was a Spanish or Italian club, people would be screaming about the President and/or Owner filling their own coffers, while the club suffers. I will say again, that I thought that Wenger did a great job last campaign considering what he had to work with. Unfortunately, I think that Arsenal, will have to rely more and more on their opponents incompetence to maintain a top four finish.
  John Bladen says:	August 16, 2013 at 10:08 am	@ SL: There are many variables and no PL side "stays the same". However, that didn't stop the people who were pulling their hair out and talking about relegation battles from assuming that AFC would be -20 goals or thereabouts, which is really the point.
  Ed: Arsenal are certainly giving the impression of being a selling club these days. That said, moving on failed acquisitions is always a money losing business. If you have a shiny new toy to show off to the press/fans, there is less screaming about the millions lost on failed acquisitions.
  Arsenal, as you rightly point out, don't have that… so there is much more screaming evident. What troubles me isn't so much the bad acquisitions… it's that the club seems to set it's sights rather low and then fails.
  I think we also have to be careful talking about "making" money off loans. Fee loans often involve the loaning club paying all or part of the players salary. I don't know if that's the case for any of the loans you listed, but getting money back isn't necessarily the same as "making" money. Perhaps 'reducing loss' would be a better term?
  BTW, under the "departures" you listed, is there a single player you are sad to see go? There isn't for me, though more than one begs the question "why did you buy them in the first place?"
  DrScoot says:	August 16, 2013 at 12:20 pm	It's amazing how Arsenal cites the significant challenges in getting top transfers even when they claim to have $ to spend. They have no issues unloading players RVP, Fabregas, etc. Maybe they need a separate football operations manager to get players and simply let Wenger coach!
  Ed Gomes says:	August 16, 2013 at 12:38 pm	JB, I agree that no Arsenal fan is sad about who's leaving.
  What I find funny is that Arsenal is still operating with the thought that we are "Arsenal" and players want to come here. That's not the case anymore, especially with "world class" talent. Imagine if Arsenal identified their targets and went and paid and got them early. I'm not as huge a fan of him as others, but there's no reason why Higuain isn't at Arsenal.
  Where's the midfield help? Goalie? Striker?
  Of all the guys Arsenal needed to keep, in my opinion they kept the wrong one. Walcott will prove to be ok, and Arsenal needs much more than that.
  What should scare Arsenal fans is that if they now go out and splash the cash for inferior talent.
  Don't worry, if Bale goes, Arsenal will just have to fight off Swansea and maybe Liverpool for 4th. Wenger still outshines his foes on that department.
  Bobby McMahon says:	August 16, 2013 at 2:37 pm	I suspect the Gustavo decision is as much about being guaranteed playing time as it is about $s. If Arteta had been injured a week earlier it might have changed the complexion.
  Ed Gomes says:	August 16, 2013 at 4:15 pm	Bobby, how doesn't Gustavo get guaranteed playing time at Arsenal? Is Wenger still waiting on Diaby? Worried about Ramsey sitting? Arteta?
  It's crazy, I don't want to overvalue Gustavo, but he slides right into the starting lineup over what they currently have. No???
  The Sun has an interview with Arteta, here they are quoting him saying;
  "Last campaign we didn't have a good enough squad to fight for the title." "This campaign we have a strong squad but I'm convinced that there's going to be signings. If new faces arrive, they will be welcomed."
  What has changed? Strong? How?
  This is so much fun. And people think that Mourinho is entertaining. Wenger still has it.
  John Bladen says:	August 16, 2013 at 5:33 pm	Ed, at the risk of being inappropriate… AFC operate a bit like the once beautiful woman who's days of fending off wealthy young suitors are long gone, only she doesn't seem to know it….
  I agree on Walcott also. He's a good player and finished last season quite well. But, as I believe I said at the time, he's not the player you break the bank for (which isn't to suggest that's what they did…), IMO.
  I do find it interesting that SAF and Wenger have often displayed similar philosophies about bringing in talent. SAF, obviously, has been more successful (particularly recently). But their approach is similar (though I don't recall an endless stream of middling french league players arriving at Old Trafford, to be fair…)
  John Bladen says:	August 16, 2013 at 5:34 pm	Bobby: I think the playing time angle (or other considerations… position, as with Walcott and maybe Rooney) is a good point to make. Players of today can get the money more or less anywhere… so they (and their agents) have started adding in some ridiculous demands for non-monetary items.
  It's never good when the inmates run the asylum. But it's worse when it's their paid (commissioned) representatives that are trying to manage…