Wenger's obsession with buying from abroad

[Joker]

I really believe that Wenger's insistence of buying players from foreign leagues means that many quality players from the EPL who could improve the squad slip under the radar and are never identified. I'm NOT talking about people's nationalities here, rather the league that they play in. For example, someone like Samba would fit the bill for me, because he has played in the EPL for a long time, so knows how to cope with the physical nature of the game and understands what it takes to succeed here. While when we look for a player from abroad, he'll take time to get used to the pace of the game, and how often do we hear foreign players being shocked at the speed and intensity (and foul play) of the game in England?

Given that we're in such a difficult situation at the moment and need immediate solutions to our weak squad, surely it makes some sense to look locally for signings? Apparently, Wenger isn't interested in players like Cahill because he's looking at Hummells and Subotic. Now really, are the aforementioned duo really that better than Cahill? He's also looking at M'Vila from the French League, even though players like Parker could slot in immediately and understand the English game well.

I think it would be helpful if Wenger for once looked domestically for players, rather than defaulting to the French league everytime. I'm not saying that there aren't top players in the French League, but I think Wenger sometimes forgets that the same is true for the Premier League.

[Kaiser]

Problem is if Wenger can't get his No.1 target, it seems that he'll go for the bargain basement pick.

Sahko/Subotic failed so in came Squillaci.
We hear M'Vila is staying at Rennes, so Kevin Anin, who once failed a trial at Spurs is now linked.

And the No.1 targets mentioned above, won't be coming in the future as M'Vila will be at Euro 2012 and the other two will be playing in the CL, so their valuation is likely to sky rocket.

Samba and Parker may 'understand the English game' but they won't be able to fit into our hybrid of technical football trying to cope in the EPL. The players we're going for are as always young, technically proficient, so AW can mould them into our style, and from the examples above, also able to cope physically.

They're not stopgaps, but neither are they ever going to be the finished article. We all know this. But if we fail then, we're going for stopgaps cheaper than their English counterparts.

[Özim]

They're not stopgaps, but neither are they ever going to be the finished article. We all know this. But if we fail then, we're going for stopgaps cheaper than their English counterparts.
These stopgaps don't stop the gaps that's part of the problem, they help create the gaps in our defence.

[AKBapologist]

Have you watched an England international game lately?

When jack whilshires been hailed as the saviour of English football, blamed for u21 crashing out when he doesn't attend can you really blame Wenger for not shopping in the Uk for "talent"?

[Coney]

Have you watched an England international game lately?

:lol: Good point.

[Özim]

Have you watched an England international game lately?

When jack whilshires been hailed as the saviour of English football, blamed for u21 crashing out when he doesn't attend can you really blame Wenger for not shopping in the Uk for "talent"?
What about France then, they've been awful for a while....and Morrocco.

The players we sign aren't even internationals sometimes so I don't see what the England international team has to do with signing English players to be honest.

Ian Wright struggled internationally yet he was a great player.

[AKBapologist]

Even France totally dominated the England international team. It's a good representation of the strengths of youth development in each of the nations. And it's also an example of how that good old English grit and determination isn't all that in reality.

We shop in France because AW has a shit ton of scouts there and the players from that league would find it easiest to adapt in the EPL than any other.

Now that the premium on englishness is so high, we have to bring them in whilst young and grow them though this transfer window we'd probably see at least one British signing, probably in defense.

[Kano]

What about France then, they've been awful for a while....and Morrocco.

The players we sign aren't even internationals sometimes so I don't see what the England international team has to do with signing English players to be honest.

Ian Wright struggled internationally yet he was a great player.

you're right that international set ups aren't reflective of the players abilities in their respective leagues, portugal were another example in the last decade and spain for donkeys years.

when we talk about foreign players ability to adapt to the prem, it mostly means the spine of the team, so cb, dm, st. there is something to be said about homegrown players having that natural instinct to play a certain way, whether it's england, spain, italy. the right mix usually tends to be half and half, as we look at utd, chelsea and now city - our success contained more home nation players.

that said i think the bottom line is about the players suitability. petit and vieira were made for the prem, toure is a decent defender vidic is fantastic, makelele invented a role for the english game! if wenger could sign players that were ready made without having to integrate them from youth then that would be the perfect world but he hasn't and doesn't look like he will.