Mixed it up to suit the players and the opposition,but away against the big teams I usually went for the draw: Giroud holding the ball up,Camacho anchor-man marking the playmaker,2 defensive wingers marking the likes of Bale,Nani,Hazard etc and constant pressing. Didnt always work. Fitness training for the week and defensive prep helped too.
Made some good signings early on,none of which could be deemed world-class but do hold a lot of promise; particularly Thiago who I didn't really need but wasn't to be sniffed at when Barca offered him for 17m. Arteta's eventual replacement for sure.
Spurs didn't want to know about an Arsenal bid for Bale,who ended up at Man U for 42m. Napoli wouldn't budge on 55m for Cavani,a figure that would have given George Graham more than a few grey hairs so I went for the far cheaper but solid and dependable option of Jelavic from Everton which will hopefully shake up Giroud.
A typical Wenger move was to cash in Sagna as he reached 30 but rotating Sagna and Micah Richards all season would have left Jenkinson dead in the water.
Koscielny had to go too to allow Miquel and Angha the opportunity to push for a place. Blackburn's very promising Grant Hanley was brought in to challenge Moreno as 3rd choice defender.
Two players I'm lumbered with again are Park and Santos who I couldn't even shift on a free,so it's out on loan again.
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PLAYERS OUT
Sagna and Kos both to At.Madrid-16.75m/18.25m
Gibbs 6m-QPR.....Diaby-Southampton 1m
Rosicky-Norwich-free.....Philip Roberts,Josh Rees, Nominal.
Galindo,Nigel Nelta,Reice Charles Cook,Jernade Meade,Samir Bihmoutine,Jordan Wynter and several others who'll never make the grade are released.
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Jelavic settles early,scoring 3 goals in 2 games but once again UTD beat us 2-0 at Old Trafford.
Outstanding response by the team,winning 4 out of 4 including a 6-0 thrashing of CSKA in the opening CL game.
Thiago and Yarmolenko start to gel but Bonucci and Arteta join Fellaini and Ramsey on the injury-table.
. Fitness training for the week and defensive prep helped too.