A quick reminder for wannabe managers

On the day of Arsenal's Premier League season premiere, we've reached 148 "transfer targets" on this blog. It's easy to curse the powers that be at Arsenal and ask why on Earth there haven't been more signings. But read then the manager's comments in the Observer today:

[Arsène] Wenger has been disappointed by how much effort it takes to seal signings currently. To sign a player with the moderate pedigree of [Laurent] Koscielny, who had only one season in France's top division with Lorient under his belt, was "unbelievably difficult". That brings its obvious frustrations. "For years we have no money, now we have money and we cannot find players to buy. Many teams who have good players do not want to sell," he says.

There are two clubs involved in a deal, and they both need to want the deal to be made. It can be easy to forget in the Silly Season.

But the dealing isn't done. Wenger promises activity in the last two weeks of the transfer window:

"Let's still not be fooled. We are short at the back, and we need to add," he concedes. "If we manage to do that, then we are better equipped."