Morning all.
It seems Mo Elneny and Cedric Soares could be on the move this month is the back pages are to be believed. Tabzonspor and Besiktas are interested in both players. I read something the other day about Jorginho possibly going too but I can’t see how that would have any truth to it. Yes he’s likely to leave at some stage but the summer seems more likely.
Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi is again linked with a move to Arsenal, as is Ivan Toney but have the guys writing these stories given an ounce of thought to FFP? Yes, offloading players would free up a lot of money as their wages will come to an end but the club would still have to spend a large amount of money to not only purchase a new signing but his wages too. Toney for £100m – absolutely no way in my opinion would Arsenal pay that amount for him and nor do I think he’s worth it. He’s been a bad boy, he’s not kicked a ball competitively for months and there’s absolutely no guarantee he’s match fit. Let Chelsea have him if they want him I say. Let Brentford have Raya back too because the £30m he’d cost the club would be better spent elsewhere. Stick Aaron Ramsdale back in goal and promote Karl Hein.
As suggested yesterday, Arsenal spend easily and at times under Mikel Arteta, not very wisely. Bring back Kieran Tierney too, yes, I’m getting boring now about him, but quite frankly, we need him and he won’t cost a penny other than wages. I very much doubt we’ll see Zinchenko for a few weeks and the Kiwior experiment doesn’t seem to have worked at all well.
Then we have younger players who aren’t kids anymore. Many of them are 20+ in years and they already look strong physically. Why are we not seeing any of them get further than the bench? Other clubs, Liverpool, Utd and Newcastle etc, aren’t afraid to play their younger players so why can’t Arsenal, why can’t Mikel Arteta? How will these younger players improve if their abilities are never truly put to the test? Is there a gem or two in the under 21 squad simply waiting to be unearthed but is being overlooked? I don’t know but if the clubs focus is only on the first team squad then the only way we’re likely to find out is when they shine at a different club.
The League Cup has been and gone now but where was a youngster or two on the short journey? Arsene Wenger might have done many things which frustrated fans during his latter years but at least he did give young players a run out in the Cup matches. As did Unai Emery if my memory serves me right. Now we’re hit with injuries because the same old players have mostly been playing in every game. How long will it be before fatigue or injury strikes Declan Rice, William Saliba or Gabriel? Or Bukayo Saka?
How can the club have spent somewhere in the region on £650m yet still not have a squad which Mikel Arteta can regularly rotate without performances dropping?
I think the answer is clear…
Catch up in the comments…
Some time ago there was talk of Marcos Leonardo, striker from Santos do Brasil, but he should go to Benfica for 18 million.
The worrying is, for me, that Arteta never seems to turn to our own academy players when looking to reinforce the first team. If he doesn’t believe they are good enough why are they allowed to to continue in the age groups? Is the club wasting a fortune on these youngsters which could be better spent buying in the finished product?
Just a few days ago he was linked with us Jm.
Agreed Cicero. But well then go and buy a lightweight young and unproved player like Vieira or Marquinhos and others. It’s bonkers.
The truth is Arsenal still don’t have a squad strong enough the win the Premier league let alone the
Champions league. Far to many Arsenal fan’s and utubb pundits are looking through rose coloured
Glasses , we need to upgrade both fullbacks as of the present line up and add another centre back
Also add some strength in midfield and a centre forward . All great sides have a balanced team with
Players that complement each Other. At times we look lightweight and are completely unbalanced .
From last season when playing some outstanding football with Party central to it all, take him out
The quick transition from defence to forwards is missing. I speak as an Arsenal fan since 1958 .
David, welcome.
I think you’re right about being lightweight etc but I don’t think right back is a problem with White and Tomiyasu. Plus we have Timber to think of for next season. Midfield without a fit and firing Partey isn’t as strong, he and Rice would give us so much more. Up front, striker wise, I think we’re lacking enormously.
Where is Fabio Vieira anyway? What’s his real story?
Injured, back after the break apparently
Fabio Vieira should return around the 20th January so in time for the FACup if we’re still in it?
I’ve gotta say that I’m not overly bothered about his return because for me he’s been massively disappointing throughout his Arsenal career and continues to be so. I’d not be too bothered if we actually sold him this January and instead gave his minutes to one of our young Hale End graduates, who are surely, at least, going to give you 100% commitment even if they make some mistakes.
If you ask me, who I would sell out of Vieira, Nelson, Smith Rowe or Nketiah then it’s Vieira every time, he has the talent, we’ve seen that, but physically he’s feeble and doesn’t suit the Premier League. It’s not the size of the dog that counts it’s the fight inside it.
I read February Kev, but I’ve been known to be mistaken. 😜
Like you though, I’ve not missed him. Another waste of money imo.
Me too re selling, I’d throw Jesus in there too. Spends far too much time on the ground moaning.
Well at the rate he’s going this season Jesus is going to find himself replaced as the senior central striker, if not this month then certainty in the summer. I think he can do a job on the wings all the same and he’s been far more effective in the Champions League where he’s scored 4 goals in 5 appearances.
Almost a goal a game in europe for Jesus, alternatively a goal every 5 games in the Premier League
Definitely better in the CL, so far anyway but a central striker in a front three he is not. Eddie is a far better finisher than him but he’s a striker without the rest which Jesus gives us. Better service to Eddie and he might score more but all this slow build up makes delivering the ideal pass in to him difficult.
He was rarely a striker at City so I’m not sure what made Arteta think it would work for us. He’s hardworking, just not prolific in the league
Arteta is similar to Wenger in that he sees things in players and backs his ability to coach them that others can’t see, Ben White – full back, Xhaka – goalscoring midfielder, Odegaard – goalscoring midfielder, Jesus – main centre forward. Obviously it doesn’t always work. 😉
Smith Rowe – false 9 wasn’t a success, Havertz – attacking midfielder has been mixed, Zinchenko – left back/midfielder was great last season, not so this season.
Any manager and his tactics depends on the execution of his players, a manager coaches them, trust them but if that final pass is loose or the finish is poor as has been the case recently, the manager takes all the criticism but the players let him down with their execution vs West Ham and their performance vs Fulham, ultimately it’s in the players’ hands.
Turns out he might have had the worst two managers to replicate. 😜
Kev, I’m started to wonder if a number of the players are unhappy with what’s going on. It can’t be very exciting to play such slow and sideways football. Also, as has been mentioned before, the introduction of Raya hasn’t perhaps helped.
Hopefilly I’ll be totally wrong. Again. lol
.
“depends on the execution of his players”
– Kev,
I think there’s a few Man U and Chelsea fans who would be open to this concept.
Not sure Smith-Rowe as a false 9 got much of a chance , 116 minutes on the pitch in the league over 7 games of which 73 minutes were against Sheffield United in a 5 nil win.
He also played as a substitute in 3 games in the Champions League coming on in the 88th, 71st and 69th minutes .
Not really much of a chance to impress.
Stats from transfer market.
Smith Rowe was tried out as a false 9 in a European tie if I recall but not this season, it was an experiment that didn’t last long.
I’m sure that the guys out of the team aren’t happy Rico, I guess that’s why Arteta gives them the minutes from the subs bench and not the youngsters.
As for the Raya scenario, I’m guessing that there’s a story to be told about that one day!
JNYC, I’ve seen so many opportunities wasted this season and especially this month, players taking an extra touch before passing and getting blocked instead of playing it first time, players running into space and seeing, what for a professional should be a simple pass only for it to be over hit or under hit, players making exactly the worst contact you could think of with their heads and seeing the ball fly off in all directions but not into the goal, simple passes going astray, passes going sideways and backwards instead of trying a defence splitting vertical pass, too much safety first football, slow build ups allowing the opponent to get organised, poor free kicks, very little variety in terms of players switching positions to try something different, predictability.
Players need to take a risk, but we don’t anymore and it’s a collective issue.
ESR needs more game time,
I wonder if the players have had enough of Arteta, it seems to me that any player who Arteta likes don’t get dropped no matter how bad or tired they they are and these players know it, and the bench players are just praying for a small injury to any player so they can get a chance to play.
Geoff, I don’t think that the performance at Anfield pointed towards Arteta losing the dressing room do you?
In fact, 30 attempts on goal vs West Ham kinda points towards the players being behind the manager even if their final ball was off.
Kev, just asking the question. are the players upset because Ramsdale is not getting game time, then all this slow play and backward or side passes, especially on show against Fulham, as for
West Ham I guess you could look at it this way too. 30 shots at goal yet we got beat 2 -0 you can have bad luck but 30 times in one match.
hopefully during the break the players can have a good rest and refocus for the rest of the season as the last thing we need is to be finishing in 6th place or worse and fans calling for a new manager.
Rico I with you 100mill for Toney no way
New post up