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Instead of a "team of the season" for the Premier League, has anyone came up with a "squad of the season"? Say that 23 or 26 players from the Premier League are called up to form a World Cup squad, who would get in?
Tried to make it a balanced squad, and honestly Liverpool have been a decent team without any outstanding players. Iām not sure I drop any of them wingers for Salah or any of the CM for Mac.
Masses? Where are you seeing this alleged mass belief that we are for sure getting the players whose names we hear? Everyone has been pretty lowkey about things, checking out target to target and overall not getting crazy hyped. Not sure what you're seeing. ppl are cautiously optimistic
I think he was decent. Yer typical Arsene Wenger forward. Adapt to play as a Striker, Second Striker, on the wings. Good first touch, quite the finisher. He took his time in the first half of the season (2007/08) but all of the sudden burst onto the scene around Dec/Jan.
He was in a red hot form right when he got that injury against Birmingham. Subsequent fall out from that derailed our league season. His form right before the injury and what followed sort of gives him that mythical status among the fan base.
As far as any present player that reminds me of him is - Marco Reus. They share a few similarities.
"He took his time in the first half of the season (2007/08) but all of the sudden burst onto the scene around Dec/Jan.
He was in a red hot form right when he got that injury against Birmingham"
Sounds like Hojlund
Zinchenko is supposed to help us control games. But to me he just gets in the way. When he is in possession I worry, I donāt know why people think he is a steady pair of hands in position. For me Zinchenko is always the outstanding candidate to turn the ball over. And his defensive limitations are obvious.
He helped progress our football, but simply put we have outgrown him and he must be sold. He doesnāt help with our attack too. For me when he inverts he dwells on the ball and takes away from Odegaard and Rice.
I and I hate his own field behaviour where he fist pumps the crowd after winning a throw in ect. Itās embarrassing he speaks to the players. Rice Odegaard big Gabi should lead the team. Zinchenko has no right to talk. Weak manās idea of a leader.
He occasionally buys into his own hype too much and wants the ball often....yet he won't actually pull the trigger on those hero-throughballs outside the box.
>I and I hate his own field behaviour where he fist pumps the crowd after winning a throw in ect. Itās embarrassing he speaks to the players. Rice Odegaard big Gabi should lead the team. Zinchenko has no right to talk. Weak manās idea of a leader.
https://preview.redd.it/80lg7o4sju3d1.jpeg?width=184&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ea86fa7529922d1dfc80e5c0ca0e1150d41bdae6
Go and have a look at the Wolves game at home earlier in the season. Ask yourself if it is appropriate to rev up the crowd after getting robbed of possesion in your own box to make it 2-1 form 2-0 up?
IM telling you know, ZInchenko is exactly like Ramsdale - hot headed, too emotional switches off.
I have never been in a long while so besotted with a transfer target we have been linked to, like I've been with Archie Gray. Watching his comps everyday and the kid's ceiling is unlimited. As good as Frenkie de Jong at his peak. I'd be glum if one of rivals snaps him up.
Maybe a *little* hyperbolic, but I do like him a lot and would love to have him. I just wish the obvious opportunity to get him was *one* more season down the line.
Realistically, heās not ready to make an impact at Arsenal now. Heād be bought and loaned out for some extra development and weād see him in a year or maybe two. And if Leedsā need to recoup is great enough that it could realistically be done in a summer window where we might be looking at 4-5 players at an average cost of Ā£45-50m, then fantastic. We could even buy him and loan him straight back for the first season. But as close as we were with PSR this summer, I think bonus singings might be a big ask this summer.
Think it went missed in the emotions of the last day that Saka wasn't even on the bench in a must win game, and we still won. It didn't matter in the end, and it was still tough, but that game was precisely the exact one we used to fold in because our best player wasn't available.
Best signing Arteta ever made for this club was absolute massive balls.
We are in a position now where we can legitimately argue over who our best player is. I'd say it's Ćdegaard. But Rice and Saliba have a claim to stake too.
I think anyone can argue between the three of Ćdegaard, Saka and Saliba and they'd make a compelling case for each of them. Saka is our biggest goal contributer, Saliba is the rock in our defence and the foundation for our solidity and Ćdegaard is the heart and brain of the team. I think Rice is just behind those three.
Like you, I ultimately land on Ćdegaard. The best in the team. The leader on the pitch. I don't think people fully grasp just how important, and even vital, his signing was for Arteta's project.
I expect the majority of the work on transfers (both incoming and outgoing) will be done after the Euros. Still, based on some of the stuff we've read so far, I'm hopeful that 1 or two deals might be tentatively wrapped up before that.
We signed xhaka before or during Euro 2016. All I remember is that he had a really good game against somebody in that tournament and caring because he was already one of our players when it happened
I mean, yeah, Iād rather be level (really past them) in this competition but thatās just not where weāre at. Madrid winning is kind of like City taking the league, itās easy for the neutral to be numb to it. But I think a win for Dortmund here is ultimately a win for football.
What sort of rivalry do we have with Dortmund? If anything, Iād argue theyāre a club to be admired. A peopleās club with rich history even if not the most successful club in Germany, and a knack for developing young talent.
Hard to imagine a more boring outcome than Madrid winning #15.
We'd remain a bigger club than Dortmund either way, and they remain a more successful club either way.
Elbow grease and agent networking. West Ham is not afraid of dark, smoky rooms. Theyāve made dodgy transfers all throughout their modern history. Harry Redknappās dark arts run deep in their lifeblood.
I've just see that international friendlies starts up on monday, I guess it makes sense with the Euros and Copa coming up but damn these guys get no rest.
At some point we need to start selling people while they still have value though. If we're just keeping zinchencko for a use case in certain matches. We need to move forward with different players and try to cash on the previous ones when we do.Ā
I do like zinny but I'd never sell anyone in the squad if I judged on liking people.Ā
I do like how Arsenal these days are full of players I personally like or have no problems with, though. During the āTrue Banter Eraā of 2017-2022, I found myself either not liking or outright hating more than half the players in the Arsenal squad, and couldnāt wait to see 90% of them leave the club. Nowadays, I struggle to find players who I personally wish would leave Arsenal, with the only one I really, non-negotiably want gone is because of off-field issues.
It is such an amazing feeling to actually love the players who play for my club again.
Guehi, Andersen, Wharton, Doucoure, Eze, Kamada, Olise + Nketiah would be a nasty Palace team
I know they might leave if they somehow manage to keep Guehi and Olise ... wow
at 23 Nketiah scored 5 in 800mins. Mateta had 16 in 2300mins. Truth is Nketiah has never been given the keys, so we don't really know what he can do, especially at a smaller club.
plus, Mateta scored 2 last season at 25.
I hope at some point in the future- after heās retired, we welcome Auba back and give him a proper send off. That guy was world class for us at a dark period for the club and I will never forget that fa cup run.
Seems like his levels and behavior dropped at the same time he was going through some personal issues and Mikel had to make an example of him to get a message across to the team. That shouldnāt negate the joy he brought to us and we should appreciate him for the good.
Yes absolutely Auba was proper world class in that Bellerin-Laca-Leno era.Bailed us out frequently while working with scrapes and got two PL golden boots.
I will forever categorize that shit period with 4 players: Bellerin, Xhaka, Lacazette, and Mustafi.
They were the primary reasons why that period was so shit. When this club needed leadership and composure, they offered none. When this club needed someone to show the way out of bad situations, these guys were usually nowhere to be seen, and when they were seen they were leading the club down to even worse paths.
I will never be gaslit into thinking these guys were either good or in any way worthy of the legacy of champions at Arsenal. I would call them shadows of the legends that wore the shirt before them, but that would be an insult to the shadows.
And yes, I celebrated with champagne when each and every one of them left the club.
I do pick them out, and will always pick them out, because those four were supposed to be members of the āleadership coreā of this team (and among the highest paid players in the squad) during that āTRUE Banter Eraā period. And the most obvious thing none of them had during that whole period was a single ounce of leadership among them.
Auba and Ozil were also among the most guilty in this regard. But Ozil at least lifted the squad in the period when he first came here and was the engine of 2 title challenges between 2013-2016, and Auba almost single handedly won an FA Cup thanks to his goals in the 2020 run. Those other 4 donāt have anything close to those sorts of achievements to balance the fact that the on-field performance of the club went to shit when they became the main figures in the dressing room.
With it looking like Nketiah, ESR and Reiss Nelson will be sold, in addition to Cedric moving on, I think it's time for Nwaneri and Norton-Cuffy to get worked into the first team rotation. Who else do you think is ready?
Cause they arenāt. Weāre fighting for leagues these youth players wonāt get more then 45 minutes the entire season. Most will be sold on or let go on a free.
Arshavin used to watch p0rn openly in the dressing room without earphones. It was a symptom of the rot that had set in during the late Wenger years.
Arteta would have Zinchenko drone-drop a grenade on Arshavin's head and bury him under the hedges in Colney.
I'm pretty sure Wenger was not aware which in itself is a symptom but Adebayor or Song (don't know who) said he did it in the physio room. If so the staff should have notified Arsene but i guess they didn't.
IDK who either Adebayor or Song (one of these two) mentioned it in an interview a while ago that Arshavin used to watch p0rn loudly in front of others.
How do you guys feel about EBL on twitter? I find most tacticos are annoying and full of shit. And EBL can sometimes be full of shit, but overall I feel heās better than the others.
The incentive structure for Twitter Tacticos is all wrong. It's all about branding and hyperbole, not nuanced analysis. EBL is not the worst of the lot but I don't find he has much to offer either.
it's literally just a "make a funny caricature of a imaginary analyst" to farm engagement. how do people fall for that idk.
if you want to engage with fake but "funny caricature" content just go watch WWE or something
and if you want actual analysis, YouTube content will be much better
He gives people a nice template on tactical stuff. Probably peaked around 2022 id say, when he was down on conte and up on arteta when that wasnt the general sentiment around the football community
He's the worst of the lot imo, complete walnut. He never has even a remotely interesting take and rates every single player to ever walk to face of the earth.
Guy gets excited about literally everything lmao. That amrabat thread is his biggest shitshow.
I muted him cus for me, he personifies the 'wannabe tactico' on twitter.
He's usually just under my threshold. Even if he makes me cringe now and then I think he's genuine and informative. He also put me onto the GOAT Billy Carpenter.
What makes Billy so good is that he backs up the lyrical rhetoric with some very interesting data models. Bespoke metrics to address very specific questions. Analysis the way it should be done.
EBL just chats nonsense.
Zinchenko isn't good enough to be a first team player, but I'll be happy to keep him as a backup squad player. But I am quite sure he wouldn't be happy to stay as a backup, so I guess selling him would be best for everyone.
martinelli my son my liege what is it you require i will get you
https://preview.redd.it/a3950i7hvs3d1.jpeg?width=1456&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1801eae993e60aa5ebbae003d2f38cf1653247f5
When this team reaches its peak under Arteta do you think we can compete with Madrid? Klopp tried to go toe to toe with them and suffered countless losses on and off the pitch, losing nearly every CL game and missing out on a few primary transfer targets to Madrid.
In terms of metrics and quality of play weāre already there. We obviously donāt have the aura and historical success which for them somehow wins them stuff they prolly donāt deserve to win. With that being said I think Madrid are getting to a point now where they legit look unplayable at points. Their biggest issues may come in replacing their backline but everywhere else they have the best of the best. I already think weāre probably the top 3 best teams In the world based on this past season and we got to a cl quarters either probably our worst performances of the season being in the cl knockouts.
The key to Madrid's success is that they have always had real difference makers. By that I mean there's always multiple players who will turn up and just do something phenomenal when they need it most. Whether the gameplan is going their way or not.
We haven't shown this yet. We're phenomenally coached and it shows, but who of ours do you trust to come up with the goods, pulling a rabbit out of the hat in the 120th min of ET?
Nah Madrid are absolutely stacked and will keep adding. Feels like they will be the 1A team with City as 1B if the charges don't stick, then everyone else fights it out.
Yeah, they can literally take their pick of the top talent in the world and will keep getting stronger, especially when Alonso takes charge they could become unstoppable.
I'm not so sure, even with Mbappe joining them. The point is they'll never be able to replace Kroos and Modric who were the focal points of their dominance.
Its hard to say, their recruiting process seems pretty similar to ours, if they find a solid replacement for those two, they have all the other blocks to be dominant for literally a decade. It certainly will be interesting to watch
Love the club building a good reputation with Ajax. They are probably the best club in Europe to have a relationship with considering the quantity of top class talent they always have coming through, and they are always willing to sell.
they effectively had all the spending under Abramovich reset after the sale, were able to sell players they'd spent a lot of money on and the new buyers were mandated to spend a billion as part of the sale
even with all that they are right on the edge of FFP, and have to really hope results improve because another year or two without UCL and they'll be in serious trouble.
I donāt think Osimhen was ever really on the table. I donāt remember a reliable ITK linking him, just the whole world of sports tabloids bringing his name up because he was the buzzy striker in a moment where it seemed like Arsenal desperately needed one.
The roadblock we are facing trying to recruit a left 8 is the insistence on that player also being excellent in winning 1v1 duels and second balls, even though we already have Rice. Arteta probably would not have even Cazorla/David Silva there.
I think Arteta wants Rice as an 8 most games and wants someone with the skillset of Partey and Jorginho for the 6.
The games where Rice is suited for the 6 role is where we dominate so hard that 1 or 2 of our fullbacks constantly is inverted so that we end up playing a 2341. Both the 6 and the 8 are pushed so far up the pitch that they basically function as a 8 and 10 (maybe even a second striker). In these kinds of games Rice is the perfect 6 and Havertz is the perfect 8, but it only works when players like Zinchenko or Timber inverts so they can bring the ball out from defence and basically do the job Partey/Jorginho does in the 6 role. If Tomiyasu and White starts as our fullback pair Arteta probably wants Jorginho or Partey as the 6. Tomiyasu and White are better duel playes which specially suits Jorginho.
This is also why players like Guimaraes and Zubimendi are so wanted by Arteta. They will be more suited than Rice for the 6 role, but won't look bad in the 8 role. Rice is the opposite, he is currently most suited for the 8 role, but don't look bad in the 6 role.
Our best defensive solid lineup consists of Tomiyasu and White at fullback and Rice, Partey, Ćdegaard in midfield. Our best offensive lineup is Zinchenko and Timber as fullbacks and Havertz, Rice, Ćdegaard in midfield. In most games we will probably see neither because this is version is the most extreme, but my prediction is that unless Partey or Jorginho is injured most of the season Rice will play as an 8.
TLDR: We need players that suits eachother skillset. Rice and Timber/Zinchenko at fullback is a good combo. Partey/Jorginho is better if White,Tomiyasu, Kiwior starts at both fullback positions.
I struggle with this logic. If Rice's biggest strength is the defensive side of the game, and stopping transitions, don't you want him as the 6, especially in the games where we are less dominant? Rice is a well-rounded player but he lacks offensively as an 8 compared to the best players in that position.
Also, when fans say Rice is more suited as an 8, do they mean his skill set is better utilized in that role, or that as a team, we are better off with someone else as the 6? And if is is the latter, that Rice might struggle with bringing the ball out from the back, isn't that easily rectified by also having an inverted fullback, defenders with better passing range, or having the 8 drop deep (like Odegaard has been doing)?
Rice being a well rounded player is just a positive no matter where he play, winning the ball high up on the pitch is a big advantage as an left 8.
I wrote a whole paragraph about the fullbacks.
Yes, Rice is well rounded but the defensive side of his game is still better than the offensive side, and having Rice at the 6 to stop transitions is better than having a lesser player there, and having a more creative 8 to unlock defenses is also better than having Rice in that position.
Winning the ball high up the pitch is important, and that's why our entire front 5/6 presses like crazy since it's also a collective effort, but to me, the 8 position is still primarily an offensive and creative one.
I think the idea is that Rice is good enough to still do most of his defensive side of the game while also adding far more offense. 1+0.2<0.8+0.6.
When he did play 6 there were also issues with progressing the ball from back to front, which ended when he moved to 8 and we got a better distributor at 6.
I think the days of a lone 6 and two free 8s winning you the league are over, even Pep has ditched it. Top teams know how to exploit that setup. Works against lesser teams though, and we already have Vieira/ESR if we want to go that route.
Bruno and overlapping LB will fix it if Havertz is the CF. Unclear to me whether Timber can overlap but ideally we'd want someone faster and left footed there.
Exactly, and even if timber is there he will favour the inside angles because heās right footed
There are a few good options id target but the ones weāre linked to donāt fix it (ferdi, hato)
Would be amazing but Iām a bit let down by his development curve, canāt always be perfect but with his contract situation the fee wouldnāt be crazy
I think Timber is really versatile unto himself and he provides a lot of versatility when it comes to the squad on the pitch. It could be that you have Bruno (or an equivalent) acting as the 6, being the base of the midfield diamond, interchanging with Rice at the left 8, and Timber acts largely as a defensive FB who gets into the underlap as an attacking option (see his goal for the u21s). Could be that Timber inverts into the midfield diamond proper (from either left or right) and one of either Rice or Bruno (or said equivalent) gets a rest. Could be that Timber starts at RB like the Everton game in basically the same role as White.
I donāt actually think it will be Bruno, though who knows. And I do still assume there will be another left footed LB signing to round things out. But again, who knows.
I wouldnāt be opposed! Quintenās numbers look great. But Iāve always just had this feeling it wouldnāt happen. Maybe it risks too much confusion for our own players on the pitch? š
i think the revelations about kudus from TNAT reveals something important that for many hasn't fully sunken in: we are a ***very*** wealthy club limited only by FFP, PSR, and not being absolute cheats. the lean years have absolutely nothing to do with the modern day club outside of being underperforming with commercial revenue due to our declining status over the 2010s. if it weren't for the limitations set in place we would have had a 280m summer with rice, havertz, timber, kudus, and raya
part of our limitations vs a man city is with the nature of state-ownership, you have a number of companies within that country to do sponsorships. that's a particular kind of ownership model outside of massive wealth it comes with. one that allows for 115 charges to accumulate if you're arrogant about it. we are stupid rich as an institution, but *normal* stupid rich
there's no need for an inferiority complex anymore, but old habits die hard. many people will strike it rich from poverty and find themselves still buying ramen when they could easily go to a michelin star restaurant. it's a weird quirk about money and human psychology. as such, it's no surprise many fans and rivals still see arsenal as the penny-pitching club of yore who's fate is to always get gazump'd by the big spenders of football. but that's silly. it doesn't represent us in the contemporary era
as the 2020s roll on, and really do believe this, declan rice may have been our first 100m+ signing but he won't be our last. we are strategic and prudent, but not skint. if we hone on someone truly worth it like deccers, we'll pull that trigger. once we continue this flow of CL, top spots in the league, etc etc and our commercial revenue matches our new stature, there's no more bottom bargain deals in our squad with sells, and so on, our financial handcuffs will loosen
Sesko too similar to Havertz. honestly, not feeling the calls for a striker at all. get in a big money (wide) forward who can create out of nothing in big games, or a big money LCM
> create out of nothing in big games
I cannot stress this enough. Kai only scores goals that are made for him by others. Only Saka has shown he can make his own goals, and we don't see it often.
> Kai only scores goals that are made for him by others.
Is this where we're at now? Jesus. With the chance creation in our team, someone like Sesko could really flourish. I see some Haaland in him, in the way he pounces on some of those turnovers and smashes the ball
My point is that we don't score enough goals that we shouldn't. Ben White's shank into the top corner doesn't count (we'd have scored if he got his cross right, anyway).
Because the days come when there's just nothing being created, and we have no wildcards.
Theres only 1 striker in the world who creates goals on "his own" and thats kane. Haaland cant create goals but he sure as shit can finish what is thrown infront of him. And the last five months of the PL havertz was doing that as well. I agree with the other guy, a tippy top ST isnt what we need this window. We need a midfield of 6 or 8 depending on where arteta seeings Rice. Besides, there are 0, zip, nothing, no strikers on the market that can make a goal out of nothing. But i do agree if theres one, sesko maybe it in the future.
Oh 100%.
I just don't want us to add yet another player who can't create his own shots. Teams that are well drilled will always cause us problems and we have no plan B.
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[J A R](https://youtube.com/shorts/k2O0L1DTouI?feature=shared) š“ā¤ļøāŖļø
Instead of a "team of the season" for the Premier League, has anyone came up with a "squad of the season"? Say that 23 or 26 players from the Premier League are called up to form a World Cup squad, who would get in?
Pickford, Vicario, Raya, White, Walker, Ait Nouri, Saliba, Braithwaite, Gabriel, Gvardiol, Rodri, Rice, Ode, KDB, Foden, Eze, Havertz, Gordon, Palmer, Saka, Watkins, Haaland, Mateta
Think youāre being harsh to Liverpool here id put Mac Allister and Salah in the squad over some of those players.
Tried to make it a balanced squad, and honestly Liverpool have been a decent team without any outstanding players. Iām not sure I drop any of them wingers for Salah or any of the CM for Mac.
Odegaard, Rice, Saliba and Saka is probably in
I'd imagine White and Gabriel are also in if they were already in contention for TOTS, maybe Raya too
They'd still find a way to do certain Arsenal players dirty
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I don't think anyone believes anything about transfers with any certainty yet. Everyone has their own wishlists and opinions, but no one knows.
Masses? Where are you seeing this alleged mass belief that we are for sure getting the players whose names we hear? Everyone has been pretty lowkey about things, checking out target to target and overall not getting crazy hyped. Not sure what you're seeing. ppl are cautiously optimistic
Objectively, how good was pre injury Eduardo? Which forward of similar age today was he closest to in terms of quality tier?
Calvert lewin. Not fancy nor sought out, but fit with us perfectly. Injury problems but lifted the team and contributed goals when healthy
He was good but not as good as we probably needed in terms of outright goals. Played sort of like a lesser Jermaine Defoe before the injury.
I think he was decent. Yer typical Arsene Wenger forward. Adapt to play as a Striker, Second Striker, on the wings. Good first touch, quite the finisher. He took his time in the first half of the season (2007/08) but all of the sudden burst onto the scene around Dec/Jan. He was in a red hot form right when he got that injury against Birmingham. Subsequent fall out from that derailed our league season. His form right before the injury and what followed sort of gives him that mythical status among the fan base. As far as any present player that reminds me of him is - Marco Reus. They share a few similarities.
"He took his time in the first half of the season (2007/08) but all of the sudden burst onto the scene around Dec/Jan. He was in a red hot form right when he got that injury against Birmingham" Sounds like Hojlund
You could say that, however, his play style - closest I can think of is Reus.
Perhaps around Reyes ability/ performance level
My nickname for him was āone shot one goalā
Really good player, but overrated to an almost mythical status at this point.
He was heavily underrated when he was playing for us
Zinchenko is supposed to help us control games. But to me he just gets in the way. When he is in possession I worry, I donāt know why people think he is a steady pair of hands in position. For me Zinchenko is always the outstanding candidate to turn the ball over. And his defensive limitations are obvious. He helped progress our football, but simply put we have outgrown him and he must be sold. He doesnāt help with our attack too. For me when he inverts he dwells on the ball and takes away from Odegaard and Rice. I and I hate his own field behaviour where he fist pumps the crowd after winning a throw in ect. Itās embarrassing he speaks to the players. Rice Odegaard big Gabi should lead the team. Zinchenko has no right to talk. Weak manās idea of a leader.
He occasionally buys into his own hype too much and wants the ball often....yet he won't actually pull the trigger on those hero-throughballs outside the box.
Zinchenko was helpful in easing us into St James Park in 22/23 La La La La wait till I get my money rightĀ
Agree with you everywhere, especially the last paragraph. He tries to force the pashun ting like ramsdale
>I and I hate his own field behaviour where he fist pumps the crowd after winning a throw in ect. Itās embarrassing he speaks to the players. Rice Odegaard big Gabi should lead the team. Zinchenko has no right to talk. Weak manās idea of a leader. https://preview.redd.it/80lg7o4sju3d1.jpeg?width=184&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ea86fa7529922d1dfc80e5c0ca0e1150d41bdae6
Go and have a look at the Wolves game at home earlier in the season. Ask yourself if it is appropriate to rev up the crowd after getting robbed of possesion in your own box to make it 2-1 form 2-0 up? IM telling you know, ZInchenko is exactly like Ramsdale - hot headed, too emotional switches off.
Idk man, i am all about selling Zinchenko but that last point sound so melodramatic. Straight up from mexican series
I have never been in a long while so besotted with a transfer target we have been linked to, like I've been with Archie Gray. Watching his comps everyday and the kid's ceiling is unlimited. As good as Frenkie de Jong at his peak. I'd be glum if one of rivals snaps him up.
Youāre so right heās the truth
Maybe a *little* hyperbolic, but I do like him a lot and would love to have him. I just wish the obvious opportunity to get him was *one* more season down the line. Realistically, heās not ready to make an impact at Arsenal now. Heād be bought and loaned out for some extra development and weād see him in a year or maybe two. And if Leedsā need to recoup is great enough that it could realistically be done in a summer window where we might be looking at 4-5 players at an average cost of Ā£45-50m, then fantastic. We could even buy him and loan him straight back for the first season. But as close as we were with PSR this summer, I think bonus singings might be a big ask this summer.
Not sure if he's ready yet, but a no-brainer signing, even if we have to loan him back to Leeds. Will be a top Prem player in a few years.
Think it went missed in the emotions of the last day that Saka wasn't even on the bench in a must win game, and we still won. It didn't matter in the end, and it was still tough, but that game was precisely the exact one we used to fold in because our best player wasn't available. Best signing Arteta ever made for this club was absolute massive balls.
We are in a position now where we can legitimately argue over who our best player is. I'd say it's Ćdegaard. But Rice and Saliba have a claim to stake too.
I think anyone can argue between the three of Ćdegaard, Saka and Saliba and they'd make a compelling case for each of them. Saka is our biggest goal contributer, Saliba is the rock in our defence and the foundation for our solidity and Ćdegaard is the heart and brain of the team. I think Rice is just behind those three. Like you, I ultimately land on Ćdegaard. The best in the team. The leader on the pitch. I don't think people fully grasp just how important, and even vital, his signing was for Arteta's project.
Iād put Saka and Gabriel in that list too. Our squad is great but them five really stand outĀ
Yeah I mean to say those three alongside Saka. Gabriel is worth a shout too.
But I think it also reinforced the idea to me at least that Saka is clearly our best player and we really missed him
If we started Saka and dropped Odegaard I think we'd look worse
We already did that against Man City at home.
When do we think transfers will actually start dropping? Before Euros or will we have to wait till after?
I expect the majority of the work on transfers (both incoming and outgoing) will be done after the Euros. Still, based on some of the stuff we've read so far, I'm hopeful that 1 or two deals might be tentatively wrapped up before that.
We signed xhaka before or during Euro 2016. All I remember is that he had a really good game against somebody in that tournament and caring because he was already one of our players when it happened
Probably after. Even if theyāre signed, the announcements are probably after.
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That's a horrendous mentality to have.
We don't have beef with em like that. Reus deserves it after Wembley 10 years ago. Madrid can pick up #16 another time
I mean, yeah, Iād rather be level (really past them) in this competition but thatās just not where weāre at. Madrid winning is kind of like City taking the league, itās easy for the neutral to be numb to it. But I think a win for Dortmund here is ultimately a win for football.
Yeah I'm with you
What sort of rivalry do we have with Dortmund? If anything, Iād argue theyāre a club to be admired. A peopleās club with rich history even if not the most successful club in Germany, and a knack for developing young talent.
Hard to imagine a more boring outcome than Madrid winning #15. We'd remain a bigger club than Dortmund either way, and they remain a more successful club either way.
Who cares? It's more fun than Madrid winning another one.
Iām similar to you
Nope, I donāt think people give a crap about that. They would rather Dortmund win than Madrid.
How is West Ham signing a Brazilian wonder talent
Live in London, play in a big stadium, get paid lots of money and the assumption that if it works out then you get to move on to a bigger club
who?
Elbow grease and agent networking. West Ham is not afraid of dark, smoky rooms. Theyāve made dodgy transfers all throughout their modern history. Harry Redknappās dark arts run deep in their lifeblood.
i still remember tevez and mascherano day. one of the weirdest moments in footballing history
They attract players by including release clauses in their contracts e.g. Paqueta and Kudus. They can also give him play time to develop.
I've just see that international friendlies starts up on monday, I guess it makes sense with the Euros and Copa coming up but damn these guys get no rest.
I want us to keep Zinny. He has a valuable skillset. He won't be expected to start all matches with Tomi and Jurrien anyway
At some point we need to start selling people while they still have value though. If we're just keeping zinchencko for a use case in certain matches. We need to move forward with different players and try to cash on the previous ones when we do.Ā I do like zinny but I'd never sell anyone in the squad if I judged on liking people.Ā
I do like how Arsenal these days are full of players I personally like or have no problems with, though. During the āTrue Banter Eraā of 2017-2022, I found myself either not liking or outright hating more than half the players in the Arsenal squad, and couldnāt wait to see 90% of them leave the club. Nowadays, I struggle to find players who I personally wish would leave Arsenal, with the only one I really, non-negotiably want gone is because of off-field issues. It is such an amazing feeling to actually love the players who play for my club again.
well said.
Guehi, Andersen, Wharton, Doucoure, Eze, Kamada, Olise + Nketiah would be a nasty Palace team I know they might leave if they somehow manage to keep Guehi and Olise ... wow
Mateta just scored 16 league goals. Eddie has never scored more than 5. He's 25 years old.
at 23 Nketiah scored 5 in 800mins. Mateta had 16 in 2300mins. Truth is Nketiah has never been given the keys, so we don't really know what he can do, especially at a smaller club. plus, Mateta scored 2 last season at 25.
Slipped in Nketiah like we wouldn't notice. He doesn't even start for them.
Take away Eddie and itās even better
Olise and eze is pretty much gone.
Unfortunately mateta started banging em in at the end of season. He had 12 goals in the last 11 games.
Mason Melia with a goal tonight. Hope the club pushes for him.
Is he that Irish fella?
Yep, the very one
I hope at some point in the future- after heās retired, we welcome Auba back and give him a proper send off. That guy was world class for us at a dark period for the club and I will never forget that fa cup run. Seems like his levels and behavior dropped at the same time he was going through some personal issues and Mikel had to make an example of him to get a message across to the team. That shouldnāt negate the joy he brought to us and we should appreciate him for the good.
i mean, if he want to be part then i doubt people would be mad at him, he aint RVP or Fabregas level of dick toward us.
Yes absolutely Auba was proper world class in that Bellerin-Laca-Leno era.Bailed us out frequently while working with scrapes and got two PL golden boots.
I get what you mean but itās harsh to categorise that shit period with Bellerin, Laca and LenoĀ
I will forever categorize that shit period with 4 players: Bellerin, Xhaka, Lacazette, and Mustafi. They were the primary reasons why that period was so shit. When this club needed leadership and composure, they offered none. When this club needed someone to show the way out of bad situations, these guys were usually nowhere to be seen, and when they were seen they were leading the club down to even worse paths. I will never be gaslit into thinking these guys were either good or in any way worthy of the legacy of champions at Arsenal. I would call them shadows of the legends that wore the shirt before them, but that would be an insult to the shadows. And yes, I celebrated with champagne when each and every one of them left the club.
I wouldnāt really pick out them four players when the whole squad was filled with shit players lacking ambitionĀ
I do pick them out, and will always pick them out, because those four were supposed to be members of the āleadership coreā of this team (and among the highest paid players in the squad) during that āTRUE Banter Eraā period. And the most obvious thing none of them had during that whole period was a single ounce of leadership among them. Auba and Ozil were also among the most guilty in this regard. But Ozil at least lifted the squad in the period when he first came here and was the engine of 2 title challenges between 2013-2016, and Auba almost single handedly won an FA Cup thanks to his goals in the 2020 run. Those other 4 donāt have anything close to those sorts of achievements to balance the fact that the on-field performance of the club went to shit when they became the main figures in the dressing room.
With it looking like Nketiah, ESR and Reiss Nelson will be sold, in addition to Cedric moving on, I think it's time for Nwaneri and Norton-Cuffy to get worked into the first team rotation. Who else do you think is ready?
We can think what we want so far MA hasnāt showed any trust towards our youth players
Yeah because they aren't good enough lol
I remember him implying that the quality of the academy wasnt up to first team standards or smth
Cause they arenāt. Weāre fighting for leagues these youth players wonāt get more then 45 minutes the entire season. Most will be sold on or let go on a free.
Nwaneri got minutes, involved in match day squads and recently signed a contract. Heās been show as much trust as you can expect at that age.
bruh
What
I think those guys can pretty comfortably take the esr Nelson Eddie minutes. Give them fa cup/carabou cup/last cl game in group stage.
How well do you think Arshavin would do in this team?
Arshavin used to watch p0rn openly in the dressing room without earphones. It was a symptom of the rot that had set in during the late Wenger years. Arteta would have Zinchenko drone-drop a grenade on Arshavin's head and bury him under the hedges in Colney.
Lmao this has to be a joke. No way Wenger would allow that.
Wenger made Colney into leisure center in his last years
I'm pretty sure Wenger was not aware which in itself is a symptom but Adebayor or Song (don't know who) said he did it in the physio room. If so the staff should have notified Arsene but i guess they didn't.
You got a source for this? Sounds hilarious tbh
IDK who either Adebayor or Song (one of these two) mentioned it in an interview a while ago that Arshavin used to watch p0rn loudly in front of others.
Source on that?! What the fuck?!
see comment above
Honestly I compare him to Trossard and I would rather have Trossard
How do you guys feel about EBL on twitter? I find most tacticos are annoying and full of shit. And EBL can sometimes be full of shit, but overall I feel heās better than the others.
The incentive structure for Twitter Tacticos is all wrong. It's all about branding and hyperbole, not nuanced analysis. EBL is not the worst of the lot but I don't find he has much to offer either.
it's literally just a "make a funny caricature of a imaginary analyst" to farm engagement. how do people fall for that idk. if you want to engage with fake but "funny caricature" content just go watch WWE or something and if you want actual analysis, YouTube content will be much better
He gives people a nice template on tactical stuff. Probably peaked around 2022 id say, when he was down on conte and up on arteta when that wasnt the general sentiment around the football community
He's the worst of the lot imo, complete walnut. He never has even a remotely interesting take and rates every single player to ever walk to face of the earth.
Every manager and every player is elite to that guy.
Guy gets excited about literally everything lmao. That amrabat thread is his biggest shitshow. I muted him cus for me, he personifies the 'wannabe tactico' on twitter.
EBL is basically to managers what Eduardo Hagn is to every player weāre linked with.
He's usually just under my threshold. Even if he makes me cringe now and then I think he's genuine and informative. He also put me onto the GOAT Billy Carpenter.
What makes Billy so good is that he backs up the lyrical rhetoric with some very interesting data models. Bespoke metrics to address very specific questions. Analysis the way it should be done. EBL just chats nonsense.
CackleberryOmelettes, what an **ELITE** comment. Wow. Wow. Wow.
Zinchenko isn't good enough to be a first team player, but I'll be happy to keep him as a backup squad player. But I am quite sure he wouldn't be happy to stay as a backup, so I guess selling him would be best for everyone.
Zinny is good against almost every team out of the top 8
No, Zinchenko is so clearly not good enough to start big games. He is not a good enough defender.
martinelli my son my liege what is it you require i will get you https://preview.redd.it/a3950i7hvs3d1.jpeg?width=1456&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1801eae993e60aa5ebbae003d2f38cf1653247f5
Realizing next season Klopp wonāt be there to thirst over Martinelli
When this team reaches its peak under Arteta do you think we can compete with Madrid? Klopp tried to go toe to toe with them and suffered countless losses on and off the pitch, losing nearly every CL game and missing out on a few primary transfer targets to Madrid.
In terms of metrics and quality of play weāre already there. We obviously donāt have the aura and historical success which for them somehow wins them stuff they prolly donāt deserve to win. With that being said I think Madrid are getting to a point now where they legit look unplayable at points. Their biggest issues may come in replacing their backline but everywhere else they have the best of the best. I already think weāre probably the top 3 best teams In the world based on this past season and we got to a cl quarters either probably our worst performances of the season being in the cl knockouts.
The key to Madrid's success is that they have always had real difference makers. By that I mean there's always multiple players who will turn up and just do something phenomenal when they need it most. Whether the gameplan is going their way or not. We haven't shown this yet. We're phenomenally coached and it shows, but who of ours do you trust to come up with the goods, pulling a rabbit out of the hat in the 120th min of ET?
Itās bigger than that. Their hero in the semi final was fucking joselu bro.
Yup. They always find that hero.
This could be the peak of the team or some players right now but we donāt know yet
Nah Madrid are absolutely stacked and will keep adding. Feels like they will be the 1A team with City as 1B if the charges don't stick, then everyone else fights it out.
Yeah, they can literally take their pick of the top talent in the world and will keep getting stronger, especially when Alonso takes charge they could become unstoppable.
I think Madrid are entering an era of dominance in Spain and Europe, it's going to take a lot to stop them
I'm not so sure, even with Mbappe joining them. The point is they'll never be able to replace Kroos and Modric who were the focal points of their dominance.
Its hard to say, their recruiting process seems pretty similar to ours, if they find a solid replacement for those two, they have all the other blocks to be dominant for literally a decade. It certainly will be interesting to watch
Unfortunately I agree. Alonso is going to inherit an already great squad, and now with prime Mbappe too. It's not fair lmao
Every non madrid fan should be supporting dortmund in the final. We need something to go wrong for those guys
idk man, like, Madrid gonna drop some of his players sooner or later so its good keeping the good relations
Love the club building a good reputation with Ajax. They are probably the best club in Europe to have a relationship with considering the quantity of top class talent they always have coming through, and they are always willing to sell.
Why does it always seem like Chelshit have an infinite money glitch?
they effectively had all the spending under Abramovich reset after the sale, were able to sell players they'd spent a lot of money on and the new buyers were mandated to spend a billion as part of the sale even with all that they are right on the edge of FFP, and have to really hope results improve because another year or two without UCL and they'll be in serious trouble.
Tbf though I think most of the top teams in the PL are on the edge of FFP. I think even weāre starting to push it a bit.
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I donāt think Osimhen was ever really on the table. I donāt remember a reliable ITK linking him, just the whole world of sports tabloids bringing his name up because he was the buzzy striker in a moment where it seemed like Arsenal desperately needed one.
The roadblock we are facing trying to recruit a left 8 is the insistence on that player also being excellent in winning 1v1 duels and second balls, even though we already have Rice. Arteta probably would not have even Cazorla/David Silva there.
I think Arteta wants Rice as an 8 most games and wants someone with the skillset of Partey and Jorginho for the 6. The games where Rice is suited for the 6 role is where we dominate so hard that 1 or 2 of our fullbacks constantly is inverted so that we end up playing a 2341. Both the 6 and the 8 are pushed so far up the pitch that they basically function as a 8 and 10 (maybe even a second striker). In these kinds of games Rice is the perfect 6 and Havertz is the perfect 8, but it only works when players like Zinchenko or Timber inverts so they can bring the ball out from defence and basically do the job Partey/Jorginho does in the 6 role. If Tomiyasu and White starts as our fullback pair Arteta probably wants Jorginho or Partey as the 6. Tomiyasu and White are better duel playes which specially suits Jorginho. This is also why players like Guimaraes and Zubimendi are so wanted by Arteta. They will be more suited than Rice for the 6 role, but won't look bad in the 8 role. Rice is the opposite, he is currently most suited for the 8 role, but don't look bad in the 6 role. Our best defensive solid lineup consists of Tomiyasu and White at fullback and Rice, Partey, Ćdegaard in midfield. Our best offensive lineup is Zinchenko and Timber as fullbacks and Havertz, Rice, Ćdegaard in midfield. In most games we will probably see neither because this is version is the most extreme, but my prediction is that unless Partey or Jorginho is injured most of the season Rice will play as an 8. TLDR: We need players that suits eachother skillset. Rice and Timber/Zinchenko at fullback is a good combo. Partey/Jorginho is better if White,Tomiyasu, Kiwior starts at both fullback positions.
I struggle with this logic. If Rice's biggest strength is the defensive side of the game, and stopping transitions, don't you want him as the 6, especially in the games where we are less dominant? Rice is a well-rounded player but he lacks offensively as an 8 compared to the best players in that position. Also, when fans say Rice is more suited as an 8, do they mean his skill set is better utilized in that role, or that as a team, we are better off with someone else as the 6? And if is is the latter, that Rice might struggle with bringing the ball out from the back, isn't that easily rectified by also having an inverted fullback, defenders with better passing range, or having the 8 drop deep (like Odegaard has been doing)?
Rice being a well rounded player is just a positive no matter where he play, winning the ball high up on the pitch is a big advantage as an left 8. I wrote a whole paragraph about the fullbacks.
Yes, Rice is well rounded but the defensive side of his game is still better than the offensive side, and having Rice at the 6 to stop transitions is better than having a lesser player there, and having a more creative 8 to unlock defenses is also better than having Rice in that position. Winning the ball high up the pitch is important, and that's why our entire front 5/6 presses like crazy since it's also a collective effort, but to me, the 8 position is still primarily an offensive and creative one.
I think the idea is that Rice is good enough to still do most of his defensive side of the game while also adding far more offense. 1+0.2<0.8+0.6. When he did play 6 there were also issues with progressing the ball from back to front, which ended when he moved to 8 and we got a better distributor at 6.
I think the days of a lone 6 and two free 8s winning you the league are over, even Pep has ditched it. Top teams know how to exploit that setup. Works against lesser teams though, and we already have Vieira/ESR if we want to go that route.
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DIdn't Foden usually set up as a nominal left wing when de Bruyne played?
A few times yeah. It was his main set up in the centurion days.
Or was it because he couldn't get the Gundogan replacement? I guess we'll see what happens if he gets Guimaraes/Neves.
Gundogan is an 8/6 hybrid and played as a 6 for City quite a bit. I wouldnāt put him in the Silva mould.
Do people really think timber lb and 100m for Bruno will fix our left side? With our LWs theyāre all gonna want to occupy the same zones lol
I actually think Bruno will play as a 6 if we buy him.
Bruno and overlapping LB will fix it if Havertz is the CF. Unclear to me whether Timber can overlap but ideally we'd want someone faster and left footed there.
Exactly, and even if timber is there he will favour the inside angles because heās right footed There are a few good options id target but the ones weāre linked to donāt fix it (ferdi, hato)
If Davies is available we should test the waters
Would be amazing but Iām a bit let down by his development curve, canāt always be perfect but with his contract situation the fee wouldnāt be crazy
I think Timber is really versatile unto himself and he provides a lot of versatility when it comes to the squad on the pitch. It could be that you have Bruno (or an equivalent) acting as the 6, being the base of the midfield diamond, interchanging with Rice at the left 8, and Timber acts largely as a defensive FB who gets into the underlap as an attacking option (see his goal for the u21s). Could be that Timber inverts into the midfield diamond proper (from either left or right) and one of either Rice or Bruno (or said equivalent) gets a rest. Could be that Timber starts at RB like the Everton game in basically the same role as White. I donāt actually think it will be Bruno, though who knows. And I do still assume there will be another left footed LB signing to round things out. But again, who knows.
the question becomes, why aren't we in on his twin quinten?
I wouldnāt be opposed! Quintenās numbers look great. But Iāve always just had this feeling it wouldnāt happen. Maybe it risks too much confusion for our own players on the pitch? š
The left side will always be isolated even if we sign Prime C.Ronaldo, its the 'overload to isolate'; Our right will always be preffered
If you have prime cr7 you donāt deploy him the way we do our wingers
But we donāt have prime CR7? Part of the plan is to isolate Martinelli (to a degree) so that he can get more space/1 on 1s
Our issue is not lacking isolation at all, if thatās our plan it sucks
Who cares what they want. Theyāll do what Arteta tells them.
i've asked before but weren't the invincibles/wenger invited to our last game, any news on what happened to that?
Its funny how we get offered oshimen the second news comes out about sesko
i think the revelations about kudus from TNAT reveals something important that for many hasn't fully sunken in: we are a ***very*** wealthy club limited only by FFP, PSR, and not being absolute cheats. the lean years have absolutely nothing to do with the modern day club outside of being underperforming with commercial revenue due to our declining status over the 2010s. if it weren't for the limitations set in place we would have had a 280m summer with rice, havertz, timber, kudus, and raya part of our limitations vs a man city is with the nature of state-ownership, you have a number of companies within that country to do sponsorships. that's a particular kind of ownership model outside of massive wealth it comes with. one that allows for 115 charges to accumulate if you're arrogant about it. we are stupid rich as an institution, but *normal* stupid rich there's no need for an inferiority complex anymore, but old habits die hard. many people will strike it rich from poverty and find themselves still buying ramen when they could easily go to a michelin star restaurant. it's a weird quirk about money and human psychology. as such, it's no surprise many fans and rivals still see arsenal as the penny-pitching club of yore who's fate is to always get gazump'd by the big spenders of football. but that's silly. it doesn't represent us in the contemporary era as the 2020s roll on, and really do believe this, declan rice may have been our first 100m+ signing but he won't be our last. we are strategic and prudent, but not skint. if we hone on someone truly worth it like deccers, we'll pull that trigger. once we continue this flow of CL, top spots in the league, etc etc and our commercial revenue matches our new stature, there's no more bottom bargain deals in our squad with sells, and so on, our financial handcuffs will loosen
Cheers, Josh.
We probably could've had that window if West ham hadn't insisted on the rice tranfer being paid out over 2 years.
Approved by the kse propaganda department
I mean, they've turned a messy club around, so they can have a bit of propoganda on the sub
it was a joke lmao, also how has this gone from 10 updoots to 2
***be excited***
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I5 AAK
Osimhen is a better player rn. Sesko is probably the best cf prospect in the world. Id be ok with either.
Sesko too similar to Havertz. honestly, not feeling the calls for a striker at all. get in a big money (wide) forward who can create out of nothing in big games, or a big money LCM
> create out of nothing in big games I cannot stress this enough. Kai only scores goals that are made for him by others. Only Saka has shown he can make his own goals, and we don't see it often.
> Kai only scores goals that are made for him by others. Is this where we're at now? Jesus. With the chance creation in our team, someone like Sesko could really flourish. I see some Haaland in him, in the way he pounces on some of those turnovers and smashes the ball
My point is that we don't score enough goals that we shouldn't. Ben White's shank into the top corner doesn't count (we'd have scored if he got his cross right, anyway). Because the days come when there's just nothing being created, and we have no wildcards.
Theres only 1 striker in the world who creates goals on "his own" and thats kane. Haaland cant create goals but he sure as shit can finish what is thrown infront of him. And the last five months of the PL havertz was doing that as well. I agree with the other guy, a tippy top ST isnt what we need this window. We need a midfield of 6 or 8 depending on where arteta seeings Rice. Besides, there are 0, zip, nothing, no strikers on the market that can make a goal out of nothing. But i do agree if theres one, sesko maybe it in the future.
Its fine that Kai doesn't do that, as he does so much more. But we need someone who can
Oh 100%. I just don't want us to add yet another player who can't create his own shots. Teams that are well drilled will always cause us problems and we have no plan B.
Theyāre similar in that theyāre both 6ā4+ thatās about it.
Sesko a 21 yo mirror of Kai? Where do I sign?
Kai is 24, that's a great age as well and arguably better because of experience - while not even in his prime yet
Whoās our midfield signing
He's waiting for us at Everton. Go get him.
Itās not really a debate, if Osimhen is available and doable for the club you do it.
I have no idea why we would defer our best years with Sesko if Osimhen is an option You never know whatās gonna happen tomorrow