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Squad Analysis 2019/20

KrissKringle

Reinventing VAR 😡
We need a bit more humility. Can we actually afford Partey? Could the money be better spent somewhere else Could we afford Pepe? Likewise, could we have improved the squad more with that money?
I feel like we can really improve our squad with some players from smaller PL teams as long as those players aren't english, because we know how inflated their prices can be.

I was looking at Papu Gomez last night and how influential he is for Atalanta. I'd take that guy in a heartbeat even if he's 32 because we are incredibly square when it comes to creating chances and that guy reminds me a lot of Santi.

We're at a point where we shouldn't be looking for champagne players because we need guys who work their asses off and have hunger in them, not lazy divas.
 

14Henry

Looking for receipts 👀
It's like instead of signing who we actually should we sign who we think a team like Arsenal should be signing.

We need a bit more humility. Can we actually afford Partey? Could the money be better spent somewhere else Could we afford Pepe? Likewise, could we have improved the squad more with that money?

Yeah sometimes it's as if we think we are too good to be signing players from the championship.

Pepe hasnt showed enough to warrant 72m. Maybe we paid more so we could do the deal over 5 years but looking at it now Pepe was a bad choice. Even Emery said he didnt want Pepe he wanted Zaha.

Pepe can drop a good shoulder and a quick turn but he cannot run at a defender or past him. One or two times he had the chance to stand the defender up and he cut back.
 

UnitedBeard

An annoying Manc
It's like instead of signing who we actually should we sign who we think a team like Arsenal should be signing.

We need a bit more humility. Can we actually afford Partey? Could the money be better spent somewhere else Could we afford Pepe? Likewise, could we have improved the squad more with that money?

It's about a smart buy, be patient & fans need to understand that it'll take time to rebuild. The most important thing in rebuild isn't about the progress of getting top 4 next season but whether the manager is going in the right direction.

Emery decided to spend 70m on attacker Pepe when they already have Laca, Aubameyang & some promising youngster attackers/wingers from academy. Instead, he chose to spent peanut on a deadwood centre back Luiz. Not going into the right direction but creating more problems, the manager got no clue.

In contrast, United decided to spend 80m on centre back Maguire, let go Lukaku without replacing him. Ole knows the main problem was the defense had no leadership & composure. And instead of spending the budget on replacing Lukaku, he put his faith on Rashford, Martial & also Greenwood.

I think the idea of signing Partey is to add more steel in midfield to strengthened your defense next season. That could be the right idea because Arteta might plan to play 4 at the back. He is forced to play 3 at the back because he has clown centre backs & no protection from midfield.

Creativity is really needed at Arsenal. Lack of creative player to create "quality" chances.

You need a leader at the back. A centre back who can take a lead, brings composure and organise the defense. None of your centre back are stepping up to be the one. A good commanding centre back can make his partnership looks decent at least.
 

DanDare

Emoji Merchant and Believer-In-Chief
Trusted ⭐

Player:Saliba
Yeah we basically need a starting quality player up the whole spine except GK

CB, CM, AM, CF

Doubt we'll get the CB. CF dependent on Laca being sold if Auba renews
 

Country: Iceland
A team that is not run like a circus would not have bought Mari, Luiz, and Soares to fix the defense. These transfers are probably the breaking point. If top4 was a chance in the next 2-4 years I think these transfers have killed that hope easily.

Unless Arteta works some miracle next 2 seasons.
 

BobP

Memri Fan
What's the downside to getting rid of the likes of Sokratis, Mustafa, David Luiz and Kolasinac all in one go?

Just stick with Holding, Chambers, Mari, Saliba, Mavropanos and some academy prospect. The former three may not be world class but at least they're honest and stable. Can't be any worse than what we're currently fielding.
 

HairSprayGooners

My brother posted it ⏩
Maguire may turn slower than milk but he is a leader. I wouldn't compare it to Liverpool signing VVD as I think VVD is streets ahead of him but the impact a proper natural leader can make on the defence is mad.

Upamecano is shiny and great, but not a leader. Idk we obviously need an improvement but id rather no more Mustafi situations.
 

RunTheTrap

Kai Havertz Offense League
Maguire may turn slower than milk but he is a leader. I wouldn't compare it to Liverpool signing VVD as I think VVD is streets ahead of him but the impact a proper natural leader can make on the defence is mad.

Upamecano is shiny and great, but not a leader. Idk we obviously need an improvement but id rather no more Mustafi situations.
I think Saliba may be the leader type but can he come into the premier league in his first season and boss everyone in defence? Does he even speak English?
 

DanDare

Emoji Merchant and Believer-In-Chief
Trusted ⭐

Player:Saliba
I think Saliba may be the leader type but can he come into the premier league in his first season and boss everyone in defence? Does he even speak English?

No serious team relies on a 19 year old to come in from a different league and provide either reliable, consistent quality or leadership

Artetas right to play down Salibas importance. Unfortunately we won't make any signings in defence of seems
 
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Penn_

Established Member
Trusted ⭐
Our squad is very CB heavy, we need to shift some before we think about bringing in another one.

Mustafi
Luiz
Sok
Holding
Chambers
Mari
Saliba
Mavropanos
 

dashsnow17

Doesn’t Rate Any Of Our Attackers
Trusted ⭐
A new AM might be as important as a new CB

AM is a way bigger problem than CB. At least at CB there are potential solutions, new bodies. Saliba, Mavro, Mari, all new bodies you can put in and work with. At AM there's just a dearth of bodies, without Özil it's basically just Willock and ESR.

Willock isn't creative, so that can't be a realistic option. ESR is creative, but jeez there's a long way to go for him. He needs to improve fitness, he needs to improve defensively etc. Without a new AM from the transfer market I can't see how next season is any different to this season.
 

bingobob

A-M’s Resident Hunskelper
Trusted ⭐

Country: Scotland
There isnt really AMs anymore. They are slowly being moved out of the game. City no longer use them. Both Silvas deliver offensively and defensively.

Bruno at United is all action also.

I think we can rely less on a creative player if we get the wings functioning correctly. Which is why I keep coming back to the dilemma of retaining Aubameyang. Unless he is played through the middle I think he becomes an obstacle to changing the system. but you cannot leave him out due to the goals he scores.

But if he goes it removes that obstacle. And we get natural wingers and full backs in the team to create. and a structured midfield to progress play and retain possession.

Also I'm not a lover of Xa or whatever it is. I think there are lots of creative players out there who dont always get an assist.

Arteta just needs to settle on what he wants.
 

Country: Iceland
A new AM might be as important as a new CB

What happened to Xhaka long-range passing? In his first season, he was pinging them forward like a prime Alonso.

You can clearly see that the forwards are being instructed to attempt more behind runs, Auba, Pepe, Laca, even Bellerin is there trying. But they get ignored most of the time.
 

dashsnow17

Doesn’t Rate Any Of Our Attackers
Trusted ⭐
One of our big problems, and it sounds stupid, is that 2021 is a year away. It's nice to think that players like Mustafi, Sokratis and especially Özil will be out of contract in 2021 and their wages will be freed up. But it's no good just sitting on your hands for a whole year waiting for something to happen.

If their contracts were up this summer I'd be so optimistic, we could do so so much just with the Özil wages alone. As it is it's just a massive pebble in our shoe.
 

Jae

Well-Known Member
  1. Get rid of Laca.
  2. Get Partey.
  3. Get a WC CB to play alongside Saliba.
  4. Switch to 4-4-2 (Laca and Pepe upfront).
  5. ?
  6. Profit.
 

bingobob

A-M’s Resident Hunskelper
Trusted ⭐

Country: Scotland
The more I drink the more I'm behind losing Lacazette and Aubameyang. It's really a swings and round abouts way of thinking.

I think if we went and moved Saka to the left of a midfield 3 and brought Martinelli to the left of a front 3 we become better balanced.
Ceballos Xhaka Saka
Pepe New Cf* Martinelli

I think that gives us enough momentum through the middle of the park and gives us more natural width. Probably means less of a rebuild as we would only be signing Ceballos and a new CF.
 

kofigunner

Established Member
Trusted ⭐
Quality aside, our setup is getting close to Man City in terms of formation. I think about Sterling running at and dribbling defenders and I look at Auba who is not that kind of player at all. It kills a lot of our attacking prowess. Auba is really a CF, he doesn’t have the skills to play wide. It’s his predatory instincts that have him still banging in so many goals. Put him in the middle and Saka on the left and let Saka do his thing and we will be much more potent.
 

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