Squad Analysis 2020/21

[Rex Stone]

The argument isn’t about Willian not being creative enough but is he good enough to be Arsenal main creative player. Because even if Chelsea keep him, he won’t be their main creative player as they signed Ziyech. And they also had others who had equal or more assist numbers than Saka.

Let me give you the hindsight of the others team creativity.

Man Utd:
Bruno only joined us in February, that’s about 35/100 percent of our season and within short period of time, he produced 7 assists which equal to Willian best assists tally in full season. Imagine him playing the whole season.

Rashford is a goalscorer not creative player but he produced 7 assists last season which the same number as Willian. Martial is a goalscorer and he had 6.

Pogba missed majority his season in 19/20 due injury, but in 18/19 & 17/18 he had 9 & 10 assists. That’s what Pogba capable of when doesn’t get long term injury.

United just signed VDB & Telles those two had 5 & 8 assists last season. And their highest number per season are 10 & 13 league assists, even though it’s only eredivise & Portuguese league, it’s still something.

City:
They had De Bruyne with 20 assists, combine Saka & Willian last season, both only reached 60% of De Bruyne number. And they still have Silva, Mahrez and etc.

Liverpool, well, I don’t need to give names. You know it.

Sp**s:
Son - 10 assists last season and Kane with his new role this season now drop deep more often already produced 8 assists so far. That’s already more than what Willian had best with 7 assists.

And if you still think Willian being as your main creativity is good enough with Saka and your full backs to back him up and if that’s your standard then I’m not complaining.

I’m just saying the cupboard isn’t as bare as you’re making out

Yes he’s not a perfect creative player as I’ve said but there’s many ways to win a football game and you can win games without one.

Also “good enough for a team like Arsenal” he definitely is. His team finished top four last year and if we can do the same that’s a great result.

 

[Macho]

I’m just saying the cupboard isn’t as bare as you’re making out

Yes he’s not a perfect creative player as I’ve said but there’s many ways to win a football game and you can win games without one.

I thought what you was saying was pretty clear tbh not sure where the disagreement is.

 

[UnitedBeard]

Well, you’d be pointing out the obvious, so you’re not wrong.

As for Mesut, you’re more than welcome to him? Please?

I talked about Özil in my original post, check it out:

You need to start put question mark on the squad itself, where is the creativity coming from?

And player who is known as assist king isn’t in the squad registration which I find it very silly consider that he has ridiculous high wages. Why throw money away to someone who is not going to be registered?

There are goal scorers but lack of quality in the creativity department.

 

[UnitedBeard]

I thought what you was saying was pretty clear tbh not sure where the disagreement is.

The one who had disagreement is him as he replied to my post and pointed out about United last title winner seasons. When clearly in that season we had Rooney & RVP with 10 assists each (more than Willian). Evra with 6 assists, more than Saka.

 

[UnitedBeard]

I’m just saying the cupboard isn’t as bare as you’re making out

Yes he’s not a perfect creative player as I’ve said but there’s many ways to win a football game and you can win games without one.

Also “good enough for a team like Arsenal” he definitely is. His team finished top four last year and if we can do the same that’s a great result.

I already told you, if that’s your view and standard then I’m not complaining.

But don’t start telling me that the lack of creative player is not an obstacle to creating chances and use our last title team as example, because it’s completely wrong.

 

[Tir Na Nog]

Look at this for horrendous squad building. There's no plan here at all, just a bunch of random signings. A couple of big signings, a few opportunistic signings and a few punts. But in general it's dreadful stuff. Also find it amusing we spent about 125 million on strikers in the space of 18 months before ending up with a top one in Auba. Pretty much sums it all up.

 

[truth_hurts]

We've got a great squad. We had knobheads turning their noses up at the likes of Coutinho and Dembele this summer.

Sarcasm aside, we actually have a decent squad, which is under performing.

Leno is a good keeper. Gabriel is looking like the defender We've needed for years and Arteta's negative tactics mean we no longer concede many. We have at least 2 defenders for every position. 4 (Holding, Mustafi, Kolasinac, maybe Soares) or more aren't good enough and that will need addressing.

Xhaka, Partey, Ceballos, Özil, Willian, Willock, Saka, ESR, El Nenny. On paper that's as good as anything We've had since Santi was fit. The balance is all over the place though. I can't work out why we can't manipulate the ball and boss midfield. Guess we have to give Arteta the time to fix it. Our star man doesn't feature so that needs addressing. We need a new creative star.

Our forwards are malfunctioning, but again we have good options. Aubameyang, Lacazette and Pepe is 200m of attacking talent. Saka and Martinelli are two of the most exciting youngsters in world football. We also have Nelson, Nketiah and Willian who are Premier League level.

Our squad is far better than it is performing.

 

[boonthegoon]

We need goalscorers. Look at how clinical other teams' forwards are. I agree we create less chances, but other teams score in the few chances they get as well.

 

[truth_hurts]

Look at this for horrendous squad building. There's no plan here at all, just a bunch of random signings. A couple of big signings, a few opportunistic signings and a few punts. But in general it's dreadful stuff. Also find it amusing we spent about 125 million on strikers in the space of 18 months before ending up with a top one in Auba. Pretty much sums it all up.

Take Soares and Pepe out and the rest are either Arteta signings or re-signings. Maybe this is the type of player he wants to supplement Leno and Aubameyang, who are our only two definite starters bp (before Partey).

Edit - Tierney wasn't an Arteta signing.

 

[BigPoppaPump]

Look at this for horrendous squad building. There's no plan here at all, just a bunch of random signings. A couple of big signings, a few opportunistic signings and a few punts. But in general it's dreadful stuff. Also find it amusing we spent about 125 million on strikers in the space of 18 months before ending up with a top one in Auba. Pretty much sums it all up.

This is just pathetic, look at all that dross we stacked up. This is why I have no faith, don't see us getting back in the CL with this lot.

 

[Jasard]

Our recruitment has been a bigger problem than our managers, easily.

 

[MikelHadADream]

We obviously need a creative midfielder, but we also need forwards that can create for themselves and combine with one another. Pepe hasn't worked so far, and Lacazette and Auba are very limited. The three very rarely create for eachother and combine in games, there is no chemistry.

 

[pikey2000]

The squad is good enough for us to be doing better than we are currently, at the moment I think Mikel is chopping and changing to much, we need to settle on a formation and a core of at least 8 players and have a run of at least 5-10 games, rotating only for injury and maybe 3 positions where we can afford to rotate, we might actually see some patters of play and rhythm in our game appear if we start fielding the same team and allow partnerships to build.

I'd go with

--------------------------------Auba---------------------------------
-
Saka------------------------------------------------------------Pepe
-
-----------------------ESR/Ceballos/Willian----------------------
-
--------------------------Xhaka---Partey---------------------------
-
Tierney------------Gabriel---------Mustafi--------------Bellerin
-
--------------------------------Leno---------------------------------

Let our CB pairing build a relationship
Let our CM pairing build a relationship
Let the front 3 build a relationship
Play Auba up top, he offers zero creativity out wide and we are lacking creativity
Hope that one of ESR/Ceballos/Willian can find their creative boots

barring injuries play the same bloody team for a run of games and see fi it makes a difference!

 

[Maybe]

This is just pathetic, look at all that dross we stacked up. This is why I have no faith, don't see us getting back in the CL with this lot.

You are exaggerating like usual, Ceballos, Partey, Willian, Pepe, Tierney, Gabriel are hardly dross. You add Auba and Leno to that group and it's a good squad, and I don't want to listen to some c**p like Leicester is a better team and it was OK to lose the game. The team is underperforming big time, and for the first time in a while that I blame the manager for that instead of our squad quality

 

[BigPoppaPump]

You are exaggerating like usual, Ceballos, Partey, Willian, Pepe, Tierney, Gabriel are hardly dross. You add Auba and Leno to that group and it's a good squad, and I don't want to listen to some c**p like Leicester is a better team and it was OK to lose the game. The team is underperforming big time, and for the first time in a while that I blame the manager for that instead of our squad quality

They're not underperforming, their level isn't Champions League. Only a handful of our players would I say are top class. Don't tell me about Ceballos, Willian or Pepe please, they aren't the players that will take us to the next level.

 

[Maybe]

They're not underperforming, their level isn't Champions League. Only a handful of our players would I say are top class. Don't tell me about Ceballos, Willian or Pepe please, they aren't the players that will take us to the next level.

You don't need 20 top-class players to outperform Rapid and Leicester, and the same goes for getting into the top 4. The team is good, probably not good enough to win anything important, but still much better than what they are showing on the pitch. There is a clear improvement in our defence with Gabriel and Tierney, and Partey will definitely add that midfield quality we were lacking before.
We've scored 8 goals so far, and if you wanna believe that West Ham, Brighton and Leeds are blessed with the attacking talent and they can easily outscore us, be my guest.
I will keep my opinion that Pepe, Auba, Ceballos, Willian, Saka and Laca are better than what most of the clubs have, and your empty hate towards some of our players basically have no logical arguments to support it.

The tactics and the negative approach in our football is a disgrace, it's football you would expect from Burnley and Sheffield, but as always, your short sight will only see as far as Ceballos, Pepe or Willian (even when they don't play), and blame players who are obviously not played to their strengths and potential

 

[BigPoppaPump]

You don't need 20 top-class players to outperform Rapid and Leicester, and the same goes for getting into the top 4. The team is good, probably not good enough to win anything important, but still much better than what they are showing on the pitch. There is a clear improvement in our defence with Gabriel and Tierney, and Partey will definitely add that midfield quality we were lacking before.
We've scored 8 goals so far, and if you wanna believe that West Ham, Brighton and Leeds are blessed with the attacking talent and they can easily outscore us, be my guest.
I will keep my opinion that Pepe, Auba, Ceballos, Willian, Saka and Laca are better than what most of the clubs have, and your empty hate towards some of our players basically have no logical arguments to support it.

The tactics and the negative approach in our football is a disgrace, it's football you would expect from Burnley and Sheffield, but as always, your short sight will only see as far as Ceballos, Pepe or Willian (even when they don't play), and blame players who are obviously not played to their strengths and potential

See this is the problem. Some of you guys think these players are world class and it's jus the managers. When I say most of these players aren't that good because it's been like 4 seasons out of the CL and never look like really getting back in the top 4 but there's no logical arguments and Lacazette is one of the best strikers in the league I'm just a hater.

Some of you guys need to stop worshipping players so much and judge them by what they produce instead of blaming the managers and Kroenke's all the time. What has Pepe even done to show he's better than what most people have other than blind optimism? Guy doesn't even start games.

You keep acting like Leicester are sh*t but player for player you can't say we're much better.

 

[Maybe]

See this is the problem. Some of you guys think these players are world class and it's jus the managers. When I say most of these players aren't that good because it's been like 4 seasons out of the CL and never look like really getting back in the top 4 but there's no logical arguments and Lacazette is one of the best strikers in the league I'm just a hater.

Some of you guys need to stop worshipping players so much and judge them by what they produce instead of blaming the managers and Kroenke's all the time. What has Pepe even done to show he's better than what most people have other than blind optimism? Guy doesn't even start games.

You keep acting like Leicester are sh*t but player for player you can't say we're much better.

I'm not talking about Lacazete or Pepe or any specific player, that's what you're doing. You always pick a player and if he doesn't do what you expect you start the blame game. It doesn't matter for you if we play with 7 defenders, or is that player playing out of position, or is he spending 95% of the game defending even though he is a forward.
Honestly, if we would buy Aguerro tomorrow, he wouldn't be able to do anything more than what Laca is doing.
There are managers like Pep, and apparently, Arteta, who will put their ego over the team, simple as that. They want to show the world how many formations they can think of, that they can take their slowest midfielder who will play as LCB, DMC, and LB in the same game, only to allow Rogers to score a goal targeting that player. That's was brutal to watch and we were lucky Vardy didn't play 90min that game, and it was all about Arteta and his ego.
Unlucky for us, we don't have the squad like City so the experiments will be less effective and more costly for us, but unlucky for City, Pep was the single reason why they've lost the game against Lyon and didn't win the CL

 

[Makavelii]

The squad is good enough for us to be doing better than we are currently, at the moment I think Mikel is chopping and changing to much, we need to settle on a formation and a core of at least 8 players and have a run of at least 5-10 games, rotating only for injury and maybe 3 positions where we can afford to rotate, we might actually see some patters of play and rhythm in our game appear if we start fielding the same team and allow partnerships to build.

I'd go with

--------------------------------Auba---------------------------------
-
Saka------------------------------------------------------------Pepe
-
-----------------------ESR/Ceballos/Willian----------------------
-
--------------------------Xhaka---Partey---------------------------
-
Tierney------------Gabriel---------Mustafi--------------Bellerin
-
--------------------------------Leno---------------------------------

Let our CB pairing build a relationship
Let our CM pairing build a relationship
Let the front 3 build a relationship
Play Auba up top, he offers zero creativity out wide and we are lacking creativity
Hope that one of ESR/Ceballos/Willian can find their creative boots

barring injuries play the same bloody team for a run of games and see fi it makes a difference!

I agree with this post.

 

[Check]

Our technical ability is just not good enough. How many players do we have that have a consistently good first touch? Only Nelson, Partey, Ceballos and Saka do have a good first touch. Other than that it is way too inconsistent. I was so jealous yesterday looking at the first goal of Sp**s. That first touch of Son was brilliant and that first touch is what gives him so much time and space to score that goal.

We should look for players who have a better first touch and overall technique otherwise we will be mid-table team for the next few seasons.