LookingForEric
Patronize me again and I'll destroy you 😖
Country: Northern Ireland
Think you're very light on CF depth, assuming Balogun is leaving of course, and while I obviously think Rice is a massive get for you guys, Xhaka and (maybe) Partey leaving doesn't exactly fix your lack of depth in that area either.
Business obviously isn't done so there's still plenty of time to fix some of it. Significant improvement from the likes of Vieira, Kiwior and Nelson would also go a long way, but that's a big maybe.
It's why I added the last part. I think you're capable of competing across two competitions, but if you push far into every cup to the point where the reserves aren't cutting it anymore, I think fitness will become a real issue. Someone like Jorginho is easily capable of filling in for Rice against weak opposition, but once you go up again decent quality teams I feel like Rice simply has to play for your team to work, and I think that goes for several positions. If Tomiyasu's fitness wasn't a concern then I wouldn't be nearly as worried about your defense either. There's a lot riding on two young defenders if one of Gabriel, Saliba or White go down.
Didn't mean to sound too doom and gloom, still have you heavy favourites to finish in the CL spots and do well in the CL, just think there's still some way to go in terms of adding quality depth, something that can only really be fixed with time as you bring in new quality starters and current starters become rotational options etc.
I think that’s harsh on Kiwior who was only signed in January and performed well after he settled.
If you look at Manchester City they had 9 players who played 3400 minutes or more. Rodri played the most at 4400 and then it filters down to Dias who played 3500.
After that they had 6 players who played 2500-3000 minutes. Mahrez, Ake, Walker, Stones, Foden and Alvarez. So that’s really just 15 players getting the main minutes. After that Laporte, Lewis and Ortega make up the rest. For Arsenal to replicate that -
Jesus
Saka
Martinelli
Ødegaard
Rice
Gabriel
Saliba
Ramsdale
White
Would probably be the 9 getting those heavy minutes. And 6 from -
Partey
Havertz
Timber
Tierney
Trossard
Jorginho
Kiwior
Nelson
Nketiah
Vieira
Tomiyasu
Would take on the medium to high minutes with the remaining 5 players likely being cup rotation.
The question is are Havertz, Timber, Partey, Tierney, Trossard and Nketiah equal or better than Mahrez, Ake, Walker, Stones, Foden and Alvarez.