Squad Analysis 2020/21

[MikelHadADream]

If we were to stick with the 343 we still need what we need in a 433. Creativity, Partey and a CB.

Leno
AMN
New CB
Luiz
Saliba
Tierney
Partey
Ceballos
Zaha/Depay/Grealish
Auba
Pepe

I mean it doesn't look a bad thing to do in the big games, but against smaller teams I dont want to be playing 343.

I like this, although don't understand the clammer for Depay. Zaha and Pepe out wide would be so good though.

 

[HairSprayGooners]

I like this, although don't understand the clammer for Depay. Zaha and Pepe out wide would be so good though.

Partey, Zaha and say Gabriel would cost £105M. Completely doable with Guendouzi, Torreira and Lacazette sales alone.

 

[Penn_]

What’s the preference between Partey or a creative player such as Grealish.

Surely we need to go for Partey just to allow Arteta to put his mark on the team. The least a top club should do is enable their manager to play their favoured formation.

 

[HairSprayGooners]

What’s the preference between Partey or a creative player such as Grealish.

Surely we need to go for Partey just to allow Arteta to put his mark on the team. The least a top club should do is enable their manager to play their favoured formation.

We need both. Wouldn't go for Grealish at that price though. Can get Aouar and Zaha for a similar price.

 

[Impact]

I don’t want us to be playing 3-4-3 at all tbh, which is why I said that we could transition to 4-3-3 over time.

As someone said earlier - the next season comes a little to soon for us. After the final we’ll have 6 weeks of pre-season if there isn’t a day off. We can’t possibly address every deficiency in that time. Both in terms of # of transfers but also in implementing a new system (although it looks like Arteta has started drilling the squad in a 4-3-3). That’s FM stuff.

Now we have a system where players are starting to settle and we’d only need two new signings to be able to improve our ability in that same system. We saw first hand how bad a back 4 performed against relegated Watford. There’s no chance in hell we’ll get a new CB in and start him with Saliba in 6 weeks, whoever he is.

Just trying to be realistic

• We will not start the season with 5 at the back. Arteta's quotes on the record indicate that this is a temporary accommodation.
• These are professional footballers, many of whom have spent the majority of their careers playing 4 at the back.
• Arteta has been drilling the team on his philosophy since he got here and the players are getting it. Fitting players into a formation with 4 at the back is much simpler than changing an entire philosophy, which he has done.
• Saliba will not be a starter next season. He will be a rotation option. Again Arteta is on the record as saying he will ease him into the team. It's partly why Luiz was retained.
• Arteta has also confirmed we will be in the market for a new CB.

I get that you're trying to be realistic but it reads more like pessimism, which in fairness is warranted as an Arsenal supporter over the last few years but have some hope.

I'm expecting investment levels akin to this season. The owners, board and management know there isn't enough quality in this team to achieve our aims. We'll buy. It just depends on whether we buy the right ones.

 

[dashsnow17]

What’s the preference between Partey or a creative player such as Grealish.

Surely we need to go for Partey just to allow Arteta to put his mark on the team. The least a top club should do is enable their manager to play their favoured formation.

Absolutely need a creative midfielder imo. I could stomach a season of watching Xhaka as a 6 if it meant watching Ceballos and a really good creative midfielder play as attacking 8's. Aouar would be my preference I guess.

In an ideal world obviously you have someone like Partey in your team, but if I could only have one I'd have a technical creative midfielder.

 

[Kav]

We already have ESR if we nurture him we will have our own version of Grealish. No need to spend on that type of player.

What we need is a proper Vieira /Petit replacement in the middle. After that I would get someone who plays like Santi/Rosicky/Arteta to complete the midfield.

Need a athletic and commanding CB. the rest of the squad can be developed. Last piece would be to sort out the LW, Zaha, Saint maximin, Sarr would be good.


If we are going to lose either Laca or Auba we can look at dembele, depay, Jovic, Rebic, or even promote Balogun. I genuinely think he is better than Nketiah. Eddie's movement is top class though, i give him that.

 

[UnitedBeard]

It seems that this summer Arteta's focus is to improve the DM position & also add creative player if there is someone available.

The logic of giving Luiz a new contract & signing Pablo Mari must be because Arsenal can't afford for new centre back this summer. Beside, Saliba is coming in like a new additional to Arteta's squad.

 

[The_Playmaker]

Agreed with @The_Playmaker comments on Xhaka. Its not plausible to play Xhaka and Ceballos in a 3. Its one or the other, they both do the same things but Ceballos is just better overall. There's way more zip to Ceballos' play.

We want Ceballos for the link between defence and midfield, we want Partey for the legs in midfield and athleticism and we want another creative player as the third midfielder.

Ultimately you want 6 options for 3 positions.

Ceballos/Xhaka
Partey/Willock
Creative mid/ESR

Perfect blend there.

I wouldn't say perfect. Ceballos cant play as an 8. He doesn't have the legs. In a post vivid environment where everyone is on the same level physically, games are slower, players aren't as sharp. He looks okay. When everyone's sharp and fully up to speed, Ceballos will still have physical limitations. He doesn't have the athleticism required for a box to box role in England. If we want to play him in a 3, he will have weaknesses there also unless we invert a full back to help him defensively on the counter.

I am not even sure the Ceballos extension is part of the long term plan. Its simply Arteta having an options he knows and depends on. The same reason he will keep Xhaka. If they both start we are ****ed.

I'm not even sure Ceballos is someone we should be looking to have as a nailed on starter. He gets the ball to the midfielder who creates. Why do we have that middle man? Let's skip in and find a dm who can defend and be the person that gives the ball to the creative players.

We need a Fernandinho not a Rodri.

 

[dashsnow17]

I wouldn't say perfect. Ceballos cant play as an 8. He doesn't have the legs. In a post vivid environment where everyone is on the same level physically, games are slower, players aren't as sharp. He looks okay. When everyone's sharp and fully up to speed, Ceballos will still have physical limitations. He doesn't have the athleticism required for a box to box role in England. If we want to play him in a 3, he will have weaknesses there also unless we invert a full back to help him defensively on the counter.

I am not even sure the Ceballos extension is part of the long term plan. Its simply Arteta having an options he knows and depends on. The same reason he will keep Xhaka. If they both start we are ****ed.

I'm not even sure Ceballos is someone we should be looking to have as a nailed on starter. He gets the ball to the midfielder who creates. Why do we have that middle man? Let's skip in and find a dm who can defend and be the person that gives the ball to the creative players.

We need a Fernandinho not a Rodri.

How come Ceballos can play as an 8 for Spain but not for us?

 

[Jasard]

Have a horrible feeling next season we will have more or less the same squad.

 

[Sebastes]

• We will not start the season with 5 at the back. Arteta's quotes on the record indicate that this is a temporary accommodation.
• These are professional footballers, many of whom have spent the majority of their careers playing 4 at the back.
• Arteta has been drilling the team on his philosophy since he got here and the players are getting it. Fitting players into a formation with 4 at the back is much simpler than changing an entire philosophy, which he has done.
• Saliba will not be a starter next season. He will be a rotation option. Again Arteta is on the record as saying he will ease him into the team. It's partly why Luiz was retained.
• Arteta has also confirmed we will be in the market for a new CB.

I get that you're trying to be realistic but it reads more like pessimism, which in fairness is warranted as an Arsenal supporter over the last few years but have some hope.

I'm expecting investment levels akin to this season. The owners, board and management know there isn't enough quality in this team to achieve our aims. We'll buy. It just depends on whether we buy the right ones.

Yeah didn’t meant to be pessimistic

For me I see it more like optimism that we can build on the solid base we have and actually improve.

I don’t think we have the players to play 4-3-3, but if we could get a well rounded CB, press resistant CM/DM, creative 8/10 as well as a more creative/versatile attacker (either LW or false 9) and keep Ceballos as well I’d be over the moon. That would be a very exciting setup and would also let us loan the likes of Willock, ESR, Nelson.

But to be really positive and hopeful I actually think it’s very doable with a net spend of around 60m if we can sell Guendouzi, Laca, Torreira, Bellerin and Holding.

 

[The_Playmaker]

How come Ceballos can play as an 8 for Spain but not for us?

He is surrounded by technically gifted players who play a tiki take style of football in a system he has grown up in and international football is nowhere near as fast as the premier league.

I'd also add that international football isn't like club football. You can combine different nationalities with different physical attributes depending on your country.

I'd take a look at Spains games also. They play countries with players that are below championship level footballers.

 

[HairSprayGooners]

He is surrounded by technically gifted players who play a tiki take style of football in a system he has grown up in and international football is nowhere near as fast as the premier league.

I'd also add that international football isn't like club football. You can combine different nationalities with different physical attributes depending on your country.

I'd take a look at Spains games also. They play countries with players that are below championship level footballers.

Ceballos is tenacious though, he doesn't have to be a box to box for us. As long as you have three players who are working in tandem in the midfield its fine.

Ceballos buzzes around whilst Xhaka sort of elephants around, this a vast difference. Ceballos has to be a nailed on starter now and in the future in my opinion.

 

[Football Manager]

He is surrounded by technically gifted players who play a tiki take style of football in a system he has grown up in and international football is nowhere near as fast as the premier league.

I'd also add that international football isn't like club football. You can combine different nationalities with different physical attributes depending on your country.

I'd take a look at Spains games also. They play countries with players that are below championship level footballers.

We buy more technically gifted players.
Problem solved.

 

[Manberg]

I came to the realisation we have too many (average) centrebacks.

Keep:
Saliba
Luiz
Mustafi
Mari

Sell:
Sokratis
Holding
Kolasinac

Unsure about Chambers

 

[Taneruit]

 

[nick gould]

This squad is not too bad you know. We have a top left back, 2 top goalkeepers, 3 decent right backs, 3 top forwards, one decent midfielder (one of Ceballos or Xhaka), I hope our new young central defender proves to be decent. We desperately need 2 midfielders. I hope Mari and Saliba proves to be a decent paring. Do that and we will be good to go.

 

[Goonger]

The upside of Europa League football next season is further opportunity for our young guys to get more first team games. A Europa / League Cup team could be quite fun to watch. As it stands, we could put out something like this.

Martinez

AMN
Holding
Mari
Kolasniac

Torreira
Willock
ESR

Nelson
Nketiah
Saka

Obviously this could change dependent on incomings & outgoings, but vital to keep giving games to the likes of Nelson, ESR & Nketiah if we think they have any chance of progressing. Unfortunately Martinelli & Chambers likely to be out until new year.

 

[Make]

I'd love to see the next year this line-up:
Martinez/Leno
Bellerin Saliba Upamecano Tierney
Xhaka
Ceballos Coutinho
Pepe Auba Zaha

I think Arteta wants to play with 3 midfielders on the pitch like Liverpool with Fabinho as CDM alongside Henderson and Wijnaldum