He too expensive and likely staying. I'd honestly go back and sign Vlahovic perfect plan B but also will be expensive
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Squad Analysis 2022/23
- Thread starter Macho
- Start date
- Replies 279
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avenellroad
John Radford’s son
The big problem that needs to be addressed is that we concede way too many goals. Our first half of the season (ok we didn’t play City or Everton at least once during this period) was near perfect in terms of how few chances we were giving away.
The second half of the season however we have been gifting chances to every side in this league and probably have been lucky to not have been punished more. I think this has been the big determinant of why we have fallen off more than anything else. It’s a bit reductive to say Saliba was the sole reason why our defence was so strong but take him out of the team and we are shipping goals and chances at a vastly increased rate. Saying that, I can’t forget how Toney monstered Saliba in the Brentford game at home.
We need a group of 4 starting quality CB’s with different qualities who we can call on for any given game.
The second half of the season however we have been gifting chances to every side in this league and probably have been lucky to not have been punished more. I think this has been the big determinant of why we have fallen off more than anything else. It’s a bit reductive to say Saliba was the sole reason why our defence was so strong but take him out of the team and we are shipping goals and chances at a vastly increased rate. Saying that, I can’t forget how Toney monstered Saliba in the Brentford game at home.
We need a group of 4 starting quality CB’s with different qualities who we can call on for any given game.
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Sparrahork
Active Member
Saliba has been a big miss, it has been remarkable how quickly our tactics have moved on making holding appear more of a liability than he would be in a different team.
There is very competent back up there in terms of white, but tomi out at the same time and to some extent Cedric going on loan has been crucial.
Going forward we are fine, but the defensive midfielders and zinny have struggled given less assured behind them.
Only read this message I have responded to, I assume a load of new centre forward claptrap by others beforehand?
We will be more assured at the back next season when players return.
Vlahovic can't header or hold the ball up. He would flop in England.
Country: South Africa
Player:Nketiah
He's actually been exposed at Juve as far as Im concerned.
Good for dropping deep, switching and linking up play, has pace and quick feet. But nothing more than that. We already have that in Jesus.
Think a CF in addition to a wide man is possibly too much for our budget, especially if we are in for Rice and Caicedo. Do Raphinha/Diaby/Nelson + Zaha on a free upfront. Gives us enough depth for a long season to come.
Vlahovic play in very defensive system at Juve he was holding up the ball winning header fine at Fiorentina. not sure he having confidence issue at Juve and not Allegri player can't see them selling tho unless he push for move. Abraham also he could be available
NZgunner
Active Member
Country: New Zealand
When do the contracts expire of every Arsenal player?
Goalkeepers
Matt Turner: June 30, 2025Aaron Ramsdale: June 30, 2025
Defenders
William Saliba: June 30, 2024Cedric Soares: June 30, 2024
Rob Holding: June 30, 2024
Takehiro Tomiyasu: June 30, 2025
Gabriel: June 30, 2025
Kieran Tierney: June 30, 2026
Ben White: June 30, 2026
Oleksandr Zinchenko: June 30, 2026
Midfielders
Mohamed Elneny: June 30, 2023Granit Xhaka: June 30, 2024
Bukayo Saka: June 30, 2024
Thomas Partey: June 30, 2025
Martin Ødegaard: June 30, 2025
Albert Sambi Lokonga: June 30, 2026
Emile Smith Rowe: June 30, 2026
Fabio Vieira: June 30, 2027
Forwards
Reiss Nelson: June 30, 2023Gabriel Martinelli: June 30, 2024
Gabriel Jesus: June 30, 2027
Eddie Nketiah: June 30, 2027
berric
Established Member
Player:Trossard
Ramsdale, Gabriel, and Martinelli have all extended.
Plus Elneny
berric
Established Member
Player:Trossard
Plus Elneny
How could I forget the one and only Elniesta.
Looking at the players we have (very critically), based on where we stand currently and with Xhaka leaving, Tomi injured, and with Emile frozen by Arteta, surprisingly for me, the main issue we have now, seems central midfield:
Not including the players on loan, as I don't think any of them is to the level required to challenge for the Premier League, or they will like to move to a permanent team (e.g. Balogun).
Altogether up to 9 positions where we should upgrade if we want to challenge in England and Europe.
| Position | First Choice | Second Choice | Cover1 |
| GK | Aaron Ramsdale | Matt Turner | |
| DL | Oleksandr Zinchenko | ||
| DCL | Gabriel Magalhães | Jakub Kiwior | |
| DCR | William Saliba | ||
| DR | Ben White | Takehiro Tomiyasu | |
| DM | Thomas Partey | Jorginho | |
| CM | |||
| AMC | Martin Ødegaard | Fábio Vieira | |
| LW | Gabriel Martinelli | Leandro Trossard | |
| RW | Bukayo Saka | ||
| FW | Gabriel Jesus | Eddie Nketiah |
Not including the players on loan, as I don't think any of them is to the level required to challenge for the Premier League, or they will like to move to a permanent team (e.g. Balogun).
Altogether up to 9 positions where we should upgrade if we want to challenge in England and Europe.
TornadoTed
Established Member
Interesting video here on squad building. He is right though, most of us do tend to think in the rigid 2 players for each position, one starter, one backup. I myself find it hard to break that thought process but he makes a lot of valid points.
Tir Na Nog
Changes Opinion Every 5 Minutes
Country: Ireland
Saw this thread bumped and I was literally coming to post this exact video.
I think the line of thinking isn't helped by how Arteta uses the squad because all season there's been a clear XI mostly, Trossard has been the only one who's regularly came in and even then he was put straight on the bench once Jesus was fully fit. I want to see Trossard and Nelson really used more regularly not just waiting for injuries/suspensions for them to be brought in. In other positions it's not that straight forward, we're not gonna get someone competing with Ødegaard. In defence we can only hope Kiwior becomes good enough to challenge Gabriel or become a LB option. While in midfield in general we need arguably two starters as well as an alternative.
Nunowoolmez
Established Member
I've made a few changes to this (see bold text). This is how our squad is right now & taking into consideration KT & Xhaka will leave. Nelson & Balo are the only uncertainties.
Links to Simons & the Turkish lad suggest we are the market for another ACM, so also question marks over Viera.
We have 4 clear squad requirements & a further 1 or 2 if any of Balo, Nelson, or Viera move on. Too much for one window ? We'll see.
Probably will get a bit more clarity when the transfer window opens in two weeks. Hopefully we will be able to get our main targets earlier. But yes, it looks we will need more than one window to fix all positions.
Tir Na Nog
Changes Opinion Every 5 Minutes
Country: Ireland
I gotta preface this by saying I've faith that we'll do a lot more than Sp**s did in terms of recruitment and improving depth but this is also a warning of how quickly an overachieving side can be brought down to earth again. This season our problem was depth largely. Midfield options dramatic drop in quality. Forward positions a bit better once Trossard came in but could do with a bit more. Defence Tomiyasu being unreliable might become a massive issue if we don't add there.
It's important that we get this window right not just improving the first team, i.e just swapping Xhaka for Rice but making sure we've got capable options to deal with the amount of games we'll have to play. In the video it points out how Sp**s brought in players like Janssen and Wimmer among others who had absolutely no impact on the first team. We've gotta be careful because we've spent quite a lot in bringing in Tavares and Lokonga who've got no futures here and Vieira had a very mediocre first season. The warning is that things can become stale pretty quickly tho I think we'll do more than enough this window. Rice and Caicedo would really freshen up the midfield while another couple of signings in other positons should help.
The point is you have to build and build properly.
NZgunner
Active Member
Country: New Zealand
the interesting thing to see next season will be the way we set up after all the transfers
when we were at our best this season and looking the most settled, we were quite asymmetrical
this was most noticeable at fullback, with Zinchenko on the left actually being seen more down the centre. This meant that Xhaka mostly drifted left, usually finding Martinelli even further out
on the right, White was more orthodox, and partnered with Saliba to initiate moves with a more right-handed bias. This gave Ødegaard the option to move centrally or further right to Saka
this also meant that we appeared to scramble a bit more when defending on the left when we lost possession
if Rice or Caicedo comes in for Xhaka, that will change how we need to play to get the best out of them - if we get both of them and take Partey out of the starting XI, the set-up might look mostly the same but with a more mobile Rice in Xhaka's position, perhaps being able to help more when scrambling on defence
when we were at our best this season and looking the most settled, we were quite asymmetrical
this was most noticeable at fullback, with Zinchenko on the left actually being seen more down the centre. This meant that Xhaka mostly drifted left, usually finding Martinelli even further out
on the right, White was more orthodox, and partnered with Saliba to initiate moves with a more right-handed bias. This gave Ødegaard the option to move centrally or further right to Saka
this also meant that we appeared to scramble a bit more when defending on the left when we lost possession
if Rice or Caicedo comes in for Xhaka, that will change how we need to play to get the best out of them - if we get both of them and take Partey out of the starting XI, the set-up might look mostly the same but with a more mobile Rice in Xhaka's position, perhaps being able to help more when scrambling on defence
Riou
In The Winchester, Waiting For This To Blow Over
Country: Northern Ireland
Player:Gabriel
...Big Holding was next up, at €6 (giggity) 9 million.
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Country: England
Yep. And actually I found this top comment on the video interesting:
"People like to point to Sp**s' spending and transfer business but their rate of successful academy graduates in recent years is absolutely abysmal compared to other big teams. That hurts their depth more than anything in my opinion."
I don't know if I'd say that this was their main problem, but it doesn't help. I think investing is important but Arteta also has to work on giving proper chances to our academy lads. Sure, it's not exactly easy but Wenger and even Emery found ways to incorporate our youth players; they were more natural at it than Arteta is, but it's also true that it could be something that comes with experience.
The question I always ask myself is; would Saka have been able to break into the team under Arteta the same way he did for Emery, I'm not so sure about that.
Country: Iceland
I think if we can keep Tierney and Xhaka to stay for at least one season it would already offer us superior width to last season given we have added Timber, Rice and Havertz.
