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Which positions would you target?

Which positions do you target? (Maximum of 3)

  • GK

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • LB

    Votes: 66 61.1%
  • CB

    Votes: 70 64.8%
  • CB

    Votes: 21 19.4%
  • RB

    Votes: 13 12.0%
  • Attacking CM

    Votes: 32 29.6%
  • Winger

    Votes: 69 63.9%
  • Winger

    Votes: 27 25.0%
  • Number 10

    Votes: 2 1.9%
  • CF

    Votes: 1 0.9%

  • Total voters
    108

Slartibartfast

CIES Loyalist
The problem is for me that we have a midfield that can’t handle a press if Ramsey isn’t in the team.

It leaves the strikers unable to get involved as we can’t break out and the defence is completely overwhelmed.

The major problem we’re having is trying to put plasters over gaping wounds. The club has to realise it’s going to take three or four windows to get quality replacements in every position of need.

We’re not going to become consistent title contenders by spreading our budget across four or five players.

Maddison and Tielemans are two young players who are already experienced and performing at a high level. They might not be available next summer.

Sort the midfield out, see what the youngsters can do on the wings and target the defence next year. Maybe try and see if someone like Jamal Lewis is gettable but otherwise consolidate the money.

The defense has been a shambles whether Ramsey has been in the side or not. Emery has been forced to play with a back 3 a lot this season -- something he never did before in his career -- because Arsenal not only has defenders who are not good enough, but defenders who aren't good fits. Arsenal not only needs to make defenders their first priority, they need defenders who can change the defensive culture of the club. Consistency starts at the back. When Arsenal was winning championships and becoming Invincibles it was primarily because the club had a defensive culture that has now been lost.

Remember the scene in The Full Monty where they were trying to get a step-up dance move right and it only finally seeped through to them when it was explained as the Arsenal offside trap?


How many times did Mustafi play Vardy onside on Sunday? I honestly don't know because I turned it off at halftime, but it was a bunch in the first half alone. And those weren't his only mistakes. Sokratis wasn't much better, Maitland-Niles (who has been pretty good) was stupid (even if his fate was a bit harsh) and the best I can say for Kolasinac is that he's not as dreadful playing back in tight spaces as he is trying to defend in open spaces. But he's not a defender either way.

That's not to say that the guys ahead of them aren't culpable in this mess as well, but strong defense begins at the back. You have to have players who have a clue what they're doing, who can and are willing to communicate, who don't let their minds wander or take plays off and who will do whatever is necessary to stop an opponent.

Maddison and Tielemans are fine players. I'd love to have them at Arsenal. But they aren't going to fix a back line of clowns behind them. If Arsenal were willing and able to spend money like Manchester City, then by all means buy them and some top defenders as well (although I haven't seen anything seriously linking Arsenal to those players, so it's more wish list stuff). You said yourself that a it's going to take awhile. That's exactly why they need to fix the back first. This has gone on too long already. I understand that everybody likes the pretty boys who create and score goals, but Arsenal needs some guys who can do the dirty work. Whatever the budget is -- something we don't know, but it will be more than this £40 million nonsense and less than the £200 million the clickbait sites are claiming for Manchester United -- they need to focus this year's funds on defense. They simply can't let it go any longer.
 

GDeep™

League is very weak
Grealish is the profile we should be signing, young, cheap and big upside.

Linked with Sp**s though.
 

Gunner-Union

Well-Known Member
Also like grealish and if villa don’t come up he’s bound to leave. A midfield of Torreira, grealish, Xhaka ( unless we get a replacement ) is pretty good. The. Just have to sort out wingers and defenders should be easy lol
 

benjamin86

Established Member
Grealish is the profile we should be signing, young, cheap and big upside.

Linked with Sp**s though.
I don't think he would be that cheap 20-30m region?

Looking at Championship:
Buendia (Norwich) 8 Goals, 12 Assists

Benrahma (Brentford) 10 Goals, 14 Assists

Grealish 6 Goals, 6 Assists

And Maddison last season had 14 Goals, 8 Assists.

(All similar ages)

I'm just using those stats as comparisons as I've not see an awful lot of the Championship. I've seen Grealish a handful of times and he reminds me of those players that do very well in Championship football but struggle to step up. (although 6 goals, 6 assists is hardly lighting the Championship up).

If Villa don't get promoted and get a good offer of around £25m for Grealish they should probably take it and stick 10-15m on Benrahma.
 
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OnlyOne

‘Donkeys don’t have a peak, they remain useless’
Trusted ⭐

Country: England
Not sure I'd want Grealish.
 

TornadoTed

Established Member
I'm not sure about Grealish. There is no doubt he has a lot of talent but I'm not sure that he has the right mentality.

From what I have seen of him he seems to be a 'fair weather player' plays well when the team is playing well but seems to go missing when the team is struggling and they really need him to step up.
 

Fewtch

Özil at 10 And Emery Out
Two wingers, one AM/CM to replace Ramsey, a LB and a CB imo.

I’d get rid of Kola (15m), Mustafi (20m), Mkhi (15m), Iwobi (20m), Elneny (5m) and Chambers (15m), ~90m in total. If we assume that we can spend 70m pre sales without CL football again like last summer or 90-100m with CL football then that should be enough to upgrade on all those positions.

RW: Ziyech (30m/rumored release clause)
LW: Zaha (50m) or Brandt (25m) if we don’t reach CL
AM/CM: Van De Beek (40m?), Gundogan(30m?/last year), Brandt (25m) if no CL
LB: Tierney (25m)
CB: Konaté (40m)
 
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Monstar-Gunn4r

Established Member
Need to heighten the general technical ability of the team while getting in numbers, wishlist but somewhat realistic targets:
Midfield - rabiot (5-10 signing on?) and ruben neves (25-50?)
Wingers - Perisic (20-30), Suso(40ish?) and Carassco(20ish?) & dump Mhiki
If we could get all of them id leave Özil go as well to make it financially possible, might get like 10 or 15 for mhiki and Özil but the wages is the big thing. Get them in and we'd have enough to hold on to possession and dominate matches without exposing ourselves like we do now.

With that we can play 442 or 443 or 4231 we should realistically be wining midfield battles, adding a lot of ability to hold on to the ball and split defences open. Rabiot and Neves both know how to tackle and pick a pass, Rabiot gives you that player who can dribble through midfield.

Perisic, suso and carassco are brilliant at taking on players, all pretty good at making incisive passes and very good on the counter attack. Perisic might be the the only really good finisher but you're looking at suso and carassco to beat their man/draw defenders and get the ball in to laca or auba. No offence to Fraser but those 3 are head an shoulders above him. Suso played with Emery as well before iirc so thats a plus as well.

Its a bit gung ho but if you keep a team on the backfoot its a lot easier to make a high press than to sort the mess out that is our backline in one summer. I think the those style of players and having very good winger suits Emery's tactics a lot more.

Every match youd be looking at having 2-3 very highly consistent and technically good midfielders along with wingers who can hurt team badly who make mistakes or try and push up/press us. It gets Xhaka the space he needs to operate if he plays or adds even more steel to a midfield with torreria in it.

Rabiot and his attitude is probably the biggest problem but hed be playing in the role he wants to which is the box to box central to evrything.

As far as defence goes Id be shocked if we werent already in/ talking to someone for centreback. My money is on Keane but who really knows. Would sell on chambers for what we can get, just think hes not up to the level now that we need to help fund whatever. I know Lichensteiner didnt work out but theres surely someone out there in a similar position this year that would at right back?
 

Slartibartfast

CIES Loyalist
Or it was more because we've had guys like Henry, Pires and Ljungberg

Don't forget Bergkamp. It was both, of course. But Bergkamp, Henry, Pires and Ljungberg were able to do their stuff with the confidence that they had one of the best defenses in Premier League history behind them.

The Invincibles scored 73 goals. This year's team could match or even exceed that, sitting on 69 with two matches to play. But they gave up only 26 the entire season. So we have a team that scores roughly the same amount of goals as the greatest team in Arsenal history -- arguably in Premier League history -- but gives up twice as many goals to opponents. What does logic tell us is the problem here?
 

benjamin86

Established Member
Don't forget Bergkamp. It was both, of course. But Bergkamp, Henry, Pires and Ljungberg were able to do their stuff with the confidence that they had one of the best defenses in Premier League history behind them.

The Invincibles scored 73 goals. This year's team could match or even exceed that, sitting on 69 with two matches to play. But they gave up only 26 the entire season. So we have a team that scores roughly the same amount of goals as the greatest team in Arsenal history -- arguably in Premier League history -- but gives up twice as many goals to opponents. What does logic tell us is the problem here?
Defense wins titles!
 

say yes

forum master baiter
Grealish won’t be cheap at all.

He was touted at about £30m last year when Villa missed promotion and were practically bankrupt. You’re looking at £45-50m now. Won’t be for sale at all if Villa get promoted.
 

Country: Iceland
Grealish won’t be cheap at all.

He was touted at about £30m last year when Villa missed promotion and were practically bankrupt. You’re looking at £45-50m now. Won’t be for sale at all if Villa get promoted.

Was seeing they wanted 60 M for him.

How good is he anyway?
 

TornadoTed

Established Member
Was seeing they wanted 60 M for him.

How good is he anyway?

Very talented guy but I'm not convinced he has the right mentality.

From what I have seen of him and listening to my family up in the Midlands he seems like a 'fair weather player' to me. He plays well when Villa are playing well but goes quiet when Villa are struggling and need their star man to stand up and inspire them.

My cousins absolutely laugh their heads off though when Villa fans claim he is as good as Neves or Maddison.
 
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