Squad Analysis 2018/19

[MutableEarth]

I think we're going to have to go with a youth project. Can't see any other way of doing it with the money we've got.

We need to buy lots of players not even wishlisting

We should have started it this season.

Emery came in running his mouth about how he knew xyz about our youth players with his dossier that impressed that piece of **** fraud Gazidis. Fast forward to now and people are apparently satisfied with that part because he gave a few debuts - something Wenger did regularly every season. Guendouzi is the only one Emery gave a sh*t about. If Bellerin didn't get hurt, would we even have seen Maitland-Niles? (Caveat: I'm not a fan of him at RB and I've been vocal about that, I think he's had a mixed season in that position). Maybe you can make a case for Smith-Rowe but that's it.

I've seen so much Arsenal fans over the last few weeks online, having had to sit through Iwobi and Mhkitaryan sh*t themselves every time they have to do anything in the final 3rd and our midfielders lack any real drive bar Ramsey, then turn around and say "Emery can't take that risk on Saka/Amaechi/Nketiah etc, they're not ready". Get all the way the f*ck outta here with that bullsh*t. Are Iwobi and Mhkitaryan ready? Has Guendouzi not played more than enough games? Can we spare one of Auba and Laca at least once this season?

We can at least try - we've already tried playing the seniors and they've proven on the whole that they are failures. Give the youth a chance, I'd be much more understanding if we failed with them, and at least can give them that. I cannot be reasonable after seeing mostly the same players fail again.

 

[yybecause]

We should have started it this season.

Emery came in running his mouth about how he knew xyz about our youth players with his dossier that impressed that piece of **** fraud Gazidis. Fast forward to now and people are apparently satisfied with that part because he gave a few debuts - something Wenger did regularly every season. Guendouzi is the only one Emery gave a sh*t about. If Bellerin didn't get hurt, would we even have seen Maitland-Niles? (Caveat: I'm not a fan of him at RB and I've been vocal about that, I think he's had a mixed season in that position). Maybe you can make a case for Smith-Rowe but that's it.

I've seen so much Arsenal fans over the last few weeks online, having had to sit through Iwobi and Mhkitaryan sh*t themselves every time they have to do anything in the final 3rd and our midfielders lack any real drive bar Ramsey, then turn around and say "Emery can't take that risk on Saka/Amaechi/Nketiah etc, they're not ready". Get all the way the f*ck outta here with that bullsh*t. Are Iwobi and Mhkitaryan ready? Has Guendouzi not played more than enough games? Can we spare one of Auba and Laca at least once this season?

We can at least try - we've already tried playing the seniors and they've proven on the whole that they are failures. Give the youth a chance, I'd be much more understanding if we failed with them, and at least can give them that. I cannot be reasonable after seeing mostly the same players fail again.

I think it would be wrong to turn to kids midway thru the season. decision had to be made before the season started, and as much as I want our academy to play more, it was a right decision not to turn to them in Unai's first season.

on the Niles topic, you really think he would not play in mid if Bellerin was fit?

Now, if Emery ignores our youth next season, from the beginning, he'll lose a lot of my support

 

[Gamefaced]

I feel if we are to move forward we will need two new wingers to help improve our attacking play from the sides (Though i said this last season and probably even the season before)
We need two new centre backs and a left back for the defence.
We then need a two central midfielders who will hold the ability to move the ball quickly and be more incisively, be able to pass players with the ball and pick out a through pass, be strong and have composure on the ball.
It may be a lot to ask but this is literally what we need.

 

[Furious]

Come on. It's a bit ridiculous to expect Emery to play kids in his first season, especially when there's no standout ones, and guys like Saka are super young.

 

[MutableEarth]

I think it would be wrong to turn to kids midway thru the season. decision had to be made before the season started, and as much as I want our academy to play more, it was a right decision not to turn to them in Unai's first season.

on the Niles topic, you really think he would not play in mid if Bellerin was fit?

Now, if Emery ignores our youth next season, from the beginning, he'll lose a lot of my support

He had opportunities to do so and didn't so no, I don't. Emery doesn't like him there, and it seems that's also a consensus here too.

I disagree, it would have been a brave decision to turn to them and I'd have supported it. His only option outside of the squad was a fragile Denis Suarez. Something else had to be done.

Come on. It's a bit ridiculous to expect Emery to play kids in his first season, especially when there's no standout ones, and guys like Saka are super young.

See, I get this. It's easy to rationalize and say they're super young and it's an argument I can understand (although I strongly disagree there are no standouts) but I would honestly rather see them get the opportunities when the other, more experienced players are constantly failing and continuously getting more opportunities to prove how sh*t they currently are. Let me see something different. I'm not just unhappy with our performances, I'm just straight up bored.

 

[Furious]

He had opportunities to do so and didn't so no, I don't. Emery doesn't like him there, and it seems that's also a consensus here too.

I disagree, it would have been a brave decision to turn to them and I'd have supported it. His only option outside of the squad was a fragile Denis Suarez. Something else had to be done.

See, I get this. It's easy to rationalize and say they're super young and it's an argument I can understand (although I strongly disagree there are no standouts) but I would honestly rather see them get the opportunities when the other, more experienced players are constantly failing and continuously getting more opportunities to prove how sh*t they currently are. Let me see something different. I'm not just unhappy with our performances, I'm just straight up bored.

Standouts as in Nelson, who has the age and talent. I'm positive he would've played loads if he was here.

Not saying a kid like Saka isn't a standout, but he's way too young.

Guys like Willock and to a lesser extent Nketiah simply haven't shown enough so it's hard to vouche for them ahead of seasoned internationals, as much as we love to hate them.

 

[MutableEarth]

Standouts as in Nelson, who has the age and talent. I'm positive he'd played loads if he was here.

Not saying a kid like Saka isn't a standout, but he's way too young.

Guys like Willock and to a lesser extent Nketiah simply haven't shown enough so it's hard to vouche for them ahead of seasoned internationals, as much as we love to hate them.

Nah, I can't agree man. Nketiah's all-round game has come on leaps and bounds and in all the games he played he was good (just did not score) - he'd be able to offer something more than Mhki and Iwobi. I accept his difficult task being behind Auba and Laca for the CF role - but all the more reason that he should have gone on loan anyway even with Welbeck being injured, because he never even got to play much anyway.

And Willock also impressed in all the games he played for the first team and was rewarded with going back to the U23s and loans rejected so he could warm the bench every few weeks and not play.

To be quite honest, it's actually very easy for me to vouch for them ahead of seasoned internationals who currently are stagnant and in the way of our progress.

 

[Tir Na Nog]

I think what needs to be done is that we need to get rid of the weak links in this squad. Whether that's relegating them so far down the pecking order that they're not really featuring that much or simply getting rid of them by selling/releasing them it doesn't matter. Next season we can't see guys like Kolasinac, Mkhitaryan, Mustafi being guaranteed to get play time which has been happening this season. Even with formation changes and stuff like that we still end up with those three playing a lot of games and let's be clear all three of them are weak links.

What we need is a starting 11 where no one is a weak link and no one needs to be carried because they're not good enough or they're just not working hard enough for the team. After that we can focus on making our depth much better.

 

[yybecause]

He had opportunities to do so and didn't so no, I don't. Emery doesn't like him there, and it seems that's also a consensus here too.

I disagree, it would have been a brave decision to turn to them and I'd have supported it. His only option outside of the squad was a fragile Denis Suarez. Something else had to be done.

See, I get this. It's easy to rationalize and say they're super young and it's an argument I can understand (although I strongly disagree there are no standouts) but I would honestly rather see them get the opportunities when the other, more experienced players are constantly failing and continuously getting more opportunities to prove how sh*t they currently are. Let me see something different. I'm not just unhappy with our performances, I'm just straight up bored.

about Niles, I don't agree. Matteo was playing well, as did Torreira back when Bellerin was still healthy so there was no real need for Niles in the mid, especially since we only play with two central mids.
Niles did nothing to deserve to be in front of those players back then. yet, if Hector didn't go down, with Matteo's form fading and fatigue getting to Torreira, AMN would definitely get a run at CM.

as for the kids. I am full on the board, long time ago. Even in later Wenger years it was one thing I didn't like about boss, ignoring our academy more then usual.
but in Emery's case you gotta look at the bigger picture.
no way would it be smarter to turn to kids straight away, something we'll all agree.
people forget we didn't play **** all season. We actually had really good periods where even Mikhi looked decent for some time, Iwobi was becoming somewhat new player, Unai was dealing with the whole Mesut situation, Ramsey happened...
we were bound to hit gray patch, and we were bound to deal with it, not just give up and go academy.
if it was his 2nd, or 3rd season, then yes, I would say 'you should have just give up Mikhi (for example) and promote Saka straight away...but it's his first season here, at the time we loaned our 2 most ready yougsters away we looked alright, and did well by loaning them, having decided we need them next season.

we have been following Arsenal for how long, 15-20 years now...it's easy to come to conclusions and what should have we done, but one step at a time. Unai met all those players, and the league, for the first time. was thrown into the fire after Wenger left...Really think it would be way to much to go that far in his 1st season to deal with ALL he had to deal with, and on top of that, to come to decision to turn to academies once the bad patch came.

and last, but not the least, no one can say for sure that Unai hasn't thought about it, and made a decision that just might be a very smart one, not to do it.
it's hard times now and it's easy to get carried away.
lot's of coaches and clubs had a plan, and changed it once bad times arrived, not knowing, or being patient enough, that it was a part of the journey they have chosen, only to change it and **** it up big time in a long term

 

[Maybe]

Guys like Willock and to a lesser extent Nketiah simply haven't shown enough so it's hard to vouche for them ahead of seasoned internationals, as much as we love to hate them.

The story of Willock and Nketiah, they didn't show enough! I'm not the expert, but to show something on the pitch you need to be there, and they were not. Willock couple of EL games where he scored and play well, Nketiah 1 game and some garbage minutes. How exactly should they show something when that piece of **** Elneny has more minutes than both of them and when you bring that ****ing reject Suarez and give him minutes when you have Nketiah on the bench?

 

[Sanchez11]

Willock, Saka, Nelson, Eddie, Mav and Esr all need to play next season.

 

[Maybe]

I think what needs to be done is that we need to get rid of the weak links in this squad.

I think that we are saying that thing over and over for the last 10 years.

 

[Tir Na Nog]

Willock, Saka, Nelson, Eddie, Mav and Esr all need to play next season.

ESR will probably be on loan at Leipzig again. Nelson may get some opportunities. Eddie needs a loan. Mavropanos hasn't looked great, probably needs a loan himself perhaps and Saka is very raw at this moment. Willock is the only one who's ready for first team football and even then it'll probably be as a rotation player.

 

[Sanchez11]

ESR will probably be on loan at Leipzig again. Nelson may get some opportunities. Eddie needs a loan. Mavropanos hasn't looked great, probably needs a loan himself perhaps and Saka is very raw at this moment. Willock is the only one who's ready for first team football and even then it'll probably be as a rotation player.

Problem is that we need upto 8 players in the summer, which wont happen. We need internal solutions. I read today Emery is willing to let 7 first team players leave this summer.

 

[Maybe]

In the end, it is we who decide if we want to accept all that **** we are being served every year.
I definitely won't invest a single penny and minute if I see any of Elneny, Mustafi, Xhaka, Kola and Mkhi being part of our squad. Overpaid ****s taking our money and wasting our time every week.
I don't care anymore if they want to build the squad with our youth players or they have money to buy 5 quality talents, but they are being paid serious money to manage this club, but even the ****s like Spuds and Liverpool are ahead of us due to their complete incompetence.

 

[celestis]

We should have started it this season.

Emery came in running his mouth about how he knew xyz about our youth players with his dossier that impressed that piece of **** fraud Gazidis. Fast forward to now and people are apparently satisfied with that part because he gave a few debuts - something Wenger did regularly every season. Guendouzi is the only one Emery gave a sh*t about. If Bellerin didn't get hurt, would we even have seen Maitland-Niles? (Caveat: I'm not a fan of him at RB and I've been vocal about that, I think he's had a mixed season in that position). Maybe you can make a case for Smith-Rowe but that's it.

I've seen so much Arsenal fans over the last few weeks online, having had to sit through Iwobi and Mhkitaryan sh*t themselves every time they have to do anything in the final 3rd and our midfielders lack any real drive bar Ramsey, then turn around and say "Emery can't take that risk on Saka/Amaechi/Nketiah etc, they're not ready". Get all the way the f*ck outta here with that bullsh*t. Are Iwobi and Mhkitaryan ready? Has Guendouzi not played more than enough games? Can we spare one of Auba and Laca at least once this season?

We can at least try - we've already tried playing the seniors and they've proven on the whole that they are failures. Give the youth a chance, I'd be much more understanding if we failed with them, and at least can give them that. I cannot be reasonable after seeing mostly the same players fail again.

I'm with you , we should have blooded as many as possible this season . What's the difference we still going to finish this season outside the top 4 .

People talk about squad depth but blooding some kids would have meant we might have solved that internally . Take Willock for eg we could have used someone of his profile in the 2nd part of the season . Now we got to start all over again next season .

 

[Aevi]

​

If we're playing Emery's favoured 4-2-3-1, I only see 6 positions where I'm content with our starters. Might be too fictional of an expectation but I think with some major sales (ie the likes of Mustafi, Mkhitaryan, Iwobi, Chambers, Kolasinac, Ospina, Xhaka, etc.) + CL money if we win the Europa league, we could fill the remaining 5 positions in. If it takes two windows, so be it, but this is the template we should aim for. Liverpool have shown us the way: sell those who aren't cutting the mustard and reinvest the holes piece by piece. We can't be waiting on players to improve forever, those I listed have already been given plenty of opportunities and haven't taken them.

 

[krackpot]

(ie the likes of Mustafi, Mkhitaryan, Iwobi, Chambers, Kolasinac, Ospina, Xhaka, etc.​

I don't think we can afford to sell Chambers and Mustafi both.

I'd sell Mustafi (10m), Mkhi(5m), Ospina (5m) and Kola(10m). Xhaka, Iwobi and Chambers are good HG players.
Edit: Xhaka not HG, but he is a good option to keep.​

 

[Aevi]

I don't think we can afford to sell Chambers and Mustafi both.

I think we can; with a new signing we'd have the same number of CBs as we do now. And our quantity of CBs isn't an issue, it's the quality.

 

[krackpot]

I think we can; with a new signing we'd have the same number of CBs as we do now. And our quantity of CBs isn't an issue, it's the quality.

I like the idea, but I'd like to have a look at Chambers. He's not done badly at all at Fulham. Covered CDM and CB. Always liked him because he could pass. He gets turned too many times for my liking.

you also lose Kos and Monreal, so its barebones already.

Unless we get another HG player in, it will be too much to sell Chambers, Iwobi and Jenkinson probably.