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Edu's Considering Transfer Targets: Summer 2022 🛒

  • Thread starter A_G
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If we only make one more signing, which would you prefer?


  • Total voters
    98
  • Poll closed .
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sergio_giorgini

Dying on Mt.Neymar Hill
I don't think so. Being myself south american, I think I have met too many "Enzo Fernandez" types during my life. I think take him out of Argentina and put him straight in a country like England would be counter productive. Very demanding league, lots of competition, but most important, really different culture. Sometimes, it can be like a fish out of water.
So I think the best development for him would be exactly that - Go to Portugal, learn more about european football and Europe itself in a less strange environment, then move to England.
At the same time, I also think he's not the perfect type of player for Arsenal right now. Too much box-to-box. I think the perfect player is more of a regista, a tempo-controller.

I agree with most of that except the bit at the end. I see Enzo developing into a quality regista. Actually see a bit of Toni Kroos in him.


P.S. you should post more often.
 

Regista21

Active Member
I agree with most of that except the bit at the end. I see Enzo developing into a quality regista. Actually see a bit of Toni Kroos in him.


P.S. you should post more often.
To be honest, I also see him developing in a good regista. He just has those linebreaker passes. But it will take the right environment and time to do so. Where Arsenal is right now, fighting for Champions League football in a crowded EPL, it's better for him to be elsewhere.
Also, in South America as a whole there's a huge emphasis in ball carrying. Enzo has this same "flaw". He carries the ball too much, look too much for the dribble, and this just doesn't fly against more intense, strategic positioned, european defenses. He really needs to learn to look for the pass first, carry the ball second.

P.S. Thanks! I will try :D
 

bingobob

A-M’s Resident Hunskelper
Trusted ⭐

Country: Scotland

I hope they just don't keep targeting the right players only like in January. i understand it's right choice for long term but our squad is short to compete for 3 competition.
Sometimes you can justify holding off as Liverpool did for Van Dijk and United did with Bruno. The other side is you get nobody and bottle top 4 to Sp**s.

If we cannot get our top MF target we have to bring in someone who can compete short term.
 

RunTheTrap

Kai Havertz Offense League
The issue isn't so much that Xhaka shouldn't be someone we are looking to upgrade from, but rather who are the realistic attainable upgrades that fit our needs?

Tielemans is a more creative passer, more two footed and a goal threat from distance. He's also worse positionally, lacks physical strength, seldom covers for teammates effectively and has none of the tactical flexibility. He'd be lovely as another option so we could 'horses for courses', but he doesn't replace Xhaka.

Who is out there that people think is a better player, as good a fit tactically, is oven ready, is a senior pro and is someone we can obtain?

Like I love Paqueta, but at LCM he changes the balance of the team in a way that may or may not work

Similar difficulty with a TP option, where no-one who can do what he does will come here to sit on the bench - which is presumably why we are waiting to see what happens with the legal situation.
I think we over-index Xhaka’s ability because we sh&t on him for so long. He’s a good player, but the left hand side has been an issue ever since we’ve switched to a 433. When we went from Laca to Jesus, no one felt more happy than the fans because we found what we’re missing. Same as when we eventually move on from Granit to a superior player. You will look back on this moment and laugh on why you thought Xhaka was irreplaceable.
 

Barry

Definitely Not An Old Poster
@Oh_Snap and @Rygura

Instead of sending me dislikes like a bunch of cowards you should visit me so the three of us can go to the pub. I can ask some girls to join us if you wish. You guys do like puzzy, right?
Fu*k me that's horrendous. I've seen some bad things on here, but I'm not sure how I can un-see this... Pretty funny though, I'll give him that. Puzzy 🤣🤣🤣🤣
 

drippin

Obsessed with "Mature Trusted Members"

Country: Finland
Mod Edit: really poor posting considering what’s gone on recently
 
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lomekian

Essays are my thing
I think we over-index Xhaka’s ability because we sh&t on him for so long. He’s a good player, but the left hand side has been an issue ever since we’ve switched to a 433. When we went from Laca to Jesus, no one felt more happy than the fans because we found what we’re missing. Same as when we eventually move on from Granit to a superior player. You will look back on this moment and laugh on why you thought Xhaka was irreplaceable.
I certainly don't think he's irreplaceable. I just think he's difficult to replace right now, without either unbalancing some of the more delicate newer structures in the team, and without buying a different but also flawed player. I just don't think the rest of the team is quite ready to replace him with a less defensively responsible player, but will be by the end of the season. (much depending on the issue the man in the yellow box)
 

Regista21

Active Member
I certainly don't think he's irreplaceable. I just think he's difficult to replace right now, without either unbalancing some of the more delicate newer structures in the team, and without buying a different but also flawed player. I just don't think the rest of the team is quite ready to replace him with a less defensively responsible player, but will be by the end of the season. (much depending on the issue the man in the yellow box)
Ruben Neves would be perfect. But even Tielemans could improve it. A possession-based team is faded to die if you don't have a proper tempo-manager on the pitch. In many ways, Odeegard has been responsible for it, especially because Xhaka isn't the type of player that does that. But he shouldn't really be doing so.
Indeed, the team got a lot better against Palace when Zinchenko started to invert and controlling the tempo, so imagine what we could actually do with a proper CM. This would also allow to get Martinelli/Smith-Rowe closer to the box, where they perform better, and use Zinchenko/Tierney down the wing.
 

ChefMan21

Well-Known Member
If SMS, Tonali, Tielemans, Kovacic, FDJ, Rice aren't possible or available, I'd actually consider Merino. He's a good age, good physical presence, has grown since playing in the league, and offers some good attributes. He's also left-footed which is hugely helpful. Just seems like a low risk signing to me, especially before Newcastle or one of the really big hitters like PSG, Bayern, or Real Madrid comes in.
 

Hunta

Established Member
Trusted ⭐

Country: England
With Nelson staying due to injury I think we probably need Pepe to go for us to bring a winger in.
 

2Smokeyy

5.0 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (49)
Trusted ⭐

Country: England
@Oh_Snap and @Rygura

Instead of sending me dislikes like a bunch of cowards you should visit me so the three of us can go to the pub. I can ask some girls to join us if you wish. You guys do like puzzy, right?

Got to agree here.

Never really used the dislike button, both that and the ignore feature are cowardly. I’ve only had one person on ignore but I’d happily take them off as it’s not even that deep.
 

RacingPhoton

Established Member
Tielemans is a more creative passer, more two footed and a goal threat from distance. He's also worse positionally, lacks physical strength, seldom covers for teammates effectively and has none of the tactical flexibility. He'd be lovely as another option so we could 'horses for courses', but he doesn't replace Xhaka.
Is that so? I admit I haven't followed Tielemans much. But a quick look at defensive stats give a completely different picture:
Xhaka vs Tielemans in PL last season
Games 27 vs 32
Tackles 32 vs 74
Blocked shots 11 vs 20
Interceptions 21 vs 21
Clearances 28 vs 36
Recovering 148 vs 188
Yellows 10 vs 3

If anything, Tielemans seems to be doing far better defensively
 

ArsenesCoatMaker

Established Member
Is that so? I admit I haven't followed Tielemans much. But a quick look at defensive stats give a completely different picture:
Xhaka vs Tielemans in PL last season
Games 27 vs 32
Tackles 32 vs 74
Blocked shots 11 vs 20
Interceptions 21 vs 21
Clearances 28 vs 36
Recovering 148 vs 188
Yellows 10 vs 3

If anything, Tielemans seems to be doing far better defensively

Xhaka's been tasked with dropping deep and covering rather than challenging so he doesn't get skinned. Where as Tielemans is tasked with pressing and tends to get skinned way more often
 

Yousif Arsenal

On Vinai's payroll & misses 4th place trophy 🏆
Trusted ⭐
So again for 2nd straight mikel not even bother to bring pepe for 5 minutes. What the point of having 150k a week on bench if manager don't trust him pepe need to sort this out.
 
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