Raul's Transfer Targets: Summer 2019

[Slartibartfast]

Hmm, thought Martinelli would go into the U-23 squad. Could work if he has the right players around him

This is extremely misleading. It's taken somewhat out of context from an article arguing that the best thing Arsenal can do is a Van Dijk type signing and goes on to say that if Arsenal can find takers for Mustafi and Chambers they will be looking for a center back. Here's the gist of Benge's argument (with which I agree wholeheartedly -- in fact, it's exactly the argument I've been making):

Seeing the chaos that Mustafi, Monreal and others habitually plunge themselves into one cannot help but imagine the benefit that having a truly elite centre-back would make to this squad, even if that meant having to make do without some reinforcements out wide.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

We won't sign CB unless we manage to sell mustafi or Chambers at least one of them we can't sign CB and already having 6 players in this position. Ramsey replacement 2 wingers and LB is important

 

[Maybe]

We won't sign CB unless we manage to sell mustafi or Chambers at least one of them we can't sign CB and already having 6 players in this position. Ramsey replacement 2 wingers and LB is important

Isn't our LB situation the same? We still need to sell one to buy new LB. If the reason for not buying CB is that we have too many, how come buying LB is more realistic/important?
I haven't seen a single link for us selling Kola, and honestly, can't see anyone paying 120k/w for this guy, Monreal will be here for another year as well.

But your post does lead to a more interesting debate than this is. This thread turned very quickly into a football manager wish list as expected.
It's more important to know who should we sell/release before we can set any targets for the incoming players.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

Isn't our LB situation the same? We still need to sell one to buy new LB. If the reason for not buying CB is that we have too many, how come buying LB is more realistic/important?
I haven't seen a single link for us selling Kola, and honestly, can't see anyone paying 120k/w for this guy, Monreal will be here for another year as well.

But your post does lead to a more interesting debate than this is. This thread turned very quickly into a football manager wish list as expected.
It's more important to know who should we sell/release before we can set any targets for the incoming players.

Yes but i read we ready to sell monreal

 

[Football Manager]

Monreal has reached the retirement age.

 

[Maybe]

Yes but i read we ready to sell monreal

Even if we do, you still have 120k/w player. Do you want that money to sit on the bench? If not, our unlikely new LB player will just be cover for a failed 120k/w player, which doesn't change anything and it makes this position completely irrelevant for the next transfer window.

 

[ChefMan21]

There's nothing at all wrong with StatDNA. It's a useful tool (as are analytics in other sports). Arsenal just needs to have people in place to use it more properly than it's been used in the past.

So why don't we do data analysis properly then and start using the best technology available? I'd do it this transfer window too.

I have a very big idea about Arsenal creating its own distributed computing system akin to SETI@home (Arsenal@home). Arsenal fans would install a free piece of software on their Internet-connected computers, with a secure server based at Arsenal HQ sending data to be analysed. It would be supported by - and this is where the real value comes from - a purpose-built AI program. The capacity of an AI program really has no bounds in what it can do or tell us.

It is a progression from one person or a team of people looking at spreadsheets that are now becoming too hard for a single person to decipher. Considering that the current data-based approach is not going to stop in professional sports only advance, I think as a club we need to get ahead of the curve and do it properly. A distributed computing system supported by a custom AI program is one way to do this, which draws on one of our biggest strengths - our large fanbase.

I'd run this constantly - evolving the AI program and adding more football-related data as we go - so that we have the most comprehensive understanding of past, present and future football in the world. It can't tell us everything, but it can tell us more than StatDNA ever could simply by sheer processing power, and our scouts can fill in the blanks.

I'll caveat the above by saying that I'm not suggesting we ditch current/traditional approaches, only that we should do things much more thoroughly (and commit the right amount of resources) if we are going to do it at all. I will always be a fan of instinct/perception. And I don't think StatDNA is to blame for everything wrong with Arsenal; for example, it wasn't StatDNA that neglected our defence for 10 years, which I think is a pretty good example of not doing things properly (and with the right amount of resources).

PS...
A single game using StatDNA takes 10 to 20 hours to analyze - a distributed computing system could do this much, much quicker and, importantly, in quantity. By way of example, SETI@home's average output per second is 1025.654 TeraFLOPS from approx. 89,000 active users, which would effectively make it the 404th fastest supercomputer in the world if it were on the TOP500 list. We have circa 30 million fans, who I am sure would happily install a piece of free software on their computer to see Arsenal succeed.

 

[Flying Okapis]

Alright, here's a little fix for you Tielemans junkies, courtesy of Squawka. They take a look at his options in the summer transfer market. This one might interest you:

Dream: Arsenal

Like United, there is another English team to have consistently been linked with Tielemans since his emergence at Anderlecht a few years ago. The player himself even confirmed he had ruled out joining Arsenal for fear of seeing his playing time limited by the “top-class” midfielders already present at the north London club.

But the situation has changed.

When Arsène Wenger was still in charge, the Gunners were looking to keep their reputation for building up impressive young players into some of the Premier League’s top players at their peak.

One of these men is Aaron Ramsey, who joined Arsenal as an 18-year-old from Cardiff and was moulded into one of the Premier League’s best attacking midfield players when fit and in the team.

But the Welshman is on his way out, signing a pre-contract agreement with Juventus and above everything else, Arsenal’s poor recent form in his absence has shown they cannot cope without Ramsey. So, why not go for Tielemans?

Rated at £40m, Tielemans wouldn’t be cheap, but nor is he the most expensive midfielder out there. And for what he has shown he can provide within a Premier League team, it would be a good bit of business for Arsenal’s board to fork out a bit of extra cash.

At 21 years old, Tielemans is a long-term investment who can add to the impressive young midfielders Arsenal already have in Matteo Guendouzi and Lucas Torreira. And unlike Guendouzi being eased into the team, Tielemans should be a guaranteed starter based on the performances of his would-be competitors this season.

Squawka Suggests: Arsenal

United pay better and will always be the more appealing – and potentially more realistic – of these two ‘dream’ options, but Tielemans will probably thrive more at Arsenal.

While Solskjaer’s future has already been questioned after a poor run of form since taking permanent charge, Arsenal look ready to stick with Unai Emery for the long run – or a few seasons at the very least.

Playing in the same system, alongside the same players – Guendouzi and Torreira – would give Tielemans the chance to build himself an even bigger reputation.

https://www.squawka.com/en/features...club-transfer-leicester-arsenal-man-utd-Sp**s

Edit: Because of the profanity filter, if you want to see what they say about United, Tottenham ****spur, Leicester City, Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund, you'll need to fill in the u and the r yourself in the link.

Anyone know why he is out on loan, what happened at Monaco?

Considering there current position in the league why is he not there? Or is he on wages they need help with?

He's made 10 appearances for Leicester, if its a high fee for him his time at Monaco does worry me a bit.

 

[blaise]

Agree with transfer strategy. We need to clear out first at CB and if you want Van Dijk quality you usually have to pay so better to put all our budget on CB but next summer, not this one, too many holes in a team at moment.

 

[yybecause]

Liverpool didnt make one big signing that transformed them like that dodgy article says. poor journalism yet again

 

[field442]

Liverpool didnt make one big signing that transformed them like that dodgy article says. poor journalism yet again

Exactly. It was a process over several windows. The article makes it seems as though a world class centre back would change a lot but we’d still have ****ty fullbacks (Bellerin being the exception), ****ty wide players and a lack of attack minded midfielders. Liverpool were also able to do what they did in part because of the Coutinho money. If they only had £70m to spend they wouldn’t have used it all on Van Dijk if they also needed a midfielder and keeper.

 

[Jasard]

It's mad how much money they got for Coutinho. We'd never get that lucky

 

[Football Manager]

It's mad how much money they got for Coutinho. We'd never get that lucky

It’s not lucky. I rate him very high before he joined Liverpool.

 

[Jasard]

It’s not lucky. I rate him very high before he joined Liverpool.

He was astonishingly overrated. His best season he got 13 goals 7 assists in the league. Salah and Mane must be worth 350m each.

 

[yybecause]

He was astonishingly overrated. His best season he got 13 goals 7 assists in the league. Salah and Mane must be worth 350m each.

Coutinho is not worth what he went for.
Loved him at Inter and was pissed they sold him, but still, money Barca got him for would never happen if he wasn't Brasilian

 

[Football Manager]

He was astonishingly overrated. His best season he got 13 goals 7 assists in the league. Salah and Mane must be worth 350m each.

Football isn’t just about goals and assists.

 

[Malky]

Hmm, thought Martinelli would go into the U-23 squad. Could work if he has the right players around him

Are they expecting Martinelli to be a starter here when they're wanting a experienced winger to play alongside him? Odd considering we've got Laca and Auba and the need for a CB seems to be the very obvious issue in the squad. Ramsey replacement is also obvious and, unfortunately, Monreal's best days are behind him now.

 

[Slartibartfast]

Liverpool didnt make one big signing that transformed them like that dodgy article says. poor journalism yet again

Exactly. It was a process over several windows. The article makes it seems as though a world class centre back would change a lot but we’d still have ****ty fullbacks (Bellerin being the exception), ****ty wide players and a lack of attack minded midfielders. Liverpool were also able to do what they did in part because of the Coutinho money. If they only had £70m to spend they wouldn’t have used it all on Van Dijk if they also needed a midfielder and keeper.

You're right. They made TWO big signings that transformed them from being Arsenal -- which they basically were before signing Van Dijk and Alisson -- to being title contenders. Those two players took them from giving up 40-plus goals per year (like Arsenal) to giving up 20 with just two games left to play. Like Arsenal, they could already score goals, but (like Arsenal) their defense was crap. It was the difference between fighting for the top 4 and challenging for the title.

If Arsenal added, as I've been advocating, a top center back and a top left back, they could potentially make a similar jump in quality. ****ty as you may think Arsenal's attacking players are, they've scored more goals than Sp**s or Chelsea or United or any other club except City and Liverpool. They've already spent big money on Aubameyang and Lacazette. A lack of goalscoring is not this team's problem. It's time to fix the damn defense.

That's not to say they shouldn't be looking for midfielders or wingers, but if that's the priority then this team will struggle to make the top 4 every damn season from here to the end of eternity. If the money isn't there to do it all, then let some young guys like Nelson and Smith Rowe have a chance. Buying a bunch of second rate players to spread the budget around isn't going to do it either. Arsenal needs to add some real quality to the back line.

 

[Jasard]

Football isn’t just about goals and assists.

Well he certainly doesnt have 100m worth of other qualities in his game.

 

[Slartibartfast]

So why don't we do data analysis properly then and start using the best technology available? I'd do it this transfer window too.

I have a very big idea about Arsenal creating its own distributed computing system akin to SETI@home (Arsenal@home). Arsenal fans would install a free piece of software on their Internet-connected computers, with a secure server based at Arsenal HQ sending data to be analysed. It would be supported by - and this is where the real value comes from - a purpose-built AI program. The capacity of an AI program really has no bounds in what it can do or tell us.

It is a progression from one person or a team of people looking at spreadsheets that are now becoming too hard for a single person to decipher. Considering that the current data-based approach is not going to stop in professional sports only advance, I think as a club we need to get ahead of the curve and do it properly. A distributed computing system supported by a custom AI program is one way to do this, which draws on one of our biggest strengths - our large fanbase.

I'd run this constantly - evolving the AI program and adding more football-related data as we go - so that we have the most comprehensive understanding of past, present and future football in the world. It can't tell us everything, but it can tell us more than StatDNA ever could simply by sheer processing power, and our scouts can fill in the blanks.

I'll caveat the above by saying that I'm not suggesting we ditch current/traditional approaches, only that we should do things much more thoroughly (and commit the right amount of resources) if we are going to do it at all. I will always be a fan of instinct/perception. And I don't think StatDNA is to blame for everything wrong with Arsenal; for example, it wasn't StatDNA that neglected our defence for 10 years, which I think is a pretty good example of not doing things properly (and with the right amount of resources).

PS...
A single game using StatDNA takes 10 to 20 hours to analyze - a distributed computing system could do this much, much quicker and, importantly, in quantity. By way of example, SETI@home's average output per second is 1025.654 TeraFLOPS from approx. 89,000 active users, which would effectively make it the 404th fastest supercomputer in the world if it were on the TOP500 list. We have circa 30 million fans, who I am sure would happily install a piece of free software on their computer to see Arsenal succeed.

I don't know that they don't DO data analysis properly. They have clients all over the world who use StatDNA. Arsenal's problem has been that they don't seem to USE it properly.