Squad Analysis 2017/18

[BigPoppaPump]

Bar Sokratis who I don't like, the rest of our signings / links have been great. We needed a GK that could at least be decent compared to the utter liability that Cech is, and we got Leno. We got an experienced, proven winner as a right back. The midfielders we're linked with (Torreira, Banega and some others, bar Fellaini) are absolute quality.

CB is a position we really need a marquee signing and Sokratis ain't it. Speaking to Dortmund fans they tell me he's past his best and isn't top team quality anymore. Ask Leverkusen fans about Leno and they'll tell you the same criticism we give Cech.

The RB is 34 so we'll see how that goes but I don't see him playing more than 2 seasons tops. I like the midfielders but nothing concrete.

The fact of the matter is we need to spend our money better, wasting 100 mil on Xhaka, Mustafi and Perez can't happen again, spending 50 million on Lacazette just to replace him a few months later with Aubameyang. That's 150 million we've spent on mediocre players, and we all know how broke Arsenal are.

 

[ThlRama]

CB is a position we really need a marquee signing and Sokratis ain't it. Speaking to Dortmund fans they tell me he's past his best and isn't top team quality anymore. Ask Leverkusen fans about Leno and they'll tell you the same criticism we give Cech.

The RB is 34 so we'll see how that goes but I don't see him playing more than 2 seasons tops. I like the midfielders but nothing concrete.

The fact of the matter is we need to spend our money better, wasting 100 mil on Xhaka, Mustafi and Perez can't happen again, spending 50 million on Lacazette just to replace him a few months later with Aubameyang. That's 150 million we've spent on mediocre players, and we all know how broke Arsenal are.

I agree. But why do you mention past transfers? 30 mil for Torreira, or 10-20 for Banega, if either happens, is top business. Lichtsteiner came on a free and we can see at the World Cup that his fitness is fantastic, he has 2 seasons in him and that's the length of his contract anyway. Leno isn't amazing but is much much better than Cech currently, no way he will cost us as many games. We can question the choice (aka suggest that the same amount of money could've gotten us a keeper that might be somewhat better) but there is no way it was a bad signing. He is on the up I believe, he has a lot of room for improvement. And then other links like Golovin, Soyuncu, Martins are pretty good. We've let go of Wilshere, we're heading in the right direction. If we bring in two to three more players (say, Torreira, a winger and maybe Banega,) our window is only a marquee CB short of absolute perfection.

 

[marting]

I dont question the signings at all. From the signings i am seeing it looks like we are addressing key areas. We dont need Marquee signings, We need a decent squad capable of getting us into the champions league which will then allow us to attract "Marquee" players.

Also Auba brought to replace laca? Where has this come from? Giroud, Theo and welbeck were not backups you could bring in without changing the system.

 

[carter777]

Wouldn't change a thing, we're top of the table looking at that one on the right of this forum.

 

[TheArsenalis]

CB is a position we really need a marquee signing and Sokratis ain't it. Speaking to Dortmund fans they tell me he's past his best and isn't top team quality anymore. Ask Leverkusen fans about Leno and they'll tell you the same criticism we give Cech.

The RB is 34 so we'll see how that goes but I don't see him playing more than 2 seasons tops. I like the midfielders but nothing concrete.

The fact of the matter is we need to spend our money better, wasting 100 mil on Xhaka, Mustafi and Perez can't happen again, spending 50 million on Lacazette just to replace him a few months later with Aubameyang. That's 150 million we've spent on mediocre players, and we all know how broke Arsenal are.

On the note about Dortmund fans opinion of sacratis and any player for that matter. Who cares! Look on this forum only and you will see how much crap fans talk. I rather see how they do here than listen to some muppets opinion

 

[BigPoppaPump]

On the note about Dortmund fans opinion of sacratis and any player for that matter. Who cares! Look on this forum only and you will see how much crap fans talk. I rather see how they do here than listen to some muppets opinion

Because I don't watch teams other than Arsenal and have no way of gauging how good players are so I'll have to take others words for it.

 

[Ricardinho]

1 Leno
2 Cech
3 Ospina/Macey */Martinez*
4 Lichsteiner
5 Bellerin *
6 Holding *
7 Sokratis
8 Chambers *
9 Koscielny
10 Mustafi
11 Kolasinac
12 Monreal
13 Xhaka
14 Ramsey *
15 Torreira
16 elnenny
17 Özil
18 Mkhitaryan
19 Iwobi *
20 Welbeck *
21 Lacazette
22 Aubameyang
23 Perez
24 Campbell?
25

Have I forgotten anyone there other than the youth players and Jenkinson?

 

[Fewtch]

1 Leno
2 Cech
3 Ospina/Macey */Martinez*
4 Lichsteiner
5 Bellerin *
6 Holding *
7 Sokratis
8 Chambers *
9 Koscielny
10 Mustafi
11 Kolasinac
12 Monreal
13 Xhaka
14 Ramsey *
15 Torreira
16 elnenny
17 Özil
18 Mkhitaryan
19 Iwobi *
20 Welbeck *
21 Lacazette
22 Aubameyang
23 Perez
24 Campbell?
25

Have I forgotten anyone there other than the youth players and Jenkinson?

Guendouzi

 

[Ricardinho]

Guendouzi

Doesn't need to be registered

 

[benjamin86]

1 Leno
2 Cech
3 Ospina/Macey */Martinez*
4 Lichsteiner
5 Bellerin *
6 Holding *
7 Sokratis
8 Chambers *
9 Koscielny
10 Mustafi
11 Kolasinac
12 Monreal
13 Xhaka
14 Ramsey *
15 Torreira
16 elnenny
17 Özil
18 Mkhitaryan
19 Iwobi *
20 Welbeck *
21 Lacazette
22 Aubameyang
23 Perez
24 Campbell?
25

Have I forgotten anyone there other than the youth players and Jenkinson?

Akpom i guess.

 

[Ricardinho]

Akpom i guess.

I wonder what the situation is there. He surely needs a permanent move for his own sake.

 

[BobP]

Goalkeepers:
Leno
Cech
Martinez

Defenders:
Koscielny
Sokratis
Chambers
Mavropanos
Holding
Bellerin
Lichsteiner
Kolasinac

Midfielders:
Özil
Mkhitaryan
Ramsey
Xhaka
Torreira
Elneny
Maitland-Niles
Guendouzi
Reine-Adelaide

Forwards:
Aubameyang
Lacazette
Iwobi

Youth:
Osei-Tutu
Nelson
Willock
Smith-Rowe
Nketiah

Out:
Ospina
Mustafi
Jenkinson
Monreal
Campbell
Welbeck
Lucas
Akpom

In:
CB, LB, W

1. That 3rd GK position is up for grabs I think. Not sure if Martinez is willing to be 3rd choice at the age of 25. Macey could end up being moved up.

2. If Mustafi is sold, another CB may be brought in, with someone like Holding going out on loan.

3. In light of the recent rumours in relation to Monreal's future at this club, those earlier links to Real Betis LB Junior Firpo make sense.

4. Would be good to see a typical winger brought in, for the sake of tactical diversity if nothing else.

 

[Makingtrax]

Think this is the best squad we’ve had in a while.

Wenger’s last gasp changes, moving on injury prone players like Walcott and Ox and bringing in PEA and Mikhitaryan made for a potent attacking force.

Add to that the new regime changes of a midfield terrier to join Xhaka and Ramsey . . . and defensive boosts GK/CB/RB and we’re in better shape than for a long time.

 

[Mark Tobias]

Think this is the best squad we’ve had in a while.

Wenger’s last gasp changes, moving on injury prone players like Walcott and Ox and bringing in PEA and Mikhitaryan made for a potent attacking force.

Add to that the new regime changes of a midfield terrier to join Xhaka and Ramsey . . . and defensive boosts GK/CB/RB and we’re in better shape than for a long time.

Strong evidence to suggest he had no say in this and that the writing was already on the wall for him to step down. Honestly believe the introduction of Sven and co was a massive power shift. They gave Wenger the season to see it out but the decision had already been made. He may have been a draw for Mikhi and PEA but the decision was very un-wenger-like.

 

[Makingtrax]

Strong evidence to suggest he had no say in this and that the writing was already on the wall for him to step down. Honestly believe the introduction of Sven and co was a massive power shift. They gave Wenger the season to see it out but the decision had already been made. He may have been a draw for Mikhi and PEA but the decision was very un-wenger-like.

I meant under the Wenger regime days, not specifically who the driving force was. That’s all speculation.

Wenger is quiet at the mo, so hoping he’s working on his ‘tell all’ new book so we can know the full story from his perspective.

 

[Rouski]

Non Home-Grown Players - max 17
1 Leno
2 Cech
3 Lichtsteiner
4 Sokratis
5 Mustafi
6 Koscielny
7 Monreal
8 Kolasinac
9 Torreira
10 Xhaka
11 Elneny
12 Mkhitaryan
13 Özil
14 Lacazette
15 Aubameyang
16
17

Home-Grown Players
18 Martinez *
19 Bellerin *
20 Holding *
21 Ramsey *
22 Iwobi *
23 Welbeck *
24 Under 21 player
25

Under 21 and youth players
For the 2018/19 campaign, Under-21 players will have been born on or after 1 January 1997
26 Osei-Tutu * 19
27 Mavropanos 20
28 Pleguezuelo * 21
29 Bielik * 20
30 Sheaf * 20
31 DaSilva * 19
32 Maitland-Niles * 20
33 Guendouzi 19
34 Wilcock * 18
35 Nelson * 18
36 Zelalem * 21
37 Smith-Rowe* 18
38 Mavididi * 20
39 Nketiah * 19

Players going out or out on loan
Ospina
Jenkinson *
Campbell

Other players possibly leaving
Ramsey, due to contract
Welbeck, due to contract
Cech, may no longer be the first choice

Already on loan
Chambers *
Takuma Asano
Kelechi Nwakali
Matt Macey *

Already out
Wilshere *
Cazorla
Mertesacker
Perez
Akpom *
Jeff *
Bola *
Fortune *

Of the under 21's Mavropanos, Maitland-Niles, Guendouzi, Nelson, Nketiah and a few others should be involved in the matchday squads on a regular basis. Some of the players who qualify for under 21 will probably go on loan.

There is one spot left for a non-home grown player and one home-grown player. Ospina looks like he is leaving. There is space for Jenkinson and Campbell as a homegrown and non-homegrown player if no new players are added to the squad.

 

[dashsnow17]

Notwithstanding any changes that might happen before the window closes, our squad has already changed massively from the start of last season:

Ins: Aubameyang, Mkhitaryan, Torreira, Sokratis, Leno, Lichtsteiner, Mavropanos, Guendouzi

Outs: Alexis, Giroud, Walcott, Debuchy, Coquelin, Mertesacker, Wilshere, Cazorla

Might be some twists and turns, but that's 8 in and 8 out. That's about 1/3 of a squad. A 1/3 of a squad changed in one season. We've complained for ages about the glacial pace of change at Arsenal, but that's remarkably rapid change.

 

[Ricardinho]

Notwithstanding any changes that might happen before the window closes, our squad has already changed massively from the start of last season:

Ins: Aubameyang, Mkhitaryan, Torreira, Sokratis, Leno, Lichtsteiner, Mavropanos, Guendouzi

Outs: Alexis, Giroud, Walcott, Debuchy, Coquelin, Mertesacker, Wilshere, Cazorla

Might be some twists and turns, but that's 8 in and 8 out. That's about 1/3 of a squad. A 1/3 of a squad changed in one season. We've complained for ages about the glacial pace of change at Arsenal, but that's remarkably rapid change.

Could be looking at another 5 being gone by this point next summer - Cech, Monreal, Koscielny, Ramsey, Welbeck. That would be the bulk of Wengers last squad gone. All in the space of a year and half.

 

[Makingtrax]

Still some concerns about our squad after seeing the last couple of friendlies.

Front and attacking midfield looks very good, midfield with Guendouzi and Torreira has some potential now.

But the back line . . . . Kola, Sokratis, Holding, Chambers, Mustafi, Bellerin, Lichsteiner, injured Kos, still don’t inspire me with the same confidence. Particularly if Nacho is being sold on.

 

[Impact]

As it stands, I have grave concerns about the state of our defence. We have no bonafide starter amongst six centre-backs, which includes our new signing, Sokratis. Kolašinac has never looked more than a mid-table Premier League player to me bar his strong-ish start where he played above his level. Monreal looks to be on the decline too.

Hopefully Emery is clear about what he wants to do with our defence but it does not look that promising, all things considered.