Squad Analysis 2018/19

[truth_hurts]

This should probably be here now!

Perhaps Sp**s, but I don’t think Torreira would start at Pool, not when everyone is fit.

My whole point, that our first XI is filled with players who are good back-ups and not starters for a team with our ambition, doesn’t mean we should be automatically selling them. It’s our current squad players, like Elneny, that need need to be got rid of.

The issue that we have is we currently have too many squad players who for one reason or another do not contribute enough. Koscielny, Xhaka, Kolasinac and Mustafi (especially as a back up RB and CB) are good options. We need to get rid of the likes of Lichtsteiner and El Nenny. Make some tough decisions on some of our younger players like Holding (keep), Chambers (sell), Iwobi (keep), Smith-Rowe (keep), Nelson (keep), Nketiah (loan), Maitland-Niles (loan) and sell any who we think aren't going to be contributing enough.

R.E. Torreria, I see him as better than Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Dier and Wanywama, but strong counter arguments could be made.

 

[#254]

If Özil and Ramsey leave us, and Welbeck leaves on a free, we will have the following attackers for 4 positions on the pitch (not counting the youngsters who Emery doesn't trust):

Auba (29 years old)
Laca (27 years old)
Iwobi
Mykhitarian (30 years old)

No backups. That is at least 3 signings in the attacking department, two of them into the first team. I cannot imagine that honestly happening.

Our last 3 years of squad 'building' has been a disgrace, and things could really go wrong here (e.g. an injury to one of our strikers). Take Aubameyang out and you can find teams better equipped in the middle of the table.

Plus Alexis that's potentially 150m worth of sales! Whoever deals with contracts needs firing. How could a club of our stature allow such kind of mismanagement!

 

[Dutch D]

Without injuries and without considering form I think our best starting XI would be:

Leno
Bellerin - Sokratis - Holding - Monreal
Torreira - Xhaka/Guendouzi
Mkhitaryan - Özil - Iwobi
Aubameyang

That's not too different from our line up against BATE. It's also very worrying. All players in bold shouldn't really be first choice in that position (I do rate Holding). I have been banging on about the need for proper wingers for about 3 seasons, so I reallt hope we address this.

Purely in terms of quality I think Lacazette is better than Iwobi, but I don't rate the Laca up front / Auba left setup, even if they do perform well together. I would much rather add a proper winger. Özil will probably also need to be replaced, that is 5 starting players. It will be very disruptive, but I rather rip the bandaid off this summer and have a chaotic season (but hopefully with an upward trajectory in terms of quality).

On top of those 5 we'd need a backup RB, CB in my eyes and I would like a replacement of Xhaka at CM. That's 8 signings minimum.

 

[pikey2000]

Is it just me or does it seem that if we stuck with the current formation from the last two games (it works pretty well) then we don't actually have as many holes to plug as perhaps many of us thought?

--------------------------------Leno---------------------------------

-------------Sokratis---------Kos---------Holding----------------

Bellerin----------Torreira---------Xhaka-------------Kolasinac

------------------------------Özil-----------------------------------

-----------------Auba-----------------Laca------------------------


For me we only really need to re-enforce CB and LWB if we stick with this formation;

CB - Mavro is the next gen, can sale Mustafi and Chambers, we probably need two strong CB signing's to continue playing a back 3.

WB - Kola and Bellerin are starters, AMN is able deputy for RB, let Lich go, Monreal, either extend his contract of we need a LWB.

Aside from that all other positions are fairly well covered;

CM - Douzi, AMN, Willock, Elneny at a push.

AM - Özil/Mkhi/Iwobi/Nelson/Smith-Rowe

ST - Auba/Laca/Nketieh (and i'd try to resign Welbeck not many better squaddie's with his work rate)

Potentially we could go all in for two quality CB's and a LWB and the rest is good enough to compete, what does everyone else think?

 

[ptrcopp]

Is it just me or does it seem that if we stuck with the current formation from the last two games (it works pretty well) then we don't actually have as many holes to plug as perhaps many of us thought?

--------------------------------Leno---------------------------------

-------------Sokratis---------Kos---------Holding----------------

Bellerin----------Torreira---------Xhaka-------------Kolasinac

------------------------------Özil-----------------------------------

-----------------Auba-----------------Laca------------------------


For me we only really need to re-enforce CB and LWB if we stick with this formation;

CB - Mavro is the next gen, can sale Mustafi and Chambers, we probably need two strong CB signing's to continue playing a back 3.

WB - Kola and Bellerin are starters, AMN is able deputy for RB, let Lich go, Monreal, either extend his contract of we need a LWB.

Aside from that all other positions are fairly well covered;

CM - Douzi, AMN, Willock, Elneny at a push.

AM - Özil/Mkhi/Iwobi/Nelson/Smith-Rowe

ST - Auba/Laca/Nketieh (and i'd try to resign Welbeck not many better squaddie's with his work rate)

Potentially we could go all in for two quality CB's and a LWB and the rest is good enough to compete, what does everyone else think?

I have been surprised by how well it has worked. Previously though we had played Auba and Özil behind Laca. Overall this way is just more attacking, and Xhaka isn’t lost in midfield because the two wide CBs can help cover the wings.

I would definitely add another midfielder to the list. There’s no reason Elneny should be on the squad, especially with how many matches he has actually played. I’d rather he wasn’t the Ramsey replacement

 

[pikey2000]

I have been surprised by how well it has worked. Previously though we had played Auba and Özil behind Laca. Overall this way is just more attacking, and Xhaka isn’t lost in midfield because the two wide CBs can help cover the wings.

I would definitely add another midfielder to the list. There’s no reason Elneny should be on the squad, especially with how many matches he has actually played. I’d rather he wasn’t the Ramsey replacement

True, but if we have budget limitations and it was a choice between getting two starting CB's or 1 CB and another sqauddie CM, i'd run with the CB's and give the likes of Willock a shot.

 

[DasBootist]

Reading posts from a couple of months back, I'm glad the Arsenal board stuck with Emery and didn't hire a member from these boards in his place.

 

[DanDare]

So many of our squad need to be replaced

Mustafi
Jenkinson
El-Neny
Ramsey
Iwobi
Mhikitaryan
Welbeck

 

[Furious]

So many of our squad need to be replaced

Mustafi
Jenkinson
El-Neny
Ramsey
Iwobi
Mhikitaryan
Welbeck

Given how utterly trash most of these are, it shouldn't be too hard.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

It is vital we don't lose our **** this summer and go after multiple of 15-20M players. Just buy 2-3 class players and keep the better of the worse to fill the squad.

 

[Rex Stone]

It is vital we don't lose our **** this summer and go after multiple of 15-20M players. Just buy 2-3 class players and keep the better of the worse to fill the squad.

Run in’s going to be the key isn’t it?

You get the feeling that the likes of Zaha and Koulibaly would probably be on the menu if we can somehow get CL football.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

Ospina Mustafi Chambers Elneny Iwobi Mkhi all need to be sold. We need to do what man city dobe in pep 2nd season

 

[Red London]

Ospina Mustafi Chambers Elneny Iwobi Mkhi all need to be sold. We need to do what man city dobe in pep 2nd season

I'd personally relax on selling our only two wide players when we already need one anyway... this isnt Fifa

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

I'd personally relax on selling our only two wide players when we already need one anyway... this isnt Fifa

Agree maybe I'm demanding too much but I'd prefer play Nelson or Smith-Rowe next than mkhi

 

[A_G]

It is vital we don't lose our **** this summer and go after multiple of 15-20M players

Leno, Sokratis and Torreira were all near that price range and improved the squad.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

Leno, Sokratis and Torreira were all near that price range and improved the squad.

Disagree about Sokratis. Torreira and Leno have had bad patches this season but I'm optimistic about their future here.

But even if so we need a lot better players this summer than we manage last summer if we want something more than what we are seeing now.

 

[Maybe]

Run in’s going to be the key isn’t it?

You get the feeling that the likes of Zaha and Koulibaly would probably be on the menu if we can somehow get CL football.

Koulibaly didn't impress at all playing against us, and I really hate seeing that stupid smile on Zaha's face. There are better options on the market for lower price

 

[Maybe]

Agree maybe I'm demanding too much but I'd prefer play Nelson or Smith-Rowe next than mkhi

No difference really, but we already know that ESR will be in Germany next year and Nelson lost a year due to bad loan deal so he will get another loan.

 

[Hexagon9]

We definitely need to offload several players in the summer but who are the people that are out of contract this year?

What happens if some players that we might want to offload dig their heels in to see out their contracts out even if it’s made clear they won’t be playing first team football? In our current financial mess that would potentially prevent someone else coming in.

Unfortunately I see our owner being key in improving the squad and that fills me with dread!

 

[Tourbillion]

No difference really, but we already know that ESR will be in Germany next year and Nelson lost a year due to bad loan deal so he will get another loan.

My new season's resolution is never again to be invested in any of our youngsters. It never pans out as I want and it's always a let down.