• ! ! ! IMPORTANT MESSAGE ! ! !

    Discussions about police investigations

    In light of recent developments about a player from Premier League being arrested and until there is an official announcement, ALL users should refrain from discussing or speculating about situations around personal off-pitch matters related to any Arsenal player. This is to protect you and the forum.

    Users who disregard this reminder will be issued warnings and their posts will get deleted from public.

Squad Analysis 2020/21

GunnerShy

Well-Known Member
The back five is fine for now. The front line is fine for now.

Investment in midfield is an urgent priority.
Another midfielder in the Partey mould plus a midfielder with more attacking edge.

If there were more money a proper Centre forward would be nice, but not at the expense of a midfield overhaul.
 

14Henry

Looking for receipts 👀


If this ever happened it would cut like a knife. Seriously. It would hurt. I'm still not over losing Gnabry and Emi.

The biggest problem isn't playing them in the first time regularly. Its setting out a 2 or 3 year plan for them and sticking to it.

ESR sent to Germany on loan, comes back, sent to Huddersfield. Now in and about the squad but no real structured plan.

We signed Saliba. I don't think it was ever planned to loan him this season until Arteta seen him. Didn't fancy him for whatever reason. Messed about so long that they couldn't even loan him. No structured plan. England? France? No plan.

Nelson was loaned to Germany. Again came back. Should the next step not been to loan him somewhere in England. Give him another 30-40 games in the championship?

Balogun 19. Have they not sold him a project and said heres your new contract this is our plan. Maybe they have and he thinks. This plan is rubbish. No 19 year old no matter how arrogant they are thinks they are walking into Arsenal first team ahead of Auba, Laca, and 2 younger players a year or two on in their development. So maybe he's seeing what is their actual plan.

Nketiah is a first team squad regular. He's 18 months left on his contract. Why hasn't this been extended to protect his value?

The club handed Martinelli a new deal. But other players no. Poor management for a club that needs to rely on young players either making here or sold on for a profit.
 

14Henry

Looking for receipts 👀
Definite Outs:

Mustafi
Luiz
Kolasinac
Sokratis
Ceballos
Özil
Lacazette (1 year left need £).

Leno
Bellerin
Gabriel
NEW CB
Tierney
Partey
NEW CM
Saka
Martinelli
Auba
NEW striker/wide forward player.

Subs:
New GK
Mari
Holding
Chambers/Saliba
Willock
AMN
ESR
Willian
Nelson
Pepe
Eddie/Balogun
Xhaka/Elneny (sell one keep the other)

This is realistic in the sense we can't let go 20 players and sign 20. From that we need:

CB
CM
Striker/wide forward
No 2 GK.

We will maybe need to make a few sales like AMN etc but we are gonna find it incredible hard getting 3 quality first team players without EL or CL football. We're probably taking 120m plus.
 

OnlyOne

‘Donkeys don’t have a peak, they remain useless’
Trusted ⭐

Country: England
Definite Outs:

Mustafi
Luiz
Kolasinac
Sokratis
Ceballos
Özil
Lacazette (1 year left need £).

Leno
Bellerin
Gabriel
NEW CB
Tierney
Partey
NEW CM
Saka
Martinelli
Auba
NEW striker/wide forward player.

Subs:
New GK
Mari
Holding
Chambers/Saliba
Willock
AMN
ESR
Willian
Nelson
Pepe
Eddie/Balogun
Xhaka/Elneny (sell one keep the other)

This is realistic in the sense we can't let go 20 players and sign 20. From that we need:

CB
CM
Striker/wide forward
No 2 GK.

We will maybe need to make a few sales like AMN etc but we are gonna find it incredible hard getting 3 quality first team players without EL or CL football. We're probably taking 120m plus.

Xhaka for me is a definite out and probably Elneny I think. Leaves us low at CM but I think we’ll get one in jan and then maybe another or two in the summer.
 

Tir Na Nog

Changes Opinion Every 5 Minutes

Country: Ireland
First Team

Leno
Bellerin* New RCB Gabriel Tierney
Partey New DM
Saka New AM Auba**
New CF

2nd Team

New GK
Cedric* Saliba Holding New LB
New CM Xhaka
Pepe*** ESR Martinelli
Lacazette****
Imo this is how we should be building the squad, assuming this is our general shape, of course it'll vary at times. But for me this is the template.

* Well first of all I'm not really happy with Bellerin being first choice but I doubt it's an area we're looking to improve on. Then the Cedric situation is weird but it's likely we sell AMN than use him as a full-back and he'll probably look to leave soon.
** At the moment I'd have Gabby ahead of Auba but in general you obviously have Auba there on top form, but going forward you hope going into next season Martinelli can really push him.
*** I'd look to sell Pepe and either keep Nelson as backup or what'll probably happen is that Willian will sadly stick around, or buy another option. It's also possible that if we did sign someone like Buendia he'd play RW at times anyways.
***** Again Lacazette is another I'd sell, and the Balogun situation is one where you'd obviously keep him if we could and sell Eddie.

Obviously other issues, we'll have to bring in a backup to Tierney and obviously Runarsson isn't even good enough to be backup. Not sure what happens with Willock, maybe keep him around as another option but we'll likely end up getting rid of him at some stage too. And we'll probably have to be smart and get decent fees for the likes of Eddie, AMN, Willock and maybe Nelson at some point. I'd actually keep Mari around just so we have the security of having 5 CB's there, tho who knows what happens with Saliba in any case.
 

14Henry

Looking for receipts 👀
Xhaka for me is a definite out and probably Elneny I think. Leaves us low at CM but I think we’ll get one in jan and then maybe another or two in the summer.

Its just hard to see so many outs and ins happening so quickly. Looking back at Liverpool they had to hold onto the likes of Morenos, Mingolets, Lovrens longer than they wanted.

You'd probably favour selling Xhaka and keeping Elneny if it was one or the other just on the basis that Xhaka would get you more money.
 

GoonerJeeves

Established Member
Trusted ⭐

Country: Norway
Chambers' contract runs out in 2022. If we are to cash in, it will have to be this January or summer. Difficult to see him having any future here.
 

OnlyOne

‘Donkeys don’t have a peak, they remain useless’
Trusted ⭐

Country: England
Its just hard to see so many outs and ins happening so quickly. Looking back at Liverpool they had to hold onto the likes of Morenos, Mingolets, Lovrens longer than they wanted.

You'd probably favour selling Xhaka and keeping Elneny if it was one or the other just on the basis that Xhaka would get you more money.

Yeah I agree with that, problem I think we’re going to again have in the summer is lack of money between clubs, might be hard to get rid of some. For me tho I’d rather keep Elneny than Xhaka I think.
 

14Henry

Looking for receipts 👀
Yeah I agree with that, problem I think we’re going to again have in the summer is lack of money between clubs, might be hard to get rid of some. For me tho I’d rather keep Elneny than Xhaka I think.

The biggest benefit we have is offloading millions in wages a month. Get rid of that dead wood on anywhere between 100k-350k a week and replace it with young hungry players who may not be ready for 40 games a season but maybe 7-8 and then cups. Those being offloaded are squad players or exiled.

We have 2 sellable assets in Laca and Xhaka. Realistically your maybe looking at 15-20m Laca. And possibly something similar Xhaka. Selling those 2 would fund maybe 1 of the needed positions. Plus big wages off the books.

You look at our summer this year with EL. We spent what 70m more or less on Gabriel and Partey. If we were to get EL again probably have something similar.

We have to be super smart in the market. The next 3 or 4 players we sign have to be the right characters and be young enough to think if I do well here I can go somewhere even better. Not players who know this is their last stop before they fall down the levels.
 

OnlyOne

‘Donkeys don’t have a peak, they remain useless’
Trusted ⭐

Country: England
The biggest benefit we have is offloading millions in wages a month. Get rid of that dead wood on anywhere between 100k-350k a week and replace it with young hungry players who may not be ready for 40 games a season but maybe 7-8 and then cups. Those being offloaded are squad players or exiled.

We have 2 sellable assets in Laca and Xhaka. Realistically your maybe looking at 15-20m Laca. And possibly something similar Xhaka. Selling those 2 would fund maybe 1 of the needed positions. Plus big wages off the books.

You look at our summer this year with EL. We spent what 70m more or less on Gabriel and Partey. If we were to get EL again probably have something similar.

We have to be super smart in the market. The next 3 or 4 players we sign have to be the right characters and be young enough to think if I do well here I can go somewhere even better. Not players who know this is their last stop before they fall down the levels.

Yeah very good post. I also think it would be smart to make Gabi and Saka (already is really) starting 11 players this season and see how much they can do. I can't forget Rashford who once he was in that was it really, we could have a front 3 sorted for next season if they kick on. Maybe bring in someone who can challenge Auba.
 

Yousif Arsenal

On Vinai's payroll & misses 4th place trophy 🏆
Trusted ⭐
Next summer we'll need new RB new CM new CF in January at least you'll have to get a creative midfielder and central midfielder at least. Our midfield is problem we have to get quick fix in Jan Partey is coming back will be like new signing because he played like 3 games in league this season.
 

FinnGooner

Established Member
Players to build the team around:

Saka, Gabby, Partey, Gabriel, Tierney

Players who’ll do a job when the core of the team is fixed:

Leno, Auba, ESR and one of Bellerin/AMN (With Arteta in charge, it’s not going to be AMN)

Players for rotation in cups:

Willock, Mari, Cedric, Eddie

Get rid of ASAP list:

Xhaka, Elneny, Laca, Musti, Luiz, Willian (not gonna happen), Sokratis, Runars, Kola, Pepe*

*loan out to a European league where he can play back some of his value and then sell

—> immediate upgrades needed at: CM, AM, CF, CB, back up GK

So at least 5 signings are absolute necessary
 

Legend14

Established Member
Players to build the team around:

Saka, Gabby, Partey, Gabriel, Tierney

Players who’ll do a job when the core of the team is fixed:

Leno, Auba, ESR and one of Bellerin/AMN (With Arteta in charge, it’s not going to be AMN)

Players for rotation in cups:

Willock, Mari, Cedric, Eddie

Get rid of ASAP list:

Xhaka, Elneny, Laca, Musti, Luiz, Willian (not gonna happen), Sokratis, Runars, Kola, Pepe*

*loan out to a European league where he can play back some of his value and then sell

—> immediate upgrades needed at: CM, AM, CF, CB, back up GK

So at least 5 signings are absolute necessary
Need a back up LB as well.
 

SkyArsenal

Active Member
Yeah very good post. I also think it would be smart to make Gabi and Saka (already is really) starting 11 players this season and see how much they can do. I can't forget Rashford who once he was in that was it really, we could have a front 3 sorted for next season if they kick on. Maybe bring in someone who can challenge Auba.
Yep, especially in a "wasted“ year like this, we might as well play all or most of the youngest and see who can deliver how regularly and constantly.

Depending on what we learn, we then know of we need backups, upgrades or people to challenge them.
 

truth_hurts

but Holding’s hair transplant was painless
I'd be up for blooming in Saliba and ESR this season and bringing Guendouzi and Mavrapanos back in the summer if the plan was genuinely to build a young and exciting young team.

With Ricky Martin dreaming about winning the league and champions league I'm expecting more Luiz and Willian type signings.
 

GoonerJeeves

Established Member
Trusted ⭐

Country: Norway
As long as Arteta is manager, there is most likely no future for Guendouzi here.

I think we will look to cash in, if possible.
 

Macho

In search of Pure Profit 💸
Dusted 🔻

Country: England
We have to be super smart in the market. The next 3 or 4 players we sign have to be the right characters and be young enough to think if I do well here I can go somewhere even better. Not players who know this is their last stop before they fall down the levels.
I actually agree with your transfer suggestions, very well thought out.

The only thing I would say is we probably sign too many young players, and we aren’t improving them. I’m fairly certain it will hurt our prospects of signing exciting talent in the future.

Willian has been a disaster but I wouldn’t let that deter us from signing experience. We’re severely short on leadership - a quality Willian never had, even in his best days.

You need big characters to balance out the youth, and take the bullets which would actually help us develop them easier and make it less risky to bring them on.

I think a Zlatan like character does a lot for this team for example.
 

14Henry

Looking for receipts 👀
I actually agree with your transfer suggestions, very well thought out.

The only thing I would say is we probably sign too many young players, and we aren’t improving them. I’m fairly certain it will hurt our prospects of signing exciting talent in the future.

Willian has been a disaster but I wouldn’t let that deter us from signing experience. We’re severely short on leadership - a quality Willian never had, even in his best days.

You need big characters to balance out the youth, and take the bullets which would actually help us develop them easier and make it less risky to bring them on.

I think a Zlatan like character does a lot for this team for example.

Yeah I agree we do need a few experienced heads in the team.

But they need to be the ego types or workers. Zlatans sole purpose is to be the best and make his team the best. Ronaldo is similar.

We probably need the Henderson and Milners. The honest hard working but leadership types as the others above would always be a bit out of our league.

Its finding them thats the hard part. We seem to find the ones who are happy to pick up a wage who feel they have nothing more to achieve. No personal goal.
 

Maybe

You're wrong, no?
Yeah I agree we do need a few experienced heads in the team.

But they need to be the ego types or workers. Zlatans sole purpose is to be the best and make his team the best. Ronaldo is similar.

We probably need the Henderson and Milners. The honest hard working but leadership types as the others above would always be a bit out of our league.

Its finding them thats the hard part. We seem to find the ones who are happy to pick up a wage who feel they have nothing more to achieve. No personal goal.
The best leaders by example are currently Martinelli, ESR and Saka, 3 players that will give everything on the pitch and others will follow them.
Look at the game against Chelsea and the way Laca played around them, he was pressing, running, working throughout the game only because he saw 3 younger players doing that.
You are right and wrong at the same time about this, we did miss leaders, but the problem wasn't age related. Martinelli has a world class mentality, he injects insane energy into this team, there's no way any Milner/Henderson or whoever could do the same, it's really unique
 

truth_hurts

but Holding’s hair transplant was painless
Yeah I agree we do need a few experienced heads in the team.

But they need to be the ego types or workers. Zlatans sole purpose is to be the best and make his team the best. Ronaldo is similar.

We probably need the Henderson and Milners. The honest hard working but leadership types as the others above would always be a bit out of our league.

Its finding them thats the hard part. We seem to find the ones who are happy to pick up a wage who feel they have nothing more to achieve. No personal goal.


It's a shame as I fully expected Willian to be the hard working model pro, who could be an example to our young players.
 

Latest posts+

Top Bottom