Squad Analysis 2021/22

[ArsenesCoatMaker]

In the end, you can only take the sum Arteta spent (which seems to be 220m) and ask yourself if we are better than we were under Unai, not even discussing individual decisions.

That's what it hurts, so many changes, so many weird decisions and we ended up playing worse football than before all of that. Last summer was just an absolute waste of resources, and people expect now that the club will do it every summer, knowing that our revenue doesn't cover for it

You can say it's a waste of resources and we haven't upgraded but we will finish 3 places higher in the league. Part of the problem has been the need to replace older players. We needed to replace Özil/Luiz/Kosceilny so that means you need to bring in White/Ødegaard. Both being good replacements. You can argue we didn't need to replace Leno, but we have an upgrade who suits our style of play. We really did need to upgrade on Bellerin and we did with Tommy.

Now we have to replace the forwards that are leaving with upgrades and upgrade our CM and FB depth because there's a big drop off when those players get injured.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

There is always a list of players we will want to get rid of, but in reality that list just gets replaced with new players. We've moved Mustafi and Kolasinac just to add Cedric and Mari, we've moved Douzi and added Lokonga, got rid of Torreira and ended up playing Elneny.

In the end, you can only take the sum Arteta spent (which seems to be 220m) and ask yourself if we are better than we were under Unai, not even discussing individual decisions.

That's what it hurts, so many changes, so many weird decisions and we ended up playing worse football than before all of that. Last summer was just an absolute waste of resources, and people expect now that the club will do it every summer, knowing that our revenue doesn't cover for it

What might save us is if Arteta now actually has a plan as his original one changed mid season when the old washed experienced players flopped hard. We are not better under Arteta and arguably, the squads Wenger and Emery left were better or at least not as bad as some would make out.

 

[14Henry]

You can say it's a waste of resources and we haven't upgraded but we will finish 3 places higher in the league. Part of the problem has been the need to replace older players. We needed to replace Özil/Luiz/Kosceilny so that means you need to bring in White/Ødegaard. Both being good replacements. You can argue we didn't need to replace Leno, but we have an upgrade who suits our style of play. We really did need to upgrade on Bellerin and we did with Tommy.

Now we have to replace the forwards that are leaving with upgrades and upgrade our CM and FB depth because there's a big drop off when those players get injured.

Tomi and Tierney need to be considered as squad players not starting 11 anymore. They can't be relied upon. Thomas also.

We need to sign 2 fullbacks who can fight it out for the starting position.

Let Elneny go and sign 2 CM.

Sign 2 forwards.

If Saliba comes back him/Gabriel/Tomi/White should be enough.

Midfield of Partey/Xhaka/Lokonga + 2 more.

Bissouma/Phillips/Tielemans. 2 from those 3 could be got for probably 60-70m. Hopefully Jesus signs but who knows now.

 

[Sanchez11]

I

Still think Nuno can be coached but Hector, Matteo and Lucas have already gone tbh. Nelson maybe gets a chance when Pepe is sold.

Still a big turnover needed.

 

[SA Gunner]

We definitely need reliability at both fullback positions. Cedric, Nuno and unfortunately Tierney and Tomiyasu cannot be relied on over a season. Not with the running football we are trying to play.

I wonder if Maitland-Niles would be interested in being a fullback again? We could use his abilities there I feel.

As for midfield, we need a reliable #6 and two #8s. I still think we could push for Bissouma/Phillips, Tielemans and another #8 like Brandt. Not top top signings but they will improve us.

Upfront is where I worry most. We simply have to get some good signings in there. Im hoping we could push hard for players like Jesus, Osimhen and possibly do a madness by offering something crazy to Gnabry.

 

[ArsenesCoatMaker]

Tomi and Tierney need to be considered as squad players not starting 11 anymore. They can't be relied upon. Thomas also.

We need to sign 2 fullbacks who can fight it out for the starting position.

Let Elneny go and sign 2 CM.

Sign 2 forwards.

If Saliba comes back him/Gabriel/Tomi/White should be enough.

Midfield of Partey/Xhaka/Lokonga + 2 more.

Bissouma/Phillips/Tielemans. 2 from those 3 could be got for probably 60-70m. Hopefully Jesus signs but who knows now.

I read Elneny is getting a new contract so he's staying. It looks like we'll probably get Jesus, Tielemans, Grillitsch, Hickey amongst others. So we look like we're getting 2 fullbacks to solve the depth issue.

Grillitsch looks like an imposing player with the ability to carry the ball while having a wide range of passing. Statistically he potentially looks an upgrade on what we have

https://www.squawka.com/en/comparison-matrix/?compare=HM-Gcu7D89Q44tNCPccVO

 

[Maybe]

I read Elneny is getting a new contract so he's staying.

With him staying, and Lokonga being here I wonder what's the plan with Patino. Patino is x5 bigger talent than both, but I fear he may struggle with his transition under Arteta. Wouldn't surprise me if Arteta messes this up as he does everything else

 

[lomekian]

There is always a list of players we will want to get rid of, but in reality that list just gets replaced with new players. We've moved Mustafi and Kolasinac just to add Cedric and Mari, we've moved Douzi and added Lokonga, got rid of Torreira and ended up playing Elneny.

In the end, you can only take the sum Arteta spent (which seems to be 220m) and ask yourself if we are better than we were under Unai, not even discussing individual decisions.

That's what it hurts, so many changes, so many weird decisions and we ended up playing worse football than before all of that. Last summer was just an absolute waste of resources, and people expect now that the club will do it every summer, knowing that our revenue doesn't cover for it

False comparison. Emery's team was chock full of very experienced senior pros on huge wages, and included auba at his peak and Laca when he could still run. Cedric & Mari on total less than half the wages of Musti & Kola, and it looks like Mari is off (not to mention even if we gave him a free, the combined transfer & wage cost would be about £60m less). Lokonga is a fine young player who needs to develop, and would have played in a less pressured situation. Torreira didn;t want to be in England, and agitated to leave every window after his first season.
The average age of the squad (even before some older players leave this summer) has dropped by about 5 years, the wage bill is almost £2m a week less even before Laca (and probably Pepe) leave, and we've culled the dickheads.

At least the ones we want out now, we can probably shift easily, bar Pepe, who obviously was pre-arteta

 

[lomekian]

With him staying, and Lokonga being here I wonder what's the plan with Patino. Patino is x5 bigger talent than both, but I fear he may struggle with his transition under Arteta. Wouldn't surprise me if Arteta messes this up as he does everything else

Patino is a lovely technical and smart player, bur simply not ready physically at this level. Needs either a loan or 1 more year in u23 with some EL/EFL Cup games

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

We witnessed Cedric and Tavares half of season ffs. That so worrying.

Tierney and Tomi next season has to stay fit for majority of season and signing backup who are good is important. Tavares and Cedric are nowhere near quality wise for top 4 ambition club yes backup are not going to be super quality but the drop of is scary the moment Tomi and Tierney got injured we forget something called clean sheet

 

[teamsoutheast]

Here's our best squad performers this season taken from whoscored.com. Our youngsters really shone but our experienced players didn't show up enough for me. Bar Partey, the likes of Xhaka, Lacazette, Elneny, Cedric have not been good enough and it looks as though the youngsters carried them. Laca didn't even make double figures in goals scored for crying out loud!!!

 

[teamsoutheast]

Here's our best squad performers this season taken from whoscored.com. Our youngsters really shone but our experienced players didn't show up enough for me. Bar Partey, the likes of Xhaka, Lacazette, Elneny, Cedric have not been good enough and it looks as though the youngsters carried them. Laca didn't even make double figures in goals scored for crying out loud!!!
View attachment 6943

Was just comparing our squad to City's seeing as they are the benchmark of where we need to get to. Look at their midfield pass success rate man. They don't lose the ball... Gundogan and Rodri with a 91% pass success rate along with Bernardo Silva with 89.6%, across the course of the season is very impressive. Our best passers are Gabriel Magalhaes, Emile Smith Rowe, Granit Xhaka, and Thomas Partey. Who could we get to get the pass success rate in midfield in the early 90's....... Arthur Melo could be a really good shout you know....

 

[MartiSaka]

Was just comparing our squad to City's seeing as they are the benchmark of where we need to get to. Look at their midfield pass success rate man. They don't lose the ball... Gundogan and Rodri with a 91% pass success rate along with Bernardo Silva with 89.6%, across the course of the season is very impressive. Our best passers are Gabriel Magalhaes, Emile Smith Rowe, Granit Xhaka, and Thomas Partey. Who could we get to get the pass success rate in midfield in the early 90's....... Arthur Melo could be a really good shout you know....
View attachment 6944

Our best, Saka, does not even get in their first team for ratings.

 

[14Henry]

We witnessed Cedric and Tavares half of season ffs. That so worrying.

Tierney and Tomi next season has to stay fit for majority of season and signing backup who are good is important. Tavares and Cedric are nowhere near quality wise for top 4 ambition club yes backup are not going to be super quality but the drop of is scary the moment Tomi and Tierney got injured we forget something called clean sheet

We need to be signing players that are starters or challengers to start. Tierney has shown he cannot be relied upon. Tomi also. We need players who relegate those 2 to being important squad players not first names on the team sheet.

 

[MikelHadADream]

We need to be signing players that are starters or challengers to start. Tierney has shown he cannot be relied upon. Tomi also. We need players who relegate those 2 to being important squad players not first names on the team sheet.

Spot on. No more back up signings. The way you improve a squad is signing first 11 players that relegate current starters to the bench. This should be done with guys like Xhaka, Tomi, KT ect.

 

[Riou]

Arteta isn't the loyal type like Wenger, tbf... imagine he will have no problem replacing any of these players, the Auba situation shows that.

If a chance to sign a better player is available, Mikel will take it.

 

[Kwaku]

Squad is thin in quality. Injuries is not an excuse because it is part of the game, you add quality to offset that. Ideally I want starting quality players to be signed this season. New RB, LB, CM, FW and striker. The players within the squad can compete or get sold.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

Arteta isn't the loyal type like Wenger, tbf... imagine he will have no problem replacing any of these players, the Auba situation shows that.

If a chance to sign a better player is available, Mikel will take it.

You sure about that? Extended Holding, begged Xhaka and Mustafi to stay. I'm sure he wants a certain number of yes men to feel safe, at the expense of squad quality.