Squad Analysis 2022/23

[Bloodbather]

Ideally, you want to be two-deep in every position, while having some versatile players who can simultaneously cover different positions to make them three-deep. That's how you build your squad effectively.

Right now, we're looking at Ramsdale and Turner at GK, White and Tomiyasu at RB, Zinchenko and Tierney at LB, Saliba and Holding at RCB, Gabriel and Kiwior at LCB, Partey and Jorginho at DM, Xhaka and Smith Rowe at LCM, Ødegaard and Vieira at RCM, Saka and Nelson at RW, Martinelli and Trossard at LW, and Jesus and Nketiah at CF.

Holding and Nelson are not at the level required for the second option, so we'll look to replace them. They'll either get demoted to 3rd option spots or get sold, probably the latter. We probably get a RB and move Tomiyasu to RCB, and add a RW. The only place where I think we could make a big move to render one of the 2nd options into a 3rd option type is DM/CM. So we could get a Rice or a Caicedo in the summer to have Jorginho as third cover for DM and CM. This is especially likely because ESR hasn't been reliable health-wise.

Then we fill out the rest of the squad with younger players who'll provide depth for all competitions, a la Norton-Cuffy, Patino, Marquinhos, Balogun, etc. Then you decide midway through the season whether you'll loan them out or not.

 

[dashsnow17]

The squad has 24 players (12 each side on Wikipedia, very pleasing, iykyk). Elneny is out, it’s also quite unlikely that Hein or Nelson are going to see many of any minutes.

That leaves 21 players who you’d reasonably expect to see play. That’s a good amount imo.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

In summer if everything go according to plan and we in CL we'll go big for midfielder or 2 depending on how Jorginho will preform and we'll go for good RW to cover and compete with Saka.

The other things depend on players if they leave like Tierney. So expecting 3 maximum players we'll buy in summer the squad look in good shape.

 

[Dutch D]

To me it's quite obvious what to do with our squad. Only thing I'm uncertain about is RW.

What's more interesting to me is how do we integrate the biggest prospects of our academy into the squad long term without sacrificing too much competition in the squad.

For example, I hope that Patino has a clear path to the team. That would mean we can't buy two marquee midfielders (assuming Partey and Xhaka stay) because he'd be behind 4 players (let's assume Rice and Caicedo, although I see them both as 6's) for two positions who we'll have a hard time keeping happy as it is (5 if you count Jorginho). Slighly behind him is Lewis-Skelly.

Another long term prospect is Cozier-Duberry. Not saying he'll definitely make it, but if we sign that marquee winger everyone wants, we'll have Saka, Martinelli, Trossard and Leao (for the sake of it) ahead of him in the pecking order as well as Jesus who could play out wide if we need to rotate and give Nketiah gametime. I think 90% of the time we'll be able to line-up a really strong front 3 with just Saka, Martinelli, Trossard, Nketiah and Jesus.

To me, depth signings rarely are a significant improvement on the best prospects of our academy. They also potentially represent a lot of value at little to no cost (Willock, Iwobi), so there is a lot of upside. Lastly they are useful for squad management because they don't take up non-HG spots and won't be on huge wages for a back-up (like Mari, Cedric, etc.).

That's why I would advocate some targeted signings that really improve our squad depth/competition at obvious gaps in our squad (CM, fullback) while refraining from buying too many players in terms of quantity. In that regard I'm becoming more and more sceptical of the Vieira signing, for example. Not saying he's bad, but we've spent €35m on him and I'm not sure if it would be such a drop in quality to give his minutes to Patino/Cozier-Duberry instead. Meanwhile we can't use that €35m on a signing like Bellingham.

A lot of us are fearful of injuries, but in a well-oiled machine they can represent opportunities for our own internal talents to show what they are made off. Some of the recent examples at other clubs are Lewis Hall, Rico Lewis, Evan Ferguson etc. (also wonder why Chelsea hasn't used Colwill for example).

 

[Tnegs]

We’ve been incredibly lucky so far with injuries so we have never had our depth tested.

 

[6666Louis]

Got enough backups. Need to add special talents.

Central mid better than xhaka.
And an attacker who should challenge whoever is least amazing

Ideally someone like … mudryk and Enzo Fernandez geeezzzz

 

[RunTheTrap]

If we sign Rice/Caicedo and Leäo/Khvicha/Mitoma. I think the squad will be complete. No real areas left to upgrade imo.

 

[Heavy Duty Rom]

Funny isn't it. Most us us think its been a decent enough January. But, hypothetically, if we were 5th, chasing top 4, and still in the EL, would you be happy with Trossard, Jorginho, Kiwior?

 

[Sanchez11]

Rice, Tiels, Rw and lb

 

[drippin]

Funny isn't it. Most us us think its been a decent enough January. But, hypothetically, if we were 5th, chasing top 4, and still in the EL, would you be happy with Trossard, Jorginho, Kiwior?

You can imagine if they got those players last January.

I was pretty much fuming for a while after they got no one and let players go. A gamble which didn't go well, but landed Jesus at least.

So yeah, I would have been happy to get some reinforcements like that for important positions this January even for top 4 race. Top 4 was the expectation this season, last year it wasn't.

 

[Heavy Duty Rom]

You can imagine if they got those players last January.

I was pretty much fuming for a while after they got no one and let players go. A gamble which didn't go well, but landed Jesus at least.

So yeah, I would have been happy to get some reinforcements like that for important positions this January even for top 4 race. Top 4 was the expectation this season, last year it wasn't.

We need to get Saka and especially Saliba tied down. They are our franchise players.

 

[14Henry]

Funny isn't it. Most us us think its been a decent enough January. But, hypothetically, if we were 5th, chasing top 4, and still in the EL, would you be happy with Trossard, Jorginho, Kiwior?

No because in that situation it would mean our first 11 was weak and those don't upgrade much.

However what we lack today is squad depth and now we have that.

 

[Heavy Duty Rom]

No because in that situation it would mean our first 11 was weak and those don't upgrade much.

However what we lack today is squad depth and now we have that.

Yeah i'm pretty happy with the business. I like him but at the same time I'm not as overjoyed with Trossard as most seem to be. Whilst he had good moments vs City, we also saw how he can't maintain a good sprint speed. I feel that needs to be one of the fundamentals for our wingers.

 

[14Henry]

Yeah i'm pretty happy with the business. I like him but at the same time I'm not as overjoyed with Trossard as most seem to be. Whilst he had good moments vs City, we also saw how he can't maintain a good sprint speed. I feel that needs to be one of the fundamentals for our wingers.

I disagree in the sense of maybe someone who is more a dribbler or has abit of a drop of the shoulder could be useful.

I think to that Newcastle match, when neither Saka or Gabi were getting much joy. He's definitely an different option. Not a better player but something different and one thing we know is he can find the net.

I think we are stronger than we were before the window and the only team better in business is Chelsea who can't win the league. City weaker. United not stronger. Newcastle not stronger.

I have us bigger favourites for the league now than 2 weeks ago.

 

[OnlyOne]

Pretty mad that listing our players names from A-Z using their surname first it starts with D.

 

[RunTheTrap]

I think our squad is close to competing for all four competitions next season. For once in my adult life i would like to see Arsenal go past the last-16 stage in the CL. Anyways, I’ve said this before in the transfer window thread.

We will sign a CM, a forward and a right back. Caicedo, Leão/Balogun and Fresneda.
Nelson and Elneny should leave.

 

[db10_therza]

For once in my adult life i would like to see Arsenal go past the last-16 stage in the CL.

As someone who relives paris 06 almost every night, I can assure you that even getting to the final will not provide you with any happy memories if you don’t win the damn thing.

 

[db10_therza]

Pretty mad that listing our players names from A-Z using their surname first it starts with D.

Is this your way of saying you want us to get Asensio and Zubimendi?

 

[dashsnow17]

We need a central midfielder and probably a forward, more importantly we need to get our first choice target. Important to assert some authority.

I don’t see many holes though, and that’s the first time in a long time I’ve thought that.

Potentially a big question is how many minutes do our academy products get. You could argue that our period of finishing 8th and being sh*te is what allowed Saka to flourish and be what he is.

Nketiah, Balogun, ESR, Nelson, Patino, at a club with CL football some of these types may get fewer minutes, some will play others won’t.

 

[drippin]

Squad plan thoughts for next season. This is 21 outfield players and 3 goalkeepers.

Arteta might buy a more fitting inverted LB, but it won't cost a forture as Tierney will bring a good fee. I expect Fresneda to be bought for RB, and the youngsters BNC and Walters to go on loan.

Will Jesus be the future rotation for Saka as RW, or even LW, rather than a top winger acquisition?

There would be one more space if one wants 25 player squad for an UCL season. Zinchenko, Tomiyasu, Partey and ESR are all injury-prone players, so you would need more players than usual. Currently these guys can be counted as half a player in a season basically, which would be then 19 outfield players and 3 GK's, which is something like City has this season.

Thoughts? I wonder if Arsenal would get rid of Jorginho after 6 months, if they still have the funds and will to go for two top midfielders, as the funds might allow it.

GK: Ramsdale, Turner, Hein

LB: Zinchenko, Tierney/LB?

LCB: Gabriel, Kiwior

RCB: Saliba, Tomiyasu

RB: White, Fresneda?

DMF: Partey, Rice?, Jorginho

LCM: Xhaka, ESR

RCM: Ødegaard, Vieira

LW: Martinelli, Trossard

RW: Saka, (Jesus)

ST: Jesus, Nketiah, Balogun

New players:

Fresneda 15 million pounds 70k

LB Tierney fee + 10 million pounds?

Rice/Caicedo/similar 100 million pounds 200k

Total = 125 million pounds 270k per week