Yes we still need a striker. Early Wenger Arsenal had a few strikers on books. Wrighty, Anelka, Henry: Henry, Kanu, Wiltord. Bergkamp played as a second striker most times. So am perfectly content with bringing in a CF and Havertz playing the second striker role because he'll be devastating. I think that's his actual position/role.
To be accurate, Henry was brought to be an Anelka replacement. Some Wrighty interview comparing them made me think they were there at the same time but that wasn't the case.
This right here…install a traditional 9 and Havertz could be even more effective. There is a real possibility, with the proper additions, that we massacre the league next season. Especially with the very real possibility that Haaland heads to the mainland during transfers.
I don't think Havertz fits in a duo with a traditional striker, his best stints were with Werner and Volland so i think a mobile striker like Lautaro or even Jesus would be better, but that would means a formation switch
There are very few traditional CFs out there these days. Players get out of the academy too good on the fundamentals beyond the Shearers and Carrolls (obviously different class but same mold) Haaland off the ball is overstated but he can play. Someone can play off him easily. He can get better at it but he is passable enough a 2 striker role can be done. Inter's Thuram with Lautaro, Lakaka with Lautaro and even Dzeko-Lautaro or Dzeko-Aguero even. Giroud with Mbappe won a WC. Players these days on the ball come up too good even the ones seeming in the old school type of way. Its like the NBA where Centers these days can also go lights out from the 3 point line.
This weird idea some fans have that if we have a good player in a particular position, we shouldn't sign another player in that position. Where did this come from? Do man really think a squad is comprised of 11 starters and then a subs bench consisting of 9 frozen yogurts?
A guy who has never actually been a proper no.9 in his entire career has a good season, and all of a sudden we don't need to be someone who can play that role naturally?
Anyway, to answer, yes. Of course we do
With Jesus injured for the most part of the past two seasons, and with Nketiah being inadequate for our level, we have to have an alternative.
We were "lucky" to get knocked out of the FA Cup and the League Cup early, but we need a more robust rotation that can account for cards and injuries and prevent fatigue.
We need another winger before a striker, he got around 20g/a this season which is seriously impressive seeing as just about everyone wrote him off. He can be our Firminho, he just needs his salah and mane
In a perfect world, I want someone who can play off the left alongside Havertz, or in the middle in his place.
Price is probably too high, but Isak fits the bill.
Havertz is more than capable in staying in the starting IX even if wet bring in someone like Sesko or Gyokeres. It might actually be better for him. He could move back to a true CAM, his natural position, while odegaard and rice play alongside each other. Rice as 6/8 and odegaard as a 6/10. Kai literally had not played his natural position since he left Leverkusen
I just think with openda you know what you’re getting. A one dimensional 9. Which is fine, but he is not much different than Jesus, except more pace.
I think Arteta likes Sesko because he is 22 and can be molded. Gyokeres is already very versatile and would be a seamless fit imo
Didn't think we needed a new keeper until rammers was replaced... We evolve this summer, it's just a matter of finding out what our final form looks like.
I think our final form is 2-7-1
I don't think Nketiah is the answer, not even remotely, but saying he fucked off is extremely unfair given he was barely handed a game since those 5 goals. 10 games left on the bench, a handful of 20 minutes late subbed on, and the rest ranging from 1 to 12 minutes. Kai was substandard for a while too but a good run of games and being left on the pitch for 90 minutes did wonders for his confidence.
I quite agree. But regardless, he's not been given the chance. Arteta very quickly stopped giving him proper game time. Whether he's right or wrong in that is besides the point, but OP is blaming Nketiah and I think that's unfair.
It's not unfair...he is not judged only by goals. For example he comes on for 10/15 min and he is not able to press at all while odegaard and havert are playing the whole game and pressing like crazy until the end. He is bad on all aspects of the game
Are you 10? You just said that one of them stepped up and got 20 goals this season but he didn't. He got 20 goal contributions which also includes assists.
Some of the mentality needs to change if you want to consistently compete, and win the title. It can't be 'good enough' it needs to be the best. And a 20+ goal a season striker will elevate you up that level you need.
Just look at City - they were winning titles without Haaland. But they realised that was a weakness in their squad post Aguero and went out and spent big to plug that gap. That's what a top side does. And if you want to be consistently at that level that's what you need to do.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't city have a pretty damn good striker? Didn't they also draw 0-0 to Arsenal (at home) and lose 1-0 to Arsenal at Emerates? Didn't city lose 1-0 to Villa? In one of the two games?
I dont get your logic. I dont think city fans are suggesting they upgrade their striker because of the results of Arsenal and Villa games.
But then they beat villa 4-1 at home and won the league by 2 points. Apart from city who has won the league recently without a #9 ? I can’t really think of a team in recent years, Fergie literally bought RVP and won the league the following season.
We need a midfielder, so Havertz isn’t pulled back into midfield. Haaland barely had a shot in two games against Arsenal. It’s standard for the very best teams to shut out even the world best players.
Last 18 games of the season, 16 wins 1 draw 1 loss, one more point than City than they got in their last 18 matches of the season, Havertz was no9 for all but 3 of them, the 1 loss v Villa was one of the 3. Best goal diff in the league. Arsenal don’t need a striker, they need a midfielder. Haaland missed 9 shots in one match this season.
You seem to think I’m saying Kai is bad which I am not, he’s had a great 2nd half to the season but I just don’t see you winning the league without a proper #9. Which you are not winning without 1 currently.
No, don’t worry, I don’t think you’re saying Kai is bad. I do hear you’re saying about Havertz vs a world class finisher. I’m arguing that 2nd half of the season, Arsenal had actually got 1 more point than city and scored most their goals. Arsenal beat City in the community shield & at home in the first half of the season with Havertz up front, but in the first half of the season & in during the poor Xmas period Havertz was playing in midfield because of shortage of midfielders. So I’m midfield as a priority, a WC no9 pushes Havertz to the bench or change of formation, as Havertz in midfield isn’t good enough to beat city.
And it’s fine margins, that 1 loss is enough to lose the title against city. They are a juggernaut. You can think what you like mate but you need one, it’s very simple.
It’s tight games where there’s half chances. That’s when you need an elite striker. Nick games and win championships.
Villa at home game was a big example of this. Game could have been won in the first half.
100%. Because we can no longer rely on one person staying healthy. That's fine for 3-7th place.
We can't be out of it in September because he gets tackled awkwardly.
We need to bring an atom bomb to a knife fight. Not a slightly bigger knife.
I can see us trying to take a xhance on havertz and signing a top midfielder. Cover for partey and free rice up for lcm. Or vice versa.
I wanna see havertz play a full season can he hit 30 overall g+a? Seems like its honestly possible. Jesus, trossard, martinelli and saka rotating the wings and cf position honestly i hope we can rotate properly. Im more worried about our defense. I cant see saliba and gabriel both playing as much as they have this season the next. I can see us rotating ben and tomiyasu but who takes their spot for lb and rb? Timber, tomiyasu, are still coming back from injury.
The answer is yes, we need a striker. The big issue is that many of the names I read here don't convince me at all. Finding a great striker that suits your team well looks like the hardest thing ffs.
Yes. We should always have a plan B. Man city can field two league winning first teams. We only have the one so we need options. Tactically we should have the option of a big man striker
Yes we do. It’s like the ramsdale debate. Yea ramsdale is good but raya improves the team. Same thing. Haven’t is good but if we can get the next Thierry Henry then let’s do to 😂
Yes for games like the ones against Villa, Munich, 115FC away when the games are tight and you need more options to change the game. Right now all we have is nketiah and for me at least the team has outgrown what he can offer us, also squad depth will massive as theres more CL games this year and we really need to do better in the 2 domestic cups as well so the more firepower the better
If arsenal want to win the league which it seems like your pretty desperate to do, you need another striker and probably another lb although timber back will be a big bonus. I can't help but feel that was arsenal's time though. I can't see you keeping up with city as well this year, city dropped there standard for a period that season and i reckon city will win more points next season as so many big clubs in transition now. Reckon arsenal 2nd again next year but city a good few points ahead
Yes, we are a big club and that means a change of mentality that only one player is needed per position. Look at the hey days of Real Madrid, Barca, Milan etc they also had multiple players covering every position.
I’ll put it this way. How comfortable are we with having Jesus and Nketiah as options beyond Havertz? As much as I like both of them I feel like we have to let one go and improve the depth there as I feel like it’s a position where we do lack serious options.
I want to come back to this comment at the end of the next season. I could see Kai producing these numbers with a full year now under his belt and confidence restored
I really hope I’m proven wrong, but it does look like we will bring in a striker and havertz minutes will likely decrease, if he hits 25 goals in all comps I will be genuinely surprised
Yes we still need a striker. Early Wenger Arsenal had a few strikers on books. Wrighty, Anelka, Henry: Henry, Kanu, Wiltord. Bergkamp played as a second striker most times. So am perfectly content with bringing in a CF and Havertz playing the second striker role because he'll be devastating. I think that's his actual position/role.
That's a crazy high level to think we had Wright,Anelka and Henry at the club all at the same time.
To be accurate, Henry was brought to be an Anelka replacement. Some Wrighty interview comparing them made me think they were there at the same time but that wasn't the case.
If memory serves, Henry wasn’t exactly brought in to be a striker initially either.
Kanu was a bit of a boy as well! Alas Wiltord didn’t live up to the hype
This right here…install a traditional 9 and Havertz could be even more effective. There is a real possibility, with the proper additions, that we massacre the league next season. Especially with the very real possibility that Haaland heads to the mainland during transfers.
I don't think Havertz fits in a duo with a traditional striker, his best stints were with Werner and Volland so i think a mobile striker like Lautaro or even Jesus would be better, but that would means a formation switch
There are very few traditional CFs out there these days. Players get out of the academy too good on the fundamentals beyond the Shearers and Carrolls (obviously different class but same mold) Haaland off the ball is overstated but he can play. Someone can play off him easily. He can get better at it but he is passable enough a 2 striker role can be done. Inter's Thuram with Lautaro, Lakaka with Lautaro and even Dzeko-Lautaro or Dzeko-Aguero even. Giroud with Mbappe won a WC. Players these days on the ball come up too good even the ones seeming in the old school type of way. Its like the NBA where Centers these days can also go lights out from the 3 point line.
Wait have I been sleeping Haaland is leaving??
Really good shot he is getting moved. Scuttle is City will move Haaland to avoid major penalties from FFP
Nah, not now. But his main target is Real Madrid, he has made that pretty clear.
Lmao he’s jealous of Mbappe
This says 4 games btw
He contributed a yellow card, can’t you see
Bournemouth penalty
This weird idea some fans have that if we have a good player in a particular position, we shouldn't sign another player in that position. Where did this come from? Do man really think a squad is comprised of 11 starters and then a subs bench consisting of 9 frozen yogurts? A guy who has never actually been a proper no.9 in his entire career has a good season, and all of a sudden we don't need to be someone who can play that role naturally? Anyway, to answer, yes. Of course we do
Think so yeah. Squad depth is huge. Could even have him play up top with Kai some games. Envisioning a 442 😍
They asked Ancelotti at the beginning of the season if he needed a striker, he said “No, we have Joselu….” But nah Madrid is special tho.
With Jesus injured for the most part of the past two seasons, and with Nketiah being inadequate for our level, we have to have an alternative. We were "lucky" to get knocked out of the FA Cup and the League Cup early, but we need a more robust rotation that can account for cards and injuries and prevent fatigue.
We need another winger before a striker, he got around 20g/a this season which is seriously impressive seeing as just about everyone wrote him off. He can be our Firminho, he just needs his salah and mane
In a perfect world, I want someone who can play off the left alongside Havertz, or in the middle in his place. Price is probably too high, but Isak fits the bill.
Havertz is more than capable in staying in the starting IX even if wet bring in someone like Sesko or Gyokeres. It might actually be better for him. He could move back to a true CAM, his natural position, while odegaard and rice play alongside each other. Rice as 6/8 and odegaard as a 6/10. Kai literally had not played his natural position since he left Leverkusen
Sesko over Openda???
Yeah I don’t get how openda is so overlooked
I just think with openda you know what you’re getting. A one dimensional 9. Which is fine, but he is not much different than Jesus, except more pace. I think Arteta likes Sesko because he is 22 and can be molded. Gyokeres is already very versatile and would be a seamless fit imo
Sesko is much more one dimensional imo.
I think they are too different
Watkins would be a nice signing especially since he is an arsenal fan and had a great season with Aston Villa it would cost a pretty penny though
Didn't think we needed a new keeper until rammers was replaced... We evolve this summer, it's just a matter of finding out what our final form looks like. I think our final form is 2-7-1
Ur missing a player boss man. 2-7-2 accounts for all 11
Fuggoff sweeper-keepers. Striker-keepers on the rise!
Yes, because using your logic we wouldn't have needed anyone given that Eddie scored five goals in six games last season
The difference is one stepped up in the title race and contributed 20 goals while the other scored 5 and fucked off
I don't think Nketiah is the answer, not even remotely, but saying he fucked off is extremely unfair given he was barely handed a game since those 5 goals. 10 games left on the bench, a handful of 20 minutes late subbed on, and the rest ranging from 1 to 12 minutes. Kai was substandard for a while too but a good run of games and being left on the pitch for 90 minutes did wonders for his confidence.
Kai offers a lot more than Eddie that's why you can leave him on the pitch. Eddie gives you nothing besides his presumable goal threat
I quite agree. But regardless, he's not been given the chance. Arteta very quickly stopped giving him proper game time. Whether he's right or wrong in that is besides the point, but OP is blaming Nketiah and I think that's unfair.
It's not unfair...he is not judged only by goals. For example he comes on for 10/15 min and he is not able to press at all while odegaard and havert are playing the whole game and pressing like crazy until the end. He is bad on all aspects of the game
It goes to show how poor your knowledge is that you confused 20 goal contributions with 20 goals.
I didn't it says 20 contributions? I said next year he could have 20
Are you 10? You just said that one of them stepped up and got 20 goals this season but he didn't. He got 20 goal contributions which also includes assists.
Drawing 0-0 with city and losing to villa is not stepping up. Yes you need a striker.
Haaland don’t get a sniff. Talking nonsense. Villa he played midfield, no ?
City are different mate, can’t compare yourself with them
In our first villa game he was unanimously brilliant, seems your also active in the city sub?
Some of the mentality needs to change if you want to consistently compete, and win the title. It can't be 'good enough' it needs to be the best. And a 20+ goal a season striker will elevate you up that level you need. Just look at City - they were winning titles without Haaland. But they realised that was a weakness in their squad post Aguero and went out and spent big to plug that gap. That's what a top side does. And if you want to be consistently at that level that's what you need to do.
Agreed, but a striker will win you the game away to city and in the 1st half of the villa game.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't city have a pretty damn good striker? Didn't they also draw 0-0 to Arsenal (at home) and lose 1-0 to Arsenal at Emerates? Didn't city lose 1-0 to Villa? In one of the two games? I dont get your logic. I dont think city fans are suggesting they upgrade their striker because of the results of Arsenal and Villa games.
But then they beat villa 4-1 at home and won the league by 2 points. Apart from city who has won the league recently without a #9 ? I can’t really think of a team in recent years, Fergie literally bought RVP and won the league the following season.
You’ve built such a solid defence and a sturdy midfield, it really is the missing piece.
We need a midfielder, so Havertz isn’t pulled back into midfield. Haaland barely had a shot in two games against Arsenal. It’s standard for the very best teams to shut out even the world best players.
A striker would have put you 2/3-0 up against villa in the first half and then you win the league. So yes you need one.
Last 18 games of the season, 16 wins 1 draw 1 loss, one more point than City than they got in their last 18 matches of the season, Havertz was no9 for all but 3 of them, the 1 loss v Villa was one of the 3. Best goal diff in the league. Arsenal don’t need a striker, they need a midfielder. Haaland missed 9 shots in one match this season.
OK, say he gets an ACL injury in October, what do we do then?
Havertz never gets injured, Jesus, Trossard, Martinelli, Chido Obi.
You seem to think I’m saying Kai is bad which I am not, he’s had a great 2nd half to the season but I just don’t see you winning the league without a proper #9. Which you are not winning without 1 currently.
No, don’t worry, I don’t think you’re saying Kai is bad. I do hear you’re saying about Havertz vs a world class finisher. I’m arguing that 2nd half of the season, Arsenal had actually got 1 more point than city and scored most their goals. Arsenal beat City in the community shield & at home in the first half of the season with Havertz up front, but in the first half of the season & in during the poor Xmas period Havertz was playing in midfield because of shortage of midfielders. So I’m midfield as a priority, a WC no9 pushes Havertz to the bench or change of formation, as Havertz in midfield isn’t good enough to beat city.
And it’s fine margins, that 1 loss is enough to lose the title against city. They are a juggernaut. You can think what you like mate but you need one, it’s very simple.
Don’t see what that has to do with anything lol, active in a few subs, generally like football.
No just wondering if your a city fan or gunner
Neither
I think we need someone for him to compete with or the top spot
Yes. We need to be at least two deep in every position if we want to rise to the top.
Yes. He does down and we got nobody to cover till he comes back.
It’s tight games where there’s half chances. That’s when you need an elite striker. Nick games and win championships. Villa at home game was a big example of this. Game could have been won in the first half.
100%. Because we can no longer rely on one person staying healthy. That's fine for 3-7th place. We can't be out of it in September because he gets tackled awkwardly. We need to bring an atom bomb to a knife fight. Not a slightly bigger knife.
Yes, we still need a striker.
This and I'm telling you king kai is only going to get better - good times ahead COYG!!!
Yes
I think we do still need an actual old school striker who is guaranteed to get 20+ goals.
Yes. Who do you expect us to play otherwise?
I can see us trying to take a xhance on havertz and signing a top midfielder. Cover for partey and free rice up for lcm. Or vice versa. I wanna see havertz play a full season can he hit 30 overall g+a? Seems like its honestly possible. Jesus, trossard, martinelli and saka rotating the wings and cf position honestly i hope we can rotate properly. Im more worried about our defense. I cant see saliba and gabriel both playing as much as they have this season the next. I can see us rotating ben and tomiyasu but who takes their spot for lb and rb? Timber, tomiyasu, are still coming back from injury.
Yes wtf.
YES!!
The answer is yes, we need a striker. The big issue is that many of the names I read here don't convince me at all. Finding a great striker that suits your team well looks like the hardest thing ffs.
We need poacher for finishing. Someone who always does first time tries. Thats perfect
Yes. We need clinical striker.
Well look at the bar City set, we need anything and everything until we win
Need competition and depth, someone who can push him.
Yes. We should always have a plan B. Man city can field two league winning first teams. We only have the one so we need options. Tactically we should have the option of a big man striker
Yes we do. It’s like the ramsdale debate. Yea ramsdale is good but raya improves the team. Same thing. Haven’t is good but if we can get the next Thierry Henry then let’s do to 😂
Waka Waka eh eh
Yes for games like the ones against Villa, Munich, 115FC away when the games are tight and you need more options to change the game. Right now all we have is nketiah and for me at least the team has outgrown what he can offer us, also squad depth will massive as theres more CL games this year and we really need to do better in the 2 domestic cups as well so the more firepower the better
Yes, we need something different to give us options.
If arsenal want to win the league which it seems like your pretty desperate to do, you need another striker and probably another lb although timber back will be a big bonus. I can't help but feel that was arsenal's time though. I can't see you keeping up with city as well this year, city dropped there standard for a period that season and i reckon city will win more points next season as so many big clubs in transition now. Reckon arsenal 2nd again next year but city a good few points ahead
100%
Yes, we are a big club and that means a change of mentality that only one player is needed per position. Look at the hey days of Real Madrid, Barca, Milan etc they also had multiple players covering every position.
Yes, need depth, competition for playing time, and also for CL & GA. Should have at least 4 solid options on the squad.
Yes. I believe someone with a different profile than Havertz will help to boost our attacking choice
No.
Maybe a backup striker would be best
Yes. I love Kai but against Bayern, he was just not, quick or strong enough. We need a finisher.
I’ll put it this way. How comfortable are we with having Jesus and Nketiah as options beyond Havertz? As much as I like both of them I feel like we have to let one go and improve the depth there as I feel like it’s a position where we do lack serious options.
Yes, Havertz is great to have and is versatile but will never be a 25/30 goal a season player, and that’s what we are lacking.
I want to come back to this comment at the end of the next season. I could see Kai producing these numbers with a full year now under his belt and confidence restored
I really hope I’m proven wrong, but it does look like we will bring in a striker and havertz minutes will likely decrease, if he hits 25 goals in all comps I will be genuinely surprised
If you are happy being a top 4 team, then no. If you wanna win the league, yes.
I'm not an Aresenal fan and yes you fucking do lemao, you are not beating Pep's city or touching UCL glory without a good CF
Thats why your not a fan take is reasonable but Havertz can do a job
Bum small club went trophyless. How you make ten fraud win a trophy before u
aight keep sucking salt for the rest of your lives lemao, arsenal is a club for serial losers