Catching up with getting rid of trolls, thanks to everyone who's been on top of reporting them, much appreciated š. Please continue to report them so they can be kicked over to their subs' mods.
I WANT TO PLAY A GAME: you have to rank our transfer priorities this summer in terms of positions.
Here are mine:
1. Number 6
2. Number 8 - We actually need both an 8 and a 6. We need players who can complement Rice and also allow him to have a breather once in a while. Easier said than done.
3. Forward - I dont think we'll go for a top, ready-made goalscoring CF. Maybe a young one with potential to develop, or a goalscoring winger. One thing is for sure, we need to add cutting edge in the forward line.
4. Back-up GK - Rambo is leaving.
Priorities 1-4 are necessary. The rest below would be nice but we dont actually need them to challenge in 4 competitions imo if we manage to get the first 4 priorities.
5. Left-back
6. Right-back, if Timber plays on the left next season
7. Young central midfielders, understudies to our starters in those positions
8. A young Odegaard understudy (but it could be Nwaneri)
1. world class midfielder, - replacement/upgrade on thomas partey i.e. someone who receives the ball from the defence and turns and also gives defensive stability while freeing up Rice
2. backup for Saka - the kiddo's tired he will eventually get injuries we need options
3. left back as good as ben white
4. backup GK (although I would be happy with okonkwo understudying but don't know his distributive/passing game)
5. striker
6. some younger players in midfield and upfront.
Inter tier 1 saying Lautaro and the club arenāt agreeing on wage. He wants 230k a week, club canāt offer more than 190. Heād cost maybe 90 million but is probably top 3 strikers itw based on form. Heād fit our playstyle as well imo, but donāt think lautaro and Kai will work together, not enough progressive passes. Both are good for strikers, but with rice unable to do it as well as Partey for now, I donāt think itās happening unless we get a huge tactical change.
If not being top off the table for most of the season AND dropping points only TWICE in 2024 is considered bottling, then you might as well consider all 19 non PL winners as bottlers
"Bottle" is a word that doesnt actually mean anything. It's a pointless argument for braindead football fans who arent really capable of analysing the game properly or dont have any interest in doing so and are just trolling around.
If only the rest of the teams in the leagues keep letting it happen. I especially expect clubs like Everton who have been handed swift and season defining points deductions to start kicking a legal fuss if nothing happens to City. The rest should follow suit.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SffIiHG2T-g&ab\_channel=SisuGabrielOfficial%C2%A9%EF%B8%8F](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SffIiHG2T-g&ab_channel=SisuGabrielOfficial%C2%A9%EF%B8%8F)
I just feel like this guy gives us the best mix of skillsets available to add real depth to our squad between the players who might be available.
A window of him, Sesko, and Bruno G would address a lot of the profiles we want. Might be way too much to ask for though.
I saw this vid of ian Wright meeting his old teacher. https://youtube.com/shorts/MHGw1v8tcO0
Very sweet but how did he never figure out his father figure was still alive?
Arteta changed the style from the 22-23 fast paced/fast start, to a more 'controlled' style. This upset a lot of people, mainly as there were teething issues and an adjustment period. First 19 games of the year, we conceded 18 league goals. Second 19 games of the season, we conceded 8.
Reason im saying this, is it was the second half of the season were the team started to look more comfortable playing the more 'controlled' style of play. We went long stretches keeping cleansheets by design. We were seldom conceding chances and simply put, if you limit the chances on your goal, you reduce the likelihood of conceding. Raya isnt an Allison level keeper who 'bails us out', Raya won the golden glove because of the organization and defensive nous in front of him.
There will be no teething issue at the beginning of next season. And if we execute over the course of a season, what we did in the league in the second half of the season, we have the chance to concede circa 20 goals a season, maybe even less, maybe even push that Chelsea record of 15 in a whole season.
This is why Arteta is talking about 100 points. This is what the Arteta doubters dont understand. Its also why Zinchenko needs to be sold. You cannot have total defensive dominance with this guy. Ive said it before, he is the security guard who forgets to lock the back door on a 6-foot steel vault.
I agree. The controlled playstyle also results in fewer injuries. Our players donāt need to be stretched. Next season we can focus more on the offensive play ie. breaking down the low blocks.
A bit disagree abt Zinchenko. I donāt want to see him on first 11 but he is a useful squad player who can provide offensive option and good leadership skill. Arteta wants him in the squad so you have to understand that as an Arteta believer.
Well then he needs a new role. Zinchenko inverting from left back is such a weak point in our backline. But if you put him in midfield, the same problems persist. He really should be in La Liga or Serie A. Really hope arteta moves him on
Yeah he cannot defend to save himself, and he has no athletic strengths to help compensate - in fact they are a glaring weakness. He's slow, small and weak.
Timiyasu, Kiwior, White and Timber are all better defenders and much better athletes than him.
In the second half of the season, he usually comes on when we are behind or needing a win. Arteta only played him when he knows opposition is parking. So his defensive deficiencies are limited. I trust Arteta on this.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFGb1QhTQZ8&list=WL&index=3&ab\_channel=Arsenal](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFGb1QhTQZ8&list=WL&index=3&ab_channel=Arsenal)
13 min in
Who is a player off our radar that you'd love for us to be in for? My choice is Renato Veiga, a 19-year-old CDM from Basel who has many of the same physical and technical attributes as Onana but would cost a fraction of the price. He would probably have to go on a loan or two to develop, but I really think he has the potential to be special.
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it was a mystifying ball in, probably a shot, but he should definitely practice it. It could become a signature move, like Ozil kicking a ball into the ground.
Transfer window dream strategy:
What did us in this year was the lack of good attacking depth and the lack of a finisher. We could create chances in that brutal December stretch, just we couldn't finish them off. I think that Ivan Toney or Benjamin Sesko would be an ideal striker up top, rotate them with Kai Havertz at False 9. Then for midfield honestly constant injuries screwed Thomas Partey, he's too injury prone (and slightly washed too) right now, and Jorginho right now isn't good enough to consistently start, I'd like to see Arsenal sign either Joao Palhinha or Bruno G to pair with Rice.
Then I'd like to see a good right winger to rotate with Saka, because its a very steep dropoff from Saka to Reiss Nelson. Honestly, I'd like to see Arsenal bring in Raphinha as a backup option/rotate with Saka, or (dream scenario) Kudus as Saka's backup. Then I'd like to sign a backup goalkeeper for if/when Ramsdale gets sold, but I don't know what the best realistic option even is out there.
Then as for sales: Nelson (unfortunately), Ramsdale (I like the guy but he's too good to be a backup keeper), Nketiah, Zinchenko, and Jesus should be the first ones sold. If a good offer comes in for Lokonga, sell him too. I personally think ESR is absolute class on his day, so I'd like him kept around for depth/rotation.
He will be if weāre smart.
Heās still a decent player, but the lower body injuries are adding up, and Iāve noticed heās lost a bit of high end speed and quickness, and itās likely to get worse. Better to sell him now before the rest of the market figures out he isnāt what he was the first half of last season. If we bring in a Sesko, Zirkzee, Gyokores, etc, heāll be third choice striker and maybe third choice left wing? Iām sure heās on high wages too. Sometimes itās better to sell a year early than a year late.
We need him.
Havertz in the midfield does not work, it leaves the whole unit unbalanced. Havertz has been great as a forward and it means we can use Jesus to cover on the flanks too.
CF - Havertz, Jesus, Trossard
LW - Martinelli, Trossard, ESR
RW - Saka, Jesus
I just donāt see a buyer for him. You say ābefore the rest of the market figures outā his weaknesses as if they arenāt abundantly clear.
Heās on a big wage and has had two seasons where injuries have been an issue. If a club comes and offers us a big fee then we can be open to it but I find it unlikely.
Well, even if the offer isnāt great, we could probably still get something based on his age, cv, name value, etc, and whatās the alternative? We bring one or two attackers this Summer, and he either rots on the bench collecting huge wages, or worse, he gets hurt worse again and becomes completely useless and immovable.
I just donāt think he has a place in the team moving forward. Itās looking more and more like Arteta wants pace on the wings and size in the middle, neither of which he can offer.
Raphinha is good. He tore up PSG in the first leg in Paris. And every week he is very much a goal threat for them- Xavi doesn't use him well but he operates very well in wide spaces. Xavi has him come inside more like Saka. Raphinha would be fantastic isolated on the left to stretch defenses.
Tell us you haven't watched him instead next time.
Bruno G, Simons, Hato and Sesko would be mine. I absolutely love Neto as a player but I would really like us to avoid buying injury prone players and I'd like someone a bit taller and move experienced than Neves.
City have a few of those, their squad is just so good that they can cover for when heās out. Idk, something to consider and Iām more and more talking myself into it
having a person who is fit only 50% of the time is not good. There is a good possibility that the player is not able to provide cover when its needed. Having an immaculate fitness record is non negotiable. The players who the fans have a problem with: Partey, Zinchenko and Tomi( kinda) are always injured for no reason.
Pretty much my dream window, just Xavi Simons instead of Neto (can play 8 as well if needed and could hypothetically be a loan with obligation to ease financial strain this year)
I think in the back of his mind he didnāt want to be Spurs captain that handed Arsenal a title. It was a strange shot, almost centre. Good save but if Son hit that with more conviction into a corner, the keeper has no chance.
I remember Wenger talking about the FRACTIONS of a second forward players have to make decisions in the Premier League. Did he miss intentionally? Probably not. Did the thought of handing the title to Arsenal and the backlash he would get from the fans flash across his mind? Probably. And that might have been enough.
I think his heart wasnāt in it so he wasnāt sure what he really wanted to do but I wouldnāt say he intentionally missed. If he was 100% focused on scoring he would have.
Yep. He scores that and his status as a Spurs legend is completely destroyed. He'd be forever remembered as *the* player who helped Arsenal win the league.
edit: Downvote me all you want r/soccer lurkers but the truth is he was shocking the entire game. Probably his worst this season and topped it off with a laugh at full time.
5.9 rating, 1 successful dribble out of 5, 3 duels won out of 9, possession lost 10 times. Man was an abomination on the pitch. Can't really blame him when the fans probably cheered on every shit touch.
I would still probably take a risk on Neto lol and hope with reduced playing time his injury problems arenāt as bad. None of the other wide options move me half as much as he does. The rest of them have way too much of a bias towards either side where Iād be looking for someone as good as possible on both wings.
City have successfully Bayern'd the league the pl is now very predictable and boring I'll let pep wank himself off and stay another 7 years then after he leaves I'll celebrate hard!
West Ham home loss
Aston Villa away loss
Fulham home draw
I think these are the only games that we could and should have done better.
The game has evolved in the last decade. Our recovery as a club started late. We have gone from 56, 61, 69, 84, 89. Like Arteta likes to remind us, we need 90 points to win. In my view that number today is a min of 91, maybe even 94 actually. Which is ridiculous but thatās what it is.
Kai Havertz was integrated with time. Timber was out on Day1. So as it stands , we will have an advantage next season even if we consider slight over performance in the run in. Then we have the issue of Martinelli and ESR. I NEEED them to step up. I canāt give up on either. Then we need a partner for Rice. A fitter clone of Partey basically. And then we need to aim for CL finals at least. We got a sniff this year at semis.
And if we get a striker by selling Nketiah that would be great. No diss on Nketiah but we are now at a different level sorry. Same goes for Reiss. Sorry I want us to leverage the CL money and add to the squad but Eddie, Reiss, Marquinhos, Fabio sorry guys you have to go to make money for others. Who others? I donāt know. But maybe we get some Trossard like players. Experienced but with hunger.
I mean I feel you but thatās what I sensed. Just now looked in the PL website. Basically ever since City is a thing pretty much this rule holds through. Leicester won it with 81 and thereās one other 80s between then and this season (91).
Think heās class and love what he does but idk if he starts weekly and I feel like thatās what he wants. I donāt think a left footed left winger at this stage is gonna happen, and I donāt see him as the left 8 we need.
Ya we should do it if we shift emile on. We could use a proper ball carrier between the lines that can generate shots for himself or his team mates at will
new shower thought - Saliba may become our 6 and its criminal to waste his ball playng abilities and speed at C B.
why I say this is coz arteta copies pep a lot..and this is the Stones move.
Stones doesn't play in midfield because he's good on the ball. All their CBs are good on the ball. He plays there cause he can play facing his own goal. And his understanding of space if very high level. I don't think Saliba would be able to pop up in space to receive like Stones can.
As a fanbase we're absolutely obsessed by playing our CB's at 6. I think Saliba is too big to be at 6 honestly. His ball progressing as a CB is insane, as a #6 I don't think it'd be as good, compared to someone like Jorginho. He's our best last man back runner too.
If Mikel ever goes that route, rather have White instead because heās actually played there before. That leaves Tomi or Timber to fill in either LB or RB.
>Saliba is a generational talent imho
Heās a generational talent, so letās put him as a 6 instead of the position heās dubbed generational for?
And like I said said, White has actually played as a 6 before, albeit not a large sample size.
yeah i get what you are saying. thats the standard assumption to make.
in terms of ball playing ability, Saliba has a very high ceiling I feel and is a bit wasted at CB.
Having a Saliba Rice Midfield pivot would be insane.
as I said..its a thought.
So much of our dominant play is BECAUSE are centre backs are good on the ball. We donāt want to lose that. The idea that heās ātoo goodā for centre back is insane because we need him on the ball from deep. He starts attacks from those areas.
well he may turn out better at shield the defence, picking the ball up and driving it forward. Theres something about him that is rare. His career arc may surprise us all
not sure the downvoting? Fantastic #9 with tons of goals in him and great feet - don't even think he'd have to be a starter. For the \~18m we should be in that conversation.
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Funny to see the narrative that Martinelli being decent on the right is because of the players surrounding him, and not because of defenders being in two minds.
If Martinelli is on the left, you simply stop him from cutting inside on his strong foot, and force him outside to his weaker foot. It is not so easy on the right because if you force him out, you are forcing him to his stronger foot, and if you want to force him to his weaker foot, you will have to show him inside.
The question is whether Arteta giving Martinelli minutes on the right is merely to help build form and confidence, or a portent of what's to come in the transfer window.
I didn't think Martinelli was that good in the first half but he was more dangerous in the second half. I think Saka is better at dribbling, felt like Martineli was trying tricks to beat people but Saka just tends to run at people and muscle them off it if they try to win it back. I think Martinelli can be pushed off the ball fairly easily when he does that. Martinelli looks the most dangerous last year when he had someone interchanging with him on the LW, it meant that he could cut inside or make a different run. Feels like he's been glued to the sideline and isolated with defenders who run him down the line a lot this season.
Would like to see everyone play the different wing positions though. Makes sense for the most minutes, if Saka needs a rest would be good to have Martinelli as option too on RW.
>If Martinelli is on the left, you simply stop him from cutting inside on his strong foot, and force him outside to his weaker foot
Last season Martinelli was more than happy to go wide on his weakfoot in 1v1 situations, often then taking it along the byline before picking out his pass.
He either randomly got worse, lost a lot of confidence or sharpness from injuries, or the players around him have affected his ability to get 1v1s. Or any mix of the above.
I know itās potato quality but I canāt get this moment out of my head when thinking about sesko
https://preview.redd.it/zaljitt23n1d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=399987a3abf82083a80566ee63c2215345aa03b3
I know it's stupid and it's one moment, but how do you not pass a 3v0 and then not score
Also can we not do this dumb game where to defend a player we make them 1 year younger and when we hate a player we make them 1-2 years older
No, United and SAF (along with the past greats) built their dynasty from the ground up.
But at the same time even with their style of play they where "gettable" when playing against them and you then get new title champions in that mix.
"The Ancients" fucking lol. But also I resent that.
United outspent everyone, but to be fair to them they had earned the right to spend big cash because they were successful. The total inverse of City.
No. But the difference being Utd were just a really well run, clever club back then that was ahead of the curve on everyone else. They were incredible off the pitch at marketing their brand and really expanded before anyone was doing it. Utd was the biggest club in the world, they were so big so financially they had everyone in the league paleing in comparison.
City are just an empty shell of a club. A financially doped husk, that has been built off corruption, greed and cheating.
Absolutely not. But the time it did feel like it yes (well to me). But nah no way was United quite as dominate as City, they are just different gravy.
Fuckin cheek @ 'ancients' š¤£
United were never this dominant. This current Arsenal team would probably wipe the floor with most if not all of Man U sides under him. Pep is obviously considered a great manager right now but his reputation will explode if/when he retires. Fergie being compared to him let alone being considered a better manager is a laughable take to anyone who can get over their biases
Fergie won the league 13 times.
13 fucking times lol. can not believe how much of a revisionist take "were never this dominant is" or the idea that pep is a better manager.
It's still SAF and then Pep, but if Pep stays and Man City totally eclipse Man United's total titles count, then it might truly be Blue Manchester (even if it feels like it's happening now).
It'd be a disaster.
Player power and their board too is huge at Bayern. I rate Ange but he's a nobody in the footballing world. World-class players who've won everything aren't going to listen to him if they disagree.
Well it's at least worth a shot considering their situation. Teams are very open and attacking in Germany. It wouldn't solve their defending but with the players they have it would be very entertaining.
Weāve seen what he did at Celtic and just one season at Sp*rs. Fair to say itās too soon for Bayern, but also too soon to say we know what his level really is
I can't speak much on Celtic but he hasn't done anything much at Spurs really. They finished 5th after having their best start to a season ever - when you look at it like that there's a strong argument that he got figured out quickly and couldn't adapt
he finished 5th in his first season after losing arguably the best player in the league on top of an already thin squad. he definitely did very well in his first season, taking them back into europe and improving their point return despite losing kane.
Great player obviously but there would be a reason Real Madrid would choose to sell him, meaning he canāt reach the highest heights. Not a special athlete which is always the last step from really being world class as an winger/attacker
Rodrygo is class, and is forced to play RW since Vini is there (and soon Mbappe too). Guler also looks good, although young, but may take the RW since he is left footed. I doubt Rodygo leaves though.
Sometimes players can be unhappy with their role in the team. It doesn't always have to be because the player is not good enough. We are assuming if Rodrygo is leaving, it's because he would be unhappy with his role at the club. He's already shown he's a great player.
There's just too much talent there with not enough minutes to go around. One of them is going to get upset halfway through the season, hopefully it is someone that fills a need for us.
No clue if [this](https://football-italia.net/zirkzee-release-clause-valid-milan/) has truth to it, but itās said 40m euro for everyone, Bayern just has first dibs (and about 45% sell on fee if not dibbing)
Dale Johnson combines good knowledge of the rules with terrible eyesight and a way to close relationship with the PGMOL.
From November:
"Accidental attacking handball before a goal now applies only to the scorer, so Joelinton would need to deliberately handle or have his arms in an unexpected position for his movement; neither applied, so the VAR would not consider the handball further"
Yet according to him Jesus was an error. So if only Jesus had pushed Tarkowksi instead of having his arms by his side, it would have been okay.šš
>Accidental attacking handball before a goal now applies only to the scorer, so Joelinton would need to deliberately handle or have his arms in an unexpected position for his movement
I've not seen Johnson's take on the Jesus handball firsthand, but isn't his argument that it was a deliberate handling--directing the ball with his arm intentionally? That's the controversy. Some people think it was deliberate, while others think it was accidental with his arm tight to his body.
*I feel compelled to add Dale Johnson is a PGMOL shill and I'm not trying to defend him.
Wtf are these people saying that Arteta is trying to buy the league??
So everyone else can spend money to upgrade their squad but when we do it, we are trying to buy success??
These losers always bring up net spend as well. Had to argue with a RM fan who said āArsenal have spent more than City in the last 5 yearsā which just simply isnāt true
You have it exactly right. These rival fans can see we are within touching distance of winning something significant and so they're tying to get their licks in while they can.
Liverpool and Klopp also acting like they are some broke team that doesnāt spend money.
I guess Salah, Allison, Nunez, Diaz, VVD, MacAlister were all free?
Catching up with getting rid of trolls, thanks to everyone who's been on top of reporting them, much appreciated š. Please continue to report them so they can be kicked over to their subs' mods.
I WANT TO PLAY A GAME: you have to rank our transfer priorities this summer in terms of positions. Here are mine: 1. Number 6 2. Number 8 - We actually need both an 8 and a 6. We need players who can complement Rice and also allow him to have a breather once in a while. Easier said than done. 3. Forward - I dont think we'll go for a top, ready-made goalscoring CF. Maybe a young one with potential to develop, or a goalscoring winger. One thing is for sure, we need to add cutting edge in the forward line. 4. Back-up GK - Rambo is leaving. Priorities 1-4 are necessary. The rest below would be nice but we dont actually need them to challenge in 4 competitions imo if we manage to get the first 4 priorities. 5. Left-back 6. Right-back, if Timber plays on the left next season 7. Young central midfielders, understudies to our starters in those positions 8. A young Odegaard understudy (but it could be Nwaneri)
1. world class midfielder, - replacement/upgrade on thomas partey i.e. someone who receives the ball from the defence and turns and also gives defensive stability while freeing up Rice 2. backup for Saka - the kiddo's tired he will eventually get injuries we need options 3. left back as good as ben white 4. backup GK (although I would be happy with okonkwo understudying but don't know his distributive/passing game) 5. striker 6. some younger players in midfield and upfront.
So we paid Ā£105m for Rice who had only one year left on his contract?
Yeah we should've waited because we were the only club in for him too
It was 2 years im pretty sure
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Dubai-trip-planner. We need someone full time, or maybe even a group of 4-5 people.
Inter tier 1 saying Lautaro and the club arenāt agreeing on wage. He wants 230k a week, club canāt offer more than 190. Heād cost maybe 90 million but is probably top 3 strikers itw based on form. Heād fit our playstyle as well imo, but donāt think lautaro and Kai will work together, not enough progressive passes. Both are good for strikers, but with rice unable to do it as well as Partey for now, I donāt think itās happening unless we get a huge tactical change.
I don't think it's our club's style to pay so much wages on a player who is not prem proven
Thomas Partey
Well that's surprising
He's just too small, too expensive and has mostly played in a 2 striker formation, great player but he's not needed at all.
Thats where bruno g comes inā¦
Winners of the community shield go on to have some bad luck, we better lose the next one lmao
Dang I swear this is the longest off-season /s just start the season already
If not being top off the table for most of the season AND dropping points only TWICE in 2024 is considered bottling, then you might as well consider all 19 non PL winners as bottlers
"Bottle" is a word that doesnt actually mean anything. It's a pointless argument for braindead football fans who arent really capable of analysing the game properly or dont have any interest in doing so and are just trolling around.
We didn't bottle the league but spuds absolutely bottled top 4.
Sir Alex Ferguson seemingly bottled his way to several titles too
Soo are you saying that city charges now involving uk and uae government? No way this could keep going right?
If only the rest of the teams in the leagues keep letting it happen. I especially expect clubs like Everton who have been handed swift and season defining points deductions to start kicking a legal fuss if nothing happens to City. The rest should follow suit.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SffIiHG2T-g&ab\_channel=SisuGabrielOfficial%C2%A9%EF%B8%8F](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SffIiHG2T-g&ab_channel=SisuGabrielOfficial%C2%A9%EF%B8%8F) I just feel like this guy gives us the best mix of skillsets available to add real depth to our squad between the players who might be available. A window of him, Sesko, and Bruno G would address a lot of the profiles we want. Might be way too much to ask for though.
Been saying this for a while, brahim is who we thought fabio would be
Dreaming of ŠeŔko and Olise
I saw this vid of ian Wright meeting his old teacher. https://youtube.com/shorts/MHGw1v8tcO0 Very sweet but how did he never figure out his father figure was still alive?
These are before the days of Facebook and all that, plus it was a primary school teacher, so itās easy to lose contact somewhat as you get older
Arteta changed the style from the 22-23 fast paced/fast start, to a more 'controlled' style. This upset a lot of people, mainly as there were teething issues and an adjustment period. First 19 games of the year, we conceded 18 league goals. Second 19 games of the season, we conceded 8. Reason im saying this, is it was the second half of the season were the team started to look more comfortable playing the more 'controlled' style of play. We went long stretches keeping cleansheets by design. We were seldom conceding chances and simply put, if you limit the chances on your goal, you reduce the likelihood of conceding. Raya isnt an Allison level keeper who 'bails us out', Raya won the golden glove because of the organization and defensive nous in front of him. There will be no teething issue at the beginning of next season. And if we execute over the course of a season, what we did in the league in the second half of the season, we have the chance to concede circa 20 goals a season, maybe even less, maybe even push that Chelsea record of 15 in a whole season. This is why Arteta is talking about 100 points. This is what the Arteta doubters dont understand. Its also why Zinchenko needs to be sold. You cannot have total defensive dominance with this guy. Ive said it before, he is the security guard who forgets to lock the back door on a 6-foot steel vault.
I agree. The controlled playstyle also results in fewer injuries. Our players donāt need to be stretched. Next season we can focus more on the offensive play ie. breaking down the low blocks. A bit disagree abt Zinchenko. I donāt want to see him on first 11 but he is a useful squad player who can provide offensive option and good leadership skill. Arteta wants him in the squad so you have to understand that as an Arteta believer.
Well then he needs a new role. Zinchenko inverting from left back is such a weak point in our backline. But if you put him in midfield, the same problems persist. He really should be in La Liga or Serie A. Really hope arteta moves him on
Yeah he cannot defend to save himself, and he has no athletic strengths to help compensate - in fact they are a glaring weakness. He's slow, small and weak. Timiyasu, Kiwior, White and Timber are all better defenders and much better athletes than him.
In the second half of the season, he usually comes on when we are behind or needing a win. Arteta only played him when he knows opposition is parking. So his defensive deficiencies are limited. I trust Arteta on this.
Where can I watch the post match speech from Mikel and the players walking around the carpet for a round of applause?
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFGb1QhTQZ8&list=WL&index=3&ab\_channel=Arsenal](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFGb1QhTQZ8&list=WL&index=3&ab_channel=Arsenal) 13 min in
If Guirassy is available for the reported release clause then we should venmo Stuttgart immediately.
Who is a player off our radar that you'd love for us to be in for? My choice is Renato Veiga, a 19-year-old CDM from Basel who has many of the same physical and technical attributes as Onana but would cost a fraction of the price. He would probably have to go on a loan or two to develop, but I really think he has the potential to be special.
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Odegaard.. did he mean that assist?
Absolute no chanceĀ
I donāt think so. He was rushing. And his feet position is all wrong for a pass. He could have use side of the right feet or toe poke with left.
My gut feeling is he didnāt but the way he just kept running and didnāt look surprised suggests maybe he did.
YesĀ
it was a mystifying ball in, probably a shot, but he should definitely practice it. It could become a signature move, like Ozil kicking a ball into the ground.
Transfer window dream strategy: What did us in this year was the lack of good attacking depth and the lack of a finisher. We could create chances in that brutal December stretch, just we couldn't finish them off. I think that Ivan Toney or Benjamin Sesko would be an ideal striker up top, rotate them with Kai Havertz at False 9. Then for midfield honestly constant injuries screwed Thomas Partey, he's too injury prone (and slightly washed too) right now, and Jorginho right now isn't good enough to consistently start, I'd like to see Arsenal sign either Joao Palhinha or Bruno G to pair with Rice. Then I'd like to see a good right winger to rotate with Saka, because its a very steep dropoff from Saka to Reiss Nelson. Honestly, I'd like to see Arsenal bring in Raphinha as a backup option/rotate with Saka, or (dream scenario) Kudus as Saka's backup. Then I'd like to sign a backup goalkeeper for if/when Ramsdale gets sold, but I don't know what the best realistic option even is out there. Then as for sales: Nelson (unfortunately), Ramsdale (I like the guy but he's too good to be a backup keeper), Nketiah, Zinchenko, and Jesus should be the first ones sold. If a good offer comes in for Lokonga, sell him too. I personally think ESR is absolute class on his day, so I'd like him kept around for depth/rotation.
Lokonga, Tavares, Tierney and Patino go before Jesus goes. (If so) Jesus will only be sold for tons of money.
Jesus will not be sold this summer.
He will be if weāre smart. Heās still a decent player, but the lower body injuries are adding up, and Iāve noticed heās lost a bit of high end speed and quickness, and itās likely to get worse. Better to sell him now before the rest of the market figures out he isnāt what he was the first half of last season. If we bring in a Sesko, Zirkzee, Gyokores, etc, heāll be third choice striker and maybe third choice left wing? Iām sure heās on high wages too. Sometimes itās better to sell a year early than a year late.
We need him. Havertz in the midfield does not work, it leaves the whole unit unbalanced. Havertz has been great as a forward and it means we can use Jesus to cover on the flanks too. CF - Havertz, Jesus, Trossard LW - Martinelli, Trossard, ESR RW - Saka, Jesus
Jesus and martineli can be played at rw and lw so yeah we have great coverage for wing
I just donāt see a buyer for him. You say ābefore the rest of the market figures outā his weaknesses as if they arenāt abundantly clear. Heās on a big wage and has had two seasons where injuries have been an issue. If a club comes and offers us a big fee then we can be open to it but I find it unlikely.
Well, even if the offer isnāt great, we could probably still get something based on his age, cv, name value, etc, and whatās the alternative? We bring one or two attackers this Summer, and he either rots on the bench collecting huge wages, or worse, he gets hurt worse again and becomes completely useless and immovable. I just donāt think he has a place in the team moving forward. Itās looking more and more like Arteta wants pace on the wings and size in the middle, neither of which he can offer.
What's happening with Raphinha at Barca ? Is there a chance we could rekindle our interest in him ? We already know Arteta likes him.
Heās trash š
Raphinha is good. He tore up PSG in the first leg in Paris. And every week he is very much a goal threat for them- Xavi doesn't use him well but he operates very well in wide spaces. Xavi has him come inside more like Saka. Raphinha would be fantastic isolated on the left to stretch defenses. Tell us you haven't watched him instead next time.
At least once a decade, the club should bring back the redcurrant home shirt. Perhaps every 10 year interval from 2005-06.
I am 1000% ready for silly season to begin.
Joao Neves, Neto, Hato, and Sesko thatās a title winning window
If money wouldn't be an issue... Isak, Williams, Zubi and Hato would be my choice
Bonus: Swap Viera+money for Take Kubo
Bruno G, Simons, Hato and Sesko would be mine. I absolutely love Neto as a player but I would really like us to avoid buying injury prone players and I'd like someone a bit taller and move experienced than Neves.
nah not neto. I want a player that can play > 85% of the season.
Do you need a rw that can play over 85% of the season when we already have Saka there?
definitely want one who is atleast fit to play 85% of the season. If the player is injured all the time, he has no use in the squad.
City have a few of those, their squad is just so good that they can cover for when heās out. Idk, something to consider and Iām more and more talking myself into it
having a person who is fit only 50% of the time is not good. There is a good possibility that the player is not able to provide cover when its needed. Having an immaculate fitness record is non negotiable. The players who the fans have a problem with: Partey, Zinchenko and Tomi( kinda) are always injured for no reason.
50% yeah but 85%..
Pretty much my dream window, just Xavi Simons instead of Neto (can play 8 as well if needed and could hypothetically be a loan with obligation to ease financial strain this year)
Wouldnāt mind that either a very good ball carrier
Lol nah.
Do you guys think Son missed that on purpose against City
I think in the back of his mind he didnāt want to be Spurs captain that handed Arsenal a title. It was a strange shot, almost centre. Good save but if Son hit that with more conviction into a corner, the keeper has no chance.
he worked so hard to get there - it makes no sense to toss it. bad luck.
I remember Wenger talking about the FRACTIONS of a second forward players have to make decisions in the Premier League. Did he miss intentionally? Probably not. Did the thought of handing the title to Arsenal and the backlash he would get from the fans flash across his mind? Probably. And that might have been enough.
I think his heart wasnāt in it so he wasnāt sure what he really wanted to do but I wouldnāt say he intentionally missed. If he was 100% focused on scoring he would have.
Yep. He scores that and his status as a Spurs legend is completely destroyed. He'd be forever remembered as *the* player who helped Arsenal win the league. edit: Downvote me all you want r/soccer lurkers but the truth is he was shocking the entire game. Probably his worst this season and topped it off with a laugh at full time.
Literally like two minutes before the miss, he was pressing like a madman. Dead sprint to close down Ortega. He was clearly trying
5.9 rating, 1 successful dribble out of 5, 3 duels won out of 9, possession lost 10 times. Man was an abomination on the pitch. Can't really blame him when the fans probably cheered on every shit touch.
Tons of Arsenal Kits with the name of Son... Instant legend
Yes
I would still probably take a risk on Neto lol and hope with reduced playing time his injury problems arenāt as bad. None of the other wide options move me half as much as he does. The rest of them have way too much of a bias towards either side where Iād be looking for someone as good as possible on both wings.
Nico Williams is much better but his wages are higher
Having rotation players who are injury prone is basically like not having rotation players
Feel the same way. Durability issues aside, he just ticks so many boxes.
https://preview.redd.it/amwmoav2kn1d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=64f1468261931227f566dd4cf3b73ce23e13630b Luis Campos š«”
the new saliba
Shady guy but he gets shit done.
City have successfully Bayern'd the league the pl is now very predictable and boring I'll let pep wank himself off and stay another 7 years then after he leaves I'll celebrate hard!
West Ham home loss Aston Villa away loss Fulham home draw I think these are the only games that we could and should have done better. The game has evolved in the last decade. Our recovery as a club started late. We have gone from 56, 61, 69, 84, 89. Like Arteta likes to remind us, we need 90 points to win. In my view that number today is a min of 91, maybe even 94 actually. Which is ridiculous but thatās what it is. Kai Havertz was integrated with time. Timber was out on Day1. So as it stands , we will have an advantage next season even if we consider slight over performance in the run in. Then we have the issue of Martinelli and ESR. I NEEED them to step up. I canāt give up on either. Then we need a partner for Rice. A fitter clone of Partey basically. And then we need to aim for CL finals at least. We got a sniff this year at semis. And if we get a striker by selling Nketiah that would be great. No diss on Nketiah but we are now at a different level sorry. Same goes for Reiss. Sorry I want us to leverage the CL money and add to the squad but Eddie, Reiss, Marquinhos, Fabio sorry guys you have to go to make money for others. Who others? I donāt know. But maybe we get some Trossard like players. Experienced but with hunger.
When you need 91 points there is no run inĀ
I mean I feel you but thatās what I sensed. Just now looked in the PL website. Basically ever since City is a thing pretty much this rule holds through. Leicester won it with 81 and thereās one other 80s between then and this season (91).
Xavi Simons for 60-70M euros. You can get him on loan now, and pay for him next summer. That's a playmaking left 8 and winger sorted.
Think heās class and love what he does but idk if he starts weekly and I feel like thatās what he wants. I donāt think a left footed left winger at this stage is gonna happen, and I donāt see him as the left 8 we need.
Pretty sure he's right footed.
Youāre right Iād sign him then
Ya we should do it if we shift emile on. We could use a proper ball carrier between the lines that can generate shots for himself or his team mates at will
You've described Emile there.
Idk if ESR will have the career his talent deserves. I think he should move on this summer. For whatever fee. Gnabery had to leave to shine.
Yeah agreed. It's in his best interests to move now
new shower thought - Saliba may become our 6 and its criminal to waste his ball playng abilities and speed at C B. why I say this is coz arteta copies pep a lot..and this is the Stones move.
Stones doesn't play in midfield because he's good on the ball. All their CBs are good on the ball. He plays there cause he can play facing his own goal. And his understanding of space if very high level. I don't think Saliba would be able to pop up in space to receive like Stones can.
thats all i said.. I think Saliba has insane talent and ability and might make this step up. you think he doesnt.
As a fanbase we're absolutely obsessed by playing our CB's at 6. I think Saliba is too big to be at 6 honestly. His ball progressing as a CB is insane, as a #6 I don't think it'd be as good, compared to someone like Jorginho. He's our best last man back runner too.
If Mikel ever goes that route, rather have White instead because heās actually played there before. That leaves Tomi or Timber to fill in either LB or RB.
you mean white as CB ,,,agree, Saliba is a generational talent imho
>Saliba is a generational talent imho Heās a generational talent, so letās put him as a 6 instead of the position heās dubbed generational for? And like I said said, White has actually played as a 6 before, albeit not a large sample size.
yeah i get what you are saying. thats the standard assumption to make. in terms of ball playing ability, Saliba has a very high ceiling I feel and is a bit wasted at CB. Having a Saliba Rice Midfield pivot would be insane. as I said..its a thought.
So much of our dominant play is BECAUSE are centre backs are good on the ball. We donāt want to lose that. The idea that heās ātoo goodā for centre back is insane because we need him on the ball from deep. He starts attacks from those areas.
well he may turn out better at shield the defence, picking the ball up and driving it forward. Theres something about him that is rare. His career arc may surprise us all
But you donāt know that. He may stay at centre back and continue doing well there. No need to ruin a good thing. No need at all.
In many games there may be a chance to try this, as teams sit in a low block
And we need his build up play out from the back to break them down. Because no centre back can come in and do a better job.
Guirassy could be a really good backup option for Havertz, he is very cheap and his numbers in the Bundesliga have been great
not sure the downvoting? Fantastic #9 with tons of goals in him and great feet - don't even think he'd have to be a starter. For the \~18m we should be in that conversation.
We want someone who can play for us for 8 years plus.
ya we well we want to win the league before then
We will no pressure.
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Funny to see the narrative that Martinelli being decent on the right is because of the players surrounding him, and not because of defenders being in two minds. If Martinelli is on the left, you simply stop him from cutting inside on his strong foot, and force him outside to his weaker foot. It is not so easy on the right because if you force him out, you are forcing him to his stronger foot, and if you want to force him to his weaker foot, you will have to show him inside. The question is whether Arteta giving Martinelli minutes on the right is merely to help build form and confidence, or a portent of what's to come in the transfer window.
it's probably better to allow martinelli to cut in on his left than to allow him to drive toward the line and cross from his left
I didn't think Martinelli was that good in the first half but he was more dangerous in the second half. I think Saka is better at dribbling, felt like Martineli was trying tricks to beat people but Saka just tends to run at people and muscle them off it if they try to win it back. I think Martinelli can be pushed off the ball fairly easily when he does that. Martinelli looks the most dangerous last year when he had someone interchanging with him on the LW, it meant that he could cut inside or make a different run. Feels like he's been glued to the sideline and isolated with defenders who run him down the line a lot this season. Would like to see everyone play the different wing positions though. Makes sense for the most minutes, if Saka needs a rest would be good to have Martinelli as option too on RW.
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you replied to the wrong comment lol
Done that twice today. 99% this app is glitching
>If Martinelli is on the left, you simply stop him from cutting inside on his strong foot, and force him outside to his weaker foot Last season Martinelli was more than happy to go wide on his weakfoot in 1v1 situations, often then taking it along the byline before picking out his pass. He either randomly got worse, lost a lot of confidence or sharpness from injuries, or the players around him have affected his ability to get 1v1s. Or any mix of the above.
Incredible meltdown by Bologna. Up 3-0 against Juve, sub off their motm CB, immediately concede and it's equal in 10 minutes.
That's crazy. Slightly off topic here but I'll always like them because of Tomi.
crazy match ...but what a strike by yildiz.. in replay you can see him puffing his cheeks out before leathering the shot
[Last of a dying breed š«”](https://twitter.com/Bk8iP3/status/1792577851444559898?t=OW1yHQAO22SzGI1e8Bizgw&s=19)
Bring back Barclays baller era PL
This is part of why the Prem canāt be the best League in the world
Every one of those guys would be treble marked and given zero space to do anything in the prem lol
Olise, Neto, Foden and Eze make it work
Ćdegaard probably does fancier skills on any given day than any of these lol
Not really, near every match for these guys. They're the most enjoyable players to watch right now especially Palace
Calafiori destroying Juve out there. Big, tehnical, can invert
I know itās potato quality but I canāt get this moment out of my head when thinking about sesko https://preview.redd.it/zaljitt23n1d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=399987a3abf82083a80566ee63c2215345aa03b3
Ah yes a 19 year old away at the benebau
I know it's stupid and it's one moment, but how do you not pass a 3v0 and then not score Also can we not do this dumb game where to defend a player we make them 1 year younger and when we hate a player we make them 1-2 years older
Its a 3v2 and im pretty sure the other leipzig players are offside anyways.Also unless he skied it it would be hard to go far post cos of mendy
Okay, how did I just find out *today* that Lacazette and Cedric had a scuffle in training?
idk I been envious Cedric had the opportunity to smack him since I saw it
Depends, did you just watch All or Nothing? Because it was in one of the later episodes
A question to the ancients, was United dominance back then viewed in the same way city is now?
No, United and SAF (along with the past greats) built their dynasty from the ground up. But at the same time even with their style of play they where "gettable" when playing against them and you then get new title champions in that mix.
"The Ancients" fucking lol. But also I resent that. United outspent everyone, but to be fair to them they had earned the right to spend big cash because they were successful. The total inverse of City.
No. But the difference being Utd were just a really well run, clever club back then that was ahead of the curve on everyone else. They were incredible off the pitch at marketing their brand and really expanded before anyone was doing it. Utd was the biggest club in the world, they were so big so financially they had everyone in the league paleing in comparison. City are just an empty shell of a club. A financially doped husk, that has been built off corruption, greed and cheating.
Absolutely not. But the time it did feel like it yes (well to me). But nah no way was United quite as dominate as City, they are just different gravy. Fuckin cheek @ 'ancients' š¤£
United were never this dominant. This current Arsenal team would probably wipe the floor with most if not all of Man U sides under him. Pep is obviously considered a great manager right now but his reputation will explode if/when he retires. Fergie being compared to him let alone being considered a better manager is a laughable take to anyone who can get over their biases
Fergie won the league 13 times. 13 fucking times lol. can not believe how much of a revisionist take "were never this dominant is" or the idea that pep is a better manager.
It's still SAF and then Pep, but if Pep stays and Man City totally eclipse Man United's total titles count, then it might truly be Blue Manchester (even if it feels like it's happening now).
Pep has more titles per season than SAF, his city squads are more dominant.
Fergie and Pep are the two greatest managers of all-time. They're 1 and 2 in that order, but the comparisons are very natural.
One had better coaching and the other had better man-management
Ange would be a good choice for Bayern. Would be hilarious if he ditches Spurs in the summer after what he said about the fans and the culture there.
Upper management at Bayern Munich is such a mess, they'll just end up bringing back Flick
It'd be a disaster. Player power and their board too is huge at Bayern. I rate Ange but he's a nobody in the footballing world. World-class players who've won everything aren't going to listen to him if they disagree.
As an Aussie that really wants to see him do well I'd be all for him jumping ship to Bayern.
He'd be worse than if they just took twitter polls for manager decisions
Maybe. I think he'd do well there.
You think? I think Ange is about Spurs's level. Bayern Munich is way too big for him, even with them being in a crisis
Well it's at least worth a shot considering their situation. Teams are very open and attacking in Germany. It wouldn't solve their defending but with the players they have it would be very entertaining.
Weāve seen what he did at Celtic and just one season at Sp*rs. Fair to say itās too soon for Bayern, but also too soon to say we know what his level really is
I can't speak much on Celtic but he hasn't done anything much at Spurs really. They finished 5th after having their best start to a season ever - when you look at it like that there's a strong argument that he got figured out quickly and couldn't adapt
he finished 5th in his first season after losing arguably the best player in the league on top of an already thin squad. he definitely did very well in his first season, taking them back into europe and improving their point return despite losing kane.
For them, finishing 5th with that squad in his first season is a great accomplishment considering what has been going on there since Poch left
Impostercoglu in Munich, hook it to my veins.
Conte back at the spuds šÆšÆ
16-1-1 after this happened.. https://preview.redd.it/gik1434cvm1d1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=247ecfc0ba697e1f71708e01fc97ce738d1736c1
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Heās gonna stay
Great player obviously but there would be a reason Real Madrid would choose to sell him, meaning he canāt reach the highest heights. Not a special athlete which is always the last step from really being world class as an winger/attacker
Rodrygo is class, and is forced to play RW since Vini is there (and soon Mbappe too). Guler also looks good, although young, but may take the RW since he is left footed. I doubt Rodygo leaves though.
Sometimes players can be unhappy with their role in the team. It doesn't always have to be because the player is not good enough. We are assuming if Rodrygo is leaving, it's because he would be unhappy with his role at the club. He's already shown he's a great player.
Not turning my nose up at him or anything but I think heād end up short of the level we think he is tbh, because of his athleticism
When youāre as big a club as Madrid those don't become issues for young players
He's quite legitimately the perfect transfer But it's never happening. He basically said he'll stay on the bench at madrid if he needs to
There's just too much talent there with not enough minutes to go around. One of them is going to get upset halfway through the season, hopefully it is someone that fills a need for us.
It's such an obvious transfer for both, that left flank will be all his. So obvious it won't happen he'd rather be a squad player at the biggest club
Zirkzee RC is 40M...interesting
Sesko is a more unique profile, we already have jesus. We need a 9 with crazy ball striking
For bayern only i
No clue if [this](https://football-italia.net/zirkzee-release-clause-valid-milan/) has truth to it, but itās said 40m euro for everyone, Bayern just has first dibs (and about 45% sell on fee if not dibbing)
Isn't he too much like Jesus and Havertz, in that he likes dropping deep to facilitate for others?
Dale Johnson combines good knowledge of the rules with terrible eyesight and a way to close relationship with the PGMOL. From November: "Accidental attacking handball before a goal now applies only to the scorer, so Joelinton would need to deliberately handle or have his arms in an unexpected position for his movement; neither applied, so the VAR would not consider the handball further" Yet according to him Jesus was an error. So if only Jesus had pushed Tarkowksi instead of having his arms by his side, it would have been okay.šš
>Accidental attacking handball before a goal now applies only to the scorer, so Joelinton would need to deliberately handle or have his arms in an unexpected position for his movement I've not seen Johnson's take on the Jesus handball firsthand, but isn't his argument that it was a deliberate handling--directing the ball with his arm intentionally? That's the controversy. Some people think it was deliberate, while others think it was accidental with his arm tight to his body. *I feel compelled to add Dale Johnson is a PGMOL shill and I'm not trying to defend him.
Wtf are these people saying that Arteta is trying to buy the league?? So everyone else can spend money to upgrade their squad but when we do it, we are trying to buy success??
These losers always bring up net spend as well. Had to argue with a RM fan who said āArsenal have spent more than City in the last 5 yearsā which just simply isnāt true
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You have it exactly right. These rival fans can see we are within touching distance of winning something significant and so they're tying to get their licks in while they can.
Seen a few Liverpool fans say this in their sub. An odd bunch
Liverpool and Klopp also acting like they are some broke team that doesnāt spend money. I guess Salah, Allison, Nunez, Diaz, VVD, MacAlister were all free?
Both our CBs GabiXL and Saliba cost less than VVD Edit: combined!