Summer Transfer Temps and Journeymen

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Originally Posted by Mac76

it's as much about Arteta's use of the squad as it is the quality - if he keeps playing Xhaka instead of Ceballos and Luiz instead of Gabriel and having players like Saka warming the bench then yes it's gonna be a shit season

over to you Mikel...

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Yeah, if the players he wants don’t come in then we’re going to have to be a little braver with what we have at some point. I totally get the safety formation in the short-term as we looked to steady the ship, calm nerves and restore a bit of confidence, but we can’t go through a whole season playing 343 - it’s not bold enough, and opponents will eventually start to suss it out.

Everything hinges on finding a defensive pairing who are comfortable in a back 2. Not only do we need that extra attacking midfielder to add creativity through the middle, that player would also reduce the need for the CF to keep dropping deep to get involved with the build up (meaning we could move Auba back central and get someone more creative like Saka on the left), and I think we’d also get more out of Pepe / Nelson on the right if they had someone in that ACM spot to play off. Lots we can still try, but it all starts from the back...

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Originally Posted by I am invisible

Yeah, if the players he wants don’t come in then we’re going to have to be a little braver with what we have at some point. I totally get the safety formation in the short-term as we looked to steady the ship, calm nerves and restore a bit of confidence, but we can’t go through a whole season playing 343 - it’s not bold enough, and opponents will eventually start to suss it out.

Everything hinges on finding a defensive pairing who are comfortable in a back 2. Not only do we need that extra attacking midfielder to add creativity through the middle, it would also reduce the need for the CF to keep dropping deep to get involved with the build up, meaning we could move Auba back central and get someone more creative (like Saka) on the left, and I think we’d also get more out of Pepe / Nelson on the right if they had someone in that ACM spot to play off. Lots we can still try, but it all starts from the back...

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If no one comes in, bring back Guendoezi! I would also play Torreira. They are both better than Xhaka tbh.

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Originally Posted by I am invisible

...Everything hinges on finding a defensive pairing who are comfortable in a back 2. Not only do we need that extra attacking midfielder to add creativity through the middle, that player would also reduce the need for the CF to keep dropping deep to get involved with the build up (meaning we could move Auba back central and get someone more creative like Saka on the left), and I think we’d also get more out of Pepe / Nelson on the right if they had someone in that ACM spot to play off. Lots we can still try, but it all starts from the back...

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Looks like we’ve gone for something like this in the second half against Sheffield - instant improvement going forward.

Aouar deal might be dead because he’s playing tonight for Lyon. Scored too.

Sounds like we can’t get rid of Guendouzi.

Farewell appearance.

With these results so far this season, its clear this league is open. We sign a proper Midfield, we are in the mix.

So damn Arsenal to behave like this

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Originally Posted by hobson's choice

With these results so far this season, its clear this league is open. We sign a proper Midfield, we are in the mix.

So damn Arsenal to behave like this

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Yeah it's like the season Leicester won (and we did the double over them) - another lost opportunity if we don't get it right, get rid of the crap at all costs and get a better midfielder in and above all PLAY POSITIVELY

We might be sending Guendouzi to Berlin on loan. We’re so desperate to get rid of the cunt we’re apparently just giving him to them without even receiving a loan fee. :lol:

This is why it isn’t always ideal to freeze out players. Particularly ones of value, you can’t expect someone to pay good money for a player that hasn’t been seen in months because of internal issues. It’s a terrible bargaining position.

Incomings are apparently looking unlikely now so could be a real slog until the next window. There's really no back up for Ceballos so if he got injured we'd be in trouble.

We did look better in the second half yesterday with Pepe wide right, Auba central and Willian / Saka rotating between left wing and no. 10. Hopefully Arteta gives that another go, but suspect he will revert to a back 3 again if he doesn't get the signings he wants.

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Originally Posted by hobson's choice

With these results so far this season, its clear this league is open. We sign a proper Midfield, we are in the mix.

So damn Arsenal to behave like this

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I think this is more a culmination of years of mis-management. Giving Wenger that last contract, and them sticking with Emery when it was clear it wasn't going to work. Four years in the Europa, with a Champions League wage bill and players we literally can't give away due to their high wages. Major over spend last summer on players that still aren't ready, and then spending more money again in January on two players we don't really need and have barely featured (Mari & Cedric).

Add that in to the back drop of a global pandemic and expected major loss in revenue and we are just in a terrible position currently. Short of Kroenke stepping in with his own money (not going to happen), I don't see what more the current hierarchy can do?