Summer '21 transfer lunacy and overpayment

[IBK]

I really like Ødegaard, and I suspect we've only scratched the surface of what he's capable of when he's settled and established somewhere (don't forget how much he's been bounced around over the last 6 years!) and when he's not working his way back from injury. The two things I'm unsure about with him are 1) the price Madrid would want, and 2) would he rather be at Madrid (esp. if Zidane goes and Madrid pursue Haaland).

Also, he's very much a traditional 10 for me - I don't thing playing as an 8 or on the right is really the best use of his talents - and that either locks us into playing 4231 all the time if we see him as a starter, or it makes him more of a tactical option who we'd need to switch out if we wanted to change things? If it's the latter then I'm not really sure we can justify the expense atm?

Yes - agree with all that. I think Odegard is a rare player with serious potential also, but as you say we need to buy the player that it the right fit for Arsenal, and I don't think that the £50M or therabouts that has been suggested even if RM is prepared to sell if the investment that we should be making. FWIW I think that Arteta's seeming obsession with the flanks rather than through midfield hampers us - but that's another story...

[I am invisible]

Yes - agree with all that. I think Odegard is a rare player with serious potential also, but as you say we need to buy the player that it the right fit for Arsenal, and I don't think that the £50M or therabouts that has been suggested even if RM is prepared to sell if the investment that we should be making. FWIW I think that Arteta's seeming obsession with the flanks rather than through midfield hampers us - but that's another story...

I kind of understand the obsession with the flanks, especially given where he's come from at City. Plus, to a certain extent, I think he's just been limited by what he has to work with and who's been available. I'm going to trust him on this - I think it might be one of those situations where nothing works until everything works, and that we won't really see us punching effectively through the middle until we can pull our opponents' attention in every direction at once. Over the last few years it's been far too easy to just crowd out the middle because of our ineffective right, and our left that comes and goes with Tierney's fitness.