Summer Transfer Shit and Everything Else

[HCZ_Reborn]

Interesting points. For me the problem is that we have still not resolved the left 8 position. I don't think Rice or Merino are the answer, and would love to see how Odegard and Nwaneri look as a double pivot, with Rice dropping back to 6. Maybe even Partey playing slightly in front of Rice?

my sentiments exactly

[HCZ_Reborn]

On the service thing, I think its a little bit overplayed and done on purpose.

What I mean is that so many times (I saw it again on Sunday, though it was Trossard manning the position) when the ball is being driven forward by our CBs, though it is clear as day that both Odegaard and Saka are being doubled teamed, however the ball is still passed to them and most of the time Saka or Odegaard just passes it back to defender, which is actually the main cause of our slow build up play, the endless silly recycling as the defenders do a simple one two and still pass it back to the right.

You will not notice this in highlights but watch the 90 mins and you will see this disturbing pattern over and over again, with Martinelli /Trossard in loads of space and no one willing to pass the ball to them. Trossard does a bit better with this as he usually abandons his position and comes deep for the ball, but I guess thats against Arteta's instructions as Martinelli makes sure he always stays there (probably to ensure the opposition is stretched).

In fact when I think of most of the times we get the ball really fast upfield when a team is playing a deep block, it occurs on the left as smart opposition teams do not waste their resources double teaming there as simple "stay with your man defending" is usually enough to hold us.

Its a pattern I've noticed and I doubt anyone here will say they've ever noticed Saka free in loads of space and not being given the ball.

Deleted this post originally, because it makes more sense if it’s explicit that I’m replying to this

Yes I think we all realise that it’s at least partly tactical to concentrate the attacks on the right hand side, I’m not so sure the dig about people watching only highlights really applies to anyone other than Letters who by his own admission watches very few of our games.

Arteta is obsessed in my view with trying to recreate what Xhaka did (which I largely think was overrated) by playing first Havertz and now Rice in this number 8 position. The only thing that could be said for Xhaka and Zinchenko is that their presence did bring Martinelli much more into the game and that is I contend the main reason why he made double figures in the league and why he cuts a far more isolated figure now. It’s not that he doesn’t deserve any criticism, my main frustration with him is his tendency to cut inside when he should far more often take on his full back and get in behind the defence.

But I don’t really see personally how swapping out a winger for another, changes the fact that since the start of last season that the left side doesn’t get serviced by midfielders/inverted full backs anywhere near as much as it was in the 2022/2023 season.

I think if you want to bring in any player other than a striker (which I’m sure we all agree is our priority) it would be a more attack minded central midfielder because as I said for most games we simply do not need to be starting with two holding players (for sure bring another one on to help defend leads)

Although id argue the preferential thing would be to start Odegaard and Nwaneri together

Then if we sign a wide player at all it should be on the right so we are not constantly playing Russian roulette with Saka’s fitness….i think one of few things we probably agree on is that Kudus would be a good signing for us (although that I think would be more of a summer thing)

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

One thing to clarify, the "highlights statement" wasn't a dig at anyone, and honestly I doubt Letters is the only one who only watches highlights nowadays. For most of the latter AW years, I mostly watched highlights as I had gotten tired of investing so much in a team I knew was going no where.

Simply put though, you can't notice how slow our buildup play is on highlights and probably a lot of other things wrong with the team if you base your view solely on what they capture.

[HCZ_Reborn]

One thing to clarify, is the "highlights statement" wasn't a dig at anyone, and honestly I doubt Letters is the only one who only watches highlights nowadays. For most of the latter AW years, I mostly watched highlights as I had gotten tired of investing so much in a team I knew was going no where.

Simply put though, you can't notice how slow our buildup play is on highlights and probably a lot of other things wrong with the team if you base your view solely on what they capture.

Again I’m only going by the comments I see on here but I don’t think anyone fails to appreciate the slowness of our buildup play. It’s not only having too many holding players, sometimes having Odegaard as the only attack minded central midfielder means you have two or three players on him and he will invariably end up passing it backwards


If I’ve only seen the highlights of a game it’s because I’ve been busy either at work (and I do more often than I care for work at the weekend, although I can’t really complain as it’s out of choice to get things done that I can’t get done during the week because I’m being bothered by others). It’s also something I’ve made a point about saying for ages, that getting a striker is only one part of the problem…we need to be getting the ball forward in a more timely fashion. I think turning the left back into an ad hoc midfielder certainly doesn’t help with this in my view

[Mac76]

Nico would be a dream alternative too...but their is little chance he would choose us over Barca.

I wouldn't entirely rule it out - one of Arteta's talents does seem to be to convince good players to join Aresenal - albeit sometimes, it appears, by BS-ing them to think they'll get more minutes than he actually intends to give them, though I'm sure Williams would be a regular starter if we got him)

tbf in some cases he can point to improvements in players (although Martinelli is a case where he can't)

[HCZ_Reborn]

On the whole I get the impression Arteta thinks of attacking and goal scoring as a secondary concern and making sure teams can’t score against us is the bigger issue for him. Two attacking players I’d say he’s unquestionably improved are Odegaard and Havertz. Saka? Hard to say how much of that is Arteta’s tutelage or natural progression as a player. With him I remember the one bit of advice Wenger gave him when he came back to the club to meet the players…learn to be comfortable using both feet (still a work in progress I feel, however maybe a tad harsh as he’s excelled admirably with just the one)

[HCZ_Reborn]

https://x.com/eduardohagn/status/186...k_DvSqUkaQFrjw

If he uses this current injury problem as an excuse to bring in even more defenders, then I’m going to lobby parliament to make an amendment to the assisted dying bill to make it compulsory for mentally deranged football coaches

[Letters]

One thing to clarify, the "highlights statement" wasn't a dig at anyone

I never thought it was

[HCZ_Reborn]

I never thought it was

He has in the past had a tendency to suggest that people who disagree with him about a game haven’t watched the game fully

[Letters]

I don't think it's unreasonable to assert that if you watch the whole game then you will see more than on the highlights.
And, while we're here, you see different things when you're at the ground which you don't see on TV (and vice versa).