Signings late as always, but is this the end of Giroud and Mertesacker? by KM
We finally picked up some points! And it was a great first half performance, but in the second half, you could see we are not up to speed yet just as we aren’t with the signings, which at least we will see this year, because frankly, after Cech last year, I though we might sit on what we have.
I will once again hit on the fact we are at least 2 weeks late with everything. We could’ve beaten both Liverpool and Leicester and we were not prepared for those games. This is incredibly sad, because we are 5 points off Chelsea, United and City will probably join them this evening. We will be fighting for 4th spot by the looks of it so far, which is a painful battle we’ve seen over the years, but the ambition of the other teams will make it even tougher this time.
So we bought a total of four players that will actually play for us starting with Granit Xhaka, who is finding his place amongst the starting line up with young Rob Holding, and to be fair I really enjoy the fact we have new faces in the squad. I think everybody from pundits, managers and even the Arsenal players themselves know where the weakness of the squad lies and new faces just lift everyone up.
Both players are still finding their feet after a rocky start to the season, but overall I’m so far happy with both players. I think having somebody who has speed to cover Koscielny makes it easier, because Per is incredibly ineffective without someone always covering him. As for Xhaka, I hope he will be more consistent than Coquelin, Elneny and Ramsey in that role. Over the past few seasons we saw how the addition of a new DM always improved our game and hopefully he’ll fit the bill for the long run.
We also added Takuma Asano who is likely to never play a game for us and one other youngster, but the big thing we await to be announced is the arrival of world cup winner Skodran Mustafi and Lucas Perez from La Liga. Ignoring the fact how late this is, I’d like to see both players get integrated in the squad. And the two people I think will suffer are Mertesacker and Giroud.
Despite the fact Per got announced captain (a terrible decision…), he is the weakest point in an otherwise not that bad back 5, and Mustafi will likely take his place. Honestly I don’t know much about him, other than the fact, he was owned by Everton, to only play one game for them, but he should know English to some extent, and that he is a German international, despite not being a regular starter at Low’s squad, he can play as a CB and a RB if he has to. He had a solid partnership with Otamendi at Valencia, but hopefully he’ll quickly settle in with Koscielny to form a rock at the heart of our defence!
Moving on to Lucas Perez, he’ll soon be 28 and his career has only recently sparkled with a prolific last season featuring 17 goals and 8 assists for a relegation battling La Coruna. He has played abroad, so hopefully settling in wouldn’t be a problem. He’s a late bloomer and they’re so popular these days with the likes of Vardy and Payet making the big stage at a late age. So will he finally be the 20 goal a season striker we’ve never had since Van Persie left?
It’s so hard to make a verdict. It’s a gamble signing, but a gamble I’m willing to get, because with Giroud I’ve seen what we get and I don’t think it’s enough. I still believe we could’ve spent big and added a proven goalscorer, but you know Arsene. Still I’m interested in the fact that Giroud didn’t start against Watford, and the fact we’d rather play Alexis up front makes me think that Perez might be jumping into Girouds place and as I said, I’d take that.
Will it happen? First, let’s finalize that paperwork, get them on board and put them in the mix. The international break is good, because the players will get a chance to meet the atmosphere at Arsenal and get some preparation they should’ve got in the summer. So finally, what kind of starting line up would you like to see the new players in?
I feel like Cech, Monreal, Koscielny, Mustafi, Bellerin, Xhaka, Ramsey, Sanchez, Ozil, Theo, Perez…
Konstantin
I had personally never heard of Perez before we signed him but what I’ve seen of him on videos he’s got pace,I think he should jump straight ahead of Giroud in the pecking order,we have suffered in the last 4 years having to watch Giroud go on his infamous streaks of not scoring goals,last season he went 15 EPL games without a goal,the season before that the 14/15 season he went on a 9 game streak of scoring zero goals we’ve had enough of Giroud he’s proven over and again that he’s not good enough!
Where were you yesterday when we were all celebrating our first victory of the campaign??
The feel good vybes was too toxic for you I guess, so you waited until the euphoria settled a bit to come with the usual negativity, huh?
Why cant you be positive for once. There’s no one on this thread who’s 100% happy about all things arsenal but even some of the serial moaners give credit to the team every now and then, but you’re always negative. Are you a troll?
I’m a realist and I use facts when I’m making a point,I will not be blinded by beating a woeful Watford team while the likes of Man City,Chelsea and Man United have won their first 3 games,I call celebrating a win against Watford as if it were Barcelona delusion not euphoria,it’s fan like you who are pleased with 4th place and not winning the league in 12 seasons who are also to blame for Wenger thinking he’s doing a favour to Arsenal by still being at the club!
Going over the top over Arsenal beating Watford would be as delusional as, oh I don’t know, thinking ManU are the new Invincibles after beating Bournmouth, Southampton and Hull. Or anointing Chelsea as champions in waiting after they ripped through those perennial powerhouses like Burnley, West Ham and Watford. Or City (remember their start last year?) thrashing Sunderland, Stoke City and West Ham…
Why don’t we all just enjoy the start of the season before branding each other delusional or trolls.
Predictions please – Le Perez to replace Giroud as our No1 striker by end of season (thumbs up)?
Or Gitoud to stay the main guy (thumbs down)?
Our starting 11 is good enough to compete for the title. I think the key this year is how much can our bench help us when our starting 11 struggles.
If Ozil is having an off day, can Wilshire or Ramsey create a late equaliser or winner?
Can Ox finally become a legitimate scoring threat?
Can Iwobi take another step in his development.
Can Holding continue these performances and challenge Gabriel for 3rd CB role?
Most importantly will a leader(s) emerge among this group?
This is the most talented and deep squad in a very long time, they just need to mature individually and as a team and titles can be won.
COYG!
I just hope that we ALL can get behind our team and get behind out boys, and stop all the booing which just depresses everyone.
I am very hopeful about the coming season. Yes we have slipped behind a little already, which is a shame, but all the other contenders have had ‘easier’ teams to start their campaign than we have .
We have added some really good players I think in Holding & Xhaka, and I think these last few weeks Theo has improved to be a better player than he was last year, due getting more game time . I hope that the two new additions will also be ‘good buys’
Walking home from our last home game hearing all the fans moaning , hearing the booing etc. is NOT the way I want our club to be. I am a SUPPORTER through thick and thin, good and bad.
I enjoyed watching the game on Saturday, I love the way our team plays when they are playing well.
Lets get behind them …
There are no easy games in the EPL,you play Sunderland one week and then play Man City the next week but still have just as much of a tough time with both teams,this is the only league where 2-0 is a dangerous scoreline because teams don’t roll over and play dead they fight until the end like Newcastle did to us a few years back in the 4-4 game!
“I think these last few weeks Theo has improved to be a better player than he was last year” just say in the last game and I only saw his run and the cross that resulted to the goal, apart from that he was his usual self trying to flick the ball over the keeper to score a beautiful goal that never came
I believe that we now have the squad, more essentially a first team that can compete especially for the league. What concerns me however is not our mental strength, which has often been called into question, but our guile and tactics which are or should be directly dictated by the manager. We have often been undone by naive pieces of defending after having dominated games. In this sort of situation, good/ great players can only get you out of jail so far.
The league is not lost (yet) even though we have an up hill challenge after doing our transfer business late. To claw back those points, we will have do well against our direct rivals. Wenger has a poor record against the top managers.
Our two signings are like this:
Mustafi is a CB who can also cover at RB. He has good positioning and aerial ability. He usually doesn’t get booked and is more comfortable playing with a centre back who is a leader (akin to Otamendi in his best season till date). In short, he is a fast, versatile and a little short Mertesacker.
Lucas Perez has pace, composure in front of goal and a belter of a left foot. He is what Podolski would have been, if he had trained all the time without being in social media.
Giroud, imo will still be the first choice CF. His main strength is his link up play and he is good at finishing off ‘lesser teams’. It would be great to see both Perez and Giroud play, that would be the closest thing to seeing Giroud-Griezmann in the Euros. I think Per is getting slower with every game. He may stick around, helping younger defenders and play a bit part role like Arteta.
Exciting times ahead!! COYG!!
Going by your user name it seems you just registered? Welcome on board!
@ADMIN Give him a cake!
But that user name is not “Yaya Toure”
Per ain’t getting younger. He will play some part this season and his experience will help in the dressing room.
Competition will help Giroud, Perez, Walcott and even Welbeck when fit. Giroud will still play games this season depending on tactics and opposition. I dare say competition brings out the best of Giroud as a sub or starter..
Both players will still be useful. Giroud in particular. Perez is left footed and has played on the wings before. I see us playing Perez — Giroud — Sanchez at some point. With Per, it depends on how well Mustafi settles.
what a pointless and clueless article,i,why a new player has to replace another??everybody knows that is a long season so both giroud and perez will be needed,it will also depends on the opposition we play on the day and which tactic will be used,also to think that the title is already lost and that we will play for 4th after 3 games just baffles me really,last season no one predicted the champion this year with more contenders it is going to be more difficult,as we know there are no longer easy games you might think watford are a shit team but wait and see how many teams are going to struggle against them the same happened last year,after drawing to a so called mid table team people were calling for murder but for that same team to beat one of the top 4 the following week!COYG!
Giroud and perez have completely different qualities so they will both be equally valuable, I just hope Wenger makes the most of them both tactically. With Per Wenger clearly loves him and although he’s snail like he knows how to defend and has a good understanding with kos. I think the question really is where does this leave Gabriel? Per is ageing so is kos. I’m guessing our future will be mustafi partnered by holding, chambers or Gabriel, (though what I’ve seen of holding already at this early stage he seems a lot calmer and less of a head less chicken like gabriel). Chambers who knows, I hear hull and Middlesborough are interested in a loan. I fancy hull. If he could pair with Curtis Davies and with coaching of phelan I think it would do him the world of good.
@dee@ease. On giroud poor run yes no doubt is was a shocker! But as shearer said on motd strikers go through this, (lukaku is at the moment). What we didn’t have was legitimate competition to push giroud or allow him a time out. Perez gives us that. I sometimes wish giroud would shoot from further out as well. I remember years ago in the classroom, (against monaco/marseille?, can’t remember) he shot from way out and it hit the corner Stanion. I remember thinking where did that come from! Also remember Ramsey half volley wonder goal. Sanchez against villa in the fa cup. As much as I like our artistic build up play and finish you can’t beat a net buster now and again 🙂 and how many opposition teams expect it from us.
We are only 3 games into the season and you are already saying that we are fighting for 4th spot?
Some people really need to calm the f@ck down!