The Gunners aim to assemble the finest team in the Premier League, surpassing Manchester City in the process. According to the former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown, the Gunners recognise they’re now strong but are eager to enhance their squad and improve their depth, which could alleviate their reliance on players such as Bukayo Saka.
Via Football Insider, Brown admitted that the Gunners are quietly strategising to boost their numbers with quality for potential player injuries. He states that the Gunners are now aware they can compete with the best, but they understand that the next step is to have a large quality squad with a variety of options.
He said, “Yes, they’ll be looking to strengthen their depth.
“If I put my chief scout’s hat on — when you’ve got a good side like Arsenal have, you’re always planning for what happens if players get injured.
“I know Arsenal will be doing that now in case somebody like Saka gets injured.
“They’ve done a brilliant job to bring themselves up to a level where they can compete with Manchester City, but I don’t think they have the same type of depth City have at the moment.
“With City, they have players who can come into the side at any time and nobody notices a difference — Arsenal haven’t quite got that yet.
“But they’re working hard behind the scenes to get to that level.”
Arsenal would greatly benefit from the addition of more top players. They have performed admirably despite facing a mini-injury crisis that has left them without key midfielders Martin Odegaard and Mikel Merino in a number of games, as well as them lacking a preferred right-back option versus Southampton.
Nevertheless, they have managed to assemble a competitive team even without some key players. If they can strengthen their squad and manage a situation when they have like-for-like replacements when injuries occur, then that will be incredible.
The management of Arsenal is being truly remarkable up until now. But do we still need a couple more stars as backups when achieving success is undoubtedly our only objective.
Jack Anderson
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This is currently lying the difference maker imho of Arsenal and City. We have seen players like Saka over played for the last 2 seasons. I was pleased with the addition of sterling as he has been at the highest level. But even better would be another young player who is hungry and has the potential.
I think jesus is done and we should find a player who can really threaten up top and on the wing or allow us to change to a formation to accommodate 2 strikers.
I am pleased eith ethan who will clearly step into that 2nd choice CAM roll.
We need to extend parteys contract as well as find another young hungry player to replace jorjinho.
We have dine a brilliant job across the back 4 with a abundance of defenders who can step in at any time.
Let’s do this further up the pitch too
Yes, With an additional one or two players the most, to compete with champions when at their best, but we seems to forgot the champions haven’t been really convincing in recent times.
The law of average dictates a lost or two for the champions over the next five matches which would hardly a surprise.
City may not have been too convincing, but they still push on, don’t they. I think someone once described a good team as one that continues to get results even when not playing particularly well.
As for the “law of averages”, couldn’t that apply to Arsenal as well? Arsenal would appear to have the more difficult run of games after the international break. Perhaps it’s one “law” for some and another for others?
IMHO we need a striker for rotation/competition for Havertz, a midfielder to replace Partey/Jorginho, and a RW as Saka backup once Sterling loan ends.
MLS looks very bright, Heaven could be a 4th choice CB with some development, Nwanarei can be groomed to be a backup to Odegaard.
Our defense has quality and depth, so we can address the midfield and attack. The added quality let’s us rest Havertz and Saka, and another midfielder to rotate with Rice and Merino to rest them as well.
Yes, we need a strong CF to compete with Havertz and an inverted RW to challenge Saka
I think Arsenal have a formidable defence line, like left back ,right back ,even partey can play both right back and defensive midfielder, so for me Arsenal are ready.
Forethermore, Sterling and Jesus can replace saka for seven., and Arteter have to groom nwaneri to take ordedarg roll. Finally we are ready to shift the champions by end of may.
All the leading clubs have injuries to key players from time to time – KDB and Rodri at City and Alisson at Liverpool currently so squad strength is important.
I think a potential danger for Arsenal are injuries to players like Saka and Havertz – often star performers. Neither, fortunately, has been injured for any length of time but given the physicality of the EPL it’s more likely than not to happen. Saka in particular gets a regular thumping in most games.
It should be a little easier to cover for Saka with Sterling around than, say, Havertz as we’ve only got Jesus really and he’s clearly not much use as a striker. In fact, I struggle to see what he actually contributes on the pitch at all now.
Nothing can be done about any reinforcements until January at the earliest and it’s unlikely many quality players will be available then. It probably looks like Arsenal will have to get through the season with what they have and hope that there aren’t too many injuries, certainly not serious ones anyway.
City actually have a smaller squad but more depth
depth is not so much about number of bodies but consistent high quality in the squad
the Odegaard injury has shown we lack depth in playmaker creativity, Arsenal have coped admirably but by changing the system, Man C depth is keeping the same system and no drop in quality when a player is out
so yes we lack depth in midfield there
i would also say the injury to Merino also highlighted another lack of depth in midfield, we coped but partly due players playing out of their best position and aforementioned change in system
at the back it feels like have the squad depth as good as anyone
forwards, left side loads of depth, up top Havertz is a big drop-off to Jesus on current form, but Trossard is an option even Sterling, it is the right and Saka that we are thinnest in terms of depth
so for me priority of squad depth improvement
1) midfield
2) right wing
3) centre forward
How would Man City cope without Haaland?