Well lovely Arsenal people; we beat Wolves 2:0. I think the performance was alright for a first game, but a few things caught my attention. Even though Zinny started the game, I feel there’s a liability there and Timber or Calafiori will take his place.
It will be very interesting who starts at Villa, a difficult opponent for us, but there are options at LB. The problem is, there are no options on the wing apart from Saka. Goal and assist again. I was happy to see him off at the 80th minute, because he and Rice came back late and are straight into the side.
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Havertz up top also scored, a really lovely, typical striker’s goal, but I just fear he also missed a sitter. We also have Jesus, who’s a great player, but finishing is not his strong suit, and I just think to win this league we need a player who you just know will score at least 20 goals. Liverpool have Salah, City have Haaland. Who is putting those numbers for us?
It could happen for Saka or Havertz. Martinelli doesn’t look great, even though he’s my favourite player, I think Trossard offers more in terms of G/A. Gabi offers pace, but we need more goals from him.
Overall, a wide player or a clinical striker or ideally both would set us up in a position where I can say we are definitely ready to win this title. Right now, I’m still not convinced we have enough to get more out of games like Villa away which is next.
The first 5 games of the fixtures list really aren’t kind to us, but if we go out of them with 13 points, I think we’re well set. I think Partey looked dodgy against Wolves, hopefully Merino will bring in the necessary cover, ideally replacing Thomas who I think will have his last season at Arsenal.
Unfortunately any signings won’t be ready to impact the next few games and they are difficult games, but better late than never. Please Arsenal, Merino + one more forward. Some people dismiss this point, but I really think, we’re trying to offload players first.
I think we should’ve taken Marseilles offer for Eddie. He’s on a huge wage for a fringe player, who’s never getting in front of Havertz and Jesus. Reiss is another one we likely want to move on, as we subbed Saka and still didn’t opt for him. The problem is with PSR, I don’t think clubs will spend massive money, that said Tottenham dropped 65 mils on Solanke.
Last season we spent a lot of money, and I understand we probably don’t want to roll the dice with huge money on a questionable striker like Gyokores, but I feel that we should have identified the striker issue and the lack of cover for Saka.
There could still be a late deal, as the transfer deadline approaches, clubs will have to make decisions on players entering the final years of their contracts, but as of right now, the current squad still lacks just a little bit to topple City.
Konstantin Mitov
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What’s the sense getting that twenty goal a season striker and not winning matches, Its the teams spirit, creating chances after chances with goals popping up from midfielders and all over the pitch that will prove devastating hitting the Citizen off their perch.
The gaffer is right, most of these games will fought and won in midfield, It is the injury to Saliba and Partey in consecutive campaigns that derail our efforts.
Am satisfied by efforts to strengthen the spine in midfield, the goals will come you can take that to the bank.
Saka looked like he had the spring back in is step yesterday, much livelier than how he finished last season. We need to keep him fresh, whether that’s with rotation with existing players or by bringing in another top winger. Odegaard also looked sharper and he needs resting from time to time to.
Perfect article, I could not agree more. We have a huge number of players in GK, DEF, MID (next season we need to upgrade Partey and Jorginho) so why not have more solid options in attack? This idea that a clinical striker would somehow disrupt the team’s rhythm is utter nonsense, we’d obviously aim for a player with a solid all-round game, hence the extensive links with Gyrokeyes, Osimhen and Isak – not some Javier Hernandez bit-part player. Everyone saying all we need is Havertz and Jesus are the same people who backed Havertz as a midfielder last summer, no matter how much it didn’t work. I wish these people would just accept there are many perfectly acceptable options out there to improve the squad in countless ways, just because Arteta hasn’t explored or moved for them doesn’t mean they wouldn’t enhance us. Mikel is brilliant but he’s not perfect, nobody is, and we’re allowed to respectfully offer constructive criticism or alternative ideas, just because Arteta hasn’t already selected such options doesn’t mean those alternative ideas are wrong. Whilst Jesus and Havertz offer great options for some games a proven number 9 in one of the aforementioned molds would almost certainly be what pushes us past City. Our fans wildly underestimate Pep and City, they’re almost unstoppable, hope will only get us so far, blind faith repeatedly leaves us ridiculed. Think smart, accept improvements can be made in attack whether they are made or not, continual complacency will land us back where we were. Our team is so close to finally being a finished article, if we can get cover for Saka and a genuine striker all we need to do next summer is upgrade a couple aging midfielders and we’ll have a squad that could go three to five seasons with only minor improvements. Arteta and Arsenal have done amazingly to get us here, let’s not deny ourselves the chance to step back into greatness. COYG!
If we had Haaland, I don’t think we would be fighting for top 4. That’s no disrespect to Haaland, but it’s a respect towards the Man city squad. Haaland would still score shit tons of goals but we wouldn’t be as effective in the midfield battles and defense.
Against Chelsea, if you watched closely, City were technically battling against Chelsea with practically 10 man. Haaland scored but that was it. The intensity with which the other City players had to play, to make up for Haaland inertness in press, was exemplary. And I think that intensity might lead to a couple injuries for City this season.City had Alvarez before who could contribute with off the ball work, I think Pep will get a similar profile soon. At times Haaland was passed by as if he was the referee. No attempt to press.
If he played for Arsenal, we would definitely have had a lot of injury problems because of the intensity the rest of the players would need to play with to make up for his inactivity.
Now that we’re bringing Merino, I have a very sneaky feeling we might get someone like Gyokeres or some clinical striker. Currently, our squad is not enough to play and press with 10 men for 90 minutes. But with Merino, Calafiori and Timber, I think we can have a fairly inactive but a super clinical striker up top. But we should be wary of the potential injuries if we play like that. There will be injuries.
You obviously never watched Haaland at Dortmund. He’s been asked to carry out his current role in the way he does by Pep, he’s literally adhering to the system Pep wants. At Dortmund, and prior, he was one of the best chance creators and forward battlers in Europe, operating on the RW as an inside forward, a style that mixed both a young Lukaku with a young Robben. Downplaying his talents to stick with the dreamy Arsenal bias is not a good look, if we want to beat City we have to respect them, otherwise we’ll end up banter fc again.
It doesn’t change the fact the Haaland in his current City role, makes City play with just 10 players all game. Did you even watch the game against Chelsea?
And I have seen him play for Dortmund, but that doesn’t change how he plays currently for City.
And talking of respect, I think I clearly mentioned that I have utmost respect for the city players. They play press and handle teams such as Chelsea with 10 outfield players and I think Arsenal current squad can’t do it if we had Haaland at the front. And I stick to it.
Partey also worries me judging by that last performance and I’m also worried about Martinelli’s numbers and his decision-making. What I’d love to see from Martinelli is him making back post runs when Saka has the ball over that side and when crosses are whipped in We can’t carry anyone if we are to win this thing About our difficult fixtures I think we should stick to the adage that you take one game at a time
My opinion hasn’t changed – Arsenal needs a proven 20+ goals a season striker. He can then replace Jesus who isn’t anywhere near that and never has been if we’re honest. Yes, he’s got other attributes that he brings to the team, but goal scoring clearly isn’t one of them (4 in 27 last season).
Haaland got off the mark for City yesterday (surprise, surprise). That’s an incredible 91 goals since he joined them in 2022. Obviously, there’s not another Haaland around and even if there was Arsenal couldn’t afford him. However, there are other options and the prospect of having a player who can deliver the goals on a consistent basis (in addition to those coming from the rest of the team – this isn’t/shouldn’t be an “either/or” scenario) would give Arsenal that additional edge – just like Haaland gives City.
The top scoring side in the Premier League need a player who “will score at least 20 goals” 🥱🥱🥱
We’re a top scoring side because we have goals coming from everywhere, which is great across a season. However, as just about every other top team that actually wins leagues has a striker who gets the important goals in the crunch games, to ‘yawn’ over that crucial factor makes you look sillier than anyone else. We have almost nobody, bar Saka or Trossard, who can change games with their goals. But sure, act like you’re right and the likes of Barcelona, City, Real, Bayern, PSG, Inter et al are all cliche idiots who aren’t as good as we are 🤦🏽♂️
Why have Halaand or Aubemiyang whondoes not put in a shift. The only strike Arsenal would need now is Giroud type as backup. It is amazing how people want a top striker instead if a top scoring team. Arsenal is a top scoring team.