Where should Arsenal’s priorities be this season.
With today being transfer deadline day, Gooners all around the world will be hoping we can add players in the squad to strengthen in any way we can. Even more so considering the sheer number of high-profile games we’re going to be involved in this season not only in the Premier league but in Europe as well. Arsenal, as of writing this article, have just learned their opponents for the new edition of this seasons UCL group stages, with us facing PSG, Dynamo Zagreb, Monaco and Shakhtar Donetsk at home while facing Sporting CP, Girona, Atalanta and Inter Milan away from home. They are pretty tough set of fixtures that will be required to be taken in all seriousness if we’re to stand any chance of qualifying from the league phase (group stage…. whatever).
This then begs the question, is our squad deep enough with quality to compete efficiently on both fronts? The answer to this in my opinion is no, then if that’s the case it further begs another question, which one should we prioritize if we can do so for only one? Given the potential fixture congestion if we don’t quality directly through finishing in the top eight then I’m very interested in how Mikel Arteta will handle this. Is safe to say that even the biggest and strongest clubs in the world will feel the adverse effects of potentially having to play 60-70 odds matches in a campaign then Arsenal is not exempted given how we lack squad depth (especially in forward areas) to make significant pushes deep into those competitions.
Nevertheless, I still believe we have the quality (barring injuries) to go deeper in those competitions, but if you were to ask me which one we should prioritize without saying the obvious answer (both) I would say we should put winning our biggest domestic trophy ahead of European glory given how close we’ve came in the last two seasons. However, if we somehow find ourselves in the semi-finals of the biggest club competition in the world (that we haven’t lifted before) them there’s only one answer.
Which one should we prioritize more this season gooners?
KENNETH BENJAMIN.
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OT- Just heard the bad news about Merino’s injury. Maybe out for a few weeks. Send my best wishes for a speedy recovery
Yeah, a very unfortunate situation. Hoping he recovers well.
We shouldn’t prioritise either, but target both. We’ll be without Merino, who’s already injured in a training ground collision with Gabriel and has possibly fractured his arm.
His injury was his shoulder, and that lump Gabbi just can’t help himself
Really??Is that a real question??
It’s a bit of a cliche but you can only prioritise the next game
Here’s the questions. Think of the Premier League decided after only the first 8 games this season. What is your opinion on that?
Think of a 36 team league, settled after just 8 games. Points, Goal difference and goals for decide the 36 placings, even though the difficulty of the 8 games, points, goals and GD racked up is totally random and not on merit, and a random home or away basis to 8 different games too, as well as random in how many miles to travel. This random unfairness built in can throw up some huge knock out ties as early as February, after wrecking the first part of your Premier League season, you still don’t make it out of February due to difficult play off.
we need to quickly wake-up to it being a whole new beast, not nearly the same thing as we have got to know. For Arsenal, Liverpool and Villa, the Champions League benefits (money, reputation) were have fought for and earned, come not from a long “close but no cigar” run in this cup, but by securing top 4 in the most difficult domestic League in the world this year and every year.
With their weight of PL titles, Man City can only improve this periods legacy to next level with CL wins – but Man City forced to equally prioritise both Prem and Euro can only benefit Arsenal, provided we are “only targeting” the former.
Difficult one this. The fixtures are really quite awful for Arsenal in that period.
Normally, I would suggest that one should take one game at a time. However, this season it is just not possible and it will be necessary to rest players for certain games.
Even then though it will difficult for any club to put out a weaker team for a champions league match. What is more likely is that some of the senior players will be rotated from match to match.
Our squad is not as strong as I had hoped it would be so it will be interesting to see how Arteta manages the squad.
A decision needs to be made now. Game week one comes hours after final whistle at Spurs, and hours before kick off at Man City, points dropped in those two matches can really matter in title race at the end of the season, not least puncture momentum and self belief and heap pressure on.
At this stage of the teams development, Champions League win is a long shot, made longer this season by even more of a squad draining challenge and randomness in the competitions format. But Prem Title was much more realistic this season if wholly targeted – longer odds now than last month though with the squad depth having been hollowed out.
I think it was one of the trophy laden Liverpool managers who said a league draw great result end of a Euro – and that was a different era with top four in Prem and Euro competition run was a darn sight easier than these days!
IMO no brainer, the bench and youngsters play this seasons Champions League right from game week one, as we watch and learn as English footballs and Euro footballs elite attempt to challenge on both fronts equally in what looks a very random and challenging Euro Super League mash up.
I think Arteta will prioritise one over the other in some form simply because games in both competitions will be mixed in with each other.
Arsenal’s recent efforts have been focused on winning the league and it would be a little odd not to have that as top priority now in my opinion.
As to squad strength, who knows? Things happen unexpectedly – Merino is apparently injured now and likely to miss several games. What happens if Havertz picks up an injury sometime in the coming months? These events can have all sorts of repercussions so nothing can be taken for granted.
How did prioritizing work last season? Mikel needs to win a trophy this season and he might not win any if he focuses only on one. He should be all in for EPL, CL and FA.
But does Arsenal have the squad strength to do that? Arteta has prioritised the EPL recently but, unfortunately, has fallen short twice. I don’t see him doing anything that jeopardises a third attempt – but successful (hopefully) this time.
Winning a domestic cup will be poor consolation for a third consecutive failure and with the best will in the world I don’t see Arsenal as European champions (quite yet anyway).
EPL first, because UCL is a tougher competition, especially with the new UCL format
If we can’t win EPL, then focus on a European competition
Disagree, it is a cup tournament and anything can happen, whereas the PL is over 38 games and you have to be on form for such a long time. We didn’t lose a game or concede til we got to the final where Barca drew four games, for me there is an element of luck in any cup, but the league I believe a tad more difficult
Abosultely a big YES👌 to EPL.
We can reach quarter/Semi final for UCL because of the rating/financial reward for the club..
No need to prioritise, just take each game as it comes.
This time there is really no choice but to prioritise certain games.
Have a look at the fixtures.
No priorities, while utilising the whole squad, put out the team that the manager and his staff believe can beat what’s in front of them.
Of course we can prioritise what trophy we would most like to win. For me EPL.
Let’s just keep going for all 4 competitions. As the season progresses, it will become clearer which trophy/trophies we can realistically win. Not targeting other trophies and focusing on only one trophy this early in the season is just like ‘putting all your eggs in one basket’, It may not turn out as planned and we might end up empty handed again. Bayer Leverkusen target the treble and ended up winning the double. Liverpool at one time we’re going for the quadruple and they ended up winning he Carabao cup only. Man City were trying to defend their treble and ended up retaining only the EPL title.
it is telling, and refreshing, and hopefully inject new life in to this forum that for once we are actually discussing Arsenal as a club rather than going on and on and on about strikers, strikers, strikers…
bring on 11pm and 4 months without boring striker obsession
on point to the article, and given earlier today a Carabao Cup article, of course Arsenal is going to pursue both PL and CL with equal vigour
Yes, it’s got a lot of coverage here but that may be because you need a depth in strikers as you do across a squad if you want to challenge in more than one competition across a season. It won’t be boring if it costs us come May 2025, it will be “if only…”, won’t it.
As we’ve seen from Merino’s injury – prior to kicking a ball in anger for Arsenal – things happen unexpectedly. Without sufficient strikers, I think Arsenal will be hard pushed to mount this sort of multiple challenges in 2024-25.
it has been boring for 12 months or more, no one on JA demanding Gyrokeres this time 12 months ago now he is the answer to your prayers for €100m no less, joke
here is the state of the squad in Arteta’s 4:3:3
Defence: 8 high quality players to cover back 4
Midfield: 5 players, 2 in twilight of their career, to cover 3 positions, academy to support
Attack: 6 players for 3 positions, 5 high quality, only Nelson a step down in quality
better balance than at start of the window, if anything it is Midfield where Arsenal are exposed
upgrade on Nelson and young Defensive Midfield bigger need than ‘striker, striker, striker’
moot point now as January next opportunity, glad to have 4 months off ‘striker, striker, striker’ like it is the only position on the pitch
I would hope Arteta takes all four competitions seriously.
However, he might just favor the Premiership because of the associated Kudos,
Remember there is lots of money available in the UCL.
But if he brings Sterling in, he might just piss-off the rest of the team, and end up winning nothing AGAIN!!!!
PLEASE DO NOT BRING STERLING IN, HE ONLY PLAYS FOR HIMSELF
Welcome to Arsenal Neto. Just seen On Arsenal website
We should get serious with the Caribou cup to have some silverware through the door and take a little pressure away from the business end-of-season
Both
Welcome Raheem Sterling 😂😍🤣😂😅🥰
Can’t get excited by Sterling. He’s badly needed to fill in some holes but in another sense we are just picking up scraps from Chelsea. As Turkish just ranted on aftv, we needed to go look for the next Stirling and not try to squeeze one more season from a used up player who once promised so much.
Turkish is childish really. He was rating this transfer window “three” of 10. When this windows is probably the best outgoing window in Arsenal history. And Arsenal got their targets, the ones they or any other club actually could. That’s how negative Turkish is, when asked who he would rather sign, he has no answers. That’s quite common with the overly negative fans all around. Moaning endlessly, never satisfied with anything. Arsenal tried to bring Sesko, they had interest in Nico, but you can’t do anything if the players want to remain where they are.
Or perhaps not want to go to Arsenal. Did you ever think of that? Positivity is great. We are all positive at the beginning of a season especially after a perfect start stats wise. But it’s also important to see the storm clouds coming and be prepared.
They didn’t go to any other club as well, so? Sometimes, it is what it is. Haaland stayed at Dortmund to play one more season, but he was basically destined to end up at City.
This window, players were not willing to move too fast from their respective clubs, and I think players now have shown good maturity I think compared to players of the past when they jumped to any opportunity that looked high profile. Gyokeres, needs to prove himself in this season again, Nico and Sesko as well. It was a very closed window from the beginning.
Positivity for the sake of positivity is not something I am advocating, but the likes of Turkish, they are mostly negative, for the sake of it. It’s almost as if he enjoys this image of his. It wasn’t the best window one could hope for, it certainly wasn’t a 3/10. Just Calafiori signing would have made it more than 5 I think, unless we don’t rate him of course.
So happy for Raheem Sterling last minute deal! It’ll be one of the best signing for the club this season if he can get back to his oldself. Arteta’s style of play will suit him well. The best backup winger you can get in this current market, even for a starter on the left. Not a risky deal too as it’s a loan for 2m and only paying 60% of his wages. Good business. Congratulations Afc!
🎉 Raheem Sterling! The signing of the season potentially. It’s mad how this deal gone and to see him in Afc shirt. I believe he’s still one of the best winger of his generation. Chance to be the best bargain deal for the club. Credit to Arteta and Edu. Hopefully with his additional will get Afc for glory this season in the league and champions League. Coyg!
MBB, it’s in Arsenal’s best interests if you are on the money, but hold your horses. In perspective this was a last minute deal done as an act of desperation, signing a player whose club had already told him to get out. I doubt those two cagey foxes, Arteta and Edu were holding their cards close to their chests waiting for the right moment to trump anyone else. Can only hope it comes off though. Otherwise we could be having another William of a season.
He won’t be like Willian at all. Willian was a ball to feet player, Sterling is a runner, exactly what we lack currently. Even at 29, he will outpace every Arsenal player we have. And in a heavily systematic team like Arsenal and City, Sterling will flourish. And Arteta has already coached him while at City, so Sterling is not a new guy who needs to adapt too much with new coaching’s, as Pep has mentioned, it was mostly Arteta who was working closely with their wingers, especially Sterling. So, Sterling already has an idea what Arteta would want with him.
Spot on. The two outstanding factors to Sterling’s game down the years have been his fitness and off the ball movement. We even get all that experience to mentor the younger players.
I’m pleased enough with Sterling. We all know how good he CAN be, and if Arteta gets him back to something resembling his City form then we’ve got a proven match winner, if only for a season.
Welcome Raheem and Neto to Arsenal
So Arsenal has invested in yet another Chelsea reject with a huge wage on his name. Why do we have to be the ones to bail those charlatans out?
William, David Luis, Havertz, Sterling.
Its bad business and a bad signing.
Should have kept nketiah and let ffp deal with Chelsea.
Im not happy with this.
Of those you listed, only Willian could be classed as “bad business”.
Why keep Nketiah when he’s never proved himself?
£30 million is a great piece of business for The Arsenal.
Let’s wait and see just what Raheem brings to the club before calling him bad business.
I’m happy that we have solid cover on both wings now – well done to all concerned.
Of course, if Raheem doesn’t work out, we don’t have to buy him, so he goes back to chelsea – a win win situation.
I wouldn’t call Sterling a reject of any club, and he’s only at Arsenal on a season’s loan at appx half his Chelsea wages, and can cover both of the wide positions.
Raheem Sterling, Really?
What is it with Arsenal. Chelsea must sit and wait, and say don’t worry board members, those mugs in north London will soon take another of our rejects.
Don’t Arsenal ever learn. Apart from Peter Czech, Gallas and maybe Havertz to a point, no other Chelsea player has been a raging success when transferring to Arsenal have they.
And although I’m not that fussed about Nelson leaving for a loan at Brighton, and Eddie Nketiah being sold to Crystal Palace.
We then bring in Sterling and no other attacker, which means we’re now an attacker less.
Also, having let the three academy player’s go, is just another example of Arteta’s lack of interest in the academy overall.
Don’t let his letting some academy player’s to train with the first team squad and warming the bench on match days fool you.
This man couldn’t give two hoots about the academy.
What a joke of a club Arsenal are becoming.
I can just feel the rage of all these Arteta lover’s getting their keyboard fingers ready to defend this joke of a manager.
get a load of this guy…
Wow. You missed Jorginho there, he was really good last season. Him at 6 paved the way for Rice at 8 and Havertz as a CF to work. Where have you been?