Is Mikel Arteta finally going to find the balance his team desired last season? Last season, it was evident that Arsenal’s left-hand side was not doing well. Frequent personal changes occurred at the left back; the void Granit Xhaka left at LCM remained unfilled; and Gabriel Martinelli struggled in his left wing role.
The right side, which included Ben White at right-back, Martin Odegaard at RCM, and Bukayo Saka at right wing, always looked dangerous and carried the team forward in our assaults on the opponents goal.
So, next season, we may see a remodelled LHS with Riccardo Calafiori as left back and the long-awaited Mikel Merino as LCM. The additions at LB and LCM should help Martinelli on the left wing, but he must also demonstrate his quality and improve his efficiency and decision-making around the box.
After achieving equilibrium, the strategy may involve the RHS uniting and working together to manoeuvre around the opponent, while on the LHS, Calafiori, Merino, and Martinelli will simply use their physical power and speed to bulldoze their way through opponents. As a result, they will strategically slice up the opponent with an Arsenal blade on the right side or bludgeon them on the left.
What a dominant Arsenal we are about to see next season! The defenders won’t know which way to turn….
Daniel O
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Arteta and Edu is really cooking something. I can not wait for the league to start
We struggled to score on an open play today. Thank goodness for the goals from the set pieces.
We need a sharp striker please.
Hope it’s not the last
Edu has hinted at something special in transfer window let’s hope he pulls it off need a prolific striker to win us the league!
no he hasn’t, Edu does not make ‘hints’, he is a professional, not seeking ‘click bait’ hits, utter nonsense – school out Mark?
Well, actually he may have. According to Sky Sports reporter James Green, Edu was asked about potential arrivals by fans after the Lyon game and he is quoted as saying: “Be patient, you won’t be disappointed at the end [of the window]!”
Make of that what you will. Personally, I’ll believe it when the ink is drying on the contracts.
Watching today’s game against Lyon, i felt like Martinelli was supported very well by Zinchecko and Rice.
Both flanks looked dangerous and stable.
With Mikel Merino if Arsenal can sign him, it would give the team dinamism. He is 6.2ft and very combertive with best duels won last season in la ega and also left footed. And then if we can add a striker their would be nothing stopping Arsenal next season.
IMO though, if we can’t sign.
A striker I would accept signing a midfielder because no Arsenal fan can bet on Pathey staying fit all through the season and Jorginho is ageing.
Suddenly everyone is tipping Arsenal for the title; and I’m not comfortable with that. I don’t think the squad has been strengthened enough to warrant that confidence. But I’m willing to wait till the end of the window.
I tend to agree with that. After all, at the end of last season if you had polled Arsenal fans with the question “Do you think the addition of a single defender [Calafiori as it turns out] will be enough for Arsenal to overtake City in 2024-25?” I wonder what the answer would be. I doubt many would have responded positively.
There’s still time left of course, but the clock is ticking.
I’m not saying we don’t need another attacker, but I think the squad is stronger than it was.Remember it was only two points separating us from City.This is why I think we are stronger.
1. Our left side is much stronger than it was in the earlier period of last season. With the Rice, a settled Havertz and potentially Merino, the left 8 now looks better.
2. Timber who is essentially like a new signing and Calafiori will give us more options at LB where we conceded some avoidable goals. I have to say Zinchenko has looked good as well in the last two games.
3. Partey if he can stay fit is an important addition.
4. The two academy boys Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Skelly could surprise us and contribute to the team. They are new additions as well.
5. Jesus was hardly fit last season and Martinelli was below par for most of the season. Both of them are capable of 10+ goals and that could be huge.
5. All these players in our squad are now more experienced than they were at the start of last season. Some of them have now been part of two title runs and that should count for something.
6. The coach and his staff are more experienced now. They will have learned from last year’s mistakes. We are already seeing different tactics.
Realistically we’ll need to be in the mid 90s points to win it. That means we’ll need to win two more games to get 95 points. Can we do it? I think we can. I believe our left side being better defensively and offensively is worth six more points.
Agree with your points and astute observations. If we just had a consistently healthy LB last season who had sufficient defensive skills we very well may have won the league. Kiwior did well once he finally started getting the nod over Zinny but his claim to fame is as a CB so he had to grow into the LB role. I’m so disappointed that Tomi has been so injury prone. It must be really tough on him as well because it has been obvious how dedicated he is to the cause.
I hope the Merino deal is done fast.
It seems like Gooners have been saying that for weeks now (and, unfortunately, they have). Fingers crossed.
When talking about the future few mention Trossard, but also forget a lot of Martinelli’s regression was down to his signing.
Stop making excuses for Martinelli. Next it will be the link to mudryk that ruined him.