No Striker this summer?

TRVL
I guessed the name was a trigger. All good my friend.

Do you think Ten Hag will get De Ligt?

Manure are bringing in some potential game changers who seem happy to play for Ten Hag patchy managerial form. Maybe Ratcliffe has let the agents know he’s on top of things and Ten Hag is not going to stand in Manure’s way.

Señor Emery is doing good business also, so expect a CL birth push this season at least. Has bought Onana and Felix who flopped at the Chavs. Junior likes Felix so maybe Emery will get a tune out of twinkle toes Felix. He should be PL ready now.

The Mirror says:

” One of the Premier League’s busiest clubs when it comes to transfers, Villa have already spent nearly £100million this window. Eight new signings will grace Villa Park next season, with the headliner being left-back Ian Maatsen – Other signings include Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barrenechea from Juventus, Ross Barkley from Luton, young Everton forward Lewis Dobbin, and Jaden Philogene and Cameron Archer, both of whom return to the club”.

Meanwhile the ESR you-could’t-make-it-up-if-you-tried El B saga, now has El B saying he wants to keep ESR. ESL is probably why players don’t want to play form El B.

That and Vieira is like a new signing only will be exactly the same as before; a lightweight almost but not quite player.

Hardly Manure or Villa TW levels are we?

Oh the irony.

“Arsenal ‘agree deal worth £33m plus £4m in add-ons with Bologna for Riccardo Calafiori’ as Mikel Arteta looks to add to his defensive options by signing Italy star
Arsenal are close to agreeing a deal with Bologna for Riccardo Calafiori
The Italy international is capable of playing at centre-back or left-back”

What do we do to combat Emery & Ten Hag?

We buy another defender who could take a a season to get up to speed, especially with no pre season, when we needed Eze for our 8 slot.

Eze I think has a release clause of £56M?

Surely that means Zinny is going.

Brentford are reported to be cutting Ivan Toney’s price by more than £30m. Why not put a £20m cheeky bid + Jesus as a make weight?

Assuming Jesus wants to be a starter at Brentford?

Tony—-Calafiori appears to be a done deal, as you’ve suggested, but it has the feels of another Havertz reach, even though I like this player significantly more than our German Giraffe, so long as he’s deployed in his best position…unfortunately pundits are already comparing him to Zinchenko and Kiwior, which means he’s clearly coming to be played out wide…so once again MA’s shoehorning predilictions are on full display…like Havertz, there’s no way Calafiori was on our original wishlist and yet we’ve spent far too much time on something that wasn’t a pressing need…I feel for Timber, as who knows where the fuck he’ll play or if he will play at all, which is too bad as he looks to be the kind of inside/outside cutting wide side backer we’ve been looking for all along…maybe there’s a glimmer of hope that we will deploy a back 3 and have Calafiori and Timber taking up more advanced spaces…my only concerns with that course of action, considering MA’s tactical leanings, are that we probably wouldn’t get a real Striker in and Marts would undoubtedly get benched, as a more tucked inside Tross option would make more “sense” with Bambi skating up top…I would suspect there will be more misplaced managerial mimicry in the offing…this time MA will steal directly from Nagelsmann, even though they crashed out before the finals and Havertz failed to score from open play

So our main (I’m not going to include Tierney or Zinchenko etc) defensive options are going to be Gabs, Saliba, White, Timber, new guy, Tomi and Kiwior – 7 players with a combined cost of circa £190 million and 3 of them are going to be on the bench and in at least 1 case hardly kicked a ball all season.

Our striking options are Jesus (a perma crock), Nketiah (never going to score loads of goals) and Havertz.

If things continue along this general line we’ll be fighting for 5th at best.

TRVL

We paid £40 million for Timber – unless the injury has basically finished him no way we can write him off.

I do wonder if Arteta will look to go with 3 CB’s and have White copy Pep’s thing of stepping into CM.

If not why is he buying players we don’t need when we have seriously pressing issues.

If yes – is he capable of an original idea or thought?

Marc—I think we’re going “big”, in size not intent, as we could have Havertz, Merino, Rice and a couple former CBs turned backers bombing, on occasion, into advanced spaces…sound familiar?…problem with that, we can’t always be the poor man’s version…instead of Holland we have Havertz, instead of Rodri, we have Merino (so Rice can push forward) and instead of Pep, we have the 8-Track equivalent…now if we didn’t have to rely on Kai for goals and got our shit together up top, I would be less perturbed by our prospects…all that said, I get the thought-process, especially from a manager who loves him some negative football when the going gets tough

another rather frustrating day on the transfer front, minus talk about Calafiori pending transfer inching ever closer to the finish line…this just might be the most drawn-out negotiations ever involving a defender with no other competing formal bids…besides that, most of the chatter is focused on outgoings rather than incomings, as rumours linking Eddie to Marseille and ESR to Palace appear to be legit

unfortunately our recruitment strategy, beyond Calafiori, has a sloppy seconds sort of feel about it, as most fall under the category of “if we can’t get our preferred options, here’s who we might go for”…this list includes the likes of a “free” Rabiot, Sane, Kimmich, among others…only Sane makes some sense, as he’s a logical cover piece for Saka, especially if we’re looking for a like-for-like and not something a little tactically different…Rabiot is another Havertz-like luxury buy tweener, who provides very little in the final third, and Kimmich is no longer the kind of peak level performer he once was a year or two ago…not to mention, he would undoubtedly require starting 11 assurances that could come back to haunt us again

finally, I’ve heard more than enough about finding economical solutions, as that ship has fucking sailed, at least in the main, now is the time for bold, all-in moves that speak directly to our supposed top of the charts intentions…Cheers

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-13654865/Italy-star-Riccardo-Calafiori-new-Paolo-Maldini-boost-Mikel-Arteta-title-bid-joins-Arsenal-Bologna.html

That’s some claim that we have the new Maldini; a great player from my younger days when Italy had the tightest and best dark arts defenses from the 80s+.

Their time wasting antics were legendary with many worthy Oscar dying swan’s awards from the merest of contact in every game.

TRVL/Marc
The question I keep coming back to re Maldini junior is why? The back 3 makes the most sense as a defense but it’s what happens in front of the back 3 that worries me.

White playing the Pep “Stones stepping up” is not natural for White to do. Same his overlaps with Saka. He’s ungainly and not suited to tippi tappi Barca triangles of old. He looks what he is: a very mobile CB/RB.

White is not a 6 imho. Could Maldini junior be?

I’m with you guys it’s all heading towards galaxy brain thinking with Edu infected as well or just not fit for TW purpose?

Said from day one that Eze as 8 ACM is the missing piece to get us a title and I stand by those words. We are doing nothing to make our 8 productive if we only have Rice stepping up there. As we saw with England Rice was not a star performer – particularly in the final.

I hope that doesn’t rub off on his coming season with us. However, it looks like Partey is with us for another season to play a handful of games meaning Rice will be expected to be our action man again.

None of it is looking good other than we have a quality defense and right side.

After that, it all starts to let the title challenge look weak and pie in the sky.

I concur with you, Marc. we could be chasing 5th.

Thinking about El B’s about turn thinking on ESR with Fulham about to offer £30M he’s just using gamesmanship of wanting-to-keep him leverage. I think ESR would do well at Fulham who will play to ESR’s strengths a concept lost on El B.

Marco Silva will get the best from ESR.

Sorry fact check says Fulham’s £30m was rejected and Palace are going to make a move. Oliver Glasner will also be a great manager for ESR.

Marseilles are showing interest in Eddie, so fingers crossed but the £100k a week may well scupper that deal or……….. we pay halfsies as we’re good at that….

Tony

No way Marseilles are going to match Eddie’s £100k per week so why would he leave for less money?

With things as they stand trying to predict next season’s line up / formation with Arteta’s previous might to be easier to look at it from who won’t he drop rather than who / how does he want to play.

All assuming none of the players leave.

100% Undroppable

Rice, Havertz, Ode, Saka, Saliba, Gabs,

90% Undroppable

White, New Guy (for now), Trossard (for now)

Who the hell knows undroppable

Martinelli, Timber, Partey, Jesus

All other players are (in my opinion) squad / backup players.

So that’s 9 players for 10 outfield positions in the higher realms of undroppable.

The more I look at this the more I think we’re going with wing backs and 3CB’s trying to copy City’s system.

Beefs of the day:

(1) young players like Obi-Martin are leaving because they no longer see a viable pathway into the side…for a club that has struggled to identify then properly embed academy-developed Strikers, you would think that you might want to keep a 16 year old who potted 32 goals in 18 appearances…obviously there’s no guarantees that this will translate at the senior level, but the above-mentioned numbers are just feakish enough that we should have done everything within our power to retain his services…to make matters worse, it appears as if he will land in a longtime rival’s camp…there’s no manager in all of Europe’s top 5 Leagues that has a worse record when it comes to squad rotation and providing minutes to academy pieces with top-flight trajectories

(2) what does it say about our recruitment practices if Calafiori was our “top priority” signing…now I know that these types of claims are thrown around on occasion during this time of year, but if this statement is to be believed it would not only mean that the whole Sesko saga was nothing more than a horribly mismanaged ruse to give the impression that we were finally going to properly redress our Striker position, it would likewise suggest that we didn’t have any real definitive plan going into the summer and we were going to allow whatever transpired at the Euros to dictate our pursuits…as we all know, using off-season tournament play as a barometer for future success can be a problematic endeavour at the best of times…in the grand scheme of things, there’s been far more fool’s gold outcomes than unearthed gems

(3) minus the seemingly endless pursuit of lesser known Keepers and a multitude of defenders, as Calafiori might not be the only backline add-on, there’s been little to no real talk about us actually acquiring somone who can craft a pass and/or clinically finish…in my estimation, it would be a huge failure on MA’s part if he were to completely ignore our glaring lack of invention and end product…can you even imagine the likes of Real or City relying on the likes of Havertz, Rice and maybe even Merino, if he were to come, from a goalscoring perspective? I think not, which means we’re still a level or two below

Marc—I would strongly suggest that Gabs is far from undroppable, at least in MA’s eyes…at the beginning of last season he benched the Brazilian and I wouldn’t be surprised if it happened again, depending on what transpires between now and the closing of the window

TRVL

Only an idiot drops a key member of what’s been the best centre back pairing for the last couple of seasons unless you have better to replace them with.

Fergie could do it, Pep can do it, dip stick will end up hanging himself by his own arrogance.

Marc—in order to placate his inept acquisitions and tactical decisions, with Havertz up top and Rice pursuing his offensive pipe dreams, MA clearly feels he must reconfigure the backline again…having to rely on those two for a good chunk of our offensive output surely isn’t a decision most intelligent managers would willingly make, so he now must reshape the team so as to best highlight their respective skillsets while likewise minimizing the amount of focus being placed on their obvious defeciencies

to achieve this nonsensical ends it will undoubtedly require that our defenders be pacey, to help with the high press and recover quickly when possession is lost, be more clinical and progressive with their passing, as we likely won’t deploy a proper deep-lying pivot on the regular, and be highly effective when it comes to 1v.1 defending…in this regards, he’s always questioned Gab’s defensive and ball distribution capabilities, but simply chose to stay the course once he determined that his other options didn’t represent a positional upgrade…as such, I wouldn’t be surprised if Timber, Calafiori or another potential recruit replaced Gabs in the starting 11…I’m not sure what that would mean regarding our preferred base tactics, but I believe he wants to find a way to kill two birds with one stone by opting for a singular system that might succeed against both bus-sitters and more established sides in Europe

of course, it wouldn’t be a stretch to assume that we might struggle at times for goals, as simple logic would suggest that last season’s production was more anomalous in nature than likely to be repeated…so in order to best placate his besties, he needs to employ a system that will provide them with ample opportunities whilst taking the least amount of unnecessary risk…to do so he will have to dedicate more men in and around the box at times, which will undoubtedly leave those who are least threatening in front of goal unmarked or facing lesser light defenders in coverage

now I understand why he might pursue this course, in light of the circumstances he himself created, but I strongly disagree with any manager who places his own self-interest over than of the club’s as a whole, which has undoubtedly been the case here for the vast majority of his mixed reign

over that of the club’s

I wouldn’t be surprised if our tactics looked a bit like a hybrid model of the German and Italian national teams, with Tross and Saka tucked inside at times, which isn’t too dissimilar from Southgate’s 2.0 model following the group stage…of course, it would likewise include the usual odes to his former boss, even though we don’t have the requisite personnel options

good posts guys all make sense which is worrying.

Perhaps we’ll see the reinvention of Wenger’s Trolly dash although El B would likely get held up in clean up in aisle 4 where an impasse be the implausible excuse.

A betting company is using Eze to be 5/6 to be Spuds bound as their clickbait. It got my attention until I saw the free bets with…….

I’ve lost all hope of acquiring Eze. TRVL is right with El B seeing our CB and best position 6 is better as an 8 and sometimes false 9.

Clearly, El B sees Rice as our superman – until he finally breaks because well, er, he’s human.

This season I can’t see El B getting the milage out of Saka, Rice, Ode and Saliba. All have been at the Euros after very long seasons playing most games.

I see our treatment room being busy if rotation is the same as last season.

Marc maybe you’re hopefully right and El B has tightened the noose around his scrawny neck.

Could our relaxed owners talk Klopp into taking over?

more talks abound regarding our potential pursuit of the underwhelming Rabiot…it makes some sense, as he’s on a free and we’ve supposedly been linked to this players on a multitude of occasions, but when you look at his salary demands, we should avoid him like the plague…I don’t think he’s a hack, but he’s not the answer to our midfield questions. much in the same vein as another player that MA appears to favour, Mikel Merino…I read an article comparing the two and this is the conclusions they drew:

“Rabiot comes out ahead in more relevant metrics, including non-penalty expected goals plus assists, progressive carries, shots and shots on target, carries into the penalty area, key passes and passing accuracy, interceptions and successful take-ons, all per 90…moreover, he is dispossessed less often, makes fewer errors leading to a shot, and miscontrols the ball less, all per 90”.

so if you think Rabiot is a rather pedestrian option, it speaks volumes about Merino’s potential, or lack thereof…I would bet that even the much older and far more diminutive Kante and the oft-injured Partey would crush both these lightweights in a metrics showdown

Tony—here’s an example of the inane hot takes that are perpetuated by Just Arsenal…this was written by the site’s owner, albeit it under a pseudonym, which is quite a common practice for pro-Arteta blogspots, as we know due to our LG experiences(this clown on JA oft-times uses female names as a ploy to quash the kind of overtly negative responses that his blather tends to encourage) “In Havertz, we have a striker who knows exactly where the back of the net is”…this was found in an article entitled “Fans need to accept that Havertz and Jesus are going to be our main strikers this season”…now of course this could be true, considering our manager’s recruitment missteps and tactical shortcomings, but to try and sell the very notion that our German giraffe is some sort of clincial scoring machine belies logic…this is why I was destined to be shown the door at some point…Cheers

on a more positive note, Vieira, the REAL one, has come out and said that we should prioritize a move for Eze, someone who he knows very well…so he’s in agreement with both you and I…not sure if it will materialize, but considering the rumours surrounding a potential move by ESR to Palace, surely a deal involving the two players could be forged…that said, I’m still not sure why ESR, Eddie and Nelson are on tour in the US, in light of their pending moves…how fucking stupid would it be if any of the 3 were to get injured while playing these nothing burger matches

TRVL

“I’m still not sure why ESR, Eddie and Nelson are on tour in the US”

You struggle to understand this because you’re not a complete moron (not that I’m suggesting you’re any level of moron). Any normal manager would have used these players more during the season adding to or at least maintaining some value, they then would have teams competing to sign them so you wouldn’t have to try and showcase them in pre season.

TRVL/Marc
This Mirror interview speaks volumes re El B:

(When quizzed on the need to upgrade his playing staff, Arteta said):

“We have to. Perfection in this league requires different standards. To relate that word perfection to winning the Premier League then that’s what we have to do .We need to upgrade in everything we are doing. We have to improve in every area and that is what we are trying to do.”

Arteta has been able to overhaul the squad in north London – adding leading lights like Ben White, Rice, Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz. Arsenal have posted huge points totals in recent seasons with their manager adamant they are close to finally achieving their goals – but isn’t sure if he’ll welcome new faces to aid those ambitions.

He added: “I don’t know [if anyone will join us]. It’s still a lot of time to go in the window but that’s more of a question for Edu and the board I think. When you are so close you want to grab it. We are very close.”

The Mirror added:

Arsenal have been linked with defensive recruits and a new face in the final third. The lack of a prolific frontman has been cited as an issue, hence them being linked with the likes of Alexander Isak and Ivan Toney. They’re also thought to be among those pursuing Real Sociedad’s Mikel Merino.

Arteta has been able to overhaul the squad in north London – adding leading lights like Ben White, Rice, Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz. Arsenal have posted huge points totals in recent seasons with their manager adamant they are close to finally achieving their goals – but isn’t sure if he’ll welcome new faces to aid those ambitions.

Arteta added:

“I don’t know [if anyone will join us]. It’s still a lot of time to go in the window but that’s more of a question for Edu and the board I think. When you are so close you want to grab it. We are very close.”

Arsenal have been linked with defensive recruits and a new face in the final third. The lack of a prolific frontman has been cited as an issue, hence them being linked with the likes of Alexander Isak and Ivan Toney. They’re also thought to be among those pursuing Real Sociedad’s Mikel Merino.

Bologna’s Riccardo Calafiori, who played for Italy at the Euros, is among those they want to bolster their defensive line but the deal continues to be held up. Negotiations are rumbling on and Arteta could give no timeline for Calafiori’s potential arrival.

————————————————————————————–

Firstly, WTF does El B know about footballing perfection? All he does is make repeated mistakes year in year out to capitulate every April for the last 4 seasons out of 5.

I mean El B doesn’t know after 8 weeks whether anyone is going to join us, but says he needs an overhaul citing it’s on Edu and the board to decide.

I’m beginning to think Messers Lewes, Kroenkes and perhaps including the seemingly hapless Edu have seen enough of El B’s wastefulness with youth, players values and non negotiables and know he’s reached his level as a manager.

——————————————————————–

If reports are true, City are going to make a move for Eze, TRVL. That will be it for us if pep wants Eze. KDB looks like his wanting a new challenge in Saudi; also a good time for KDB to get out before the FFP trials begin.

Perhaps Eze is KDB’s replacement, but El B wants Rice as 8.

The above highlights what a shit-show El B and Edu are at attracting the right players. No one of any real elite worth be it rough diamonds or established elite wants to play for El B.

Have the Kroenkes & Lewes finally woken up and smelt the coffee?

We can live, dream and hope………….. Sadly while we have El B in charge that’s all we have to cling on to.

88522 and a squad worth more than £1b+ that consistently keeps failing?

What’s the answer guys? How do we salvage this coming season before it starts?

For me the solution is simple, it’s buy Eze and get Ivan Toney cheap by giving Brentford the offer of Jesus. Zinny and Ramsdale plus the 2 packets of crisps and a pint of lager aforementioned.

My reasoning is that Toney is a big improvement on Eddie, Jesus & Havertz, and with Eze and Ode creating, we’d be lethal this season up top. Toney is no way elite, but he’s the next best thing we have to R.I.P Kevin Campbell’s bullying defenses tactics. For me Toney is a Campbell/Smithy hybrid who is an improvement on Havertz if played as a 9. Tross, Marts and Havertz can all add as false 9s.

I think Toney & Havertz would be difficult to marshal for defenses to keep contained. I feel they could play off each other well if being fed by, Tross, Eze, Saka and Ode.

What are the options?

PL untested Merino? Havertz playing his usual Swiss Army Knife roll? Eddie always flattering to deceive? Reis permanently looking lost, but hard working, and therefore, we have no 20+ PL goals a season striker to get us over the line.

Seal worthy El B is hopelessly wrong as per.

We don’t need a squad overhaul.

We don’t need to be losing the gifted potential elite Obi Marten to Manure.

We don’t need to be selling ESR, but get rid of Vieira.

We don’t really need Calafiori and are paying over the top because of the sell on clauses with Roma pitching in now.

We do need to shift: Jesus, Zinny, Eddie and Reis

We do need to buy Eze at his £56m(?) buyout clause if we’re paying £43M+++++for an untested Italian defender

We do need to buy bargain basement Ivan Toney to improve on Eddie & Havertz

The biggest overhaul? We need a new manager and DoF.

Have I missed anything guys?

Perhaps is we really needed a left defender who can play a back 3, LCB and LB then Branthwaite is available from the Toffees who desperately want to keep him.

Here’s why: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FURBW6WgnU4
4 minutes of last season and why I was banging his buy him drum before the TW opened.

PL tested bosses aerially and is pacy for a big lad.

For me a better choice than the PL untested Calafiori and about the same price. PL players come with premiums but Branthwaite is a good bet to see his value rise as he’s still 22.

For me he’s Willie & Gabs levels………….

if*

There’s ample chatter about our interest in Marc Guehi, which makes one wonder, what the fuck is going on here??? Personally, I don’t see what all the fuss is about…I thought he was okay at the Euros, albeit I wasn’t impressed by his ball distribution, and I can honestly say I never really noticed him on the pitch whenever I watched Palace play…now sometimes that latter point might be considered a high complement, as if you didn’t notice him he likely didn’t get burned, but I think it’s important to keep in mind that he’s played for two managers known for their defensive/negative football, minus during the final third of the PL season when Roy was sent to pasture…not to mention, what competition did he really face on his way to securing a starting spot within the national side…as such, I wouldn’t splash more cash on another defender, unless Gabs was on his way out…even then I’m not convinced that this particular player would be on my shortlist of replacements

just to highlight the seemingly constant goalpost moving narratives that have been spun during Arteta’s reign, the same people who have defended Havertz up top, due to our goal production numbers, are the very same people who will try to defend a backline rebuild even though we had the best goals against in the PL…everyday is a cake and eat it too fuckfest when you’re part of the new wave of AKBers…just to clarify, I have no issue whatosever with us pursuing defensive upgrades, just so long as those coming in are readymade options and not cup of coffee coin tossers, but our need for a Havertz upgrade far supersedes our need to find an alternative for Gabs….let’s remember, we didn’t lose to Bayern or tie City, when it mattered most, because we were leaking oil on the backend, we fell short because we didn’t have the requisite guile and end product in the final third

Including a lop sided attacking midfield, TRVL. No real consistent threat from our left side.

We can expect the same this season I fear.

I’m also concerned that one or two of our MV players are going to break.

We saw how we fell apart when early days Partey broke because he was expected to be a one-man midfield, as in can play anywhere, which El B heralded on Partey’s arrival. Seemingly whilst on that particular TW, we were lucky Edu forced El B’s Partey hand because the other option El B wanted turned out to be a prima donna nightmare with brother manager, making Guendouzi look saintly. Would have arrived and straight into the non negotiable bin – never to be seen again.

Partey will be used sparingly; our version of Ledley King only Ledley was class even if he was a Spud.

So, we can’t count much on Partey.

Going back to my earlier thinking that if any number of Saka, Marts, Rice, and Ode are out for any length of time, we are screwed, as in previous seasons. I hope we’re not hit with an early unlucky injury, but come march 8th onwards with fatigue setting in from hardly any rotational rest from the combined seasons and the Euros, I genuinely fear for our stars who we need more than ever at our crucial run-in stage.

When you look at the run in, you can see why El B is concerned and wants an overhaul. You couldn’t make it up.

Almunia if your reading I’m sure your satirical mind will be conjuring visions of the parties concerned talking behind each other’s backs? Hope you and yours are well.

This is where I see the wheels coming off again if not earlier.

March 8 Manure Away
March 15 Chavs Home
April 2 Fulham Home
April 5 Everton Away
April 12 Brentford Home
April 19 Ipswich Away
April 26 Palace Home
May 3 B’mouth Home
May 10 Bin Dippers Away
May 18 Bar Codes Home
May 25 S’hampton Away

Chav’s home with Manure and L’pool away games will be pivotal where if, and it’s a big if we are still in the running. None of the last 11 games are bankable points at that stage purely because of lack of rotation. Tired legs and fatigued minds we see every season where we ship points because of the same shit different day tactics. Other teams seem fresher at that stage than we do.

Would love to know any other thoughts on the above?