FULL SQUAD + WEIRD TRANSFER EXIT RUMOUR + SUPER JACK IS BACK

by .

HOW ARE WE ALL TODAY?

I’m feeling pretty damn fine.

The good news? We once again have a full squad of players to choose from. It now seems very likely that every player is going to head out to America tomorrow. That is good news.

Players transfers seem to be taking their sweet time, there’s not a lot of gossip running through the system, but rest assured, the club is working hard on new deals.

If we can get a left back and a midfielder in the next week, we’ll be a much better side than the one that ended the season.

Main concern is injuries and keeping players fit. Watching Harry Kane collapse on the floor during preseason isn’t the vibe I want to see in America this week, but it was a sharp reminder… these players get put through the wringer, our season crashed because we couldn’t maintain the fitness of our key players without Europe, what is being done to make things better now we have Europa League?

Well, for starters, we have a deeper squad of talent. We’ll start the season minus problematic low talent, low attitude players. That’s a really good place to be.

… but. The most important element comes from the coaching staff. They have to make sure Arteta rotates his players this season. Big Mo, Eddie, and Cedric all proved capable deputies last season. We do NOT have to beast our starting 13 every single game. If w do that again, things will go south in December and March again. We can’t afford for that to happen this season. The stakes are simply TOO high.

YOU WANT FEEL-GOOD VIBES?

Jack Wilshere retired from football. Sad.

Jack Wilshere is back at Arsenal as an U18 coach. Yay!

GROWN MAN WRITING YAY WHAT IS THIS?

You wait, when Arteta exits, the clamouring for Jack as the next first-team coach will be MASSIVE.

Good luck to him.

YOU WANT SOME SCHADENFREUDE?

Mesut Ozil, the most wronged footballer of all time… has had his contract cancelled by coach number two at Fenerbache.

Wow.

But I thought Emery, Freddie, and Arteta were the problem?

Johnny on the podcast cut a classy muted view on this that maybe the player is missing something in his life.

For me, cutting an unclassy tone, I think he has it ALL in his life and doesn’t need football.

He should have retired years ago. Passion is gone. He’ll find another club, do the same, and the cycle will repeat.

An outrageous visionary of the game who gave up.

YOU WANT A WEIRD RUMOR?

Using builder identification language, Big Gabriel as we’ll now call him (it’s usually too many Dave’s on a building site), is attracting sticky rumours from Juve.

The player is a fan fave, he’s had ups and downs, but he’s pure talent… but everyone has a price.

Is Don Pep G doing his underling a favor here? Is he buying De Ligt for £76m, so Mikel get take all that money to bolster his title dreams this summer?

Who knows, but if Juve took that money to Arsenal, I’m not sure what we’d do? We have to sell someone painful at some point, right?

Imagine the damage we could do with that money ON TOP of the money we’re already spending.

Right, short one today, I have a NEW podcast that I recorded with Johnny. I am VERY sorry we messed the sound up.

Also, do you want to feel special? Do you want to feel love from three men on the internet? Sign up to our Patreon and BE that person.

It’ll be all the before the whistles next season AND any European AFTER the whistles.

Become a Patron!

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DM

Afternoon

DM

2

DM

3

DM

Tr4phy

Lalas

4th Trophy..BOOM!

Obum

Are you guys testing the waters to see if fans don’t mind Gabriel leaving? Who’ll be his replacement?

Ishola70

If Juve offer silly money for Gabriel and that money goes into the central midfield areas then it is very much worth considering.

We will see how good Saliba really is won’t we.

Ollie

Rumours are Juve are going to offer approx £30m for Gabriel. I’d laugh them out the room personally.

Ishola70

30m? No that’s not sufficient.

Unless Arsenal are desperate to balance the books after the Jesus purchase.

Madhu

Pedro you said full squad ia available for trip to US, does that mean ‘You know who” can also travel to US?

WengerEagle

Did we not pay £30m for Gabriel?

Anything below £50m isn’t worth considering imo.

englandsbest

Right out of character to sell a young super-talented player like Big Gab. Even at £76 mill. Unless the youngster is a pain in the ass,.The knock-on effect would be dreadful. It would mark the Club down as second-tier. Arsenal should sell a player when it WANTS TO SELL the player – not when some other club WANTS the player. That is the mark of an elite club.

Terraloon

HG From previous thread Well it was fun while it lasted but Chelsea signing Sterling and now Koulibably has them ahead now. £35 mil for a 31 year old CB though is a huge outlay including wages. If he gives them 3 top seasons though, it is money well spent. They have replaced Rudiger as far as they are concerned though. We need more signings if we are going to compete. I keep saying that far too many have gone far too early with their predictions . The TW still has 50+days till it closes the bulk of transfer business… Read more »

Muppetman

After making a big deal out of the Brazilian connection etc when Jesus signed I’d be surprised if we let him go unless it was a 50 million plus offer.

Lalas

Gabriel should not go for anything less that £70 Million + Arthur Melo, otherwise we shouldn’t entertain Juve advances

Ishola70

englandsbest

“The knock-on effect would be dreadful. It would mark the Club down as second-tier. Arsenal should sell a player when it WANTS TO SELL ”

Or needs to sell to balance books.

Saliba seems highly rated himself, as most say the central midfield is sparse and Arsenal still conceded too many goals even with super duper Gabriel and Arteta’s controlled playing system and tactics.

If the money is good go for it.

Needs to be more than 30m though as others have said unless the club really do need to sell to balance finances.

Karsa

Players will be at the World Cup in December.

Fat chance of the national coaches giving them any rest.

WengerEagle

CM has to be the absolute priority for us to kick on to the next level, especially with TPs situation up in the air as if now.

So if Juventus came in with stupid money for Gabriel (£50m+) I would see the logic in selling him and reinvesting the money into CM.

As it is one of Gabriel/White/Saliba is going to be starting the season on the bench. Not much good having a £30m CB on the bench when you have massive holes in midfield.

Terraloon

Lalas Gabriel should not go for anything less that £70 Million + Arthur Melo, otherwise we shouldn’t entertain Juve advances In the current market Gabriel isn’t close to a£70 million player. The articles I read suggest clubs ( Juve don’t appear to be the only interested party ) is the valuation is staggeringly low at €40 million. But what you have to factor is is two things 1) Playing in the CL is a big deal for a lot of players 2) Wages. It’s said that he is on just ( can’t believe I said that ) £50k a week… Read more »

NJ Gooner

I think it is a sign of progress that clubs want to sign our talented players. Very flattering. Bear in mind that last year we paid some to leave and this year there are a half-dozen we can’t sell. It is great that other clubs want to sign our ‘talent’ at last. Whether we let them buy our talent, and for what price, is another matter. Every player has a price. I really like Gabriel. But there is some figure out there too good to refuse. 50m? 55? 60? The question would be how’d we would line up in defense… Read more »

englandsbest

Ishola70

‘Balancing the books’ is not a NOW issue at Arsenal. Nor, for that matter, is it a NOW issue at most elite clubs. The evidence indicates that the elite clubs and many ‘wannabee elite clubs will go as far as it takes to stay elite or to enter the elite.

Marko

You wait, when Arteta exits, the clamouring for Jack as the next first-team coach will be MASSIVE.

That’s a good one…no way you’re serious

Ishola70

What happened to Arsenal’s financial model Englandsbest?

I thought it was something to be proud of.

Anyway as Terraloon says we have not taken into mind Gabriel’s feelings on this possible move. Bigger wages and CL football could be tempting for him.

And before someone tells me you don’t sell just because a player may want to leave well we know it doesn’t always play out like that don’t we.

zaco

Pedro are you pushing for the era of money over Ambition? you want to sale Gabriel to buy who exactly? some of you are even valuing him at 50M, are you kidding me? Ben White was 50M and Nathan Ake is going to Chelsea for 45M, De Ligt is going to wherever for over 70M and you Value Gabriel wh is a thousand miles better than them all at 50M?
I won’t sale Gabriel who is only behind Diaz and VVD for 80M, won’t even consider selling him at any price for now.

Ollie

Gotta agree with Zaco.

Gabriel is better than White and Ake. Therefore £60m is the fee I’d do business at.

Ishola70

zaco

“I won’t sale Gabriel who is only behind Diaz and VVD”

lol third best centre back in world football?

Don’t tell Don.

It’s those goals he scores from CB innit.

Don’t get me wrong he has good attributes but he needs to improve on certain aspects.

Mb

So you sign a player in 30million and after few seasons of development right before the player will hit his prime, you are going to sell him in 30m?

Makes no sense. It should be double or nothing.

Ollie

Sorry, I wasn’t agreeing with Zacco’s assertion that Gabriel is the 3rd best CB in the world – just that he’s better than Ake and White, IMO.

MidwestGun

If Juventus want to give us 30 mill + Weston Mckennie .. for Gabriel. I’d do the deal right now. But I have no idea why we would want to do business with that Club after they continually mess other Clubs around player trading to cook the books in their favor with bogus player valuations. (They are currently under investigation for 42 of their transactions since 2019)Hence why they are desperate to throw in Melo to any deal.. And especially after they played us for a patsy on the Vlahovic deal last January, I think I would take a hard… Read more »

karim

Positive Pete

If you’re looking for a high quality left-footed creative midfielder, Paqueta is a dream signing imho.
He’s not only a brilliant, skillful player who can create, assist and score almost at will but
as TH14 mentioned, he’s almost as impressive in his defensive contribution. The man’s possessed !
Definitely one to watch at the WC.

He’s very versatile too and I don’t think it would be that hard to associate him with our other ( less experienced ) technical players.

Make of that what you will !

Tom

Selling Gabriel now would be a step backwards.
White/Gabriel is our best CB pairing as things stand.

Mb

Agree with you, Tom. It was a White + Gabriel partnership mostly last season, I don’t see it changing any time soon. It would just turn out to be a rumour or would be rejected eventually by AFC.

There is no point selling Gabriel even for 50m when you know you can’t get someone better than him in same amount of money.

As for ‘Saliba can replace him’, we are forgetting we got Europa and there would be 2 pairs of CBs needed at best when there are no injuries.

Bill

Have I missed something whilst I’ve been away?

Full squad available? Everyone?

That sounds pretty darn good

WengerEagle

We are just after conceding 50 goals in the league so let’s not pretend that anyone in our backline is unsellable.

But it would have to be a damn good offer because I do rate Gabriel.

Mb

WengerEagle

“let’s not pretend that anyone in our backline is unsellable.”

Try selling Xhaka for a change lol

zaco

Ollie and Ishola, there is no where i said Gabriel is the third in the world, yes i did say he is only behind VVD and Diaz both of whom are in the premier league. Having said that, you will agree with me that Gabriel can only get better and better and considering how good at this age i won’t be surprised if he goes on to become the very best in few years’ time. so if you are selling him now who exactly are you going to replace him with? and why should anyone consider selling him just to… Read more »

GoonerDave

Gabriel might want a new contract. Transfer stories are often gamesmanship from agents. If we did accept 30 million for him, it means we are officially a top 6 club and are happy to stay there. Our wage bill has been absolutely slashed and that doesn’t seem to be changing. Project youth is a good way to keep fans onside while slashing costs. I hope I’m wrong, but I do not trust our owner one bit. And the TV money is huge in the PL. We rake in millions for each match shown on television. If we need to balance… Read more »

Ollie

let’s not pretend that anyone in our backline is unsellable

True, but we would need enough money to buy someone to replace any of them.

Bill

Fuck selling Gabriel when we seem to have 3 high quality candidates for CB and a very serviceable 4th option and definitely fuck off to Juvé for all the reasons listed by Midwest Gun

I’m sick of Italian clubs selling for mega bucks then claiming poverty. Fiorentina, Roma and Juvé.

If they want to buy one of our players, the club needs to put an outrageous figure and keep to it

They can’t afford it? Then fuck off or we can negotiate by taking OUR pick of THEIR players……and I don’t mean Arthur.

Positive pete

Karim.cheers.& Tom’s right.A backwards step if we did at this stage.Puts evenmore pressure on Saliba.Then injuries?

Mb

If ain’t broke don’t fix it. We shouldn’t touch the CBs partnership, not noe at least when we have the midfield to sort out first.

Positive pete

Besides Juve the corrupt b’ stards are taking the piss with 30 million.Try doubling it & NO we don’t want the midget Melo.Thanks.

Ishola70

Don’t forget we have Holding in reserve.

One of the best penalty box defenders around.

What Mari is still doing at the club is anyone’s guess.

It’s for the best to keep Gabriel really just for the reason that Arteta would probably not put the money into central midfield anyway.

As Weagle says we are not talking about a water tight defence here are we and this with Arteta’s shall we say controlled playing style overall as well.

karim

Thanks for the kind words Eagle, looking forward to our next chat mate.

Mb

Chelsea is gonna try for Gnabry after missing out on Raphinha. Now that’s going to hurt.

Ishola70

Mb
“If ain’t broke don’t fix it. ”

I wouldn’t say it’s broken but is it working on all cylinders?

Anyone would think we had a great defensive record season just gone.

I agree when posters state that a better central midfield can help the central defence in itself but I think it’s jumping the gun to state the current CB partnership is beyond any doubts as to it being untouchable.

Spanishdave

We have a terrible defensive record, White and Gabriel are not that good any offers get rid and look to improve.

Mb

Ishola70 Yes, there were errors from our CBs and you can’t call them the best. There’s toom for improvement but if you factor that Gabriel is only going to improve and it would need much more money to get someone of similar quality than what we would sell him for, it’s better to just keep him for now. May be in a year, Saliba turns out to be better than him we can check again but for now White and Gabriel started most of our games last season. And midfield is priority. Selling a CB would just add work for… Read more »

Mb

Plus Saliba is not tested yet in Premier League. You can’t rest your season for a young peospect who has not played a single game yet for us.

Also, Gabriel > White.

Mb

Spanishdave

It’s because we don’t have a functioning midfield. There is no threat of counter attack, Xhaka is slow and we didn’t have enough coverage at LB.

If we fix these, our defensive record should improve. And Ramsdale was equally responsible for some of that leakage in last few games.

Ishola70

I don’t know what I see as areas that Gabriel can improve upon will automatically improve over a few seasons.

It might be just the player he is and in his character as a player.

Of course what I see as areas he can improve upon would be seen to others as areas that are not a problem at all for him.

All about opinions.

Spanishdave

Mb
Both our defenders particularly White goes to ground early and Gabriel turns his back when a forward is about to shoot. They both are slow closing down space, so it’s a coaching problem as it doesn’t seem to get better.
A tough midfielder is a must but Arteta just doesn’t seem to be able to fix it

Terraloon

Gooner We rake in millions for each match shown on television. If we need to balance the books after 1 signing, something is very rotten at Arsenal. I have been banging the drum on finances for quite a while. The cupboard is bare in terms of club resources. The cash reserves long gone, no CL for some years, no major fees received from outgoings yet the spending continued. At some point there had to be some money recouped from player sales. The wage bill may now be lower but for trading year 21/22 it probably was pretty close to the… Read more »

raptora

If Chavs add Gnabry to Sterling they’ll be stronger than last year.

Colney Gooner

I thought Xhaka wouldn’t be traveling to USA as he’s not fully vaccinated or was that BS?

Marko

Paqueta rumors still persisting… very interesting

Kegunner

Gabriel needs to be more consistent, avoid rash decisions and improve in the air. Better defensive drilling will improve the player. In case of any incoming defensive player a leader at the left of defence or midfield is needed.

Gabriel and Tierney sometimes have lapses in big games. A vocal leader on that flank can improve performance.

DigitalBob

Thanks Pedro, will give the new pod a listen shortly! I’d disagree with the notion of Arsenal fans wanting Wilshire to take over from Arteta eventually. He’s half a decade away from his first top flight job in my opinion. He’s only just retired and needs to get his badges as well as see if he has a taste for long term coaching and management. One to watch but certainly not next in line at the moment. We have a few Arsenal alumni ahead of him if you’re looking for an Arsenal man (Vieira, Gio van Bronckhorst, TH14) to take… Read more »

Leftside

Think we should be keeping our better players, and Gabriel is one of them.

GoonerDave

Terraloon
The club is raking in about 100m a season just from TV money. We should not need to balance the books, especially having cut so much in player salaries. Arsenal turn over huge money each season. Even now, after the stadium move and with monstrous TV money, we are poor somehow. It doesn’t add up at all.
Let’s see what the wage bill is when the window closes. I suspect project youth is a way to placate fans while paying out smaller wages.

englandsbest

Arsenal’s financial model remains, as always, self-sustaining. But it’s an ongoing process which allows for periods where the Club spends more than it earns – such as lately. And yet there is more prize money in pro football than ever. And with Covid accepted as endemic, gate receipts will return to pre-covid levels. In other words, the way forward for elite clubs is to stay elite.

Emiratesstroller

Arsenal have spent in the current transfer market the third largest amount of money behind Manchester City and surprisingly Leeds United. One assumes that Leeds are buying in anticipation that Raphinha is sold this summer. Arsenal have spent sofar around £87 Million and I have always believed that our budget this summer will match last year at least at £150 million. So we have around £63 million still to spend. The club will need to offload around 7-8 players this summer and the expectation is that Leno,Runarsson, Bellerin, Mari, Torreira, AMN, Nelson and most probably Pepe will leave. I don’t… Read more »

Tony 2

Afternoon chaps off track and a bit left field but thought I’d share. Many many years ago me my cuz and a few mates would climb the fence at Highbury to kick a ball about on the hallowed turf. It was exquisite. Point I’m clumsily making that crest shown above was the badge I remember as a yoot. There were 2. 1 adorning the east stand and 1 the west. Standing around 3″6 high it was the crest. 1 day my young cuz decided to ‘borrow it’s and today 40 yrs later still takes centre stage in his living room

Adams

Aside vandijk, dias and silva, i don’t see anyone better than gabriel in the league. He is the highest scoring centreback in the EPL last season, i think journalists linking him to juventus for 30million lack story to write about cus arsenal are not selling gabriel.

Un

Kegunner Spanish Dave and Ishola the only guys who recognise the faults in Gabriel’s game

I surprised at weagle

Un

Oct Palace home 2-2 Gabriel gets done by benteke for their first after partey gives it away Liverpool 4-0 home Misses header for first and let’s his man/zone go In no man’s land for third, misses header, jogsback slowly Let’s minamino go for the 4th Dec Man U away 3-2 Fails to close down opponent for second. Literally just does nothing Everton away 2-1 Let’s Richarlison go, his toe is just offside and his blushes are spared Gets sucked in ball watching for their first and leaves 2 men at far post with Tavares on his own. Jan Man City… Read more »

Zacharse

Some funny comments today- did pete suddenly get hired to the transfers dept? What exactly does he have to do w anything? Juve have been hot for him as chiellinis replacement for more than a year, this isnt news. Whats news is a huge fee from chelsea etc for de ligt. I think thats the point here. If we double the 27m investment in him that means we can add 2 in place of him. I think thats the other point. I will leave the tough task of how much to sell for, identifying players etc to the experienced comment… Read more »

Dissenter

Un and his anti-Gabriel campaign
I’m sure he’ll volunteer to drive the payer to the airport this very minute.

Un

Gnabry wont join chelsea due to his arsenal roots
I’m amazed that we’d go for raphinha and not him. He’s literally one of the top 5 wide forwards in the world and top 3 on the left

Dissenter

Zach
” If we double the 27m investment in him that means we can add 2 in place of him. I think thats the other point.”
Because good defenders with premier league physicality are a dime a dozen?

The cost of replacing him will be as much of whatever we get for him

Un

Diss

No. He’s got qualities. If he could concentrate he’d be a world class centre half but he just switches off. If you gave him what holding has or holding what he has, either would be world class

Un

£35-£45m for Serge Gnabry. I don’t think we really need a wide man but by god this is a great deal. If we are in for a wide dowsed anyway then I just cannot fathom why we wouldn’t be interested in this deal. How is he going so cheap?

jabberwocky

do you guys ever get bored having the same arguments day in, day out?

Pierre

Un
“? Was he(xhaka) not our best player against Chelsea”

https://youtu.be/2XIKhLXPNzg

Xhaka’s best bits v Chelsea .

BacaryisGod

Selling Gabriel would be a truly moronic decision. He’s a little rash at times but he’s a great asset at the club. We finally have four decent CBs heading into what will be a long campaign with a World Cup tossed in the middle of it. Why on earth would we sell him, Un’s bizarre agenda notwithstanding?

BacaryisGod

Let me also keep banging the drum about our highest priority being CM. Gnabry would be a luxury buy when we are probably two quality CMs short for this coming season.

englandsbest

It’s a mistake to base judgement of players on last season’s performances without taking into account that, figuratively speaking, they were fighting with one arm tied behind their back much of the way. Without that, the countdown of mistakes made by, say, BIg Gab, is way off-beam. Same with Rob Holding. The squad was deficient in numbers, plagued by illnes, wasted by injuries, undermined by wannaways, destroyed by slanted referees. As for transfers, the window is wide-open for a while yet – 50 or so days. And as for money my belief remains a gross spend of circa £215 million… Read more »

Adams

I don’t understand what un is saying. You are sure anti-gabriel.

Aaron

Our defense was worse because our midfield was worse.

Simple fix, tighten up the midfield, get a lb and dm, someone to replace Xhaka and Partey (if needed, hope not) and maybe we can have a discussion about anything.

Right now it is pointless, as it stands we are only better becuase of Saliba, Viera, and Jesus, however with the injury plagued starters we are close to being the same.

Un

Bac

I agree
Gnabry is a luxury but if we are in for raphinha for £60m then gnabry at £45m makes sense. He’s a year older, hugely experienced, cheaper and better.

Un

England is best
Interesting argument.
A defence of Cedric white Gabriel Tavares was awful
If we can keep our first choice full backs fit then I’d like to see how they get on but it doesn’t account for how both Gabriel and white switched off so often from simple balls or simple man marking
Jury is well and truly out on both for me

Un

Aaron

Our midfield was the same
We lost partey for half the season last season but added tomi white and Ramsdale. It should have been better

englandsbest

Taking experience of Ozil and Auba (along with others) into account, what are the odds that Salah will not match his past form? Human nature being what it is, isn’t he likely to sink into the comfort zone of lotsa money. There are are exceptions – Christiano and Lionel, awash with cash, continue at their i(near) best into their deep thirties.

My guess is sporadic – too good to drop but no longer good enough to game change.

TR7

Romano: ” Barcelona have finally submitted the official bid for Raphinha, Leeds are set to accept! €58m fixed fee, up to €68m with add-ons. Deal at final stages. 🚨🇧🇷 #FCB

All parties waiting for Barça to be able and ready to register Raphinha, then it will be signed… here we go soon.”

Habesha Gooner

I think selling Gabriel would be an idiotic move. Unless you get a stupid offer like 70 mil then it doesn’t make sense to sell him now. You need stability in your defense. That is how it gets better. Chopping and Changing defenders every season or two isn’t the way to build a winning team. City had Kompany and Otamendi, and they added Stones and Laporte to it. And when the former two retired and were sold, they brought in a top CB in Dias. Ake was signed to be a rotation option. Liverpool have had Van Dijk, Matip and… Read more »

Habesha Gooner

Teraloon
Some things are already clear though. Spurs are going to have a far more depper squad than previous seasons. And Chelsea will depend on their ability to sign capable players in attack and defense.

We can also compete if we fix the obvious and glaring problems that we have.

I agree though, it is a bit early to say who is going to finish where.

Spanishdave

Un
Nice summary sums him up nicely.
He’s not good enough for top four. Holding is average hence our poor record.
Saliba may be ok but if he really doesn’t want to be here then we really need another CD.
Arteta is not good at defence planning

Bob N16

Un, you’re so critical of Gabriel and White but Holding’s farts smell good to you. No accounting for taste!

Someone posted that Holding is a great penalty box defender or words to that effect. Some truth in that but if we want to play a high line our CBs will need to leave the penalty box and push up closer to the half way line. How do we then accommodate Holding without him getting a metaphorical nose bleed? Answers on a postcard or a post.

Spanishdave

Bob all three are average defenders we really need to upgrade them

Adams

Un, who will replace gabriel when he is sold?

nwm

Englandsbest Every season has injuries and Illnesses. I think Un is right, the defensive solidity of the White-Gabriel pairing is a little bit mirage. In the five years between Arsenal finishing second in 2015-16 and this season they have conceded more than the 48 goals they conceded this season twice, they gave up just three more goals in both Arsene’s last season and Emery’s first season. These were teams in which Mustafi and Sokratis played a lot of games. In addition, tactically they were much more open, scoring more than 70 goals in each of those seasons. It should also… Read more »

Un

Bob

Well holding isn’t suited to a high line. It’s not something I’m unaware of, if you’d read previous comments of mine.
Anyway
Gabriel is athletic but not the brightest for me. When his physicality diminishes he will be no good for anyone in the top half of the table

Un

Adams

Xakha will. And tielemans will play lcm 😉

Br0wnie

I see Jovic went to Fiorentina on a free. Would have been worth the gamble , depending on his weekly wages.

Habesha Gooner

This is what irritates me. A goals conceded stat isn’t only on a defense. Defenders need help from their fullbacks and their midfield. Up to Tomi’s, Tierney’s and Partey’s injury, we were conceding in very low numbers. That tells me that we need better alternatives in order to maximize our chances of not conceding. Here is what I know of our CBs from last season, Both White and Gabriel can hold their own unless they are ridiculously exposed. Holding needs to play in a deeper line system if he has to start. Keep Partey fit infront of them for a… Read more »

Bob N16

Spanishdave, I’m more than ok with Gabriel and White, both individually and as a partnership there is room for improvement but unless they regress I think they’ll be fine. It may well be that Saliba is better than both of them.. TT is a more than decent CB too but we have no real RB back up unless Saliba could play there. Holding is a reasonable 4th choice CB but I’d put out feelers to see whether we could get decent money for him, if possible I’d invest in a new RB – selling Cedric as I think he’s below… Read more »

Spanishdave

Yeh keep Tierney fit? Keep Partey fit?
Good luck with that.
Reality please, Arteta’s squad is lightweight we will suffer.

Adams

Selling gabriel because he makes few mistake is the most unsensible, foolish, unwise, idiotic and useless decision one will make. Tell me a defender who does’nt make mistake.

Spanishdave

Bob
I am not saying sell all three but last season the coach didn’t seem capable in improving them, the same mistakes kept repeating.

Bob N16

Un, Gabriel’s 24, his physicality should be fine for a few years yet.I think CBs can improve their decision making and positioning well into their mid twenties so I think we should assume he will progress. Just like with Xhaka, it bothers me if a preferred system of playing has to be adjusted to accommodate for the weaknesses of any individual player. If that player deserves to be a squad player, not a starter, they are not fit for purpose if they have glaring deficiencies and a system has to be changed. Holding is too slow and turns like the… Read more »

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