HOUSEBOAT - Warning: tenuous links ahead!: Page 402 - The Arsenal discussion forum and community: One More in the Tolly

HOUSEBOAT - Warning: tenuous links ahead!

Ray

I wonder if Fekir will be used in CM next to Partey, would help with quicker transition to attack, better handle of being pressed. Similar to Wilshere / Cazorla. Wouldn't mind on the cheap.

jones

Qwiss! wrote:
Thats it too. Unless we win the Europa league I don't think we are a hugely attractive proposition for players with a good profile. We'd need some very savvy scouting and some ballsy moves to have a good summer. Being so strongly linked to someone like Fekir now doesn't fill me with confidence. Considering Saka and ESR are pretty much nailed on starters there is room for one more, and for me that player needs to be better than Pepe whether they're a 10 or a winger as ESR can switch. Odegaard fits the bill on that, Fekir, Coutinho, even Aouar I don't think so.

I like ESR but I don't think he's done nearly enough to be considered a nailed on starter. If we're talking promise it should be Pepe if we're talking current ability there's little between him and Ödegaard. If we're talking reliability he probably shouldn't be in the conversation.

lorddulaarsenal

Pepe doesn’t bring others in to play like Odegaard.

I’d be tempted by Buendia if we can’t sign Odegaard

Klaus

I think Buendia is an excellent option too. I'd be tempted to sign him anyway and stick him on the wing if we lose a couple of bodies this summer.

Anzac

Klaus wrote:
I think Buendia is an excellent option too. I'd be tempted to sign him anyway and stick him on the wing if we lose a couple of bodies this summer.

Saw a headline claiming we still want to sign Buendia regardless of what happens re MO.

Anzac

@lorddulaarsenal wrote:
No to Aouar either. He’s a turnover king.

OL reportedly want 55m Euros.

Anzac

Qwiss! wrote:
If we miss out on Europe and don't land Odegaard then I don't think we should sign a number 10.

Change the configuration/formation to a 433/41221 rather than 4231?

Anzac

'Linked' to Dusan Vlahovic

https://www.whoscored.com/Players/315369/Show/Dusan-Vlahovic

Claudius

I think folks under-appreciate how much a Odegaard has helped with verticality. Even more than ESR because he fills the middle space and orchestrates on the ball more. Only way it works is if you have an aggressive 8 like Sabitzer.

lorddulaarsenal

Anzac wrote:
'Linked' to Dusan Vlahovic

https://www.whoscored.com/Players/315369/Show/Dusan-Vlahovic

Arteta sure loves him a leftie

speedy

Looks slow, but very good on YouTube.

BWooley

Probably too expensive, especially if we are looking to sign Odegaard on a permanent deal? The way I see it, the Lacazette money (probably 25-30M) will have to be utilized to sign another forward (striker / LW) and the MF clean up will have to fund its own replacements (Torreira + Guendouzi = new MF; Xhaka / AMN will have to fund another). Odegaard will be our net spend effectively.

QuincyAbeyie

The Lacazette + Nketiah money for a striker. We only need two strikers with Martinelli being the emergency option (or he'll take the backup spot himself if he proves himself capable).

BWooley

That's exactly what I was thinking. Lacazette + Nketiah is probably 30-35M to my mind at most, if that and will be used for a backup striker or a LW (if Martinelli is the backup striker).

goon

I hate to throw the FIFA career mode line at you guys but, yeah, this isn't career mode. The areas that are essential for me are CAM, CM, RB, LB cover, GK cover, that in itself is a lot of work, never mind finding a striker which is tough in the best of times, and finding a second quality CM. Aside from the logistics, you'd be creating a lot of instability going into next season.

A second CM/Xhaka replacement is just creating more work than necessary, You lot need to get over your Xhaka trauma for another year. Auba and Martinelli should be fine to hold the line next year.

Qwiss

"More work than necessary". We are 10th, the club insist its the squad not the manager so that means there is a lot of necessary work on the squad. The midfields been an absolute mess all season, its needs an overhaul far more than right back does. You need to get over your Bellerin trauma for another year.

QuincyAbeyie

I think we're one striker too many this season, but selling both Laca and Nketiah without signing anyone might be too much.

Qwiss

Quincy Abeyie wrote:
I think we're one striker too many this season, but selling both Laca and Nketiah without signing anyone might be too much.

Yeah I think so too. I wish Eddie had ousted Laca and got a new contract, that would have been perfect but he didn't so I don't see any logic in giving either of them new deals, just sell both and replace with someone young-ish. It should make more sense for the wage bill too.

goon

Qwiss! wrote:
"More work than necessary". We are 10th, the club insist its the squad not the manager so that means there is a lot of necessary work on the squad. The midfields been an absolute mess all season, its needs an overhaul far more than right back does. You need to get over your Bellerin trauma for another year.

Improving your 3rd choice centre mid is just a waste of time and resources. You'd definitely get more out of getting a first choice quality right back. Xhaka as backup/rotation option is fine. A fit Partey, a top class partner and Odegaard would be what I consider an overhaul of the midfield. If you really want to go another step just give Willock or Azeez some chances in there to freshen it up.

Eddie has barely played this season and is practically 4th choice at this point, he's pretty much a non factor in terms of loss. Laca may be a miss, but again I don't really see the point in spending resources on a striker when you have someone genuinely top class up top and one of the best young prospects around behind him in Martinelli (by the way, Balogun is a real idiot if he leaves). I'd rather we spend what we have on building the strongest first XI possible.

Ray

There needs to be change. Either the players go or the manager, otherwise we'll be back here again in a year in 10th spot discussing why Arteta keeps picking Xhaka.

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