Gazza M wrote:
Klaus wrote:

I'd happily give guys like Saka, Nelson and Martinelli every single minute Willian will play.

Marti is almost a write off next season. They'll all still get ample minutes, while being protected from being relied on entirely

Agree. Martinelli will barely play next season and he was vital in those big wins in Europa in the first half of the past season. And we overplayed Aubameyang this season. A new body in there will help. This season is very condensed. If we can keep Aubameyang rested, will be a great benefit. 

Plus it could also be that Lacazette is on his way out the door, Auba is moving central and we're not planning on having Auba, Willian and Saka for one position.

Claudius wrote:
Gazza M wrote:

Marti is almost a write off next season. They'll all still get ample minutes, while being protected from being relied on entirely

Agree. Martinelli will barely play next season and he was vital in those big wins in Europa in the first half of the past season. And we overplayed Aubameyang this season. A new body in there will help. This season is very condensed. If we can keep Aubameyang rested, will be a great benefit. 

It's a fair point, assuming no more lockdowns, these guys aren't getting a break till 2022 - at which point they'll jump into the muddled up football calendar because of Qatar WC. I don't think we've got enough bodies.

Klaus wrote:
goon wrote:

And what's the suggestion anyway, that we play Saka for 50 games next year?

I'd happily give guys like Saka, Nelson and Martinelli every single minute Willian will play.

I don't support signing Willian but seriously he's a more consistent and clear upgrade over those 3 players on the wings.

It's like everyone didn't want Luiz but he is still our best defender which is why we signed him in the first place

Any upgrade is an upgrade although in my view it's not enough. Depending on those 3 young players is insane and will bring us nowhere.

Mirth wrote:
Claudius wrote:

Agree. Martinelli will barely play next season and he was vital in those big wins in Europa in the first half of the past season. And we overplayed Aubameyang this season. A new body in there will help. This season is very condensed. If we can keep Aubameyang rested, will be a great benefit. 

It's a fair point, assuming no more lockdowns, these guys aren't getting a break till 2022 - at which point they'll jump into the muddled up football calendar because of Qatar WC. I don't think we've got enough bodies.

You saw those poor Chelsea players falling apart in the final. I’m not sure what you’re supposed to do as a manager now. Give the guys 2 weeks break? And then get them ramped up to full fitness and friendlies with the premier league starting up in a month again? There is no way we should be fielding anyone who started Saturday in the Community Shield. That buys us 2 weeks.

Good move to let us shift Auba to the middle, but I worry we lack depth/variety in terms of CF if Laca leaves.

We'll be crying out for a technical forward who can drop deep even more.

Bring Back Kerrea Gilbert wrote:

Good move to let us shift Auba to the middle, but I worry we lack depth/variety in terms of CF if Laca leaves.

We'll be crying out for a technical forward who can drop deep even more.

If Auba is an option centrally then him and Eddie, and Gabi at a stretch, are as good depth as we've had at any point in the past decade. There will be minutes for Balogun or John-Jules too in the cups depending on who's being sold and loaned.

Ornstein has said balogun is leaving.

Auba is great up-top but Martinelli is out till new year.

A stretch to say he can contribute before feb-march.

Nketiah is a worker who doesn't score a lot.

I want laca to go but get in a decent sub.

Gunner89 wrote:

Nketiah is a worker who doesn't score a lot.

Nketiah has an insane goalscoring record on youth level and a goals per minute ratio on pair with Auba so far in the first team.

He's unproven in the pl and I don't think you can dispute that.

He's got 2 league goals albeit with limited minutes.

Klaus wrote:
Bring Back Kerrea Gilbert wrote:

Good move to let us shift Auba to the middle, but I worry we lack depth/variety in terms of CF if Laca leaves.

We'll be crying out for a technical forward who can drop deep even more.

If Auba is an option centrally then him and Eddie, and Gabi at a stretch, are as good depth as we've had at any point in the past decade. There will be minutes for Balogun or John-Jules too in the cups depending on who's being sold and loaned.

Would love to see Gabi get another chance at CF once he's fit. He scored in all of his (two?) appearances from there then he was inexplicably only played on the left since.

Also really want to see TJJ in action. Heard he's that profile of striker.

Gunner89 wrote:

He's unproven in the pl and I don't think you can dispute that.

Of course he's unproven, but that's not what you said. He's the opposite of a grafter in many ways. Bloke's a box player whose game is about sniffing out chances.

Gunner89 wrote:

He's unproven in the pl and I don't think you can dispute that.

So how does he get proven without minutes?

https://www.caughtoffside.com/2020/08/06/arsenal-transfer-news-willian-partey-coutinho-gabriel-torres/
"Coutinho, however, looks to be off as Arsenal are described as having ended their interest in the Barcelona flop, though this is contrary to what’s been written in the Spanish football news media.

Either way, Arsenal would do well to bring in big names like Willian and Partey to give them a much-needed boost for next season, while Coutinho could also be good if they decide he’s worth the gamble."

My concern is that we still need to add creativity to the midfield as IMO we are still short.

I'd rather Nketiah get a loan.

Probably best to get more minutes on a loan and develop and us having a reliable goalscorer.

Klaus wrote:
Gunner89 wrote:

He's unproven in the pl and I don't think you can dispute that.

Of course he's unproven, but that's not what you said. He's the opposite of a grafter in many ways. Bloke's a box player whose game is about sniffing out chances.

That's very much what he traditionally has been but under Arteta he's played more of a workhorse role.

I'd rather he gets a loan to properly develop and get proper game time.

He hasn't had a season playing regularly at the senior level be it the PL or championship.

He's only been "a workhorse" because of our nonexistent midfield/widemen chance creation/ball progression... Whatever you wanna call it.

He's also a workhorse because he gets subbed on late to help see out games by pressing

Feed the Ed and he will score.

Having said that his hold-up play has improved quite a bit recently as well.

Bring Back Kerrea Gilbert wrote:

He's only been "a workhorse" because of our nonexistent midfield/widemen chance creation/ball progression... Whatever you wanna call it.

And because if you take away that side foot finish you've a mid championship player. Pepe is used to coasting on his talent Nketiah is improving but he's still a really basic footballer like flamini and they tend to work harder. 

A few other people on twitter claim he was at colney yesterday. I draw the line at coutinho dammit. Hope we don't bother with this

coutinho is streets ahead of any AMC we have. If your football is going have a bit more flair next season we need him badly.

Coutinho is the real deal and will elevate us to the next level.

Yes please.

Yeah, Question marks are over the transfer fee, and if he will buy into Arteta's disciplined system. But other than that, he would add some much needed goals / assists from midfield.

I’ve been talking to a bunch of Liverpool heads I respect. They say they’d take him back in a heartbeat. Even on this title winning squad. Interesting to hear. Maybe we are underestimating his potential impact.

speedy wrote:

coutinho is streets ahead of any AMC we have. If your football is going have a bit more flair next season we need him badly.

It's incredible that Bayern don't want this fantastic footballer back who was so good for them and played so well.

Seriously, the bloke is shit. Just go and sign a real footballer for fucks sake, Arsenal. We need one badly.

If we have tried for Grealish, Aouar, Zaniolo, Odegaard and failed one way or another then

Yes please to a 1 year subsidized loan

Klaus wrote:
speedy wrote:

coutinho is streets ahead of any AMC we have. If your football is going have a bit more flair next season we need him badly.

It's incredible that Bayern don't want this fantastic footballer back who was so good for them and played so well.

Seriously, the bloke is shit. Just go and sign a real footballer for fucks sake, Arsenal. We need one badly.

Agreed. Waste of time. Scores a howitzer now and then, then just spends the whole game unproductively cutting in from the left. One of the worst hype jobs ive seen in the last 10 years

We aren’t Bayern, so I don’t see the logic in comparing. Our highest scoring central midfielder in the league has a grand total of 1 goal. Bruno transformed Utd with a bit of movement, dribbling / technical ability and goals from midfield.

There's also the fact that he wasn't useful in Flick's high-pressing philosophy once he took over. He could get Gnabry, Perisic and Müller to press but Coutinho couldn't do it because he's small and weak and only good at one thing. A match made in heaven for Arteta's high level of work ethic.

I'd take him on loan, he's better than what we have.

Gazza M wrote:

A few other people on twitter claim he was at colney yesterday. I draw the line at coutinho dammit. Hope we don't bother with this

He was at Bayern training yesterday. Seems inconceivable that they’d allow him half a day before a CL game to travel to London. It’s not like it is deadline day.

Klaus wrote:
speedy wrote:

coutinho is streets ahead of any AMC we have. If your football is going have a bit more flair next season we need him badly.

It's incredible that Bayern don't want this fantastic footballer back who was so good for them and played so well.

Seriously, the bloke is shit. Just go and sign a real footballer for fucks sake, Arsenal. We need one badly.

Would you rather have Joe Willock or Coutinho next season?

Ceballos for all he has done well has like 2 goals and 2 assists all season.

We need proven quality if we want to take the next step up.

Sicario wrote:

Would you rather have Joe Willock or Coutinho next season?

I want us to sign a good player, not whatever horse shit player Kia Joorbchian decides to kick our way. "Is he better than what we've got?" is not the right question to ask; if that was the depth of our ambition we'd go and sign John Lundstram and call it a day.

We gotta stop settling for bad players just because they aren't worse than what we already have. Stocking up on players on this level, who are either too old or not good enough or don't fit or haven't got any fire left, is the reason we are where we are. It's why we finished 8th last season to begin with.

Klaus wrote:
Sicario wrote:

Would you rather have Joe Willock or Coutinho next season?

I want us to sign a good player, not whatever horse shit player Kia Joorbchian decides to kick our way. "Is he better than what we've got?" is not the right question to ask; if that was the depth of our ambition we'd go and sign John Lundstram and call it a day.

We gotta stop settling for bad players just because they aren't worse than what we already have. Stocking up on players on this level, who are either too old or not good enough or don't fit or haven't got any fire left, is the reason we are where we are. It's why we finished 8th last season to begin with.

 He's several levels above anything we have in the AMC spot. That is the question to ask. All we have is the spiritless husk of Ozil and willock who has potential but often just looks completely lost out there. In the spectrum of players we can afford he probably is the best. We all want 40-50m long term solutions in these positions but also to keep AMC etc. Since we dont have the cash available coutinho is probably the best option. You used to rave about him and I never liked him that much. But given what he offers and what we lack in that context i like him.