One is more than enough for me.. would much rather add those funds to the CM role... really need to get someone quality there... not convinced by the names being mentioned so far.. Need to get thr most out of the budget we have.

We don’t need both Buendia and Odegaard. One is enough.

Willock mostly played as part of a midfield 3 for Newcastle in their 5-3-2. I'm not convinced he has the technical qualities for us in the role behind the striker. He certainly has the eye for a run and for goal. I think he's better suited to the deeper roles bursting forward. He and Partey would have to learn how to make that work.

He certainly doesn't have the technical qualities to play behind the striker.

We saw how lost he was in most of his appearances for us.

In the very few occasions he's played as a good ol' CM, he has looked very promising.

Willock doesn't fit into our system.

We need to sell while his value is maximum and get in players that do instead of shoe-horning players in.

What is our system? And what type of player would you say fits into it?

Gunner89 wrote:

Willock doesn't fit into our system.

We need to sell while his value is maximum and get in players that do instead of shoe-horning players in.

Then change the system. I don't want to lose such a talented young player to hang onto a system thats finished 8 in the league.

The system is great. 235 offense. Willock doesn’t fit our standard application. But we have to decide how we want to build depth. Do we want like for like replacements? Or do we want players who can change the game? Willock, Martinelli, Chambers at RB are players who change the game for you and give enough flexibility in different situations.

The system is a bore that lacks goals. If it can't accommodate a player like Willock then its a problem.

235 offence Lowest goals scored at home for 30 years or something.

flobaba wrote:

What is our system? And what type of player would you say fits into it?

apparently no one.

Clrnc wrote:

235 offence Lowest goals scored at home for 30 years or something.

Since 73/74. 50 years almost. 

We didn’t concede goals. That’s a plus. Good foundation to build on.

For me a guy like Willock is a system breaker. If we want to run at a team, there’s nobody better. As long as Parteh can hit passes and we have one of ESR or Odegaard wide, he can fit. Just switches it up

Only problem with that system breaker theory is that’s probably the reason why the kid was sent on loan in the first place - the perception that he couldn’t fit into the system. Ceballos, El Neny were deemed better fits.

It comes down to what you want from players beyond your first 11. Exact replicas or alternatives? For example, I think great alternatives at right back would be Hakimi and Chambers, depending on game. And both are versatile enough to play together.

Agree with that. We've got Tierney, Pepe, Saka, ESR, Partey, Gabriel, and maybe Saliba. Leno at a stretch. The squad we build around them should fill in the gaps, cover their weaknesses, and amplify their strengths. This means have alternatives that are actual alternatives, and it also means building our own squad with our own game - not necessarily trying to copy other teams.

Hakimi and Chambers sounds like an excellent duo for right back. Willock would be a great option to have, but if you can convert him into a more perfect starting player, I'd do that.

Very few players in the same team are similar enough in ability to be regarded as “replicas”. Unless and until all or most individuality is stripped from them ala City/Barcelona in favor of the system. The superiority of system play is what Arteta is also trying to institute in our football as well in my opinion. In that light, a Willock in central midfield will find it more difficult to blend in, than say even a Pepe, as the discipline required for the position is extreme. His (Arteta’s) mentor has had issues with players like Yaya Toure, like Henry, like Sterling, etc. Whether Willock has what it takes to evolve into this system specific role is unknown at this point.

I see Willock as an alternative in 3 of 4231 or in 2 if we switch to 4123. I don’t see him as a CM double pivot player. He’s an attacker

Claudius wrote:

We didn’t concede goals. That’s a plus. Good foundation to build on.

Which is why 235 offence is laughable. It was mostly 451 defence.