Arsenal exits Jan 2022: Page 9 - The Arsenal discussion forum and community: One More in the Tolly

Arsenal exits Jan 2022

Anzac

Clrnc wrote:
Claudius wrote:
I think we just need to eat it.
the Willian signing is actually very revealing. last summer Arteta had potentially already given up on Pépé. and was willing to sink 200k a week into Willian. we all went in with very different ideas - I thought he would spell Saka and analysts kept saying he was going to be a 10 (lol). but I think Arteta had already dumped Pépé

It really doesn't help that Saka is playing like a 72m signing and Pepe is like a 19 year old youth prospect that's learning his trade.

Which is why he needs to go in the summer & nothing to do with price paid = after 2 seasons he's not starting quality.

Claudius

Willian definitely has to go. He’s a sack of wine.
If Pépé can get his shot together, he’s great to have, especially if he can do multiple positions. He’s the only trickster on the team who does something different. There are situations when you just need to open up defenses with directness. But he needs to learn the Wenger ball first and be more secure with the ball to increase his time on the field. He’s extremely frustrating but there’s still a path for a guy with elite deliveries and shooting.

Claudius

Would you...
Sell Nketiah for about £20-25m if you could use those funds to buy Bissouma?

Ricky1985

I would, and it's not a difficult decision. For me, there are three players in the squad that would start at CF ahead of Nketiah right now. And Balogun, if he signs, could quickly move ahead of him too.

I like Eddie and think he will develop his game hugely as he gains experience because he's extremely smart and has a great attitude, but he's not close to the level Arsenal need at this stage of his development.

speedy

Ricky1985 wrote:
I would, and it's not a difficult decision. For me, there are three players in the squad that would start at CF ahead of Nketiah right now. And Balogun, if he signs, could quickly move ahead of him too.

I like Eddie and think he will develop his game hugely as he gains experience because he's extremely smart and has a great attitude, but he's not close to the level Arsenal need at this stage of his development.

Aye its best for everyone if he goes for a decent fee.

Tam

Ricky1985 wrote:
I would, and it's not a difficult decision. For me, there are three players in the squad that would start at CF ahead of Nketiah right now. And Balogun, if he signs, could quickly move ahead of him too.

I like Eddie and think he will develop his game hugely as he gains experience because he's extremely smart and has a great attitude, but he's not close to the level Arsenal need at this stage of his development.

Ricky am I right in thinking when he was coming through the youth teams but before he was on the radar of the first team, you didn't think there was much about him other than an unusual ability to simply score without being particularly good at anything?

BWooley

Ricky1985 wrote:
I would, and it's not a difficult decision. For me, there are three players in the squad that would start at CF ahead of Nketiah right now. And Balogun, if he signs, could quickly move ahead of him too.

I like Eddie and think he will develop his game hugely as he gains experience because he's extremely smart and has a great attitude, but he's not close to the level Arsenal need at this stage of his development.

To my mind, the answer depends on where we see Aubameyang. If we see Auba as a central striker, then Eddie can go and we can find a backup striker. If not and he is a left wing forward (which is what I think honestly), then we shouldn't let Eddie go because we will anyway need to find a central striker to start with and we shouldn't be looking for a first choice and a backup striker in the same window. In that case, instead of letting go of Eddie, we should do the same with Pepe / Nelson.

Ricky1985

Tam wrote:
Ricky1985 wrote:
I would, and it's not a difficult decision. For me, there are three players in the squad that would start at CF ahead of Nketiah right now. And Balogun, if he signs, could quickly move ahead of him too.

I like Eddie and think he will develop his game hugely as he gains experience because he's extremely smart and has a great attitude, but he's not close to the level Arsenal need at this stage of his development.

Ricky am I right in thinking when he was coming through the youth teams but before he was on the radar of the first team, you didn't think there was much about him other than an unusual ability to simply score without being particularly good at anything?

That's pretty much exactly right, yep.

Ricky1985

BWooley wrote:
Ricky1985 wrote:
I would, and it's not a difficult decision. For me, there are three players in the squad that would start at CF ahead of Nketiah right now. And Balogun, if he signs, could quickly move ahead of him too.

I like Eddie and think he will develop his game hugely as he gains experience because he's extremely smart and has a great attitude, but he's not close to the level Arsenal need at this stage of his development.

To my mind, the answer depends on where we see Aubameyang. If we see Auba as a central striker, then Eddie can go and we can find a backup striker. If not and he is a left wing forward (which is what I think honestly), then we shouldn't let Eddie go because we will anyway need to find a central striker to start with and we shouldn't be looking for a first choice and a backup striker in the same window. In that case, instead of letting go of Eddie, we should do the same with Pepe / Nelson.

Aubameyang is definitely a factor, but I think I've accepted that it is going to be the left wing for him in the longer term.

Anzac

Ricky1985 wrote:
I would, and it's not a difficult decision. For me, there are three players in the squad that would start at CF ahead of Nketiah right now. And Balogun, if he signs, could quickly move ahead of him too.

I like Eddie and think he will develop his game hugely as he gains experience because he's extremely smart and has a great attitude, but he's not close to the level Arsenal need at this stage of his development.

IMO it's even simpler, Bissouma directly addresses an immediate need, would be a starting player, and is to all intents and purposes 'fit for purpose' in regards to Arteta's vision, whereas Nketiah does not meet any of those criteria currently.
There is also the potential for knock-on player sales following signing Bissouma, such as Xhaka and Elneny to be able to raise additional revenues, & retaining Nketiah as 3rd choice CF does none of this.

goon

What immediate need does Bissouma address other than he happens to play in central midfield?

Honestly, watching our games, particularly the ones against Brighton and Newcastle, a combinative centre mid is about as far from my mind as you can get when it comes to addressing whatever we're missing.

Anzac

BWooley wrote:
Ricky1985 wrote:
I would, and it's not a difficult decision. For me, there are three players in the squad that would start at CF ahead of Nketiah right now. And Balogun, if he signs, could quickly move ahead of him too.

I like Eddie and think he will develop his game hugely as he gains experience because he's extremely smart and has a great attitude, but he's not close to the level Arsenal need at this stage of his development.

To my mind, the answer depends on where we see Aubameyang. If we see Auba as a central striker, then Eddie can go and we can find a backup striker. If not and he is a left wing forward (which is what I think honestly), then we shouldn't let Eddie go because we will anyway need to find a central striker to start with and we shouldn't be looking for a first choice and a backup striker in the same window. In that case, instead of letting go of Eddie, we should do the same with Pepe / Nelson.

As it stands PEA is starting LWF and cover CF to Laca. Laca isn't going anywhere in Jan so Nketiah is not required as 3rd choice and is not an option to cover PEA as LWF.

Anzac

goon wrote:
What immediate need does Bissouma address other than he happens to play in central midfield?

Honestly, watching our games, particularly the ones against Brighton and Newcastle, a combinative centre mid is about as far from my mind as you can get when it comes to addressing whatever we're missing.

From what I've been reading he's more than just a ball winner, & is an upgrade on our other current options not named Partey in terms of athleticism, ball progression with ball at feet & progressive passing. As a more defensive option alongside Partey he would enable Partey to replace Xhaka as the tempo setter. Having 2 CMs who are each competent in defense then gives us genuine cover in the middle and for the flanks, than can then release the handbrake from the front 4 and reduce the amount of defensive duties.

ohboy

Partey and Bissouma would be very dynamic. They would be the most athletic midfield we would have had in year's.

It would help to free Partey a bit, and give a very stable base to whichever attacking CM we chose.

Also, we could afford an injury or suspension to one, and providing the other is fit, still have a real presence in midfield. It is boring, but between the defence and midfield we may well be building the old fashion way. I for one would be happy with Bissouma.

Coombs

goon wrote:
What immediate need does Bissouma address other than he happens to play in central midfield?

Honestly, watching our games, particularly the ones against Brighton and Newcastle, a combinative centre mid is about as far from my mind as you can get when it comes to addressing whatever we're missing.

People are totally nuts. We sign basically the world's best defensive midfielder and 80% of the forum want to sign another one. I'd much rather have ESR and Buendia playing ahead of Partey than Partey and Bissouma as a double-pivot. Who in their right minds wouldn't? We play a double pivot now because we're trying to get the equivalent of one decent midfielder out of the Xhakas and Elnenys of this squad.

If Arteta can get a team together that can go 343/442, 4231, or 433 at any given time, he'll have done quite well. Looking at our squad, there's no way I can see how another defensive CM is the next step.

Coombs

ohboy!!! wrote:
It would help to free Partey a bit

In what way is Partey not free as it is? If we get rid of Elneny, Ceballos, and Xhaka then signing this guy makes some sense, but we're desperate for more attack-minded CMs and I'll be disappointed if we don't get one.

Ray

I don’t think attack minded CMs are what we should be building on. We need two way players, central midfielders that can defend and technically / physically dribble/carry the ball forward with the vision to pass. Bissouma ticks those boxes and is PL ready. Kind of like when we signed Arteta.

Claudius

Ray wrote:
I don’t think attack minded CMs are what we should be building on. We need two way players, central midfielders that can defend and technically / physically dribble/carry the ball forward with the vision to pass. Bissouma ticks those boxes and is PL ready. Kind of like when we signed Arteta.

Agree. Having Bissouma also gives our fullbacks more freedom to attack. When OMIT darling heart throb is off on a marauding run, who do you think is tucking in to cover his flank? Nothing gets past this guy. He’s an excellent tackler while standing or on the ground. He recovers the ball and distributes it quickly. He doesn’t have the passing range of a Xhaka but is 10x the athlete. Would definitely make us better and allow our forwards to link up more freely.

goon

ohboy!!! wrote:
Partey and Bissouma would be very dynamic. They would be the most athletic midfield we would have had in year's.

It would help to free Partey a bit, and give a very stable base to whichever attacking CM we chose.

Also, we could afford an injury or suspension to one, and providing the other is fit, still have a real presence in midfield. It is boring, but between the defence and midfield we may well be building the old fashion way. I for one would be happy with Bissouma.

It's one way to go for sure, just feels very Mourinhoish.

I just don't see that as something we've missed, especially in the games I've mentioned. Give me someone who can progress play and move the ball quickly, I don't really care what type. You talk about cover for Partey, it's not his ball winning ability I've missed, it's his ability to penetrate.

Bissouma is 100% another Hojbjerg type, not sure how's he's gotten a rep for being anything other than passable on the ball.

goon

On another note, while I was looking up tackling stats I noticed Ceballos is No.1 for us once again this season once again despite hardly being in the side. If we don't sign a centre mid in Jan I'd love to see what he can do next to Partey. I read that Madrid want rid to raise funds, if we can get him on the cheap side I reckon there's a potential bargain in there.

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