Summer 24: Page 35 - The Arsenal discussion community: One More in the Tolly

Summer 24

HomeSteak

Big Willie yeah. I don't like that. Strange one right, Fabian Ruiz is a better overall player then Merino. But we should move for Merino. Rice - Merino >> Ruiz - Rice. Rice is a number 8, not a 6. if we play him, all season long as a number8, Rice gets 10 goals and 10 assists and is up there for PL player of the season. But I really don't know what Arteta will do

Clrnc

Merino plays as 8 though... Zubi is the 6.

Mirth

Clrnc You're right, although Merino's more technically suited to the number 6 role than Rice. It's just that Zubi is significantly better than both.

HomeSteak

but he is not moving so...

Mirth

Yep Merino is a 2nd choice signing.

daredevil

Big Willie

Back to 6.

Partey/Jorginho/Rice
Rice/Ruiz
Ode/Vieira

Qwiss

I think people are significantly overrating Fabian Ruiz based on a good Euros showing.

JazzG

Qwiss He played like that for Napoli as well, I have been reading PSG forums recently and seems like he has not adapted well there but PSG is a bit of a graveyard for talent so not entirely surprising. For me he was better than Rodri at the Euros.

I also don't think we are in for him.

Bernard Woolley

I have not followed his career since he moved to PSG but I was a huge fan during his Napoli days. My isssue with him in our midfield is that his defensive side used to be quite terrible - both basic defensive instincts as well as physicality (think Jorginho) - as opposed to even Odegaard, who does his share of work and more. Not sure whether he is any better now, but I doubt playing at PSG has helped that side of his game. I'd say that Merino perhaps fits our game better than Ruiz as the combination of Merino and Rice can free Odegaard even more and Jorginho can play instead of Merino against sides where we want to play a higher line.

Qwiss

Bernard Woolley I think he's on a similar level to Merino and agree with you that Merino is a better fit. Either way neither of them really excite me or walk into the team. I think dropping Rice deep to accommodate Ruiz would cause more problems than it'd fix.

JazzG

Makes sense to try and wait for him if they think there is a chance. I am guessing the player has probably indicated he'd be open to joining

mdgoonah41

JazzG our pitch to williams should be "barcelona is trying to run some kind of ponzi scheme here, they dont have money, you dont want to end up at a shitshow like that"

Clrnc

Yeah. Maybe do another Odegaard wait till late on.

JazzG

mdgoonah41 A lot of these guys grew up watching iconic Real Madrid and Barca sides, the pull is very strong and even the best English teams struggle with that. With one of his best mates there and not having to leave the country we’ll need to put a very strong case to him.

lorddulaarsenal

I’m not sure I like where William’s head is seemingly at

Don Pacifico

I don't see us trying to move for a player who sees us as second best. Been a few occasions where we seem to have moved on from players that initially rejected us.

Big Willie

Don Pacifico Been a few occasions where we seem to have moved on from players that initially rejected us.

Yeah, think so too. Vlahovic comes to mind. By the way, I forget, was he an Arteta rejection or a Wemger era rejection. Those "late Wenger/full Emery/early Arteta" years all seemed to merge into one forgettable shitshow.

QuincyAbeyie

Don Pacifico we should. Ødegaard for example clearly saw us as second best but because he couldn't break into RM's midfield he chose us. In fact, almost every player we'll be interested in would probably go to RM instead if given the choice. It's just that most of them won't have the choice, and Williams might not get it with Barca.

Claudius

Big Willie from Kolasinac to Willian.

Don Pacifico

Big Willie yes, Vlahovic was Arteta era. One of the prime examples.

lorddulaarsenal

Wonder if Oyarzabal is on our shortlist. Might be unlikely to raid Sociedad again mind after Merino

Claudius

QuincyAbeyie yes. Let’s not be arrogant. We are also not a in a position to be going after any old player. A random winger will not improve us. Nico is in play and is good enough for a title contender. Let’s pursue.

Don Pacifico

QuincyAbeyie don't agree with how you've framed it. Yes, he moved to Real Madrid, which chronologically made them his first choice but by the time Arteta had brought him on loan for a season and Madrid were ready to sell, we (and Arteta) were very much his first choice. So he hadn't at any point rejected Arteta's Arsenal, which for me is the critical difference.

Arteta's track record has suggested he only wants players who are fully bought into what we're trying to do as a club and if for whatever reason Williams would still prefer Barca over us, I think you could legitimately challenge whether his motivations align with ours.

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