awooga83 the only consolation is that at the start of last season we looked worse for a while before we looked better. That's enough to lose you this league. I don't expect that to happen now, we 'just' need a miracle in terms of injuries.

    Coombs

    Vieira played almost 600minutes last year.
    Nketiah played around 1400 minutes.
    ESR played around 500minutes.

    That means our existing players (+ Merino when he comes back few months later) need to share an additional 2500 minutes (about 28 matches) amongst themselves, with more matches scheduled this year due to new UCL. It's insane and by next year they might be burnt out already given that most of them also played the Euros this year.

    It's a huge gamble by our team to not sign depth up front. Even a free transfer for Depay would be better than what we have currently.

      It’s been a while since we’ve had deadline day meltdowns 😆

      Disappointed by the lack of reinforcements in attack if this is how it ends. Seems like we’re gambling a lot of Jesus staying fit and being a good option on the wings, and on Martinelli re capturing some form.

      But we will still win the league.

        Yeah I much prefer this squad to the one that started last season. This time last summer a Saliba or Partey injury was as critical as an injury to Odegaard and Saka. We’ve at least neutralised those two risks.

        But either way, we’re not competing against ourselves - the real question is whether we’re better than City and I’d say no. Unless we get lucky.

          Coombs I think we've gone slightly up in terms of quality, but down in terms of depth in attack. Playerwise looking at the squad we probably have the best defense and the fourth best attack in the league, which usually isn't enough if you want to win the title.

            goon gambling a lot of Jesus staying fit

            I don't see how this could possibly go wrong.

            • est likes this.

              Crazy, absolutely crazy.

              goon The meltdown is unreal online. People are legit raging 😂 All the ITKs in the mud currently.

              Edu spend the whole summer telling people to be excited doesn't help.

                  Clrnc Edu spend the whole summer telling people to be excited doesn't help.

                  He literally told us we wouldn't be disappointed in the end of the window. 😆

                      Mirth not sure a Partey injury was as big as that then, nor would it have been now. More importantly, how exactly have we mitigated that very probable occurrence? We're down two midfielders any way you slice it. Merino doesn't count if he can't play.

                          We should have kept Vieira and sold Eddie. Now we need to keep Eddie as we can't find anyone. That's a big fuck up in short term planning.

                          Signing Merino and Calafiori looks great though.

                          Havertz establishing himself as first choice 9 should make a big difference compared to what we started with last season. IF he's fit Arteta will be much more willing to rotate Saka (and Martinelli) with Jesus than he was with Nelson.

                            Mirth if he's broken his shoulder, he's not cover for anyone. There's no use taking a long term view, the season is now. It's Timber all over again.

                                Pepe LeFrits it's the overall shared minutes that's worrying. We had to find dependable cover to trim Havertz and Saka minutes by around 500, but now all of them have to share the additional 2500 minutes left by our players. We also have additional 2 UCL matches this year.

                                This is a huge gamble on everyone fitness in a year we had Euros and Copa.

                                    Coombs how can it possibly be the same as Timber? The guy was out for 12 months vs 3 months. That’s a 9 month upside!

                                    Honestly it’s the timing that’s unfortunate. If this happened in Nov no one would associate it with the transfer window

                                        Pepe LeFrits We should have kept Vieira and sold Eddie. Now we need to keep Eddie as we can't find anyone. That's a big fuck up in short term planning.

                                        Though maybe Arteta is going to give Nwaneri loads of minutes and he'll be amazing and suddenly our attacking depth will be awesome

                                            Pepe LeFrits We should have kept Vieira and sold Eddie. Now we need to keep Eddie as we can't find anyone. That's a big fuck up in short term planning.

                                            Has Eddie left? Agree this is probably the biggest unforced error blunder