JazzG likewise moved quickly on Trossard when we lost out on Mudryk. We have neglected the attacking positions last summer,

The neglect stretches further back. Mudryk and Trossard were pursued because by the beginning on January we were down to Martinelli, Nketiah and Saka, with support from Vieira and a recovering Smith-Rowe who had just come back from injury. Jesus and Nelson were both injured for a spell, with Smith-Rowe recovering, but even if they had all been fit does that strike anyone as being a fit-for-purpose (™Anzac) frontline? The only one of them Arteta had brought in for the front three positions was Jesus. Vieira could spell there but he is and was clearly intentioned to be a central player (cue the lessons on Arteta's views on traits rather than positions...).

    SimplyThePest In fairness, if we'd won the title last year there would be far fewer concerns about the cost of Rice and Havertz. I reckon there would still be questions on Havertz but Rice would be considered acceptable.

      JazzG It's not like Madrid don't get linked with or sign duds as well. Most fans and even the clueless British media said this was a horrible transfer right from the start, we made it halfway work through sheer insistence by Arteta to rearrange the team to find a spot for him but it was an awful transfer and considering his wages it would've been even at half the transfer fee.

        QuincyAbeyie I think Havertz has a good agent and Real weren't all that interested at all.

          awooga83 sure. But I don't think anyone said we didn't need reinforcements up front. I certainly don't think Arteta believed that. It's only an issue for me if the club don't believe we need to make a change.

          QuincyAbeyie Can there only be flaws with the squad building if we weren't looking? If we look for players every season, then don't manage to sign those we're looking at, and then don't sign adequate alternatives, I see that as a flaw with the squad building.

          But we were looking last summer, weren't we? If we failed to sign them or anyone, then that's on our recruitment team.

          Tam I've still got plans to fit into those 32 inch waist jeans in my wardrobe. Until I actually take some action the plans are all a bit meaningless, and the fact I've had plenty opportunity in recent times suggests the issue lies with me rather than the jeans.

          Squad building, particularly with the level of renovation we've had doesn't happen quickly. Particularly when you have finite resources. Perhaps we could still have signed someone in the summer but we made a decision to hold fire in the hope that an attack that have proved pretty competent the previous season could continue its hot streak. That was a mistake with hindsight but I feel the squad-building the club have done to date should afford them a bit more patience.

          If we were to go another summer without appropriate signings then we've got a problem.

          jones I don't rate Arteta much but his ability to sell dreams to players is up there with the best, I'm sure if he really wanted to he could've persuaded Sesko to join last summer already.

          Seems like we were pretty quick to line up Jesus.

          You may be being sarcastic but the suggestion that Arteta would intentionally be half-arsed about signing a forward that we're about to go in again for in a third consecutive window is some next level conspiracy bullshit.

                    Don Pacifico But we were looking last summer, weren't we?

                    That's literally what I'm saying. That if we're looking and don't sign anyone, I see that as a flaw in our squad building. I don't see squad building as just the part where we write down the players we want on a piece of paper.

                        Don Pacifico yes Jesus came quickly, as I said him and Trossard two forwards in over five years. Is that really your argument?

                        not sarcastic, I've no idea why Arteta doesn't push for a forward the way he does for defenders, don't think it's unrealistic expectations as the guys we're linked to aren't out of our league.

                        Haven't posted here as much in a while but you can't tell me people weren't crying out for a forward for ages. What's your explanation we failed to get one in nine out of eleven windows?

                            jones your suggestion was that Arteta isn't interested in signing forwards. That's demonstrably not the case even if we've prioritised other areas.

                                Don Pacifico it seems to me that I think it's a problem that we didn't address it in the summer while you think it will be a problem if we don't address it the next one..? But sure, keep not playing some game.

                                  Don Pacifico I didn't suggest anything, I stated clearly we don't go after forwards with the same urgency as we do defenders. We signed even more goalies than forwards in his time here ffs.

                                      jones as an economist who understands supply and demand very well, you’re heavily underplaying these dynamics in talent markets.

                                          Also, when Arteta arrived at Arsenal the first back four he put out was Ainsley, Luiz, Sokratis, Saka. Two years ago, we were trying to win the league with a guy at the back who's now playing for Sheffield United. The fact that we're so good defensively now doesn't mean we didn't need to invest to get there.

                                          At the top end of the pitch, he had Auba and Laca. Whatever about how their careers finished with us, at the time of Arteta's arrival, they were both two years into their Arsenal careers (at £100m for the pair) and perfectly serviceable options. With Saka moving forward and Martinelli coming through, we didn't need the investment up top we did at the back.

                                          • CPM likes this.

                                          jones based on what? You're willing to discard the existing examples that don't fit your narrative and then you've got Sesko who we've been trying to sign repeatedly (why would we be trying to sign him in three consecutive windows?), Vlahovic who we went in for at £80m that would have made him our record signing at the time, same for Mudryk.

                                          As Claudius has pointed out a few times, top forwards are harder to sign because supply doesn't meet demand compared to all other areas of the pitch. Just because you decide to build a squad from the back, it doesn't mean we don't try to go after forwards with any urgency.

                                              Been assuming for years we built the squad from the back because it's been a relatively more routine process that has left us needing those last couple of "capstone" signings.

                                              There was wishful thinking last summer based on our performances second half of last season. Havertz is really good. But he's not by himself a Premier League winning forward.

                                              I can't imagine there won't be greater urgency this coming summer. If there isn't that'll be very silly. I'm just hoping now the powers that be will bring us what we need and it won't be too late.

                                              Gurgen I don’t know if he has overachieved. But he has done well to manage most of the challenges thrown our way. And done a better job of it than Ange, Pep and others. He now needs to find a way to score with no forwards. That’s the job.