Squad depth 2026-2027

Bring Back Kerrea Gilbert

Panda oh I'd absolutely take it over that.

Sicario2

CB depth looks glaring weak now. Need a Konsa now

JazzG

Sicario2 All four of our fullbacks can play CB but based on last season there are a lot of injury prone players in that defence so yes another CB/RB is probably required.

Meatwad

i count 7 CBs in that screenshot.

Sicario2

Meatwad and I count 3 (4 if you include Saliba) injury prone players. We need a CB.

Meatwad

Sicario2
and all those injury prone players play primarily at fullback. so it seems we need someone who can play fullback to at least a ben white standard.

Meatwad

back to that screenshot. that attack just looks yucky and there aren't that many players out there that would make me feel better about it. we have dross, they're selling dross. maybe we all just need to reevaluate what dross is in this era and the grass may not be greener on the other side. all last year people were talking down martinelli and how much better leao was and i just couldn't see it. as much as martinelli frustrates me i couldn't wrap my head around the idea of leao being better. now milan can't give him away and he'll end up at some mid-table team. this year there will be some other proven flawed player who is the upgrade that we need.

we tried to get the upgrade in two different ways: 1) we were simply going to say fuck it we're not playing with a keeping the width winger and just try rogers (emphasis on try because we spent big money to try havertz at left 8) out there. 2) vini, the only option that we knew was at the level required on day 1.

Burnwinter

Meatwad all last year people were talking down martinelli and how much better leao was and i just couldn't see it. as much as martinelli frustrates me i couldn't wrap my head around the idea of leao being better. now milan can't give him away and he'll end up at some mid-table team. this year there will be some other proven flawed player who is the upgrade that we need.

You've got to ask yourself which wingers don't suck. We've got people who rate Rogers, a player with good athleticism and vision but nevertheless a pretty basic cut-in merchant, as if he were leagues better than our internal solutions. He might be better but I doubt it's by much. The PL got way better at defending orthodox wing play and so wingers aren't what they were even when they are.

Gunner89

Cala is injury prone
White is injury prone
Timber has had numerous issues
Saliba needs to be carefully eased in

Of the 7 that's 4 counted for - And that's not counting if gabriel or mosquera get injured

Right now we're practically down to 2 CB's playing week in week out one of which is a 22 year old

IF that works for you to think can get us through big games - like psg in the final - where mistakes can be made

upto you...

Meatwad

sounds like we need a RB and 2 CBs then. and maybe a couple more in january if we have injuries.

Panda

We'll get a defender in I'm not worried about that. The elite attacker we also need to get in is the worry.

Meatwad

Panda
the elite attacker option disappeared when vini decided to renew. only potentially elite in a few years is available.

Panda

Meatwad Potentially elite will do too I guess

Mirth

Arteta takes zero risk with his defenders - if he feels like he needs another one, he’ll get one.

Attack is the open question really

JazzG

Mirth True but you could argue there is more abundance with good defenders than with attacking players. If you look at world football there are three elite CFs (Mbappe, Kane & Haaland) and when you step down a level the step is massive. Isak is possibly one who could reach a high level but his body isn't up to it. This is why players like Sesko and Ekitike went for mental money last summer.

Meatwad

Panda
see that's the thing, potentially does a lot of heavy lifting. so many players have potential, few realize it.

Claudius

Burnwinter these guys are all good btw. The defensive structures just don’t give them space. Thats why someone with incredible technical ability in small spaces like a Kvara, Dembele, Vini, Yamal and even Saka will stand out. Make no mistake, in a less compact and physical league, Martinelli will fly

Burnwinter

Claudius They're all just as good as wingers have always been, but defensive discipline against all forms of wing play, from cutting in to byline runs to cutbacks, is far better. And defences are a fair bit better in England than elsewhere.

est

We need to replace Kepa and Jesus with capable alternatives.

I'd prefer a true RB to cover for the Timber/White/Saliba situation. A bit worrying that there hasn't been a single link so far. Signing a CB would only cover for Saliba.

LW could do with some added quality, but there doesn’t seem to be any viable options out there.

Other than that, the squad looks good.

Gunner89

konsa can do rb/cb cover he'll come in imo

Klaus

I think Konsa will come in too. Maybe Ndiaye too if Ethan leaves. That's probably our business done though. We'll try again for a mega star if the opportunity arises but ceiling raisers are rare as hell to find. It's amazing that we managed to sign one in midfield where we're already one of the strongest teams in the world.

I think that's a good window, although I feel Trossard should have been kept. Left wing is a bit of a problem area for us but it was the same last year and we were still one of the 2-3 best teams in Europe. People overrate our issues on the wing. The big question is what Saka is going to look like next season because our football will inevitably struggle without him unless Dowman or Nwaneri can step up.

Qwiss

Klaus would rather keep Ethan than sign N'Diaye