TUESDAY ROUND-UP
SOME TRANSFER GOSSIP, PHILOSOPHICAL WINGER CHAT, AND DECLAN UPDATES
I keep thinking about Arsenal and the explosive winger we need to sign—someone with pace, power, control, and bang BANG ability on a scale so monstrous, we can start beating our xG numbers again.
The problem? I don’t see many wingers being linked with good numbers.
The thing I’m pondering is this: Arteta wouldn’t sign an Alexis Sanchez even if he had the chance. Too crazy, too out of control for our system, not smart enough to press the way we want.
So… can you turn a control winger into someone who can reach bang BANG heights? (Williams)
Or… do you try and take a bang BANG winger and put more control on him? (Semenyo)
It’s a tough call. The perfect winger for our system right now would actually be Raheem Sterling at 24 years old. He was explosive, could play on either wing or as a false 9, was unselfish, but also an outrageous goal scorer. He could burn a full-back but also unpick a deep block late in a game.
But there aren’t many players like that doing the rounds at the moment. Jamie Gittens? No thanks. Nico Williams with 11 goals in 44 appearances? I’m just not sure that’s £300k a week these days. Leao, Barcola, Rodrygo? Not doing it for me. Even Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, and Vini Jr. have lost their appeal this season.
The top-scoring wingers in the Premier League this season are Mbuemo with 18 goals, Mo Salah with 28, and Luis DÃaz on 13 goals.
Goal-scoring wingers are… not up to much.
Same problem with strikers. You have Sesko, who is clearly very good, but coming from Leipzig—a club that’s dropped some extremely expensive duds on the market. So severe, Portugal would send them a high five as they look to ask someone to pay £70m for Gyökeres, who may or may not be the greatest thing since Darwin Núñez to leave them.
Has so much focus been put on power, pace, and off-the-ball movement that our attacking specialists have been blunted? Maybe. Maybe.
I watched David Ornstein run through the targets this summer—it’s a big list, but also utterly hilarious that we’ll once again be targeting a left-back. Is that because Calafiori is being moved to the middle? Or are we just left-back junkies with a problem so serious, even Andrea Berta can’t stop a relapse?
Dean Huijsen still seems to be on the lips of Arsenal media as an extra centre-back in the mixer. Three instalments make his buyout clause a little more palatable. One can’t help but think Madrid will be the victors here for the right-sided centre-back. But… if they sign him, at 19 years old, as a Spaniard… does that mean it’s over for the long-term pursuit of Big Bill Saliba?
Also… what is all this nonsense in defence? Ben White was an OG centre-back. What about him? Is he now just back-up right-back?
I’m tired of having to work out what the hell is going on with our defensive plan moving forward. TIRED.
You know what else tires me? The Premier League still hasn’t delivered a verdict on Man City as they potentially move on £200m worth of replacement talent for next season. Quite incredible how slow and inept the league has been at writing the rules, flagging violations, and prosecuting them to give some semblance of fairness.
Final piece of news… Dekkers strained a hammy. Don’t know how bad. But hopefully, he can play against Newcastle. I just hope we don’t take a risk that costs him for the start of next season. Also, keep your eyes peeled for Kai this weekend. That might be another risk they roll the dice on.
Ok, that’s me done. Get your FREE On The Whistle, but a bit later, if that’s your jam.
Pedro,
Good post. Nice to catch a break from the Arteta PR.
I agree that we have lost our way when it comes to attackers. Press game is evolving as well. Few years ago that was all you saw with Klopp and Pep. Excellent off the ball movements.
Now, other teams have found ways to counter that. Just like Spain killed it with tiki taka. Soon teams found out ways to beat them.
We sorely lack goals. This season we are really short on goals scored compared to last year.
A striker who cans 20 goals plus means more wins. Easy. At least a handful with a goal tally like that.
A few more wins, is what we need. We lost this campaign with a flood of draws. Just dropped points all over the place.
Game changers off the bench is needed too. Ethan yes, but we need more than that!!!
Game changers to replace Ode, LW and Striker. I dont care if we get another LB as long as we get those critical pieces asap!!!!!
Mike needs to not always have the entire team retreat on defense when we lose possession.
Just copy Pool and leave 1- 2 outlets all the time. Otherwise we kill hammies, knees, etc.
Save the legs. Should be a campaign slogan for Mikel. Save their fucking legs.
MLS not among the Young Player of the Season nominees says it all really. Media + pundits campaign worked. Absolute joke.