The Premier League season is finally over, and the rumour mill is kicking up some dust already, so we thought we’d take a look at our potential starting XI, should such rumours prove to be true…
Petr Cech is under no pressure for his starting role, and will no doubt slot straight into our team for the upcoming season, but arrivals could come in for a host of positions, especially with various players headed for the exit door.
Kieran Gibbs lost the battle with Nacho Monreal this summer, and is believed to be leaving, leading us to take a serious look at replacements. Kieran Tierney has had a impressive breakthrough year with Celtic, and a £10 Million deal is being speculated.
Another potential addition could be Swansea’s Ashley Williams, who has proven to be a consistent performer since helping his side earn promotion to the English top division in 2011. The Welsh international would of course line-up alongside Laurent Koscielny, with both Gabriel and Mertesacker struggling to earn a regular starting berth.
Two central midfield stars are believed to be close to joining the Gunners, with Granit Xhaka said to have already agreed personal terms, and N’Golo Kante said to have ‘decided’ to move to the Emirates also. These two could share the two roles at the base of the midfield with Coquelin and Elneny, with Le Coq most likely to feature least.
Moving to our forward-line, and Alexis Sanchez is not 100% certain to commit his future to the club in my eyes, although a ready-made replacement in Henrikh Mkhitaryan is believed to have already sent family to London to find him a home here. The Armenian is credited with a huge 30 assists this term, scoring 23 himself.
Arsene Wenger claimed that Olivier Giroud would be first-choice striker at the start of the new term, but he then mentions that a new addition could rival him. Gonzalo Higuain is being linked with us, while young Ajax striker Arkadiusz Milik is also believed to be of interest.
Would the following starting XI be guaranteed to challenge for next season’s PL title if not win it?
Cech
Bellerin Williams Koscielny Tierney/Monreal
Kante Elneny/Xhaka
Mkhitaryan Ozil Sanchez
Higuain
pls say something y’all!
GK: Cech, Ospina/Szczesny
RB: Bellerin, Chambers
CB: Koscielny, Mustafi, Mertesaker, Gabriel
LB: Monreal, Gibbs
CDM: Carvalho, Coquelin, Elneny
CM: Ramsey, Wilshere
CAM: Ozil, Cazorla
RW: Lacazette, Oxlade
LW: Sanchez, Iwobi, Campbell
ST: Lukaku, Giroud, Welbeck
I actually believe that bringing in ANY decent striker would make us win the title, so if we go Higuain or Lukaku or even some of our loaned kids, would be a big step up from Giroud. He is good but not Arsenal good. How many teams in the premier league would honestly take Giroud as their main man. Lets hope in shame, Wenger ACTUALLY bring in proved,ready to hit the ground talent. Im tired of almosts…. We need to be talking of winning the Champions league.
Love your team Karansagar!!
Higuain alone probably could have edged it for us this season. Williams and Higuain at the very least would have seen the title home. Higuain Williams and Xhaka would give us a very decent shot at next seasons title, add Mkhitarian to that list, and Boom!! Arsenal favorites for next seasons title ..also great shout at getting past first CL knockout stage.
They way you have it, seems as if Jack and Aaron are going to be sold. Would like it if we kept Campbell as back up on the wings, and gave Wellington a shot. dude has boat loads of talent, plus he deserves a go…
I can’t see any of these guys making a big difference, with the exception of Williams, who is BPL proven.
You can’t see Higuain making a big difference? That shocks me, because generally you seem to talk a lot of sense! He just broke the postwar Serie A goalscoring record- in a league that’s had goalscorers like Van Basten, Batistuta, Inzaghi, Cavani, Ibrahimovic, Del Piero etc. just since the 90s! This season Giroud went 15 matches without a goal, while Higuain scored twice what anyone else in Serie A did!!!!!
@AidanGooner
Serie A is not the BPL. So, until he proves himself there, it’s hard for me to see him making much of a difference. I’m not trying to take anything away from his skills. I just don’t try to speculate, much. There have been many a so called “world class” players come to the BPL and not assimilate or convert their exploits in other leagues to the BPL…
I think you’re right to have reservations about interchangeability between different leagues. In this case however, more goals get scored in the Prem than Serie A where defending is more of a focus- and although you might have a point if you say that there are less strong teams in Serie A than the Prem currently- what Higuain has done this season is so exceptional that it’s surely impossible to argue against him improving any team besides Barcelona & Bayern.
It’s fairly universally accepted Arsenal aren’t clinical at all in front of goal, & that is our biggest weakness. Higuain is now proven prolific in Spain & Italy – setting new goal scoring records, it’s not a big leap of faith in this instance IMO.
guys why have we ruled out coquelin?.
The team looks good but I would prefer.
cech
bellerin van dijik koscienly monreal
coquelin cazorla
mahrez ozil sanchez
lukaku
I’d much prefer Van Dijk to Williams.
Can’t really see us signing Xhaka & Kante- one perhaps, unless we sold Ramsey- which I’m not sure is likely. They are both more well rounded than Coquelin.
Lukaku seems to be a hot & cold striker- just like Giroud. I’d want a more varied option too, maybe a pacy forward who likes to dribble/take a defender on. (better than Theo).
Xhaka to arsenal confirm by Gladbach on there twitter account
“There has been a specific offer for the Swiss midfielder [Xhaka].
“[We have] an agreement with the interested club but [it] is still pending.”
and of course only arsenal is linked
So i guess we are getting our first transfer
And that ‘still pending’ is because of Wenger’s penny pinching
??
He is trying to save £1.4 million.. in Wenger’s eye’s that’s two Rob Holding offers, which were rejected by the way.
Yep, will be Wenger himself on the phone, negotiating the fee……c’mon guy!!!!!…. this isn’t Football Manager. There’s other staff at Arsenal.
I wouldn’t add Xhaka to that line up, just yet! ?
check out the latest news coming from Germany:
Arsenal could miss out on Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Granit Xhaka as they haggle over €2m, according to German tabloid Bild.
The Gunners have apparently offered €43m (£33.6m) for the Switzerland international. Gladbach want €45m (£35m), but a deal is yet to be done.
With Arsenal having missed out on other signings in recent years due to similar penny-pinching negotiations, their fans will no doubt be urging the club just to stump up the money to get the deal the done before a rival club does.
be positive fatboy
I am very positive mate ?, Open minded and realistic!
I wouldn’t be surprised if Wenger turns his attention towards £20 million rated Kante and save himself 14 million which could easily spent on Monolas ( spelling) the greek defender who we have been linked to a few times in the past.
Damn, £33 millions for Xhaka, that’s A LOT.
That would make him the most expensive holding midfielder in the world?
Can’t find that news in bild. And I don’t think Wenger would change his mind becoz of 2 million euros. Although… It’s Wenger we r talking about….
Arteta
Flamini
Rozicky. All gone.
Santi aging
Ramsey
Wilshere always injured
I think we could use 2 new sings for midfield. (xhaka and/or kante + promote zelalem) So we don’t have to use chambers as cdm, which we did last season.
Add to that a striker (or 2 since welback is injured 90% of the season and Walcott never was and never will be a striker) and I’m happy. Our defensive problems have to do with Wenger not our players I think. So a cd isn’t really needed in my opinion.
My worthless 2 cents
IN
Lacazette or Icardi–$25M
Xhaka—$35M
Minolas—$30M
Mane—$20M
Young LB–$10M
$125M spent
OUT:
Walcott—$20M
Ramsey—$20m
Debuchy—$8m
Gibbs—$10m
Schez—$10m
BFG–$2M
Campbell–$8M
$76M recouped
For rough $45M Arsenal could drastically improve there squad for next season
Icardi
Sanchez…Ozil…Mane
Xhaka…Santi/El Neny
Nacho…Boss…Minolas… Hector
Cech
Bench…OG, Jack, Iwobi, Gabriel, Jenkinson, Macey, Coquelin, Chambers
Loan out Ox, and the rest of the young stable of studs for the calendar year.