A lot of things prevented Arsenal from winning the 2023–24 Premier League, and one of them was their lack of squad depth when it mattered. Pep Guardiola, who led Manchester City to their third league win in a row, had such a quality squad that one could argue it was like he had two teams capable of staging a title fight.
The fact that the likes of Julian Alvarez, Riyadh Mahrez, Aymeric Laporte, and Julian Alvarez couldn’t get into the starting eleven just shows how good the Citizens were.
Looking at the current Arsenal team, is Arteta now close to boasting a team with one of the strongest squad depths?
David Raya is joining to give Arteta two quality keepers.
At centre back, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes are the main options, but they have capable back-ups in Jakub Kiwior, Ben White, and Jurrien Timber.
At left back, Oleksander Zinchenko has capable deputies in Kieran Tierney, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Jurrien Timber.
At right back, Ben White has capable deputies in Jurrien Timber and Takehiro Tomiyasu.
At midfield, Thomas Partey has Declan Rice or Jorginho as a deputy; if Jorginho leaves, another top central midfielder may be signed. In attacking midfield, Emile Smith-Rowe, who seems to have found his mojo, and Fabio Vieira, can comfortably be introduced for Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice (if given the No. 8 role as expected). Leandro Trossard can also play an attacking midfield role.
In attack, Gabriel Jesus can continue the striker role but can be replaced with Eddie Nketiah or Kai Havertz if he is not available. On the left wing, Gabriel Martinelli, Reiss Nelson, and Leandro Trossard can share the workload.
On the right wing, Bukayo Saka runs the show but can be deputised by Reiss Nelson or even Gabriel Jesus.
With exits expected for Folarin Balogun, Jorginho, Rob Holding, and Nicolas Pepe, some cash may be raised, which could see a right winger and a midfielder signed, and boom! what a squad Arteta will have.
He and his boys may just need to maintain their momentum next season and end their 20 year title drought.
Sam P
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The squad is only as good as you use it. Dont use it and it doesn’t matter how strong it is. It wasn’t utilised properly last season. It 100% needs to be this season.
Haven’t heard anything about Jorginho from Romano, Ornstein and Watts. If he leaves, we’ve still got Partey, Rice and Elneny for one CDM position
We won’t need a new central midfielder, because Zinchenko plays the role for Ukraine and there are too many of them at Arsenal. We need to trim our bloated squad, not adding another central midfielder
The famous journalists haven’t said anything about Holding as well, but we’ve got Tomiyasu and Kiwior as Saliba’s backup
Just in
Agreement for David Raya with Brentford
Source:Fabrizio
I just realise that Raya counts as a homegrown.
Arsenal is more than ready to go.
Attacking Occupiers (AO): Jesus, Eddie, Flo, Havertz
Wing Forwards (WF): Saka, Martinelli, “new singing”, Nelson, Marquinhos
Box 2 Box (B2B): Odegaard, Trossard, Emile, Fabio, Timbre, Zinchenko, Tierney
Defensive Occupiers (DO): Partey, Rice, White, Tomiyasu, Saliba, Magalhaes, Kiwior, “new signing”, Holding
GK: Ramsdale, New signing, Turner
Issues to be addressed along the line –
1) one more WF upgrade in Saka mould to consolidate the available options
2) one more DO upgrade in Saliba mould for Holding to leave
3) one more GK upgrade in Ramsdale mould for Turner to go
Turner’s gone to Forest. Confirmed on the .com this morning.
If Raya counts as home grown, then Holding is certainly leaving.
We need a striker to give the squad more options; holdup play and a strong aerial presence in the box.
Jesus can compete with the striker AND Saka on the RW.
It solves 2 issues with 1 transfer, as opposed to another RW who offers nothing in striker position.
Except that we have nkettiah and havertz
So what had happened to the well documented wish list going into the summer market.
Declan Rice
Kia Havertz
Romeo Lavia
Jurrien Timber
A keep saying Arsenal needs another midfielder
And you were given 2
I feel we are still a bit light on the rW with no quality depth for Saka. I dont know whether Havertz can play as RW but Havertz should be mainly utilised in midfield. Also, the double pivot of Rice and Partey gives added defensive solidity as demonstrated in the Community Shield where the opposition had very few clear cut chances to shoot at goal. That said, hopefully the squad stays injury free by and large this season and we should add some more titles to the Community Shield already won.
We have Trosard(Nelson), in case of a player crisis Jesus can operate there and that leaves Harvezt(Nketiah) as our main center forward.
This is a trophy laden season, Arteta must rotate players in order for them to rest and be fresh always. Bench wormers should be given time to play in order for them to get better and gel with others.
Great squad depth, but I’ll wait to see if Arteta actually rotates players or has actual and real competition for places.
Hopefully he will as man management has been one of his biggest issues and criticism.
Timber has earned a start, and Zinchenko should earn it back not gifted starts.
Jesus should earn his way back not be automatic like last year.