Mikel Arteta is claimed to have requested ‘seven new signings’ at Arsenal this summer, and Emmanuel Petit claims that he is ‘completely’ behind the request.
The Gunners have struggled for form since the international break, possibly due to the painful loss of key pair Thomas Partey and Kieran Tierney, and you could argue that their lack of squad strength has been their undoing of late.
While you could argue that the signings of Nuno Tavares and Albert Sambi Lokonga last summer could be doing better, with the pair the obvious choice to step-up in the absence of the injured duo, the two have played very little football in 2022 thus far, and the manager is now claiming that he wants as many as seven new additions after the recent loss to Crystal Palace.
Petit is fully behind the manager’s claims, claiming that he has done ‘a lot of good’ already in north London, claiming that he just doesn’t have the squad to deal with the clubs at the top of the table yet.
“Since Mikel Arteta arrived at Arsenal, he’s been steady”, The Mirror quoted Petit as saying. “He still has a lot to do, but he has done a lot of good things already. He has found his first XI and now the players appear to be a happy group.
“They seem to understand the way Arteta is asking them to play, but after the Crystal Palace game I believe he said he wants seven new signings for next season, and I completely agree with him. Arsenal are doing everything they are capable of at the moment. With this team Arteta has some quality, but not enough to compete with Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea. But he cannot perform miracles either.”
While I think that Arteta’s backing may depend somewhat on where his side finish up in the table, and while seven signings may seem a little on the excessive side, it really isn’t. Delving into it, at present it would be no shock to see two strikers, a central midfielder, and two full-backs added to the squad, while a new goalkeeper has already been signed which will likely be the end of Bernd Leno’s stay at the Emirates. That is six straight away, while William Saliba’s likely return would be like a new signing also.
Is seven signings too many? Or is that exactly what is needed should we qualify for Europe?
Patrick
I think it’s needed. 1 CF, 1 CF/Winger hybrid, one CM, 2 full backs are a must I think
Not at all, our first aim is to be a regular top club again. We are not winning the league with a less competitive squad than Liverpool and ManCity. At least four or five clubs have better squad than us at the moment, and better squad depth is necessary to manage top four next season.
Sorry, answer to Reggie’s post
So let me get this right…. We sign seven players and Arteta will win the league!!!!!
No chance, im sorry, it takes more than that.
Checkbook manager without a doubt. Jeez, to think some believe Arteta was the only manager we could get at the time.
250 million already spent, with “7 new players” as reported, it will be well over 300 million easily.
Total control over players; sales, loans, even giving away for free.
No fear of sacking from missing out on ANY European football, and two 8th place finishes still have a job.
And Arteta was the only manager we could find for the job?
Sorry, I don’t believe that.
Before digging into the wallet for another 100 million for 7 new players, perhaps someone should tell Arteta to accomplish something first. 4th place would be a good start.
Which manager is not a Cheque book manager?
Can anyone please name me a single Manager at any Top club that is not a cheque book manager?
And same goes for players, which player in the Top leagues just plays for the love of his club without wages being their first priority?
Be nice to see a bit more coaching and less check book. Saliba is a great youngster to coach up, Guendouzi, Mavro. Perhaps even coach up Lokogna and Tavares as well.
Just saying wasn’t “coaching” one of the reasons he was hired? Wasn’t that a talking point with the youngsters at City?
Durand, why don’t you think he is coaching Saka, ESR, Martinelli, Ode, Tomi, Ramsdale, Lokonga, Tavares, Patino and even Eddie & Pepe right now?
You mention Saliba and Guendouzi, they were both bought, you can coach youngsters whether they are bought or they have come through the Club
I think I read Tierney also mentioned improving because of Arteta’s coaching
I don’t know what you mean by a “cheque book Manager”, I think only Partey, White & Ode were big(ish) money signings within the current squad, Arteta has spent a lot but on a number of players, mainly for the future
A future that he knows he may not be a part of
I just question if his coaching is making them better. Not Tavares or Lokonga, they played better before December.
Hasn’t improved Pepe, Laca, or Nketiah.
Couldn’t help Leno play out from the back either.
Almost 2 1/2 years and Arteta still can’t figure out how to get goals from this team.
Besides Saka, ESR, Martinelli were very good before Arteta, does Emery coaching deserve credit?
I just have not seen a lot of individual improvement from many players. Our back 4 has already conceded the same number of goals as a back 4 that included Luiz, Bellerin, and Leno in goal.
OK, how does that equate to Arteta being a “cheque book Manager”?
Yes, I would think that there is strong evidence that Emery is a good coach as well, that doesn’t mean Arteta isn’t
We both mention Saka, ESR and Martinelli, if Emery had brought them in and then as soon as Arteta took over he sold them on, instead of continuing to coach them, and replaced them with expensive signings, you may have had a point about that
But what has happened is that those three have played more League games than they did under Emery and continued to improve, all becoming Internationals and in Saka’s case playing in a major International Final and acclaimed by all to be an established and top class Premier League player
Spot on! Arteta does NOT improve players! He has to leave our club ASAP. What is the point of buying 7 medicore players, when we need a couple of world class players.
Saliba is playing in France a win-win situation, he will probably return as a much better player. A very good decision for club and player.
Lokonga and Tavares are young players and they can be much better next season. Some needs more time to adapt and adjust. Sometimes players needs a new start to fulfil their potential, and sometimes they aren’t good enough.
To be honest I have never heard about any coach or manager that has been successful with all his individual players. Even Wenger with human qualities wasn’t able to do that.
You call Arteta a Cheque book manager,
I hope you know the English FA and media are the main reason EPL has become a money factory,
There’s no single top club that doesn’t spend so much to have quality,
Tactics/Styles change so much in the EPL that it makes a lot of players look weak,
Especially forwards,
Grealish
Timo Werner
Aubameyang
Firminho
Lukaku
Gabriel Jesus
I expect Arsenal to compete for the 4th place when we have a quad capable of doing it. ManCity, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham have all better squads than us. All of them have used resources to be competitive.
A few other clubs have squads close to our quality and could be capable of finish the league above us. We have the youngest squad in the league with an exciting first eleven.
When key players have a drop in form or get injured we are struggling, like most teams lacking squad depth.
Which team without resources/checkbook do you expect to manage top four next season?
Durand, I love the way fans spend the owners money – the owner that most want out of the club, but hey ho that’s by the by.
We now have a completely new defence and back ups (Holding being the exception).
Midfield, we have signed three players and awarded Xhaka with a new contract.
Up front, we have a deficiency that requires a minimum of £50,000,000 plus a top strikers salary to address…. say £300,000 a week?
Finally the “cheque book manager” quote :
Kronkie has stated that he wants the club to be self sufficient – spending the kind of money that seven top class players and their salaries would, in my opinion, only happen if we can qualify for the CL, something that was decried as a waste of time because we didn’t compete!!!
If MA does manage it, at least that will pay his reported increase in salary.
People get offended when you question or bring up legitimate criticism of Arteta.
I just refute the narrative that we’re progressing or better off than 5 years ago with Wenger.
Still have yet to reach the heights of 5th or 6th place, which got Wenger and Emery replaced.
Emery lost his dressing room and the players went against him. How was state of the club when Emery got sacked in November 2019?
Well, the team UE handed over to MA, had just finished 5th and lost in a European final – our last European game actually.
MA took that group of players to Wembley and won the fa cup.
What’s happened since then, with regards to players and money spent?
7 new players in, 3 out; that’s my minimum expectation
i. Leno out, Turner in
ii. Saliba in – back from loan
iii. Elneny out, new DM in
iv. New CAM in
v. New left-sided winger in
vi. Lacazette out, new striker in
vii Keep Nketia and recall Balogun from loan
This will not win us the league immediately, but it’d improve the squad enough to cope with league and cup competitions, including the Europa League(which is where I think we will be competing)
OT:We can still make cl if we finish outside top four if uefa successfully activates the new qualification rule,trying to make up for the super league fall out i guess.
We need 8th signings included a new manager.