As we highlighted numerous times this summer, Arteta had one goal in mind; to remodel his midfield in the hopes of ultimately bringing Premier League glory to the Emirates.
In order to unleash a better midfield next season, the Spaniard has been willing to let some of his stalwart midfielders go; Granit Xhaka has left, and Thomas Partey is rumoured to be departing as well. With the departure of the two, one might look at Arsenal’s midfield last season and wonder, “If Partey and Xhaka are leaving, what about someone like Fabio Vieira?”
After joining Arsenal for £34 million from FC Porto, Vieira struggled to make an impact. He departed the Portuguese side as the assist king (after a run of 14 assists in 27 games in the 2021–22 season), but he failed to live up to the reputation.
Some may have asked why there hasn’t been talk of Vieira leaving, if not permanently on loan, after Arteta’s willingness to let Xhaka and Partey leave. All indications point to Vieira, like Emile Smith-Rowe, staying Arteta must have seen something in Portuguese and hopes to get him to show it to us next season.
Many people forget that Vieira was healing from an injury at the time he joined Arsenal; he didn’t have a perfect pre-season, and last season he was still adjusting to the toughness of the PL and adapting to his new environment.
Arteta, back in March, after the Portuguese dazzled against Sporting Lisbon, revealed Vieira is a player he admires and believes needs to play more, saying: “Really happy with him. I think he deserves more minutes than he’s had, especially in the last two months.
“Obviously he had a difficult start because we injured for two months after a surgery and wasn’t at the level that we want. You saw tonight he was probably our most dangerous player. He was always making things happen. He’s a player that I absolutely love.”
Vieira will most likely play more next season. I’m hoping he can live up to his hype and have a breakout season next season. Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, and Martin Odegaard may be Arteta’s first-choice midfielders next season, but with Arsenal competing in so many leagues, there will be room to rotate, and that’s where Vieira comes in, and hopefully can show the qualities that Arteta saw in him at Porto….
Sam P
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Yes, remember about Odegaard’s first season at Arsenal. Vieira is also slow and weak, but at least he’s willing to press high up the pitch
Vieira could be useful for FA Cup and EL competitions. Smith-Rowe could also replace Odegaard for those minor competitions, but I think he would make a greater impact from the bench
I know a lot of fans haven’t warmed to him, but I rate him, he needs regular play to be established, and he will come good, Arteta sees his ability and I agree, but he needs to play more
I do rate him too and hoping he will succeed in his own style. He doesn’t need to bulk up and competing opponents physically, he just need to be more aware of his surroundings and act quicker. I think he can learn a lot from trossard. As I’ve seen, he’s very good at this. It’s a pleasure to watch a player with a finesse technique that don’t depend much on their physicality manipulating the play intellectually (ozil, pirlo, etc)
But ozil did bulk up and lost a lot of the pace he had in madrid
Physically and mentally not equipped for EPL….lamb like, may be proved wrong but every game he’s played lacks any form of physicality and totally no tenancity….a bad combination.
Vieira lacks the build for PL and far too timid in his play. He was an absolute disaster as a CM; easily bullied, no defense, and disappeared when things got hectic.
Hope the lad gets loaned and adds 20 lbs of muscle and finds some tenacity in his play.
A backup 10 at best, but behind ESR if production and influence matter on the pitch. Clearly Vieira has neither of these.
Durand, as usual right on the money with your assessment of Vieira. Major improvement in strength on the ball, physicality and tenacity required this season to break out in the EPL.
You are spot on my brother! He is a spent gotce must be sold! Cant see him staying especially sacrificing Partey! Doesnt make sense. We have Kai , ESR, the captain, etc way better than him. He is a weakling! He must be sold
We want to win the first six games, this is a massive campaign ahead of us, no rooms for experiment.
Vieira should go out on loan immediately, while we clear the deck.
I do rate him too and hoping he will succeed in his own style. He doesn’t need to bulk up and competing opponents physically, he just need to be more aware of his surroundings and act quicker. I think he can learn a lot from trossard. As I’ve seen, he’s very good at this. It’s a pleasure to watch a player with a finesse technique that don’t depend much on their physicality manipulating the play intellectually (ozil, pirlo, etc)
I cannot see where his strengths are. On arrival he was touted as a creative midfielder who could play out wide. He has shown very little creative flair. He has little pace and hasn’t shown that he can beat a player one on one. He is too easy to dis-posses and cannot protect the ball in tight situations. Out of possession he presses with no conviction and when we defending it’s like we’ve only got 10 players (Ozil-esque). At best he his perfunctory. He can receive the ball to feet and keep the play moving. And if he has time and space he can deliver a cross. But for me that’s not enough to justify his price tag ( at the time) or is place in the squad, as I am sure there are youth team players that can do that.
Returning to the main question, moving on Xhaka and Partey whilst keeping Viera seems completely bizarre. Just my opinion.
He needs minutes to get used to the English 100 miles an hour game or, as we have seen, he will be swallowed up.
The English game does not have time for flair unless you have the strength to protect yourself.
Personally, I think he has the ability but needs a loan in the championship this season to find his feet. Last season was a waste as he never got enough substantial game time to get used to the EPL, game and just got kicked all over the place within the minutes he got.
To be honest, I want ESR to be used more this season so we all can get a better look at him, especially after the season he has just endured. This has to be his breakout season or he may have to consider his future somewhere else
it’s not only that he is physically weak. players can compensate for that by aggressiveness and dribbling ability. but he lacks both. so I believe he has a very low ceiling and even if he gets more accustomed to EPL he will never be at the level we require.
Struggling to see his strengths to be honest. His passing is average, he has zero pace, can’t tackle, can’t bully a player off the ball, not a goal threat at all.
Obviously I hope he gets better but i hope he’s not just going to be kept and played because of ego and price with trying to prove the signing was right.
Very uninspiring performances from Fabio Vieira so far. To say I’m not impressed would be an understatement but I still believe he needs another season to get to grips with the EPL. It can take time for some. Although he may need more time, I don’t think Arteta will give him that much if he remains slow in transition. He’ll be playing a larger part in cup ties imo.
The problem is that if he plays ESR doesn’t. ESR is better in every department and from our academy, to play Viera over him just to try prove you didn’t waste 30+mil is arrogant and criminal.
So I can’t see when Viera will play because surely ESR will play as the backup for whoever is our CM and play cup games.
His strengths are in his final pass and shooting from distance – he did show both during the season, but struggled in the EPL, particularly when played in CM.
Not going to write him off after one year, but i will say, usually when players have a first season like this, it doesn’t get better until they move to another club. Hope he is an exception.
I think a lot of us are underestimating the physical and mental requirements to play for Arteta’s system. The EPL is physical but we bullied a lot of club teams last season, even at away games. It’s about intensity, intelligence and technique among the squad players that allowed us to control and suffocate the opponents, not just physical. Fabio Viera suffered just like Nketiah, Odegaard, Martinelli, Saka and even Partey on their first seasons under Arteta.
I think with weight training he can add some much needed muscle and strength. Without hitting the gym I don’t see much hope for him.
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Let’s give the guy another season. Can’t write him off after just a season that he started off injured..
Whens he going to get game time with ESR fit now?
Surely he can’t start ahead of ESR
No, he isn’t built to play big boys football. Has no heart or fight. Dont see him ever playing in an Arsenal shirt. Probably the worst buy i have ever seen.
Some players are not a good fit for the PL; I think Vieira falls in this category.
No pace, strength, timid play, no defense, and only impacts play when given time and space.
An honest assessment shows we already have players better than him.
1. Nelson is far superior than Vieira on wings
2. ESR miles ahead of Vieira as a 10 or as CM.
Just don’t see where he fits when we already have better players. Criminal to play him ahead of ESR especially, and Nelson as well.
Loan him to recoup some value then sell. No room in 1st team for passengers, and that is Vieira. Not at a level to compete in PL; admit mistake don’t double down on ego and stubbornness.
Durand, i just think the kid was/is an absolute waste of money. He is just so bad.
Absolutely! Cant believe what we saw in jim to jystify 34 million pounds?
Personally I think it was an unnecessary waste of money. Nelson better on wing and ESR better as a 10 or CM.
Vieira isn’t beating out either, so club spent 35 million for 5th choice winger or 3rd choice 10. Vieira as a CM is what you see from U-21 player in midfield. Vieira is like Ozil 2.0 minus the resume’ and stats. Allergic to defending, no physical presence, and invisible without time and open space to play.
Loan him to raise value then sell; no place for passengers in the 1st team. Bad purchase, only thing worse is playing him and limiting game time of better players.
Durand, the only allowance that should be made for him is that Vieira came to Arsenal following injury. The big question is why does Arsenal continue to buy injured or recovering players?
OG
Vieira was also withdrawn from the u21 euros because of long term injury problem….
There are a lot of negative dismissive comments from a bunch of people without any attempt at a reasonable analysis.
There are a mitigations to consider with regards to Vieira. Following this it will be necessary to consider what can realistically be worked upon to improve his impact.
This is young player in a new environment trying to learn a new system and cope with the demands of one of the most challenging leagues in the world.
He was injured and had no preseason before his first season in the league.
This time he will be a year older, and hopefully will have the opportunity to build his strength and also integrate more effectively with the team. Arteta’s system requires good intelligence on the part of the players and Viera has been played in multiple roles in just one season without any preseason preparation.
Hopefully, he will recover from his most recent injury and then have a proper pre-season. We will then be able to see if he can express his talent more effectively over the course of a season.
Oof! Pretty scathing assessment, Reggie. I don’t see anyone arguing with you though. I think we all agree on that one. I think he’s technically gifted but weaker than a vegan.
Ben, i hope i am proved wrong but i dobt think i have ever seen such a weak ineffective player, ever in my life in the prem.
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He is undoubtedly technically gifted, he just needs more about him. Bruno Fernandez looks like he’s come straight from Auschwitz but that doesn’t stop him getting about the pitch and getting involved in the physical side of the game. It’s all about the mindset and that trumps technique. You an get by with just mindset but not with just talent. Pepe is testament to that.
Yeah, it’s true. Robert Pires clearly remembered what he thought on his game for Arsenal after a physical challenge and asked himself what’s he doing in EPL. He trained hard and got tough and became EPL Player of the Season the very next season.
Don’t know where this improvement is going to come from. at least not from what we saw last season. He’d have to go down as one of the top five most ineffectual players in the EPL and I don’t know who the other four are. It would be a travesty if he gets more paying time than Smith Rowe. and how can people above even compare him to Ozil or Pires. ” utter Nonsense” I would say in my worst Scottish accent. Last season we saw nothing from him except for one decent goal, so what justifies his redemption ?His pricetag?
Plus, his first touch was like a pass, so poor.