Arsenal gave up their advantage in the race for the top-four this month, and Darren Bent lays blame on the club for offloading too many players and thinning the squad.
The Gunners allowed many players to leave on both temporary and permanent deals over the last 12 months, with Matteo Guendouzi, William Saliba, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Sead Kolasinac, Calum Chambers and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang amongst those to have been permitted moves, but that left us with a select number to play out the season.
Our demise of late which allowed both Crystal Palace and Brighton to achieve wins against us, therefore allowing Spurs to take control of the race for fourth, have come amidst us losing the likes of Thomas Partey and Kieran Tierney to injury, with the manager having to rotate much of his first-choice XI in our latest outing.
Darren Bent has now claimed that we are now suffering because of our decision to thin out the playing squad.
“When you look at who Arsenal let go: Maitland-Niles, Balogun, Kolasinac, Calum Chambers,” TBR quotes Bent’s comments from TalkSPORT’s radio show. “I mean, just hold on to a couple of them.
“I know these guys might not necessarily play. But when your squad’s as thin as it is, you just need strength in depth.
“And right now, Arsenal don’t have that. Partey and Tierney, big, big misses. So, I guess, Arsenal have only got themselves to blame.”
It’s a little difficult to disagree, although given Tavares’s early form it would have been easy to think we had sufficient cover at left-back which is harsh. The Portuguese’s lack of form also convinced Arteta that his best choice would be to drop Xhaka out from central midfield into the LB role, although I’d have personally left him there and moved other defenders about if given the choice.
Which departed (on loan or otherwise) do you think should have been kept for our push to finish in the CL places?
Patrick
Answering the last sentence, Gouendouzi, Saliba, Auba, Chambers and Torriera.
No one is bigger than the club – guendouzi. He has talent but he’s not a team player. Go play tennis.
Saliva – so happy he’s maturing. Amazing to see him. Develop. He will backup Gabriel.
Auba-love love him. Always. But a captain has to be more than an individual. And you and I both know the results of the team proved he wasn’t always needed. We’ll get a striker worthy in the summer.
Chambers – sad to see him go but he needed playing time. He didn’t have the tempo or ferocity needed from what I saw. His crosses were usually a disaster.
Torriera- hoped he turn into a cazorla but he seemed to lack vision on the pitch. Was caught out too many times and lacked the strategic understanding in the rebuild. Solid fighter though.
All under Arteta, thats something you failed to mention.
Including during emery’s last six months,reggie.
Let me think. After the disastrous January transfer window, we predicted that the act of dumping wages – creating deadwood – was suicidal and likely to kill our chances of qualifying for Europe. We also predicted that ditching our world-class striker, PEA, without finding a replacement would be a calamity.
We also predicted Arteta would avoid taking responsibility for his failure and blame the following: the players; AFCON tournament; and pandemic. Darren Bent is spot on.
My next prediction: Arsenal will hire a competent and experienced manager before the end of the season.
Please do more research. You do not know what you are talking about!
I for one am happy arteta cut hard and deep into the dead weight on the squad overall. Much stronger foundation and likely another transitional year. Can’t do all business in 2-3 transfer windows. Give it 2 more and then we’ll see. Klopp took longer to build what he has
Arsenal squad is so passionate, mad talented, young, together. They just don’t have clones at the ready in every position.
More patience, and we are there.
Comparing Arteta with Klopp is like comparing a Casio with a Rolex.. Jürgen Klopp was an already experienced coach who won the title with Dortmund and took them to the champions League final and also winning promotion with lowly Mainz.. Arteta with no managerial experience jumped into the deep end and has been winging it since.
And also Arsenal squad didn’t look mad talented or passionate against palace or Brighton looked like they were going through the motions.
Your statement just revealed what your observational skill rates.
How many windows has Mikel had Whakanoodle and how much has he spent – so how many more windows, how many players and how much money has kronkie got to give?
Ken it’s excuses after excuses for Arteta when he’s had 10 transfer windows there will be another excuse. He’s already spent 250 mil what’s it gonna take a billion?
POCHETTINO
Off topic…..our shirt sponsorship ‘Visit Rwanda’ is about to take on a whole new meaning!
Why?
I don’t understand….
Sorry a bit political admin but our PM is about to announce today that immigrants arriving by small boats etc are to be shipped 4000 miles away to Rwanda for “processing”.
Yes Declan I’ve seen it now. How weird is that?
Yes nonsense and it won’t be a good look for us either.
Do we have a “good look” at the moment Declan?
Giving AMN a reason to leave and not signing kulu is the fault i find in the winter transfer window,i mean kulu will comfortably displace laca at the cf position cos of his versatility and eye for goal,GUTTED he ended up at spurs.AMN would have been better and dominant as a lone dm than lokonga against brighton but due to lack of trust in him by the manager the poor guy had to leave.but i hope luck comes to us and see us through the campaign.