Take a look at Arsenal’s starting 11 versus Ipswich:
– Raya
– Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Myles Lewis-Skelly
– Rice, Odegaard, Havertz
– Martinelli, Jesus, Trossard
One thing is clear: Arteta didn’t trust any of Arsenal’s summer signings to help him beat PL newcomers Ipswich.
Neto, Mikel Merino, and Riccardo Calafiori were all fit and on the bench for that game. Sterling would also have been on the bench, but he’s out with a knee injury.
As we sit here today, Merino, Calafiori, Neto, and Sterling represent a pretty woeful transfer business.
Sterling and Neto surely have no future at the Emirates Stadium. While I believe Merino and Calafiori could be good options in the long term, as we missed out on the 2023-24 title by 2 points, the club should have tackled the transfer window with the question: “What signings can we get that will have an impact from match day 1?”
With no summer signing as a starter and the only ones expected to be now facing tougher competition — Myles Lewis-Skelly is snatching Calafiori’s LB role, and Declan Rice/Kai Havertz are taking Merino’s LCM spot — it feels like the club did nothing last summer.
One may argue that it’s all in the past, but if we don’t call it out, we might end up with another quiet winter transfer window, and that can’t be so.
We need the club to redeem themselves this winter transfer window.
Like last summer, it’s obvious which position needs to be bolstered: the attack. How the Arsenal decision-makers don’t splash the cash to give Arteta the firepower he needs to challenge for league glory, I don’t know.
Liverpool is 6 points ahead of us with a game in hand. Only Arsenal at their absolute best can challenge them for league glory. Arsenal needs to have a better second half of the season to pip the Reds if they slip.
The Spaniard has hinted in press conference after press conference that he wants to bolster his squad depth and could welcome an unbelievable signing. Give him what he yearns for, and he’ll deliver.
What do you think?
Daniel O
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Its an interesting observation, but I would have thought that Calafiori is above MLS in the pecking order. The matches will be coming thick and fast, and I am sure that the new signings will get their chances.
I think Calafiori’s benching has something to do with his fitness.
Have to agree, basically we got no reinforcements to better our starting XI, only to strengthen our bench.
I am afraid we have no money to bring anyone in to reinforce us in January either..
Arteta struggles being forwards he is too defensive and too often gets us to sit back after 60 mins.
It’s an interesting point. I suspect Arteta feels, or at least felt after last season, that the first XI was good enough to challenge again based on only missing out by 2 points, which essentially boils down to two bad games against Fulham.
What he did therefore, was bring in reinforcements (with the exception of Calafiori) not to replace anyone in the first XI but as back-up for when the inevitable injuries and suspensions occur.
I doubt Arteta expected Miles Lewis-Skelly to perform as well as he has done, which is presumably why he has retained his place ahead of Calafiori. I think this reflects positively on MLS rather than negatively on Calafiori.
However, if you compare our forward line to that of Liverpool and Chelsea, we are woefully lacking. Both of our main rivals this season can call upon and entirely different front 3 with very little loss in performance, and that is something Arsenal don’t possess and must address asap.
Spot on – that’s how I see it as well. It’s actually a good thing Lewis-Skelly kept his place as it indicates arteta is not playing favourites and will pick people on form, not because they were signed for a lot of money. That said, Ipswich is not high level opposition atm, so it made the decision easier I expect.
Definitely agree on the forward line
Skelly has been a pleasant revelation so far, nwaneri is showing the youth talent is there…I agree with the view on the squad following that painful finish behind city, they have the capability but I think signing a world class forward will relieve that added pressure to deliver on goals when we don’t have that 25+ goals a season striker.
Well that’s mainly because the one player we needed was a striker. We didn’t buy one. We got Joughino, Merino, Calaforini, Neto and Sterling. NOT what we REALLY needed.