In the transfer window, all football fans can be like a child on Christmas Day. No matter how much you get, you still want that little bit more. Having spent over £200 million, it is easy to think that Gooners are being spoilt by saying another attacking midfielder is needed to give us the best possible chance of ending our title drought.
Before January, Mikel Arteta said his attack needed help. Some supporters would say that has been the case for longer. In terms of giving their manager someone capable of scoring over 20 league goals, few better in the market were available than Viktor Gyökeres. While the Swede is clearly more of a natural finisher than Havertz, that is not the only issue in the final third.
Creativity concerns in the final third
The issue is not just whether the 27-year-old can convert chances, it is whether the Gunners can translate possession into opportunities. How many games last season did you walk away from asking how many saves the opposition keeper had to make?
That is why someone taking the pressure off Ødegaard as being our sole creative outlet, or competition on the left-hand side, should have been a priority over back-up for Saka or another centre-back. Whether our captain never truly recovered from his injury or opponents had worked out how we played, it seemed like the Norwegian was trying too hard, overthinking his final ball, meaning attacks would involve lots of sideways passes before our skipper tried an audacious chip over the top or a pass through the eye of a needle.
Martinelli, meanwhile, no longer tries to take on his man, more often than not cutting back, not having the creative licence the other side has. Has he been micro-managed, or do we need another option?
Potential solutions and transfer options
Eberechi Eze could cover both roles. The 27-year-old is believed to be receptive to a return to the club and did have a release clause, meaning a deal would have been easy to do if Arsenal had really wanted to pursue it. Andrea Berta’s preference would be to pay Crystal Palace in instalments, even willing to pay more than the asking price if it meant a generous repayment plan.
The cheapest option would be Rodrygo, if Real Madrid agreed first to a loan, meaning any transfer fee could be taken out of next year’s accounts. Other sources are saying talent would have to leave first to free up room in the squad.
Arteta is a fan of Trossard, but can we win the title with our current attacking options? It would take a change of tactics.
Your thoughts are very welcome in the comments.
Dan Smith
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An upgrade on Odegaard would be my priority if there monies left (which there isn’t).
But if there was …..
you dont sound optimistic
A left winger should be priority over a left midfielder unless we get someone who can play both like Eze. In this transfer window we needed a ST, LW, DM, BKUP DM, BKUP RCB, BKUP RW, BKUP GK. All done except LW, would be a shame to repeat the same 1-2 signing from greatness again we’ve had going for most of the last 20 years
This is still the team who got 89pts 1 year ago with a better striker and better squad depth so yeah we could win the title with the current squad but why do it the hard way when we could make it easier with just 1 signing.
Greatness ?
Did VAR stop it ?
Yes greatness, we lost the league twice to not having a better striker and the latter for not having adequate squad depth. Jesus, Saliba, tomiyasu injuries cost us in 2022/23, not repositioning Havertz to CF earlier in 2023/24.
Peak Wengerball after the invincibles with the should have won a couple of leagues with a better keeper, defence and actually using a DM. Had the best midfield/attack in the league with Fabregas, Rosicky, Hleb, Nasri, V.persie Adebayor.
A left winger is a midfielder
Sorry to disagree but a proper left winger (or right winger) is not a midfielder, otherwise we’ve been playing 4-5-1 and not 4-3-3.
No a left winger is different from a left midfielder.
One single player solves this and it’s eze even premier league proven. Arsenal needs to bring in more players and don’t count on some players in the team
Absolutely, we aren’t firing on the left and we need someone to break down the low blocks. Eze is the answer to both those problems.
Trossard should be replaced since he is too slow for the winger roles and has been making too many reckless passes, but not with Eze who’s also too slow for the LW position
Eze could be perfect for the attacking midfield roles, but we’ve already got too many players for those positions
Our left-sided AMs are Rice, Merino, Havertz, Zinchenko, Lewis-Skelly, Odegaard, Nwaneri and Trossard. I bet Norgaard and Zubimendi can also play here
Whereas our right-sided AMs are Odegaard, Nwaneri, Merino, Vieira, Zinchenko, Saka and Dowman
Again I will say it.
We need dynamism and creativity in midfield. Someone that brings something different from the one-dimensional approach the current guy(s) take.
Since there’s no Xhaka figure to make those quick dashing runs into opponents box as he regularly did during the 22/23 season, relying on a single ineffective outlet for creativity means we’ll be stuck with the same problem.
@gotanidea, I want to as you a question.
Did you watch Arsenal’s matches during Santi Carzola’s days?
If you did, it would give an idea of what a proper midfield creator looks like and maybe change your perspective.
Odegaard has the vision and skills to play creative AM. But that Ozil’s playing style is more suited to very fast tactics, not Arteta’s slow build-up ones
Xhaka’s runs have been replaced by Rice’s and Merino’s down the left side of the field, but the other big EPL teams have been familiar with Arteta’s strategy. When Xhaka did that, most of our oppositions weren’t familiar with Arteta’s dynamic 4-3-3 tactics yet
Cazorla predominantly played deep-lying playmaker in a double-pivot formation after Ozil came to Arsenal. The deep-lying playmaker role has been assigned to our CDM
In response to your first paragraph, why then should we persist with a slow buildup style of play when it has proven to be ineffective and dragging us back?
My point is, Arsenal is not known for this boring, unproductive style of play we see currently. Even towards the end of Wenger’s era when we had less quality compared to what we have today the style of play still generates excitement.
A quick buildup with fast attacking play and creativity makes it difficult for teams to just sit back and defend against you. You hit them before they form a defensive shape in transition.
That’s the only way to get out of this low-block conundrum.
Arteta is failing to evolve as coach.
And to add to what I wrote above, I believe you’ll agree with me that Odegaard’s productivity has dropped significantly. Imo, his recent output is part of the problem this team is facing.
It’s either because he has failed to step up and improve or his style of play of always drifting to the right has been found out by teams or maybe even both.
Because Arteta’s slow build-up tactics have made us a runner-up in three consecutive EPL seasons and we also reached UCL semifinal with them
His inverted-fullback tactics are obviously created for a marathon like EPL, because we don’t rely on overlapping fullbacks who often get injured and are too specialized to deputize by other player types
Our squad got ravaged by injuries last season. But we were still able to finish at the second place in England and almost reached UCL final game, thanks to the flexible positions in his dynamic inverted-fullback formations that can be played by several player types
Let’s wait and see whether Gyokeres will become the final solution for Arteta’s strategy or not
Once again I disagree with the claim in your first paragraph.
I can remember how quick and incisive our our attack was during the 22/23 season, made even more exciting with high press. That was the first season we came second.
The slow build up play started towards the end of the 23/24 season if I’m not mistaken, maybe to conserve energy due to the injuries.
Unfortunately, we went full swing into a slow buildup style lacking attacking edge and creativity last season. And that reflected in our stats. Every other average season we would’ve finished third or fourth based on our performance.
We only finished second because the other teams below us were poorer.
We cannot hide the fact that there’s a need for a change in tactics/style of play.
@Gai, the reason why a lot of fans wants EZE is because of his ball holding abilities, imo no midfielder in Arsenal can dribble like EZE does around 18 yard box apart from Jesus. This would be good for low blocks and can help get penalties. We also need a midfielder that can add dynamism to our creative play in midfield. EZE has loads of Epl experience and he scores special goals from midfield. Only Pathey scores long range goals from midfield. Odegard isn’t same player of two season ago. England used EZE from left side of the midfield in the last few games.
Also @Gai, Atetas tactics may not win him any major trophies in Arsenal regardless of the new players coming in, His tactics are just too predictable. Epl coaches now tell their full backs to doubleup on our wingers and take advantage of of our inverted full backs who often play high line and leave spaces at the back. Just watch how Villarreal scored their 3rd goal. Their good coaches in Epl now, Arteta should evolve his tactics.
gotanidea,
Fair points you make, but speed on the LW is wasted, that’s not how Arteta progresses the ball, and he sacrifices speed for possession and control.
That’s what many of us are asking for; change tactics and use speed and attack directly, sometimes least.
Not sure how effective Rodrygo would be isolated and double teamed with no fullback support or LCM.
I think we need some new tactics as well apart from LW or CAM
Lookman speculation could be driven by Atalanta, who don’t want to sell to an Italian rival.
If we are waking up to the fact Ethan’s “bigger role” likely means deputising for Ode and even appearing at 8 – leading to change of thinking on Eze as blocking Ethan’s path – or put another way I’m calling it management have decided Ethan is ready to be our own homegrown Eze – I would not mind the Eze money being spent on Lookman instead. Lookman, now in his Prime can add depth right across the front three, I rate him as being able to deliver the goods when asked from rotation or bench.
Arsenal can buy as many players as they want. But until the manager takes a good hard look at his own tactics and gets the team playing in a better way, we’re still going to be having these same conversations before the start of the season after this. 🥱🤦♂️🤷♂️
@DEREK
👍🏾…Truth Bomb
I keep seeing same people saying Arteta needs to change tactics.
Wrote have finished 2nd three years in a row ! Should have won twice and a mixture of injuries at wrong team with a squad lacking enough depth to cope as well as inexperience is what cost us …not tactics.
2 years ago we scored our highest amount of goals …
All of this without a recognised number 9. .. we have now bought the highest scoring no 9 across all top European leagues last year.
We have upgraded Partey and Jorginho with younger players in Zubamendi and Norgaard.
Masquero as back up to Saliba ( who needs completion as I thought he wasn’t at his best last year)
Whatever anyone’s prejudice about buying from Chelsea we have a v good back up at only £5mn (!) In Kepa to push Raya. Also Madueke as back up to Saka and compete with Martinelli
We have not yet started the season and still negativity despite all of the above !
Let’s give all the new boys our support and the team our best …
COYG
Neil,
While I hear what you say, and I agree with some of your points.
The first second place finish, the team were playing good attacking football, totally agree.
The second place finish that followed showed signs of the current system.
And yes the third second place finish was hindered by injury’s of that there’s no doubt.
But lets get real, second place finishes’ or not. Arteta needs to stop this mind numbingly slow and boring side to side football, and then hide behind the old we’re playing against the low block routine.
It’s not new to them, they’ve played against it many times. The fact that they and Arteta are not combating it better, says a lot about the current team and Arteta himself.
I would say that their transfer window shows they know what was missing.
Why don’t we all see how the first 8 games go and then if it seems the same issues as last year then we can criticise….in the meantime the new starting XI will have a different shape and system which should give encouragement to all Arsenal fans. (Pre season means nothing as we have won all pre season matches before and didn’t translate to trophies)
Good points.
In each of the last few seasons limited squad depth and injuries have been major factors affecting the team.
It is clear that the club have tried to address the depth. This squad needs time to gel as there are several new players.
People piling in with their negativity does not help the team.
Should have but…..excuse
Ironically your excuses you provide are directly caused by who? You deliberately trying to separate MA from taking any responsibility for the bad only the good, that alone should tell you that you are biased
I see myself agreeing with both you and David PJ-SA!!
The injuries are no fault of MA, while the squad depth is.
Look at how many times we weren’t able to select from an injury free squad last season and the answer is zilch!!
Look at how many times we have seen MA’s signings sent out on loan, because they weren’t good enough!!
The only reason we’re having to buy more players, is because the likes of Vieira and Lokonga were just not up to the PL, along with the long term injuries of the likes of Gabriel, Tomiyasu and Tierney.
Eze and Lookman are better than just Rodrygo.
Definite questions how Rodrygo adapts to the premiership.
I would lean towards Eze, a seasoned PL footballer. Anyway why would RM sell Rodrygo to a big UCL rival?
Because those are the type of teams that will present good offers will, for them and the player. Not including Saudi because the player most probably not will not entertain such offers.
Let me say this again.
I think our main problem is with our “defensive” midfield players
I think we badly lack pace amongst those players. In addition, I am not sure we will be aggressive enough either
We will me Partey!!